Chapter 95: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 95: 

 

Mian Tang hesitated for a moment. She had never accompanied Cui Xingzhou to these kinds of social gatherings before. Moreover, they had yet to hold their formal wedding ceremony, so attending such an event without any elder present might be inappropriate.

So, she smiled at Cui Xingzhou and said, "Wouldn't it be more comfortable for you and Marquis Zhao to drink together? If I were to go, it might stifle your friend's conversation. I'll prepare some hangover soup for you to drink when you return."

Cui Xingzhou understood what Mian Tang was mindful of and didn't press the matter further, though he did feel a slight sense of regret that the repairs to the manor were taking so long.

Luckily, today the foreman had reported that the repairs to the damaged walls of both the outer and inner courtyards were nearly finished. Once the walls were repaired, Mian Tang and his mother would be able to move back in, and the remaining areas could be fixed at their own pace.

The date for their wedding had also been set for the end of June on the lunar calendar, which happened to be an auspicious day. If they waited until July, the arrival of the Ghost Festival would make it inauspicious for weddings, forcing another month's delay.

Cui Xingzhou went off to his social engagement with Zhao Quan, intending to personally deliver invitations to their closer friends, as etiquette demanded.

Before leaving, he reminded Mian Tang to rest well and have her meal at the Marquis's estate. He promised to return early in the evening so they could spend some time at the residence in Lingquan Town. After all, it wasn’t appropriate for him to stay with her before their marriage while they were at the Marquis's estate, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to revisit the place where they had made memories together.

It had been quite some time since he last heard Mian Tang, her hair disheveled and lying beside him on the bed, softly calling him "husband." Prince Huaiyang found himself longing for that tenderness.

After Cui Xingzhou and Zhao Quan left, Mian Tang, though relieved from her duty of delivering lunch, decided to head to the Prince's Mansion anyway, since she had already changed her clothes. She wanted to inspect the progress of the manor’s renovations.

As she passed along Zhenzhou's West Main Street, she stopped to buy some soft fried cakes from a roadside stall.

Bi Cao grumbled, "Princess, you already devoured half a leg of lamb at noon. If you keep eating such heavy foods, be careful not to upset your stomach."

Mian Tang stared longingly at the cakes bubbling in the hot oil, swallowing her saliva. "The smell alone makes my stomach feel empty. If I don't eat it, I'll feel unsettled... Have him sprinkle extra sugar on it."

When the hot, golden cakes were wrapped in yellow paper and handed to her, Mian Tang couldn’t resist. Right there on the street, she carefully blew on them to cool them down and took a couple of small bites. Only after the food was in her belly did she feel calm again.

“Boss...” Before Mian Tang could take a third bite, she heard someone call out beside her.

Turning her head, she saw the four Loyal and Righteous Brothers standing by the roadside, staring wide-eyed at her.

It was no wonder they were taken aback. They had never seen their leader dressed like this before. The woman who was usually clad in men’s clothing was now wearing a light, ethereal silk gauze gown with flowing sleeves, her hair elegantly pinned up, revealing her slender, graceful neck. Such long-sleeved, flowing garments were impractical for labor, and even ordinary young women rarely wore them.

But on Mian Tang, the luxurious gown exuded a regal beauty, as if she were a delicate pearl nurtured in the lap of luxury from birth.

The four brothers had grown accustomed to their boss appearing in men's attire—bold and straightforward, the kind of woman who could drink and feast alongside them like one of the boys. Now, faced with this flawless beauty standing before them, their usual greeting of “Boss” came out rather timidly.

Mian Tang quickly glanced around, her expression turning serious as she said, “Haven’t I told you not to call me that in public? It might stir up unnecessary gossip.”

Lu Yi hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness, please do not blame us for being so forward..."

Mian Tang took another bite of her fried cake, then handed it to Bicao. She gestured for the four brothers to move to a nearby alley corner before asking them, "Didn't I send you all to the porcelain shop in Lingquan Town? What brings you back to Zhenzhou?"

Lu Yi lowered his head, clasped his hands in a respectful salute, and replied, "Your Highness arranged everything perfectly, but we brothers aren't accustomed to such a peaceful life. Moreover... we cannot rest easy knowing you're with that traitor Cui. We must stay by your side to ensure your safety..."

Mian Tang felt a headache coming on. She never imagined that loyalty could become such an unbearable burden one day.

"Haven't I told you that Prince Huaiyang treats me well? There's no need to worry..."

Lu Yi's usually refined face tensed as he spoke softly, "Boss, if your memory had returned, you wouldn't think that way. That traitor Cui once put a huge bounty on your head, stopping at nothing to capture you, dead or alive. The grudge between you two isn't something that can be forgotten in a few days... Right now, he doesn't know your true identity and is merely captivated by your beauty. But if he ever finds out that his lover is the former bandit chief of Yangshan who nearly took his life several times, how could he possibly tolerate that?"

What Lu Yi said was something Mian Tang understood, even without regaining her memory. Over the past few days, she'd subtly probed Cui Xingzhou's attitude, and his tone of disdain when speaking of Lu Wen completely extinguished her courage to confess her true identity.

Mian Tang felt as if she was riding a tiger and couldn't dismount.

If she confessed, the love they once shared would shatter instantly, turning sour. It might even implicate her old comrades from Yangshan, prompting Cui Xingzhou to wipe them out completely, eradicating any future threat.

But if she kept silent, could she really hide her true identity from Cui Xingzhou for a lifetime?

Weighing both options, reason told Liu Mian Tang that the best course of action would be to find an excuse and break off the engagement with Cui Xingzhou. This way, she could safely conceal her secret and no longer live in fear, relying on lies day after day.

She had once been furious with Cui Xingzhou for deceiving her, never realizing that she herself was living a much bigger lie. Though she understood the reasoning and knew what needed to be done, when the moment arrived, her heart was left with only three words—I can't let go!

And so, everything seemed to drift along with the current. Mian Tang was now merely going through the motions, passively avoiding deep thought, muddling along day by day, allowing Cui Xingzhou to push her forward.

But the four brothers refused to let her retreat into herself. They insisted on reminding her that she and Cui Xingzhou were supposed to be bitter enemies, with deep-seated grudges between them.

If she could, Mian Tang would have liked to find a secluded corner, have a good cry, or knock herself unconscious, forgetting all about being Lu Wen.

Just then, a guard approached from behind, eyeing the four brothers with caution and asking, "Princess, is there something amiss?"

Mian Tang massaged her temples and replied, "Nothing's wrong. Just some workers from the porcelain shop asking me questions. You may leave."

Once the guard retreated, she sighed and said to the brothers, "Since you know I can't remember the past, why keep pestering me with it? Are you hoping I'll take you all back to the mountains, to live as outlaws again? Back then, I was young and reckless, leading you astray—it's all my fault. But stop bringing up the past. Zi Yu is emperor now, and the old days of Yangshan are no longer worth mentioning."

Hearing this, the brothers' eyes welled up with tears. Lu Quan, ever blunt, spoke his mind: "Big Boss, you've been blinded by a pretty face, tricked by his honeyed words. But men like him, noble and high-born—how can you trust them for life? What will you do when you grow old and he takes concubines? If you're fond of handsome men, we can gather a few for you. With your wealth, you could retreat to the mountains, build a secluded estate, and live in carefree peace!"

Mian Tang felt that talking too much with these brothers only made her foolish, so she simply rolled her eyes and said, "Go back for now. I’ll come see you in a few days. You’re all grown men now; focus on learning some proper skills from the shopkeeper. Stop thinking about fighting and killing!"

With that, she turned and boarded the carriage, urging the driver to take her quickly to Prince Huaiyang’s manor.

The brothers watched as their "big boss" departed. Lu Yi was the first to turn, glaring fiercely at his fourth brother. "What you said earlier—was that even appropriate?"

Lu Quan thought back for a moment, then decided he hadn’t been wrong. "The boss is just fond of good looks, isn’t she? Didn’t she once tease you, saying you looked delicate, nearly as beautiful as the second most handsome man in Yangshan…"

Seeing Lu Yi glaring daggers at him, ready to strike, Lu Quan wisely shut his mouth.

It was true that their boss had an eye for beauty. But her taste had improved—by now, Cui Xingzhou alone far outclassed the former Young Master Zi Yu. Even Lu Yi, their second brother, couldn’t compare to the prince’s ethereal grace.

In retrospect, Lu Quan realized he had boasted too much earlier. Finding a man who could match Cui Xingzhou’s looks would be quite a challenge indeed.

When Liu Mian Tang arrived at the Prince Huaiyang’s manor, she was greeted by a series of reports from the foremen. The renovation work at the manor had been progressing rapidly. The outer walls were nearly finished, with only the final touches remaining. The main focus of the renovation was the original sleeping quarters of Prince Huaiyang, which had been expanded and renovated. A study and accounting room had been specially created for Mian Tang.

Additionally, another room had been outfitted with a heated floor and lined with red grapefruit wood from the southern regions. The edges had been padded with soft wood. This room was designed as a nursery for a future child, with the intention that, come winter, Mian Tang’s baby would be able to crawl around freely in it.

As Mian Tang observed the thoughtfully arranged furnishings, she couldn't help but feel that, if she weren’t Liu Wen, she would be eagerly looking forward to a sweet life with Cui Xingzhou after their marriage.

Upon returning to the manor, Mian Tang noticed a lot of comings and goings at the Marquis residence. After inquiring, she learned that the Lian family had returned to Zhenzhou. Hearing this, Old Princess Consort Chu had quickly arranged a carriage to visit her injured sister.

However, Mian Tang chose not to accompany her. She felt a deep-seated aversion towards Lian Chu and the meddlesome Lian cousin. Since the Lian family was related to the Old Princess Consort but not to her, she saw no need for false courtesy and deemed her absence from the visit insignificant.

When Cui Xingzhou returned from the banquet, Mian Tang learned from him the details of how the Lian family had managed to be sent back.

It turned out that after paying a significant "ransom," Prince Sui finally got Cui Xingzhou to release the Sui family. However, the manner of their release was somewhat dramatic. When Prince Sui's wife got out of the carriage in the bustling marketplace, her disheveled hair and disarrayed clothing attracted considerable attention and speculation.

The arrangement for the release was meant to coincide with Prince Huaiyang’s release of the Lian family. Both princes were eager to tarnish each other’s reputations, which led to the grand spectacle.

The Lian family members were unceremoniously thrown out of the carriage at the marketplace. The men bore visible injuries, and the women had torn and tattered skirts. Lian Binglan, in particular, appeared dazed and disheveled. As she struggled to her feet, she wandered around with a vacant smile, repeatedly calling out to "Cui cousin" and insisting that she was the betrothed of Prince Huaiyang.

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