Chapter 98: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 98: 

 

Of course, making such a decision was exceptionally difficult for the Lian family.

After Fifth Master Cui proposed to her, Lian Binglan gradually regained her clarity and adamantly opposed the marriage. However, after careful consideration and discussion with her husband, Madam Lian Chu decided that their daughter had no other viable options. The opportunities for a good match in the world were limited, and given the recent strife between the Lian and Cui families, accepting the marriage proposal seemed the most practical choice.

If their daughter refused, they would have no choice but to reject the proposal and send Lian Binglan to a Buddhist nunnery. Regardless of the outcome of the marriage, her hysterical condition needed treatment. The new doctor they had found only held consultations in a public clinic, so Madam Lian Chu would take Lian Binglan there for acupuncture during the quieter afternoons.

Interestingly, Fifth Master Cui, who had rarely been seen out of his residence, began visiting the same clinic for acupuncture, coincidentally at the same times as Lian Binglan.

The polite Fifth Master Cui asked Lian Binglan's mother if he could have a few words with her. With a sense of resignation, Lian Binglan's mother agreed, allowing him to speak with her daughter by the bamboo grove in the courtyard, while she and the maid watched from a distance.

Later, it was unknown what Fifth Master Cui said to Lian Binglan, but after returning home, she refused food and water for an entire day. Eventually, she agreed to the marriage proposal.

Thus, the marriage was settled, and the scandal surrounding the Lian family came to an end, preventing further damage to the family's reputation.

The wedding date would have to be set after the Prince's visit to propose marriage. In the meantime, Old Princess Consort Chu’s heartache was alleviated, and she resumed her lively social activities, hosting tea parties and fragrance gatherings. She frequently entertained guests with Madam Qin, showcasing the harmony within the Prince's family.

After lying in bed for five days, Liu Mian Tang's pregnancy stabilized, but her back felt unbearably itchy, making it impossible to stay still. She longed to sneak out for a walk.

However, her room was guarded by not only her own maids, Fang Xie and Bi Cao, but also two senior maids appointed by the Old Princess Consort, Huan Xue and Yan Rong. Eight vigilant eyes watched her every move, ready to summon the Empress Dowager or the Prince at the slightest hint of disobedience.

During these days, Prince Huaiyang, having sent off the emissaries to the capital, rarely left the estate. He spent most of his time lounging in a wicker chair opposite the bed, reading a book and savoring a pot of tea.

Liu Mian Tang had been looking at the two comic books Prince Huaiyang had brought her. Since the doctor advised against straining her eyes, Cui Xingzhou had prohibited her from reading dense books and provided her with illustrated children's books to pass the time.

She endured her boredom as she read through “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage” and “The Black Mountain Old Demon,” then lay back and began counting the tassels on the bed’s fringe.

Unable to bear it any longer, Mian Tang turned over and poked her head out, addressing the engrossed Cui Xingzhou: “Can I get up and walk around? My feet feel like they're growing roots.”

Cui Xingzhou promptly set down his book, swung his long legs over to the edge of the bed, and lifted the blanket to reveal Mian Tang's feet, which were covered in cloth socks.

Mian Tang retracted her feet in alarm and asked, “What are you doing?”

Cui Xingzhou replied calmly, “You mentioned your feet are growing roots. I’m just here to help get rid of them.” He reached out to massage her soles.

Mian Tang laughed, placing her feet on his solid chest, and said teasingly, “I’m in such a pitiable state, and you still want to tease me? Didn’t the doctor say my pulse is stable now? It’s just a short walk; what’s the harm?”

Cui Xingzhou began massaging her calves and reassured her, “It’s best to rest a bit more; there’s no harm in it. Didn’t the doctor say that a few more days of rest would be more beneficial?”

Liu Mian Tang fell silent but kept holding onto Cui Xingzhou: “Then show me books meant for children. What kind of books are those? There’s even a story about a child being grabbed by an old monster if they cry and won’t sleep…”

Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help but chuckle: “Next time, I’ll ask a painter to create a special book for you. If you cry and refuse to rest, it will have a segment about tickling your feet.”

Liu Mian Tang furrowed her brows and thought about it, suspecting that the painter Cui Xingzhou intended to hire was the same one who had previously given her those risqué illustrations. The thought made the scene feel rather suggestive, which was a bit overwhelming…

Seeing her still feeling bored, Cui Xingzhou picked up a book of strange tales and said, “Behave, and I’ll read to you. It’s less taxing on your eyes and will help pass the time…”

Just as they were chatting, someone came in to report that the Old Princess Consort, along with Madam Lian Chu and Lian Binglan, had arrived to visit the Princess.

Cui Xingzhou frowned and said, “Mother really has no sense of appropriateness. She should not be concerned with receiving guests right now. Don’t let them in.”

As he spoke, the Old Princess Consort, along with her entourage, had already reached the entrance of the courtyard. Bi Cao, not one to delay, quickly went out and bluntly relayed Cui Xingzhou’s message to the Old Princess Consort: “The Prince says the Princess is currently exhausted and should not be disturbed by guests. Please come back another day.”

The Old Princess Consort, who had expected her son to refuse, felt a bit relieved and said, “See, I told you not to insist on visiting. The Princess has caught a cold and is not speaking well. If you need to make apologies, it should be done on another day…”

After the earlier upheavals, Lian Chu’s arrogance had diminished considerably. She was well aware that Liu Mian Tang was not a delicate and easily bullied woman. When Liu Mian Tang wielded a knife and grabbed someone by the collar, her murderous aura was so intense that it made people wonder what kind of activities she had been involved in before.

This time, Lian Chu came with the intention of apologizing to Liu Mian Tang. After all, Lian Binglan was marrying into the Huaiyang Mansion and would become Liu Mian Tang's sister-in-law. Given that they would see each other often in the future, it was necessary to maintain a semblance of courtesy and decorum.

However, when Lian Chu led her daughter to the palace to discuss the arrangements with the Old Princess Consort and requested to meet with Liu Mian Tang, the Old Princess Consort showed hesitation and said that the Princess was unwell and unable to see visitors.

Lian Chu suspected that Liu Mian Tang was holding a grudge and was avoiding her out of spite, so she insisted on seeing her. However, when they arrived at the door, they were met with a closed gate.

After the maidservant, Bi Cao, delivered the message, she quickly returned to the courtyard without delay.

At this moment, Lian Binglan could vaguely hear the voices of the Prince and Princess through the courtyard wall, followed by the sound of Cui Xingzhou's deep, magnetic voice reading aloud.

Lian Binglan could vaguely hear the Princess's critical voice: “What are you reading? Read the Art of War you were just looking at.”

The tone was so impolite that it truly lacked the grace and decorum expected of a lady.

Given Prince Huaiyang's usual cold and unyielding demeanor, one might expect him to reprimand or mock her. However, to Lian Binglan’s surprise, the male voice soon shifted content and actually began reading from the Art of War.

Lian Binglan stood there stiffly, thinking that her mother had said the Princess was unwell, and her cousin had been keeping her company at the estate.

Although Lian Binglan had been betrothed to this cousin for years, she had never seen Cui Xingzhou show any affection. Even when she had written him poems, he remained indifferent.

To her, Cui Xingzhou seemed like a serious and unromantic man. But now, it seemed he had changed entirely in front of Liu Mian Tang.

Realizing this, Lian Binglan lowered her gaze and quietly said, “Mother, since the Princess is unwell, let’s leave.”

Lian Chu, now far from the comfortable atmosphere of the Prince's Mansion, felt the situation was far from relaxed. Hearing her daughter’s suggestion, she politely said her goodbyes to the Old Princess Consort and led her daughter out.

Once in the carriage, Lian Chu was fuming. “Such arrogance! Even when visiting elders at her door, she refuses to see us. If she causes you trouble in the future, you mustn't tolerate it. I will support you, and even if you marry into a lower status, you shouldn’t endure her disdain.”

Lian Binglan turned her head, not even glancing at her mother. Recently, she had been so deeply shocked and humiliated that she lost her sense of self, making many reckless decisions. Part of her was truly traumatized and emotionally shattered, while another part clung to the hope that her cousin would remember their past and take pity on her.

Unfortunately, one mistake led to another. From the moment she had followed her short-sighted mother’s advice and delayed the wedding with her cousin, her fate had dramatically changed, becoming a source of immense suffering.

So now, she kept her worries to herself and certainly wouldn't share them with her gossipy mother, especially not the suspicion that the Princess might be pregnant. If her mother knew, she would surely pry into how Lian Binglan had learned such information.

Since her mother was unreliable, Lian Binglan decided not to confide in her any further. After all, she was not the only child in the family. Although her parents appeared to care for her, when it came to major family matters, she was just as expendable as anyone else, to be sacrificed or married off as necessary.

Lian Binglan's mental health had significantly improved, but her heart had grown colder. Looking at the stone-paved path outside, she recalled that it was similar to the one she had walked on the day she entered the Prince's Mansion. The beautiful bridal gown she had prepared, with its intricate embroidery, was still there, but the person lifting the veil was not her dashing cousin but a sickly and crippled man.

Lian Binglan's lips curled into a cold smile as she slowly lowered the curtain of the carriage...

Meanwhile, Liu Mian Tang, under the Prince's domineering intervention, had been cut off from all social interactions and was finally allowed to get up and move around slightly two days before the wedding.

According to the attending physician, Liu Mian Tang’s little prince in her womb was quite strong; the fetal heartbeat had become more robust in recent days, indicating that the pregnancy was stable. As long as she continued to take good care of herself, there should be no major issues.

However, Liu Mian Tang’s primary concern—the wedding dress—had been forcibly altered by Cui Xingzhou, who ordered that the waist be loosened and not so tightly fitted.

Looking at the now-looser wedding dress, Liu Mian Tang grew anxious: “I’m not visibly pregnant yet. Why did you have to make it so loose?”

Cui Xingzhou, with a stern face, replied, “I didn’t realize how tight the waist was; otherwise, I would have had it altered earlier. Even if you weren’t pregnant, you shouldn’t wear such a tight dress that outlines every curve!”

Liu Mian Tang felt Cui Xingzhou’s faults were becoming increasingly evident. She retorted angrily, “This is the latest fashion from the capital—a three-layer skirt that emphasizes a graceful, swaying walk. I practiced the walking posture that Li Mama taught me specifically for this skirt. But now, with your changes, it’s turned into a sack. Who will know if it’s filled with turnip legs or sturdy pillars inside? All my previous efforts seem wasted…”

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