Chapter 108: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Home    :    Novels

 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 108: 

 

With the emperor ill, all the palace concubines gathered in the Empress Dowager's quarters.

When Concubine Yun heard the Empress Dowager instructing the eunuch to avoid causing the emperor extreme joy or sorrow, she gave the Empress Dowager a pointed look and then glanced at Concubine Jing, who was from the same courtyard.

Concubine Jing, whose father was a subordinate of General Sun, immediately understood the subtle signal and pretended to be puzzled. She said, “The emperor’s deep affection for talent is truly admirable. However, I’ve heard that Prince Huaiyang is known for his arrogance and lack of respect towards the emperor. Why would the emperor be so deeply distressed? … On the other hand, it’s known that the new Princess Huaisang is an old acquaintance of the emperor…”

Empress Shi lifted her plump face and said expressionlessly, "Concubine Jing’s remarks have crossed the line. If there were censors present, you would be punished for inciting discord between the ruler and his subjects. As the Empress, if I cannot control the tongues of the concubines, it is a failure of virtue. In the future, I shall recite Buddhist scriptures to atone… Guards, take Concubine Jing away and give her twenty lashes. Beat her until she understands what should and should not be said.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Empress Shi, known in the palace for her Buddha-like demeanor—able to eat and drink heartily but rarely involved in palace affairs—was usually polite and never displayed the typical airs of an empress. This lenient approach made it easy for Concubine Jing to be so blatantly provocative. However, it seemed that Empress Shi was determined to set an example today, using Concubine Jing to make a point.

No one dared to interfere when the Empress chose to punish a lower-ranking concubine and use palace affairs as a pretext. Soon, the sound of sharp slaps and Concubine Jing’s cries could be heard outside the hall.

Concubine Yun glanced quickly at Empress Shi, who, while sipping her sweet tea with the same focused expression she might have when savoring a good meal, seemed unchanged.

Sun Yun'niang silently gripped her silk handkerchief. She believed that Empress Shi had likely heard the emperor call out “Mian Tang” in his drunken stupor. By inciting Concubine Jing, she aimed to provoke the Empress' jealousy. However, it seemed that the seemingly simple-minded fat woman was shrewdly playing her own game. Punishing Concubine Jing like this was clearly a way to undermine her own favor.

At this moment, Empress Shi finally set down her tea cup and said to Concubine Yun, “Concubine Yun, you have been by His Majesty’s side for quite some time. You should know how deeply His Majesty feels. How can you allow the concubines in your quarters to speak so recklessly, like gossiping market women?”

Concubine Yun quickly knelt and apologized, saying that she had failed to properly manage her quarters, leading to Concubine Jing’s indiscreet remarks.

Empress Shi waved her hand dismissively and said, “You may all leave for now. Once His Majesty has recovered a bit, you can come to pay your respects.”

With that, Empress Shi rose and went to the emperor’s quarters to visit Liu Yu.

Concubine Yun silently watched the Empress' retreating figure, feeling a cold laugh inside. Although the Empress had shown her displeasure today, any reaction was better than none.

Her own husband harbored a pure and unblemished moonlight in his heart, longing and dreaming of it every night. She could not believe that this fat woman could endure it.

Ignoring the palace intrigues, the news of Prince Huaiyang’s safe arrival in the capital shocked both court and country.

When His Majesty summoned Prince Huaiyang and his wife to the palace, the court learned that the previous reports of their deaths had been a misunderstanding. However, the fact that someone had attempted to harm Prince Huaiyang was undeniable.

The identity of this person was obvious to anyone with discernment.

The Grand Empress Dowager summoned Prince Sui to the palace and warned him not to overstep: “Prince Huaiyang is now like Yue Fei of the Great Yan, fighting bravely against the barbarians and earning the people's support. If rumors spread that you were behind an assassination attempt on him, it would seriously damage your reputation!”

Prince Sui, who had been frowning since hearing that Huaiyang Wang had safely arrived in the capital, replied darkly, “The successful become kings, while the defeated are labeled as traitors. If Prince Huaiyang had truly died, what would his reputation matter? Mother, you are too concerned with reputation, which is why Liu Yu took advantage.”

The Grand Empress Dowager did not agree with Prince Sui’s perspective. She said, “I understand that you are anxious. But look at Liu Yu’s current position—does he sit comfortably? If it weren’t for his father-in-law’s influence and control over the military forces in the suburbs of the capital, he would have been overthrown long ago. As it stands, he is still somewhat restrained and has to listen to me. Considering his health, he’s not likely to live long. Be patient, and you will have a legitimate chance to rise to power... I had you only in my old age and have seen too many princes meet untimely ends, so I cannot bear to see you encounter any setbacks.”

She paused for a moment and continued, “As for Cui Xingzhou, he is merely a regional prince of a different surname. No matter how great his military achievements, it will be difficult for him to establish himself in the court. The emperor has made him the Minister of War despite strong opposition. There are many who do not support him, and he is in a precarious position just like the new emperor. You think that fighting on the battlefield is the same as navigating the complexities of the court? He is still inexperienced in politics... There’s no need for you to rush or take the lower road.”

Prince Sui understood that his mother was perceptive about many current affairs. He realized that he had been too hasty this time. Fortunately, his actions had been carried out cleanly, leaving no incriminating evidence that could trace back to him, even if Cui Xingzhou were to investigate.

However, Prince Sui felt that his mother might not fully grasp the extent of his personal vendetta against Cui Xingzhou. For him, eliminating Cui Xingzhou had almost become a life goal.

Unfortunately, Cui Xingzhou’s luck seemed extraordinary. He managed to quietly change his route from the river to the land just before reaching the Lianjiang River.

Although Cui Xingzhou claimed he did so to care for his pregnant wife and sister, Prince Sui was convinced that he had received a warning and prepared accordingly.

This only intensified Prince Sui’s resentment.

“Cui Xingzhou, since you’ve safely arrived in the capital, I will make sure to have a proper reckoning with you. Let’s see how long you can continue your battlefield bravado in the court of the capital.”

Due to the delay caused by Cui Xingzhou’s detour, the handover process was postponed. The previous Minister of War had retired due to illness, and the handover matters were handled by lower-ranking officials in the interim.

Coincidentally, it was also the time when the Military Department was busy reconciling its accounts. The entire staff of the department was engrossed in their work, leaving them with no time to spare. The officials handling the handover initially apologized to Prince Cui, explaining that unless the accounts were sorted out first, the entire Military Department would face delays in the military budget for the coming year, risking a shortage of provisions for the troops. The responsibility for this would be too great, so they requested that the new Minister of War, Cui Xingzhou, be patient and wait until their work was completed before proceeding with the handover.

Thus, as the newly appointed Minister of War, Cui Xingzhou arrived at the Military Department, there was no one to offer him tea, and the atmosphere was extremely cold.

All significant and minor matters within the Military Department were still being decided by the former Minister of War, Minister Ma. Cui Xingzhou spent his first day there sipping leisurely tea, reflecting on how if he were younger, he might have taken a more aggressive approach to make a strong impression on the department.

However, having been subtly influenced by his wife, Liu Mian Tang, Cui Xingzhou recalled her gentle advice as he was about to leave the residence: “Prince, now that we are in the capital, a place full of deities and officials, you should not be too hasty. Even if you are not afraid, it's best to proceed slowly, understand the situation thoroughly, and only then take action. Sometimes doing nothing is better than making mistakes by acting too soon.”

When Liu Mian Tang became the wife of Prince Cui, she had also acted cautiously, delegating matters to her sister, Cui Fu.

At that time, Cui Xingzhou had laughed off Liu Mian Tang’s advice, thinking she was applying the strategies from the inner court to the Military Department.

However, as he sat in the Minister of War’s office, observing the cold and empty desk, Cui Xingzhou poured himself a cup of tea and began to see the merit in Liu Mian Tang’s advice. If others were deliberately neglecting and sidelining him, then he should take his time and focus on receiving his salary before making any moves.

With this thought in mind, Cui Xingzhou stood up and turned to Mo Ru, who looked bored and somewhat drowsy. He said, “The sun is nice today. Bring a chair and let’s go sit outside and enjoy it.”

Mo Ru, taken aback, took a moment to respond before fetching a chair and following the prince outside to soak up the sun.

That day, Cui Xingzhou returned home quite early.

Liu Mian Tang was busy sorting through the luggage that had arrived. Due to the explosion and sinking of the boat, many large items had not been delivered and needed to be purchased again. The residence was also in disarray and required careful organization.

She was surprised to see her husband come back so early on his first day in office and hurried to take off his official hat, saying, “Are you hungry, Prince? The kitchen hasn’t started cooking yet... Let me have them prepare something for you.”

Cui Xingzhou smiled and said, “No need to hurry. I’m not hungry.”

He then went to his study, and Liu Mian Tang, noticing that he didn’t seem particularly happy, asked Mo Ru in a low voice whether the handover had gone smoothly.

Mo Ru quietly replied, “There were no significant issues, but His Highness didn’t handle any official business today. He spent the entire afternoon just sitting in the office and eating sunflower seeds.”

Liu Mian Tang was taken aback by Mo Ru's report, staring at her in surprise. “What did you say?”

Mo Ru straightforwardly explained, “Just like when you used to make shoe soles on North Street, His Highness spent the afternoon sitting in front of the office with the doormen and carriage drivers, enjoying the sun and chatting.”

Liu Mian Tang's mouth dropped open slightly before she closed it slowly. She turned to Bi Cao and instructed, “Sunflower seeds don’t fill the stomach. Go tell the kitchen to prepare a meal right away.”

Even without Mo Ru’s explanation, Liu Mian Tang could have guessed the situation. As an official newly transferred to the capital, Cui Xingzhou was naturally facing exclusion and discomfort.

In Zhenzhou, he was a local prince with significant authority, but in the capital, there were many officials with higher status. No matter how much military power he had in the provinces, he couldn’t impose his will or use threats and force to command respect in the bureaucratic setting of the capital. Thus, his previous advantages in Zhenzhou had all but vanished in the court.

To make an impact in the Ministry of War now, he had to adapt to the local environment, which meant enduring some hardships and adjustments.

Thinking of this, Liu Mian Tang personally brought a bowl of sweet soup to the study and knocked on the door.

Cui Xingzhou glanced up through the window lattice when he saw her approach and said, “Come in, it seems you’ve learned to knock properly now.”

Liu Mian Tang moved gracefully to the side of the desk and saw that Cui Xingzhou was practicing calligraphy. His writing was powerful and vigorous, deeply etched into the paper, impressive and awe-inspiring.

However... what was he writing?

It looked like gossip and scandals about various families and households.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

•••

Prev  :  TOC :  Next

https://ko-fi.com/flamingobeestranslations

https://twitter.com/FlamingoBee2009

Thank You For Reading <3