Chapter 114: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 114: 

 

Duchess Gai had not expected that this seemingly delicate and smiling woman could be so sharp-tongued! Instantly annoyed, she snapped, "Indeed, your prince’s household hasn't caused a ruckus! Otherwise, how would you be any different from some run-down commoner’s guardhouse? Why was my son's position in the Ministry of Revenue taken by someone recommended by Prince Huaiyang? Such a jealous wife, ruining her husband’s future—what family would want her?"

Liu Mian Tang pretended not to understand the veiled insult about her background, but the sharp glint in her eyes no longer remained hidden as she glared directly at the old crone. “The Duchess of Qing really has the nerve to speak! Your household’s mess is one thing we’ve never bothered with, and now you dare insult our prince for serving His Majesty and recommending a capable man? Lord Li Guangcai is well-known for his scholarly talent throughout the court. It’s only because he once sought a quiet life that he retired. Now, moved by the new emperor’s call, he has returned to serve the nation—this is something to be praised. Where he is appointed is solely up to His Majesty’s decision. Does my brother-in-law think his scholarly abilities automatically surpass those of Lord Li Guangcai just because of our family ties? Are you dissatisfied with His Majesty’s decree? Do you intend to alter the emperor’s appointments?”

As soon as Liu Mian Tang spoke, sweat began to bead on Guo Yi's forehead. He had initially been against his mother confronting the Princess, and now his fears were realized—this Huaiyang Princess Consort had expertly led them down a path, only for them to stumble right into a pitfall of seeming defiance against the emperor’s decree.

Despite the current emperor being under the influence of the Empress Dowager, he was still the sovereign ruler. If such disrespectful words from his mother reached the emperor's ears, it could have serious consequences.

Realizing this, Guo Yi quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, “Princess, what you said is not quite accurate. My mother only thought that Cui Fu was staying away because she was upset. We should not mix family matters with state affairs. If she prefers to stay at her brother's house, let her stay there for a while.”

The wife of the Duke of Qing felt increasingly stifled by Liu Mian Tang's sharp words. Hearing Guo Yi's remarks, she retorted angrily, "If she doesn't want to return, it will be difficult for her to come back in the future."

At this moment, Liu Mian Tang's face showed no trace of a smile: "I've long heard that the wife of the Duke of Qing is strict, and seeing is indeed believing. The future is not something your family alone can decide. Your Guo family may be a distinguished lineage, but our Cui family is no commoner either. The men in our household have also fought through mountains and rivers for the sake of the Great Yan. If a married woman has been wronged, the Cui family will not just sit idly by. It seems there’s no clear-headed person among your household today. When someone more sensible comes, we can discuss it with our Prince then."

With that, Liu Mian Tang waved her long sleeve and, without waiting for Duchess Gai to show her displeasure, left with her maids and servants without looking back.

At this point, this not-so-insignificant conflict began to spread quietly among the guests at the banquet.

Although the Duke of Qing’s household seemed to have more roots than the Prince Huaiyang family, it couldn’t compare to the wealth and influence of the high-ranking noble families in the capital.

While the Guo family looked down on the Cui family’s lack of sophistication, their own actions exposed their lack of refinement from provincial backgrounds. Especially the matter of taking a concubine without notifying the daughter-in-law, which was a major taboo among the main wives of all households. Therefore, they did not see anything wrong with what the Cui family did. The Duchess must indeed be a formidable character to have driven a pregnant daughter-in-law back home!

After Liu Mian Tang had a heated exchange with the Guo family mother and son, she bade farewell to the Marchioness of Jing’an and returned home.

The Marchioness of Jing’an, knowing that Liu Mian Tang was expecting, did not keep her longer. Instead, she instructed someone to prepare two jars of freshly dried tea from the Yunnan tea gardens and gave them to Liu Mian Tang, saying, "You have two expecting mothers in your household now. Strong teas are unsuitable, but this specially made green tea is mild in flavor. It pairs well with black goji berries for making tea."

Liu Mian Tang, noticing the soft clay seal on the tea jars, understood that this Yunnan tea was not cheap. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Marchioness, for your thoughtfulness."

The Marchioness of Jing’an smiled slightly and said, "A distant nephew of mine is coming to the capital soon. This tea was requested by him from the Yunnan tea gardens and sent north by merchant ships. It’s only temporarily stored in my household; I’m just presenting it on his behalf."

Liu Mian Tang raised an eyebrow, curious, "May I ask who this distant nephew is?"

The Marchioness Jing’an smiled and replied, "You should have heard of him. He is the new Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Li Guangcai."

This Li Guangcai was Liu Mian Tang’s wedding witness, so she certainly recognized him. However, this Li Guangcai was known for his frugality. When he was assigned to Xizhou, he did not even provide himself with a carriage, opting instead to rent donkeys at the post station.

Now, even before his arrival in the capital, it seems he has already embraced the local customs of gift-giving and seems quite generous!

When Liu Mian Tang returned to her residence, she told Cui Xingzhou about the tea sent by Li Guangcai. Cui Xingzhou took a look at the tea jars and said, "Brother Guangcai has really spent a lot this time... My sister loves this tea, so keep some for you, and send the rest to her."

Liu Mian Tang was in the process of removing her hairpin and was momentarily taken aback by this. She sensed there might be more to his words and turned to ask, "Did Li Guangcai know that my sister loves this tea, which is why he sent it?"

Cui Xingzhou didn’t respond immediately, lazily reclining on the soft couch while flipping through a book and casually said, "Perhaps it’s just a coincidence…"

Liu Mian Tang was somewhat skeptical but chose not to press further. Since Cui Fu was now a married woman and expecting, the thought that crossed her mind seemed too outlandish to bring up, so she decided to let it go.

The confrontation between the Cui and Guo families had reached a breaking point. If Liu Mian Tang had made the decision herself, she might not have been so resolute. However, Cui Xingzhou seemed intent on showing no leniency towards the Guo family and leaving no room for compromise in his sister's marriage.

The next afternoon, as the maidservants were in the garden with Jin'er catching butterflies, Liu Mian Tang recounted the words exchanged between the herself and the Guo family to Cui Fu.

Cui Fu’s complexion had noticeably improved over the past few days. In her brother’s home, she felt more confident, no longer needing to constantly worry about offending Duchess Gui or seeing her husband fawning over a young girl. She was quite content with the current state of affairs.

After hearing Liu Mian Tang’s account, Cui Fu sighed deeply and said, “I had almost forgotten how distressing it was with my mother-in-law. When we lived far from each other, I was bullied so badly that I had no place to escape, enduring it all and forgetting how outspoken I used to be when I was at my own family’s home. If it were just a matter of my mother-in-law’s obstinacy, I could have tolerated it; after all, no one lives forever. But now, Guo Yi has extinguished all my hopes... After the baby is born, I’ll have Xingzhou handle the separation from the Guo family.”

Liu Mian Tang was taken aback, not expecting Cui Fu to come to this decision so quickly. She asked cautiously, “Sister, are you speaking in anger?”

Cui Fu smiled slightly, “Yesterday, while you were out visiting, Xingzhou came back early and discussed things with me a bit. The Guo family’s entry into the capital was actually facilitated by the Empress Dowager’s connections. Their ancestors had ties with the Empress Dowager’s family. However, marrying me made the Duke of Qing’s position ambiguous, as though they wanted to play both sides… This is the main reason why Guo Yi’s promotion hadn’t been immediate. My mother-in-law’s insistence on raising a concubine isn’t about expanding the family; it’s the Duke of Qing signaling his allegiance to the Empress Dowager. Though they married the sister of Prince Huaiyang, their hearts are with the Empress Dowager, and the daughter from the Cui family is insignificant.”

Liu Mian Tang frowned, seeming to understand better. She asked, “So what will you do, sister?”

After discussing with her brother, Cui Fu’s earlier melancholy had faded considerably, and she said calmly, “Without the support of my natal family, any marital affection is meaningless. Even though I am a woman, I understand that the covert struggle between Xingzhou and Prince Sui is intense. If we don’t put our full effort into this, we might face another disaster like the one in Zhenzhou. Since the Guo family is eager to choose sides, why should I hold back the Duke of Qing’s wealth and power?”

Here is the translation:

---

After saying this, Cui Fu noticed Liu Mian Tang’s silence and asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Liu Mian Tang picked up a grape, peeling it as she said, “I guess I can’t match you noble families who have grown up in such deep courtyards. I hadn’t thought of this angle…”

Cui Fu sighed, “If Xingzhou hadn’t analyzed it so carefully, I wouldn’t have realized it either. And neither would you! Others envy us noble families, but they don’t understand that any change in the political winds can make even the most loving couples turn cold, causing the whole family to fall apart…”

That afternoon, after Liu Mian Tang and her sister-in-law had finished their activities, she returned to her bedroom feeling somewhat down and lay on the bed, staring vacantly.

Seeing her enter the room without speaking to him, Cui Xingzhou found it odd. When he saw her lying motionless on the bed, he lay down beside her and whispered in her ear, “What’s wrong?”

Liu Mian Tang remained silent for a moment before saying directly, “Nothing... I just suddenly realized that whether Guo Yi takes a concubine or not, you had actually planned for your sister to separate from him all along, didn’t you?”

Cui Xingzhou raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why do you say that?”

Liu Mian Tang slowly turned her head, looking into Cui Xingzhou’s calm and handsome eyes, and said, “Because the Duke Qing’s political views differ from yours, your sister has to clearly distance herself from them to avoid putting you in a difficult position later. You even... have meticulously planned her future marriage, haven’t you?”

Cui Xingzhou did not deny it. Instead, he indifferently said, “What’s wrong with that?”

Liu Mian Tang found herself at a loss for words and could only softly say, “At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong. Your arrangements are thorough and well-planned… How could there be anything wrong?”

Cui Xingzhou looked down at her face, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his high nose bridge, concealing the cold, star-like gleam in his eyes. He gently asked, “If that’s the case, why do you look as though you’re angry with me?”

Liu Mian Tang opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words to say.

The fact was, Cui Fu’s unhappy marriage was a reality, and if she were in her position, she would choose to leave the Guo family.

Moreover, she wasn’t angry but suddenly felt a deep fear.

If one day, she and immense power were placed on a scale, would Cui Xingzhou, as he did with his sister’s marriage today, make a rational choice, discarding her like an old shoe and tossing her aside on the path ahead?

This man’s cold-blooded cunning, unintentionally revealed, made her feel apprehensive. But Cui Xingzhou looked at her with a helpless expression, gently stroking her face, and asked, “What are you thinking about now?”

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