Chapter 121: 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 121: 

 

Mian Tang didn't quite agree with Cui Fu's statement that “my brother is the most serious,” but since this was a matter shared in the intimacy of their chambers, she couldn’t go into detail about how un-serious her brother truly was.

So, she decided to continue with her line of thought: “Lord Li is indeed a good person and seems to have a solid background. However, his family background is a bit lacking, and his current official position isn’t very high, making him somewhat incompatible with you, sister. If you don’t think highly of him, I can help you find someone else. There are so many noble families in the capital; we should be able to find a suitable match for you…”

Cui Fu disagreed with Mian Tang’s words and sighed, “Don’t say that I have no intention of remarrying. Even if I were to marry again, I wouldn’t want to marry into any noble family or royal house. If I could find someone with simple family matters, that might be more agreeable.”

Mian Tang smiled softly, “Sister, you don’t need to think too much about it. Just focus on taking care of your health. Li Mama has prepared deer placenta cream for you. It’s common for the face to be puffy during the confinement period, and this cream is great for reducing water retention and beautifying your complexion. After a month or so, when you attend tea parties again, you’ll still look radiant.”

Cui Fu felt that Mian Tang’s way of thinking was too simplistic, only considering how to look beautiful. She herself didn’t want to attend any tea parties, fearing gossip behind her back. However, the prospect of becoming beautiful was something no woman could refuse, so after finishing her meal, she decided she would try the deer placenta cream.

Seeing that Cui Fu was preoccupied with something to do, Mian Tang felt at ease. 

When she returned to the inner courtyard, Cui Xingzhou and Li Guangcai had also finished their drinks. After coming back, Cui Xingzhou didn’t go to sleep; instead, he lay half-reclined on the bed, reviewing documents sent over by Li Guangcai while gently patting Mian Tang’s back to help her fall asleep.

Mian Tang was feeling increasingly weary, and when she lay on her back, it pressed on her stomach, so she had to sleep on her side, leaning against Cui Xingzhou for comfort. This meant that even when he needed to stay up late, he had to ensure that Mian Tang was asleep first.

Before long, the familiar sound of gentle breathing filled the air. Cui Xingzhou put down the scroll in his hands and looked at Mian Tang’s peaceful sleeping face, her brows soft and delicate. She truly looked adorable, so he leaned down and kissed her cheek before falling asleep beside her.

By the break of dawn the next day, as the first light began to appear, Cui Xingzhou prepared to get up. Mian Tang had grown accustomed to holding onto his strong arms until daybreak, so when she suddenly lost that warmth, she woke up without needing to be called. Still half-asleep, she murmured, “Where are you going?”

Cui Xingzhou replied, “Didn’t I say that once things get busy, it’ll be hard for me to spend time with you? The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue are about to undergo significant changes, and I have to meet with His Majesty today. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Although Mian Tang had complained yesterday about Cui Xingzhou being too clingy, she now felt reluctant to see him go. She clung to him, rubbing her cheek against him and said, “Then you must come back early; I’ll wait for you to have dinner.”

Seeing Mian Tang act a bit more like herself today, the Prince of Huaiyang embraced her like a clingy kitten. “I’ll try to come back early. But while I’m gone, you mustn’t roam around the streets buying random things to eat. Spend some time with sister. If you get bored, just invite a theater troupe to perform for you.”

Mian Tang obediently nodded, then got up to help Cui Xingzhou wash up and get dressed. She even personally saw him off at the gate.

In the morning light, Cui Xingzhou’s tall figure looked strong and steady as he mounted his horse. He turned to her and smiled slightly before galloping away.

When Cui Xingzhou arrived at the palace gates, officials were already gathering in groups, heading to morning court.

Prince Sui had recently managed to distance himself from the troubles caused by his relatives in their hometown and had taken up a position in the Ministry of Personnel. As a royal uncle, he had the support of the Empress Dowager’s family, making his background much more formidable than that of an outsider like Prince Huaiyang.

So, a large group of officials surrounded Prince Sui, engaging him in conversation, including several from the Ministry of War.

In contrast, Prince Huaiyang found himself nearly alone, with very few people around him.

There was no helping it; the political winds were quite clear. Prince Huaiyang couldn't catch a favorable breeze and had not accomplished much in the Ministry of War, which naturally left him without supporters.

However, Prince Sui walked over and greeted Prince Huaiyang warmly. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting at home with your pregnant wife lately? Why are you here at morning court today?”

Prince Huaiyang glanced at the Minister of War, who stood behind Prince Sui, and smiled slightly. “What can I say? My subordinates are a bunch of fools. While I was away, they managed to create a mess, and if I don’t tidy it up properly, I truly feel ashamed to face the Emperor's grace.”

The Minister of War turned crimson at the remark. Prince Sui glanced at the soldiers around him, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. “Your Highness, if you say that, how do you think the hardworking colleagues at the Ministry of War feel? If everyone just stayed home with their wives and did nothing, there would be no blame to cast. But those who are exhausted from working without rest become the scapegoats. I believe His Majesty is wise enough not to make such judgments.”

Prince Huaiyang narrowed his striking eyes slightly, pretending to meditate, too lazy to engage in a war of words with Prince Sui.

However, Prince Sui was relentless. Seeing Prince Huaiyang acting aloof only fueled his irritation, and he continued to tease him. “It’s no wonder your household is a bit chaotic; you seem disinterested in official matters. I’ve heard your sister has now become divorced and spends her days mingling with your wife. She needn’t worry about remarrying—there are plenty of strong men in the bandit group from Yangshan; all your wife needs to do is play matchmaker…”

If it weren’t in front of the palace gates, Prince Huaiyang would have punched this royal uncle. He glared, his face cold as he said, “Prince Sui, mind your language. Bringing up women from my household? Is that how a man behaves?”

Prince Sui chuckled softly, “Well, I can't match the gallantry of Prince Huaiyang, who was able to set aside past grievances and marry that bandit leader, Lu Wen from Yangshan…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Prince Huaiyang had grabbed him by the collar, glaring as he demanded, “What nonsense are you spouting?”

Truthfully, these two always exchanged barbs whenever they met, each trying to gain the upper hand. Prince Sui thought he hadn’t gone too far this time. After all, it was a well-known fact that Liu Yu’s subordinate, Liu Mian Tang, had been the female bandit leader of Yangshan. However, he hadn’t anticipated Prince Huaiyang’s reaction would be so intense, as shock and anger flickered in his striking eyes.

Prince Sui was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly burst into laughter, leaning close to the Prince of Huaiyang and whispering, “My goodness! The always wise and mighty Prince Huaiyang doesn’t even know whom he married? Let me tell you, Liu Mian Tang is Lu Wen from Yangshan. If you don’t believe me, just ask His Majesty. Before she married you, she was living a romantic life with the Emperor atop Yangshan, devoted to each other—she would go through fire and water for my nephew!”

Before Prince Sui could finish, Prince Huaiyang swung his fist, but he was swiftly pulled back by the rushing Li Guangcai.

Li Guangcai urgently grasped the furious Prince Huaiyang, whispering, “We’ve been planning this for a long time. We mustn’t let Prince Sui’s provocation ruin everything we’ve worked for!”

Prince Huaiyang clenched his jaw, his hands balled into fists, as countless thoughts raced through his mind. Many details he had previously thought insignificant suddenly surged to the forefront.

However, he finally managed to rein in his anger. Ignoring the bewildered looks from the officials around him, he calmly made his way to the court, disregarding Prince Sui completely.

As Li Guangncai had said, they had carefully plotted to eliminate the corrupt elements within the Ministry of War. Using the recent oversights in the Ministry as a pretext, they intended to unearth many old cases, leading to the investigation of several officials, including Minister Ma, all of whom had records that could be traced back.

Minister Ma and his associates thought they had managed to cover up the recent discrepancies in their accounts by enlisting Prince Sui to leverage his connections. They believed that even if His Majesty decided to punish them, it would likely be a mild reprimand, merely a matter of fines that wouldn't really hurt.

However, they never expected the usually reclusive Prince Huaiyang to strike back so suddenly, presenting irrefutable evidence of their past misconduct.

Minister Ma and the others were completely caught off guard, unable to come up with a defense in the moment. The complexity of these old cases intertwined with the Ministry of Revenue only added to their distress.

Upon hearing the allegations, the Emperor was furious and immediately ordered the removal of Minister Ma's official cap, sentencing him to be taken away for interrogation by the criminal court.

None of the officials present could have anticipated that Prince Huaiyang would dare to act so decisively, unleashing a tidal wave of turmoil within the capital's bureaucracy. A significant portion of the personnel from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue found themselves dismissed and under investigation.

The weight of the old crimes was too grave; anyone associated with them would bear the stench of guilt. Some of those implicated were consumed with thoughts of silencing witnesses to clear their own names. In that moment, no one in the court dared to come to their defense.

Everyone with eyes could see that this was Prince Huaiyang's way of expressing his impatience at being undermined, taking matters into his own hands to clean house. It was also a warning to the hidden powers behind the scenes: the Ministry of War was his domain, and outsiders should not think of causing trouble.

However, despite his decisive actions to intimidate others, Prince Huaiyang did not seem particularly pleased. When he came down from the court, he requested a private audience with His Majesty with a stern demeanor.

Prince Sui, who had just lost a round in their verbal sparring, surprisingly felt rather cheerful. He understood that a bloody storm might soon break out in the Huaiyang Prince's household. To witness the fallout, he lingered outside the palace gates, eager to see the flustered demeanor of Prince Huaiyang.

To his surprise, Prince Huaiyang did not spend much time with the Emperor and soon emerged from the imperial study. Upon noticing Prince Sui sitting comfortably under a canopy, he paused to offer a smile, saying, "Prince Sui seems to be enjoying the sun today."

Prince Sui, observing the calm expression on Prince Huaiyang's face, tentatively asked, "So, what did His Majesty say? Did he discuss the background of Liu Mian Tang with you?"

Prince Huaiyang replied nonchalantly, "Since I married her, how could I not know her background? But you should be cautious, Prince Sui; your ostentatious behavior might expose not just my wife's past, but also unearth the Emperor's secrets. Are you plotting a rebellion or something?" 

Caught off guard by Prince Huaiyang's unexpected retort, Prince Sui frowned, realizing he had underestimated his rival.

Seeing Prince Huaiyang's demeanor, it was clear he did not appear to be a man deceived into a marriage, lost in despair. This left Prince Sui puzzled, unable to discern whether Prince Huaiyang was embarrassed and angry or simply unaware of the situation.

Prince Huaiyang ignored him and calmly boarded his carriage. However, at that moment, his face transformed into a fearsome mask, resembling a demon from hell. His sharp eyes burned with seething anger.

Earlier, in the imperial study, he had almost asked Liu Yu about Liu Mian Tang. Regardless of whether she was a devil or a demon, she was now his wife. It would have been a tremendous humiliation to learn such details from his predecessor.

Thus, despite the words swelling on his lips, he restrained himself and instead sought the Emperor's advice on personnel changes before turning to leave the palace.

As for whether Liu Mian Tang was indeed the bandit leader Lu Wen, he would investigate thoroughly until the truth was uncovered.

That day, Mian Tang waited at home for Prince Huaiyang to return for dinner. However, no matter how long she waited, he did not come back.

© 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