Chapter 159: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 159: 

 

It is often the case that capable individuals have their quirks, to varying degrees.

Upon hearing the guard captain's words, Mian Tang decided not to say more.

Cui Xingzhou was preoccupied with many affairs each day, delegating numerous trivial matters to his subordinates and thus not inquiring about Master Xie's living situation. Perhaps he was unaware of the issues concerning the residence.

However, based on her instincts, Mian Tang felt that this place was indeed unsuitable. Once she met Master Xie, she intended to offer him some advice.

But when she finally encountered Master Xie, Liu Mian Tang truly understood the guard captain's predicament.

It was said that this man was a descendant of the renowned talent Xie Yi from the previous dynasty, who prided himself on his lofty and aloof family traditions.

Initially, he had no intention of coming to North Sea; it was said that he was half-pressured, half-pleaded into coming by Cui Xingzhou's subordinates.

If he had been treated well with good food and drink, it might have been acceptable. However, the sweltering heat and the unbearable illness had exacerbated Master Xie's temper.

As Liu Mian Tang and Zhao Quan entered the inner courtyard, they overheard the elderly man cursing loudly, “Damn that Prince Huaiyang! How dare he drag me to this wretched place! Even the Holy Emperor and the former emperor treated me with courtesy when seeking my services to build ships. Who does he think he is, sending people to rush me for blueprints day in and day out? Even when I’m ill, he wants to force me to draw a ship’s hull design!”

The Marquis raised an eyebrow, fanning himself as he entered. “Old Xie, if you’re getting this worked up, be careful. Your internal heat might rise even more and won’t easily dissipate.”

Master Xie’s disciple looked him over and asked, “Who are you?”

Zhao Quan replied, “I am Zhao Quan, the Marquis from Zhenzhou.”

His reputation for being carefree was well-known in the capital, and those who sought his medical advice were usually high-ranking officials and nobles. Master Xie had heard of the Marquis' fame and was naturally aware of his medical skills.

Mian Tang observed from the side, noting how the old gentleman appeared rosy-cheeked, still munching on North Sea specialties like lychee and pineapple!

Although Master Xie had a foul temper and an even worse mouth, he was essential to North Sea right now. Even if he put on airs and cursed, they had to endure it.

Liu Mian Tang felt a bit awkward about revealing her identity, especially since Master Xie had just been cursing Prince Huaiyang. So, she gave Zhao Quan a subtle look, signaling him not to disclose her identity.

Since arriving in North Sea, Mian Tang had abandoned her luxurious clothing, opting instead for the local custom of wearing lightweight skirts. Thus, although Master Xie glanced at the exceptionally beautiful woman, he merely regarded her as a concubine or maidservant of the Marquis.

After examining Master Xie’s pulse, Zhao Quan confirmed that there was nothing seriously wrong; the symptoms were not severe, and he simply needed a few packets of medicine to stop the diarrhea.

However, Master Xie reacted as if he had a terminal illness. Zhao Quan had to meticulously explain dietary restrictions: “Master Xie, you really have no major issues. If anything’s amiss, it’s likely due to lying down too much these past few days…”

Mian Tang had been quietly listening from the side, and at the end, she addressed Master Xie: “Master Xie, the humidity here is quite heavy, which isn’t beneficial for your health. Lord Su has arranged a more suitable residence for your recovery. What do you think…?”

Before Mian Tang could finish, Master Xie interrupted her with a huff, “Unless you’re sending me away from North Sea, I’m not going anywhere!”

Mian Tang smiled slightly and replied, “If you miss your hometown, then draw up those blueprints as soon as possible to help Prince Huaiyang quell the threat of the Japanese pirates. That way, you can return home.”

Master Xie let out a cold laugh and said, “You think I’ll help him get promoted? He’d better show some sincerity first. Ever since I arrived in North Sea, nothing has been to my liking—neither my lodging nor my meals. You should inquire about how those who previously begged me to design ships treated me with the utmost sincerity!”

Mian Tang’s good temper was finally wearing thin from the old man’s attitude. With a cold smile, she retorted, “You’ve been living in the prosperous capital for so long that you naturally look down on a poor place like North Sea… Those wealthy patrons who begged you to design ships were likely just looking for pleasure cruises. The court hasn’t built new warships in a long time. Even if they do, they’re only for inland rivers, and those can be constructed using old blueprints. Master… you probably haven’t designed a seaworthy ship in a long time, have you?”

Master Xie had initially been willing to chat with Mian Tang due to her good demeanor, but upon hearing her disrespectful words, he became enraged. “The shipbuilding skills of the Xie family are passed down through generations. What’s so difficult about building a mere seaworthy ship?”

Mian Tang straightened her expression and replied, “Since you’re not lacking in skill and aren’t deliberately shirking responsibility, why have you not produced even a single blueprint?”

Master Xie sneered, “Who do you think you are to point fingers at me?”

Zhao Quan, who had been listening, was infuriated by the old man's attitude. He shouted, “This is the Princess Consort Huaiyang! You better watch your words and not take advantage of your age!”

Upon hearing Zhao Quan’s words, Master Xie’s expression changed slightly. He looked Mian Tang up and down, and with a raised eyebrow, said, “This old man here was blind earlier and didn’t recognize that it was the Princess Consort Huaiyang visiting. I’ll show you my respects. However, my mood has been poor these past few days, so I naturally can’t produce any drawings.”

Mian Tang had previously understood the term "virtuous and skilled" but now realized that "virtue" and "skill" sometimes had nothing to do with each other. Clearly, Master Xie was one of those exceptions.

His arrogance had been cultivated by the sycophants in the capital and the wealthy merchants from the Jiang-Zhe region. 

Feeling no longer angry, she simply stood up and smiled, “In that case, please take your time to rest, Master.”

As she left the courtyard, Mian Tang suddenly squinted her eyes.

Just a moment ago, she had spotted a glimmer of light in the distance. Although it was fleeting, she was certain it was the reflection from a spyglass. Turning to the captain of the guards, she said, “Someone is watching the residence, and they may intend to harm Master Xie. Be careful these next few days. If anyone comes to cause trouble, make sure Master Xie suffers a little, but do not let anyone harm his life.”

The captain of the guards was taken aback. He had some awareness of the Princess Consort's abilities and did not dare to dismiss her words lightly.

Over the past few days, he had been thoroughly exasperated by Master Xie, so he gathered the guards assigned to protect Master Xie and discreetly instructed them on what to watch for.

Upon returning to the residence, Mian Tang asked Li Mama if the prince had returned. Li Mama replied, "The prince sent a servant back to inform you that he will be leading the imperial envoy to check the accounts tonight and will not be returning to the residence."

Lu Yi had been following Liu Mian Tang and said to her, “You should still inform the prince…”

Liu Mian Tang replied, “I usually can’t help with much, and this isn’t a major issue. If we call the prince back now, it might give the imperial envoys looking for trouble a reason to slander him. Just gather more of our brothers, and have Fan Hu recruit some extra manpower.”

Meanwhile, after observing Liu Mian Tang leaving the courtyard, Eikushi-ji became even more certain that this must be the residence of the renowned shipbuilder, famous in both the capital and Jiangsu-Zhejiang region.

However, for some reason, Eikushi-ji kept his gaze fixed on the sky. When the sun emerged from behind the clouds, he subtly flashed the Western mirror he had previously stowed away, then turned and led his men away.

That night, under a dim, veiled moon, the time was ripe for an ambush. As the night watch sounded and the hour of the Ox arrived, when people were in their deepest slumber, over a dozen shadows silently emerged from the water, making their way to the outer wall of the courtyard where Master Xie resided. These figures wore wetsuits made from sharkskin, which not only protected them from blades but also facilitated their movement in the water.

Without using ropes, the largest shadow extended his arms, hands clasped together. Another person lightly leapt up, using the man's hands as a springboard, and flipped over the courtyard wall. Crouching down, the figure observed the courtyard, where a few dim lanterns lit small patches, leaving most of the courtyard shrouded in darkness. Listening carefully, the figure detected no sound, then signaled to those outside. One by one, the others followed suit, flipping over the wall. Finally, the largest figure leapt, and the others helped him up.

Silently, they slid down the wall and headed toward the main house. These were elite ninjas from the East, and even as they walked swiftly over the sandy paths, they made no sound. Occasionally, they concealed themselves behind large stones and small trees in the courtyard. Upon reaching the main house, two leading ninjas carefully used the tips of their blades to pry open the door latch, leaving a narrow gap through which they slipped inside. The rest remained outside, hiding in the shadows, ready to provide backup.

The ninjas inside the room crept stealthily toward the bed, sensing someone lying there. One reached out with his left hand to cover the person's mouth, while raising a dagger in his right hand, ready to strike down fiercely.

Just then, a loud shout came from outside, "Assassins!" At the same moment, the entire room and courtyard suddenly lit up, as if it were daylight.

In his sleep, Master Xie felt a sharp pain and tightness around his ankle, then found himself yanked from the bed and flung against the wall with a loud thud. The impact hurt so much that he let out a yelp, waking up instantly. He looked up and saw two men standing before him, both clad in black wetsuits and holding daggers. One of the daggers had already pierced through the bedboard.

Had someone not grabbed his ankle and pulled him out of the way, Master Xie would likely have been disemboweled by now.

All composure and pride left Master Xie in that moment. Terrified, he let out a scream, his voice shrill and high-pitched in the dead of night. His scream echoed far, followed by the barking of dogs from the surrounding area.

One of the ninjas who had not yet acted stepped forward, thrusting his dagger toward Master Xie. Meanwhile, the other ninja, abandoning his dagger lodged in the bed, drew a short sword from his waist and slashed toward the corner of the room.

In the corner stood the chief guard, holding a rope, the other end of which was tied around Master Xie's ankle. It was he who had yanked Master Xie out of bed just moments earlier. As for the sudden burst of light inside and outside the house, the lamps had already been lit, but were covered by three thick layers of black cloth, blocking any light from escaping. The cloths were tied to strings, and a simple tug on the strings had caused the cloths to drop, instantly illuminating the area.

Master Xie, still unable to comprehend what was happening, saw the figures trying to kill him and squeezed his eyes shut, screaming once more in his now piercing, high-pitched voice, which only set off another round of frantic barking from the dogs.

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