Chapter 165: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 165: 

 

Before long, the seawater flooded in, and amidst the flames, the warships began to sink. The Japanese who had boarded the Great Yan ships suffered heavy casualties, while some fell into the water and were washed ashore by the waves.

Mian Tang and Lu Zhong stood in the cave, witnessing the horrific scene, exchanging glances, and thinking to themselves that Prince Huaiyang indeed had a clever strategy.

The Japanese who had fallen into the water swam towards the shore, engaging in close combat with the Dayan soldiers who had landed earlier.

Although the Japanese had the upper hand at sea, on land, the Great Yan soldiers could fully display their skills in combat.

As Mian Tang led Lu Zhong and the others out of the cave, the entire beach looked as if it had been dyed red with blood. In the distance along the coastline, countless fishing boats from Beihai carrying troops were approaching.

This island was closer to the mainland, so when reinforcements were signaled from the island, the soldiers could arrive quickly.

Just moments ago, one of the Japanese warships had been damaged, forcing those on board to scramble. However, when that ship capsized, Eikushi-ji's ship failed to dodge in time and was dragged into the whirlpool. They were unable to steer properly and were scraped by the capsized ship, breaking the mast.

Seeing his warship lost and watching the increasing number of enemy soldiers approaching from afar, Eikushi-ji had no choice but to retreat to Kou Island to protect his base.

He glared at the blood-red beach in the distance and shouted angrily, “Adjust the bow and head back to repair the ship!”

Cui Xingzhou watched as the Japanese fled in disarray and turned to look for Liu Mian Tang.

When he turned around and saw Liu Mian Tang approaching, he strode over, naturally reaching out to take her hand.

However, Liu Mian Tang quickly dodged, avoiding his grasp.

This subtle avoidance stirred a bitter feeling in Cui Xingzhou. Nonetheless, he maintained his composure and said, “Come home with me. You haven’t eaten well these past few days.”

Liu Mian Tang was truly unaccustomed to his familiar tone. At this moment, Lu Zhong glanced at Prince Huaiyang and, for the first time, felt a rare pity for him, having witnessed how frantic and anxious he had been over the past few days.

Lu Zhong quietly advised from the side, “Big Boss, you really married Prince Huaiyang. Even if... you regret it now and want a divorce, you two should sit down and discuss it slowly, especially since there’s a child involved, right?”

This statement was indeed quite reasonable. Although he meant to support the king, the straightforward topic of divorce struck at Prince Huaiyang’s heart like a dagger.

Lu Yi glanced at his elder brother, puzzled as to how his usually honest brother could be so sharp with his words. It was as if he could pierce the heart without shedding blood.

However, Mian Tang felt he had a point. She recalled Lu Yi mentioning that a general amnesty had been declared, and the offenses they had committed in Yangshan were wiped clean because of Liu Yu’s ascension to the throne.

Even if Cui Xingzhou wanted to punish her now, he couldn't do anything against her.

At the moment, they had no ship, and their only option for leaving was to go with Cui Xingzhou.

Once they boarded the ship, the sea breeze was quite chilly. Seeing her dressed so lightly, Cui Xingzhou took off his cloak from the ship and draped it over Mian Tang, who stood on the deck. She instinctively wanted to dodge, but he yanked her over forcefully, tying the cloak tightly around her neck.

Mian Tang felt it was a shame for him to look so handsome while being so stern and rough in his actions.

So, she simply turned her head away and ignored him.

From that point on, neither of them spoke another word until they disembarked.

When they returned to the residence, Cui Fu anxiously rushed to the door, eager to see if Mian Tang was alright.

However, her words were usually sharper, and after being so worried these past two days, the moment she saw Mian Tang, Cui Fu adopted the stance of an elder sister and said in exasperation, “Finally back! What were you thinking? You went to catch the pirates without consulting anyone! If this were in the capital, the rumors could swallow a person whole! Even if Xingzhou doesn’t punish you this time, I will make you copy the family rules... ugh…”

Before Cui Fu could finish, Li Guangcai had already covered her mouth with his hand. Lord Li had received word early on that the princess’ mind was not quite right again. Just the other day, she had even tied up the prince, threatening to stab him.

So, Cui Fu spoke without holding back, but if she offended the mountain prince, she had to be careful not to get herself into trouble.

Thus, Lord Li made a quick decision, pulling his hard-won wife back into their room to avoid any issues, while also smiling at Mian Tang, saying, “Your sister is just joking; you should rest, Princess…”

Mian Tang sniffled, feeling that the family atmosphere of the Cui family was not very friendly. Just then, she suddenly heard a cry coming from the inner courtyard.

Without thinking further, her feet had already made a choice as she quickly walked straight towards the house.

Upon entering the inner room, Mian Tang saw several maids gathered around a chubby little boy, trying to coax him.

The child's eyes were red from crying, and it was clear he had been at it for quite some time, his voice trembling. When he spotted Mian Tang approaching, he immediately lunged forward, reaching out his chubby little hands toward her, calling “Mama, Mama” in a jumbled way.

Mian Tang felt her heart melting at the sight of this beautiful child’s tears. She reached out and took the little one into her arms.

The child, having not seen his mother for two days, was desperate to be close to her, and he burrowed into her soft embrace.

Although little Yi’er was not nursing much anymore and could eat some solid food, he still wanted to snuggle with his mother whenever he could.

Mian Tang found herself in a flurry as he nestled into her, and she turned to call for help. But by that time, all the maids had retreated, leaving only Prince Huaiyang standing there.

“What... what does he want?” With no other option, Mian Tang could only seek help from Cui Xingzhou.

Cui Xingzhou walked over and pulled the squirming child away, saying, “He wants to nurse…”

Mian Tang felt her head buzzing, her eyes wide open in shock.

Earlier, although she hadn’t been feeling well and had some discomfort in her chest, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, with the child’s cries, she realized the discomfort was quite significant.

Children couldn’t pretend. Seeing the little one cling to her, along with his features that resembled Cui Xingzhou’s, Mian Tang couldn’t help but believe that she had truly married her former enemy, Cui Xingzhou, and had given him a son.

However, discussing nursing the child in front of him was truly pushing Mian Tang's limits. In her mind, she was still an unmarried young woman.

Eventually, she managed to shoo him out of the room, finally pulling Xiao Yi'er into her embrace.

The little boy hadn’t slept well these past few days, and after he felt his mother’s warmth, he quickly drifted off into a deep sleep.

The small child, surprisingly loud, snored deeply. Mian Tang couldn’t help but lean down to kiss his chubby face, adjusting his sleeping position to quiet his snores.

As she lay beside the child, she suddenly felt a sense of peace wash over her, and the nightmarish cries she had been hearing in her mind faded away. As she took in her unfamiliar surroundings, she felt utterly exhausted and slowly closed her eyes, falling into a restful sleep.

That slumber was wonderfully long and comfortable. 

However, when Mian Tang finally opened her eyes again, she found that Xiao Yi'er was no longer in her arms—she didn’t know when he had been taken away.

But behind her, someone large had wrapped their arms around her, sleeping deeply.

As she turned her head slightly, she could see Cui Xingzhou's face right next to hers.

Although she had seen him many times before, Mian Tang still couldn’t believe how handsome he was.

Yet, even with his mountain-like nose and painterly features, was it really okay for him to hold her so intimately while sleeping without any warning?

Thinking about it made Mian Tang feel uncomfortable in her back, and she reached out to push him away. However, as soon as her hand extended, it was firmly grasped by a large palm. He leaned closer, whispering into her ear in a deep voice, “Why are you awake so early? You should sleep a little longer.”

The warmth of his breath made Mian Tang’s ears tingle. She struggled to create some distance and sat up in bed, saying, “Who told you to come to bed with me?”

After saying this, she aimed a kick at him, but Cui Xingzhou effortlessly dodged her attack. However, his mood darkened again at her rejection, and he coldly replied, “Since you’re awake, you must be hungry. Let’s eat something.”

Mian Tang was indeed hungry; she hadn’t had any decent food on that damn Island.

When Li Mama and the servants brought in a variety of dishes, the delightful aromas dispelled the tension surrounding Mian Tang.

Cui Xingzhou selected a piece of crystal pork belly, dipped it in bright red sauce, and placed it in Mian Tang’s bowl. He then took a locally sourced large shrimp, peeled it, and added it to her bowl as well.

In Mian Tang’s memory, no one had ever taken care of her like this—not her father nor her brothers.

Now, her former enemy was sitting beside her, serving her food and peeling shrimp, doing so so naturally as if he had done it countless times before.

Mian Tang didn’t say a word; she silently picked up her bowl and chopsticks, eating the food in front of her.

It turned out that her taste buds remembered everything. Although she couldn’t recall the little moments shared with Cui Xingzhou, the cooking skills of Li Mama were simply exceptional.

After being deprived of good food by the Japanese cuisine, Mian Tang finally felt a great sense of satisfaction. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had been seduced into marrying the Prince of Huaiyang by the prowess of this cook.

After finishing her meal, a marquis named Zhao Quan came to the residence to check on Mian Tang’s pulse.

Although Zhao Quan was a marquis, he spoke to Mian Tang with utmost respect, his eyes steady and unwavering—he was truly a gentleman, without any airs about him.

To be honest, the Marquis’s politeness and decorum were far better than the harsh words Cui Xingzhou sometimes used when speaking with her.

It was said that she had initially met the Marquis along with Prince Huaiyang, and it was thanks to him that her tendons had been mended.

Curious about her past, Mian Tang tried to probe him for information, but unfortunately, Zhao Quan was too principled and serious, completely uninterested in idle chatter or jokes, focusing solely on diagnosing and checking her pulse as if he never engaged in light-hearted conversation with women.

Mian Tang began to doubt her taste in men.

While Prince Huaiyang Cui Xingzhou was undeniably handsome, in comparison, Marquis Jia Yu seemed more like a dependable partner for life.

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