Chapter 168: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 168: 

 

The next day, however, Prince Huaiyang waited and waited, but Mian Tang didn’t come to the camp. Because the big ship's test run at night went smoothly, Prince Huaiyang took a moment to return home to check on his mischievous wife.

Mian Tang was in the yard, holding little Yi’er as they picked gardenias. Little Yi’er plucked a flower and pinned it onto his mother’s face, then giggled gleefully.

When he saw his father had returned, little Yi’er wiggled his little bottom and stretched out his hands, wanting to be picked up. Cui Xingzhou opened his long arms and took little Yi’er from Mian Tang, planting a big kiss on the boy’s soft cheek.

Mian Tang pursed her lips, watching the two identical faces and feeling a deep sense of discomfort in her heart.

She had once shared the most intimate moments with a man, perhaps even the happiest time of her life, and had given birth to a round, chubby, adorable son.

Yet now, everything beautiful remained, except that she was excluded from that memory.

Moreover, her so-called husband had been sulking ever since he learned she had forgotten that part of her life, seeming quite disdainful of her.

After all, the current her was not the romantic girl Liu Mian Tang that Cui Xingzhou had known, filled with only beautiful youthful memories, but rather Lu Wen, the blood-stained female bandit leader…

As she lowered her head in thought, Cui Xingzhou had already handed little Yi’er over to the maidservants to play in another courtyard, and then he came over to wrap his arms around Mian Tang.

Caught off guard by his sudden approach, Mian Tang instinctively raised her hands to block him, but he effortlessly twisted her wrist, easily neutralizing her defense.

Cui Xingzhou tilted his handsome face slightly toward her and said, "These bruises were all caused by you yesterday in the woods. Are you looking to add more injuries to my collection?"

Mian Tang looked at his striking face and felt a twinge of guilt. Yesterday, she had been so enraged that she struck out without holding back.

But now, seeing his beautiful face marred by bruises made her heart ache. It was a bit like feeling remorse after having damaged something precious. Besides, he was Prince Huaiyang, the commander of the Northern Sea Army of Great Yan.

Even though they were currently at odds, she felt it was only right to show him some respect as an adversary…

Mian Tang pursed her lips, ultimately pushing him away and turning to head back into the house.

Her act of distancing herself was something Cui Xingzhou had expected, yet it still caused a pang in his heart.

However, tonight, Cui Xingzhou had no intention of turning away.

So much time had passed since everything happened, and Mian Tang showed no signs of improvement. Slowly, he began to accept the situation.

Their relationship had not always been smooth sailing; it was built on the hard work and determination he had put into it.

Now, that stubborn girl was wild and reckless, and if he didn’t keep an eye on her, she might really run away. If that happened while he was tied up with his duties, he would truly have no way to find her again.

So it was fine if she couldn’t remember him and was ignoring him for the time being. He still held on to those beautiful memories.

He remembered asking her what he should do if she forgot everything. She had replied that if that happened, he should take her back to Northern Street, to the place where their feelings first blossomed, and help her remember him bit by bit…

At the time, although it had been a half-joking remark, now Cui Xingzhou genuinely wanted to quickly settle the chaos in the Northern Sea and take Mian Tang back to Lingquan Town.

With that thought, the gloom that had hung over Prince Huaiyang for the past few days lifted a bit. He took a deep breath, anticipating that Mian Tang would likely not let him into her room tonight. Therefore, he was preparing to instruct Mo Ru to tidy up the study, planning to stay there for the night.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Mian Tang stepped out of the house, carrying a pile of bottles and jars. She set them all down on the small stone table in the courtyard and, feeling somewhat awkward, said, "Come here... I’ll apply the medicine for you."

Cui Xingzhou was pleasantly surprised that she had actually gone inside to get medicine. His heart lifted, and he couldn’t help but smile slightly. Unfortunately, the moment his cheek throbbed in pain, his smile faltered.

As Mian Tang opened the medicine chest, she realized that she seemed to have learned some medicine herself. There were several volumes of handwritten prescriptions she had authored, but as for the various powders, she truly couldn’t tell one from another.

In a moment of urgency, Mian Tang picked out several large bottles, planning to inspect them closely once Cui Xingzhou sat down. However, the sheer variety of bottles was enough to give anyone a headache; she had no idea what each one contained.

Unable to contain her frustration, Mian Tang bit her lip, her small face tense and serious. Finally, when she spotted a bottle labeled "Tong Luo Dan", she breathed a sigh of relief and poured a few pills for Cui Xingzhou.

Cui Xingzhou had often watched Mian Tang fiddle with her medicine jars, and when he saw her grab this particular bottle, it seemed familiar to him. He hesitated, saying, “Isn’t this the medicine you take for blood circulation before your monthly cycle?”

Sometimes, when she came to Gui Shui, she would experience unbearable pain, so she had crafted her own prescription for the pills. She had even boasted to him that her concoction was better than the ones from the pharmacy.

Mian Tang's eyes widened in shock, and she immediately began to retrieve the pills one by one. However, Cui Xingzhou snatched them from her and tilted his head back, swallowing them down.

Mian Tang stared at him blankly, reaching out to snatch them back. “You know what this medicine is, so why are you still taking it?”

Cui Xingzhou shrugged nonchalantly, “It’s for promoting blood circulation, isn’t it? Whether it goes up or down, it’s all the same, right? Besides, you’ve made me try your medicines before, and I’ve never had any stomach issues.”

Mian Tang fell silent, focusing instead on her task. She opened the bottles one by one, finally finding a bottle of medicinal oil. Pouring some into her palm, she rubbed her hands together until they warmed, then pressed them gently against Cui Xingzhou's face, hoping to help disperse the bruising.

He practiced with his troops every day; standing before them like this would surely invite their mockery.

The two of them were close, their breaths intertwining slowly.

Cui Xingzhou looked down at the woman who was intently applying the medicine to him. Her fair skin glowed, and her long lashes curled beautifully. Her slightly parted lips, focused on her task, made her all the more endearing.

She was still the same as before—the sharp-tongued yet soft-hearted little woman he adored, and it dawned on him that his Mian Tang had always been there.

Busy with her task, Mian Tang lifted her head, only to find Cui Xingzhou gazing deeply at her. In his eyes, she could see a reflection of her own dazed expression.

Suddenly realizing that she might be too close for comfort, she instinctively tried to stand up, but Cui Xingzhou wrapped his arm around her slender waist, leaning down to kiss her cherry lips.

The scent of the medicinal oil mingled with his unique fragrance, enveloping her in a feeling of intoxicating warmth.

In an instant, Mian Tang felt as if she had been struck by a softening poison, and within moments, she found herself lacking the strength to stand, utterly wrapped up in his embrace.

When they finally parted, Mian Tang felt her cheeks burning with heat, irritated with herself for being so reckless. How could she let a man she had only met a few times be so forward with her? Yet, his kiss was undeniably pleasant, and she couldn’t ignore the fact that she had already borne him a child…

Cui Xingzhou looked at her, sensing a mixture of reluctance and regret on her face, and couldn’t help but lean in for another gentle peck. "I've been so busy with military affairs lately, neglecting you. Once the North Sea situation is resolved, we’ll return to Zhenzhou. Even if you can’t remember everything for the rest of your life, we can relive those past days together."

Mian Tang lowered her head slightly and murmured, “I… don’t seem to know how to be your princess consort. I’m worried I won’t adjust to this kind of life…”

Cui Xingzhou chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, you’ll adapt just fine. As long as you don’t keep drawing your knife to scare people, and if you forget the rules, Li Mama will teach you again. If you really can’t learn, then just don’t bother. After all, I know exactly what kind of person you are…”

Mian Tang felt that his words weren’t exactly flattering, and she shot him a glare. “What kind of person am I?”

At this moment, Cui Xingzhou, stirred by her teasing, found it hard to restrain himself. Even if they couldn’t go all the way right now, he needed some relief from his longing.

So, without hesitation, he picked her up. “Naturally, you’re the bandit queen! Since the infamous Lu is here, how can we not indulge a bit?”

With his charming and refined appearance, Cui Xingzhou exuded an air of a gentleman even when he acted playfully. 

Caught off guard by his radiant and elegant smile, Mian Tang found herself momentarily entranced, unaware of the deeper implications of his words.

It wasn’t until he carried her into the inner chamber’s brocade tent that she started to realize—today wasn’t a day for her to be on display!

Unfortunately, as his lips pressed against hers, her desire grew stronger. Her body and senses seemed to remember this man, and she found it impossible to push him away. Any remaining protests were quickly swallowed, leaving her only able to respond in a muffled haze…

In short, after a brief cold war between the Prince and the bandit queen, they temporarily reached an agreement to focus on repelling the Japanese invaders for the time being, leaving other matters to be addressed after the battle.

Meanwhile, Master Xie, shaken by the assassination attempt and the disappearance of the princess consort, became exceptionally compliant. He hadn’t dared to step out of the shipyard for days and finally completed the modifications on several warships.

Cui Xingzhou was calculating the days, urging the navy to familiarize themselves with the newly refitted ships. They planned to launch an attack on the Japanese forces stationed on the islands soon, aiming to eliminate this major external threat in the North Sea before the approaching typhoon hit.

The Eagle Temple Pirates had already failed to capture Cui Xingzhou and Mian Tang despite having the advantage at sea last time. They understood that their situation was dire; as long as the Prince remained in the North Sea, they would find it impossible to deal with him.

However, Eikushi-ji absolutely did not believe that his naval forces were inferior to Prince Huaiyang. Last time, his greed had led him to fall into the Prince's trap. Since the Prince was arrogant enough to launch an assault on his stronghold across the sea, he intended to defend the island, leveraging the advantages of timing and geography. Even though the Prince's newly refitted ships had powerful cannons and sturdy armor, he was confident he wouldn’t be the one to suffer defeat.

Yet, his subordinates among the Japanese forces were not as confident as he was. The conditions on the island were dire, with a severe lack of clothing and food, leading many Japanese soldiers to secretly escape in small boats.

Cui Xingzhou had already dispatched warships to patrol outside the island, gathering intelligence and intercepting cargo ships trying to sneak food onto the island. He sent out even more warships, tightening the defensive perimeter to prevent the Japanese from landing to collect and sell food.

Just as Cui Xingzhou was intensively preparing for the attack on the island, Li Guangcai inquired about the two imperial envoys who had been detained for several days and whether they should be released.

Cui Xingzhou chuckled coldly and said, "The Emperor sent them to the North Sea to observe how I deal with the Japanese, not to conspire and collude with them. Let them stay there for now. Once I eliminate the Japanese, their mission will be complete as well. At that time, I will personally escort them back to the capital to report to the Emperor."

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