Chapter 174: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 174: 

 

However, Cui Fu noticed that Cui Xingzhou kept glancing toward their carriage, as if there was something on his mind. She told Li Guangcai to stop fussing over her and go see what was going on with Xingzhou.

When Li Guangcai arrived, Cui Xingzhou finally explained the hidden map in the paintings and showed him the sketch Mian Tang had made.

Li Guangcai was stunned, marveling at the cleverness of such a method and praising the prince for his keen insight.

Cui Xingzhou shook his head and clarified that it was Mian Tang who had discovered it. He then recounted how, back in Yangshan, Liu Yu had used a similar method to uncover their grain supply routes.

At this, Li Guangcai's expression grew serious. According to the prince, it was possible that even the Emperor might be involved. If that were true, then as the old saying went, “When a ruler commands a subject to die, the subject must obey.”

Mian Tang, standing by, suddenly asked, "Brother-in-law, how skilled are you at painting?"

Li Guangcai was momentarily stunned, then quickly shook his head like a rattle drum. "Your Highness, you know me well. While I may dabble in writing and calligraphy, I could never create such intricate hidden works of art."

Cui Xingzhou naturally trusted Li Guangcai. If he were someone who sought to advance through cunning means, he wouldn’t have endured years of being overlooked by the court.

Seeing the sweat beading on his forehead, Mian Tang laughed and teased, "These paintings use rare pigments. That red color, in particular, comes from cochineal, imported from overseas. A small box of it costs a fortune… Even if you had the skill to paint like this, I doubt you'd be willing to spend such extravagant sums on the materials. What I meant was—if you are familiar with painting, do you know of anyone close to the prince with such artistic abilities?"

After Mian Tang said this, the three of them instinctively glanced toward the Marquis, who was riding at the front of the convoy.

If anyone close to the prince had such mastery of painting, it would undoubtedly be Zhao Jiayu.

Finally leaving the wild lands of Beihai and returning home to see his mother, Marquis Zhao was so excited that he had lost his usual composure. Throughout the journey, he rode ahead wearing a bamboo hat, loudly reciting poems about returning home.

After witnessing Marquis Zhao’s uncharacteristic behavior, the three of them exchanged knowing glances and then withdrew their gaze in unison.

—

Li Guangcai thought for a moment and said thoughtfully, "There can't be many in the Military Equipment Bureau who know the secret of cannon-making. Once we return to the capital, it shouldn’t be difficult to trace the source of the leak. However, since we can't go back to the capital immediately, that person, knowing that the Yingji Temple affair has failed, might already be erasing any evidence. Furthermore, this person harbors deep animosity toward Zhenzhou. If we don't first identify who this is, we'll be at a disadvantage once we reach the capital."

Mian Tang added, "If this person deliberately concealed their true abilities all along, they might be hard to detect. But if they knew the grain supply routes back during the Yangshan days, and now they know the secret of cannon-making, they must have connections with both Zhenzhou and the military offices in the capital. This individual likely holds a high-ranking position. If we start our investigation with that in mind, we should be able to narrow the scope."

At this point, Li Guangcai couldn't help but feel anxious for the prince. The court was already in a state of disarray, with a mess waiting for the prince to handle. But now, with his mother gravely ill, the prince had been forced to leave the capital, and who knows what traps and dangers their hidden enemies would have set by the time he returned.

Upon reaching Zhenzhou, instead of heading to the palace, Cui Xingzhou went directly to the villa on the outskirts.

When he had parted from his mother, Mian Tang had been meticulous in her planning, considering every possible scenario. She had instructed Gao Guangcai that if anything happened to the Old Princess Consort, they were to move to the villa and avoid contact with outsiders, waiting for them to return.

After the Old Princess Consort's condition worsened, Steward Gao had promptly moved her to the villa on the outskirts, bringing only a few maids and servants to care for her, along with a handful of loyal palace guards. The rest were left behind at the palace.

Steward Gao personally purchased new bedding, furnishings, and other necessities, replacing everything in the villa. He also refused all visits, as per instructions.

However, despite these efforts, the Old Princess Consort's condition continued to deteriorate. In recent days, she had become bedridden, and her mind had grown clouded.

As Cui Xingzhou approached the villa, he saw from a distance his aunt, Madam Lian Chu, standing outside the gates with a group of maids and servants, loudly berating Steward Gao. 

"You dog of a servant!" she yelled. "How dare you make decisions on your own and refuse me entry? My sister is gravely ill, and the elders from our family wish to see the Old Princess Consort, yet you block us! Is it because you think the prince is far away in Beihai and won’t return for some time? Are you plotting to seize the family's wealth? Do you think my sister is a burden, and you want her dead so you can inherit her fortune?"

As she ranted on, the gates suddenly opened, and Steward Gao, along with the few guards, rushed out toward the road.

Madam Lian Chu, assuming that Steward Gao had realized the gravity of the situation and was coming to apologize, stood with her arms crossed, smugly waiting for him to kneel and beg forgiveness.

But to her surprise, Steward Gao and his men completely ignored her, hastily moving past her toward the main road.

It was only then that Madam Lian Chu realized a convoy of carriages was swiftly approaching the villa.

Steward Gao had received a messenger from the relay station earlier, informing him that the prince was racing back from Beihai, covered in dust from his journey.

The Old Princess Consort had been bedridden for over a month, and it was clear that her condition was critical. As a loyal servant, Steward Gao found himself in a difficult position without clear guidance from his master. He could only adhere to the instructions given by the princess consort, all while silently praying for the return of the prince and his family, enduring the criticism from the elders of the Cui family.

Now that the prince had finally returned, Steward Gao let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he could finally lay down the heavy burden he had been carrying.

Aunt Lian, completely unaware of Cui Xingzhou's return, quickly moved forward after a moment of shock, her face streaked with tears as she expressed her worries about her sister’s condition.

Unfortunately for her, Cui Xingzhou was too anxious to see his mother and couldn't afford the niceties expected among relatives. 

Before Aunt Lian could finish her lament, he strode past her and hurried towards his mother's courtyard, with Cui Fu following closely, supported by Mian Tang as they rushed to see the Old Princess Consort.

Aunt Lian wanted to follow them inside, but Steward Gao, with a stern expression, blocked her way and said, “The prince and the Old Princess Consort have been apart for so long; they surely have much to discuss. If Madam Lian wishes to visit the Old Princess Consort, it would be best to come another day.”

With that, he maintained his stern demeanor and ordered the doors shut right in front of Madam Lian.

By now, it was common knowledge that Madam Lian had seemingly offended Prince Huaiyang and was not favored by the new princess consort. Even her own daughter, Lian Binglan, had grown distant since marrying the fifth son of the Cui family.

It was only due to the kind nature of the Old Princess Consort that Madam Lian had still been included in various social events, enjoying a taste of high society.

However, if Madam Lian had not frequently coaxed the Old Princess Consort into attending events, it was unlikely that the Old Princess Consort would have caught a chill and fallen ill.

When the Old Princess Consort first fell ill, she still had the energy to complain about trivial matters. However, once she was moved to the villa, there was finally some peace.

Steward Gao felt quite annoyed at Madam Lian.

Meanwhile, Cui Xingzhou entered the inner chamber and saw the Old Princess Consort lying in bed, sound asleep. Her cheeks were sunken, her face lost its former luster, and she appeared thin and haggard—far from the majestic Old Princess Consort she used to be.

Even in her sleep, she seemed uncomfortable, her brows furrowed, and she occasionally turned over, letting out muffled sounds of distress.

Steward Gao said, “Ever since the prince, the princess consort, and Miss Cui left for the capital, the Old Princess Consort has been alone in the Prince's Mansion, feeling quite lonely. Madam Lian often came to the mansion, urging the Old Princess Consort to attend various banquets held by the other ladies of the estates. The Old Princess Consort was unwilling to go, but Madam Lian persisted, and out of courtesy, the Old Princess Consort attended twice. After a few days, she started feeling somewhat cold and then experienced aches and pains in her chest and back. The doctor examined her and suspected she might have caught a cold, though the symptoms were somewhat unusual, so he couldn't be certain. Later, the Old Princess Consort's condition worsened, and remembering the princess consort's earlier instructions, I feared that with so many people around, someone with ill intentions might have harmed her, so I moved her to the villa.”

Zhao Quan sat beside the bed, holding the Old Princess Consort's wrist to check her pulse. His frown deepened, and after a moment, he stood up and said to Cui Xingzhou, “The Old Princess Consort's pulse suggests that she has been afflicted by wind and cold, but it’s not what it seems. In reality, she has been poisoned with a type of gu poison.”

Cui Xingzhou's expression changed, and he asked, “Is there a way to save her?”

Zhao Quan replied, “I had never heard of gu poison before; it was only during this trip to Beihai that I learned a lot. The local tribal chiefs have shamans who are adept at using gu, and during my exchanges with them, I met an extraordinary person who shared some knowledge with me. Generally, those who use gu keep a mother gu on hand to control the poison. Only by finding the mother gu can the poison be resolved.”

Cui Xingzhou’s face darkened, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. As he suspected, his mother's illness was man-made, aimed at delaying him in Zhenzhou and preventing him from reaching the capital in time.

Zhao Quan continued, “While the mother gu can control the poison, it must be nearby. If the mother gu is too far away, the poison will go dormant. From what I see, the Old Princess Consort’s fingernails have turned blue, indicating that the gu poison has already penetrated her internal organs. However, since the mother gu is distant, the poison has not fully manifested, which is why she remains in a deep sleep. Based on the pulse, the child gu has absorbed enough vital energy and is about to pupate. Once the mother gu comes close, the child gu will act out, breaking blood vessels in her brain, which will look like a stroke, and no matter how it is examined, it will appear as though she has simply passed away.”

Cui Fu's face paled as she exclaimed, “Who is so malicious to go to such lengths to harm a woman in a secluded household?”

Cui Xingzhou's face turned ashen. He realized that the person who had placed the gu was targeting him, trying to delay his return to the capital by extending their poisonous hand to his mother.

Mian Tang said, “In that case, the person who set the gu will surely find a way to send the mother gu into the villa. Steward Gao, after you arrived at the villa, who came to visit?”

Steward Gao replied, “I had already informed the madams of the various households that the Old Princess Consort needed to rest and should not be disturbed, so they haven’t come by. On the first and fifteenth of the month, the fifth master and his wife would traditionally come to pay their respects, but they didn’t enter the villa; they only knelt at the front gate to offer their greetings before leaving. The physician has been residing in the villa and hasn’t left. The only one who has come frequently is Madam Lian, who sometimes brings relatives from the clan and causes a fuss.”

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