Chapter 177: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 177: 

 

Lian Binglan staggered back a few steps but couldn't break free from Cui Xingdi’s grip. His strength was overwhelming, almost bringing tears to her eyes from the pain.

Desperate, she shouted, "You made me distance myself from my mother and even stopped me from visiting my family recently—was it all part of your plan to use my mother from the start? Cui Xingdi, she’s your mother-in-law! When has she ever wronged you? How can you treat her like this, and still claim to be true to me?"

Although she had long known that Cui Xingdi had been secretly treating his legs, she had no idea when he regained the ability to stand. Or perhaps he had recovered long ago and had been faking his injury all along.

Back when he proposed to her, he had promised that he would make her the princess consort.

Lian Binglan had started to regret it not long after, and the more she got to know this man she had married, the deeper that regret became. She felt like she had been dragged into a deep, bottomless whirlpool, one that had now even ensnared her mother.

After threatening Lian Binglan, Cui Xingdi's expression softened, returning to his usual refined demeanor. Watching her hysteria, he smiled and said, “Your mother has always thought that I, a mere son of a concubine from the prince’s household, wasn’t good enough for her carefully groomed daughter. Since that’s the case, she should contribute to making me worthy of the Lian family, don’t you think? Things have already come to this point, so please endure a little longer, my dear wife. Otherwise, if Cui Xingzhou and his wife find out that I’m the one pulling the strings behind all of this, do you think they’ll let you, their worthless cousin, off so easily?”

Lian Binglan's shoulders trembled, and she seemed to wither like a frostbitten eggplant. The man before her not only bore a striking resemblance to Cui Xingzhou in appearance but also shared the same cold, ruthless nature that recognized no family ties.

She couldn’t control a man like this; she was merely a pawn, a tool in his hands.

After finishing his words, Cui Xingdi clapped his hands, summoning his men from outside. “The madam isn’t feeling well, so she shouldn’t leave the house or see anyone for a while... Prepare the ship. I’ll depart tonight, aiming to reach the capital before Cui Xingzhou.”

The situation in Zhenzhou was hopeless now. Since Cui Xingzhou didn’t need to observe mourning rites, it was only a matter of time before his ninth brother would also head to the capital.

Today, he had Lian Binglan come to the residence partly because, as a concubine’s daughter-in-law, she was obligated to pay respects to the mistress of the household, but also to gauge whether Cui Xingzhou was still at home.

From what Liu Mian Tang had said, Cui Xingzhou had been tending to his mother for several days and was currently resting in his quarters. He would likely take a few more days before setting off for the capital.

Cui Xingdi intended to make the most of this time difference and reach the capital before him.

When he arrived at the dock, his fast ship was already prepared and waiting.

The ship was specially designed, with two decks. The large sail on the mast was emblazoned with a massive dragon outlined in golden paint—a symbol that allowed passage through all of Great Yan without inspection, for it bore the mark of the Yinlong Guard.

The founding emperor of Great Yan, Shengzu, was naturally suspicious. In addition to the established imperial secret surveillance agencies, he created the Yinlong Guard, tasked with handling covert operations for the royal family.

All the guards within the Yinlong Guard were selected and trained from childhood. Unlike the imperial guards, who were chosen from the legitimate sons and grandsons of noble families, the Yinlong Guard recruited less prominent or even impoverished sons from various households. Their only path forward was to claw their way up from the mud through their own efforts.

The Huaiyang Mansion, as a powerful vassal king’s estate often feared by successive emperors, naturally needed to be infiltrated by suitable candidates from the Yinlong Guard.

When Cui Xingdi lost his father’s favor due to his crippled leg, he endured humiliation and stayed hidden within the royal mansion. During that time, the Yinlong Guard continually sent people to train him, biding their time until he could become a sharp weapon embedded within the Huaiyang Mansion.

Cui Xingdi then used the Yinlong Guard to secretly build his own power, while occasionally tripping up his ninth brother, Prince Huaiyang.

Back when the Crown Prince was harmed by the demonic consort, it was thanks to both the loyal members of the former Eastern Palace and the involvement of the Yinlong Guard that the imperial grandson, Liu Yu, was able to escape.

Although the Yinlong Guard rarely interfered in imperial power struggles, they could not allow imperial offspring to be harmed by external relatives. Thus, when Liu Yu sought refuge in Yangshan, Cui Xingdi was well aware of it.

This long-hidden member of the Yinlong Guard was eager to use the isolated imperial grandson to bring down his royal brother.

That’s why Cui Xingdi sent the military supply information about the Zhenzhou army, encoded in secret paintings, to Liu Yu.

It proved to be a wise gamble. When Liu Yu ascended the throne, Cui Xingdi supported him all the way, gradually gaining the emperor's deep favor. He rose to become the head of the Yinlong Guard, tasked with covertly monitoring both Prince Sui and Prince Huaiyang for Emperor Liu Yu.

When Cui Xingdi went to the capital, although it was publicly stated that he was engaging in business, his true purpose was to set up networks and assist Liu Yu in overthrowing the imperial uncle, Prince Sui. After years of hiding in the shadows, his power and connections gradually expanded.

However, while fulfilling his duties to the Yinlong Guard and loyally serving Liu Yu, Cui Xingdi—Fifth Son—began to grow increasingly dissatisfied with remaining in the background.

He had endured years of suffering just for the chance to finally unleash his revenge. Back then, when his mother was favored, his father had personally promised to elevate him to the status of the legitimate heir. But in the end, he became the most pitiful crippled illegitimate son in the royal mansion.

Years of humiliation hardened Cui Xingdi’s resolve, and when he eventually struck back, his retaliation was ruthless and merciless.

He had carefully seized the opportunity of his ninth brother, Cui Xingzhou, being in Beihai, intending to use Eikushi-ji to eliminate the thorn in his side.

Yet, despite all of Cui Xingdi's meticulous planning to destroy Beihai’s navy and ensure that Cui Xingzhou met his end with no chance of survival, his schemes ultimately failed.

No matter how carefully he plotted, he hadn’t accounted for the fact that Eikushi-ji, driven by lust, would develop a desire for Liu Mian Tang, resulting in her being abducted to the island and inadvertently revealing the secret of the cannons. Nor did he expect that Cui Xingzhou's return with Zhao Quan would be so fateful, as Zhao Quan, having lived in Beihai for a long time, was an expert in the rare art of poison dissolution—an uncommon knowledge in the Central Plains.

Later, when Cui Xingdi realized that Eikushi-ji had become unreliable, he hastened to eliminate all evidence, ensuring the emperor would never discover his covert dealings with the Japanese. Nevertheless, being as meticulous as ever, he had, of course, prepared contingencies.

The mother-child poison he originally set up, one portion had been used on the Old Princess Consort, while the other had been secretly passed to Shi Yikuan.

At present, one person tossing and turning, unable to sleep due to anxiety, was none other than the Imperial Father-in-Law, Lord Shi.

Back then, Cui Xingdi had sent someone to assassinate Eikushi-ji's but deliberately spared the two imperial envoys who could testify that Shi Yikuan had colluded with foreign enemies. This was all part of his plan to force the Imperial Father-in-Law into a corner.

Now, after simmering for just the right amount of time, Shi Yikuan was cooked to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.

Just recently, Cui Xingdi received secret intelligence that the "child" poison had already been secretly administered to the emperor by a eunuch planted by Lord Shi. The poison had matured and was now ready to be triggered, allowing the "mother" poison to break open its cocoon.

It was up to Lord Shi to seize the moment and ensure that the long-ailing emperor would “rest” sooner rather than later.

Once the Imperial Father-in-Law helped the young crown prince ascend the throne, the first person he would want to eliminate would undoubtedly be Cui Xingzhou, who was now rushing to the capital!

Cui Xingzhou, in turn, would surely harbor suspicions toward Emperor Liu Yu due to the cannon designs, leading to a conflict. The ensuing battle between both factions would be nothing short of spectacular.

And in the chaos of this struggle, Cui Xingdi would be able to reap the benefits as the fisherman who profits from the clash between the snipe and the clam. With his Hidden Dragon Guard, he would become the stabilizing force for the Yan dynasty, wiping out both the Shi faction and the Cui faction. His name would go down in history as the man who secured the empire's future...

At this thought, Cui Xingdi nearly burst into laughter.

At that moment, the night was deep, and the dragon motif on the ship's sails was hidden by the thick fog. Under the cover of darkness, the ship quietly glided along the rushing river, disappearing into the night.

At this moment, the capital was just as Lord Cui Xingdi had predicted—on the brink of a storm.

The Emperor had not attended court for many days. Though Liu Yu's chronic illness was well known and the ministers had grown accustomed to it, such a prolonged absence was unusual.

In the emperor's bedchamber, the air was thick with the scent of medicine. Empress Shi personally took the soft, white porridge from a maidservant, trying to feed the emperor, who had been in a deep sleep for days.

Tending to the emperor’s strange illness seemed to have taken its toll on Empress Shi. She had noticeably slimmed down, and her once-round chin now appeared sharp, while her previously ordinary features had taken on a more delicate look.

At that moment, a eunuch hurried over to report, “Your Majesty, the Imperial Father-in_law, Lord Shi, requests an audience.”

Without even looking up, the empress replied, “Tell him that I am weary and will meet him another day.”

The eunuch hesitated, “Your Majesty, that was the message I delivered earlier, but the Imperial Father-in-Law refuses to leave. He remains kneeling outside and insists on seeing you…”

The empress, having fed the emperor half a bowl of porridge, closed her eyes briefly before saying, “Very well, I shall meet my father.”

With that, she stood up and, supported by her attendant, slowly walked out of the chamber.

Outside the bedchamber, Shi Yikuan knelt, his knees aching from the prolonged posture. Inwardly, he cursed: Of all the daughters I raised, it had to be this ungrateful fool! She sits securely as empress, yet I, her father, cannot rely on her in this critical moment. Fortunately, I’ve sent many other Shi family girls into the palace. Some of them are obedient and have already won the emperor’s favor—two are even pregnant. Once I rid myself of this disobedient son-in-law and stabilize the situation, it’s anyone’s guess which of my grandsons will sit on the throne. As for this unfilial daughter—if she can’t be of use, I can do without her!

As Shi Yikuan contemplated these thoughts, the path before him seemed to grow ever clearer.

The days for the baby gu to mature had arrived. However, his daughter, Empress Shi, had recently ordered a thorough inspection of the emperor’s bedchamber. She replaced all the eunuchs and maids who served the emperor closely, and every utensil and medicinal brew was being scrutinized. Without a way to get the mother gu inside, his plans were delayed, causing much anxiety.

Once the mother gu triggered the baby gu, the emperor would “naturally” suffer a stroke and pass away. With the new emperor ascending the throne and the chaos that would follow, who would have time to investigate the Imperial Uncle? Even if Cui Xingzhou presented undeniable evidence, it would be too late.

For now, though, he had to figure out a way to get the mother gu inside…

While Shi Yikuan was lost in thought, Empress Shi emerged from the bedchamber.

She stood before her father and spoke in a calm tone, “It’s been a while, Father. You seem as healthy as ever.”

Shi Yikuan, wearing a face of concern, responded, “The emperor still hasn’t woken, and I haven’t been able to eat or sleep. How could I rest at ease? How is the emperor faring now?”

The empress sighed lightly and said, “The imperial physicians have exhausted their skills. The Ministry of Rites has already begun stocking up on white cloth and mourning garments. I’ve heard that Prince Huaiyang’s close friend, Marquis Zhao, is a renowned physician who specializes in treating difficult illnesses. I’ve sent for Prince Huaiyang and Marquis Zhao from Zhenzhou. Even if they cannot cure the emperor, they may help stabilize the situation in the capital…”

Upon hearing this, Shi Yikuan’s eyelid twitched, though he kept his expression respectful. “I haven’t seen the crown prince in some time and miss him dearly. I’ve prepared some toys for him. Would Your Majesty care to take a look?”

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