Chapter 178: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 178: 

 

Empress Shi remained silent for a moment before saying, "I understand how much Father cherishes his grandson. Follow me." She led Shi Yikuan to the Crown Prince's residence.

Inside, the young Crown Prince was playing with a few maids. Upon seeing his mother, he jumped up and, with a joyful giggle, stretched out his arms and eagerly hopped toward Empress Shi. Seeing her lively and adorable son, a smile finally appeared on the empress’s face. She took a few steps forward, knelt down, and caught the Crown Prince as he leaped into her embrace. She kissed his soft, rosy cheeks several times before standing up, holding his hand, and pointing to Shi Yikuan. "Hong'er, your grandfather came to the palace today just to see you."

The young prince pouted and hid behind his mother, reluctant to come out. Although he had seen Shi Yikuan several times before and had even received toys from him, the Crown Prince wasn’t particularly fond of him.

Shi Yikuan had never been satisfied with Empress Shi, and this disdain extended to her son. Furthermore, with other potential heirs in the palace soon to be born from the daughters of the Shi family, Shi Yikuan’s thoughts had shifted. He saw little importance in the current Crown Prince. Though he appeared to flatter and show respect, there was a distinct lack of genuine affection for the child.

Children are especially sensitive to such things. They can tell who truly cares for them and who does not, so the young Crown Prince was never particularly happy to see Shi Yikuan.

Shi Yikuan forced an awkward smile and said, "I’ve visited too infrequently, so the prince is still unfamiliar with me. I’ll make sure to visit more often." Inside, however, he was cursing, Ungrateful little brat, just like your mother.

Taking a wooden box from a nearby eunuch, Shi Yikuan opened it to reveal several toys. "Your Highness," he said to the Crown Prince, "these are some toys I’ve brought for you."

The young Crown Prince, being a child at heart, was immediately delighted upon seeing the toys. He darted out from behind Empress Shi and eagerly peered into the box. Inside, there was a wooden rocking horse, a sliding block puzzle, a Nine Linked Rings puzzle, and a small fawn figurine made from crystal-like clay.

Neither the sliding puzzle nor the Nine Linked Rings were new to the prince, so he quickly reached for the small crystal deer.

As the Crown Prince happily played with the figurine, a faint smile crept onto Shi Yikuan's lips.

The mother gu was hidden within the crystal clay. When the child played with it, it would inevitably rub off onto his hands. Shi Yikuan had made thorough inquiries. Empress Shi emphasized filial duty, and every day, the Crown Prince was required to pay respects to the emperor twice.

Even though the emperor’s palace was heavily monitored, the prince had free access. The mother gu, after drying out, could survive for three hours. Once it got onto the Crown Prince’s hands and he approached Liu Yu, the emperor’s fate would be sealed.

Empress Shi slowly lifted a teacup and said to the Crown Prince, "Go and serve your grandfather some tea. He hasn’t had the honor of tea from you yet."

Obediently, the young prince picked up a cup of tea and offered it to his grandfather.

Shi Yikuan immediately responded, "I don’t dare accept."

But Empress Shi smiled gently and said, "Though there is a distinction between ruler and subject, he is still your grandson. Even if he becomes the emperor one day, he will serve you this cup of tea. As children, no matter their status, they must always understand the importance of filial piety and duty to their elders."

After Shi Yikuan left the palace, his informants within the palace began monitoring the Crown Prince's movements. In about half an hour, it would be time for the prince to pay his respects to the emperor.

Typically, at this time, Liu Yu would need to take another dose of medicine, a task usually overseen by Empress Shi. Therefore, she always brought the Crown Prince along for these visits.

When Shi Yikuan heard that the prince had already followed the Empress into the emperor’s quarters, he breathed a small sigh of relief and anxiously awaited the news of the emperor’s sudden "stroke" and death.

Once the emperor was dead, his daughter, now a widow, would have no choice but to rely on her family to secure the throne for her young son.

At that point, even if Cui Xingzhou presented undeniable evidence, there would be nothing he could do against him.

With this thought in mind, Shi Yikuan settled in, ready to hear the news of disaster from the palace.

However, as time passed, no one came knocking on the doors of the Shi residence.

Even if the emperor had died and the Empress chose to keep it a secret for now, surely some senior ministers would have come to discuss matters and make decisions. How could everything remain so quiet?

Growing restless, Shi Yikuan sent people to inquire about the situation inside the palace. But the men he sent did not return by nightfall—no trace of them was found, alive or dead!

By this point, Shi Yikuan could no longer sit still. He sent someone to find Cui Xingdi, and after half a day, he received a message from Cui Xingdi, requesting Shi Yikuan meet him at a pavilion just outside the city.

Under normal circumstances, Shi Yikuan would never put himself in danger by rushing to an unfamiliar place for such a secret meeting. 

However, given that he had plotted against the current emperor and was unsure of the outcome, his family's wealth and status were now at stake. He needed to consult someone capable about the situation.

After weighing his options, Shi Yikuan decided against overthinking it and quickly hopped into the carriage, heading to the designated pavilion for their secret rendezvous.

As the carriage left the capital and crossed a wooden bridge in the outskirts under the cover of night, it suddenly heard a crackling noise. The bridge collapsed right in the middle, sending Shi Yikuan and his carriage plunging into the deep river amidst the shouts of people and the whinnies of horses.

By dawn the next day, when passersby discovered this tragic incident, five or six corpses floated on the water, creating a scene too horrific to bear.

When news spread through the court and among the people that Shi Yikuan had died after falling into the river due to the bridge's collapse, officials turned pale with shock, and whispers circulated that this accident might have deeper implications.

Empress Shi mourned the loss of her father deeply, while the emperor issued a decree reprimanding the local officials for failing to ensure the safety of the bridge, leading to such a disaster. He ordered a lavish burial for Shi Yikuan and granted titles and lands to his widow to express his condolences for the late imperial father-in-law.

However, Cui Xingdi, who was residing in a large estate on the outskirts of the capital, could not relax.

To be honest, he was not pleased to see that his second plan had also failed. He had suspected that Shi Yikuan had been compromised when the people he sent were captured at the palace gates.

Therefore, he immediately devised a plan to eliminate Shi Yikuan under the guise of an accident, cutting off any leads to the investigation of the mother and child worms. His informants relayed news from Zhenzhou that Cui Xingzhou had already boarded a ship to the capital with Liu Mian Tang. Calculating the travel time, even if they rushed day and night, it would still take them about ten days to arrive in the capital.

With these ten days, there was enough time for him to obliterate any incriminating evidence and tidy up the aftermath.

However, this meant he would have fewer capable hands to deal with Cui Xingzhou. But he wasn't anxious; the court was filled with restless officials, and the struggle for power never ceased. Even without the likes of Prince Sui and Shi Yikuan, it wouldn’t change much.

After all, he could always find suitable individuals to exploit, and he had endured for so many years that waiting another decade was no concern.

“Commander! The Emperor summons you to the palace!” At that moment, a subordinate rushed in with the news.

Cui Xingdi’s expression darkened; the emperor… had indeed awakened.

The Hidden Dragon Guard entered the palace not through the main gate but via a secret passage that led directly to the emperor's study. Every time, he met with the emperor this way, ensuring secrecy.

As Cui Xingdi arrived in the study in his wheelchair, Liu Yu was seated behind the dragon desk, reviewing memorials. For someone who had been in a coma for over a month, the emperor looked surprisingly well, showing no signs of the weakness typically associated with waking suddenly from bed rest.

When Cui Xingdi entered, Liu Yu slowly lifted his head, scrutinizing him from top to bottom. “The Cui family has been known for its loyalty yet has always been feared by the royal family. Who would have thought that a helpless cripple like you would be chosen for the Hidden Dragon Guard, nurturing such ungrateful and treacherous beings…”

Cui Xingdi felt a sinking feeling in his heart and slowly replied, “Your Majesty, I’m unsure where I went wrong. Please punish me if necessary, but I truly do not understand your words…”

At that moment, someone emerged from behind the bookshelf beside the study. “Fifth Brother, is there something you don’t understand that I need to explain to you?”

Cui Xingdi focused his gaze and saw that Cui Xingzhou, who should still be in Zhenzhou, had appeared in the capital.

He silently watched Cui Xingzhou, then slowly smiled and said, “Your Majesty, I have accepted a sacred office that should remain secret. Why have you revealed my identity to Prince Huaiyang?”

Liu Yu’s face darkened. “You still remember that you hold a sacred office? If so, why do you harbor ulterior motives? Not only have you leaked the artillery blueprints to the Japanese, but you’ve also repeatedly used Gu sorcery to harm both your mother and me!”

Cui Xingdi’s expression remained unchanged as he replied, “What is Your Majesty talking about? I don’t understand.”

Cui Xingzhou fixed his gaze on his half-brother, who had operated in the shadows for years, and spoke in a low voice, “Fifth Brother, it’s better not to quibble. You think you’ve killed and silenced everyone without a trace, but you’ve actually left the biggest flaw behind.”

Cui Xingdi raised an eyebrow in response. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but it sounds quite interesting. Please, enlighten me.”

Cui Xingzhou realized that Cui Xingdi wouldn’t shed a tear until he faced the consequences, so he directly stated, “You personally brought the pair of mother and child worms back from Miaojiang, but you needed to cultivate and nurture multiple pairs yourself. These covert matters were handled by you, not entrusted to anyone else. Unfortunately, while you learned the strategies for raising and using the worms, you didn’t understand that they have a backlash effect. If you nurture them for too long, your fingernails will show signs of bruising, resembling black spots. If I’m not mistaken, your wife helped you rear those worms, didn’t she? That day when she visited my residence, while chatting with Mian Tang, she inadvertently revealed some nearly invisible black spots on her fingernails, which led me to suspect you and your wife. When your wife inquired about my whereabouts, Zhao Quan and I were already on our way to the capital, just ahead of you and Shi Yikuan, which allowed us to break the Emperor’s worm poison in time. Your schemes have been exposed! You claim to be innocent, but are you willing to extend your hand and check your fingernails?”

Cui Xingdi knew very well that there were indeed a few barely visible bruised spots on his nails. Initially, he hadn’t paid them much attention and hadn’t bothered to examine any changes on his wife Lian Binglan’s fingers.

However, he never expected that the foreign talent who the Marquis had befriended in Beihai was a true master of raising worms, and that this master, who had been saved him from his ailment by Zhao Quan, had imparted all his knowledge to him.

As a result, although the Marquis had never raised worms to harm others, he was quite familiar with the principles of worm techniques. He then carefully informed the prince and princess about how to identify the secret worm-raisers.

Mian Tang had remarkable insight; after all, she was able to spot the hidden messages in the paintings, so it was no surprise that she also keenly noticed the clues on Lian Binglan’s fingers.

Thus, Cui Xingdi’s meticulously crafted scheme was exposed due to this small oversight concerning fingernails.

When Mian Tang relayed her discovery through a carrier pigeon to Cui Xingzhou, he was taken aback. However, after giving it some thought, he realized that during the internal strife within the Cui family, besides his own arrangements, his seemingly frail Fifth Brother must have contributed significantly as well.

Following this lead to uncover Cui Xingdi’s grand scheme became exceedingly simple.

After Zhao Quan had neutralized the worm poison for the Emperor, Cui Xingzhou also mentioned that the Japanese had obtained the artillery blueprints from the Military Weapons Department. Given that Liu Yu understood the identity of the Hidden Dragon Guards, he naturally began to suspect Cui Xingdi’s involvement.

Cui Xingzhou also learned from the Emperor about his Fifth Brother, Cui Xingdi's, other identity.

Upon reflection, he realized that deep down, Cui Xingdi still harbored the unique pride typical of the Cui family men. The pseudonym he used for his hidden life as an artist was a character meaning "high" (嵬).

This could perhaps be Cui Xingdi’s self-mockery regarding his identity.

At this point, Cui Xingdi likely knew he had been exposed, so he no longer protested. His face, so similar to Cui Xingzhou's, bore a mocking expression as he suddenly laughed bleakly.

However, just as the Emperor called for someone to bind him, Cui Xingdi unexpectedly produced a pair of double blades from his wheelchair. With a forceful push of his legs, he sprang up from the chair, leaping directly onto the rafters, breaking through the roof, and escaping through the hole.

Having plotted for years, he had naturally prepared for various unforeseen circumstances. Underneath his wheelchair, he had installed a spring mechanism for jumping and equipped it with blades—truly unpreventable.

The guards outside surged forward, calling for ladders to pursue Cui Xingdi.

But when Cui Xingzhou turned to look at Liu Yu, he found him calm and unperturbed, showing no signs of surprise or panic.

Cui Xingzhou thought for a moment and immediately knelt down, saying, “Your Majesty, my family has suffered misfortune by producing such a treacherous minister. I ask Your Majesty to hold me accountable for my failure to discipline my household.”

Liu Yu stood up and personally helped Cui Xingzhou to his feet: “Beloved Subject Cui, you are not at fault. You have traveled day and night to bring me the antidote, and your loyalty is evident as the sun and moon. Furthermore, your efforts to pacify Beihai are commendable. You have no blame.”

Cui Xingzhou then asked, “Should we seal off the capital and capture this rogue?”

Liu Yu shook his head: “The Hidden Dragon Guard was established by the late Emperor as a secret service, ensuring that all members are utterly loyal to the royal family. Knowing that human hearts are hard to gauge, the late Emperor naturally set up safeguards… These members of the Guard were chosen when they were young, and poison was secretly embedded in their bodies. If they remain loyal throughout their lives, they will live to a ripe old age in peace. However, if they harbor any treasonous thoughts or disrespect towards the royal family, their deaths will be excruciating and tragic…”

As he spoke, a frost-like coldness appeared on the young emperor's face.

Cui Xingzhou stood silently and respectfully by, but his mind wandered back to what Zhao Quan had said when he returned from the palace after administering the antidote: “The Emperor wasn’t poisoned at all. Why would he pretend to be poisoned and lie in bed for over a month?”

When Prince Huaiyang heard this news, he asked Zhao Quan if he had exposed the truth. Zhao Quan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied, “You think I’m an idiot? Whether the Emperor feigned being poisoned or claimed to have diarrhea, I would have to pretend to smell something foul. Naturally, I didn’t expose him; I simply followed the procedures to prepare the antidote and gave it to the Emperor… Old Ninth, do you think the Emperor might kill me to silence me?”

By the end of his statement, Zhao Quan’s voice was tinged with tears.

At that moment, Cui Xingzhou couldn’t say for certain what would happen to Zhao Quan, but he could assure Zhao Quan not to worry when he returned.

Their young emperor, having experienced a palace coup, subsequently aligned himself with various factions, constantly showing weakness and seeking favor, which ultimately allowed him to ascend to the throne.

Unfortunately, once on the throne, he found himself constrained by numerous parties, unable to realize his ambitions. In fact, the young emperor’s capacity for endurance, built through navigating nepotism, should be deeper than that of his fleeing fifth brother.

However, those who can endure often harbor heavy suspicions. If Cui Xingzhou was correct, the emperor likely discovered Cui Xingdi's schemes early on but chose to remain silent, even cooperating with the ruse of being "poisoned."

The emperor was testing—testing the Shi family, possibly even the empress, and perhaps also testing Cui Xingzhou himself.

If he had arrived in the capital too late or withheld the antidote, he would have failed this imperial examination.

The consequence of failing this examination is akin to that of Lord Shi and Cui Xingdi: a fate of never rising again.

For an emperor, being suspicious could be considered a virtue. If this emperor of Great Yan were robust, he should be able to maintain his stability.

Ten days later, Mian Tang finally arrived in the capital. While in Zhenzhou, she had chosen someone with a physique similar to Cui Xingzhou’s. Although he wore a straw hat and rarely emerged from the cabin, Mian Tang consistently made appearances to deceive Cui Xingdi’s eyes.

However, she did not anticipate the astonishing upheaval that had occurred in the capital during their journey.

Upon her arrival in the capital, the grief-stricken Empress Shi, mourning her father’s death, summoned Mian Tang to the palace to meet her.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

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