Chapter 179: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 

 Chapter 179: 

 

This marked Mian Tang's first entry into the palace since her memory loss.

Fortunately, during these days, Li Mama had diligently taught her various court etiquette, so she was not worried about making a fool of herself like a mountain bandit entering the palace.

Mian Tang changed into formal court attire, her hair styled high and adorned with a sparrow crown. Guided by the palace servants, she entered through the palace gates. However, when she reached the rear garden, she spotted a man dressed in a jade-colored long robe standing beneath a blooming crabapple tree.

Once... in the back study courtyard of Yangshan, there had been a similar crabapple tree.

Every time she returned from leading troops outside the mountain, there had been a young man in a white robe standing beneath that tree, hands clasped behind his back, smiling as he waited for her.

Mian Tang paused, then respectfully bowed, saying, "This humble servant, Liu Mian Tang, greets His Majesty."

Liu Yu quickly stepped forward, intending to help her up, but she subtly leaned back, rising on her own.

The young emperor looked a bit forlorn, softly saying, "I’ve heard that you’ve begun to remember the past."

Seeing Mian Tang nod, he added with a hint of urgency, "If that's the case, why do you still avoid me? Do you still misunderstand me? Aside from you, I have never loved any other woman. If you wish, I can always find a way to bring you by my side."

Mian Tang smiled slightly, her expression not that of a loyal wife facing a sovereign but rather the confident and carefree smile often seen on Lu Wen's face in Yangshan. "There’s no need for that. What’s past is past. Since I started to recall my memories, I've been thinking about one thing: how exactly did Yunniang manage to sneak into your study?"

When Liu Yu was young, he was force-fed poison, and the fear of being dragged from his bed while he was peacefully asleep lingered in his mind. Because of this, he was meticulous in choosing his personal guards and often slept fitfully.

Thus, every time Mian Tang entered his study, she would try to make some noise to announce her arrival, lest she startle him.

However, it was quite astonishing that Yunniang had managed to sneak into Liu Yu’s study so silently. 

Liu Yu frowned and attempted to defend himself. This time, he dropped the royal “I”: “She got me drunk. In truth, I didn’t do anything that time…”

Mian Tang didn’t want to linger on the old feelings with Liu Yu any longer, so she directly clarified, “I know you didn’t do anything. You simply did nothing while allowing Yunniang to develop feelings for you, while you let her intoxicate you. You also knew I went back to the study to look for you and understood that with my temper, once I learned about your relationship with my sworn sister, I would quietly leave… So although your old courtiers have devised countless schemes to strip me of my military power, none of their ideas could compare to your own.”

After regaining her memories, Mian Tang had asked Cui Xingzhou many questions about the events following Yangshan, which helped clarify many things she had previously found puzzling.

Yet deep down, she still hesitated to think of the young man in the white robe under the crabapple tree as being so calculating.

However, this scheme involving the poison made her more aware of Liu Yu’s suspicious and dark side.

Perhaps he really had loved her back then. After all, the sweet silence of their shared gaze while strolling through the sea of flowers was undeniable.

But at that time, her power was too great, her abilities far exceeding those of everyone in Yangshan. Moreover, she would never have allowed him to marry a daughter of the Shi family, which inevitably caused Liu Yu to feel apprehensive.

He indeed loved her, but he loved a woman who could help him without being too outstanding or aggressive—a charming and gentle woman.

So, he forced her to give up her military power and leave Yangshan, allowing him to pursue a marriage with the Shi family without feeling too guilty, making the subsequent pacification seem natural. He even left a window for their future reconciliation—after all, it was all a poison scheme orchestrated by Yunniang, and he hadn’t betrayed her at that time.

Unfortunately, Liu Yu had accounted for many things but hadn’t foreseen that Prince Sui would send someone to assassinate her. He never expected her to fall into the water, lose her memory, and completely forget about him before marrying someone else.

Liu Yu fell silent upon hearing Mian Tang’s words.

It wasn’t surprising that someone as intelligent as she was could deduce his true intentions back then.

However, Liu Yu didn’t believe he had done anything wrong. He hardened his tone and said, “A man who wishes to achieve great things must consider the world. I bear the heavy responsibility of restoring the imperial family. I can only move forward relentlessly. Do you truly believe that remaining a bandit in Yangshan can restore my father’s honor? Even Cui Xingzhou, if he were in my position, would make the same decision.”

Liu Mian Tang slowly shook her head, a hint of regret in her expression as she replied, “When I hit my head on the island and was rescued, I genuinely thought about finding you again, wanting you to explain the misunderstandings back then. But… eventually, that thought faded away…”

Liu Yu clenched his fists tightly upon hearing this. As an emperor, he relied heavily on Cui Xingzhou, but as a man, he could never truly forgive him for taking away the woman he loved.

“What did he do to make you unwilling to leave?” Liu Yu asked each word deliberately.

Mian Tang smiled lightly. “He did nothing at all. He simply knew that I was a woman who couldn’t remember our affectionate bond but only recalled the battles we fought against each other. Yet every night when we lay together, he slept soundly, defenseless like a child…”

Liu Yu’s face darkened, but he understood the implication of Mian Tang's words.

Even knowing that Liu Mian Tang had amnesia and possessed deadly martial skills, Cui Xingzhou never hesitated to trust her completely.

What Liu Mian Tang wanted was never riches or power; it was simply a loved one who would stand beside her and offer that unreserved trust.

This was something Liu Yu could never provide her with, no matter how hard he tried.

His expression fell as he watched Mian Tang complete her palace rites and walk towards the Empress' chamber without looking back.

This time, Liu Yu understood that his Mian Tang—the girl who used to smile sweetly at him under the flowering crabapple tree—was truly gone forever.

That day, when Mian Tang returned from the palace, she had dinner with Cui Xingzhou.

Cui Xingzhou noticed that she was eating quickly and, while serving her a piece of braised pork knuckle, said, “Didn’t you just have a meal with the queen in the palace? Why are you still so hungry?”

Mian Tang helplessly took a sip of soup and replied, “Before I entered the palace, Li Mama kept reminding me to remember the rules. Even if there were delicacies laid out, I couldn’t eat comfortably.”

Cui Xingzhou chuckled and said, “Li Mama knows you well. She must have figured you wouldn’t eat well in the palace, so she had the chef prepare some tasty dishes for you… What did the Empress talk to you about?”

Mian Tang replied, “At first, it was just comforting words about her late father. But I could tell the Empress wasn’t genuinely sad, so we ended up chatting about other things.”

Cui Xingzhou glanced at her and asked, “Oh? What did you talk about?”

Mian Tang said, “The Empress asked me what reward I thought His Majesty might grant you for your new achievements this time. I recalled what you told me earlier and replied to the Empress frankly that as a prince of a different surname, you’ve already reached the pinnacle of honor as a subject. If you received any further rewards, it might deplete the blessings of your ancestors. For you, being granted a title or noble rank wouldn’t compare to returning home to serve your mother and enjoy a peaceful life. If His Majesty truly appreciated your years of contributions, it would be better to allow you to return home, live as a free man, and should danger arise on the borders, you would surely don your armor again and wait for His Majesty’s summons.”

This wasn’t merely a way to deflect the emperor's suspicions; it was truly Cui Xingzhou’s heartfelt opinion.

Cui Xingzhou had also made his way from a foreign land to become a key minister in the Great Yan court. However, the power struggles and intrigues were not what he desired.

As the saying goes, "Serving the emperor is like accompanying a tiger." Deep down, he longed for a life like Zhao Quan’s—one he could not attain.

After listening to Mian Tang’s words, he smiled and asked, “What did the Empress say?”

After finishing half a bowl of rice, Mian Tang appeared more composed. Tilting her head, she replied, “The Empress seemed to doubt my words and asked if I would be willing to leave the bustle of the capital and return to Zhenzhou with you. I told her that I have never been accustomed to life in the capital, especially with those lords and princes who all have multiple wives. It’s quite bothersome to see, and I worry you might follow suit. It’s better to return to Zhenzhou instead. The Empress then said my words were not in line with a woman’s duty, as a wife should not obstruct her husband from taking concubines if he desires.”

Cui Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, feeling an ominous premonition, and stretched out his words, asking, “And how did you respond to the Empress?”

Mian Tang smiled and replied, “Of course, I wouldn’t dare deceive the Empress. I told her that I lack her virtuous and graceful qualities and haven’t read much, so I don’t know how a woman should conduct herself. If you wish to take a concubine, you must ask if the sword in my hand agrees.”

Li Mama, who was ladling out soup nearby, couldn’t help but gasp in shock at these words.

Cui Xingzhou, however, was unbothered and chuckled, encouraging her to continue.

Mian Tang continued, “The Empress gave a bitter smile upon hearing this. She said she couldn’t guarantee that all the ministers in the world would remain loyal, but as long as I, Liu Mian Tang, am the legitimate wife of Prince Huaiyang, he would certainly enjoy the joys of marital harmony and would have no time to pursue worldly vanity…”

Cui Xingzhou pinched Mian Tang's cheek playfully. "No manners! You say whatever you want, as if holding a sword means you can defeat me!"

However, he understood that for the Empress to make such a lighthearted joke was a sign of her trust in their marriage.

At the very least, Liu Mian Tang did not hope for her husband to aspire to the lofty position of the emperor. 

That position was too high and too cold; once a person sat there for too long, they would inevitably change.

Liu Mian Tang absolutely could not allow her husband to indulge in the same lifestyle as Liu Yu, with his multiple wives and concubines. As wise as she was, if they were to live in peace and prosperity, she would never incite her husband to seize power for no reason.

Her intention in saying so was to reassure the Empress. 

Among two women who had always had a good relationship, there existed an unspoken understanding that only they could appreciate.

When Mian Tang spoke to the Empress in the palace that day, she had listened to her words with a bitter smile, remaining silent for a long while, and then said, "Life is like porridge; it only thickens the longer you boil it. But everyone has their own way of cooking it... Your way, Princess Consort, is quite good, but there are very few women in this world who can be as carefree as you."

When Empress Shi  said this, the weariness in her eyes was not what one would expect from a woman of her age.

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