The troubles in Dongzhou were indeed becoming increasingly urgent. Initially, it was just a group of refugees rioting due to a lack of food. If local officials had appeased them promptly and handled the situation properly, it would have remained a minor disturbance.
The problem worsened because the local officials were accustomed to embezzlement, even daring to skim from disaster relief supplies. When the corrupt official was beheaded by the enraged disaster victims, local people saw it as justice served.
The leader of the uprising then proclaimed himself the King of Lu, raising an army that now occupied three provinces. They showed signs of advancing further, aiming to occupy Zhenzhou and push into the capital.
When Cui Xingzhou’s army confronted them, it temporarily halted the Lu King’s fierce momentum. However, these bandit soldiers seemed more adept at guerrilla warfare. They led the pursuing imperial troops into dense forests, where the Zhenzhou soldiers, accustomed to face-to-face combat, suffered setbacks from ambushes.
Truthfully, their tactics bore some resemblance to how Lu Wen had once outmaneuvered the Zhenzhou troops.
This reminded General Cui Xingzhou of his past battles of wit and courage against the rebel Lu Wen. If he had the leisure, he might have enjoyed analyzing their strategies further or even capturing the Lu King alive to see what manner of man he was.
However, Prince Huaiyang was now eager to get married and no longer cared whether he could capture the rebel alive. He focused on redeploying troops, setting up defenses, and buying off spies to end the battle as quickly as possible.
With the intense fighting at the front, he naturally had no time to return to Zhenzhou recently.
The Empress Dowager worried about her son’s safety and comfort while managing both major and minor details of the upcoming wedding ceremony. She also had to attend various tea parties. As a result, her body, accustomed to a life of luxury, couldn’t withstand the strain, and she fell ill.
Yet, someone still needed to manage the affairs of the household. With the Empress Dowager’s approval, Mian Tang began to handle some of these matters.
One morning, when she came to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, she found two middle-aged women already in the room.
Listening to their conversation, Mian Tang learned that these were two concubines left behind by the late prince. The slightly plump one was called Madam Li, while the one with a somewhat haggard appearance was Madam Qin.
These two had managed to avoid major conflicts with the Empress Dowager and had borne children, allowing them to remain in the household.
However, they and their children maintained a low profile in the prince’s mansion. This was the first time Mian Tang had seen them since her arrival.
Madam Li was more talkative, her words filled with obvious flattery as she inquired about the Empress Dowager’s health.
When the Empress Dowager grew impatient and was about to dismiss them, Madam Li finally revealed her purpose. She explained that her daughter, Cui Wanglan, was nearly fourteen and, although not in a hurry to marry, had reached the age for matchmaking. She hoped the Empress Dowager would take the trouble to find a suitable match for her.
Reminded of this, the Empress Dowager then asked Madam Qin if her son was also ready for marriage.
Madam Qin’s son, Cui Xingdi, was originally the fifth oldest, three years older than Cui Xingzhou. By all rights, he should have been married with children by now. However, a severe illness at fifteen had left him lame in both legs.
Madam Qin spoke softly, “Di’er’s legs are not well. Why burden a young woman? He intends to live alone for the rest of his life…”
The Empress Dowager disliked hearing this. Although Cui Xingdi was the son of a concubine and lame, he was still a young master of the prince’s household. While Cui Xingzhou remained unmarried, it was easier to make excuses for the others. But now, with Cui Xingzhou’s wedding imminent, leaving the children of concubines unmarried would make her appear cruel as the matriarch.
Due to her son’s controversial choice of bride, the prince’s household had become a topic of gossip in neighboring mansions. Recently, rumors had spread that Prince Huaiyang was elevating a mistress to the position of wife. Although no one dared to seek confirmation from the Empress Dowager directly, she had caught wind of these rumors. Her pride wounded, she had fallen ill as a result.
This loss of face made the Empress Dowager increasingly harsh towards Liu Mian Tang. Fortunately, Mian Tang didn’t take it to heart and spent less time in the Empress Dowager’s presence, maintaining a mostly peaceful coexistence.
Now, the Empress Dowager was exceptionally protective of what little reputation the prince’s household had left. She absolutely couldn’t allow herself to be labeled as a cruel matriarch.
So she said to Madam Qin, “Being lame doesn’t prevent him from continuing the family line. While daughters from high-ranking families might be hard to obtain, surely there are respectable girls from humble backgrounds who would be eager to enter the prince’s household? In a while, I’ll look into it and arrange for Xingdi to marry soon. That’s settled then. I’ll take care of both children’s matters, so you may go now.”
The two concubines thanked the Empress Dowager for her consideration before withdrawing.
As they were leaving, they noticed Liu Mian Tang. Momentarily stunned by her beauty, they soon realized this must be the new bride the prince had brought back.
The two concubines curtsied to Mian Tang before leaving with lowered heads.
Mian Tang saw their faces. Though their prime had passed, it was evident they must have been quite beautiful in their youth. However, as concubines in the prince’s household, life was tolerable while the man was alive, but once his favor waned and they became widows, they had to tread carefully. The future of their children now hung entirely on the whims of the household’s matriarch.
Mian Tang felt a twinge of sympathy before entering the inner chamber to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.
For some reason, the Empress Dowager seemed to be in a good mood today. Instead of giving Mian Tang the cold shoulder as she had in recent days, she even asked about Mian Tang’s diet and daily life with a pleasant demeanor.
Mian Tang responded with a smiles, answering each question in detail.
After a while, the Empress Dowager changed the subject, sighing, “In the past, when the old prince took concubines, I wasn’t very willing. What woman likes to share her husband? But now that the prince is gone, I’ve realized the benefit of his taking concubines. It’s left me with some sisters to talk to, so I’m not lonely…”
Mian Tang, perceptive as ever, sensed the Empress Dowager’s implication and smiled, saying, “I rarely see you talking with the concubines…”
Caught off guard by Mian Tang’s retort, the Empress Dowager’s expression changed slightly as she said, “That’s because I’ve been busy lately! In any case, as the future princess of this household, you should learn to be more magnanimous. A woman’s beauty doesn’t last forever, but virtue and kindness endure, earning respect. Xingzhou will have more wives and concubines in the future. You should learn from me how to be a proper matriarch.”
This time, Mian Tang remained silent. However, she knew she would never be so open-minded in this lifetime.
The day Cui Xingzhou took a concubine would be the day she left the household. She could never learn to share her man with others.
Having laid the groundwork, the Empress Dowager finally came to her point: “You know that Xingzhou was previously engaged to his cousin, Lian Suilan. They had a misunderstanding and broke off the engagement. Suilan has been greatly disadvantaged by Xingzhou, and her age now makes it difficult to find a suitable match. You should understand that, by rights, she came before you. If not for you, Xingzhou might not have considered breaking off the engagement. Now, rumors are spreading in Zhenzhou that Xingzhou abandoned virtue for beauty, forsaking Suilan for you. This is very damaging to his reputation. After much consideration, I thought perhaps you and Suilan could both enter the household together, thus preserving Xingzhou’s reputation…”
Mian Tang slowly raised her head, fixing the Empress Dowager with a sharp gaze. “I’m not sure I understand your meaning, Empress Dowager…”
The Empress Dowager replied impatiently, “You’re so clever. How can you not understand? I mean to have Lian Suilan enter the prince’s household as your equal wife.”
Mian Tang’s expression remained unchanged as she said, “The ancients said that a feudal lord cannot have two main wives. If the prince takes two equal wives, which son would be considered the heir? This notion of equal wives is practiced by merchants who roam the four seas. With one wife in the south and one in the north, they can maintain peace. But two equal wives living together in the prince’s mansion? Even the most virtuous would likely become less so over time. This would only give people more reason to gossip about the prince’s household… Such an absurd idea doesn’t seem like something you would come up with, Empress Dowager. Have you been spending too much time with Aunt Chu at recent tea parties?”
The Empress Dowager had grown accustomed to Mian Tang’s submissive demeanor in her presence. She never expected this seemingly docile rabbit to suddenly bear its fangs and challenge her.
Angered, she sat up and slapped the bed, shouting, “How dare you! Is this how you speak to me?”
Mian Tang rose with a smile and curtsied, saying, “Fortunately, I have not yet married the prince, so I’m not officially your daughter-in-law. My rudeness in talking back to you can at most be considered discourteous, unworthy of being a guest in the prince’s household. I’ll take my leave now. I hope you recover soon, Empress Dowager.”
With that, Mian Tang turned and left, not even taking her clothes or luggage. She departed from the prince’s mansion with only her two personal maids.
The Empress Dowager was initially too angry to react, slapping the bed and her chest. By the time she realized she should stop Mian Tang, the latter had already left in a carriage.
Fangxie, who had witnessed Mian Tang’s confrontation with the Empress Dowager, was terrified. Only after they were in the carriage did she ask, “My lady, the Empress Dowager was merely discussing with you. Leaving the mansion so abruptly and with such a sour expression… isn’t that improper?”
Mian Tang, however, appeared relaxed. “The Empress Dowager is easily swayed. If I had agreed, it would have let the schemers succeed. If I had refused, it would have displeased her. Since I couldn’t agree, I might as well displease her thoroughly. Lian Suilan has been spreading rumors about me. My departure will reveal her true nature.”
A woman whose engagement had been broken off had managed to drive away one who was about to be married – Miss Lian’s abilities were truly formidable.
She liked to spread gossip behind people’s backs. Well, Liu Mian Tang would play that game too. She’d make sure that by the next day, all of Zhenzhou would know how shamelessly the Lian mother and daughter had begged the prince’s household to take back their words and accept Lian Suilan, driving away the county lady personally ennobled by the emperor. This would put an end to Miss Lian’s pretense of being pitiful.
Mian Tang had been very accommodating towards the Empress Dowager recently, after all, she was Cui Xingzhou’s mother, and Mian Tang didn’t want to be too harsh.
However, everyone has their limits, and the Empress Dowager’s proposal today had crossed that line. So, Mian Tang decided to make her stance clear, informing the Empress Dowager that this matter was not up for discussion.
Liu Mian Tang didn’t return to North Street. She had already bought a large house in Lingquan Town, originally intended as temporary lodging for merchants visiting her shops. It had been quickly renovated and was now habitable.
This ready-made mansion would now serve as her temporary residence.