Mian Tang slammed the table, silencing the brothers. However, their expressions suggested they thought Lu Yi’s proposal wasn’t bad, only regretting that their boss was blinded by male beauty, mistakenly believing that sleeping with a tiger was happiness.
Mian Tang calmed herself, realizing it would take time to change these habitual bandits’ mindsets. She gave them detailed instructions for their upcoming tasks before leaving the office.
As she came out, she saw Cui Xingzhou giving orders to the county deputy magistrate. He approached her and asked, “How did it go?”
Mian Tang pursed her lips and said softly, “It is indeed my brother, Liu Zhanpeng.”
Cui Xingzhou noticed Mian Tang’s unusual expression, lacking the joy of reuniting with a relative. Recalling the deputy magistrate’s description of Liu Zhanpeng’s arrogant behavior, he said, “Let’s return to the mansion and discuss this further.”
Back at the prince’s mansion, Mian Tang changed clothes and rested briefly before addressing Cui Xingzhou, who was drinking tea: “Regarding my brother’s matter, could you leave it entirely to me to handle?”
Liu Zhanpeng had escaped illegally. If dealt with officially, he might widely publicize his relationship with her, tarnishing the Prince of Huaiyang’s reputation. It would be better if she handled it herself. After all, she felt embarrassed to trouble the prince with such a brother.
Cui Xingzhou considered these trivial matters. He wouldn’t think less of Mian Tang because of her brother, so he said calmly, “You are you, and he is he. Even dragon children are different from one another. Compared to my former half-brothers, your brother still seems human. Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of this small matter.”
Mian Tang chuckled at his words, then recalled the mysterious deaths of the Prince of Huaiyang’s illegitimate sons, immediately understanding Cui Xingzhou’s meaning. Despite Liu Zhanpeng’s debauchery and misdeeds outside, he hadn’t plotted against his sisters, which indeed made him seem decent in comparison.
However, even if he was the tallest among dwarves, he wasn’t a good person. Mian Tang believed handling this herself would be better than official intervention, so she insisted on her approach.
Cui Xingzhou, finding her method sound, nodded: “Since you’ve thought it through, I’ll inform the deputy magistrate to fully cooperate with you.”
Mian Tang felt somewhat relieved, but before her heart could settle, Cui Xingzhou casually asked, “Those shop assistants of yours seem quite clever. I heard they know martial arts. Would they like to serve in my army?”
Mian Tang smiled sweetly: “I plan to open an escort agency in Lingquan Town. I’ve finally found a few qualified candidates to train as escorts. Surely, with your abundance of talent, you don’t need these few?”
Cui Xingzhou glanced at her and said mildly, “Have their backgrounds been thoroughly investigated?”
Mian Tang turned away, lying down: “They’re just ordinary citizens, nothing to investigate. The people in my shops are fine, no need for such scrutiny… I’m tired and want to rest a bit.”
Cui Xingzhou didn’t press further. He tucked her in and left the room.
Mian Tang, hiding under the covers, breathed softly, wondering if she had always lived so anxiously during her time on Yangshan.
She yawned, feeling the need for a good sleep to calm her nerves after the shock. Despite her worries, she quickly fell asleep.
This nap caused her to miss lunch, the second day’s family gathering after the wedding. Even the usually reclusive Fifth Young Master attended, with only the new bride absent due to oversleeping.
When Mian Tang woke up, she hurriedly washed her face while complaining to Li Mama: “How could the maids be so thoughtless, and why didn’t you wake me?”
Before Li Mama could respond, Cui Xingzhou interjected: “I told her not to wake you. You ate late this morning, so it’s fine to sleep in and eat later. There will be plenty of opportunities to dine with the family. What’s one missed meal?”
Mian Tang felt his casual attitude was unbefitting a prince and turned to ask Li Mama: “Who taught the prince his manners? How can he be so informal?”
Li Mama, finding the question uncomfortable to answer, pretended not to hear and changed the subject: “Princess, the kitchen has prepared two soups for you – one is black chicken with sweet chestnuts, and the other is fish soup. Which would you prefer?”
Cui Xingzhou, seeing Mian Tang’s genuine annoyance, came over to pat her back: “My mother won’t blame you. Why are you so worried?”
Mian Tang sighed: “But isn’t your sister still here? She seems to care about etiquette. She won’t stay in the mansion for long, and I don’t want to leave her with the impression that I’m lazy. If she returns to her in-laws thinking I haven’t shown proper respect to your mother, wouldn’t that be terrible?”
Cui Xingzhou could never understand the anxiety of a new bride, especially someone as usually decisive as Mian Tang having such concerns.
It was clear that despite her frequent complaints about regretting marriage, she sincerely wanted to be a good daughter-in-law to the Cui family.
Realizing this, he felt a warmth in his heart and kissed her soft cheek: “It’s enough that I know my wife is virtuous and filial. My sister may have a sharp tongue, but she has a soft heart. She’ll soon recognize your goodness, despite her stern appearance.”
Mian Tang smiled at his kiss and wrapped her arms around his waist, saying somewhat wistfully: “Perhaps… I’m not as good as you think…”
When dinnertime came, Cui Xingzhou had to attend to military matters, so Mian Tang dined alone with her mother-in-law and Cui Fu.
The Duchess Chu brought up the upcoming marriage of the Fifth Young Master, which Mian Tang would typically help arrange. However, given her pregnancy, it wasn’t appropriate for her to overexert herself. The Duchess suggested that Cui Fu could handle the preparations on Mian Tang’s behalf and asked if this arrangement was acceptable.
Mian Tang smiled: “Having a sister’s help is perfect. I’ll have Li Mama give her the keys to the storehouse so she can take whatever is needed.”
Cui Fu had expected a woman from a modest background, having just received the household keys from her mother-in-law, to be reluctant to relinquish control. She thought Mian Tang might even insist on personally overseeing things despite her pregnancy to prevent her new sister-in-law, Lian Silan, from taking a large share of the family’s assets. To her surprise, Mian Tang handed over the keys without hesitation.
However, recalling her mother’s account of the recent robbery at the prince’s mansion, Cui Fu understood Mian Tang’s readiness to let go. She couldn’t help but sneer: “The prince’s mansion was recently looted by criminals. I suppose there’s not much left in the storehouse, so giving me the keys is pointless. Mother, you’ve given me an impossible task. How can I make bricks without straw?”
Mian Tang smiled and replied: “Sister’s concerns are valid, but recently the manor’s tenant farmers have sent in their rent, so the storehouse isn’t empty. I’ve also instructed them to prepare rice, flour, meat, vegetables, and livestock like pigs, cattle, and sheep for the Fifth Young Master’s wedding. As for the betrothal gifts, when the Lian family agreed to the marriage, I had my shop managers help arrange everything. Our shop’s boats were going to the capital for supplies, and on their return, they brought the most fashionable silks, furniture, and beds from Capital. I assure you, it will be more than sufficient. The Fifth Young Master’s wedding won’t be shabby and won’t embarrass our family.”
Cui Fu was surprised, not expecting Mian Tang to have started preparations so early and thoroughly.
Duchess Chu chimed in: “He’s just a concubine’s son getting married. The ceremony can’t be grander than Xingzhou’s! If not for the face-saving aspect of the Lian family marrying down, we wouldn’t need to go to such lengths. We should see how much Madam Qin can contribute, and we’ll match it from the family funds. He’s fortunate to marry a Lian daughter, a legitimate daughter from an official family, so we must keep up appearances. See what else is needed, and if the family funds aren’t enough, I’ll provide more.”
Hearing her mother’s words, Cui Fu became more irritated: “I heard that Xingzhou had previously forbidden Aunt Lian from visiting the mansion. Now that the Cui and Lian families are to be united by marriage, she has an excuse to come frequently, asking her mother for this and that. I’d like to know how much dowry their family is providing so we can match it accordingly.”
Although the Lian family’s dowry list hadn’t been finalized, Cui Fu had heard Aunt Lian lamenting her poverty the day before, claiming that she had lost all her valuables during their escape when they were captured.
Marrying a daughter was different from a son’s wedding; one couldn’t exhaust the family’s resources. It depended on how well-off the bride’s mother was and whether she could support her daughter. Otherwise, the father’s family could only provide limited assistance.
Now that Lian Chushi herself was struggling, she couldn’t help her daughter much. She could only beg Duchess Chu to help her niece, ensuring she wouldn’t live too poorly with the Fifth Young Master in the future.
As for the Fifth Young Master’s mother, Madam Qin, she had indeed accumulated considerable wealth during her favored years. However, much of it was spent on the Fifth Young Master’s illness and medication. Now, her and her son’s monthly allowance was not substantial, making it difficult for her to provide much for her son’s marriage.
Mian Tang listened quietly, then smiled slightly: “There’s no need for mother to add money. The prince and I have discussed it. The Fifth Young Master’s betrothal gifts will all come from the family funds. If sister finds anything lacking, I’ll have my shop managers provide funds to cover it.”
This implied that while the prince’s mansion was currently facing financial difficulties, she was covering this expense for the family.
Cui Fu was surprised by Mian Tang’s generosity.
Recalling Aunt Lian’s recent bitter comments about how Mian Tang had become her brother’s mistress before Lian Silan’s engagement to Xingzhou was officially broken, and how she had swindled money and shops from him, Cui Fu had been skeptical. Now, it seemed true. How else could a woman from a modest background have such wealth to spend?
She had been a mistress, swindling money from the prince’s mansion, and now she was putting on airs of wealth, offering to assist the family financially. Thinking of this, Cui Fu couldn’t help but sneer, feeling genuinely annoyed by this cunning sister-in-law.
Since it was all the prince’s mansion’s money anyway, Cui Fu felt no need to be polite to Mian Tang and would ask for whatever was lacking. However, having such a greedy woman as the main mistress of the prince’s mansion left her uneasy.
Having made up her mind, Cui Fu said to Mian Tang: “In a few days, Xingzhou will go to Capital for his duties in the Ministry of War. Your brother-in-law has also been promoted and will take up a position in the Ministry of Revenue. I’ve discussed with Xingzhou that after entering the capital, our two families should live close to each other for mutual support. As a new wife, you must have many uncertainties about managing a household. I’ll be there to guide you, preventing any mistakes that might reflect poorly on Xingzhou.”
Hearing this, Mian Tang slowly raised her eyes to look at Cui Fu and said calmly: “If that’s the case, I’ll be troubling you greatly in the future, sister.”