However, after hearing Mian Tang’s submissive words, Cui Fu relaxed a bit and said, “Since this matter has been completely entrusted to me, you and Mother shouldn’t interfere. But mother, remember, if Aunt Lian comes to persuade you, don’t soften your heart and break the rules. Wu’er is just a concubine’s son. Even if you treat people kindly, you can’t treat legitimate and illegitimate children the same. Don’t let Wu’er ruin the prince’s household rules.”
The Duchess knew that her daughter couldn’t stand Lian Chu Shi coming to ask for favors, but speaking like this in front of Mian Tang was too disrespectful. She couldn’t help but glare at Cui Fu.
Cui Fu realized she had spoken too hastily and upset her mother. She turned to Mian Tang and winked, “Why don’t you say something? Isn’t what I’m doing right?”
Mian Tang appeared awkward, as if unsure what to say, and just smiled at Cui Fu, “Sister, you’re always thinking of His Highness’s best interests. I truly envy His Highness for having such a sister…”
These words pleased Cui Fu. She had already made up her mind not to give in to the Lian family’s extravagant demands.
The requests the Lian family was making now were quite similar to the list of gifts prepared when Cui Xingzhou was going to marry Lian Silan. But they seemed to forget that Lian Silan wasn’t marrying the Prince of Huaiyang anymore.
So after drinking her tea, Cui Fu called for the steward to help her rewrite the list.
After Cui Fu left, the Duchess looked at Mian Tang and said, “You’re using Fu’er as your scapegoat!”
Hearing this, Mian Tang couldn’t help but burst into laughter. The Duchess felt a bit awkward at her laughter and couldn’t help asking, “What are you laughing at?”
Mian Tang poured tea for her mother-in-law and said softly, “I always thought His Highness was open-minded and had unique ideas. I thought he inherited his late father’s wisdom. Now I realize that you, mother, are no less perceptive, seeing through things so clearly.”
The Duchess was often praised for her grace and good fortune. But being complimented on her intelligence was rare flattery indeed!
She felt quite pleased and composed herself, saying with confidence, “You’re not afraid of Aunt Lian, yet you pretended to be so in front of Fu’er. Did you think I couldn’t see through that?”
Mian Tang picked up a jade hand warmer and gently massaged the Duchess’s shoulders, saying, “Actually, I wasn’t pretending earlier. I truly felt awkward speaking up. Think about it – Wu’er is getting married, and he’s marrying your niece. By rights, as his elder sister-in-law, I should be generous. But His Highness is going to the capital, and we need to grease many palms. There are so many places where we need money.
Yesterday, when he returned and went over the accounts with me, I realized that even the profits from my shops aren’t much. If we follow the previous gift list for Wu’er’s wedding, I’m afraid His Highness will appear impoverished when he enters the capital. Any place we fail to properly compensate could lead to offending people and creating hidden troubles. How could I not be anxious? But I really couldn’t bring myself to tell people I’m short on money. It would make me look stingy. So when my sister spoke like that, I was truly relieved. At the very least, I didn’t have the heart to refuse Aunt Lian.”
Duchess Chu hadn’t realized the household was in such dire financial straits. She no longer suspected Mian Tang of manipulating Cui Fu into confronting Aunt Lian. She quickly said, “If things are truly that difficult for Xingzhou, I still have some properties and shops from my dowry…”
Mian Tang smiled, “You’ve already given those to my sister. How can you give them to us as well? As long as we’re careful with our spending, the prince’s household can get through this. I see that sister is very shrewd. Mother, you needn’t worry.”
After comforting and reassuring the Duchess, Mian Tang returned to her chambers with her maids.
Cui Xingzhou had just returned from the military camp and was soaking in a warm bath behind the screen. As Mian Tang turned, she saw his muscular back covered with droplets of water, his long hair loose.
Although Mian Tang had already slept with this man several times, she still couldn’t help but feel her heart race every time she saw him looking so alluring.
They say a girl changes greatly at eighteen, but her husband has also changed with age, becoming increasingly imposing. Especially when he looked at her through his thick, curled eyelashes, his eyes seeming to contain deep meaning, it reminded her of many passionate moments when he had looked at her the same way…
Cui Xingzhou now knew that his wife was somewhat lustful, but staring at him so blatantly made her look like a ruffian eyeing a beautiful woman on the street, wanting to drag her into a dark alley.
So he couldn’t help but extend his arm toward Mian Tang and say, “Is it that interesting to look at? Do you want to touch?”
Mian Tang snapped out of her trance, blushing as she said, “I’d like to touch, but I’m afraid you’ll be practicing your fists all night and catch a cold!”
She hadn’t understood before, but thinking back, when His Highness was in North Street, he seemed to practice boxing in the middle of the night.
At the time, she thought he was following the example of Zu Ti, who rose to practice swordsmanship at the crow of the rooster, diligently honing his skills under the stars every night. She had truly admired him for it.
But after going to the Northwest, she never saw him practice boxing again. Instead, he was like a puppy, burrowing into the blankets day and night.
Recently, His Highness had resumed his nightly vigor, with the sound of fists cutting through the air each night. Mian Tang had gradually figured out the deeper meaning behind it.
Hearing his little princess tease him so mischievously, the Prince of Huaiyang remained calm. But just as Mian Tang was about to approach the bathtub, he suddenly rose and kissed her face, splashing water from the tub onto her clothes. This caused Mian Tang to cry out in surprise, pounding on Cui Xingzhou’s shoulders.
Cui Xingzhou, having succeeded in his sneak attack, broke into a satisfied grin.
He usually maintained a mature demeanor, but since getting married, he often laughed so freely and openly in front of his princess consort.
After they had played around for a while, the water in the tub had cooled. Huanxue brought a large towel, intending to dry the prince, but Mian Tang naturally took over, personally helping Cui Xingzhou dry off and dress.
Although Mama Li had gently reminded Mian Tang that she needn’t view the maids as women, but rather as servants, and that they should be allowed to serve the prince intimately, Mian Tang wouldn’t have it.
After all, they were now under Mian Tang’s authority. If the mistress didn’t give permission, even the prince couldn’t privately take his wife’s maids as concubines.
If she were overly wary of them, it would make her look petty as the mistress of the house.
Mian Tang was willing to listen to other advice, but on this matter, she wouldn’t budge. Why should she let maids see every inch of her husband?
So when night fell, Mian Tang didn’t forget to ask, “The servants in your military camp and government office are all male, right?”
Cui Xingzhou contentedly held Mian Tang, his eyes closed as he said, “Even the flies passing by are male. Don’t believe me? Go check. Having married a tigress as my princess consort, I don’t dare employ even slightly handsome male servants!”
Mian Tang wouldn’t let him off so easily, biting his ear, “Who are you calling a tigress?”
Cui Xingzhou nuzzled her cheek with his nose and said, “I misspoke. Not a tigress, but a naturally nine-tailed little fox! Not only beautiful and bewitching but also with such convoluted thoughts that you’ve got people all turned around. That Official Zhang who came to see me today looked so awkward. Wasn’t that your handiwork?”
Mian Tang giggled at his teasing, “Don’t attribute all of this to me. I merely instructed Lu Yi and the others to secretly send my brother back to a town near the labor camp and have someone report it to the authorities for a reward. That old man with the same name wasn’t my doing.”
It turned out that Lu Quan had secretly followed the brocade-clad men who accompanied Liu Zhanpeng, tracking them to Huizhou territory and then to the Sui Prince’s residence, naturally discovering who was behind it all.
Meanwhile, Mian Tang had arranged for the newly established escort agency to use the opportunity of transporting goods to quietly drug Liu Zhanpeng, pack him in a box, and transport him back to the northern desert where he had originally been serving his sentence, using official post roads and checkpoints. Cui Xingzhou, while looking for ways to catch the Sui Prince out, had coincidentally discovered this while reviewing case files. Mian Tang had cleverly substituted one for another, giving the Sui Prince a taste of his own medicine.
Hadn’t the Sui Prince carefully selected an impartial and capable official for him? This good wine must also be shared with the Sui Prince.
However, after feeling some relief, Liu Mian Tang couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholy: “…It’s just that when my brother was originally smuggled out, some guards died… Now that he’s going back…”
Mian Tang trailed off halfway through her sentence. Although she had made thorough arrangements to prove that her brother wasn’t the one who had harmed the guards, it was hard to say how the prison officials would report it and what additional punishment might be added.
Thinking of this, Mian Tang’s mood darkened.
Between her husband and her brother, this time she had chosen her husband first. After all, she wasn’t her father; she couldn’t sacrifice everything for this brother who had looked down on her and her mother since childhood, abandoning the man she loved.
Cui Xingzhou understood her inner conflict and patted her shoulder, saying, “He needs to suffer some hardship and give up the idea of relying on you to turn his life around. As for the rest, I’ll make proper arrangements. Don’t worry. Otherwise, the child you bear might spend all day sighing. How would that be good?”
Mian Tang imagined a dough-like baby frowning and sighing, and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Since her husband had said so, he must have made arrangements to save her brother from death. Mian Tang didn’t believe Liu Zhanpeng was purely good, nor was she particularly close to him, but he was her half-brother. Even if he committed terrible deeds in the future and heaven decided to take him, she hoped it wouldn’t be by her hand.
She had always wondered why she had suddenly left the world she had carved out for herself on Yangshan. Now thinking about it, apart from her heartbreak, it was probably because she couldn’t get used to such a bloody life. Although she was a strong-willed woman, she wasn’t a butcher who took pleasure in killing…
Thinking of this, she hugged the solid waist beside her tightly. Although their current life was still fraught with danger at every step, it was worth looking forward to. After all, she finally had the family she had dreamed of since childhood.
Her husband and child were, apart from her grandfather, the people she cherished most.
As for the Sui Prince, he never imagined that this attempt to disgrace the Prince of Huaiyang would backfire so spectacularly on him.
He had already arrived in the capital, and within a few days of his arrival, Official Zhang’s memorial denouncing him for allowing his relatives to oppress innocent civilians had already reached the emperor!