Mian Tang visited her maternal grandfather in Xizhou every year, a tradition that continued for over a decade despite various challenges.
In recent years, with Cui Xingzhou serving as regent and busy with official duties, Mian Tang had more free time. She expanded her business ventures and often traveled, frequently ending up in Xizhou.
Though elderly, her grandfather, a lifelong martial artist, remained robust. His hair had turned white, but his posture was still straight. While he had handed over the family business to Mian Tang’s eldest uncle, he still made decisions on other matters.
Seeing Mian Tang’s frequent, tiring trips to visit them, her grandfather decided to move the entire family to Zhenzhou.
This allowed Cui Ling’er to regularly visit her great-grandfather’s home to practice martial arts.
Although Cui Xingzhou taught his son Cui Yi martial arts, he couldn’t bring himself to be strict with his delicate daughter. Seeing her strain during stretches made him too concerned, so he forbade her from practicing.
But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Ling’er secretly learned from her mother, who believed that a beautiful girl should also know some martial arts to protect herself.
Ling’er found her mother’s words very sensible. Once in the capital, the young emperor had tried to kiss her, but she had thrown him over her shoulder and pinned him behind a rockery.
The emperor had sworn her to secrecy, threatening that she might be the one punished if her parents found out.
Thinking about the emperor’s promise to visit her in Zhenzhou when the lotus flowers bloomed, Ling’er smiled secretly. She continued practicing her newly learned “Black Tiger Steals Heart” technique, eager to impress the emperor with her progress.
She didn’t tell her great-grandfather that her mother had brought her here after quarreling with her father and leaving home.
Her mother had forbidden her to speak of it. Keeping so many secrets made Ling’er feel hungry. As she was growing, she decided to eat an extra crispy chicken to help keep the secrets.
Meanwhile, Mian Tang sat with her sisters-in-law and cousins, embroidering shoe patterns, but her ears were alert for a knock at the gate.
Not long after she sat down, someone indeed called at the gate.
However, when the gatekeeper looked, it was Second Master Lu Mu.
Years ago, the family had split amicably. But within three years, Lu Mu regretted it.
Although he had accumulated considerable wealth, it wasn’t enough to support his daughter’s marriage into the Su family, which had only an empty reputation.
The Su son pretended to be diligent but failed to pass any official examinations. The Su family mother-in-law constantly berated Qing Ying for bringing bad luck to the family, seized her dowry, and frequently sent her to ask for money from her father, Lu Mu.
Lu Mu wasn’t one to let others take advantage of him. At first, he refused outright, but fearing his daughter might divorce and bring shame to the family, he eventually had his wife, Quan Shi, provide occasional support.
After the family split, the second branch’s business had been unprofitable, leaving little to spare for his daughter. Lu Mu struggled to maintain appearances.
Finally, Qing Ying’s husband used her money to buy a courtesan as a concubine. Qing Ying returned home crying, but Lu Mu only told her not to make a scene to avoid gossip. In despair, she attempted suicide and was only saved when her son found her.
The family patriarch intervened, berating Lu Mu for prioritizing appearances over his daughter’s welfare.
Eventually, Qing Ying divorced the Su family and remarried a widower.
Unable to maintain his facade, Lu Mu shamelessly began frequenting his elder brother’s home, hoping to help manage the family business again.
However, Mian Tang sternly warned her eldest uncle that while they could provide financial support if the second branch struggled, they should not be allowed to interfere with the family business.
Lu Mu, ever concerned with appearances, often created awkward situations when trying to borrow money without directly asking.
Today, the second branch’s visit likely meant they needed more money.
Disappointed to see her second uncle’s forced smile, Mian Tang decided to walk in the back garden.
She realized that after years of marriage, he had become less patient, not even trying to reconcile after their argument.
Feeling a rare moment of melancholy, Mian Tang decided to go for a walk outside the mansion.
She changed clothes and left with only a young maid and two guards.
The streets were quiet today, and Mian Tang, seeking solitude, chose a secluded alley.
Halfway down the alley, she realized her maid and guards had disappeared.
Before she could react, she felt a gust of wind from a punch coming towards her. Turning, she saw a masked figure. She instinctively blocked and reached for the dagger at her waist, but the attacker was quicker, disarming her.
The assailant’s fighting style was strange, unlike anything Mian Tang had seen before. Alarmed, she fought back with all her might.
However, the attacker engaged in close combat, using underhanded moves that seemed more like those of a lecherous thief.
Mian Tang was repeatedly bested, her hair disheveled and collar loosened. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she gritted her teeth and shouted, “Cui, you scoundrel! Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?”
The tall, masked figure suddenly laughed, pinning Mian Tang against the wall while removing his mask. He touched her nose and said, “I deliberately changed my fighting style, yet you still recognized me!”
Seeing it was indeed him, Mian Tang’s cheeks flushed with anger. “How could I not recognize your scent? I never realized you had a penchant for ambushing girls in alleys…”
Cui Xingzhou embraced her and said, “Are you still angry? Was I wrong to scold you the other day? How dare you disguise yourself as a man to visit Tianxiang Tower and hire two courtesans? Are you trying to anger me to death?”
Mian Tang looked up defiantly, “Didn’t you go there first with your colleagues? If you can go, so can I. I wanted to see how those courtesans entice men.”
The Prince of Huaiyang sighed, “I was truly investigating rebels and only went there to gather information. Unlike you, who went to carouse. How can those common women compare to you?”
With that, Cui Xingzhou lowered his head to kiss her cursing mouth, mumbling, “The way your waist swayed as you walked earlier made me want to pull you into this alley. How about it, my dear? Will you indulge me?”
Mian Tang’s eyes twinkled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “Alright, but I beg you, sir, not to make too much noise. I’ll submit it to you. I’m a married woman, and although my husband is a blockhead, he would be jealous if he knew I was dallying with another man in an alley. Let’s keep this our secret. If you’re better than him, perhaps I’ll leave my door ajar for you at night in the future?”
The Prince of Huaiyang’s smile froze, feeling an odd sense of having cuckolded himself. Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful woman in his arms, biting her red lips and casting alluring glances, he imagined her being unfaithful. A sea of jealousy washed over him, making his throat burn with acid.
“Liu Mian Tang, if you dare flirt with other men, I won’t let you off lightly!”
Laughter echoed through the small alley.
Mian Tang thought sweetly about the courtesans’ advice: small quarrels add spice to a relationship. She wondered what techniques she should use next time.
In any case, husband, prepare yourself!