The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 1
In late spring of the third month, at dusk, the setting sun melted like gold, and the delicate colors slowly retreated from the hairpins and jewelry in the hair. The colorful lanterns, like a shower of stars, eagerly lit up the layered gates.
The towering pearwood gates, over seven feet high, stood wide open, spilling golden light onto the stone path outside. Aunt Cao stood in the shadows at the lowest step, holding a gauze lantern. As soon as the person in the carriage stepped down, she immediately approached, saying, “Second Lady, please be careful.”
Wen Shuse stepped firmly on the ground, but her mind was still a bit dazed. After three hours in the carriage, her head was spinning, and her thoughts were scattered.
After standing still for a moment to collect herself, she looked up and saw a crescent moon, thin and delicate, hung on a banyan branch inside the mansion gate. Strangely, its glow was overshadowed by the dazzling red wedding lanterns at the gate.
The festive atmosphere finally revived her spirits a bit. Wen Shuse stepped over the threshold and asked Aunt Cao, “How is grandmother’s health?”
Aunt Cao smiled and led her down the long corridor. “If Old Madam knew how much Second Young Lady cares, she would be deeply moved.”
The mansion, with seven entrances and seven exits, was made of blue bricks and black tiles, with a total of over a hundred rooms. A few days ago, a heavy rain had washed away all the dust on the walls, leaving them spotless. The intricate beams and carvings became even more refined as one moved deeper inside. The dark lacquered beams and pillars supported an intricately carved roof, with sculptures of clouds and fish hanging from the rafters. The further they walked, the more exquisite it became. Because the mansion was hosting a wedding the next day, not only the entrances but also every corner of the courtyard had been decorated. The stone bridge and railings were covered with red satin flowers, and bright red lanterns encircled the long corridor, one after another. The night breeze gently swayed the lanterns, their colors rippling like a river of stars in the night sky.
Wen Shuse had missed the previous two weddings held at the mansion, so she had never seen such a lively scene before. Her steps slowed as she passed the Western Courtyard, and she came to a complete stop, gazing into the sea of lanterns. With excitement, she asked, “Where’s the bride? Is she all ready?”
Aunt Cao, walking ahead, turned back and saw the soft glow of the red lanterns surrounding the young woman ahead, casting a warm, almost ethereal light on her, like a lotus bathed in the glow of the setting sun, breathtakingly beautiful.
The three young ladies of the Wen family were all remarkable, but the second young lady was particularly outstanding. It was no wonder the old madam constantly worried about her.
Aunt Cao, helpless, urged, “Old Madam is waiting for you, Second Young Lady. Let’s hurry.”
The main house of the mansion faced south and was located deeper inside.
Aunt Cao quickened her pace, and Wen Shuse had to follow. Her crimson skirt fluttered with each step as she passed through layers of courtyards, finally arriving at the front of the main house.
The lattice-paneled doors, which allowed light to pass through, were not closed but instead opened wide. Inside, a finely woven bamboo curtain had been rolled up to the top, and the bright lights spilled out like silver moonlight, illuminating the courtyard.
The Old Madam Wen had a fondness for Buddhist rituals. The open door directly faced the main hall, where a statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin was placed in the center. Incense had been burning there for years, and thin wisps of smoke curled and twisted in the night breeze, scattering and lingering around the serene face of the Bodhisattva. This sacred countenance was one Wen Shuse had gazed upon for a full hour while kneeling on a cushion a month ago, and it was now all too familiar to her.
Wen Shuse took a deep breath, straightened her back, and gently lifted the hem of her skirt as she stepped inside.
The inner room had no solid walls, only a screen slightly taller than a person serving as a partition. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she heard the voice of the Eldest Madam speaking inside, “It’s not that sixty-four chests of dowry are too few, but the gift registry clearly stated earlier that there would be a total of one hundred and twenty-eight chests, including furnishings and valuables. This was already announced publicly, and the people of Zhongzhou are all aware of it. Now that the number has suddenly been halved, it’s not just the Eldest Young Lady’s face that will be shamed, our Wen family’s Ming’er might become the laughingstock of all Zhongzhou tomorrow…”
The Old Madam Wen’s voice, however, remained calm. “The young ladies of our Wen family are all treasures. Not just one hundred and twenty-eight chests of dowry, but even a thousand chests would be worth it. Unfortunately, this old woman’s abilities are limited in resources. All I can offer is sixty-four chests.”
The Eldest Madam didn’t believe this. “The sixty-four chests of dowry that Second Master sent back arrived at the mansion two months ago. Shuse received them, and every servant saw it. They were all carried into her courtyard…”
As she spoke, she heard movement outside and turned to see Wen Shuse following Aunt Cao. Her heart, which had been anxious for days, finally settled. “You’re finally back.”
Uncertain whether her grandmother had forgiven her for the previous incident, Wen Shuse didn’t dare to raise her head as she entered. She first bowed respectfully to the elder and softly called out, “Grandmother.”
The Old Madam Wen’s gaze had already fallen on her.
Two large, three-tiered lotus lanterns illuminated the hall as brightly as daylight. The young lady before her was still the same fair and delicate girl, showing no signs of losing any weight.
Old Madam Wen’s expression softened. “Take a seat.”
Compared to a month ago, her tone was noticeably gentler. Wen Shuse secretly breathed a sigh of relief. When she looked up, she saw that not only was the Eldest Madam present, but the bride-to-be, Wen Suning, and the eldest uncle, who had been in the Eastern Capital, were also there.
Tomorrow was the Eldest Young Lady’s wedding, and as the father, the Eldest Master Wen naturally had to return.
Wen Shuse had long heard of the liveliness of the Eastern Capital. Half a year ago, when the Eldest Master left for his post there, she had already felt a pang of envy. Now that she saw him, her earlier tension completely dissipated, and she eagerly asked, “Uncle, when did you arrive home?”
The eldest uncle Wen a stiff smile and replied warmly, “This evening.”
Aunt Cao brought over a high stool for her to sit on. As Wen Shuse took her seat, she continued to ask the eldest uncle, “Is the moon in the Eastern Capital really rounder than in Zhongzhou?”
This was nothing more than a baseless rumor spread among the common folk. The eldest uncle Wen shook his head with a smile. “Not at all. It is lively, though.”
Wen Shuse was about to ask how lively it was when a light cough from the Old Madam stopped her. She quickly withdrew her curiosity and sat upright on the high stool. Her gaze happened to meet that of the bride across from her.
When it came to looks, Wen Shuse, the second young lady of the Wen family, was flawless, even surpassing Wen Suning.
Especially when she was speaking to her father, the joy on her face was pure and radiant, so dazzling that even Wen Suning couldn’t help but be momentarily captivated. Yet, for some reason, Wen Suning couldn’t bring herself to like her.
The Wen family was currently on the rise, but both the court and the inner courtyards were fraught with countless difficulties and risks. Wen Suning couldn’t understand how Wen Shuse could still maintain such a carefree demeanor.
When their eyes met, the eldest young lady’s expression remained impassive, and she calmly looked away.
Wen Shuse, accustomed to this, wasn’t offended. Instead, she took the opportunity to carefully observe her. This was the first time the Wen family was marrying off a daughter, and she had never seen a bride before, so she wanted to take a closer look.
It was already past 9 p.m., and in just a few hours, the Xie family would come to fetch the bride. The Eldest Madam, sitting nearby, had no time for idle chatter. She leaned toward Wen Shuse and asked directly, “Shuse, did Second Master send back sixty-four chests of items after the New Year?”
Wen Shuse thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes.”
The Eldest Madam’s face lit up with joy. “Thank heavens! I’ve been worried sick. Those are your sister’s dowry. Where are they stored? Tell me, and I’ll have someone fetch them right away.”
Wen Shuse’s expression froze.
Seeing her hesitation, the Eldest Madam felt a pang of unease and cautiously asked, “What’s wrong?” Only to hear Wen Shuse utter, “It’s gone.”
The Eldest Madam’s heart sank. “Gone? What do you mean, gone?”
Wen Shuse recalled, “During Grandmother’s birthday celebration last time, you mentioned that she suffers from the heat in summer. So, you cleared out a few rooms in the courtyard with the big banyan tree in the Western Courtyard and sent people to me to ask for furniture and decorations. I had them all moved there.”
The Eldest Madam was speechless. It was true that she had wanted to show her filial piety during the Old Madam’s birthday celebration, but she hadn’t expected Wen Shuse to use the eldest young lady’s dowry to fill the rooms.
It was just a summer retreat, so why not buy some decorations from the market? Was it necessary to use golden-thread nanmu furniture?
Since the items had already been given to the Old Madam, there was no way to retrieve them now. The furniture was gone, but there were still dozens of chests of valuables left. The Eldest Madam thought she could manage to make up for the loss. “Bring out the remaining items, then.”
Wen Shuse’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she shook her head again. “They’re all gone. Last month, when the Eldest Sister-in-law returned to her maiden home, she said she didn’t have any decent jewelry, so she sent someone to fetch some from me. I gave her three chests. Not long after, the Second Sister-in-law came and took three more. To save them the trouble of coming one by one, I distributed some to each household. As for the rest, I didn’t need them, so I had Xiangyun sell them off.” Seeing the First Madam’s face gradually pale, Wen Shuse didn’t dare to continue. She muttered, “I thought they were just supplies Father sent for my expenses. I didn’t know they were Eldest Sister’s dowry…”
Was there even a need to say it? For years, the eldest branch of the Wen family had handled political affairs, while the second branch managed the finances. They had always worked well together.
The eldest uncle had only been in the capital for half a year and was a clean and honest official. He was unwilling to take advantage of others or invite criticism. Even if they emptied the entire dowry of the eldest branch, they probably couldn’t scrape together half of what was needed.
The Eldest Madam felt a tightness in her chest and couldn’t speak.
The Old Madam spoke for her, asking the next question, “What about the silver from the sale?”
Wen Shuse turned to look at the Old Madam, not answering directly, but a faint smile appeared on her lips, and her eyes sparkled with moisture, “Grandmother, the estate outside the city has a great location, surrounded by mountains and water. The water from the pond is warm in winter and cool in summer. The only issue is that there are a lot of mosquitoes, so I had people clear three miles of land, cut down the weeds and trees around the estate, and buy mosquito nets to hang up. Once the weather gets hot, you can go there to escape the heat. It’s even cooler than the Western Courtyard.”
Her answer, though enthusiastic, was completely off-topic, and no one in the room was moved.
On the contrary, the Eldest Madam’s expression grew even darker. All the expenses for this had come from the eldest young lady’s dowry.
Before the Old Madam could ask again, the Eldest Madam couldn’t hold back any longer and blurted out, “What about the silver Second Master sent back? It’s still there, right?”
Wen Shuse’s gaze shifted back to the Eldest Madam, “It was only when I went to the estate that I realized the stars there are more numerous and brighter than in the city. Unfortunately, the building was too low, so I had people build a five-story viewing tower. The view is wide, and the scenery is excellent. If you have time, Aunt, you should go and see it…”
See what? It might as well kill her. No wonder she came back from the estate looking even more refreshed and youthful.
The phrase ‘spendthrift girl’ truly wasn’t an exaggeration.
The Eldest Madam felt a wave of dizziness, her head throbbing painfully. In a fit of frustration, she spoke without thinking, “I really don’t know who raised you to be like this…” Before she could finish calling her a ‘spendthrift’, she realized her mistake and tried to stop, but it was too late.
Who else could have raised her? The Second Young Lady had lost her mother at a young age and was raised by the Old Madam herself.
Sure enough, the Old Madam’s expression gradually turned cold.
Since the words had already been spoken, the Eldest Madam gave up on any restraint and got up. She stood up and knelt before the Old Madam. “Mother, Eldest Young Lady is marrying into the Xie family, the deputy commander of Zhonghe. Her future husband is refined and well-educated, a scholar who has passed the imperial exams. Although he’s currently just a county magistrate, once his term ends next year, he’ll return to the capital to serve as an official. How can our Wen family let others look down on us at such a time? Zhongqiao has just entered the court and hasn’t yet established himself. If he has someone to support him, his path will be much smoother. Once he carves out a career in officialdom, our entire family can move to the Eastern Capital. It would be a glory to our ancestors.”
The reasoning was sound.
The Old Madam nodded and said, “To bring glory to our ancestors, it’s indeed necessary to pave the way with gold and silver. We must not lose face and let others look down on us.” After a pause, she turned to Wen Zhongqiao, the eldest son of the Wen family, and asked, “What position does Zhongqiao hold now?”
Wen Zhongqiao was momentarily stunned. Although he didn’t understand why his mother was asking a question to which she already knew the answer, he stood up and respectfully replied, “Mother, I currently serve as the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works.”
“Fourth-rank official, quite promising.” The Old Madam then turned to Aunt Cao and asked, “What about Second Master? Why hasn’t he returned?”
Aunt Cao lowered her gaze and replied, “Second Master said that the fishing ban period is approaching, and he needs to make the last trip. All his ships have set sail, so he and the Third Young Master have temporarily stayed in Fuzhou. They’ll return in two months.”
The two brothers, one a high-ranking official and the other still out at sea fishing were as different as clouds and mud.
And as for their descendants…
Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the sons of rats dig holes. The sons with bright prospects were all in the eldest branch.
As for the second branch… only Wen Shuse was present.
A month ago, she had offended the son of Jing Wang’s family, and the Old Madam had punished her by sending her to the outskirts of the city, hoping to temper her personality and let her suffer a bit. But now, looking at her radiant appearance, had there been any improvement?
In the future, only the eldest branch would move to the Eastern Capital, while the second branch would remain in its place, living a life of fishing.
Sensing the unusual tone in the Old Madam’s voice, Wen Zhongqiao’s expression gradually changed.
The Old Madam’s gaze returned to Eldest Master Wen. Though she wore a smile, her eyes carried an inherent authority as she asked him, “Zhongqiao, as a mother, do you think I’ve been fair in balancing the scales?”
Before the Great Feng Dynasty, the Wen family was considered a prominent household.
The Old Master Wen had assisted the young emperor of the previous dynasty from the age of seven until adulthood, rising to the position of Left Vice Chancellor, enjoying great prestige. However, the good times didn’t last. The emperor was eventually overthrown by his uncle, and after the change of regime, the Wen family was suppressed due to their ties to the previous dynasty. The Old Master Wen died of depression, and for decades afterward, the Old Madam Wen single-handedly managed the family. During the hardest times, their daily meals consisted of nothing but vegetable leaves, without a trace of oil. It wasn’t until Jing Wang became the regional military governor, recruiting talented individuals and promoting trade, that the Wen family began to recover and gradually regain their footing. However, the family had suffered significant losses, and with two sons, they could only afford to send one to school.
The Old Madam Wen had chosen the eldest son.
Even though they were biological brothers, this decision already showed favoritism toward the eldest.
Moreover, the Eldest Master Wen was actually an adopted child.
“Back then, I was afraid of being labeled as a harsh stepmother, so I sent you to school and then into an official career, giving you conditions even more favorable than those of my own son. Although part of it was to show to others, I never regretted it. From the day the Old Master brought you home, you became a member of the Wen family. As a mother, it was my duty to raise you. But your younger brother’s family owes you nothing. You shouldn’t have included them as a stepping stone in your career. Whatever abilities you have, and whatever abilities I have, you should measure them yourself. Don’t count on the second branch anymore.”
These words were like a slap across the face of the Eldest Master Wen. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and without regard for the younger generation present, he knelt and kowtowed, saying, “Mother, it is my unfilial behavior.”
The Old Madam Wen continued, “Today, there’s no way I can come up with one hundred and twenty-eight chests of dowry. If Eldest Young Lady feels that sixty-four chests are too humiliating, then she doesn’t have to marry.”
Before anyone could fully grasp the meaning behind her words, Old Madam Wen turned her gaze to Wen Shuse and suddenly called out, “Gao Xian.”
Gao Xian was Wen Shuse’s childhood nickname, similar to ‘Shuse,’ meaning a beauty like a fairy, exceptionally beautiful.
The name was given by her mother, who hoped she would grow up to be as lovely as a flower. Now, her wish had come true, but unfortunately, her mother didn’t have the fortune to see it.
When she was six years old, the Second Madam fell ill and passed away, leaving behind the father and two children. The Old Madam, heartbroken, took her in and raised her as a proper young lady, meticulously grooming her. But as time went on, she realized she might have gone too far.
She had become too spoiled.
With her habit of not being able to save even a grain of rice overnight, let alone a full dowry, even if she were given a mountain of gold and silver, she would find a way to spend it all.
The eldest daughter-in-law was right. The eldest son of the Xie family was known for his virtuous reputation. She didn’t seek wealth and luxury, only hoping to find a tolerant husband in the future.
The Old Madam Wen closed her eyes, hardened her heart, and said, “You will marry him.”
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