The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 4
The wedding procession left the Wen family and took to the main road, with the sound of the gong and suona horns trailing behind the horses, growing louder and louder.
From the moment they departed the Xie Mansion, Xie Shao’s face showed no trace of joy. Now, his ears were nearly deafened by the noise. Since the bride had already been retrieved, he planned to take a shortcut back to the mansion.
Pulling on the reins to turn around, his horse had barely taken half a step when he was promptly blocked by Uncle An at his side, “Third Young Master…”
Xie Shao’s brow furrowed slightly, the golden crown on his head glinting brilliantly under the bright sunlight, yet his expression remained anything but radiant, instead, it showed a hint of impatience. “What more do you want?”
Uncle An avoided his gaze, lowering his head respectfully, “By tradition, Third Young Master must the bride around the city…”
Whoever their ancestors were to have come up with such a custom, Xie Shao wasn’t having it. “The wind is strong today. Let’s not freeze the bride. We’ll head back first.”
The sky was clear and boundless, where was this supposed wind?
Uncle An stood firm, blocking his path without budging. “Third Young Master, the Old Madam hasn’t even caught her breath yet.”
As if knowing this would sway him, Uncle An waited until Xie Shao fell silent before finally lifting his head, offering him a coaxing smile. “Only when the newlyweds receive blessings can they find happiness and fulfillment.”
A marriage snatched by force, what kind of happiness could it possibly deserve?
Xie Shao turned his head, gritting his teeth. After weighing it in his mind, he finally refrained from letting his horse trample over Uncle An. Instead, he turned around, pulled a long face, and rode down the long street.
The Great Feng Dynasty had experienced numerous upheavals over the centuries. The rulers above changed hands time and again and if a wise ruler came to power, the people could enjoy a few peaceful days. However, if the ruler was incapable of suppressing rebellion, the people often faced palace coups, being forced to flee, and the destruction of their homes.
Although the current emperor had seized the throne from his own nephew, he had now ruled for over two decades, and the country was at peace. With the empire stable and the court secure, the common people also enjoyed prosperous lives.
The capital city, Fengcheng in Zhongzhou, was located near Western Xia and thrived on commerce. Five or six waterways had been channeled from the moat into the city, connecting its four districts, east, south, west, and north. The population, which had initially numbered just over twenty thousand at the city’s founding, had since grown tenfold.
As the population grew, so did the desire for excitement and gatherings.
Whenever a prominent local family celebrates a joyous occasion, it inevitably stirs up a wave of gossip and discussion. The Wen and Xie families are considered prominent figures in Fengcheng, Zhongzhou. Naturally, when these two families were about to unite in marriage, a large crowd gathered to witness the event.
Entering from the eastern gate, one would find Ox Street, also known as the Market of Joy, bustling with merchants coming and going, selling all kinds of silk and exotic items. The market is lively from dawn until late into the night, with the lights never going out. Parallel to it is another street, half a mile away, known as Bridge Market. This area is close to the Jing Wang Mansion and is filled with taverns and teahouses. Its visitors are mostly local dignitaries, and it is the main route for wealthy families in Fengcheng for celebratory occasions.
As the wedding procession arrived, the crowds on both sides of the street began to swell.
The area near Bridge Market is prime real estate, with no space wasted between the attic buildings and tile shops, each pressed tightly against the next. Colorful banners hung from the attic roofs, proudly displaying their shop names.
Though the Second Master Wen primarily conducted business in Quanzhou, he had invested in many properties in Fengcheng over the years. Aside from his main business in seafood, he also owned several teahouses.
Today, as the eldest daughter of the family was getting married, the teahouse staff had long been anticipating the event. They had gathered at the entrance, ready to cheer and create a lively atmosphere as soon as the groom arrived.
From a distance, they spotted the groom in crimson robes riding toward them on horseback. Everyone craned their necks, eagerly waiting for his arrival. However, just before they could start the celebration, they froze in place, stunned.
The man on horseback was all too familiar, who in this street didn’t know the Third Young Master of the Xie family?
One of the attendants turned back and asked his companion with confusion, “I remember the eldest young lady was promised to the Eldest Young Master Xie, right?”
“I remember that too.”
“Me too.”
“Then why is it Third Young Master Xie?”
As the groom passed by, the question remained unanswered. However, when the bridal sedan chair arrived, everyone recognized it as a family member’s sedan, and there was no need for much hesitation. Someone stepped forward and pulled the maid, Qiuying, who was accompanying the bride. They quickly asked, “Was the eldest young lady promised to Third Young Master?”
Qiuying stumbled as her sleeve was yanked. At the mention of her mistress, her heart lurched in panic. “What nonsense are you spouting? Of course, the eldest young lady was betrothed to the Xie family’s eldest son.” Afraid of giving anything away, she quickly turned to catch up with Aunt Qing. Unable to hold back, she nudged her lightly and murmured, “Auntie, why is the sedan still going through the market?”
Aunt Qing, too, was somewhat puzzled. Normally, Third Young Master Xie was only there to receive the bride. There was no need for him to go through the whole route.
After thinking for a moment, she concluded, “It must be that the groom has some urgent matter today and can’t return in time. They couldn’t very well leave the bride standing outside the gate waiting, could they?”
Qiuying nodded in agreement.
Aunt Qing shot her a warning glance and reminded her, “Don’t be careless, pay close attention. We can’t let anyone notice anything unusual.”
She then looked back at the bridal sedan and the curtains of the sedan window tightly shut. Despite the hustle and bustle outside, not a single corner of the curtain was lifted.
As everyone knew, the temperament of the Second Young Lady Wen was such that once she set her mind against something, not even ten oxen could drag her back.
Yet this time, she was surprisingly obedient.
Aunt Qing didn’t dare relax for a moment, keeping her nerves taut as she followed the procession.
After the procession passed through Bridge Market, it turned into a long alley, gradually slowing before the bridal sedan finally came to a stop before an imposing gate labeled “General’s Gate”.
When Xie Pushe had resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown in Fengcheng, Zhongzhou, the emperor not only rewarded him with fifty thousand taels of gold but also gifted him this grand mansion.
The stone pathway leading up to the gate was raised, with seven steps, four more than the Wen Mansion. On either side of the path stood two red-painted columns, and behind the columns was the grand gate.
The gate had three sets of doors. The two central doors were placed under the main roof beams, and above them hung a plaque with the words “Xie Residence” written on it. On either side of the main gate, there were two doors with waist-height panels, and the doorstops were as tall as a small child.
This was Aunt Qing’s first time seeing the Xie Mansion, and at a glance, she was awestruck. No wonder the Old Madam was willing to sacrifice their reputation just to push the Second Young Lady into this family.
This was the real deal, a grand, noble mansion.
The firecrackers hanging at the gate went off with a “pop, pop” sound, bursting into the sky.
The nanny from the other side had long been waiting at the entrance. When the sedan stopped, she came forward to greet them. Aunt Qing, disregarding any formalities, quickly stepped ahead as the maid was lifting the curtain. She moved swiftly to the gate and extended her arm to Wen Shuse.
Wen Shuse had never been able to endure carriage rides. After just half an hour, she would begin to feel dizzy. But she didn’t expect that riding in the sedan would be even worse.
Jostled all the way here, her spirit had nearly been shaken out of her. Now, when her feet touched the ground, she felt as though she were treading on clouds, the world tilting dizzily around her.
Her legs wobbled, her body swayed to one side, causing the fan she was holding to shift. Aunt Qing broke into a cold sweat, swiftly steadying her, “Miss, just hold on a little longer.”*
Qiuying’s heart leaped into her throat as she quickly turned her back to block the maid from the other side.
Aunt Cao had taken her from the eldest young lady’s side last night and had warned her. She said that if this marriage were to go wrong, they would sell her off.
How could she afford to be careless?
Both their hearts were tied to Wen Shuse’s every move, so neither noticed that Xie Shao had already entered the mansion ahead of them, stepping onto the red silk path reserved solely for the bride and groom.
Once the bride crossed the threshold, she entered the mansion and there was no reason for any servants from the bride’s family to follow her in. At this point, they had no choice but to hand the bride over.
Before letting go, Aunt Qing whispered urgently, “Miss, can you stand steady?” Seeing her give a slight nod, she exhaled in relief and added, “Keep your fan held firmly in place, don’t let it slip.”*
The Xie family’s nanny stepped forward again to receive the bride, leaving Aunt Qing no choice but to retreat to the side.
Step over the fire pan, then cross the saddle…
Aunt Qing and Qiuying followed Wen Shuse anxiously, their hearts in their throats. As they hurried after her toward the main hall in the front courtyard, they finally caught sight of the groom, dressed in crimson wedding robes, holding a length of red silk, standing with his back to the door.
The eldest young master made it just in time.
Aunt Qing’s heart leapt with relief, but then her brow furrowed. There was something oddly familiar about his silhouette.
Just as she was about to step closer for a better look, several maidservants seemingly appeared out of nowhere, flanking her and gripping her arms. They greeted her warmly, “You must be Aunt Qing from the Wen family? The journey must have been tiring. Let’s take you to the rear courtyard to rest and have some tea…”
Aunt Qing, caught off guard, replied politely, “Thank you, but it was just a short walk. How could it be tiring on such a joyous occasion?”
Yet they refused to take no for an answer, tugging her insistently. “The bride has already arrived safely. What could you possibly still worry about? You’ll have plenty to do later tonight. Take a moment to rest and catch your breath.”
Before she knew it, Aunt Qing was forcibly pulled away, stunned. Glancing to the side, she saw Qiuying in the same predicament, being dragged off by others.
Only then did Aunt Qing realize something was wrong. The first thought that came to her mind was that perhaps Second Young Lady Wen had been exposed. In a panic, she turned around just in time to see the groom, who had been standing in front, turn around as well.
Third Young Master Xie?!
Wasn’t he only supposed to be here to receive the bride?
What was going on…?
Aunt Qing’s eyes widened, her mouth hanging open, her mind utterly blank as she stared in shock at Third Young Master Xie taking the red silk from the nanny’s hands and placing the other end into her Second Young Lady’s hands.
It felt like a thunderclap on a clear day, striking her so hard that her soul seemed to leave her body.
Aunt Qing blurted out, “Sec…” But before she could say anything else, a maid quickly shoved a piece of cake into her mouth, “Aunt, you must be hungry. Here, have a piece of cake to fill your stomach.”
“The auspicious time has arrived. The bride and groom shall bow to each other.”
The loud voice of the officiant reached her ears, and Aunt Qing’s legs went weak. The cake almost choked her, her vision blurring as she gasped for air.
At this point, she had more or less figured out what was going on.
She silently cried out to the heavens, to Guanyin Bodhisattva…
It truly was impossible to understand people’s hearts. Everyone had their own schemes, and this wasn’t just digging a pit in the quicksand, this was burying themselves alive!