The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 18
When Wen Shuse returned to the Xie Mansion, the sun had already begun to set. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she was taken by Old Madam Xie to her courtyard. By the time she returned to her room at sunset, she was holding yet another jewelry box.
Back in her chambers, she and her two servants lit the lamps and opened the box Old Madam Wen had given her earlier. Their eyes met a dazzling array of treasures; the wealth of gold and silver piled up in the two boxes was almost blinding.
Xiangyun held the lamp closer, making the pile of gold and silver gleam brilliantly. She exclaimed in awe, “Miss, you’re no spendthrift. You’re a magnet for fortune!”
Wen Shuse only lowered her head, feeling no joy. This case of treasures represented nothing less than her grandmother handing over the entire Wen family fortune to her.
Wen Suning had been right. Her uncle served as an official in the court, and it was only a matter of time before the main branch of the Wen family moved to the Eastern Capital. By giving her the family assets now, her grandmother was left with nothing but the mansion.
The main branch was set to leave tomorrow, and who knew what turmoil would erupt tonight? Anxious, she asked Aunt Qing, “Did you manage to speak to Qiuying?”
Aunt Qing nodded. “The little girl was reluctant at first, but I threatened to sell her off and not let her follow Eldest Young Lady to the Eastern Capital. That’s when she agreed. If Eldest Young Lady or Eldest Madam really tries to scheme for the mansion, she’ll report to you immediately.” Seeing Wen Shuse’s worry still unsettled, she added in comfort, “My lady, don’t overthink it. What kind of person is Old Madam? She held the family together for decades after the master passed away. Think back to when the Wen family was nearly destitute, even the Second Master couldn’t afford to attend school, yet she never mortgaged the mansion. Now that the main branch wants to sell the mansion to buy property in the Eastern Capital, do you think she’d allow it? Set your mind at ease, Old Madam knows what she’s doing.”
That might be true, but Wen Shuse couldn’t bear the thought of her grandmother being wronged.
Wen Shuse told Aunt Qing to put the boxes away. Thinking back to Wen Suning’s expression earlier that day, she couldn’t help but grow angry again. Slumping into the recliner chair, she complained, “All these years, everyone’s been counting on Father and Third Brother to earn more outside, to subsidize the expenses of a whole household. And what excuse do they give? That it’s for the glory of the family, to bring honor to our ancestors. But look, what’s the situation now?
“In the eyes of outsiders, the one who brings prestige to the Wen family is Uncle, a fourth-rank Ministry of Works official. How impressive! Then there’s Eldest Brother and Second Brother, strutting about in their finery with limitless prospects. And when it comes to Father, who doesn’t know he’s a fisherman? Like father, like son… Third Brother’s path has already been ruined by him. He won’t study, insists on wrestling with the crabs in the sea. As for Eldest Sister, her schemes couldn’t be clearer: a whole family heading to the Eastern Capital to live in comfort, while expecting Father and Third Brother to fund it all. What kind of brothers are they? More useful than Bodhisattvas, that’s what!”
She had kept it all bottled up in the Wen Mansion, afraid her grandmother might overhear. Now that she was back in the Xie Mansion, with only Aunt Qing and Xiangyun in attendance, she finally spilled everything like beans tumbling from a basket and words rattling out one after another.
Even the maids and servants in the outer room could sense that the Third Young Madam’s return to her maternal home hadn’t gone well. Hearing her anger within, they all grew tense.
The more Wen Shuse spoke, the angrier she grew. “In this life, what I loathe most are those who stretch out their hands to beg for silver…”
“Third Sister-in-law, are you in?”
Her tirade was cut off by the voice of a young girl outside. Wen Shuse immediately fell silent.
Nanny Fang had no intention of letting her in. “Second Young Lady, the Third Young Madam has already retired for the night.”
“So early? I’ve waited for her the entire afternoon. How could she have retired already?”
“Second Young Lady…”
Nanny Fang failed to hold her back. The sound of hurried footsteps grew closer until the door curtain was swept aside. Before Wen Shuse could even rise from her reclining chair, the young lady had already swept her gaze around the room, finally settling it on Wen Shuse. Without a hint of hesitation, she stated bluntly, “Third Sister-in-law, give me a hundred taels of silver. I’ve set my heart on a pair of bracelets, and I intend to buy them tomorrow.”
At such a time…
Aunt Qing and Xiangyun exchanged uneasy glances, their hearts sinking. Nanny Fang, having failed to stop the intruder, hurried after her and attempted to reason with Second Young Lady Xie. “It’s late, and the Third Young Madam has only just returned. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow?”
Second Young Lady Xie frowned stubbornly. “No. If I don’t get those bracelets, I won’t sleep a wink tonight. Third Sister-in-law only needs to agree, and it’s no trouble. Nanny, you can fetch the silver for me.”
Wen Shuse’s eye twitched. So, she was the gilded Bodhisattva, destined to be squeezed dry no matter where she went.
She forced herself to remain calm and asked, “What kind of bracelets are you buying, Second Young Lady?”
“The new spring collection from the Cui family…”
“What are they made of that they cost a hundred taels?”
“One bracelet is only twenty taels, but I want two. The rest…” Second Young Lady Xie trailed off abruptly, her expression turning impatient. “I’ve already spoken to Third Brother. He told me to ask you, so just give me the silver. Why all the questions?”
Xiangyun was fuming, her eyes wide with indignation. She had never seen anyone ask for money so brazenly. Compared to the Wen family’s main branch, this was even more shameless.
Just as she was about to explode, Wen Shuse turned her head and instructed her, “Go fetch my purse.”
Xiangyun spun around and stomped off to find the purse, seething with anger. Second Young Lady Xie stood waiting in the room, but Wen Shuse didn’t even look at her. Instead, she turned to Aunt Qing and asked, “Where was I just now?”
Aunt Qing kept her expression neutral. “Third Young Madam, you were speaking of money.”
“Right, money.” Wen Shuse went on, “As the saying goes, ‘One would rather starve than beg for food.’ Yet some people have the nerve to demand money so shamelessly. I truly wonder what goes through their minds. Do they have no sense of dignity?”
Suddenly remembering herself, she glanced at Second Young Lady Xie and added by way of explanation, “Don’t misunderstand, Second Young Lady. I was speaking of my Wen family’s affairs.”
Regardless of her reaction, Wen Shuse continued, “It’s not as if she’s fatherless or motherless. If they want money, they should be asking their own parents. And even if they were without father or mother, don’t they still have elder brothers? If even their own brothers can’t be relied on, they’re perfectly capable of working with their own hands. If they lack the skill to earn money themselves, do they really think others’ money grows on trees?”
By then, Xiangyun had returned with the purse. Wen Shuse untied the cord, tipped it upside down, and dumped everything inside onto the table. She bent her head, pushing the coins around with her fingers, then looked up at Second Young Lady Xie with a polite smile. “How unfortunate. It seems I’ve only got these copper coins left. If you don’t mind, Second Young Lady, you’re welcome to take them.”
___
That very night, the main branch of the Xie family exploded into chaos.
The Second Young Lady clung to the Madam, sobbing bitterly. “A handful of copper coins, was she treating me like a beggar? No, worse. She was calling me a beggar! She even asked if I had no father or mother to turn to…”
The Madam was so furious, her vision went dark. If it hadn’t already been late at night, she would have stormed straight over to Old Madam’s courtyard and had that insolent little thing thrown out of the house.
The next morning, barely finished washing and without touching breakfast, the Eldest Madam marched into Old Madam’s courtyard grandly, dragging Second Young Lady along with her. As soon as she arrived, she began recounting Wen Shuse’s words from the previous night, adding oil and vinegar to every phrase as she spoke to Old Madam Xie.
“I married into the Xie family, supporting the Eldest Master through thick and thin. Yet now, over a bit of silver, I’ve been humiliated by some outsider, a mere chit of a girl, treated like a common beggar. People address me as ‘Madam,’ but after this humiliation, what respect do I deserve? My dignity has been utterly trampled…”
The Eldest Madam berated Wen Shuse from head to toe, demanding that Old Madam give her an explanation. Just as the quarrel reached its height, a servant rushed in from outside and reported, “Madam, several shopkeepers are crowding outside the courtyard. They say they must settle accounts with you. No matter how we try to drive them away, they refuse to leave without seeing you…”
The Eldest Madam froze. “Settle what accounts?”
While the Eldest Madam was here crying before Old Madam Xie, the shopkeepers of the Xie family businesses had come to deliver their ledgers. Steward An had brought them directly before Wen Shuse.
Following past practice, each shopkeeper would first deduct a portion for the inner household’s expenses.
Every shop had such a ledger, full of records of goods drawn by the Xie family’s main branch.
The Eldest Madam’s cosmetics, the incense used throughout the mansion, all were taken from the shops…
In past years, even when the Second Madam was still present in the mansion, these amounts were crossed out of the ledgers without question. But today, after flipping through for a while, Third Young Madam suddenly said, “I won’t acknowledge these expenses.”
“The masters of the mansion already receive a monthly allowance from the accounts office to cover cosmetics and incense. How could they possibly be taking goods from the shops as well? The masters are busy with their affairs and may not remember these details clearly, leaving room for you to add entries as you please. But who can say if they’re genuine or not? I’m sorry, but I cannot approve of these expenses today.”
The shopkeepers were shocked and hastily protested, “Third Young Madam, these items truly were taken by the masters of the mansion themselves. We would never dare to put down false charges on our own…”
“That makes even less sense.” Wen Shuse looked at them in puzzlement. “From what Uncle An says, each of you has at least five years of experience as a shopkeeper. By reason, you shouldn’t be making such careless mistakes. A shop operates on the principle of receiving payment for goods delivered. Even if items aren’t sold, the goods should still be in inventory. Now, if the money doesn’t match the goods, and you insist your accounts are clean, then whoever took the goods should be the one to settle the debt.”
Before one storm could subside, another thunderclap struck.
Old Madam Xie listened, stunned for a moment. Then she turned to look at the Eldest Madam’s dumbstruck expression. Her heart ailment that had plagued her for years seemed to vanish on the spot. She silently thanked the Bodhisattva for her blessing, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted dead away.
“Old Madam!”
“Mother!”
“Quick, fetch the physician from the mansion!”
Nanzhi quickly helped the Old Madam into the inner room. Seeing the Eldest Madam trailing after, she snapped without courtesy, “Old Madam has only just begun to recover from her last illness. Eldest Madam, you must stop agitating her. If something happens to her, how will you explain it to the Eldest Master and Second Master?”
Heaven curse it.
The Eldest Madam had no choice but to retreat. But just as she reached the gate of the courtyard, a circle of shopkeepers closed in around her.
“Madam, please settle this month’s outstanding accounts first…”
“I have several entries here as well.”
“And mine too…”
The Madam’s head was splitting. “What is the meaning of this? Who gave you the courage to block my way at the gate?”
The shopkeepers, seeing no other way, dropped to their knees. “Madam, forgive us. You are the wife of the Deputy Commander, of noble standing. Surely you would not make things difficult for lowly servants like us over a mere few dozen taels of silver…”
As shopkeepers, being rendered speechless by a young lady’s questioning was humiliating. Compared to the missing accounts, their reputations were what truly mattered.
No matter what the Eldest Madam said, none of them budged. They put all their strength into pressing for repayment to cover the accounts.
Aside from the Eldest Madam, none of the other masters of the household escaped either. By the end of the morning, the entire mansion was in an uproar.
The Eldest Madam was furious, smoke practically rising from her seven orifices. When she finally finished dealing with them, she stormed into the courtyard in rage to look for the culprit, only to find that Wen Shuse had already gone out with Aunt Qing and Xiangyun to buy flower pots.
The Eldest Madam’s temples throbbed with anger. She turned to ask Nanny Fang, “Where’s the Third Young Master?”
“Third Young Master isn’t in either. He left early this morning.”
The Eldest Madam spat out a vicious line, “Fine. Then let’s wait until the Eldest Master returns and settle with him.”
—
Wen Shuse went to Qiao Market.
Earlier, after sending the shopkeepers away, she had sat in the courtyard for a while. The breeze carried none of the usual fragrance of flowers, and she thought of buying a few flower pots to brighten the yard. On an impulse, she set out at once.
One stroll turned into a spree. By the time midday came, the three mistress and servants already had their arms full with all sorts of purchases, and yet not a single flower pot had been bought.
Xie Shao was keeping watch at a teahouse with Zhou Kuang and a few others. From the second floor, the lattice windows opened wide, giving them a clear view of most of Qiao Market. Zhou Kuang leaned against the window, spotting a group of people approaching in the distance. He squinted, vaguely recognizing Wen Shuse. His gaze locked on her, and when she drew nearer and he was certain, he hurriedly reached across to smack Xie Shao. “Quick, it’s Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law…”
Xie Shao had accompanied Zhou Kuang out of the city the previous day to pursue someone and hadn’t returned to the mansion all night. He had only made it back to the teahouse in the early hours to continue the stakeout and was dozing off, his head propped on his hand. At Zhou Kuang’s words, he lifted his eyelids and glanced down casually.
Amid the bustling crowd, there stood a young lady, dazzling in her brightness. Her hair was pinned high, draped with a silken scarf. The sunlight fell across her fair profile. It was unmistakably his own wife.
She seemed to have run into an acquaintance, for she had stopped in place instead of moving on.
Indeed, Wen Shuse had met an acquaintance, none other than Madam Wei, with whom she had never gotten along.
“Why, isn’t this Second Young Lady Wen? It’s been such a long time since we last met. How have you been?” Seeing Wen Shuse silent, she pressed further: “When I first heard it from our servants, I hardly dared believe it. Didn’t you once tell everyone you were going to become Sister Ming’s sister-in-law? How did you end up marrying so suddenly, and to…”
Arms full of purchases, Wen Shuse was tired and in no mood, retorted, “What Madam Wei really wants to say is, how did I end up marrying Third Xie, isn’t it? Fine, I’ll tell you. I got what I deserved. I married a rich but foolish wastrel. A husband who doesn’t care for me, elders who don’t dote on me, and a life that’s anything but happy. Madam Wei, are you pleased now?”
She hadn’t expected Wen Shuse to mock herself so directly. Madam Wei was left awkward and embarrassed, and quickly tugged her maid along to leave.
But Wen Shuse’s arms, overloaded with parcels, finally gave way. With a series of thuds, everything tumbled to the ground.
Upstairs, Zhou Kuang couldn’t suppress a muffled gasp of surprise.
When Wen Shuse lifted her head, the only thing she saw was Xie Shao’s head poking out of the window. Her face stiffened, and she cursed inwardly that when misfortune struck, even drinking water could crack a tooth.
Twice now she’d spoken ill of him, and twice he’d caught her. The coincidence was too much. Before the man upstairs could react, Wen Shuse decided to strike first. “I think it’s really improper for Husband to always be eavesdropping.”