The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 19
The young master upstairs twisted his neck from side to side at her words, his eyes full of suspicion. On the bustling street with people coming and going, there she stood on the curb, loudly scolding him for being rich but foolish, claiming her marriage was a terrible misfortune. Why would he even need to eavesdrop on the wall?
Meeting his questioning gaze, Wen Shuse felt a little guilty, but she couldn’t lose her momentum. She braced herself and chattered on, “Husband, what are you doing here? Yesterday, Grandmother sent rice cakes for you, but Xiangyun went several times and said you weren’t home. Did you truly not return all night? Every household has its own rules, I suppose. Last time my third brother didn’t come home for a night, Father nearly beat him half to death. But you, my husband, with no one to restrain or discipline you, that must be wonderful…”
Once again, she was cursing him in a roundabout way, indirectly mocking him for lacking upbringing.
Xie Shao’s drowsiness was completely chased away by her noise, his eyebrow twitching slightly. He had already experienced her sharp tongue firsthand. And besides him, there were three others upstairs who really were eavesdropping. He chose not to argue with her, instead asking aloud, “What are you doing?”
Wen Shuse pointed at the pile of things scattered on the ground, despising his asking the obvious. “Shopping, of course.”
Did he think she was as idle as he was?
Aunt Qing and Xiangyun had already gone ahead, carrying bundles to the carriage. Wen Shuse didn’t intend to bother with him any longer and bent down to pick up the scattered packages. Then she suddenly remembered something, froze, and lifted her head to glance at her idle husband standing before her.
Yesterday, after returning from the Wen household, her anger had already subsided. But then his second younger sister had come to her door late at night and infuriated her all over again. She hadn’t slept well at all. When she opened her eyes in the morning, she just wanted to enjoy a bit of spring breeze, only to run into the shopkeeper coming to settle accounts. Out of a sense of responsibility, she had painstakingly helped sort through his messy bookkeeping.
By now, the entire mansion was probably already in chaos, everyone rushing about busily, yet here he was, hiding away at leisure.
Everything she had bought today was for use in the courtyard, and he would benefit from it too. So, without changing expression, Wen Shuse asked her husband upstairs, “Are you free?”
She didn’t give him the chance to refuse. “Come down and help me pick up these things, will you?” The sun was already climbing up the pillars, and she still hadn’t bought the flowerpots.
From early in the morning, a delicate young lady had been standing below the teahouse, looking up. She had already drawn plenty of eyes.
Judging by her earlier self-deprecating outburst, it was clear that she was not the kind to fear being laughed at.
The two of them stared each other down for a long moment before the young master upstairs finally withdrew his head. Soon, footsteps sounded from the corridor. Xie Shao walked in front, followed closely by Zhou Kuang, Pei Qing, and Cui Nian, each emerging from the teahouse one after another.
All four of them knew Wen Shuse.
Enemies born of conflict. Who would have thought that one day, the young lady who had once leaned over the wall, loosed dogs at them, and laughed the loudest, would become their sister-in-law?
Such are the unpredictable twists of fate. Since they were now family, there was no need to bring up the past. Even Zhou Kuang, the greatest victim of that incident, was ready to let bygones be bygones. He stepped forward first and greeted her, “Sister-in-law.”
But that young lady, without the slightest hesitation, peered curiously behind him and asked bluntly, “Has Shizi’s injury healed?”
Zhou Kuang’s face stiffened with embarrassment, and the other two didn’t look much better.
Xie Shao, however, wasn’t surprised in the least. Without a word, he bent down to pick up the items scattered around her, just to send her on her way sooner.
Since the sister-in-law had asked, Zhou Kuang couldn’t refuse to answer. “Thank you for your concern, Sister-in-law. I’m all healed now.”
Wen Shuse thought back to what Ming Wanrou had whispered to her over the wall yesterday. After a whole night, that eavesdropper surely would have spilled everything. So, she quickly tried to make amends, “Miss Ming was only joking, Shizi, don’t take it seriously. As for Eldest Miss Ming…” How should she explain this? “She actually admires you very much. Don’t worry, she won’t be letting Dahei and Erhei out again.”
Zhou Kuang looked utterly lost. “Dahei and Erhei?”
Wen Shuse explained, “The two black dogs that chased you that day.”
Zhou Kuang’s face paled at once. Turning his head, he saw Cui Nian and Pei Qing had already distanced themselves, busily bending to help Xie Shao pick up the fallen items, burying their heads in the task and not daring to continue talking to her.
Judging by how she had earlier carried an armful, it was clear there were plenty of things; once scattered, even more so. Xie Shao gathered a few, straightened up, and lazily handed them to the young lady before him.
But she didn’t take them. Instead, she raised a hand and pointed at a carriage parked ahead. “Please trouble my husband to carry them to the carriage for me.”
His brows had only just begun to furrow when he saw her point to one of the boxes in his hand. Then she tapped her own forehead and said, “This one is for you. It helps with blood circulation and dispersing bruises.”
Xie Shao: …
With many hands, the four men each carried some items, easily loading them onto the carriage. Wen Shuse, meanwhile, walked behind them with empty hands, moving gracefully while smoothing the scarf draped over her arm.
After Xie Shao set the things onto the carriage, he turned back only to see the young lady standing in the shadow beneath the eaves, tilting her head, elegantly adjusting her high-pinned hair.
She certainly knew how to order people around.
Before he could step forward to confront her, the steady clip-clop of horse hooves suddenly echoed from the road behind. Xie Shao’s expression shifted as he turned his head. Pei Qing had already reacted first, stepping forward to halt the carriage. “Stop.”
The carriages that passed along Qiaoshi Street all belonged to the noble houses of Fengcheng. Today, the scene was lively, more than a dozen carriages strung together, stretching out of sight from the alley entrance.
The coachman pulled on the reins, bringing the horses to a halt.
Once the carriage stopped, Pei Qing showed his waist token to the other side. “Pei Qing of the prefectural office, acting on official orders.”
After putting away the token, he lifted his head toward the familiar carriage before him. His expression didn’t flicker in the slightest as he called out to the person inside, “The Prince Mansion has recently lost an item. I ask that you step down and cooperate with the inspection.”
After a long pause, the curtain was finally lifted. Pei Yuanqiu’s face was cold as he glared at his own son. “And what sort of precious treasure has the Prince Mansion lost, that you would trace it all the way back to your own father?”
Pei Qing remained unmoved. “I must ask Lord Pei to understand.”
One of the guards at the side finally couldn’t hold back. “Young Master Pei, the fact that Lord Pei tolerates such insolence from you is already an act of great benevolence…”
Pei Yuanqiu raised a hand to stop him. Resting on the guard’s arm, he slowly stepped down from the carriage and stood before Pei Qing. With a snort, he said, “When I left, you didn’t see me off. So, it turns out you were waiting here instead.”
He didn’t want to look at his son’s cold, unfilial face any longer, fearing he might die of anger. Turning instead toward Zhou Kuang, he asked loudly, “Shizi Zhou, how do you plan to investigate this official?”
Zhou Kuang let out a hearty laugh. “So, it’s Lord Pei.” He stepped forward and cupped his hands. “Lord Pei, are you returning from the Eastern Capital today? It’s such a rare trip home, why not stay a little longer?”
Pei Yuanqiu smiled faintly. “I carry an imperial decree. How could I indulge myself as freely as you, Shizi?” His eyes swept the group, and then he lowered his voice to ask, “Just what has the Prince Mansion lost, to make such a commotion?”
Zhou Kuang scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I’ll be honest, Lord Pei, it’s not something of my father’s; it’s mine. The item itself isn’t valuable, but if it were to fall into the hands of someone with ill intent, the truth could be twisted. Lord Pei is magnanimous; surely you wouldn’t begrudge a junior like me. So, if you don’t mind… search the carriage.”
“Outrageous!”
Just as the men stepped forward, the guards by the carriage suddenly drew their blades, blocking their way.
Pei Yuanqiu spread his hands apologetically. “There truly is nothing in my carriage that the Shizi seeks, so I don’t fear a search. But as it concerns the dignity of a court official, these guards who have come with me from the Eastern Capital will not agree. There is nothing I can do. Shizi, perhaps you could explain it to them yourself?”
The two sides found themselves locked in a tense standoff.
When the carriage in front stopped, those behind piled up, until the entire street was blocked tight, not a drop of water could squeeze through. Wen Sese, unable to get through, stood watching the commotion with interest.
Suddenly, someone from a carriage behind called out to her. “Gao Xian?”
Turning back, Wen Shuse saw the Eldest Master Wen leaning out the window. Only then did she notice that the carriages trailing behind were nearly all the Wen family’s.
She had known her uncle was returning to the Eastern Capital with his family today, but hadn’t expected to run into them in the bustling marketplace. Wen Shuse stepped forward. “Uncle…”
—
Zhou Kuang’s men and the guards stood opposed, neither side yielding.
Without evidence, they couldn’t truly take action. Out of options, Zhou Kuang instinctively turned his head.
Following his gaze, Pei Yuanqiu spotted Xie Shao leaning by a carriage. At once, he put on an expression of surprise. “So, virtuous nephew, you’re here as well.”
Xie Shao stood and stepped forward to offer his respects. “Uncle.”
Pei Yuanqiu looked somewhat regretful. “I had hoped to exchange a few words with my virtuous nephew on this trip back, but the chance never came.”
Xie Shao replied calmly, “No need to hurry. Since Uncle’s ancestral home is here, you’ll surely return again. When that day comes, I will pay a visit.”
Pei Yuanqiu shook his head, his gaze sweeping over both him and Zhou Kuang, sighing out of nowhere, “I only fear that when things remain the same, people may no longer be.”
Lifting his eyes back to Xie Shao, he said, “I didn’t finish speaking with you that day. Do you know the real reason why Chancellor Xie resigned from office back then?”
Without waiting for Xie Shao to respond, Pei Yuanqiu continued on his own, “It was all because one of his students caused some trouble under Chancellor Xie’s name, and the matter was brought before His Majesty. It shouldn’t have been a big issue. Innocence proves itself, and an investigation would have cleared things up. Yet Chancellor Xie was far too upright, and on the spot, he resigned and returned to Fengcheng. Tell me, what need was there for that? I have never understood it. Chancellor Xie spent his whole life upholding virtue and integrity, his conduct spotless. With his character, he should not have lived burdened with false accusations. When the day comes that he returns, you should ask him properly about it.”
Having said this, he didn’t wait for a response but turned to look back down the road just as the sound of urgent hoofbeats echoed through the street.
“Make way for official business…”
Wen Shuse had been standing by the carriage speaking with Elder Master Wen when she heard the approaching horses. She looked up just in time to feel a rush of wind sweep past her, catching only a glimpse of two blurred figures.
One of the young men wore official robes, sitting with remarkable poise in the saddle. Just as suspicion rose in her heart, she heard Xiangyun ask aloud, “Was that the Eldest Young Master Xie?”