The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 23
Wen Shuse couldn’t quite describe the bitterness in her heart. It was worse than mistaking salt for sugar and swallowing it whole.
The vibrant spring scenery before her eyes had vanished, along with her mood. She had gone through all that effort to dress up beautifully, only for her gallant white horse to turn out to be a stubborn mule. The disappointment was utterly crushing.
Now, at last, she understood why those pedantic scholars scornfully referred to perfectly good money as “the stench of copper.”
And indeed, wasn’t it foul? Corrupting the human heart, ruthlessly turning a once-elegant and dashing young master into a repulsive bloodsucker.
Seeing her spirits suddenly collapse like a frost-wilted eggplant, Nanzhi thought her words had frightened the lady and quickly reassured her, “Please don’t worry, Third Young Madam. Old Madam would never agree to such a thing.”
Wen Shuse nodded weakly, all her fond impressions of the Eldest Young Master gone without a trace. Just as she was sinking into disinterest, a gentleman entered through the moon gate.
He wore a white-collared blue robe, fastened with a golden-inlaid jade crown upon his head. His bearing was dignified, upright, and exuding an air of effortless charm.
Until today, she had still occasionally indulged in fantasies that if she had married the Eldest Young Master, they might be living in perfect harmony now and sharing tender affection, side by side at the same table.
But as she watched Third Xie approaching, a sudden sense of relief washed over her. Thankfully, the Xie family had also switched grooms. So, what if he were a wastrel? At least he was wealthy; he wouldn’t be scheming after her money in the future.
For the past few days, Xie Shao had been leaving early and returning late, half due to Zhou Wang’s persistent pestering, and the other half… because of the young lady standing before him now.
That day, all he had noticed was her sharp tongue that was so keen it made a man hesitate to provoke her. But later that night, lying awake in the quiet, he realized what had truly unsettled him were not her words, but those slender jade-like fingers of hers.
She had suddenly brought the rice cake to his lips. No young lady had ever fed him anything before, so for a moment, he was caught off guard. She, however, grew impatient, her brows knitting together as if ready to quarrel with him right then and there. Forced to yield, he parted his lips just a crack, and she shoved it in abruptly. Her fingertips brushed the corner of his mouth. No, more than that, they had even grazed his teeth…
He wondered if her fingers had been dipped in perfume powder, but all through that night, his mind was filled with that faint, lingering fragrance that refused to fade.
There was no way to verify it now, no evidence to recall. Though he’d been tempted to go to her chambers that very night and warn her that next time, such behavior was improper. He had hands of his own; he didn’t need to be fed.
But when morning came, he had abandoned the thought altogether. Best to see less of her.
Two days passed without meeting. The young lady appeared as radiant as ever. Her hair coiled high and pinned with red ornaments, a spring-green dress of fine silk he hadn’t seen before, a sheer white shawl draped over her arm, and a delicate floral design painted on her brow. The vivid, refined makeup made her look as if she were heading out for a rendezvous.
He himself had only just been summoned back from the teahouse by Old Madam’s attendants to attend the family banquet that day.
Of course. The Eldest Young Master had returned.
That day, he had purposely meddled to prevent her from meeting the Eldest Young Master, merely on a whim to tease her. After all, since she had married into the Xie family, it was inevitable for them to cross paths eventually.
At last, she was about to meet the young man she had once wished to marry. She must be filled with anticipation and joy, he thought. But as he drew closer, he was surprised to find no trace of the delight he had expected on the young lady’s face. Instead, she seemed somewhat downcast.
Now that was curious.
Before he could make sense of it, the young lady across the way had also spotted him. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she lifted her skirts to hurry toward him. “Husband…”
Xie Shao: ……
The young lady came running down the long corridor, bright and lively, while Xie Shao grew even more puzzled.
According to Minzhang, she had been spending her days basking in the sun in the courtyard. Had the glare damaged her eyesight? There were, after all, clear differences between him and the Eldest Young Brother in appearance.
As the young lady hurried up to him, before he could tell her to open her eyes wider, she suddenly reached out and linked her arm with his. She tilted her head, and the high knot of her hair brushed against his chin. He tilted his head back to avoid it, only to hear her say, “Husband, did you know the Eldest Young Master has returned today?”
What did she mean by that?
Was she deliberately asking him, trying to seize an opportunity to mock him, perhaps, to say he wasn’t as handsome as the Eldest Young Master? If so, she would be disappointed. He had always been quite confident in his own looks.
But the young lady paid no attention to his expression. She held onto him tightly, drawing even closer, and whispered confidentially, “I heard from Nanzhi earlier that the Eldest Young Master has returned this time to ask us for money.”
All traces of romantic fantasy had vanished from Wen Shuse’s mind. At this moment, her mind was filled entirely with battle plans.
“Good thing you’re back in time,” she said, her tone urgent. “Let’s get our stories straight first, so we know how to turn him down later. It’s best if we present a united front so he can’t find any loopholes. But what excuse should we use…?” She was genuinely troubled. “If we claim we have no money? No, that won’t work. Even we wouldn’t believe that.”
For once, her quick tongue found itself at a loss. After racking her brains to no avail, she lifted her head and looked at the man beside her. “Husband, do you have any ideas?”
Xie Shao: …
He stared at the little lady clinging to his arm, her face drawn with worry, and felt momentarily stunned.
So, the Eldest Young Master, whom she had been so desperate to see that day, darting left and right, even stomping on his foot in frustration when he blocked her view, had suddenly lost all appeal the moment she learned he was here to borrow money? Just like that, she was no longer interested, no longer infatuated?
He truly couldn’t make sense of her anymore, nor did he have any idea what it was she liked or wanted.
When she suddenly asked for his opinion, he could only respond dryly, “Didn’t Wife say that I should rest assured?”
She had indeed said those words. Wen Shuse, though, had only been asking out of habit. She hadn’t seriously expected the family’s notorious spendthrift to come up with a clever plan.
She, as an outsider, could be heartless if needed, loyal to coin over kin, but he was different. If Deputy Commander Xie applied pressure as an elder, and the Eldest Young Master tried to appeal to brotherly affection… what then?
Thankfully, she had experience in such matters.
“I think, Husband, you mustn’t let your heart soften,” Wen Shuse said earnestly, her brows knitting in concern. “If they say they only need some silver to buy a house in the Eastern Capital, don’t believe it for a moment. True, one house isn’t expensive for us, but once it’s bought, what comes next? Won’t they need to renovate it, furnish it, decorate it, hire a few servants? And the Eldest Young Master, he’s just been assigned to a new post in the Eastern Capital; won’t he need spending money to make connections? If they can’t even afford the house, where will the money for all that come from? Of course, they’ll look to you. Have you ever seen an anthill, Husband? That’s exactly how they’ll do it, bit by bit, moving all your wealth away until everything that was yours becomes theirs.”
Seeing that he was listening intently, she took it as proof that her reasoning had struck home, and her tone grew even more impassioned.
“Besides, is your money blown in by the wind? Your grandfather devoted his entire life to serving the court. His Majesty rewarded him with gold so that he might enjoy a peaceful old age. And your grandmother, she earned hers selling incense. Do you know how incense is made, Husband? Take agarwood, for instance. The grains are tiny, each batch mixed carefully with dried blossoms and rolled into cakes. The process is intricate and painstaking, with only the smallest of profits. Every coin they earned was hard-won. And now these people want to swindle you out of that money, only to squander it on wine and teahouses. Have they ever thought, even once, that this silver is your grandparents’ sweat and blood? Do they feel not the slightest pang of guilt or shame?”
Xie Shao: ……
According to her logic, he hadn’t been much of a person all these years.
Noticing his doubtful expression, Wen Shuse quickly added, “I’m not talking about you, Husband. You’re their own son. It’s only right for you to spend their money. Isn’t that what money is for, after all…”
Hadn’t she been the same?
Now it seemed it was truly fate: both she and Third Xie were wealthy, both were targets for others trying to leech off them. In all the world, there could hardly be a pair more perfectly matched than them.
With a sigh of resignation, she said, “I’ve finally realized it. Husband and I are the same kind of people. We’re like gilded Bodhisattvas, attracting envious eyes wherever we go. But don’t worry, Husband. I promised to manage your household affairs, and I won’t go back on my word. Anyone who wants to get even a single coin from me will find it far from easy.”
Truly, a silver tongue, she could twist words to suit herself effortlessly.
Xie Shao had long been aware of the eldest branch’s intentions. The day Deputy Commander Xie had allowed Pei Yuanqiu to leave in front of the Shizi, his underlying motives had already been laid bare.
Back then, Xie Daoyuan owed all his early success to Jing Wang’s favor; that was what had lifted the Xie family’s main branch to its current standing. But once a man’s ambitions grow, he begins to find the place that nurtured him too small to contain him.
For a regional Military Deputy Commander to harbor such ambitions was no trivial matter.
These past few days, Zhou Kuang had exhausted every means of persuasion and probing, afraid that Xie Shao might change allegiance.
When the Eldest Young Master had first sought to enter official service in the capital, he had earned his jinshi degree through his own ability, and even Jing Wang hadn’t stood in his way. Even if the Prince were magnanimous enough to allow him into the Eastern Capital, the imperial court was unlikely to welcome him.
So, when the Eldest Young Master went to court to receive his appointment, why had His Majesty, out of so many places, assigned him specifically to the remote Fengcheng as a county magistrate? The message could not have been clearer.
The son of a regional deputy commander would not be permitted to set foot in the central Eastern Capital’s official circles.
Barring the unexpected, the Eldest Young Master’s transfer order would never arrive, and there was no reason at all to purchase a house in the Eastern Capital. And if by some chance the order did come through, that would be all the more reason not to go.
Xie Shao had already reached his conclusion, but he couldn’t dismiss the young lady’s good intentions. He inclined his head slightly and said, “I’ll be counting on my wife, then.”
Wen Shuse breathed a quiet sigh of relief; at least her long lecture hadn’t been in vain. Forgetting that her hand was still looped through his arm, she tugged him along toward Old Madam’s courtyard, chattering as they went, continuing to discuss strategies in detail.
The eldest branch had arrived earlier. A group of younger relatives was gathered in the courtyard, admiring Old Madam’s orchids. At the sound of movement from the corridor behind them, they turned and saw, walking down the long walkway, the two figures arm in arm.
From a distance, one of the young ladies caught sight of Wen Shuse chattering away nonstop, her lips moving like a spinning wheel. The young lady’s eyelid twitched, and she sneered softly, “I wonder what sweet nonsense she’s whispering now…”
Most likely, she was spinning tales about them again, speaking ill of them behind their backs.
And she wasn’t wrong. Wen Shuse was indeed speaking ill of them, complaining that the Eldest Madam had ruined the cosmetics at the family shop, that another young lady had been borrowing on credit everywhere under the family’s name, and so on and so forth. She kept talking all the way up to the doorstep before finally falling silent.
Nanzhi stepped ahead, entered the room, and announced respectfully, “Third Young Master and Third Young Madam have arrived.”
At once, the people inside turned their eyes toward the entrance.
The entire eldest branch was present today; all the younger generation had gathered. The new bride had already been married into the family for half a month, and only the Master of the eldest branch and the Eldest Young Master had yet to meet the Third Young Madam in person.
The Eldest Young Master’s expression shifted subtly.
On the wedding night, when the groom had been switched at the last moment, he had indeed felt that the Eldest Young Lady Wen was much more his type, but when the family matriarch had threatened to fake her own death if he refused, he had had no choice but to yield.
That night, returning alone to his official residence, he had lain awake, watching the night slowly fade, thinking that the Eldest Young Lady Wen was now officially the Third Young Madam. But at dawn the next morning, a servant from the mansion came running to report that the bride the Wen family had brought into the Xie Mansion had not been the eldest young lady, but the second.
In the midst of his shock, the Eldest Young Master had also felt a secret thrill of joy and relief. If the Old Madam hadn’t replaced him, it would have been him marrying the Second Young Lady Wen.
He had never met the Second Young Lady Wen in person, but he had heard the rumors about her: the only daughter of the Second Master Wen, doted on and indulged by Old Madam Wen since childhood. Aside from her peerless beauty, she was known for her extravagant spending habits.
Having been immersed in books since childhood, he had no fondness for those who squandered money recklessly. A young lady like her would not have been a suitable match for him. Had he encountered her on his wedding night, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t have sent her back to the Wen family untouched.
While he was lost in these thoughts, the figures at the door had already stepped inside. Third Xie entered first, followed closely by a young lady. The moment she crossed the threshold, the previously subdued room seemed to brighten instantly.
The young lady wore a long spring-green dress, with an inner garment of matching hue beneath a gauzy robe of fine silk. Her neck was bare, unadorned by any jewelry, revealing a slender, swanlike grace. Her skin was as smooth and fair as polished jade, her makeup exquisitely applied, just enough to set off her natural allure. She was indeed a lovely young lady, yet the gaze she directed at him left him utterly bewildered.
It wasn’t quite resentment, yet not mere indifference either. It was the same kind of hollow disappointment one might feel after buying an expensive stone from the market, only to discover, once it was cut open, that there wasn’t a trace of jade inside.
The Eldest Young Master froze for a moment.
Such an expression was hard to misinterpret.
When she left the Wen family to marry, she must have known it was him she was to wed. Today was their first meeting, and her look could only mean that his appearance had disappointed her.
In terms of looks, he had to admit, he was not as striking as his third brother. To have unwittingly let a young lady down like this was somewhat embarrassing. The Eldest Young Master shifted slightly aside, but by then, Wen Shuse had already averted her gaze from him, showing not the faintest further interest in him.
In truth, the Eldest Young Master’s looks were not lacking at all. He was every bit the refined gentleman she had imagined. But once that shimmering aura she’d built around him in her mind had shattered, she could no longer summon the same feeling again.
Wen Shuse’s gaze held a flicker of regret. After a single glance, she shifted her eyes away, calm and indifferent.
She had already seen the Eldest Master Xie once before on the street, a man with the rugged bearing of a seasoned military officer. After paying her respects to the elders, Wen Shuse sat down beside Xie Shao.
It was still early, not yet time for the meal, making it the perfect moment for the family to gather and chat.
The younger ones who had been admiring Old Madam’s orchids outside soon crowded in as well. The room was filled with noise and movement, but for all the bustle, the air remained curiously heavy.
The Eldest Madam, having been reprimanded by her husband a few days earlier, had since adjusted her attitude. When Wen Shuse greeted her just now, she even returned a faint smile, signaling an intention to reconcile.
The younger generation, however, was another story. Having clashed fiercely just two days earlier, they regarded each other with the sharp-eyed hostility of sworn enemies. They lowered their heads, twisting the handkerchiefs in their hands, and turned their necks away, putting on an expression of utter disdain toward her.
Wen Shuse paid them no mind whatsoever. After sitting down, she leaned toward Old Madam with concern. “Grandmother, how has your health been lately?”
“Quite well,” Old Madam replied, though recalling her “fainting spell” two days prior, she quickly amended, “Only, my head still feels dizzy from time to time and I can’t handle any excitement…”
Across the table, the Eldest Madam’s lips twitched slightly. That remark must be meant for me, she thought.
“Grandmother’s ailment sounds quite like the one my own grandmother had,” Wen Shuse said in mild surprise. “She suffered from chronic headaches and relied on chijian for nourishment. Tomorrow I’ll send some over and have Nanzhi prepare a tonic soup for you.”
“Chijian is gastrodia elata,” said Old Madam Xie, who had heard it could treat headaches, but the idea puzzled her. “That’s a medicinal root. Can it really be used for soup?”
“Yes,” Wen Shuse nodded. “Most of what you see in the market is sun-dried chijian roots. After buying them, you soak them in warm water until they soften and swell, then slice them into pieces and simmer them together with chicken. Once cooked, you eat the meat and the root together, and the taste is quite pleasant.”
Old Madam Xie looked a little surprised. She hadn’t known there was such a way to prepare it.
Wen Shuse smiled and went on, “There’s more. After soaking and softening it, mince it into fine granules and steam it with eggs. That tastes wonderful, too. Every time my grandmother has a headache, she has her servants prepare it for her. After a few servings, her head feels much lighter.”
“I never imagined your grandmother truly knows how to live well,” the Old Madam said with genuine admiration. “Then bring me some tomorrow, I’ll give it a try…”
“Certainly,” Wen Shuse agreed. “If Grandmother dislikes taking bitter medicine, you can often use medicinal herbs in soups. Besides chijian, several others can also help relieve headaches…”
“Is that so?” Old Madam Xie was very interested. “Tell me all of them. I’ll have Nanzhi write them down.”
The conversation seemed endless…
Before long, the whole room had to sit through the two of them discussing soup recipes. At this rate, there would be no time left for a real conversation that day. The Eldest Madam grew increasingly irritable, straightening her back, ready to cut in, but forced herself to stay quiet.
After listening a little longer, the Eldest Master Xie finally interjected. “I hadn’t realized our Old Third’s wife was so knowledgeable in these matters. To be both virtuous and filial, our Old Third is truly fortunate.”
Taking that as her cue, Wen Shuse stopped speaking. She sat upright, hands resting demurely on her knees, her gaze lowered, the picture of dignified composure.
The Eldest Master smiled faintly and turned to Xie Shao beside her, seizing the opportunity to ask, “And what have you been busy with lately, Old Third?”
“Nothing much. I’m just an idle man, not burdened with affairs like you, Eldest Uncle,” Xie Shao replied lazily. “But what brings you home today?”
“What, am I not allowed to come back?” The Eldest Master chuckled. “No matter how busy, one must return home now and then.” He glanced toward the Eldest Young Master beside him. “As for Chengji, don’t bury yourself in official duties all day. Come home to visit your grandmother more often.”
The Eldest Young Master lowered his eyes respectfully. “Yes, Father is right. I will return more frequently.”
“You’re being hard on him,” the Eldest Madam interjected. “The three-year term is nearly over, and his transfer order will come soon. There’s so much backlog to clear before he leaves; he can hardly keep his feet on the ground, let alone make time for home…”
The Eldest Master made a show of looking chagrined. “I’m in no position to lecture the eldest either. Lately, I’ve been so swamped I can barely manage my own affairs, with no time to keep Mother company. And with Second Master and his wife away…” He turned to the Eldest Madam. “You’ll have to take on more responsibility. When you have a moment, have the younger generation come keep Mother company.”
The Eldest Madam played along seamlessly. “There’s no need for you to worry about that.”
“Good,” he replied. “Since you already understand, that’s enough. With Second Master away from the mansion and Old Third having just taken a new wife, she’s likely still unfamiliar with many things here. We are one family; harmony is paramount. If there are any difficulties, be attentive and offer your support.”
The Eldest Master pretended ignorance of the recent events in the household, and this statement served as a gesture of goodwill toward Wen Shuse.
The underlying message was clear: family should not drift apart.
The main matter of the day had yet to be broached, and the Eldest Madam understood what was at stake. She replied, “You focus on your own affairs. Everything is perfectly fine here, no need for your concern.”
That single phrase, “everything is perfectly fine,” smoothed over everything neatly, neither exposing nor condemning Wen Shuse. Outwardly, it showed her to be gracious and tactful, even protecting the younger woman.
But among the younger generation, her restraint sparked quiet resentment. The First Young Lady was on the verge of speaking up, ready to tell her father that the so-called “new wife” had been far too comfortable since arriving, treating the Xie Mansion as her own and even dissolving the accounts office entirely.
Just then, a sharp glance from the Eldest Madam cut her off, and the young lady swallowed her words in silence.
He had already given the gesture of goodwill he meant to give.
After circling around for so long without getting to the real issue, the Eldest Madam grew impatient and decided to speak plainly. Turning toward Xie Shao, she said, “You must already know, Old Third, that your eldest brother will soon be departing for the Eastern Capital to assume his new post. Ever since your father returned to Fengcheng, our Xie family has had no relatives left in the capital. Once your brother arrives there alone, he’ll be a stranger in every direction. I thought that if he had a stable place to stay, everything else would be easier. I’ve already made some inquiries and the rent in the Eastern Capital is outrageously high. Long-term leasing isn’t cost-effective. It would be better to buy a property there.”
Here it comes…
Wen Shuse drew in a deep breath, her expression sharpening immediately.
They had already agreed beforehand, and Xie Shao should know exactly how to respond. But as the seconds dragged on and he still didn’t say a word, her heart sank. Abandoning all pretense of decorum, she turned her head sharply and fixed her gaze on him.
If he softens now, he’s utterly spineless.
Xie Shao was, in fact, weighing his options, wondering whether to cover for the eldest branch or stand firm. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught his young wife’s stare, so intense it could bore a hole straight through him. Forget it. He lifted a hand to his brow and said lazily,
“I’m not one for managing household affairs. I’ve always been idle by nature. These days, everything’s handled by Shuse. So, Aunt, if there’s anything to discuss, best speak with her directly.”
As expected, he was completely under his new wife’s thumb. The vixen had him wound around her finger; what opinion could he possibly still hold for himself?
Eldest Master Xie and the Eldest Madam exchanged a brief glance, each instantly understanding the other’s thoughts. The Eldest Madam seethed inwardly at his uselessness, but what could she do? The silver was in their coffers, and the wife managing the household purse was, after all, only proper and expected.
Remembering what had happened a few days earlier, the Eldest Madam felt a faint unease toward this Third Young Madam. She was wary of embarrassing herself in front of everyone again, so for the moment, she avoided looking in Wen Shuse’s direction.
But before the Eldest Madam could even speak, Wen Shuse took the initiative, “What a coincidence. My uncle’s family from the Wen Mansion also moved to the Eastern Capital not long ago. Just a few days back, the Eldest Young Lady mentioned the same matter to me and even went over the numbers. She said that a decent house in the capital costs about ninety strings of cash per year to rent, while buying one outright is only around a thousand. She also said that land in the Eastern Capital is worth its weight in gold, and prices rise by the day. So buying is far wiser than renting. It seems, Aunt, that you and she share the very same view.”
Her words caught the Eldest Madam completely off guard. For a moment, she just stared, then her expression softened, almost relieved. “Exactly! So even Shuse agrees…”
Wen Shuse smiled. “Indeed. Which is why I’ve decided to send someone to the Eastern Capital to purchase a house. When the Eldest Young Master arrives, he can simply rent mine. We’re all family; it’s better for the rent to stay within our own hands than to let outsiders profit. What does the Eldest Young Master think of this arrangement?”