The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 28
It was only a matter of time before the troops from Luo’an would come knocking at the Xie family’s door to demand grain. Old Madam Xie summoned the two women to ask their opinions.
Before Wen Shuse could speak, the Eldest Madam cut in firmly, “I absolutely disagree. Our Xie family has already set up more than ten porridge stations in Fengcheng, losing money every day to do good deeds. Helping the common folk of Fengcheng is one thing, but the troops on the Eastern Command battlefield? Those fall under the Crown Prince’s jurisdiction. For them to come here asking us for grain isn’t that ridiculous?”
“A battlefield is a bottomless pit. Who knows how long the fighting will last? Even if we donate a little, it’s no more than a drop in the ocean; it won’t solve anything. The real solution must come from the imperial grain supply.”
These words were exactly what Elder Master Xie had instructed someone to relay to the Eldest Madam. In front of Madam Zhou and the soldier who had arrived, Elder Master Xie had said the very same thing.
Fengcheng was merely a military prefecture. Qingzhou was suffering from drought, and the Prince had not yet returned from distributing disaster relief. Where would they find money to support an army?
The soldier who came introduced himself as Wei, a low-ranking officer, an eighth-rank Military Supervisor in the Eastern Command.
Fully aware that his request was unreasonable, he had come out of sheer desperation. The soldiers at the front could not fight on empty stomachs. Hearing Deputy Commander Xie’s refusal, he knelt before Madam Zhou and pleaded, “I have come today under dire circumstances and apologize for my abruptness. But with the enemy at our gates, our brave soldiers are risking their lives on the battlefield. If you could find any way to gather some provisions, I would be eternally grateful.”
Madam Zhou hurried to help him up, but her concerns were the same as Eldest Master Xie’s. Eastern Command was Crown Prince territory, and drought-stricken Qingzhou was struggling to take care of itself. How could they possibly have extra grain to send as aid?
Yet, with the plea laid directly before her, she could not possibly turn him away empty-handed. “Take half of the grain stores from my residence,” she said.
In present-day Fengcheng, a single peck of rice was hard to come by. The Prince Mansion still had mouths to feed, and offering half was already an act of profound generosity from Madam Zhou.
Seeing her take such a stance, Eldest Master Xie, known throughout the region as a major grain holder, was instantly pushed onto the fire. After thinking it over for a moment, he also pledged, “The Xie family will contribute ten dan of grain.”
Madam Zhou’s gaze subtly narrowed.
She was well aware of the Xie family’s grain hoarding. She had heard that the Third Young Madam had mortgaged the shops of both the Xie and Wen families to buy up all that grain.
At first, she had worried the young woman might throw Fengcheng into chaos. But over the past ten days, the Third Young Madam had neither shipped grain out of the city nor let the common people go hungry.
Not only had the people not starved, but free porridge kitchens had also been set up. Aside from the fact that commoners could no longer easily buy grain, Fengcheng remained much as it had always been. Since Jing Wang took charge of Zhongzhou, he had vigorously promoted trade and always advocated free commerce. As long as Fengcheng was not thrown into disorder, she had no grounds to intervene.
As for how much grain Eldest Master Xie chose to donate, that was the Xie family’s own provisions, and she had no right to interfere.
Both seemed to have offered support to the best of their abilities, yet what they provided would barely make a difference on the battlefield.
Madam Zhou could see the Military Supervisor’s dilemma and said, “Very well, if you can find a way to solicit grain donations from the common people, I will not stand in your way.”
Supervisor Wei bowed in gratitude. Upon leaving the Prince Mansion, he immediately led his men to the city gate, where they stationed themselves to beg grain from the people.
—
Back at the Xie Mansion, Eldest Madam had just managed to reach a firm agreement with Old Madam and Wen Shuse on donating not a single grain. Yet upon receiving Eldest Master Xie’s message, she felt as though a knife had sliced into her flesh.
Ten dan of grain, at current market prices, would have fetched a fortune!
Her heart ached for a long while, but since Eldest Master Xie had already made the promise, she had no choice but to agree.
Wen Shuse raised no objections. She had ten dan of rice brought out and personally accompanied the carts to the city gate.
When they arrived, they saw a large crowd of commoners gathered in the distance, blocking the road completely. Wen Shuse ordered the carriage to stop in a side alley and pushed open the window to look out.
The crowd was in an uproar, noisy and chaotic.
“We don’t even have rice in Fengcheng ourselves!”
“That’s right. Where are we supposed to get anything to donate…?”
“I know it’s hard for everyone,” the man at the front called out, his voice loud and impassioned. “But our Great Feng soldiers are out there on the front lines, shedding blood to protect our homes and our country. We cannot let them fight on empty stomachs! No matter how much or how little, we will accept it all. I, Wei, kneel here first to thank all the elders and villagers!”
With a loud thud, he truly dropped to his knees.
But the crowd did not react with the emotion he had expected. One by one, they shrank back, pulling their necks in and stepping away.
Wen Shuse stopped watching. She let the carriage curtain fall, a sudden chill settling in her heart.
After Jing Wang took charge of Zhongzhou, his heart had always been with the common people. Over the years, he has brought prosperity to Fengcheng, enriching the citizens even at his own expense. Every child on the streets is plump and healthy; the teahouses and taverns are filled with well-fed gentlemen.
Though Qingzhou suffered drought, Fengcheng was spared. Once spring passed and the rice shoots were planted, it would only be a few months until autumn brought another abundant harvest. Which household did not have some grain stored away?
Take those porridge sheds as an example. The first two days after they opened, many people came. But the crowd grew smaller and smaller as days went by. After eating plain porridge for several days, they couldn’t bear it anymore. It was far better to return home to their own fine wine and rich dishes.
The reason grain prices had soared to such heights was simply that hoarders withheld supplies, deliberately driving the price up. If the grain were truly put on the market now, how many people would actually be willing to buy it?
Wen Shuse had the servants deliver the grain, then stepped down from the carriage herself with Xiangyun.
Because of this entire grain-buying frenzy, Wen Shuse had become quite famous in Fengcheng.
In private, the townsfolk had even given her a nickname: Lady Rice.
Wen Shuse squeezed her way through the crowd. Many of the people present recognized her and quickly stepped aside to make way.
Supervisor Wei was still kneeling on the ground. The sky had slowly darkened, casting a layer of dust over his head and shoulders. The youthful vigor that had once lit up the young soldier’s face had gradually dimmed into weariness and disappointment. Just as his spirits sank, he caught sight of a vibrant and strikingly beautiful young lady approaching, and for a moment, he was utterly stunned.
“Get up. Even if you kowtow to them, they still won’t give you anything. Why tarnish the dignity of a soldier?” Wen Shuse signaled the servant behind her to help him up. Then she pointed toward one of the carriages behind her and said, “I came to deliver grain to you.”
When he didn’t respond for a while, she looked up and saw him frozen in place.
Had happiness struck him dumb? Wen Shuse called out to him, “Officer?”
Supervisor Wei snapped back to his senses, hurriedly cupping his hands in apology. “My deepest thanks, young lady. May I ask how to address you?”
Afraid of causing any misunderstanding, he quickly added, “I merely wish to remember your name, so the soldiers will never forget your kindness.”
Before Wen Shuse could reply, one of the nearby townsfolk called out loudly, “She’s our Fengcheng’s Lady Rice!“
“If you want grain, go to her!”
“She’s the Third Young Madam of the Xie family. She holds all the grain in Fengcheng.”
“……”
Supervisor Wei’s face showed clear astonishment.
Having stood there all afternoon, he had naturally heard the townsfolk say that all the grain in the city had been hoarded by the Third Madam of Deputy Envoy Xie’s household. He had imagined her to be an older, matronly figure, never expecting such a young, striking lady.
Since the townsfolk had already introduced her, Wen Shuse couldn’t be bothered to repeat it. She said calmly, “There’s no need for thanks. Earlier, Deputy Commander Xie agreed to provide ten dan of grain to the soldiers. It’s all here.”
Ten dan of grain was nothing more than a drop in the bucket for the Xie family, given how much they had hoarded.
But Deputy Commander Xie had already made his stance clear that he would not give more. Supervisor Wei could not press further.
He offered his thanks once more, but Wen Shuse, however, did not hurry to leave. She had Xiangyun disperse the surrounding crowd, then glanced at the empty space behind him. Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she asked, “You didn’t receive even a single grain?”
Several hours had passed since he left the Prince Mansion, and the sky was nearly dark, yet he hadn’t managed to collect a single grain of rice.
A look of shame crossed Supervisor Wei’s face. “It was my fault for coming so abruptly. I don’t blame the people.”
Wen Shuse fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “What is your rank in the army, Officer?”
Supervisor Wei was taken aback. The young lady’s gaze was fixed on him, filled with unmistakable expectations. Her desire to associate with someone of influence was plain to see. Yet, unlike others, she seemed to wear her ambition openly, without a hint of pretense. There was nothing off-putting about it; instead, it stirred a sense of inadequacy in him, making him almost ashamed to admit his lowly rank.
Supervisor Wei averted his gaze, lowering his eyes as he replied, “I am a Military Supervisor of Zhongzhou, holding the eighth rank.”
The young lady was visibly disappointed. She stared for a moment, then withdrew her gaze from his face and murmured softly, “Oh…”
Her drawn-out tone was laden with disappointment, piercing straight to his heart. In a sudden, inexplicable rush of urgency, Supervisor Wei blurted out, “However, my maternal grandfather is Commander General of the Garrison Army, General Yang of the current court.”
In the past, he hated when others credited his achievements to his family background. That was why he didn’t remain in the Eastern Capital but instead went to Luo’an in Dongzhou, never once revealing his identity. Even earlier, before Madam Zhou, he had only mentioned the title “Commander General,” not that it referred to his own grandfather.
Yet now, fully aware that the young lady before him sought to align herself with influence and status, he found himself willingly disclosing his family ties.
As expected, the young lady’s eyes lit up again. “What rank is that?”
Supervisor Wei smiled. “Second rank, first class.”
The young lady was just as straightforward. “As it happens, I actually still have quite a bit of grain left.”
Supervisor Wei’s expression grew solemn. “If the young lady can relieve the soldiers’ urgent crisis, the entire army will be indebted to you. When we return victorious, I will personally report it before the court and see that your contribution is recorded.”
“Really?” Wen Shuse was completely unreserved. “Can your words actually make a difference?”
Supervisor Wei immediately understood what she meant. Straightening his posture, he replied earnestly, “I am Wei Mo, eldest son of the Wei family of the Eastern Capital. Should I ever renege on my word, you are welcome to seek me out and hold me accountable.”
Receiving official recognition was an unexpected bonus, but the immediate situation took priority. Wen Shuse said, “Although the grain belongs to me, this is Fengcheng, the fief of the Jing Wang. If you wish to transport the grain out, you must accompany me to see Madam Zhou. Rest assured, Officer Wei, the Central and Eastern Provinces are part of the same nation, both territories of our Great Feng. The Prince has always prioritized the welfare of the people and will not allow soldiers to be stranded on the battlefield due to a lack of provisions.”
—
More than an hour later, Wen Shuse emerged from the Prince Mansion.
The sky had long since darkened. Inside the carriage, she spread out three official documents and held them close to the lantern, reading each word carefully. The more she read, the more satisfied she grew.
Xiangyun couldn’t read, but seeing her mistress’s grin stretching ear to ear, she too couldn’t help grinning along with her and couldn’t help sighing with emotion. “Those two madams were always saying the family couldn’t get by without someone in officialdom, afraid we wouldn’t be able to protect our family in the future. Little did they know that silver could be traded for official appointments. Well, look at us now… Miss has secured three at once. From here on, we won’t have to rely on anyone. We’ll be the officials ourselves, making our own decisions. When Second Master and Third Young Master come back this time, we’ll never have to go back to Fuzhou again.”
A single sheet of paper, with just a few characters added and a bright red seal stamped on it, had become something entirely different.
Back when Eldest Master Wen’s appointment letter arrived, the eldest branch had treasured it like a priceless gem, not even allowing her a glance. She had resented their stinginess back then, but now she understood.
It truly was something rare and precious.
These past ten days, Wen Shuse had not been as calm as she appeared on the surface; each day had been filled with tension and anxiety. Now that everything had gone as wished, her heart soared high among the clouds. She asked Xiangyun, “Do you think they’ll like it?”
“The Second Master and Third Young Master will definitely like it.” But as for Third Young Master… Xiangyun wasn’t quite sure of his temperament, though it didn’t seem important. “Who wouldn’t want to be an official? Third Young Master will like it too.”
As for Xie San, Wen Shuse wasn’t particularly worried. She had previously asked Old Madam Xie, who said, “How could he not like it? Look at him bustling about all day, never staying still. Isn’t he just cut out for the life of an official?”
But her father and third brother were different. Their passions lay in the open seas; they were used to roaming free. Whether they’d be willing to stay put in Fengcheng without going anywhere was uncertain.
Grandmother was getting old, and the eldest branch had moved to the Eastern Capital. Since they couldn’t leave this time anyway, securing official posts for them to settle down steadily in Fengcheng seemed ideal.
Just then, the carriage passed through the bustling night market. The Qiao Market was most lively after dark, with splendid lights from the buildings occasionally filtering into the carriage. Teahouses and taverns were filled with scholars and poets.
Suddenly, a rich aroma drifted in, and Wen Shuse couldn’t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva.
Xiangyun smelled it too. “It smells like stir-fried clams. Are you hungry, Miss? Shall I go buy some? You’ve always loved…”
Bringing it up only made Wen Shuse more aware of the blandness on her tongue.
Xiangyun pushed open the carriage window and had just lifted the curtain to tell the driver to stop when Wen Shuse caught her by the arm and said weakly, “We’re completely broke now. “We can’t afford such things.”
Xiangyun turned back, her eyes filled with sympathy. “Miss, you’re truly remarkable.”
But the truth was, her lady was far from bankrupt.
Though others didn’t know, Xiangyun had been by Wen Shuse’s side all these days and saw everything clearly; her young lady had hardly spent any money at all.
At first, when the grain collected from the shops came in, the prices hadn’t risen yet. Whether it was new rice or old, her young lady bought everything at a flat rate of one hundred cash.
Later, when it came to the Cui family’s rice, her young lady didn’t pay in silver at all. Instead, she mortgaged shops and teahouses belonging to the Xie and Wen families.
What dazzled people most was the way the price soared afterward. In the later batches she purchased, rice alone had risen to six hundred coins per unit, six times the original price, and that wasn’t even counting the wheat.
No one had any idea what price she had bought at, or how much she had actually purchased.
In truth, she hadn’t bought very much.
After the first price jump, no one wanted to sell grain. By the third or fourth day, when the prices skyrocketed, some commoners couldn’t resist anymore and tried selling a little. Her young lady bought everything according to the going rate, and the moment she finished buying, she immediately raised the price again.
When several farming households learned that the price had climbed another thirty coins right after they sold, their intestines practically turned green with regret. Soon, no one was willing to sell at all.
The grains that were carried into the mansion were merely moved from one warehouse to another. While artificially inflating grain prices, she simultaneously raised the cost of the existing stock in the warehouses.
When everything was calculated in the end, aside from the ten thousand taels spent at the very beginning to purchase rice from the shops, the only things she truly “lost” were the Wen and Xie families’ shops and teahouses that had been mortgaged.
Spending ten thousand taels in silver plus teahouses and shops in exchange for three official positions, how could that not be worth it?
While the shops and teahouses remained under the control of the Wen and Xie families, they had become nothing more than lifelines for a bunch of parasites. Rather than letting those assets rot away, it was far more practical to use them to secure official positions.
Today, her young lady had sent Aunt Qing off with a full five hundred thousand taels of silver in her bundle, enough to buy several properties in the Eastern Capital. In the future, those would bring in steady, reliable profits. Wasn’t that far better than any teahouse or shop?
The only downside was that her young lady’s poor mouth would have to suffer some grievances from here on.
Xiangyun’s heart ached for her young lady. “Honestly, what’s the point of these people eating so much so late at night? By tomorrow, their bellies will probably be another inch wider.”
Wen Shuse: …
—
When the Eldest Madam Xie learned that Wen Shuse had gone to the Prince Mansion right after delivering the grain, her heart felt as if set ablaze, consumed with anxiety. She could neither sit still nor rest easily.
“What do you think she went to the Prince Mansion for?”
“Would Madam Zhou forcefully requisition something?”
“No, this won’t do. You need to go to the Prince Mansion and take a look. Find out what’s going on…”
Eldest Master Xie had been exhausted these past few days, and hearing her go on and on ignited his temper. “What are you so anxious about? She’s a grown woman. The Wen and Xie families’ shops and teahouses have all been mortgaged. Do you think she’d let anyone take advantage of her?”
That was true enough.
But the Eldest Madam still couldn’t rest easy. She had Biyun bring a lantern and personally went to wait at the gate. After the time it took for half a stick of incense to burn, she was pacing back and forth in front of the screen wall when she finally heard movement from the alley.
Biyun, standing on the stone steps, was the first to spot the approaching lights. She quickly turned back to report, “Madam, she’s returned.”
The Eldest Madam stepped out to the entrance and saw a large group of people approaching from a distance. Only when they came close did she realize that she recognized the soldiers from the Jing Wang’s mansion, but the few men in armor beside them were complete strangers.
The Eldest Madam’s heart leaped into her throat. As soon as Wen Shuse stepped down from the carriage, she hurried forward and grabbed her. “What happened? What’s going on?”
Wen Shuse smiled. “All the grain has been sold.”
The Eldest Madam froze in disbelief.
Wen Shuse didn’t bother explaining further. She turned back and called to Supervisor Wei and the Prince Mansion’s men behind her. “There’s too much grain. It’s all stored inside the residence. I’ll have to trouble you to carry it out yourselves.”
When the Eldest Madam saw the whole group filing into the compound to carry the grain away, her heart twisted with discomfort. She blamed Wen Shuse for not discussing it with her or Eldest Master Xie beforehand, going off on her own to seek out Madam Zhou.
But the grain was already sold. It was too late for regrets. Swallowing her frustration, she pressed further, “At what price did you sell it?”
Wen Shuse thought for a moment, then replied, “At a sky-high price.” And indeed, three official appointments, were that not a sky-high price?
Once grain prices shot up, Eldest Madam had already realized that in Fengcheng, aside from the Cui family, the only one who could afford to buy such large quantities of grain was Madam Zhou.
Hearing the words “sky-high price” lifted her spirits somewhat. But when she glanced at the empty alley behind them, another doubt arose. “When will the payment be made?”
“It’s already been paid.”
At today’s grain prices, the silver from selling this much grain would require at least a dozen carriages to transport.
Eldest Madam was puzzled, wondering if the payment hadn’t been brought back because it was too late. She turned, intending to ask for more details, but saw that Wen Shuse had already stepped into the corridor and didn’t follow further. Instead, she hurried back to her room to discuss with Eldest Master Xie how to divide the silver. After all, if Eldest Master Xie hadn’t protected the grain on her behalf in front of Madam Zhou, how could she have possibly kept it? Now that the grain was sold and profits were made, surely they couldn’t just give her a single property in the Eastern Capital. They ought to share a portion of the silver.
—
There was simply too much grain. Wen Shuse summoned the mansion’s servants to help with the move, and every available carriage in the mansion was brought out.
The carriages from the Prince Mansion arrived one after another at the entrance. In a little over an hour, all the grain had been loaded.
Wen Shuse escorted Supervisor Wei outside and pointed to the frontmost carriage. “I noticed you and your soldiers haven’t eaten all day. I put some food and water inside. Eat on the road later. You can’t fight on an empty stomach.”
Providing help in times of need, unlike offering mere decoration in times of plenty, carries far greater weight and touches the heart more deeply. Had it not been for this young lady, not only would he have returned empty-handed, but he and his soldiers would likely have gone hungry as well.
Supervisor Wei’s expression turned solemn. He cupped his hands and bowed to her. “Young Lady, the kindness you have shown me is one I shall never forget. If you ever face any difficulty in the future, come to me without hesitation.”
Now that she’s an official, she’s suddenly concerned about her reputation. Wen Shuse straightened her back and declared, “Supervisor Wei, there’s no need for thanks. When the nation faces trouble, every citizen has a duty to contribute. This is merely our obligation.”
—
A few days after the rebellion had been quelled, Zhou Kuang left the city to meet Xie Shao and Pei Qing, returning only today.
As the three men rode through the city gates on horseback, they were met by a brightly lit scene. Carriage after carriage loaded with grain formed a long queue that occupied the entire roadway.
Madam Zhou was also present, standing beside a carriage at the front of the line, speaking with Supervisor Wei. “So you’re Imperial Consort Yang’s nephew? Child, why didn’t you say so earlier…”
Her demeanor had grown significantly warmer compared to her attitude that noon.
Wei Mo hadn’t expected Madam Zhou to be an old acquaintance of his aunt, Consort Yang. “I owe much to your kindness on this trip, Madam Zhou.”