The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 30
Xie Shao pretended not to hear a single word. His steps practically flew as he crossed the corridor and rounded the corner. Only when he could no longer hear the young lady’s “pleasant” voice did he grit his teeth and order Minzhang, “Go call Cui Yan and Zhou Kuang. Now.”
Wen Shuse watched his figure disappear quickly beneath the eaves, confusion written all over her face. “Xiangyun, didn’t Old Madam say he loves being an official? Why does he not look happy at all?”
Xiangyun had noticed it too.
How could there be someone who didn’t want to be an official? Did her young lady forget to tell the young master that Madam Zhou said his salary would increase again after autumn?
Anyone who experiences bankruptcy will feel terrible. “So much money gone at once… the young master probably just hasn’t recovered yet. Once he takes a walk outside, he’ll feel better.”
Wen Shuse wasn’t so sure. The way he had stormed off, she suspected he wouldn’t be any better anytime soon.
Biyun, the maid serving the Eldest Madam, had been searching everywhere and finally spotted her here. She let out a long sigh of relief, descended the corridor, and called out from a distance, “Third Young Madam, you’ve certainly led this servant on a merry chase.”
The grain had been sold last night, but how much it sold for, where the money was, and how it was going to be divided? The Eldest Madam still had no idea.
After waiting all night, the Eldest Madam had dragged Eldest Master Xie to the Old Madam’s courtyard first thing in the morning. She demanded that the Old Madam fulfill her promise. In addition to buying a house in the Eastern Capital for Chengji, they needed a sum of silver as well. A house alone was useless—they needed money for renovations, furnishings, decorations, and the daily expenses in the Eastern Capital. Everything required silver.
Moreover, the Eldest Young Lady of the household was currently having her marriage arranged; her dowry needed preparation. The Second Young Lady would have her hair-pinning ceremony next year; that also required funds…
Old Madam Xie listened to her ramble on and on without uttering a single word in response.
Just as Wen Shuse had predicted, acquiring a house was straightforward, but it opened the door to a bottomless pit of demand.
When the Second Master had resigned from his official post and brought his wealth back, the openly declared amount alone was fifty thousand taels of gold. Yet, the recent inventory showed less than twenty thousand remained. In just eight or nine years, little more than a fraction was left.
And they still weren’t satisfied.
At this rate, the second branch would likely be sucked dry within a few years.
Old Madam Xie neither agreed nor refused outright, but her expression was far from pleasant. Seeing this, Eldest Master Xie began to feel guilty. He shot his wife several meaningful glances, urging her to stop talking. One couldn’t become fat with a single bite, pushing now would only make the Old Madam think he was exploiting the Second Master.
But at that moment, the Eldest Madam had eyes only for the money.
She had done rough calculations herself: after selling all that grain, the profit must amount to several hundred thousand taels. Even if they didn’t split it evenly, taking just twenty or thirty percent would still be a substantial sum.
Seeing that the Old Madam remained silent for so long, the Eldest Madam’s heart began to flutter with anxiety. “Mother, you did agree that day…”
Old Madam Xie didn’t respond directly. Instead, she turned and instructed Nanzhi, “Go call Third Young Madam.”
Nanzhi didn’t even need to go call her, because Biyun had already brought her over. The sun was shining outside, and after walking the whole way, Wen Shuse’s cheeks were flushed with a healthy glow. She entered the room, greeted the three of them, then sat down across from the Eldest Madam, looking completely unaware of the situation. With a pleasant smile, she asked, “Aunt, were you looking for me?”
This was exactly what the Eldest Madam feared most — that expression of hers.
Just last night, she had been fretting to Eldest Master Xie, saying she knew perfectly well that Second Wen wasn’t someone easy to handle and was afraid she’d sell the grain and then pretend nothing happened, refusing to give them a single coin.
Eldest Master Xie had told her she was overthinking.
But looking at her now, she clearly was planning to play dumb.
The Eldest Madam’s face immediately changed. She didn’t even bother hiding her intentions. “Third Young Madam sold the grain yesterday, and you still haven’t said anything to the rest of us, have you?”
Wen Shuse saw that this was what the Eldest Madam was referring to, so she nodded. “Yes, the grain was sold.”
And then?
The Eldest Madam waited for her to continue, but Wen Shuse fell silent again.
That was it? Losing patience with her evasiveness, the Eldest Madam asked her directly, “How much silver did it sell for?”
Wen Shuse answered truthfully, “It didn’t sell for silver.”
She really did intend to swallow everything for herself, at least that was how the Eldest Madam saw it. Her temper shot up instantly. “Are you trying to burn the bridge after crossing the river? If the Eldest Master hadn’t stood up for you that day, your grain would’ve been seized by the Luo’an soldiers long before you had the chance to sell it for silver. And now that the money’s in hand, you forget the favor? A person ought to have integrity! You clearly promised that once you made a profit, you’d buy Chengji a house in the Eastern Capital. I haven’t even asked you yet, and already you’re going back on your word! You don’t think about the future? What about Second Master, Second Madam, and the Third Young Master? Do they not matter anymore? Can you guarantee that next time you’re in trouble, you won’t come begging for our help, for the Eldest Master’s help?”
The Eldest Madam grew increasingly agitated as she spoke; by the end of her outburst, her face was flushed red.
Wen Shuse, however, wore an expression of utter helplessness. “Truly, I didn’t sell it for silver.” She lowered her head and pulled the appointment letter from her sleeve, handing it to Old Madam Xie at the head seat. “Grandmother, I actually came today to report this to you as well. Last night, I donated the grain to Madam Zhou and exchanged it for an official post for Husband. Please take a look.”
Be damned!
The Eldest Madam was blown speechless by that single word — donated. Even Eldest Master Xie beside her frowned deeply.
Old Madam Xie took the document and quickly unfolded it. Just like Xie Shao earlier, she read every character carefully, murmuring as she went, “Senior Deputy, concurrently holding the position of… Military Judicial Officer.”
Wen Shuse nodded. “Yes. I donated the Wen family’s grain as well and exchanged it for equal posts for my father and brother.”
Before the Old Madam could react, the Eldest Madam shot to her feet and hurried to Wen Shuse’s side, craning her neck to look at the xuan paper in her hands. The words Appointment Letter stood out boldly, stamped with bright red seals.
Wen Shuse went on, “I originally thought it was just drought and natural disaster. If we stocked grain, we could raise the price a little. Who knew Luo’an would fall short on military provisions, too? The soldiers at the frontline even came door to door begging for grain, and every commoner in the city knew the Wen and Xie families were stockpiling grain. I reasoned that if we didn’t contribute, they certainly wouldn’t either. After thinking it over, rather than selling it and earning money that would weigh on our conscience, it was better to donate it outright. The Wen and Xie families gain official posts and earn a reputable name as well. From now on, Husband will be considered properly entered into officialdom. When he steps into the officialdom in the future, he won’t have to rely on Uncle to pave the way for him every time.”
That appointment letter was something the Eldest Madam read as though blood were dripping from her heart.
Hundreds of thousands of taels… she actually used all that to buy a mere Senior Deputy post…
When she closed her eyes, all she could see was a mountain of gleaming silver being poured into water, a vast heap of grain vanishing into thin air, given away, just like that. She didn’t dare imagine it. Did she simply donate it all?
Everything was gone. The silver in the storeroom, the shops… all gone.
Where did she get the courage?
The Eldest Madam was so furious that she lost all reason. She let out a cold laugh and lashed out through clenched teeth, “When Old Third handed her the storeroom keys, I objected! I had already heard from First Madam Wen that the Second Young Lady Wen was a prodigal spendthrift. But Old Third was bewitched and refused to listen, insisting on letting her manage the household. And now look! The Xie family has been ruined in her hands! A wife like this… our Xie family’s ancestors will never tolerate her…”
She turned to the Old Madam. “As for how to deal with this, Mother, the decision rests with you.”
Even the gold Second Master had saved for his old age had been squandered, surely the Old Madam would not protect her now?
But Old Madam Xie was still staring intently at the document. She read it once, then started over again, her eyes moving back and forth between the words “Xie Shao” and “Ninth Rank.” Her lips were already struggling not to curl upward, threatening to break into a smile. She hadn’t heard a single word of the Eldest Madam’s ranting.
Nanzhi, standing beside her, gently nudged her shoulder. “Old Madam.”
Only then did Old Madam Xie snap back to awareness. Seeing the Eldest Madam stiff-necked and waiting for her to punish Third Young Madam, she hurriedly forced the smile off her face, pressed her lips down, and lifted her head to ask Wen Shuse, “Is it true that everything is gone? The entire family fortune?”
Wen Shuse lowered her head, her guilty expression saying everything without a word.
Old Madam Xie drew a sharp, hissing breath and leaned backward in shock, forcing Nanzhi to catch her quickly. “Old Madam, don’t agitate yourself. Your health is what matters most.”
The Old Madam carefully handed the document to Nanzhi behind her, pressed a hand to her chest, and then turned back to Wen Shuse. “And… what about that silver I gave you from my own private coffers? The emergency funds?”
The First Madam’s eyes widened in disbelief. Good heavens! Had the Old Madam also invested her silver?
Wen Shuse buried her head even deeper.
“It’s gone! Heavens above! Those were my burial money! What am I supposed to do now? They’re all gone! How am I supposed to live from now on…?” Old Madam Xie pounded her chest twice, and the servants rushed forward in a panic. Eldest Master Xie also rose and stepped forward to check on her. “Mother, please, don’t upset yourself… Quick, someone help the Old Madam back to her room!”
The scene descended into complete chaos.
The Eldest Madam stood there, unsure whether she should help or stay out of it, watching helplessly as the servants supported the Old Madam into her room. Only then did she remember, there still hadn’t been a conclusion to this matter.
She turned sharply, glaring at Wen Shuse, about to let loose her anger, when Old Madam Xie’s weak voice drifted out from inside, “Call Old Third’s wife in. I… I want to question her properly.”
Wen Shuse rose, hands folded obediently before her, head bowed, and quietly walked past the Eldest Madam into the inner room.
Eldest Master Xie was busy ordering someone to fetch the imperial physician. After giving instructions, he turned back. Only he and the Eldest Madam remained in the outer room; their gazes met and, in that moment, all their hopes evaporated.
What was there left to expect? Even Old Madam’s coffin savings were gone. That damned little prodigal spendthrift…
Not only were the dowries for the eldest and second young ladies gone, even the house they had dreamed of buying for the Eldest Young Master in the Eastern Capital had vanished into thin air. She had spent days fantasizing about the wealth that would soon be in her hands, only for everything to shatter into nothing. She couldn’t even be bothered to listen to Old Madam crying over her lost silver; she was about to die of anger herself. Dozens… hundreds… of thousands of taels, all gone. And from now on, even the Second Branch’s little “private treasury” was no more.
Her chest felt like it might explode. Completely ignoring whatever mood Eldest Master Xie was in, the Eldest Madam stumbled out of the courtyard in a daze. Halfway down the walkway, she started cursing as she walked, “I told her to sell it earlier, but she just wouldn’t listen! Said to wait, to hold out for a higher price, look at the result! Greedy as a snake trying to swallow an elephant, everything is gone! And what did she get? A Senior Deputy! A ninth-rank sesame-seed official! As if that’s something to treasure! Heaven must be punishing the Xie family, saddling us with such a prodigal spendthrift…”
Eldest Master Xie himself hadn’t expected that this Old Third’s wife would dare act on her own to such an outrageous degree. The Second Master wasn’t at home; if he had been, none of this would ever have happened.
Eldest Master Xie asked his attendant, “Still no news of Second Master?”
“This servant heard today that the courier sent to Quanzhou has returned. The third Young Master should be receiving a letter soon.”
Eldest Master Xie was in no mood for anything. He instructed the servants to take good care of the Old Madam, then followed after the Eldest Madam and left the courtyard.
Inside, the Old Madam was still clutching her chest weakly when Nanzhi lifted the curtain with a smile and said, “Old Madam, they’ve gone.”
Old Madam Xie instantly changed expressions. She sat straight up from the bed and grabbed Wen Shuse’s arm, her voice urgent with excitement. “Quick, bring me that document again. Let me have another look!”
The maid behind them carefully handed the document back to Wen Shuse. Wen Shuse sat beside the Old Madam, leaning close as they looked through it together once more.
Having studied it all night, Wen Shuse could practically recite every character on it by heart. The Old Madam, however, was only just getting excited, and she turned to ask, “Did you show it to him? How did he react?”
Wen Shuse recalled the way he had leapt out of bed in agitation and answered doubtfully, “Husband… didn’t seem to like it very much?”
Old Madam Xie waved this off dismissively, continuing to revel in her own joy. “That’s because he hasn’t been forced into a dead end yet.”
—
Xie Shao, shaken to the core by the sight of the emptied storeroom, left the mansion and immediately headed to Qiao Market with Minzhang, making straight for Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, but before he could even enter, he ran into Cui Nian.
“Brother Xie!”
Xie Shao turned, his expression frosty. He still dared to show his face.
The audacity to target him like this, selling the grain to the Xie family, only for the Xie family to then donate it. The Cui family had profited handsomely over the years in Fengcheng, grown rich enough to be practically oozing wealth. And now, with the country facing hardship, he truly intended to contribute not a single hair?
Beneath that sweeping glare from Xie Shao, Cui Nian seemed to shrink by half. He offered a continuous, apologetic smile. “Brother Xie, it’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding… Let’s find a place to talk this over slowly…”
That was precisely what Xie Shao had in mind.
Xie Shao turned to enter the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, but Cui Nian grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Brother Xie, times have changed. We’d better go somewhere else.”
So, what if his ready cash was gone? The Xie family still owned plenty of shops. Surely, he wasn’t so poor he couldn’t even afford a drink at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion anymore?
Xie Shao ignored him and kept walking. But after only a couple of steps, Cui Nian clutched his arm firmly and dragged him back onto the road. “Brother Xie, I’ve already arranged for food and drink today, just at the teahouse next door. It’s quiet there. We can talk without being disturbed.”
Xie Shao followed the direction of Cui Nian’s pointing finger, the Wen family’s teahouse.
Fine. That would do.
The Wen family’s teahouse specialized in dishes and seafood, specializing in food. There was no pipa music or courtesans. Xie Shao had visited before.
After marrying Wen Shuse, he had visited once more. The shopkeeper at that time had beamed at the sight of him, turned his head, and shouted inside, “The son-in-law is here!” Voices echoing “son-in-law” had rung out one after another. The enthusiasm was overwhelming, and Xie Shao, unused to such fanfare, had never returned since.
Today, however, the moment he stepped inside, the place felt cool and quiet. The previous shopkeeper was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a new face who didn’t seem to recognize him at all, and instead bowed and scraped politely to Cui Yan beside him.
A new shopkeeper not recognizing him was normal enough.
They went upstairs to the second floor. Cui Yan summoned a server and ordered, “Bring out the very best dishes. We’re entertaining Young Master Xie today. And good wine, bring it all, quickly.”
The server bowed deeply. “At once.”
Acting exactly like a shop owner lording over his domain, Cui Yan carried himself with full swagger. He was always like this, and Xie Shao didn’t care to comment. He simply asked, “You sold the grain to Second Wen?”
The inevitable had arrived. Cui Yan sat down across from him, lifting his robe hem carefully. Afraid Xie Shao couldn’t stomach what he was about to say, he started with, “Brother Xie, you were the one who said back then that the Xie household was now under sister-in-law’s management, and that if I had business, I should go to her.”
See? One misstep in strategy, one poor delegation of authority, and he had blocked all his own escape routes.
Xie Shao had nothing to say.
“How much silver did she use?” The treasury and her dowry were both emptied. Presumably, the Cui family’s granaries must’ve been swept clean as well. Cui Yan must have taken advantage of her desperation and squeezed her for everything.
Cui Yan swallowed hard, not daring to answer him outright. Instead, he began recounting the whole grain battle. “To be fair, sister-in-law’s mind is quite sharp…”
“Tch.” Xie Shao turned his head away in open disbelief.
Sharp? Sharp enough to make herself penniless?
Cui Yan couldn’t argue with that. He could only continue slowly, step by step. “The first batch of grain she bought was truly a good deal, a hundred cash per dou of rice. She swept through the rice shops overnight, didn’t even spare the old stock, and nearly snatched the bowl right out of my hands. You know this, Brother Xie, before I could even visit your home, she had already come knocking at mine. The moment she stepped in, she announced she was buying up all the Cui family’s grain. And since you’d already said the household decisions were hers to make, and she insisted on buying… Well, thinking of our brotherly friendship, I reluctantly sold it to her.”
It wasn’t quite as reluctant as he made it sound. She had offered to mortgage the shops to him at a twenty percent discount, but when he refused, Wen Shuse simply went to find someone else.
Cui Yan’s eyes shone with genuine admiration. “Later, the grain prices… Brother Xie, you weren’t in Fengcheng then, so you didn’t see it with your own eyes. Rice went from a hundred cash to six hundred! In just eight or nine days, it rose sixfold. Wheat and beans went up even more, ten times, straight up. It’s clear sister-in-law has a real knack for business. She spotted the opportunity and wanted to make a major trade. That’s why she invested all the Wen and Xie families’ silver and properties into buying grain. It should’ve been a sure win, a guaranteed profit. The plan only went awry because the Luo’an soldiers showed up.”
“Wait a moment.” Xie Shao’s heart lurched. He retraced the earlier words. “What did you just say? What shops?”
This particular blade had to fall eventually. Cui Nian stopped beating around the bush. “The grain sister-in-law bought from me wasn’t paid for with ready silver.” He gently tapped a finger on the wooden table between them. “This teahouse belongs to me now.”
Then, tilting his head, he pointed at the Xie family’s rouge shop diagonally across the street. “That one.” And the powder shop, “That one too.” And the few storefronts further down that couldn’t be seen from here, but in short, “every shop the Wen and Xie families owned was mortgaged to me.”
Cui Nian offered a congenial smile to the young master whose face had frozen solid opposite him. “So, Brother Xie, it’s possible… You are now completely bankrupt.”
The ready cash was gone. The shops were gone… Wasn’t that the very definition of bankruptcy?
Xie Shao stared blankly, unable to react for a long time.
Cui Nian knew he needed time to process this shock and wasn’t sure how to comfort him, so he tried, awkwardly, “Don’t worry, today’s meal is on me, Brother Xie. Everyone faces hard times eventually. Life is unpredictable. The key is learning to adapt. Besides, you’re an official now! From today onward, you are Official Xie. Who knows, this might open up a whole new path for you…”
Xie Shao suddenly shot to his feet. He moved too fast and nearly tripped, catching himself on the corner of the table just in time.
Cui Nian hurriedly rose to support him, offering sympathetically, “Brother Xie, my condolences.”
Xie Shao couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge him. Jaw clenched, face blank with shock, he stumbled out of the teahouse in a daze and started down the stairs.
At that moment, Zhou Kuang and Pei Qing arrived. They swung off their horses, and the instant they saw him rush out with a face ashen as death, they knew he must have already learned everything.
The two of them hurried forward to comfort him.
“Brother Xie…”
“Brother Xie…”
Xie Shao raised a hand to stop them. He didn’t want to hear a word. Just as he had rushed out of the mansion in a frenzy earlier, he now felt the same urgent need to return.
Zhou Kuang, concerned, chased after his horse and called out, “Brother Xie, there’s no need to grieve so deeply! Once you start your official duties, you’ll at least have a monthly salary!”
All he got in return was the view of Xie Shao’s horse’s hindquarters as he stormed away.
He rode like the wind back to the Xie Mansion. The gatekeeper, seeing him return, quickly handed him a letter. “Third Young Master, Second Master just sent this back.”
He took the letter, tore the letter open without thinking, and found only a few large characters on the page: “My son’s will is firm, as your father, I have no fear.”
It was a reply regarding Pei Yuanqiu’s earlier attempt to win him over.
Never mind that the line was as useless as a fart, utterly ineffective, and it had arrived at the worst possible time. If they were counting on him to do something now, the vegetables would have long gone cold.
A sudden thought struck him. He turned and shoved the letter into Minzhang’s hands. “Go tell him that his daughter-in-law has squandered his entire retirement fund of gold. And tell Second Madam her shops are gone too.”
Minzhang, who always obeyed him without question, nodded at once and hurried off.
“Wait.” He stopped Min Zhang again. “Just say she used it all to buy grain, and then donated it.”
“Yes.”
A new daughter-in-law had only just married in, and before she even had the chance to meet her elders properly, he was already sending someone to lodge complaints against her. No matter what the reason, once the two elders heard it, their impression of her would surely sour. That little spendthrift hadn’t even greeted her parents-in-law yet and would already be branded with a bad reputation. How was she supposed to gain a foothold in front of her elders in the future?
The disaster wasn’t hers alone; he bore responsibility too. He pressed a hand to his forehead, then called out, “Forget it… Come back.”
That spendthrift woman was capable of bringing the very sky down around them! He had to question her properly. He needed to find out exactly what, if anything, the Xie family still had left.