The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 33
In the past, he had feasted on delicacies from land and sea with never a dish repeated in a single day. How could he ever have cared about something as simple as a piece of braised beef? Yet just days ago, he had traveled to Qingzhou, enduring the wind and dew, living on dry buns for several days. Even in his dreams, he yearned for the fine food and wine of Fengcheng. But when he returned home, his family had suddenly gone bankrupt. The life he once knew was gone for good. The restaurants still served fine wine and dishes, but he could no longer afford them. As the smell of meat reached his nose, his stomach tightened, and it would be a lie to say he wasn’t tempted.
Then he looked at the young lady. Though she held the braised beef out to him, her gaze lingered on it, unable to look away.
He had heard about the Wen family’s circumstances. The Second Master Wen managed the family’s finances, while Eldest Master Wen served as an official, much like his own Xie family. The eldest branch, too, was known for taking without giving. This time, even the Wen family had not escaped the wave of bankruptcy. What good could come from her returning to the Wen family to borrow money today?
Compared to the Xie family’s eldest branch, the piece of meat offered by the young woman seemed especially heartfelt and sincere.
She may have squandered the family fortune, but at least she wasn’t an ungrateful or selfish person who hoarded everything for herself.
True feelings reveal themselves in times of hardship, a small comfort amidst misfortune.
As a grown man, how could he possibly snatch food from a young lady? Xie Shao took a deep breath, trying to block out the enticing aroma, when suddenly he paused, sensing something oddly familiar about the scent. His gaze returned to the paper-wrapped bundle in her hand, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “Where did you buy this?”
The young lady didn’t hide a thing, looking back at him with bright, clear eyes. “Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.”
Xie Shao’s eyelids twitched.
The young lady continued, “I heard from Nanny Fang that your favorite place is the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion. So today I pawned my jewelry and went there specially to buy you braised beef. Oh, there’s also wine.”
Her face lit up with excitement as she lowered her head, like a magician performing a trick, and pulled out two jars of wine from beneath her wide sleeves. The delicate white-porcelain bottles swayed before his eyes as she flashed him a proud smile. “Do you know what wine this is? The waiter at Drunken Fragrance Pavilion said it’s their very best. It’s called Drunken Immortal. I even tasted a sip myself, and it’s truly fragrant. The only thing is… the price is a little high. One flask costs a hundred taels of silver. But luckily, the money I got from pawning today was just enough…”
After all the shocks of the past few days, Xie Shao’s legs nearly gave out.
Just last night, he had wandered the streets with only a few taels of silver in his pocket, unable to afford the fine wine he longed for. Yet here she was, having bought it back.
A hundred taels.
And on top of that, a piece of braised beef.
She truly spared no expense.
Just how blind had he been back then to think she could manage a household? When it came to squandering a fortune, he was afraid even he couldn’t match the young woman before him.
But in the end, she had sold her own jewelry, so he had no right to say a word. “You eat. I’m going out for a bit.”
This couldn’t go on. He had to go find Cui Nian first and see if he could line up some work.
Yet the young lady was determined to share both joy and hardship with him. Even as he walked away, she called out stubbornly to his retreating back, “If you won’t eat, I won’t eat either. I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Unaware of his master’s inner turmoil, Minzhang was genuinely moved. He turned to look at Xie Shao and offered his first comment about their new young madam, “Master, Madam is truly a woman of loyalty and feeling.”
Though when it came to spending, she was rather unrestrained, perhaps even more so than the master himself.
Over a hundred taels of silver… while the master had less than one tael on him.
Xie Shao had no mind to reply, already feeling lightheaded and weak-limbed from the familiar, intoxicating scent of wine and meat.
Once the master and servant had been out of sight, Xiangyun hurriedly took two steps back, pinching her nose with one hand while clutching her stomach with the other. She tilted her head back and rolled her eyes, pleading, “Miss, please wrap it up quickly. I can’t take it anymore. I’m too full, and the greasy smell is making me queasy.”
Today, Wen Shuse really did return to the Wen household, and just as she said, she didn’t get a single bite of food there.
As soon as news of the Xie family’s bankruptcy broke, Madam An, the Eldest Madam Wen, was utterly stunned.
She had known about Wen Shuse buying grain a few days earlier. She also knew that Wen Shuse had mortgaged several of Second Master Wen’s teahouses to the Cui family. Once grain prices rose, Madam An had reacted exactly like the Eldest Madam Xie, calculating daily how much silver she could ask Old Madam Wen for, so she might buy a property in the Eastern Capital. She had wanted to find an opportunity to meet with the Eldest Madam Xie as well, to ask what her plans were. But before she had even managed to arrange a meeting, a single night passed, and all the Wen family’s teahouses and shops were gone. Even the funeral savings Old Madam Wen had originally planned to give her had vanished.
All that grain had been donated to the battlefield by that good-for-nothing spendthrift.
Madam An was so furious that her vision darkened. She had spent the last two days cursing Wen Shuse. Today, when the young woman finally returned, before Madam An could even question her, Wen Shuse had the nerve to ask to borrow money first. Madam An, already simmering with pent-up anger, erupted at the request. With no concern for the presence of Old Madam Wen, she scowled and launched into a tirade.
“I’ve long known that our precious Second Young Lady is extravagantly generous. She squandered the eldest young lady’s dowry first, and Mother worried constantly that with such a wasteful nature, she’d never marry into a good household—so she went as far as stealing the eldest young lady’s marriage for her! And what came of it? Mother fretted for nothing. Not even a month after marrying, she not only blew through her husband’s wealth, but she also managed to ruin her own maiden family along the way.
“As for the household expenses for Mother and the rest of the family going forward, I have no idea where we’ll find the means. How could I possibly have any money to lend you? If you still care for your family at all, do us a favor and don’t drag us down with you.”
Father and third brother spent who-knows-how much silver over the years, only to raise a pack of ungrateful wolves.
Now that I’ve fallen on hard times, all I get in return is being called a burden.
Even though I already knew what kind of people they were, hearing such words with my own ears still cuts deep.
All the more convinced that her choice had been the right one. Wen Shuse replied with perfect calm, “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Aunt. Those items my father specifically sent back for me, how could they possibly have become the Eldest Young Lady’s dowry? She has her own father and mother. As her uncle, my father had no obligation to prepare a dowry for her. Even if I were squandering wealth, I would only be squandering the money my father earned. It’s only right for him to scold me; there’s no need for you to feel distressed on his behalf.
“I came to borrow money today because I believed that after all these years of support my father and Third Brother have provided your family, now that his daughter is in trouble, it was only right that you should lend a helping hand. It seems, however, that I was thinking too simplistically. Clearly, not everyone is as kind-hearted as my father and Third Brother, who genuinely considered us family.”
Disappointed and heartbroken, Wen Shuse had no desire to stay any longer. “Rest assured, Aunt, I won’t take a single coin from you today. I have already purchased official posts for both my father and my Third Brother. From now on, each of us will hold our own official position and earn our own keep. It would be best if everything were clearly separated…”
Before Eldest Madam Wen could even react, Wen Shuse finished speaking and rose to leave the Wen Mansion.
Behind her, Madam An snapped back to her senses, a mixture of bafflement and indignation on her face. She turned at once to lodge a complaint with Old Madame Wen. “See? She’s already squandered the whole family fortune, and yet she… she still acts like she’s in the right!”
Old Madam Wen’s expression remained placid. “Since you didn’t lend her a single coin, don’t you think saying all this makes you look guilty?”
When it came to feeling guilty, the Eldest Madam Wen did, in fact, have some. The money that the young lady had squandered was only a portion of Second Master Wen’s assets in Fengcheng; he still had property in Fuzhou. And with the fishing off-season approaching, he should have earned quite a bit of money.
But asking her to take out silver, no matter what, the Eldest Madam simply could not bring herself to do it.
Hadn’t the girl already married into the Xie family?
Even if Second Master Xie wasn’t at home, there was still the Eldest Master Xie, the Deputy Commander of Fengcheng, earning several thousand taels of silver a year in salary. Surely that was more than enough to support the entire household. How could it possibly be that a newlywed daughter-in-law would be left starving?
Little did she know that the Xie family’s main branch was no different from the Wen family’s main branch. Wen Shuse and Xie Shao had already gone hungry together for two days.
Her mouth and stomach felt utterly hollow, and even her dreams were haunted by the fragrance of meat.
This morning, she truly couldn’t bear it any longer. Using her visit to the Wen family as an excuse, her real goal was to slip away to Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.
The Wen family’s teahouse had already been handed over to the Cui family, and the current proprietor was the Cui family’s eldest son, Cui Nian. She could no longer set foot there. Among Fengcheng’s various tea houses, Drunken Fragrance Pavilion was known for its diverse and mixed crowd. With so many unfamiliar faces coming and going, no one would pay her any particular attention.
The mistress and maid both put on veiled hats before entering the building. Braised beef, mutton hotpot… her lady nearly ordered the entire menu of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion today. After two days of eating nothing but plain food, the two of them were ravenous enough to feel as though they could devour an entire cow. They ate until the food was practically stuck in their throats, unable to swallow another bite. Only then did her lady instruct them to wrap up the remaining piece of braised beef. As for the two jars of Drunken Immortal Wine, Wen Shuse had paid extra silver for those specifically.
She hadn’t lied; the two jars of that wine really did cost two hundred taels.
After all the running around today, pawning off her jewelry had only brought in two hundred taels. And now, after buying those two jars of wine, she once again did not have a single coin left.
But now that she had found a way to start anew, she no longer felt worried. Wrapping the paper around the braised beef, she handed it to Xiangyun. “I can’t eat anymore. Save it for him tonight.”
___
On the third day of his bankruptcy, Xie Shao once again sought out Cui Nian.
Compared to the agitation he had shown when the blow first landed, he now appeared completely composed, though a distinct air of destitution clung to him. Cui Nian’s gaze held sympathy. “Brother Xie, rest assured. While I may not be able to help much with money, providing three meals a day is no trouble at all. If you find yourself with nowhere to go, just come eat at my teahouse. You can put it on my account.”
Xie Shao did not accept the kindness. “Do I look like a beggar?”
Though the man was so poor he couldn’t even afford a meal, that arrogant, noble air of his still managed to loom over Cui Nian. Cui Nian shook his head. “No, you don’t.”
Xie Shao got straight to the point. “Got any work?”
Cui Nian was taken aback. “What kind of work are you looking for, Brother Xie?” A glint of understanding suddenly lit his eyes, and he leaned in closer. “See, I always said, who else in Fengcheng could possibly match your capabilities, Brother Xie? It’s impossible for someone like you to be knocked down by a single failure.” He eagerly asked, “What business are you thinking of starting? Do you need to borrow money? We’re brothers, I’ll only charge you half a string of cash in interest per month.”
Xie Shao: ……
Just as Minzhang had predicted, this was clearly heading towards getting him further into debt.
This man was obviously unreliable. Since their paths diverged, there was no point in collaborating. After getting a free meal, Xie Shao stepped out of Cui Nian’s teahouse only to run headlong into Zhou Kuang and Pei Qing.
Compared to Cui Nian, Zhou Kuang was far more straightforward. He stepped forward and handed over a pouch of silver. “I was just on my way to your mansion to find you. Since you took that trip to Qingzhou for me last time, this is for your travel expenses.”
With only a single tael of silver left in his own pocket, Xie Shao was indeed in need. He accepted it.
Zhou Kuang walked beside him, unwilling to let the matter drop. “Brother Xie, when do you plan to start your official duties?” The silver in the pouch wasn’t much, just ten taels. It was a drop in the bucket and wouldn’t solve his current predicament. He added, “As for the salary, we can still discuss it.”
Xie Shao repeated his usual line. “I have no interest in being an official.”
Zhou Kuang didn’t press further. “Alright then. If Brother Xie encounters any difficulties, just tell me anytime.”
After saying this, he glanced at Xie Shao, leaned in closer, and lowered his voice. “I heard Sister-in-law returned to the Wen family today and apparently came out crying. She must be truly desperate that she even pawned her jewelry.”
Xie Shao: ……
“If you’re facing any hardships, Brother Xie, please don’t stand on ceremony with me. If a young lady finds herself lacking hairpins and ornaments, wouldn’t it also reflect poorly on her husband?”
Not a single helpful suggestion was offered, just another stab to the heart.
In the end, it was Pei Qing who proved slightly more dependable. “Brother Xie, didn’t you always have excellent penmanship? I always thought it was a waste before, but now it could actually come in handy. Why not earn some money by copying books to get through this difficult period first?”
___
The family had already gone bankrupt, and he had no mood to linger outside. As the sun began to sink in the west, he returned to his courtyard. The moment he stepped through the gate, he heard the voices of two young ladies.
The Eldest Young Lady Ming, Ming Wanrou, had come.
She had only just arrived and was standing in front of the room, holding Wen Shuse’s hands and looking her over from head to toe. “You don’t seem to have lost any weight.” Then she complained, “Such a huge matter, and you didn’t tell me? If I hadn’t learned you went back to the Wen family to borrow money today, I wouldn’t have believed you’d gone bankrupt.” Unaware of the newcomer behind her, she continued, “Last time you told me that Third Xie was a wastrel, but now it seems that’s not the case at all. Clearly, you’re the one who squandered his family’s wealth.”
Wen Shuse, who also seemed not to have noticed the young man who had entered, wore a look of heartfelt remorse. “Please, don’t remind me. I’m already filled with regret. Two days of hunger, and my guts are twisting with it. What am I supposed to do from now on?”
Ming Wanrou straightened her shoulders, displaying her strong sense of loyalty. “Don’t worry. As long as I have a bite to eat, you won’t go hungry. I’ll take care of you.”
“You make it sound so simple. How are you going to take care of me? It’s not just my own mouth now. If you take care of me, what about Third Xie? Surely you don’t mean you’ll take care of him too…”
Ming Wanrou didn’t hesitate. “Of course I can. It’s just three meals a day, just an extra mouth to feed.”
Wen Shuse shook her head. “I know you genuinely want to help, but please, never say that in front of Third Xie. What man in this world doesn’t value his pride? Not only can’t he support his own wife, but he can’t even support himself, and has to rely on a friend’s charity. How is that any different from begging? Isn’t that just plainly saying he’s useless, slapping him right in the face?”