The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 40
He had thought he might finally find someone to share in his misery, to be wretched together. Yet as the other couple left for another place, the only one left wallowing in misery was still him.
Zhou Kuang’s expression was no different from the night before, stiff and awkward. He stepped forward to greet the two of them. The mynah bird by the gate, perhaps hearing familiar voices, began mimicking, “Brother Xie, Brother Xie…”
It broke some of the tension. Zhou Kuang turned and laughed, scolding jokingly, “Why not call him Third Master anymore?”
Before Xie Shao was married, the group often visited the garden, where Xie Shao would treat them with fine wine and dishes. To them, anyone with money was a “master,” so behind his back, they had taken to calling him Third Master.
The mynah, ever obliging, immediately croaked out, “Third Master, Third Master…”
Zhou Kuang stepped closer to play with the clever creature, but as he was about to enter the house, Xie Shao stopped him. “Let’s talk outside.”
Things were different now. The east room was already occupied, the young lady’s room where no outside man should enter. As for his own side room… letting anyone in would risk exposing the truth.
Before marriage, they had roughhoused freely, even slept in the same room at times. But now that he was married, with a wife by his side, it was no longer appropriate to invite others inside.
Zhou Kuang snapped out of his thoughts, turned, and stepped down from the entranceway.
Xie Shao led him to the pavilion by the artificial rockery near the lake, where one could look up and see the half-moon bridge arching over the water. With such scenery before them, the heart eased, and even conversation could be carried on calmly.
One crucial point was that there was a stretch of artificial rockery behind them, perfect for someone to conveniently lend an ear.
Sure enough, the young lady was quite pleased with his arrangement. From a distance, she shot him a series of exaggerated winks. Who knew how she managed it, one eye wide open, the other squeezed shut, the corner of her mouth curling upward as she scrunched her face, all in a split second. The look she sent over was anything but innocent. Xie Shao’s heart skipped a beat; it was as if that stray lock of hair from yesterday was once again teasing at his heartstrings. He hurriedly turned his head away, no longer daring to look at that troublemaking young lady.
Wen Shuse’s show of affection went unanswered. Though a bit disappointed, she didn’t take it to heart. “You keep the heir company for a while, Husband. I’ll go check on Miss Ming.”
Ming Wanrou had arrived at the Xie Mansion right on schedule. The moment she stepped down from the carriage, her courage faltered. She turned to her maid and asked, “Does this seem appropriate?”
The maid reassured her, “Don’t worry, Miss. The Second Madam is here.”
At the mention of Wen Shuse, Ming Wanrou indeed steadied herself. She stepped forward to announce herself to the gatekeeper and asked him to pass along the message. The gatekeeper smiled and said, “Please come in, Young Lady Ming. Shizi Zhou entered the residence just a moment ago. The Third Madam is already waiting for you.”
Hearing that name again sent a fresh wave of nerves through her.
But since she was already here, she couldn’t very well turn back. With trepidation, she crossed the threshold. She had barely stepped onto the long corridor when she spotted Wen Shuse. It was as though she’d seen her savior. She rushed over and grabbed her hand tightly. “He… he really came.”
Wen Shuse snorted. “Who else? We were waiting for you.”
Ming Wanrou grew even more flustered. Taking a deep breath, she clung to her friend’s sleeve. “Gao Xian, maybe… maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all. If he said it was a misunderstanding, I believe him. And meeting him now… I don’t even know what to say. It’s too awkward.”
Wen Shuse cursed her for lacking backbone. “How spineless can you be? The other night, you cried your eyes out over this. Now, with just one word from him, you’re ready to forgive and forget?”
Ming Wanrou grimaced. “I just… I don’t have the face to see him.”
“You’re looking at it all wrong. It’s not you who should feel embarrassed—it’s him, Shizi Zhou.” Wen Shuse gave her a firm squeeze of encouragement. “Don’t you want to know what unspeakable difficulty he’s been hiding?”
How could Ming Wanrou not want to know? This concerned her entire future. She had been mulling it over the whole carriage ride here. That day, he had said it all so plainly, then called it a misunderstanding. But where exactly did she misunderstand?
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him… but what if… Her hesitation lingered.
“Come on,” Wen Shuse urged, pulling her along. “With me here, what are you afraid of? That he’ll eat you alive? Today might be your last chance. If you have any doubts or questions, bring them all up. You can’t let shyness ruin your entire life.”
She was right. This was a matter of a lifetime, no room for carelessness. Besides, she still had to arrange a future marriage alliance with Gao Xian for their children.
Like a duck being herded onto a perch, Ming Wanrou followed behind Wen Shuse, not knowing how many turns they’d taken. Passing through the rockery, the pavilion finally came into view.
The two young masters inside the pavilion also caught sight of the young ladies approaching.
The bright morning sunlight fell upon them, illuminating their gauzy short jackets and long, sweeping skirts of vibrant colors. Instantly, the garden scenery seemed to come alive with vivid energy.
No wonder it’s said that young ladies themselves are a sight to behold.
The young lady began winking at him again. Xie Shao, understanding her cue, stepped down from the pavilion promptly.
Ming Wanrou’s gaze met Zhou Kuang’s as well. Unlike last time’s panic and unfamiliarity, his eyes now seemed to hold a thousand tangled emotions, complicated and hesitant. She froze on the spot, instinctively stepping backward, only to be steadied at the waist by Wen Shuse in time.
There was no escape now; she could only steel herself and move forward.
“Third Young Master.” Ming Wanrou lowered her eyes and greeted Xie Shao as he came down. Her steps felt as heavy as if they weighed a thousand catties. Step by step, she inched into the pavilion, then bowed to the young master before her. “Shizi…”
They had met at last; all irrelevant parties needed to withdraw.
Turning toward the rockery, Xie Shao led the way. Seeing how hurried his steps were, with no intention of stopping at all, Wen Shuse, a little taken aback, called softly after him, “Husband, are you truly leaving just like that?”
Xie Shao stopped in his tracks and cast her a sideways glance. “Then what? Stay behind and eavesdrop on other people’s conversations? Don’t tell me you’ve never heard that a gentleman does not listen to what is improper, nor look at what is improper.”
Of course, she’d heard it. She just didn’t believe he wasn’t curious. “Then go ahead, Husband. I’m no gentleman. I’m just a young lady. I have absolutely no interest in knowing what hidden ailment the Shizi might have. I’m only afraid that if the two of them fall out mid-conversation and things turn ugly, I’ll need to step in and stop it.”
Xie Shao: ……
A moment later, another figure had joined beside the young lady against the rockery.
She turned her head to look at the young master with an awkward expression, her gaze frank and open. “If you want to listen, then listen. I won’t laugh at you.”
—
Inside the pavilion, the two of them had already been standing in awkward silence for quite some time.
That brief encounter at the rouge shop, no matter how he thought back on it, he’d never expected things to spiral into a scene like this. Having suffered once and learned his lesson, he absolutely couldn’t rush again. Some matters had to be spoken slowly, carefully. Zhou Kuang gestured toward the stone bench inside the pavilion and invited the young lady before him, “Please, have a seat first.”
Ming Wanrou hurriedly shook her head. “I’m not tired. Shizi should sit first.”
Zhou Kuang wasn’t tired either. Then they would both stand.
He considered how best to begin, then decided straightforwardness was the only way. “The day before yesterday, when I ran into Miss Ming at the rouge shop, we exchanged a few words. Does Miss Ming perhaps have some misunderstanding about me?”
There was a misunderstanding and a rather significant one at that.
But no matter what, Ming Wanrou couldn’t bring herself to say such a thing aloud. She hurriedly brushed it aside. “If Shizi says it was a misunderstanding, then… it was a misunderstanding.”
Zhou Kuang: ……
Her tone made it clear she didn’t believe him. Setting aside all proper decorum, Zhou Kuang suddenly took a step toward her, ignoring the alarm that flashed across her face. He hurried to clarify, “That day, when I spoke of a difficulty at night, it was not that I…” Seeing that the young lady before him looked utterly stunned by his advance, those two words ultimately went unsaid. Instead, he continued, “It’s that I suffer from sleepwalking.”
He went on to explain, “The condition doesn’t act up often, just once in a while. I was worried Miss Ming might be frightened, so I wanted to make things clear before marriage. I never expected Miss Ming to misunderstand my meaning…”
So it turned out to be sleepwalking. Ming Wanrou had heard of it before and didn’t find it particularly frightening, but still… “The way Shizi put it, I…” It was hard not to misunderstand.
Zhou Kuang hadn’t slept well at all the night before. To think that he wasn’t even married yet, and his future wife had already taken him for a eunuch. He’d been itching to find her immediately and explain everything.
Now that he’d finally seen her and cleared things up, she still seemed doubtful. In his anxiety, the words burst out of him without thought, “Whether I’m lying or not, you’ll know on our wedding night. I certainly won’t disappoint Miss Ming.”
He barked it out like a bold declaration, voice loud and ringing.
It was as though all the face he’d lost before had been gathered back in one breath, washing away the humiliation. Taking a deep breath, he practically swelled with pride—only to see that poor Ming Wanrou’s face had already turned scorching red, and she nearly fled the scene in panic.
Then it was Young Master Zhou’s turn. He descended from the pavilion, passed by the rockery with hurried steps, and didn’t linger.
Only when the sounds around them had completely faded did the young master hiding behind the rockery shift and step out. Turning back to look at the young lady behind him, he found her standing there utterly dumbstruck, face flushed and ears burning.
Zhou Kuang’s statement had indeed been… intense. Even the eavesdroppers had been caught in the crossfire. So, he remarked, “Young lady, perhaps in the future you should remember, do not listen to what is improper.”
What a fine armchair strategist after the fact. Who was it just now who’d insisted on sticking around? Wen Shuse snapped irritably, “Husband, don’t be jealous of others. Just focus on your own duties. Sooner or later, you’ll manage to live your own life well enough.”
Before he could even react, the young lady emerged from behind the rockery. With a calm expression, she squeezed past the dazed young master in front of her, lifted her skirt in her hand, stiffened her neck, and walked faster and faster.
That retreating figure looked in no way like someone who had just done a good deed.
Only then did the young master behind her come back to his senses. His voice carried a distinct edge of gritted teeth, and he even called her by her full name, “Wen Shuse, what exactly do you mean by this?”
—
What “hidden ailment”, it was nothing more than sleepwalking. All because the Shizi had left half his words unsaid. Ming Wanrou had cried for an entire night for nothing, not to mention made a whole group of people worry for two full days, only for it all to turn out to be a complete misunderstanding.
After this incident, the marriage between the two was finally set in stone, solid beyond any doubt.
A few days later, word spread that the bride’s wedding attire had been personally promised by Madam Zhou of the Prince Mansion. The Ming family only needed to prepare the dowry; everything proceeded smoothly, and Wen Shuse no longer had to concern herself with it.
Instead, she began worrying about her own elder brother. A maid from the Wen Mansion came to report, “Third Young Master seems to have been coming back in poor spirits these past few times, and he’s even been short-tempered.”
Wen Shuse couldn’t help but feel astonished. Who didn’t know that among the Wen family’s young masters, her brother, Wen Huai, had the most gentle temperament and had never once lost his temper.
What on earth could have sparked such anger?
The maid added, “In front of the Old Madam at home, the Third Young Master seems perfectly normal. It’s only when he returns from the yamen each day that he comes in with a dark face. It’s likely things at work haven’t been going smoothly.”
Wen Shuse thought to herself that his face was already dark enough. Just how much darker could it get?
She had no insight into the affairs of the yamen. To get to the bottom of it, she would have to rely on Xie Shao. Since they had both gotten involved in the matters concerning Miss Ming and Shizi Zhou, they seemed to have grown somewhat closer.
As soon as Xie Shao returned from his duties, Wen Shuse immediately took a plate of rice cakes to the west room. “Husband, the meal will take a while longer. Have a rice cake to tide you over. I made them myself.”
Xie Shao had just finished washing his hands. Turning his head, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. The sun must be rising in the west—she had finally remembered what she’d once said.
And so, the young lady set the rice cakes on his desk with a clink, then leaned in with a smile, pleading, “Husband, can I ask you something?”
So that was it, she had an ulterior motive.
Xie Shao let out a faint, derisive snort. “What is it? Does Miss Ming want to break off the engagement again?”
This man would surely get punched one day because of that mouth of his. Wen Shuse muttered that everything was fine with Miss Ming and went straight to the point. “My brother has only just started his post. Did he run into some particularly thorny case?”
Xie Shao had been about to tell her about it anyway, but seeing how eager she was for answers, he suddenly didn’t feel like making it easy for her. “Tricky matters come up every day. Wen Huai is a man who’s studied at the academy. If he hadn’t insisted on going to sea back then, he’d have sat for the provincial examinations long ago. With his capability, what couldn’t he handle as a mere Registrar and Military Advisor?”
Both of them were ninth-rank, insignificant little officials—who was he laughing at, exactly?
Wen Shuse grumbled inwardly, but her expression remained calm. “My brother’s been away for years and isn’t familiar with Fengcheng. The people at the mansion say he’s looked unwell these past few days. He’s always been steady and composed by nature; this sort of behavior is rare for him. If you don’t know what’s going on, then tomorrow I’ll ask Eldest Young Master. My brother works under him; he should know.”
She hadn’t even had time to stand up when the young master spoke again before her. “Is it because of the case he’s been handling lately?”
Wen Shuse looked up, a strange expression surfacing on her face. “Husband, you know about it?”
“I only just heard about it myself,” Xie Shao said, shifting slightly in his seat, his expression perfectly composed. “So, young lady, are you going to let me eat the rice cakes first, or are you going to ask about your brother’s situation?”
Since she was the one asking for a favor, Wen Shuse pushed the plate toward him and said politely, “Husband, please eat first.”
And so, the gentleman opposite her elegantly finished two pieces of rice cake and drank a cup of tea before finally, unhurriedly, saying, “It’s a long story.”
Wen Shuse sucked in a sharp breath, nearly about to lose her temper, when he continued slowly, “At the north alley lives the Eldest Young Master Li. Five years ago, he went to the capital for the examinations and fell in love at first sight with the Fourth Miss Yu, whose father was an Assistant Minister of the Imperial Library. Not long after, Fourth Miss Yu married into Fengcheng and bore him a son and a daughter. Originally, the Li family had hoped the Yu family would give them a leg up. Unfortunately, a year ago, the Yu family was implicated in a corruption case and stripped of office. Seeing no hope left in officialdom, the Eldest Young Master Li sought another path and took a new concubine, the principal wife of a gambling house owner here in Fengcheng. Fourth Miss Yu was so angered that she fell gravely ill. Not only did the Eldest Young Master Li fail to rein himself in, but he even proposed a divorce, refusing to let her take either of the two children. The maid at Fourth Miss Yu’s side couldn’t accept this and beat the drum to seek justice on her mistress’s behalf. Your brother took the case and refused to approve the divorce. And now that the new concubine from the Li family goes to the yamen every day to harass him.”
It truly was a long story.
Wen Shuse listened in disbelief. “To think there’s such a heartless scoundrel in this world.”
That wasn’t the end of it. Xie Shao threw out something even more shocking. “That concubine said that if your brother still refuses to agree, she’ll go straight to the Wen Mansion and become your sister-in-law.”
Wen Shuse’s eyes flew wide open. She sucked in a sharp breath, furious. “How can that woman be so shameless?”
She hadn’t expected that her brother, having just taken office, would immediately run into such a troublesome affair. Wen Shuse couldn’t sit still anymore. Once someone like that latched on like a swarm of flies, with her brother’s temperament, he certainly wouldn’t know how to deal with it.
She hurriedly asked Xie Shao, “What’s the situation now? How has it progressed?”
There was no progress. Both sides were locked in a standoff, neither willing to give way. The matter had blown up noisily, and it had even reached Madam Zhou’s ears today. Xie Shao himself had been present and heard it firsthand.
Wen Huai was probably at his wits’ end by now.
Wen Shuse sat stunned for quite a while before coming back to herself. “Is no one higher up intervening?” These people were clearly bullying her brother because he was a new official.
And who was higher up, wasn’t that precisely the Eldest Young Master Xie?
Before Xie Shao could even answer, the young lady let out a sigh. “That’s why they say if you’re not truly one family, there’s always a layer of separation in heart. Once the Wen family’s son-in-law changed, my brother suddenly transformed into your brother-in-law.”
After several rounds of interaction, Xie Shao had already figured out her usual tactics. He shot her a sideways glance, fully expecting that nothing good was coming next.
Sure enough, she said, “Husband, lend me a few men tomorrow. I refuse to believe we can’t stop that unreasonable woman.”
What was she planning to do?
With her petite frame, did she really intend to get physical with someone? She probably hadn’t even seen that gambling den’s principal wife— the woman was three times her size. Not to mention her, even Xie Shao himself would seem insignificant in front of that woman.
Besides, he had no interest in dealing with such vulgar people.
“Out of the question.”
“Husband, you don’t want to help me?” Wen Shuse pressed. “If that woman really latches onto your elder brother-in-law, then when the time comes, forget about me, even you would have to call her ‘sister-in-law.’”
Xie Shao: “……”
Seizing the moment, the young lady pressed on and even swore an oath to him. “I promise I won’t make the first move. If she starts causing a scene, I’ll report it to the authorities and accuse her of defaming a court official’s reputation. How about that?”
—
Wen Huai truly had been plagued by headaches these past few days.
The next day, he arrived at the yamen early, intending to summon the Eldest Young Master Li and his wife once more for a thorough attempt at persuasion.
But as soon as he stepped through the door, he heard the Eldest Young Master Xie say that the Fourth Miss Yu had already withdrawn her lawsuit and agreed to divorce the Eldest Young Master Li. By now, she was probably already nearing the city gate.
Wen Huai was stunned. “She left? She agreed to the divorce? And she’s not taking the children?”
Such incidents were all too common. After seeing enough of them, one grew numb. Xie Heng shook his head. “The Li family won’t let her take them. What else can she do? You’ve been exhausted these past few days. Go home and rest for now.”
Wen Huai stood there dazed for a moment, then suddenly turned around and chased toward the city gates.
Today, Wen Shuse had left the residence before dawn. The carriage was parked in the alley in front of the yamen. She was dozing off while keeping an eye on the yamen’s entrance.
She had barely caught sight of Wen Huai entering the yamen and hadn’t even had time to wake the young master beside her when she saw him charge back out, vault onto his horse, and gallop away. Hastily, she instructed the coachman, “Quick, follow him!”
The young master beside her had been sleeping soundly, completely unguarded, and toppled forward at once. This time, the young lady was quick-eyed and quick-handed, catching him in time. “Husband, wake up.”
—
Wen Huai chased all the way to the city gates before finally stopping Fourth Miss Yu. Speaking through the carriage window, he said to the person inside, “Madam, please wait a few more days. I will certainly give you an explanation.”
Fourth Miss Yu had not expected him to catch up. She hurriedly stepped down from the carriage and bowed deeply to him. “Thank you, Registrar, for standing up for me these past few days. Before leaving, I should have informed you, but I truly had no heart left to stir up more trouble, so I didn’t dare disturb you.”
Wen Huai waved off the formalities and asked only, “Are you truly willing to give up?”
Fourth Miss Yu lowered her gaze, as if holding back the tears in her eyes. After a long while, she finally said, “Registrar has already been dragged into trouble because of me. How could I cause you further difficulty? I have decided to leave Fengcheng and return to the Eastern Capital.”
Wen Huai straightened his back and said firmly, “As long as Fourth Miss is willing to persist, I can help seek justice for you.”
Fourth Miss Yu shook her head with a bitter smile. “What is justice? Back then, I insisted on marrying into the Li family. Ending up like this is nothing more than reaping what I sowed. I can bear it alone, but I must not drag innocent people down with me. My mind is made up. Please go back, Registrar.”
Before Wen Huai could persuade her further, she turned and returned to the carriage.
Watching Fourth Miss Yu pass through the city gates, Wen Huai remained rooted to the spot for a long time. His very first official assignment, and never had he imagined it would end in such failure.
He didn’t know how long he stood there before finally turning around, dejected. When he lifted his head, he saw a young lady standing before him, looking at him with an expression full of sympathy.
Wen Shuse had heard everything. She comforted him softly, “Brother, you are a good official.”
Wen Huai: ……
“How did you get here?” Wen Huai felt utterly drained and had no energy to deal with her. “Where’s Xie Shao? Doesn’t he keep an eye on you, letting you wander around all day?”
How could he keep an eye on her? She had dragged the man right out of his bed, and he was currently catching up on sleep in the carriage.
“Brother, have you heard that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds punished? Perhaps the Fourth Miss Yu will fare much better back in the Eastern Capital than she does now.” Wen Shuse was about to offer a few more words of comfort when a voice suddenly called out from behind, “Gao Xian?”
The voice was all too familiar. Both of them froze in surprise and turned around simultaneously. There, a carriage was entering through the city gate, and from the straight-lattice window on its side, a pitch-black head peeked out.
Compared to Wen Huai’s complexion when he first returned, this one was even darker.
Wen Shuse stared at the dark-skinned elder before her, studying him for a moment before exclaiming in shock, “Father?!”