The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 48
Eldest Master Xie hadn’t heeded Xie Shao’s earlier words, but Wen Shuse had heard it all, her heart in turmoil. Grabbing hold of him, she asked urgently, “Husband, is the imperial edict truly forged?”
The move to weaken the feudal princes was far too suspicious. If His Majesty truly intended to do so, why would he order a deputy commander to arrest his own feudal prince? Wouldn’t that be telling his officials that betraying one’s master was henceforth acceptable?
Such actions were not the strategies of a wise ruler. His Majesty had governed for over twenty years, bringing peace and prosperity to the nation, earning a reputation as an enlightened sovereign. Therefore, she leaned more toward what Xie San had said.
The edict was forged. The imperial court had never intended to weaken the feudal princes in the first place.
But Deputy Commander Xie believed it. He was prepared to betray his master and block Jing Wag outside the city walls. For a deputy commander to drive his own feudal prince out of his territory, such a major incident would inevitably reach the Eastern Capital within days.
The ones to suffer would be the Xie family.
To say she wasn’t afraid would be a lie. The blame lay with her for speaking those words too soon, telling her husband outright that she would face hardships with him. Now that calamity was upon them, she couldn’t possibly go back on her word.
Since there was no escaping it, and disaster was unavoidable, they could only think of a way out together.
Before Xie Shao could reply, she quickly released his hand and gave him a gentle push forward. “Hurry, Husband. You must inform Madam Zhou that the fault lies solely with Deputy Commander Xie. He was too easily deceived by the words of traitors and fell into their trap. He was too cowardly to defy the edict. The root of the calamity lies with the traitors themselves. Deputy Commander Xie is, at most, someone who lacks composure. Even if he deserves death, his family should not be punished for his crimes. Then, plead with Shizi Zhou. You share a deep bond with him, and our branch of the family remains loyal to the core. Even if it means defying the edict, we refuse to side with Deputy Commander Xie. Tell them they must not make things difficult for us.”
Ultimately, she still wasn’t fully at ease. Pausing for a moment, she suddenly leaned closer and whispered, “Husband, what if we capture the Eldest Madam as a hostage?”
Whether dealing with Elder Master Xie or the Prince Mansion, she would be the perfect pawn.
Her eyes shone bright as stars, a mix of nervousness and excitement. She continued to urge him on: “If you can’t bring yourself to do it, I will.”
He had long known she was no ordinary young lady. Now, hearing her lay out such a detailed plan, he couldn’t help but think that this young lady truly has nerves of steel. Glancing back at Minzhang, who hadn’t yet caught up, he reassured her: “Eldest Master Xie has betrayed his master this time. How could Jing Wang possibly respond with rebellion? There’s no need for you to worry so much. Taking hostages to make demands is not the way of a gentleman.”
Wen Shuse staggered back in disbelief. “When the fire is already licking at your heels, what’s the point of worrying about being a gentleman or not?” In her urgency, she spoke bluntly, “Besides, with your reputation as a wastrel, you’re hardly a gentleman to begin with.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, a trembling voice suddenly sounded from behind. “How dare you!”
She whirled around to see a woman being forced out through the dimly lit gate, a blade pressed against her neck by the person behind her.
Looking closely, it was none other than the Eldest Madam. Wen Shuse froze for a moment before turning her stunned gaze to the young master beside her.
So, this truly was not the conduct of a gentleman.
The Eldest Madam, now dragged outside, spotted the two figures standing in the covered walkway. Instantly agitated, she glared furiously at Xie Shao. “Who gave you, Third Xie, the audacity to hold a blade to an elder’s neck? Are you trying to defy your elders and rebel against heaven itself?”
Xie Shao’s expression remained unchanged. “The situation is urgent, and there truly was no more appropriate course of action. I have offended you and beg Aunt’s forgiveness.”
The Eldest Madam’s face turned ashen. She wanted to cry out for help, but at the slightest movement, Minzhang pressed the blade closer to her neck. The cold steel rested against her skin, chilling and sharp.
All these years she had lived deep within the inner courtyards, how could she possibly have experienced such a life-and-death scene? She was so frightened that she began to tremble. “What… what do you want?”
Xie Shao spoke lightly, “Nothing difficult. We only wish to invite Aunt to the Prince Mansion for a short visit.”
The Eldest Madam shuddered again and shouted angrily, “Third Xie, are you truly going to side with traitors? The imperial edict from the Eastern Capital to weaken the feudal princes has arrived. By protecting Jing Wang like this, you are openly setting yourself against the court. Do you mean to drag the entire Xie family down with you and be buried together? How did Second Master and Second Madam raise such a thing as you? Now the heads of the whole family are going to be tied at the waist because of you!”
Who was dragging whom down, exactly?
Wen Shuse drew in a sharp breath. “Aunt should stop shouting. If you shout again and draw over the young ladies and brothers of the household, do you want them to see you like this? Or does Aunt intend to lead by example, teach your children what lofty integrity is, slash your own throat to avoid holding Uncle back?”
Madam Wu, the Eldest Madam, was, after all, just an ordinary woman. Though she was used to seeing Eldest Master Xie wear his sword, having a blade resting against her own neck was an entirely different matter.
After just a few steps, her legs had already gone weak with fear. Where would she find the courage to cut her own throat?
Furious enough to see white, she was pushed forward by Minzhang while cursing, “Ungrateful wretches, turning your blades on your own family! I told Eldest Master long ago that these two were scheming and rotten, nothing good would come of them, bound to cause trouble sooner or later.”
The Eldest Master hadn’t listened, insisting that two spendthrifts could never amount to anything.
Amount to nothing? The blade was already at her throat!
But regret came too late.
With Minzhang’s blade pressed against her neck, she was forced straight toward the gate. Whenever a servant dared come closer, the blade would press tighter against her flesh. Who would still dare step forward?
Once Eldest Master Xie, the Xie Mansion had already been sealed shut. The guards at the gate spotted Xie Shao first and hurried forward to block him. “The master has ordered that no one is to leave. The Third Young Master should remain in the mansion.”
As he spoke, he noticed the Third Young Madam behind him, and then the Eldest Madam as well…
Something felt wrong. Looking more closely, he finally saw the blade pressed against the Eldest Madam’s neck.
And the Eldest Madam, as though seeing a savior, cried out through sobs, “Quick, quickly seize them at once!”
“Who dares move!” Before the guards could react, Minzhang grabbed the Eldest Madam by the shoulder and pressed the blade firmly against her neck. The Eldest Madam instantly went limp.
The guards immediately understood. They stared tensely at the blade against the Eldest Madam’s neck while warily eyeing Xie Shao. “Third Young Master, don’t act recklessly.”
Xie Shao remained expressionless. “Open the gate!”
“Without Eldest Master Xie’s permission, this subordinate cannot comply. I urge Third Young Master to release the Eldest Madam at once and not do something you’ll regret.”
Xie Shao’s patience had worn thin. He glanced meaningfully at Minzhang behind him.
Minzhang tightened the blade threateningly again. Deep down, he knew the person in his grip was the Eldest Madam Xie. He couldn’t actually harm her and let his young master bear the infamy.
After several such bluffs, the Eldest Madam seemed to catch on. The blade hadn’t injured her in the slightest, and gradually, her initial fear faded. She no longer reacted.
Before she could even catch her breath, Wen Shuse suddenly stepped forward, snatched the blade from Minzhang’s hand, and, before the Eldest Madam could react, pressed it firmly against her neck.
A row of blood beads instantly welled up on the Eldest Madam’s smooth neck, clinging one by one to the edge of the blade.
Only when the sharp pain struck did the First Madam come back to herself. She was so frightened she nearly fainted, her voice failing her, lips trembling as she tried to speak: “Help… help…”
Tonight, it was either you die or I die.
Wen Shuse wanted to live.
She still had her grandmother, father, and elder brother outside. She absolutely could not let Deputy Commander Xie trap her here to die.
Her grip on the blade didn’t loosen in the slightest. Clenching her teeth, she said, “You are my husband’s elder. My husband absolutely cannot commit the crime of killing kin and taking your life. But I am different. I don’t bear the Xie surname, and I have never been on good terms with you, Madam Wu. From the very first day I married into this family, you have mocked and scorned me, showing not a shred of the dignity an elder should have. You even secretly schemed against me, trying to make my husband divorce me so I would become the laughingstock of all Fengcheng. You also plotted against my husband’s wealth, urging your own children to demand money from him. Over the years, using the funds swindled from the second branch, you secretly acquired hundreds of acres of fertile land, had your maternal brother collect rent for you, and purchased eight properties around Huimin River.”
The Eldest Madam’s heart jolted. The shock rising in her chest momentarily overwhelmed even the pain at her throat.
Wen Shuse lifted her chin slightly and pointed toward the young master by the gate. “After reaping the benefits, you still played the innocent, mocking him as a good-for-nothing fool, hoping he would grow old alone so you could swallow the entire second branch’s assets into your own pocket. Later, when there was a shortfall in grain, you scolded him again, calling him a wastrel who lived only to eat, drink, and amuse himself, utterly worthless, saying it would be better if he were dead sooner rather than later.”
Xie Shao: ……
Such vicious words! Even Minzhang beside her, felt regret, wishing he had struck first.
Wen Shuse went on, “After my husband and I went bankrupt, you offered not a shred of help. Instead, you cut back on the household’s expenses, sending your own leftovers to Old Madam’s courtyard…”
Xie Shao’s brow twitched.
“What the Old Madam and the young masters couldn’t finish, you had the servants take back to the kitchen to reheat. To save money, you bought spoiled chickens and ducks from outside, mixed them into the soups and dishes, and served them to the servants and maids in the courtyard.”
After the Eldest Madam was taken hostage, the servants and maids in the courtyard all followed out, hoping to seize a chance to rescue their mistress.
Then they saw the Third Young Madam actually cut the Eldest Madam’s neck and were about to rush forward to help.
But each sentence the Third Young Madam spoke was more shocking than the last, and some of it even involved them. Thinking back, the meals over the past two months really had seemed off. A few times, the taste was strange; some people had even asked Aunt Biyun, who served the Eldest Madam, and Biyun had said it was normal for food to smell a bit in hot weather. Now that the truth was laid bare, several servants felt nauseated on the spot and quietly retreated a few steps.
These were secrets she had kept behind closed doors, how could she know? A chill ran down Madam Wu’s spine. She stared, dumbfounded. “You… you…”
“Aunt wants to ask how I know?” Wen Shuse smiled. “I’m in communion with the Bodhisattva. She tells me everything.” Then she dropped another bombshell. “So, I also know that you had people pick vegetable scraps out of the slop buckets and cook them for the guards to eat.”
Though it was clear that Wen Shuse was likely trying to sow discord at this moment, the expressions of the guards by the gate nonetheless darkened.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent.
That barrage of words was earth-shattering, far more shocking than the blade at the throat.
Madam Wu finally snapped back to reality. Forgetting the blade at her throat, she twisted her head and shouted angrily, “You dare speak such nonsense!”
“Aunt should mind the edge of the blade, don’t bump yourself into it,” Wen Shuse said, tightening her grip and forcing her back in time. “Whether I’m lying or not, just grab a few of the servants below and ask them.”
Pain flared at her neck. Madam Wu’s face went white with terror. “You… you mustn’t act recklessly.”
But Wen Shuse shook her head. “I’m young, and my temper isn’t good. I don’t know my limits. If I slip and lose control, I ask Aunt to forgive me in advance. But don’t worry, once Deputy Commander Xie achieves great success and is promoted to a title and rank, he can always marry a beautiful young wife. She’ll surely take good care of your husband and children for you.”
The pain at her throat grew sharper and sharper. Madam Wu could feel blood trickling down her neck, and her fear deepened by the second.
How could she possibly be willing to die?
Her husband had just begun his endeavor, her son had gone to the Eastern Capital to become an official, and she hadn’t even started enjoying her good fortune yet. Weighing her options, she ultimately couldn’t bear to part with her life. In a hoarse voice, she ordered the guard, “Let them go.”
The guard had received the master’s orders earlier and knew where these two would go if they left. For a moment, he didn’t move.
Wen Shuse said no more. Gritting her teeth, she hardened her resolve and pushed the blade forward again. Blood instantly stained the Eldest Madam’s entire neck crimson. In a raised voice, she commanded, “Open the gate!”
Everyone was stunned by her sudden ruthlessness.
The guard’s expression changed. “Third Young Madam, do not act rashly!”
The young master also looked up and saw the young lady’s eyes rimmed red. When she noticed him watching, the corner of her mouth twitched briefly before she quickly suppressed it, trying to hide the fear in her eyes.
Something in his chest seemed to tighten abruptly.
It felt both painful and sour.
He turned and drew the blade from the guard at his side, stepped forward to pull the Eldest Madam away from Wen Shuse’s grip, and pressed the knife back against her neck. “Aunt also knows that I’m not a good man. Taking a life is nothing to me.”
Compared to Wen Shuse’s grip, Xie Shao’s hold felt like it would slice through her throat.
Was she going to die before even reaching the Prince Mansion?
The Eldest Madam screamed in pain and shouted sharply at the guard, “Do you want me to die?”
The guard looked at Xie Shao, saw the cold detachment in his expression, and knew he truly meant to kill.
If he didn’t let them go tonight, the Eldest Madam likely wouldn’t survive. Though the master had given orders, he couldn’t disregard the mistress’s life. After a moment of silence, he stepped aside, gritted his teeth, and said, “Open the gate!”
The gate was soon opened.
Xie Shao escorted the Eldest Madam forward, turning his head slightly to speak to the young lady behind him. “Hold the blade tight and stay close behind me. If anyone blocks you, kill them.”
After Xie Shao took over, Wen Shuse’s hands had already begun trembling. She had intended to clutch his sleeve, but upon hearing his words, she tightened her grip on the blade instead, staying close to his back as they slowly retreated.
After Min Zhang had cut off their retreat and stepped across the threshold, he was just heading to the stables to hitch up a carriage when, as luck would have it, one came rolling down the alley.
The Second Young Master Xie had just finished drinking at a brothel. Planning to slip quietly back into the mansion under the cover of night while everyone was resting, he never expected to see the entire mansion lit up as soon as he entered the alley.
Before he could figure out what was going on, the carriage was abruptly stopped.
Thrown off balance, Second Young Master nearly toppled to his knees, though the alcohol hadn’t worn off yet. Minzhang kicked open the carriage door, dragged him down in one motion, and waved for the people behind to get in first.
Dragged out of his own carriage right at his own doorstep for no apparent reason, the Second Young Master was furious. Once he steadied himself, he looked up, ready to curse, but only to freeze when he saw Xie Shao. “Third Brother? Why are you here?”
Then he saw, in shock, that his third brother was holding a blade to someone’s throat. Looking closer at the woman with blood streaking down her neck, she looked eerily like his own mother. His eyes widened further. Rubbing his bleary eyes in disbelief, he stammered, “Mother?”
The Eldest Madam, as if seeing her savior, lunged toward him. “My son… quickly, quickly go find your father. Tell him to come save me. If you’re any later, you may never see your mother again.”
Xie Shao shoved her straight into the carriage, then pulled Wen Shuse in after him.
The guards inside the gate rushed out as well. Minzhang leapt up onto the carriage shaft, snapped the reins, and the carriage sped off in a cloud of dust.
Seeing his mother taken away by Third Brother and the Third Young Madam, the Second Young Master sobered up by half at once. He chased after the carriage for a few steps, shouting, “Mother! Mother! Third Brother, where are you taking my mother?”
No one answered him. The guards behind him gave chase.
Hoofbeats thundered past his ears. He stood there utterly at a loss, stamping his foot hard. “What’s going on? What on earth is going on!”
—
Once the Eldest Madam was forced into the carriage, Xie Shao moved the blade from her neck to rest against her chest.
By then, she no longer had the strength to resist. The blood on her neck hadn’t yet stopped flowing, staining her collar red, but her courage had been completely shattered by the two younger generations standing before her.
One fears scoundrels less than those reckless youths who have no fear of death.
She knew that if she moved even slightly, Third Xie would stab without the slightest hesitation; she no longer dared make a move.
At this point, all she wanted was to keep her life, then wait for Eldest Master Xie to find a way to rescue her from the Prince Mansion.
She had lost all will to resist, but Wen Shuse dared not let her guard down. Sitting opposite her with Xie Shao, her back ramrod-straight, she watched the Eldest Madam’s every move with unblinking focus.
Seeing that she hadn’t moved for a long while, Xie Shao cast a slight glance her way. Her hands rested on her knees, fingers already stained with blood, several bright red blotches splashed across her pale underskirt, starkly conspicuous.
Wen Shuse wore an apricot-colored half-sleeved robe over a translucent gauze embroidered with a begonia blossom, her hair arranged in a long-neglected high chignon. Though she wore only a single jade hairpin, the splendor about her was not diminished in the slightest.
It was clear she had taken great care with her appearance tonight.
Two moon-viewing outings: on the first, they had battled mosquitoes all night; on the second, they had gone straight into battle with people. Each was more unforgettable than the last.
The sound of hooves behind them drew ever closer, and Minzhang urged the carriage faster and faster. The carriage jolted sharply as it hit a rut. Wen Sese tensed instantly, only to feel a warm hand cover the back of her own where it rested on her knee.
Just like the first time, warm, gentle, holding her lightly without movement or a word.
Wen Shuse kept her eyes fixed on the Eldest Madam ahead, still not daring to move. But the tight knot in her chest gradually eased, little by little, under the warmth of that hand.
The interior of the carriage was cramped, and this subtle movement inevitably fell into the Eldest Madam’s eyes, drawing a scornful snort from her.
The commotion the two had caused on their wedding night was still vivid in her mind. Xie Shao had once declared he would send the woman back to the Wen family. And now he was suddenly treating her like a treasure.
What now? After slitting her neck, he was worried his wife had hurt her hand?
A thief matched with a thief—truly a perfect pair.
The Eldest Madam was so angry she sucked in a sharp breath, knowing there was no escape, and, preferring not to see it, she simply closed her eyes.
The sound of hooves behind them only quieted once they reached the gates of the Prince Mansion.
Watching helplessly as the group escorted the Eldest Madam inside, the guards finally turned their horses around. “Report at once to the Deputy Commander: Third Young Master has turned traitor. The Eldest Madam has been taken hostage and brought to the Prince Mansion.”
—
As the ruling prince of the fiefdom, how could such a commotion at the city gates escape Madam Zhou and Shizi Zhou?
“Xie Daoyuan has always harbored treacherous thoughts, but to dare betray his master today, has he grown tired of living?” Shizi Zhou immediately grabbed the sword at his side, ready to lead troops out, but Madam Zhou stopped him with a sharp command.
“What are you doing? Are you truly seeking rebellion?”
Shizi Zhou turned back, his face full of fury. “The one plotting rebellion is Deputy Commander Xie.”
“Rebellion? He is acting under an imperial decree to reduce the feudal domains. How is that rebellion?”
“An imperial decree? Whose orders? The guards by Father’s side only returned yesterday. They said His Majesty entrusted a close eunuch to come personally with word that the armory incident was a misunderstanding, that he wanted Father to return to Fengcheng with peace of mind and continue governing as a loyal prince. He even praised Father, saying he was considerate of the common people, personally went to Qingzhou for disaster relief, and promptly secured grain supplies for Luo’an.”
Shizi Zhou refused to believe it, no matter what. “If His Majesty truly intended to reduce the feudal domains, why would he go to such motions for no reason?”