The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 59
The man who had spoken was looking sideways at the companion beside him. Wen Shuse recognized him almost at once, it was none other than Supervisor Wei, the officer who had come to Fengcheng two months earlier to requisition grain.
Joy stirred in her heart, and she instinctively quickened her pace to follow after him. “Wei…”
“The battle in Luo’an has just ended. What’s happened in Nancheng now? So early in the morning, just who are they after, with all this fanfare…”
She quickly bit back the words on her lips.
The group quickly turned into the alley ahead. Wen Shuse hurried after them, only to see Supervisor Wei already swinging himself up onto his horse.
This was Nancheng, every soldier here belonged to the Crown Prince. Not knowing the situation, she did not dare approach rashly. She could only watch helplessly as he spurred his horse and rode away. Turning around, she hurried toward the city gate.
The rain had already stopped, yet the clouds above had not dispersed. A gray heaviness pressed down from the sky, making it hard to breathe.
Her soaked robe clung to her body, cold and clammy.
When she reached the city gate, she saw everyone walking back the way they had come. Not understanding what had happened, she stopped a woman who had just returned and asked, “Auntie, what’s going on?”
The woman shook her head and sighed. “The city’s been sealed. No one can leave. You’d better go back.”
The words struck like a bolt of bad news. Wen Shuse’s heart suddenly sank. Pushing against the flow of the crowd, she forced her way forward and soon saw it with her own eyes. The two great city gates were tightly shut, dozens of mounted soldiers holding long spears stood guard outside, and no one dared approach.
The common folks, unable to leave, clustered around the outskirts, murmuring among themselves. “What’s happened again this time?”
“How would common folk like us know the affairs of the officials above?”
“I did hear that a group of bandits entered the city through the gate last night. The military headquarters was alarmed, and they’re still searching the mountains now.”
“What kind of bandits would dare be so bold?”
No one knew, but judging by the situation, someone said, “Everyone should head back. I’m afraid no one will be leaving the city for the next few days…”
A shove from someone beside her jolted Wen Shuse back to her senses.
If no one could leave the city, there would be no reinforcements. And if the military officers were already searching the mountains, then if this continued, even if Third Xie had escaped the immediate danger, he would only end up trapped to death in the mountains.
What should she do? For the first time, she felt a crushing sense of helplessness.
But she quickly forced herself to steady her thoughts. Her husband’s life and death were still unknown. She absolutely could not sit and wait.
She had no way of contacting the people at the hidden post stations. If she went into the mountains alone to rescue him, how could she possibly succeed? She might be captured before even finding him, and if they used her as leverage, it would only make things worse for Third Xie.
Who else could she turn to?
Only Supervisor Wei.
Back then, when she had donated grain, she had indeed had her own calculations, but at the same time, it had truly resolved Supervisor Wei’s predicament.
Since it was a favor she herself had given him, she had reason to ask for a repayment. Even if he refused to help her, that favor alone would at least keep him from betraying her. And if he truly did betray her, then she could only blame herself for misjudging him. Either way, she was already at a dead end. She had no other choice. Turning around, she stopped another commoner and asked, “Uncle, may I ask if you know Supervisor Wei?”
Supervisor Wei? Military Supervisor? To an ordinary person, the name meant nothing. The man shook his head and ignored her.
She asked several more people before someone finally paused and looked at her with curiosity. “What are you to Supervisor Wei?”
Wen Shuse had already prepared for that question. “When Supervisor Wei was in Luo’an, we met once. At the time, the situation was urgent, and I entrusted him with something for safekeeping. I forgot to ask where he lived. I heard he has returned, but for the moment I don’t know where to find him.”
When war came to Luo’an, it was the common people who suffered.
The man saw that although her features were delicate and refined, her appearance was utterly destitute, clearly someone affected by the war. Understanding dawned on him, and he pointed her in a direction. “The soldiers from Luo’an all returned to Nancheng last night. They should be at the military headquarters now. You can try asking there.”
The military office.
It was the very place whose men had cornered her husband in the mountains, leaving his life or death unknown. And now she had to go there to seek someone to save him. The thought was almost absurd.
Although it was true that no one in Nancheng recognized her, she still did not dare risk going inside. Instead, she lingered nearby, quietly observing the soldiers passing in and out.
Time slipped by little by little, yet she never saw that familiar figure from the night before again.
The clouds still blanketed the sky, hiding the sun from sight, yet she could feel its heat piercing through the mist and pressing down on her head. Her damp clothes clung to her body, though at some point they had already been dried by her own body heat. Hunger gnawed at her stomach. She guessed it must already be noon.
It would not do to keep waiting like this.
She slipped a hand into her sleeve and, from a hidden pocket near the bend of her arm, quietly fished out a few copper coins. Turning her head, she scanned the passersby on the road, but none seemed suitable. Just as anxiety began to rise, she suddenly heard a voice speaking in a dialect that sounded strangely familiar. After a moment, she remembered that she had once heard it from Concubine Gu in the mansion. It was the accent of Qingzhou.
She hurried forward to stop the man. “Uncle, are you from Qingzhou?”
Nancheng belonged to Dongzhou, while Qingzhou lay in Zhongzhou. People from Qingzhou were rarely seen here. If not for the recent natural disasters in Qingzhou and the war in Luo’an, people from there would never have come this far.
Hearing her question, the man naturally realized she had recognized his accent. Thinking he had encountered someone from his hometown, his attitude became cordial. He nodded and asked, “Are you from Qingzhou as well, young master?”
Wen Shuse felt immensely grateful for her good memory. She still remembered the name of the cousin-in-law Concubine Gu had once mentioned. She asked quickly , “Uncle, do you happen to know someone named Zhang Youquan?”
The man froze for a moment, clearly surprised. “And you are?”
Wen Shuse hurriedly replied, “I am a friend of Brother Zhang’s wife’s younger sister.”
That day when Concubine Gu came to offer thanks, Wen Shuse had not taken it to heart. Twenty taels of silver was all it had been, even if it had never been repaid, she would not have minded.
She had never imagined that one day she would actually need to seek help from them.
The man from Qingzhou led her to a low house with gray roof tiles. The crude wooden door was not even locked. Pushing it open, he stepped inside and immediately raised his voice toward the back of the house. “Brother Zhang! Relatives from Qingzhou have come!”
As soon as the words fell, a woman lifted the cloth curtain and stepped out. Wen Shuse recognized her at once, she was the very woman who had come to the Xie Mansion that day to plead for help.
But the woman did not recognize her and looked puzzled. “You are…?”
Wen Shuse replied politely, “More than a month ago, the crispy pastries that Madam entrusted Concubine Gu to bring were quite delicious. I never had the chance to properly thank you.”
The woman immediately understood. She looked Wen Shuse up and down in astonishment. Seeing her present state, she realized that Wen Shuse was likely in some difficulty. She quickly invited her inside and called for her husband. Somewhat uncertainly, she asked, “Are you… the Third Young Madam Xie?”
Wen Shuse nodded. “Having only just arrived in Nancheng, I never expected to run into trouble. I hope I’m not imposing on Brother Zhang and Madam by coming here so abruptly.”
The woman hurriedly waved her hands. “Third Young Madam, please don’t say such things. I’m just a rough woman, there’s no need to call me ‘madam.’ You showed mercy to my mother and child; it was life-saving kindness. Whatever difficulty you’re facing, please just say the word.”
After speaking, she turned and glared at her husband.
During the time when Qingzhou had been struck by disaster, refugees had been frantically looting everywhere. Their family had been scattered in the chaos. If not for the twenty taels of silver from Third Young Madam, her wife and daughter would have starved to death on the streets.
Zhang Youquan was naturally grateful. “I don’t have many abilities, but I do have quite a few acquaintances. If Third Young Madam has any difficulties, just tell me.”
No matter how well connected he was, he was still only an ordinary common folks. And a favor of twenty taels of silver was hardly something for which she could ask someone to risk their life. “I would like to ask Brother Zhang to help me find someone at the military office.”
—
Supervisor Wei was not at the military office that day.
He had only returned to Nancheng from Luo’an at dawn. In the morning, he went with several colleagues to report in at the military office, but he was stopped outside the gate.
The patrol officer looked at him with a strange, mocking expression. “It seems we were blind and failed to recognize greatness. Who would have thought that Supervisor Wei is actually General Yang’s grandson? For someone of such noble status, isn’t the mere title of supervisor far too beneath you?”
After the matter of the grain supplies in Luo’an came to light, General Yang submitted a memorial accusing the Crown Prince. The emperor, enraged, demoted him and sent him back to Nancheng of Dongzhou. The news had already spread everywhere.
As General Yang’s own grandson, the Crown Prince not taking his life was already considered an act of restraint.
Seeing that there was no longer any place for him in Nancheng, he returned to the small courtyard where he lived, intending to leave as soon as possible and head back to the Eastern Capital. But then he learned that the Crown Prince had ordered the city sealed, so no one was permitted to enter the Eastern Capital.
When he returned that morning, he had already heard some rumors that bandits had supposedly entered Nancheng the previous night, and in order to capture them, the Crown Prince had nearly mobilized the entire force.
Now even the city gates had been sealed. Whoever these bandits were, they could not be ordinary criminals. He hurriedly summoned his servant and had just begun asking questions when a knock sounded at the door.
Normally, only a few close brothers ever visited this small courtyard. Assuming it was one of them dropping by after finishing duty, the servant went to open the door while he began preparing tea.
The door opened, and he heard an unfamiliar male voice ask, “May I ask if Supervisor Wei is here?”
Supervisor Wei paused in surprise. The servant soon returned and reported, “Two young men from Qingzhou have come. They say you once owed them some grain, and now that they’re desperate, they’ve come to collect.”
When had he ever been to Qingzhou? Supervisor Wei looked puzzled. Rising to his feet, he followed the servant out. At the gate, he saw the two figures standing outside.
One was a middle-aged man who looked like an ordinary commoner. The other stood behind him. The sky had already darkened, and neither carried a lantern, so his face could not be seen clearly. Only his slender figure was visible, his hair tied up in a crown, clearly a young master.
Just as Supervisor Wei was studying him, the “young master” stepped forward, lifted his head, and smiled at him. “Supervisor Wei.”
Supervisor Wei stared for a moment. Gradually, astonishment filled his eyes. “Little…” he began, then quickly stopped himself.
After parting in Fengcheng that day, Supervisor Wei had hurried back to Luo’an with the grain supplies. Because the grain had arrived in time, Dayong had managed to reverse the situation.
In the eyes of those in power, it was simply a victorious battle. But to him, it had meant saving tens of thousands of lives.
Supervisor Wei had always kept that kindness in mind. He had planned that once he returned to the Eastern Capital, he would certainly secure some reward for the young lady. He had never expected that before he could even go back, he would meet her again.
He had no time to wonder why she looked so disheveled. He quickly invited her inside.
Wen Shuse turned back to thank Zhang Youquan. “Brother Zhang, many thanks. When I overcome this difficulty, I will visit again to properly express my gratitude.”
For Zhang Youquan to have such wide connections, he was naturally someone with good judgment. Shaking his head, he said the young master was being too polite. Seeing that she had already found the person she was looking for, he took his leave and did not stay.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Wei led her inside and closed the door. Before he could even ask anything, Wen Shuse suddenly knelt before him, clasping her hands in plea. “That day when you came to Fengcheng to request grain, as subjects of Great Feng, the Xie family was duty-bound to help. I should not have come to claim a favor for it. But today I have fallen victim to a treacherous scheme and have been driven to such straits. My husband’s life and death are unknown. I truly have no other way, so I have come to beg for your help. I humbly ask that Young Master Wei lend a hand.”
Supervisor Wei quickly stepped forward and supported her by the elbow. “Young Madam, please rise. Whatever it is, sit down and tell me slowly.”
There was no time to go slowly, night had fallen again.
Whether he lived or died, she could only gamble on it. “To be frank with you, Supervisor Wei, the person the military office is currently hunting in the city… is my husband, Xie Shao, the Third Young Master of the Xie family.”
Supervisor Wei’s face immediately showed shock. He stood there, dumbfounded.
Wen Shuse’s heart leapt to her throat. Her hand tightened around the short dagger hidden inside her sleeve, preparing for the worst.
After a moment, she heard Supervisor Wei speak. “Please rest assured, Young Madam. The Xie family is a distinguished house. Chancellor Xie is known for his virtue and integrity. I firmly believe in their innocence.”
He reached out to help her to her feet. “Young Madam, please rise. If not for your righteousness that day, saving thousands of soldiers, I do not know how many more souls of Great Feng would have been buried in Luo’an. For you to come to me now is a sign of trust. I will certainly not stand by and do nothing.”
From the matter of the grain supplies in Luo’an, he had already seen the Crown Prince’s character. For him to mobilize the military office to hunt down the Xie family like this must mean there were some unspeakable schemes behind it.
To show his sincerity, Supervisor Wei told her the truth as well. “To be honest, because my maternal grandfather and His Highness the Crown Prince hold opposing political views, I have now been stripped of my position as supervisor.” Then he added, “But please don’t worry, Young Madam. Over the years, I have still gathered a few reliable men in Nancheng. If you trust me, first change into some dry clothes and have something to eat. Leave the rest to me. I will think of a way.”
From last night until now, Wen Shuse’s nerves had been stretched to their limit. She had not dared relax for even a moment. Only now did she finally breathe a little easier.
Rising, she said, “Then I will thank Supervisor Wei on behalf of my husband first.”
“Young Madam, there is no need to be so polite.” He poured her a cup of hot tea, then went into the room and returned with a set of clothes he had never worn before, handing them to her. “I had these made just before leaving for Luo’an, but never had the chance to wear them. Young Madam, please go inside and change. I will go out to find some men and see if I can draw the military forces away. Whether it succeeds or not, I will return within half an hour at most. Please don’t worry.”
Soaked by the rain all night and torn in several places, her robes were indeed beyond presentable. She accepted the clothes without further ceremony and thanked him.
Yet she still harbored some caution. Wen Shuse did not dare eat anything. She hurried into the inner room to change, and afterward, she did not dare remain in the courtyard to wait.
Instead, she hid at the entrance of the alley, keeping watch on the surroundings. If anything unusual happened, she would be able to escape at once.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly echoed through the alley. Wen Shuse quickly slipped into the shadows. Moments later, she saw Supervisor Wei arrive at the courtyard. He dismounted from his horse and put on a set of armor from the military office.
Only after confirming that no one else had followed him did Wen Shuse step out and call to him.
Supervisor Wei was not surprised by her caution. Turning back, he handed her a set of armor he held in his hands. “Young Madam, put this on. If nothing unexpected happens, the military troops will withdraw from the mountain in half an hour. Then you and I will go into the mountains together to rescue him.”
Wen Shuse hurriedly put on the armor. Supervisor Wei mounted his horse and extended a hand to her. “Young Madam, please get on.”
At a moment when life and death hung in the balance, there was no time to worry about propriety between men and women. Her riding skills were not good enough to navigate the mountain paths anyway. Besides, she had already ridden on Jing Wang’s horse once before. There was nothing left to fuss over.
She reached out her hand, which Young Master Wei grasped. Using his strength, she flipped up onto the horse and settled behind him.
Young Master Wei cast a glance at the servant. The servant understood at once, and he tossed the torch in his hand into the courtyard. The oil-soaked house burst into flames instantly.
—
At the same time, one of Young Master Wei’s soldiers hurried into the military office. “Report! Supervisor Wei Yun and the Third Young Master of the Xie family from Fengcheng are plotting rebellion!”
The shout sent the entire office into an uproar.
The man delivering the report was one of Wei Yun’s own trusted subordinates. His panicked expression suggested he had overheard the information by chance and had been badly frightened.
General Yang had publicly opposed the Crown Prince in court several times and seemed inclined toward Jing Wang. Now that Wei Yun, a relative of the Yang family, had secretly sheltered Third Young Master Xie and helped him escape the city, the matter was not difficult to interpret.
They had searched for a full day and night without finding anyone. Who would have thought that the man had long since descended the mountain and had even found Wei Yun to conspire with him?
All the men stationed on the mountain were immediately recalled, and a search of the city began.
Pei Yuanqiu had remained guarding the mountain the entire time. As the hours slowly passed, the torment in his heart only grew. Part of him hoped they would find the man, yet another part hoped he would never be found.
The night before, Third Xie and his foolish son had leapt together from the cliff. The patrol officers had not hesitated to set fire to the mountain. The blaze had burned for the time it took two sticks of incense, though fortunately, a heavy rain had fallen in time to put it out.
Hundreds of men had searched the mountain for two days without finding anyone. Either he had been burned to ashes in the mountain fire, or he had already escaped.
Every exit from the cliffs had been blocked by the military forces. The former possibility seemed far more likely.
Now, hearing the report from the headquarters, Pei Yuanqiu finally let out a long breath of relief. He glanced once toward the bottom of the cliff before immediately turning to summon his men.
“Down the mountain.”
Third Xie certainly deserved death, but not at the cost of his own son’s life.
—
At that moment, on a broken cliffside, Pei Qing was wedged into a narrow crevice. Turning his head, he looked at the bedraggled young master beside him, the one who had been clinging there with him for a full day and night, whispered, “Brother Xie… do you regret it?”
The crevice was so tight that the two of them barely fit. They could not even move their heads. Their legs were pinned by the rock and had long since gone numb. With difficulty, Xie Shao glanced toward him.
Yet he still had the energy to talk.
“I have no regrets if I die. But it’s a pity for you, Brother Xie. You never even got to consummate your marriage.” He suddenly asked, “Your wife should have reached the Eastern Capital by now, right?”
Xie Shao: …
If he didn’t keep talking, Pei Qing feared that once he closed his eyes, he might never open his mouth again. Curious, he added, “Have you ever kissed your wife?”
“Shut up. Save your strength.”
“What does it feel like?”
Xie Shao drew in a deep breath. How would he know? The night before, he had only brushed his lips against her forehead. Seeing the tears in the young lady’s eyes had made his heart feel as though it were being cut by knives. As for what it actually felt like, he had no idea at all. Afraid Pei Qing would keep asking, he gritted his teeth and said, “Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.”
“When we get out of here, why don’t you find yourself a young lady and try it too?”
Pei Qing smiled. “Not for me.”
“Why not?”
“Marriage and children? Wouldn’t that just benefit Pei Yuanqiu…”
When he said he would leave no descendants, it was not a joke. Back then, the man had abandoned him and his mother, calling them burdens. Now he was trying every possible way to bring him back.
Wasn’t that retribution?