The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 62
The moment the announcement came that Jing Wang was to be summoned, the Right Chancellor’s expression changed abruptly. The Crown Prince had already cast a dragnet over Nancheng, so tight that not even a bird could slip through. How, then, had he entered the Eastern Capital?
But there was no use pondering it now. Jing Wang had already stepped inside, clad in a golden princely court robe. His posture was upright, his stride firm as he walked in.
Ever since Jing Wang departed for his fief in Zhongzhou, many at court had not seen this imperial son. Ten years had passed in a single farewell. The young man who once rode across battlefields had now reached middle age. Though his features no longer bore the freshness of youth, his vigor had not diminished in the slightest. Instead, he carried an added steadiness that made him impossible to underestimate.
Upon reaching the front of the hall, Jing Wang knelt and paid his respects. “Your subject kowtows before Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy ten thousand years of peace and health.”
From the moment he entered, the Emperor’s gaze had remained fixed on him. A trace of satisfaction gradually appeared on his face, as though he were seeing the fruits of years of painstaking instruction finally come to fruition.
Composing himself, the Emperor asked directly, “It has been said that you failed in your governance, allowing your deputy commander to harbor rebellious intentions. What exactly happened? Explain it in detail.”
This sudden turn threw the entire court into disarray.
Those officials who had just been clamoring to have him punished alongside the accused now bent low, eyes downcast, not daring to raise their heads. Moments earlier, believing the tide had already turned, they had planned to submit accusations behind his back, hoping to curry favor with a new ruler in the future.
They had not expected to be confronted by the man himself. And now, with the Emperor’s attitude so inscrutable, a wave of unease spread through their hearts.
Kneeling in the great hall, Jing Wang bowed his head and said, “Father Emperor, I beg you to investigate clearly. Your son is loyal to Great Feng, loyal to the court, and harbors no second thoughts.”
The Emperor smiled. “When did I ever ask about you? I am asking about that Deputy Commander Xie of yours. Why did he rebel against you?”
Jing Wang replied, “Reporting to Father Emperor, no one has committed treason.”
The moment those words were spoken, the officials in court looked at one another in confusion. “What is going on…?”
Before the Emperor could question further, Jing Wang continued, “Deputy Commander Xie did not rebel. He was acting under an imperial decree.”
“An imperial decree?” The Emperor feigned ignorance and asked, “What decree?”
Jing Wang answered, “To reduce the power of the feudal princes.”
A collective gasp rippled through the court.
Jing Wang went on, “Your son ought to have surrendered and faced death to prove his innocence. But this matter is riddled with doubts, so I dared to come before Father Emperor to seek verification. If the decree is genuine, your son is willing to accept death without complaint.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Emperor above suddenly shouted, “Absurd!” This time, he was truly angered. “When have I ever issued a decree to arrest Jing Wang?” He turned and asked Liu Kun behind him, “Have you seen such an order?”
Liu Kun hurriedly replied, “This servant has never seen Your Majesty issue such a decree.”
The Emperor let out a cold laugh. “Very well! I am not yet dead, and yet someone already dares to forge imperial edicts openly. What’s next… will they come to seize my throne?”
The civil and military officials in the hall were thoroughly terrified. One by one, they dropped to their knees, foreheads pressed to the ground.
From the moment the Right Chancellor saw Jing Wang, he knew that matters had taken a turn for the worse. Now, kneeling alongside the other officials, a thin layer of cold sweat formed on his back. Yet after so many years in the position of Right Chancellor, he possessed both composure and depth. In the heavy silence, he lifted his head and spoke calmly, “Your Majesty, this minister finds this matter deeply suspicious.”
The Emperor raised his eyes from his fury to look at him, his tone inevitably sharp. “If you have something to say, Minister Yuan, then say it.”
Yuan Ming’an steadied himself and turned to Jing Wang. “This minister knows that Your Highness Jing Wang is a man of great righteousness and has always trusted those under you without doubt. However, an imperial order to reduce the power of the feudal princes is a matter of utmost importance to the court. How could such a decree be entrusted to a mere deputy commander to carry out? Such a claim does not withstand scrutiny, yet he dares to fabricate it. In this minister’s opinion, Xie Daoyuan has simply been driven to desperation, lashing out like a cornered dog. Otherwise, on what basis could he claim to be acting under imperial orders?”
It had to be said that Yuan Ming’an was a man of deep calculation. From early on, he had seen through Deputy Commander Xie’s foolishness and anticipated that this day would come.
If it was truly by imperial decree, then where was the edict?
The eunuch sent to deliver the edict had long since destroyed it. Would he have left it behind to be used as evidence against him? With no proof left behind, the Xie family could not escape blame, and even Jing Wang would be powerless to protect them.
“The Right Chancellor speaks reasonably. I, too, once harbored such doubts. Fortunately, when the palace eunuch delivered the decree, the Third Young Master Xie was present. He sensed something amiss and came with me to the Eastern Capital to seek an audience with Your Majesty. That edict is currently in the possession of Xie Shao, the Third Young Master Xie. He has already arrived in Nancheng and awaits Your Majesty’s summons.”
At these words, the Right Chancellor, who had remained composed until now, finally showed a crack in his expression. His eyelid twitched as he cast a sidelong glance at Jing Wang, rare disarray breaking through his calm. “Forging an imperial edict on short notice would hardly be difficult.”
At this, Jing Wang turned, his expression stern. “Minister Yuan, mind your words.”
Jing Wang’s brow and eyes bore none of a military man’s imposing ferocity. He appeared as calm as a passing breeze, yet when his gaze fell upon someone, it carried a penetrating force that struck straight into the heart.
Under that look, Yuan Ming’an was momentarily struck silent. By the time he recovered, his palms were already slick with sweat. He kowtowed to the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty must understand that this minister harbors no ill intent. What I mean is, if Deputy Commander Xie dared to commit treason, would forging a false edict be beyond him? Your Highness Jing Wang must not be deceived by him.”
Jing Wang turned back to face him once more. “That need not concern you, Minister Yuan. The edict bears both the handwriting and the imperial seal. Once it is presented to Father Emperor, its origin will be clear with a single investigation.”
His tone was resolute, as though everything lay firmly within his grasp. It only deepened Yuan Ming’an’s unease, making him question whether the eunuch had truly destroyed the edict.
With the truth still uncertain, he dared not speak further.
Silence settled over the court once again. The Emperor spoke, “Summon the Third Young Master Xie into the palace.” Then he added, “Until this matter is fully investigated, Jing Wang will remain in the Eastern Capital.”
What had been meant to be the Xie family’s day of doom had suddenly shifted beyond all control. As soon as he stepped out of the great hall, Yuan Ming’an lowered his voice and instructed a family attendant beside him, “Go at once and inform the Crown Prince. How Jing Wang entered the Eastern Capital must be investigated. If he dares to let any member of the Xie family in again…”
Recalling the Emperor’s decision to keep Jing Wang in the capital, Yuan Ming’an’s face grew heavy. He took a deep breath and said, “I’m afraid he may never leave the Eastern Capital again.”
The messenger hurried out of the palace.
At the same time, the Emperor also dispatched men to Nancheng to receive Xie Shao and his party.
—
Wen Shuse slept especially deeply. By the time she opened her eyes, a faint light had already begun to glow across the sky.
Sensing that she was jostling along, she slowly lifted her eyelids and saw that the scene before her was not the forest from the night before. Lowering her head, she realized that at some point, she had ended up on her husband’s back.
Xie Shao turned his head slightly. “Awake?”
Guilt washed over Wen Shuse’s face. “Husband, why didn’t you wake me?”
“You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t have the heart to wake you. If you’re still tired, you can sleep a bit longer.”
She had seen it last night that his body was covered in injuries. Who knew how long he had been carrying her? How could she possibly bring herself to keep sleeping? “I’m not tired. Husband, please put me down.”
“Even if you’re not tired, I can still carry you.” The young man had no intention of setting her down. Afraid she would refuse again, he added, “I like carrying you.”
A crisp birdsong sounded above them, clear and bright like that of an oriole. Just like her husband’s words, it was exceedingly pleasant to hear.
Sure enough, one only learns to cherish things after losing them.
Though their marriage had begun as a sham on both sides, they had at least gone through a proper wedding ceremony. They had a lifetime ahead to walk together. It was a good thing that he had come to realize her importance in time.
The same went for her. Having narrowly escaped death, she cherished the person before her all the more. After facing life and death, even the back of the young man’s head now seemed pleasing to the eye.
Thinking of how she had worried about him all day yesterday, now that he was regained, only by clinging this close could she feel at ease. She wrapped her arms a little tighter around his chest, leaning forward to rest against his shoulder. “Then I suppose I can reluctantly let you carry me a while longer?”
Driven to the end of the road, with the Crown Prince determined to take the Xie family’s lives, he ought to have been tense and heavy-hearted. Yet with his little wife by his side, he found it impossible to sink into sorrow. Instead, he indulged her with a touch of swagger. “Thank you, Wife, for granting me the honor.”
“You’re welcome.” She seized the moment to exaggerate, “You have no idea, Husband, when I was little, plenty of people were lining up hoping to carry me.”
That, he truly did not know. The question slipped out before he could stop himself, “Why?”
The young lady faltered. “Husband, that question is quite hurtful. Do I not possess the kind of charm that would make people fight for the chance to carry me?”
Realizing his tongue had blundered again, he quickly corrected himself. “Of course you do. The most handsome young master in all of Fengcheng is begging to carry you, isn’t he?” Without a trace of embarrassment, he threw out the boast, then quickly changed the subject before she could tease him. “Why don’t you tell me… just how glorious were you back then?”
“It wasn’t anything glorious.” The road of fleeing for their lives was long, and talking helped pass the time, so she did not mind sharing. “Once, I sprained my ankle and a companion carried me back. To thank him, I gave him ten taels of silver.”
Truly, she was someone who had squandered two mountains of gold. She had shown potential from a young age.
The young man asked, “And then?”
“The next morning, when I woke up, there was a long line of people squatting outside the gate. The moment they saw someone from the mansion, they would ask…” Wen Shuse cleared her throat and mimicked their voices, “Second Miss Wen, did you sprain your ankle today?”
Suddenly, she felt a sharp tremor from his back. Wen Shuse stopped mid-sentence. “Husband, you laughed.”
Xie Shao clenched his teeth. “I did not.”
Wen Shuse didn’t believe him. Tilting her head, she peered at the corners of his lips, caught him red-handed, and said, “I saw it. Your mouth was practically splitting to your ears.”
As she leaned in closer, her cheek brushed against his neck, as light as a feather yet leaving a surprisingly strong effect. Warmth seeped into his skin, and in an instant, that tender sprout in his heart grew into a towering tree. Unconsciously, his whole demeanor brightened, and even his steps became lighter. He assured her, “Rest easy, Wife, I won’t charge you.”
He would have gladly carried her to the ends of the earth, but Wen Shuse couldn’t truly let him exhaust himself. After a while, she climbed down from his back, and the two of them walked side by side through the forest.
Wen Shuse had only walked a short stretch of the path Jing Wang had taken and knew nothing of what lay ahead. And even if she did, a route Jing Wang could take was not one they could follow.
For now, the only option was to find a place to settle temporarily, evade the Crown Prince’s citywide search, and wait for news from Jing Wang.
When the young lady refused to let him carry her, he took her hand instead. Walking like this through the forest, he gradually began to sense something was off. This was hardly fleeing for their life, yet it felt more like strolling beneath flowers and moonlight with her.
He recalled the night before they left, when they had planned to meet. The young lady had carefully dressed herself, clad in fine silks, her hair styled high, radiant and bright. They had not even had the chance to admire the moon before being swept into turmoil.
Now, looking at her again, she wore a man’s robe, loose and ill-fitting, and the embroidered shoes on her feet were so worn they had lost their original shape.
And this entire outfit had been given to her by another man.
Though he told himself he didn’t mind, his pride still took a heavy blow. For the first time, he understood those who made empty promises. He shamelessly did the same, tightening his grip on her hand, he said, “When we reach the Eastern Capital, I’ll pick out a few sets of clothes for you.”
It wasn’t entirely an empty promise.
Back in Fengcheng, aside from his official duties, he had been copying books, secretly saving over ten taels of silver. He carried it with him now. Once they reached the Eastern Capital, he would give it to her.
But a few sets of clothes would hardly be enough for the young lady.
The wilderness was filled with towering trees, and now and then a small animal could be seen. At first, Wen Shuse found it novel, but after fleeing all this way, she had grown utterly weary of it. She began to miss the grand mansion back home. “I want a big mansion, a big bed, a big carriage…?”
Ten or so taels of silver would hardly be enough to provide all that. He was just about to persuade her to lower her expectations a little.
Suddenly, the young lady wrapped both hands around his arm and looked up at him. “So, in the future, you must become a high-ranking official. I’ll be the wife of an official, only then we can enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory…”
After a good night’s sleep, she regained her energy. Her eyes were bright and clear, a soft flush coloring her cheeks. Her fair skin, touched by the sunlight filtering through the forest, seemed to glow faintly.
Her lips…
His heart thudded several times. Ever since he had kissed her once, he could no longer look at her lips innocently. His mind uncontrollably conjured images that could not be spoken aloud.
Did the young lady truly have no guard at all? Did she not know that such a posture could easily stir desire in a man?
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced ahead. Ever since witnessing the intimacy between the two of them the previous night, the others had tactfully kept their distance, leaving the pair plenty of space.
Perhaps, at a moment like this… it could be said that there was no one else around.
As bold desire stirred, it felt as though countless ants were gnawing at his heart, leaving him restless and unsettled, his breathing uneven. Only by stealing another kiss from his little wife could he calm himself.
“Alright,” he answered, dazed, and gathered his courage to lean down.
“Don’t move.” A sudden shout rang out beside his ear.
The reckless courage hanging in midair was instantly shattered. He jerked his head up, his expression turning grim as he looked ahead. Not far away, Pei Qing stood with a blade pressed against a young woman’s throat.
The woman held a curved knife of her own, its edge still stained with blood. Then, noticing the cut on Pei Qing’s arm, it was clear whose blood it was.
The sudden turn of events put everyone on high alert.
“Don’t make a sound.” Pei Qing shoved the woman forward with considerable force. His grip was so forceful the woman nearly stumbled to the ground, but he yanked her back up just as quickly, holding her fast without the slightest hint of gentleness. “I’ll ask, and you answer.”
The woman seemed thoroughly frightened, nodding repeatedly.
“Who are you?”
She shook her head but did not speak.
Losing patience, Pei Qing shoved her again and continued, “Where do you live?”
The young woman’s face turned pale. Struggling, she raised her hand and pointed toward the mountain opposite.
Xie Shao exchanged a glance with Minzhang. Minzhang immediately went ahead to investigate and, after a moment, returned to report, “There’s a farmhouse up ahead.”
—
Nancheng, Dongzhou Prefecture.
The lights in the military headquarters had burned for two full nights without being extinguished, yet there had been no results.
Even the Crown Prince found it laughable. “The man entered my Nancheng, yet managed to slip away right under my nose. Tell me… can that Jing Wang fly or vanish into the earth, or does that Third Young Master Xie possess some extraordinary skill to disappear on the spot?”
A crowd of officials knelt below, not one daring to speak.
It was truly humiliating.
Thousands of guards had sealed the city, setting a trap like catching turtles in a jar, yet they had failed to capture even a single person, and had even lost their trail.
A bunch of useless fools. Their mouths were sharp enough when talking, but when faced with real matters, not one of them was of any use. The Crown Prince didn’t even want to look at them. Cursing them as worthless, he swept his sleeve, sending everything on the table crashing to the floor. “What are you still standing there for? Do I have to conduct the search myself?”
One after another, the group filed out, with Pei Yuanqiu walking at the rear.
The Crown Prince suddenly called out to him, his expression grim. “Minister Pei, do not disappoint me again.”
After the troops had returned, the Crown Prince had naturally heard about what had happened in the forest. If not for Pei Yuanqiu’s son interfering, that Third Young Master Xie would have already been riddled with arrows.
Pei Yuanqiu’s heart tightened. He immediately knelt and pleaded, “Your Highness is magnanimous. This minister will certainly give Your Highness an explanation.”
Just as he finished speaking, messengers from the Eastern Capital arrived and hurriedly reported, “Chancellor Yuan has sent word to Your Highness. Jing Wang has already reached the Eastern Capital. At this morning’s court session, he met with His Majesty and, before all the civil and military officials, cleared the Xie family of their charges. His Majesty has already dispatched people to Nancheng to receive Third Young Master Xie.”
The Crown Prince’s expression changed drastically.
“And also…” The messenger hesitated before continuing, “His Majesty has ordered Jing Wang to remain in the Eastern Capital.”
The messenger kept his eyes lowered, not daring to look at the Crown Prince’s furious expression, and went on, “Chancellor Yuan says that the Third Young Master Xie likely still carries the imperial edict. If Your Highness still wishes to return to the Eastern Capital, you must ensure that the Third Young Master Xie must be stopped at all costs.”