The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 65
Pei Qing recognized the man, Feng Chao, Pei Yuanqiu’s most trusted confidant.
From the very first day Pei Yuanqiu returned to Fengcheng to see him, this man had been at his side. For him to appear here tonight, Pei Yuanqiu must have already known their whereabouts.
Pei Qing’s grip tightened involuntarily around the axe in his hand, his voice turning cold. “Let her go.”
“Forgive me, Young Master.” Feng Chao did not loosen his hold. “If you are willing to cooperate, I guarantee no harm will come to the innocent.”
Ever since eight years ago, when Pei Yuanqiu returned and tried to bring him back to the Eastern Capital, this tug-of-war between them had never ceased. After the incident in Fengcheng, it had only grown more intense. No matter what, the blood of Pei Yuanqiu ran in his veins, and there was no escaping it. Sooner or later, there would have to be an end.
Pei Qing calmed himself and asked, “What does Pei Yuanqiu want?”
Feng Chao glanced at the mute girl in his grasp, looking somewhat hesitant. Pei Qing spoke up at once, his tone sharp with warning. “Try moving her and see what happens.”
Feng Chao did not dare offend him. He did not act, yet he still hesitated.
Pei Qing added, “She’s mute.” Seeing that Feng Chao remained unconvinced, he pointed to the wooden stump nearby and said to the girl, “Come here. Sit. Don’t move.”
The mute girl nodded frantically.
Only then did Feng Chao slowly withdraw his blade, pushing the girl toward the opposite side. He cupped his hands toward Pei Qing and said, “Master has sent me to escort you down the mountain.”
Pei Yuanqiu had said the same thing the day he cornered them in the forest. He hadn’t gone with him then, and there was even less chance he would now.
Pei Qing let out a laugh. “Go down the mountain? And then what? Follow him into the Wang family? I wonder if he’s even asked for that madam’s consent in the Eastern Capital. If, because of me, the son he once abandoned, he offends the Wang family and loses the wealth and status he schemed so hard to obtain, wouldn’t that be a pity?”
The Wang family had indeed been in turmoil over this matter, and Madam Wang had already returned to her maiden home for several months. Feng Chao’s expression flickered with discomfort, though he quickly composed himself. “Rest assured, Young Master. As long as you’re willing to come down the mountain, Master will immediately send you out of the city to the Eastern Capital.” He paused, then added, “As for your dealings with the Shizi Zhou afterward, he will no longer interfere.”
Pei Qing froze, disbelief flashing across his face. The disgust in his eyes was laid bare without the slightest concealment. “For the sake of power, Pei Yuanqiu is truly shameless.”
Was he trying to imitate Xie Daoyuan?
Unfortunately for him, Pei Qing was not Xie Heng. He had best give up that foolish delusion as soon as possible.
Feng Chao tried to persuade him. “Master is acting entirely for your sake. I ask that you understand.”
“I don’t need it!” Pei Qing suddenly snapped, his voice low but fierce. “Back then, when he abandoned my mother and me, did he ever think about how a widow and her child were supposed to survive?”
These were matters of his master’s own household from before his time. Feng Chao could neither judge them nor had the right to comment. He lowered his head in silence.
Pei Qing himself hadn’t expected to lose control like that. He quickly calmed down, no longer interested in hearing any more nonsense, and asked directly, “If I refuse to go down the mountain, what will Pei Yuanqiu do?”
Feng Chao did not answer him directly, only said, “My lord has said that as long as you come down the mountain, he will not lay a hand on the third young master of the Xie family.”
Pei Qing let out a cold laugh, unable to hold back his sarcasm. “And Pei Yuanqiu’s word is supposed to be trustworthy?”
Feng Chao did not argue. “I’m afraid, Young Master, that you have no choice. I can only give you two hours to decide. Once dawn breaks tomorrow, if you still refuse to come down, someone will release a signal fire. By the time the Crown Prince’s forces arrive, it may already be too late.”
Pei Qing’s expression changed at once.
Feng Chao continued, “Master knows that the Third Young Master Xie is waiting for Wangye’s forces to come for him. He also knows that Wangye did not escape the Eastern Capital through the city gates when he fled Nancheng. He has no intention of making things difficult for the Third Young Master Xie. However, if he allows him to leave Nancheng unharmed just like that, he will have no way to answer to His Highness the Crown Prince. I hope the Young Master can understand.”
Pei Qing understood.
Pei Yuanqiu would not act against Third Xie himself. He would simply let the Crown Prince make a move.
He would deliver the man straight to the Crown Prince. Whether Xie Shao could be stopped would depend entirely on the Crown Prince’s ability. And whether Xie San could escape from the Crown Prince’s grasp would depend on Xie Shao himself.
As expected of Pei Yuanqiu, every calculation was laid out to the finest detail.
Seeing that Pei Qing remained silent for a long while, Feng Chao knew he had taken it all in. He cupped his hands and said, “I will await your answer, Young Master. Do remember, do not miss the time.”
The uninvited guest who had arrived so suddenly melted back into the night, and silence returned. The darkness seemed to grow thicker. The rooms in the front courtyard were pitch-black; everyone was asleep, unaware of the disturbance outside.
Pei Qing stood there for a moment without returning to his room. Then he turned and slowly walked over to the mute girl, sitting down on the pile of firewood he had just chopped.
Though she could not speak, her ears were not deaf. Perhaps frightened by the identities of those men, she sat stiffly in place, wide-eyed and frozen. When Pei Qing came closer, she cast him a timid glance, the fear on her face deepening.
Pei Qing suddenly looked up and asked, “Can you read?”
The mute girl shook her head.
Pei Qing took out a small medicine bottle from his sleeve. “If you want to live, swallow this.”
She took it, glanced at the characters on the porcelain bottle, then looked back at Pei Qing, her face full of confusion.
Pei Qing said nothing, only watching her calmly.
The mute girl did not hesitate any further. She took out a pill and was just about to put it into her mouth when Pei Qing snatched it back in time. It seemed she truly could not read. “Don’t worry. It won’t kill you.”
He tucked the bottle back into his sleeve and fell silent again, sinking into thought.
Pei Yuanqiu had not wiped them out that night and had even concealed their whereabouts from the Crown Prince. To go that far was already the greatest concession he could make.
They might still have a chance if they fought their way through the city gates below. But once the Crown Prince’s men came up the mountain, Xie Shao would surely die.
Two hours, he wouldn’t even need that long. The life he had lived until now was already borrowed time.
He lowered his head and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, handing it to the mute girl beside him. “I had planned to take you down the mountain, but it seems I won’t be able to. When everything is over, take this and go find the Third Young Master Xie in that room. His surname is Xie, given name Shao. He will help you out of your predicament.”
He himself had once been helped by him.
Eight years ago, when he learned that Pei Yuanqiu had returned and sought him out, his emotions had surged out of control. With a blade pressed to his neck, he had been ready to follow his mother in death.
Then a voice suddenly dropped from above. “What are you doing?”
Startled, he looked up to see a young man sprawled on the cherry tree in his courtyard. As the boy sat up, cherry pits fell all over the ground. “Your body and hair were given to you by your mother. If you’re looking for a bit of excitement, I might be able to help.”
That day, when Pei Yuanqiu left, he was covered in filth.
A child’s anger had been pure and simple. Seeing the man who had abandoned him and his mother, who had lived so splendidly outside, reduced to such a sorry state, stomping and cursing, brought a sense of release to the heart that had suffered for years, for the very first time.
Only later did he learn that the young man had come from the Eastern Capital, the only son of Chancellor Xie, Xie Shao.
After that, it was also he who introduced him to the Shizi Zhou. “A husband unfaithful, a father unkind. The fault lies entirely with Pei Yuanqiu. What wrong have you and your mother done? Was your mother’s life not enough? Must you now throw yours away for a man like him as well? Do you like being an inspector? Perhaps one day Pei Yuanqiu will fall into your hands, cutting his flesh would feel far better than cutting your own, wouldn’t it?”
It was because of that hope and that unwillingness to yield that he had endured until now.
A life-saving kindness, the bond of brotherhood, these could not go unrepaid.
The oil in the lamp on the stove slowly ran dry, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer. The mute girl took the handkerchief in astonishment, holding it up beneath the flickering flame to examine it.
Knowing what she was looking for and seeing no need to hide anything from an illiterate mute, Pei Qing said, “My name is Pei Qing. It was given to me by my birth father. He hoped that one day I would rise to high office, crowned with titles and rank.”
But before he could grow up, that man had been eager to abandon him.
By chance encountering this mute girl today, he saw in her a reflection of his former self, and could not help but feel a trace of pity. In a hoarse voice, he said, “I’m just like you. My father was also a beast. When I was six, he abandoned my mother and me to marry a noble lady.” He paused, swallowing softly. “My mother suffered all her life, and in the end, because of me, she hanged herself. Now… It’s my turn.”
The flame of the oil lamp flickered twice, then went out completely.
Pei Qing did not linger. Rising from the wooden stump, he removed the curved blade hanging at his waist and pressed it into the mute girl’s hand. “Live well. Don’t walk my path.”
With that, he turned and strode forward toward the front courtyard. Facing the night, he called out loudly, “Feng Chao, come out. I’ve made my decision.”
—
During the day, Xie Shao had gone with Minzhang to survey the nearby terrain. He had not rested all day. Although he had briefly lost sleep the previous night after being stirred by the young lady, exhaustion eventually overcame him, and he soon fell asleep.
At the sound of Pei Qing’s voice, Xie Shao’s eyes snapped open. He turned over and sprang up, throwing aside the covers. To the young lady beside him, who had also been startled awake, he said, “Put on your shoes, but don’t come out yet.”
The door swung open. Pei Qing stood in the center of the courtyard, and across from him was already a dense crowd of men, their dark figures filling the space.
From the neighboring room, Minzhang, Wei Yun, and the servant all rushed out one after another.
In an instant, firelight flared, illuminating the entire courtyard.
The moment Xie Shao saw the confidant at Pei Yuanqiu’s side, he understood what was happening. Having slept in his clothes the night before, his robe now hung loosely, his hair in disarray. He gave Feng Chao a faint smile. “It must have been trouble for Lord Pei to come in the middle of the night. Might you allow us a moment to tidy ourselves?”
As long as he was willing to go down the mountain, there was no need to rush. Feng Chao remained courteous. “Of course, Young Master Xie.”
Now that they had been found here, it was already the worst possible outcome. There was nowhere left to run; struggling further would be useless. Turning around, Xie Shao instructed Minzhang and the others, “Pack up. We’re going down the mountain.”
He stepped back into the room. Wen Shuse had just put on her shoes and hurried to the doorway. The drowsiness had vanished from her face, replaced with urgency as she looked at him. “Who is it?”
Xie Shao pulled her over, turning her so her back faced him. Reaching out, he loosened her disheveled hair. With no comb at hand, he used his fingers, threading them through her hair as he gathered it up, answering as he did so, “Pei Yuanqiu’s men.”
Wen Shuse’s body stiffened. Just as she feared, without shedding a layer of skin, they would never make it to the Eastern Capital.
“Regret it?” Her husband tilted his head to glance at her, the strip of cloth in his hands winding around her hair again and again. “I told you to leave earlier, but you insisted on staying. Now that you’re afraid, it’s too late for regrets. I’m afraid I’ll have to wrong you, Wife, dying with me, with no burial place.”
Wen Shuse was startled by his words and shivered. “Husband, isn’t that a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted? When you saw me last night, you were clearly very happy. Since we’ve already had our stolen moment of joy, it’s only fair we pay some price for it.”
She clearly had a rather peculiar understanding of the phrase “stolen joy.”
After tying off her hair with a knot, he turned her shoulders to face him. Looking at her boyish disguise, there was a certain charm to it. His expression grew serious as he said, “Pei Yuanqiu and the Crown Prince want my life. No one has seen you. Once we’re outside, follow Pei Qing. Pei Yuanqiu has only this one son. He won’t harm him. This is your last chance to live.”
Before she could speak, he cut her off, “Don’t argue with me. Only if you’re safe will I have no worries.” He adjusted her loosened collar. “Don’t worry. I disappointed you last night. I’ll make sure to keep myself alive to make it up to you.”
Wen Shuse looked utterly confused. What had she been disappointed about?
But her husband seemed unable to let it go. That pent-up frustration from the night before had not only not faded, it had only grown stronger.
Or perhaps he feared that he might truly never have another chance. If he left her with the impression that he was incapable, he wouldn’t find peace even in the afterlife. To save himself from crawling out of his grave to find her, it would be better to clear his name now. The moment the thought formed, he acted on it. Reaching out, he lifted her chin and suddenly leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.
No longer like the fleeting, hesitant touch of last night, nor like that day in the forest when he had only sealed her lips without moving, this time, the moment his lips met hers, he seized them, pressing and grinding against them with firm insistence, back and forth.
Wen Shuse’s eyes widened. At a time like this, when their lives were hanging by a thread, he was still thinking of this…?
Not giving her any chance to move, Xie Shao’s hand clamped tightly around the back of her head.
This time, he was like a true beast of prey, his presence overwhelming, his breath falling against her face. His lips grew hotter, capturing hers again and again in deep, unrelenting kisses.
Her soul seemed to lift out of her body. Wen Shuse trembled, her whole body going weak as her breathing fell into complete disarray.
Before she could recover, he suddenly parted his lips. The wet, slick tongue slipped between her lips and teeth, tracing hurriedly, pressing deeper and deeper inside…
The moment her tongue, hidden behind her teeth, was drawn out, the unfamiliar sensation struck like lightning. Wen Shuse’s mind exploded with a buzzing hum, all thoughts wiped clean, her ears filled only with the faint, wet sounds of his kisses.
Outside, a crowd of men waited. Inside, her husband held the back of the young lady’s head, reclaiming his pride in one decisive act.
A moment later, as though severing his own arm, he forcibly pulled himself out of the haze, regaining his reason with difficulty. Lowering his gaze, he looked at the young lady before him, her breath ragged, her face flushed crimson, her lips still glistening with moisture. A surge of profound satisfaction coursed through his entire being.
Now, even death would hold no regrets.
He let her go, turned his back, and calmly straightened his robes. By the time he stepped out again, he seemed far more composed.
Standing at the doorway, he raised his voice to Feng Chao outside, “We only climbed the mountain yesterday, and my legs are rather sore. I truly can’t manage the descent on foot. Lord Feng, perhaps you could prepare a few horses, so we can head down sooner.”
Feng Chao gave a signal to the men behind him, and soon horses were brought over.
Xie Shao did not wait for Wen Shuse behind him. He stepped forward first, and as he passed by Pei Qing, he said quietly, “Protect your sister-in-law.”
Pei Qing’s expression remained calm as he answered, “Understood.”
By the time Wen Shuse came back to her senses and realized what had just happened, her face was already flushed beyond measure.
Everyone had gathered in the courtyard, leaving her no room to linger in embarrassment. She turned and followed them out. The heat of the torches mixed with thick smoke rushed toward her face. The scene was indeed imposing.
Just as she was walking forward, someone suddenly tugged at her sleeve from behind.
Wen Shuse turned back to see the mute girl from the farmhouse. She paused, thinking the girl was afraid, and gently reassured her, “Don’t be scared. We’ll be leaving right away. You’ll be fine.”
But the mute girl did not let go. She pointed toward Pei Qing, who had just mounted his horse ahead, then pointed at her own wrist. Her eyes were urgent, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled desperately to convey something.
It was clear she was anxious, but Wen Shuse could not understand. She could only look at her helplessly.
The mute girl gestured again, anxiously dragging her finger across her throat. When Wen Shuse still failed to grasp her meaning, a mist of tears gathered in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, Wen Shuse guessed it had something to do with Pei Qing. Remembering that the girl had once been held hostage by him, she spoke gently, “Don’t worry, miss. He’s a good person. He won’t harm you.” Then, recalling something, she secretly dug out half a tael of silver from her sleeve and pressed it into the girl’s hand. “Keep this safe. Don’t let your father know. Find a way to leave here as soon as you can.”
The mute girl shook her head violently, tears spilling from her eyes.
Ahead, Xie Shao had already swung onto his horse and ridden off without waiting for her. Wen Shuse panicked, no longer able to mind the mute girl. Hurriedly, she tossed out a quick, “Take care,” before chasing after them at once.
—
In the dead of night, the city gates blazed with light. The imperial troops were blocked outside, their voices ringing out again and again, “By His Majesty’s decree, His Highness the Crown Prince is to open the city gates at once!”