The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 66
Shouts rang out through the night, striking heavy against people’s hearts, stirring up unease and panic. Several of the Crown Prince’s retainers glanced at him again and again, unable to endure the tension. “Your Highness…”
The Crown Prince’s face was drawn tight.
The court’s forces had arrived quickly.
He had blocked the city gates for two or three days now, already letting one Jing Wang slip away. Was he really supposed to open the gates and hand over the Third Young Master Xie, just to let him impeach the Crown Prince before the Emperor for forging an imperial edict?
Impossible.
But to keep the gates shut like this, locking the court’s men outside, was an act of defying an imperial order. That, too, was no solution.
The Crown Prince glanced behind him and asked a retainer, “Where is Pei Yuanqiu?”
The retainer hurriedly replied, “Lord Pei asks Your Highness not to worry. The moment the gates open, the Third Young Master Xie will surely appear.”
The court officials outside had been shouting for a quarter of an hour. If the gates were not opened soon, word would surely reach the Emperor. “Open the gates. Guard them well for me. If you see Third Young Master Xie, kill him on sight.”
The gates finally opened. The one who had come to receive them was Xu Xun, Commander of the Cavalry.
After waiting for so long that his voice had nearly gone hoarse from shouting, he finally saw the gates open. Yet before he could even enter, he was stopped outside by the Crown Prince’s retainers. With a courteous bow and a smiling face, they said, “His Highness knows Commander Xu has come to receive someone, and is urgently searching for him even now. Recently, many restless spirits have returned to Nancheng. It would not do to startle them. We ask for your understanding, Commander Xu. Please wait here for a moment. As soon as His Highness finds the person, he will bring him straight to you.”
Xu Xun reined in his horse and looked up. The gates were indeed open, but just inside, a line of soldiers blocked the way.
So, they had no intention of letting him in.
Xu Xun was a protégé of Chancellor Xie. Today, the Emperor had personally entrusted him with the task of escorting the Third Young Master Xie safely back to the Eastern Capital. Without seeing the man himself, there was no way he would yield. He smiled at the retainer. “With the imperial command upon me, how could I shirk my duty and trouble His Highness to act in my place?” Turning, he ordered the guards behind him, “Enter the city and receive the Third Young Master.”
“Commander Xu!” The retainer’s voice rose sharply. “As far as this old servant knows, His Majesty only ordered that the man be retrieved, but he did not command you to search the city. Could it be that Commander Xu intends to force his way into Dongzhou?”
As his words fell, a dense line of guards surged forward from behind, closing in at once.
Xu Xun’s expression changed.
The retainer opposite him smiled again, courteous as ever. “We ask that Commander Xu wait here for news.”
—
Pei Yuanqiu had been keeping watch at the foot of the mountain for half the night. He had just dozed off when someone beside him said, “Master, they’ve arrived.”
In an instant, Pei Yuanqiu’s eyes snapped open. He looked up to see a group of riders descending the mountain path. Dawn had begun to break across the sky, and at the very front rode the retrieved Xie, Xie Shao.
Behind him followed Pei Qing, Wei Yun, and the others.
Not a single one was missing.
Pei Yuanqiu slowly rose from the low stone mound, lifting his gaze toward the young nobleman on horseback. He waited as the group drew nearer. Old acquaintances meeting again needed a few words. “Young Master Xie, we meet again.”
Xie Shao smiled. “Congratulations, Lord Pei, on rendering great merit. Another promotion must surely be in store.”
Pei Yuanqiu did not respond, neither confirming nor denying it. His gaze shifted past him to Pei Qing behind, and to the “young man” seated on the horse behind him.
Having lived this many years, he could tell at a glance whether someone was male or female.
For the past eight years, every movement of Pei Qing had been under his watch. He knew clearly who he had come into contact with. There had been no young lady among them.
So where had she come from?
Why had the Crown Prince’s forces suddenly withdrawn from the mountain? How had Young Master Wei come to connect with Xie Shao? And when he recalled the grain donation in Fengcheng…
Realization dawned.
This must be the Second Young Lady Wen, now the Third Young Madam Xie.
Seeing his gaze sharpen as it lingered on the figure behind him, unmoving for a long moment, Xie Shao’s expression turned cold. “If Lord Pei seeks promotion, I believe my life alone should suffice. The lands of Great Feng are vast; by land or by sea, there are always paths forward. Why not leave yourself a way out?”
The Third Young Madam Xie, once she reached the Eastern Capital, there might be no path left at all.
Pei Yuanqiu did not move. He was weighing his options.
As he hesitated, Pei Qing pressed his heels lightly against his horse and rode forward. For the first time, he looked directly at the middle-aged man below and asked calmly, “Lord Pei, do your words carry weight?”
Their gazes met. Those eyes fixed on him without flinching, yet the hatred that had once burned there was suddenly gone. Pei Yuanqiu paused for a moment, then understood his meaning.
As long as he was willing to go with him, he would grant his son this favor.
The only one who would appear in public was the Third Young Master Xie. As for the others, he did not know them.
Pei Yuanqiu folded his hands before him and said gently, “Of course it does.”
Pei Qing said nothing more. With Wen Shuse, he rode past Pei Yuanqiu to the rear, turned his horse around, and faced Xie Shao.
Pei Yuanqiu let out a long breath of relief. With a lift of his hand, the men behind him withdrew in unison, clearing a broad path toward the city gate. “Young Master Xie, please.”
Xie Shao did not look at Pei Qing, nor at Wen Shuse behind him. He tugged the reins and rode straight toward the gate without turning back.
Wen Shuse’s body tilted forward involuntarily, but Pei Qing reached out and caught her arm, holding her firmly.
She stiffened, but in the end, did not move again.
As the sky split with the first light of dawn, brightness spread quickly, and the figures before them became clearer and clearer.
Pei Yuanqiu followed behind the group, riding abreast of Pei Qing. He turned to look at him, his arm still wrapped in bandages, his face marked with several cuts and bruises. He must have suffered greatly along the way. A trace of concern rose in his heart. “When we return, get some proper rest.”
Pei Qing did not respond. Instead, he asked, “Where is Mother’s memorial tablet?”
“In my room. Don’t worry, the incense has never gone cold.”
The steady clatter of hooves rang out as they moved forward. Suddenly, Pei Qing asked, “Do you regret it?”
Pei Yuanqiu froze. More than the answer to the question itself, what struck him was that his son was finally willing to ask.
The year he left, Pei Qing had seemed only six. He had carried him to the doorway, father and son parting. The child had clung tightly to his neck, crying, “Father, come back soon.”
In the years that followed, as he maneuvered through wealth and power, clothed in silk and fed on delicacies, he had recalled that moment more than once. The ache that rose in his heart. How could there have been no regret?
His voice turned hoarse. “I have wronged you and your mother.”
Pei Qing smiled, his face full of biting mockery.
Pei Yuanqiu paid it no mind and continued, “But if I were given the choice again, I would still take this path.” The trace of softness in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by a cold detachment. “At least this way, I could pave a shortcut for you, so you would not have to take the long way around. The descendants of the Pei family will no longer have to worry about making a living. They can devote themselves wholly, without distraction, to striving forward.”
A muscle twitched at the corner of Pei Qing’s eye. “So, Mother deserved to be abandoned by you.”
Pei Yuanqiu did not deny it. “I failed her.”
Abandoned and betrayed without cause by her husband, left alone to raise his child, worn down and driven to death just to survive, and all it amounted to was a single sentence: I failed her.
Pei Qing’s hands trembled. Anger and grief intertwined, nearly swallowing him whole. Darkness flickered at the edges of his vision.
Pei Yuanqiu was not even worthy of being called a beast. What was there left for him to hope for?
He did not want to look at him again.
The procession pressed forward with Xie Shao under guard. The streets on either side grew quieter and quieter. By the time they reached the city gate, the morning light had just fallen upon the nine-ridged roof of the gate tower, a blinding halo of brightness dazzling the eyes.
Below stood a sea of dark figures, every one of them the Crown Prince’s men.
Up ahead, Xie Shao had already come to a halt.
“Pei Yuanqiu.” Pei Qing’s eyes were icy. “You are unworthy.” Unworthy to be a husband, unworthy to be a father, unworthy even to be called human.
Pei Yuanqiu froze.
“Sister-in-law, hold tight, follow Brother Xie.” Pei Qing thrust the reins into Wen Shuse’s hands, then suddenly sprang from his horse, lunging onto Pei Yuanqiu’s mount.
The two crashed heavily to the ground. Before anyone could react, Pei Qing had already seized Pei Yuanqiu by the collar, a blade pressed hard against his throat as he roared, “Move aside!”
The horses panicked. Wen Shuse nearly fell, clutching the reins tightly and flattening herself against the horse’s back, not daring to move.
Pei Qing shouted toward Xie Shao ahead, “Brother Xie, take her and go. I’ll cover the rear!”
No one had expected this sudden turn. Feng Chao stared tensely at the blade in his hand. “Young master, calm yourself. Do not act rashly.”
Pei Qing ignored him, dragging Pei Yuanqiu step by step toward the city gate. “Make them fall back!”
That single throw left Pei Yuanqiu feeling as though his bones had been shattered. With a blade now pressed against him, his face flushed red from strain, yet he paid no heed to himself, furious as he shouted, “Foolish and ignorant! Brave but brainless! Do you think this will threaten the Crown Prince? You’re only sending yourself to your death!”
The Crown Prince had waited these three days, long since itching to grind the bones of the Xie family to dust. How could he possibly release them for the sake of one Pei Yuanqiu?
Sure enough, once they had retreated before the Crown Prince’s troops, they could move no farther.
Xie Shao and the others had already dismounted. Wen Shuse had also come to his side. With Pei Qing shielding them from the front, the group was caught in between, Pei Yuanqiu before them, and the Crown Prince’s forces behind.
Inside his carriage, the Crown Prince had been watching for quite some time. At first, seeing that the man had finally arrived, he had been pleased, even praising Pei Yuanqiu as a capable subordinate. Little had he known that the man had raised such a foolish son.
Between the throne and a capable subordinate, which mattered more, required no thought at all.
The curtain dropped. He gave his order to the attendant beside him. “Make your move. Leave no survivors.”
The officer accepted the command. Mounting their horses, they advanced to the front, glancing at the disheveled Pei Yuanqiu. “Lord Pei, what’s the meaning of this?”
Pei Yuanqiu spoke urgently, “Your Highness, I beg you to grant me another chance.”
“Lord Pei, you must be confused. These traitors are attempting to harm His Highness. You should execute them at once.” With that, the officer paid no heed to Pei Yuanqiu’s life or death. At a wave of his hand, the guards behind him surged forward in an instant.
Xie Shao had already shielded Wen Shuse behind him, prepared for this. In a low voice, he said to the others, “Wangye’s men are outside. Cover your mouths and noses. Move toward the city gate.”
As his words fell, he flung out a smoke canister. Thick smoke billowed instantly, spreading in all directions.
The charging guards were caught off guard, choking as the smoke stung their eyes, unable to keep them open. Seizing the moment, the group forced its way toward the city gate. Wen Shuse grabbed Pei Qing’s sleeve from behind, and he, in turn, dragged Pei Yuanqiu with him as they retreated outward.
But the gate had already been sealed tight by the Crown Prince’s forces, like an iron wall. They had barely advanced a dozen steps before they were surrounded once more.
Suddenly, Xie Shao lifted his head and called out loudly toward the outside of the city, “May I ask Your Highness the Crown Prince what crime have I, Xie Shao, committed, that you would go to such lengths, even dispatching troops from the military command to execute me?”
Outside, Xu Xun had already seen the smoke billowing from within. He knew the situation had changed and was growing anxious, yet he had no pretext to storm the city.
But upon hearing Xie Shao’s voice, he hesitated no longer. He spurred his horse forward and led his men in a charge. “By His Majesty’s decree, we are to escort Xie Shao, Third Young Master Xie, back to the Eastern Capital. Any who defy this order will be treated as traitors and killed without mercy!”
As Xu Xun attacked from the outside, the tightly packed line of guards blocking the way began to loosen.
Many of the soldiers surrounding the gate that day were from the prefectural army. They had believed they were truly here to capture traitors. But now, hearing the court officials shouting outside, unease spread through their ranks.
Meanwhile, Xie Shao and the others, knowing reinforcements had arrived, fought with all their strength to break through.
Behind them, another path was blocked by Pei Yuanqiu’s men. The Crown Prince’s forces could not press forward. Seeing the situation turning, the officer roared, “Lord Pei, what are you doing? Move quickly, capture the traitors at once!”
They had already reached the gate.
Just a few steps more, and once the court’s forces linked up with them, it would all be too late. Knowing how much his master had sacrificed for this day, Feng Chao could not hesitate. He put the greater cause first and rushed forward to block them.
Not far away, the Crown Prince also saw that something was wrong. Cursing under his breath at the incompetence, he gave the order: “Seal the city gates! Ready the arrows!”
“Archers, ready!”
Once the gates were shut and arrows loosed, everyone here would die without exception.
Suddenly, Pei Qing shoved Pei Yuanqiu away. In the same motion, he drew the blade across his own throat. His eyes burned red as he stared at him. “And now? I wonder if my life is enough to threaten Lord Pei.”
Pei Yuanqiu was pushed forward, still reeling, when he saw the blade at his son’s neck. His expression froze.
Through clenched teeth, Pei Qing said, “I ask that Lord Pei escort us out of the city.”
Pei Yuanqiu’s face turned ashen. “You unfilial…”
Before he could finish, Pei Qing’s blade cut without hesitation. A line of blood instantly appeared across his throat.
Pei Yuanqiu’s legs gave way, panic finally surfacing on his face. “Don’t act recklessly. Calm down first…”
Pei Qing pressed the blade deeper into his flesh. “You have only one son. If I die, the Pei family’s line ends here. How will you face our ancestors in the afterlife?” He let out a cold laugh. “Think carefully. Do you want me alive, to carry on the Pei lineage, or do you, Pei Yuanqiu, cling to life only to see your line cut off forever?”
Blood streamed down from his neck. Watching it, Pei Yuanqiu’s heart lurched violently. He stared at the only son before him, his expression slowly collapsing.
Without warning, Pei Qing drove the blade into his own abdomen.
Pei Yuanqiu crumpled to the ground in shock and roared, “Let them go!”
“Lord…” Feng Chao hesitated.
“Did you not hear me? Let them go!”
Feng Chao caught sight of the knife hilt buried in Pei Qing’s abdomen. His face went blank, and he no longer dared to move.
The gates were already halfway closed. With Feng Chao’s men no longer blocking them, Xie Shao and the others rushed forward, breaking through the gate. As they crossed outside, he turned back urgently. “Pei Qing, quick, follow us!”
Pei Qing yanked the blade from his abdomen and turned to run outward, but he did not leave the city. Instead, he slammed his shoulder against the half-closed gate, bracing it, then forced it shut with all his strength. His gaze lifted to Xie Shao outside, and he curved his lips into a faint smile, calling out loudly, “Brother Xie, go and take a good look at the Eastern Capital for me!”
Tonight, the Crown Prince was determined to kill. Those outside would not be able to hold out for long.
The longer he delayed them, the greater Xie Shao’s chance of survival.
Before Xie Shao could react, the heavy gates, hundreds of pounds in weight, crashed shut with a deep, resounding thud.
“Pei Qing!” Xie Shao roared, spinning back and charging toward the gate. His curved blade struck the doors with a heavy blow. “Pei Qing, come out! We can all make it to the Eastern Capital!”
Pei Qing braced his back against the gate, his face deathly pale, his forehead beaded with fine sweat. “Go!”
Knowing he would not come out, Xie Shao kicked the gate hard, then threw his head back and shouted, his voice torn raw, “Pei Yuanqiu, you beast! Even a tiger does not eat its own cub. Are you truly going to wipe out your own bloodline? Let him out! I’ll take him to the Eastern Capital!”
The hoarse roar pierced through the gate and reached Pei Yuanqiu’s ears. His bloodshot eyes stared in horror at the young man pressed against the gate, the ground beneath him slowly staining red with blood.
That was his only son. The son he had once held in his arms, the child he had taught with his own lips to call him father.
In this lifetime, aside from Pei Qing, he had never known what it meant to be a father. He had already abandoned him once. Was he going to abandon him again?
Was the Pei family truly to end in his own hands?
“Feng Chao, send him out!” The shout tore from Pei Yuanqiu’s chest, veins bulging across his face.
Behind him, the archers were already in position. Seeing Pei Yuanqiu blocking the gate, the officer barked, “Pei Yuanqiu, are you rebelling against your master?”
But Pei Yuanqiu saw only the blood pouring endlessly from Pei Qing. Like a man gone mad, he snatched a curved blade from a guard at his side and turned to face the Crown Prince’s forces. “By His Majesty’s command, escort Young Master Xie into the Eastern Capital! Who among you dares defy it?!”
Pei Yuanqiu had clawed his way to his current position; everyone knew what methods he had used and whose backing he relied on. No one had ever expected him to turn against them. The Crown Prince burned with rage, wishing he could cut him down with a single stroke.
The officer glared at him in fury. “Lord Pei, have you thought this through?”
Pei Yuanqiu gave no reply, only urged again to those behind him, “Send the young master out!”
The officer’s lips twitched. “Loose arrows!”
Several men hurried to pull open the gate. Feng Chao dragged Pei Qing by the arm, pushing him through the narrow opening into Xie Shao’s hands outside. Before he could retreat, a long arrow pierced through his back. He dropped to his knees with a jolt, enduring the pain as he struggled to speak to Xie Shao, “You… you must… save the young master…”
With the last of his strength, he pulled himself back from the gap, pressing his body against the gate as he shouted with all he had left, “Go!”
The sounds of slaughter erupted at the gate. The Crown Prince was determined to fight to the bitter end.
Xie Shao caught Pei Qing’s arm. Together with Wei Yun, they lifted him up. Xu Xun reached them in time, pointing to a carriage behind him. “Third Young Master, get him onto the carriage first.”
Knowing the Crown Prince would not give up, Xu Xun vaulted onto his horse and called out to his men, “Cover Young Master Xie’s retreat into the capital. Withdraw!”
With the carriage in front and Xu Xun’s forces guarding the rear, they sped away at full gallop. After two quarters of an hour, they finally reached the borders of the Eastern Capital.