The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 96
Eldest Master Wen’s resolve was firm. On the way back from the palace, he had already made up his mind. Madam An lacked virtue, and sooner or later, she would drag him and the entire Wen family into the abyss.
No matter how Eldest Madam begged, it was useless.
After Eldest Master Wen returned to his room, he wrote another separation letter and had his servant deliver it to Eldest Madam. “This is the final separation letter. If she tears it up, then she can wait until the An family comes from Fengcheng to take her away. At that time, I will give her a divorce letter instead.”
Eldest Madam looked at the separation letter that had once again been delivered into her hands and knew that Eldest Master Wen was truly serious. Her heart was both frightened and sorrowful. In the end, feeling somewhat guilty, she did not dare tear it up again. She only wept and said, “I might as well die.”
When the younger members of the family rushed over, Eldest Madam was in the middle of hanging a white silk sash around her neck, and the servants below could not hold her back.
The Eldest Young Master stepped forward to pull down the white silk, and Wen Suning pulled her down from the stool. Eldest Madam collapsed onto the ground, no longer afraid of becoming a laughingstock before the younger generation. She wailed to the heavens and cried, “Your father wants to divorce me! What face do I still have to live? Let me die…”
Knowing that the two of them had entered the palace today, the younger ones had been waiting expectantly for them to return and tell them amusing stories from the palace banquet. Little did they know that their own family had become the amusement.
The Eldest Young Master went to find Eldest Master Wen, but Eldest Master Wen refused to see him. The Eldest Young Master lifted the hem of his robe and knelt outside the door, raising his voice. “Father, I also ate a piece of the divine shrimp Mother brought back the other day. If Father intends to punish Mother today, then please punish your son along with her.”
Aside from Eldest Master Wen and the Third Young Lady, everyone in the main branch, old and young, had tasted that divine shrimp meat. Once the Eldest Young Master knelt, the Second Young Master and Wen Suning also came and knelt outside the door.
Eldest Master Wen’s door remained tightly shut. He would not listen to anyone.
In the end, the Eldest Young Master hardened his heart and said, “Father, Mother coveted petty gains and was foolish and ignorant. She was indeed wrong. But in your son’s view, Mother became like this because, at the beginning, she wanted the family to live better days. She merely used the wrong methods. Father and Mother have been married for decades. Your son is now married as well and has children of his own. I beg Father and Mother to set a good example for your son and for the descendants of the Wen family. Please give the younger generation a complete family. If Mother has made a mistake, then punish her. Father may send her back to the Wen family in Fengcheng and forbid her from ever entering the Eastern Capital again. But you must not let us children be without a mother.”
No longer entering the Eastern Capital, remaining alone in the old family home in Fengcheng. This was merely missing a single separation letter. It preserved Eldest Madam’s dignity and spared her from returning to her maiden family as a laughingstock.
After all, they had been husband and wife for many years. The Eldest Master did not push things to the extreme. Following what the Eldest Young Master had said, he ordered Eldest Madam Wen to return to Fengcheng at once and forbade her from ever coming to the Wen family in the Eastern Capital again.
Hearing the news, the Eldest Madam Wen dropped down into a chair with a thump, all hope gone from her.
The second branch of the Wen family had opened such a grand restaurant in the Eastern Capital. Sooner or later, the whole family would move here. Going back… wouldn’t it mean spending the rest of her days alone?
But set against being fetched back to the An family by a father past sixty, staying at the Wen family in Fengcheng had given her a way to live. Knowing it was the Eldest Master’s last concession, the Eldest Madam lay over the couch and wept a great while. “When the Wen family was that poor back then, what could I have possibly wanted by marrying him? Was it not because I valued his talent, thinking that one day, when he rose to wealth and rank, I would be able to enjoy good fortune along with him? But now he tells me that from now on, none of his glory, wealth, and honor will have any share for me.”
The more she thought, the sadder she became. “How am I supposed to live the rest of my life…”
Cry as she might, she still had to leave.
Eldest Master Wen had even found a boat for her. It would depart at dusk.
Fearing to anger him, the Eldest Madam sent word back to the An family, packed her things in a great rush, and said goodbyes to her children and grandchildren.
When it was Wen Suning’s turn, Eldest Madam was so heartbroken she could hardly bear it. “It is all my fault for being possessed by greed and falling into someone else’s trap. I ruined such a fine marriage with the Wei family. Once I leave, what are you to do? After the New Year, you will already be eighteen…”
Wen Suning said nothing. To say she felt no resentment would be a lie.
Ever since coming to the Eastern Capital, the Wen family’s status had been neither high nor low. Many matchmakers had come, but none of the matches had satisfied her.
The Wei family was different. Whether in family standing or in that Young Master Wei himself, they were the household she’d dreamed of marrying into. With such difficulty, they had finally come to propose marriage, only for her own mother to ruin it. She had not even had the chance to salvage the matter.
Wen Suning did not blame her, but she also did not say that she forgave her. She avoided the topic and said only, “Mother, think carefully. Is there anything else you need to take with you…”
—
After Eldest Master Wen left, the maid by Ming Wanrou’s side once again came looking for Wen Shuse.
Ming Wanrou had already been in the palace caring for Shizi Zhou for some time. The injuries on Shizi Zhou’s body had long since healed, and in a little more than half a month, it would be their wedding day. Ming Wanrou had to leave the palace first to prepare for her marriage.
Knowing that she was leaving, Shizi Zhou was unwilling to let her go. During the banquet, Ming Wanrou had been busy dealing with Shizi Zhou the entire time and had not had the chance to speak with Wen Shuse. As soon as the palace banquet dispersed, she was afraid Wen Shuse would leave first, so she quickly sent someone to find her, asking her to wait a little. She would return to the Eastern Palace, pack her things, and leave the palace together with her.
Wen Shuse waited for nearly half an hour before she finally saw her.
Ming Wanrou came out in a hurry, carrying only one bundle in her hand. Both her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes brimming with a spring-like glow, and her lips red and glossy. With such an appearance, anyone who had been through it before would know at a glance what had happened.
Seeing Wen Shuse press back a smile while staring at her, Ming Wanrou knew that she couldn’t hide anything since she had already tasted the forbidden fruit. She covered her face and refused to let Wen Shuse look. “Stop looking at me like that. It’s so embarrassing. Let’s quickly get in the carriage and go.”
Today, after Xie Shao finished attending the banquet, he still had to remain on duty in the palace for another hour. Originally, they had agreed that Wen Shuse would wait for him for a while at the inner city gate, and once he finished his duty, they would return home together. But now that Ming Wanrou was urging her, Wen Shuse did not wait for him. She sent a maid over with a message. “I will go ahead with the Eldest Young Lady Ming first. Tell my husband there is no need to hurry.”
The two of them walked out through the inner city gate. The Second Young Master Ming was already waiting outside.
Second Young Master Ming had also attended today’s palace banquet. A few days earlier, he had purchased a residence in the Eastern Capital as a home for the Ming family. The residence had already been arranged, and all that remained was to bring Ming Wanrou over to live there.
The last time Wen Shuse had seen Second Young Master Ming was at the Ming Mansion in Fengcheng. Second Young Master Ming’s appearance had not changed much from before. The two of them could not become husband and wife, but their friendship remained. With Ming Wanrou’s relationship tying them together, they would inevitably see each other often in the future. Everyone had a past. It would be better to be open and natural about it, so they could meet more easily in the future.
Wen Shuse smiled at him and greeted him warmly. “Second Young Master.”
Second Young Master Ming had not changed much, but when he looked carefully at the young lady, he noticed that something about her was different. Perhaps because she was now a married woman, there was an alluring grace about her that even she herself had not noticed. Compared with before, she seemed even more dazzling.
Second Young Master Ming’s gaze lingered on her for two breaths, and his heart suddenly began to beat faster. He immediately withdrew his gaze. But when he opened his mouth, he still instinctively called her by the name he had used before. “Second Young Lady.”
After Ming Wanrou came to the Eastern Capital, she had not yet had a proper chance to stroll around with Wen Shuse. Since it was still early, there was no better day than today. Besides, she happened to have something she wanted to say to her.
Ming Wanrou pulled Wen Shuse into her own carriage and said to Aunt Qing, “May I trouble Auntie to inform Old Madam Xie and Second Madam for me? Tell them that I am borrowing Third Young Madam for a while. Before dark, I will definitely return her.”
Aunt Qing looked toward Wen Shuse, waiting for her to speak.
Wen Shuse knew Ming Wanrou’s temperament. If she did not agree today, Ming Wanrou would pester her all the way back to the Xie residence. So, she nodded to Aunt Qing. “Auntie, please go back and pass along the message. I will return soon.”
Once the carriage set off, Ming Wanrou shut the latticed window tightly. Then she turned back and looked at Wen Shuse with a troubled expression. “Gao Xian, about those things you told me last time… I feel like Shizi Zhou may not be that kind of person.”
Wen Shuse’s heart gave a thump. “What things?”
“You know…” Ming Wanrou’s face reddened. She leaned close to Wen Shuse’s ear and said, “Didn’t you say that on the wedding night, for some people, it doesn’t hurt? Shizi Zhou said he may have to disappoint me. He said it will hurt me to death.”
You foolish woman.
Wen Shuse stared at her in astonishment, suddenly seized by a bad feeling. “You… how did you ask him?”
At the mention of this, Ming Wanrou wished she could crawl into a crack in the ground. She did not mention the unnecessary details, only vaguely summarized what had happened.
“Well, neither Shizi Zhou nor I have any experience. He asked me if I was nervous, and I said I wasn’t. Then he asked if I was afraid, and I still shook my head. Who knew he wouldn’t believe me? He even asked why I wasn’t nervous or afraid. Didn’t you tell me last time that on the wedding night, it would just be like being pricked by a needle and then it would be over? So, I told him the truth. He was stunned for a while, then told me that people are different. He said he probably cannot make it feel like only a needle prick, and that might hurt me quite a bit…”
Wen Shuse’s mind buzzed. Her whole body nearly exploded. “I didn’t say it was a pinprick!”
“But didn’t you say…”
“What I said was some people. Like Zhou…” Oh no. This foolish woman had ruined her husband’s lifelong reputation. Who knew how Shizi Zhou was now imagining her husband?
Both angry and anxious, Wen Shuse no longer held back. She lowered her voice beside Ming Wanrou’s ear and cleared her husband’s name. “When I was in Fengcheng, I already performed the rites with Third Xie. It lasted a full two incense sticks. It was simply not a life fit for a human being. That night, I could not even get out of bed, and I am still injured to this day…”
Ming Wanrou’s eyes widened, and even her complexion changed.
Wen Shuse continued, “And also…”
The carriage traveled on, and Ming Wanrou’s face kept changing along the way, flushing red one moment and turning pale the next.
—
Chancellor Xie entered the Eastern Palace together with Xie Shao.
Knowing that Xie Shao would still have to be on duty later. Today, both His Majesty and the Crown Prince had drunk quite a bit. When people were happy, their tongues loosened, so it was wise to give him a reminder.
After leaving the palace banquet, Xie Shao had changed out of his formal robes. At this moment, he was wearing the official uniform of the Commander of the Imperial Guard.
He was dressed in a deep navy fitted martial outfit with narrow arrow sleeves, leather bracers on his arms, and a curved blade at his waist. His hair was completely bound into a silver crown. His shoulders and back were straight, and his appearance was dignified and impressive. This outer shell of his was indeed eye-catching.
Sometimes, when something was too dazzling, it could burn the eyes.
After Xie Shao turned twelve, Chancellor Xie never again spoke to him about the ways of officialdom. Today, he brought up those old words once more. “To accompany the ruler is like accompanying a tiger. In your position, fortune and disaster depend upon each other. You must weigh and reconsider every word before it leaves your mouth. Even father and son can be driven apart, let alone ruler and subject…”
It had been a long time since Xie Shao had heard him speak in such a tone. He gave a mocking smile and teased, “Many thanks for Chancellor Xie’s guidance. No need to worry yourself.”
He had only this one son before him. He himself was already old, and the number of years he had left in court could be counted on one hand. As long as something involved the imperial court, there would never be true peace or calm. How could he possibly not worry?
But raising a child was not the same as teaching students. The good teacher he had once been became rather helpless when faced with his own son.
“Work hard. Your future is limitless. Your starting point is high. As soon as you entered the court, you obtained the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard. With your intelligence and talent, as long as no one trips you up, it is not impossible for you to surpass me one day.”
Xie Shao suddenly looked at him.
Chancellor Xie thought he wanted to ask about matters in court. “If you have something to ask, ask.”
“How much is your salary?”
Chancellor Xie was taken aback. He had never expected him to ask such a thing. Who would directly ask someone how much their official salary is? But unfortunately, the one asking was his own son, so he answered honestly. “My yearly salary is over ten thousand strings of cash, with additional allowances on top. As for silk cloth, grain, cattle, and sheep, I receive three times more than you every month…”
Comparisons truly could anger a person to death. Xie Shao said nothing more and strode into the Eastern Palace.
—
After the Crown Prince moved into the Eastern Palace, the former Madam Zhou and Shizi Zhou also entered the Eastern Palace.
Xie Shao had to be on duty, so he only exchanged a few words with the Crown Prince. He left Chancellor Xie inside to keep the Crown Prince company and came out alone first.
He had just stepped out the door when Shizi Zhou pulled him aside and quietly handed him a bottle of pills. “Brother Xie, take this. No need to thank me.”
Xie Shao paused. There was no writing on the bottle, so he did not know what it was.
Zhou Kuang’s expression was strange. As if afraid Xie Shao would feel embarrassed, he turned his eyes aside and did not look at him. “These are pills I secretly asked the imperial physician to prepare for conditioning. There is nothing so difficult to say about this kind of thing. The important thing is to cure the illness. Do not let Sister-in-law down.”
With things said to this extent, how could Xie Shao not know what was inside?
His brow twitched several times. He did not accept the kindness and stuffed the bottle straight back into Zhou Kuang’s hand. “Keep it for your own wedding night.”
“Brother Xie, Brother Xie…” Zhou Kuang chased after him, looking as though he were earnestly advising him for his own good.
“There is nothing shameful about this. I will not laugh at you either. Sister-in-law already said…”
—
Today, His Majesty had drunk quite a bit of wine and had retired early, with Eunuch Liu standing watch at his side, with no further commands given.
The moment his shift ended, Xie Shao immediately left the palace and returned to the Xie family’s new mansion. The sky had not yet turned dark.
Only after Old Madam Xie arrived in the Eastern Capital did the two of them move into the new mansion. Xie Shao went straight back to his own courtyard, but he did not see his little wife there. So, he hurried back out again and went to Old Madam’s courtyard to catch her.
When he arrived, Second Madam was keeping Old Madam company beneath the crabapple tree, enjoying the shade and chatting with her. Uncle An was there as well.
Old Madam Xie seemed in good spirits today. Her laughter could be heard even from across the corridor. “You don’t know it, but that girl is clever. When something is going on, she can keep it hidden without letting even the slightest flaw show. Once the grain was sold, everyone believed it…”
“Grandmother. Mother.”
Xie Shao came forward and still did not see Wen Shuse. But since he was already there, he could only step up and pay his respects first.
At the side, Uncle An held a stack of title deeds in his hands. He bent at the waist and called out, “Third Young Master.”
Seeing that it was Xie Shao, Old Madam Xie’s expression brightened with joy. She called him over to sit beside her. Looking at the dignified official uniform he wore, the more she looked, the more she liked it. “May the Bodhisattva bless us. My grandson has actually come to have such good fortune today.”
Old Madam Xie had suffered a blow, and in addition, she had been somewhat seasick. After resting for these past few days, her body had recovered quite a bit, and she finally had the energy to speak with him. “Back then, Grandmother could not bear to see you abandon yourself to despair, and I even thought of helping you switch the bride for the Eldest Young Lady Wen. Who could have imagined that through a strange twist of fate, we would end up picking up a treasure instead? That girl Shuse is not only clever, she also knows how to manage a household.”
Hearing the words “manage a household” applied to Wen Shuse once again, Xie Shao still felt somewhat puzzled.
He assumed it was simply because Grandmother liked her, so everything about her seemed pleasing to the eye. He glanced toward the room, wondering where she had gone.
Just as he was about to ask, Old Madam Xie gave a soft sigh. “If not for her, our Xie family’s fortune truly would have been squandered away. How else would we still have these residences, shops, and fertile fields? Yet she suffered so much unjust blame all this time.”