The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 113
Concubine Xue had only come to the Eastern Capital a little over a month ago. As a concubine, she normally had no qualification to show her face. Now that they had dragged out a mule to use as a horse, she felt hollow in her heart. She had been worried that she would not know a single one of the noble ladies and young ladies inside. With Wen Shuse leading the way, she let out a long breath of relief and immediately thanked her. “I will have to trouble Second Young Lady.”
From the Xie family, only Wen Shuse came today. Second Madam did not like occasions like this, and the only son before her had already married, so there was no need for her to come.
It was said that Eldest Young Master Wen had finally left the Hanlin Academy not long ago and joined the Military Affairs as a junior editor, a position of the eighth rank.
Wen Shuse congratulated him, her tone intimate and easygoing, as if nothing had ever happened between the two branches and they were still one family.
Wen Suning and Third Young Lady followed behind. Their gazes fell silently on Wen Shuse. Her own temperament followed her father’s, quiet and steady. Since childhood, she had disliked people who were too lively. Yet this younger sister of hers always wore a smiling face and never seemed proper, no matter what happened. In the past, she had only thought Wen Shuse grinned and joked, not knowing weight or measure. Now, looking again, she suddenly realized that within that bright smile, every part carried sharpness.
Back then, Wen Shuse had usurped her wedding and married into the Xie family, marrying that even more unreliable Third Young Master Xie. She herself had once advised Wen Shuse to leave early and come to the Eastern Capital to seek a place for herself. Later, when she saw Wen Shuse and Third Young Master Xie appear on the street in such a destitute state, she felt even more that Wen Shuse was foolish. Looking back now, she herself was the ridiculous one.
Where had Wen Shuse been foolish? Her thoughts were like a web. In this world, there were probably few people who could scheme against her. She had long ago seen that the Xie family’s second branch would rise again. In secret, she had picked up a treasure, yet displayed misery before others. She hid the Xie family’s and Wen family’s silver, then came to the Eastern Capital and bought her own restaurant and properties.
The silver was indeed earned by the second branch, but Mother’s words had not been wrong either. It was the second branch that had first grown wary of the eldest branch. With the Xie family’s official connections, the second branch no longer needed to rely on Father, and there was no longer any need to pour silver into this bottomless pit of theirs. No one would waste silver on people or things that held no value to them. Human nature was like this; she understood. Losing was losing. Unlike her mother, she didn’t harbor hatred.
She was merely the same as before and could not bring herself to like Wen Shuse. Her gaze shifted lightly back, and she did not look again. Eyes forward, she followed behind her into the Yang family’s estate.
The Second Young Master Yang was welcoming guests. He did a double-take when he saw Wen Shuse, surprised she had come in Xie Shao’s absence. He excused himself from the current guests and approached her warmly.
“Young Madam Xie, you’re here. My wife has mentioned Young Madam several times today. It is only a pity that Brother Xie cannot come today. When he returns in triumph, we shall host a grand celebration for him!”
The Yang family’s household affairs were all managed by the Second Young Master. In handling matters and people, he was smooth in all directions and extremely tactful.
As for Second Young Madam Yang, Wen Shuse had only met her twice in total and was not familiar with her. Smiling, she thanked him. “Many thanks to Young Master Yang for receiving us.”
“Brother Wen, we shall meet later on the field.”
Second Young Master Yang was also very warm toward Eldest Young Master Wen. He patted his shoulder, then looked toward Concubine Xue behind him. His expression was gentle and natural, without the slightest neglect or contempt. He even greeted her courteously. “Madam has come as well. Please come in.”
That one word, “Madam,” made Concubine Xue blush. She was just about to explain when Wen Shuse turned back with a smile and said to her, “Let us go in.”
Once the late Emperor was gone, the Yang family’s dream of having an Empress Dowager had fallen through. Their power in court seemed unchanged, but only they themselves knew that, step by step, they were losing their footing. Acting like this now, they were trying to first draw people’s hearts to themselves.
Their group followed the Yang family servant toward the seats, drawing quite a few gazes along the way. After the divine shrimp incident happened, everyone had been waiting to see how the Wen family’s eldest branch would clean up the mess. In particular, they wanted to see the Eldest Madam’s joke. Unfortunately, no one had seen her. Later, who knew where the rumor came from, said that Eldest Master Wen had, in anger, swept her out of the house.
No one knew if it was true or false. Now, seeing the Wen family’s people come yet not seeing Eldest Madam, and seeing that the one who came was actually a concubine, everyone understood in their hearts. That rumor was likely not false. Eldest Madam truly had been driven out of the Wen family.
If today it were only the Wen family’s eldest branch, many people would likely take the opportunity to come watch the excitement. With Wen Shuse present, everyone restrained themselves.
After Chancellor Xie returned to his former post, his momentum was even stronger than it had been back then. Even if bones were broken, the tendons were still connected. This Young Madam Xie was also a Wen family daughter.
Today, Wen Shuse had originally come to hold the scene for her own elder brother, Wen Huai. But now that even Concubine Xue of the eldest branch had come out, she understood Grandmother’s difficulty. Not wanting to make her worry more, Wen Shuse went nowhere, staying seated beside Concubine Xue the entire time.
Madam Wei was the first to come over, a smile on her face. “Third Young Madam Xie, you came after all. When Ziqin mentioned it, I did not quite believe him.”
Ziqin was Wei Yun’s courtesy name.
After sitting down, Wen Suning’s expression remained calm and indifferent. At this moment, seeing Madam Wei, her expression finally moved. If not for her mother’s blunder, Madam Wei would already have been her mother-in-law. Listening to Wen Shuse chat with her, sentence by sentence, Wen Suning’s heart suddenly felt stifled, sour, and bitter. She did not know what this feeling was; she only knew it was not pleasant.
Perhaps it was because the things she herself cherished and longed for but could not obtain were all things Wen Shuse could have.
All around the seating area hung a layer of rolled curtains. At this moment, on the side facing the sunlight, the curtain had been rolled all the way up. Sunlight spilled in and fell upon the floor. A line where brightness met shadow divided the seats before and behind.
Wen Shuse sat in the sunlight, while Wen Suning sat in her shadow. And that unseen gulf, hazy line between the two of them, seemed to mark their distance.
Since childhood, she had been skilled at careful calculation. She did not know which step she had calculated wrong.
When the Third Young Lady beside her asked whether she wanted to go out to see the maple leaves in the rear garden, Wen Suning rarely did not refuse. She left the seating area together with her.
Not long after the two left, Wei Yun arrived. He said he had come to look for Madam Wei, but in truth, he wanted to reminisce with Wen Shuse and, in passing, take a look at the Eldest Young Lady Wen, whom his mother had mentioned last time.
From the first time he saw Wen Shuse in Fengcheng, Wei Yun had been moved by the young lady’s brightness. Unfortunately, he had met her too late. When they were fleeing in the mountains of Southern City, Xie Shao had also noticed it. When no one else was around, he once asked him directly, “Do you like her? Sorry, I got there first.”
Naturally, he did not dare covet her. But in his mind, a stubborn and almost mad thought slowly formed. Which young lady it was did not matter. If he had to marry in this lifetime, then he would marry someone close to that young lady.
On this point, his thinking actually matched Madam Wei’s. The Wen family’s second branch had only one Wen Shuse, but the eldest branch still had two young ladies. After the Eldest Madam Wen’s blunder, Madam Wei abandoned the idea. But Wei Yun didn’t mind the scandal. If the Wens were willing, he would try again.
If the Wen family could agree, there was no harm in him coming to their door once more. Today, hearing that the Wen family’s young ladies had both come, he had wanted to come over to see the Eldest Young Lady’s appearance. Unfortunately, Eldest Young Lady Wen was not there.
In the end, Wen Shuse had already married and could not make decisions for the Wen family. Concubine Xue, meanwhile, was not good at speaking. Whatever Madam Wei asked, she answered.
She was probably also someone who could not make decisions. If they truly still wanted to become in-laws with the Wen family, they could only go find Old Madam Wen.
As an unrelated man, it was not good for him to stay here long. He left Madam Wei to continue talking with Wen Shuse, while Wei Yun went out first to look for the other Wei family young masters, admiring the red leaves in the rear garden.
—
On the other side, Wen Suying had followed Wen Suning out. In her heart, she was still surprised that Eldest Sister had actually been willing to come out with her today. Yet Wen Suning’s steps paused, and she did not turn toward the rear garden.
Wen Suying asked doubtfully, “Eldest Sister is not going to see the red leaves?”
Wen Suning felt she had no brain. Outside, a crowd of people was waiting for her to go back and make a fool of herself. “We are only walking around. Did you truly intend to go? Are you not giving others enough to laugh at?”
Wen Suying shrank her neck and said no more. Since childhood, she had feared her legitimate mother and legitimate elder sister. Now, though her legitimate mother had left, her awe toward her elder sister still remained. If she said they would not go, then they would not go.
The two did not walk toward the maple grove. Instead, they went to a hidden rockery. No one could see them there, and they could also hide in the quiet. Very soon, an exit appeared ahead. If they went farther, they would still circle back to the crowd outside. Madam Wei likely would not leave for a while. Wen Suning found a stone step and made room for Wen Suying.
“Sit for a while.”
Aside from reverence, Wen Suying rarely felt close to Wen Suning. The words she had spoken with her were not even as many as those she had spoken with Wen Shuse. If Wen Suning did not open her mouth, she did not dare make a sound either. After sitting for a while, footsteps suddenly came to their ears.
Wen Suning was just about to rise when voices came from the other side of the rockery. “Momo, can it really work?”
“How could it not work? Cousin Young Lady has come to the residence for several years already. How Madam treats you on ordinary days, Cousin Young Lady, should be clear in your heart. Food, clothing, every item has never been lacking. Madam said Cousin Young Lady may rest assured. The young master Madam has chosen for you, whether in family background or appearance, is worthy of you.”
“If that is so, why not send a matchmaker?”
“If a matchmaker could be entrusted, why would Madam go to such lengths to plan for Cousin Young Lady? Good marriages are all won by oneself. Madam has already given Young Lady the opportunity. If Young Lady wants to rise to success in the future, it depends on your resolve today.”
The young lady said nothing more.
The momo then said, “Later, once the person goes in, Cousin Young Lady needs only to cry out once.”
The people walked inward, and their voices slowly vanished.
Wen Suying had long since been dumbstruck. Shocked, she turned her head to look at Wen Suning. “Eldest Sister, they are trying to trap someone…”
Should marriage not be done by the command of parents and the words of a matchmaker? If they took a liking to a family, they should first find a matchmaker to visit them and openly propose marriage. Such underhanded methods were simply harming both others and oneself.
Wen Suning, however, ignored her and stood. “Let’s go.”
Who cared who they were trapping? Today’s host was the Yang family. The people speaking just now were certainly also Yang family people.
Had the Wen family not learned enough from offending the Imperial Concubine Dowager with the divine shrimp incident last time?
This time, the Yang family sent an invitation that gave the Wen family a way down.
At this point, if they went against the Yang family again, then from now on, the Wen family would truly have no place in the Eastern Capital.
“Eldest Sister…”
Wen Suning grew impatient. “Let’s go.”
Wen Suying wanted to speak but stopped herself. After hesitating for half a moment, she still followed behind. Halfway there, she suddenly yanked the jade pendant from her waist and looked at Wen Suning in panic. “Ah, my jade pendant is gone.”
Wen Suning turned back, her face even more impatient.
They had only accidentally stumbled upon someone else’s trap, yet she had left something there, and a personal jade pendant at that. If someone discovered it afterward, the misunderstanding would be serious.
Before Wen Suning could erupt, Wen Suying hurriedly said, “Eldest Sister should go back first. I will go back and look. I will return very soon.”
After saying this, she did not dare look at Wen Suning’s expression and turned around, lowering her head as she hurried back. The jade pendant she had pulled off was clutched in her palm, which could not help breaking into a sweat.
If she had not heard it, that would have been fine. But since she had heard it, pretending nothing had happened truly weighed on her conscience. She would not expose it, but standing at the entrance and giving someone a warning should be fine.
Just as she returned to the rockery, she saw a young master lifting his foot to enter. In urgency, she lowered her voice and hurriedly called, “Young Master, please wait…”
Like Concubine Xue, Wen Suying spent her days inside the residence and rarely went out. She was not good at interacting with people.
Now, seeing this unfamiliar young master twist his neck and look at her so openly, she felt even more at a loss. Only after a long while did she stumble out a sentence. “There is… There is a snake inside.”
“A snake? Where?”
Wen Suying was not good at lying. Realizing that being examined by a man like this was improper, she hurriedly turned her face away and raised her hand with her back to him, pointing randomly.
“Right… right inside.”
Today, to welcome everyone, the Yang family’s servants had cleaned the estate inside and out. Moreover, the weather was cool now, so it was unlikely there would be snakes.
Following her gesture, Wei Yun stuck his head in and looked around, then could not help walking two steps toward her. “Did you just see it? Which direction did it go?”
Wen Suying felt she might be exposed at any moment, so she replied perfunctorily, “Over… over there.”
Seeing that the direction she pointed to was different from the one she had indicated just now, Wei Yun’s brows tightened. He asked in confusion, “Where exactly?”
Wen Suying was flustered and anxious, and even her ears turned red. Afraid he would suspect her of lying, she hurriedly explained, “Snakes move fast. Just now, it was here, but by now it must have run off somewhere. I do not know where it has gone either. Young Master simply should not go in.”
Wei Yun froze. He had only asked one question. This young lady, he did not know which household she belonged to, had actually grown so anxious.
He was just about to ask when another person walked over behind him.
Hearing movement, Wen Suying turned back in surprise.
Wen Huai, arriving late, had come looking for this spot after the Eldest Young Master Wen’s servant said he was needed there. Seeing Wen Suying, he was surprised.
“Third Younger Sister.”
Wen Suying likewise looked astonished. “Third Elder Brother?”
Why had he also come here?