The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 115
After learning that the Yang family had also sent an invitation to the Wen family, Madam Wei had specially brought Wei Yun today to see the Eldest Young Lady Wen. Who would have thought that, through a twist of fate, he had not seen the Eldest Young Lady, but he had seen the Third Young Lady Wen instead.
A face suddenly appeared in his mind… urging Wen Huai to leave. “Third Elder Brother, hurry back. There is a big snake inside. Be careful it does not swallow you.”
“A big snake?” Wen Huai had paused. “Where would a big snake come from in this season?”
The Third Young Lady had grown so anxious that both cheeks flushed red. “Why does Third Elder Brother not understand? It’s a snake in the form of a beautiful lady.”
Third Young Lady was a little shorter than Wen Shuse, but there was a bit of similar liveliness in her. Perhaps because she remembered the earnest way she had lied to him earlier, she seemed too embarrassed to look at him. Only when she and Wen Huai turned back together did she cautiously turn her head.
Little did she know that her gaze happened to meet his.
That frightened look of being caught red-handed made him think of a wild deer he had once seen while hunting. Quite interesting.
Thinking of it, he could not help curving his lips into a smile.
Madam Wei watched in bewilderment and asked suspiciously, “What is this about…” The Eldest Young Lady Wen was indeed beautiful, but having lived in the capital all these years, what sort of beauty had he not seen? Surely it should not have made him like this.
“Mother, have you heard of the Third Young Lady Wen?”
He said this suddenly, and Madam Wei did not react for a moment.
Wei Yun glanced at Madam Wei, then immediately looked away again, his face carrying a hint of bashfulness. He said honestly, “Today, I didn’t see the Eldest Young Lady Wen, but I saw the Third Young Lady.”
Madam Wei froze, then looked at him even more intently.
Though matters of marriage had to be discussed with one’s parents, it was still somewhat embarrassing to speak of. Wei Yun touched the tip of his nose, awkwardly saying, “If Mother is willing, could you help me look into that Third Young Lady Wen?”
When had Madam Wei ever seen such a bashful side of him?
As for the Third Young Lady Wen, she had not yet seen her. She was surprised that a single meeting today had actually made him change his mind. Third Young Lady was a concubine-born daughter of the Wen family’s eldest branch. Madam Wei had heard people say before that she had a timid nature. Wherever she went, she kept her head buried and did not like speaking with others.
But judging by today’s matter, since she had been able to stay behind and expose the Yang family’s filthy scheme, she was not truly a weak person. She understood the bigger picture and knew what mattered.
“Your Third Aunt in the Wei family was also born of a concubine. But back then, the betrothal gifts your grandfather and grandmother sent were exactly the same as those sent to my Yang family. Not a single item was missing. The Wei family does not have such deep rules about family status. As long as she is someone you yourself have set your eyes on, what harm is there in Mother making a trip?”
—
That day, Old Madam Wen was reclining on the couch to rest when Aunt Cao came in and said Concubine Xue and the two young ladies had returned. Her heart jolted, and she glanced at the color of the sky outside the window. “So early? What happened?”
Before Aunt Cao could go inquire, Wen Shuse came into the courtyard first.
Although the Wen family could not now be considered a grand noble household, it was true that the Old Master Wen had once served as an imperial tutor of a generation. They could be counted as a scholarly family. Moreover, Eldest Master Wen was now an Assistant Minister, while Second Master Wen was a well-known wealthy merchant in the capital. To say the family had fallen was not quite accurate.
If this were Fengcheng, they would still be considered a respectable family. It was only because their foundation in the capital was not deep that others thought they were soft persimmons, easy to squeeze.
“Wen Bo’s character and appearance are not poor, and he holds a mountain of gold in his hands. Would my Wen family need to worry about being unable to find a young lady? Do we need the Yang family to concern themselves with it?”
Trying to force someone into compliance, to cook raw rice into cooked rice. Those were all tricks she had already played and left behind.
The two young masters of the Wen family’s eldest branch were already married. Among the Wen family’s young masters, only Wen Huai remained unmarried. Back in Fengcheng, Old Madam Wen had originally been looking at families for him as well. Only, before she had time, trouble had arisen in Fengcheng.
Now that the whole family had only just arrived in the Eastern Capital, they were busy settling down. On top of that, the Eldest Young Lady’s age was there, so they had prioritized her first. Old Madam Wen had not yet had time to consider Wen Huai, and someone had nearly taken advantage of that opening.
Gao Xian had already married into the Xie family. How could the Wen family’s marriage now become connected to the Yang family?
If the Xie and Yang families had some decision to make in the future, would the Wen family have to mediate between them? If the mediation failed, would the Wen family also have to split apart from them?
“The Yang family has reminded us. This cannot be delayed. Let us settle a betrothal early.” Old Madam Wen looked toward Wen Shuse. “Your mother passed early. As for your marriage, Grandmother’s head grew hot, and I settled it with a single sentence. Fortunately, the Bodhisattva blessed you and bestowed upon you a good marriage. This time, for your elder brother’s marriage, no matter what, we must carefully guard the gate.
“Unfortunately, we have only been in the Eastern Capital a short time and do not understand much. Second Madam Xie lived in the Eastern Capital earlier and knows the roots and details. When you return today, ask her to help pick out the households in the Eastern Capital that are suitable for our family.”
Such thinking could be said to have considered the Xie family thoroughly. Wen Shuse understood Grandmother’s meaning. Her future real sister-in-law would affect the relationship between her and her elder brother in the future. It indeed had to be handled with caution.
After returning that day, she discussed it with Second Madam. They avoided all households with connections to the Yang family, and there were not many left.
Wen Shuse brought the list to Old Madam Wen. Although they were not high officials or marquises, each family background was clean.
Old Madam Wen flipped through from beginning to end. In the end, her gaze settled on the Yu family, and she asked Wen Shuse, “This Yu family, is it the one whose Fourth Young Lady married into the Li family of Fengcheng back then?”
Wen Shuse nodded.
Old Madam Wen smiled. “For this Fourth Young Lady, your elder brother searched through more than half a book of laws and did not hesitate to fall out with the Li family to win justice for her. Not long ago, Madam Yu even came to the mansion and specially thanked me. Judging from the meaning in her words, she wanted to add kinship to affection and had an interest in Eldest Young Lady.”
Old Madam Wen sighed. “But in terms of family status, the Yu family cannot compare to your eldest uncle. Eldest Young Lady did not take a liking…”
Eldest Young Lady’s heart was set on marrying into a promising and capable family, but Wen Huai was different. Like Second Master Wen, Wen Huai had had no interest in official achievement since childhood. As for that restaurant of his, he probably would not be able to let go of it in this lifetime.
Young ladies from high noble households looked down on him, and the Wen family likewise would not marry into a Buddha statue to worship. The Yu family’s household was the most suitable. Now, only the Sixth Young Lady remained unmarried in the family. On the third day, Old Madam Wen sent a matchmaker to the Yu family to propose marriage.
After Madam Yu heard the matchmaker’s words, she froze. She had thought there would be no match with the Wen family, but now they were proposing a marriage from the other side. Everyone in the Eastern Capital knew who the Third Young Master Wen was: the young master of Mixian Tower.
Thinking back to the Third Young Master Wen she had glimpsed hurriedly at the Yang family gathering the day before yesterday, he was indeed somewhat dark, but his features were still good, and his bearing was strong. Moreover, it was said that Mixian Tower was managed by him. He was not one of those wealthy sons who waited to eat, waited to drink, and idled away their days.
If one calculated carefully, the Wen family was still a scholarly household. Eldest Master Wen was an Assistant Minister in court, and his brother-in-law was the only son of Chancellor Xie, a third-rank Commander of the Imperial Guards…
As for the Yu family, whether in official career or family status, they were neither high enough nor low enough. If one truly discussed it, they were the ones climbing upward.
That day, Madam Yu discussed it with Master Yu. Both of them were satisfied. That evening, Madam Yu called Sixth Young Lady before her and told her of the Wen family’s proposal.
After Sixth Young Lady heard it, she was dazed for a long while, then asked in astonishment, “Third Young Master Wen, is he the young boss of Mixian Tower?”
Madam Yu nodded. Thinking she was unwilling, she then heard her say, “Then would that not mean that from now on, when we eat clams, we will not have to pay silver?”
Madam Yu was choked by her words. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, she poked Sixth Young Lady’s forehead with one finger and scolded with a smile, “All day long, you only know how to eat. This time, it suits your wishes, does it not? Well then, are you satisfied?”