The Beauty Within the Gates

On the day of the Xie family's eldest grandson's wedding, the Old Madam had her own agenda. She deliberately favored Third Master Xie Shao, worried that his laziness would one day ruin the family fortune. Having heard that the eldest daughter of the Wen family was an excellent household manager, she secretly switched the bridegroom.

Unexpectedly, the Wen family had plans of its own.

The Old Madam Wen's own legitimate granddaughter, Wen Shuse, was exceptionally beautiful, but she had been spoiled rotten since childhood. Worried that her future husband might look down on her, and having heard that the Xie family's eldest grandson was gentle and considerate, the Old Madam Wen was willing to bear the blame and sent her granddaughter to the wedding sedan chair meant for her elder sister.

That night, the gloating and mocking voices of the Xie family's first branch could be heard even through the bridal chamber walls.

Beneath the red candles, the spoiled young master and the pampered young lady stared at each other. Neither could criticize the other, so both promptly gave up trying. Their only consolation was probably the other's face.

After they married, the two made the most of their shortcomings, and soon found themselves struggling to make ends meet.

Wen Shuse never complained. But whenever Xie Shao came home at dusk, he would find her gazing toward the courtyard of the first branch next door, fluttering a light silk fan against her face with a wistful expression. "I really want to knock down that wall. If we can't fill our stomachs, at least we could smell their food."

Since she had married him, he couldn't very well let her starve. The next day, Xie Shao entered the study for the first time and began copying books.

But Wen Shuse wasn't just pampered. She was also a bottomless pit.

"The new skirt your sister-in-law bought today is so pretty."

"My younger brother-in-law gave his wife a pair of earrings yesterday. I've never seen white jade like that in my life."

"Husband, did you know the silk fan the young lady of the Wu family used today was made of gold?"

Xie Shao: ...

Xie Shao gritted his teeth and hauled himself up from the soft couch.

Later, when Xie Shao placed the imperial title of First-Rank Lady in her hands, he finally couldn't hold back. "Is that enough? If it isn't, I'll have to usurp the throne for you."

This life was exhausting.

*The story is set in the Tang-Song period, though the setting is largely fictional. The main plot draws inspiration from the Later Tang.

The character in the title meaning 'layered' is pronounced chong, with a second tone, and refers to a series of gates.

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Please add my next novel to your reading list: The Rich or the Noble

Qian Tong, just like her name, is the richest heiress in Yangzhou.

At her month-old birthday banquet, a fortune-teller read her destiny.

"This girl will one day be either rich or noble."

Qian Tong didn't believe it.

As the saying goes, wealth rarely lasts three generations, while poverty can endure for five. Qian Tong was the third generation of the Qian family.

When she learned that her family planned to marry her off to the prefect's younger son with a mountain of gold as her dowry, Qian Tong flatly refused. She went to the docks herself, picked out the most threadbare young gentleman there, and pulled a sack over his head.

Ever watchful in times of peace and prepared for trouble, she planned to sacrifice herself by marrying a poor young man, hoping to lessen the world's resentment of the rich.

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The only son of the reigning princess, Xie Yuanzhen, could recite the Three Character Classic at three, compose poetry at ten, and had mastered the Four Books and Five Classics by sixteen. Accomplished in both letters and arms, he had made a name for himself as a youth and believed he had reached the peak of life.

After spending four years working day and night for the emperor, he received another assignment.

A wealthy merchant in Yangzhou was acting outrageously, so he was ordered to investigate undercover.

He had barely arrived in Yangzhou when someone pulled a sack over his head.

When he could see again, a young lady peered at him through a golden glow and smiled with narrowed eyes. "Young master, I'll give you a lifetime of wealth and glory. How about it?"

At his first meeting with Qian Tong, Xie Yuanzhen sneered inwardly: "You're exactly who I'm here to investigate!"

At their next meeting: "Extravagant and unscrupulous. No merchant is honest. Investigate her thoroughly!"

One month later: He began to question his own life.

Half a year later: "Qian Tong, where's my belt...?"

On their wedding night, Xie Yuanzhen sat amid piles of gold until midnight. At last, he picked up his brush and wrote a letter to the emperor: "The situation is complicated. To get to the bottom of things, your nephew has settled down here and will not return to court for the time being."

Theme: As long as you work hard, anything is possible