The Prisoner of Beauty

Xiao Qiao gently held Wei Shao's hand, silently gazing at his face.

He was indeed a very handsome man. His dark, sword-like eyebrows, long and thick eyelashes, and high-bridged nose gave him a striking appearance. His usual solemn expression caused the corners of his lips to be slightly pursed, lending him an air of restraint...

Suddenly, Xiao Qiao noticed his eyelashes quiver slightly, as if he was about to wake up. She quickly leaned close to his ear and softly called, "Husband."

Wei Shao's eyelids fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes, meeting Xiao Qiao's gaze.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse, likely due to his weakened state.

Xiao Qiao felt a sudden tightness in her chest.

Despite his bad temper and the lingering hostility he held toward her family, Xiao Qiao knew that, when it came to her alone, he hadn't truly wronged her. In fact, at times, he had been exceptionally good to her.

Her mind drifted back to the time when Madam Xu had mentioned, as they saw him off on his expedition to Shangdang, that he had survived multiple injuries. At the time, Xiao Qiao had thought little of it, knowing from her past life that he would eventually ascend the throne. She had assumed that no matter the danger, he would always overcome it. Besides, his usual demeanor—always ready to stir up trouble—made it hard for her to associate him with being in any real peril.

It wasn't until just moments ago, when she entered and saw him in such a weakened state, that she truly realized he was just a man—a man who could be seriously injured.

Xiao Qiao tightened her grip on his hand and said softly, "I arrived in Jinyang earlier, but you weren't there. I was told you had come here. Two days ago, I received a letter from Gongsun Yang, informing me that you had been injured by a poisoned arrow. He mentioned that you lacked someone to care for you. Since I had nothing to do in Jinyang, I decided to come. I just arrived a short while ago. The guard led me into the camp, and after announcing my presence outside the tent without receiving a response, I entered on my own. Did I wake you?"

Wei Shao continued to gaze at her, slowly shaking his head.

"How are you feeling?" Xiao Qiao asked, reaching out with her other hand to touch his forehead.

The soft fabric of her sleeve brushed against his nose and face, and her gentle palm pressed lightly against his forehead.

Wei Shao's heart suddenly raced, and he closed his eyes beneath her wrist.

"It still feels a bit warm," Xiao Qiao murmured, feeling the slight heat of his skin. She withdrew her hand and touched her own forehead for comparison, her heart growing anxious.

Gongsun Yang's letter had said he was out of danger.

But he was still running a fever?

Even a low fever indicated that he wasn't completely out of the woods.

Xiao Qiao stood up. "You're still feverish! Where is the military doctor? What did they say?"

Wei Shao grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his side. "I'm much better now. Really, I'm fine. I just need a few more days to recover. Don't worry."Xiao Qiao noticed that his voice had finally regained its strength, and his gaze was no longer as unfocused as when he had first opened his eyes. She reached out to touch his forehead again and felt that it indeed seemed less feverish than before. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "If you're feeling unwell, you must tell me early."

Wei Shao stared at her intently, nodding obediently, "I know."

Xiao Qiao smiled at him, "I came in a hurry and didn’t bring much with me. You shouldn’t eat random tonics right now. Chun Niang brought some excellent dried lychees when she left home. I brought some with me. Are you hungry? I can make you a sweet soup for a snack."

Wei Shao held onto her hand tightly, "I’m not hungry."

"Then I’ll make it for you tomorrow."

"Alright."

One lay down while the other sat, her hand held in his, and they gazed at each other in silence.

It was now early spring, nearing April, and the weather was gradually warming up. After holding her hand for a while, Wei Shao’s palm became sweaty. Xiao Qiao leaned in and sniffed his collar, "How many days has it been since you last cleaned yourself? Do you want me to help you wipe down and change your clothes? You’ll sleep more comfortably."

Wei Shao, being a soldier, was used to going without a bath for ten days or even half a month when circumstances didn’t permit. However, the military camp here was stationed near the West River, making water easily accessible. Wei Shao wasn’t immobile either; he had already bathed the night before.

But now, with her offering so tenderly to help him clean, how could he refuse?

"Alright," he said, "I’ve been lying here for several days and haven’t washed. I can smell myself, and it’s unpleasant."

Xiao Qiao wrinkled her nose adorably, showing her distaste. Then she slipped her hand out of his, stood up, and went outside the tent to call for someone to bring water.

Wei Shao’s gaze followed her figure as she moved.

Jia Si had just carried her personal trunk from the carriage and placed it outside the tent. Now, along with the water that was brought in, he also carried the trunk inside.

Inside the trunk, besides her own change of clothes and some miscellaneous items, there were also some clothes she had brought for Wei Shao.

Xiao Qiao helped Wei Shao sit up and began to undress him. When she removed his inner shirt, she saw the scar left where the poisoned flesh on his injured arm had been cut away. Although the swelling had subsided and the wound was beginning to scab over, it still looked horrifying.

Without anesthesia, she could only imagine how excruciating the pain must have been.

Xiao Qiao felt as if her own flesh was aching in sympathy.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked as she wrung out the soft towel she had brought and gently wiped his arm.

"It still hurts a bit," Wei Shao replied.

He wasn’t lying.

If someone were to slap it, it would indeed still hurt.

Xiao Qiao frowned slightly, carefully avoiding the wound as she finished wiping his arm and then his upper body. She then fetched a fresh basin of water and a clean towel, handed it to him, and glanced downward, signaling for him to take care of the rest himself.

Wei Shao spread his hands out, motionless as if disabled, his eyes fixed on her.

"You can do it yourself. You still have one good hand, don’t you?" Xiao Qiao turned slightly away.

Although they had been together for over a year, Xiao Qiao still felt a bit shy about being completely naked in front of him, especially before he had fully drawn her into that state. She was even more embarrassed to casually scrutinize that part of him.

Unlike him, who was completely unabashed.Wei Shao was eagerly anticipating, only to find that she, as usual, left the crucial part for him to handle himself...

After a while, Xiao Qiao heard him sigh lazily and say, "Alright." She turned around to reach out and take it, but he tossed the towel into the water with a splash, not caring about the water that splashed everywhere. He then grabbed her small hand and pulled her, causing her to fall onto his lap.

Xiao Qiao was startled and looked up at him, only to have her face cupped by his hands.

He kissed her lips skillfully and pressed her down onto the slightly narrow camp bed.

Caught off guard, Xiao Qiao initially squirmed beneath him as a token protest, but soon, she obediently opened her mouth to let him kiss her.

Their kiss was wet and passionate. After a while, he grabbed one of her hands and guided it downward. Xiao Qiao suddenly realized what was happening and quickly refused, "Your injury hasn't healed yet, you can't."

Wei Shao, overwhelmed with desire, panted heavily, "I'm fine."

"I know you're not!"

"I really am!"

"Don't lie to me! I said no means no!"

Xiao Qiao forcefully pulled her hand back.

Wei Shao stopped.

Seeing him slowly become still, seemingly a bit downcast, Xiao Qiao thought her tone earlier might have been too harsh. Feeling a bit guilty, she gently pushed his shoulder and whispered softly into his ear, "Be good! I'm doing this for your own good. Your body really can't handle it right now. If you don't listen, I'll get angry."

She was coaxing him, telling him to be good. Wei Shao felt his blood surging, almost unbearable, and he nuzzled against the soft warmth in his arms, "I'll listen to you... but I'm so uncomfortable... if you don't believe me, touch it... help me ease it, once it's down, I'll be fine... I promise I won't do anything else..."

Xiao Qiao was truly in a dilemma.

She was here to take care of his health. She shouldn't indulge his whims. But seeing his handsome face twisted in discomfort, almost pain, she couldn't bear it. She didn't know what she had done to stir up such an unquenchable fire in him.

After hesitating for a while, she said uncertainly, "Alright, but once you've eased it, you have to stop..."

Wei Shao nodded without hesitation, not even blinking, "Alright! I'll just ease it a bit!"

...

Wei Shao, that big liar! She would never believe him again!

At the crack of dawn the next day, when the first long and piercing reveille horn sounded outside the camp, Xiao Qiao was startled awake. She groggily opened her eyes to find herself tightly squeezed by Wei Shao on one side of the narrow camp bed, almost hanging off the edge.

The only reason she hadn't fallen off was because his leg was pressing down on her stomach, making her back ache as if she had been run over by a cart wheel again and again.

Last night, he hadn't been able to ease it at all. Not only that, but he had used his weakened state and the inability to stop midway as an excuse, coaxing and half-forcing her to sit on top of him...

All of that aside, what made Xiao Qiao feel flustered and short of breath was the thought of how she was going to face people today.She swore she had been trying her best to endure, making every effort not to make any discordant sounds, and had even covered Wei Shao's mouth several times to prevent him from making noises that were downright unbearable and disturbing. But considering the soundproofing effect of this large tent made of cowhide, she still felt uneasy.

The only consolation was that when she entered last night, she noticed that the area around the central military tent was empty. The nearest tents, presumably where a few generals slept, were also about ten zhang away.

She hoped everyone was sleeping soundly and no one was eavesdropping...

Xiao Qiao clenched her teeth, trying to push Wei Shao's heavy leg off her body, when suddenly an arm reached over and embraced her. The two of them pressed close together.

Wei Shao slowly opened his eyes, and their gazes met.

In the faint light of the dawn, his eyes were as bright as if they had caught the starlight from last night.

"You came, and I feel much better."

He sighed, leaning his head towards her, and gently rubbed his warm forehead against the rough stubble of his newly grown beard, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke.