The Prisoner of Beauty

Wei Shao's army had now moved to Jingbian, where he had previously been ambushed and struck by a Poison Crossbow.

A month after the battle of Anding Commandery, Liangzhou fell into Wei Shao's hands.

Most of the Qiang tribes in Huangzhong followed the Beihe Tribe's lead and submitted one after another.

Now, only the area around Guyuan, occupied by the Shaodang Qiang, remained.

Jingbian and Guyuan faced each other from a distance, and the final battle was imminent.

Capturing Guyuan would completely connect Bingzhou, Huangshui, and Liangzhou into one contiguous territory. In the future, pacifying the Western Qiang, cutting off communication with the Xiongnu to the north, and securing Liangzhou's passes to the west would allow for advances southward or a strong defensive position. Combined with Youzhou and Jizhou, nearly half the realm would fall into Wei Shao's grasp.

Even Gongsun Yang found the rapid progress of the western campaign somewhat unbelievable.

Han Feizi once said, "Those skilled at casting nets pull the main cord." Gongsun Yang had long realized that the "main cord" in the Lord's western campaign strategy was the Qiang people.

Originally, he had estimated that achieving this stage would take at least a year. After all, subduing the Qiang and then defeating Feng Zhao were not tasks that could be accomplished overnight.

But when luck turns favorable, nothing can stop it. First, the Beihe Tribe led most of the Qiang in Huangshui to submit smoothly. Then, the Qiang soldiers in Feng Zhao's army mutinied, drastically reducing their combat effectiveness. After two major battles and several smaller engagements, Liangzhou was completely surrendered.

The western campaign, which had begun when Wei Shao arrived in Jinyang at the start of the year, had taken only six months.

Though the Shaodang Qiang were fierce and had repeatedly attacked Shang Commandery during Wei Shao's battles with Feng Zhao, putting significant pressure on the defenders, they were now isolated without allies. Alone, they could not hold out for long.

Taking Guyuan was only a matter of time.

All the officers and soldiers under Wei Shao's command were overjoyed, eager for battle and glory, their morale soaring.

...

In the commander's tent, a brief military meeting had just concluded.

Wei Shao ordered Li Chong, Zhang Jian, and Wei Liang to lead three armies in a full assault on the Shaodang Qiang to capture Guyuan completely.

The decision to launch this attack so quickly was not only to capitalize on the momentum from the Anding Commandery battle but also because they had captured an envoy sent by Xing Xun to the Shaodang Qiang the previous night.

The envoy carried an imperial decree issued in the young emperor's name by Xing Xun, appointing Diao Mo as the King of the Golden Qiang and promising riches to persuade the Qiang to unite against Wei Shao.

Wei Shao executed the envoy and immediately ordered the full assault on the Shaodang Qiang.

...

Since the New Year's Day, when he had failed to attend the court celebrations in Luoyang, Wei Shao had implicitly declared the rupture between Youzhou and the capital.

By now, Xing Xun, entrenched in Luoyang, could no longer stand by and watch Wei Shao's further expansion.

And Wei Shao, now the undisputed hegemon of the north, was about to take the first step in his grand ambition: challenging the supreme authority of Luoyang.

This final battle against the Shaodang Qiang was the pivotal moment bridging past and future.

The shadow of a war capable of upheaving the realm was about to descend.

...

After a fierce battle, Diao Mo and his Qiang troops were reduced to fewer than two thousand men, finally surrounded by Wei Shao's army in a desolate marsh.

The rest were either dead or captured.Diao Mo stubbornly resisted to the bitter end, repeatedly attempting to organize his remaining cavalry to break through the encirclement, only to be driven back each time by volleys of arrows. As the noose tightened around him, he reached the end of his rope and was about to take his own life with his sword when his subordinates desperately pleaded with him to stop.

In this battle, the Shaodang Qiang suffered a crushing defeat, with their cavalry completely annihilated and their strength severely depleted. Diao Mo was captured.

Three days later, Diao Mo accepted Gongsun Yang's offer of surrender and submitted a letter of capitulation to Wei Shao.

In his surrender letter, he claimed full responsibility for the crimes, stating his people were innocent. Since he had been fortunate enough to receive the Lord's mercy, he was willing to lead his entire clan in submission without any ulterior motives.

By this time, Wei Shao had already set out on his journey back to Jinyang.

Half a month earlier, upon receiving Xiao Qiao's letter, he had immediately sent a reply via messenger.

Yet she had not responded since.

Wei Shao felt somewhat uneasy.

Now that the war had finally concluded, how could he remain idle? Leaving all post-war matters to Gongsun Yang, he embarked on his return journey to Jinyang.

His heart yearned for home like an arrow flying toward its target. All he wanted now was to see her as soon as possible.

...

Wei Shao arrived back in Jinyang at dusk toward the end of July, covered in the dust of travel.

As his horse carried him toward the government office in the northern part of the city, its pace gradually slowed.

Finally, Wei Shao halted his steed, pausing thoughtfully by the roadside for a moment before turning his horse's head in another direction.

...

Su Ehuang's headache had persisted for days without relief. Since returning from the government office that day, she had been unable to continue her journey and had remained resting at the posthouse.

On her first day at the posthouse, the postmaster learned of her identity through her attendants.

The widow of the late Duke of Zuopingyi—this title alone would have been insignificant, merely denoting her as the bereaved spouse of a nominal Han imperial relative.

What truly made the postmaster regard her differently was her familial connection to Wei Shao, the new Lord of Jinyang.

The day after her arrival, she had paid a visit to the reclusive Madam of Yanhou. Upon her return, her headache flared up, and upon hearing of this, Madam of Yanhou specially dispatched a physician to attend to her.

This clearly indicated their relationship was indeed extraordinary. Combined with Su's generous spending, the postmaster had treated her with great deference throughout her extended stay for recuperation.

That evening, the postmaster hurried to the rear quarters and knocked on the door of an elegantly furnished, tranquil room.

When Su Ehuang's maid opened the door, the postmaster announced, "Lord Yanhou has arrived! He is currently in the front hall and requests Madam's presence for a conversation."

The postmaster delivered this message with utmost respect.

Truly unexpected. That this widow of the Duke of Zuopingyi could warrant a personal visit from Lord Yanhou himself—their relationship must indeed be exceptional.

The maid asked the postmaster to wait while she relayed the message inside.

Su Ehuang lay sideways on the bed, one arm supporting her head, eyes closed as if asleep. A maid knelt beside her, gently massaging her legs.

She opened her eyes. Suppressing her quickened heartbeat, she said, "Tell him to inform Lord Yanhou that I am suffering from a headache and ask if His Lordship would be willing to come inside for our conversation."

The maid went to deliver the message and soon returned, saying, "The postmaster says he already mentioned Madam's convalescence. Lord Yanhou replied that if Madam is too unwell to meet now, he will return another day."

Su Ehuang said, "No need. Tell him I will rest briefly and then go to see him."The post station official departed, and Su Ehuang quickly rose from the couch. With the assistance of her maids, she changed into a thin, water-red silk gown she had prepared days in advance. An exquisitely embroidered orchid adorned the neckline, resting gracefully against her full bosom, drawing immediate attention. A slender sash cinched her waist, from which a jade pendant hung. This attire perfectly accentuated the ripe beauty of her figure. Before the mirror, she lightly dabbed faint rouge on her cheeks and lips but left her hair undone, deliberately loosening a few strands to frame her face, as if she had just risen from bed—adding an air of languid fragility.

After a final glance at her reflection, Su Ehuang stepped out of the room, supported by two maids on either side.

As she entered the hall, she saw the silhouette of a man standing before the wide-open western window.

A dusky red sunset slanted through the window, enveloping him and casting a long shadow on the floor, making him appear even more imposing.

He seemed to be gazing into the distance or lost in thought, his back utterly still.

For three years, Su Ehuang had schemed tirelessly to approach this man she had once abandoned.

Yet only now did she finally have the chance to face him again, alone.

Taking a deep breath, she was about to call out to him when Wei Shao turned abruptly and strode toward her. He stopped several paces away in the center of the room, his gaze fixed directly on her face. "How is Madam's health?" he asked. "I've been away from Jinyang until recently. It was only after receiving a letter from my wife, in which she mentioned you, that I learned you had also come to Jinyang."

His tone was casual, but Su Ehuang faltered slightly.

She had imagined countless scenarios for their reunion, each with its own opening line.

None had included the intrusion of his so-called "wife."

Her arrival had reached Wei Shao only through his wife's words.

A slow, humiliating discomfort coiled in her chest.

After studying him for a moment, she replied softly, "My migraines have plagued me for years since my marriage. They strike whenever my spirits are low, bringing unbearable agony. No remedy has ever worked—until I met a divine physician who gave me a prescription. He instructed me to knead the herbs into pills and take them during attacks to dull the pain. When I asked the cause, he said it was a sickness of the heart. Medicine could ease the symptoms but not cure the root. Only by resolving the heart's affliction could I truly heal."

Wei Shao regarded her steadily. "Then Madam must take care to nurture her temperament and avoid dwelling on grievances. I came to ask how your recovery fares."

Su Ehuang hesitated, uncertain of his intent. "After resting these past days, I am nearly recovered..."

He nodded. "Good. Didn't you say you wished to go to Luoyang? How about tomorrow? I'll send an escort at dawn to accompany you there."

Su Ehuang blinked. "When the station official delivered your message earlier, I was resting and felt too weak to rise. It was only upon hearing the Lord had come that I forced myself to greet you. I fear I still won't be fit to travel tomorrow..."Wei Shao nodded again. "Very well. Then Madam should rest and recover. Once you are fully well, send word to my wife, and I will arrange for someone to escort you on your journey. Since you are unwell, you should return to your room now."

With that, Wei Shao turned and left.

Su Ehuang stared fixedly at his retreating figure. Just as he was about to step out the door, she hurried after him a few steps and said hoarsely, "Erlang, won't you ask even once why I abandoned you to marry another back then? Or why I developed this head ailment that even ruined my voice?"