The Prisoner of Beauty

Wei Shao paused slightly in his steps.

"I did not come here to listen to Madam reminisce about the past, nor is it appropriate for Madam to confide such matters to me."

He turned his head slowly.

"Lady Su, you have lingered in Jinyang for some time now on your journey. If it is truly due to illness, then rest and recover properly. However..."

His gaze fixed directly onto Su Ehuang's face, which was gradually turning pale, and lingered for a moment.

"If you have other intentions, heed my words—it would be best for you to continue your journey as soon as possible. I am no longer the young man of years past, and now I have a wife who holds my heart. I have no wish to stir up trouble that might cause her any displeasure."

"I have said all I need to say. You should rest and recover."

...

And just like that, he left, without so much as a backward glance.

Su Ehuang stood frozen, her eyes unblinking, her entire body feeling as though it had been submerged in icy water. A creeping chill slowly seeped through her skin, penetrating her bones.

Had she not clenched her teeth tightly, they would have begun chattering uncontrollably by now.

Gradually, panic seized her heart—the kind of panic that comes when events spiral utterly beyond one's expectations.

She had thought that no matter what, as long as she could secure a private moment to speak with him, she could steer him in the direction she desired.

Never had she imagined that from the very first words Wei Shao spoke, the situation would veer completely out of her control.

All men in this world lust after beauty—Su Ehuang knew this well. Thus, even though Wei Shao had married that Qiao woman, barely a year had passed. Out of novelty, he might still crave her own charms.

This was something she had long prepared for.

What she had never anticipated was that Wei Shao's first words would be to send her away. Not only that, he had even declared to her face, "She holds my heart."

Could it be that the words spat by that wretched maid Chun Niang were actually true?

Su Ehuang could not accept it. She simply could not.

Was it that Qiao woman who forced Wei Shao to drive her away? Otherwise, if he truly despised her, why would his demeanor remain so courteous—even offering to arrange an escort to Luoyang?

Wei Shao must still harbor feelings for her!

Perhaps it was only because she had wounded that young boy too deeply in the past, leaving his heart knotted with unresolved pain, that the Qiao woman had seized the chance to seduce him with her looks. The deaths of Wei Shao's father and brother were inextricably linked to the Qiao family's betrayal! The agony that twelve-year-old boy had endured—an agony no outsider could fathom—she had witnessed it firsthand, moment by agonizing moment, as clearly as if she had lived it herself.

Not to mention, half a year later, when he was finally able to rise from his sickbed, the first thing he did was kneel before the ancestral tablets in the family shrine and swear a blood oath: one day, he would annihilate the enemies who had wronged them, to avenge his father and brother!

The ruthless fury in his eyes that day remained vivid in her memory even now.

How could such a Wei Shao become so hopelessly infatuated with the daughter of his sworn enemy?

She refused to believe it. Refused.

She needed to think, to think carefully... She would surely find a way to unravel this...

"Aunt! What did the Marquis of Yan come for just now? Why do you look so pale?"

Su Xin, who had been hiding all this while, hurried in and steadied Su Ehuang, his voice tinged with unease.

Su Ehuang's eyes remained fixed and unseeing, as though she had not heard him at all. She stood motionless.Su Xin stole a glance at Su Ehuang's expression, his heart growing increasingly uneasy. He stammered, "Could his visit mean... he knows about what happened in Yuyang last time?"

Su Ehuang shuddered, suddenly raising her eyes to stare at Su Xin.

"What nonsense are you spouting? What so-called Yuyang incident?" she enunciated each word in a low voice, her gaze instantly turning icy and filled with chill.

Su Xin hastily replied, "Yes, yes, it's my foolishness! Aunt, are you alright? Your complexion looks terrible. I'm quite worried."

Su Ehuang felt a buzzing in her ears growing louder, a vein at her temple twitching. Her body swayed slightly as she closed her eyes. Her hand groped blindly in the air before clutching Su Xin's arm tightly. After a pause, she murmured, "I have a headache. Help me back to rest. I need to lie down."

Her hand was cold and clammy, devoid of any warmth, yet her grip was unnaturally strong—her nails digging deep into Su Xin's flesh.

Through his sleeve, Su Xin felt sudden sharp pain where she gripped him, but he dared not make a sound. He quickly called for maidservants to assist.

The maids hurried over to support her. Seizing the chance, Su Xin freed his arm and escorted Su Ehuang back to her room, settling her into bed.

Su Ehuang lay motionless with closed eyes, as if asleep. As Su Xin turned to tiptoe out, he suddenly heard her voice from behind: "There was nothing earlier. Zhonglin just returned to Jinyang and came immediately upon learning I was here. We reminisced briefly, and he urged me to recover. He left in haste only because of pressing matters. Rest assured, everything remains under my control."

Su Xin turned back. Su Ehuang's eyes remained shut, her expression now calm. He murmured acknowledgment and stepped outside, rolling up his sleeve to reveal five deep nail marks on his arm. He winced silently, rubbing the bruised flesh.

...

Xiao Qiao was fastidious about cleanliness, especially during the sweltering summer heat when even slight movement brought perspiration. Naturally, she bathed daily.

After dinner that evening, as dusk fell, she prepared for her usual bath.

Chun Niang had always attended to her personally. Since the terrifying incident earlier in the year, even after six months, she remained by Xiao Qiao's side without fail.

Xiao Qiao immersed herself in the water, only her delicate shoulders visible above the surface. Her freshly washed raven-black hair was gathered in front, clinging to her small yet increasingly rounded bosom. Twirling a damp lock around her finger, she heard Chun Niang remark from behind, "When our Lord returns this time, my lady must keep him longer! It's been quite some time since your marriage. Though Elder Madam hasn't pressed the matter, she must be thinking about it daily."

Chun Niang stubbornly believed that Elder Madam's trip to Wuzhong City with Zhu Shi earlier in the year was deliberate—to encourage the Lord to bring Xiao Qiao along so she might sooner bear heirs for the Wei family. Yet the two were often apart, and to this day, there remained no news from Xiao Qiao's quarters. How could Chun Niang not fret?

Xiao Qiao gave a noncommittal hum.

"That Su woman—I had someone check on her today. She's still there, calmly convalescing without a care! How can someone be so shameless?"Chun Niang thought of that Su woman, and her heart felt clogged with mud. As she massaged Xiao Qiao's delicate back, she continued, "My lady, you mustn't underestimate her! She shares a past with our lord—that alone gives her an advantage over others. Not to mention, a woman like her must have extraordinary skills in the bedchamber. Most men in this world favor women of her kind. You were too young then to remember, but your uncle once had a concubine with similar abilities to ensnare men. Before she came, he would spend ten nights a month in your aunt's chambers. But after taking that woman, he clung to her like treasure—rarely visiting your aunt or his other concubines. When the woman fell ill and died, he grieved for days. And she was merely a courtesan! How did she gain such favor? By her skill in pleasing men! Though this Su woman comes from noble birth, I can tell at a glance she's experienced much—what wouldn't she be willing to do?"

Xiao Qiao remained silent.

"I shouldn't speak of such vulgar matters in your presence, my lady. But I fear your youth leaves you unprepared for these schemes. If you're careless, you'll suffer for it. This Su woman is clearly waiting here for our lord's return. If she throws aside all shame and our lord, out of regard for their past affection, lets his guard down—who's to say he won't..."

Chun Niang glanced at Xiao Qiao. The girl was staring down, idly twisting a lock of hair around her finger—winding and unwinding it endlessly. Worried her words had frightened her, Chun Niang quickly softened her tone. "Don't let my words trouble you, my lady. I only meant to warn you. Your beauty is unmatched. Anyone can see our lord treasures you dearly. When he returns, just keep him close—don't give anyone an opening. Even ten Su Nus couldn't steal him from you then!"

Her throat dry from speaking, Chun Niang grew impatient when Xiao Qiao still didn't respond. "My dear heart, have you heard a word I've said?"

Xiao Qiao's thoughts had drifted back to a small chest she'd encountered when she first arrived at the Wei household.

Lately, with Su Ehuang's reappearance, the unpleasant memory tied to that chest had resurfaced with growing clarity.

Seeing Chun Niang's agitation, Xiao Qiao finally turned her head. "I heard you. I understand—"

Chun Niang smiled in relief. Moving in front of Xiao Qiao, she untangled the strands of hair from the girl's fingers and used a dry towel to pat the moisture from her locks before gathering them atop her head. Her gaze lingered on Xiao Qiao's half-submerged chest—now even more delicately fair and endearing—and she sighed. "Enough about our lord. His campaign should be ending soon, no? It hasn't been easy for him. Half a year has passed since you arrived at the start of spring, yet he's spent barely any days in the city, always away with the troops. My heart aches for him—and for you, left here alone. When will this separation end...?"

Suddenly, the bathhouse door rattled with a knock.

Assuming it was a maid, Chun Niang called out, "What is it? The lady hasn't finished her bath."

"It's me."

A steady male voice answered from beyond the door.Chun Niang recognized Wei Shao's voice and was overjoyed. She exchanged a glance with Xiao Qiao, giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze before hurrying to open the door.

Wei Shao stood casually leaning against the doorframe.

Suppressing her delight, Chun Niang bowed and greeted him, "Lord, you've returned? When did you arrive? Was the journey taxing?"

"Just now."

Wei Shao responded briefly before his gaze shifted to Xiao Qiao, who was still in the bathtub. He stepped inside.

Chun Niang quickly excused herself, closing the door behind her, leaving only the two of them in the bathing chamber.

Wei Shao stopped in front of Xiao Qiao's tub, looking down at her in the water.

Xiao Qiao tilted her face up slightly, meeting his eyes for a moment before leaning back gently against the tub, sliding down until the water covered her delicate shoulders.

"My lord, why didn’t you send word of your return? I could have prepared," she said softly.

Wei Shao slowly crouched down, bringing his eyes level with hers across the tub’s edge.

"Come here."

Xiao Qiao asked, "What for?"

His gaze lingered on her damp face, glistening with a mist of water. "Closer."

She bit her lip, then lifted her jade-like arms from the water, wet and glistening, to grip the edge of the tub. Slowly, she parted the water and moved toward him until she was near, turning sideways to face him, resting her arms on the tub’s rim as she glanced back coquettishly. "Here I am!"

Wei Shao’s gaze trailed from her cheeks down her neck to her shoulders, settling on the expanse of fair skin exposed along her back. After staring intently for a moment, his throat bobbed. Suddenly, he reached out, pulling her into his embrace, lowering his head to nip at the delicate, butterfly-wing-like shoulder blades.

Xiao Qiao felt her bones melt under his touch, shrinking her neck to evade his mouth, yet unable to suppress her giggles.

Wei Shao closed his eyes, showing no mercy as he rubbed his rough, stubbled cheeks against her, savoring the softness and warmth of her skin, leaving red marks across her tender shoulders and back. The faint, pleasure-laced whimpers she made from the mix of pain and tickling in his ears finally eased the longing he had endured for months in her absence.

He dragged her out of the water like a slippery fish, the two of them tumbling into a wet, tangled heap on the damp floor.

Afterward, Wei Shao carried the limp Xiao Qiao back into the water, seating her against his waist as he leaned back against the tub, his expression darkening.

"In my last letter, I told you to reply to me immediately. Why didn’t you?"

Author’s Note: A missing section from earlier has just been added. (⊙﹏⊙)