The Prisoner of Beauty

"Release her."

When Su Ehuang was dragged to the threshold, Wei Shao suddenly spoke.

The fury that had radiated from him earlier had vanished, replaced by an icy coldness.

Su Ehuang’s hair was disheveled, her clothes in disarray, and her face streaked with tears as she collapsed to the ground, utterly wretched. Her once flawlessly maintained hands, smooth as jade, now clutched the threshold with a death grip, the blue veins beneath her skin starkly visible like spiderwebs.

"Zhong Lin! My nephew—last year during the Luli Assembly, he resorted to underhanded tactics. After I reprimanded him, he harbored resentment. Later, when I ordered him to kill Marquis Li’s wife, he was seduced by that woman, and the two became entangled in an affair. Unwilling to carry out the deed, he only killed her under my pressure, surely adding another layer of hatred toward me. Then, just recently, I discovered that a maid in my household had secretly conspired with him. That wretched servant, emboldened by his favor, not only disrespected me but even cursed me behind my back. In a fit of anger, I punished her too harshly, and she died from her injuries. At the time, he glared at me with resentment—his hatred for me must have deepened. I don’t know how you, Zhong Lin, learned of my supposed plot to harm Grandmother, but when you captured Su Xin and interrogated him, he seized the chance to shift all blame onto me to save himself, fueled by his own grudge against me! How unjustly I have been accused!"

Wei Shao watched her silently, offering no response.

Su Ehuang gasped for breath, her mouth gaping like a fish stranded in a dried-up pond, her chest heaving violently. Yet her mind raced furiously.

She knew that in moments like these, she must not let fear cloud her judgment. The slightest hint of weakness would doom her irreversibly.

She had not done those things!

None of it was her doing!

She repeated this to herself over and over, as if gradually convincing herself that this was the truth. The strength that had been rapidly draining from her body began to gather once more.

"I admit—I did order Su Xin to kill Marquis Li’s wife in Yuyang City. Do you know why? Because I loathed her to the bone! She once lived in Luoyang, and for a time, we were close. I considered her my confidante, sharing everything with her. Yet she betrayed me, secretly carrying on an affair with Liu Li. When I found out, I confronted her in anger, but she only humiliated me. I cut ties with her then. Yet even after that, she continued meeting Liu Li in secret. Helpless, I turned a blind eye. But I never imagined—that vile woman, to spice up their trysts, had been feeding Liu Li aphrodisiacs! While the drugs heightened pleasure, they also corroded his body. By the time I realized, the poison had already taken root, and no medicine could save him. He fell ill and died—robbing me of my husband! How could I not hate her? And before Liu Li passed, he regretted everything and begged me to kill that whore to avenge him. It was only to fulfill my late husband’s dying wish that I had no choice but to have her killed!"

She finished in one breath, swallowing hard to moisten her parched mouth and throat, dried out from the sudden upheaval. Then she lifted her eyes to meet Wei Shao’s gaze—still as cold and unreadable as ever.“It is true that I killed the Marquis’ wife, but my relationship with that vile woman ended there! As for what you said about her dealings with Jiang Nao, and how Jiang Nao obtained poison from her to harm my grandmother-in-law, I truly know nothing about it! Zhong Lin, I beg you not to listen to one-sided accusations! As for this nephew of mine…”

Her gaze swept over Su Xin, who was still lying on the ground, with undisguised disgust.

“Though he is my nephew, his character is despicable—devoid of integrity or honor. I was unaware before, but now that he’s by my side, I’ve come to see him clearly. He only seeks to save himself, spouting nonsense and slandering me to shift the blame onto me in response to your questioning…”

Su Xin, who had been feigning unconsciousness amidst his agony, heard Su Ehuang’s denunciation. Every bone in his body ached as if being butchered. Recalling Wei Shao’s earlier ruthlessness, he shuddered and could no longer keep up the act. Groaning, he cried out, “Lord… I’m not lying… Though she never told me, I could see she was desperate to marry you again… She resented the Elder Madam for disliking her…”

Su Ehuang gritted her teeth in fury, regretting her poor judgment in keeping such a useless and treacherous person by her side.

In fact, just moments ago while lost in thought before the mirror, the idea of eliminating Su Xin had crossed her mind again.

He knew too much. And time had proven him unreliable. Keeping him would only be a future liability.

This thought had surfaced several times recently.

But she had hesitated, unable to commit.

Now, she finally regretted it—regretted not disposing of this nephew sooner.

Why couldn’t he understand? Only by protecting his aunt could he hope to survive.

Her lack of ruthlessness had led her into this desperate predicament.

Su Ehuang lunged forward and struck Su Xin hard across the face, shrieking, “How could I have a nephew like you, who distorts the truth and twists right and wrong?”

She raised her head, tears streaming down.

“Zhong Lin! I admit I still hold lingering feelings for you. That day when I came to see you, I told you my entire life has been shackled by the prophecy at my birth, leading me to this wretched state—I am filled with regret! Those were my true words; I deceived you not at all! In my youth, you were the one I loved, and I gave you my heart. Yet in the end, I couldn’t defy my family’s arrangements and married Liu Li instead. But you know the torment I endured—how it shattered me! You must remember the voice I once had. You praised me, saying, ‘Elder Sister’s singing is enchanting,’ and I promised to sing for you all my life. After marrying Liu Li, I destroyed my voice with medicine, claiming it was ruined by illness. Why? Because of that promise I made to you. Though I cannot marry you in this life, I will never sing for another man again…”

“Enough!”

Wei Shao roared abruptly.Su Ehuang seemed genuinely moved as she spoke, her fair shoulders trembling with emotion. Tears streamed down her face without cease, quickly soaking the crimson undergarment at her chest. She continued, "If you don't wish to hear me speak of the past, I won't mention it. But that day, I made it very clear to you—though I am unworthy, I have enough self-awareness to know the past cannot be reclaimed. That you still show me mercy, protect me, and even say you would shelter me for life—I am already satisfied. How could I be so foolish as to plot against Elder Madam? Even if Elder Madam were gone, would you be willing to marry me? When I was young and visited your home, your grandmother treated me with great kindness and boundless love. I bear her no grudge—why would I suddenly turn so heartless as to seek her life? Every effect has a cause. I have no reason to harm Elder Madam! And just now, Zhong Lin, you accused me of instructing Jiang Nao to poison her. She has served your mother for decades, always by her side, while I can barely even enter the gates of your Wei family home. How could I possibly persuade her to act on my behalf?"

Wei Shao replied coldly, "Your mother's brother once harmed Jiang Nao's son. My mother handled the matter unjustly at the time, and Jiang Nao, grieving her son, harbored hidden resentment. Later, you exploited her, offering to avenge her in exchange for her loyalty. She willingly obeyed your orders to murder my grandmother and frame my mother! You venomous woman—to scheme so meticulously and still dare speak to me of our childhood past!"

Su Ehuang's eyelids twitched. Her heartbeat, which had begun to steady, surged wildly again at Wei Shao's words.

"Zhong Lin! I don't know where you heard such things! If you wish to condemn me, any excuse will do! If you have solid evidence, I would willingly die by your hand today without a single complaint! But if you convict me based on nothing but baseless slander from others, I will not rest in death!"

She raised her chin and spoke hoarsely.

Wei Shao stared at her for a moment, his dark and inscrutable gaze revealing nothing of his thoughts. Suddenly, he called to the two guards outside, "Lock her in the dungeon," and strode away.

Su Ehuang let out a shriek.

She could tell—his tone held no emotion, not even a trace of disgust. It was like a bloodstained sword, icy and devoid of any human warmth.

She knew he meant it.

She knew all too well what the dungeon was like.

Even in the darkest depths of the Luoyang estate, there had been such a dungeon.

No one who entered, no matter how strong-willed, lasted more than half a year.

She still remembered—when she had imprisoned Liu Li's favorite concubine, the woman who had ruined her voice, it took only three months. When she went to see her, the woman was unrecognizable, driven to madness, even grabbing filth to stuff into her mouth.

Su Ehuang's face drained of color again. She crawled forward and desperately clutched Wei Shao's leg, refusing to let go.

"Zhong Lin! You can't do this to me! I didn't harm your grandmother! I didn't!"

She screamed hoarsely, tears streaming down her face.

Wei Shao shook her off with a step. Su Ehuang collapsed to the ground."Who? Who told you this? Was it that Qiao Nu? Yes, it must have been her! Zhong Lin! How could you believe her words? Have you forgotten how your father and brothers died? They were killed by the Qiao family! Have you forgotten the solemn oath you swore in the ancestral temple to exterminate every last member of the Qiao family? How could you now be bewitched by this Qiao Nu, taking her one-sided account over mine? The Qiao family is your enemy! They sent her here precisely because they feared your future vengeance—to guard against you, to scheme against you!"

She had been lying on the ground, weeping bitterly, but suddenly scrambled to her feet and shouted at Wei Shao's retreating figure: "All women in this world, when it comes to men, are driven by schemes—either for the heart or for profit! Zhong Lin, think about it—she and Liu Yan of Langya were childhood sweethearts, deeply attached, even betrothed. Why then, after being sent here by the Qiao family, did she suddenly become so tender and submissive to you? Zhong Lin, you’ve always been wise. Just think—how could she possibly be sincere with you? Such deep cunning must have ulterior motives! And now, because you couldn’t bear to see me persecuted by Xing Xun and took me under your protection, she seizes the chance to slander me before you..."

"That’s it!"

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she sprang up from the ground.

"Jiang Nao must have been bribed by her, working for her all along! The enmity between the Qiao and Wei families runs deep. Sending a daughter here was never just about marriage—there’s a darker purpose behind it, Zhong Lin! You must be on guard—"

Wei Shao had already stepped out and was striding away when he suddenly halted, his figure freezing mid-step.

A moment later, he turned sharply and strode back toward Su Ehuang.

He stopped before her, hands clasped behind his back, looking down at her with icy, expressionless eyes.

Su Ehuang gasped heavily, swaying unsteadily before collapsing back to the ground. She gazed up at him with a pitiful expression. "Zhong Lin... you must believe me... Qiao Nu is not to be trusted... I’m the one who truly cares for you..."

"You vile wretch!"

In an instant, Wei Shao seemed to erupt. He lunged forward, seizing Su Ehuang by the throat and lifting her clean off the ground.

His face twisted with fury, eyes blazing with menace—a terrifying sight.

"You plotted against my grandmother! Even so, in her letter, she still urged me not to act against you immediately! Had you confessed properly, out of respect for my grandmother, I might have let you leave unharmed! But instead, you dare slander my wife with such venomous lies?"

The veins on his temples throbbed violently as his fingers tightened around her throat. Su Ehuang’s face turned crimson, her eyes rolling back, hands flailing wildly in the air. Guttural, choking sounds escaped her throat.

Just as one of her hands clutched desperately at Wei Shao’s sleeve, he released his grip. Su Ehuang crumpled to the ground, coughing violently.

"How does military law punish attempted murder?" he asked coldly, addressing the guards behind him.

The guard bowed his head. "Nose-cutting as a warning."

"Carry it out," Wei Shao commanded, his voice devoid of emotion, before turning away.

A piercing, disbelieving shriek tore through the air behind him—only to be abruptly silenced.

...

By the middle of the Hai hour [9–11 PM], Wei Shao had still not returned.

Though the night was deep, Xiao Qiao felt no trace of sleepiness. Lying on her pillow with eyes closed, she recalled the fury on Wei Shao’s face when he left, and a faint unease stirred within her.She tossed and turned until the end of the Hai hour before finally hearing familiar footsteps outside.

The door wasn’t latched, and Wei Shao pushed it open and entered.

Xiao Qiao hurriedly got out of bed, draped a robe over herself, and went to greet him. Seeing his grave expression, as if his anger had not yet subsided, she didn’t dare ask for details just yet. Instead, she gently asked if he wanted a late-night meal. Wei Shao shook his head, so she helped him prepare for a bath.

After he emerged from the bath, they both climbed into bed. Once lying down, Xiao Qiao closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. She saw him lying on his back, eyes shut, exhaustion etched between his brows. Hesitating for a moment, she reached out and placed her hand on his abdomen, stroking softly as she asked in a gentle voice, "Husband, what’s wrong?"

Wei Shao opened his eyes, turned his face to meet her gaze, and after a moment, suddenly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. Instead of answering, he asked, "Manman, have you ever kept anything from me?"