The Prisoner of Beauty

The four gates of Luoyang—Beigumen to the north, Xiyongmen to the west, Nanpingchengmen to the south, and Dongzhongdongmen to the east—were besieged by Wei Shao's army.

The remnants of Xing Xun's forces, retreating into the city, were making their last desperate stand.

...

After the victory at Muye, Wei Shao heeded the counsel of Gongsun Yang and others, deciding to press the advantage, completely annihilate Xing Xun, and seize Luoyang in one decisive strike.

During his retreat to Luoyang with the remaining 100,000 defeated troops, Xing Xun had set up two defensive lines at Hulao Pass and Mang Mountain.

But how could a broken army, already demoralized and exhausted, withstand the unstoppable momentum of Wei Shao's forces, whose morale soared as high as the rainbow?

Like a storm sweeping through rotten wood, Wei Shao's army advanced with overwhelming force. In just over half a month, encountering little meaningful resistance, they crossed Mang Mountain, forded the Luo River, and launched the final assault on Luoyang.

...

In the Jade Hall of the Northern Palace’s rear chambers,

Nurse Su stumbled in from outside.

"What news?" Su Ehuang hurried to meet her.

But the moment she saw the nurse's face, ashen as if mourning the dead, her heart sank.

Still, she clung to a sliver of hope.

"Disaster! The guards say Nanpingchengmen is about to fall—Wei Shao's army will soon reach the palace!"

Su Ehuang's expression darkened instantly. "So soon? Where is Ding Qu? Has he arrived?"

Nurse Su shook her head frantically. "Everything is in chaos—I haven't seen General Ding anywhere—"

Su Ehuang shoved the nurse aside, shouting for the guards as she rushed out. But in her haste, the hem of her skirt caught on the gilded copper corner of a nearby black-lacquered dressing table. A sharp tearing sound followed as the massive four-panel bronze mirror atop the table wobbled, then toppled forward, smashing onto a jewelry box placed below.

The box hit the floor.

Amid the shattering of gold and jade, pearls, agates, colored glass, cat's eyes, and other precious stones spilled out, scattering and rolling across the floor.

Gritting her teeth, Su Ehuang viciously ripped free the trapped hem of her skirt and dashed forward, stepping over the scattered gems.

But before she could take more than a few steps, a palace maid's shrill scream echoed from outside the hall.

She froze.

Xing Xun burst in, appearing before her.

He wore the imperial dragon robes, but their edges were splattered with blood.

The tassels of his crown hung askew, swaying precariously with each step, lending a grotesquely comical air to his twisted face beneath.

In his hand was a longsword.

Its blade dripped with fresh blood, falling in steady droplets.

"You wretched woman! You brought me to this!"

Xing Xun gnashed his teeth, advancing on Su Ehuang.

She retreated slowly.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't—"

Nurse Su screamed, throwing herself forward to clutch at the hem of Xing Xun's robes. He kicked her away, ran her through with his sword, then yanked it free to pursue Su Ehuang.

She turned and fled deeper into the hall.

Xing Xun swung his sword wildly, chasing her around the pillars.

Corpulent and already exhausted from slaughtering palace maids along the way, years of indulgence in wine and women had long eroded his former martial prowess. After several frantic laps, Su Ehuang managed to evade him by weaving between the great columns.

Panting heavily, Xing Xun's fury only grew. He hurled his sword at Su Ehuang's retreating figure.

The blade whizzed past her ear, embedding itself into a vermilion-lacquered pillar beside her.

It quivered briefly before clattering to the ground.Xing Xun took a large stride forward, catching up and seizing Su Ehuang’s neck with both hands before she could escape. Gnashing his teeth, he shook her head violently.

“You vile woman! Had I not listened to you back then, how could I have fallen to this state? Why did you harm me so?”

Su Ehuang struggled desperately, kicking her legs wildly, but her neck was clamped as if by iron pincers—how could she break free?

Her face turned blue-purple, her breath growing thinner, her eyes rolling back. With a clink , the butterfly mask on her face was shaken loose and fell to the ground, revealing the disfigured face beneath.

When her nose had been sliced off, the weather had been scorching, and the wound had festered.

Though the ulceration had since healed, it left behind a grotesque, uneven scar of dark purple, crawling beside the remnants of her half-nose.

However charming the rest of her delicate features might be, the true face hidden beneath that mask was equally horrifying.

Xing Xun was stunned.

His hands, still gripping her neck, loosened slightly as he stared fixedly at that ruined face.

A moment later, as if suddenly realizing something, he flew into another rage and slapped Su Ehuang hard across the face.

“Vile wretch! This monstrous face must be Wei Shao’s doing! You hate him to the bone, so you bewitched me with your poisonous lies?”

The thought that he, a once-undefeated warlord, had been deceived to this extent by a woman as hideous as a vengeful ghost—

It was as if a hammer struck the crown of his skull from within, pounding relentlessly, threatening to burst free.

Even tearing her limb from limb would not vent the hatred in his heart at this moment.

With a furious roar, his eyes bulging, he was about to snap her neck when a sharp pain erupted in his head—as if a flood within had suddenly burst through his skull. Half his body stiffened instantly, his mouth twisted, and the hand gripping her neck began to tremble.

Summoning the last of his strength to break that slippery neck, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest.

A delicate hand now held a dagger.

Its sharp tip pierced through the emperor’s ceremonial robes, sinking deep into Xing Xun’s heart.

Xing Xun’s body convulsed violently, his eyes still glaring hatefully at Su Ehuang as strange, guttural sounds escaped his throat.

Gasping for air, Su Ehuang finally pushed away the hand still clutching her neck. She pulled the dagger out slightly, then drove it in deeper, twisting it once before withdrawing.

Xing Xun’s massive body collapsed with a thud.

Su Ehuang’s face was ghostly pale as she clutched her throat, coughing painfully before rising from the ground. Seeing Xing Xun’s lifeless eyes still fixed on her, his expression one of unwillingness and ugliness, she sneered, “I once thought you were a man of worth, that you might achieve something great. That’s why I endured humiliation and clung to your bloated carcass. Who knew you’d be so utterly useless? Rest in peace! Let me tell you the truth—I’ve long had a backup plan. Ding Qu is completely under my control. He’s devoted to me and has long prepared for the city’s fall and our escape. At death’s door, instead of reflecting on your own failures, you dared to think of dragging me down with you? Dream on!”

She spat on Xing Xun’s bloated corpse before yanking the hem of her skirt free from beneath his weight.

Hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall.

A former maidservant of Su Ehuang’s, whom she had sent earlier to wait for Ding Qu, rushed in.

“Madam! General Ding’s men have arrived—they’re calling for you to hurry to Zhuolong Gate—”Before she could finish speaking, her eyes fell upon Su Ehuang's disfigured face. Her eyes widened as if she had seen a vengeful ghost, and with a scream, she turned and fled outside.

Su Ehuang instinctively touched her own face and immediately gave chase.

The maid heard the footsteps and turned in terror, only to see Su Ehuang advancing with a bloodstained dagger in hand, her gaze sinister and her face like a ghost. The maid's legs trembled uncontrollably, and she could run no further. Her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, weeping and begging for mercy: "Spare me! I’ve been loyal to Madam! I saw nothing! I swear, I’ll never speak of it—"

Su Ehuang’s expression remained cold as she stabbed the maid to death. She then retrieved the butterfly mask she had flung aside earlier and quickly put it back on, covering her face before hurrying toward Zhuolong Gate.

The once-glorious palace, filled with purple mist and the sounds of music and revelry, was now engulfed in panic.

Palace maids fled in all directions, and guards took advantage of the chaos to loot. The scene was one of utter devastation.

Under the protection of her few remaining loyal attendants, Su Ehuang dashed to Zhuolong Gate in the northern palace.

But the place was deserted, with no sign of the person she had expected to meet there.

In the distance, she could faintly hear the battle cries of Wei Shao’s soldiers storming through the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Growing frantic, she paced back and forth on the jade steps of Zhuolong Gate, cursing under her breath. The golden phoenix hairpins on either side of her temples trembled incessantly with her hurried steps.

"I won’t wait any longer—I’ll go myself—"

Gritting her teeth, she suddenly stopped and turned toward Zhuolong Garden with her attendants, intending to flee. Just then, a clamor of footsteps sounded behind her.

Turning, she was startled to see Ding Qu leading a group of followers rushing toward her.

Overjoyed, Su Ehuang called out, "General Ding!" and lifted her skirts to run toward him.

...

Ding Qu had long heard of Madam Yulou’s reputation. After defecting to Xing Xun, he finally met her in person during a palace banquet.

He compared her in his mind.

Though she was far less stunningly beautiful than Wei Shao’s wife—whose fleeting glimpse at Deer Terrace had left an indelible impression—she had her own charm as a woman, and the butterfly mask added an air of mystery and allure.

Hearing that she was Xing Xun’s favorite in Lotus Tower, Ding Qu couldn’t help but entertain certain thoughts.

Behind Xing Xun’s back, Ding Qu soon became one of Su Ehuang’s devoted followers, utterly smitten.

Now, as Luoyang was on the verge of falling, he secretly left the city walls and returned. Seeing her waiting at Zhuolong Gate, he hurried forward and said, "Madam, come with me quickly! I know of a gap at Shangxi Gate—we might fight our way out. I’ll protect you—"

Before he could finish, the golden butterfly mask on Su Ehuang’s face suddenly slipped off and fell to the ground during her run.

Beneath the mask was a face marred by disfigurement.

Under the glaring midday sun, every detail was laid bare.

Ding Qu froze in horror, his eyes bulging like bells.

Su Ehuang suddenly felt a chill on her face. Looking up, she saw Ding Qu and his followers staring at her with wide, shocked eyes. Realizing the mask must have loosened in her haste and fallen off during her run, her heart lurched. Instinctively, she let out a shriek and covered her face with her sleeve."General Ding! Don’t be afraid! I wasn’t always like this! I was once renowned for my beauty, and all of Luoyang knew the name of Madam Yulou! It was Wei Shao who ruined me! Help me escape, and I will aid you in seizing the empire!"

Ding Qu stared fixedly at her face, usually half-hidden behind a butterfly mask, hardly believing his eyes.

At last, he understood why she had never allowed him to stay the night with her.

As if he had swallowed a fly, his face twisted with deep disgust and contempt. He turned and fled without a word.

Su Ehuang was stunned and immediately chased after him, grabbing the sleeve of his robe from behind.

"General Ding, I was born under an auspicious star! Fortune-tellers declared I would rise to unparalleled nobility! You must believe me—"

With a sharp rip ,

Ding Qu drew his blade and severed the sleeve she clung to, striding away without a backward glance.

The few attendants who had been nearby stared in horror at her face, slowly backing away. They exchanged glances, then suddenly turned and scattered in all directions.

Su Ehuang collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale. Her fingers still clutched the torn sleeve tightly, trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly, she cried out, "General Ding, wait! You must know that the old traitor Xing Xun has amassed wealth beyond measure over the years! The treasures hidden in the Lotus Terrace are but a fraction of his hoard! I was once his favorite—when he was drunk, I coaxed the location of another secret vault from him! If you help me escape, I will share the treasure with you!"

Ding Qu hesitated, then halted and slowly turned back. "Are you telling the truth?"

Though her face remained pale, Su Ehuang gradually regained her composure. She bent to pick up the fallen butterfly mask and fastened it back in place. "How dearly Xing Xun once cherished me—who would know better than you? Extracting the location of a mere treasure vault was nothing to me! Go if you wish—I won’t beg you! The Lotus Terrace’s riches now belong to Wei Shao. But what a pity—Xing Xun’s other hidden fortune will vanish from the world with me!"

Ding Qu wavered between doubt and belief. Seeing Su Ehuang turn away with a haughty stride, he felt torn.

Xing Xun had indeed plundered vast wealth over the years, rumored to be hidden in multiple locations. The Lotus Terrace was but one known to all.

Now, hearing Su Nu’s words, greed stirred within him.

Though this deceitful, hideous woman had tricked him so thoroughly, he was already here. If there truly was treasure, why not trust her one last time?

If she lied, he could always kill her later.

Greed won. His expression shifted instantly. "Madam, wait! Come with me! Any later, and we may not escape!"

...

The people of Luoyang, barricaded in their homes, endured a long and fearful day.

The sounds of battle from the city gates finally dwindled and ceased.

Along the Pingcheng Avenue leading to the palace, the low, steady march of soldiers echoed.

A curfew was imposed that night—anyone caught outside would be executed on sight.

Yet even indoors, the citizens saw a towering inferno rise in the eastern outskirts, its flames illuminating half the night sky.

The fire raged until dawn.

The next day, news spread.

Marquis Yan of Youzhou, Wei Shao, had taken Luoyang.

Xing Xun, who had styled himself Emperor of Great Jiang for half a year, was dead.Wei Shao's army was stationed outside the four city gates. The previous night, only two thousand soldiers had entered the city, securing the imperial palace and the residences of the Grand Commandant, Minister of Works, and Minister over the Masses.

The Magistrate of Luoyang issued a public notice early this morning, assuring the people that Marquis Yan had ordered his troops not to harass the citizens.

The populace finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Soon after, another rumor began spreading wildly through the streets.

It was said that Marquis Yan's wife, Qiao Nu, possessed beauty that could topple cities and captivate nations.

Xing Xun had once boasted that he would seize Qiao Nu and keep her in the Lotus Terrace.

After capturing Luoyang, the first thing Marquis Yan did was set the Lotus Terrace ablaze.

The flames that had illuminated half of Luoyang's eastern outskirts the night before were from that raging inferno, reducing the Lotus Terrace to ashes.