The Prisoner of Beauty

Author's Note: The following segment was previously included in the last chapter to compensate for deleted content. Some readers may have missed it, so for continuity, I’m placing it here in the author’s note without affecting the word count.

It’s been a busy year-end lately, so apologies for not being able to update twice a day, but I’ll ensure daily updates~

…………………………

It was just past the third watch of the night.

Xiao Qiao slowly sat up from the bed, lost in thought for a moment before getting up, dressing, and checking on Fei Fei in the small crib. She adjusted the blanket gently and then quietly made her way to the study.

The night was deep, and a dim yellow light seeped through the study’s window.

The door was slightly ajar. Through the crack, Xiao Qiao saw Wei Shao seated behind the desk, the rosewood box she hadn’t seen in a long time placed before him.

Its lid was open, revealing a half-unfolded black battle flag edged with white.

From her angle, the center seemed to bear the embroidered image of a golden tiger’s face with bared fangs.

It must have once been awe-inspiring. Now, the flag was tattered, a corner stained, dulled by the passage of time.

The stain was old, yet still discernible—likely blood.

Wei Shao’s gaze remained fixed on this tattered banner.

The candlelight cast his shadow onto the wall—a massive, motionless silhouette.

He was so absorbed, as if deeply entrenched in his own world, that despite his usual vigilance, he didn’t notice Xiao Qiao standing outside the door.

……

Holding her breath, Xiao Qiao quietly retreated.

Fei Fei still slept peacefully in the room.

Xiao Qiao blew out the lamp, climbed back into bed, and lay down.

She closed her eyes.

Slowly, something wet welled up at the corners of her eyes.

Before it could trickle down, she swiftly wiped it away.

After a long while, she finally heard the sound of him tiptoeing back into the room.

He paused briefly by the crib.

In the dim moonlight, she saw him reach out, seemingly caressing Fei Fei’s cheek, followed by the faint rustle of him removing his clothes. The bed dipped slightly as he lay down beside her.

Knowing he didn’t wish to wake her, Xiao Qiao kept her eyes closed, unmoving.

……

Sometimes, people need time and the right moment to let go of the past.

Wasn’t she the same?

She had said all she needed to say.

And she would do what needed to be done.

She was willing to wait.

……

The fourth day of the month was Zhu Shi’s birthday.

Since the death of Wei Shao’s father over a decade ago, Zhu Shi had refused to celebrate her birthday.

Every year on this day, Madam Xu would arrange for offerings and incense to be burned at Jinlong Temple in Zhu Shi’s name and send a bowl of longevity noodles to the eastern quarters.

This had been the tradition for over ten years.

This year, as Zhu Shi’s birthday approached, Wei Shao happened to be home, and with the recent addition of Fei Fei, Madam Xu proposed hosting a birthday banquet for Zhu Shi. The family would gather, along with a few close relatives, to celebrate together.

In Zhu Shi’s mind, after her husband’s passing, abstaining from all superficial festivities was the proper way to honor his memory.

Having maintained this practice for over a decade, breaking it now would render her past mourning efforts meaningless.

Thus, she was reluctant.

Naturally, since Madam Xu had taken the rare initiative to suggest it, Zhu Shi initially demurred but dared not outright refuse. In the end, she reluctantly agreed.

As a result, Wei Shao stayed home a few more days, planning to depart on the fifth after Zhu Shi’s birthday celebration.In the blink of an eye, the fourth day arrived, and the Wei family hosted several banquet tables for the birthday celebration. Madam Xu, Zhu Shi, Wei Liang's mother, and several other elderly elders from the clan sat at the main table, while the rest were seated at the remaining tables.

Xiao Qiao, being of lower seniority, wouldn’t normally have been seated at the main table. However, since Fei Fei was with her and everyone loved taking turns holding and playing with the baby, she ended up sitting at the end of the table with Fei Fei in her arms.

Zhu Shi wore a brand-new peacock-blue outfit embroidered with subtle golden patterns of blessings and sat beside Madam Xu.

Amid the lively chatter and laughter, everyone raised their glasses to toast her. Her smile seemed somewhat distant, and she only held Fei Fei briefly, as if out of mere formality.

Only when Wei Shao presented her with birthday wishes and a toast did her eyes light up with genuine joy as she gazed at her son.

Truth be told, after the poisoning incident two years prior, Madam Xu hadn’t punished her severely—just a period of reflection behind closed doors. Not a word of it had been leaked to outsiders.

Yet, Zhu Shi’s spirit had seemed to collapse after that, as if she had lost her support. For a time, she became deeply withdrawn, her temperament growing even more reclusive.

It wasn’t until the past six months that she gradually improved, turning to Buddhist practices and occasionally appearing before Madam Xu.

Still, the Wei clan had caught whispers of the incident, so no one found her demeanor tonight particularly surprising. Knowing Madam Xu wanted a lively atmosphere, they all played along, keeping the conversation flowing without awkward silences.

Fei Fei soon grew tired of being passed around and fussed, so Madam Xu instructed Xiao Qiao to take her back and settle her down.

Xiao Qiao excused herself from the banquet and returned to the western quarters accompanied by Chun Niang and the wet nurse.

As the weather grew warmer, she first gave Fei Fei a bath upon returning. Chun Niang then carried the baby out while Xiao Qiao took her own bath.

When she finished and dressed, she found that neither Chun Niang nor the wet nurse were in the room.

Wei Shao had returned at some point and was lying on his back on the couch, one leg propped up, holding Fei Fei on his stomach and playing with her.

Fei Fei, now four or five months old, had just learned to sit on her own. Over the past few days, she had grown somewhat familiar with her father. Sitting on his stomach, she giggled excitedly as Wei Shao rocked her gently from side to side with his hands.

She then crawled up his torso, reaching his chest, and stretched out a tiny hand to touch his nose.

Wei Shao opened his mouth with a playful "rawr" and pretended to bite her hand.

Fei Fei laughed even harder.

Wei Shao, his white teeth gently holding his daughter’s fingers, chuckled along.

Fei Fei was thoroughly enjoying her time with her father. When she noticed Xiao Qiao had come out, she turned and babbled at her.

Wei Shao released her fingers, sat up with Fei Fei in his arms, and cleared his throat. "I’ve worked up a sweat. I’ll go rinse off."

Xiao Qiao took Fei Fei from him. "Your clothes are ready inside."

Wei Shao glanced at her before swinging his legs off the couch.

Normally, Fei Fei would already be asleep by this time. After Wei Shao left, she nestled in Xiao Qiao’s arms, nursed for a bit, and soon grew drowsy, her eyelids drooping shut.

By the time Wei Shao returned, Xiao Qiao had just lulled Fei Fei to sleep. Hearing his footsteps, she raised a finger to her lips with a soft "shh."

Wei Shao slowed his steps and approached quietly.

Xiao Qiao gently placed Fei Fei in her crib and tucked her in.

Wei Shao stood beside them, lowering his head as if carefully studying Fei Fei’s sleeping face. Finally, he straightened and said, "I’ll be leaving early tomorrow. Shall we rest?"

Xiao Qiao smiled. "Alright. Let’s get some sleep."

...

The lamp in the room was extinguished, plunging everything into darkness.Wei Shao reached out and pulled her close.

His strong hands gripped her waist tightly.

Fearing they might wake Fei Fei, their lovemaking was drawn out yet nearly soundless, stifled in the quiet.

After they parted, Xiao Qiao was drenched in sweat, while Wei Shao lay beside her on his back, breathing heavily.

The room was dim, but Xiao Qiao could still make out the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

Later, the two went to the bathhouse to wash up before returning to bed.

Wei Shao seemed to fall asleep almost immediately, not moving again.

But Xiao Qiao couldn’t sleep. She lay awake, listening to the breathing of the man beside her and Fei Fei in the crib nearby, unable to drift off.

After that night, the relationship between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao remained just as it was now.

It couldn’t be called bad.

But when no one else was around, and it was just the two of them, even moments like these could never return to the intimacy they once shared.

These past few days, the topic they spoke of most was Fei Fei.

Beyond that, Wei Shao seemed to avoid conversation, showing no desire to talk further.

Early tomorrow morning, he would leave again.

This time, it was uncertain how long he would be gone.

In the three years since their marriage, she had gone from a fourteen-year-old girl to Fei Fei’s mother, yet she and Wei Shao had spent little time together.

Perhaps this state of affairs would continue indefinitely.

...

Late into the night, Xiao Qiao finally grew tired and was on the verge of sleep when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Likely afraid of waking Fei Fei, the knock was soft.

But Xiao Qiao jolted awake immediately, propping herself up.

Wei Shao also seemed to wake at once, rising to answer the door.

It was the elderly maidservant on night duty, speaking in a hushed, anxious tone: “My Lord, Huang Nao from Madam Zhu’s quarters just came knocking. She said Madam returned from the birthday banquet not long ago, but now she’s gone missing. They’ve searched everywhere but can’t find her. It’s late, and they didn’t want to disturb the Elder Madam, so they had no choice but to seek you out.”

Wei Shao paused briefly before swiftly turning back inside.

Xiao Qiao had already heard and was wrapping herself in a robe, lighting a lamp.

Wei Shao dressed quickly and hurried out, heading to the eastern quarters. There, the entire household was awake, their faces tense as they saw him arrive.

Wei Shao entered Madam Zhu’s room and glanced around.

The bedding was spread out, as if she had gone to bed but risen and left midway.

Huang Nao knelt. “After the banquet ended in the evening, Madam seemed a bit drunk, so I helped her to bed. She often wakes at night for warm water, so I came in to refill it, only to find her gone. I’ve searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. I didn’t want to alarm the Elder Madam, so I came to you. This servant is at fault—please forgive me, my Lord…”

Wei Shao asked about a few places, but Huang Nao shook her head, saying she had already checked.

Frowning, Wei Shao fell silent for a moment before suddenly seeming to recall something. He turned and strode out swiftly.

...

Wei Shao pushed open the half-ajar vermilion door.

The ancestral hall was kept lit day and night with incense and candles, tended by dedicated caretakers.

Normally, only two candles burned on either side of the altar.

But in the dead of night, the vast, deep interior of the hall made the flickering candlelight seem eerie in the wind, casting shifting shadows rather than dispelling them.

Wei Shao strode inside and saw his mother kneeling before the rows of ancestral tablets behind the altar, murmuring mournfully."...My lord, ever since you left us, this Wei family has long ceased to be what it once was... Why did your mother insist on bringing that Qiao family woman into our household—the very one who caused your and Da Lang's deaths... That Qiao Nu is a calamity, one day she'll even—"

Her broken sobs echoed eerily in the vast, pitch-black temple hall, sending chills down the spine. Suddenly as if sensing something, she whirled around to see Wei Shao standing beyond the threshold. Startled, her face immediately showed panic as she hastily waved her hands. "Shao Er, pay no mind to my words! I've had too much wine and spoke nonsense. Don't blame me—I no longer bear any grudge against Qiao Nu..."

Wei Shao gazed at his mother who feared his reproach, feeling a slow surge of indescribable complexity in his heart.

Stepping inside, he said, "Mother, you should inform the servants before going out. It's late—let me escort you back."

...

In the latter half of the night, Fei Fei woke once before falling back asleep, yet Wei Shao still hadn't returned.

Xiao Qiao sent Lin Ao to inquire at the eastern quarters. She returned reporting that the Lord had found Madam at the family temple. Madam seemed heavily intoxicated, and the Lord was keeping her company.

Xiao Qiao stopped waiting for him. Dismissing the servants to their rooms, she gazed at her daughter's sleeping face for a moment before bending down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. Turning off the lamp, she went to bed.

Feeling somewhat weary, she closed her eyes and gradually drifted into an uneasy sleep filled with dreams.

At first the dreams were vague, but gradually the scenes became clearer.

Fierce winds battered the windows as a young man in imperial robes—his face contorted, eyes wild with despair—advanced toward her step by step, clutching a long sword dripping with fresh blood.

Terrified, she curled up on the ground, scrambling backward until there was nowhere left to retreat.

Suddenly, the eerie gaze of the deceased Consort Liu and the severed head of Zhang Pu seemed to merge together.

A torrent of blood gushed toward her, engulfing her completely in an instant. Struggling to breathe, she trembled and wept, desperately telling herself this was just a nightmare—she needed to wake up.

Yet no matter how she struggled, she couldn't rouse herself.

The sword's tip had already reached her chest.

She seemed to feel again that horrific sensation—the warmth of her heart being pierced by cold steel.

She'd endured this countless times in dreams and couldn't bear to relive it.

"No—"

As she screamed hoarsely, tears streaming down her face, an urgent voice suddenly reached her ears: "Manman! Manman!"

Then she felt herself tightly embraced by a pair of strong, steady arms. In that instant, the nightmare was completely dispelled, fading away into nothingness.