The Prisoner of Beauty

The defense of Shanggu had been raging for over half a month.

The thick walls built of solid rock bore countless scars from blades, axes, and scorch marks left by fire. Blood stained the black earth beneath the battlements, seeping layer by layer into the stone. The air was thick with the foul stench of gore.

The Xiongnu's relentless assaults came wave after wave, only to be beaten back each time.

Several days prior, a fifty-thousand-strong Qiang army led by Qiao Ci had finally arrived, providing crucial reinforcements to the besieged Wei family troops.

With lightning speed, the Qiang forces tore open a breach in the Xiongnu's flank before they could react. Upon receiving the news, the Wei soldiers inside the city, spurred by thunderous war drums, threw open the gates and charged out in formation, joining forces with the Qiang army.

The Xiongnu, though formidable in cavalry and open-field combat, had been demoralized after days of fruitless siege. Caught off guard by this sudden counterattack, they were forced to retreat over ten miles, losing several of their thousand-ride commanders in the chaos.

Uncertain of the enemy's numbers, Wuwei dared not launch another assault. He ordered his troops to regroup and rest while gathering intelligence.

...

The desperate siege, which had lasted for more than ten days, was finally alleviated by the timely arrival of reinforcements.

The Wei family troops, vastly outnumbered, had fought valiantly against the Xiongnu. Two generations of Wei matriarchs had personally ascended the city walls, standing side by side with soldiers and civilians alike. This news spread like wildfire across the lands of Yuyang, inspiring more and more refugees to turn back and flock to the city from all directions.

Men donned armor stripped from the fallen, picked up bloodstained swords and spears, and joined the defense.

Women, led by Xiao Qiao, tended to the wounded and delivered hot meals to the warriors on the front lines.

Within days, tens of thousands of volunteers had arrived to bolster the city's defenses.

Soldiers and civilians stood united as never before, bound by a shared hatred of the enemy.

All held one unwavering resolve: to hold their ground and never yield an inch.

...

Wuwei grew uneasy about the course of the battle.

As the son of the Chanyu and the Crown Prince, his standing in the royal court had always been overshadowed by his uncle, the Rizhu King Wu Zhuqu.

Years ago, Wu Zhuqu had taken a Wei woman as his Consort—an act the Xiongnu not only tolerated but celebrated as a mark of honor.

Several years later, Wu Zhuqu had welcomed back Wei Yan, the son born of that Wei Consort.

It was not uncommon for Xiongnu royalty or nobles to have Han blood. The Yiqiu Ruo King and the trusted advisor Yizhizi King, both descendants of Han princesses sent for marriage alliances, were living proof.

Yet none of them had ever made Wuwei feel as threatened as Wei Yan did from the moment he first laid eyes on him.

In just a few short years, Wei Yan's reputation had soared. After conquering the stubbornly entrenched Donghu people who had held the Congling Mountains for decades and incorporating their lands into one of the Xiongnu's twenty-four tribes, the Xiongnu began affectionately calling him Hu Tukun.

Even the Chanyu had broken precedent by bestowing upon him the title of Jianjiang King—a royal rank that granted him command over ten thousand riders.

Wuwei regarded him with deep wariness.Not long ago, when Emperor Liu Yan of the Langya court sent envoys through former Han officials who had surrendered to the Xiongnu to express his intent for an alliance and borrowed troops, Wuwei played a crucial mediating role and finally persuaded the Chanyu to dispatch an army, which he led southward.

According to his original plan, by this time, he should have already captured Yuyang. Not only would this have avenged the years of humiliation the Xiongnu suffered under the Wei family’s suppression and the loss of the Hetao region, but more importantly, in the Xiongnu royal court, where the strong preyed on the weak and victory was revered, he desperately needed this triumph to prove his capabilities—to the Chanyu, to his people, and especially to the Xiongnu nobles like the Huyan, Xubu, and Qiulin clans, who had long doubted him.

But he never expected the battle to drag on like this in Shanggu.

He had missed the best opportunity to annihilate the Wei family’s 100,000 defenders in one stroke, allowing them to secure reinforcements from the Qiang. Now, with each passing day, the situation grew increasingly unfavorable for him.

If this dragged on any longer, and Wei Shao returned with his forces, he had no confidence in how the battle would unfold.

Leading the elite Xiongnu troops, outnumbering the enemy, he could not afford to lose this war.

The next day, Wuwei regrouped his forces and, just before dawn, personally led a full-scale assault against the combined Han-Qiang forces.

Kill one man, earn gold.

Kill ten men, earn a beauty.

Kill a hundred men, earn the rank of centurion.

And if they breached the city and captured the Wei family’s lady who beat the drums to rally the troops, they would be granted a fief of a thousand households and a marquis title!

...

The brutal battle raged from dawn till dusk.

Lei Yan and Qiao Ci fought fearlessly, leading their men in a desperate defense.

The sounds of slaughter filled the air, and the fields near the city gates were so littered with corpses that there was no place to step.

The Xiongnu soldiers climbed over layers of their fallen comrades, scaling ladders and tunneling under the walls.

On the ramparts, as soon as one soldier fell, another would immediately take his place.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash came from the southeastern corner of the wall, followed by the Xiongnu’s frenzied cheers.

Arrows whizzed overhead—one landed with a thud in the back of a fallen soldier, barely half a step from Xiao Qiao.

By now, Xiao Qiao had long ceased to feel fear.

Carrying a basket of stones with two other women, she climbed the city wall again when she saw Jia Si, his face covered in blood, rushing toward her.

“My lady, come with me now!” Jia Si roared.

“Is the city about to fall?” Xiao Qiao asked, her voice calm.

She hadn’t slept for days. Her face was pale as paper, her eyes dry, stinging with every gust of wind, yet she felt no exhaustion.

“The southeastern wall has been breached! Young Master Qiao is leading men to block the gap. All soldiers are prepared for street-by-street combat—we will defend Shanggu to the last inch! General Jia ordered me to escort you out immediately! All remaining women must evacuate the city at once!”

“Leave through the southern gate now! You’re no longer needed here!” Xiao Qiao immediately told the women.

Tears in their eyes, the women knelt before her, then rose and hurried away.

Xiao Qiao knew that if the battle had reached this point, her staying would only be a burden.

Madam Xu, gravely ill, had fortunately been sent out of Shanggu days earlier.

Facing the onslaught of 300,000 Xiongnu cavalry, every defender here had already given their all.

A sudden dizziness washed over her.

She closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself against the wall."My Lady!"

Jia Si noticed her unusual state and reached out to support her, but stopped just before touching her.

Xiao Qiao steadied herself, opened her eyes, and said, "I'm fine. I must go now."

Suddenly, at that very moment, a distant sound resembling the thunderous gallop of ten thousand horses seemed to ripple through the air.

At first, the sound was faint, almost imperceptible, but it gradually grew into a deep, resonant rumble, clear and unmistakable.

As the sound rapidly approached, the ground beneath their feet and the watchtowers on the city walls trembled slightly, as if shaken by an earthquake.

Even the battle-maddened combatants on both sides sensed the increasingly distinct and unusual tremors.

The Xiongnu halted their climb, and the soldiers on the ramparts lowered their weapons, all turning their heads toward the source of the sound.

Xiao Qiao stood dazed for a moment before suddenly lifting her skirts and rushing up the steps.

She sprinted all the way to the high platform atop the city walls and gazed into the distance.

In the direction of the setting sun, at the far edge of the plains, she saw a long, dark line like a tidal wave—a black army surging swiftly toward the city.

...

On the twenty-second grueling day of the defense of Shanggu, Marquis Yan Wei Shao finally returned with his army.

...

Wei Yan stood alone atop a high ridge, his horse motionless, his expression indifferent as he watched the approaching army bathed in golden sunset light.

After a moment, he slowly shifted his gaze toward the city of Shanggu.

The distance was too great for him to make out her face clearly. He could only faintly discern the slender silhouette standing atop the high drum platform.

But he knew it was her. No matter how far apart they were, he could always recognize her at a glance.

Suddenly, he recalled that year, much like this moment, when he had watched her from afar as she beat the drums on the Deer Tower, his heart filled with unspeakable longing.

Now, she remained the noble Lady of the Wei family.

And he—he no longer even bore the name Wei Yan.

Lost in thought for a moment, he abruptly lowered his gaze, tightened the reins, and gave a low command. Turning his horse, he rode off alone, his figure gradually disappearing over the ridge.

...

With the Lord leading his troops back in the nick of time, jubilant cheers erupted along the walls of Shanggu.

Drums thundered, battle cries rose on all sides, and the Xiongnu who had climbed halfway up the walls tumbled down one after another.

The soldiers flung open the city gates and charged out to meet the enemy.

The battle for Shanggu, which had raged for over half a month, came to an end without any suspense.

Wei Shao had returned, bringing with him the Wei family's elite cavalry—a force no less formidable than the Xiongnu horsemen—their killing intent soaring to the heavens, their wrath striking like thunder, straight into the depths of hell.

Deprived of their military advantage and already demoralized by days of failed assaults, the Xiongnu's fighting spirit plummeted to its lowest point.

After a hasty and feeble resistance, their forces collapsed like a crumbling mountain, fleeing in disarray northward.

The pursuit continued until the following day.

The Xiongnu suffered staggering losses—nearly a hundred thousand dead, wounded, or captured.

...

Time and again, it had seemed that just one more push would break the defenders, that the city's fall was imminent.

Yet, time and again, the opportunity slipped away. The city stood firm, separated by just one wall, yet remained unconquered.

Even as Wuwei fled in panic across the river and back to the grasslands, he could scarcely believe that his ambitious, heavily armed southern campaign had ended in such a dismal defeat.

...

With the siege of Shanggu lifted, the oppressive tension that had hung over the city for days finally dissipated.

Laughter and cheers could be heard everywhere.

Without pausing to catch her breath, Xiao Qiao hurried to the temporary infirmary near the city gates to see her younger brother.

Qiao Ci had suffered wounds to his arm and back. A military physician was tending to his injuries.Due to significant blood loss, his face was somewhat pale, but his spirits were high. As he extended his arm for the military physician to bandage his wound, he chatted and laughed with a group of Wei family soldiers who had gathered around him.

"Young Master Qiao, we've heard that Qiang women are charming and passionate. When they fancy a man, they take the initiative to offer flowers as a token of affection. With your striking appearance, surely you've received such gifts?"

A soldier who had just had his wounds dressed asked the question.

After a major battle, men inevitably let their thoughts drift in that direction.

Qiao Ci showed no airs. Over the past few days, leading the relocated Beihe Qiang soldiers and the Wei family troops through life-and-death situations, he had already become one with them. As the soldier curiously posed his question, those nearby burst into laughter.

Qiao Ci's face warmed slightly, and he hastily waved his hands in denial. Suddenly noticing Xiao Qiao's entrance, his eyes brightened with joy. He called out "Elder Sister" and immediately stood to greet her.

Xiao Qiao gestured for him to remain seated.

The soldiers turned and, seeing the lady had arrived, quickly made way for her.

The once bustling medical area fell silent in an instant, countless gazes turning toward her.

Xiao Qiao hurried to Qiao Ci's side. Seeing him still clad in his bloodstained battle robe, covered in wounds with a gash on his forehead, her heart ached. She reached out to gently touch the injury and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Qiao Ci grinned widely. "Just a minor wound! Doesn't hurt at all!"

Nearby soldiers couldn't help but secretly envy the scene.

"Elder Sister, are you well?"

"I'm fine," Xiao Qiao smiled.

"My Lady, how fares the Elder Madam now?"

A lieutenant general inquired.

Xiao Qiao looked up to see many eyes upon her. Nodding to the crowd, she said, "The Elder Madam has been sent back to Yuyang for recuperation and will surely recover. Thank you all for your concern. The preservation of the city was entirely due to your fearless efforts. On behalf of the Lord, I extend my deepest gratitude to you all."

"It is our honor to serve you, My Lady. We would gladly die ten thousand deaths for you!"

A bold soldier declared loudly.

The others immediately voiced their agreement.

Xiao Qiao smiled at the sea of fervent faces gazing at her, but gradually began to feel dizzy and lightheaded.

In recent days, with Madam Xu's illness, she hadn't had a moment's respite. Sustained only by sheer determination not to collapse, she had been forcing herself to carry on.

Now that the siege had been lifted and she had rushed over upon hearing of her younger brother's injuries, seeing that he was alright finally allowed her to relax.

The taut string within her seemed to snap suddenly, and she could hold on no longer.

"Elder Sister—"

"My Lady—"

Amidst the ringing in her ears and distant, chaotic sounds, her body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.

Author's Note: Thank you all for your poetic contributions in the comments. So many talented ladies, your verses are truly magnificent—I can only bow in admiration!