The Prisoner of Beauty

Wei Shao emerged from the bathing chamber draped in a white robe, its collar slightly open and the right lapel loosely hanging down to his waist, untied and flowing freely. The maids who had previously attended to his bathing in the west wing quickly finished tidying up and bowed before retreating. Chun Niang glanced at Xiao Qiao and then also withdrew, gently closing the door behind her.

Now, only the two of them remained in the room.

All his belongings had been returned to their original places. Among them was a flat, foot-long rosewood box with a hidden lock, which had been placed on the top shelf of the storage rack. It too had been restored to its original position.

Wei Shao had initially climbed onto the bed but suddenly seemed to remember something. He flipped off the bed and walked straight to the storage rack against the wall, took down the box, and with his back to Xiao Qiao, appeared to fiddle with the hidden lock. He then abruptly turned around and asked, "Have you opened this box?"

Xiao Qiao immediately shook her head. "No, I haven't. I haven't touched any of your belongings in this room. When the servants were tidying up earlier, I only instructed them to temporarily gather your things together. I wouldn't dare to open it without permission."

Wei Shao closed the lid and placed it back in its original position, then turned and said coldly, "From now on, don't move my things without permission."

Xiao Qiao nodded. "I understand. It was indeed my oversight today. It won't happen again."

Wei Shao gave no indication of agreement or disagreement and walked back to the bed, lying down.

Xiao Qiao remained standing by the bed. Seeing him close his eyes as if preparing to sleep, she felt a bit troubled.

Wei Shao's sudden decision to share a room with her upon returning to the Wei family was unexpected. She certainly didn't think it was out of sudden compassion or concern for her dignity, nor was it likely that he had developed any feelings for her. Although the reason was puzzling, she guessed it might be related to his meeting with his mother, Madam Zhu, earlier that evening.

These were matters she could ponder later. The immediate question was: where should she sleep?

She suspected that this man wouldn't want to share the bed with her.

As for herself, even if nothing happened, sharing a bed with him would still feel somewhat awkward...

"Why are you still standing there?" Wei Shao suddenly spoke.

Xiao Qiao was startled and glanced at him.

His eyes were still closed.

His meaning was very clear.

Xiao Qiao climbed onto the bed, moving quietly. She lay down slowly, careful not to touch him.

He said nothing more, his eyes remaining closed as if he had fallen asleep.

After a while, Xiao Qiao's initially tense body began to relax. Just then, Wei Shao suddenly opened his eyes, flipped off the bed, grabbed his sword from the table, and strode quickly toward the door.

Xiao Qiao was slightly surprised, unsure of what he was doing. She propped herself up on one arm, still processing what was happening, when she saw him yank open the door, his sword already drawn, its tip pointing directly at the maid who had been eavesdropping intently by the door crack.

This maid, surnamed Wang, was known as Auntie Wang among the servants and was the one in charge of managing the bathing affairs in the west wing.The old woman, Wang Ao, was straining her ear against the door, listening intently, when she suddenly sensed something was amiss. Just as she was about to slip away, the door abruptly swung open. In a flash, a gleaming sword tip was pointed at her nose. Looking up, she saw a figure looming over her—Wei Shao had appeared in the doorway, his robe half-open, but his gaze was dark and menacing as it fixed on her. She shivered, her legs gave way, and she fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy.

"Lord, spare me! Lord, spare me! This servant had no choice... Madam gave the order, and I dared not disobey..."

Wei Shao narrowed his eyes and stepped aside.

"Open your dog eyes wide. Did you see clearly?"

Wang Ao didn't dare to look, only continuing to kowtow and plead.

"I told you to look, so look!"

Trembling with fear, Wang Ao finally forced herself to raise her head and quickly glanced inside.

The room was dimly lit, with a warm green glow from the spiral screen. Through the layers of hanging curtains, she could vaguely make out a figure sitting halfway up on the bed. Xiao Qiao's long hair cascaded down her back, her silhouette graceful and alluring, the scene incredibly enticing.

Wang Ao didn't dare to look any longer and closed her eyes.

"Did you see clearly?"

Wei Shao's sinister voice rang in her ears.

"I... I saw clearly..."

Wei Shao suddenly swung his sword, and amidst Wang Ao's earth-shattering scream, one side of the doorframe was severed.

Wang Ao had thought the sword was aimed at her and fell to the ground, only to realize she was unharmed. Slowly opening her eyes, she was trembling like a sieve.

"Get out."

Wei Shao sheathed his sword and spat out a single word.

Wang Ao, as if granted a great pardon, scrambled to her feet and stumbled away.

Wei Shao slammed the door shut, which no longer closed properly, and walked back inside.

Xiao Qiao held her breath as she watched him. His face was dark with anger as he reached the bed, threw the sword onto the table, and pulled back the curtains to lie down again.

He closed his eyes almost immediately, and after a moment, the anger on his face seemed to gradually fade, his expression finally returning to calm.

The candlelight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the contours of his profile.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes again, meeting Xiao Qiao's gaze.

"Have you seen enough?"

He asked, his voice flat and slightly cold, though a trace of weariness was evident between his brows.

Xiao Qiao quickly closed her eyes.

The candle on the stand finally burned out, and the light dimmed.

Moonlight seeped in through the window, making the inside of the curtains hazy.

Wei Shao's breathing was even. He was asleep.

Xiao Qiao opened her eyes again, her gaze passing over the man beside her pillow to the white moonlight outside the window.

The moonlight was beautiful tonight.

...

The same moonlight now shone on a small village at the foot of Lingbi Mountain in Huainan, thousands of miles away.

Late at night, the village, home to only a dozen or so households who made their living by cutting wood and hunting, was quiet and still, its inhabitants long asleep. The occasional hoot of an owl in the distance added to the tranquility of the spring night.

At the end of the village, by a babbling mountain stream, Da Qiao and Bi Zhi's new home was nearly complete.They had passed through here half a month ago. It was fate, really. That day, they had originally planned to continue southward, but on the road, they happened to encounter a few bandits robbing Old Man Wang and his grandson of the grain and salt they had exchanged for furs at the county market. Bi Zhi beat the bandits to the ground, and they fled in all directions. Old Man Wang was injured, and his grandson was only in his teens. His son had been forcibly conscripted into the army by Xue Tai, the governor of Xuzhou, a few years earlier and had died within months. Now, the family had no one else, and the grandfather and grandson relied on each other for survival. Bi Zhi and Da Qiao escorted them home, and Old Man Wang, deeply grateful, invited them to stay nearby after hearing that they were a young couple fleeing south due to the chaos of war in their hometown.

The small mountain village was hidden deep in the mountains, surrounded by beautiful scenery, and rarely saw outsiders. It was an ideal place for seclusion. Da Qiao was moved by the idea, and Bi Zhi went along with her, so they decided to settle there. They chose a spot and began building a thatched hut. Bi Zhi cut down trees, and Da Qiao learned to twist hemp into ropes. Working together, after more than half a month, they finally completed the hut that would shelter them from the wind and rain.

Bi Zhi had been working since before dawn and was now finishing the roof, with only one last section left.

Da Qiao sat on a stone in the simple courtyard enclosed by a fence, watching the man still busy on the roof under the moonlight. Though she was also sore and tired, her heart was filled with joy.

Their house was almost finished. Though it was just a simple thatched hut, it would provide them with shelter, and she was already content.

With a house, they could finally settle down and no longer drift from place to place. In the future, when life became more stable, she wanted Bi Zhi to build a chicken coop and raise a few chicks, and she would plant a vegetable garden...

"Are you tired? Why don't you finish the rest tomorrow?"

Da Qiao, feeling a bit sorry for him, called out.

Bi Zhi told her to go to bed first, saying he would be done soon.

Da Qiao refused and continued to wait for him.

Bi Zhi quickened his pace and finally laid the last piece of thatch on the roof, making sure it was secure and wouldn’t leak. He then leaped down from the roof, his movements agile and precise.

He had been working all day and was drenched in sweat. Putting down his machete, he waded into the mountain stream in front of the house.

The water reached his waist. The moonlight shone on his muscular back, reflecting off his skin, accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His silhouette looked as solid as a mountain, exuding a sense of steady strength.

Bi Zhi was truly capable. He could do anything—fight, clear paths, chop wood, build houses, and even cook and do laundry.

His cooking was much better than hers.

This made Da Qiao feel a bit ashamed. She resolved to learn these skills quickly so she wouldn’t serve him half-cooked millet again, like she had today.

Yet he had devoured it, praising her cooking.

Through the fence, Da Qiao watched his figure in the stream, her face suddenly feeling warm.

By the time Bi Zhi finished washing up and returned, it was already past midnight. They went inside to rest.

They still slept separately. Da Qiao slept on the bed Bi Zhi had made for her a few days ago in the inner room, while he slept on a straw mat in the outer room.

Da Qiao found it hard to fall asleep.The air was filled with a faint, refreshing scent of thatch grass. Tonight's moonlight seemed truly unusual.

She couldn't help but think about the scene she had just witnessed—him standing naked in the mountain stream.

Her face still felt hot, and not just her face; her entire body seemed to be radiating warmth.

She held her breath, carefully listening to the sounds from the outer room.

He didn't seem to be asleep either. She could hear the soft rustling as he turned over on the straw mat.

Finally, she got out of bed and, feeling her way in the dark, slowly walked to the doorway that still lacked a door. In a soft voice, she said, "I'm a little cold."

……

Bi Zhi was not asleep.

In fact, many nights, he couldn't manage to close his eyes and sleep properly.

He had taken her away, the once delicate and noble daughter of the Qiao family, who had been revered like a goddess. At first, to evade the pursuit of the Qiao family, they had been constantly on the move, without a fixed place to stay. On unlucky nights, they didn't even have a dilapidated temple to take shelter in and had to spend the night in the wilderness. Wild beasts, bandits, and the chaos of war—there were too many dangers around. He had taken her away, and even if he couldn't provide her with a stable life now, he at least had to ensure her safety. During those days and nights, he had transformed into the fiercest of hunters. He had killed without hesitation those who had ill intentions toward Da Qiao when they encountered them on the road. He was also the most vigilant of guardians. Every night, he dared not relax for even a moment. At the slightest disturbance, he would immediately open his eyes, only able to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw his woman still curled up asleep beside him.

Now, they finally had a small shelter of their own, one that could shield them from the wind and rain.

The adoring look in Da Qiao's eyes when she gazed at him made him feel both happy and guilty.

The experiences of their recent escape had made him acutely aware that in this era of chaos and war, there was no justice, no divine order—only the law of the jungle. Only by becoming stronger could he better protect his woman.

What they had now was far from what he wanted to give Da Qiao.

She deserved more, much better things.

……

As Bi Zhi lay with his eyes closed in the darkness, his mind churning with thoughts he had never shared with Da Qiao, he suddenly heard the soft sound of her footsteps as she got out of bed. Then, her voice reached him.

He was startled and immediately sat up from the straw mat.

She said she was cold.

Although it was already mid-spring, in the deep mountain night, her delicate body feeling cold was only natural.

By his side, there wasn't even a decent quilt. Only an old, shedding deerskin and a few pieces of clothing.

Suppressing the guilt in his heart, he got up and, feeling his way in the dark, lit the oil lamp. "I'll get some clothes to cover you. Go back and lie down first…"

But Da Qiao didn't move. She just looked at him.

Bi Zhi felt that she was different from usual. The oil lamp was dim, but he could see that her cheeks seemed slightly flushed, and her eyes were sparkling.

He seemed to sense something. The heart in his chest suddenly began to beat faster. His entire body felt as if it were heating up.

"I want you to hold me. That should make me warmer…"

She spoke softly, and then, as if out of shyness, she leaned over and blew out the oil lamp in his hand with a soft puff.

The room was immediately plunged into darkness again—a darkness so complete that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face. But the sound of their breathing grew clearer and clearer.Bi Zhi suddenly dropped the oil lamp, grabbed her hand, and led her outside, standing together under the bright moon hanging high above the mountain peak.

"Can I really do this?"

His voice trembled slightly.

Da Qiao felt the warmth in his palm and even heard the sound of his heart pounding fiercely.

She whispered shyly, "Doesn’t Old Man Wang and everyone else already know that we are husband and wife?"

Bi Zhi hesitated no longer. He pulled her down to kneel with him, bowing to the moon. Then he stood up, lifted her into his arms, and carried her swiftly back to the thatched cottage, gently laying her down on the bed.

Suppressed, fragmented moans, tinged with both pain and pleasure, faintly emanated from the cottage, blending into the murmuring sound of the stream outside the fence. Bi Zhi seemed to possess an inexhaustible strength, and beads of hot sweat rolled down his young, robust body, warming Da Qiao’s soft and delicate frame… When everything finally settled, she was still held tightly in his arms, cherished like a treasure.

She pressed her face against his chest and silently shed tears.

These were tears of happiness, but also of guilt.

"I miss my mother a little. I wonder how she is doing…"

"I also miss my younger sister, Manman. Only recently have I come to understand that when she told me she wanted to marry Marquis Wei, she must have been lying to me. I wonder how she is doing now…"

Bi Zhi remained silent, holding his wife even tighter in his arms.