The Prisoner of Beauty

Zhu Shi was taken aback.

In those days, the typical age for a man's first marriage ranged from fourteen or fifteen to eighteen or nineteen, while for women, it was between thirteen or fourteen to sixteen or seventeen. It was extremely rare for a girl like Zheng Chuyu to remain unmarried at eighteen or nineteen unless there were special reasons, such as physical disabilities, unattractive appearance, or poverty that made it impossible to prepare a dowry.

Having lost her husband and eldest son early in life, Zhu Shi had naturally shifted all her focus to her only remaining son, Wei Shao. She had originally hoped for her son to marry her niece, but knowing that Madam Xu would never allow it due to Zheng Chuyu's insufficient social standing, she had settled for the next best option: having her son take her niece as a concubine. This way, not only would the family ties be strengthened, but she could also keep her niece close by. However, as Zheng Chuyu grew older, the matter had made no progress. Over the past year or two, Zhu Shi had grown increasingly anxious and had pressed Wei Shao more urgently. To her dismay, he had not budged an inch, and on the very first night of his return, he had caused such a scene that she had been humiliated in front of the servants.

She didn’t blame her son for embarrassing her; instead, she directed all her resentment toward the Qiao girl. Already in a foul mood these past few days, she had been further irritated that morning when her son and his new wife were late to arrive. She assumed that Wei Shao had been so captivated by the Qiao girl’s beauty that he had indulged in pleasure and overslept. This thought had been simmering in her mind when, moments ago, she suddenly realized that Madam Xu had kept her behind to discuss this very matter. Her heart skipped a beat, and a look of unease crossed her face.

“Why aren’t you speaking? Is it that you can’t find a suitable family, or that you can’t prepare a dowry? If it’s inconvenient for you, I can find someone, and the dowry can also come from me.”

As Zhu Shi remained silent, Madam Xu spoke again in her unhurried manner. Zhu Shi raised her eyes and met Madam Xu’s gaze. Seeing her mother-in-law’s single eye fixed on her, she felt a pang of guilt and forced a smile. “How could that be the reason! Mother-in-law, you must also know that for the past two years, even the servants in the household have regarded Chuyu as Zhonglin’s woman. To marry her off now would seem rather inappropriate…”

Madam Xu replied, “The servants are ignorant, but as the mistress of the Wei family, instead of disciplining them, how could you let yourself be led by them? In a family like ours, even when a man takes a concubine, it must be done with proper ceremony. Without any rites or formal recognition, when did Zheng Chuyu become Zhonglin’s woman?”

Zhu Shi dared not look directly at Madam Xu and could only explain, “Mother-in-law, you may not be aware, but I’ve already discussed this with Zhonglin, and he didn’t object. It’s just that he’s been away all this time, and now that he’s just returned and newly married, it would be inappropriate to bring this up immediately. I had planned to settle the matter after some time had passed.”

Madam Xu snorted, “How is it that I heard that on the very first night of Zhonglin’s return, an old woman went to eavesdrop outside the west chamber, provoking Zhonglin’s anger to the point that he hacked the door to pieces? What kind of old woman would dare to be so insolent? I’m old and lazy, and I’ve left the affairs of this household to you. Is this how you manage the servants?”

Zhu Shi’s face flushed with shame. She hadn’t expected Madam Xu to know about this incident and didn’t dare to speak another word, lowering her head in silence.

“I know these years haven’t been easy for you. I’ve seen it all.”

Madam Xu’s voice softened. “You’ve kept Zheng Chuyu in the house out of affection. But affection is one thing, and continuing to act so foolishly will only ruin the girl’s future. I kept you behind this morning not to scold you but simply to remind you of this.”Zhu Shi kowtowed, tears welling up in her eyes as she said, "Your daughter-in-law understands Elder Madam's kind intentions. Upon returning, I will follow your instructions and find a suitable match for Chuyu. I dare not delay any longer."

Madam Xu showed a faint smile and nodded, "I am relieved that you think this way. There is nothing else, you may go now."

Zhu Shi wiped her tears with a handkerchief, respectfully took her leave, and returned to the east wing. After dismissing the servants, she told Zheng Chuyu about her recent conversation with Madam Xu.

Zheng Chuyu was stunned. Slowly, her eyes reddened, and she cried as she prostrated herself on the couch, saying, "Aunt, your deep love for Chuyu is something I can never repay. It would be better for me to leave sooner rather than continue to stay here and cause you unnecessary trouble caught in the middle!"

Zhu Shi, who had always cherished her niece and treated her as her own daughter after years of companionship, was especially convinced by the words of the shaman that Zheng Chuyu was her lucky charm. Seeing Zheng Chuyu cry, her heart ached, and she quickly comforted her by holding her arm, "Don't be sad. Earlier, at Elder Madam's place, I only agreed superficially. In my heart, I have already considered you as Zhonglin's person. How could I arrange for you to marry someone else?"

Zheng Chuyu sobbed, "Chuyu is useless. Staying in the Wei family in such an awkward position, wasting years, none of that matters. Even if no one wants me for a lifetime, I am willing and happy to serve by Aunt's side. But now Elder Madam can no longer tolerate me. How can I continue to make things difficult for you? It would be better to marry, even to a commoner or a peddler, I wouldn't mind..."

"Nonsense! How could Aunt bear to part with you!"

Zhu Shi hurriedly stopped her, hugging Zheng Chuyu to comfort her, saying, "Rest assured, regarding Elder Madam, I will use the excuse of finding a suitable match to delay for now. I doubt she will cause trouble immediately. As for Zhonglin, Aunt will think of a way for you and handle the matter as soon as possible. I will never let you be married off just like that."

...

Zheng Chuyu was not of high birth. She became an orphan in her early teens with no reliable relatives from her father's side. Fortunately, she had Zhu Shi, her aunt who was the mistress of the Wei family, to protect her. After being brought to the Wei family, she lived a life of luxury, surrounded by servants, living a life above the common folk. It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to simplicity. Wei Shao was young and heroic, with a dashing appearance, and her heart had long been set on him. How could she bear to leave halfway? Zhu Shi's intention to match her with her son was exactly what she desired.

In fact, from the beginning, she had not entirely dismissed the thought of marrying Wei Shao as his principal wife. Knowing her status was insufficient, to add weight to her position, and seeing that Zhu Shi was deeply convinced by the shaman and followed the words of the Great Shaman of Yushan, she secretly prepared a hefty bribe to ask the Great Shaman to speak on her behalf in front of Zhu Shi. The Great Shaman, having accepted the money, naturally did her bidding, and thus she became Zhu Shi's lucky charm, making Zhu Shi value her even more.It was a pity that Zhu Shi was not the one who had the final say in the Wei family. Not only was there Madam Xu above her, but even Wei Shao did not always obey his mother. Zheng Chuyu knew that marrying Wei Shao as his wife was probably an unattainable dream, so she had to settle for the next best option—becoming his concubine. Years had passed in the blink of an eye, and she was already eighteen years old. Not only had nothing come of her hopes, but in the past two years since Wei Shao returned, he hadn’t even spared her a second glance. She was filled with anxiety, but since Wei Shao had not yet married and there were no other women by his side, she comforted herself day by day and continued to wait. Then, at the end of last year, she received news that Wei Shao had married a woman from the Qiao family of Yanzhou in Xindu, and Madam Xu had even sent her trusted servant, Zhong Ao, to oversee the ceremony.

When Zheng Chuyu first heard the news, her heart felt as if it were being clawed by a cat. But upon further reflection, she realized that the Wei and Qiao families were enemies, and Wei Shao’s marriage to the Qiao woman must have had ulterior motives. Even if the Qiao woman married into the family, her life would not be easy, and Wei Shao would not treat her with genuine respect as his wife. Moreover, he would eventually marry a proper wife. Since Zheng Chuyu had never expected to become his principal wife, his marrying such a woman might actually be a good thing for her.

Although Zhu Shi had always doted on her, once outside Zhu Shi’s east chamber, no one else in the Wei family treated her as a true mistress. Even the servants occasionally dared to gossip behind her back about how she had wasted her youth trying to climb into the Lord’s favor and had become an old maid. She couldn’t help but feel resentment. Thinking about how the Qiao woman would surely be treated coldly in the future, Zheng Chuyu realized that, in comparison, she herself was no longer the object of ridicule. This thought not only made her feel better but also gave her a faint hope that the Qiao woman would arrive soon.

On the day she learned that Wei Shao and the Qiao woman were returning home, she accompanied Zhu Shi back from Yushan. She knew that her aunt would never give the Qiao woman a warm welcome and had returned with the intention of watching the drama unfold. However, she never expected that the Qiao woman would be as beautiful as a celestial being, with the grace of an immortal orchid. Zheng Chuyu had always prided herself on her beauty, but compared to the Qiao woman, she felt utterly dull and unremarkable. Seeing the Qiao woman standing side by side with Wei Shao, bowing to Zhu Shi, they looked like a perfect pair made in heaven. Zheng Chuyu was deeply shaken. That evening, Wei Shao did not follow Zhu Shi’s instructions to let Zheng Chuyu into his chamber. Instead, the servant woman sent by her aunt to spy on them was discovered by Wei Shao. Although the servant was frightened, she later reported that Wei Shao and the Qiao woman had likely shared the same bed. Zheng Chuyu was utterly disappointed and had been troubled for days, secretly keeping an eye on the west chamber, hoping to hear news of Wei Shao mistreating the Qiao woman. But this morning, the two of them arrived late, seemingly intimate, and even Madam Xu, who had always been indifferent to Zheng Chuyu, appeared to tolerate the Qiao woman. Zheng Chuyu was consumed by jealousy and hatred, her heart in turmoil. When Zhu Shi returned and spoke as she did, Zheng Chuyu’s tears were not entirely feigned. Fortunately, her aunt’s resolute attitude comforted her, and leaning in Zhu Shi’s embrace, she finally calmed down a little. Tearfully, she said, “Now that things have come to this, does Auntie still have any way to keep me here?”

Zhu Shi hesitated for a moment and then said, “Let me find a time to go to Yushan and consult the great shaman for a divination. We’ll decide what to do after that.”

……

Three days later, Madam Xu’s birthday arrived.Given the current status of the Wei family in the north, Madam Xu's grand birthday celebration was not only a source of pride for many dignitaries in Youzhou who received invitations and considered it an honor to attend, but also for the governors of nearby regions such as Bohai, Renqiu, and Leling, who traveled long distances to personally offer their congratulations in Yuyang. Those who could not attend in person sent gifts and messages of goodwill in abundance. Since Madam Xu originally hailed from the State of Zhongshan, the current King of Zhongshan, Liu Duan, who was her distant nephew, also sent an envoy to convey his congratulations, even though he could not attend in person. On the day of the celebration, many commoners spontaneously gathered outside the Wei family's gates, kneeling and offering their respects to Madam Xu from afar. Deeply moved by this gesture, Madam Xu, accompanied by Wei Shao and Wei Yan, personally went to the gate to acknowledge the crowd. The grandeur and festivity of the occasion need not be elaborated upon.

The hand-copied silk scroll of the *Infinite Life Sutra* that Xiao Qiao presented as a birthday gift seemed to greatly please Madam Xu.

At that time, paper had already appeared, but its quality was coarse and not durable. Formal books were still primarily written on bamboo slips or silk. Bamboo slips were cumbersome—copying a single volume of the *Infinite Life Sutra* would require an ox-drawn cart to transport. Silk, on the other hand, was lightweight but expensive. Beyond the cost of the material, the copying process itself was meticulous; a single mistake would render the entire silk scroll unusable, making it an extremely labor-intensive task.

The *Infinite Life Sutra* presented by Xiao Qiao was elegantly bound, with exceptionally beautiful calligraphy. The sutra resonated with Madam Xu's heart, and upon learning that Xiao Qiao had personally copied it, she made a point of showing it to those around her. Among the guests was Gao Heng, a renowned calligrapher and painter from Bohai, who had accompanied the governor of Bohai to Yuyang to offer his congratulations. Upon seeing the silk scroll, Gao Heng was greatly impressed, praising the calligraphy for its strength, grace, and strict structure, noting that it bore the hallmarks of a master.

Gao Heng was a celebrated calligrapher, skilled in painting, seal carving, and music, and was known as the "Crown of Bohai." With such high praise from him, the rest of the guests naturally followed suit with their own compliments. Madam Xu was delighted and, after retrieving the scroll, personally handed it to Zhong Ao, instructing her to store it carefully.

At noon, the Wei family hosted a grand banquet in the front hall, with a sea of guests in attendance. Coincidentally, among the Wei family members was a distant uncle of Wei Shao's who, ten years earlier, had followed Wei Jing in the campaign against Li Su. In the midst of battle, he had sustained multiple wounds while fighting to clear a path and protect the young lord, ultimately succumbing to his injuries upon returning. He left behind a widow and an orphaned child, who had since been treated with great kindness by Madam Xu. Now, that child had grown into an adult, the same age as Wei Shao, and had started a family of his own. A year prior, he had welcomed a son, and by a stroke of coincidence, the child's birthday fell on the same day as Madam Xu's, making it his first birthday on that very day.

Out of affection and to honor the child, Madam Xu had invited the child's grandmother, Madam Zhang, a few days earlier to discuss the celebration of the child's first birthday. It was decided that the child would be brought to the celebration to add to the festive atmosphere.

Though Madam Xu's intention was to enhance the joyous occasion, Madam Zhang was a perceptive woman and understood that this was Madam Xu's way of showing special favor. How could she refuse? Delighted, she returned home to make thorough preparations. By noon, with the hall filled with guests, the child, dressed in splendid attire, was carried out by his mother and placed on a couch.

After the "trial of the child" (a tradition later known as "zhuazhou" or "grasping the week") and the serving of longevity noodles, the birthday banquet officially began.

The "trial of the child," as it was called in later generations, was originally known as "shier" and was initially popular in the Jiangnan region. Over time, it had gradually gained popularity in the north as well. Though the names differed, the essence of the tradition remained the same, embodying the elders' hopes and expectations for the younger generation.The child had a round, chubby face and a sturdy build, dressed in new clothes. His mother placed him on the couch, accompanied by his wet nurse. Closest to him on the couch were placed scrolls, a bow and arrows, and seals. Further away were pearls, ivory, and rhinoceros horns. Beyond his reach were food and toys. After setting him down, the wet nurse began to coax him into grabbing the items nearby.

There were many guests today, all of them wealthy or noble. To ensure everything went smoothly, the child's family had fed him well beforehand and repeatedly taught him to grab the scrolls and bow and arrows. At home, he had practiced without any issues. However, suddenly finding himself in a grand hall surrounded by strangers, the child seemed either frightened or drowsy from being full. He sat motionless, ignoring the wet nurse's attempts to entice him. Seeing this, his mother quickly stepped in to coax him as well. But the child remained unresponsive, sitting there in a daze.

Madam Xu had initially thought of this as a kind gesture, considering the child shared her birthday—a rare coincidence—and wanted to bring him some glory. She hadn't anticipated the child's stage fright. Moreover, all the guests were waiting for the child to finish grabbing the items before the birthday banquet could begin.

The situation was becoming slightly awkward.

Madam Xu noticed the child's mother growing anxious, and the invited guests gradually stopped their chatter, all eyes fixed on the motionless child on the couch. She began to regret suggesting this idea, which had been well-intentioned but now seemed to dampen the mood. As the child's mother grew more frantic, the child appeared even more frightened, on the verge of tears. Madam Xu glanced at Zhong Ao, who stood beside her, about to signal her to find an excuse to take the child away, when she suddenly heard a woman's voice with a hint of laughter behind her:

"Eyes that see nothing, a heart that holds a hundred rivers. Standing tall like a cliff, desireless and strong. This child will grow up with a broad vision, far from mediocrity."

Madam Xu felt a wave of relief. She turned and saw that the speaker was Xiao Qiao, who had been standing behind her. She hadn't expected Xiao Qiao to step in so timely and skillfully, dissolving the awkwardness without drawing attention to it.

The guests were initially taken aback but quickly caught on, nodding in agreement. The child's mother finally relaxed, a smile breaking across her face. She hurriedly picked up the child and brought him before Madam Xu, bowing with him to offer birthday wishes.

Madam Xu beamed, instructing Zhong Ao to bring the child over and sit him on her lap. Seeing how plump and fair he was, she realized he had indeed been frightened earlier and grew fond of him. She ordered the banquet to begin in the outer hall, then turned her gaze to Xiao Qiao, giving her a slight nod.

Though it was just a nod, Xiao Qiao sensed a hint of approval in Madam Xu's eyes, which immediately put her at ease.

From the moment she first saw Wei Shao's grandmother, Xiao Qiao had felt that this elderly woman, with only one eye still clear, exuded an enigmatic aura.

If Madam Xu had treated her similarly to Madam Zhu or Wei Shao, there would have been nothing more to say. Marrying into the family was for the value of Yanzhou.

But Madam Xu was different.Xiao Qiao had naturally heard of Madam Xu's past experiences in managing the household. Without a doubt, she was an extraordinary woman. It was precisely because of this that Xiao Qiao found it even more perplexing why Madam Xu had arranged for Wei Shao to marry her, a woman from a rival family.

However, it didn't matter if she couldn't figure it out, as long as Madam Xu treated her well.

Madam Xu did treat her well, especially after witnessing Wei Shao and his mother's behavior. The old lady seemed like a living Bodhisattva descended from heaven, with a halo of holiness around her head. Xiao Qiao was almost overwhelmed by the favor.

But that was just the normal attitude of an elder towards a younger person. Xiao Qiao had enough self-awareness to understand that.

But just now, things seemed to have taken a new turn.

Because of her quick thinking, she had resolved an awkward situation. From the approving glance Madam Xu gave her when she turned her head, Xiao Qiao could tell that Madam Xu now had a slightly different feeling towards her.

Was she not happy about it?

Of course not!

She was very happy.

To be honest, she still hadn't figured out what to do in five or ten years.

Following the trajectory of her previous life, that Wei Shao was very likely to deal harshly with her and the Qiao family.

Chun Niang had advised her to subtly serve Wei Shao, essentially using her beauty to bewitch him and change her fate.

Chun Niang was blindly confident in her and full of expectations, but to be honest, Xiao Qiao had no confidence in herself.

Her beauty might captivate the hearts of most men in the world, but Wei Shao seemed to belong to the small minority who were immune.

He truly hated her, or rather, the Qiao family.

She couldn't imagine what kind of venomous words he would use to humiliate her if she stripped naked in front of him. This high-difficulty task, which was very likely to end in self-humiliation, required careful consideration even if she were to lose her head tomorrow. Since one path was temporarily closed, she could only focus on Madam Xu for now.

Now it seemed that her luck was quite good, and even heaven was helping her.

Xiao Qiao couldn't help but like the little chubby boy in Madam Xu's arms.

He was simply her little lucky star!

As soon as the little chubby boy was taken down from the stage where he was supposed to perform for the adults, he seemed to have been released from a spell, immediately becoming lively, his round eyes looking around, very cute. The women in the hall gathered around, competing to praise him and take turns holding him.

"You should hold him too," Madam Xu suddenly said to Xiao Qiao with a smile.

It was a custom at the time for people to take turns holding the child after the test, especially for women who were eager to have children, as it was believed to bring the blessing of childbirth.

The other women all smiled and turned their heads to look at Wei Shao, who was greeting guests at the entrance of the hall.

He seemed to have noticed the commotion inside, somewhat absent-mindedly, his eyes occasionally glancing at Xiao Qiao.

The little chubby boy's mother personally carried the child and brought him to Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao knew Wei Shao was still there and glanced at the entrance, just in time to catch him looking at her.

Xiao Qiao's face showed the shy smile befitting a new bride. She carefully took the little chubby boy from the woman's hands, held him steadily, and played with him a bit.

The chubby little boy gave her face by giggling heartily. Those around them also laughed.

"Elder Madam, by this time next year, you'll be able to hold your great-grandchild in your arms!"

A woman added to the joyous atmosphere with a loud, cheerful voice.

Xiao Qiao, appearing shy and silent, handed the child back. She couldn't help but glance at Wei Shao once more.

His expression seemed to carry a hint of stiffness. Just then, someone called out from the steps outside the door. He paused for a moment, then turned and quickly walked away.