The Prisoner of Beauty

Xiao Qiao resisted the urge to shrink her neck and quickly turned her face to the side, trying to avoid him.

Wei Shao raised his other hand, using his thumb to turn her face back, forcing her to look at him.

His expression seemed a bit displeased.

"Missed me—"

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes at him in her mind, her voice muffled.

Wei Shao smiled, immediately releasing her. He lowered his head and quickly removed his battle armor, letting it fall to the ground.

The weather had grown hot, and the heavy, stifling armor had left him drenched in sweat. As soon as he took it off, Xiao Qiao caught a whiff of the sour, stale smell emanating from him. The inner garment he wore was soaked through with sweat, clinging tightly to his body.

Xiao Qiao dared not show any sign of disgust, holding her breath discreetly as she turned her face away. "The water is ready, husband. You should go and—"

Before she could finish, Wei Shao pulled her into his embrace, his strong arms wrapping around her as he lowered his head and forcefully kissed her.

The smell of sweat, dust, and something else she couldn’t quite place assaulted her senses.

Xiao Qiao struggled briefly but soon gave up, closing her eyes and letting him have his way.

After a while, he suddenly released her lips, his hands gripping her waist as he lifted her and placed her on the low table behind her.

"Husband—"

Xiao Qiao was startled and tried to get down, but he pushed her back, forcing her to lie flat on the table.

The furniture of the time was generally low and simple. The table was not high, and when Xiao Qiao sat on it, her feet naturally reached the ground, much like sitting on a footstool. As soon as he laid her down, Wei Shao knelt on one knee in front of the table without a word, continuing to kiss her neck. He pulled her collar down from her shoulder, revealing her delicate collarbone and part of her chest.

Wei Shao’s attention shifted. Poor Xiao Qiao’s tender skin was soon red and irritated from the rough stubble on his cheeks, leaving her both in pain and itching.

It was broad daylight, and he had just returned. There were surely many people waiting for him outside, and Madam Xu was likely among them.

Faced with a man who had suddenly let loose and reeked of stale sweat, Xiao Qiao found it hard to endure. Moreover, his way of showing affection was far from arousing—it felt more like torture. She bore it for a while, but when she felt him bite her, she cried out in pain, "Ah!" Unable to take it any longer, she pushed his face away from her chest. Just as she managed to free herself and catch her breath, his hand slipped under her skirt, groping upward.

"Don’t—"

Xiao Qiao sat up, only to be pushed back down by his other hand pressing on her shoulder.

"Husband!"

She tried to sit up again, but he forced her back down.

Xiao Qiao squirmed like a fish pinned to a cutting board, her hair disheveled, her cheeks flushed, and her breath coming in gasps.

"Someone might come!"

Wei Shao stared at her intently, his breathing growing heavier. Suddenly, he picked her up, stood, and carried her to the bed, tossing her onto it. He then began undoing his belt.

Xiao Qiao looked at him with a pained expression. "At least go wash first!"Wei Shao finally looked up, glanced at her, and sniffed his arm. He must have finally caught the stale odor himself, for he turned and quickly headed to the bathhouse. Xiao Qiao heard the sound of splashing water from inside. Before she could catch her breath, he emerged, already stripped naked, water dripping from his shoulders and chest.

At that moment, a voice came from the doorway: "My Lord, someone is seeking you in the front hall."

"Let them wait!" Wei Shao roared without turning his head. He knelt on the edge of the bed and climbed up, grabbing Xiao Qiao from the corner like a chick and pinning her beneath him.

Xiao Qiao heard him let out a long exhale from his throat.

"Master Gongsun is seeking you, my Lord. He says he has urgent matters to discuss."

"Husband, go quickly!" Xiao Qiao urged him anxiously.

Wei Shao's expression darkened. He stared at her for a moment before finally rolling off her and getting out of bed.

"Come and help me dress!"

Xiao Qiao quickly straightened her disheveled clothes, got out of bed, and fetched a set of clean clothes she had prepared in advance. While dodging his wandering hands, she finally managed to help him into his outer robe and belt.

Once dressed neatly, he looked handsome and refreshed again.

"Wait for me to return. No more excuses!" Wei Shao said before leaving, pinching her cheek as a punishment. His hand was a bit rough, but his voice was surprisingly gentle.

...

Wei Shao hurried to the front hall, lifted the hem of his robe, and took a seat. "Master, you urgently sought me?"

Gongsun Yang had been waiting for him for a while and handed him a scroll of yellow silk.

Wei Shao asked, "A letter from Luoyang? What is it about?"

"The young emperor has died suddenly from illness. Xing Xun has installed the seven-year-old son of the Prince of Wenxi as the new emperor and issued an edict changing the era name from Dingkang to Tai'an. Xing Xun now wields the imperial authority and has sent orders for all the feudal lords to come to Luoyang to pay homage to the new emperor."

Wei Shao raised an eyebrow and glanced at the yellow silk.

...

Half a month ago, Guo Xing, an imperial attendant, and Cui Jin, a court physician, dissatisfied with Xing Xun's tyranny in the court, conspired with Zhou Zhui, the commander of the Southern Palace guards. They planned to summon Xing Xun to the palace under the pretext of discussing the title of "Father of the Nation" for him, while secretly hiding assassins behind the curtains to kill him when the signal was given. The young emperor, now fifteen years old, had grown increasingly resentful of Xing Xun's control but dared not speak out. He was persuaded to agree to the plan. However, having grown up under Xing Xun's influence, the young emperor panicked at the last moment, revealing his fear. Xing Xun saw through the plot, turned, and fled, shouting as he ran. The assassins behind the curtains chased after him but were killed by Xing Xun's guards. Xing Xun, having narrowly escaped, was not about to let the matter rest. That same day, he arrested Guo Xing, Cui Jin, and others, along with their families, and had them executed in the marketplace. Two days later, the young emperor died suddenly from illness. Xing Xun then installed Liu Quan, the seven-year-old son of the Prince of Wenxi, as the new emperor.

...

"What is your opinion, Master?"

"My Lord, naturally, you should not go. You can feign illness and decline. Although our forces have greatly increased after capturing Jinyang, they are still a mixed lot and need time to be trained and disciplined. Moreover, after a major battle, it is only right to rest and recuperate for a while. I have heard that Yuan Zhe of Qingzhou and Liu Kai of Guangping have already gathered a coalition army and are marching towards Luoyang under the banner of supporting the emperor to attack Xing Xun. My Lord, you can take this opportunity to sit back and watch the hounds fight among themselves."Wei Shao had captured Jinyang and unified the north. Naturally, Xing Xun was unwilling to sit idly by and would have intervened, but he was currently preoccupied with dealing with Yuan Zhe and Liu Kai, which conveniently gave Wei Shao the opportunity to reorganize his military affairs and take over local administration.

"The gentleman's words make sense. I shall take my time to recuperate from this illness for a while, and once I am fully recovered, we can discuss further plans," Wei Shao said with a laugh, tossing the yellow silk in his hand onto the table.

...

As soon as Wei Shao stepped out, one matter after another came rolling in, leaving him with no time to spare. By evening, the Wei residence and the four military camps outside the city held grand victory banquets in all directions. Wei Shao inevitably had to engage in socializing and drinking. Finally, he managed to extricate himself and return to the west chamber, by which time it was already completely dark. Xiao Qiao had just finished bathing and was wearing a loose, soft silk robe in a smoky red color, sitting in front of the dressing table. She had gathered all her hair to one side of her shoulder, tilting her head slightly as she dried her freshly washed hair. The robe was loose and covered her well, but with her hair pulled to one side, a crescent-shaped nape of her neck was revealed. Yet, under the glow of the candlelight beside her, she appeared even more fresh and delicate, evoking an irresistible allure.

Wei Shao pushed the door open and entered, stopping just inside the threshold at the sight before him. He stood motionless, gazing at her freshly bathed back.

Chun Niang turned around and saw that Wei Shao had returned. Knowing that their earlier encounter had been interrupted, she immediately rose from behind Xiao Qiao and, along with two maidservants, left the room.

Wei Shao walked up behind Xiao Qiao, bent down, and slipped his arms under her armpits from behind. He buried his face in the nape of her neck, taking a deep breath of the fragrant scent emanating from her skin and hair after her bath. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urgency and, in one swift motion, lifted her up and carried her to the bed, just as he had done earlier in the day.

Xiao Qiao knew there was no way to avoid it this time. Lying under his gaze, she watched as his eyes bore into her. She quickly reached up to remove his belt and then pulled open his robe, unable to suppress her nervousness. She lay on the pillow, her eyes wide open, staring back at him.

Just as Wei Shao had pulled open his robe, he seemed to remember something. He turned to the door, opened it, and called out to the servant woman outside, "Unless it's my grandmother summoning me, I am not to be disturbed by anyone." With that, he slammed the door shut and bolted it, then strode quickly back toward Xiao Qiao.

Xiao Qiao was pinned beneath him, held tightly in his embrace.

...

Wei Shao had been away for several months, and during the nights, he would sometimes think of the Qiao girl at home. Their last intimate encounter, though brief, had left a lingering taste that he couldn't forget. The only dissatisfaction was that he had momentarily lost control, which had led to her mocking him. Every time he thought of it, it felt like a cat scratching at his heart. Now that he had finally returned, the frustration from earlier in the day had not dissipated, and his desire had surged to its peak. Although he didn't want to cause her too much pain, he found it difficult to restrain himself and wanted to quickly move to the main event. However, Xiao Qiao, fearing the pain, clutched his shoulders and repeatedly pleaded in his ear for him to go slower. He couldn't bear to cause her too much pain either, and the first time, just getting in took quite a while, leaving both of them drenched in sweat.It had been too long, like a sudden release of floodwaters. Immersed in a warm haven, listening to Xiao Qiao's soft, cooing whispers in his ear, Wei Shao felt a surge of uncontrollable desire. As Xiao Qiao squirmed beneath him, he felt a sudden weakness in his lower back, shivered, and once again lost control, unable to hold back.

Xiao Qiao, having learned from the previous incident, dared not laugh this time. Moreover, she wasn't in the mood to laugh.

Because Wei Shao's expression truly looked as if he wanted to kill someone.

He remained on top of her, burying his face in her slightly damp hair, refusing to move.

Xiao Qiao waited for a while. She certainly didn't want to provoke him, but Wei Shao was too heavy. Having him press down on her like this for so long was unbearable.

Finally, she gently coughed, extended a finger, and poked his shoulder, comforting him, "Manman knows that her husband is a great and mighty man. I also enjoyed it very much just now. My husband must be tired from the journey today, so let's rest early."

Wei Shao slowly lifted his face and stared at Xiao Qiao for a moment.

Xiao Qiao was startled.

"Rest? It's still early!"

Wei Shao bared his teeth at her, with a hint of revenge, and lowered his head to pounce on her chest again.

......

The candle on the table continued to burn, its body gradually shortening. From a fresh seven-inch candle, it had burned down to less than the length of a thumb.

It was already past midnight.

Only now did Xiao Qiao realize that calling this man a beast was an understatement. Wei Shao was practically an animal. He would sleep for a while, then take her again, then hold her and doze off, only to wake up and take her once more. He had already taken her three times, not counting the first time.

This was the fourth time. He had positioned her on the edge of the bed, a new posture he had thought of that seemed to excite him to a new peak. No matter how much Xiao Qiao cried, he refused to let her go.

Xiao Qiao's voice was already hoarse. She was crying so hard she was almost out of breath.

The second time, she had felt somewhat comfortable.

The third time, it started to hurt again.

By now, it was pure torture.

"Are you done yet?"

She tightly gripped the blanket in front of her, turned her head, and asked him again, tears still hanging on her cheeks.

Wei Shao leaned down, cupped her face with his hands, and licked the tears from her cheeks.

Hmm, the taste of a beauty's tears was quite pleasant.

"Tell me, am I truly a great and mighty man?" His expression was somewhat ferocious.

"Yes—my husband is—" Xiao Qiao sobbed.

"Do you still dare to laugh at me?"

"No—please hurry—"

He moved, and Xiao Qiao's tears fell again.

Wei Shao finally showed a look of satisfaction, gripped her waist tightly a few times, and let out a long, pleasurable sigh.

Xiao Qiao felt as if her bones had been removed. As soon as he released her, she collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.

Wei Shao picked up the sweat-drenched Xiao Qiao from behind, and the two of them entered the bathing room together.

......

Xiao Qiao's sleep was deep and dark. Early the next morning, she was still extremely tired. In her drowsiness, she felt a strange sensation on her foot, as if someone was touching it. In her sleep, she curled her toes and pulled her foot up slightly.

After a while, the sensation returned.

She was so tired, but she was finally awakened. She groggily opened her eyes.

The tent was still dark. It must still be early.As soon as she woke up, Xiao Qiao felt as if her entire body had been run over by a cart, and her thighs ached with every movement.

Wei Shao was still in bed, casually draped in a white inner robe, untied, with one arm propping up his shoulder, half-sitting and half-lying beside her.

That wasn’t the worst part. The terrifying thing was that he was actually touching her foot.

That was how he had woken her up.

What was this? Not only was he beastly, but he also had some perverse bed habits?

Xiao Qiao’s hair stood on end, as if pricked by needles, and she quickly withdrew her foot from his hand, hiding it under the blanket.

Wei Shao seemed momentarily stunned. He looked up, met her gaze, and after a moment, his eyes gradually drifted downward.

Xiao Qiao lowered her head and immediately pulled the blanket higher.

Wei Shao cleared his throat, averted his gaze, and leaped off the bed. With his back to Xiao Qiao, he dressed while saying, “If you’re tired, sleep some more. You don’t need to go see Grandmother or my mother today. I have things to do, so I’ll leave first.”

This man seemed to become somewhat more normal once he got out of bed.

Xiao Qiao let out a slight sigh of relief.

After finishing dressing, Wei Shao glanced back at Xiao Qiao and suddenly leaned in again.

“For the next few days, I probably won’t be going out. I’ll try to spend more time with you.”

His voice sounded quite gentle, and after speaking, he gave Xiao Qiao a faint smile.

Author’s note: This kind of scene is really hard to write, almost torturous. I’m so frustrated writing it. Please bear with it, and sorry for the long wait for the update.

The evening update probably won’t be early either.