The Prisoner of Beauty

Xiao Qiao was taken aback when Wei Shao suddenly bent over, supporting his waist and abdomen with his hand, his brows slightly furrowed, a pained expression on his face.

Startled, Xiao Qiao hurriedly went to support him, about to call for someone when Wei Shao grabbed her wrist.

"Don't let anyone know!" Wei Shao said. "It would only worry my grandmother and mother. Besides, it's nothing serious, just some superficial wounds. You can help me deal with it."

Xiao Qiao met his gaze. Her eyes then fell on his bruised forehead, split lip, and bloodied hand. She slowly exhaled.

...

Apart from his injuries, his clothes were also covered in mud and grass, as if he had just rolled around in the fields.

Xiao Qiao first took him to the bathroom to wash up, then had him sit on the couch. Seeing the wound on his forehead slowly oozing blood again, she took a clean cloth and gently dabbed at it.

Wei Shao let out a slight "hiss," grimacing as if in pain.

Xiao Qiao immediately stopped her hand. "I'm clumsy, I might be hurting you. I'll call Chun Niang in..."

Wei Shao quickly shook his head. "I can bear it."

There was a fairly deep cut on the back of his right hand, likely from a scrape with a stone. After cleaning the wound, it looked quite alarming.

Xiao Qiao carefully applied medicine and then bandaged it.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him.

Wei Shao sat quietly, his eyes on her, and shook his head. Suddenly, he raised his uninjured left hand, tentatively, and gently wrapped it around her waist.

Xiao Qiao glanced at him but did not resist. She took a jade stick, scooped some anti-swelling and hemostatic medicine, and continued to gently and evenly apply it to the wounds on his forehead and lip, softly rubbing.

His palm rested on her waist, through her clothes, caressing a few times, then slightly tightened his arm, causing Xiao Qiao to fall onto his lap.

"There's a cut on your neck that hasn't been treated yet..."

Xiao Qiao struggled slightly, wanting to stand up.

"Don't move."

Wei Shao said.

Xiao Qiao stopped moving.

Wei Shao took the small jade stick from her hand and leaned his face closer, his cheek gently brushing against her soft face.

Before he returned, she had just finished bathing. Her body still carried a fresh and sweet fragrance.

Wei Shao closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the scent from her hair and neck.

He smelled for a while, then lowered his head and began to kiss her, very gently.

Xiao Qiao did not refuse, leaning against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder, letting him kiss her.

After a while, she asked, "What exactly happened these past two days? You should at least tell me, right?"

Wei Shao was kissing her neck when he suddenly heard her question. He paused.

"Nothing. I've already taken care of it. It's fine."

He mumbled a response and continued to kiss her. His hand gradually moved upward, finally resting on her chest, which had become fuller since she first married.

Xiao Qiao removed his hand and stood up from his embrace, saying, "You've been busy all day, drinking, and got into a fight. You must be tired. You should go to bed early."

A hand reached out from behind and grabbed her arm.

Xiao Qiao turned her head. She saw him slightly tilting his face, looking at her.

They gazed at each other for a moment.

Wei Shao gently pulled, and Xiao Qiao sat back on his lap again.This time, he embraced her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and abdomen, holding her completely, pressing her back tightly against his chest.

But he didn't say a word.

Xiao Qiao struggled a few times but couldn't break free from his arms.

"If you don't want to bring it up again, I won't force you. But the way you treated me back then, I was scared, and I was hurt. Even now, I still feel hurt. It's as if, in your eyes, it was all my fault."

Xiao Qiao suddenly turned her head, gazing at him, and slowly spoke.

Wei Shao remained silent. Just as Xiao Qiao was beginning to feel a bit disappointed, he suddenly picked her up, turning her around so she knelt on his thighs.

Xiao Qiao straightened her back, allowing her to meet his gaze at eye level.

"If I lose my temper again in the future, you can hit me like you did last time."

He finally spoke, his face gradually turning red, as if speaking was somewhat difficult.

Xiao Qiao was taken aback, then snorted, pouting her lips. "The Lord is high and mighty. Last time was just a fluke, and you didn't hold it against me. Afterward, I was terrified. How would I dare to hit the Lord again?"

"I told you to hit me, so just hit me."

"You really won't blame me?"

Wei Shao shook his head.

"And you promise not to fight back?"

"How could you withstand me fighting back?" he said dismissively.

"I wouldn't want to hit you either."

He paused, then added softly.

Xiao Qiao looked at him. He looked back at her. Their eyes met.

The candlelight in the room flickered gently, and the surroundings were so quiet that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats.

……

When he said this, his gaze at this moment seemed sincere.

But this man, how proud he must be.

He refused to say much about the private matters between the men of his Wei family in front of her, and she could understand that.

But she had hoped to hear him admit his mistake to her, yet he stubbornly refused.

Xiao Qiao hesitated.

Although she still didn't know how he and Wei Yan had ended up fighting tonight, judging from the signs after he returned, she felt the issue had been resolved.

At least, it wouldn't escalate as she had feared earlier.

Originally, her expectation was just that. Now, without her having to say anything, he had already resolved the matter.

Especially compared to his attitude in the past two days, tonight's him was actually an unexpected surprise.

Xiao Qiao thought for a moment and finally decided not to push him further for now.

"That's what you said. Remember it. This is the last time. If you lose your temper with me again and make me angry, I won't let you off lightly!"

She said.

Wei Shao grunted in acknowledgment. He slightly lowered his head, and their foreheads touched.

His breath was warm, mixed with the scent of alcohol and the medicine she had just applied to him.

But she didn't find it unpleasant. When he opened his mouth and captured her lips, she closed her eyes, leaning obediently against his shoulder, tilting her head to let him kiss her lips for a while. Finally, she hugged him, her small hand sneaking through his clothes and resting on his skin.

In truth, his muscles were firm, his skin smooth, exuding the strength of a young man. Without clothes, he was even more sensual. Whether it was his chest, back, abdomen, buttocks, or thighs, they all felt incredibly comfortable to touch, with an amazing texture.Wei Shao also enjoyed her touch, and his reaction was particularly intense. Every time she caressed him, especially in his sensitive areas, he would show an expression of excitement, as if he were about to die.

This actually gave Xiao Qiao a sense of accomplishment.

However, Xiao Qiao had rarely taken the initiative to caress him before. She would only do so at his request, and it was mostly passive.

Tonight, perhaps his bruised and swollen appearance had triggered her maternal instincts. Although his attitude of admitting his mistake did not satisfy her, he had at least indirectly softened his stance.

So Xiao Qiao decided to caress him as a form of encouragement.

Her soft little hand slowly wandered inside his robe, caressing his chest and then moving down to his abdomen.

Wei Shao's breathing gradually became heavier.

...

"Lord, Madam has arrived!"

Suddenly, a servant's voice came from outside the door.

Xiao Qiao was startled, and her hand stopped on Wei Shao's abdomen.

Wei Shao paused, slowly opened his eyes, and a look of displeasure appeared on his face.

Xiao Qiao glanced at him.

She had been in the Wei family's residence in Yuyang for over half a year. Previously, whenever something happened, Madam Zhu would send someone to summon her or Wei Shao.

This was the first time Madam Zhu had personally come to the west wing.

She wondered what had happened.

Xiao Qiao hurriedly climbed off his lap, straightened her dress, and saw that Wei Shao was only wearing an inner robe, which she had accidentally left slightly open. She quickly adjusted it for him and fetched his outer robe.

Wei Shao lazily got up and let Xiao Qiao help him put on the outer robe.

As Xiao Qiao adjusted his robe, he reached up and touched her flowing hair. Outside, there was a sound of hurried footsteps, followed by Zhu Shi's voice: "Shao Er, come out." Her voice was filled with anxiety and concern.

Wei Shao turned and opened the door.

Zhu Shi stood at the doorway, and under the light, she immediately exclaimed, "Indeed! Who beat you up like this?"

Wei Shao said, "I drank too much, and when I was riding back, I accidentally fell and got injured..."

"Nonsense!" Zhu Shi was furious. "Do you think I'm blind? Is this from a fall? Earlier, I heard from a servant that you came back with injuries on your face, and I didn't believe it. But now I see it's true! Who has the audacity to beat you like this?"

Zhu Shi's gaze immediately shot toward Xiao Qiao inside.

Xiao Qiao was frightened.

"If he doesn't say anything, don't you even ask? Don't you come and inform me?" Zhu Shi scolded.

Xiao Qiao remained silent.

Wei Shao's face showed anger: "Mother, stop making a fuss! It's just a minor injury, no need to make a big deal out of it. Let me escort you back to your room so you can rest early."

Wei Shao stepped out of the room and urged Zhu Shi to return to her room. Seeing her son already striding away, Zhu Shi had no choice but to follow.

Wei Shao escorted Zhu Shi to the door of the east wing and said, "Mother, go in and rest. I'm a bit tired today and will also go to bed early." After saying this, he turned to leave.

Zhu Shi watched her son's gradually receding figure, and the scene that had been replaying in her mind all day finally overwhelmed the pressure Madam Xu had brought her over the past twenty years. Unable to hold back, she quickly stepped out and called out to Wei Shao.

Wei Shao had no choice but to stop again and turned back, saying, "Mother, what do you need?"Zhu Shi glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby, and then lowered her voice: "Shao Er, there's something I've kept hidden in my heart for many years, something I originally didn't want to bring up. But now, I see that person becoming more and more suspicious. After much thought, I decided it's best to quietly tell you, so you can be aware and take precautions early. Otherwise, if something happens later, it will be too late to regret!"

Wei Shao sighed: "What else does Mother want to say?"

"Your cousin, he's different from us. He's not Han! He's a Xiongnu child!"

Zhu Shi spoke through clenched teeth, enunciating each word clearly.

Wei Shao was stunned, struggling to suppress the growing discomfort in his heart, and said coldly: "Why does Mother speak like this?"

Zhu Shi sneered: "Do you think his father was really a son-in-law who married into our Wei family? Listen carefully, it's all just a fabrication by your dear grandmother! I know the truth of what happened back then. I had only been married to your father for a few years when your aunt was captured by the Xiongnu's Rizhu King at the border city. Three years later, when your father brought her back, she was already pregnant with a Xiongnu child! It was only five months along at the time, and I urged her not to keep it. But she wouldn't listen, stubbornly insisting on giving birth. The child born was your so-called cousin! Your aunt died shortly after giving birth to him!"

A look of disgust appeared on Zhu Shi's face: "I knew from the moment this mixed-blood child was born that he was a curse. I said back then, since his mother was gone, it would be better to send him back to be raised by the Xiongnu. But your grandmother insisted on keeping him and raising him herself. She's been raising him all these years. And she kept this matter tightly concealed, not even allowing me to tell you! Shao Er, Mother is doing this entirely for your own good. It's not that I can't tolerate him. Your cousin is not Han, and sooner or later, he will harbor disloyal thoughts! If you remain unaware and don't take precautions, it will lead to endless trouble in the future! At today's Luli Assembly, why was he so eager to step onto the stage and steal the spotlight? Isn't it because he wants to overshadow you and eventually scheme for your position as Lord? Shao Er, think about it. Our Wei family, starting from your great-grandfather, has guarded Youzhou for generations, standing in firm opposition to the Xiongnu. Yet, we have a Xiongnu child raised in our household. If this gets out..."

As Zhu Shi spoke, Wei Shao's expression gradually stiffened. Suddenly, he turned away from Zhu Shi and strode off quickly.

Zhu Shi was startled and hurried after him: "My son! Your grandmother forbade me from revealing this. You must not mention it in front of her, don't say I've told you..."

Before she could finish, Wei Shao's figure had already vanished into the night.

Zhu Shi slowly came to a stop, standing alone in the dimly lit corridor, lost in thought for a moment.

The secret she had buried deep in her heart, she had finally revealed it to her son tonight.

Zhu Shi's current state of mind was like having given birth to a monstrous fetus after thirty years of pregnancy—an indescribable sense of relief. But after the relief, there was also a bit of fear.

She was afraid that Madam Xu would find out.

But soon, the innate nature of a mother overcame the fear.

I did it all for my son. As long as he is well, what can't I sacrifice?

Zhu Shi said this to herself in her heart.