The Prisoner of Beauty

The evening breeze gently lifted a stray strand of hair that had fallen by her ear, brushing it against her jade-like cheek. The corners of her lips curved upward, exuding a playful charm.

Wei Shao watched her, and suddenly, a ticklish sensation stirred in his heart, as if something had lightly scratched it. He suppressed the feeling, his expression growing even more serious. "You know who I'm talking about," he said.

"Many people came to the house today. I really don't know who you're referring to. There was the physician from Leling, Second Aunt, Third Aunt, the Madam of the Duke of Zhenguo who sent someone to inquire about your health, and oh, yes, there was also a Madam from Zhongshan State..."

Xiao Qiao widened her eyes. "Could it be the Madam from Zhongshan State you're asking about?"

Wei Shao narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at her for a moment.

"Have you heard something before?" he asked.

"What do you think I've heard?" Xiao Qiao replied, casually tucking the stray strand of hair behind her ear as it tickled her cheek.

Wei Shao paused.

"What could there be?" he retorted, seemingly irritated by her words and attitude. He let out a soft "hmph" and turned to walk toward his study.

Xiao Qiao watched his figure disappear down the corridor, then closed the door and returned to her desk, which was piled high with bamboo scrolls. Following the instructions Zhong Ao had given her earlier in the day, she continued to slowly go through the accounts.

At the stroke of Hai hour (9-11 PM), Wei Shao returned from his study. At first, he paid no attention to Xiao Qiao, simply removing his clothes and lying down.

Xiao Qiao had only a little left to finish on the scroll she was working on. Out of habit, she wanted to complete it before sleeping. But before long, she heard Wei Shao's voice from behind the bed curtains. "It's late. Grandmother only asked you to manage the household, not to stay up late poring over accounts by lamplight!"

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes inwardly. To avoid disturbing his rest, she got up, washed her hands, returned, extinguished the lamp, and climbed into bed.

At first, neither of them spoke, and they slept separately. Wei Shao tossed and turned several times, while Xiao Qiao simply closed her eyes and remained silent.

Suddenly, he spoke. "I'll be leaving in a couple of days."

Xiao Qiao was startled and opened her eyes.

"Where are you going, husband?"

"After the battle at Shiyi, Chen Xiang escaped and fled to Hedong, where he borrowed troops and bought provisions from his old friend Cao Jin, intending to attack Bingzhou again. He's now in the Shangdang area. Though he's not a significant threat, he must be dealt with. I'll go personally."

Xiao Qiao's heart raced, and she sat up abruptly from her pillow.

She remembered that in her past life, Da Qiao had mentioned that when Madam Xu passed away, Wei Shao was not in Yuyang—he was away fighting a war.

At first, she had been relieved that this life was different, as Wei Shao had been home all this time.

This had also made Xiao Qiao feel somewhat at ease.

But now, he suddenly announced that he was leaving, and in just a couple of days.

Another detail that matched her past life! Was everything truly progressing step by step toward the same inevitable outcome as before?

In the dim light, Wei Shao saw her suddenly sit up and got out of bed to light the lamp.

"Can you not go, husband?" Xiao Qiao asked, slowly raising her eyes to meet his.

She sat beside him, wrapped in the blanket, her expression dazed, her eyes wide, as if his words had frightened her.

Wei Shao had never seen her show such an expression in front of him before, nor had she ever asked such a naive question. For some reason, instead of being annoyed, he felt a wave of tender affection slowly welling up in his heart. The frustration that had been building in his chest since morning seemed to dissipate a little.

Wei Shao said, "I'm afraid..."

"Don't go, husband!"Xiao Qiao pounced on him, knocking him onto the pillow.

“Don’t you have General Li and Wei Liang under your command? Let them go in your place!”

Wei Shao, caught off guard, was pushed onto the pillow, lying flat on his back.

She was practically sprawled on his chest, her jade-like arms clinging to his shoulders, her soft, pink mounds pressing against him. Her beautiful eyes, wide like a cat’s, gazed at him with anxiety.

Wei Shao lay still, his arms straight, letting her press against him. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “We’ve already settled the matter today…”

“Husband, I beg you!” Xiao Qiao interrupted, her small hands shaking his shoulders. “I really don’t want you to go off to war again now! Please! Stay!”

Wei Shao felt his body soften, his bones melting. Knowing the decision couldn’t be changed, he still couldn’t bring himself to outright refuse her. As she shook his shoulders a few more times, he heard a voice escape his throat, “...Let me discuss it again tomorrow…”

Xiao Qiao finally let out a slight sigh of relief, realizing she was still pressing against him. She released his shoulders and climbed off him.

Wei Shao raised his arm and pulled her close, flipping her over so she was now beneath him. “Are you really that reluctant to let me go?”

His thumb pinched her chin, his tone teasing with a hint of arrogance and pride.

Xiao Qiao saw his face hovering above hers, meeting his dark, intense eyes. She bit her lip and nodded.

“If that’s the case, why were you so cold to me this morning?” Wei Shao pressed.

Xiao Qiao, suppressing the goosebumps threatening to rise, avoided his gaze and focused on his Adam’s apple, mumbling, “It’s because of how you treated me last night…”

Wei Shao felt she was coquettishly scolding him, and it filled him with delight. He cupped her face and whispered, “I was too tired, all my energy was spent on you. I didn’t even notice when you left…”

Wei Shao, just in his early twenties, was full of vigor. After sharing a bed with Xiao Qiao for some time, he had grown addicted to the pleasures of her body, wishing he could return to her every day. Unfortunately, she never seemed very enthusiastic about their intimate moments, never taking the initiative. Tonight, however, she had unexpectedly pounced on him and begged him not to leave, which felt like a dream. After a few words, his gaze fell on her rosy lips, and he leaned down to kiss her.

Xiao Qiao let out a few muffled sounds, struggling to break free. “You promised to stay, don’t lie to me…”

Wei Shao, while undoing her clothes, kissed her chest and neck. “...Mmm… I know…”

……

Later that night, one was smug and eager to please, while the other had her own reasons for needing him. They held each other close, their affection rare and genuine. He called her “Manman” countless times, their intimacy lingering.

After Wei Shao fell asleep, satisfied, Xiao Qiao, who had been dealing with him for two nights in a row, was also exhausted. She curled up beside him and drifted into a deep slumber.

The next morning, Wei Shao left early. Xiao Qiao, as usual, attended to the sick in the north room. In the afternoon, she returned with no intention of doing anything else, simply waiting anxiously for Wei Shao to come back. As night fell and he still hadn’t returned, she began to feel uneasy.Xiao Qiao waited until the middle of the Hai hour (around 10 PM) before she heard footsteps in the courtyard outside, followed by the servant calling out, "Lord." She immediately ran out to greet him and saw Wei Shao quickly ascending the steps. They met at the doorway.

As soon as she saw his expression, her heart sank.

"My lord, what is it?" she asked.

Although she had already concluded that he had deceived her last night, she still held onto a sliver of hope. Xiao Qiao looked at him and waited for his response.

Wei Shao didn't answer her immediately upon entering the room. He first dismissed the servants, then spoke seriously, "It's not that I don't want to stay with you. It's just that I truly cannot free myself. Shangdang is of great strategic importance. Two hundred miles to the east is Hukou Pass, which controls the Taihang Mountains. It must not be lost. Moreover, the border defenses are undergoing major adjustments these days, and I must ensure that there are enough generals to protect Youzhou."

His tone was far more solemn compared to when he was in bed last night.

Xiao Qiao bit her lip, standing in front of him, silently gazing at him.

Wei Shao, meeting her eyes that were filled with hidden resentment, coughed slightly as if feeling a bit uncomfortable. He then walked towards the bathroom, saying, "There were many matters today, and I am tired. Let's rest early."

Xiao Qiao stared at his back, even suspecting that he had completely forgotten about the promise he made to her in bed last morning as soon as he left the room. She felt both frustrated and annoyed.

She also understood that if it were any other matter, she might still be able to argue with him. But when it came to military arrangements and troop deployments, if she continued to press him about the promise he made in bed last night, he would likely accuse her of being unreasonable.

Xiao Qiao said nothing more. Seeing that it was already late, she went to bed first and lay down.

When Wei Shao came out of the bathroom, he saw her lying with her eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought. He climbed onto the bed, hugged her, and coaxed, "I know you don't want me to leave, and I don't want to be apart from you either. But this time, I really cannot free myself. Once this battle is over, I will return home to accompany you as soon as possible."

Xiao Qiao knew that the situation was already unchangeable. Suppressing her disappointment, frustration, confusion, and a hint of anger, she couldn't be bothered to look at his face anymore. She turned her back to him, pulled the blanket over her head, and ignored him.

...

Three days later, at the fifth watch of the Mao hour (around 5 AM), Wei Shao led his troops out of Yuyang.

Over the years, such military expeditions had become commonplace. However, Madam Xu, despite her illness not yet fully healed, dressed neatly and insisted on personally seeing Wei Shao off outside the main gate.

Zhu Shi also finally emerged from the east room to bid him farewell.

Just like the last time he set out to conquer Shiyi, the army outside the city was already assembled and ready to march. Under the illumination of blazing torches, the generals stood in high spirits on either side of the gate of the Wei residence.

Wei Shao, clad in bright armor, looked like a war god descended from heaven under the blazing torches at the gate. He turned around, asked Madam Xu to stop, and bid her farewell. His gaze then fell on Xiao Qiao's face, who was supporting Madam Xu's arm, and lingered for a moment. He then strode across the threshold, mounted his warhorse, and rode off.

Xiao Qiao and Madam Xu stood side by side in the center of the main gate, watching the figures of Wei Shao and his generals gradually disappear into the last shadow before dawn. Only when the entire procession had vanished did they turn around.

It was still early, just past the fifth watch of the Mao hour. In the deep autumn of the north, the sky was not yet fully bright, but a faint hint of dawn's pale light had already appeared on the eastern horizon.Xiao Qiao continued to hold the arm of the elderly woman beside her, supporting her as they slowly made their way inside. Zhong Ao and others followed behind.

Although Madam Xu had not yet recovered from her illness and had risen early, her spirits seemed to be at their best in recent days.

She placed one hand on Xiao Qiao's hand. Xiao Qiao felt a trace of warmth emanating from her thin, frail palm.

"You probably don't know yet," Madam Xu said slowly as they walked along the smooth stone-paved path, "ever since Shao Er took command of the army at the age of seventeen, all these years, every time he set out from Yuyang, I would see him off, and upon his return, I would welcome him back. This morning was the twenty-first time."

Xiao Qiao remained silent.

A faint, proud smile appeared at the corner of Madam Xu's lips: "He has suffered two major injuries, countless minor ones, and has been in dire straits. Fortunately, his will is strong, his decisions decisive, and with the blessings of our ancestors, he has always managed to turn danger into safety."

"I am old. In the future, if I am no longer here, whether he wins or loses, you must continue to see him off and welcome him back, just as we did today. Are you willing?"

Xiao Qiao looked at Madam Xu, who turned her head and smiled at her. A warm feeling slowly welled up in her heart.

Given Madam Xu's current state of health and the words of the physician from Leling that day, Xiao Qiao could not believe that, without external factors, she would suddenly deteriorate and pass away as she had in her previous life!

She tightly grasped Madam Xu's thin hand and said word by word: "Grandmother, you will surely live to be a hundred! I don't want to be alone in seeing my husband off and welcoming him back. I want to do it with you, just as we did today!"

Madam Xu was momentarily stunned. In the faint light of dawn, she gazed at Xiao Qiao for a moment, then laughed.

"Yes, you're right! Grandmother will live to be a hundred and is still waiting to hold her great-grandchildren!"

She laughed joyfully.

Author's note: Thank you, dear readers, for your generous support. It means a lot!