The Prisoner of Beauty

The winter days were short. By the time the soldiers returned to camp and Wei Shao entered the city, the sky had already darkened completely.

In front of the gate of the residence, torches flickered. Clad in heavy armor still coated with a layer of ice, he strode up the steps, his boots crunching on the snow. Wei Liang, who had just welcomed him back at the city gate and was now accompanying him, suddenly remembered something. He quickened his pace to catch up and leaned in to whisper, "My lord, Lady Qiao has arrived! She has been staying at Yuyang House for over half a month."

"According to Zhong Ao, Lady Qiao is very quiet. She mostly stays indoors during the day and occasionally ascends the Sandalwood Terrace at dusk for a short while. No abnormalities have been observed, so no restrictions have been imposed," he added after finishing his initial report.

Wei Shao merely gave a faint "Hmm" in response, his steps not faltering in the slightest as he crossed the threshold and headed toward Sheyang House, his usual residence.

Wei Liang watched his retreating figure. After a few steps, Wei Shao suddenly stopped and glanced back in the direction of Yuyang House.

Through the layers of gates, it was impossible to see Yuyang House from here. Only the massive silhouette of the Sandalwood Terrace, rising into the sky, was visible. In the night, it looked like a giant beast crouching on the ground, ready to spring up at any moment.

"Instruct Zhong Ao to make preparations. The wedding will take place tomorrow," he suddenly declared.

"Tomorrow?" Wei Liang was taken aback.

"I'm afraid there won't be enough time to prepare..."

"Keep it simple," Wei Shao said, turning and continuing forward without further pause.

Wei Liang watched his retreating figure, hesitated for a moment, then turned and hurried off to discuss the matter with Zhong Ao.

......

Over the past half month, Chun Niang had gradually become familiar with the two tight-lipped maidservants, and she had managed to extract some information from them.

According to the maidservants, Zhong Ao was a close attendant of Madam Xu, Wei Shao's grandmother. She had not been in Xindu for long and had come specifically to prepare for Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao's wedding. As for Wei Shao's recent absence from the city, it was due to a military conflict in Boling, from which he had now returned victorious.

In these turbulent times, with warlords rising to power, most, like Wei Shao, still nominally served the Han court and obeyed the emperor's orders. However, when it came to conflicts between them, it was a matter of who had the stronger military force, as the court had long lost the ability to enforce its authority.

Xiao Qiao wasn't particularly interested in where Wei Shao had gone. After being cooped up here for half a month, his return was now her primary concern. Normally, according to the prior agreement between the two families, they should now be entering the final and most substantial step: the wedding.

"My lady, please remain calm. Now that Marquis Wei has returned, things will proceed smoothly. Tomorrow, I will go and ask Zhong Ao when the wedding date has been set," Chun Niang said softly, mistaking Xiao Qiao's pensive expression for anxiety.

"My lady, open the door!"

Just then, a voice of a maidservant from the Wei family called from outside.

Chun Niang gave Xiao Qiao's hand a reassuring squeeze and went to open the door. To her surprise, Zhong Ao, who hadn't been seen for several days, was standing there.

Zhong Ao entered and bowed to Xiao Qiao before straightening up and saying, "The lord has returned, and the wedding will take place tomorrow. I came specifically to inform you, my lady." With another bow, she turned and left.

......

Wei Shao had just returned, and now the notice had come down—the wedding was to be held tomorrow!This was all happening too fast!

Xiao Qiao was still in a state of shock, unable to process everything immediately. While she stood there dumbfounded, Chun Niang and the maidservants beside her quickly became jubilant, taking turns to kneel and offer their congratulations.

Xiao Qiao understood their sentiments.

They had all come here, waiting for nothing but the wedding ceremony. Only after the ceremony would she truly become a member of the Wei family, Wei Shao's wife. Without this step, no matter how many formalities had been completed before, her status would remain in an awkward limbo.

Thus, upon hearing this news, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Qiao smiled and accepted their congratulations one by one, but her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

The wedding was imminent, with no room for change. Once they were officially married, it meant that from then on, her fate would be tied to this man named Wei Shao.

Would he treat her the same way he had treated Da Qiao in her previous life, as she knew?

If so, how should she handle it?

This question had been swirling in her mind since the first day she left Yanzhou. But even now, she still had no answer.

……

Chun Niang's joy did not last long. Because she soon realized that this wedding was far from the grandeur and meticulousness that the daughter of a high-ranking official like Xiao Qiao deserved.

After all, what could be prepared in just one night?

Chun Niang suppressed the bitterness in her heart, not daring to show it in front of Xiao Qiao for fear of upsetting her. As she helped her bathe, she smiled and said that the wedding would be held in the Shaoyang Hall, with many distinguished guests in attendance. Most importantly, Marquis Wei was young and handsome, brave and decisive. Countless girls in the city had fallen in love with him just from a distant glance, but she had heard that he seemed to have no favored concubines by his side.

"How could Marquis Wei not adore you, my lady, when you are so beautiful?"

Chun Niang repeatedly applied fragrant ointment to Xiao Qiao's soft skin, her gaze lingering on her graceful figure, her tone filled with praise and encouragement.

Under the care of Chun Niang and the maidservants, Xiao Qiao went through the same rituals she had performed before leaving home that day.

Bathing, dressing, combing her hair, and applying makeup. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at the radiant bride with lush, cloud-like hair and felt a sudden sense of unfamiliarity.

……

In the Zhou rituals, "marriage" was originally associated with "dusk."

As the sun set in the west, the long-silent Sandalwood Terrace in the palace gradually lit up from bottom to top. Against the backdrop of the night sky, it looked like a towering pagoda of light, even more majestic from afar.

The people in the city looked up, eagerly spreading the news: the Lord's grand wedding was to take place tonight.

Along the corridors of the Shaoyang Hall, red lanterns were hung one by one, and the hall itself was brightly lit as if it were daytime. On the large black and gold lacquered table in the center, the wedding offerings were neatly arranged: millet, rice, meat dishes, pickles, sauces, and soup. The guests, dressed in formal attire, sat in order on the low couches behind the table. They whispered among themselves, waiting for the auspicious moment to arrive.Among these people, most were the retainers and vassals who had followed Wei Shao here, as well as local officials from Xindu. They had only learned of this wedding earlier that day. Although some of them had previously known about Wei Shao's alliance through marriage with the Qiao family of Yanzhou, the suddenness of the wedding still came as a surprise. After all, just last night, Wei Shao had only just returned from the battle in Boling.

Most of those present had heard of the old ties between the Qiao family of Yanzhou and the Wei family. It was precisely because of this history that Wei Shao's marriage to the Qiao daughter a decade later sparked even more speculation. They couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about the Qiao daughter and were eagerly awaiting her appearance.

When the auspicious hour arrived, Xiao Qiao entered the hall.

As she appeared before the guests, her hands held gently at her waist and her wide sleeves flowing gracefully, the soft murmurs in the hall suddenly ceased. Numerous eyes turned toward her, their gazes filled with scrutiny, admiration, and even some hidden intentions that could not be spoken aloud.

Xiao Qiao did not feel nervous. She lowered her eyelids slightly, her gaze resting calmly on the ground before her. Guided by the rhythmic chants of the ceremonial officer, she walked steadily forward under the watchful eyes of the crowd, accompanied by two attendants. She moved unhurriedly until she reached the front of the table in the center of the hall, stopping a few feet away.

Opposite her stood a man.

She could clearly feel his gaze—unlike the sidelong glances she had easily ignored, this man's eyes were fixed directly on her, unflinching and carrying an indescribable sense of pressure.

The skin beneath her heavy robes seemed to respond to this pressure, her pores slowly opening, and the fine hairs on her body rising imperceptibly.

She slowly raised her eyes to meet the man's gaze.

...

Compared to his status and reputation, Wei Shao was still quite young; but compared to her, he was undoubtedly a fully grown man, with broad shoulders and a straight back. Standing face to face, she appeared even more petite beside him, forcing her to tilt her head slightly upward to meet his direct gaze.

Just as Chun Niang had described, he was an exceptionally handsome man, dressed in the ceremonial robes of a feudal lord from Longshan—black robes with crimson accents, exuding both solemnity and an imposing authority. As the ceremonial officer continued his chants, Wei Shao stared straight at Xiao Qiao, who stood just an arm's length away, his dark eyes unblinking, as deep as the darkest night.

Xiao Qiao's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she lowered her eyes once more.

When the ceremonial officer finished his chants, someone presented a red silk ribbon, placing one end in Xiao Qiao's hand and the other in Wei Shao's. Together, they held the ribbon and walked to the front of the table. The ribbon was then removed, and they knelt facing each other on either side of the table. Guided by the ceremonial officer, they performed a series of rituals: the washing of hands, the sharing of food, and the drinking of the ceremonial wine.

After the long and elaborate series of preliminary rituals, the final ceremony—the binding of their hair—symbolized their union as husband and wife.The attendants gently snipped a strand of hair from each of the two individuals and tied them together. At this moment, the surrounding crowd beamed with joy, and congratulatory voices filled the air. The man standing opposite stood tall and straight, his posture unwavering, but Xiao Qiao noticed the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his well-defined lips.

If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a smile that betrayed a trace of impatience and a touch of nonchalance.