The Prisoner of Beauty

That night, Xiao Qiao refused to sleep with Da Qiao again and left the room on her own. Left behind were Bi Zhi and Da Qiao, who exchanged a glance as a couple. Bi Zhi stepped forward, picked up his wife, and carried her to the bedside, gently laying her down. He then sat beside her, his hand softly caressing her prominently rounded belly, and asked, "Did the little one kick you again today?"

Da Qiao rested her head on her husband's shoulder, a blissful smile on her face, and replied, "Yes, early in the morning, it was moving around in my belly and woke me up early."

Bi Zhi then leaned down and kissed her forehead, saying tenderly, "You've been through a lot. When the little one comes out, if it's a boy, I'll spank his bottom for kicking you."

Da Qiao giggled and pulled him to lie down with her. She took his broad, calloused palm and pressed it against her soft cheek, gently rubbing it a few times. Suddenly, she said, "Last night, my sister praised you, saying you're really remarkable. I think so too. But I can't quite figure out, where did you learn your skills in leading troops and fighting battles?"

Bi Zhi's green eyes flickered as he met his wife's curious and admiring gaze. After a moment of thought, he said, "I don't know either. Maybe it's innate. I remember when I was very young, I once accidentally saw your uncle leading the family soldiers to train at the horse field. Your uncle looked majestic, like a god of war, and the soldiers' roars shook the heavens. At that moment, I was awestruck. I told myself that when I grew up, I wanted to be like your uncle. So I started using the horses at the field to train troops. I imagined I was their general, and they were my soldiers. With so many soldiers, I wondered how I would command them if we encountered enemies..."

As he spoke, he noticed Da Qiao's focused gaze on him and felt a slight embarrassment, stopping to ask, "Are you laughing at me?"

Da Qiao shook her head, "No, I want to hear more, please continue."

Bi Zhi smiled and continued, "Later, when I grew a bit older, a steward at the horse field, who now has difficulty walking but was once a horse archer in your Qiao family army, took a liking to me. He said I had the makings of a martial artist and taught me martial arts and archery in his spare time. I loved it so much that I even dreamed of practicing martial arts. He taught me for several years and was very kind to me, but he fell ill and passed away. For a while, I was very sad. Then, as I grew older..."

Bi Zhi looked down, gazing at his wife.

"...I saw you. From the first moment I saw you, I could never forget you. I remember how you looked every time you got on and off the carriage. I truly never dreamed that one day, you would actually become my wife..."

Da Qiao wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and kissed his lips deeply.

After a long while, they parted. Bi Zhi, slightly breathless, tried to calm the desire stirred by his wife's tender affection and whispered in her ear, "You know you've always been worried for me. Don't be afraid, I'm here. I've made thorough preparations and am confident I can repel Xue Tai. Nothing will go wrong."

Da Qiao shook her head and said slowly, "I'm not afraid anymore. From the first day I followed you, I told myself that I've chosen you for this lifetime. If you live, I'll live with you. If something happens to you, I'll follow you. I'm not afraid!"Bi Zhi gazed at his wife, then suddenly cupped her face and kissed her deeply once more.

……

Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, Xiao Qiao got up. After Chun Niang finished packing, Bi Zhi escorted her out of the manor.

The couple originally lived in a hunting village outside Lingbi County. As more and more people sought refuge with them, and they began training soldiers, their numbers swelled to several thousand, far exceeding the capacity of the hunting village. Three months ago, the owner of the Hu Family Manor, located southwest of the county town, had his only son killed by Xue Tai due to a feud. Subsequently, he was forced to surrender his land and wealth. In his grief and anger, upon hearing of Bi Zhi's reputation, he pledged allegiance and welcomed him into the manor, honoring him as the leader. He willingly gave up his land and wealth to help purchase horses and weapons, all for the sake of avenging his son's death. Bi Zhi fortified the Hu Family Manor, turning it into an impregnable stronghold. Within a radius of twenty li, he set up watchtowers and barriers at regular intervals, ensuring smooth communication and movement.

During her stay, Xiao Qiao resided in the manor. As she prepared to leave, she bid farewell to Qiao Ci.

Although Bi Zhi had personally gone to fetch her and Jia Si and others were there to escort her, Qiao Ci had still followed Xiao Qiao to Lingbi. He had originally planned to accompany her back. However, upon hearing that Xue Tai was launching an attack, Qiao Ci's hands itched with the desire to stay and assist his brother-in-law.

Bi Zhi initially didn't want him to stay. But Qiao Ci insisted, saying he wanted more experience and that this was a perfect opportunity. He refused to leave.

Xiao Qiao tried to persuade him at first, but seeing that he wouldn't be swayed, she thought to herself that in these turbulent times, with frequent wars, it was inevitable that Yanzhou might face attacks again in the future. Since Qiao Ci was the only son of the Qiao family, it was unavoidable that he would have to face battles in the future. Sheltering him was not the right path. Since he was determined to participate in the battle, she decided to let him have his way. On one hand, as he said, it would give him more experience; on the other hand, with Bi Zhi fighting against greater odds, having Qiao Ci by his side would surely be of some help. So she agreed, but repeatedly reminded him to be careful and to return to Yanzhou as soon as the battle was over, so as not to worry their father.

Qiao Ci agreed. He escorted Xiao Qiao to the carriage and helped his sister board.

As Xiao Qiao was about to step into the carriage, she turned back and saw Da Qiao, one hand resting on her belly, standing at the entrance of the manor, watching her with a face full of reluctance. Her heart was filled with both joy and a tinge of sorrow. She turned to Bi Zhi beside her and said, "Thank you, brother-in-law, for treating my sister so well."

Bi Zhi was momentarily taken aback, then replied, "She treats me even better." As he spoke, he glanced back at his wife, who was still standing at the entrance, watching them leave, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Xiao Qiao smiled softly and entered the carriage with Chun Niang.

Jia Si and the other escorts had been extremely vigilant throughout the journey, never daring to leave Xiao Qiao's side even for a moment. They had followed her from Dongjun to here, and now that the lady was finally heading back, they breathed a sigh of relief and followed closely.

As the carriage wheels began to turn, Xiao Qiao leaned out and waved goodbye to Da Qiao, who was still chasing after the carriage to see her off. She watched until her sister's figure grew smaller and smaller, finally disappearing from sight, before she sat back down, turned her head, and quietly wiped her eyes.

Chun Niang noticed this and pulled her into an embrace. After they had traveled some distance, she said, "My lady, are you envious of your sister becoming a mother? Don't worry. Once we return, as long as the Lord is home, you'll soon follow."

Xiao Qiao knew Chun Niang was trying to cheer her up. Though her heart was still heavy with the sadness of parting, the thought of having a child with Wei Shao made her feel both awkward and strangely amused. She couldn't help but laugh softly, "I don't want to have a child so soon!"Chun Niang said, "There's not much time left until the end of the year. Madam is already sixteen, so it's the perfect time to prepare for childbirth. Elder Madam and Lord must be eagerly anticipating it."

Xiao Qiao shook her head vigorously. When Chun Niang continued, Xiao Qiao covered her mouth.

Chun Niang had only brought up the topic to distract Xiao Qiao from her sadness over the impending separation. Seeing that Xiao Qiao didn't want to discuss having children with Lord, Chun Niang let it go and hugged Xiao Qiao again, murmuring to herself, "Lord must have already returned victorious by now. He must be eagerly waiting for Madam to come back!"

Xiao Qiao leaned into Chun Niang's embrace, recalling the days before Wei Shao's departure.

On the first night, she had been deeply worried that something might happen to Madam Xu and had desperately wanted him to stay, so she could feel more secure. He had initially agreed but then went back on his word the next day, teasing her instead. She could let that slide since it involved military matters, which were of great importance. What infuriated her was that he showed no remorse whatsoever.

Fine, he was the lofty Lord, and Xiao Qiao didn't expect him to apologize, but at least he could have shown some semblance of regret.

Instead, when she sulked, he seemed to sulk as well. For the next three nights, he didn't touch her at all, which was highly unusual.

Xiao Qiao certainly didn't want him to touch her, but she couldn't understand why he was acting this way. What right did he have to be angry and give her the cold shoulder?

If it weren't for Madam Xu being involved, Xiao Qiao would have seriously considered not returning so soon after coming back to her family home.

Xiao Qiao pouted and snorted, "He wouldn't be waiting for me to return. And I don't want to see him either!"

...

The carriage and the escort led by Jia Si gradually disappeared into the distance, vanishing along the muddy road leading out of the village.

A servant woman came over to help Da Qiao inside. As Da Qiao turned, she noticed Zong Ji standing not far behind her in the open space, his gaze fixed on the end of the muddy road, a hint of melancholy on his face. She walked over to him.

Seeing Da Qiao approach, Zong Ji hurried to meet her.

Da Qiao stopped in front of him and smiled, "My younger sister left in such a hurry that she didn't have time to bid you farewell. She asked me to convey her gratitude for your help on several occasions, which has been of great assistance. If there's ever an opportunity in the future, she will surely repay you."

Zong Ji replied, "Madam, you are too kind. I was merely repaying a debt of gratitude. It was nothing worth mentioning."

Da Qiao said, "I heard from my husband that Xue Tai is marching this way, and there may be a fierce battle. My younger sister left this morning. Perhaps you should leave as well. Xue Tai's target is my husband. You, Zong Ji, are a free spirit and need not be unnecessarily involved."

Zong Ji responded, "Madam, why do you say that? Not only was I once saved by your husband, but even without that, Xue Tai and I are sworn enemies. I would gladly take his head myself. If there is to be a battle, I will be at the forefront. How could I hide in safety? I appreciate your concern, Madam, and I am grateful."

He bowed to Da Qiao and then turned and strode away.

...

Bi Zhi had been in Lingbi for some time and was familiar with the roads. Taking a shortcut, he successfully escorted Xiao Qiao out of Lingbi the next day.Xiao Qiao knew that Xue Tai could launch an attack at any moment, so she urged him repeatedly along the way, telling him not to escort her further and to return as soon as possible. After leaving Lingbi, Bi Zhi no longer insisted. He bowed and asked Jia Si to take good care of her on the journey, then stopped by the roadside, watching as Xiao Qiao and her entourage rode off into the distance. He immediately hurried back.

The scout's report from yesterday was even clearer. Xue Tai had suffered a defeat in his attack on Xiao territory. To save face and fearing further expansion of his own forces, he hastily regrouped his remaining troops and was eager to attack Hujiazhuang again.

Based on the marching speed, they would arrive within three days.

But Bi Zhi felt no fear at all.

The fact that Xue Tai dared to turn around and attack him again after just suffering a defeat clearly showed that Xue Tai still did not take him seriously.

In Xue Tai's eyes, Bi Zhi's forces were nothing more than a ragtag group. The only reason they had survived until now was sheer luck.

Bi Zhi was neither panicked nor hurried.

The more Xue Tai looked down on him, the more confident Bi Zhi became.

In fact, this time, if heaven also stood on his side, he decided to seize this opportunity to completely reverse the passive situation he had been in.

How fortunate he was to have married the daughter of the Qiao family of Yanzhou despite his humble origins as a stable hand.

To be worthy of her and to make her proud to be his wife—this was Bi Zhi's greatest wish.

...

Bi Zhi rode swiftly, gradually approaching Hujiazhuang.

The setting sun hung obliquely between the distant mountain peaks, casting its last faint golden rays of the day.

It was a warm winter evening in the south. The usual tranquility of the place had, fortunately, not yet been trampled by the iron hooves of war.

It hadn't rained for days. The yellow dirt road leading to Hujiazhuang, full of potholes, had become very dry. The hooves of the horse kicked up clouds of dust as they passed. The fields on either side of the road had already been harvested, now lying empty with only some rotting rice stubble remaining. Occasionally, one or two black-headed sparrows searching for grass seeds were startled by the sound of his horse's hooves, fluttering their wings and flying into the woods.

When he was about ten miles away from Hujiazhuang, at a fork in the road ahead, Bi Zhi saw two horses stopped by the roadside, with two men on their backs.

One was in his twenties, still young, about the same age as himself. The other was older, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

Although both were dressed in ordinary clothes, Bi Zhi could tell at a glance that they were no ordinary people.

Moreover, the older one clearly took orders from the younger one.

He immediately became alert but did not slow his horse's pace, instead galloping past them.

"Excuse me!" someone suddenly called out loudly from behind. "Is Hujiazhuang ahead?"

Bi Zhi stopped his horse and slowly turned his head.

...

The man asking for directions was Lei Yan. The other, naturally, was Wei Shao.

After arriving in Lingbi, Wei Shao followed the directions Qiao Ping had previously mentioned about Hujiazhuang, asked around for the way, left the rest of his entourage waiting at the crossroads, and immediately set off with Lei Yan.

The journey south had been full of twists and turns. Several times he thought he would finally see her, only to miss her in the end.

Only he knew how the disappointment and the desire to see her immediately had piled up to the point of unbearable urgency.

If he still couldn't find her here, Wei Shao wasn't sure if he could control himself and not explode on the spot.He had just rushed here in one breath, only to encounter a fork in the road. Unable to determine the right direction immediately and with no passersby in sight, he had to stop for a moment. Suddenly, he saw a man galloping from a distance, and Lei Yan immediately called out to ask for directions.

The man halted his horse and turned his head.

Wei Shao saw it clearly—a pair of emerald green eyes, glowing with an eerie light in the dim afterglow of the setting sun.

"Green eyes!" Lei Yan also noticed and exclaimed, quickly glancing back at Wei Shao. He saw Wei Shao sitting firmly on his horse, unmoving.

"Are you the leader of the green-eyed refugees?" Lei Yan turned back and demanded sternly.

Bi Zhi stared at these two strangers who had appeared so abruptly at this moment, clearly harboring hostile intentions toward him. He quickly made a decision.

Kill them as soon as possible.

Without showing any emotion, he slowly leaned down, retrieved a crossbow from his saddle, turned toward Lei Yan, and fired three consecutive arrows.

The sharp bolts tore through the air with a faint whistling sound, as if carrying immense force, heading straight for Lei Yan.

Lei Yan was startled, not expecting the sudden attack. Seeing the bolts closing in on him in an instant, he hastily swung his sword to deflect them. The first two bolts were knocked aside, but the third one was too fast. As it shot toward his chest, he jerked backward. A gust of wind brushed past his face, and his hair loosened as the bolt pierced through his hair tie, snapping it in two. His hair, previously tied up, now fell loose.

Lei Yan, still shaken, glared at the man in fury. With a clang, he drew his sword and urged his horse forward, but the man was faster. With a sharp whistle, Lei Yan's horse suddenly reared up.

Caught off guard, Lei Yan was thrown off his horse. The man had already dismounted and was upon him in a few steps, swinging his sword down.

The series of actions was swift and ruthless, executed seamlessly, leaving no time to react.

Wei Shao leaped off his own startled horse and lunged forward, using his scabbard to block the deadly blade aimed at Lei Yan.

With a sharp clang of metal, the two men separated.

Wei Shao stared at the green-eyed man, who was also staring intently at him. He narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly drew his sword from its scabbard, and said to Lei Yan, "I'll handle him."

From the few exchanges just now, Lei Yan had also realized that this green-eyed refugee leader, who had appeared out of nowhere, had a strange and ruthless fighting style, unlike anything he was used to. He feared he was no match for him.

Bi Zhi remained silent and charged straight at Wei Shao. After a dozen exchanges, with a twist of his wrist, the blade turned, and Wei Shao's arm was grazed, a shallow cut appearing.

"Lord, be careful!" Lei Yan exclaimed in alarm.

Wei Shao glanced at his arm, where blood was slowly seeping out. His eyes flashed with intensity. He stepped forward, his sword aimed directly at Bi Zhi's throat. Bi Zhi jerked back, but the skin on the side of his neck was still cut. At first, it was just a thin red line, but slowly, blood began to drip from the wound.

In the blink of an eye, both men had drawn blood and took a step back.

"You're the leader of the refugees. Why are you here?" Wei Shao pointed his sword at Bi Zhi and asked coldly.Bi Zhi spoke word by word, "And who are you? What are your intentions here?"

As the two men locked eyes, the tension in the air was about to erupt once more. In the distance, under the fading light of the setting sun, several fast horses galloped towards them. Leading the charge was Qiao Ci, who shouted loudly, "Brother-in-law! Second brother-in-law! What are you two doing?"

Qiao Ci had just returned from patrolling the nearby pavilion and fence when he spotted figures in the distance. As he approached and recognized the two men, he was greatly alarmed and hurried over to intervene.

Wei Shao and Bi Zhi exchanged a glance, each with a flicker of surprise in their eyes.

Qiao Ci dismounted from his horse and ran over, panting heavily. Seeing that both men were already bloodied, it was clear they had already clashed. He stomped his foot in frustration and quickly said to Bi Zhi, "Brother-in-law, this is the Lord of Yan, my second brother-in-law!" Then he turned to Wei Shao, "Second brother-in-law, this is my brother-in-law, who lives in the Hu Family Village just ahead! I heard you were in Shangdang not long ago, how did you suddenly end up here and get into a fight with my brother-in-law?"

Bi Zhi had already sheathed his blade.

Wei Shao also slowly put away his sword.

Lei Yan, who stood to the side, was disheveled and dumbfounded.

He could never have imagined that his Lord's brother-in-law would turn out to be the green-eyed leader of the refugee bandits standing before him!

Wei Shao exhaled softly and asked, "Why are you here? I came to fetch your sister. Is she here?"

Qiao Ci was taken aback and said, "Is that so? Brother-in-law, you’re a step too late. Brother-in-law just escorted my sister out of Lingbi yesterday and has only just returned. My sister must already be on her way back north by now."

……

Wei Shao felt as if he had been struck by an internal injury, almost spitting blood in frustration!

With the misunderstanding cleared, Bi Zhi apologized to him and invited him into the manor to tend to his wounds. However, Wei Shao was in no mood to stay. After exchanging a few brief words, he simply asked if they needed his assistance.

Bi Zhi politely declined. Wei Shao didn’t press further and, without even entering the manor, bid farewell to Qiao Ci and immediately turned to leave.

Accompanied by his attendants, he traveled north along the post road and, after several days, finally arrived at the ancient ferry crossing of Wuchao on the southern bank.

Yet another piece of bad news awaited him.

A severe cold snap had struck in recent days, bringing heavy snowfall. Starting yesterday, the river had frozen over, making it impossible for ferries to operate, and the ice was too thin to support the weight of people or horses.

Since yesterday, travelers waiting to cross the river had begun to gather at the ferry crossings on both the northern and southern banks, and their numbers were steadily increasing. The nearby inns and lodges were gradually filling up. In the main hall, a fire was lit, and travelers who had spread out bedding on the floor sighed in frustration as they discussed how long they might have to wait before they could cross.

The night was already deep. The sky was pitch black, and sparse snowflakes still drifted through the air.

Wei Shao stood at the idle ferry crossing, gazing across the dark expanse of the river about ten zhang away, lost in thought. Lei Yan approached him from behind and said, "My Lord, we’ve searched all the nearby lodges, but there’s no sign of the Lady. It seems… she has already crossed the Yellow River."

Wei Shao’s expression remained impassive as he said, "You’ve had a long journey. Rest here tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the next ferry crossing at Liuhe and see if we can cross there."

Lei Yan acknowledged the order and added, "There’s no decent lodging nearby. The nearest post station is about fifty or sixty li away, and it’s too late to go there now, especially in this freezing cold. However, there’s a relatively clean lodge nearby. I’ve already given the owner some money to clear out his own room and have it tidied up. My Lord, you can stay there for the night and set off again in the morning."

Wei Shao remained lost in thought for a moment before turning toward the inn. Lei Yan followed. The two of them stepped through the inn’s gate, where a lone lantern swayed in the cold wind.

The innkeeper, aware of the young man’s high status, hurried forward to greet him personally as he entered.

As Wei Shao made his way through the main hall, passing by travelers who were either sitting or reclining drowsily by the fire, the sound of a carriage’s wheels crunching over the icy road suddenly came from outside the main door, followed by the sound of it coming to a halt.

Someone had arrived at this late hour to seek lodging.

"Innkeeper! Do you have any good rooms?"

A man strode in, calling out loudly to the innkeeper.

His voice startled the sleeping travelers in the hall, who opened their eyes and muttered complaints.

Wei Shao, however, froze in his tracks and abruptly turned around.

The man who had just entered looked up and, upon seeing Wei Shao, was so shocked that he exclaimed, "My Lord, what are you doing here?"

Lei Yan turned his head, equally startled.

Unexpectedly, the man was Jia Si, who had been escorting the Lady!

They had assumed that Jia Si and his party were ahead and had already crossed the Yellow River. But it turned out that Wei Shao’s swift pace had overtaken them, leaving the Lady’s party behind.

Wei Shao’s eyes fixed on the carriage in the dim light of the lantern outside the door, his figure unmoving.Jia Si followed his gaze and suppressed his joy at unexpectedly encountering the Lord here. He hurried forward and said, "The Lady is in the carriage. We've been traveling at a fast pace today. I had intended to stop earlier, but the Lady was worried about the Yellow River freezing over and kept urging us to press on. That's why we ended up here, but it seems the river has already frozen..."

Wei Shao had already left Jia Si behind and strode out towards the carriage.

......

Xiao Qiao was nestled in Chun Niang's warm embrace, her eyes closed, on the verge of sleep, when suddenly a cold gust of wind hit her face. The carriage door seemed to have been pulled open, and a chilly breeze rushed in, making her shiver. She instinctively hugged Chun Niang tighter and mumbled, "Is there no place to stay—"

Chun Niang looked up and was startled to see Wei Shao standing opposite them. She was so surprised that she initially forgot to react. After a moment, she noticed his gaze fixed on Xiao Qiao, who was still curled up in her arms, clinging tightly. Unable to discern whether his expression was one of joy or anger, Chun Niang grew anxious. She gently shook Xiao Qiao and whispered, "My Lady, we've arrived at the inn, and the Lord is here too..."

Having traveled for days on end, Xiao Qiao was utterly exhausted. She had fallen asleep in Chun Niang's arms, unaware that the carriage had stopped. Awakened by Chun Niang, she sat up, rubbed her eyes, and turned her head, murmuring, "Chun Niang, who did you say—"

Her eyes met Wei Shao's, and she was instantly stunned. She froze, her eyes slowly widening as she stared at him in disbelief.

Author's note: I've been typing until I'm foaming at the mouth, all because this chapter had to bring the two of them together...

Dear readers, please go easy on me...