The Prisoner of Beauty

In the realm outside the imperial court, the most significant activity on New Year's Day is the ancestral worship at the family temple.

The Wei family was no exception.

By the first Xīn day of the tenth month, the winter wine brewed for the New Year's ancestral worship had been completed.

Three days prior, Madam Xu began to bathe and change her clothes, purifying her body and mind.

The clan's ritual officers had also arranged all the necessary preparations for the ceremony, awaiting the day's arrival.

Last New Year's Day, Wei Shao was delayed by military affairs and stayed in Xindu with Xiao Qiao, who had recently married, missing the ancestral worship.

Madam Xu had thought they would miss it again this year. Unexpectedly, they returned home a day early, just in time. She was overjoyed.

They arrived home late last night, and it was already deep into the night. After hastily tidying up in the west room and taking a bath, Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao went to sleep. Due to the tiring journey, Xiao Qiao fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Early the next morning, while it was still dark outside and before the fifth watch, Xiao Qiao, preoccupied with thoughts, suddenly woke up from her sleep. Opening her eyes, she saw the silver candle quietly burning in the room, but Wei Shao was no longer by her side.

There was an early morning ancestral worship at the family temple, and he had many tasks today. He must have quietly gotten up at some point.

Xiao Qiao sat up, hugging the quilt, lost in thought.

On this day last year, she was in Xindu and did not participate in the Wei family's ancestral worship.

Now that she was back, as Wei Shao's wife, she naturally should participate in today's family event.

But Xiao Qiao hadn't forgotten that when she first arrived at the Wei family as a new bride last year, Wei Shao had not taken her to worship at the family temple.

According to the rites, her wedding was still missing the final and crucial step: worshipping at the husband's family temple as a new bride.

Only after worshipping at the family temple would she truly be recognized and accepted by the husband's family.

Of course, Xiao Qiao herself didn't care much for such formalities. A year had passed, and she had long forgotten about this matter.

But today was a special day. Facing the possibility of being barred from the family temple again, she couldn't help but recall the past.

Because they arrived so late last night, the news of their return only reached Madam Xu after they had already paid their respects briefly and retired to the west room. Thus, Madam Xu hadn't mentioned this morning's event at the time.

Xiao Qiao guessed that Madam Xu would likely take her to the family temple worship.

But she wasn't so sure about Wei Shao.

From the fact that he had quietly gotten up early without a word to her, she increasingly felt that he still didn't want her, a Qiao, to step into the Wei family temple.

While Xiao Qiao was hesitating, there was a soft sound of footsteps outside the door, and then the door opened. Chun Niang led the maidservants in behind the screen.

"Madam, it's time to get up. If you sleep any longer, you might miss the family temple worship."

Chun Niang approached the bed with a smile, lifting the bed curtain and signaling the maidservants to place the clothes they had brought.

Xiao Qiao glanced at them.

It was a set of pale green silk ceremonial robes for women.

Chun Niang said, "The Lord got up at the fourth watch and told the maids not to disturb you, letting you sleep a bit longer. Seeing that it was about time, I came to wake you up."Xiao Qiao remained silent, got out of bed, and after washing up, changed into her deep silk garment. She ate a few bites of the breakfast that had been brought to her. The sky was still dark, and just as she was about to head to the north room, she heard the servant at the door call out "Lord." Turning her head, she saw Wei Shao enter.

He was also dressed in a full set of black ceremonial attire. A long crown, an outer dark robe, and an inner garment with crimson-edged collar and sleeves.

The ceremonial attire was solemn, making him appear even more tall and upright, with bright eyes and a vigorous spirit, exuding the dignified demeanor of a family patriarch.

Xiao Qiao then approached him, calling him "husband."

Wei Shao glanced at her and smiled, "Grandmother should be almost ready. We should go now."

Xiao Qiao nodded and followed him out the door, heading towards the north room.

From the fifth watch, all the main gates of the Wei residence, including the main gate, ceremonial gate, and inner gate, had been opened. Lanterns, starting from the main gate, were lit like a fiery dragon along the pathway, illuminating the entire Wei residence.

When they reached the flower gate of the west room, Xiao Qiao saw from afar that the inner courtyard was also brightly lit. As she habitually lifted her skirt while stepping up the stairs, she noticed a hand reaching out from the side. Looking up, she saw Wei Shao had stopped and was looking back at her.

It was early and cold, but Xiao Qiao felt a warmth in her heart and placed her hand into his equally warm palm.

Wei Shao held her hand, leading her up the stairs and across the threshold, only letting go when they reached the door of Madam Xu's main room.

They entered the room. Madam Xu had already risen. She accepted their bows, her eyes scanning their faces with satisfaction, and smiled, "Very good. Let's go now. The relatives must be waiting."

...

The Wei family ancestral hall was located in a separate large courtyard to the west of the Wei residence. The five vermilion gates, usually closed, were wide open this morning. The Wei clan members had already gathered here, waiting in the side pavilions, men and women separated, filling two rooms, all holding their breath, silent.

Xiao Qiao stepped into this courtyard for the first time, feeling an immediate sense of darkness and chill.

She followed Madam Xu and Wei Shao, under the gaze of many eyes, along the wide green pathway into the ancestral hall. The pines and cypresses were lush, solemn and dignified. On either side of the hall's entrance platform stood two ancient, mottled bronze incense burners, half a person's height, already burning with abundant incense, two plumes of blue smoke rising from their mouths, the air filled with the strong scent of incense.

The Wei family steward had already led people to wait. They respectfully welcomed Madam Xu and the lord and lady inside. Inside, the candles were brilliant, above the ancestral tablets hung a horizontal plaque reading "Ancestral Virtue Flows," with a pair of divine couplets on either side: "Reverence and Brightness Bring Prosperity; Ancestors in Order Bestow Light." Below was the altar table. Behind the table were the ancestral tablets of the Wei family through the generations. The founding ancestor was in the center, with subsequent generations arranged in order, father and son in sequence.

At the end of the densely packed rows of ancestral tablets, Xiao Qiao saw two names she was all too familiar with: "The Spirit Tablet of the Late Honorable Wei Jing" and "The Spirit Tablet of the Late Wei Bao."

These two tablets were erected in Wei Shao's name, omitting all titles, simple and clear.

Xiao Qiao quietly glanced at Wei Shao beside her.

His expression was solemn, almost expressionless. His eyes, looking past Madam Xu's figure as she devoutly offered incense to the ancestors, rested on the two black, heavy wooden spirit tablets.Madam Xu finished her incense offering and prayers, followed by Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao. Xiao Qiao knelt on the cushion laid out before the ancestral shrine, performed the grand ritual, and then, free from distractions, calmed her mind and respectfully offered incense and wine. She closed her eyes and sincerely prayed.

After the worship ceremony concluded, as she stepped out of the family temple, Xiao Qiao instinctively glanced back.

At that moment, the sky was fully bright, and the first rays of the New Year's sun burst forth from behind the clouds, illuminating the ridge of the temple's main hall. The light was bright and glorious, instantly dispelling the dark and cold feeling that had lingered in Xiao Qiao's heart.

...

On New Year's Day, after Wei Shao finished worshiping at the ancestral temple, he went straight to the government office to receive New Year's greetings from the local officials and military officers who had rushed to pay their respects.

Xiao Qiao was no less busy than him that day.

Madam Zhu was still under house arrest, ostensibly for health reasons, and did not even attend the morning ancestral worship.

Madam Xu now rarely received guests. Additionally, due to the early morning worship at the ancestral temple, she felt somewhat fatigued and rested afterward. Xiao Qiao thus fully took on the responsibilities of the mistress of the Wei household, entertaining the noblewomen of Yuyang City who came to offer their New Year's greetings from morning till evening. It wasn't until dusk that she finally had some free time. After drinking some tea, she went to the north room to attend to Madam Xu's dinner. Madam Xu asked about her recent trip to Yanzhou. Xiao Qiao shared what she could. Upon hearing that Madam Ding had recovered from her illness, Madam Xu was also pleased. After dinner, Madam Xu looked at Xiao Qiao and said with concern, "You must be tired from the journey. You arrived late last night and have been busy since early morning. Go back now. When Shao Er returns, tell him not to come here either. Both of you should rest early."

Xiao Qiao agreed. Seeing Madam Xu repeatedly urging her, she finally stood up and left, returning to the west room. After bathing and changing into casual clothes, she let out a sigh of relief and finally relaxed.

Wei Shao returned late at night after the banquet, when the sky was pitch black.

He must have drunk a lot, as his steps were unsteady.

Xiao Qiao had been waiting for him in the room. Hearing the servants outside, she hurried out to greet him.

Wei Shao leaned on her shoulder as they entered the room, then lay down on the bed, closing his eyes and remaining motionless.

Seeing how heavily drunk he was, his face flushed and his breath reeking of alcohol, Xiao Qiao didn't have the heart to scold him. She helped him remove his boots and socks, personally wrung out a warm towel, and carefully wiped his face. After finishing his face, she wiped his hands and feet, covered him with a blanket, and then went out to dismiss the maids and servants. After returning to the room and closing the door, she undressed, got into bed, and gently lay down beside him.

She closed her eyes slowly, breathing in the faint aroma of alcohol that gradually filled the air from his breath.

In the middle of the night, she was awakened by the man beside her.

In the darkness, Wei Shao used his hot hands to explore her body, then pressed her down, urgently parting her legs without any foreplay. He entered her.

The two had gradually become familiar with each other's bodies. But each time he first entered, even if she was already wet, it often took a while for her to fully adapt to his intrusion.

He had also started to care about her feelings. Previously, he would always be affectionate with her first.

But now, in the darkness, he seemed to have reverted to the Wei Shao who disregarded her at the beginning.His breath was rapid, his exhales brushing against her face, and Xiao Qiao could still catch a whiff of alcohol. His body was scorching hot, like a furnace pressing against her delicate skin. When his chest pressed tightly against her soft bosom, Xiao Qiao heard a low, contented moan escape his throat.

He entered her fiercely, his hands gripping her waist so tightly it felt as though it might break. His breathing was heavy, like that of an ox. In the end, Xiao Qiao was reduced to soft, whimpering sobs. When he finally finished and his breathing gradually steadied, Xiao Qiao’s sobs also slowly subsided. Feeling her face and body covered in a sticky layer of what she couldn’t tell was tears or sweat, she felt extremely uncomfortable. She moved his arm that was wrapped around her and sat up from his embrace, intending to get up and clean herself.

But Wei Shao’s arm suddenly reached out again, pulling her back firmly against his chest.

“From the day you married me, you became a member of the Wei family. From now on, have no further dealings with Yanzhou. I will protect you for a lifetime.”

In the darkness, Xiao Qiao heard Wei Shao speak these words.