The Prisoner of Beauty

His chest was also drenched in sweat, as if every pore on his skin was continuously emitting steam.

Xiao Qiao's equally flushed cheek rested upon it, her ear clearly sensing the rapid, unsteady beats of his heart that had yet to calm down from its intense throbbing.

She closed her eyes.

"Otherwise?" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse.

Wei Shao did not respond.

The silence in the darkness stretched on, inch by inch, like an invisible yet tangible undercurrent, silently enveloping Xiao Qiao's entire being.

Suddenly, she felt a chill and shivered slightly. The skin on her arms and back seemed to break out in tiny goosebumps, and she realized her sweat-drenched body was still completely bare.

What had been warm and damp now felt cold with sweat.

She moved Wei Shao's heavy arm, which had been resting on her waist and back, and groped for the clothes that had been removed earlier. She put them back on, climbed out of bed, and lit a candle.

Wei Shao remained lying on the bed, his forehead glistening with sweat. The candlelight reflected in his deep, dark eyes as he gazed at her.

Xiao Qiao slowly knelt beside him, meeting his gaze directly.

"I'm afraid my answer will disappoint you, my husband. Yanzhou means nothing to me. But the bond with my parents cannot be severed just because I am married. Even if my husband is you, I cannot do it."

Her tone was calm, yet each word was spoken clearly and distinctly.

Wei Shao did not move. His gaze seemed to gradually solidify, fixed intently on her face.

"I do not wish to hide anything from you, my husband. When I woke up this morning and opened my eyes, I felt a sense of unease when I did not see you by my side. Do you know why? Because I remembered the time a year ago when I first came to the Wei family, and you refused to take me to the ancestral temple to pay respects to our ancestors. I thought, even now, you still held the same sentiment. It wasn’t until I saw you appear and take my hand to lead me into Grandmother’s room that I felt at ease, and I was even more grateful to you. But I never expected that, before the warmth of our intimacy had even faded, you would make such a request of me..."

She paused, steadying the indescribable bitterness she felt in her heart.

"There are some things, my husband, that I have only dared to think about in my heart but never dared to speak of in front of you. I was afraid of accidentally touching upon your sensitivities. But since you have just now revealed your thoughts to me, I imagine you would not want to hear me speak insincerely in front of you either. So I will speak my mind openly."

She took a deep breath and once again met Wei Shao's gaze, which was fixed upon her.

Perhaps the intense passion from moments ago had gradually subsided, for his gaze now seemed somewhat empty, so much so that it felt cold to her.

Xiao Qiao said, "I dare not claim to fully understand the emotions you felt this morning when paying respects to your ancestors. It is true that my Qiao family once betrayed our alliance, causing you to suffer the profound pain of losing your loved ones. This is something my father has never denied, and he deeply regrets it. When my Qiao family sought to reconcile through marriage with you, it was indeed to resolve the crisis in Yanzhou at the time, but was it not also an attempt to mend relations with the Wei family? After all, those involved in the past are long gone, and my grandfather, who was part of it, has long since passed away. What else can we, the surviving descendants of the Qiao family, do but strive to reconcile and hope to resolve the longstanding enmity between our families?"Her voice gradually grew more impassioned: "I know my status is lowly, merely a woman. Even if I were to serve you with my body, it could never make up for the pain of losing your loved ones. But marriage is a union between two families. When the Wei family accepted the marriage, in my father's eyes, it meant that the Wei family acknowledged the marital alliance, as if a reconciliation had been reached. Naturally, I dare not think so highly of myself. But ever since I married into your family, I have walked on thin ice, trembling with fear, restraining myself and adhering to propriety. My only thought has been to serve my husband and the elders of the household as best as I could, so as not to betray my father's intentions when he married me off to foster goodwill. I search my heart and believe I have not committed any major faults in my daily conduct. To be honest, though I am busy and utterly exhausted, this morning when my husband treated me so tenderly, my heart was filled with joy. I even began to believe that as long as I persevered, I might not dare to hope for my husband's love to extend to my family, but one day, slowly, we could put aside the old grudges between our families. It didn’t seem like a pipe dream. But then, unexpectedly, my husband suddenly demanded that I sever all ties with my maternal family! I know my husband has treated me exceptionally well, and I should be grateful. However, everyone is born with parents. Forgive my bluntness, but Manman cannot understand or accept this."

Xiao Qiao finally finished speaking the words that had been weighing on her heart for so long. Suddenly, the suffocating bitterness that had nearly brought her to tears was completely released, and she felt a sense of relief.

She still looked quite disheveled: her clothes were in disarray, her long hair was messy, and her cheeks and eyelashes still bore traces of tears. The exposed snow-white skin on her chest, where her collar was not properly fastened, was covered with the pitiful marks of his recent rough affection.

Yet, the gaze she directed at Wei Shao gradually became unusually calm.

...

Xiao Qiao knew she must have offended Wei Shao. Not just offended, but deeply offended.

Some words, even if expressed in the most tactful manner, perhaps should have remained buried in her heart forever.

Even if she wanted to say them, it would have been best never to let a man know.

But this time, she spoke them. It was the first time since marrying him that she was not being insincere, not saying one thing while meaning another, nor offering sweet words. Instead, she responded to him with her true thoughts.

Every time Wei Shao entered the family shrine, he might experience a pain that no one else could truly understand. So today, he was in a bad mood again. That’s why he came back drunk and took possession of her.

If she were smart enough, she should have done as she had before—find a way to please him, to make him follow her lead, and eventually retract the words he had spoken.

Though tonight would not be easy, it was not impossible.

But she no longer wanted to.

Those words, even if both of them already knew them deep down, if left unspoken, there would always be a thin veil between them, no matter how intimate they were.

It was like nurturing a festering wound with an intact surface—seemingly fine, but actually filled with pus inside.

Since he had finally, nakedly expressed the deep-seated hatred he had buried in his heart, she responded in kind, letting him know her true thoughts.

Perhaps tonight was not the best timing. But who could say what the so-called "right timing" truly was?

She really wanted to say it. So she did.

...Wei Shao's gaze lingered on her face, as if he had never known her or seen her before.

Then, as if feeling a headache, Xiao Qiao saw him close his eyes, raise his arm, and rub his forehead with a slow, sluggish motion.

Next, he suddenly sat up, turned over, got out of bed, and began to put on his clothes.

Xiao Qiao knew he was fully conscious at this moment. Because his eyes were clear.

But his body seemed not yet fully awakened from the hangover and the intense passion they had shared just moments ago.

He casually dressed himself, not bothering with his belt, and headed for the door, but his steps faltered, and he bumped into a nearby clothes rack.

The rack's legs scraped against the floor, emitting a brief, sharp sound.

Xiao Qiao hurriedly got out of bed and chased after him, supporting his arm from behind.

"Where are you going, my lord?"

Wei Shao stopped in his tracks, slowly turned his head, and glanced at her.

Her gaze was filled with concern.

Wei Shao felt even more agitated. Shock, disappointment, anger, and a hint of shame from being harshly contradicted yet unable to retort—now he even had a splitting headache.

He felt he could no longer tolerate this daughter of the Qiao family.

Women truly should not be treated too well, he vaguely thought to himself.

He stared at the hand Xiao Qiao was using to grip his arm, expecting her to let go out of propriety. But to his surprise, she held on tightly, refusing to release him.

"I know you're angry with me, my lord. But anger aside, it's only the fourth watch, you're still drunk, and it's cold outside. Please don't go out."

She spoke, looking up at him.

Wei Shao coldly regarded her for a moment, then raised his hand to remove her grip from his arm. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Your heart and eyes are only for your Qiao family. Why keep me here? I'll go to the study, so as not to disturb your peace."

With that, he turned and quickly left the room.

Xiao Qiao chased him to the door, watching as his figure swiftly disappeared down the corridor leading to the study.

...

On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Wei Shao rewarded the soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the battle of Shangdang at the end of the previous year, hosting a grand feast to honor the troops.

On the seventh day, Wei Shao left Yuyang to patrol the border. He did not return to Yuyang until after the Lantern Festival.

Xiao Qiao had also been busy during this time and only began to find some leisure after the Lantern Festival.

That morning, Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao, who had just returned to Yuyang the previous day, went to the north hall together. They had breakfast with Madam Xu. After the meal, they chatted for a while, and when they were about to take their leave, Wei Shao suddenly said, "Grandmother, I will likely be leaving for Jinyang in a few days. I wanted to let you know in advance."

Xiao Qiao glanced at him discreetly. She saw his gaze fixed on Madam Xu, his expression serious.

Madam Xu was slightly surprised and said, "Wasn't it originally planned for you to leave after the first month? Why the sudden urgency?"

Wei Shao replied, "Jinyang is a large and complex place. Zhang Jian and Li Chong sent a letter yesterday urging me to go as soon as possible. Many matters remain unresolved."

Madam Xu thought for a moment and said, "Since it's official business, it's right for you to go earlier. How long will you be gone this time?"

"At least two or three months, possibly up to half a year. It's hard to say for sure."

Madam Xu nodded and said, "Since it will be a long time, and you're not going to Jinyang for military purposes, why not let your wife accompany you? That way, you'll have someone to take care of you there."Wei Shao said, "It would be better for her to stay at home. Grandmother is advanced in years, and serving her should come first. I will be fine."

Madam Xu glanced at Xiao Qiao, thought for a moment, and then said, "Very well. Let the granddaughter-in-law stay at home. It’s not that I need her to attend to me, but I don’t want her to endure the hardships of such a long journey with you. Let her stay at home!"