The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Tears of the Beauty
The two of them were left in the bathhouse.
The candle fire on the lampstand burned quietly, giving off a warm yellow light, with a thin white mist condensing into water droplets swirling between the two of them. Separated by this layer of slowly drifting mist, he stared so gloomily at Xiao Qiao in the bath vat, the atmosphere oppressive and eerie.
The water in the bath vat was still hot, and Xiao Qiao was soaked within it, yet she suddenly felt cold. Her neck was closely clung to by her wet long hair, and the chill in the air seemed to penetrate into her skin through her hair. The skin of her shoulders and chest exposed outside the water surface subsequently broke out into tiny goosebumps one by one, and even the nipples beneath the water surface seemed to sense this chill that was slowly spreading downward, quietly standing erect.
Thereupon, she unobtrusively shrank down a bit, letting the water surface submerge both of her shoulders. However, just as her body moved slightly, that man came over, striding to the front of the bath vat in a few steps. With a peng sound, his two hands braced separately against the edge of the bath vat as if smashing down. Affected by his force, the water surface suddenly arose with trembling ripples. He bent his body down, pressing his gaze into her eyes, and in a tone that seemed to have suppressed anger with extreme effort, he said tooth by tooth, word by word: "In order to rescue you out, beneath the city walls of Shiyi, how many of my generals and soldiers were lost, do you know? Wei Liang, who roams the world invincible, also almost lost his life! How dare you be watery-natured to this extent, concealing from me and secretly passing messages and intimacy with Liu Yan of Langya!"
Xiao Qiao’s shoulders shook slightly, and her heart immediately leaped wildly.
Sure enough, he still found out about this matter! She just did not expect it would be this quick.
With him bending his body and pressing down like this, the distance between the two of them was suddenly compressed extremely close; she even clearly felt another wave of ice-cold air rushing directly against her face as he pressed down.
Her face still bore a damp layer of mist, and water droplets were rolling down along her eyebrows, falling onto her eyelashes. Not caring to wipe it, she hurriedly leaned backward until her back pressed against the wall of the vat behind her, only then stopping, tilting her face up to look at him and saying: "Can you allow me to come out and put on my clothes first, and then I will explain it for you to listen?"
Wei Shao stared at her eyes for a moment, and subsequently, his gaze shifted downward along her pink cheek that was covered in a hazy water mist, sweeping extremely disrespectfully toward the smoothly undulating curves of her chest outlined by the slightly rising and falling water surface.
Xiao Qiao followed his gaze to cast a glance down, and swiftly shrank beneath the water once more, only revealing a section of her neck.
Seeing the situation, the corners of Wei Shao’s lips twisted slightly, revealing an expression that carried a distinct, malicious mockery. He no longer looked at her, straightening his body, turning around, brushing his sleeves, and leaving.
"Go dress her!"
His voice rang out from outside, almost roaring.
Xiao Qiao supported the walls of the vat with both hands, and with a huala sound, stood up from the water, water droplets splashing down one after another along her cream-like skin. Her warm skin was suddenly exposed bare to the air, and immediately arose with a layer of goosebumps. She threw a shudder, her legs also seeming a bit soft, and when she was climbing out of the bath vat trembling with both hands and feet, Chun Niang walked in hurriedly, assisting her out.
Xiao Qiao randomly and hurriedly wiped her soaking wet hair, while Chun Niang helped wipe her body and put on clothes.
Her fingers touched Xiao Qiao, and could feel her ice-cold like water.
"Lady... the male master's anger is heavy... it is better to let this servant remain by your side..."
Chun Niang lowered her head to tie the clothing belt for her, her hands shaking slightly, only managing to get it done after tying it several times.
Xiao Qiao shook her head, leaning close to her ear: "Do not worry for me. I can handle it. You go."
Chun Niang hesitated for a moment, and finally pressed to her ear: "In that case, this servant will remain outside the door, and will also pay attention to the movements inside the room. If there is anything improper, this servant will come in."
Xiao Qiao lowered her head to check over her clothing lapel, and seeing no abnormality, closed her eyes to steady her mind, exhaled a long breath, and walked out.
Chun Niang followed her out, cast an uneasy glance at Wei Shao whose face opposite was gloomy, bowed her body, and walked out moving three times for every step, using the back of her hand to gently pull closed the door.
Wei Shao’s shoulders shifted slightly.
"Husband, you should be able to allow me to call you husband? I know where your anger lies, and hope you will listen to my explanation."
Xiao Qiao opened her mouth before he could speak, walking a few steps toward him, finally stopping by the side of a lampstand a few steps away from him, looking into his eyes and speaking, her tone soft. If one listened carefully, one could even hear a bit of an entreating meaning.
The distance between the two of them was also just right—several arms away. It was neither too far, flowing into estrangement, nor close to the point of causing each other discomfort.
Wei Shao at first seemed slightly startled, his brow subsequently furrowing, but in the end, he still did not say anything, his face remaining iron-green.
"I think you should already know that on that day in the Qiuji relay post, the person who initially hijacked me was indeed not Chen Rui, but the Heir of Langya, Liu Yan," Xiao Qiao continued to speak.
Wei Shao’s eyes narrowed slightly, saying coldly: "He followed you all the way, the groom has feelings and the bride has intent, you two are indeed as firm as gold and stone in affection.”
"You came in just now to question me, and I then guessed you had misunderstood. Between me and Heir Liu, there was indeed a marriage contract in the past, but we have not met for several years already, let alone having had private interactions. At the beginning of the year when my uncle celebrated his birthday, he traveled a thousand li to come to my home, and at that time the two of us did not meet either. This matter is absolutely true and certain, you can go investigate and verify it. This time he suddenly revealed himself to abduct me, I was also completely caught unawares, by no means having had an agreement with him beforehand. What I say, sentence by sentence is true, if there is a single word against my heart, the Heavens punish me!"
Her tone was neither fast nor slow, and after finishing she looked at the opposite Wei Shao. Wei Shao also stared at her.
The two of them crossed eyes for a moment.
His gaze was still somewhat sinister, yet she was extremely candid, without the slightest dodging.
Gradually, the lines of his originally hard face that was close to freezing finally softened somewhat.
Xiao Qiao’s heart had just relaxed a bit, yet she heard him say coldly again: "Yet I have heard that that Heir of Langya lived for a long time in the Qiao family of Dongjun since his youth to avoid disaster. Since you two were together morning and night, mutual affection pleased each other, and already had a marriage contract long ago, why make today's ugly situation? Why should I, Wei Shao, worry about having no wife, as to marry a woman whose heart has other concerns into the gate of my Wei family? The Qiao family actually dares to humiliate me like this, viewing me as what?"
"Husband, you have misunderstood again," Xiao Qiao watched him, speaking.
"I do not deny that my acquaintance with Heir Liu has indeed a long origin. Humans are not grass or trees; living together for long, how could one be completely unmoved? Only, between me and Heir Liu, it is already the past. Just now I also told you, over these past two years as my age gradually grew, on the contrary, I became increasingly estranged from him. As for the two families of Qiao and Wei, who is currently strong and who is weak, you and I both know very well, and here with me there is nothing that cannot be said. My Qiao family desires to borrow your strength, and only because of this used marriage to seek good relations; from where comes, and how dare there be the so-called humiliation? Since I obeyed the words of my family elders and resolved to marry you, how could I be half-hearted? I truly entered the gate of your Wei family with a pure body and a single-minded heart, my heart is like the sun and moon, brightly visible."
"You certainly have grown a tongue capable of speaking and managing words. It is entirely my fault then." Wei Shao's face was still taut, "Since you have a clear conscience, it has been many days since I rescued you back from Shiyi to now, why have you kept it hidden and not told me the truth all this time?"
"The night you conquered Shiyi, you came to see me. At that time I thought in my heart that as long as you asked about my being abducted on the road, I would immediately tell you the truth. Only, you did not mention a single sentence at that time, and upon opening your mouth told me to recover from my injuries well and not to be anxious to head north for the time being. After finishing speaking you left in a hurry, from where would I have the opportunity to open my mouth? You should retain an impression of the situation at that time."
Wei Shao snorted, "What about returning to Xindu? Why have you not mentioned a single half-sentence until now?"
"Husband, during these days since I followed you back to Xindu, I have been inside this Shayang Residence all day long, not taking a single step out. You, however, have been busy and bustling, and after returning, you and I have never met. It is only at this moment that I am able to see your face for the first hui. I also know you do not welcome me; even if I had the intent, from where would I have the opportunity and courage to go find you to take the initiative to mention this kind of matter?"
Wei Shao’s expression stiffened slightly.
Xiao Qiao also fell silent, lowering her eyes. After a moment, her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she quietly raised her eyes, casting a swift glance at him, happening to collide into his gaze.
He was currently frowning and looking at herself.
"Actually, just a moment before..."
She cast a glance toward the direction of the door, and her voice also raised slightly.
"I was just mentioning this matter with Chun Niang. I truly had the intent to let you know, yet feared you would not believe it; if I said it myself, it would instead cause you to arise suspicions, and then I would be unable to clear myself even with a hundred mouths. I did not expect it to be so coincidental, that just right now, husband, you came in aggressively to question me..."
Her voice lowered down, gradually fading into hiding. A trace of grievance was revealed in her gaze, and she gently bit her red lips, slowly lowering her eyes, standing before him with her hands bound to her side, just like a submissive young deer.
For a long while, Wei Shao’s expression softened further, only his gaze was still heavy.
"What you said, is it true?"
Xiao Qiao once again slowly raised her eyes, looking at each other with him.
"I know you dislike me in your heart, and marrying me was even less out of your original intent; presumably you have also never thought of truly treating me as a wife. But I am different. Leaving my maternal family and stepping into the gate of my husband's family, I have never thought that there is a road to turn back. Becoming your wife, I naturally ought to restrain myself and offer propriety. It is only that some matters are truly not something that I, a weak woman, can turn around with my own strength alone. This accident on the road this time was truly not my wish, yet what else could I do? The action of Heir Liu, although also improper, should have stemmed from not forgetting old matters, and he still treated me with propriety. By the time I through twists and turns fell into the hands of that fellow Chen Rui, it was just like having a jackal or wolf by my side; in order to avoid suffering defilement, what I could do was also nothing more than trembling with fear to barely protect myself, delaying for a moment as a moment counted..."
She paused for a moment, her tone turning into a low, mournful lament.
"At that time, who could bestow even half a part of sympathy upon my despair and terror? Fortunately, in the end you came timely, and I finally avoided misfortune. But to cause you to lose generals and soldiers like this, it is indeed my fault..."
……
This Wei Shao, for reasons unknown, must have found out about the matter of her initially being hijacked by Liu Yan, which was why he had burst in so furiously to make trouble. Xiao Qiao's previous actions were originally nothing more than playing along to dispel his doubts, lest her future days become even harder. It was only that when recounting to the end, remembering the terror and helplessness when trapped in that desperate strait, and the pain of her flesh being burned by the candle fire during her self-rescue, and before her eyes there again surfaced her father and brother's immense reluctance to let her go when she married and left home, her nose turned sour, and she could not help but have her eye sockets turn slightly red.
"You were originally reluctant when you married me anyway. If you truly do not believe it, and now resent me for implicating your generals and soldiers, you might as well just divorce me back to Yanzhou!"
She finally raised her volume again, finishing her words in a trembling voice. It could be seen that although she was forcefully enduring, biting her lip with all her might until her originally flower-petal-like lower lip was bitten white, in the end, a crystal tear droplet as large as a bean still disobediently broke out of her eyes, suddenly rolling down along one side of her beautiful cheek.