The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Living Together
This mansion of the Wei family not only possessed the vastness and magnificence customary of the residences of great and wealthy families in the north, but also inherited the architectural standards of listed marquises. The grand gate opened across three bays, covered above with a hip-and-gable roof, supported below by a giant stone pedestal, with the beams and ties decorated with colorful Kui dragon paintings, and a pair of half-man-high bronze raging lions lined up on each side of the gate. The front hall was grand and massive, and the various living quarters in the rear estate were also neatly separated by courtyard walls, connected in the middle by courtyards, the overall layout being bright and open.
The person with the highest status in the Wei family was undoubtedly Old Madame Xu, who was currently still residing in Wuzhong. Old Madame Xu’s residence was located exactly in the center-north, and was currently vacant. Wei Shao’s mother, Madame Zhu, resided in the east, and Xiao Qiao was settled in the opposite western chambers.
The western chambers were named "chambers," but were in fact a not-small independent courtyard residence; crossing two gates, passing through the heavy courtyards and the left and right wing-rooms, one finally arrived at the most private bedchamber, with side rooms and small courtyards, none not fully equipped.
Inside the western chambers were a dozen or so maidservants and servants, who gathered together outside the door to kneel and welcome Xiao Qiao, calling her Lady with their mouths.
Although this return held no prior notification, the inside and outside of the chambers were entirely clean, and inside the bedchamber it was even more unstained by a single speck of dust.
From now on, Xiao Qiao would reside here long-term.
When Chun Niang and the maidservants were storing away the baggage, Xiao Qiao noticed that several sets of men's clothing as well as some daily utensils were left in the room.
It looked like when Wei Shao was at home in the past, he also ordinarily lived in this room.
When in Xindu, in front of Zhong Ou, Wei Shao had publicly lived separately from her, without the slightest intent to conceal it, showing that he fundamentally did not care how his family viewed the husband-and-wife relationship between the two of them. Coupled with his consistent slights toward her, Xiao Qiao deduced that next, he should also not force himself to live in the same room with her.
To her, a "Lady" who had only recently newlywed, this was naturally a kind of humiliation. By tomorrow, the servants throughout the Wei family would presumably take her as a topic of gossip behind her back.
A tree has its bark, and a person has their face-skin. A tree cannot live without its bark, and if a person loses this face-skin, although they will not die, it is inevitably unsightly.
Xiao Qiao was also a vulgar person. Newly arrived, who would be willing to become a laughingstock in the eyes of others after passing one night? If she could make one up herself, she would be willing to do so even if it were hard work.
But precisely this kind of matter was not something she could solve alone. It was estimated that Wei Shao wished nothing more than to swat her to death like a fly so his eyes could be clean, then she could only try her best to open her mind.
Fortunately, her mind was big enough, and she would not drill into a bull's horn herself; this was probably Xiao Qiao’s greatest advantage besides this outer skin-bag.
Therefore, she specially gave an instruction to Chun Niang, letting her organize all the things Wei Shao had left behind previously and store them to one side, waiting for him to send someone over to fetch them away.
……
Wei Shao threw her to the manager with a single word, and for the entire day, the person disappeared.
The master of the Wei family naturally could not have any good feelings toward the Qiao woman. The subordinates ought to be likewise. But it did not include all of the subordinates.
Even if money could not buy people's hearts, buying people to open their mouths to speak was still not difficult.
Back then in Xindu, those servants in the Xin Palace mostly came from the local area and did not know about the matters of the Yuyang Wei family. The few who had followed Zhong Ou over, because of their dread of Zhong Ou, also spoke hesitatingly and were unwilling to disclose much. After settling down here, Chun Niang, relying on her ability to observe subordinates trained in the Qiao family, very quickly asked a servant-woman in the western chambers named Bing Nv for many detailed matters regarding the Wei family and Madame Zhu.
In current times, marriages were prevalent, and marriage paid attention to matching doors and households, especially great and wealthy families who valued this point even more. Therefore, compared to the Wei family, the natal family background of Madame Zhu was somewhat low; her father was initially only a postal officer in Zhuo Commandery, later joined the army, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General due to merit, being highly valued by Wei Shao’s grandfather. In a battle, he blocked a cold arrow for Wei Shao’s grandfather, which hit a vital spot, and he died without a cure. Wei Shao’s grandfather felt guilty coupled with gratitude, and seeing that the Zhu family had a daughter whose age and appearance were comparable to his eldest son Wei Jing, he then betrothed and married her into the gate as a wife.
After Madame Zhu entered the Wei family, she gave birth to two sons. The eldest son was Wei Bao, styled Bogong, and the second son was Wei Shao, styled Zhonglin. Ten years ago, she unfortunately lost her husband and eldest son at the same time. Madame Zhu suffered grief and pain, being slow to recover from the blow, and later somehow drew close to the Wu Zhuxian, believing in them very devoutly.
Old Madame Xu’s attitude toward Madame Zhu had always been neither cold nor hot. Madame Zhu also held some dread toward this Princess mother-in-law who came from the Zhongshan State. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were not close. In recent years, along with Wei Shao completely taking charge of the army, Old Madame Xu did not manage matters much; for more than half of the year, she lived in Wuzhong herself, leaving Madame Zhu alone to remain in the great Yuyang mansion.
By Madame Zhu’s side was raised an eighteen-year-old girl who had not yet married out, named Zheng Chuyu, who was Madame Zhu’s maternal niece. Zheng’s father was once a Minister of Agriculture, who unfortunately died early, and she fell into being an orphan girl to seek refuge with her maternal aunt. A few years ago, a Wu Zhuxian divination said that Zheng Chuyu was a lucky person in Madame Zhu’s life, and with her present, Madame Zhu could avoid misfortune and trend toward good fortune. It just so happened that at that time Madame Zhu fell ill, and Zheng Chuyu took care of her night and day, allowing Madame Zhu to recover. After fully healing, she then believed it without a doubt, liking her increasingly. Because Zheng Chuyu’s background was insufficient, she then let her son take her as a concubine. It was only that for reasons unknown, Wei Shao delayed and never took her, and Madame Zhu had kept Zheng Chuyu by her side over these past two years, her style and treatment being no different from Wei Shao’s concubines, and the family members all called her Zheng Shu.
"Lady, do you know why the Marquis of Yan is past weak-capping yet has delayed and not married a wife? Aside from this Zheng Shu, in the past there was actually another..."
Chun Niang leaned close to Xiao Qiao’s ear, and was just about to continue speaking when that servant-woman named Bing Nv came over hurriedly to pass a message, saying Madame Zhu had returned to the mansion from Yu Mountain and the male master had also returned, requesting the lady to go together to pay respects to the elder.
Chun Niang stopped.
Xiao Qiao had long since dressed properly and did not need to change clothes either. Gazing slightly into the mirror, she took a set of extremely well-made needlework that Chun Niang had prepared for her long ago, opened the door, and walked out.
Wei Shao was currently standing at the fork of the path leading to the eastern chambers, presumably waiting for her.
Aside from his battle robes on ordinary days, his civilian clothes seemed to be only worn in green. When in Xindu, several times Xiao Qiao had encountered him by chance, seeing him always in a set of green deep garments. Fortunately, that face was still worth looking at, so it was also not old-fashioned. At this moment he was also in a set of green deep garments, but compared to the one on Xiao Qiao’s body, the style was extremely loose, and a wide belt inlaid with white jade was bound at his waist, offsetting his narrow waist and broad back, his back profile straight; there happened to be wind attacking past his side, rolling up one side of his clothing lapel and robe corner, lacking the fierce rigidity when wearing battle robes normally, looking instead to have a few parts of a desolate and elegant meaning.
In fact, from the time Xiao Qiao heard Bing Nv pass the message to here, at most it had also not exceeded half a quarter of an hour; the path of the courtyard was not short, and walking also required consuming some time. He, however, seemed to have already waited very impatiently, his two hands clasped behind his back. Hearing the footsteps draw near, he turned his head to see her coming, turned his body, and walked toward the direction of the eastern chambers.
He strode quickly, coupled with his long legs, and very quickly pulled a stretch of road ahead of Xiao Qiao. Xiao Qiao at first accelerated her pace, but seeing she truly could not catch up, she said to his back profile: "Husband, can you walk a bit slower?"
Wei Shao seemed startled, stopped, turned his head, and glanced at her.
Xiao Qiao lifted her skirt hem, took a few rapid steps to catch up to his side, and smiled slightly: "In order to pay respects to the elder, I dressed formally; the skirt hem is slightly narrow, and I cannot walk fast. Husband, your stature is higher than mine and your legs and feet are also long; if you walk fast again, I can only run to chase."
Standing by his side now, her stature only reached his shoulder. In later generations, such tallness and pettiness could still earn a so-called "most cute height difference," but here, falling truly upon Xiao Qiao’s head, it was not so beautiful.
Wei Shao glanced at her again.
After she finished speaking, she pursed her mouth, the corners of her lips on both sides naturally upturning slightly, her eyes crystal clear, looking at him as if smiling.
Wei Shao in fact did not really want to pay heed. It was only that for reasons unknown, facing her he was somewhat unable to pull down his face. In the end, he barely gave an "un" sound, the expression on his face turning even stiffer and colder, lifting his chin slightly to signal her to follow him, turning around to walk forward once more.
This time his pace indeed slowed down. Xiao Qiao accompanied him very easily, stepping into the eastern chambers.
The servant-women in the eastern chambers were no fewer than twenty, all of whom had already gathered on both sides of the corridor. Seeing Wei Shao leading Xiao Qiao over from afar, they all came out to kneel on the ground. Under the gaze of a pile of eyes behind her that were either stunned, curious, or disdainful, Xiao Qiao followed Wei Shao into that grand room where Madame Zhu was located.
The furnishings in the room were fine and extravagant, and a strong scent of musk floated in the air. Wei Shao’s mother, Madame Zhu, after returning, should have already changed her outfit, sitting upright on that square couch opposite bordered by a red sandalwood low screen. She was in her early forties, slightly plump, clad in magnificent attire, with a head of pearls and kingfisher feathers; she should have been a beauty in her youth, and even now, her facial features were still very correct. It was only probably due to her year-round habit of keeping her face taut that the corners of her lips drooped slightly, and two deep legal lines were distributed on both sides, which made her not only show an old appearance but her countenance also carried a kind of arrogant expression. At her lower hand sat kneeling a woman clad in light purple, looking seventeen or eighteen years old; the color of the clothing well set off her fair complexion, and also offset her appearance to be more beautiful and elegant. Seeing Wei Shao enter, her face slightly flushed with a crimson hue, and she hurriedly arose from the couch to pay respects to him, calling him "Cousin" with her mouth, her posture quiet and refined, her tone tender and gentle.
Wei Shao responded faintly. The woman had just deliberately embellished herself a bit; seeing that he did not look at her much, a faint trace of disappointment appeared in her gaze, and subsequently looking toward Xiao Qiao, her gaze fixed slightly.
Xiao Qiao knew this woman should be that Zheng Shu, Wei Shao’s cousin. Taking a slight glance, she then arrived before Madame Zhu’s couch along with Wei Shao, standing to one side with her hands down.
Madame Zhu, from the time Xiao Qiao entered, acted as if she did not see her. She only revealed a joyful and affectionate smile to her son, gesturing with her hand to let him sit by her side, unceasingly scrutinizing him and stroking his arm, first clicking her tongue in heartache that her son had turned dark and thin again during this half-year, then asking about his daily diet and living, and finally asking about the military situations of the war. Wei Shao mentioned a few words briefly, and she then sighed: "I am but a woman; although I do not understand military situations, and you also speak of it smoothly, I nonetheless know the danger. Zhonglin, you must preserve yourself well, and by no means can there be any mishap."
Wei Shao comforted Madame Zhu with warm words for a few sentences.
Madame Zhu nodded: "Although this world is dangerous, only my son is a lucky person with a heavenly omen, protected by divine people, so I originally also had nothing to worry about; what I fear most, is precisely that the hearts of people are dangerous..."
She cast toward Xiao Qiao the first gaze since she entered, which was also a gaze filled with disgust and hatred.
"Zhonglin, if your father back then had not easily trusted others, he absolutely would also not have ended up in such a tragic state. Even now when I think of the deaths of your father and brother back then, my chest often plugs with pain, and even now I still cannot sleep at night, wishing I could eat the flesh of the enemy alive. You must firmly remember the mirror of the overturned cart ahead, and by no means can you lightly trust people again!"
That phrase "eat the flesh of the enemy alive," she almost gnashed her teeth, popping out word by word, her gaze embedded on Xiao Qiao’s face, already not just disgust and hatred, but faintly carrying a harsh expression, as if truly wanting to bite the flesh off her body bite by bite.
Xiao Qiao was originally prepared to be detested by Madame Zhu, but she had not expected that her detestation would be direct and ruthless to such an extent; encountering this for the first time in her life, her previous psychological construction was still not done adequately in place, and at this moment she could not help but throw a shudder, her face unconsciously turning slightly pale, and her fingertips also turned cold.
Wei Shao glanced at Xiao Qiao, saying to Madame Zhu: "Son has a sense of measure in his heart. Mother does not need to consider overmuch." He added, "Mother rushed back from the mountain today, and must also be tired on the road; son will bring the new bride to pay respects to you, and after it is finished, Mother can also rest earlier." Finishing speaking, he arose, standing before a kneeling cushion pre-laid before Madame Zhu’s couch.
Xiao Qiao steadied her mind, hurriedly came before the other cushion, and knelt down together with the man beside her, performing the kowtow salute toward Madame Zhu on the couch.
Madame Zhu kept her face dark, lowering her eyes to face her son, not looking toward Xiao Qiao in the slightest.
Xiao Qiao, after finishing the salute of paying respects along with the man beside her, could not yet arise; according to the rules, she offered up that prepared needlework with both hands, holding it high over her head, waiting for someone to come and receive it.
She lowered her head, holding her hands up for a long while, and there was consistently no movement. Until both of her arms began to turn sour and she was somewhat unable to hold it up, yet was still gnashing her teeth to persist, a hand extended over from the side, took it away, and placed it before Madame Zhu’s couch.
"Mother, if there is nothing else, the two of us will take our leave first."
Wei Shao’s voice rang out.
Xiao Qiao lowered her arms, slowly standing up from the kneeling cushion.
"She can go. You, however, remain. I still have words to say."
Madame Zhu said coldly.
Xiao Qiao performed a bowing salute toward the person on the couch, turned around silently, and went out.
"Yu'er, you also go out first; Aunt has a few words to say with your cousin."
Madame Zhu looked toward Zheng Chuyu who had been standing at the side just now, her face revealing a kind and gentle smile again as she spoke.
Zheng Chuyu cast a glance at Wei Shao, softly complied, performed a bowing salute toward the two of them, and followed out.
……
"Zhonglin! Tomorrow you are not truly going to take her to pay respects and sacrifice at the family temple, are you?"
With only the mother and son left in the room, Madame Zhu immediately asked.
Wei Shao was expressionless, spitting two words from his mouth: "How could it be!"
Madame Zhu seemed to exhale a breath of relief, snorting: "This is good then. I even thought you were deluded by this Qiao woman's beauty, forgetting the revenge for your father and brother back then! Just now I merely wanted to let her have some more embarrassment, yet you did well, receiving that thing on my behalf; who wants it! Seeing it strikes the eye!"
Wei Shao frowned slightly: "It is about enough. Son still has matters later, and always cannot be delayed here with her all the time. Mother dislikes it, throw it or clip it, according to Mother’s intent."
Madame Zhu, seeing that her son seemed somewhat displeased, then let it drop and changed her mouth: "This going of yours was another half-year; Yu'er misses you very much, tonight..."
"Tonight son will lodge in the Qiao woman’s room," Wei Shao interrupted Madame Zhu’s words, "Mother, son will tell you for the last time, son holds not a single half part of mind toward cousin; Mother had better find a suitable household early to marry cousin out. Lest she further empties and wastes the years of peach and plum, and regrets it late in the future days!"
Madame Zhu looked at her son in anger, and after a long while, said in rage: "Fine, I fed you with bitter toil to grow up, and you repay me like this? I am also not forcing you to do anything else, but merely letting you take Yu'er into your room, that is all. Your father’s lineage currently has only you as a single transmission; your age is already twenty and two, truly not small, and until now you have no offspring. Finally marrying a wife, you unexpectedly married a daughter of the Qiao family! I am unable to cross your grandmother; she made the decision, and I can only acknowledge it. Only, how can the daughter of such a family open branches and scatter leaves for my Wei family? Sooner or later she is to be divorced! Exactly where does Yu'er not suit your mind that you must anger me like this..."
Madame Zhu suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes abruptly widening.
"Could it be, you until now still hold that Su woman from the past unforgetting in your mind? Let alone delaying and not marrying, even calling you to take a concubine you push and pull with excuses!"
A shadow flashed past the depths of Wei Shao’s eyes, yet his countenance became increasingly indifferent, saying faintly: "Mother, you think too much! Son is outside, from the beginning to the end of the year, busy all day long with military affairs; from where comes the leisure to think of this wind, flower, snow, and moon? The matter of Chuyu, there is no need to mention it further in the future. Son has other matters, and takes leave first. It is appropriate for Mother to rest early."
Wei Shao bowed slightly toward Madame Zhu, turned his head, and left.
Madame Zhu stared at the back profile of her son departing, her face showing anger; suddenly catching a glimpse of that piece of needlework offered by Xiao Qiao still placed on the couch, she grabbed it up, operated the scissors with gnashing teeth, and with a kacha kacha clipped it into two sections, finally throwing it together with the scissors onto the ground.
……
Chun Niang was waiting for Xiao Qiao outside the courtyard of the eastern chambers; seeing her come out, she welcomed her up, accompanying her to walk silently for a stretch of road, and finally returned to the bedchamber where they resided. Dismissing the subordinates, only then did she inquire about the process just now.
Xiao Qiao had already steadied her mind, and Chun Niang also did not need to have concealment, briefly narrating the process of her seeing Madame Zhu just now.
Chun Niang was silent for a long while, saying: "Lady, the Madame hates the lady to this extent; wanting to obtain her joy, it is feared that there is no strength to reverse heaven. Currently one can only look at Old Madame Xu. If Old Madame Xu is also like this, Lady..."
She hesitated for a moment, leaning close to Xiao Qiao’s ear: "Has Lady thought of why not subtly serve the Marquis of Yan to obtain his shelter? Previously in Xindu, this servant then felt that although the Marquis of Yan, due to the old hatred of the two families, also treated the lady coldly, looking at him he seemed not to be a person who takes pleasure in abuse, nor an immensely evil fellow. This servant today heard what that Bing Nv said, that the Marquis of Yan, from the beginning to the end of the year, rarely has many days to remain here. The Madame hates to this extent already; if Old Madame Xu also shares the hatred, when the time comes and the Marquis of Yan leaves, leaving Lady alone by yourself, how can the days be passed?"
Xiao Qiao looked at Chun Niang, somewhat surprised at this advice she suddenly gave her.
Chun Niang lovingly stroked her long hair, sighing: "When this servant was still in Xindu, I then had the mind to want to advise the lady. This servant also knows that this wrongs the lady. Chun Niang is nothing more than a stupid and dull person, and the lady is a hundred times smarter than Chun Niang. If what I say is incorrect, the lady can just punish."
Xiao Qiao shook her head: "I know you are doing it for my good. Currently having just arrived, there is no rush. Wait until after having seen Old Madame Xu, then speak further."
She said with a smile.
……
Xiao Qiao was actually very tired on this day. But the scene when seeing Madame Zhu in the evening caused her to be slow to enter sleep that night.
She suddenly missed Da Qiao very much. More than any time in the past.
She lay on the bed alone, tossing and turning, thinking that in the previous life, Da Qiao should have also been sent back to Yuyang by Wei Shao’s people on the day after the wedding night, just like herself. Only, she did not encounter any accidents on the road, and in the end she came here alone. When she faced Madame Zhu by herself and encountered a scene like hers, how exactly did she get through it at that time? Thereafter for the next countless days and nights, how did she endure it by herself alone, until the final moment, being deposed by her nominal husband who had become the emperor, watching him establish another woman as empress, and then, in what kind of despair and sadness did she end her life by suicide?
Although knowing that in this lifetime, she would never encounter such a tragic fate again, inside Xiao Qiao’s heart, it was nonetheless still stuffed into a panic, feeling fortunate that in those last few months of last year, she had made such a correct decision.
She currently just missed Da Qiao very much, wanting extremely to know where she was, and how she and her lover Bi Zhi were living.
A burst of footsteps suddenly came from outside the door, sounding somewhat familiar.
It seemed…
Was it Wei Shao?
It was already very late now. He also had not sent anyone to fetch his things. Or was it that he did not need them, or, did he come to fetch them personally?
Xiao Qiao was somewhat bewildered, and while still pricking her ears to listen to the movement outside, the door seemed to be pushed by someone, but because she had latched it from the inside, it could not be pushed open.
"Lady! The Lord Marquis has arrived!"
Chun Niang’s voice transmitted over.
Xiao Qiao’s heart gave a thud.
It was indeed him!
"Coming!"
She responded, swiftly sat up from the bed, pulled a piece of clothing to cover her body, hurriedly concealed the clothing lapel well, tied her belt, went down to the floor, and went over to open the door.
Sure enough, Wei Shao was standing outside the door.
"The Lord Marquis rests here."
Chun Niang entered hurriedly, her face carrying a slightly joyful expression, saying to Xiao Qiao in a low voice.
This was truly somewhat unexpected. While Xiao Qiao was in consternation, Wei Shao, with a face carrying weariness, had already stepped and crossed in, straight into the bathhouse, saying: "Bring my clothing in—
He took two steps, and suddenly caught a glimpse of his own clothing and remaining daily utensils that had been organized and neatly folded up to be placed on the table, stopped his footsteps, slowly turned his head, and looked toward Xiao Qiao.
Xiao Qiao instantly had a face of black lines. Hurriedly walking over to block in front, she explained in a tone as matter-of-fact as possible: "The servant-woman said here has not been lived in for long, and I feared creating mold or growing bugs; during the day I drove bugs in various places, and at that time temporarily took out your clothing and placed it to the side, and just now forgot to put it back..."
Wei Shao stared at her all along.
She could not help but turn slightly short of breath, her voice also becoming lower and lower. After finishing her explanation, she saw him twitch the corners of his mouth, revealing that expression she was a bit familiar with again.
"Put them back, from now on I will live here!"
Wei Shao finished speaking, turned his head, and walked toward the bathhouse.