The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Wei Shao sat upright behind the desk upon the couch. Upon the left-hand side of the desk were piled layer upon layer of bamboo tablets. Some had already been unfastened and read, while others remained perfectly bound. Upon the right-hand side was placed his long sword flatly. Within his hands he was currently grasping a roll of a long tablet; hearing the footsteps of Xiao Qiao entering inside, he lifted his eyes a single fraction slightly.

Xiao Qiao walked straightway before him; following a slight bow of her person toward him, without inquiring she stepped upon the couch, sitting upon her knees opposite his desk, precisely confronting him across the desk.

Wei Shao appeared to startle slightly, casting a glance at her.

Xiao Qiao stated: "Husband, this morning when I emerged from Grandmother's place, I turned cognizant of the military circumstances of Shiyi and Yanzhou. I likewise know my paternal uncle has opened his mouth to seek rescue troops from you. Aside from this, paternal uncle additionally wrote a family letter to me, bidding me to mediate on his behalf before Husband. I know that before Husband, I possess no such personal favor or face. It is merely that to say nothing of paternal uncle having already opened his mouth, even if paternal uncle's letter were absent, I likewise urgently required to witness Husband for a single glimpse. Moments ago while I was at home, waiting for a long duration without witnessing Husband return, I feared Husband was about to set out on a campaign, which was the only reason I brashly barged into the government office. If there are inappropriate places, I request Husband to grant forgiveness."

Wei Shao stated indifferently: "You seek me, desiring to speak what?"

Xiao Qiao looked straight into both of his eyes: "I seek Husband, naturally to implore Husband to assist Yanzhou, dissolving Xue Tai's military disaster."

Wei Shao smiled a fraction, setting down the tablet roll within his hands, slowly sitting his body upright as he stated: "How can a woman interfere in affairs? Furthermore, upon reliance of what do you permit me to assist Yanzhou to dissolve the military disaster?"

Within his phrasing, that mannerism with which Xiao Qiao was familiar, carrying a slight sneer and ridicule, leaked out anew in an inadvertent manner.

Xiao Qiao dropped her eyes, stating: "I know my person is insignificant and my words carry little weight. Let alone the fact that the Qiao and Wei families additionally possess a residual grievance. The demise of my father-in-law and eldest uncle in those years is incapable of being severed from connection with my Qiao family. Paternal uncle's insistence upon wedding me over to seek a harmonious union is an action akin to covering one's eyes to capture a sparrow, merely self-deception alone."

Wei Shao narrowed his eyes a fraction: "Since it is so, what continuous utterances do you still possess?"

Xiao Qiao slowly lifted her eyes: "I likewise know that the cause for Husband wedding me the previous year ought to be in compliance with the commands of the elders. I all the more dare refrain from extravagantly imploring Husband to release the vengeance of his father and brother within his heart. It is merely that since the Wei and Qiao families have already formed a matrimonial alliance, in the eyes of the world it is identical to establishing an alliance. At present the Qiao family experiences an emergency; if Husband folds his hands to disregard it, it inevitably fails the alliance. Furthermore, the Wei family is strong while the Qiao family is weak; if Yanzhou is lost, it constitutes a damage to Husband's countenance as well."

Wei Shao emitted no sound, possessing a mannerism of neither affirming nor denying.

Xiao Qiao paused for a brief period, exchanging a mouthful of breath within her chest: "The Eastern Sea is broad and deep, especially humble to contain a hundred rivers; the Five Peaks although towering and massive, turn refrain from opposing filth and dust. I know Husband possesses an ambition as high as the nine heavens, and likewise possesses the capability to uphold the heavens and step upon the seas. When mentioning the Wei family of Youzhou, no person under heaven turns un-cognizant. The foremost item is precisely that the Wei family possesses the reputation of resisting external incursions, an item unique and without match, four generations and three cohorts of the Wei family inheriting a single lineage, reaching Husband's hands at present, all the more failing to degrade the majestic reputation of the ancestors. On this occasion Yanzhou encounters difficulty; if Husband can generously rescue it, not only shall the military and civilians of Yanzhou be filled with gratitude, but even the people under heaven shall propagate Husband's vast, sea-like bosom."

Wei Shao smiled: "If I refrain from rescue, I turn into a person of narrow bosom? Why should I care upon these vacant reputations? The victor turns king while the vanquished turns bandit; do you lack cognizance of this logic?"

Xiao Qiao shook her head, her phrasing sincere: "I possess fundamentally no such intent. If Husband truly refrains from rescue, I surmise it ought to likewise refrain from being entirely because of being obstinate within the old grievance of the grandfather's cohort. This morning I heard from Grandmother's place that Bingzhou's one hundred and fifty thousand troops and horses are presently desiring to head toward Shiyi; Husband confronts the enemy head-on, and it is anticipated you are incapable of drawing out superfluous military strength to attend to Yanzhou."

Wei Shao cast a glance at her.

"I am merely a female of the inner chambers, fundamentally possessing no superfluous insight. Yet on this occasion the matter concerns the life and death of Yanzhou; I screw up my courage, desiring to present a strategy to Husband for the purpose of dissolving Yanzhou's troops. Supposing Husband feels it is feasible, it additionally lacks necessity to split off much of Husband's military strength. I know not if Husband permits me to speak?"

Wei Shao appeared to startle slightly. His brows immediately hopped a light fraction.

"Speak for me to listen." His phrasing carried a fraction of carelessness.

"When I remained previously within the inner chambers of Dongjun, I heard that across the Huai River basin, aside from Xue Tai of Xuzhou, the alternate family that is massive is the Inspector of Huainan and Yangzhou, Yang Xin. Xue Tai and Yang Xin, for the purpose of contending for territory and civilians, have perennially been in mutual enmity. Since Chen Xiang is capable of utilizing marriage, grain, and silk to establish an alliance with Xue Tai, prompting him to attack Yanzhou, can we utilize that individual person's method to return and cure his individual body, allying with Yang Xin to proceed to launch a campaign against Xuzhou? Once Xuzhou turns critical, Xue Tai is bound to retreat troops to rescue himself. So long as Yang Xin can be bidden to dispatch troops, regardless of how much grain and wealth, even if it be the massive magnitude of tilting the entire household, subsequently I shall dispatch a letter to Yanzhou, and my paternal uncle and father are bound to present it in full amount, lacking necessity for Husband to waste an additional coin. When I initially wedded out, my family prepared a dowry for me; although a single hair from nine oxen, I am willing to present it in its entirety."

The look upon Wei Shao's countenance shifted subtly, yet he emitted no sound to interrupt.

"This strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao, since I have conceived of it, Husband naturally is capable of conceiving of it as well. I likewise know speaking of it is easy, yet executing it turns difficult. To bid Yang Xin attack and launch a campaign against Xuzhou at this hour is precisely to require him to turn into an enemy with Chen Xiang. Chen Xiang's momentum is massive; although Yang Xin is greedy for wealth, he may not necessarily turn willing to offend Chen Xiang for the sake of grain and silk. To persuade Yang Xin constitutes the absolute point of greatest difficulty. I look across the heavens, and it appears only Husband possesses this manner of personal connection and prestige, capable of dispatching this individual person Yang Xin."

"Does Husband believe it is feasible?"

Finally, she inquired in a soft voice.

...

Silence descended within the study.

...

Although Xiao Qiao had already exerted extreme effort to steady herself, within the light of her pupils gazing upon him, there nonetheless drifted out an inadvertent fraction of tension. The palms of her two hands, which were clenched tightly, likewise lightly secreted a layer of damp sweat.

The life, death, preservation, or ruin of Yanzhou and the Qiao family rested perhaps within this single thought.

...

Wei Shao likewise looked upon Xiao Qiao, his expression appearing to possess no differentiation from prior. In reality, within his heart, he was exceedingly surprised; even to state he was shocked would refrain from being an overstatement.

The superior military art is to foil the enemy's plots.

Precisely as she had articulated moments ago, last night following Wei Liang's departure, when he remained solitary within this government office awaiting dawn, Wei Shao in truth already possessed this strategy of driving the eagle to chase the fox.

That eagle of which he conceived, coinciding thoroughly with what she spoke of, was none other than the Inspector of Yangzhou, Yang Xin.

So long as his personal person emerged to arrange, and furthermore promised massive profits, to permit Yang Xin to dispatch troops to go attack Xuzhou was fundamentally not a difficult affair.

It was merely that, precisely as he had stated when going to see Madame Xu this morning, within his heart, a hurdle lay athwart.

Consequently he hesitated between the middle of rescuing and refraining from rescue, for a time incapable of making a determination.

Regardless of what hour, so long as he recalled the breach of faith and abandonment of righteousness of the personnel of the Qiao family in those years, hatred would consequently diffuse across his heart.

That desolate and fierce scene of the simultaneous demise of his father and brother during his youth was altogether too deeply engraved; with the flow of time, the shadow was incapable of being washed faint, only turning to strike roots more profoundly within the deep recesses of his heart. It was merely that on occasion it failed to surface up.

He had likewise gradually perceived that this daughter of the Qiao family who had wedded over was not only exceptionally beautiful, but furthermore truly pleased his heart. He knew not since what hour, on occasion some of her inadvertent expressions and minor actions—perhaps she herself remained as yet unperceiving—were capable of provoking his mind to turn fickle and restless, giving rise to wild flights of fancy.
He was likewise willing to treat her a fraction better, within a certain standard and scope, for instance limited to within the bedchamber. Emerging outside the room door, those items of pleasure brought to his sensory organs by her person were incapable of washing faint his distaste toward the personnel of the Qiao family.

Precisely because he was hesitating—or to state, he in reality required a reason capable of persuading himself to accord with the matrimonial alliance to extend a helping hand to the Qiao family—he had consequently gone to see his grandmother at the foremost duration this morning.

Although his grandmother had failed to state it explicitly, how could Wei Shao fail to hear it out?

At the hour of emerging from the grand gates of the Wei estate, he had already handed down his determination.

Within the deliberation hall in front, Wei Liang and the others, twenty or thirty personnel in total, had all been assembled completely, awaiting his issuing of commands.

Moments ago he had likewise prepared appropriately, precisely about to arise to proceed to the front hall, yet she unexpectedly arrived without anticipation, reaching this place.

If she turned cognizant of the intelligence of Yanzhou's critical emergency, she would come to implore him to extend a hand to offer assistance; this lay within his expectations.

What he had failed to anticipate was that she bore a brilliant makeup rare to be witnessed customarily, a set of new garments, arriving at the government office to appear before him like a heavenly immortal, turning out to desire to utilize this manner of method to persuade himself.

It had to be articulated that she was exceptionally intelligent, intelligent to a degree that emerged outside his imagination. A cohort of utterances advanced layer by layer, the persuasiveness exceptionally fine.

Even if he had initially failed to determine to extend a hand, following his listening of this cohort of utterances of hers, in truth no reason existed to oppose further.

...

Wei Shao's mood at this precise hour was a fraction difficult to articulate. He knew not what sensation it constituted. Surprise? Joy? Perhaps there additionally existed a fraction of disappointment that even his own person was incapable of articulating clearly or explaining...

...

Xiao Qiao concluded her inquiry of that phrase "is it feasible," whereupon she awaited his response. Awaiting for an exceptionally long duration, he nonetheless perennially lacked any reply.

He sat precisely opposite herself, yet uttered not a single word. Looking upon his expression, his expression was like water.

It truly bidden her turn utterly incapable of guessing what he was precisely thinking within his heart at this hour.

Involuntarily, she turned all the more apprehensive.

Upon the road coming over, she had already thought well upon the words she desired to speak. She herself felt it still possessed a certain standard of persuasiveness.

So long as Wei Shao could possess slightly that single fraction of patience to listen to her individual person speak, she felt the certainty of persuading him remained relatively massive.

Yet looking upon it at present, that cohort of utterances of hers appeared to have failed to give rise to any massive function.

Perhaps he was still hesitating?

He could hesitate, yet she was incapable of hesitating further. Nor did she possess this manner of capital. She was bound to exhaust one hundred percent of her effort to proceed to persuade him.

Originally she was sitting upon her knees opposite him. Yet suddenly she straightened her waist and frame, her green onion ten fingers lightly pressing upon the surface of the desk.

"Husband's wedding of me was likewise for the sake of Yanzhou. Yanzhou at present is precisely akin to the meat within your platter. If it can be preserved, I truly am incapable of conceiving for what cause you desire to cede it out, subsequently recapturing it anew from another person's mouth?"

Wei Shao encountered her four eyes, remaining as before devoid of much expression.

"If Yanzhou on this occasion can by fortunate chance rely upon Husband to be preserved in its entirety, Manman is filled with gratitude."

Xiao Qiao's tone of voice was soft and supple; suddenly she leaned her person across toward him, her lip petals lightly contacting a single fraction upon his lips that had consistently remained tightly closed.

The two faces instantaneously leaned exceptionally close; Xiao Qiao's exquisite and beautiful nose carried a fraction of the jade-textured moderate and smooth coolness, lightly contacting his cheeks, the breath of the two individuals nearly blending in a single place, shaped like intertwining necks murmuring softly.

Wei Shao's Adam's apple shifted a light fraction.

"Husband ought to be busy with proper affairs; I dare refrain from disturbing further. I take my leave foremost."

Xiao Qiao separated from him, sitting back, bowing slightly toward him, whereupon she arose to descend the couch, turning her person around to head toward the outside.

"That minor private money of yours from your dowry, keep it for yourself to make a couple of garments instead!"

At the hour she walked to the doorway, she suddenly heard Wei Shao speak behind her person, his tone of voice indifferent, yet appearing furthermore to carry that single fraction of a bantering meaning.

She halted her steps, turning her head.

Wei Shao arose from the couch; brushing flat his sleeves, he promptly bypassed Xiao Qiao's side with rapid steps, stepping across the threshold to proceed toward the front hall.

...

In the front hall, the twenty or thirty civil officials and military generals of Yuyang had long since been waiting with anxiety; finally witnessing Wei Shao turn his person from behind the hall, they instantly fell still, separating into two rows to await dispatch.

Wei Shao issued commands and signs, appointing Li Dian as Grand General to command one hundred and fifty thousand troops and horses to split into five routes to be dispatched toward Shiyi. The first route was occupied by Li Chong to the left, the second route was occupied by Zhang Jian to the right, and the remaining three routes likewise each appointed a superior general, without exception loyal generals of the Wei family accustomed to launching campaigns and practiced in combat. These five superior generals were each to command their subordinates to pack their military gear within days and set out.

Wei Shao additionally ordered Chief Clerk Wei Quan to act as Grand Marshal, supervising the grain, forage, and baggage onto the road, while his own person commanded an alternate elite personal troop to hit the road separately.

The various generals and officials accepted their commands to each retrieve their military tallies, departing in succession. Remaining was Wei Liang to one side; witnessing the crowd disperse completely, and his own person actually failing to have his name called, he believed Wei Shao, because of his individual person having inadvertently lost the Female Lord upon the road at the end of the previous year, consequently failed to trust his person, turning exceedingly anxious, stepping up to pursue and demand: "Could it be the Lord-Marquis fails to trust Liang?"

Wei Shao smiled and stated: "The General possesses massive utility, which is why I retained you until the absolute last."

Wei Liang was uncomprehending. Wei Shao attached his ear across, speaking a cohort of low words. Wei Liang was thoroughly surprised.

 

"I have already decided; Shiyi is to be fought, and Yanzhou is likewise to be preserved. Chen Xiang has wedded his daughter to Xue Tai's son; the person alongside the ten thousand hu of grain and one thousand liang of gold promised to be sent have already hit the road. Mister Gongsun's letter contains an utterance stating that for the purpose of guaranteeing not a single error, Chen Xiang abandoned the grand highway to walk the minor path, dispatching one thousand troops and horses to escort them. I grant you two thousand troops and horses; you proceed to plunder the person and grain in their entirety on my behalf. On this very day I shall dispatch an envoy bearing my secret letter to proceed to Yangzhou, permitting him that if he dispatches troops to attack and launch a campaign against Xuzhou, Yanzhou's troops shall be dissolved; once the affair is concluded, the grain and silk shall be sent across to him, additionally supplemented by one thousand Northern steeds. Yang Xin originally coveted Xuzhou, and furthermore possesses my addition and support; an opportunity of this nature, how could he turn willing to let it pass?"

Wei Liang let out a grand laugh: "The Lord-Marquis's marvelous strategy! If Xuzhou is lost, where can Xue Tai settle his person? He is bound to return troops to rescue the city! That Chen Xiang having lost his daughter, grain, and silk, and Xue Tai stealing a chicken only to lose the rice, let us look upon how the two of them can still turn into a pair of choice relatives!"

Wei Shao smiled slightly: "This affair concerns the gain or loss of Yanzhou, permitting not a single loss; the General must handle actions with prudence."

Wei Liang retracted his smile to state with a grave face: "May the Lord-Marquis rest his mind. Possessing the previous lesson, Wei Liang is bound to be a hundredfold prudent, absolutely failing the entrustment!"

...

Within the city, commencing from the morning, the populace consequently perceived the atmosphere beginning to turn grave and heavy. Continuously, massive cohorts of soldiers passed through the city from the three directions of the Northern, Southern, and Eastern city gates, gathering upon the open wilderness outside the Western gate; the military presence was densely packed, the banners and flags obscuring the sky and blocking the sun, incapable of having their end witnessed in a single glimpse. Subsequently the news spread open, stating the Lord-Marquis was about to dispatch a grand army to proceed to Shiyi to engage in a massive decisive battle against Chen Xiang. The populace had perennially loved and esteemed Wei Shao's military; hearing the words, they competed to rush to the Western gate to deliver rice and deliver grain, an item not unique. Grand Marshal Wei Quan expressed thanks to the populace, politely declining without exception.

Within Yuyang City, the atmosphere of preparing for combat was thick and dense; within the high walls of the Wei estate, the atmosphere likewise possessed differentiation from customary times.

Madame Xu and Lady Zhu turned cognizant that Wei Shao was once more about to lift troops to set out on a campaign, the vanguard already having hit the road; although they had long since grown accustomed to this manner of parting, within their individual hearts they nonetheless harbored reluctance to part. Knowing that prior to setting out Wei Shao was bound to return to bid farewell, commencing from after midday, Madame Xu brought Lady Zhu and Xiao Qiao to await within the front hall.

Madame Xu's countenance possessed no differentiation from customary times, merely sitting quietly to wait. Lady Zhu, however, leaked out a look of worry to one side, her eyes likewise appearing a fraction red, from time to time stealthily turning her face away to wipe the corners of her eyes.

Madame Xu witnessed it, turning a fraction displeased, yet emitted no sound to speak anything either.

Xiao Qiao accompanied the two of them to wait perennially until the sky turned dark, only then securing a piece of news. Wei Shao's military circumstances were busy and chaotic; at this hour it was feared he was incapable of returning, and fearing his grandmother and mother would wait in vain, he bid them proceed back foremost to rest, and a fraction later when he returned, he would proceed to bid farewell one by one.

Only then did Madame Xu command the personnel to each disperse to return to their rooms.

...

Although this morning Wei Shao had failed to state it explicitly, that phrase prior to his arising ought to manifest that he had already decided to extend a helping hand to Yanzhou. Following her return from the government office, Xiao Qiao's mood had finally relaxed down a fraction as well. After Madame Xu bid the various personnel to each return to their rooms, she had perennially waited within the room.

She waited until it was exceptionally late; passing midnight, nearing the hour of Chou, she was truly unable to hold out further, lying down beside the bed with her garments on to narrow her eyes for a brief moment. At the hour when her consciousness was hazy and muddled, drifting into her ears was a patch of sound of Nanny Chun speaking with someone outside the door, followed by that footstep sound with which her ears were familiar...

As though a conditional reflex, prior to Xiao Qiao's eyes even possessing time to completely open, her person instantly bounced and sat up from atop the pillow.

Wei Shao had returned.