The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Xiao Qiao gently took one of Wei Shao's hands and silently gazed upon his face.

In truth, he was a remarkably handsome man. He possessed pitch-black, sword-like brows, thick, long eyelashes, and a high, straight nasal bridge. Because he was accustomed to maintaining a solemn expression on ordinary days, the corners of his lips were always slightly pressed together, imparting a faint aura of asceticism...

Suddenly, Xiao Qiao noticed his eyelashes tremble slightly, as if he were about to wake up. She hurriedly leaned close to his ear and softly called out, "Husband."

Wei Shao's eyelids twitched, and he finally opened his eyes slowly, meeting Xiao Qiao's gaze.

"Why have you come here?"

His gaze appeared somewhat unfocused. He stared at her for a brief moment before seemingly recognizing her, speaking in a low voice.

Perhaps owing to his physical weakness, his voice sounded exceedingly low, raspy, and devoid of strength.

Xiao Qiao suddenly felt a dull ache in her chest.

Setting aside his foul temper and that inability to let go of his hostility toward her family, Xiao Qiao knew in her heart that, solely concerning her as an individual, he could not be considered to have wronged her much.

At times, he was even exceptionally good to her.

It was as though the words spoken by Madame Xu when she had seen him off for his expedition to Shangdang echoed in her ears once more—how he had been wounded multiple times and managed to pull through each time.

At that time, she had only felt that according to what she knew of her past life, he was ultimately destined to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor. Therefore, no matter how dangerous the present situation was, he would surely turn peril into safety. Consequently, she had not taken it to heart. Furthermore, seeing his arrogant manner on ordinary days—looking at any moment as if he were ready to tear off the roof tiles—it was truly difficult for her to associate him with a situation of mortal peril.

It was not until a brief moment ago, after she had entered and truly witnessed his listless appearance with her own eyes, that she realized for the very first time that he, too, was a human being—a human being who could suffer a very grievous wound.

Xiao Qiao tightened her grip on his hand and said softly, "I arrived in Jinyang early. You were not there, and they said you had come here. It was only when I received Mister Gongsun's letter the day before yesterday that I learned you had actually been struck by a poisoned arrow and wounded. Mister Gongsun mentioned in his letter that you lacked someone by your side to attend to your daily needs. Remaining in Jinyang left me with nothing to do anyway, so I came. I arrived only a brief moment ago. The centurion brought me into the camp just now and announced me outside the tent. Seeing no response from you, I entered on my own. Did I wake you?"

Wei Shao continued to gaze at her, slowly shaking his head.

Xiao Qiao asked, "How are you feeling?" As she spoke, her other hand reached out to check the temperature of his forehead.

The fabric of her sleeve softly brushed against Wei Shao's nasal bridge and face, and her soft palm pressed gently against his forehead.

Wei Shao's heartbeat quickened abruptly. Beneath her wrist, he closed his eyes briefly.

"Why does it still seem somewhat hot?"

Xiao Qiao felt the skin of his forehead growing slightly warm. She withdrew her hand and pressed it against her own forehead to make a comparison, causing her heart to leap with anxiety.

Gongsun Yang's letter had claimed he was largely fine.

Yet he was still running a fever?

Even if it was a low-grade fever, it meant he was not completely out of danger.

Xiao Qiao stood up. "You are still burning up! Where is the military physician? What did he say?"

Wei Shao flipped his hand to grasp her hand firmly, pulling her back down to his side. "I am already much better. I am truly fine. A few more days of rest will suffice. Do not worry."

Hearing his voice finally regain its strength and seeing that his gaze was no longer as scattered as when he had first opened his eyes, Xiao Qiao touched his forehead again. Feeling that it indeed did not seem as hot as a moment ago, she hesitated before saying, "If you are uncomfortable, you must speak up early."

Wei Shao stared at her without blinking, nodding obediently. "I know."

Xiao Qiao smiled at him. "I came in a hurry and did not pack much to bring over. You cannot recklessly consume tonics at this moment either. When Chun Niang left home, she kept some of the finest dried lychee fruits with her. I brought some along. Are you hungry? I will go boil a bowl of sweet soup for your refreshment."

Wei Shao gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go. "I am not hungry."

"Then I will boil it for you tomorrow."

"Alright."

Thus, with one lying down and the other sitting, her hand held firmly in his, they gazed at each other and fell into silence.

It was now the third month of spring, approaching the fourth month, and the weather was gradually turning warmer. After Wei Shao held Xiao Qiao's hand for a moment, she felt his palm growing slick with sweat. Leaning in close, her nose caught the scent of his lapel. "How many days has it been since you wiped down your body? Would you like me to help you wipe down and change your clothes? It will make sleeping more comfortable."

When Wei Shao was out on campaigns, if it was inconvenient, it was common for him to go ten days or half a month without bathing. However, this military camp was stationed right beside the Xihe River, making the drawing of water highly convenient. Wei Shao was not completely immobile either; he had already taken a bath himself the previous night.

Yet at this moment, she spoke with a tenderness as soft as water, offering to help him wipe down his body. How could there be any reason to refuse?

"Alright," he said. "I have been bedridden for quite a few days and have not washed for several days. I can smell the stench on myself."

Xiao Qiao wrinkled her nose cutely, expressing her disdain. She then pulled her hand free from his, rose, and went outside the tent to call for someone to fetch water.

Wei Shao's gaze remained fixed on her retreating figure, following her movements closely.

Jia Si had just carried her personal luggage trunks inside from the carriage, leaving them placed just outside the tent. At this moment, they were carried inside along with the water that had been delivered.

Apart from her own change of clothes and miscellaneous items, the trunks also contained some garments she had brought along for Wei Shao.

Xiao Qiao supported Wei Shao as he sat up, helping him remove his clothing. When she took off his inner shirt, she saw the mark left behind where the flesh touched by the venom on his wounded arm had been scooped out. Although the swelling had begun to subside and form a scab, it remained a shocking and horrific sight.

In the absence of any anesthesia, one could well imagine how excruciatingly painful it must have been at that time.

Xiao Qiao felt as though she could feel the phantom pain in her own flesh.

"Does it still hurt?"

She wrung out the soft towel she had brought along, asking as she wiped down that particular arm for him.

"It still hurts a bit."

When Wei Shao said this, he was not lying through his teeth.

If one were to slap it with a palm, it would indeed still hurt.

Xiao Qiao knit her brows slightly, carefully avoiding the wound as she finished wiping down his arm. She also wiped down his upper body. Then, she changed to a basin of fresh water and a clean towel. After dipping it in the water, she handed it to him, casting a glance toward his lower half to signal that he should finish the task himself.

Wei Shao spread both his hands, remaining completely motionless as if he were a cripple, his eyes fixed upon her.

"Wipe yourself. Is your other arm not perfectly fine?"

Xiao Qiao turned her body slightly aside.

Although the two of them had been together for over a year, even until now, every single time before she was drawn into that state by him, Xiao Qiao still felt somewhat ashamed to expose herself before him, and felt even more embarrassed to look closely at that place of his for no good reason.

Unlike him, who was brazenly devoid of any shame.

Wei Shao had been filled with anticipation, only to discover that just like ordinary times, she walked away from her duties the moment they reached the critical area, leaving him to do it himself...

After a brief moment, Xiao Qiao heard him let out a sigh, speaking in a lazy drawl, "It is done." She turned around and reached out her hand to take the towel. Unexpectedly, he tossed the towel into the water, heedless of the sharp splash that sent water flying all over the ground. Seizing her small hand in the process, he gave her a tug, causing her to tumble down onto his thighs.

Xiao Qiao was startled. She tilted her face up to look at him, only for her face to be cradled by his hands.

He kissed her mouth, skillfully pressing her down onto that campaign cot that was somewhat on the narrow side.

Xiao Qiao was caught somewhat off guard. At first, she twisted her body beneath him a few times in a token display of resistance, indicating that this was not good. However, very quickly, she obediently opened her mouth to let him kiss her.

The two kissed until everything was wet. After a short while, he grabbed one of her hands, guiding it to press down toward his lower half. Only then did Xiao Qiao snap out of it, hurriedly refusing, "Your wound has not healed yet, you cannot."

Wei Shao's desire was stirred violently, his breath coming in sharp, heavy pants, "I am healed."

"I know you are not healed!"

"I am truly healed!"

"Do not deceive me! When I say you cannot, you cannot!"

With a forceful pull, Xiao Qiao wrenched her hand back.

Wei Shao came to a halt.

Seeing that he slowly stopped moving and that his mood seemed somewhat dejected, Xiao Qiao reflected on her tone just now. Realizing that it indeed might have been too harsh, she felt a twinge of guilt. She gently pushed against his shoulder, pressing her lips close to his ear as she spoke softly, "Be good! I am doing this for your own good. Your body truly cannot handle it right now. If you refuse to listen to me again, I am going to be angry."

She was coaxing him, even telling him to be good. Wei Shao felt the blood throughout his body surging violently, to the point where he felt he simply could not endure it anymore. Groaning, he rubbed against the warm, fragrant, and soft jade in his embrace. "I will listen to everything you say... It is just that I feel so uncomfortable... If you do not believe me, feel it... Help me ease it down. Once it eases down, I will be fine... I promise not to do anything else..."

Xiao Qiao was truly placed in a difficult position.

She had come to care for his body; she ought not to indulge his wild behavior. Yet, seeing that handsome face of his reveal an uncomfortable, almost agonizing expression, she truly could not find it in her heart to be cruel. She also did not know what she had done to provoke such a massive, unquenchable fire within him.

After hesitating for a moment, she spoke with a touch of uncertainty, "Then we have an agreement. Once you ease past it, you will come out..."

Without the slightest hesitation, Wei Shao nodded, without so much as blinking an eye. "Alright! I will only ease past it!"

...

Wei Shao was an absolute liar! She would never believe a single word of his again!

At the fifth watch of the following morning, when the outside world only revealed a faint dawn, Xiao Qiao was startled awake by the first long and piercing blast of the rhinoceros horn sounding for morning drills outside the military tent. Opening her eyes in a daze, she discovered herself tightly squeezed by Wei Shao against one side of that narrow campaign cot beneath them, compressed to the point where half her body was almost hanging outside.

The only reason she had managed to hold on without falling off was because that leg of his was pressed heavily over her stomach. It pressed down until her waist was sore and her back ached, making her feel exactly as though she had been rolled over by carriage wheels again and again.

Last night, he had been utterly unable to ease down. Not only could he not ease down, but using the excuse that his sick body was weak and he had no way to stop midway, he had used a combination of coaxing and deception, finally half-forcing her to sit astride him...

All of that was fine, but what made Xiao Qiao feel flustered and short of breath upon remembering it was how she was supposed to step outside to face anyone today?

She swore that she had already endured with immense effort, doing her utmost not to utter a single unharmonious sound, and had even timely covered Wei Shao's mouth several times to prevent him from making sounds that were simply too unbearable to hear and would disturb the people. Yet, when she thought of the soundproofing of this large tent made of oxhide, her heart still felt faint with anxiety.

The only matter that could offer her some slight self-consolation was that when she had entered last night, she had noticed that the area surrounding the main command tent was left empty. The closest structures were presumably several tents where the generals slept, which were separated by a distance of some ten-odd chang.

She could only hope everyone slept soundly, and that no one was pricking up their ears to listen...

Xiao Qiao clenched her silver teeth, intending to push Wei Shao's heavy leg off her body. Suddenly, an arm reached over, wrapping tightly around her. The two of them pressed flush against each other.

Wei Shao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze interlocking with hers.

Within the dim, faint light of dawn, his eyes were as bright as two points of starlight that had fallen from the previous night.

"Now that you have come, I am much better."

He let out a sigh. Moving his head closer to her, he used his chin—which had newly sprouted a layer of thick, stiff stubble—to gently rub against her warm forehead, speaking in a slightly raspy voice.