The Prisoner of Beauty - Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Xiao Qiao slowly closed her eyes.

Initially, Wei Shao remained lying beside her as she slept. After a long while, he opened his eyes and leaned over to cast a glance at her.

With her eyes closed and her feathery eyelashes lowered, Xiao Qiao was breathing evenly, having drifted off into a deep slumber.

After a brief deliberation, Wei Shao slowly released her. He slipped out of bed with the utmost care, tucked the quilt gently around her once more, and subsequently turned around to don his clothes.

Once he finished dressing, he bent down to pull on his boots, only to hear a tender, delicate voice echo from behind him: "The sky has already grown dark. Husband, where else are you planning to go?"

Wei Shao stiffened slightly. Casting a glance back, he saw that Xiao Qiao had opened her eyes on the bed and was slowly sitting up. Letting out a dry cough, he turned around to face her, smiling as though nothing were amiss: "It is nothing important. I simply recalled a certain matter regarding Jia Si just now and wished to go and question him. Did I awaken you?"

Without waiting for her reply, Wei Shao kicked off the single boot he had just managed to step into, lay back down on his side, and brought her back down to the pillow with him, saying softly, "It is my fault. I will lie with you a while longer."

Xiao Qiao nestled into his embrace, quietly keeping her eyes closed for a brief moment before suddenly opening them once more.

Wei Shao seemed to sense it, caressing her hair. Seeing her tilt her head up to look at him, he said, "Can you not sleep?"

"The Husband is hiding something from me," Xiao Qiao stated in an absolute tone.

Wei Shao raised an eyebrow: "How could I be hiding anything from you? Do not be overly suspicious." With that, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest once more.

Xiao Qiao shook her head, breaking free from his hold: "The Husband must be hiding something from me. I can feel it..."

She hesitated a brief instant, relying upon her sixth sense: "Could it be that this matter concerns Chen Rui, whom the Husband mentioned just a moment ago?"

The moment Wei Shao heard the name Chen Rui, his eyelids twitched, and a deep, heavy darkness flickered across the depths of his eyes.

Having spent over a year with him, Xiao Qiao had gradually grown familiar with him. She instantly captured the subtle shift in his expression, sensing a wave of violent, murderous intent. Extending her hand, she gave his arm a slight push: "Why does the Husband say nothing? Could it be that I have guessed correctly?"

The previous sentence that Wei Shao had broken off halfway was due to his fear of frightening her.

Xiao Qiao had been asleep just now. He then recalled that from the moment he returned last night up until this very instant, he had remained within the inner courtyard without stepping outside even a single pace; thus, he had no inkling of how Jia Si had handled that matter. He had intended to take advantage of her slumber to slip out and discover the truth for himself.

Furthermore, regarding such a sordid matter, he had originally possessed no desire to let her know of it.

Being cornered by her questioning at this moment, he merely said in a nonchalant, dismissive tone, "That scoundrel previously harbored unbridled designs against you, and it was only by immense luck that he lived until now. This time, he actually caused you to suffer such a massive fright; to allow him to die just like that is truly far too lenient. It is nothing else—I merely intend to disinter his corpse and hack him to pieces once more. Only by doing so can I vent your grievances, and only by doing so can the fury within my heart be placated."

Xiao Qiao suffered a massive fright. Staring at him with wide eyes, she confirmed that he was not jesting, and hurriedly shook her head: "Husband, do not!"

Wei Shao stared straight at her, making absolutely no attempt to conceal the slight displeasure he felt at her interference: "Can you not bear it? I heard from Jia Si that on that day, you were the one who explicitly instructed the men to bury him properly."

Xiao Qiao sat up, gathering the quilt to her chest as her eyes fixed upon Wei Shao: "It was indeed I who instructed Vice General Lin to coffin and bury him. The reason for doing so possessed no other meaning; rather, although that individual was utterly loathsome to me, he has ultimately lost his life, which can be considered the conclusion and retribution of his karma in this existence. Though he died before my eyes, I could certainly have ordered his corpse to be exposed to the elements in the wilderness, but such a disposal would not bring me a fraction of a single shred of peace of mind. Therefore, I regarded him as an ordinary person and committed him to the earth. It was merely a small matter executed at random, so why should I not do it?"

Wei Shao continued to fix his gaze upon her in that exact manner. Yet that trace of displeasure within his eyes had gradually receded.

"I also do not agree with the Husband digging him up once more. Since he has already entered the earth, why not allow him to remain in his proper place? Digging him up at this moment can certainly vent a temporary wrath. But let the Husband ask his own heart—even if you were to hack him into ten thousand pieces, would it truly cause the hatred against him to vanish entirely?"

Wei Shao remained silent.

Xiao Qiao leaned in toward him, her arms wrapping around his waist and back, her cheek pressing against the side of his neck where the pulse throbbed continuously. She spoke in a soft voice: "Furthermore, Manman is also afraid. Manman does not want the Husband to commit such a terrifying act."

The furious hatred that had exploded within the depths of Wei Shao's heart ever since he learned the details upon his return last night—a rage that had originally threatened to burst his blood vessels—gradually ebbed away inch by inch amidst her gentle voice and soft words.

Ultimately, when she leaned gently against his chest to hold him, saying that Manman was afraid and did not want her husband to commit such a terrifying act, even though Wei Shao still failed to see how this was particularly terrifying, he truly and tangibly felt a surge of remorse.

Bringing his arms around to encircle her, he kissed her forehead as a form of consolation, murmuring in a low voice, "I will listen to Manman. I will bother with that scoundrel no longer."

...

Her desire to prevent Wei Shao from executing such an act actually stemmed from reasons that were quite complex.

A portion of it was perhaps due to Chen Rui. Although she had indeed despised that man while he was still alive, now that the person was dead, to suffer such treatment a second time felt somewhat excessive to her.

A portion of it was due to Wei Shao. She did not want him to shoulder the reputation of a corpse-mutilator on her account. After all, regardless of the era, this was by no means a favorable renown to possess.

Finally, perhaps within her subconscious mind, she could not help but connect this to the hatred Wei Shao harbored toward her own Qiao family.

Although she also knew that Wei Shao's hatred toward Chen Rui could naturally not be mentioned in the same breath as his hatred toward the Qiao family, if Wei Shao was willing to let Chen Rui go on her account, did this signify that she could also look forward to a day when Wei Shao, likewise due to her existence, would lay down the hatred toward the Qiao family residing within his heart?

He had ultimately still delivered the very response she hoped to see.

Aside from feeling relieved, Xiao Qiao felt a wave of joy, as well as a touch of gratitude.

Tilting her face upward, she lightly extended her jade-like arms to hook around his neck. Her cherry lips parted slightly as she spoke in a soft voice: "Husband, you are so good."

Wei Shao grinned. With a heavy thud, he kicked off the boot that was still clinging to his other foot, embracing her as they lay down together.

"Sleep. I will not go out anymore," he said.

...

A few days later, Jia Si finally managed to secure an audience with Wei Shao to inquire about the subsequent steps.

On that night, he had hurriedly led his men through the arduous labor of digging three chi into the earth under the cover of darkness, and subsequently dispatched men to continuously guard the unburied contents. He waited left and right, yet he continuously failed to receive any further instructions from the Lord.

Having waited for so many days, he truly could not restrain himself from offering a question.

"Dug up? Bury it back," Wei Shao remarked casually, appearing as though he had only just remembered the matter.

...

Wei Shao remained in Jinyang for a mere five or six days before receiving word dispatched from Xihe Commandery.

Feng Zhao had indeed regrouped his forces and was currently advancing once more toward Shang Commandery.

On that day when Gongsun Yang and Yuan Wang smeared blood upon their lips to seal their alliance, while the Beihe people sang and danced, the messenger from Diaomo who had come to deliver the missive felt entirely out of place. Taking advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention, he had quietly slipped away on his own.

Diaomo had not abandoned his designs. Subsequently, he personally brought lavish gifts to the Beihe territory to seek an audience with Yuan Wang, offering his apologies for his prior actions on that day before attempting to persuade him to forge an alliance. Even if they did not dispatch troops, they should at least refrain from submitting to the Han people.

Throughout his entire life, Yuan Wang's disposition had been open and magnanimous, and he had never been fond of warfare. The older he grew, the more he yearned for stability. Furthermore, having learned from Yuan's mouth of the deeds Diaomo had previously committed against his grandson, how could he possibly nod his assent? He did not even show his face, using illness as a pretext to refuse the meeting and requesting Diaomo to take his gifts and return.

Diaomo continued his attempts to persuade the remaining Qiang tribes to ally with him and dispatch troops. However, since the Beihe had already submitted to Wei Shao and secured a treaty with him, the other tribes were also moved. Despite Diaomo's frantic rushing about, there was practically no one who responded. He was not discouraged. Upon his return, he sharpened his weapons and fed his horses, determined to bide his time for an opportunity to strike.

Another massive battle was inevitably on the horizon.

Xihe Commandery was a setting of military strife; it was truly unsuited for bringing Xiao Qiao along. Bidding her another temporary farewell, Wei Shao returned once more to Xihe Commandery.

This single parting lasted for a full three months.

By the time the season entered July of this year, Xiao Qiao received the latest letter sent from Wei Shao.

He informed her in the letter that during the battle of Anding Commandery half a month ago, Feng Zhao suffered a crushing defeat, thoroughly losing Liang Province, which Wei Shao had already taken over.

The Shaodang Qiang continued to put up a stubborn resistance, but they were not a cause for concern. He estimated that he would be able to conclude the warfare and return to Jinyang very soon.

"I yearn for you. Last night, you entered my dreams once more. Yet I know not who the gentleman within your dreams might be?"

At the end of the letter, he spoke in a tone that was half-teasing and half-tinged with a touch of jealousy.

Xiao Qiao read through the letter several times, the corners of her mouth slowly curving upward. Seated alone before the window, she lifted her brush to pen a reply to him.

When the letter was barely half-written, Chun Niang suddenly hurried in from outside, her expression solemn as she leaned down to whisper in a low voice, "Lady, guess who has also arrived in Jinyang?"

Xiao Qiao gazed at her. Seeing her expression filled with loathing, as though referencing something unclean, she smiled and said, "People enter and leave Jinyang every single day. Who is it that has left Chun Niang so displeased?"

Chun Niang let out a huff, saying, "Who else could it be? That Madam Su, the wife of the Governor of Zuofengyi! She has actually arrived in Jinyang uninvited!"

Xiao Qiao slowly set down her brush.

Su Ehuang, whom she had not seen for a long while, had actually arrived in Jinyang at this moment?

Originally, Xiao Qiao had not spared a thought for this woman for quite some time. Yet at this moment, following her abrupt arrival, numerous memories from her past life concerning this woman and her current husband, Wei Shao, instantly flashed before her mind like a spinning lantern.

That she could successfully arrive in Jinyang was by no means surprising. If she had departed You Province to return to Zhongshan Kingdom after the previous Luli Assembly, then the journey from Zhongshan Kingdom to Jinyang resided entirely within Wei Shao's territory, making it relatively safe.

Furthermore, it was impossible for her to travel alone.

As for her purpose, Xiao Qiao had no need to guess to know that it was bound to be for Wei Shao.

"When did she arrive, and where is she currently staying?"

Xiao Qiao was lost in thought for a brief moment before inquiring.

"She arrived yesterday and is staying at the courier station. She brought along a massive retinue of attendants and beautiful maidservants, maintaining quite an immaculate display," Chun Niang spoke in a tone dripping with disgust.