The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 12 Recap
> The Prisoner of Beauty Recap
Wei Yan, knowing Xiao Qiao's identity as the Lady of Qiao, brazenly declared his intention to personally assess her beauty, reaching out to touch her. Xiao Qiao swiftly avoided his advances. Wei Yan, satisfied with her reaction, smirked and departed. Xiaotao suggested reporting Wei Yan's behavior to Wei Shao, fearing Wei Yan might preemptively twist the story.
However, both Chunniang and Xiao Qiao hesitated, knowing that without solid proof, Wei Shao might misunderstand and accuse Xiao Qiao of trying to sow discord. Xiao Qiao admitted it was difficult to tell Wei Shao about such inappropriate conduct, unlike simply reporting a lost item. Meanwhile, Wei Shao had spent the entire night at a jade shop, meticulously crafting a jade bangle as a surprise for Xiao Qiao.
Upon his return, he was disappointed to learn that Xiao Qiao had already found her lost bangle with Wei Yan's help. Xiao Qiao mentioned the odd coincidence of the bangle disappearing upon Wei Yan's first visit and reappearing with his second, prompting her to question Wei Yan's character. Wei Shao, still holding the newly crafted bangle, felt a pang of jealousy, admitting that he was not as skilled as Wei Yan in winning a woman's affection.
When Xiao Qiao inquired about his rushed return, he vaguely mentioned being at the Government Office and admitted that he was wasting his efforts. That evening, Wei Shao, still troubled, sought out Wei Yan at a tavern. Wei Yan refused to come downstairs, forcing Wei Shao, who disliked such establishments, to go up. Inside, Wei Shao found Wei Yan surrounded by women. Angrily, Wei Shao dismissed the women and expressed his dissatisfaction with Wei Yan's choice of venue.
Wei Yan then adopted a serious demeanor, appealing to Wei Shao for help in finding a woman he had taken a liking to and wishing to settle down. He revealed that she was a married woman. Wei Shao was aghast at the suggestion of pursuing another man's wife, yet he pressed for a description. Wei Yan handed him a portrait of the woman, and Wei Shao vowed to find her and warn her to stay away from Wei Yan.
Wei Yan, feigning playfulness, then snatched Wei Shao's jade pendant from his waist, instructing a tavern maid to deliver it to Lady Qiao. After Wei Shao's departure, a bodyguard appeared, reminding Wei Yan that his true purpose in Wei State was to carry out Chen Pang's orders, not to pursue personal interests. Wei Yan coldly denied any genuine affection for Xiao Qiao.
Wei Shao, upon returning, gave the portrait to Wei Liang, reiterating his order to find the woman and warn her against Wei Yan. He then discovered his jade pendant was missing and ordered a discreet search, specifically instructing his men not to let Xiao Qiao know. Unbeknownst to him, a tavern maid had already delivered the pendant to Xiao Qiao. Seeing the pendant, Xiao Qiao was dismayed that Wei Shao had visited a pleasure house.
Meanwhile, Wei Liang and his men struggled to identify the woman in the portrait, which showed only a profile view and a sprig of orchid. Wei Liang even mistook a passerby for Xiaotao. Later, Xiaotao detected the combined scent of alcohol and perfume on Wei Shao's clothes, confirming his visit to a tavern. As she prepared to inform Xiao Qiao, Wei Liang intercepted her.
Still believing the portrait depicted Xiaotao, he earnestly warned her about Wei Yan's despicable character, claiming Wei Yan was "much worse than the four of us combined" and urging her not to be swayed by his flattery. When Xiaotao finally saw the portrait, she immediately recognized Xiao Qiao. While Wei Liang was relieved it wasn't Xiaotao, Wei Qu worried that Wei Yan's interest in Lady Qiao would only create more problems.
Chunniang advised Xiao Qiao to calmly explain the situation to Wei Shao. When Wei Shao arrived, holding the portrait, Xiaotao and the others tactfully withdrew. Xiao Qiao, still fuming, threw the jade pendant onto the table as Wei Shao laid the portrait down. Wei Shao quickly clarified that he had not allowed any tavern women to accompany him, expressing his distaste for such encounters.
He also hoped to hear Xiao Qiao's explanation, stating his belief that Wei Yan, though perhaps impulsive, would not cross the line with his cousin's wife. Wei Shao decided they would both confront Wei Yan the following day to resolve the matter, urging Xiao Qiao to put it behind them. Xiao Qiao apologized for her angry outburst, and Wei Shao, in turn, reassured her that the incident was past.
The next day, Wei Shao brought Xiao Qiao to Lady Xu's residence for a formal introduction to Wei Yan. Wei Yan openly complimented Xiao Qiao's beauty, prompting Wei Shao to subtly position himself in front of her protectively. Wei Yan then greeted Lady Xu. Later, Wei Shao visited Wei Yan's residence and encountered Lanyun, noting her resemblance to Xiao Qiao.
Wei Yan dismissed this, accusing Wei Shao of seeing Xiao Qiao in every woman and warning him to be wary of Xiao Qiao due to the ancient feud between the Wei and Qiao families. Wei Shao recounted how he had tricked Xiao Qiao into surrendering the Panyi seal, exiled her from Xindu, and left her in the rain, emphasizing that their marriage was a strategic alliance.
He asserted his confidence in Xiao Qiao and urged Wei Yan to treat her as family. Wei Shao returned the portrait, claiming he had failed to find the woman depicted. After Wei Shao left, Wei Yan carefully studied the portrait, and Lanyun appeared silently behind him, smiling knowingly. Meanwhile, Xiaotan oversaw the successful completion of the Yongning Canal. He ordered the sluice gates opened, and the river water surged through the newly completed waterway.
At the same time, Rongjun faced a severe drought. The local prefect sent a messenger to Wei Shao, requesting assistance. The harvests were poor across the Wei state, making it difficult to secure aid. Private grain stores were depleted, and Wei Dian refused to release any grain from Hanjun, further exacerbating Wei Shao's worries. Xiao Qiao learned of Rongjun's plight and offered her assistance, but Wei Shao was reluctant to discuss state affairs with her.
Xiao Qiao proposed extending the Yongning Canal further south to Rongjun. She argued this would not only alleviate the drought and benefit countless Wei citizens but also establish a lasting legacy for the Wei State. Wei Shao suspected she harbored a hidden agenda: to secure a period of peace for Yanzhou by diverting Wei's resources to canal construction, thereby postponing any attack on Yanzhou.
Xiao Qiao admitted to having a personal interest in aiding Yanzhou, but maintained that the benefits to Wei State were genuine and substantial. Wei Shao acknowledged her transparency but dismissed her suggestion for the time being. Later, Xiao Qiao was in the study examining "Local Records of Rongjun" when Wei Yan arrived seeking Wei Shao. Wei Yan chastised Xiaotan for allowing an "outsider" to freely enter Wei Shao's study.
Xiao Qiao explained that Wei Shao had given her permission to access the books. Wei Yan then attempted to drive a wedge between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao, reminding her of the historical enmity between the Wei and Qiao families and claiming the Wei family would never truly accept her. Shortly after, Wei Yan offered to procure grain for Wei Shao, but once again advised against trusting Xiao Qiao.
He mentioned that she had sent a letter to Yanzhou earlier that morning, implying it was suspicious. Wei Shao calmly revealed that he had already read the letter. Its contents detailed Rongjun's geography and crops and requested winter wheat seeds from Yanzhou. This was Xiao Qiao's plan to help Rongjun adopt more drought-resistant, higher-yielding crops, offering a long-term solution to the famine.
Wei Shao then asserted that while he trusted Xiao Qiao, as the Lord of Wei State, he had to remain vigilant. As Xiao Qiao was composing congratulatory messages for Lady Xu's birthday banquet, she ran out of ink sticks. Wei Yan appeared, praising her elegant calligraphy and the subtle fragrance of her ink, remarking on how well it suited her.
Xiao Qiao politely stepped back and tried to excuse herself to retrieve more ink sticks, but Wei Yan deliberately blocked her path. Meanwhile, Wei Liang tasked Xiaotao with logistics calculations for an upcoming shipment. To conceal the true nature of the goods (grain for Rongjun), Wei Liang employed coded language, referring to personnel as "monkeys and pigs" and supplies as "dirt and wood." However, Xiaotao, with her sharp intellect, swiftly deciphered the actual requirements based on standard Wei military protocols.
She accurately determined the number of men, horses, and carts needed, along with the daily rations, and inferred the shipment's destination was Rongjun. She informed Wei Liang the supplies would only provide temporary relief to Rongjun and subtly reminded him that he now owed her a favor.
