The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 15 Recap
> The Prisoner of Beauty Recap
The incident regarding the tampered wheat seeds escalated as Wei Dian and other clan members publicly pressed Wei Shao, demanding an explanation and forcing him to choose between his wife, Xiao Qiao, and his cousin, Wei Yan. They emphasized that Wei Yan was not Wei Shao's biological brother and favoritism should not be shown. Under immense pressure, Lady Xu dramatically fainted.
Wei Shao immediately called for a physician and, to prevent anyone from fleeing, ordered the city gates closed, declaring that everyone present would remain until the truth was uncovered. After recovering, Lady Xu privately confirmed to Wei Shao that her fainting was a pretense. Wei Shao reported that he had placed both Wei Yan and Xiao Qiao under watch.
When asked why she suspected Wei Yan, Lady Xu revealed his true parentage and the deep-seated grudge between the Wei family and Bianzhou. She explained that Wei Shao's aunt, Qingyun, had been abducted and assaulted by Chen Pang of Bianzhou. Qingyun returned pregnant with Wei Yan and tragically died of despair after his birth. Lady Xu confessed that to protect him, she had fabricated the story of Wei Yan being born to Qingyun and a family servant.
Noticing Wei Yan's recent change in demeanor, Lady Xu suspected he had learned the truth. Fearing for his life, she implored Wei Shao to find a way to protect Wei Yan, regardless of his involvement. Wei Shao later found Wei Yan playfully hiding with tavern maids. Angrily, Wei Shao dismissed the women and confronted Wei Yan about his disregard for Lady Xu and his failure to defend himself.
Wei Yan, believing he was being suspected, retorted that Lady Xu's illness was an act and that both Wei Shao and Lady Xu trusted the Qiao family more than him. Wei Shao clarified that their actions were solely to protect him. He then directly asked if Wei Yan trusted him and if he had recently visited Bianzhou. Wei Yan's reaction confirmed to Wei Shao that he knew his true identity.
Wei Shao, despite this revelation, reiterated, "I don't care who you are. You are always my cousin." Feeling cornered and anticipating future distrust, Wei Yan defiantly confessed to tampering with the seeds. Wei Shao dismissed this as groundless but questioned Wei Yan about why he had been monitoring Xiao Qiao's letters. Meanwhile, Su Ehuang and Su Zixin were pleased with their scheme.
Su Ehuang confidently asserted that Wei Shao, despite his stern exterior, cherished his family deeply and would not pursue an investigation that threatened his kin. At the Wei manor, Xiao Qiao, Xiaotao, and Chunniang were under house arrest. Chunniang expressed fear that, under Wei law, they faced execution, but Xiaotao tried to reassure her. Xiao Qiao, calm amidst the crisis, reflected on Wei Shao's public defense of her.
While tidying, Xiaotao discovered a bracelet identical to one Xiao Qiao had given Lady Xu. Xiao Qiao recognized the box it came in as one Wei Shao had previously brought to her, realizing it was a personal gift from him and a symbol of his quiet protection. Inspired, Xiao Qiao wrote a letter, ostensibly to her family in Yanzhou, but intentionally for Wei Shao.
In it, she expressed understanding for the difficult choices he faced and assured him she would not blame him, regardless of the outcome. When Wei Shao intercepted the letter, he was deeply touched. He sent a message back to Xiao Qiao, telling her he would return to meet her the next day, while publicly dismissing her letter as "nonsense." He then commanded a thorough and impartial investigation. Wei Shao personally oversaw the re-weighing of the wheat seeds.
The results revealed that the 24 sacks weighed only 21 dan, a significant reduction from the 24 dan recorded upon entry. This evidence definitively cleared Xiao Qiao, proving the tampering occurred within Yujun and implicating Wei Yan, who was in charge of the granary. Wei Dian immediately demanded Wei Yan's punishment, but Wei Shao insisted on further investigation, stating that while Lady Qiao was now proven innocent, he also believed Wei Yan was blameless.
Declaring the matter riddled with suspicion, he vowed to continue the investigation and ordered that no one be allowed to leave Yujun until the full truth was uncovered. Later, Su Zixin informed Su Ehuang that he had "taken care of" Zheng Chuyu, ensuring no loose ends. Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao then met, both visibly relieved.
Wei Shao was moved by Xiao Qiao's selflessness, as she prioritized his well-being over her own vindication, noting that his public defense had already proven his trust in her. As Wei Shao prepared to depart, Xiao Qiao affectionately called him "Husband," a term that brought a smile to his face. The investigation quickly uncovered Zheng Chuyu's unrecorded entries into the granary.
However, before she could be questioned, Wei Shao received news that Zheng Chuyu had died suddenly from drowning, sparking suspicion of a cover-up. Wei Shao renewed his order for a deeper investigation, convinced a greater mastermind was involved. He also subtly inquired with Gongsun Yang about how he addressed his wife, indicating a desire to use a more intimate title for Xiao Qiao.
Meanwhile, Su Ehuang attempted to leave Yujun, claiming her husband, Chen Xiang, was gravely ill, but Wei Liang prevented her departure. Thwarted, Su Ehuang sought out Lady Wei, who was distressed by Zheng Chuyu's death. Su Ehuang, feigning concern, suggested that the ongoing investigation could implicate Wei Shao. A terrified Lady Wei, remembering Lady Xu's warning about harming loved ones, publicly confessed to orchestrating the seed swap with Zheng Chuyu as an act of revenge against Xiao Qiao.
She adamantly stated that Wei Yan was completely unaware. This confession transformed the political scandal into a domestic dispute. Wei Shao reluctantly handed his mother over to Lady Xu for punishment and allowed the other clan members to leave. Su Ehuang was secretly pleased, having achieved her goal while escaping unscathed. Lady Xu sternly rebuked Lady Wei for her "venomous" and "half-baked scheming," sentencing her to kneel in the ancestral hall and copy scriptures a hundred times.
As Su Ehuang was leaving Yujun, Wei Yan confronted her. He warned her to stay away, explaining that Lady Xu did not wish to see her and that her presence only brought back painful memories. In response, Su Ehuang taunted him about his true parentage, telling him he was not a real member of the Wei family and was merely deluding himself. In the aftermath of these events, Wei Yan withdrew completely, refusing to see anyone, including Wei Shao.
Wei Yan's subordinates, aware of his origins, urged him to return to Bianzhou, appealing to his ambition and highlighting Chen Pang's desire for his son's return. Wei Shao grew concerned about Wei Yan's emotional state and Lady Xu's profound longing for him. Xiao Qiao, believing her own experiences as an outsider were similar to his, offered to speak with Wei Yan and persuade him to see Lady Xu.
Later, Xiao Qiao presented Wei Shao with her research on water conservancy for the canal project. As she explained the complex terrain, Wei Shao instinctively pulled her closer by the shoulder to get a better look, and Xiao Qiao found herself momentarily captivated by his focused expression. Xiao Qiao found Wei Yan dancing with tavern maids.
She spoke to his inner turmoil, arguing that family is not defined solely by bloodline and sharing her own journey of earning trust in Yujun despite being from an enemy family. She advised him that honesty with Wei Shao would build mutual trust. She then lied, telling him that Lady Xu had fallen ill from worry, explaining that Lady Xu's deepest fear was that he would become estranged and never visit her again.
Moved, Wei Yan rushed to Lady Xu's room. Seeing her perfectly well, he realized Xiao Qiao had tricked him and turned to leave. With tears in her eyes, Lady Xu called out, asking if he truly never wished to see his grandmother again.
