The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 16 Recap
> The Prisoner of Beauty Recap
Wei Yan found Lady Xu looking well and realized Xiao Qiao had deceived him. He intended to leave, but Lady Xu called out, asking if he no longer wished to see her. Wei Yan, feeling remorseful, apologized for causing her worry and for nearly doing something to shame the Wei family. Lady Xu, however, told him it wasn't his fault, explaining that she had hidden the truth from him.
She recounted how his mother, Qingyun, her only daughter, was abducted and violated by Chen Pang. Three years later, Qingyun returned pregnant with Wei Yan and died shortly after giving birth. Lady Xu confessed she kept this secret to spare Wei Yan from hatred, especially when he swore to fight Bianzhou after the battle of Xindu. She admitted her own lingering hatred for Chen Pang and blamed herself for misleading Wei Yan into believing he was a Wei.
Wei Yan then asked if Lady Xu truly considered him her grandson. He observed that while she had always treated him with great affection, even more than Wei Shao, she consistently kept him from military and political power. Lady Xu confirmed this was because he carried the blood of the Chen family. She explained that after her husband's death, she bore the burden of the Wei family alone and could not fully trust him.
She noted Chen Pang's desire for Wei Yan to reunite with him in Bianzhou as his son and heir. Lady Xu offered Wei Yan two choices: he could remain by her side, cherished as her grandson but without any position of power, or he could offer three kowtows to acknowledge her upbringing and leave the Wei mansion forever. After a moment of thought, Wei Yan stood and called himself "a lost soul, a stray hound."
He then knelt and bowed three times, expressing his gratitude for her nurture. He stated he knew she withheld his true identity out of concern for him, and declared that from then on, he would only be a son of the Wei family, as he could not bear to leave her. Grandmother and grandson embraced, both in tears. Later, Wei Shao was relieved and grateful for Xiao Qiao's resourcefulness.
Xiao Qiao then visited Wei Furen in the ancestral hall, who was serving her punishment. Wei Furen bitterly complained that Lady Xu looked down on her, that Xiao Qiao was bullying her, and that Wei Shao had abandoned her. Xiao Qiao calmly explained that Wei Shao was indeed angry about the wheat seeds but knew Wei Furen had not steamed them. She suggested Wei Furen confessed out of love for him, showing a new depth of affection.
Xiao Qiao reassured her that Wei Shao cared for her and, being in an inconvenient position due to his status, had specifically asked Xiao Qiao to visit. Wei Furen was moved by this news but still worried about the harshness and duration of her punishment. Xiao Qiao explained that this particular punishment was meant for outsiders to see, and once completed, Wei Furen would be fully reconciled with Lady Xu and truly integrated into the family.
Wei Furen was relieved and pleased. Meanwhile, Chen Xiang had succumbed to his illness. Chen Pang, now supported by many, swiftly assumed the position of Bianzhou Prefect. He immediately ordered the arrest of Su Ehuang, falsely claiming that Chen Xiang's dying wish was for her to remain chaste and be imprisoned for life in the Yulou Pavilion, supposedly as a tribute to their marital bond.
Unaware of this public deception, Wei Yan privately sought out Chen Lie, a subordinate of Chen Pang, asking about his parents' relationship. Chen Lie lied, claiming they were deeply in love. Enraged, Wei Yan drew his dagger and threatened Chen Lie, exposing the truth: his mother was abducted and violated by Chen Pang, which led to her death.
He ordered Chen Lie to burn all items Chen Pang had given him and to tell Chen Pang that they were now enemies, vowing to take his life on the battlefield. Chen Lie later reported to Chen Pang that Wei Yan refused to return to Bianzhou, but Chen Pang confidently believed Wei Yan would eventually come back once he consolidated his power.
Later, a Wei family elder confronted Xiao Qiao, reopening the fourteen-year-old grudge and blaming the Qiao family for Lady Xu's illness. Wei Yan, overhearing, intervened to defend Xiao Qiao. He clarified that Xiao Qiao was not involved in the wheat seed incident and reminded the elder that while the Qiao family's past betrayal was true, Xiao Qiao had nothing to do with it and was now the Lady of Wei, part of their own family.
Xiao Qiao was grateful for Wei Yan's unexpected support. During a discussion about the upcoming expedition, Gongsun Yang praised Xiao Qiao for her efforts in securing the wheat seeds. Wei Shao remarked that she also looks out for the Qiaos. Gongsun Yang, sensing Wei Shao wasn't truly angry, then proposed accelerating the Rongjun canal project and suggested sending an additional trusted person alongside Yang Feng, who was a former officer of Qiao Gui and known for his questionable loyalty.
Wei Shao instructed Wei Xiao to deliver Yang Feng to Rongjun and then to Xindu to inform Zhen Zhi of his new appointment in Rongjun. Gongsun Yang expressed concern, noting Rongjun's proximity to Bianzhou, its prefect Yuan Wang's strong local influence, and his close ties to Wei Dian, with whom he was arranging a marriage alliance. He suggested sending someone with more authority.
Wei Shao then announced his decision to lead the expedition to Rongjun himself, intending to use the pretext of delivering wheat seeds to establish his authority, advance the canal project, and curb the influence of Wei Dian and Yuan Wang. He declared they would depart in two days. Meanwhile, Su Zixin informed Su Ehuang of Chen Xiang's death. Su Ehuang was saddened but enraged by Chen Pang's immediate succession and his order to imprison her.
Su Zixin then revealed the difficult truth: it was Chen Xiang's dying wish to confine her in the Yulou Pavilion until her final days, out of fear that her powerful "peony destiny" would be exploited and bring danger to Bianzhou. Su Ehuang lamented her fate, contrasting it with Xiao Qiao who "found true love" despite a political marriage, while she remained trapped.
Feeling her "empress's fate became a curse," she vowed not to surrender and ordered Su Zixin to help her escape the city alone. Su Zixin warned about Chen Pang's men searching specifically for women with a huadian. Su Ehuang then shocked him by casually wiping off the huadian from her forehead, which Su Zixin had believed was natural. Wei Shao finalized his plans to go to Rongjun and appointed Wei Yan to guard Yujun in his absence.
Wei Yan initially hesitated, but Lady Xu strongly supported the decision, reassuring him that he would be by her side. Wei Yan, grateful for their trust, vowed to exert his full effort. Lady Xu also praised Xiao Qiao for mediating her reconciliation with Wei Yan and advised Wei Shao to let go of his past grievances with the Qiao clan during his journey to Rongjun. Hearing of Wei Shao's impending departure, Xiao Qiao requested to accompany him.
Wei Shao initially refused, citing the dangers of the journey and the inconvenience of canal construction. However, Xiao Qiao argued that the winter wheat required special planting methods and that if she didn't oversee it directly, important details might be overlooked, leading to a poor harvest. She pressed him, asking if he didn't trust her, and when he reiterated the dangers, she boldly stated that she was not afraid as long as he protected her.
Seeing her earnest desire, Wei Shao relented and agreed to let her come. Wei Shao later informed Gongsun Yang about Xiao Qiao joining, and Gongsun Yang playfully suggested she simply wanted to keep Wei Shao company. Wei Shao, though secretly pleased, dismissed this, asserting that Xiao Qiao was intelligent and genuinely cared for the common people, believing she must have some unique planting method or felt she needed to supervise personally. The next day, Wei Shao waited for Xiao Qiao.
Though he initially complained about the delay and her elaborate preparations, when she finally emerged, graceful and radiant, he was visibly captivated, and Xiaotao noticed the uncommon warmth in his gaze. Wei Yan came to see them off, instructing Wei Shao to take good care of Xiao Qiao, his eyes lingering on her as she boarded the carriage.
Along the journey, Xiao Qiao opened her carriage window to look at Wei Shao, but he, ever practical, simply told her to close it due to the strong wind, much to Xiaotao's amusement at his lack of romance. In the same carriage, Wei Liang doted on Xiaotao, asking if she needed anything to eat or drink, which Xiaotao outwardly dismissed as bothersome but inwardly cherished. During a rest stop, Xiao Qiao purposefully sat close to Wei Shao.
He thoughtfully placed his cloak on a rock for her to sit on. She took his dry rations, finding them somewhat unappetizing but insisting they were delicious, cherishing the chance to be by his side. Feigning ignorance, she asked Wei Shao to explain the landscapes of Rongjun, prompting him, feeling proud, to elaborate in detail using a map.
Xiao Qiao, however, was lost in admiration of Wei Shao's face, complimenting his handsome features and stating that Rongjun's impressive terrain paled in comparison to his charm. Wei Shao, perplexed by her unusual behavior, wondered if she was unwell. He then explained the political complexities of Rongjun, detailing how the local prefect, Yuan Wang, a powerful noble allied with Wei Dian, might resist the canal project as it would threaten his influence, requiring careful persuasion.
Wei Liang later confided in Xiaotao that he had prepared a "guide" of local delicacies and attractions, believing that following it would help Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao grow closer during their journey, a sentiment Xiaotao readily agreed with.
