The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 21 Recap, Plot

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Wei Shao stubbornly insisted that the yamen was more comfortable than home. At that moment, Xiao Tan brought him hot ginger tea to help him sleep better. Wei Shao praised Xiao Tan's increasingly thoughtful arrangements. Xiao Tan smiled slightly without saying much, but in fact, everything had been arranged by Xiao Qiao, and Xiao Tan did her best to take care of Wei Shao as if he were at home.

Xiao Qiao simply wanted to make Wei Shao's stay more comfortable. Whenever Wei Shao felt sleepy, Xiao Tan would bring him cooling oil to refresh him. When Wei Shao’s hands felt cold, Xiao Tan would promptly bring him a hand warmer. She also seemed to know exactly when he was hungry and would bring food prepared by Xiao Qiao in advance.

Only then did Wei Shao realize that everything was prepared by Xiao Qiao, and he couldn’t help but sigh that although he was at the yamen, he was still within her web. Xiao Tan misunderstood, thinking that Wei Shao disliked it and wanted to take everything away, but Wei Shao stopped her. Wei Shao curiously asked what Xiao Qiao had been up to lately. He learned that she was looking for people and busy promoting the Lu Li Assembly.

Wei Shao inquired about Gao Heng, and Xiao Tan had also heard that Gao Heng was a man of great talent renowned throughout the land. Xiao Zao was busy preparing things for Wei Shao and accidentally touched Wei Shao's wooden box. Xiao Qiao immediately reminded Xiao Zao to be careful, afraid that Wei Shao would be displeased.

Suddenly, Xiao Qiao remembered the jade pendant she had come across last time—Wei Shao had reacted strongly and placed it in the wooden box. That jade pendant had once been seen at Su Ehuang’s waist, and Xiao Qiao was worried that things between the two had not yet ended. Xiao Qiao asked Xiao Tan to take back the food and hand warmer she had arranged for Wei Shao. She also added some pastries, claiming they were Wei Shao's favorites.

However, Wei Shao didn’t like having things taken away at all. He noticed the box had been returned by Xiao Qiao. When he opened it and saw the jade pendant inside, he recalled how his elder brother had broken the pendant when hiding him, asking Wei Shao to take good care of Su Ehuang. Wei Shao kept one piece and gave the other to Su Ehuang.

Wei Shao suddenly returned, saying he felt uncomfortable at the yamen and lay his head on Xiao Qiao’s lap, asking her to massage his head. Then he opened the box and showed Xiao Qiao its contents—keepsakes from his father and brother. The jade pendant was his brother’s token. His brother had once been engaged to Su Ehuang and was an undefeated general who died in the Battle of Xindu.

Back then, his brother had asked two things of Wei Shao: first, to take care of Su Ehuang, and second, something he couldn't fulfill. Xiao Qiao had already guessed that the second matter was related to the Qiao family. She tightly embraced Wei Shao. Wei Shao asked for Xiao Qiao’s childhood name and learned it was Manman. The two drew closer tenderly. Bi Zhi stopped seeking news after learning someone from the frontier province had already visited three times.

He didn’t want to keep pleading with Qiao Yue, afraid that Qiao Yue would look down on him in the future. Seeing this, Da Qiao wrote a letter to Xiao Qiao, hoping to get her help, but she couldn't ask directly and could only use the opportunity of attending the Lu Li Assembly. Bi Zhi agreed with this plan.

Wei Yan invited four wine maids into his room to compare them to the beauties in his painting "Goddess of Fishing Mountain. " He found one woman with the surname Yu resembled the painting from a certain angle but did not keep them and had them sent away. Everyone gathered at Madam Xu’s for a meal. Wei Yan praised the hairpins worn by Madam Xu and Madam Wei, but not the one on Xiao Qiao.

When Madam Xu reminded him, Wei Yan explained that Xiao Qiao should be praised by Wei Shao instead, while he was responsible for making Madam Xu and Madam Wei happy. Xiao Qiao was happy with the hairpin sent by Wei Shao and expressed her liking for it. But Wei Shao dismissively claimed it was made casually from leftover materials. Madam Xu saw through Wei Shao's denial and reminded him to express his true feelings sincerely.

There were rumors that a woman with the surname Yu was carrying Wei Yan's flute as a token, claiming to be in a secret relationship with him. Madam Xu summoned Wei Yan and was willing to disregard social status to marry her off, but Wei Yan denied everything, only admitting that she had come to the house to paint and was just an ordinary wine maid. However, Wei Shao discovered that this Yu woman was actually from a respectable family.

Xiao Qiao saw that Wei Yan simply didn’t want to explain, not that he was guilty. She took the initiative to find the Yu woman and, after a brief conversation, uncovered the truth. The woman had disguised herself as a wine maid to meet Wei Yan after falling in love at first sight and, upon picking up his flute, started spreading the rumor that they were already together to force a marriage.

Xiao Qiao not only retrieved the flute but also cleared up the rumors. Wei Yan claimed not to care about reputation—people already thought he was frivolous and wouldn’t mind one more rumor. But Xiao Qiao understood that despite his appearance, Wei Yan would never shirk responsibility for things he had actually done.

Wei Yan immediately felt she was a kindred spirit—unlike Wei Shao and Madam Xu, who favored and protected him even when he was wrong, but didn’t truly understand him. Back home, Wei Yan unconsciously painted Xiao Qiao’s face onto the Goddess in his painting. Lan Yun happened to see it and mistakenly thought that Wei Yan liked her. Gao Heng had always refused to write praise poetry, always claiming a lack of inspiration.

But after visiting the military training ground once, he was suddenly inspired and wrote a poem. Wei Shao had assumed Gao Heng was an elderly man, but was surprised to find he was a young and handsome man. Upon hearing this, Wei Shao immediately wanted to go see him. Gongsun Yang kept reminding Wei Shao to treat Gao Heng with respect. By the time Wei Yan arrived, Gao Heng had already finished writing.

He candidly admitted that his inspiration came from Xiao Qiao and that the poem was about her, not about the Lu Li Assembly. Wei Yan was instantly jealous. Everyone felt the poem should be carved onto the wall so it could be remembered for generations. Even Xiao Qiao praised the poem and offered to go with him to view the cliff carvings. Before Wei Shao could refuse, Xiao Qiao declined herself.

Wei Shao then pointed out that the poem was off-topic and should have praised the Lu Li Assembly. Wei Yan agreed but still believed the poem was fine as it was—Xiao Qiao was indeed a rare woman throughout history. Wei Shao publicly rejected the poem that praised Xiao Qiao, took her hand, and led her away arm-in-arm. Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao rode away on the same horse.

He noticed Xiao Qiao wasn’t wearing the hairpin he had given her and couldn't help but ask. Xiao Qiao deliberately said that since the hairpin was something he had made casually, she assumed he didn’t like it and thus didn’t wear it often. Wei Shao quickly explained that he had made it with care.

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