The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 23 Recap, Plot

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Wei Shao stared intently at Xiao Qiao for a long time. After Xiao Qiao nodded and gave him a kiss, she suddenly burst out laughing. Only then did Wei Shao realize that Xiao Qiao hadn’t fallen asleep. Xiao Qiao pressed him—since he kissed her, did it mean he was no longer angry? Wei Shao, a bit shy, lay beside her. Xiao Qiao took the initiative to kiss him, and the two embraced sweetly.

Early the next morning, when Wei Shao woke up, he found himself sitting at the edge of the bed, with Xiao Qiao resting on his arm. Both of their clothes were intact. Remembering Xiao Qiao’s kiss from the day before, Wei Shao suddenly suspected it might have been a dream.

At that moment, Xiao Qiao woke up and, realizing how uncomposed she looked—especially when she saw the scratch marks on Wei Shao’s neck—rushed over to check if she had scratched him. But Wei Shao dodged and reminded Xiao Qiao not to drink again. Xiao Qiao stood there in a daze, reflecting on how she had been drunk before, but never scratched anyone. The four Wei brothers noticed the scratch marks on Wei Shao’s neck. Wei Liang curiously asked about them.

Wei Shao vaguely brushed it off as having been scratched by a cat. But Wei Liang didn’t believe him—he’d never seen a cat in the residence. Wei Qu curled his lip, thinking this brother was too dim-witted. Xiao Tao wanted to give Wei Liang a gift, but thought a bronze mirror was too simple. She hoped Xiao Qiao could help make a better one. Xiao Qiao couldn’t help but laugh and agreed to help.

That evening, when Wei Shao returned, he found that Xiao Qiao had gone out shopping. But on her table, he saw a box containing a bronze mirror, and he couldn’t help feeling delighted. Just then, Xiao Qiao returned and suggested inviting Da Qiao over. Wei Shao readily agreed but mentioned that since Yanzhou didn’t need to participate, there was no need to invite them. Xiao Qiao agreed.

Wei Shao hoped Xiao Qiao would mention the gift herself and asked if she had something to say, but she said nothing. Wei Shao kept staring at the box, constantly reminding Xiao Qiao if she had forgotten something. Seeing she had no intention of presenting the gift, Wei Shao felt disappointed. Madam Ding planned to accompany Da Qiao and Bi Zhi to the Luli Assembly and would visit Xiao Qiao on the way.

Qiao Ci was to be sent back but was unwilling. Eventually, he asked Bi Zhi for a fine steed, and Bi Zhi agreed immediately. The next day, Wei Shao showed off his heart-protecting mirror to his brothers, claiming Xiao Qiao had gifted it to him and that it was inscribed with scriptures. Wei Liang immediately took out his own heart-protecting mirror, which matched Wei Shao’s description. Wei Shao felt awkward and hurriedly explained he had remembered it wrong.

He said the one Xiao Qiao gave him was inlaid with white jade and carved with mandarin ducks. Everyone praised that Xiao Qiao’s gift must indeed be unique. Wei Shao deliberately brought up the relationship between Bi Zhi and Da Qiao to Xiao Qiao, believing Da Qiao would be considerate and surely gift Bi Zhi something for protection. But Xiao Qiao didn’t catch the implication.

Wei Shao pretended to have chest pains, claiming he was injured during a scuffle with Wei Liang because Wei Liang had a heart-protecting mirror and he didn’t. Xiao Qiao blamed Wei Liang for being too rough and removed some aggravating foods from their meals to help Wei Shao’s injury. Wei Liang and Wei Shao walked together on the street, and Wei Liang intentionally let his heart-protecting mirror show, provoking Wei Shao’s jealousy and dissatisfaction.

Wei Qu reminded Wei Liang that if this issue wasn’t handled well, he might be exiled to a harsh and remote region. Wei Liang quickly sought out Xiao Tao in private and told her about it. Xiao Tao and Xiao Qiao visited every shop but couldn’t find a heart-protecting mirror inlaid with gold and jade. Xiao Qiao decided to make one herself—after all, if Wei Shao said it, she had to deliver.

Qiao Ci pretended to return to Yanzhou but actually rode swiftly on his fine steed to Yu County and instructed his attendants to report that he was waiting in Yanzhou. Meanwhile, Xiao Qiao finished making the heart-protecting mirror and gave it to Wei Shao. Just as he was overjoyed, news arrived that Su Ehuang was waiting at the courier station to see him.

Xiao Qiao originally wanted to go with him, but Wei Shao declined, saying she had been too tired lately and should rest more. To recover quickly and meet Wei Shao, Su Ehuang deliberately took strong medicine that caused her voice to become hoarse and broke the jade pendant left to her by Wei Shao’s older brother, Wei Bogong.

She falsely claimed to Wei Shao that Qiao Yue had been sending Qiao Ci everywhere to capture her and deliver her to Wei Shao in order to secure Xiao Qiao’s status. She added that Qiao Yue was recruiting beauties from all over to win over regional governors, and that her jade pendant was broken during her escape. Her voice was poisoned hoarse so she couldn’t be exploited by Qiao Yue. Wei Shao believed her but did not blame Xiao Qiao.

However, he withdrew the invitation to Bo Ya. When Xiao Qiao found out, she didn’t plead her case. Instead, she stood by Wei Shao’s side and offered to apologize to Su Ehuang. To help Wei Shao keep his promise to take care of Su Ehuang, she even prepared some gifts. Wei Shao embraced Xiao Qiao, unwilling to let her apologize.

These things weren’t her fault, and at that moment, all he wished was for Xiao Qiao to become a wife of the Wei family. In Liangya, while Liu Yan was practicing swordsmanship, Liu Shan came to persuade him to spend time winning over the crown prince instead of always hiding away to train. After all, Liu Yan was the rightful heir, and the princess consort’s provocations would ultimately be futile.

Liu Shan then informed him about the Luli Assembly hosted by Wei and hoped Liu Yan would attend to secure his position as heir once more. But Liu Yan worried that if he went, it would only embolden the princess consort. Liu Shan warned him that his position was already unstable. At that moment, the King of Liangya summoned Liu Yan and proposed bringing his younger son Liu Qi to Wei.

The princess consort stirred up trouble, criticizing Liu Yan for offending Wei first and forcing the aged king to go himself. Together with the princess consort, the king scolded Liu Yan and threatened to strip him of his title. Enraged, Liu Yan killed both the king and the princess consort. Liu Shan happened to witness the scene and blamed Liu Yan for bringing such a disgrace upon himself.

Unexpectedly, Liu Yan turned hostile and warned Liu Shan that he was no longer his uncle, but merely a servant of the new King of Liangya. Otherwise, he could join the late king in death. With that, Liu Yan, his face stained with blood, sat upon the throne.

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