The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 27 Recap
> The Prisoner of Beauty Recap
While heavily drunk, Wei Yan mistook Lanyun for Xiao Qiao. Lanyun offered him a honeyed drink to help him sober up, then confessed her admiration for him and her willingness to stay by his side forever. Still believing he was speaking to Xiao Qiao, Wei Yan described her as a phoenix born to soar, but trapped in Wei like a caged bird, suffering silently beneath her beautiful exterior.
He wondered if she would find joy if the world were united, freeing her from turmoil to truly be herself, and pledged to help her achieve that freedom if she yearned for it. Realizing Wei Yan's heartfelt words were not meant for her, Lanyun looked closely at the painting in the room. She saw it depicted Lady Qiao, adorned with the Yanzhou orchid, a symbol of purity.
The next morning, Wei Yan woke to find Lanyun dressed identically to the portrait of Xiao Qiao. Lanyun explained that she knew his heart held an unreachable goddess and was willing to embody that goddess, even wearing an orchid like the painting, just to remain by his side. She admitted that she realized his true feelings last night when he was drunk and mistook her for Lady Qiao.
Wei Yan, after hearing Lanyun reiterate her desire to stay by his side in this role, sternly warned her to never breathe a word of what she knew about his feelings for Lady Qiao. He promised to give her considerable wealth to settle comfortably elsewhere, ordering her to leave his mansion immediately.
He menacingly added that if she dared reveal his secret, he would make her life worse than death, emphasizing that Lady Qiao was his cousin-in-law, and any possibility between them was nonexistent. Soon after, Wei Yan dismissed all the concubines from his mansion, a drastic move that quickly became the talk of the town. People in the marketplace gossiped, speculating that he had likely fallen for a noble lady and was now dedicating himself to her.
They also mocked Lanyun, saying a "pheasant is still a pheasant" and could never become a phoenix. Upon hearing this news, Su Ehuang inquired if the rumors were true, and when confirmed that all concubines were indeed dismissed, she found the development "interesting," correctly deducing that Wei Yan's actions were driven by his love for Xiao Qiao. Xiao Qiao visited Wei Shao, bringing him some handmade snacks.
She was concerned that he hadn't eaten properly for days, consumed by the stress of the canal rerouting project. She assured him of her unwavering belief in his ability to succeed, reminding him that with her, Mr. Gongsun, and the support of Yanzhou, no obstacle, including the canal issue, was insurmountable. Wei Shao, visibly moved by her support, held her on his lap.
He then asked if she would like some snacks from Kangjun, mentioning that Wei Liang had found a local shop that made similar ones, and offered to go buy them for her. However, upon Wei Shao's return, he found Lanyun waiting outside his mansion. Lanyun introduced herself as being from Wei Yan's household and gravely informed Wei Shao that his cousin, Wei Yan, had shown disrespect towards Lady Qiao. Enraged, Wei Shao stormed into Wei Yan’s study.
There, he discovered the portrait of Xiao Qiao. The sight instantly brought back a past conversation where he had asked Wei Yan how he would react if someone "tried to force their way in" regarding a woman he admired. Overcome with fury, Wei Shao set the painting ablaze and stormed out. When Wei Yan’s servants arrived to salvage what they could, the study was already engulfed in flames.
Upon his return, Wei Yan was informed by his subordinate that Wei Shao had "accidentally knocked over a candle" while waiting in the study, causing the fire. He immediately asked about Lanyun's whereabouts and, realizing the implications, sternly warned his subordinate to keep silent about the true nature of the events, threatening to execute his entire clan if a single word leaked. Wei Yan understood then that Wei Shao had discovered everything.
Back at his mansion, Wei Shao overheard Xiaozao and Chunniang tidying Xiao Qiao’s makeup box. They mentioned an incense warmer, a New Year's gift from Wei Yan, which Xiao Qiao particularly cherished. In a jealous rage, Wei Shao smashed the makeup box on the floor, breaking a hairpin he had given her. When Xiao Qiao arrived and confronted him, he furiously accused her of keeping gifts from other men.
Xiao Qiao clarified that gifts from Gao Heng were not present and that the incense warmer was from her cousin, Wei Yan, whom she argued was family. Wei Shao, seething, declared that while other men might try to win her affection like him, Wei Yan could not, threatening to kill any other man who dared approach her. Xiao Qiao retorted, defending Wei Yan as a straightforward person whose private thoughts were his own.
She condemned Wei Shao’s constant suspicion, angrily stating that she was not interested in all men of the Wei Clan. Wei Shao, his eyes red with anger, stormed out. Xiao Qiao, deeply upset, lay on her bed. Xiaozao later tried to comfort her, explaining that Wei Shao often faced troubles outside and his anger wasn't directed at her personally, as he was "soft" inside.
Chen Pang, ruler of Bianzhou, sent an envoy, Chen Lie, to Wei, offering a convenient route for the canal project, which would be much easier than going through Liangya. Wei Shao, however, immediately discerned Chen Pang's true motive: he wanted Wei Yan to be handed over as a hostage and sent to Danjun. Outraged by this "extravagant dream," Wei Shao flatly refused the offer and ordered the Bianzhou envoy to be expelled from Wei.
Before his orders could be carried out, he was informed that the envoy had already taken the liberty of visiting Wei Yan. Wei Shao rushed to confront Wei Yan, pleading with him not to agree to leave for Bianzhou. Wei Yan, seeing through Wei Shao's pretense, directly asked if Wei Shao now knew about his feelings for Xiao Qiao. When Wei Shao denied it, Wei Yan countered, "Why lie to yourself?" admitting that he was "momentarily confused" by his emotions.
Wei Shao, angered, questioned if Wei Yan had ever truly considered him a brother, to which Wei Yan confirmed he had. Wei Shao then offered a path to forgiveness, promising to let the matter go and pretend it "never happened" if Wei Yan would "stop loving her from now on." Wei Yan, however, responded by punching Wei Shao, expressing his deep resentment for Wei Shao and Lady Xu's overprotective nature.
He complained that their constant care, spoiling, and cautious protection made him feel like a "pet" rather than family, wishing they would scold or even hit him instead. Wei Shao retorted that Wei Yan, after "so many years as brothers," surely knew the sincerity of his and Lady Xu's feelings. He reiterated that "wherever you belong, you are always my cousin," and their only desire was for him to stay in Wei and sever ties with Bianzhou.
He concluded by telling Wei Yan that the final decision rested entirely with him. Later, bearing the marks of their confrontation, Wei Shao returned to find Xiao Qiao lighting candles. He approached her, embracing her as he apologized for his earlier outburst, admitting he shouldn't have taken his anger out on her and said "foolish things." He showed her his bruised face from the fight with Wei Yan, feigning extra pain.
Xiao Qiao initially dismissed his injuries as a "Wei family" matter, but Wei Shao reiterated his apology, acknowledging her tireless efforts for their family and her genuine care for Wei Yan, assuring her that he understood she had "no other intentions" with his cousin. He even offered to let her hit or scold him, or to hit himself to atone.
Xiao Qiao, seeing his wounds, felt a pang of pity but refused to strike him, jesting that his toughened skin from training would hurt her hand more. As she reached to touch his face, Wei Shao dramatically winced, claiming it hurt immensely, and asked for a comforting hug instead. She complied, and they shared a tender embrace, both smiling.
Wei Shao also asked her to keep the fight a secret from Lady Xu and his mother, so as not to trouble them. Xiao Qiao promised her unwavering support, stating she would face any problem with him as long as they were united. Lady Xu soon learned of the fight between Wei Shao and Wei Yan.
While her subordinate suggested it was merely a consequence of Wei Shao accidentally burning Wei Yan's study the previous day, Lady Xu dismissed it as mere "brotherly play," suspecting a deeper underlying cause. She immediately summoned Xiaotan and Zhu Quan, determined to uncover the truth. The following day, when Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao came to pay their respects to Lady Xu, she immediately noticed the bruise on Wei Shao’s face. He lied, claiming it was from an accidental fall.
Just then, Wei Yan arrived, also sporting a bruised face, and offered the same excuse of an accidental fall after drinking. Lady Xu, seeing through their flimsy excuses, chastised them both for their carelessness, especially Wei Shao as the Lord of Wei. She then brought up Wei Yan's burned study. Wei Shao quickly took responsibility, admitting he had "accidentally knocked over a candle" at Wei Yan's mansion, causing the fire.
He added that he and Xiao Qiao had already discussed it and intended to take this opportunity to thoroughly repair Wei Yan's mansion as "compensation." Wei Yan, despite his earlier refusal, eventually agreed, and both cousins, encouraged by Lady Xu, vowed to treat the incident as if it "never happened," reaffirming their long-standing brotherhood. Later, Lady Xu privately spoke with Wei Yan.
She told him that while he could request "whatever you need" for his house repairs, he must "not take what is beloved," specifically reminding him of the ancient proverb, "Don't covet a friend's wife." She then asked if he blamed her for always making him defer to Wei Shao. Wei Yan responded that as the elder brother, it was "how it should be," acknowledging her point. Lady Xu was relieved he understood.
Returning to his burned study, Wei Yan sat amidst the wreckage. A bitter smile touched his lips as he reflected that "the most precious feelings in the world are not just romantic love," and that he "can move on" from his forbidden affections. Qiao Ci arrived at the residence of Da Qiao and Bi Zhi. Da Qiao inquired about Xiao Qiao, specifically asking if she had mentioned Bi Zhi during the recent Deer Hunt.
Qiao Ci reported that Xiao Qiao was well and that Wei Shao treated her kindly. Regarding the invitation, he only knew that "there was no time to send letters," but admitted he knew nothing further. This response caused Da Qiao to harbor some resentment towards Xiao Qiao. Meanwhile, Su Ehuang, learning that Wei Shao hadn't blamed Xiao Qiao despite the revelation about Wei Yan's feelings, decided to escalate her scheme.
She instructed her subordinate to spread new rumors, focusing on Wei Yan's affections for Xiao Qiao, specifically highlighting that she was his "cousin-in-law." These rumors quickly spread through the city, with people gossiping about Wei Yan's fickleness, but this time, it was about Lady Qiao. When Wei Yan prepared to deliver snacks to Lady Xu, Zhu Quan tried to stop him, warning him about the "rumors outside lately" that claimed he was having an "affair with Lady Qiao."
Zhu Quan suggested detaining those spreading the rumors, but Wei Yan argued that "rumors are like water; blocking them won't help," and that coercion only made people believe the lies more. He decided the best approach was to "cover it up" by attributing the rumors to Bianzhou.
He would claim that Bianzhou, in their efforts to force him to return, had not only proposed canal cooperation but also deliberately spread these rumors to "damage our brotherhood" and "force me to leave Wei." He asserted that it "has to be Bianzhou" as the culprit to make the narrative stick. With this plan in mind, Wei Yan summoned Chen Lie.
Wei Yan briefly mentioned the ongoing rumors but quickly dismissed them, then agreed to return to Bianzhou, but only if Chen Lie first helped him implement his plan to "cover it up." That evening, Wei Yan went to Lady Xu’s residence, bringing her snacks. Lady Xu, seeing his late arrival, recognized he had something important to say. Wei Yan informed her of his intention to travel to "Mount Shuang," pointedly mentioning its proximity to Bianzhou.
He explained his restless nature, stating he couldn't stay in one place for too long. Lady Xu, sensing the finality in his words, warned him not to be like "flowing water that never returns." Wei Yan then explained his painful decision: he didn’t want to "ruin Lady Qiao's reputation," "hurt Zhonglin's dignity," or place Lady Xu "caught in the middle." Lady Xu, deeply saddened, pleaded with him not to leave, saying she "can't bear to part with you."
However, Wei Yan knelt, bidding her farewell. He asked her to "just think of it as me going out to relax," hoping that his departure would allow him to "let go of this fixation on someone and something before me and move on from the feelings that I should never have." He added that "a fledgling must eventually leave the nest" and acknowledged he "may never return," but assured her his "heart will always be here." With that, he departed.
As he left, Lady Xu cried out his name and, in her distress, stumbled and fell down the steps at the entrance. Wei Shao, upon hearing the pervasive rumors about Xiao Qiao and Wei Yan, immediately denounced them as "nonsense" and ordered his subordinates to thoroughly investigate the source. Soon after, Su Ehuang approached him, feigning reluctance to speak, before revealing that "the city is full of rumors about Lady Qiao and Shiyuan having an affair."
She then subtly suggested sending Xiao Qiao "out of the city for now to avoid the spotlight." Wei Shao vehemently rejected this, stating that as his wife and the Lady of Wei, Xiao Qiao should not be driven away. Instead, he declared that "the ones spreading rumors should be the ones cast out of Yujun," vowing to find and severely punish them. Su Ehuang, intimidated by his anger, dared not speak further.
Wei Shao’s subordinates successfully apprehended those responsible for spreading the rumors, who were identified as spies from Bianzhou. However, Wei Yan arrived on the scene and brazenly demanded their release, stating he "wants to protect them." When a subordinate questioned his motives, suggesting secret dealings with Bianzhou and his true allegiance, Wei Yan defiantly admitted, "I have been to Bianzhou on my travels" and asserted his right to take the spies with him, challenging anyone to stop him.
Wei Shao, fearing that Wei Yan's true identity or past might be publicly exposed, quickly arrived and ordered the immediate release of the two Bianzhou men. He then publicly reaffirmed his bond with Wei Yan, declaring, "Wherever you belong, you are always my cousin." Wei Yan, leaning close, whispered back, "But in this world, a cousin should never love his cousin-in-law," sealing his departure from Wei Shao's life.
