The Prisoner of Beauty Episode 7 Recap
> The Prisoner of Beauty Recap
Wei Shao brought Xiao Qiao to pay respects to Lady Xu, his grandmother. Xiao Qiao presented Lady Xu with embroidered shoes she had personally sewn, and Lady Xu, in turn, offered gifts to Xiao Qiao. Lady Xu excused Wei Shao from daily greetings, understanding his busy schedule, and then asked to speak with Xiao Qiao alone. Lady Xu inquired about Qiao Gui's (Xiao Qiao’s grandfather) divination skills.
Xiao Qiao explained that her grandfather, skilled in divination for the people and for peace, chose not to send troops due to inauspicious omens. She conveyed his deep guilt and regret before he passed away, describing it as the price for peering into Heaven's will. Lady Xu then dismissed the old stories, informing Xiao Qiao that there were no strict rules in her household, so daily greetings were unnecessary.
Instead, if Xiao Qiao wished to show respect, she could transcribe scriptures. Xiao Qiao readily agreed. Meanwhile, in Boya, Da Qiao received a letter from Xiao Qiao, expressing concern for her and Bi Zhi, who were living without support. Xiao Qiao also asked about a matter concerning the "lifeblood of Yanzhou" that they had discussed before. Da Qiao shared the letter with Bi Zhi, explaining that Xiao Qiao wished them to live peacefully in Boya.
That night, as heavy rain poured down, Bi Zhi chose to sleep outdoors to protect Da Qiao’s reputation. Worried, Da Qiao went outside to find him. She insisted he shouldn't worry about others' opinions, especially since their neighbors already considered them a married couple. Da Qiao then initiated a kiss, and they became a couple that night. The next morning, Bi Zhi, displaying his immense strength, carried a large log of wood to Master Wang, a craftsman.
He described the instrument he wanted—a konghou—and Master Wang, impressed by the wood, promised to start work the very next day. Wei Shao’s mother, Lady Zhu, summoned Xiao Qiao, intending to scold her for not offering daily greetings. Xiao Qiao explained that she had been with Wei Shao, greeting Lady Xu, which caused her delay. Lady Zhu felt disrespected but couldn't openly contradict Lady Xu’s instructions. Feigning hunger, Lady Zhu then ordered Xiao Qiao to prepare soup.
Xiao Qiao politely declined, citing Lady Xu’s instruction for her to transcribe the lengthy Infinite Life Sutra. She further explained that transcribing required a vegetarian diet, and entering the kitchen, which was full of meat, would be inappropriate. She offered to serve Lady Zhu after completing the transcription. Enraged, Lady Zhu instructed a servant to summon Wei Shao for dinner, intending to complain about Xiao Qiao.
In Boya, soldiers arrived to conscript villagers for military service, attempting to drag an elderly man named Master Wang away. Bi Zhi intervened, fighting off the soldiers and driving them away. The grateful villagers hailed him as their savior and pleaded with him to lead them against further conscription and find a way to survive. Bi Zhi was hesitant, wanting only a peaceful life with Da Qiao after their recent marriage.
However, the villagers warned him that Xue Tai would surely retaliate, making a peaceful life impossible. Though he confessed to only knowing how to raise horses and lacking strategic knowledge, Bi Zhi ultimately agreed to lead them. A villager, who had read a few books, stepped forward, offering to be his chief advisor and suggesting the title "Commander of Boya Forces" to rally support. Miners also pledged their strength and loyalty to him.
Da Qiao, upon hearing the news, was alarmed and urged Bi Zhi to flee, fearing Xue Tai, whom she knew from Kangjun as a ruthless general with a formidable army. Bi Zhi explained that he wished to become the master of Boya not just for their protection, but also to put pressure on Panyi, which would trouble the Wei family.
By intercepting Xue Tai, he would fulfill a promise he had made to Xiao Qiao in the Panyi forest: to serve the Lady of Wei. Witnessing the villagers from across the river kneeling and cheering for "General" Bi Zhi, Da Qiao, moved, accepted his decision. Later, Wei Shao joined his mother, Lady Zhu, for dinner, where she presented him with a new pair of shoes she had made.
As he struggled to put on the ill-fitting shoes, Lady Zhu emotionally recalled his deceased elder brother who used to wear her handmade shoes. She then pressed Wei Shao to take Zheng Chuyu as a concubine, praising Chuyu as a kind and trustworthy woman who had offered her comfort and who would remain by her side. Wei Shao agreed to consider the matter. Returning to his study, Wei Shao’s feet ached from the ill-fitting shoes.
He saw Xiao Qiao transcribing scriptures and, as she reached for a box on his table, he immediately took it, warning her not to touch it without his permission again. Xiao Qiao, noticing his discomfort, returned with a pair of shoes she had made for him, which fit perfectly. She then offered to take Lady Zhu’s shoes to study them and improve her own skills, and Wei Shao permitted it.
He questioned why she was so thoughtful towards him yet had refused to make soup for his mother. Xiao Qiao confessed that she had never learned to cook, had no idea where to start, and feared her mother-in-law, who deeply disliked her (recalling being kept outside the city for three days), would view her honesty as a mere excuse, further deepening her disdain.
Wei Shao then informed Xiao Qiao that he needed her to arrange for Zheng Chuyu to be taken as a concubine. Xiao Qiao then visited Lady Xu, pretending to seek advice on calligraphy styles for transcribing sutras. She then subtly asked for a suitable script for the formal document acknowledging Zheng Chuyu as a concubine, claiming her inexperience made her fear embarrassing Wei Shao. Lady Xu saw through the pretense and urged Xiao Qiao to speak plainly.
Xiao Qiao explained that since Wei Shao had previously rejected his uncles’ suggestions for concubines, he would need a compelling reason for this current proposal to avoid resentment from them. Understanding the implications, Lady Xu informed Xiao Qiao that she would handle the matter. Lady Xu subsequently met with Wei Shao’s mother, Lady Zhu.
Despite Lady Zhu’s protests and blaming Xiao Qiao for her son's delay in taking Zheng Chuyu, Lady Xu firmly stated that she had already arranged a generous dowry for Zheng Chuyu and found her another suitable match, leaving Lady Zhu with no choice but to comply. Later, Wei Shao confronted Xiao Qiao about going to Lady Xu regarding the concubine matter.
He did not explicitly blame her but warned her not to meddle with his affairs or touch anything in his study. Xiao Qiao, taking her items, left the study. Misinterpreting the sound of approaching footsteps as Xiao Qiao returning, Wei Shao called out, explaining he wasn't suspicious and that she was welcome in his study anytime. However, it was Zheng Chuyu who entered with soup from Lady Zhu.
Wei Shao sternly rejected her, refusing the soup and forbidding her from entering his study without permission in the future. In Boya, Xue Tai personally led his forces against Bi Zhi. Despite his subordinate’s warning about Bi Zhi’s innate strength and horse-training ability, Xue Tai dismissed Bi Zhi’s small force as insignificant. During the battle, Bi Zhi, demonstrating his prowess, engaged Xue Tai in a fierce duel, holding his own.
He then used a whistle to disorient Xue Tai’s horses, creating chaos, and led his men to press the attack. Meanwhile, Da Qiao, fearing they could not defeat Xue Tai alone, wrote to Kangjun for help. However, her father, Lord Qiao, refused to send troops.
He rebuked Da Qiao for eloping with a stableman and abandoning her family, fearing that sending aid would offend Bianzhou and risk misunderstanding from Wei Shao, who had thousands of elite soldiers stationed nearby in Panyi. Lord Qiao would only agree to send someone to bring Da Qiao back to Kangjun. Returning to his study, Wei Shao found his precious box marred with knife scratches. He immediately summoned Xiao Qiao and accused her.
Xiao Qiao denied touching the box, claiming she only picked it up briefly and then put it down, and insisted she did not know who caused the scratches. Wei Shao, enraged, called the Qiao family untrustworthy and deceitful, accusing them of inherited treachery. He tightly gripped Xiao Qiao’s throat, threatening to send her back to Kangjun if she ever dared to touch his things again. Xiao Qiao, seeing the murderous intent in his eyes, felt a chill but remained composed.
She immediately instructed her maids, Xiaozao and Chunniang, to investigate who else had entered the study. However, after questioning the servants, Xiaozao and Chunniang returned with no information; everyone claimed ignorance. Chunniang suggested seeking help from Lady Xu, but Xiao Qiao refused, explaining that Lady Xu, being part of the Wei family, could not always be relied upon.
Xiao Qiao declared that she needed to find a definitive answer to this accusation, otherwise she would forever be at Wei Shao's mercy. Despite her disadvantaged position, she was determined not to surrender to fate. Later, while Wei Shao was discussing canal repairs with Gongsun Yang and Wei Qu, Xiao Qiao entered the study uninvited. She boldly snatched the box from Wei Shao’s hands and, in front of everyone, effortlessly solved the intricate nine-square lock to open it.
She explained that the lock was not difficult for someone skilled in calculation. She stated that if she had intended to steal anything, she would not have left knife marks on such a precious item that held great sentimental value for him, an act that would wound his heart. Xiao Qiao confronted Wei Shao, accusing him of mistrusting her despite their marriage and questioned whether he would fear her striking him in his sleep.
She apologized for touching the box, acknowledging it was against his warning, but firmly denied being the one who scratched it. She vowed never to repeat her mistake and offered to help him open the box should he ever forget how in the future. Gongsun Yang and Wei Qu were impressed by her eloquent and logical defense. After the others left, Wei Shao sat alone with the opened box.
He gazed at the two silk handkerchiefs and the sword tassel, tangible links to his beloved grandfather, father, and brother, and tears welled in his eyes. He recalled their words—his grandfather urging him to be a warrior, and his brother warning him against trusting others, especially the Qiao family, and to be the hope of the Wei family. Then, Xiao Qiao’s words echoed in his mind: "To scar it with a knife is to scar your heart." This led Wei Shao to question who truly scratched the box, casting doubt on his initial accusation against Xiao Qiao.
