The Prisoner of Beauty ending explained and season 2 renewal possibilities explored: Did Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao get their happily ever after?

The Prisoner of Beauty is a historical Chinese drama series released on May 13, 2025. Consisting of 36 episodes, the show displays the growth in the relationship between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao. The two, coming from different clans, the Qiao and the Wei family, are forced to marry each other to ease the ongoing conflicts between the two families.

Given their marriage's rocky start, the two have a tough time connecting with each other. Their interactions are often cold, and they push one another's boundaries, either in a lighthearted manner or tensely. However, their relationship slowly shifts as Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao begin to see each other's talents and admirable qualities, eventually leading to them falling in love.

The Prisoner of Beauty is also inspired by the Chinese novel Zhe Yao by Peng Lai Ke, and it has been one of the most anticipated releases for over three years. Following its release, despite the sudden premiere without promotions, the show was well-received by the audience. Many also communicated that they were impressed with the cast's performance of the plot.

The finale of The Prisoner of Beauty left the audience in a confused state of mind. While the couple got their happy ending, the plot was not completely aligned with the events in the novel, making people question the reason behind the same.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for the Chinese drama, The Prisoner of Beauty.

The Prisoner of Beauty recap and ending explained: All you need to know about the recent historical C-drama series

The Prisoner of Beauty starts off with Wei Shao, the leader of the Wei clan, sending out a marriage proposal to the Qiao family to end the longstanding feud. The Qiao family has directly or indirectly been the reason behind the death of several members of the Wei family. However, Wei Shao believes that peace is a better option than war for the people of his land.

The youngest daughter of the Qiao family, Xiao Qiao, is offered for the proposal, and the two end up getting married. However, the moments leading up to their marriage and several initial days of their married life hold many complications. Given that they come from two different clans that have had bad blood with one another for over fourteen years, their relationship is naturally tinted with distrust and suspicion.

Regardless, as they withstand several challenges and tests that come their way, the two get closer and begin to fall in love. However, the consequences of the background of their marriage continue to shift the direction of their relationship. While the novel depicts the couple getting closer to one another much faster, the drama delays it by over a year.

This allows the two characters to gain enough understanding of their priorities and also lets them process their emotions thoroughly. Therefore, they have their wedding night after a year, and Xiao Qiao gets pregnant. Around this time, Wei Shao also realizes that his focus shouldn't be on the feud with the Qiao family but rather on restoring the Yongning Canal.

This canal is the primary water source for the two clans, Qiao and Wei. Therefore, this leads to the eruption of war between the two clans once again. As Xiao Qiao nears the end of her pregnancy, Wei Shao departs to participate in the war to regain what originally belongs to the people of his land. This particularly gets more tense as Xiao Qiao faces complications with her pregnancy.

On the other hand, in the historical drama, Wei Liang, the closest soldier and brother-like friend of Wei Shao, leaves to bring Xiao Qiao's father while also promising his lover, Xiao Tao, that he will bring orchids from Yanzhou to ask for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately, Wei Liang gets killed at the orders of the Qiao family, and his dead body is hanged as a form of humiliation by the Qiao clan.

Upon hearing the news of his death, Wei Shao is heartbroken and angered by the loss of his friend, while Xiao Qiao is frustrated with the repeated acts of betrayal from her own family. When Wei Shao returns to the battlefield while still grieving the loss of his good friend, the war ends in the victory of the Wei family, where they regain full access to the Yongning Canal.

As he returns home, Xiao Qiao is cleared of her pregnancy complications and gives birth to a healthy child. With the couple getting their happy ending and the land regaining its peace, the show ends with a note of closure. Regardless, the unexpected death of Wei Liang, which is not aligned with the events in the novel, has left many fans and netizens shocked and frustrated.

Also read: Such A Good Love ending explained and season 2 renewal possibilities explored: Did Dai Daji & Zhou Shui get their happily ever after?

Are there season 2 possibilities for the historical Chinese drama series, The Prisoner of Beauty?

Following the release of The Prisoner of Beauty, many netizens shared their interest and excitement for the show's renewal with a second season due to its various intriguing features, such as the detailed plotline, interesting character development arcs, etc.

However, the events of The Prisoner of Beauty lead to very minimal chances for the same. Though the ending may not have been mutually agreeable between netizens, it leaves very little space for a second season, as most incidents and events are closed. Additionally, since it's based on a novel and the book hasn't had any renewals yet, the possibility of another season is quite unlikely.

Regardless, there have been no official announcements either announcing or dismissing the release of the series' second season.

The Prisoner of Beauty is available to stream on Netflix.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Riya Peter