The sword light flashed, carrying Wei Qiqi’s fury and humiliation. Liu Zhongtian dodged left and right, not daring to attack Qiqi. He was scared that she would wield the sword carelessly and hurt herself. However, Qiqi in her anger didn’t care about all these. The sword light flashed randomly, the tip of the sword mercilessly slashed across Liu Zhongtian’s arm. A trace of blood appeared instantly and fresh blood flowing down, looking extremely striking.
Wei Qiqi saw the fresh blood and was instantly stunned. She became more level-headed as well. Her speed slowed down and her body started to tremble. Liu Zhongtian took the chance to take away the sword and grabbed Qiqi’s wrists.
“Don’t tell me you want to kill this Duke!”
“Yes, I want to kill you, this tyrannical Duke that doesn’t care about other people’s feelings!”
“Tyrannical? What are you unsatisfied with? This Duke has taken so many steps back for you, even loving you only. I am a Duke, not a common citizen. I won’t allow you to be so reckless and rude.”
Liu Zhongtian was somewhat furious. Why was Wei Qiqi unable to be tamed. This was already the second time that she had raised a sword at him, and even hurt his arm.
“I don’t care about your love, you shameless fellow!”
“You don’t care? Shameless? Wei Qiqi, this Duke must teach you a lesson, to let you know who is your husband. I’m going to take in Ning Yun-er, to let you know what is the feeling of losing my love!”
Liu Zhongtian looked at Wei Qiqi in anger. The hesitation in his heart slowly settled down. He was the Duke, he couldn’t let a woman control his destiny. For this woman, Liu Zhongtian felt that he was going crazy.
“What are you saying?” Qiqi’s anger vanished completely. She looked at Liu Zhongtian in shock, her face pale white. She thought that she had heard wrongly, to take in Ning Yun-er….
“Taking in a concubine!” Liu Zhongtian released her wrists and hung the sword on the wall. The pain in his arm caused him to be even angrier. He gently opened his sleeves and a deep wound revealed itself. Was this a woman? To actually want to kill her own husband.
Liu Zhongtian furiously raised his head and looked at Wei Qiqi, “What an unruly woman.”
He then walked to the desk and took some medicine from the box at the side. He gently poured it on the wound and bandaged himself up with difficulty.
Wei Qiqi sat on the bed in shock. This damned Great Han, damned curse. Wei Qiqi, who was once worshipped by the stars and moon, was going to share a husband with other women. To Wei Qiqi, that was betrayal. To Liu Zhongtian, that was just another woman. His words had hurt Wei Qiqi’s heart.
Qiqi wouldn’t want this kind of man. Wei Qiqi coldly walked to the entrance and called Xiaotao in. She picked up the clothes that Liu Zhongtian hoped for her to wear. She looked at it casually. It was a dainty milky white clothing. Xiaotao silently helped Qiqi wear the clothes and put on the jade green sash on her waist.
“Don’t adorn the head with decoration. Just brush it well and tie it up with a lace at the back!”
“Yes, Royal Concubine!”
Liu Zhongtian bandaged up his wound and raised his head. The fascination in his heart was even more intense than previously. The Wei Qiqi now looked refreshing and elegant, like an immortal from another realm, causing people to admire her.
There was a faint jade green on her collar, her shoulders were skinny to perfection, she had a thin waist and there were long white shawls on her back like fine silk. Looking at her head, there wasn’t a single accessory, with her long black hair brushed finely. The fluffy back had a milky white sash tied onto it, causing that fluff to look extremely alluring.
However… Liu Zhongtian couldn’t see any joy or playfulness in Qiqi’s eyes. What replaced it was a face full of grief and loneliness. He was stunned for a moment.
Liu Zhongtian changed out of the long shirt that was sliced open by the sword. He walked to Qiqi’s front. Just as he was about to extend his arm, Qiqi quickly avoided it, making Liu Zhongtian extremely unhappy. He furiously pulled Wei Qiqi and the two of them exchanged gazes. Qiqi’s eyes contained defiance. That kind of expression caused Liu Zhongtian to nearly breakdown. Why was there such a hard woman to tame?
“Go to the palace!” Liu Zhongtian shifted his gaze and furiously pulled Qiqi outwards.
Liu Zhongtian dragged Wei Qiqi to the front of the manor. The carriage set for the palace was already prepared. Qiqi was very unwilling as she shook her sleeves. Why must Wei Qiqi listen to him? Wasn’t he going to take in a concubine? Was it not said that the wife is not as sweet as the concubine? (TL Note: even though she was always referred to as Royal Concubine, she is actually his wife). He might as well call Ning Yun-er to enter the palace instead.
Liu Zhongtian exerted himself to force the uncooperative Wei Qiqi into the carriage. Due to him using too much strength, the wound that was bandaged opened again. Blood seeped through the long shirt and started hurting. He furiously looked at Wei Qiqi.
“You really leave this Duke speechless!” After speaking finish he turned around. No matter what he couldn’t let people know that he was injured, furthermore by his Royal Concubine.
With the help of the butler, the wound was finally bandaged up. He changed his clothes before leaving the manor. He rode on the horse. Liu Zhongtian heaved a sigh, regretting that he mentioned about taking in a concubine to Wei Qiqi. Qiqi’s condescending and sorrowful look kept swimming in his head. Maybe he should find an appropriate timing to explain this to her.
Liu Zhongtian thought of what Wei Qiqi mentioned before.
“I only want a man who loves me wholeheartedly for his whole life. The only woman by his side is me.”
Liu Zhongtian felt extremely remorseful and irritated. He didn’t know if Qiqi was feeling despaired this time. Maybe she was crying while hiding in the carriage. He stopped the carriage and quickly went down the horse. His heart couldn’t endure the troubling thoughts. Hence he quickened his steps and walked to the front of the carriage. He gently lifted the curtains and was instantly stunned…
The woman in the carriage wasn’t Wei Qiqi, but a maidservant who was tied up and gagged. Wei Qiqi disappeared. Liu Zhongtian was flabbergasted. He grabbed ahold of the driver, “Where is the Royal Concubine?”
“I don’t know, just now the Royal Concubine asked us to look away for a while, and so we…”
“Bastard, dog servant!” Liu Zhongtian pushed aside the driver and jumped up onto the horse, “Immediately return to the manor and drag the Royal Concubine into the palace!”
After speaking finish, he whipped the horse and it neighed. The horse sped forth like an arrow.
Liu Zhongtian dismounted when he reached the manor and he walked in in big strides. Could Wei Qiqi have left the manor? He was somewhat worried. This woman was capable of doing anything. Could it really be because of the matter of taking in a concubine? Why was there such a narrow-minded woman, to not allow a husband to take in a concubine.
Liu Zhongtian was anxious and his steps quickened. He walked into the backyard and searched the two rooms. There wasn’t a trace of Wei Qiqi. He involuntarily became nervous. Wei Qiqi, please don’t leave the manor.
“Xiaotao!” Liu Zhongtian shouted loudly. The maidservant quickly ran over and lowered her head.
“Duke…”
“Where is the Royal Concubine? Have you seen Wei Qiqi?”
“Duke, over there…” Xiaotao raised her hand and pointed to the rooftop. Liu Zhongtian traced the direction her hand was pointing towards and was instantly stupefied.
In the Great Han world, maybe only a woman like the Third Royal Concubine would dare to do such a thing, to actually go up the rooftop.
Wei Qiqi sat on the rooftop tiles, her hand holding on to a wine cup. Her face was full of smiles as she looked at Liu Zhongtian. Her milky-white clothes were fluttering in the wind, like a lotus within the clouds.
“How did she go up there?” Liu Zhongtian furrowed his brows, raising his head to look at Wei Qiqi.
“This servant doesn’t know, when I discovered her, she was already up there. She also kept drinking wine!”
“Drinking wine?” Liu Zhongtian felt that his mind was ringing. At this time, she still had the mood to drink wine? Liu Zhongtian jumped up onto the rooftop.
Wei Qiqi looked at Liu Zhongtian in a drunked state, she pointed at the wine up, “Duke, this wine… is much better than the wine in the military camp.”
Liu Zhongtian took away the wine cup in Qiqi’s hands and furiously threw it down. He then grabbed her wrist, “What happened to you, to be so drunk? Do you know that you have to attend a banquet in the palace today?”
“I’m not going!” Qiqi waved her hands, however she didn’t shake free of his grip. She spoke like a drunkard, “Aren’t you going to take in a concubine? Go call your concubine to replace me… furthermore that Emperor is yours, not mine.”
“Qiqi…” Liu Zhongtian saw the grief in Qiqi’s eyes and instantly felt somewhat reluctant. Even if he took in a concubine, he wouldn’t be able to share a part of his love. He was the Duke, why must Wei Qiqi force him till this extent?
Liu Zhongtian released Qiqi’s wrists. Facing a sad Wei Qiqi, he felt helpless. Wei Qiqi smiled and started walking forward. The drunk Qiqi seemed to have forgotten where she was. She stepped onto empty air and almost fell over. Liu Zhongtian was shocked and he hugged her thin waist and endearingly held her in his embrace. He then jumped down the rooftop.
Liu Zhongtian looked at Wei Qiqi who was already drunk. He didn’t know what to do. The Emperor and the officials were all waiting in the palace.
With Wei Qiqi’s drunken state, if she entered the imperial garden, it would become a laughing joke.
“Keke…” Qiqi covered her face and laughed, “Duke… why do you look like you are unhappy, you don’t want? Qiqi likes the happy look on Duke…” After speaking finish she wrapped both her hands around Liu Zhongtian’s neck and continued smiling.
“Quick make some soup to wake her up!” Liu Zhongtian endured Wei Qiqi’s pestering and hollered angrily at Xiaotao.
Xiaotao frantically went to make the soup. Liu Zhongtian helplessly brought Qiqi back into the room. Today, no matter what, Wei Qiqi had to appear. Even if she was to appear drunk, she would find it hard to escape from this banquet.
The Great Han Emperor was in a soulless state for the entire day. He felt anxious. Today’s celebration banquet was solely for Liu Zhongtian’s Royal Concubine Wei Qiqi. He enfeoffed her with a government position and gifted her a mansion. If Wei Qiqi was an ugly woman, then he would’ve lost out. However if Wei Qiqi was a beauty, then because he was the one who personally arranged the marriage, she already belonged to Liu Zhongtian. Would this only amplify his feelings?
