Ning Yun-er retreated out. Qiqi sat back at the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. That damned diviner, who knew what she was talking about? When can she return to her original looks?
Man? What had that to do with recovering her looks? Qiqi furiously slapped the table. Oh heavens! With this kind of looks, where could there be men who would like her? Wasn’t this just not allowing her to get the kind of love that she had always thirsted for?
The good thing was that Third Duke Liu Zhongtian no longer stepped into her room. She laid down comfortably on her own big bed. Finally, there was a feeling of home. Qiqi was ruminating. Tomorrow she would check out Chang-an city to see how she could no longer need to rely on Liu Zhongtian in Great Han, finding her own footing. Grandfather was a typical businessman, Wei Qiqi was of course not that far off.
Wei Qiqi woke up early and changed into a set of casual clothing. Her mouth was chewing some snacks as she pushed the simple bicycle towards the outside of the manor. Her feet was just about to step out of the main door.
“Where are you going?” Liu Zhongtian’s voice rang out coldly from behind.
Qiqi immediately stopped in her tracks. She turned and the snacks in her mouth fell out due to fright. She frantically looked at the snack on the floor. Stinky Duke, why was he scaring people from behind, causing her to not be able to eat it. She then smiled embarrassingly.
“Going out, shopping!”
“Riding that weird thing of yours!”
“Bicycle…it’s very fast. The carriage is too slow! The horse carriage is too exaggerated, not suitable for shopping!”
“You are a Royal Concubine, yet you dress in such manner and ride a something, bicycle? Preposterous!”
“What preposterous? Liu Zhongtian, don’t go overboard. I want freedom, do you understand? I’m not sold to you!”
Liu Zhongtian observed Qiqi’s eyes. Those watery big eyes were full of fury. Looks like this Royal Concubine was going to give him a lot of headache in the future. Liu Zhongtian called out for the butler and he immediately ran over.
“Call four guards to follow the Royal Concubine. And, ask Xiaotao to follow her!”
“Yes, Duke!” The butler glanced at Wei Qiqi and nervously wiped the sweat on his head while retreating.
Wei Qiqi was just about to explode when she suddenly looked at the bicycle. Liu Zhongtian was belittling her, to actually ask the guards to follow her. Let’s see how long they can follow. Qiqi brought the bicycle out of the main door and four guards followed behind. The maid Xiaotao also followed, tumbling forward.
She was only going out for fun, yet such a ruckus was caused. Wei Qiqi looked at Liu Zhongtian who was expressionless. She playfully made a face towards him and quickly got on the bicycle. The bicycle’s wheels turned and it very quickly moved far away. The guards frantically chased after her. It was tough on Xiaotao, who breathlessly shouted as she ran.
“Royal Concubine, wait for Xiaotao, Royal Concubine…”
Liu Zhongtian looked at Wei Qiqi’s fluttering ponytail and floating clothing and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That bicycle of hers was really awesome. Looks like his guards will have to expend great effort to catch up to her. He had married a playful concubine, which caused him to be in a conundrum.
Wei Qiqi rode fiercely, crossing through the main street and small alleys. Finally, she stopped at the prosperous Chang-an street. People used to say that the ancient Chang-an was very prosperous. It wasn’t b*******. There were all kinds of things, like businesses, stalls, acrobatics, fortune-telling. There were even restaurants, brothels etc.
Qiqi opened her eyes wide in shock. She felt that there were silver everywhere. As long as Wei Qiqi had money, she could be a female boss in Great Han. She would be like in the modern world, a wealthy woman. Of course the precondition was that the Duke had to agree. If he didn’t agree, there wasn’t a need to bother about him either. Wei Qiqi didn’t really marry to him, it was merely for self-protection only.
Wei Qiqi clenched her fists. She wanted to earn her first bucket of gold in Great Han and her targeted group would be women. Every woman wants to be beautiful. Wei Qiqi wanted to fish out all the money in the Great Han women and become the richest woman in Great Han. Who else would dare to belittle this ugly woman after that.
“Royal Concubine… don’t run anymore, I can’t take it!” Four guards came running in sweat while panting heavily. The maid Xiaotao had long disappeared out of sight. Seeing their pathetic states, Qiqi covered her mouth while laughing.
“Don’t run anymore. I’ll ride slowly!”
Wei Qiqi planted one foot on the ground, looking at Chang-an street while deep in thought. She needed a storefront, which would help her gain ground. However she needed to hide it from the Duke. How to obtain silver? Cheating it from the Duke, or just rob? Either way didn’t seem to be a very good idea. Not right, Qiqi slapped her head. She was the Royal Concubine, she could use Liu Zhongtian’s money however she could. Who asked him to marry her, he should pay the price.
As she pondered, there was a pleasant drumming sound ahead. The pedestrians on the street evaded to one side. Qiqi was very obviously standing in the middle with the bicycle. The guards quickly pulled her to one side.
Who was it? Qiqi scratched her head. She saw two rows of white-clothed ladies, each of them looked free and easy. In the middle was a carriage and there was a white-clothed man sitting on it.
That man was flipping his fan, a face full of arrogance. He looked excessively handsome, yet had a hint of evilness. Who was it, to show off to such an extent.
“Who is he?” Qiqi asked the guards beside her.
“Reporting to Royal Concubine, he is Sixth Duke Liu Xuanji, the Duke’s sixth brother. He’s a character that can’t be offended!”
“To calculate it, I’m still his sister in-law. Why must we pave a way for him!” Qiqi was dissatisfied.
“Forget about it. It’s better not to provoke this Sixth Duke. He specializes in searching for beautiful women. Even the Emperor doesn’t like to manage him, because the Empress Dowager pampers the Sixth Duke!”
“So he’s a tyrant?”
“No, it is that women who see him submits to him. He never forces! His nickname is White-faced Asura!”
“White-faced Asura? More like White-faced Bun!” Wei Qiqi said sarcastically.
Sixth Duke Liu Xuanji’s gaze fell on Wei Qiqi. He never met a woman who dressed like that. Her looks were also hideous. However Qiqi’s face exuded pride and arrogance, causing him to be somewhat unhappy. When women see him they would fall for him. As long as she was someone he liked, he could easily get them into his embrace. That was why he was titled White-faced Asura.
Capturing women’s hearts was something Liu Xuanji specialized in. Of course he wasn’t someone frivolous. He only teased those that he liked. In the Sixth Duke manor, apart from him being a man, the rest were women, even the butler and the servants. There were many women serving him. At night, those women would linger around him.
Liu Xuanji’s eyes remained on Qiqi’s face. The ugly woman had a pair of mesmerizing eyes, causing one to be lost in fanciful thoughts. This strange unique ugly woman. He was just about to stop the carriage when he discovered that the ugly woman was riding on a carriage that had two wheels, like a pink lotus elegantly floating, quickly evading into an alley. The four guards behind closely followed.
Liu Xuanji closed his eyes briefly. He helplessly shook his head, could it be that he had seen too many beautiful women? Why did he feel that this ugly woman was especially mesmerizing?
“Stop!”
The carriage stopped. Liu Xuanji flipped his fan, “Lan Jian, Yan Xiu, follow this Duke. The rest of you return to the manor first!”
“Yes! Duke!”
Liu Xuanji brought two maidservants and entered the alley. While walking he was finding himself laughable. How did he develop interest in an ugly woman? However that little carriage of hers was really not bad.
Liu Xuanji traversed through the alley and saw Wei Qiqi and the four guards. They were standing in front of a stall. That ugly woman seemed to be interested in that store and was gesturing to the store owner. Occasionally she would laugh happily. That smile was unreserved, looking so spiritual.
What a charming ugly woman. The high ponytail, flowery dress, floating laces. Her jade fingers were holding onto the handles of the carriage, one of her legs was shaking the stool. Her face was full of confidence and expectation.
“Alright, that’s it. I know, thanks boss!” Qiqi thanked the boss and turned around to look at the four guards, “Are you all tired of chasing?”
“Tired, we are really tired. Can we stop running?” The guard was wiping off his sweat. If Wei Qiqi continued like this, they really would have no energy to continue.
“Tomorrow I’ll get the woodworkers to make a bicycle for each of you!”
“But we don’t know how to ride it!” The guard was scratching his head, being put in a somewhat difficult manner.
“I’ll teach you all! We begin now, anyway it’s still early.” Wei Qiqi jumped down the bicycle and passed it to one of the guards, “You all must learn it, if not I’ll shake loose of you all the next time around!”
The guard received the bicycle and was a bit excited. He imitated Qiqi, lifting the leg and paddling. He rode for a few steps before crashing onto the ground. Qiqi started laughing loudly, thinking that the guard’s expression was extremely comical. She walked towards him and lifted him up, patiently telling him how to achieve balance.
Wei Qiqi spent about roughly 6 hours before she finish teaching the four guards how to ride the bicycle. The four guards were bruised all over. However having learnt how to ride, they were all extremely happy.
“Let’s return home! Everything starts tomorrow! Hurray!” Wei Qiqi clenched her fists and happily rode the bicycle, speedily shooting forward. The guards behind started to chase after her helplessly again..
Liu Xuanji was stunned. Who was this ugly woman? Why was she so mysterious, bubbly, spiritual? If she wasn’t that ugly, he would’ve brought her back to the manor today and capture her heart.
“Follow that woman and find out her identity!” Liu Xuanji ordered the two maidservants. They responded and left.
It was nighttime when Wei Qiqi returned to the manor. She was really tired and hungry. The moment she entered through the main door, her wrists were caught by the furious Liu Zhongtian. She was dragged inside. The guards behind were standing outside the door sweaty. Seeing that the Duke and Royal Concubine had left, they complained and sat on the floor.
The butler Liu Quan looke at them weirdly. One of the guards looked at Liu Quan and nearly cried, “Our Royal Concubine is really hard to serve. Our legs are about to break.”
Liu Quan looked at them depressingly, then looked at the bicycle that was thrown at one side. What kind of person did the Third Duke marry?
Liu Zhongtian dragged Wei Qiqi forcefully into the room. He then threw her onto the bed. Fury and rage were written all over his face, making him look even more imposing.
