Wei Qiqi looked at the fresh blood on the floor and was scared till her face lost color. She looked at Liu Zhongtian in shock. What happened? Why was he so heavily injured?
"Duke!" Qiqi frantically grabbed ahold of Liu Zhongtian's arm, "Why did you suddenly vomit blood…"
"It's nothing!" Liu Zhongtian waved his hand and kept the sword in the sheath. However he still felt discomfort in his chest.
"Go summon the physician!" Qiqi shouted at the maidservants. One of them nodded and quickly ran off.
Liu Zhongtian held Wei Qiqi's hands, "I'll be fine after resting for a while. Maybe I was too anxious while practicing. Quick, help me back to my room to rest."
Liu Zhongtian, under Qiqi's help, returned to the room and laid on the bed. Qiqi looked at Liu Zhongtian with suspicion. There must be something wrong, if not why would he crazily wield the sword and even hurt himself.
The physician came very quickly. Fortunately, the diagnosis was that there was some stagnation in the Qi, he just needed to eat a few prescriptions and recuperate to be fine.
The butler ordered people to go and pick the herbs. Qiqi then relaxed. She noticed that Liu Zhongtian was frowning, as if he had a lot of things weighing in his heart yet he was unable to express it out. She couldn't guess what happened to cause the suave and cool Duke to be so depressed.
"What exactly happened? Why were you practicing the sword with such fanacity, was it because of what happened with the Sixth Duke last night…" Qiqi felt her cheeks blush, "It was him who forcefully kidnapped me, not Qiqi…. furthermore… nothing happened!"
"This Duke knows." Liu Zhongtian grabbed Wei Qiqi's hands and tightly held it. That feeling of reluctance rose up from his heart, as if the moment that he let go, Wei Qiqi would fly away.
"This Duke knows that you've been drugged. It must be my Sixth Brother's doing. He always uses drugs on women that didn't submit. This Duke nearly wronged you. However, you must stay away from him in the future. I cannot be protecting you all the time! Like last night…"
Qiqi's face was instantly red. That embarra.s.sed look caused Liu Zhongtian to be stunned. He couldn't control it and started caressing her cheeks and spoke in a dreamy way.
"Such an unparalleled beauty, who doesn't wish to obtain?"
"Duke…" Wei Qiqi knew what he was saying. Liu Xuanji actually dared to drug her. Even if all the men in the world died, she would never consider him. However facing Liu Zhongtian now, Qiqi's heart couldn't really block him out. Liu Zhongtian had barged into her heart, causing her to be in turmoil.
After time traveling, Qiqi travelled to the Great Han, her heart also stayed in Great Han. The suave and cool Third Duke had tyrannically kidnapped her heart. A man who was not her type had deeply embedded himself in her heart.
"Qiqi, you won't leave this Duke right?" Liu Zhongtian saw her hesitant look and both the worry and unease in his heart rose up once again. Tomorrow would be the banquet in the imperial garden. Who knew if there would be any changes, he didn't know if Wei Qiqi's heart would still be wholeheartedly his.
"Duke, isn't Qiqi here? What happened exactly?"
Liu Zhongtian smiled bitterly, "The imperial edict came in the morning. It should be a good thing to you!"
"Good thing?" Qiqi felt strange. There was something good happening to her?
"Yes. The Emperor decreed, to ent.i.tle you as a Second-Grade Protector Female General. He even gave you a General Manor. You can choose not to stay here in the future."
"Duke, is that true? I have my own manor? What Second-Grade General?" Qiqi blinked, looking at Liu Zhongtian excitedly. Could what he said be real? The Great Han Emperor was really generous. She kept dreaming of having her own big house. Looks like that was going to come true. In the future she could be as awesome as Liu Zhongtian, let's see how he would still bully Qiqi.
Liu Zhongtian held Qiqi's hands and suddenly strengthened his grip. Qiqi felt pain and quickly shook her hand, "Liu Zhongtian, my hand is in pain!"
Liu Zhongtian looked at Qiqi whose hands turned red. Even though he loosened his grip, he uncontrollably pulled her onto the bed.
"You really wish to have your own manor and leave this Duke? You are already revealing your true colours, you should at least attempt to hide your true feelings!"
"Should I be happy here? Here, you are always bullying me!"
"Bullying you?" Liu Zhongtian's emotions were agitated. He suddenly felt stifled in his chest, his expression becoming ugly. Qiqi nervously looked at him, extending her hand to slap his back, "Are you alright?"
"Why must you always be like that?" Liu Zhongtian placed her hands on his own chest, "Is that General post and manor so important to you?"
"Not really…" Qiqi drooped her head, "It's just that it seemed like it dropped from the heavens. If you don't like it, then I won't want it, I won't be a general either!"
"There is no s.p.a.ce for me to choose to like or not like! You can have the manor and also be a general, just …" Liu Zhongtian lightly caressed Qiqi's cheeks, his lips uncontrollably moved forward and snugged itself on Qiqi's ears, "Don't move into the manor, stay here with this Duke."
"That depends on my mood…", Wei Qiqi had a haughty look. She didn't want to agree with Liu Zhongtian easily. Who knew when he would wield the sword to chop her head and she would lose her life.
Liu Zhongtian furiously embraced Qiqi, his lips moving along and kissed. This tyrannical Duke, whenever he was unhappy he would vent it at Qiqi. He was injured internally from practicing with his sword, yet he still had such strength. Qiqi was very quickly trapped within the Third Duke's embrace and was immobile. Her lips were shut by his lips, making her unable to say anything.
"Duke…" Yun-er suddenly barged in and saw the two of them being intimate. She was stunned, feeling somewhat frantic, with sorrow and jealousy. Her face was pale white, she didn't know what to do, whether to enter or to exit.
Liu Zhongtian raised his eyes and looked at Yun-er. Since when was she so brash? His lips unwillingly left Wei Qiqi, his fingers brushing across her cheeks. He laughed teasingly and got off the bed. He walked to the desk and sat down.
Yun-er timidly looked at Liu Zhongtian, "Duke, Yun-er was just a bit worried, hence she barged in. I seek the Duke's forgiveness!" Liu Zhongtian waved his hands and coughed slightly.
"Call for Butler Liu to come in!"
Ning Yun-er's eyes carried hatred as it scanned Wei Qiqi. This woman had a good life, the Duke was unable to leave her.
Qiqi was also looking at her. The two women were facing off. Qiqi noticed the hatred in Yun-er's eyes and she was instantly alerted. Qiqi continued staring at Yun-er, not avoiding that jealous look. Could it be that Yun-er could look at Qiqi, and Qiqi could not look at Yun-er? Yun-er felt somewhat uncomfortable and frantically retreated.
The att.i.tude that Wei Qiqi had now was vastly different from when she just entered the Duke's manor. She felt more and more positive feelings towards this ancient era Duke. She was full of antic.i.p.ation towards this Duke's random tyrannical acts and acts of gentleness, yet sometimes she resisted it. Towards Ning Yun-er, in the beginning she hoped for her to be with the Duke, yet now Qiqi was furious that Yun-er was. .h.i.tting on the Duke.
Could it be that the Duke really would marry Ning Yun-er as well? Which of the Great Han Duke didn't have 3-4 wives and concubines? Wei Qiqi measured her own thoughts towards this. If the Duke really wanted Ning Yun-er, then she would never return to the manor and see him again.
Liu Quan walked in, "Duke is calling this old servant?"
"Bring the best seamstress and beautician in Chang-an here!" Liu Zhongtian gave his orders.
"Yes!" Liu Quan retreated.
Qiqi looked strangely at Liu Zhongtian, "Why are you calling for the seamstress and beautician? You are making clothes?"
"It's to make for you!" Liu Zhongtian felt much better. He breathed in deeply, "Tomorrow at the imperial garden in the palace, the Emperor is going to hold a celebration banquet. You, my ugly concubine, also have to meet up with everyone!"
Going to the palace? Qiqi widened her eyes. She frantically waved her hands, "I'm not going! If things don't go well I might offend that perverse Emperor. I still want my head, please spare me!"
"The Great Han Emperor wants to take down the face cloth of this Duke's concubine at all cost. Why must he go to such great lengths? Tomorrow I'll bring you for all the officials to see whether I Liu Zhongtian had married the world's ugliest woman." Liu Zhongtian said coldly.
"However" Qiqi touched her face, she was dejected, "I can't turn back, the curse is already lifted!"
"Why must you turn back?" Liu Zhongtian stood up, both of his hands behind his back. He spoke cooly, "This Duke wants to see who can do something to me. The marriage is gifted by the Emperor and there's an edict. Since the Emperor wants to see such a beautiful concubine, then I shall let him see by all means!"
"Tomorrow? I'm not going, you think this is watching monkeys in the zoo?" Qiqi angrily walked to Liu Zhongtian's front and pulled his elbow, "Duke, can I not go!"
"Go, with this Duke accompanying you, what are you afraid of?"
"I'm not scared, just that I dislike it and feel uncomfortable!"
"You will not the only concubine there tomorrow, don't worry! You will be the most beautiful and mesmerizing one." Liu Zhongtian sized up the beautiful Wei Qiqi. Who knew what kind of a scene would it be at the imperial garden tomorrow. The Third Duke's Royal Concubine was actually a beauty. How many people would be jealous and envious of Liu Zhongtian's fortune.
After a short while, the butler ran in, "Duke, the seamstress is here. The best beautician in Chang-an is the Seven Beauty Salon's lady boss. However that woman is mysterious, no matter how many times this old servant invited her she didn't appear."
"Audacious, could even this Duke not invite her? Such arrogance!" Liu Zhongtian viciously slammed the table. He was furious. What a citizen, to actually reject the invitation of the Duke.
Wei Qiqi quickly evaded Liu Zhongtian's furious gaze. The Seven Beauty Salon. The butler really knew where to find, how did he find that place. Luckily she had instructed her employees carefully in the past. Xiaotao's lips had been sealed. The salon was Qiqi's trump card, it was her last resort in this ancient era.
"This old servant went there many times, however the management there says that she's not in. Duke, should I go and invite her again?"
Qiqi frantically interjected, "No need, maybe she's really not there. Duke, I will take care of myself, no need to trouble that lady boss!"
"There's no one who dares to belittle my invitation, what a proud person she is!"