"Wei Qiqi, isn't that the female Protector-General? Why is she such a la.s.s…" The Empress scanned Wei Qiqi. The Emperor was ridiculous, how could he confer a Second-Grade General position to this woman? She behaves arrogantly, her clothing seems weird and her expression was comical. One look and the Empress found Wei Qiqi a rebellious citizen (TL: direct translation).
"Yes, I'm General Qi, now going to visit the Dowager and relieve her of boredom!" Qiqi smiled lightly. The bicycle turned and one flower broke into pieces underneath the tire. Qiqi purposely screamed, "Ah! Such a pity, it died! I'm sorry about it!"
The Empress opened her mouth wide. Without waiting for her to lecture, Wei Qiqi disappeared like the wind, infuriating the Empress till she couldn't speak. This was the suave Third Duke's Royal Concubine? She was such an unruly woman!
"The Third Duke's Royal Concubine?"
"The Third Duke is so handsome, how could he marry such an unruly woman. Look at the way she dresses, how is she a woman?"
"But she's a beauty!"
"Why did the Dowager ask her to come, who knows if the Dowager can accept this woman? She really knows how to cause havoc! Look at the garden, the places she went through are all destroyed!"
"She's very cute…"
The Empress heard the discussion amongst the consorts and furiously broke up their gossips, "I want to go back. Such a disappointing day." After speaking she furiously walked back. The fellow consorts didn't dare to make a sound and silently followed behind the Empress. Each of them drooped their heads, not knowing which of their words had offended the Empress.
The palace maids were worried about Qiqi scaring the Dowager, hence they asked Qiqi to put the bicycle outside of the residence. One of the maids ran in to report. Wei Qiqi frowned and was bored, hence she took a walk. In her boredom, she accidentally discovered a thing which caught her attention.
Among the flower pots within the residence, there was an unique flower. Within the lush green flower stalk, there was a flower that had blue within the white, and pink within the white. It was an individual stalk that was extremely alluring. It was not possible to see such a flower in the modern world.
Qiqi observed in detail and wondered if this was the Dowager's favorite. Seeing how this flower was so carefully taken care of, a lot of effort must be put in. One look and she knew that it was a rare treasure.
"Third Royal Concubine, the Dowager summons you!" A palace maid walked out and called for Wei Qiqi who was lost in her thoughts.
"Oh, I'll come immediately!" Qiqi smiled mysteriously and ran inside quickly.
The place where the Great Han Empress stayed in was not bad. Qiqi looked left and right. She turned around and saw that within the glamorous hall, there was an old lady who looked rich and proper sitting there. She was wearing a deep blue silk robe and had a phoenix crown on her head. The rings on her fingers were humongous. Qiqi recalled that she seemed to have seen such rings in the museum. With such a long history, those rings must have cost a fortune.
"You are the Third Royal Concubine Wei Qiqi?" The Dowager's voice was low. It was filled with contempt. Why would this woman have such great allure?
QIqi immediately stood in position and did a bow, "Qiqi pays her respects to the Dowager!"
"Didn't Zhongtian teach you palace formalities? Is paying respects supposed to be like that?" The Dowager's voice was full of displeasure.
She really was a picky old lady. Qiqi liked bowing this way, could she care? Qiqi paid respects to give Liu Zhongtian face, if not she wouldn't even bow and might even do something more careless.
The Empress Dowager looked at Wei Qiqi carefully and involuntarily frowned, "What are you wearing, and your head. How do you look like a Royal Concubine? You make me feel shock!"
Wei Qiqi looked at her body and then touched her head, "Oh, I think it is very good!"
"Come closer, let me look at your face!" The Dowager really wanted to know why did the Emperor like such an unruly woman that didn't abide by the rules.
"Oh!" Wei Qiqi walked to the Dowager's front and sized up this old granny. She then realized this Dowager had a lot of makeup on, but it was still unable to hide the vestiges of old age.
The Dowager extended her hand and lightly touched Qiqi's cheeks. Qiqi subconsciously evaded. Why did this old granny resort to touching?
"You are definitely a beauty. This small face has red radiating within the white. Even I like it upon seeing it, no wonder the Emperor is so smitten by it."
The Dowager sighed softly, "I'm put in a difficult position, however I must comfort the Emperor's heart. In order to let him govern the country well, I can only let Zhongtian to be sad."
Qiqi understood the Dowager's intentions. Looks like the Duke had guessed correctly. The Dowager was helping the Emperor to steal the Third Duke's Royal Concubine. This old granny was really biased, why must she help the Emperor to deal with the Third Duke?
"You should just stay in the palace to accompany me and don't leave anymore. I will naturally give the Third Duke an explanation. The beauties in the world doesn't consist of only you Wei Qiqi. As long as I give him thirty to fifty beauties for him to choose, he'll naturally forget about you."
"Qiqi doesn't understand the Dowager's words!"
Wei Qiqi was somewhat furious. The old lady lacked morals. She should just be blatant about kidnapping Qiqi. She still wanted to give Liu Zhongtian thirty to fifty beauties. When Qiqi thought about that scenario, she was jealous to death. Liu Zhongtian was not allowed to have any other women and could only have Wei Qiqi. If the old granny really dared to send Third Duke those women, Wei Qiqi would cause havoc and chaos in the entire palace.
"The past few days, the Emperor has pined for you so much that he lost his sleep and appet.i.te. When I thought about it, it was strange. For so many years, the Emperor had only thought about the country and never about women. This time around, his heart was really moved."
The Dowager pulled Qiqi to her side, "Only later did I realise that the Emperor is in love with Zhongtian's Royal Concubine. This is ridiculous, but I really can't bear to see the Emperor suffer so much and be so depressed. For the Great Han empire, for the society and country, I can only let Zhongtian be humiliated."
To humiliate Liu Zhongtian, this Dowager was a really selfish old granny. Could Liu Zhongtian be the only one who was humiliated? She spoke as if Qiqi was just an accessory, to be liked and given to any person at will. The ancient era women were really pitiful, however Wei Qiqi was not one of them. Who was she? She was the Wei's Group's inheritor, the big sister in Xuande.
This despicable feudalistic society and the shameless feudalistic thinking had caused many poor and pitiful women to never experience love and live in misery.
"Your Highness, there is no love here. The Emperor can only keep my body but not my heart!" QIqi spoke straightforwardly.
The Dowager was shocked. How could this woman speak such treason and heresy, love? She was not shy saying this? How could a woman have the right to speak about love?
"The Emperor is really moved this time. I don't care whether you like it or not, you have to stay in the palace to serve the Emperor. The women in the palace can only submit, they do not have the right to speak about feelings and love!"
"Old feudalistic thinking!"
"What did you say?" The Dowager looked at Wei Qiqi furiously, "Treason and heresy. Bring the formality teacher here and teach her about formalities. Today, teach her how to serve the Emperor and be a good woman of servitude in the palace!"
The Dowager turned around. Supported by a palace maid at the side, she stood up and walked towards the screen cover at the back.
"Serve the Emperor?" Qiqi opened her eyes wide. She was just about to walk out when she heard the palace maid reporting in a loud voice from outside.
"The Third Duke requests an audience with the Dowager!"
Liu Zhongtian came. Qiqi became excited. She didn't wish to stay in this palace anymore. It must be crazy to ask her to serve the Emperor. She must call the Third Duke to pull her away. Qiqi quickly ran outwards and nearly b.u.mped into Liu Zhongtian who came in hurriedly.
"Duke…" Wei Qiqi forgot about Liu Zhongtian's shortcomings. At this moment she just wanted to find someone to take her out.
"Qiqi!" Liu Zhongtian held Qiqi in his embrace. He pa.s.sionately touched her cheeks. Although they had not seen each other for a while only, Liu Zhongtian felt like they had been separated for an eternity.
The Dowager came out at an unknown timing and purposely coughed a few times. She wanted to remind this pair of lovebirds that she was here. The Third Duke that was always awe-inspiring and cool had displayed a gentleness that caused the Dowager to feel guilt in her heart. Looks like this woman had completely occupied Liu Zhongtian's and the Emperor's hearts.
However the Dowager was the Great Han Emperor's birth mother. Liu Zhongtian was born from Concubine Yi. The Dowager's personal interests naturally bent towards her own blood. The sickly Concubine Yi died early. Liu Zhongtian grew up under the eyes of the Dowager, so there were still some feelings. However when compared to the Emperor, there was a difference.
"Your Highness, Qiqi is clumsy and doesn't know the formalities. By staying in the palace she will only give trouble. Hence Zhongtian…"
"Do you know why I want to see Wei Qiqi?"
"Your Highness…" Liu Zhongtian was unable to reply. He wished that the Dowager wouldn't say the words he didn't want to hear.
"It is for the Emperor. I don't need to hide from you, the Emperor wants Wei Qiqi to accompany him. The past few days had been tough for him. For the Great Han country, I hope that you can bear the pain, cut the love and fulfill the Emperor's devotion!"
"Your Highness!" Liu Zhongtian furiously clenched his fists, "Wei Qiqi is a Royal Concubine gifted to me by the Emperor himself, could you want the whole world to mock us?"
"She is just a woman, things are very simple. You should divorce Wei Qiqi immediately, so n.o.body will mock the Emperor!" The Dowager spoke in a plain manner, as if this idea was very good.
"Wei Qiqi is already Zhongtian's woman, the Emperor is s.n.a.t.c.hing away my love !" Liu Zhongtian's brows furrowed.
"Zhongtian, I know that this is humiliating for you, but what do you want me to do? After all he is the Emperor and you are an official. The Emperor has lost his soul the past few days, I'm also helpless!"
The Dowager's voice carried pleading, as if she felt a lot of guilt towards Liu Zhongtian, "I'll make it up to you, the Emperor also won't ill treat you. She's only a woman, let go of her!"
"Liu Zhongtian will never submit to this order!"
"Then what do you want?" The Dowager actually feared Liu Zhongtian, she was scared that things would go awry just because of a woman, "Could you really want to be enemies with the Emperor because of this woman?"
"Any woman could do, but Wei Qiqi is an exception. Don't push things too far!"