Chapter 118
Xiaoyuzi stealthily went up, "When I went to the Duke’s manor I didn’t see the Third Royal Concubine at all. This Liu Zhongtian is clearly hiding something. The Royal Concubine could possibly be the beauty that Your Majesty has seen!
"How so?
"That day when I went down, Liu Zhongtian nearly beat me up. Yesterday night when I went to send the clothes, Liu Zhongtian’s face was extremely ugly. I guess he must be feeling awful in his heart."
"Really?" The Emperor started to laugh loudly. He was instantly energized, "Prepare to go to the imperial garden!"
"The Emperor is preparing to enter the imperial garden!"
The Emperor called for Xiaoyuzi to appear in front of him, smiling while he said, "Call Concubine Hanyu to come to the garden to accompany me!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xiaoyuzi seemed to have understood something, hence he retreated.
The imperial garden was well-decorated. It was extremely lively. The Emperor’s seat was placed in the Dragon-Phoenix pavilion. Underneath it were all the important officials’ seats. It was all to observe Liu Zhongtian’s Royal Concubine. The Emperor purposely placed Liu Zhongtian and Wei Qiqi’s positions by his side. In that way he could observe the beauty in close proximity. It couldn’t be more convenient.
His Third Brother Liu Zhongtian couldn’t possibly bring Wei Qiqi in her face cloth to come to the garden. It shouldn’t be. The Emperor knew that Liu Zhongtian was someone who understood formalities, wearing a face cloth was a ma.s.sive disrespect towards the Great Han imperial court.
Sixth Duke Liu Xuanji was sitting underneath, chatting with the Fourth Duke. He was still suave and handsome, looking gentle and flirtatious. Maybe amongst all those present, only Liu Xuanji was clearest of who the main character in today’s celebration banquet was. The Protector-General Wei Qiqi was extremely mesmerizing. A pity he didn’t gain an advantage the previous time, if not he would even be clearer as to whether she was as good on bed as her looks.
The previous time he let Wei Qiqi sniff the v.i.a.g.r.a, his Third Brother must be dead tired from it. That was the Great Han’s most potent drug. The more Liu Xuanji thought about it the more itchy he felt in his heart. A beauty, a top-cla.s.s beauty. A pity that his chance was getting slimmer. Liu Zhongtian was not a figure to trifle with, if he didn’t find trouble with Liu Xuanji, he would be praying for blessings already.
All the important officials were already here. The Emperor had also waited for a long time. Why were today’s main characters, Liu Zhongtian and Wei Qiqi, not here after so long?
The Emperor was unable to sit still. Could Liu Zhongtian really disobey his orders? There were so many officials here, was he not afraid that the Emperor would indict him with an offence for disregarding the Emperor? When he was feeling anxious, the people he wanted to see finally appeared.
"Third Duke and the Royal Concubine arrive!" An eunuch, Yingtuo, ran up and reported.
"They arrived?" The Emperor nearly stood up. Xiaoyuzi and Yingtuo stopped him to remind him of his position. The Emperor then realized that there were many important officials in the imperial garden.
From far away Liu Zhongtian was seen along with a slim female in milky-white clothing entering the imperial garden. The Emperor involuntarily frowned. Why was she not wearing the silk robe that he commanded Xiaoyuzi to send? It must be Liu Zhongtian making a silent protest. At this moment the Emperor no longer wanted to fuss about Liu Zhongtian. All his thoughts and sight were placed on the woman beside Liu Zhongtian.
Following the closening of the distance, the Emperor was shocked. That was really a beauty. She was finely crafted, her clothes and style highlighted her aloofness, like a beauty from the paintings. She was a fairy from the heavens. She was the blue-clothed lady he saw in the imperial garden. It was just that the her at this moment caused him to admire her even more.
That beauty had flushed cheeks. She actually was drunk, appearing even more seductive. Not only the Emperor, even the officials sitting on two sides were exclaiming in shock. Was this Liu Zhongtian’s ugly concubine? Could their eyes be playing tricks on them? How was this woman ugly?
Wei Qiqi felt that the people in front of her looked blurry. Liu Zhongtian was using his arms to support her. She felt that she was just like a soul, following Liu Zhongtian and walking. It was only when she was supported to sit down and stared drearily at her surroundings did she see Liu Xuanji. Why was this rotten fella here?
And there were so many people in strange clothes looking at her without turning away. Qiqi burped and touched her forehead, could it be... that Liu Zhongtian brought her while she was drunk into the palace? Was he not scared that Qiqi would bring trouble to him?
The Great Han Emperor’s eyes kept staring on this white-clothed beauty. Liu Zhongtian’s forehead at this moment was full of sweat. Wei Qiqi’s alcohol tolerance was really too lousy. Even though the soup had worked, Qiqi was still drunk. Who knew how many people would lose their souls over her now.
This was the General Qi from the legends, she was actually such a prim and proper lady!
"Wasn’t it... could it be that the Third Duke is playing a joke with everyone? She is simply too vastly different from the her in the legends!"
"Those who have seen General Qi have all said that General Qi is ugly, how did..."
"..."
General Chi who was sitting down there couldn’t think already. How could this be Wei Qiqi. She was obviously another woman, it couldn’t be that the Duke had swapped Wei Qiqi out?
When he saw the Emperor’s sharp gaze looking at him, he instantly felt cold sweat. This wasn’t right! She was definitely not Wei Qiqi. Even if the Emperor beheaded him, he wouldn’t understand what was going on.
Wu Zhongyi felt like he was on fire. He kept using his sleeves to wipe away his sweat. He was scared till his face lost color and kept trembling, thinking that unlucky days were here. If the Emperor started questioning, he wouldn’t even have an answer. Fortunately the Third Duke was here. The Third Duke had to give the Emperor a good explanation, thus he should just wait for Third Duke to say something.
Concubine Hanyu was sitting beside the Emperor. Her heart was broken. When she saw that Wei Qiqi was actually so pretty and elegant, her heart felt like there was a jealous bug there intensely biting her heart. Wei Qiqi was so tempting, she knew that Liu Zhongtian’s heart was already stolen by Wei Qiqi.
Xiaoyuzi stood up and loudly announced, "Today His Majesty has specially organise this celebration for Third Duke and General Qi. Wei QIqi is conferred with Second Grade Protector-General, furthermore she is given a General Mansion. Everyone can start drinking without limits, let the dancing and singing begin!"
Xiaoyuzi had just spoke finished when the imperial garden had music playing. The dancers started performing. The Emperor casted a sideway glance at Liu Zhongtian and said softly, "Third Duke, you have committed a crime of lying to the ruler!"
Liu Zhongtian understood what the Emperor meant when he immediately replied, "Your Majesty only said to gift Wei Qiqi to me as my wife, however you didn’t say to gift an ugly Wei Qiqi!"
The Emperor was so furious that he frowned. That feeling was as if Liu Zhongtian had robbed his own beauty, "Could Wu Zhongyi and General Chi be blind? This woman could possibly not be Wei Qiqi, you have brought a fake General Qi to me, isn’t that lying to your ruler?"
"Haha." Liu Zhongtian had guessed that the Emperor would say such words. General Chi would probably also think that Liu Zhongtian had swapped Wei Qiqi out.
"What are you laughing for?" The Emperor asked furiously.
"An ugly woman becoming a beauty, this official finds it surprising as well. However the truth is that Qiqi had a strange disease which destroyed her looks. Now she has already recovered. This is all thanks to the Emperor’s edict, to let this official gain such a beauty!"
"Liu Zhongtian, are you pitting yourself against me?" The Emperor’s voice was low, yet full of fury.
"Your Majesty has mistaken, what Zhongtian had said were all true!"
It had been so many years, yet Emperor-Brother had not given up on fighting with him. Liu Zhongtian had already given so much leeway till he was tired. Now that the Emperor wanted to fight with him again over Qiqi, he would never tolerate that.
At one side, Wei Qiqi felt much more awake. She shifted her gaze at the person looking at Liu Zhongtian. The Emperor was also looking at her. The Great Han Emperor instantly lost himself. This woman was not only beautiful, the mesmerizing part about her was her expression and charisma. Especially that pair of eyes, it was full of spirituality, causing people who looked at it to feel like they have lost their souls.
Qiqi quickly averted his gaze and gently raised the cup in front of her. Without thinking she sent it to her mouth. When she gulped down, Qiqi felt that her throat was on fire. She grabbed onto Liu Zhongtian. Why was this wine so spicy, it was vastly different from the wine in the Duke’s manor. She wanted water.
"Why are you still drinking!" Liu Zhongtian felt a bit furious. If she drank more she would fall. He habitually picked up the bowl by his side. Qiqi quickly took it and drank in big gulps. The speed was too fast. She couldn’t even spit it out and it went into her stomach. The second mouthful also entered her mouth. Why... Qiqi looked at Liu Zhongtian in pain. She spat it out and shouted loudly.
"Why is it all wine, I want to drink water!"
It was then that Liu Zhongtian recalled that this was not the military camp. There wouldn’t be water at the side for her. He hurriedly instructed an eunuch to bring water over. Qiqi felt that it was too spicy, hence she picked up the grapes and started eating it. When she saw everyone staring at her in shock, she immediately threw the grapes away and drooped her head. However it was really too spicy. She tightly clenched her fist, her nose was going spit out fire soon.
The eunuch brought water and Wei Qiqi began drinking in big gulps. When she drank finished, she felt more comfortable. However her vision became blurry again. Hang on, hang on, Qiqi felt extremely uncomfortable and she grabbed onto Liu Zhongtian’s hands. She hoped to quickly leave.
When the Great Han Emperor saw the comical look on Wei Qiqi, he laughed out loud involuntarily. She was a lovable woman. That drunken state was really mesmerizing. The Emperor looked at Concubine Hanyu at the side. They were like heaven and earth.
"Hanyu, go accompany General Qi, I see that she needs someone to take care of her!"
Hanyu felt happy in her heart. Wasn’t this giving her a chance to be near Liu Zhongtian? She felt no need to reject. Hanyu had not seen the man she loved for almost a year. To see him at close proximity would let her be satisfied. However if she could... Hanyu responded shyly and lifted her skirt and walked towards Liu Zhongtian’s table.
The Emperor smiled lightly, Hanyu was only a chess piece for the Emperor to deal a blow to Liu Zhongtian. However when he saw that Liu Zhongtian was so concerned over Wei Qiqi, this Hanyu no longer served a purpose. He wanted to let the old lovers meet up, so that the Emperor had an excuse, a reasonable excuse to obtain Wei Qiqi.
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