A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 149

Chapter 149

In the evening, Qi Wu returned to the residence.

He went back to his own courtyard first.

He had been studying away from home, and apart from the two young servants who had been with him since childhood, he hadn’t really been served by the maids in the house for many days.

The few close ones were all arranged by Madam Qi.

When they were sent, they were instructed: “Work diligently, receive double monthly wages, and when you reach the right age, you will be given a dowry and married off. If you dare to have any wicked or crooked thoughts, not only will you be punished, but your family will also be implicated.”

But the courtyard was within the Qi family residence, how could there be no one arranged?

Long ago, even the ones sweeping the floor were pretty young girls. After staying in this courtyard for a few years, they have all become slender and beautiful young women.

As he walked in, countless girls were watching him with blushing faces and pounding hearts.

Qi Wu didn’t say anything in his own courtyard.

After washing and changing, he went to Madam Qi’s room.

“Mother!”

“Xiao Wu, you’re back? Are you done with your business?” Madam Qi was overjoyed to see her son return.

“It’s done for now.”

“Are you tired? Are you hurt? Come and have some snacks.” She bustled about.

“Mother, I won’t eat.”

“This is from Wen Yu! You know I met her, right? Look at me, you weren’t even back, how would you know?” Madam Qi was visibly excited.

Qi Wu’s lips moved, but he didn’t speak.

Madam Qi then recounted her meeting with Wen Yu in detail.

Listening to his mother’s happiness, Qi Wu picked up a small piece of snack and put it in his mouth.

Mmm, not sweet, fragrant and soft, very good.

“Mother feels like she’s found a treasure! Silly son, how can your fate be so good? Not only did you escape that b*tch who had been entangled with you for so many years, but you also got such a celestial being! During the New Year, Mother will go to burn a lot of incense. Thank Buddha for blessing us, mother and son!”

Qi Wu nodded: “When I have time, I will accompany you.”

As soon as Qi Wu entered, the Old Madam at the back heard about it and immediately got busy.

In a short while, Qi Youyi and his sons and daughters-in-law all gathered in the Old Madam’s room.

Madam Qi and Qi Wu were, of course, also summoned.

Qi Wu followed behind his mother.

“Grandmother, Father! Eldest Brother…” Qi Wu greeted them calmly and steadily.

Qi Youyi was very surprised at first glance. If he had seen him on the street, he might have glanced at him several times, but he might not have recognized him as his son.

How did he become like this?!

Oh, right. When he was young, he was pretty much like this.

Dressed in light blue twill heavy woven brocade, with the edges of his clothes all trimmed with the same color pattern. How refined…

Even the waistband is sewn with jade beads!

Their family came from a military background. The materials of the clothes they usually wore were not bad, but the colors and styles were not so refined.

Qi Youyi came to a conclusion: He was finally raised by Cui Shi into a dandy!

He glanced at Qi Hua… Qi Hua looked quite good, but it was a pity he didn’t inherit Xiu Yun’s eyes. He looked a bit like the Old Madam… but the Old Madam was a woman…

“Qi Yang, where have you been? I haven’t seen you since I came back!” Qi Youyi’s anger flared quickly.

“Father, I went out.”

“What did you do?”

“Important matters.”

That was like saying nothing.

“Important matters, just you?” He looked Qi Wu up and down with contempt. “What else can’t you say?!”

“Youyi, speak nicely! Why are you shouting as soon as you come in? Xiao Wu has finally come back, if you scare him again, it’s really…” Old Madam Qi complained, instigating.

“Mother, he is really outrageous!”

“Alright!” Tan Shi looked at Qi Wu with a smile. “Tsk, our Xiao Wu is just so pleasing to the eye. This time, for the Emperor’s birthday, there will be a martial arts competition. Xiao Wu, you must go! Let them see, who says that everyone in a military family is a roughneck?”

Xu Minghui laughed out loud, “Grandmother, please don’t say that. If he doesn’t go, he’ll have an air of aloofness, but if he gets the reputation of being all show and no substance, it’ll be troublesome!”

Qi Wu heard it, but didn’t react.

Madam Qi, however, thought viciously: I’m definitely going to contribute the silver that needs to be invested in the shop!

Qi Youyi was angry and started accusing, nothing more than: “You don’t study hard, you’re already this old and you don’t do anything for the Qi family. Look at your brothers, how does the eldest one do it?”

And how does the second one…

Blah blah blah…

Qi Xiao silently looked at his own brother, from head to toe, he felt disgust from the bottom of his heart.

Madam Qi’s eyelids drooped slightly, a sneer at the corner of her mouth, she didn’t say a word.

Qi Youyi’s brain… It was purely good luck that he could still be alive after leading troops to fight for so many years.

If it were in the past, she might have argued and quarreled, and would definitely have been red in the face and thick in the neck with her husband.

In the end, the old witch would have to come out to “smooth things over”…

Now, I follow my heart in everything, how can I have the energy to waste time with you?

I still have to help my daughter-in-law open a shop!

Princess Zhengyang, I heard that she is the backer of “Jixiang Zhai”. There are always many new styles, coming out of Jixiang Zhai under the name of the Princess’s Residence!

In the future, my daughter-in-law will inevitably have to compete with her for business.

Oh, I have to win over Princess Zhengxi.

Princess Zhengxi grew up with the former Empress, and her relationship with Madam Qi is inseparable!

Her Imperial Son-in-Law was seriously injured, and the couple has a very good relationship, so they are usually very low-key.

But, she alone can deal with Zhengyang!

As Madam Qi thought about it, she felt that this matter was very interesting, and a smile even appeared on her face.

Everyone saw…

Tan Shi was puzzled.

Qi Youyi was even angrier.

Qi Xiao was shocked: Is Mother really sick?!

In the end, Tan Shi said: “Alright, Youyi, go back and tidy up, we’ll have a reunion dinner tonight!”

Qi Wu sent his mother back to her room. When he came out, Qi Xiao was standing by the road: “Qi Yang!”

Qi Wu walked up to him, “Eldest Brother.”

Qi Xiao looked at his thin body, dressed in such flashy clothes, and snorted coldly: “The Qi family’s legacy is built on military merit, how do you want to pursue your future? Your brother will test your strength first, shall we?!”

✿✿✿

Qi Wu didn’t speak, but gestured towards the Qi family’s martial arts training ground with a “please” gesture.

Qi Xiao was so angry that he felt Qi Wu was provoking him!

He turned around and walked towards there! And secretly made up his mind: I’ll give you a good beating today!

The martial arts training ground was in a side courtyard, usually where the Marquis and generals would discuss military strategies. It was guarded by soldiers.

In the middle of the field, there were archery targets and some weapons.

Originally, there were also clothes specifically for training.

Qi Xiao walked there briskly, thinking to himself: I can take care of this sissy with one hand, why bother changing clothes?

He strode in and flung off his outer cloak!

The movement seemed to have been practiced many times, it was extremely dashing…

Then, he tucked his long robe into his waistband, stood in the center of the field, his aura calmed down, and he looked at Qi Wu with a sinister gaze.

Qi Wu came in slowly, took off his cloak, and carefully put it away. He didn’t change his clothes either, and tucked his long robe in properly.

He stood opposite his eldest brother…

Qi Wu’s eyes were clear and harmless.

But Qi Xiao’s calmed aura rose again, he sneered:

“You’ve been like a girl since you were a child. Mother sent you to study with Great Scholar Qin for so many years, I thought you would become a top scholar! I didn’t expect that you wouldn’t have any official titles now.”

“You don’t participate in family affairs either, what were you doing while I was fighting with Father outside? Showing off in front of people in fancy clothes?! Do you want to be a dandy?”

He thought about how many hardships he had endured, how many injuries he had suffered, while living a life exposed to the elements?

It was just that they hadn’t encountered any major battles, his father’s generation and his own generation were lucky, and there were no major casualties.

But the merits and property earned through hard work were enjoyed and squandered by this sissy.

What was even more hateful was that he monopolized Mother’s love, and he himself didn’t get any of it!

Alright, today, I’ll beat you up so badly that even Mother won’t recognize you!

Qi Wu, however, said softly: “Let’s fight if you want to fight, don’t talk so much!”

“You… Alright!”

Before the word “alright” landed, Qi Xiao punched out, aiming straight for Qi Wu’s jaw…

As the fist went out, he found that Qi Wu’s eyes changed.

A sharp glint appeared in the depths of his eyes. With a slight sway, his head dodged, his left hand grabbed Qi Xiao’s fist, and his right elbow went straight for Qi Xiao’s abdomen.

“…” So fast?! Qi Xiao was shocked.

His reaction wasn’t slow either. He hurriedly twisted his body, but he had been too careless before and didn’t completely dodge it.

He was actually forced back a step by Qi Wu’s blow, his left side slightly aching.

Before Qi Xiao could react, Qi Wu took a step forward, and his right knee came up again, still aiming for Qi Xiao’s abdomen.

“…” Qi Xiao was shocked again, what was wrong with him?

He blocked with both palms, and was shaken a bit, but it wasn’t too bad.

This time, Qi Xiao took the initiative to retreat a few steps and stood there, looking at Qi Wu.

His rhythm was disrupted. He had to avoid it first, and then start over, otherwise he would be too passive.

Qi Wu didn’t pursue, but looked at Qi Xiao.

“Seems like you have some skills, but unfortunately, it’s just fancy footwork!” Just now, Qi Xiao was indeed careless.

He originally just wanted to make that pretty face swell up and give him a black eye.

So that Mother could see!

He didn’t expect this guy to have some skills!

Qi Xiao had come from the battlefield, where he fought with real swords and spears, and he wasn’t very good at close combat.

So, he no longer dared to be careless and look down on him, and started to fight Qi Wu seriously.

He thought to himself: My fist is hard, as long as I land a hit, you’ll be in trouble.

Unfortunately, Qi Wu was agile and his fists weren’t soft either.

So, Qi Wu’s arm got kicked by Qi Xiao.

Qi Xiao’s stomach and buttocks got kicked by Qi Wu.

For a while, they were actually evenly matched.

But for Qi Xiao, who wanted to take care of Qi Wu with one hand, it was equivalent to losing.

So he became hateful, and they exchanged blows for a while.

Finally, Qi Xiao got his chance!

He landed a blow on Qi Wu’s jaw, although he dodged most of the force and wasn’t seriously injured.

But he still got hit.

With Qi Wu’s fair skin, he couldn’t take it, and it immediately showed…

But the beaten Qi Wu suddenly changed again… His movements suddenly became fierce and sharp, each move aimed at Qi Xiao’s vital points.

Fast and ruthless, one move after another.

Qi Xiao couldn’t keep up, and became flustered.

However, every time Qi Wu was about to land a decisive blow, he would withdraw his move.

After a few times, Qi Xiao understood: This bastard was letting him off easy!

No matter how shameless he was, he couldn’t continue fighting.

So, he stood there angrily, not moving.

Awkward and indignant: “Come on, come on! Hit here!” He pointed at his neck, acting shamelessly.

Qi Wu stopped, and straightened his clothes that had been messed up by Qi Xiao’s grabbing and kicking.

“Eldest Brother, there’s no need for this. If it were on the battlefield, wielding spears and shooting arrows, deploying troops and formulating strategies, I wouldn’t be able to match you.”

Qi Xiao felt a little better after hearing this, but he refused to show it.

Qi Wu said: “I still have things to do, I’m leaving if we’re not fighting.”

Qi Xiao was so angry that he huffed and puffed, glared at Qi Wu fiercely, and walked out of the training ground first.

He pulled at his cloak forcefully, not caring about his appearance anymore!

Happy New Year! All the best!