Shouldn't you be more concerned about your wife, Song Wanchu?
She suffered a severe injury to her heart just recently, which damaged her heart meridian. As a result, she has been suffering from insufficient qi and blood for the past few years, and often feels dull pain in her chest.
These words were on the tip of Shen Yuhe's tongue, but she swallowed them back.
Forget it. Why waste breath on a blind man?
This was a family matter, and as an outsider, she didn't want to meddle.
After Shen Yuhe left, Liang Yuzhou leaned against the door frame, lost in thought.
Princess Jiahe reproached him, "Why didn't you even go into Huiyan's room? She had a whole night of chest pain, but where were you? You stayed in Concubine Song's room the whole night! That bitch only suffered a minor injury. Is it really necessary for her to be so delicate?"
"Mother, Huiyan hasn't been married off yet. How could I, a grown - up man, casually enter and leave her boudoir?"
Princess Jiahe was momentarily speechless.
When she spoke again, her tone was not as forceful as before. "You two have been close since childhood. Besides, Huiyan will marry into our family sooner or later. Being so particular about the propriety between men and women will only make you seem distant from her."
Liang Yuzhou didn't respond to her but instead asked an unrelated question, "Did you tell Huiyan that I gave her the agate bracelet?"
A look of guilt flashed across Princess Jiahe's face. "I thought the bright red color was auspicious, so I gave it to her. It would also let her know your feelings."
"What feelings?" Liang Yuzhou retorted.
Princess Jiahe was stunned.
He pleaded for Yu Jingnian and traveled a long way to bring Huiyan back to the capital. Didn't he like her and want to marry her?
Now he was saying such inexplicable things. She really couldn't fathom her son's thoughts.
"Huiyan once took her heart's blood for you and got this chest - pain problem. If you don't marry her, how can you repay her for saving your life?"
In response to Princess Jiahe, Liang Yuzhou remained silent.
"I will take good care of Huiyan."
Leaving this sentence behind, he walked away.
Inside the bedroom, there came a soft sob.
Yu Huiyan bit her lips, tears streaming down her face continuously, feeling lost and aggrieved.
"Auntie, does cousin not like me anymore? I'd better leave."
Princess Jiahe stepped forward and hugged her tightly, heartbroken. "What silly words. If Zhou'er doesn't like you, does he like that seductive Song Wanchu? He's just been temporarily bewitched. As long as you stay here for a long time, one day he will see his true feelings."
"But Concubine Song has the old lady's support..."
At the mention of her strict mother - in - law, Princess Jiahe's face darkened.
That old fool! The Duke's Mansion was of noble status, yet she wanted Zhou'er to marry the daughter of a sixth - rank official!
But that old woman did have more say than she did. If she didn't give the green light, it was really uncertain whether Huiyan could marry into the mansion.
The old lady doted on Song Wanchu, but what if that bitch made a serious mistake and was no longer worthy of staying in the Duke's Mansion?
Princess Jiahe's mind started to work.
...
When Liang Yuzhou reached the door of Shuiyunju, Zhou Sheng and Zhou Yan were already waiting there.
"Second Master, we've found out. The owner of the carriage that hit the lady is Gao Chongming, the son of Gao Qide, a员外郎 in the Ministry of Works," Zhou Sheng reported. "Gao Qide came to apologize in person early this morning and brought generous gifts. The master's opinion is not to make enemies with others. Besides, it was an accident. As the son of a fifth - rank official who has no feud with the Duke's Mansion, he doesn't have the guts to deliberately ram the carriage."
Inside the room, Song Wanchu had already woken up and was quietly listening to the conversation outside.
She only heard Liang Yuzhou say, "Got it. Go down."
Judging from his tone, he didn't intend to pursue the matter.
What if it was Yu Huiyan who had a dislocated ankle and was vomiting blood after being hit by the carriage wall?
Would he let the culprit go so easily?
It was said that a few days ago, Du Yong, the youngest son of the Marquis of Yongning, said a few bad things about Yu Huiyan. Liang Yuzhou immediately overturned the table and broke three of his ribs. The old duke was so angry that he whipped Liang Yuzhou several times and punished him to kneel in the ancestral hall for a whole night.
Because he didn't love her, he just didn't care.
Her heart, already scarred and wounded, felt numb with a touch of desolation.
However, she couldn't just let it go.
Gao Chongming was on very good terms with Yu Rongbai, the eldest son of Yu Jingnian and Yu Huiyan's elder brother. And Yu Rongbai had a feud with her uncle.
Although her uncle was a merchant, he had some connections in the officialdom. He sent someone early in the morning to say that they had found something fishy.
As soon as Liang Yuzhou entered, he saw Song Wanchu pretending to be asleep with her eyes closed.
The wound on her back had been redressed, but fresh blood was still seeping through the gauze.
Her dislocated ankle had been reset, but the top of her foot was swollen badly. She wouldn't be able to wear shoes for a while.
Her weak appearance when sick made her look a bit softer.
Liang Yuzhou reached out his hand, wanting to touch her face.
Feeling the warmth of his palm, Song Wanchu suddenly opened her eyes.
She didn't understand where this sudden tenderness from Liang Yuzhou came from.
He could abandon her at a critical moment of life and death, with only another woman in his eyes. She didn't need this kind of belated guilt.
Liang Yuzhou curled his fingers and finally didn't touch her face.
"Thank you, Second Master, for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit me. There's something I'd like to talk to you about."
Liang Yuzhou sat down beside her. "Go ahead."
"My uncle's people found out that before the carriage accident yesterday, Yu Rongbai met Gao Chongming at the Starry Pavilion and gave him a large bag of silver. The accident happened right under the Starry Pavilion. Someone saw Yu Rongbai watching the accident from the second - floor. After the accident, he disappeared in a hurry but sent a few servants to guard the intersection where the accident happened. They left only after confirming that Miss Yu was okay. And Gao Chongming's coachman received a large reward that night and left the capital. Do you think this is just a coincidence, Second Master?"
"What do you mean?" Liang Yuzhou's face turned cold, and his brows frowned slightly.
"Yu Rongbai had a conflict with my uncle over a few shops. He's well - known for doting on his sister and would do anything for Miss Yu—"
"Enough!" Liang Yuzhou interrupted her sharply, his eyes as sharp as knives. "Are you suspecting that Yu Huiyan instigated Yu Rongbai to do this?"
Song Wanchu thought he would be angry, but she didn't expect that just a slight suspicion of Yu Huiyan would trigger such a strong reaction from Liang Yuzhou.
If she died, who would benefit the most?
The one who benefited the most was the most suspect.
Wasn't this simple truth clear to Liang Yuzhou?
In his heart, Yu Huiyan was innocent and pure, as clear as a child.
How could he be willing to believe that Yu Huiyan would use such dirty and shady means?
"She was also in the carriage. If I hadn't saved her in time, she would have been seriously injured just like you!"
A desolate and sour feeling welled up in Song Wanchu's heart. Her throat tightened, and her eyes unconsciously turned red.
He must be very lucky that the injured one wasn't Yu Huiyan, right?
"So Second Master knows how dangerous the situation was at that time. Is my life any less precious? Should I just be secretly plotted against without knowing why?"