Liang Yuzhou ignored him and spurred his horse forward. His tall and straight figure was like an arrow ready to be shot, full of angry power.
The Princess Dowager's Mansion.
After such a big commotion, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet couldn't continue. All the noble ladies and young misses took their leave one after another.
The Princess Dowager sent someone to settle the Princess Jiahe.
"The princess is tired. Let her have a good rest. If she wants to go out, inform this palace immediately."
Yu Huiyan was arranged in a courtyard far from the Princess Jiahe.
Originally, Liang Yuzhou brought her here to rest, but unexpectedly, he didn't even enter the room and turned around to leave.
He must have gone after Song Wanchu.
Song Wanchu forced her to apologize. Although Liang Yuzhou stopped it, Yu Huiyan knew very well that her cousin only gave her face.
His heart was with Song Wanchu. How could he stay in her room!
The raging fire of jealousy burned Yu Huiyan's internal organs out of shape. She clenched the brocade quilt under her and looked ferocious.
The door was pushed open, and the Princess Dowager walked in angrily.
In front of her, Yu Huiyan didn't dare to pretend to be ill. She quickly lifted the quilt and got out of bed to pay her respects.
Before she could open her mouth, a big slap landed on her right cheek.
"Stupid girl! Who allowed you to frame Song Wanchu on your own initiative?"
Yu Huiyan's whole head was buzzing. The anger of being abandoned by Liang Yuzhou, the grievance of being scolded by the Princess Dowager, and the unwillingness of losing to Song Wanchu all rushed into her heart at once. She bit her lips and sobbed.
The Princess Dowager completely lost the kind and loving look she had shown in front of others. Her eyes were cold and fierce, as if she wanted to kill someone.
"It's Huiyan's stupidity. Huiyan requests punishment on her own. There's no need for the Princess Dowager to do it herself!"
Forcing back her tears, she bravely raised her hand and slapped herself in the face.
The Princess Dowager just looked at her coldly and didn't stop her.
It was not until Yu Huiyan's cheeks were red and swollen and blood oozed from the corner of her mouth that the Princess Dowager showed mercy and said, "Alright. You're an unmarried girl. What if you damage your face?"
Yu Huiyan's face and hands were numb, but in front of the angry Princess Dowager, she didn't dare to complain.
The lives of more than twenty people in the Yu family were in the hands of the Princess Dowager, and she was just a pawn for the Princess Dowager to win over the Duke's Mansion.
As long as she could marry Liang Yuzhou, she was willing to be this pawn.
The Princess Dowager looked down at Yu Huiyan kneeling on the ground. Suddenly, she thought that Yu Huiyan was nothing special. Her appearance was only passably delicate, but compared with the charming and stunning Song Wanchu, she was like a low - class kitchen maid who couldn't be put on the stage.
When she thought of Song Wanchu, the Princess Dowager got even angrier.
Three years ago, she had acted as a matchmaker for Yu Huiyan and Liang Yuzhou. Once the Liang family and the Yu family got married, the prestige and influence of the Duke's Mansion could be used by her.
Just when the marriage was about to be finalized, Song Wanchu's father happened to sacrifice his life for the old Duke at this time.
The old woman in the Duke's Mansion had intervened and forced Song Wanchu into the Duke's Mansion, ruining her plan.
If Song Wanchu didn't die, it would be difficult for the marriage between the Duke's Mansion and the Liang family to succeed, and it would be even more difficult to relieve her hatred!
"Your aunt keeps saying that Liang Yuzhou loves you, but even when you 'fell ill', he didn't seem very worried. He put you down and went after Song Wanchu. This palace mentioned your marriage twice today, and he didn't give any indication. Does he really like you?"
The Princess Dowager's question implied that she thought this pawn was not very useful.
What Yu Huiyan was most afraid of was losing her value. If she lost the support of the Princess Dowager, and with the stubborn old lady in the Duke's Mansion blocking the way, her hope of marrying Liang Yuzhou would be even slimmer!
"We grew up together. Cousin naturally likes me!"
She moved forward on her knees two steps, eager to prove her position in Liang Yuzhou's heart to the Princess Dowager.
"Although he saw that I was deliberately framing Song Wanchu, he still chose to protect my face, which shows that cousin has me in his heart! He was just temporarily confused by that bitch Song Wanchu. As long as I can marry him, he will surely discover more of my good qualities!"
"Really?" The Princess Dowager's smile was a bit sinister, making Yu Huiyan shiver. "Are you sure he didn't just protect you out of gratitude for saving his life?"
She had lived for fifty years. How could she be easily deceived by a few words from a young girl?
When they both fell into the water, Liang Yuzhou didn't hesitate for a moment when he jumped into the lake to save Song Wanchu.
Love is not just about words. His actions proved who was more important in his heart.
He protected Yu Huiyan's face, but he saved Song Wanchu's life!
The Princess Dowager's words stabbed at Yu Huiyan's sensitive nerves. She didn't dare to imagine what would happen if Liang Yuzhou knew that the person who took heart - blood to save his life was not her...
I'm afraid the last bit of tenderness he had for her would disappear completely!
Thinking of this, the coldness in her body spread from her back to her cheeks, and cold sweat dripped down her red and swollen cheeks one by one.
The Princess Dowager seemed to see through Yu Huiyan's thoughts. She sneered coldly and contemptuously, "Don't worry. This palace's plan is flawless. The people who saw it with their own eyes back then have all been taken care of. As long as you keep your mouth shut, Liang Yuzhou has no way to verify it!"
"But cousin seems to have asked Aunt Fang..."
When Yu Huiyan mentioned Aunt Fang, the Princess Dowager's already unhappy face darkened a bit more.
This old palace maid was very arrogant, relying on the fact that she had served the Empress Dowager.
The Princess Dowager only respected her a little for the Empress Dowager's sake, but she had become insolent and meddled in her affairs.
Last month, the Princess Dowager took a fancy to the son of a seventh - rank official and wanted to bring him into the mansion as a male favorite. Aunt Fang had advised her earnestly, telling her not to bully men and women, lest she arouse the wrath of heaven and man, and even the Emperor couldn't clean up the mess for her.
The Princess Dowager had been unhappy with Aunt Fang for a long time. She was also the only living witness to the incident three years ago.
Although she knew that Aunt Fang was a person who knew how to protect herself, she was too kind - hearted. She might show mercy and reveal the truth of that year to Liang Yuzhou.
She had to think of a way to make Aunt Fang completely on her side.
"Aunt Fang has a tight mouth and won't talk nonsense."
The Princess Dowager was already a bit impatient with Yu Huiyan.
"When your aunt returns to the Duke's Mansion later, you don't go back with her. The old woman is not easy to fool. She will surely make trouble for you. Go home and hide for a few days. This palace will spread some more rumors to cover up the ugly things you've done!"
Yu Huiyan's face started to hurt again.
In front of the Princess Dowager, she was just a low - class servant without any dignity.
Who asked her father to be an official thanks to the Princess Dowager?
When she thought of the scandal between her father and the Princess Dowager, her stomach churned.
But she didn't dare to show the slightest disrespect in front of the Princess Dowager.
"Go back and give your father a message. This palace misses him a bit. Ask him to meet at the old place at midnight tonight."
Yu Huiyan almost vomited, but she still bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, Huiyan will remember the Princess Dowager's words."
Who would have thought that Yu Jingnian, the current third - rank official and the consort of Princess Jialing, was actually the male favorite of the Princess Dowager!
And it was even more shameful and embarrassing for Yu Huiyan to know about this.
Yu Jingnian was recommended by the Princess Dowager and had worked his way up from an unknown ninth - rank official to the Minister of Works. With his elegant and handsome appearance, he had also charmed Princess Jialing and become her consort.
Most of the huge amount of money he had embezzled over the years had gone into the Princess Dowager's pocket to support her extravagant life.
The Yu family was like a small boat tied to the huge ship of the Princess Dowager.
If they wanted to cross the rough waves smoothly, they had to follow the big ship tightly.
Liang Yuzhou came to the courtyard where Yu Huiyan was temporarily resting, but saw that the courtyard gate was guarded by the Princess Dowager's people.
"Second Master Liang, the Princess Dowager has invited the imperial doctor for Miss Yu. He is examining her now. It's inconvenient for you to go in. Please wait a moment."
Liang Yuzhou didn't show that he was eager to go in. When he turned around, he whispered an order in Zhou Sheng's ear, "Bring Caidie here."