In the candlelight, Liang Yuzhou gently stroked the scar on Song Wanchu's chest.
On that fair and delicate skin, the scar looked like an ugly centipede lying there.
She was a beauty - loving woman. After every bath, she would apply good rose balm on her skin, nurturing every part of her body, even her toes, to be delicate and tender.
Yet she could accept that this hideous scar would accompany her for a lifetime.
Liang Yuzhou felt a dull pain in his chest. He buried his head on Song Wanchu's slender shoulder and kept repeating,
"I'm a fool."
His words left Song Wanchu confused, but she knew Liang Yuzhou well. When he didn't want to explain, no one could get a word out of him.
So Song Wanchu listened quietly without saying a word.
Liang Yuzhou embraced her again. She looked at him with a focused and calm gaze, and her whole being was incredibly gentle.
It was as if all the thorns she had shown towards him had retracted within a single day.
But he always felt that there was something missing from her gaze.
In the past, when she looked at him, her beautiful and charming fox - like eyes would always be smiling, with the corners tilted upwards, and her clear pupils would sparkle brightly, as if he was her entire sky.
But at night, when she leaned in his arms, she called out another man's name in her dream.
He thought that all that so - called "love" was just an act for his sake.
In her dream, where she no longer had to pretend and play the game, the name "Shi Luohan" she called out again and again was the one truly in her heart.
Liang Yuzhou's throat went sour. He pinched Song Wanchu's chin and gently bit her rosy lips, as if making a mark.
"Wanchu, stay by my side. I will make it up to you."
He wanted the sparkle in her eyes to return.
"I'm your husband. You're not allowed to like other men."
His attitude was domineering, but his tone was gentle.
This was the first time Song Wanchu saw him truly put down his nobility and pride.
It was also the first time she heard the word "compensation" from his mouth.
In the past, all he ever said was that she owed him.
Song Wanchu reached out her hand. Her fair fingertips slowly slid across his firm eyebrows, his straight nose bridge, and his well - defined jawline.
She traced his outline, as if to confirm whether the man in front of her was really Liang Yuzhou.
Liang Yuzhou squinted slightly, allowing her hand to mess around on his face.
"How are you going to make it up to me?"
After a long while, Song Wanchu finally spoke. Liang Yuzhou caught her slender wrist and kissed her fingertips.
"In two months, it will be the imperial military examination that takes place once every three years. After I win the title of the military champion and become the heir, you'll know."
He never made empty promises.
Everything had to wait until he firmly secured the position of the heir.
Song Wanchu almost forgot that Liang Yuzhou was never indulged in love between men and women. He was ambitious and determined to win the position of the heir.
The Great Zhou was surrounded by powerful enemies on its borders and constantly troubled by border disputes. The emperor attached great importance to the military examination.
The military examination was held once every three years. At that time, heroes from all over the world would gather and compete on the training ground.
Her father was once the military champion.
Five years ago, Liang Yuzhou followed his father to suppress bandits. In his first battle, he was victorious. He beheaded seven bandit leaders in a row. The emperor highly praised him as a young hero, resembling the old duke in his youth.
If he could win the title of the military champion and gain fame, even if the old duke favored Liang Yuchuan more, he would have to pass on the position of the heir to Liang Yuzhou.
However, her letter of releasing her from concubinage would take effect in sixteen days.
A small voice in her heart reminded her: Leave. Do you really want this belated compensation?
Song Wanchu lowered her head silently. Liang Yuzhou felt uneasy.
"Go to sleep. You don't have to answer me in a hurry."
Suddenly, she felt warm. Liang Yuzhou embraced her and lay down. His chin rested on her forehead, and his arm wrapped around her waist.
It had been a long time since they had slept in such an intimate embrace.
Liang Yuzhou desperately missed her scent.
"Early tomorrow morning, you'll hear the news you want to hear."
It should have been a tender moment, but when Song Wanchu closed her eyes, she inappropriately thought of three years ago, the day of her grand wedding with Liang Yuzhou.
Princess Jiahe should have been sitting in the main seat, waiting for her to offer tea and kowtow. But just as she was about to hand over the teacup, Princess Jiahe suddenly stood up, pushed her aside, and cried to Liang Yuzhou, "Zhou'er, Huiyan's father has been demoted. He has to leave the capital for the remote and desolate Hengzhou today to be a low - ranking sixth - rank prefect! Huiyan has been pampered since childhood. How can she endure such hardships!"
Liang Yuzhou didn't even look at her. He took off the red flower on his chest, threw away his groom's hat, and rushed out of the door without looking back.
The guests in the hall were in an uproar. Song Wanchu covered her finger scalded by the hot tea and stared at his back in astonishment.
The old lady was furious and ordered people to guard the door. In full view of everyone, Liang Yuzhou climbed over the wall and left.
No one cared about the blisters on Song Wanchu's fingers caused by the swelling and scalding. The excruciating pain made her vision go dark.
Even though her vision was blurred, she could still clearly feel the gazes of the guests.
Sympathetic, mocking, sighing, gloating...
She felt as if she was pierced by sharp swords and was forced to be paraded in public, bleeding.
What should have been the happiest day of her wedding had become a nightmare for a lifetime.
She touched her slightly cool chest.
Some wounds were difficult to heal.
Not even Liang Yuzhou's love could do it.
...
Yu Huiyan arrived at the Princess Dowager's mansion.
The Princess Dowager had known early on that the Crown Prince had intercepted her on the road.
But she didn't show up to stop it.
Instead, she let the Crown Prince humiliate and beat her severely.
Looking at Yu Huiyan's swollen and bruised cheeks, the Princess Dowager's face was terrifyingly cold.
"Yu Huiyan, I thought you were a smart and sensible person. I didn't expect you to be so stupid! The last time you framed Song Wanchu for pushing you into the water on your own initiative, and as a result, you were exposed on the spot by Shen Yuhe. Do you think your methods are flawless this time? The old guy in the Duke's mansion has been shrewd all his life. How could he be deceived by your clumsy scheme?"
Yu Huiyan wanted to defend herself, but when she opened her mouth, she found that her voice was completely hoarse because she had cried too hard on the way here.
Her mind was in a complete mess. She didn't know where to start to defend herself to make the Princess Dowager calm down.
In the Princess Dowager's view, the marriage between Yu Huiyan and Liang Yuzhou was a done deal. Her framing of Song Wanchu was simply unnecessary.
But how could the Princess Dowager know the pain in her heart?
Liang Yuzhou whole - heartedly protected Song Wanchu and was completely infatuated with her. He would never marry her!
No one could force him to do what he didn't want to do, not even the Princess Dowager!
She had to get rid of Song Wanchu!
The Princess Dowager scolded her mercilessly.
She knelt on the ground, hunched over like a dog without dignity.
"Someone, take advantage of the late night and move all the dowry that this palace sent to the Yu family back to this palace!"
Yu Huiyan had been listless, as if she had lost her vitality. But when she heard this, she suddenly came to her senses and looked at the Princess Dowager in panic.
The Princess Dowager adding to her dowry was well - known in the capital. If she took it back now, wouldn't it make her a laughingstock in the whole capital again?
"Yu Huiyan, it's time for you to wake up from your beautiful dream! You've done such despicable things and dragged this palace into trouble! The old guy is pressing hard and wants to discuss with this palace to let you enter the Duke's mansion in a small sedan chair as Liang Yuzhou's concubine! A concubine even lower than Song Wanchu!"
Yu Huiyan's ears were buzzing. Her blood seemed to be flowing backwards.
A concubine? Her lifelong goal was to be Liang Yuzhou's legitimate wife. How could she be a lowly concubine?
Even lower than Song Wanchu. Wouldn't she have to look at Song Wanchu's face for the rest of her life?
This was more painful than killing her!
"No, it's not possible. I can't be a concubine!"
She roared hoarsely, stretching her neck.
The Princess Dowager's smile was like bone - chilling ice. "Yes, a person as noble as this palace is making the match. How could I let you become a concubine?"
Yu Huiyan kept nodding. Her panicked heart finally settled down.
Regardless of the pain on her cheeks, she grinned strangely. "The Princess Dowager loves me the most. I'm your person. How could I suffer such humiliation?"
"You know that. This palace also has a reputation to uphold. If I'm going to make a match, it has to be for a legitimate wife. Otherwise, it's better to be broken jade than intact tile!"
The smile on Yu Huiyan's face froze. She slumped to the ground unsteadily.
A bone - chilling coldness spread from her feet to her chest. Her blood seemed to be freezing bit by bit.
There was no color left on her face, and her body was as stiff as a corpse.
The Princess Dowager wanted to take back the dowry. It wasn't just to teach her a lesson. She was going to completely abandon this marriage...
Only then did she suddenly realize what Liang Yuzhou meant by "retribution".
The thing she cared about the most, the thing she longed for the most, and the thing she could get immediately, was completely lost with the Princess Dowager's order.
Liang Yuzhou had calculated it all.
He was sure that the old lady would take advantage of this to blackmail the Princess Dowager and lower the marriage from marrying a legitimate wife to taking a concubine.
He also guessed that the proud Princess Dowager would never accept the damage to her dignity.
She had been abandoned by the Princess Dowager.
Liang Yuzhou, her cousin who once loved her the most, had used such heart - rending and murderous means against her for Song Wanchu's sake.