Looking around at the noble ladies from prominent families in the capital, the only one who could catch the eye of the Princess Dowager was Yu Huiyan.
Three years ago, she had spared no effort to matchmake her with Liang Yuzhou. However, the old lady had acted a step earlier. Coupled with Yu Jingnian's demotion, this marriage had come to nothing.
Now that Yu Jingnian had regained his official position and was enjoying great glory, the Princess Dowager brought up the old matter again. Liang Yuzhou and Yu Huiyan were in love with each other, and the Duke's Mansion had even prepared the betrothal gifts.
The sudden withdrawal of the Princess Dowager's dowry was really a puzzling move.
Suyue seemed to be in possession of some great secret, with a solemn look on her face. "Miss, when I came back just now, I ran into Sister Qiaoying. We chatted for a while, and she told me that the old lady had noticed yesterday that the Princess Jiahe was taking the blame for Yu Huiyan.
After the birthday banquet was over, the old lady kept the Princess Dowager for a private conversation. She said that a woman as venomous as Yu Huiyan was too disgusting to be even a concubine for the Second Master in the Duke's Mansion. But for the sake of the Princess Dowager, she was willing to have her carried in a small sedan chair to be a concubine.
When the Princess Dowager left, her face was as long as could be!"
The little girl became more and more excited as she spoke, her voice rising at the end, and her eyes curving into crescent moons.
"The old lady is using the strategy of retreating in order to advance!" Nan Zhi saw it clearly. "The old lady has always been firmly against Yu Huiyan marrying the Second Master. But the Princess Dowager is so powerful that it's not easy to go against her wishes. After the old lady saw through Yu Huiyan's venomous tricks, her saying that she agreed to let Yu Huiyan be a concubine seemed to be a compromise with the Princess Dowager, but in fact, it was making the Princess Dowager swallow a bitter pill!
The Princess Dowager thinks highly of herself. How could she bear to have made such a big deal as a matchmaker, only to have Yu Huiyan end up as a concubine? Isn't that slapping her in the face? She was too ashamed, so she simply cancelled the marriage!"
Suyue felt extremely relieved and scolded heartily, "Serves her right! It's retribution! She's bullied our miss for so long. Now let her taste the feeling of being heart - broken!"
Everyone knew that Yu Huiyan had been eagerly looking forward to becoming Liang Yuzhou's main wife. Now that the Princess Dowager had said she couldn't marry, she must be extremely sad!
Song Wanchu listened quietly to the two girls chattering.
Was this what Liang Yuzhou had said last night, that early tomorrow morning, she would hear the news she wanted to hear?
He hadn't punished Yu Huiyan in any way. He had just predicted the reactions of the old lady and the Princess Dowager to this matter.
The failure of the marriage between Liang Yuzhou and Yu Huiyan should have made her very happy. But instead of feeling as delighted as she had imagined, she felt even calmer.
She deeply understood that Liang Yuzhou's feelings for Yu Huiyan wouldn't change just because the marriage had fallen through.
Even if she managed to keep her position as a noble concubine and maintain her dignity, she would never be able to truly enter Liang Yuzhou's heart.
Moreover, she no longer wanted to hit her head against a brick wall.
Rather than Liang Yuzhou's heart, what she wanted more was the document of releasing a concubine, which symbolized freedom.
As she walked out of the Shuiyun Residence, a gentle breeze blew from behind, and her soft hand fell into a broad palm.
"Why are you walking so fast? Why didn't you wait for me?"
Liang Yuzhou stood beside her, tall and imposing. A smile on his lips softened his cold and aloof aura a bit.
Song Wanchu stared blankly into his deep eyes.
"You never used to go with me to pay respects to the old lady."
Her tone was flat, as if she had gotten used to his coldness.
Liang Yuzhou felt as if his heart had been pricked.
He held her slightly cool little hand even tighter.
"From now on, I'll accompany you every day to pay respects to the old lady, okay?"
His tone was gentle, and he was discussing it with her.
It seemed that since last night, his attitude towards her had become extremely gentle.
This sudden change puzzled Song Wanchu.
Was it because he felt a bit guilty after seeing Yu Huiyan's repeated attempts to frame and scheme against her, and wanted to make up for her?
Her eyes dimmed slightly, but she didn't pull her hand out of Liang Yuzhou's. She let him lead her in the direction of the Fuan Hall.
She looked up at his side profile. His browbones were deep, his sword - shaped eyebrows were full of heroism, his nose was straight, his eyes were shining, and his well - proportioned facial features were perfectly set on this flawless face.
No wonder among the three thousand noble ladies in the capital, although they had different aesthetics, they all had the same dream lover.
Once, she had been one of them.
At that time, she had been passionate and sincere. Unlike the noble ladies from prominent families, she had boldly said that she wanted to marry him.
But now, she found that when facing him, that fluttering feeling in her heart was very faint.
She suddenly understood Liang Yuzhou a bit. When facing someone he didn't love, no matter how attentive the other person was, he would remain unmoved.
In the past three years, how much useless effort had she made!
The old lady's seventieth birthday had ended up as a farce of "catching an affair", but her mood didn't seem to have been affected.
Seeing Liang Yuzhou and Song Wanchu walking in hand in hand to pay respects, her smile became even more content.
"There have been quite a few new things outside early this morning. Wanchu, have you heard about them?"
Song Wanchu naturally knew what the old lady was referring to.
It was obvious that it wasn't a coincidence that Suyue had run into Qiaoying and that Qiaoying had "chatted" with her so much.
The old lady thought that Song Wanchu would be very happy to hear the news that the marriage between Liang Yuzhou and Yu Huiyan had fallen through.
"Wanchu has heard something." She didn't want to dampen the old lady's spirits. She gave a faint smile, and her beautiful eyebrows and eyes relaxed. At first glance, she seemed to be in a good mood.
She quietly glanced at Liang Yuzhou. He had no expression on his face, and his eyes seemed a bit gloomy. No one could guess his profound thoughts.
He was probably a bit disappointed.
After all, he had missed the love of his life.
"There's another thing, which is also related to the Yu family."
The old lady took the tea that Song Wanchu handed her and pulled her to sit beside her. "Yu Huiyan's heartless and rotten - lunged elder brother was caught red - handed by the Supreme Court last night for selling the court's prohibited drugs on the black market. He was immediately imprisoned. This time, he won't die, but he'll surely lose a layer of skin!
Yu Jingnian was so anxious that he begged everyone he could. He even came to our mansion this morning, but your father didn't even see him!"
Song Wanchu had already vaguely guessed that the "Spring Night Warm" that Yu Huiyan had used to poison her was given by Yu Rongbai.
As a young lady, Yu Huiyan would never have such a despicable drug.
She couldn't help but suspect that she had had an accident during the day yesterday, and Yu Rongbai had been arrested last night. Was it a coincidence?
Liang Yuzhou had gone out in the middle of the night last night. Could it be...
She raised her eyes and looked at Liang Yuzhou in surprise, with a look of seeking confirmation.
Liang Yuzhou's expression was unfathomable.
In front of the old lady, Song Wanchu was too embarrassed to ask.
But she already had the answer in her heart.
Did Liang Yuzhou catch the culprit to avenge her?
An elegantly dressed and well - groomed mammy greeted the old lady at the door. "Is the Second Master in the room? The Duke asks the Second Master to go there. He says there's something urgent."
Liang Yuzhou's eyes darkened a bit.
Probably guessing what the Duke wanted to talk to him about, the corners of his lips curled up in an obvious sarcastic arc.
"Your father is calling you. Go."
Liang Yuzhou got up and walked to the door. Then he looked back and stared at Song Wanchu. "I'll have lunch with you."
Something seemed to gently poke at the softest part of Song Wanchu's heart.
From last night until now, he had always been so gentle, as if it were an unreal dream.
The old lady was very satisfied with Liang Yuzhou's proper behavior and nodded repeatedly.
After he left, the old lady took Song Wanchu's hand and gently stroked her face.
"You've lost weight again."
The old lady's eyes were full of distress. "Wanchu, now you can rest assured. That bitch Yu Huiyan will never be involved with Zhou'er again.
What belongs to you, no one can take away. After Zhou'er achieves success in the military examination, the emperor will surely make him the heir of the duke.
By then, I'll ask the emperor for an imperial edict to make you the main wife. The heir's wife will be a first - rank imperial - appointed lady. In this way, it can be regarded as comforting your father's soul in heaven."
But Song Wanchu was thinking about something else.
Was this just the punishment for Yu Huiyan?
She thought it was far from enough.
Compared with the blame, humiliation, and scolding she had suffered, Yu Huiyan had just been beaten and the marriage had been cancelled.
It was very likely that it was just a temporary cancellation.
As long as Liang Yuzhou wanted to marry her, he would surely find a way to let Yu Huiyan marry into the Duke's Mansion in style.
To him, Yu Huiyan was not only his childhood sweetheart but also his savior.
A feeling of sourness slowly welled up in her heart.
The old lady noticed that her mood was not right and frowned deeply.
Wanchu couldn't still be thinking about that document of releasing a concubine, could she?
"Wanchu, there's another thing you don't know. Yesterday, I was so angry with the Princess Jiahe that I, like others, thought she was the culprit who framed you. It was Zhou'er who was so meticulous that he found that the silver note on Cuizhu's body wasn't given by the Princess Jiahe. And he reminded me immediately. Only then did I suddenly realize and gain the confidence to negotiate with the Princess Dowager.
If he had wanted to protect Yu Huiyan, he should have destroyed such an important piece of evidence as the silver note. It shows that his heart is towards you!"