Once the words "No way" came out of his mouth, there was no room for maneuver in this matter.
The officials were well aware of the inner - house struggles in the aristocratic families but were reluctant to get involved. Reporting the case to the officials was already fraught with difficulties.
All the evidence was in Liang Yuzhou's hands. Even if Song Wanchu insisted on reporting the case, she would have no proof.
Although Liang Yuzhou seemed affectionate to her on the surface, in fact, he was still tough - minded. He cornered her and cast a dark and hopeless net over her head.
No matter how much she struggled or pleaded, even if she bumped herself bloody, she still couldn't break through the dense net, let alone touch Yu Huiyan in the slightest.
"Liang Yuzhou, you said I could trust you."
Song Wanchu's voice was hoarse. Her throat felt as if it was blocked by a stone, which was the feeling of holding back her tears too hard.
The tears stubbornly refused to break through her eye sockets. Liang Yuzhou in her blurred vision had a still cold and hard outline.
"I really believed you. I was so stupid to have expectations for a man who didn't love me."
With a soft laugh full of endless sorrow, Liang Yuzhou's eyes narrowed, and his sword - shaped eyebrows knitted together.
He grabbed Song Wanchu's slender wrist and forcefully locked her in his arms.
Song Wanchu pushed him with all her might, but instead, she lost her balance because of the excessive force.
Liang Yuzhou pulled her into his arms, pressed on her slender waist, and imprisoned her.
"Everything you want, I will give you. But it all has to wait until I win the military imperial examination and become the heir. Huiyan must be kept intact for now. You can't touch her, and neither can anyone else."
There was a hint of dominance in his tone.
His palm moved up from her waist and gently stroked her back a few times as if to soothe her.
Her body was forced to be pressed against his chest. During the struggle, their clothes were all in a mess. Song Wanchu panted slightly, and her cheeks gradually turned a light shade of red under the hot breath exhaled by Liang Yuzhou.
He was doing the most intimate actions with her, but talking about his concern and protection for another woman.
It really hurt. It was no less painful than being pierced by a thousand arrows.
"Liang Yuzhou, what do you think I want? The position of the legal wife?"
Song Wanchu slightly lifted her eyelids. Her eyelashes trembled with glistening tears. "To protect Yu Huiyan, the Second Master is willing to promote a concubine like me to the legal wife. It's really hard for the Second Master to stoop so low."
Liang Yuzhou clearly saw the disdain and mockery in her eyes, and his thin lips tightened even more.
The corners of Song Wanchu's lips lifted high. Her smile while crying was like a pitiful yet charming little fox, captivating people's hearts.
Her red lips uttered cold words, "But who cares?"
All along, all she wanted was a pure love.
The noon sun was intense and blinding, shining on Liang Yuzhou's pale and handsome face.
The pressure around him dropped bit by bit.
Staring at her beautiful face, Liang Yuzhou pinched her chin, and his rough fingertips stroked her red lips.
Such a beautiful face.
But all he could get was just this face.
Her heart still didn't belong to him.
This beautiful and rosy lip had called out another man's name countless times in his dreams. Jealousy welled up in Liang Yuzhou's heart. He lowered his head and kissed her hard.
Song Wanchu struggled and dodged violently.
His breath was too aggressive, as if he was going to wrap her up layer by layer without any air.
Their lips and teeth touched and rubbed violently. Liang Yuzhou gasped a little. "If you don't care, then why did you marry me?"
Song Wanchu's body suddenly stiffened, and the tears finally fell uncontrollably.
He thought she married him with ulterior motives.
After three years of sharing the same bed with him, he even doubted her character.
The salty tears were kissed into Liang Yuzhou's mouth. "Answer me, Mrs. Liang the Second, huh?"
The address "Mrs. Liang the Second" was full of sarcasm.
Song Wanchu was in so much pain that she couldn't utter a complete sound.
Liang Yuzhou hugged her even tighter, as if he wanted to merge her into his flesh and blood and make her an inseparable part of him.
He kissed her red - hot earlobe, and his low gasps made people blush and their hearts race.
"Just yesterday, in this room, at this very spot, you wrapped your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist. You called out my name and begged me to take you. Do you still remember how many times?"
Song Wanchu trembled shamefully and turned her head away, sobbing softly. "Stop talking!"
The aphrodisiac made her lose all sense of shame. She threw away all her reserve and instinctively begged him for pleasure.
Desire burned away her reason, but the only person she desired was still him.
But he used this incident to stimulate and mock her.
"Only I can do this to you, Song Wanchu. If you don't want to be Mrs. Liang the Second, who will?"
Once upon a time, she had hoped to live in harmony with Liang Yuzhou. It wasn't that she cared so much about the status of the legal wife, but that she wanted to stand on the same level as him and call him "husband" openly.
But now she was completely disheartened and didn't want anything. Yet he insisted on forcing it on her.
He didn't want to promote her to the legal wife before because he was concerned about Yu Huiyan and wanted to reserve the position for the woman he loved most.
Now that his wish to marry Yu Huiyan was shattered, in order to keep her quiet and not pursue Yu Huiyan's responsibility, he generously promised her the position of the legal wife.
All the changes were because of Yu Huiyan.
Song Wanchu was wrapped in his arms, as if they were indistinguishable from each other, but the distance between their hearts was too far, too far.
The person in his arms gradually calmed down, and the sobbing stopped. Liang Yuzhou kissed the corner of her tear - stained eye. His voice was hoarse. "Song Wanchu, you have to be Mrs. Liang the Second, whether you like it or not."
"I'm tired. I want to rest. Can the Second Master leave?"
Song Wanchu's voice returned to its indifferent tone.
She felt the arm clamping her waist loosen a bit.
Finally, there was a little gap between their bodies. Song Wanchu coldly pushed him away and walked towards the couch.
She hadn't eaten much to begin with, and after a big fight with Liang Yuzhou, she was mentally exhausted. Her legs had no strength, and her steps were unsteady.
Liang Yuzhou strode forward, picked her up, and put her on the bed.
His hands propped on both sides of her. He looked down at her from above. "Be obedient. Take good care of your body first. Leave the rest to me."
Song Wanchu glanced at him indifferently, then turned her head and closed her eyes.
Liang Yuzhou leaned in and kissed her forehead. The sachet on his waist hung down, and the fine tassels brushed against the back of her hand.
He still wore that ugly sachet.
As soon as he left, Song Wanchu immediately opened her eyes.
She called Nanzhi and Suyue to the bedside.
"Suyue, go back to Uncle's house and tell Aunt to meet me at the Starry Pavilion in an hour."
"Nanzhi, quietly go to the warehouse steward and find out when the Duke's Mansion's farmstead in the suburbs will come to the mansion to deliver fruits, vegetables, fish, and shrimp, and how many carts they will bring?"
The two girls knew that there was no need to ask more at this time, so they went to do their jobs neatly.
Song Wanchu lay quietly on the bed, thinking about how to get the concubine - releasing letter in advance.
The old lady was in a good mood today and happily promised her the position of the legal wife and the title of the imperial - conferred lady. She really didn't have the heart to dampen the old lady's enthusiasm.
Not long after, Suyue came back.
"Miss, I asked. The farmstead will come to deliver fruits, vegetables, fish, and shrimp in three days. This time, they will bring a lot, a full ten carts."
Ten carts would be enough to take away all her dowry.