Song Wanchu stood rooted to the spot, her heart pounding like a drum.
In her line of sight, the Crown Prince was sitting beside a rosewood tea table. His slender fingers were idly playing with a teacup. While he appeared nonchalant, his gaze never left her face.
It was a silent invitation, polite yet laced with the assertiveness of someone in a superior position.
Mechanically, she took steps forward, gradually entering the room.
The guards on either side dutifully closed the door behind her.
In the enclosed space, the Crown Prince slowly rose to his feet. His handsome face loomed larger and larger in front of her.
He was standing too close, invading the safe distance between a man and a woman. Song Wanchu could smell the woody sandalwood scent on him.
The setting sun shone through the window, casting their shadows on the wall, resembling a pair of lovers embracing.
Song Wanchu's body was as tense as a taut bowstring. Her shoulders trembled slightly due to nervousness and unease.
She dared not meet the Crown Prince's gaze, yet she could feel the latent desire in his eyes.
It was the desire of a man for a woman.
"Wanchu," the Crown Prince spoke. His voice was deep and hoarse, filled with tenderness. "Given our respective positions, forgive me for having to meet you in this way."
Song Wanchu looked up in surprise. So, Liang Yuchuan didn't really want to buy the date - paste cloud cakes.
He had been acting on the Crown Prince's orders, using a seemingly reasonable pretext that would never arouse her suspicion to lure her here.
For the Crown Prince to want to meet a married woman like her was quite inappropriate. It didn't seem like something a reserved and self - controlled man like him would do.
She could only remain silent.
"Wanchu, you've suffered unjustly."
The Crown Prince's voice was as gentle as a flowing stream. A certain string in Song Wanchu's mind seemed to be gently plucked.
A faint sense of sadness silently spread in her heart.
She had never heard such words from Liang Yuzhou, even though he was the one who knew the truth best and understood how much she had been wronged.
You were just drugged and almost lost your reputation. Huiyan can't marry me anymore. What else do you have to complain about?
That was Liang Yuzhou's attitude.
The subtle change in her expression didn't escape the Crown Prince's notice. His eyes darkened, and a hint of anger gathered between his eyebrows.
The Crown Prince had learned about Yu Rongbai's imprisonment early on.
Wanchu was "caught in adultery" at noon, and Yu Rongbai was imprisoned late at night. He keenly sensed that the two events were closely related.
He personally inquired with Shi Jinglu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, about the crime Yu Rongbai had committed.
It turned out that Yu Rongbai was involved in the sale of prohibited drugs. Among the drugs was a "Spring Night Warmth", a powerful aphrodisiac that could turn a chaste woman into a lust - driven slut.
Scenes from the old lady's birthday banquet flashed through his mind. Why was Yu Huiyan so confident in inciting the Princess Jiahe to catch someone in adultery?
Even if Du Yong had entered Wanchu's courtyard, given Wanchu's chastity and self - restraint, she would never have seduced him into having an affair.
Unless Yu Huiyan had used a more malicious method.
Drugging Wanchu!
Realizing this, the Crown Prince was filled with rage!
The punishment he had given Yu Huiyan was too light!
Such a malicious woman deserved to be sliced into a thousand pieces and executed by slow torture!
He couldn't stop thinking about Wanchu. He was worried that she would be heart - broken and despondent because of this.
The impulse to see her was so strong that he couldn't sit still. He was in agony.
He also knew that having Liang Yuchuan deceive Wanchu here was not a gentlemanly act, but he didn't care.
"You don't look well."
Song Wanchu's breathing became rapid and tense. His concern and his feelings for her were like a heavy yoke and a deadly poison to her. She dared not accept them.
"The Crown Prince has the world on his shoulders and is busy with countless affairs. How could I, a humble woman, deserve the Crown Prince's concern?"
From beginning to end, she kept her head down.
"Wanchu, I hear countless flattering words every day. I don't want to hear such words from you."
They were not strangers. The Crown Prince didn't want to be distant from the woman he loved.
试探性地, he reached out a hand and gently touched her pink earlobe.
As soon as his fingers touched her skin, Song Wanchu was like a frightened rabbit and took several steps back.
In her haste, her calf hit a stool, and she fell backward.
The Crown Prince stretched out his long arm and supported her waist.
Without thinking, Song Wanchu pushed him away. Her body was tense, and she resisted his approach.
Realizing that she had been disrespectful to the Crown Prince, her face turned pale, and her lips became dry.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness..."
"It's all right. I won't blame you. It was my rudeness."
The Crown Prince comforted her softly. Gazing at her fair and beautiful face, he said, "One day, you won't be able to push me away."
Song Wanchu's head throbbed.
Such words were too explicit!
She began to regret entering this room.
Even if she had boldly walked away just now, the Crown Prince wouldn't have done anything to her.
The clarity had returned to the Crown Prince's eyes.
"Last night, I was about to punish Yu Huiyan, but Liang Yuzhou showed up and took her away. Yu Huiyan did such an unforgivable thing to you, yet Liang Yuzhou still protects her blindly. Wanchu, aren't you heart - broken?"
The pain hidden deep in her heart was touched. A dull pain welled up in her chest. Her eyes involuntarily turned red, and she bit her lip, on the verge of tears.
The Crown Prince easily broke through her defenses and continued, "Although their engagement has been cancelled, it's not impossible for Liang Yuzhou to marry Yu Huiyan. In two months, he will surely win the top prize in the martial exam. Once he has achieved fame, he might ask the Emperor for an imperial edict to marry Yu Huiyan into the Duke's Mansion.
He has wronged you, trampled on your true feelings, and discarded you like an old shoe. Wanchu, do you still want to stay by his side as a low - status concubine and waste your whole life?"
Of course not.
But her plan to escape from Liang Yuzhou couldn't be told to the Crown Prince.
"I can help you."
Looking at the tears on the verge of falling from her cheeks, the Crown Prince's heart ached. His tone became urgent. "I can make Yu Huiyan pay the price. I can also help you leave Liang Yuzhou. Wanchu, as long as you ask, I will spare no effort!"
This powerful man, who should have been high above, was willing to humble himself and speak earnestly.
Song Wanchu was flattered. The gap between her and the Crown Prince was too great. Such love was too heavy for her to bear!
She tried hard to hold back her tears and politely declined, "I dare not accept the Crown Prince's kindness."
She hoped that the Crown Prince could understand her feelings.
Loving Liang Yuzhou had already exhausted too much of her energy. She didn't have the courage to try to love another man.
Moreover, the Crown Prince was the future emperor. That magnificent yet cold palace was like another suffocating golden cage to her.
She didn't dare to look at the disappointment on the Crown Prince's face. She quickly bowed and turned to leave.
Suddenly, a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist from behind. Song Wanchu's body tensed up to the extreme. The bowstring in her body seemed about to snap.
A warm breath with the scent of sandalwood blew against her ear. Song Wanchu struggled in panic but was held even tighter.
"Let me finish my words."