The Crown Prince's voice was low, hoarse, and gloomy. The masculine aura seeped through his thin summer shirt, burning her skin. "The thing I regret the most is that I didn't insist on marrying you back then. I clearly had the upper hand, but due to a momentary wrong thought, I lost you.
It wasn't until I watched you get married to Liang Yuzhou in your phoenix coronet and bridal gown that I realized how bitter the taste of loss was.
Over the years, there has never been a woman who satisfied me by my side. Because of that fleeting glimpse of you back then, no other woman has ever been able to enter my heart.
Liang Yuzhou is simply unworthy of you. Come to my side. I can give you unique favor and glory."
He gently yet domineeringly turned Song Wanchu around, staring into her flustered and at - a - loss eyes. He slowly lowered his head, his breath slightly rapid.
"I'll give you time to think it over. Don't rush to reject me, okay?"
The Crown Prince was extremely tall, almost as tall as Liang Yuzhou. It seemed as if he surrounded her everywhere, leaving her nowhere to escape.
She trembled her lips and gently shook her head, carefully yet firmly rejecting him.
She was about to get the letter of divorce. She didn't want any favor and glory. She wanted freedom more.
"Why? Do you still love Liang Yuzhou?" A flicker of dejection flashed across the Crown Prince's eyes, but there was more unwillingness.
He tightened his grip on her arm. The masculine aura was too aggressive. Song Wanchu's heart was pounding wildly, and she just wanted to escape.
She was grateful to the Crown Prince for his concern and for punishing Yu Huiyan on her behalf. However, she couldn't respond to such a heavy - handed love.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, please let go."
She struggled. In her eagerness to break free, the coral bead earrings on her ears swayed violently.
Suddenly, a tinkling laugh came from the door. "Brother Crown Prince, so you've been hiding a beauty here?"
It was Princess Lingyang.
All the color drained from Song Wanchu's face.
It was getting late, and she and the Crown Prince were alone in a room. Moreover, she was a married woman.
Even if she had a million mouths, she couldn't explain herself!
Great panic welled up in her heart. If Princess Lingyang came in and saw her, the consequences would be even more serious than when she was caught having an affair by Princess Jiahe!
She would be burdened with the bad names of seducing the Crown Prince, being licentious, trying to climb up the social ladder, and not abiding by the virtues of a woman...
"Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you."
The Crown Prince's voice was steady. He reached out, took off one of Song Wanchu's coral bead earrings, and threw it on the ground.
Just then, Princess Lingyang burst into the room, her face full of a fresh and exciting expression.
It was as if an innocent child had caught a man and a woman having an affair.
Princess Lingyang was extremely shocked the moment she saw Song Wanchu.
Immediately afterwards, she showed a look of "I understand" and grinned mischievously at the Crown Prince.
"Brother Crown Prince, you're so naughty. Song Wanchu is the noble concubine of Brother Liang the Second. Do you want to snatch her away?"
She rubbed her hands excitedly, with a teasing look in her eyes that seemed to say, "If you dare to snatch, I dare to watch the show."
"Stop talking nonsense!" The Crown Prince scolded coldly. "You're still so young, but your head is filled with all sorts of nonsense all day long!"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I've found my earring."
Song Wanchu picked up the coral bead earring in a corner near the table leg and let out a sigh of relief.
She spread out her palm and showed the earring to Princess Lingyang.
"Your Highness the Princess, you've misunderstood. I came here to buy some snacks and wanted to sit down and have a cup of tea. But as soon as I entered the private room, I found that my earring was missing. Coincidentally, the Crown Prince also came. Seeing that I was anxious, he came in to help me look for it."
Saying this, she bowed respectfully to the Crown Prince. "Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince, for your help. This pair of earrings is a relic left to me by my mother. It has a special meaning. I was a bit too anxious just now."
Princess Lingyang was half - convinced. Her bright eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, as if she was looking for traces of intimacy between them.
"If you're looking for an earring, why do you need to close the door?" She asked with a smile.
Song Wanchu's palms were already full of sweat.
This princess was two years younger than her. On the surface, she looked innocent and carefree, but her shrewd eyes didn't lie.
She pretended to be innocent and naive to disguise herself and do evil things.
"Do you not close the door when you're looking for something behind the door?"
This situation was extremely nerve - wracking for Song Wanchu, but the Crown Prince had experienced everything in the court. He told a lie without changing his expression.
Princess Lingyang nodded thoughtfully.
To change the subject, the Crown Prince taught Princess Lingyang a lesson with a straight face.
"Why don't you stay in the palace properly and keep running outside all day long? Is this appropriate?"
Princess Lingyang stuck out her tongue and said matter - of - factly, "Of course I'm here to find Brother Liang the Second. I haven't congratulated him yet for finally not being forced to marry that bitch Yu Huiyan!"
The position of Liang Yuzhou's main wife was vacant again. She had to seize the opportunity to make Liang Yuzhou fall in love with her.
Song Wanchu felt a flutter of panic again. Princess Lingyang could always find Liang Yuzhou by following his scent. Since she was here at the Fragrant Memory Pavilion, Liang Yuzhou must be nearby.
She didn't want to have any more misunderstandings with Liang Yuzhou.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I've found my earring. I'll take my leave now."
She had just taken a step when a dark shadow flashed in front of her eyes.
Liang Yuzhou stared intently at the Crown Prince's face through several maids and guards, showing no expression.
But his eyes were terribly cold.
"I pay my respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
The corner of his mouth curled up in a slightly sarcastic smile. "I didn't expect that the Crown Prince would be willing to condescend to help my woman look for an earring. I'm truly flattered."
Song Wanchu's shoulders trembled, and a loud roar echoed in her mind.
He had heard everything.
The lie just now was hastily fabricated by her and the Crown Prince under extreme tension.
It might be able to deceive a naive girl like Princess Lingyang, but it couldn't deceive Liang Yuzhou, who had a deep mind!
Liang Yuzhou walked up to Song Wanchu and naturally put his arm around her shoulder, looking intimate, as if he was declaring his sovereignty.
The hand on Song Wanchu's shoulder had the veins on the back of it bulging. He was trying his best to restrain himself from punching the Crown Prince in the face.
Liang Yuzhou didn't like snacks and rarely came to the Fragrant Memory Pavilion. How could it be such a coincidence that everyone was here today!
The Crown Prince smiled warmly, his tone full of meaning. "How could I not help Wanchu?"
He called her Wanchu right in front of Liang Yuzhou.
Isn't this the same as directly declaring war?
A frost filled Liang Yuzhou's black eyes. The hand on her shoulder tightened slightly.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The two men, one with sharp features and a compelling aura, the other with supreme power and a lofty status.
Princess Lingyang sensed the change in the atmosphere between the two of them.
She winked playfully at Song Wanchu. "Song Wanchu, you're really popular. Both Brother Crown Prince and Brother Liang the Second like you so much."
Her smile was innocent, but there was a hint of coldness in the corner of her eyes.
The old woman had come to the palace today and told her that Yu Huiyan couldn't marry Liang Yuzhou. She was so happy that she wanted to celebrate. Then the old woman said that Liang Yuzhou planned to make Song Wanchu his main wife.
Her good mood was instantly shattered.
Although she quite liked Song Wanchu, if she dared to covet the position of Liang Yuzhou's main wife, she would kill her without hesitation.
"Brother Liang the Second may not know this, but Brother Crown Prince proposed to Song Wanchu four years ago."
Her smile became even more innocent, but Song Wanchu felt a chill run down her spine.
Unfortunately, she had no power to stop Princess Lingyang from continuing.
"Song Wanchu, Brother Crown Prince is one of the most noble men in the world. Why didn't you agree back then?"