When getting off the carriage, Song Wanchu's feet went weak.
The first one to rush forward and support her was not Suyue, nor Nanzhi, but Yaoguang.
The maid sent by Liang Yuzhou to monitor her every move.
"Be careful, Madam."
Her voice was clearly so respectful, yet Song Wanchu felt a suffocating sensation.
It wasn't that Suyue and Nanzhi were slow to react; they were just not as fast as Yaoguang.
Suyue angrily pushed Yaoguang aside and guarded Song Wanchu closely, as if she were a precious treasure.
Nanzhi quickly caught up. The two girls stood on either side of Song Wanchu, guarding against Yaoguang like they were guarding against a thief.
It seemed as if the slightest touch from Yaoguang would bring harm to Song Wanchu.
Song Wanchu was both amused and exasperated. She wanted to say it was completely unnecessary.
Facing the hostility from Suyue and Nanzhi, Yaoguang didn't get angry. She just gave a faint smile.
"I'm glad Madam is okay."
Liang Yuzhou had to go and report to the old lady and the old duke, so he didn't accompany her back to the Shuiyun Residence.
"Alright. My lady loves tranquility and hates noise. There's no need for so many people to serve in the room. You can wait outside."
Suyue blocked Yaoguang outside the door.
Yaoguang pursed her lips and looked at Song Wanchu.
Song Wanchu had a hot potato to deal with. How could she let Yaoguang in?
She said nothing and rubbed her temples tiredly.
Suyue unceremoniously slammed the door in Yaoguang's face.
Finally able to relax the tension she had been holding all day, Song Wanchu quickly found a box, threw the sachet into it, locked it, and then tossed the box into a corner where no one would notice.
"Nanzhi, go fetch some hot water. I want to take a bath."
After a whole day, she was physically and mentally exhausted.
There was still a major event to take care of tonight: moving her dowry.
"Suyue, go tell Steward Yang that..."
She whispered a few words into Suyue's ear.
No one noticed that Yaoguang outside the door had quietly disappeared.
"Did you see everything clearly?"
The sun was setting, and the twilight was descending. The mottled shadows of the locust tree fell on Liang Yuzhou.
"Reporting to Second Master, I saw clearly. It was a sachet, with a blue base embroidered with gold thread. The pattern was a wild goose."
Yaoguang was an extraordinary woman. Not only did she have excellent hearing, but her eyes could also see more clearly and farther than ordinary people.
Even from a great distance, she could notice the details.
When Song Wanchu hid the sachet, Yaoguang saw it through the crack of the window.
Liang Yuzhou's face was hidden in the shadow. His expression was obscure, and the air pressure around him was terrifyingly low.
Yaoguang didn't recognize what kind of wild goose it was, but he could guess that the pattern embroidered on the sachet was a swan goose.
Lu Sihong, the personal name of the crown prince.
The air around suddenly turned cold. Yaoguang sensed Liang Yuzhou's anger, but knowing her status, she didn't ask anything.
"Madam also sent Suyue to find Steward Yang, but I really couldn't hear what specific instructions she gave."
From her peeping angle, Madam had her back to her. Her voice was too soft, and Yaoguang couldn't see her lips.
"You can go back."
Yaoguang obeyed the order and quietly returned to the Shuiyun Residence.
Liang Yuchuan had dinner in his concubine's room. In a good mood, he was about to go and bid goodnight to the old duke.
"Master, there are no lanterns on this stretch of the road. Please walk slowly."
The servant carrying the lantern led the way in front.
In the back garden of the duke's mansion, there was a winding gravel path. Walking on it during the day and enjoying the scenery gave one a sense of seclusion.
But at night, it had an indescribable eerie feeling.
"Ouch!" The lantern-carrying servant suddenly bumped into someone. He angrily shouted, "Who are you? Standing here like a roadblock! Do you know you're blocking Master's way?"
"Get out of here!"
The tall and imposing man let out a roar from his chest.
The servant was so scared that his back felt cold. He threw the lantern on the ground and ran away in a hurry.
Liang Yuzhou walked towards Liang Yuchuan step by step. In the faint candlelight, his face was even more terrifying than the dark night.
"Second Brother, if you have something to say, you can come to my courtyard. Why are you scaring people here? You're not a child anymore. If Father knows about this, he'll scold you again."
Liang Yuchuan was reminding Liang Yuzhou not to provoke him easily, for he had his father's support.
Liang Yuzhou seemed not to hear his words. He stepped on the lantern to put it out, then punched Liang Yuchuan in the face.
After this punch, Liang Yuchuan's mouth was filled with the taste of blood. He let out a muffled groan, spat out a mouthful of blood, and licked his back molar.
It was loose.
Liang Yuzhou's fist was an iron fist tempered by breaking countless sandbags. If he hadn't held back half of his strength, Liang Yuchuan's lower jaw might have been dislocated.
Before Liang Yuchuan could react, Liang Yuzhou grabbed his collar and lifted him up against the rock.
He was much taller than Liang Yuchuan. Liang Yuzhou deliberately made their eyes level, so Liang Yuchuan's feet were almost off the ground.
The feeling of weightlessness when his feet were floating in the air would make people feel even more terrified.
"Second Brother, let's talk things over nicely."
The collar tightened around his neck. He was out of breath and gasping.
"Do you enjoy being a despicable person?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Liang Yuzhou sneered and increased the strength in his hand. The feeling of suffocation engulfed Liang Yuchuan, and he gasped desperately.
"Liang Yuchuan, do you think you're very smart and your actions are flawless? The crown prince uses you because he's the future emperor and you're his subject. It's only natural for you to serve him. But does the crown prince know that he's also being used by you?"
Liang Yuchuan's pupils trembled, and he tried his best to control the trembling of his body.
"Yesterday, the crown prince ordered you to lead Wanchu to the Xunxiang Ji. Then you took the initiative to lead Princess Lingyang there as well. You used ambiguous words to say that the crown prince was in a room with a woman, which piqued Princess Lingyang's interest.
You wanted Princess Lingyang to discover that the crown prince and Wanchu were in the same room. You also wanted to use her mouth to spread the news that the crown prince was in love with Wanchu. In this way, Wanchu's reputation would be damaged, and the crown prince's good name would be tarnished. The crown prince would then hasten to claim Wanchu. If it succeeded, you would be a hero, right?"
In the vast back garden, the only sound left was Liang Yuchuan's desperate gasping.
It was like the sound of a dying animal.
"Today, you bribed a eunuch to send the crown prince's personal sachet to Wanchu, making her think that the crown prince was showing his affection for her secretly."
Liang Yuzhou mercilessly mocked him. "You're still as stupid and self - unaware as before. The crown prince's feelings for Wanchu are genuine, but he's always cautious and self - restrained. Given his character, he would never do something like secretly sending a love token during a memorial ceremony. You thought you were smart, but you underestimated the crown prince, which only proves that you're brainless."
Liang Yuchuan's face turned red from holding his breath. His heart, starved of air, swelled in his chest, and it seemed as if he would stop breathing at any moment.
He futilely slapped Liang Yuzhou's arm with his hand, with each slap getting weaker.
"If the crown prince knows that you've been so eager to matchmake him and Wanchu, even at the cost of ruining his good name and misleading Wanchu, do you think he'll help you seize the title of the heir apparent, or will he tear you limb from limb after he becomes the emperor?"
Liang Yuchuan felt that his heart had already stopped beating.
Golden stars flashed in front of his eyes. His feet kicked feebly, like the last struggle before death.
Suddenly, the pressure on his neck eased, and he fell heavily to the ground.
Fresh air rushed into his lungs. His neck, which had been roughly grabbed, burned with pain. He was choked and tears streamed down his face.
Liang Yuzhou looked down at him condescendingly, like a cold - blooded killer without emotions.
"Liang Yuchuan, if you dare to have any more designs on Wanchu, I'll let you know what real death feels like!"
It was a long time after Liang Yuzhou left that Liang Yuchuan slowly regained his senses. He suddenly realized that cold sweat was pouring down his body like a waterfall.
He had always known that Liang Yuzhou was a crazy man, but there was one thing he didn't understand.
From childhood to adulthood, Liang Yuzhou had never shown the slightest desire for the title of the heir apparent.
It wasn't until three years ago, after he married Song Wanchu, that he was determined to get the title.
Was it so that Song Wanchu could become a lady of honor?
...
The night was deep.
Steward Yang led the convoy and quietly left the duke's mansion.
Clutched tightly to his chest was the five - hundred - tael silver note. Those few flimsy pieces of paper carried a heavy responsibility.
The carriages left the back door of the duke's mansion one by one and were just on the street when a cold voice suddenly came from behind.
"Stop."