So far, the thing Shi Luohan regrets most is turning away on the day of Wan Chu's grand wedding three years ago.
Wan Chu admitted in person that she liked Liang Yuzhou. She had secretly harbored this love for many years. The dream of her teenage years had actually had a chance to come true. Even if she couldn't be the principal wife, she was willing to give everything just to be close to the man she loved.
She spoke so sincerely. When she mentioned Liang Yuzhou, her eyes sparkled like stars.
The old lady of the Duke's Mansion also came to him and told him that Wan Chu had already agreed to marry Liang Yuzhou.
He thought that by silently swallowing his pain and disappointment, giving up the engagement, and fulfilling Wan Chu, he was letting go and giving her happiness.
Unexpectedly, he had pushed her into the fire pit.
On the day of the wedding, Liang Yuzhou betrayed Wan Chu, making her the laughingstock of the whole capital.
After the wedding, he neglected her for three years. When Wan Chu was at her weakest after a miscarriage, he rushed to help Yu Huiyan who was thousands of miles away.
He sensed that there was something fishy about his adoptive father's death. He wanted to trace the clues all over the country under the guise of escorting caravans, but Liang Yuzhou sent someone to warn him that if he said the wrong thing, he'd better be careful of the irreversible mistakes.
And all the clues that could be traced had been erased by Liang Yuzhou.
It was his own incompetence. He had neither adhered to his adoptive father's last words and protected Wan Chu well, nor fulfilled his responsibility as a son to find out the truth about his adoptive father's sacrifice.
Looking at Song Wanchu opposite him with tears in her eyes, Shi Luohan felt full of guilt.
This time, he must surely get Wan Chu out of Liang Yuzhou's cage.
"Luohan must be tired after such a long journey. The food and wine are ready. It's been a long time since our whole family had a reunion dinner," Wen said, bustling around. She took Song Wanchu's hand with one hand and Shi Luohan's with the other and led them into the house.
Uncle had already taken a bath and changed his clothes, washing away all his exhaustion and bad luck.
The dinner table was full of joy.
"Wan Chu, your favorite taro cakes," Shi Luohan said as he served Song Wanchu first.
The tears that Song Wanchu had just managed to hold back almost welled up again.
Brother always used to serve her food first when having meals. After three years apart, he still remembered such a trivial detail.
"Speaking of taro cakes, I can't help but think of the good deeds you two siblings did when you were kids!" Wen said, giggling. "Wan Chu used to get feverish if she ate too many taro cakes when she was little, but she was so fond of them. Your father never allowed you to eat more at the dinner table. That time, he only let you have two pieces. You were so craving for them that Luohan went to the kitchen and stole a whole bunch for you. But before he could give them to you, your father called him to practice martial arts. As a result, when Luohan did a handstand, the taro cakes in his chest pocket just fell out one by one. Your father was so angry that his face turned green!"
Everyone at the dinner table burst into laughter. Even the maids and old women waiting on the side couldn't help smiling.
Song Wanchu took a bite of the taro cake. It was sweet, and the bitterness deep in her heart was instantly diluted.
She raised her eyebrows and gave Shi Luohan a smile, only to find that Shi Luohan's eyes had been fixed on her.
With a doting smile, just like in the old days.
After dinner, everyone had some tea and fruits. Wen put down her teacup and asked Qi Yuanjun nervously, "Is the matter of the Supreme Court over? Those officials from the Ministry of Revenue won't give us any more trouble, right?"
Wen didn't know that Qi Yuanjun's unjust case was masterminded by the eldest princess. She only thought it was the doing of the Ministry of Revenue.
Uncle had been looking relaxed, but his expression turned solemn again when he heard this.
Before he was released from prison, Liang Yuzhou had told him all the intricate truths behind the matter.
He also said that only by staying by his side could Wan Chu be the safest.
But he believed that Shi Luohan could protect Wan Chu just as well.
The sincerity of this boy towards Wan Chu was obvious to him and his wife.
Whether as a brother or as a husband, he was a million times better than Liang Yuzhou.
Qi Yuanjun didn't want his wife to worry. The solemn look between his eyebrows quickly faded away, and he said casually, "There won't be any more trouble."
"I heard that Yu Rongbai was also released from prison?" Wen asked again, frowning in disgust. "That boy is full of bad ideas. I heard he was sentenced to exile. Why was it changed? I heard he was only beaten fifty big boards and fined some money, and then he was released from prison. It really doesn't seem like Lord Shi's way of doing things."
"Clang—"
Song Wanchu didn't hold her teacup steady, and the hot tea splashed on her hand.
"Wan Chu, be careful!"
Shi Luohan quickly took the teacup from her hand, took the handkerchief handed by the maid, and wiped Song Wanchu's back of the hand.
The moment their bodies touched, Song Wanchu subconsciously shrank her hand.
It wasn't that she resisted physical contact with Brother. It was just because of her current status.
Until she got the concubine release letter, she could only continue to be Liang Yuzhou's noble concubine.
Her small movement made Shi Luohan's hand freeze for a moment.
The look of disappointment on his face flashed by. He covered up his embarrassment with a smile, took his hand away, and only left the handkerchief in her hand.
Song Wanchu's face turned pale.
So, Uncle was able to be released from prison because Liang Yuzhou had compromised with the eldest princess...
Yu Rongbai made black money for the eldest princess. The eldest princess must be reluctant to let this money-making tool be exiled.
In the game between the two, they each took a step back.
Yu Rongbai didn't have to be exiled, and Yu Huiyan didn't have to be forced by Yu Jingnian and his stepmother Feng to marry the escort official as a second wife.
After going around in a big circle, Liang Yuzhou's ultimate goal was still to save Yu Huiyan.
Song Wanchu felt that she was really pathetic and ridiculous.
Liang Yuzhou was such a proud man. He dared to break into the eldest princess's bedroom at night and confront her head-on. He was full of integrity.
But Yu Huiyan was always the softest corner in his heart. For her, he was willing to bow his noble head to the eldest princess.
On the surface, this matter seemed to be a win-win situation.
But Song Wanchu knew clearly that she had lost completely in front of Yu Huiyan.
At this moment, all the gratitude, guilt, contradiction, and entanglement she had towards Liang Yuzhou completely disappeared.
She had nothing more to be attached to.
While she was in a momentary daze, Shi Luohan had already found the swelling and stasis removing ointment.
This time, he didn't do it himself. Instead, he gave the ointment to Nan Zhi.
When Wen mentioned Yu Rongbai, Qi Yuanjun also looked full of hatred.
"The Yu family has been domineering in the capital, relying on the eldest princess as their backer. Our family has suffered a lot from them over the years. Once Wan Chu gets the concubine release letter, our whole family will move back to the south of the Yangtze River to settle down. We won't have to endure such annoyance anymore."
"By the way, Wan Chu, the three-year period is up. When will the old lady give you the concubine release letter?" Wen asked Song Wanchu quickly.
She also wanted to leave this troublesome capital as soon as possible.
"The concubine release letter already has the official seal of the Liang family. I'll go and ask the old lady for it tomorrow."
If Uncle hadn't suddenly been imprisoned, she would have already got the concubine release letter.
Shi Luohan frowned worriedly, "Wan Chu, can you handle it alone? Do you want me to step in?"
He was afraid that Liang Yuzhou would stop her.
"Brother, Liang Yuzhou doesn't know about this concubine release letter yet, but he has already started to suspect. I don't want to alert him. I just want to go to the old lady's place alone, quietly get the concubine release letter, and then quietly leave the capital."
Shi Luohan understood what Song Wanchu meant.
Liang Yuzhou wouldn't let Wan Chu go so easily.
He didn't love her, neglected her, and tortured her until she was covered in wounds, but he still wanted to brutally occupy her.
Deep hatred welled up in Shi Luohan's heart.