Song Wanchu's nerves seemed to be severely plucked.
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to drive Liang Yuzhou's figure out of her mind.
The carriage had only traveled less than twenty li when it got completely dark.
Although it was the end of summer and the night was cool, traveling at night outside the capital was fraught with unknown dangers.
"Up ahead is Green Manor. Let's rest here for the night and then continue our journey."
Song Wanchu looked tired. Propping herself up with effort, Shi Luohan helped her out of the carriage.
His hand slid down to her waist, and he was about to pick her up.
"Brother, I can walk by myself."
A look of unease flashed across Song Wanchu's eyes. Shi Luohan was slightly startled but quickly regained his composure and replied with a smile, "In my eyes, you'll always be that little girl who used to ride on my shoulders."
He used his smile to cover up the disappointment in his eyes.
Only by saying this would Wanchu not suspect that he was trying to get closer to her under the pretext of caring for her...
Song Wanchu's heart trembled. Her long eyelashes drooped, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
How could she not understand her elder brother's feelings?
At present, she couldn't see Shi Luohan as any man other than her elder brother.
The hurt Liang Yuzhou had inflicted on her was deeply engraved in her heart. For the rest of her life, she might not have the courage to accept another man.
Green Manor boasted lush and vibrant fields.
This used to be Song Wanchu's estate, but it had changed hands.
All traces of her were about to disappear completely from the land of the capital.
After getting settled and having a simple meal, it was already late at night.
The guests who had come here for a day of fun were returning to their rooms one by one to rest.
The entire manor fell into a peaceful slumber.
Scenes from the day kept flashing through Song Wanchu's mind. Now it was Liang Yuzhou's glaringly red wound on his shoulder, and now it was the heart - stopping fight between him and her elder brother.
Her chest felt stuffy. Although her body was extremely exhausted, she couldn't fall asleep at all.
The guest houses in Green Manor retained the rural characteristics. Instead of beds, there were heated kang beds in the rooms.
Nanzhi and Suyue were sleeping on either side of her.
The two girls had been terribly frightened during the day and had been busy attending to her. They were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
Song Wanchu quietly put on her clothes, opened the door, and walked into the yard to get some fresh air.
The night was slightly cool, and there was a hint of early autumn in the air.
She sat on the stone bench in the yard, gazing at the bright moon.
For some reason, even though she had broken away from Liang Yuzhou, she felt a sense of unreality.
Nor did her heart feel as light as she had thought.
...
Yu Rongbai had suffered a great deal in prison. After his release, he indulged in a life of debauchery.
He came to Green Manor with a bunch of his cronies and drank until late at night.
He was humming a tune and sauntering back to his room when his eyes suddenly caught sight of a graceful figure sitting on a stone bench under the pavilion.
She was like a dream, arousing endless fantasies.
Yu Rongbai stopped in his tracks.
He recognized that figure.
Song Wanchu. Why was she here?
Yu Rongbai squinted his eyes maliciously.
Although the princess had agreed to Liang Yuzhou's terms and commuted his exile sentence in exchange for Qi Yuanjun's release from prison, the Court of Judicial Review had been cracking down hard on the black market. Shi Jinglu had even managed to persuade the Minister of the Ministry of Justice. The constables of the Ministry of Justice would patrol everywhere at night, which meant he could no longer sell prohibited drugs on the black market.
Since he couldn't make any money, the princess had become much colder towards him. Even when he tried to curry favor with her, she wouldn't let him serve her.
He was now in a state of being out of favor.
Yu Rongbai was wracking his brains on how to regain the princess's favor.
And Song Wanchu was like a little white rabbit that had accidentally wandered into the sight of a fierce beast.
Yu Rongbai licked his lips, unable to suppress his inner desire. A crazy lust welled up in his eyes.
Song Wanchu's beauty was well - known throughout the capital.
Back then, she had ridden across the training ground in a pink riding outfit, captivating countless young noblemen.
Even the crown prince, a man of such self - restraint, had fallen under her spell.
He had always lusted after this woman who was as bright and charming as a peony. But unfortunately, there had always been Shi Luohan, a highly skilled martial artist, by her side. Later, she had married Liang Yuzhou.
Now, she was all alone.
If he just dragged her into a deserted corner, raped her, and then killed her, not only would he satisfy his own desires, but he would also be doing a great service to the princess.
Liang Yuzhou had shown him no mercy and had sent him to prison. By defiling Liang Yuzhou's woman, he would be getting the best revenge on Liang Yuzhou.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't contain himself.
While Song Wanchu was sitting there in a daze, a dark shadow loomed over her from behind.
A big hand suddenly covered her mouth and dragged her backward.
The man reeked of alcohol, which was nauseating.
His body trembled with excitement, and his heavy breathing sounded like a whistling kettle.
Song Wanchu was horrified and struggled violently. But with her mouth tightly covered, she couldn't even scream for help.
The man was strong and powerful. Her struggle was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree. In a moment, she was dragged into the bushes.
In the moonlight, the man's face became clear in Song Wanchu's sight.
It was him!
Yu Rongbai tore a piece of cloth from her skirt, balled it up, and roughly stuffed it into Song Wanchu's mouth.
"Pretty lady, I've been thinking about you for years. Finally, you've fallen into my hands!"
He hurriedly untied his belt and tied up Song Wanchu's wrists.
Song Wanchu shrank back desperately, her eyes filled with terror.
Yu Rongbai pressed down on her slender shoulders, his face full of arrogant and crazy smiles.
"I'm just as good as Liang Yuzhou. I'll definitely make you feel like you're in heaven!"
He looked at Song Wanchu, who was trembling all over and helpless with satisfaction.
What should he do? He really couldn't bear to kill such a beautiful woman.
He was kind - hearted. He wanted Song Wanchu to know exactly why she was going to die.
"Oh, right. Liang Yuzhou must never have told you how your father really died. Since he didn't dare to say it, let me tell you."
Suddenly, his tone became very gentle. His snake - like fingers gently stroked Song Wanchu's fair and delicate cheek.
Song Wanchu's body froze, and she forgot to struggle.
Just thinking about Song Wanchu's breakdown when she learned the truth made Yu Rongbai feel a sense of exhilaration.
He loved to see women looking helpless and broken.
His eyes gradually turned perverted and sinister.
"You thought your father died in battle for the country? You're so naive. He was—"
Before he could finish his sentence, it stopped abruptly. Song Wanchu's pupils dilated in shock.
Yu Rongbai's neck was tightly grasped by a hand. His eyes bulged out, and his throat made a painful hissing sound.
Liang Yuzhou emerged like a devil in the night, silently.
His tall and slender figure blocked the moonlight. His outline was blurred, and Song Wanchu could only see his shining eyes, full of terrifying rage.
With a sudden force of his arm, Yu Rongbai was flung out like a broken scarecrow and landed heavily on the ground, with his mouth full of dirt.
Song Wanchu was in a complete mess, disheveled and in a sorry state.
Liang Yuzhou looked down at her from above, the corners of his lips curled into a cold smile.
"Where's your good elder brother? Is this how he protects you?"