Shi Luohan took Liang Yuzhou's palm strike head - on, and a taste of rust filled his mouth.
Seeing his blood - drained face, Song Wanchu panicked.
"Liang Yuzhou, you've heard it all. Wanchu doesn't love you! If you keep pestering her, she'll only hate you more!"
The night breeze seemed to blow even more violently, tearing at Liang Yuzhou's flesh and blood.
But his face was as cold as ice. "Do you want to kill Wanchu?"
This remark was rather cryptic, and Shi Luohan was stunned.
While he was in a daze, Liang Yuzhou's hand clasped the back of Song Wanchu's neck. He forced her to turn around and pressed her head into his embrace.
Song Wanchu protested fiercely. "Why don't you just dig out my eyes so that I don't have to see anyone—"
Before she could finish her words, there was a whoosh. An arrow flew past her back and plunged straight into the trunk of a cherry tree, trembling menacingly.
That arrow was aimed straight at her heart!
Song Wanchu's face instantly turned deathly pale. If it weren't for Liang Yuzhou forcibly holding her head, she would surely have been pierced!
In the quiet small courtyard, more than twenty fully - armed killers suddenly jumped over the wall.
The dark night couldn't conceal the thick killing intent in their eyes.
Shi Luohan was greatly shocked. He had been followed!
These people had found Wanchu's hiding place by following him!
And Wanchu had drugged all the highly - skilled guards in the courtyard, creating a perfect opportunity for murder.
Zhou Sheng and Zhou Yan rushed in and stood in front of Song Wanchu.
These killers were not at all hesitant. Once they made a move, their killing intent was soaring.
In the fierce fight, Zhou Sheng shouted, "Second Master, take the Madam away. We'll hold them off!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Shi Luohan drew his sword and blocked the swords and knives aimed at Song Wanchu and Liang Yuzhou.
"Hurry up and take Wanchu away!"
He gave Liang Yuzhou a hard push.
He didn't mind if it was Liang Yuzhou who rescued Wanchu. All he cared about was Wanchu's safety.
"Hold on to me tightly!"
A pair of strong hands protected her waist. Amidst the flashing swords and knives, they nimbly dodged and moved.
The amount of medicine Song Wanchu had given to the guards in the courtyard was very small. At most, it just made them fall into a deep sleep, far from reaching the level of unconsciousness.
The sound of the fight in the small courtyard was deafening. The maids and women - servants who knew martial arts were also awakened and joined the battle.
Although the killers' offensive was fierce, they were gradually losing ground.
Liang Yuzhou managed to escape with Song Wanchu.
In the dead of night, a horse galloped on the quiet street.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Back to the Duke's Mansion. No matter how arrogant the Princess is, she would never dare to reach into the Duke's Mansion."
Song Wanchu was stunned. "Didn't you..."
"When did I ever say you couldn't go back to the Duke's Mansion?"
Liang Yuzhou's voice quickly faded in the wind, but it echoed in Song Wanchu's ears for a long time.
She had thought that Liang Yuzhou wanted to keep her as his mistress to make room for Yu Huiyan, who was about to become his main wife.
Once the main wife entered the mansion, having a noble concubine who had been in charge of the household for three years would overshadow her. It would be very difficult for Yu Huiyan to establish her authority as the main wife.
Had she misunderstood Liang Yuzhou?
"Yes, you did misunderstand me."
Song Wanchu's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't said a word. How could Liang Yuzhou guess what she was thinking?
Liang Yuzhou tightened the reins with one hand and wrapped his other hand more tightly around her waist to make her sit more steadily on the horseback and reduce the jolts.
In the dark gallop, Song Wanchu's back was closely pressed against the man's chest. Whenever he opened his mouth, she could feel the vibration of his chest.
"The Princess won't give up until she achieves her goal. She's never stopped trying to kill you.
A few days ago, I didn't let you go back to the Duke's Mansion because the old lady was away and Yu Huiyan had been taken back to the mansion by my mother. I knew you didn't want to face her, and I didn't want you to be picked on by my mother without anyone to protect you.
The Princess's spies couldn't find a breakthrough from my people, so they set their sights on the Qi family. Your good elder brother was so self - righteous that he came to the door and brought the killers with him."
Liang Yuzhou let out a low laugh, clearly full of sarcasm. "He's really good at protecting you."
Song Wanchu's face flushed red. She wanted to defend her elder brother, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she was filled with cold wind.
After coughing a few times with a stinging pain in her chest, she had to give up talking.
She really didn't know how Liang Yuzhou could talk so much against the cold wind.
When they returned to Shuiyunju, looking at the unchanged furnishings, Song Wanchu felt a strange sense of unreality.
It was as if after a long cycle, everything had returned to the starting point.
She stood there in a daze in the room. The bed was as clean and new as ever, but for some reason, she remembered the night before she left, the passionate entanglement with Liang Yuzhou.
Until a cup of hot tea was brought to her lips.
Suddenly coming back to her senses, she sniffed and took the tea from Liang Yuzhou's hand.
"Brother and the others won't be in danger, will they?"
The fierce fight still haunted her.
Liang Yuzhou was about to check the injury on his right shoulder. Hearing this, his shoulder stiffened.
The fight just now had torn open his unhealed wound, and he could feel the blood oozing out.
And Song Wanchu only had Shi Luohan in her heart, ignoring him completely.
"If he's in danger, it's his own fault."
His voice seemed to be wrapped in cold wind, terrifyingly cold.
Song Wanchu's gaze fell on his shoulder, and she saw the dots of blood on his robe.
Was he injured?
She knew why he was angry.
But she didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt.
It was only natural for her to care about her elder brother.
Wasn't it the same with Liang Yuzhou before? When she had a high fever and her back was bleeding, he had left her to see Yu Huiyan, who was pretending to be ill.
Liang Yuzhou removed a pile of blood - stained gauze.
"Do you need help?" Her lips moved slightly.
"Who are you being polite to?" Liang Yuzhou's face was very dark. "Does the man who touches you still need the permission of your husband?"
Song Wanchu admitted that Liang Yuzhou had saved her again.
He had arranged a group of highly - skilled people in the small courtyard to prevent the Princess from assassinating her.
But she couldn't stand his sarcasm all the way.
"Do you think I should be extremely grateful to you and then continue to be completely devoted to you?"
The suddenly sharp tone made Liang Yuzhou stop his hand that was about to apply the medicine.
He threw away the ointment and grabbed Song Wanchu's arm.
The sudden force made Song Wanchu stagger and fall into Liang Yuzhou's arms.
When her hands touched his burning skin, she quickly withdrew them.
In Liang Yuzhou's eyes, such an action was an evasion of him.
His eyes became even more gloomy.
After Song Wanchu returned to his side again, he had never forced her.
But even for the most natural closeness and touch in life, she showed strong resistance.
Liang Yuzhou pinched her chin and roared angrily, "You've been married to me for three years. Isn't it too late to think about keeping chastity for Shi Luohan now?"
"Brother and I are not..."
Liang Yuzhou didn't even allow her to finish her words. He pressed on her shoulders and pinned her down on the pear - wood table in the main hall.
Song Wanchu was forced to bear his fierce kiss. This was not a plea for love but a punishment.
"Promise me not to see him again. Why did you break your promise? Is he really capable and smart enough to protect you?"
Then he bit her ear. He knew that was the most sensitive part of her, and it would turn red at a touch.
The increasing force of the punishment made the woman in his arms tremble violently.
"Liang Yuzhou, you bastard!"
Looking down at Song Wanchu's eyes gradually turning red, he said, "All the dangers around me were brought by you. Why should I be extremely grateful to you?"
"Do you regret marrying me?"
"I do regret it now."