How could Brother have come to take part in the martial exam?
She had known nothing about it!
Brother had always hated evil and sought justice in the jianghu since childhood. He never craved power and wealth, nor was he interested in an official career.
His competition with Liang Yuzhou for the title of champion in the martial exam must not be for the sake of getting promoted and bringing glory to his ancestors.
Could this be the reason why Liang Yuzhou had asked her to watch the final of the martial exam?
One was already her husband, while the other had almost become her husband back then. He wanted her to watch the two men fight...
Song Wanchu's insides twisted in pain.
Brother was burdened with a life on his hands. Although the case of Yu Rongbai's death had long been closed and the body buried, his public appearance in front of all the nobles in the capital was extremely dangerous!
When the old lady heard the name Shi Luohan, a flash of surprise flickered in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.
Shi Luohan. Back then, in order to get Wanchu to marry Zhou'er, she had lied to that young man.
Was he not willing to give up and planning to come and take Wanchu away after learning that she had obtained the concubine - release document?
The old lady knew clearly that between Shi Luohan and Liang Yuzhou, Wanchu would rather leave this heart - breaking capital city with Shi Luohan.
But then the sad and dejected look in Zhou'er's eyes flashed across her mind.
The old lady closed her eyes, struggling internally.
In the Crown Prince's tent.
Xiao Anzi was all smiles as he personally poured tea for Shi Luohan.
"Who says only Young Master Liang is in the limelight? Young Hero Shi has won every battle on his way here. His military strategies, archery, and horsemanship are no less than Young Master Liang's. There are so many officials outside discussing Young Hero Shi and vying to marry their daughters to you!"
He chattered on to liven up the atmosphere. After Shi Luohan took the teacup, he remained silent, lowering his head and concentrating on wiping his sword.
The bright blade reflected his cold eyes.
"How confident are you in defeating Liang Yuzhou?"
The Crown Prince sat in a superior position, his eyes fixed on Shi Luohan's sword.
In the martial exam, real weapons were used to test the contestants' true skills.
However, there were also rules that the two contestants should stop once a point was made. If someone was killed during the fight, it would be illegal, and even if the person won, the title of champion in the martial exam would be stripped.
The Crown Prince didn't want Shi Luohan and Liang Yuzhou to fight to the death in the martial - exam arena.
If Shi Luohan won, he could state his wishes in front of the Emperor himself.
If he lost, he had already attracted enough attention from the noble families in the capital. The Crown Prince would plead with the Emperor on his behalf, citing the need for the court to recruit talents.
Although the two didn't have a deep friendship, they had a common romantic rival.
For the same woman, they had joined forces.
Shi Luohan squinted his eyes, looking at the shining sword in his hand.
"I will spare no effort for Wanchu."
The Emperor and the Empress came to watch the competition in person, accompanied by the Grand Princess. Princess Lingyang would never miss any of Liang Yuzhou's matches.
Nearly a thousand people in the arena knelt down to greet the Son of Heaven. The cries of "Long live the Emperor" echoed one after another.
"All rise."
The Empress spotted Song Wanchu in the crowd at a glance. This girl had left a deep impression on her at the palace banquet three years ago.
She had a bearing and grace no less than that of a noble lady from a prominent family, but she had an extra touch of vitality compared to those trained in strict etiquette.
Her appearance was flawless. The Empress thought she was dignified and elegant, somewhat resembling herself when she was young.
Originally, Song Wanchu was the Empress's candidate for the Crown Princess.
It was a pity that her father's official position was too low and he was not from a noble family. Without a profound family background, it would be difficult for her to establish prestige in the harem in the future.
The Crown Prince had once asked to marry Song Wanchu as a side concubine, and the Empress had supported him.
But after several twists and turns, Song Wanchu had accidentally married the second son of the Liang family.
Since then, this girl had become the Crown Prince's unfulfilled love.
It was a pity that the second son of the Liang family didn't know how to cherish such a wonderful girl. Rumors were flying all over the place that the second son of the Liang family would ask for an imperial edict to marry Yu Huiyan after winning the title of champion in the martial exam.
Song Wanchu would have to be a concubine for the rest of her life.
The Empress felt sorry for her.
On the martial - arts arena, eight drums sounded simultaneously, shaking people's hearts.
Liang Yuzhou and Shi Luohan appeared on the stage at the same time, which excited the crowd even more.
One was tall and slender, cold and noble; the other was as straight as a pine, unrestrained and free.
Many noble ladies shyly covered their handkerchiefs and giggled, while some bold ones let out exclamations.
The Grand Princess squinted her eyes. Shi Luohan's figure was engraved in her eyes. His lean body, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and handsome face...
She suddenly felt that Jingxuan was nothing in comparison.
She licked her lips, unable to suppress her desire.
Shi Luohan was like a dark horse emerging from the crowd. The Emperor also spoke highly of him.
"Sure enough, like father, like son. The adopted son of Song Hengyi has the same charm as his father back then."
Song Hengyi was also a champion in the martial exam. It was a pity that he had sacrificed his life on the battlefield at a young age.
Otherwise, with his ability, achieving success and fame would have been just around the corner.
The Empress joked with a smile, "Your Majesty values him so much. Which girl are you going to betroth him to?"
The Grand Princess sneered, "The Empress is quite concerned about others' marriages. Princess Lingyang is already grown - up, but she is still obsessed with the second son of the Liang family. She keeps causing trouble for Huiyan from time to time. The Empress should spend more time on Lingyang."
The Empress looked coldly at the Grand Princess, with a dignified smile on her face. "Elder Sister is right. I think Shi Luohan is a good match. Whether he can defeat the second son of the Liang family in the competition or not, I think he is worthy of Lingyang."
The Empress knew exactly what the Grand Princess was thinking when she looked at Shi Luohan just now.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the Grand Princess's face darkened, and a trace of hostility flashed in the corner of her eyes.
"It depends on whether Lingyang is willing or not."
The two most noble women in the world were sparring with words. The Emperor, caught in the middle, frowned slightly.
Princess Lingyang had only sat for a while before saying she wanted to walk her dog. Now she was nowhere to be seen.
Otherwise, if this sharp - tongued girl joined the battle, the Emperor would only have a bigger headache.
The competition was about to start. Yu Huiyan was so excited that she could hardly contain herself. Soon, she would be her cousin's wife in a proper wedding...
"Miss Yu, the Grand Princess knows you're here and has specially invited you to accompany her to watch the competition."
A head maid suddenly appeared in front of Yu Huiyan.
Yu Huiyan was overjoyed. The Grand Princess had long regarded her as a useless piece on the chessboard, but today she was being invited so eagerly. It seemed that she had also heard the news that Liang Yuzhou wanted to marry her.
"Aunt, I'll go first."
Yu Huiyan happily followed the head maid.
However, the head maid led her to a remote place far from the grandstand.
The Grand Princess was sitting next to the Emperor. Yu Huiyan was puzzled. "Aunt, where are we going?"
The head maid turned around and gave a cold smile.
By the time Yu Huiyan realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Four hefty maids jumped out, pushed her to the ground, and tied her up tightly.
She was extremely frightened. When she tried to shout for help, her mouth was also gagged.
A strong - built maid roughly pressed her head to the ground.
In her field of vision, a pair of luxurious embroidered cloud - pattern shoes appeared.
Yu Huiyan recognized the owner of these shoes at a glance.
Princess Lingyang!
Suddenly, a low growl sounded in her ear. A black dog as big as an adult stood in front of Princess Lingyang, baring its fierce fangs.
Yu Huiyan broke out in a cold sweat!
Princess Lingyang looked down at her haughtily and smiled wickedly. "I'd like to see if Second Brother Liang really wants to marry you!"
The black dog stared at Yu Huiyan as if looking at a delicious meal, wagging its tail hungrily.
"Leiting, don't be impatient. After the martial - exam competition is over, you can have a good meal."
Yu Huiyan was shocked and struggled violently.
Was Princess Lingyang really going to let this beast eat her?