Everyone who heard his words wore expressions of shock and disbelief.
Everyone except the old lady.
Song Wanchu's mind went blank, as if all thoughts had been wiped away. Countless gazes were cast upon her, full of shock, envy, annoyance, contempt, jealousy...
But her soul seemed to have detached from her body, and she lost the ability to think.
The only thought left in her mind was whether Liang Yuzhou had gone crazy.
He couldn't be serious. He must have been provoked by what the crown prince and her elder brother had said...
In her dazed and drifting vision, Liang Yuzhou walked towards her step by step, his steps firm.
There had never been a gentler smile on his face, like a beautiful but unreal dream.
"Wanchu." He stretched out a hand.
Song Wanchu stared blankly at that hand.
There was a hint of complexity in the old lady's gratified smile. She hesitated slightly, then grabbed Song Wanchu's hand and placed it in Liang Yuzhou's palm.
The cool little hand was held by the warm and broad big hand. Liang Yuzhou looked at her devoutly, as if holding the happiness of his whole life in his hand.
"Liang Yuzhou, what on earth are you doing?" Song Wanchu murmured.
This feeling was so unreal that she suspected she was having a very long dream. It was so long that she was already aware it was a dream, but didn't know how to wake herself up.
"I've never liked Yu Huiyan, and I've never thought of marrying her."
Song Wanchu's pupils dilated in shock.
She looked into Liang Yuzhou's eyes, which were open and honest, hiding no shadows.
It was as if a pair of warm hands had picked up her broken and cold heart and put it back into her empty chest.
She clearly felt her heart beating faster and faster, so fast that her chest heaved violently.
Instinctively, she felt a bit resistant, but she had to admit that Liang Yuzhou's attitude had touched the bottom of her heart.
"Liang Yuzhou, you're lying to me again."
Was he just acting in front of everyone to save Yu Huiyan?
She couldn't bear any more blows from lies.
"I'm not lying to you, Wanchu. I've always remembered the promise you made six years ago that you wanted to marry me as my wife. Now it's my turn to fulfill the promise."
Liang Yuzhou stared into her eyes, enunciating each word clearly, solemn as if swearing in front of the Buddha. "From beginning to end, I've only loved you, Song Wanchu. I want to marry you as my legitimate wife."
Song Wanchu's heart was like an earthquake. All her deep - rooted perceptions of Liang Yuzhou crumbled with his oath.
"But why... What about Yu Huiyan..."
Her thoughts were completely in a mess, and Song Wanchu stammered.
The old lady chuckled.
"Zhoulang, it's all your fault. Tonight, you young couple should have a long talk."
She held their hands, one on each side. "For now, calm your emotions. Don't keep the emperor waiting."
Song Wanchu followed the old lady's steps forward. Her feet felt soft, as if she was stepping on clouds.
The old lady knelt in front of the emperor.
Once the most respected ancestor of the Duke's Mansion knelt, the old duke, Princess Jiahe, Liang Yuchuan and others behind her also knelt.
"Your Majesty, this child Zhoulang has been diligent and hard - working since childhood. He practices as soon as he hears the rooster crow and never slacks off for a single day. He has finally lived up to Your Majesty's expectations. The glory of the Duke's Mansion for a hundred years is due to Your Majesty's great kindness. This old woman dares to ask Your Majesty for a favor..."
The old lady paused, dragging out the last syllable, as if pondering how to ask for the favor.
How could the emperor not understand her meaning?
He gave a look to the queen, who understood immediately and stepped forward to help the old lady up personally.
"I dare not trouble the queen." The old lady's attitude was respectful but not humble, showing the grace of a noble lady who was calm in the face of honor and disgrace.
"I understand what Lady Liang means. Liang the Second is a pillar of the country and the only candidate for the heir of the Duke's Mansion. I will issue an imperial edict immediately to confer the title of heir on Liang the Second!"
The old duke's lips twitched slightly.
Princess Jiahe wept with joy. She had lost face and reputation recently, but now she could finally hold her head high and feel proud.
She searched everywhere for Yu Huiyan's figure. When Liang Yuzhou said he would make Song Wanchu his legitimate wife, Princess Jiahe's first reaction was how to comfort Yu Huiyan.
She didn't even realize that she had silently accepted the fact that Song Wanchu was about to become the mistress of the house.
Liang Yuchuan still knelt upright, with his head down, his eyelids lowered, hiding the emotions in his eyes.
To show respect to the old duke, the emperor symbolically asked, "My dear subject, do you have any objections?"
The old duke was extremely conflicted. He wanted to smile but had to take care of Liang Yuchuan, who was dejected beside him. But he couldn't be rude in front of the emperor.
"Your Majesty values my son. I will surely supervise him strictly, making him manage the family well internally and live up to Your Majesty's kindness externally."
"Good. Someone, draft the edict!"
"Liang Yuzhou, the second legitimate son of the Duke of Jin, is brave and good at fighting. He won the first place in the military imperial examination and became famous all over the world. He is conferred the title of heir of the Duke's Mansion and will inherit the title of Duke of Jin.
Promote the concubine Song Wanchu to the legitimate wife of the heir!"
The queen saw the undisguised disappointment on the crown prince's face and felt regretful too.
"Liang the Second has won the title of military champion and been conferred the title of heir. Wanchu has also been promoted. The Duke's Mansion is really blessed with three joys!"
The queen's words sounded like sincere congratulations, and her elegant and generous smile was flawless.
The old lady knelt down again. "This old woman is presumptuous today and wants to ask for another favor for Wanchu."
The emperor was in a good mood. In his eyes, Liang Yuzhou's initiative to make Song Wanchu his legitimate wife showed that he highly approved of the marriage bestowed by the emperor three years ago.
There was no need to issue a release letter for the concubine, nor to demote the noble concubine bestowed by the emperor to an ordinary concubine. It was a win - win situation.
"Lady Liang, please speak."
He would give as many rewards as she asked for.
"Although Wanchu married into the Duke's Mansion as a noble concubine, she has managed the Duke's Mansion for three years. Everything in the mansion is in good order, and everyone in the mansion sincerely admires her. She is a hero of the Duke's Mansion. Her father is not only a benefactor of the Duke's Mansion but also a hero of the Great Zhou. This old woman asks Your Majesty to confer the title of imperial - appointed lady on Wanchu."
The emperor laughed heartily. "I was so happy that I forgot about this. Since there is an heir, his legitimate wife should of course be conferred the title of first - rank imperial - appointed lady!"
He asked someone to draft another imperial edict.
"Wanchu!"
A sudden shout abruptly broke the happy atmosphere.
Song Wanchu looked up blankly and followed the direction of the sound.
Although Shi Luohan was standing in the sunlight, there was a gloomy aura around him. His cold and sharp Adam's apple rolled dangerously, the veins on his forehead bulged, and there was a faint anger flowing in his veins.
"Wanchu, do you really want to be Liang Yuzhou's wife?"
Song Wanchu's heart seemed to be pinched, and her breathing tightened little by little. Shi Luohan's question seemed to pull her back to reality from a dream.
Liang Yuzhou said he only loved her, but he had abandoned her again and again, protected Yu Huiyan, and ruthlessly shattered her expectations every time they were about to rise. She had fallen to the ground embarrassedly countless times, covered in wounds...
And his neglect, contempt, suspicion and distrust of her in the past three years...
Could all these real injuries he had caused be erased with just one word of love?
Once a heart was broken, even if it was pieced together, there would still be scars that would never heal. Every time it was touched, it would be a bloody pain.
Did she really want to be Liang Yuzhou's wife?