No one had expected that Shi Luohan would suddenly ask such a question in front of the emperor and the empress.
The tense silence spread wordlessly.
Song Wanchu stared blankly ahead, but there was nothing there.
Her eyes couldn't focus.
"Miss Song, you can say whatever's on your mind," the gentle voice of the crown prince came. "Father is open - minded and won't force anyone."
Liang Yuzhou's hand hanging by his side suddenly twitched and grabbed Song Wanchu's wrist.
His hand was actually trembling slightly.
Song Wanchu stared at Liang Yuzhou in surprise, but Liang Yuzhou's eyes darted around and he avoided meeting her gaze.
He was scared!
Song Wanchu was deeply shocked by Liang Yuzhou's reaction.
Could it be that Liang Yuzhou was afraid of losing her?
The old lady looked at Shi Luohan and smiled kindly. "I know that Young Master Shi is nervous and cares about Wanchu as his younger sister, but I and the entire Duke's Mansion can promise that Wanchu will get everything she wants in the Duke's Mansion."
Shi Luohan sneered. "Who says what you offer is what Wanchu wants?"
"Hero Shi, don't be agitated. Listen to what Wanchu has to say," the crown prince consoled softly. Then his gaze turned to Song Wanchu and he stared at her intently.
"Wanchu has always been very clear - headed. She knows what she wants."
Even he himself didn't notice that his tone had a hint of urgency and that he had changed his address for Song Wanchu from "Miss Song" to "Wanchu".
The empress frowned slightly. Had the crown prince fallen so deeply in love with Song Wanchu that he couldn't control himself?
Addressing a subject's wife by her maiden name in public was truly absurd!
Song Wanchu felt as if her throat was blocked. With so many pairs of eyes focused on her, even her breathing became a bit labored.
During her silence, her palm was covered in Liang Yuzhou's sweat.
"I..."
"Cousin, how could you make her the main wife? You promised to marry me as your main wife. You promised!"
Suddenly, Yu Huiyan's shrill cries echoed through the training ground.
She was disheveled, with her hair in a mess and her cheeks swollen high with clear handprint marks.
She seemed to have lost her mind and was running wildly towards Liang Yuzhou.
"Huiyan, the emperor and the empress are here. Don't lose your composure!" Princess Jiahe felt ashamed. Her face burned with embarrassment as she chased after Yu Huiyan, trying to stop her.
As soon as she spoke, a thunderous roar suddenly sounded. The crowd was shocked and screamed as they stepped back.
A fierce black dog as tall as a man barked and pounced towards Song Wanchu.
It moved swiftly, with its blood - red mouth wide open and its sharp fangs capable of biting off a person's thigh.
"Leiting, bite that woman to death for me!"
The angry roar of Princess Lingyang was comparable to a wild beast's growl, vibrating people's ears.
The emperor's face changed drastically and he shouted sternly, "Lingyang, don't be rude!"
But Leiting wouldn't listen to the emperor. Its huge body leaped into the air. A dark shadow fell over Song Wanchu's head, crashing down like a boulder...
Liang Yuzhou, Shi Luohan, and the crown prince all pounced towards Song Wanchu simultaneously.
Liang Yuzhou, being closer, hugged Song Wanchu and covered her completely with his own body.
The black dog's claws rose and left a blood - stained mark in the air.
Yu Huiyan seemed to be frightened by the black dog, but the sight of Liang Yuzhou tightly embracing Song Wanchu deeply irritated her. She ran towards Liang Yuzhou regardless of the danger.
Cousin belonged to her. How could that slut Song Wanchu deserve Cousin's protection!
A new target suddenly appeared in Leiting's sight. It was extremely hungry. Since its previous prey had hidden away, it turned and pounced towards Yu Huiyan.
"Aaaaaah, Cousin, save me!"
But Liang Yuzhou didn't even spare her a glance. He covered Song Wanchu's eyes, not allowing a single drop of blood to appear in her sight.
With a "woof" sound, Shi Luohan's fist and the crown prince's foot heavily struck the big dog. Both of them had profound internal strength. Even a giant dog like Leiting couldn't withstand their simultaneous attack.
Its huge body crashed to the ground. Yu Huiyan's legs went weak and she collapsed. Staring blankly at Liang Yuzhou with empty eyes, she seemed to have lost her soul.
Suddenly, she started to giggle.
"You're all wrong. You're all wrong!"
The muscles on her face were twisted abnormally. Her red dress was in a mess, making her look both embarrassed and strange.
"Hahaha... You've all been deceived by Liang Yuzhou!"
Liang Yuzhou didn't like her at all!
In front of Princess Lingyang, he desperately pretended to care about and protect her, only to protect Song Wanchu!
She had been a target to take the blame for Song Wanchu from beginning to end!
She had even been complacent, thinking that she held a place in Liang Yuzhou's heart.
How ridiculous and pathetic she was!
Yu Huiyan had gone crazy. She kept mumbling to herself, crying one moment and laughing the next. But Song Wanchu seemed to understand something.
Liang Yuzhou had been acting. He had acted for three years, making everyone believe that he was deeply in love with Yu Huiyan.
When he said he only loved her, he really wasn't lying...
The strong smell of blood filled Song Wanchu's nose and mouth. When she opened her palm, she was shocked to find that her arm was covered in a large amount of blood.
"Liang Yuzhou!" she exclaimed in horror.
Liang Yuzhou had protected her with his body, and a deep cut had been made on his back by the sharp dog claws.
"I'm fine. Are you hurt?"
"Liang Yuzhou, you..."
Song Wanchu's mind seemed to be experiencing an earth - shattering upheaval. Liang Yuzhou, this man who had shared the same bed with her for three years, had suddenly changed from a cold and heartless man to a patient and affectionate husband...
Seeing that Leiting had been subdued, Princess Lingyang angrily drew out her dagger. She wanted to kill Song Wanchu!
No other woman besides her deserved to be Liang Yuzhou's main wife!
Liang Yuzhou had thrown a smoke screen at her for three years, making her chase a wrong target for so long!
The crown prince grabbed her wrist and slapped her hard.
"Lingyang, have you had enough of this nonsense? How dare you let a beast into the training ground to hurt people? Father and Mother are here. If the beast had accidentally injured Father or Mother, what crime would you be guilty of?"
The elder brother had never scolded her in such a harsh tone.
Princess Lingyang's mouth puckered and she threw herself into the empress's arms, crying loudly.
"Take this crazy girl away!"
The emperor was so angry that his face turned green. Usually, he indulged Princess Lingyang, thinking of her as an innocent young girl. Who would have thought that she would do such a crazy and absurd thing in front of so many nobles!
The empress called several strong maids and dragged and carried Lingyang out of the training ground.
Lingyang cried hysterically.
"Mother, won't you help me either?"
The empress was both angry and heart - broken. "Lingyang, Liang Er is already the heir apparent now. Sooner or later, he will take over the military power from the old duke. How could your father possibly let him be a son - in - law? You have no fate with him. Just give up. Mother will surely find you a more suitable son - in - law."
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, to prevent the in - laws from amassing too much military power and overthrowing the court, it was stipulated that the son - in - law of a princess could only be a civil official.
Liang Yuzhou was brave and good at fighting. In the future, he would surely be a great general defending the border and intimidating the barbarians. The emperor cherished his talent. How could he be willing to let Liang Yuzhou be a civil official?
If the emperor really had the intention of making Liang Yuzhou his son - in - law, he would have bestowed a marriage on them three years ago!
"I don't want that. I just want Liang Yuzhou!"
"Lingyang, you're grown - up. Stop being so naughty!"
The empress scolded with a straight face. "Song Wanchu is not only the mistress of the Duke's Mansion now, but also a first - rank imperial - conferred lady personally named by your father. If you insist on going against her, aren't you clearly defying your father?"
Princess Lingyang sobbed softly, with a venomous glint in her eyes.
In the temporarily - built tent, Liang Yuzhou was lying on a small bamboo bed with his upper - body clothes pulled down to his waist.
The muscles on his back were smoothly lined, tensed up due to the pain from the wound, clearly defined.
A few months ago, it was Song Wanchu who had been lying here, bleeding profusely. She had been injured for Liang Yuzhou's sake.
Now, the scene in front of her seemed like a fateful cycle. Liang Yuzhou had been injured to save her.
The scar was gaping, with the flesh turned outwards and bloody, a shocking sight.
Song Wanchu seemed to be scared. Her delicate and beautiful face was pale and bloodless, with a mist covering her clear eyes. She looked a bit vulnerable.
It was clearly Liang Yuzhou who was injured, but he couldn't help but feel pity for Song Wanchu.
"Is the lady feeling heart - ache?"
Song Wanchu's blank eyes slowly focused on Liang Yuzhou's face. She saw a smile on his lips.