"Song Wanchu, go to hell!"
As long as Song Wanchu was dead, her cousin would still be only hers!
"Madam, watch out!"
Yaoguang shouted and lunged forward.
"Don't! It's dangerous!"
The maid's life was just as precious. Song Wanchu never wanted to see Yaoguang sacrifice herself for her!
Yaoguang's body was pushed aside by a large hand. Liang Yuzhou's tall figure blocked in front of Song Wanchu, and his other hand grasped the blade.
The blood stained the whole dagger red.
In Yu Huiyan's eyes, it was as if a devastating earthquake was happening. She collapsed and roared, "Why, cousin? I'm the one who grew up with you. We ate at the same table and traveled together. When I was unhappy, you would buy me candied haws, hold my hand, and pat my head. Why did you suddenly change your heart and like her instead of me?"
The moment the dagger drew blood, Yu Huiyan lost all her strength. Liang Yuzhou didn't have to exert much force to push her aside.
She slumped to the ground dejectedly, and her shrill wails were deafening.
"I haven't changed my heart. I've only ever had familial affection for you. My love is only for Wanchu."
The impact of Liang Yuzhou's words was no less than the rope Yu Huiyan had hanged herself with.
She felt as if her neck was being strangled. Her body trembled with suffocation, and her breathing became heavier and heavier.
"I've told you before that I never intended to marry you, Yu Huiyan. It's you who refused to believe me and kept testing my bottom line. Yes, I pushed you in front of Princess Lingyang to be a shield for Wanchu, but your own selfish desires are the root cause of you becoming a shield!"
Yu Huiyan understood. Her cousin was saying that she deserved what she got.
She glared at Song Wanchu, who was safe and sound behind Liang Yuzhou, with hatred.
She was not willing to give up. She got up and picked up the dagger.
With a "bang", the door was kicked open. Princess Jiahe stumbled in. Seeing Yu Huiyan holding the blood - stained dagger and Liang Yuzhou's palm bloody and mangled...
Without hesitation, she kicked the dagger out of Yu Huiyan's hand and slapped her across the already swollen face.
"Huiyan, how could you hurt your cousin? Are you crazy?"
Yu Huiyan seemed not to feel the pain. She hugged Princess Jiahe and wailed.
"Auntie, I should be my cousin's wife. I should be the imperial - conferred madam..."
She cried until she almost gasped for breath. Princess Jiahe looked at her crazy and hysterical appearance and felt a pang of heartache.
"Zhou'er, Huiyan really loves you. She can't live without you!"
Tears streaming down her face, Princess Jiahe hugged Yu Huiyan's trembling body. "I don't object to you making Wanchu your main wife, but you should at least take Huiyan as a noble concubine. Just think of it as swapping their identities..."
Suddenly meeting Liang Yuzhou's cold eyes, the words she hadn't finished got stuck in her throat.
Liang Yuzhou sneered. "Mother, you've spent most of your life on Father. Did he ever look at you more than once? Love is a very selfish thing. Once someone occupies your heart, everyone else becomes redundant."
Princess Jiahe's heart ached.
She understood exactly how Liang Yuzhou felt.
If there was no love, there was no way to force it.
Only now did she suddenly realize that although her son was not favored by Liang Xuguang, he had perfectly inherited his father's character.
Liang Xuguang's heart might be a bit more lenient. He took a concubine who looked very much like his late wife to accompany him.
But Liang Yuzhou was more extreme. The princess had sent him two concubines who looked like Song Wanchu, but he hadn't even given them a proper look.
He was too obsessive. This obsession was rooted in his flesh and blood, connected to his life, and impossible to uproot.
He was determined to marry Song Wanchu in this lifetime.
"Mother, please take Yu Huiyan away."
Yaoguang helped Princess Jiahe take the person away.
The small room was once again filled with the smell of blood.
Song Wanchu took a step and walked out.
"Wanchu, you're not allowed to leave!"
Just now, Liang Yuzhou had been so imposing, but suddenly he became vulnerable and clingy.
"Your hand... I'll go and call the imperial doctor for you!"
"Let Zhou Sheng and Zhou Yan go. You stay here with me."
Song Wanchu smiled helplessly. "Okay, but you have to let me go to the door and tell them, right?"
Not long after the imperial doctor treated Liang Yuzhou's wound, there came the news that the emperor was going back to the palace.
All the officials knelt at the gate of the training ground to see the emperor off.
After the emperor, the queen, the crown prince, etc. left, the officials left the training ground one after another.
When they returned to the Duke's Mansion, night had already fallen.
Liang Yuzhou wanted Song Wanchu to hold him while sleeping at night.
"Please scold me again, Madam. Otherwise, I can't fall asleep."
"Liang Yuzhou, aren't you being childish?"
"Yes, I am. Please don't spare me just because I'm a child."
After saying this, Liang Yuzhou let out even breathing sounds.
He was too tired.
In the silent night, Song Wanchu couldn't fall asleep at all.
Could she and Liang Yuzhou really continue their relationship?
The next day, the imperial edicts conferring the title of heir apparent and imperial - conferred madam arrived.
The old lady called the two of them over and happily discussed holding a grand banquet.
"The Duke's Mansion has two happy events. This time, we won't be low - key. We'll hold a grand banquet. Invite everyone we can and have a great time all day!
Making Wanchu the main wife is more important than you being conferred the title of heir apparent. I've invited the Minister of Rites to preside over your wedding banquet personally."
The old lady meant that although the bride - fetching ceremony could be skipped, the wedding and the wedding night were indispensable.
Song Wanchu understood that the old lady was deliberately making up for the regret of three years ago.
She was being pushed forward involuntarily, and she couldn't even tell how she felt.
She wasn't sad, but she didn't seem very happy either.
...
Late at night, Liang Yuchuan knocked on the gate of the Eastern Palace.
The door opened a crack, and Xiao Anzi showed half of his impatient face.
"Master Liang, please go back. The crown prince won't see any guests these days."
Saying this, he was about to close the door.
Liang Yuchuan quickly said, "Please tell the crown prince, Your Excellency. What I have to say is related to Song Wanchu."
Xiao Anzi was stunned for a moment, then left half of the door open and went back.
After a while, the door opened completely, and Xiao Anzi invited him in.
In the inner hall of the Eastern Palace, the candlelight was dim. As soon as he entered, Liang Yuchuan smelled a strong smell of alcohol.
The crown prince was drinking alone and was already half - drunk.
But in his hazy and drunken eyes, his loneliness and frustration were hard to hide.
"The crown prince never drinks to excess. What's going on?"
Liang Yuchuan was surprised.
Xiao Anzi sighed deeply. "The crown prince has been like this since he came back from the training ground."
What could it be? It was just that the woman he loved was going to be Liang Yuzhou's imperial - conferred madam.
Liang Yuchuan's eyes flickered.
He quickly walked up to the crown prince and stopped the wine cup in his hand.
"Your Highness, I'm here to offer a plan. As long as a certain person appears in front of Song Wanchu, she will definitely turn against Liang Yuzhou."