Liang Yuzhou was nonchalant. He was taller than the old duke, and his aura was even more imposing.
The father and son confronted each other, while the onlookers stood afar, not daring to even breathe loudly.
He had heard the words "unfilial son" countless times since childhood, and they no longer stirred the slightest bit of guilt in him.
"Father, have you forgotten why Wan Chu's father died?"
He mercilessly exposed the old duke's sore spot. Even his sneer was sharp, which enraged the old duke.
Liang Xuguang's life was like his name, full of glory. He had been in military service for nearly thirty years without a single defeat. He had intimidated the border areas and was highly regarded by the emperor.
The bloody battle at Pingsha Pass was the only stain on his life.
For the sake of dignity and reputation, he tried his best to cover it up. However, he was not completely heartless. He felt guilty and ashamed.
Otherwise, with his arrogance, how could he have accepted Song Wanchu, the daughter of a sixth - rank official, to be the main wife?
He always felt indebted to Song Wanchu. So he petitioned the emperor to confer the title of a third - rank general on Song Hengyi, and his memorial tablet was enshrined in the Lingxiao Pavilion.
He always tried to convince himself that he had given enough to the Song family. But in the dead of night, his conscience still troubled him.
Especially, he dared not look into Song Wanchu's eyes.
Her eyes were clear and bright, and her eyebrows exuded determination, just like her father.
Fortunately, this girl had left some dignity for the Duke's Mansion. She didn't make a fuss about this matter and left quietly.
The guests were still waiting to drink the wedding wine and congratulate Liang Yuzhou on his double happiness.
The old duke had already come up with a plan.
He would claim that Wanchu had been overworked recently and suffered a heart attack, so she couldn't attend the wedding ceremony.
Today, they would only celebrate Liang Yuzhou's conferment as the heir and his success.
The guests wouldn't suspect anything.
The banquet didn't need to be cancelled halfway, and the Duke's Mansion would still be joyous.
But this unfilial son actually wanted to abandon the whole family and turn today's situation into a mess!
The old duke suddenly regretted that when the emperor conferred the title of the heir and consulted his opinion, he should have refused.
Although there was no reason to refuse at that time, his words still carried weight with the emperor. If the emperor had seen his hesitation, he might not have issued the imperial edict so quickly.
Then there wouldn't have been such a farce today!
He began to feel sorry for Liang Yuchuan again. That child had always been introverted and thoughtful. When his younger brother was conferred as the heir, he didn't show the slightest sign of dissatisfaction in public, but he was dejected in private.
Maybe he should have petitioned for Chuan'er to be the heir from the very beginning. Although he had no special skills and his knowledge was average, he was a steady - tempered person who valued the glory and dignity of the Duke's Mansion most.
Unlike Liang Yuzhou, who was only obsessed with love. Without a woman, he would be devastated.
"Doctor Zhou, bandage his wounds! After that, get him dressed properly and go to the front to greet the guests, toast them, and send them off!"
Today, almost all the powerful and noble people in the capital, including the four dukes and eight marquises, had come.
"Father wants to pretend that nothing has happened?" Liang Yuzhou questioned sharply.
He dared to talk back in front of everyone. The old duke felt that his authority had been damaged.
"Nothing has actually happened. It's just a small disturbance. If you still want to be the heir, you should put the dignity of the Duke's Mansion first. Those who achieve great things should have a broad vision and mind, and should not be indulged in love!"
He lectured with a straight face.
Liang Yuzhou still smiled. His eyes were unfathomable, and his smile made the old duke tremble with fear.
This son of his had been different from others since childhood. He had a crazy streak that didn't care about others' lives.
If he really went crazy, a few threatening words wouldn't scare him.
"Father still doesn't know what he did wrong until now. How ridiculous, truly ridiculous."
Liang Yuzhou's eyes were cold, like a sharp sword, stabbing at the old duke's most guilty spot. "You've only cared about your reputation and dignity all your life. So as soon as you heard that Song Hengyi had beaten the common people, you couldn't sit still and arrested him without distinguishing right from wrong.
Because you were afraid of damaging your reputation, you covered up the truth of the bloody battle at Pingsha Pass and concealed your own responsibility. You presented a tragic but reasonable explanation to the emperor. Your reputation was preserved, but Wanchu lost her father forever.
You carefully and nervously hid your secret, not knowing that someone would take advantage of your psychology and give you a fatal blow when you thought you were at your most glorious and dignified moment!"
The old duke was sweating cold sweat.
As soon as he got the news, he was eager to appease the guests and hide the fact that Song Wanchu had left. He wanted to force Liang Yuzhou to perform a peaceful scene in front of all the guests.
But he had forgotten to analyze and think. Someone had stabbed him in the back when the Duke's Mansion was holding a grand wedding.
He felt like he was being roasted on the fire, but cold sweat was streaming down his forehead.
It was so terrifying. Someone wanted to destroy the whole Duke's Mansion!
But after all, he had seen the world. He still looked calm on the surface. "You're right. I'll investigate. Now, listen to me and go with me to toast the guests."
The dignity of the Duke's Mansion must not be lost.
"The one who cares about dignity is you, not me."
Liang Yuzhou sneered contemptuously, which enraged the old duke.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Are you going or not?"
Liang Yuzhou didn't care at all. Before the old duke came, he had been in an abnormal mood, but now he was calm.
"I don't want to be the heir anymore."
"Nonsense. The imperial edict has already been received. You can't just give it up if you don't want it. If you didn't want it, why did you fight for it?"
Liang Yuzhou was too lazy to answer. For a person who only loved face, he didn't understand how precious a sincere feeling was.
He always boasted that he was deeply in love with his late wife and never forgot her. But when he saw a woman who resembled his late wife by seven - tenths, he still fell in love at first sight.
He superficially loved a woman's appearance. Even if the core was changed, he could still express his deep love in front of a similar face.
He had lived for fifty years, but his understanding of love was as superficial as his thoughts.
Arguing with him was like playing the lute to a cow.
Liang Yuzhou motioned for Doctor Zhou to come forward and bandage his wounds.
Then he casually put on a set of clothes.
When the old duke saw him throw the wedding robe aside, he knew that he hadn't compromised, and his face became even more gloomy.
"Zhour, on such an important day, we must not mess it up. If you don't listen to me, I'll—"
He showed his fatherly authority again.
"Forget it, forget it!"
The old lady looked exhausted. She knew Zhour too well. No one could change his will. When the person he cared about most was gone, all the fame and dignity were just like smoke and clouds in his eyes.
"Zhour is injured and really has no intention to entertain the guests. Let the guests leave."
"But Mother, how should we explain? Wanchu has left, and the position of the main wife is vacant. If someone asks about it in the future..."
The door opened again. Everyone's eyes were focused. They saw Yu Huiyan in a bright red wedding dress and a phoenix crown, walking towards Liang Yuzhou step by step.
She didn't care about those surprised looks at all. Her eyes were firm, and there was only Liang Yuzhou in her eyes.
"Cousin, Song Wanchu doesn't love you at all. That's why she doesn't care about your life or death and abandons you and the whole Duke's Mansion. Marry me. Only I really love you."
Yu Huiyan had originally planned to hang herself on the beam of the Duke's Mansion today.
If she couldn't be with Liang Yuzhou, she didn't want to live either.
But she didn't want to let Song Wanchu off easily. She wanted to turn their wedding day into her funeral day and disgust Song Wanchu for the rest of her life.
Unexpectedly, Song Wanchu had actually abandoned her cousin.
When she heard the news, she was overjoyed and wept.
God was kind to her and gave her a chance.
She wanted to replace Song Wanchu, marry her cousin in the wedding hall, and enter the bridal chamber.
The whole Duke's Mansion would be grateful to her for saving the Duke's Mansion from trouble.
Song Wanchu was gone. She would slowly fill the empty part of her cousin's heart.
She wanted her cousin to know that she was the woman who loved him and cared about him the most. Even if he used her as a live target, she wouldn't blame him.
Because of love, she forgave her cousin.
Her cousin would see all her goodness and slowly forget Song Wanchu.
Liang Yuzhou looked at Yu Huiyan quietly, but there was an untouchable coldness in his eyes.
"Huiyan, do you want to be the mistress of the Duke's Mansion so much?"
"I want to be with cousin for the rest of my life, just the two of us."
She said it sincerely.
Liang Yuzhou suddenly laughed. He was so handsome that he was almost like a demon.
"Okay, I'll fulfill you."
Liang Yuzhou took Yu Huiyan's hand and walked into the main hall.
The joyous gongs and drums sounded, and the guests congratulated one after another.
The old lady and the old duke were sitting on the main seats, holding their breaths.
Yu Huiyan was wearing a veil, and everyone took her for Song Wanchu.
It didn't matter. After entering the Duke's Mansion, she would prove to everyone that she was better than Song Wanchu.
Liang Yuzhou was expressionless, coldly looking at the smiling faces.
He was usually cold and arrogant, so no one took it seriously.
"Pay homage to Heaven and Earth!"
The bride knelt down, but Liang Yuzhou still stood there.
The wedding officiant thought his voice wasn't loud enough, so he clearly shouted again, "Groom and bride, pay homage to Heaven and Earth!"
Yu Huiyan was so nervous that her palms were sweating. Her cousin had brought her to the main hall, so he wouldn't easily change his mind...
She heard the guests' exclamations and gasps.
She didn't care about anything and lifted the veil.
Just one look, and she almost fainted.
Liang Yuzhou had taken off his wedding clothes and showed a gray Taoist robe.
His eyes were as calm as a stagnant pool, as if everyone in his eyes was just a breathing mass of flesh.
On his wedding day, Liang Yuzhou became a Taoist monk.