Song Wanchu stared blankly at Grandma Chu, trying her best to make her expression look confused and innocent.
Grandma Chu then looked at her granddaughter, a meaningful smile curving her lips.
Chu Yueying already held great awe for this family elder. Under Grandma Chu's scrutiny, she immediately gave herself away.
She blinked at Song Wanchu pitifully, as if to say, "Grandma is so wise. It's not my fault that she guessed the real identity of Taoist Priest Qingzhou!"
Song Wanchu forced out two dry laughs. "When did you start to suspect?"
This feeling of being seen through at a glance was like clumsily acting in front of someone who knew the truth.
She couldn't deceive others, let alone herself.
"At first, I didn't have any doubts about Taoist Priest Qingzhou's identity," Grandma Chu began to explain. "When he came to our house to perform rituals, I only thought he had an air of nobility and didn't seem like a Taoist who had long been wandering in the world.
Then I noticed that his eyes always glanced at you intentionally or unintentionally, while you deliberately avoided his gaze, as if two people who were clearly familiar with each other were pretending not to know each other in front of everyone."
Song Wanchu couldn't help but sigh. Ginger is indeed spicier when it's old.
She was never good at hiding her feelings. How could the shrewd and experienced Grandma Chu not see the猫腻 between the two of them?
"Later, when we went to Songhe Temple to pray for blessings, I noticed that Ying'er had a crush on Taoist Priest Qingzhou. I was afraid she would fall head over heels in love and end up heart - broken. So I paid extra attention to his every move.
You and Luo Han went to draw lots and hang wish cards on the mountain. Luo Han carried you down the mountain on his back. Taoist Priest Qingzhou was extremely gloomy, as if he had suffered a great blow. My suspicion deepened.
Later, on the way back to the city, you were kidnapped, and Taoist Priest Qingzhou 'happened' to save you. There are no so many coincidences in this world. I began to associate his identity with the heir of the Duke's Mansion.
But I wasn't very sure. After all, for a young and noble marquis to abandon his title and a bright future, travel all the way south to pursue a woman who had stabbed him, and even become a Taoist priest to completely break away from his family, it was too crazy and absurd, beyond my understanding."
Chu Yueying nodded repeatedly. "Right, right, Grandma, I thought so too!"
"Until the day when we invited Taoist Priest Qingzhou. Luo Han announced your wedding date. He accidentally knocked over a pot of wine and behaved out of character for the first time, competing with Luo Han in drinking.
A person like him, who was so calm and worldly - wise, shouldn't be so competitive. I was almost certain that Taoist Priest Qingzhou and you, Wanchu, had a deep emotional bond."
Song Wanchu listened quietly, biting her red lips, looking embarrassed as if she had been caught.
She thought she had hidden the secret well...
Could the person who had thrived an entire family like Grandma Chu be an ordinary person?
"I guess today's events went like this," Grandma Chu slowly analyzed all the strange things that had happened today. "Taoist Priest Qingzhou already knew that we were going to the Yue family's banquet, so he deliberately chose this day to perform rituals at the Yue family.
But he must have met Grandma Yue and Yue Chengkong in the capital before. He couldn't expose himself in advance, so he found someone to pretend to be him, while he hid in the dark, observing Grandma Yue and Yue Chengkong's every move.
He had already guessed that the scheming Grandma Yue wouldn't let you, a precious pearl, fly away from the Yue family easily.
Sure enough, Grandma Yue instructed her granddaughter to push Ying'er into the water. Then the following plan could proceed smoothly. I was led away by Grandma Yue to watch the ritual, and Yue Chengkong, who was entertaining the 'Taoist Priest Qingzhou', was able to leave.
Grandma Yue thought she had everything under control, but she never expected that the real Taoist Priest Qingzhou had been protecting you in the dark. Yue Chengkong not only failed but was also disabled by Taoist Priest Qingzhou.
Grandma Yue really lost her son and got nothing in the end.
Taoist Priest Qingzhou just turned the tables.
He is so young but has such a strategy. It's amazing."
Chu Yueying sighed deeply. "He is like Sister Wanchu's guardian angel."
Grandma Chu gave her granddaughter a strange look.
Chu Yueying immediately understood the meaning of that look. She waved her hands慌乱ly and repeatedly denied, "Grandma, I know I was wrong. How could I like my cousin's husband?"
"He can't be considered your cousin's husband. We have nothing to do with each other anymore," Song Wanchu's correction made Grandma Chu and Chu Yueying both stunned for a moment.
Grandma Chu patted her on the shoulder lovingly. "Wanchu, I've also heard that you suffered a lot in the Duke's Mansion in those three years. But a man can do this much for you..."
What else could it be but true love?
Since ancient times, men have loved fame and beauty. But if they have to give up one, it's usually the beauty.
True lovers are already rare, and someone like Liang Yuzhou, who can even abandon the title of the Duke, is even rarer.
Grandma Chu had a question for a long time. Since the matter had been laid out, she didn't beat around the bush. "Wanchu, back then, the emperor issued an imperial edict to promote you to the mistress of the Duke's Mansion and confer on you the title of a first - rank imperial order lady. You left on the wedding day, but the imperial edict is still there. Can you really say that you have nothing to do with each other?"
She was quite worried that if Wanchu's relationship with Liang Yuzhou wasn't completely cut off and she was engaged to Shi Luohan, what if the two men fought over her?
The one who would be in a difficult position would still be Wanchu.
Song Wanchu forced a bitter smile.
The scars of the past were torn open, and countless complex emotions welled up in her heart.
"Actually, before Liang Yuzhou begged for my promotion and the conferment of the title, the old lady of the Duke's Mansion had already given me a release letter. I was already a free person. On the wedding day, I didn't have the wedding ceremony with him, and the promotion ceremony wasn't completed. I can't be considered his official wife."
Grandma Chu nodded and sighed.
"Wanchu, let me be fair. Your father's death was the responsibility of the old duke. Liang Yuzhou was implicated. You can hate him for lying to you, but you shouldn't transfer your hatred for the old duke to him."
Grandma Chu had always been very clear - headed in her life.
"On the day when Luo Han announced the wedding date, I could see that you were forcing a smile. You probably don't have romantic feelings for your elder brother, do you?
If you marry a man you don't love hastily because of a momentary wrong hatred or to completely drive Liang Yuzhou away, you will not only sacrifice yourself but also be unfair to Liang Yuzhou and Luo Han."
Song Wanchu didn't know how to respond. She stood there stiffly, as if turned to stone.
"Wanchu, if you feel embarrassed, I'll talk to Luo Han," Grandma Chu held her hand.
She really liked this girl. She was steady - tempered, dignified, and generous. It was just a pity that her love life was so bumpy.
She had lost her parents, and Grandma Chu, as her elder, felt responsible for her.
"Brother wants to marry me. I want to make him happy. Marrying him is the only way I can repay him," Song Wanchu insisted on her previous thought. But she could clearly hear the ice - sealed heart in her slowly cracking a gap.