After dinner, Chu Shangxu cordially invited Liang Yuzhou to have tea and discuss Taoism.
A sudden sense of vexation welled up in Song Wanchu's heart. She returned to the Plum Shadow Studio.
She sat on the small couch, staring blankly at the dancing plum shadows on the window.
Nanzhi was poking at the charcoal stove while muttering in a low voice, "Why didn't Young Master Shi tell Miss about his long - distance trip?"
The two of them were on the verge of getting married, but their relationship had become more distant than before.
Song Wanchu was smart and understood Shi Luohan, but she couldn't figure out what the problem was.
She could only wait for him to come back.
She then remembered what the Old Lady Chu had advised her.
How could she tell her elder brother about it?
Her thoughts drifted further. She recalled that the streets were filled with notices for the arrest of Liang Yuzhou. Yue Chengkong had slandered him as an assassin sent by the Hu people.
How dare he swagger in and out of Yunzhou City?
Chu Shangxu accompanied Liang Yuzhou to the front gate.
The more he got in touch with Taoist Priest Qingzhou, the more Chu Shangxu admired him. He regarded him as a bosom friend despite the age difference.
"Priest Qingzhou, the officers and soldiers have been conducting a large - scale search in the city these days. You'd better be careful," Chu Shangxu thought for a while and then reminded him uneasily. "The Hu assassin in the notice looks somewhat similar to you."
Saying "somewhat similar" was his euphemism.
They were clearly identical.
His mother had secretly told him that Yue Chengkong had claimed to the outside world that he had only lost two fingers, but in fact, his injury was so severe that he would never be able to remarry in his life.
In Chu Shangxu's eyes, Taoist Priest Qingzhou was a man of profound Taoist skills and ethereal charm. How could he have done such a cruel thing?
He didn't want the priest to be wrongly arrested.
Liang Yuzhou bowed to him with clasped fists. "Thank you, Mr. Chu, for your reminder. I'll be careful."
Everyone in the Chu family was kind - hearted.
Chu Shangxu watched him ride away before returning to the mansion.
Liang Yuzhou turned his horse around and came back to the gate of the Chu family.
He stopped at the northwest corner gate, dismounted and waited.
When the banquet had just ended, he heard Chu Yueying mention that she was going out for a stroll in the afternoon.
He waited patiently.
Sure enough, less than half an hour later, the corner gate opened. Chu Yueying came out with two maids, chatting and laughing.
The little girl was greatly surprised when she saw Liang Yuzhou.
"Priest Qingzhou, why are you here?"
Liang Yuzhou smiled amicably at her. "I'd like to ask Miss Chu for a favor."
He was usually cold and noble. Suddenly smiling so sincerely, it was like the dark clouds had dispersed and the moon had just emerged. The whole world seemed to become more beautiful.
Chu Yueying's face flushed bright red. She lowered her head and didn't dare to look at him anymore.
...
Song Wanchu was looking through some idle books when Chu Yueying came.
The little girl happily took her arm. "Sister, it's so boring staying at home all the time. Let's go out for a stroll. How about going to the Moon - Picking Tower?"
Song Wanchu smiled. "Okay, let's go."
It was said that the dim sum in the Moon - Picking Tower was the best in Yunzhou.
The last time she went there with her elder brother, before she could even have a sip of tea, she had found Yaoguang who was on the run and seriously injured.
She also wanted to find something to do to distract herself.
When they arrived at the Moon - Picking Tower, the boss greeted them warmly and said that the private room was ready.
Pushing open the door of the private room, Song Wanchu immediately saw the figure standing behind the screen.
Hearing the noise, the man slowly turned around. He was wearing a cyan - green robe today, looking as straight and slender as a bamboo.
Song Wanchu was in a daze for a moment before she came to her senses. She frowned and glared at Chu Yueying. "You little rascal!"
Chu Yueying playfully stuck out her tongue. "Sister, I've made an appointment with the third young lady of the Zheng family in the next private room. I'll leave first!"
The little girl ran away quickly and didn't forget to close the door.
In the quiet space, the two of them stared at each other silently.
The private environment seemed to release the emotions that Liang Yuzhou had suppressed for a long time. He walked towards Song Wanchu step by step, and the desire in his eyes was about to overflow.
Song Wanchu instinctively wanted to escape. She turned around to open the door, but was grabbed by a big hand on her slender wrist.
The warm and broad chest was tightly pressed against her back.
The man was tall and strong. He easily held her in his arms.
Liang Yuzhou restrained himself and smelled the fragrance of her hair.
The whole morning, from the Taoist ceremony to the banquet, Wanchu hadn't even glanced at him.
The heartache of being ignored by the one he loved could only be understood by himself.
"I have to go through so much trouble just to see my own wife. And when I finally see you, you still want to run away?"
Song Wanchu's shoulders were held by the man's hands.
Liang Yuzhou domineeringly yet gently turned her around to face him.
Song Wanchu's heart was pounding. The familiar warmth and the man's aura enveloped her, disturbing the calm of her heart.
She could never be calm in front of Liang Yuzhou.
She had loved him and couldn't forget him. He was like a part of her body's memory, easily awakened by him.
"A Taoist priest can't get married. When did Priest Qingzhou get a wife?"
Liang Yuzhou watched her red lips open and close.
Although her whole body was soft, her mouth was still as stubborn as ever.
She knew that being a Taoist priest was just his disguise, but she deliberately took it seriously and avoided answering directly.
Song Wanchu's chin was lifted, and the man kissed her. His lips were so hot that it seemed as if he was going to ignite her as well.
She was easily controlled by Liang Yuzhou. She couldn't hide or escape, and could only let out soft whimpers.
"Wanchu, you clearly can't convince yourself that you don't care about me, but you still pretend to be cold in front of me."
Liang Yuzhou's lips gently touched her ear. The hot air made Song Wanchu's ear turn red, and her whole body trembled slightly.
"You're torturing me and yourself."
Song Wanchu's eyes turned red. She angrily pushed Liang Yuzhou away, with tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Liang Yuzhou, you're very proud, aren't you? I can't forget you and I can't help caring about you. You win!"
Liang Yuzhou desperately suppressed the urge to smile, and a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.
He carefully held her in his arms and gently kissed her forehead. "Can I allow myself to be proud for a while?"
Tears were not what he wanted.
But Wanchu's heartfelt words made him overjoyed.
"Why don't you just let me go?"
The deeper the entanglement, the deeper Song Wanchu sank.
She had thought that she had already built an impregnable defense against him, but it seemed that he was gradually breaking it down.
"Wanchu, come with me. Only when you're by my side can I have more opportunities to make up for my mistakes."
The three years they had lost were a torture for both him and Wanchu.
He was already prepared to spend his whole life trying to heal Wanchu's wounds.
"Liang Yuzhou, I never said I wanted to start over with you."
She no longer had the courage.
The woman who had once loved Liang Yuzhou passionately and was willing to burn herself for him had already exhausted her energy.
She was no longer the same person as before, and they could never go back.
"The Crown Prince will soon come to Yunzhou. Do you think Shi Luohan has the ability to protect you?"
The Crown Prince was coming to Yunzhou?
A sense of panic welled up from the bottom of Song Wanchu's heart and quickly spread through her blood.
How could she forget the Crown Prince, the man who had fought with Liang Yuzhou for her?
He was more powerful than Liang Yuzhou, and she was no longer the concubine of the Duke's Mansion.
In front of the Crown Prince, she had lost her only identity protection.