"You didn't tell me because you were afraid of revealing the truth about my father's sacrifice. So you chose to keep it a secret, making me wrongly think that you cared about Yu Huiyan. As soon as Yu Huiyan returned to the capital, she moved into the Duke's Mansion. You just went with the flow and protected her in public, creating the illusion for Princess Lingyang that you were deeply in love with your childhood sweetheart."
Song Wanchu murmured to herself, gradually sorting out the truth of the matter.
Hearing the words "childhood sweetheart", Liang Yuzhou frowned deeply.
"Wanchu, Yu Huiyan has never been my childhood sweetheart. I took care of her only because of the last wish of Princess Jialing. Auntie was a good person, but unfortunately she was deceived by Yu Jingnian, and her children were taught to be immoral by him."
He gave a faint smile. "But I don't care anymore. Yu Rongbai got what he deserved, and Yu Huiyan is left alone in the empty mansion. It's all their own faults."
Song Wanchu wasn't concerned about other people's fates.
She stared at Liang Yuzhou's face and saw remorse and devotion in his eyes.
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes. "Liang Yuzhou, you're the most conceited, arrogant, and stupid person I've ever met, and you don't even realize it!"
Her words were harsh, but Liang Yuzhou wasn't angry. "I know."
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let me misunderstand for so long and gradually become heart - broken and desperate?"
Liang Yuzhou's throat tightened. Wanchu's tears made him feel scared and sad.
"I know you thought I didn't love you. You were angry that I still missed my elder brother, but couldn't let you go. So you treated me coldly on one hand and silently protected me and maintained my father's honor on the other."
Liang Yuzhou felt unworthy. Wanchu's explanation for him was too kind.
Suddenly, Song Wanchu sneered. Two lines of clear tears rolled down her face, making her look desolate and beautiful.
"Liang Yuzhou, how great you are! In your self - righteous way, you protected me on one hand and hurt me on the other!"
Wanchu's tears were the greatest torture to him.
He hugged Song Wanchu's trembling body tightly, as if he wanted to merge her into his own bones and blood.
He couldn't say a single word of defense. He could only use his body temperature to silently comfort the person in his arms.
Song Wanchu's eyes were sore. She hadn't rested well, and had been shocked one after another early in the morning. She was extremely exhausted.
Both her body and heart were tired.
All her words turned into a silent sneer.
Her chest felt stuffy. She didn't want to recall those painful memories anymore.
"Let's talk about Yaoguang again." She changed the topic.
Liang Yuzhou obediently responded with an "um".
"I also learned from her the complicated inside story of the Battle of Pingsha Pass.
Four years ago, she was hiding in a small village near Pingsha Pass. The Hu people bribed the villagers and instigated them to report that your father had forcefully collected grain.
I finally understood why the old duke tried so hard to cover up the truth of the Battle of Pingsha Pass. He was one - sided and self - willed, which cost your father his life. Then he tried to save his own face by deceiving both the superiors and the subordinates.
He was the only one who broke through the encirclement. He thought that no one else would know the truth except him. So he beautified the battle report and got a posthumous title of a third - rank general for your father.
But his conscience has been constantly tortured. For three years, the sense of guilt has been tormenting him.
He deserved it.
And Liang Yuchuan, in order to make you hate me and leave me, brought Han Cheng to the capital and revealed all the truths.
The old duke lost all his face, and the century - old glory of the Duke's Mansion was almost destroyed.
How ridiculous! The thing he cared most about in his life was his dignity, but the son he had favored for most of his life stabbed him in the back for the position of the heir apparent."
Song Wanchu felt that all this sounded like a fantasy and was absurd.
Liang Yuzhou sneered disdainfully. "But Liang Yuchuan miscalculated completely. He overestimated his position in the old duke's heart. He not only failed to become the heir apparent, but was also driven out of the Duke's Mansion by the old duke and became a stray dog."
"And what about you?" Song Wanchu asked softly. Her hand was still in Liang Yuzhou's palm. She didn't know when this man had held her hand and placed it on his chest.
She could feel his strong and powerful heartbeat in her palm.
He should be okay, right?
The scene of him spitting out blood that day was still vivid in her mind. In countless chaotic dreams, she had cried because of it.
She couldn't avoid or deny that she couldn't stop caring about Liang Yuzhou. She hoped that he would live a good life.
Even if she wasn't by his side, he should live well.
"Me?" Liang Yuzhou knew what Wanchu wanted to ask. "I've cut off all ties with the Duke's Mansion. Their glory and decline have nothing to do with me anymore."
"The old duke only has you and Liang Yuchuan as his sons. The position of the heir apparent must be inherited by someone..."
Song Wanchu knew the old duke quite well. Although he was partial, he wasn't muddle - headed.
He should be hoping that Liang Yuzhou would return to secular life and come back to the Duke's Mansion to continue the century - old glory of the mansion.
"There are many outstanding descendants in the collateral branches of the Liang family. Since he can't have a son of his own, adopting one is the same."
Liang Yuzhou said it as if it had nothing to do with him at all.
His warm palm stroked Song Wanchu's cheek. The familiar calluses brought a familiar tickling feeling.
"As for me, Wanchu, I'll be a devotee only to you for my entire life."
Song Wanchu's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head away. "Liang Yuzhou, it's too late for you to say these things now..."
"I have a mouth. It's my freedom to say whatever I want, unless you shut me up."
Song Wanchu bit her lips and glared at him angrily.
How could such a grown - up man act so shamelessly?
He wanted to tempt her to kiss him. Dream on!
Her face was a little hot. She awkwardly changed the topic forcefully. "Yaoguang also has the freedom to love someone else."
In another room.
A corner of Yaoguang's clothes had slipped down, revealing half of her snow - white shoulder.
After taking Liang Yuzhou's palm strike, her back had hit the corner of the table, leaving a small bruise.
Shi Luohan gently applied medicine to her.
"Shi Luohan."
"Hmm?"
Yaoguang looked up at him. His face was bathed in the morning sun, and his outline became even clearer.
All she could think about was his infatuated look last night.
She sobbed brokenly, hugged his waist, and asked him, "Are you serious?"
He said, "When have I ever been casual?"
When she woke up this morning, Shi Luohan wasn't there. At that moment, she couldn't hide her disappointment.
She thought that Shi Luohan was just drunk and used her to relieve his desires, and would leave at dawn.
Who would have thought that he would come back and even fight with the master because of her.
Facing a sudden true feeling, she was flustered instead.
She hesitated for a long time, and then slowly said, "Just treat last night as a one - night stand."
Shi Luohan's hand on her shoulder froze for a moment.
"Absolutely not."
He solemnly denied it. "Are you saying this because you're afraid of Liang Yuzhou?"
"The master said that all men are not good. If I fall in love, I will lose my will. I can't let myself become weak."
Shi Luohan sneered sarcastically. "He's quite self - aware. Who says all men in the world are like him?"
"Shi Luohan, I'm burdened with the great cause of restoring the country. I haven't avenged my enemies one by one. I can't be like an ordinary woman and live in harmony with you."
"Do you think I'll let you fight alone?"
Shi Luohan had already made up his mind last night. If Yaoguang wanted to take revenge, he would be her helper. If Yaoguang wanted to restore the country, he would charge into battle for her.
"What about the madam? Didn't you say you would take care of the madam for your whole life?"
Shi Luohan was suddenly stunned.