It's not just a big deal. It must be an extremely urgent matter.
Zhou Sheng was being subtle in his words, and Song Wanchu didn't feel it appropriate to press him for details.
Since they were also going to set off the day after tomorrow, only two days later than Liang Yuzhou. But Liang Yuzhou couldn't wait.
The two brothers traveled light and could arrive in the capital more than ten days earlier than the main force.
"Be careful on the way."
"Thank you, Madam, for your concern!"
After the two of them took their leave, Song Wanchu entered the room.
The medicine bowl was still on the table. Taoist Qiu should have left not long ago.
He was now taking care of two injured people and running between the Chu family and the government office. He was so busy that he could hardly catch his breath.
Liang Yuzhou was sitting in front of the couch. There seemed to be a cloud hanging over his face, but the moment he heard Wanchu's footsteps, his expression softened.
He reached out his hand, and Song Wanchu placed her hand in his palm. He put her hand on his chest to warm it.
"Starting the day after tomorrow, you'll have to endure more than twenty days of traveling. You've been tired all day. You should have a good rest."
Although he could be clingy at times, he always knew when to be proper and never acted coy.
Song Wanchu placed the nightgown in his other hand.
Liang Yuzhou's fingers felt around the two places where the fabric had been torn. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"The bloodstains are almost washed off. It's just that the bloodstain on the chest was too deep, so there's still a little mark left."
Song Wanchu took his hand and rubbed it gently over the bloodstain.
"It doesn't matter. There should be a mark to remind me that I must never do anything to hurt or deceive you again."
The deeper the bloodstain, the closer it was to the scar on his chest.
The sword that Wanchu had stabbed him with was not a hurt but a blessing.
With this scar, he felt that he could stand here on an equal footing with Song Wanchu.
"I have another gift for you."
A sachet appeared in Liang Yuzhou's hand.
He traced the outline of the sachet with his fingers, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but curl up. "It's a pair of lovebirds."
He felt as if he had grown wings and was flying proudly.
Wanchu giving him a sachet embroidered with lovebirds was like confessing her love to him all over again.
Wanchu's sincere and passionate love made him feel so small.
Song Wanchu couldn't help but smile when she saw how happy he was, like a child who had gotten a piece of candy.
She still remembered that rainy day when Liang Yuzhou chased her all the way to her aunt's house and stubbornly said that she owed him a sachet.
Later, she picked the ugliest one from a pile of sachets she had embroidered and gave it to him as a perfunctory.
That was the first time she had truly realized Liang Yuzhou's feelings for her.
And that ugly sachet she had embroidered when she was just learning how to embroider was still hanging on his belt.
Song Wanchu felt a little embarrassed.
"Let me tie it on for you."
She reached out to take off the ugly sachet.
Liang Yuzhou held her wrist and gently shook his head. "The ugly one and the nice one both have meaning. I want them both."
The ugly one reminded him of the pain he had caused Wanchu in the past, which had made their relationship full of hardships.
The nice one represented Wanchu's selfless forgiveness and spurred him on to love his girl even more.
Song Wanchu smiled understandingly. Her fingers moved, and she tied the sachet embroidered with lovebirds onto his belt.
There was a sweet smile on Liang Yuzhou's face. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms.
Song Wanchu had seen so many of his smiles that she had almost forgotten how cold and aloof Liang Yuzhou used to be.
To be honest, people were all visual creatures. She had initially been attracted to his handsome face, which was as bright and clear as the moon on a sunny day.
Her fingertips traced the outline of his face bit by bit. The warmth of his skin made her fingertips tingle.
He was so alive and only belonged to her.
Liang Yuzhou's Adam's apple rolled a few times. His voice was hoarse. "Miss Song, this poor Taoist is not a proper Taoist priest."
If he hadn't mentioned his identity as a Taoist priest, it would have been fine. But as soon as he did, Song Wanchu felt an indescribable sense of shame.
It was as if she was a demon who had tempted a celestial being to fall into the mortal world and give in to desire.
She wanted to pull her hand back, but Liang Yuzhou grabbed her wrist and gently kissed her fingertips.
Her fingertips trembled slightly. A tingling sensation spread from her fingertips to her whole body.
The temperature in the room rose quietly. It was as if something was about to burst into flames. It was too late for Song Wanchu to pull away.
Before she could say a word, her red lips were kissed. The scene in front of her flashed by quickly, and she was pressed down on the couch by Liang Yuzhou.
The passionate kiss made both of them lose their senses. Liang Yuzhou's fingers moved downwards and accurately untied her belt.
Without the Taoist robe, Liang Yuzhou was a beast.
He had waited for too long. All his patience crumbled in front of her soft and fragrant body. He gasped and whispered in Wanchu's ear, "Thank you, Miss Song. This poor Taoist likes the gift you gave him very much."
The "gift" he mentioned had a double meaning.
The heat on Song Wanchu's face rose. "Liang Yuzhou, stop talking!"
Liang Yuzhou laughed wickedly. "Call me Taoist Priest Qingzhou."
Song Wanchu bit her lips tightly, but she couldn't stop the soft moans from escaping her mouth.
The gauze curtain was lowered, and the candle flames flickered, casting a soft glow over the room.
Two hours later, Song Wanchu finally couldn't bear it anymore and moaned softly, "Taoist Priest Qingzhou..."
...
Song Wanchu woke up on her own couch. She didn't even know when Liang Yuzhou had carried her back.
Just thinking about Liang Yuzhou's crazy demands last night, she quickly opened the quilt to check her body.
Sure enough!
Her body was covered in ambiguous red marks, deep and shallow, like blooming red plum blossoms, coquettish and shameful!
"Miss, the old lady said that there's a noble guest at home. She asks you and the other young ladies to go to Cihui Courtyard for a visit!"
There was a maid from Old Lady Chu outside to deliver the message.
Nanzhi and Suyue came in to help Song Wanchu wash and dress.
The two maids blushed when they saw the marks of love on the young lady's body.
In Cihui Courtyard, Song Wanchu met Lady Shi, Ning Yunzhu, for the first time.
In the room, the two Nings held each other's hands tightly, their eyes filled with excited tears.
When Ning was young, she had been adopted by her uncle. Lady Shi was the eldest daughter of her uncle's cousin.
They were of the same generation, but there was a twelve - year age difference between them. When Lady Shi got married, Ning was still young, but she remembered this cousin.
She had once been a valiant and heroic woman, proficient in horseback riding and archery. She had even boasted that she would dress up as a man and take the military imperial examination to defeat all those arrogant men.
Now, looking at Lady Shi's graying temples and premature wrinkles, Ning felt a pang in her heart.
"Sister, you've had a hard time these years."
Lady Shi was straightforward. "It's not a big deal to have a hard time. Now, haven't the hard times finally come to an end?"
"This is my daughter, Ying'er. Hurry up and greet your aunt!"
Lady Shi looked at Chu Yueying, who was dignified yet lively and cute. The joy in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Chu Yueying stepped forward to pay her respects. Her mood was a bit complicated.
"This is my niece, Wanchu." Ning introduced Song Wanchu.
Lady Shi's eyes were full of admiration. "As expected of someone valued by the old lady of the Duke's Mansion. You have the demeanor of a mistress!"
Song Wanchu was very gracious. Now, she no longer minded people mentioning that she had once been a concubine in the Duke's Mansion.
Moreover, Lady Shi was straightforward and her praise was sincere, without any malicious humiliation.
"Do you know the old lady of the Duke's Mansion?"
She was a bit surprised. She had attended many banquets in the capital, but Lady Shi rarely showed up as she lived a reclusive life.
She had never heard the old lady of the Duke's Mansion mention Lady Shi either.
Lady Shi smiled. "Of course I know her. Although we don't visit each other often, we're still very close when we meet. The old lady is in good health, but she misses you very much."
Song Wanchu had a premonition that since Lady Shi had mentioned the old lady of the Duke's Mansion as soon as she saw her, there must be a message to convey.
Was the old lady just simply missing her?
Could something have happened to the Duke's Mansion?