Liang Yuchuan's body swayed violently a few times and then slumped back onto the cold ground.
The wind at the end of the first lunar month already carried the warmth of spring, but he felt as if it were even more bone - chilling than the cold wind of the twelfth lunar month.
He stared blankly, mouth agape, then shook his head violently. His voice hoarse, he growled, "It can't be. Father won't abandon me. You must be spreading false rumors!"
Liang Yuzhou had never held any expectations for his once - father.
Every decision Liang Xuguang had made in the past was to pave the way for Liang Yuchuan.
Only this time did Liang Yuzhou feel that his expectations had not been betrayed.
Liang Yuchuan was completely flustered. He couldn't be expelled from the family genealogy, or he would truly become a stray dog!
He crawled on his knees for two steps and hugged the old lady's thigh tightly, crying bitterly.
"Grandmother, please persuade Father. Grandson can't be homeless! Grandson will never covet the position of the heir apparent again. Grandson is willing to serve you and Father for the rest of his life!"
Overwhelmed by fear and despair, he finally showed his true feelings.
He really didn't want to fight for the position of the heir apparent anymore!
If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have been so deluded in the first place. Knowing that he was inferior to his younger brother in every aspect, he still resorted to despicable means to seize the empty title of the heir apparent.
Wasn't it good to just be the eldest young master of the Liang family?
He could have lived a comfortable life forever under his father's favor.
His insatiable greed had ruined everything!
He cried his heart out in front of the old lady.
"You've long known that Lu Ningzhen poisoned the old duke, and you also knew that the old duke needed your heart's blood to detoxify."
Just as the head of the Liang family and the old lady were in a dilemma, Liang Yuzhou's words stirred up a huge storm.
Liang Yuchuan's sobs stopped abruptly.
The tears on his face were still wet, and the look in his eyes as he stared at Liang Yuzhou was full of raging hatred.
If he had sharp fangs at this moment, he would surely bite off Liang Yuzhou's neck first and let his blood splash on the spot!
The old lady's face changed drastically. "Daoist Qingzhou, what are you saying?"
With her capabilities, she had found out that Yu Huiyan was the poisoner, but for various reasons, she hadn't settled the score with this disgusting worm yet.
But she never expected that Liang Yuchuan, the old duke's own son, would stand by coldly when his father's life was hanging by a thread!
"Lu Ningzhen probably didn't expect that the poor Taoist and Wan Chu would reconcile. Wan Chu persuaded the poor Taoist to return to the capital. Her plan was that if Liang Yuchuan's plea for the position of the heir apparent was not successful, she would then let him offer his heart's blood. In this way, he would become a great filial son, and morally speaking, the position of the heir apparent should be his."
Liang Yuzhou's tone was cold, without any personal feelings. "Liang Yuchuan knew that the old duke was in critical condition, but for the sake of the position of the heir apparent, he pretended to be ignorant. While the old duke was seriously ill and unconscious, he was attending banquets outside, proudly celebrating that he was about to become the heir apparent. His father's life was far less important than his own face."
These few words completely shattered Liang Yuchuan's hypocrisy.
The head of the Liang family shouted angrily, "Ungrateful and rebellious wretch! Someone, open the ancestral hall immediately! I will personally expel him from the family genealogy!"
There was no trace of pity or tenderness in the old lady's eyes.
She took a step back, but Liang Yuchuan grabbed her even tighter.
"It's not like this. Grandson really didn't know that Father needed my heart's blood..."
He tried to make one last desperate struggle.
"If you really cared about the old duke, why didn't you find out the truth about his poisoning? Why did you go out drinking and socializing while the old duke was seriously ill, enjoying your glory?"
Liang Yuzhou's interrogation left Liang Yuchuan with no room for excuse.
He stared at Liang Yuzhou as if he were looking at a terrifying monster.
"Second brother, I'm your elder brother. Our blood is thicker than water. Why are you trying to drive me to a dead end?"
"Liang Yuchuan, those who do many unrighteous deeds will surely bring about their own downfall. You've walked yourself into a dead end."
Liang Yuzhou's eyes were cold, and there was a sneering smile on his lips. "Come to think of it, I should thank you. If it weren't for you bringing in Han Cheng and revealing the truth about the battle at Pingsha Pass, I might never have known Wan Chu's feelings for me in my whole life."
Song Wanchu's heart trembled.
She thought of the sword that had stabbed towards Liang Yuzhou's chest, and her palm felt a little warm.
There was nothing more ruthless than Daoist Qingzhou!
Two strong servants dragged Liang Yuchuan away and threw him outside the main gate.
The main gate of the Duke's Mansion slowly closed.
The last thing Liang Yuchuan saw was Liang Yuzhou's condescending look.
Cold, proud, contemptuous, and calm.
He slumped to the ground, and the coldness seeped out from his bones continuously.
The evening banquet was not affected by Liang Yuchuan's sudden appearance.
Everyone ate, drank, and chatted merrily. During the banquet, many people came to congratulate Song Wanchu on being named the princess.
The gifts for her piled up like a small mountain in the courtyard.
After the banquet, Song Wanchu and Liang Yuzhou went to the old duke's courtyard.
Liang Yuzhou held her hand openly.
Just now, Song Wanchu had been an outsider watching from the sidelines.
She asked Liang Yuzhou, "Actually, you didn't plan to see the old duke today, right? You deliberately asked the steward to pass the message to test the old duke's attitude towards Liang Yuchuan."
Maybe, without Liang Yuzhou's words, the old duke might really have softened his heart and forgiven Liang Yuchuan.
But his little son, who had almost no personal feelings for him and had already become a Taoist priest, suddenly wanted to see him, which rekindled his hope.
It also made him remember all the injustices and partiality he had shown to Liang Yuzhou in the past, and he became even more annoyed that his feelings had become a stepping - stone for Liang Yuchuan to seek his own desires.
His guilt towards his younger son deepened his anger towards Liang Yuchuan.
It was a pity that Liang Yuzhou was going to shatter the old duke's hope himself and make him face the cruel reality.
Liang Yuzhou was rational when it came to anyone's emotions except Song Wanchu.
He was so calm that people thought he was heartless.
Liang Yuzhou looked up at the dark sky.
"I grew up in the Duke's Mansion, but I never felt that the sky above me was clear until I met you."
Song Wanchu felt heavy - hearted.
Before they knew it, they had walked into the courtyard.
Liang Yuzhou seemed to be still immersed in memories. "When I was a child, I never understood why, although I was better than Liang Yuchuan in everything, Father always favored Liang Yuchuan. When he made a mistake, he just had to act coquettishly, and Father would forgive him with a smile. But for me, even if I didn't make a mistake, all I got was harsh criticism.
Later, I understood. I was born from a woman he didn't like. My birth was labeled with his prejudice. No matter how hard I tried and how excellent I was, I would never get a single compliment from him. Instead, he resented me for being too ambitious and stealing the limelight from his beloved son.
Gradually, I stopped trying to please him and gave up any hope of fatherly love. I had the idea of becoming a Taoist priest since I was thirteen, and this idea lingered in my mind for four years.
It wasn't until I was seventeen that I saw you on horseback for the first time in the drill ground. That pink figure entered my sight, and my world finally had some color. I began to think that the future was promising."
The courtyard was quiet, and Liang Yuzhou's words clearly reached the room.
The old duke clutched the pillow, tears streaming down his face.
It was too late. Everything was too late.
Zhou'er had already found his redemption and destination in life. He no longer needed his father's belated repentance.
Liang Yuzhou and Song Wanchu stood at the door. The messenger went in and soon came out.
"The old master said that he's still not feeling well. It's late at night, and he's tired. He won't see anyone today."
Liang Yuzhou nodded slightly and whispered to Song Wanchu, "Let's go."
After walking out of the courtyard, he suddenly turned back and took a deep look at the dark window.
...
At midnight, the side door of the Duke's Mansion opened.
Yu Huiyan bribed the doorkeeper woman heavily and asked her to pass a message to Princess Jiahe.
Since becoming Liang Yuchuan's concubine, she didn't even have the qualification to live in the Duke's Mansion.
She had to seek an audience with her aunt in this way in the middle of the night.
Princess Jiahe still cared about Yu Huiyan after all. She sent Nanny Gao to secretly bring Yu Huiyan to the Fragrant Snow Pavilion.
"Huiyan, what's wrong with you? How did you get so injured?"
As soon as Princess Jiahe saw Yu Huiyan, she exclaimed in shock.
Yu Huiyan knelt in front of her, crying bitterly. Tears and blood rolled down her cheeks together.
"Aunt, save me. I don't want to be Liang Yuchuan's concubine anymore. He'll beat me to death!"