Yu Huiyan sobbed as she rolled up her sleeves, revealing her arms.
On her fair skin were large patches of bluish-purple bruises oozing with blood, a shocking sight.
Princess Jiahe covered her mouth, and her tears welled up uncontrollably.
"Liang Yuchuan is simply a brute!"
Yu Huiyan cried so hard that she could hardly catch her breath. Then she lifted her skirt, showing her scarred thighs. "He brought disgrace to the family and sold out his father for glory. After being expelled from the family genealogy, he took his anger out on me and beat me half to death!"
Princess Jiahe wiped away her tears as she pulled Yu Huiyan up and sat her on the couch. Then she told Nanny Gao, "Hurry and get the anti-swelling and pain-relieving ointment!"
Originally, Princess Jiahe was extremely angry that Yu Huiyan had an affair with Liang Yuchuan behind her back.
She thought Yu Huiyan was too hypocritical and selfish. She had claimed to love Zhou'er wholeheartedly and to remain a widow for him all her life.
But not long after the rumor that Liang Yuchuan would become the heir apparent spread, she betrayed Zhou'er and her aunt who had doted on her.
However, Princess Jiahe was still soft-hearted.
Zhou'er had never loved Yu Huiyan. It was really unfair to ask a young and beautiful woman like her to remain a widow for someone who would never return her love.
Moreover, the Duke's Mansion had never recognized her as the second wife.
Princess Jiahe couldn't bear to see her wither away in this deep mansion.
She had even acquiesced in Yu Huiyan's affair with Liang Yuchuan.
Even on the day when Lu Ningzhen bestowed Yu Huiyan as a concubine to Liang Yuchuan, she had taken out her last bit of savings as a dowry for Yu Huiyan, hoping that she could marry with dignity.
Now seeing Yu Huiyan beaten black and blue, with fear welling up in her eyes, Princess Jiahe's heart ached.
After all, she was the child she had watched grow up. How could she stand by and do nothing?
"This heartless brute!"
As Princess Jiahe applied the ointment on Yu Huiyan, she cursed angrily, "He is incompetent and unworthy. He played some underhanded tricks and deserved to be expelled from the family genealogy. It's his just deserts! His life is basically over. Instead of treating you well, his pillow companion, he even dared to lay a hand on you!"
"He had nowhere to vent his anger, so he took it out on me."
Yu Huiyan's grievances welled up like an overflowing dam. "He always looked down on me and regarded me as a plaything. He treated me worse than a cat or a dog..."
She regretted it so much that her intestines turned green.
She shouldn't have been vain and naively thought that by seducing Liang Yuchuan, she would have a chance to rise in status.
She realized deeply that men looked down on women who took the initiative to seduce them from the bottom of their hearts, let alone give them a decent title.
Now Yu Huiyan just wanted to get as far away from Liang Yuchuan as possible.
"Auntie, only you can save me now."
The marriage was bestowed by Lu Ningzhen. Now that Lu Ningzhen had fallen from power, Liang Yuchuan had become a homeless dog, and she was an insignificant nobody.
Yu Huiyan was at the end of her rope and had nowhere to turn.
She knew it was extremely shameless of her to ask Princess Jiahe for help.
But she didn't want to die, and she didn't want to live in hell every day!
Princess Jiahe wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. Yu Huiyan's miserable state made her heart ache like being cut by a knife. As an elder, she had to help the niece she had loved for more than twenty years.
"Stay here tonight. Tomorrow, after Wan Chu receives the imperial edict conferring her as a princess, I'll take advantage of the old lady's good mood and plead with her. As long as she is willing to speak up, you'll be free. Then you can still live with me. After the rumors die down in a few years, I'll find a good family for you in a foreign place."
Yu Huiyan was stunned for a long time and couldn't be happy at all.
When did her aunt start calling Song Wanchu "Wanchu"?
Wasn't she the one who hated Song Wanchu the most and always called her "bitch"?
Moreover, judging from her aunt's tone, she seemed very happy that Song Wanchu had been conferred as a princess.
She and Song Wanchu were like heaven and earth.
Song Wanchu's background was far inferior to hers, but she was extremely glorious. With the protection of the royal family, she could swagger through the capital.
What was even more hateful was that she had won Liang Yuzhou's heart and body.
As for herself, she had ended up with nothing and had even been a scapegoat for Song Wanchu for so many years!
The hatred in Yu Huiyan's heart was like a raging fire, burning her internal organs with unbearable pain.
She couldn't bear to see her enemy happy and glorious.
But she showed a gentle and obedient smile to Princess Jiahe. "Thank you, auntie. From now on, you'll be my own mother. I'll serve and honor you all my life."
Princess Jiahe hugged her in her arms and lovingly stroked her back. "Good child."
Yu Huiyan buried her head in her aunt's neck. Her exposed eyes were bloodshot and venomous.
The next day.
The main gate of the Duke's Mansion was opened early in the morning.
Before long, Li Luxiang came with the imperial edict in his hand. Behind him were sixteen maids, each holding a red brocade tray with imperial gifts on it.
The sun was shining brightly, and those treasures sparkled with dazzling golden light, brightening the faces of the people in the Duke's Mansion a bit.
Everyone knelt down, and Li Luxiang read the imperial edict in a loud voice.
Song Wanchu calmly received the imperial edict and kowtowed to thank the emperor.
After reading the imperial edict, the old lady invited Li Luxiang to have tea.
Li Luxiang was very polite to the old lady. After drinking the tea, he didn't decline the reward the old lady gave him.
"Princess, after receiving the imperial edict, you still have to go to the palace this afternoon to kowtow and thank the emperor and the queen. I won't bother you anymore. Hurry up and get ready, princess."
The sixteen maids placed the imperial gifts on the main hall one by one.
Song Wanchu took a look. It was a complete set of princess clothing, gorgeous and complicated. She had to wear it when going to the palace to thank the emperor and attending the palace banquet.
It was even more noble than Princess Jiahe's set.
After seeing off Li Luxiang, the old lady was in a good mood and beamed with joy.
"Today is a good day. Let's open the ancestral hall and write Wanchu's name in it."
This was what she had discussed with the head of the Liang family early on.
She recognized Wanchu as her granddaughter, and Wanchu would be recorded under her name.
The old lady had only given birth to one son, Liang Xuguang, in her life and had no daughters. Wanchu was her only granddaughter and had the right to inherit all her property and dowry.
The head of the Liang family smiled and said, "The ancestral hall is already open. Please, princess and the old lady, go there. After kowtowing to the ancestors and offering incense, the princess will be a girl of our Liang family."
"Princess, please save me!"
The happy and peaceful atmosphere was suddenly broken by a plaintive cry.
Yu Huiyan limped into the crowd, knelt down at Song Wanchu's feet, grabbed her skirt, and burst into tears.
She was wearing a light purple dress, which made the scars on her face and neck even more obvious.
"Liang Yuchuan is a brute. I'm going to be tortured to death by him. Princess, you are of noble status. Please say a kind word and save my life!"
A look of surprise flashed across Song Wanchu's eyes.
But she quickly understood.
Yu Huiyan was deliberately trying to disgust her.
Even if she really wanted to ask for help, she should have waited until the excitement was over and asked in private.
But she deliberately brought up the matter at the moment when everyone was happiest.
Song Wanchu looked down at Yu Huiyan. Yu Huiyan was lying at her feet, looking extremely humble.
But in her heart, there were only vicious schemes.
She and Song Wanchu were originally in an opposing position in terms of status.
If Song Wanchu didn't save her, she would be seen as petty and still holding a grudge against the past. She would have no magnanimity and tolerance of a princess.
If this got out, her reputation would take another hit.
If Song Wanchu agreed to save her, she would be saving her enemy for the sake of her reputation.
It would be like swallowing a fishbone forcefully. This fishbone would be stuck in her heart for a lifetime and disgust her forever.