On that day, the sky was high and the air was crisp, with not a single cloud in sight.
Early in the morning, a great victory report came from the northern border.
Shi Luohan arrived at the northern border and, in just three months, swept away the barbarians on the border like the autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves.
The border was now in peace. The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, singing the praises of General Yunhui.
The emperor was overjoyed.
Waking up to two pieces of good news, the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to have lessened.
At the Rong family's old residence, Cheng Simian got up at the first watch of the day.
It took her nearly two hours just to wash up and dress up.
Two fifth - rank female officials, eight old nannies, and sixteen maids were sent from the palace to accompany her in the wedding.
These were all sent by the queen for her to command.
Apart from Shuyi and Qiluo, her dowry included six senior maids, eight junior maids, and six families of servants.
She pitied Nanny Chen for her old age and wanted her to accompany her mother.
However, Mrs. Rong insisted that Nanny Chen follow her into the Eastern Palace.
Mrs. Rong looked at her daughter in red wedding clothes, wearing a phoenix coronet and a flowing cape, shining like a bright pearl. She was both overjoyed and worried.
The mother and daughter hugged each other, their eyes filled with tears.
With the female officials sent by the queen present, Mrs. Rong couldn't say what was on her mind. Suppressing the pain in her heart, she hugged her daughter even tighter.
Cheng Simian knew what her mother wanted to say.
The palace was a dangerous place and not a place to stay for long.
Her mother didn't want her to be deeply trapped in the crown prince's tenderness.
She still had to find a suitable opportunity to let the crown prince release her.
Mrs. Rong didn't ask for great wealth and honor, but only hoped that her daughter would live a peaceful and leisurely life in the second half of her life.
At this moment, it seemed as if heavy burdens were on Cheng Simian's head, shoulders, and heart.
"The wedding appearance is important as it concerns the dignity of the royal family. Please, Crown Princess and Madam, restrain yourselves."
The female official reminded them from the side.
Mrs. Rong felt desolate. Was this the heartlessness of the royal family?
For the sake of the royal family's face, she couldn't even have a good cry while hugging her daughter.
Cheng Simian tightened her mother's hand. "Mother, daughter will come to see you often."
After noon, relatives and friends came to see her off.
Most of the Cheng family members were gone, and there were few of Mrs. Rong's relatives in the capital.
However, the noble ladies and young ladies who came to see her off kept coming.
There were those who were truly good friends, those who wanted to curry favor, those who admired her talent, those who respected her character, and those who liked her calm and dignified manner.
The main hall was filled with them.
The gifts for adding to the dowry filled the entire yard.
As Cheng Simian was about to become a member of the royal family and of noble status, it was impossible for her to meet everyone.
Most of them were entertained by Mrs. Rong.
Cheng Simian only met Song Wanchu and Shen Yuhe.
Shen Yuhe gave a jade ruyi carved with a pair of lovebirds.
Song Wanchu gave a whole box of oriental pearls.
"Are you nervous, Crown Princess?"
She put her hand on Cheng Simian's shoulder and noticed that she was trembling slightly.
Song Wanchu's tone was light and joking.
Cheng Simian looked calm on the surface. She knew that something big would happen during the wedding ceremony and was always a bit worried.
She was worried that the people she cared about would get hurt.
She was even more worried that the crown prince could get through this dangerous storm unscathed.
"Is everything in place?"
She asked in a low voice.
Song Wanchu gently pressed her hand on her shoulder, as if injecting strength into her.
"Everything is under control."
Song Wanchu didn't stay long.
She and Liang Yuzhou had an important thing to do.
Walking out of the Rong family's old residence, Liang Yuzhou was already waiting outside.
They got into the carriage through a less noticeable side gate.
The bright red color of celebration gradually disappeared. Liang Yuzhou put down the curtain, and a look of guilt flashed in his eyes.
"Wanchu, I still owe you a real wedding."
During their first wedding, he left Wanchu behind in order to interrogate Yu Jingnian.
What should have been the happiest day for Wanchu was also shadowed by the threat of Princess Lingyang.
Because he misunderstood that Wanchu only had Shi Luohan in her heart, he even failed to let Wanchu spend a happy wedding night.
The two of them lived awkwardly for three years with their own knots in their hearts.
During their second wedding, he thought he could give Wanchu the best, but the truth hidden for many years finally broke out. Wanchu left绝情ly. His wound was on his body, while Wanchu's wound was in her heart.
They never had a perfect wedding.
Song Wanchu joked, "You're already a transcendent immortal. Do you still care so much about worldly ceremonies?"
A lively and grand wedding was for others to see.
Whether one lived well or not was only known to oneself.
"After all, I'm sorry for you."
Liang Yuzhou still felt a strong sense of debt.
Song Wanchu looked into his eyes, pulled his hand, and placed it on her chest.
"Liang Yuzhou, have you noticed that my heart disease hasn't recurred for a long time?"
"It's because Shen Yuhe is highly skilled in medicine and has taken good care of you."
Song Wanchu held his slightly cool fingertips. "Yuhe's medical skills are indeed meritorious, but in the final analysis, it's because my heart knot is gone."
The look on Liang Yuzhou's face was like the clouds dispersing, and his eyes were brighter than ever.
They had confirmed their love for each other, and the road ahead would be smooth.
"Master, Mistress, the alley ahead is too narrow for the carriage to pass."
Zhou Sheng shouted.
Liang Yuzhou carried Song Wanchu out of the carriage.
Song Wanchu looked around and frowned slightly. "Did Liang Yuchuan move to such a place?"
All she could see were old and dilapidated houses, and the people coming in and out were all ordinary - dressed civilians.
In her impression, although Liang Yuchuan had been expelled from the family genealogy, he still had some property.
He had a courtyard outside the Duke's Mansion.
Even if he was now in decline, it was impossible for him to squander all his money so quickly, right?
Liang Yuzhou sneered. "Liang Yuchuan has another house, but he threw Yu Huiyan here and sent people to watch her day and night."
Although Song Wanchu hated Yu Huiyan, she despised Liang Yuchuan's behavior of forsaking her even more.
"If he doesn't like her, why doesn't he let her go and still torture her like this?"
Yu Huiyan had at least lived a life of luxury before.
"If he lets Yu Huiyan go, who will be his punching bag?"
As they talked, they walked deeper into the alley.
"If we just go to find Yu Huiyan like this, Liang Yuchuan will surely know."
"So what if he knows? He's just a coward."
Liang Yuzhou didn't take Liang Yuchuan seriously at all.
He was never afraid of getting the bad name of beating his elder brother.
Zhou Sheng knocked on a shabby wooden door.
"Who is it?" A timid voice came from inside.
It seemed that the person was very afraid of seeing others.
"It's me."
Song Wanchu thought Yu Huiyan must be able to recognize her voice.
The door creaked open.
Yu Huiyan stood at the door. Her dead - looking eyes first swept across Song Wanchu's face.
Hatred welled up.
Seeing Liang Yuzhou standing beside Song Wanchu, her haggard face suddenly burst into a fierce and fiery light.
"Cousin! You've come to save me, cousin. I knew you hadn't forgotten me!"
She screeched hoarsely, with excited tears streaming down her face, and reached out to grab Liang Yuzhou's sleeve.
But there was only indifference in Liang Yuzhou's eyes, without a trace of warmth.
"Please respect yourself, madam. I am a monk."
Yu Huiyan's hand froze in mid - air.
Song Wanchu sized her up and was shocked.
She had already expected that Yu Huiyan wouldn't be living well, but the actual situation was far beyond her expectation.
She was wearing a coarse cloth dress, and her hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, without even a bit of decoration.
She was like a completely different person from her former glamorous self.
Yu Huiyan used to be plump and fair - skinned, but now she was sallow - faced and emaciated, with sunken cheeks and limbs so thin that they were just skin and bones.
Even more shocking was that her neck, arms, and face were covered with wounds left by beatings.
The wounds in places that couldn't be seen might be even more serious.
Hearing Liang Yuzhou's cold words, Yu Huiyan's tears welled up, looking completely heart - broken.
"Did you come here just to laugh at me?"
Liang Yuzhou was unmoved by her tears. "We've seen enough of your jokes. We want to give you one last chance at redemption."
Yu Huiyan's tears suddenly stopped.