Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 125: I Will Protect Your Mother for You
Song Lianhe had a keen awareness of danger.
She knew that living in this strange new world, accidents could happen at any moment. On top of that, her reputation was in tatters, and she had offended far too many people. It was entirely possible that she could be ambushed on the street at any time.
So, she had prepared a variety of concoctions for self-defense.
After taking down the two matrons Xin Haiyun had brought with her, she didn’t hold back with the others. She pulled out a pouch of powder and scattered it everywhere.
At the same time, a cloud of white dust billowed from the other side as well...
Song Lianhe froze.
’When did they learn this trick?!’
Song Lianhe started, cursed ’Crap!’ under her breath, and quickly raised her arm to cover her nose and mouth.
The two people in front didn’t even have time to react before they grew dizzy. Their bodies swayed, and with a THUD, they collapsed to the ground.
Behind them, Nanny Tian and the others hadn’t expected Song Lianhe to use a dirty trick like poison powder herself. They were furious, cursing her endlessly in their minds.
Suddenly, a wind rose. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
A gust of wind tore through the courtyard, as if someone had waved a giant fan. The wind’s direction changed in an instant, quick and fierce. All the powder lingering in the air was blown right back at Song Lianhe.
’You’ve got to be kidding me.’
’We’re all playing dirty, so why am I the only one getting hit?’
A sudden itch tickled her nose, and Song Lianhe’s heart sank. She knew better than anyone the effects of the powder she had created!
She couldn’t worry about anything else. She scrambled to pull a small porcelain vial from her robes. This body of hers wasn’t immune to these drugs. She had just uncorked it, about to take an antidote pill, when a guard’s kick sent the vial flying—
These were the people from Die Cui Pavilion, so they felt no need to be polite to her. The guard’s kick was brutal, sending Song Lianhe sprawling to the ground!
Song Lianhe lay prone on the ground. She had accidentally bitten her lip, and the taste of blood quickly filled her mouth.
She winced in pain and spat to the side. She tried to push herself up, but she couldn’t muster an ounce of strength!
The color drained from Song Lianhe’s face. ’I’m done for—’
Her powder was designed purely for self-defense; victims would wake up after one or two hours, completely unharmed. Because she had only inhaled a small amount, she was still conscious, but her body had gone completely limp. Worse, it had combined with the knockout drug Nanny Tian’s group had used, doubling its effect!
In other words, she was now completely at their mercy!
’Ah! Sister Mei, help me!’
Song Lianhe was panicking. But even at a critical moment like this, she was already analyzing what went wrong. ’The antidote has to be improved. It needs to be easier to carry, and more importantly, easier to take!’
"Go tie her up!"
Hearing Xin Haiyun’s excited voice behind her, Song Lianhe refused to simply lie there and await her fate.
Her eyes narrowed. With a trembling hand, she reached for her waist and fumbled for her silver needle bag, preparing to prick herself a couple of times.
But she had severely underestimated the drug’s potency. Her hand trembled so violently it looked like it was moving in slow motion.
Before she could even pluck out a silver needle, a foot stomped viciously on her hand—
"AAH!"
Song Lianhe screamed uncontrollably.
As if that wasn’t enough to vent her anger, the foot’s owner pressed down harder, grinding her heel back and forth.
This body had belonged to a pampered young lady, one who had never done a day of hard labor in her life. Her skin was as smooth and delicate as porcelain; how could it possibly withstand such brutal treatment?
Pain shot through Song Lianhe, and her entire arm trembled uncontrollably.
She lifted her head, her face ashen. Looking at the woman who was tormenting her, she gave a weak, bloodless smile and said slowly, "I swear, I will cripple one of your hands."
Xin Haiyun sneered at her, then suddenly raised her hand and slapped Song Lianhe across the face!
"You truly are a child with no mother to teach you manners! How dare you say something so disrespectful to your elder!"
Song Lianhe’s ears rang from the blow, and half her face began to swell.
Nanny Tian stood to the side, a satisfied, vengeful smile playing on her lips as she watched with cold eyes.
Xin Haiyun raised her foot and stomped viciously on Song Lianhe’s other hand. "You little bitch, listen to me carefully. From now on, there is only one young lady in this mansion, and that is my niece."
Song Lianhe bit down hard on her lip, rage churning like lava in her chest. Her bloodshot eyes glinted with a cold light as she gave a chilling smile. "Heh. I’ll take your other hand, too."
Xin Haiyun was riding high on her arrogance. With her foot on the legitimate daughter of the grand General Mansion, she felt utterly invincible. Why would she ever believe Song Lianhe’s empty threats?
She was about to retort when Nanny Tian suddenly spoke up. "Second Miss, your mother’s memorial tablet is still here. How can you say such cold-blooded, cruel things?"
’Memorial tablet?’
Nanny Tian’s words reminded Xin Haiyun. ’That’s right! Her mother’s memorial tablet is still here!’
Song Lianhe’s expression changed. She struggled to lift her head, feeling as if another soul bound within her was about to break its chains. It thrashed desperately, and her eyes turned a terrifying shade of red. Every word she spoke seemed to be laced with razor blades, sharp enough to slit their throats. "Don’t you dare touch my mother’s memorial tablet!"
"My, what an imposing air you have, Second Miss! It’s just a dead person’s tablet. What’s so untouchable about it?" Xin Haiyun scoffed, not one for superstitions. She snatched the memorial tablet from Nanny Tian’s arms and brandished it with a sneer. "So what if I smash it?"
Nanny Tian glanced up at her and let out a soft, contemptuous laugh, cursing ’Idiot,’ under her breath.
’Still, thanks to this brainless woman, the Madam and I can finally get our revenge!’
Relying on her status as an elder, Xin Haiyun was completely fearless. She raised the tablet, preparing to smash it to the ground—
"NO!"
Song Lianhe lunged forward, grabbing Xin Haiyun around the waist and using her momentum to send the woman sprawling.
"OOF!"
Xin Haiyun landed in an undignified heap on the ground. Nanny Tian cried out in alarm and immediately ordered people to help her up. Amid Xin Haiyun’s shrieks, the scene devolved into chaos.
"You corpse-hugging wild mutt! Watch me skin you alive today!"
Back in her hometown, Xin Haiyun was notoriously difficult. Not only could she curse someone into an early grave, but she was also shameless enough to throw a full-blown, rolling-on-the-ground tantrum in a fight.
For the past few days, she had been treated as an honored guest in the General Mansion, and addressed respectfully as "Mrs. Thousand Commander" whenever she went out. She had long since started seeing herself as half a master here! How could she possibly swallow her pride after being so humiliated in front of the servants?
She shoved Nanny Tian and the others aside, snatched a wooden club from a servant’s hands, and raised it high over Song Lianhe.
When she saw Lin Shuniang’s memorial tablet fall to the ground, Song Lianhe ignored everything else and began to crawl toward it. Her movements were agonizingly slow. She propped herself up with her hands, the skin on the backs of them broken and raw from being stomped on, red, swollen, and dotted with beads of blood. Still, she didn’t give up. She reached the tablet, picked it up, and clutched it tightly to her chest.
Only then did the raging turmoil inside her seem to quiet down, just a little.
A mournful cry echoed in the depths of her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She raised a hand to her face and felt the cold wetness of her tears.
"Is that you?" she murmured, her gaze falling. "Don’t worry. I promise I’ll protect her for you."
More tears came, blurring her vision.
Suddenly, the club came down on her shoulder!
Song Lianhe let out a muffled groan, nearly dropping the tablet. Ignoring the searing pain, she tightened her arms, shielding it securely in her embrace.
"I’m going to beat you to death, you little bitch!"
Xin Haiyun was screeching in a rage. Nanny Tian only offered a few perfunctory words of admonishment while keeping her people back, watching the scene with unconcealed glee. She had no intention of stopping the beating.
Lying on the ground, Song Lianhe struggled to pull the Bone Hairpin from her hair. Just as Xin Haiyun brought the club down again, she gripped the pin and plunged it deep into the woman’s calf!
At that exact moment, the club came crashing down on her head...
A bloodcurdling scream rang out. At that same instant, the main gate was violently kicked open.
