Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 148: What Right Did the Emperor Have to Hit Him
「Imperial Palace, outside East Yang Gate」 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
The Shadow Guard kept looking up toward East Yang Gate. "Why isn’t he out yet? Could something have happened?"
Xuan Mei leaned in the shadows, her arms crossed over her sword, her figure poised and graceful.
Suddenly, she snapped her head up, her short sword already drawn. "Who’s there!"
At the same moment, the Shadow Guard also sensed the presence. He moved forward to stand beside her, the two of them flanking the area. "Come out!"
A man in black jumped down from the wall and walked straight to Xuan Mei. He cupped his fist in salute. "Miss Xuan Mei, my Commander has a message for you..."
—
Song Lianhe stood alone in the courtyard. Perhaps she had eaten too much meat and was having trouble digesting it, but she felt inexplicably restless tonight.
Shuang Ye had gone to the kitchen to brew her some digestive tea. Meanwhile, Chao Junyu had heard Shen Fu was back and went to find him, saying he had something to discuss.
Song Lianhe looked down at her hand, which was bandaged into a clumsy ball. It was inconvenient for doing anything. She had her own special ointment for external wounds, and combined with a secret military formula Huai Xu had given her, the injury didn’t hurt much. It just hadn’t healed yet and looked rather gruesome.
In a fit of irritation, she ripped the gauze from her hand. ’I can handle a little pain like this.’
’I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight,’ she thought, unable to sit still. ’I have a feeling something bad is about to happen.’
She lay on the chaise longue, recalling the plot from the book.
According to the original plot, Zhou Junlin married both her and Song Xilan at the same time. She became Princess Consort Ling, while Song Xilan became his Concubine.
And that was when the countdown to her doom as the disposable side character officially began.
Song Lianhe shook her head. ’After I transmigrated, I changed that outcome long ago. The engagement is off, Song Xilan has been married off by imperial decree, so of course I won’t suffer a tragic death!’
Thinking this, she began to relax.
’I’ve come into the world of this book, and without figuring out the rules, all I can do is fight to survive!’
’If I die in this book, who knows if I’ll return to my original world or just be dead for good?’
’It’s a rare chance at a second life. I cherish it far too much to risk it on an experiment.’
Suddenly, a sound came from behind her.
Song Lianhe jumped in fright. "Who’s there?"
She turned to see Xuan Mei and patted her chest in relief. "I’m telling you, Sister Mei, with all the doors in this residence, you can’t find a single one you like? Do you have to be so unconventional and jump over the wall?"
’Don’t you know how scary that is in the middle of the night? Especially when I was just contemplating matters of life and death!’
Xuan Mei didn’t waste any words, getting straight to the point. "Our lord angered the Holy Emperor in the Imperial Palace. The Holy Emperor ordered him to be given twenty lashes."
"What!"
Song Lianhe’s eyes flew wide. She shot up from her chair and asked urgently, "Why would the Emperor have him flogged? Could it be because of..."
’Because of me?’
"Right now, the only one who can help our lord... is you, my lady."
Before Xuan Mei could finish explaining, Song Lianhe was already shouting for Shuang Ye. "Shuang Ye! Help me change, quickly! I’m going to the Imperial Palace!"
Song Lianhe returned to her room and immediately changed into her formal attire as a County Princess.
After a moment’s thought, she added, "Bring me my mother’s Emei Needles."
"Yes, my lady."
Shuang Ye could see the urgency of the situation, so she asked no further questions and turned to fetch a brocade-lined sandalwood box.
Song Lianhe opened it. Inside lay a pair of Emei Needles.
They were about a foot long, with diamond-shaped points at each end. In the middle was a ring, perfectly sized to slip over the middle finger, allowing the weapon to be spun with a flick of the wrist, making it incredibly lethal.
This pair of Emei Needles was named "Frozen Clarity." They were Lin Shuniang’s personal weapons, a gift from the late Emperor.
Her lady had specifically instructed her to bring them when they left their old residence.
Xuan Mei stood a short distance away, her gaze flickering between the "Frozen Clarity" needles and Song Lianhe. "You..."
She suddenly swallowed the rest of her words, said, "I’ll go find Uncle Liang," and turned to leave.
Once Song Lianhe had changed into her formal attire, she boarded the carriage, clutching the brocade box.
The carriage sped through the streets, not stopping until it reached East Yang Gate.
As Song Lianhe made to get out, Xuan Mei suddenly grabbed her arm.
"What is it?"
Xuan Mei stared at her intently. "...This is a dangerous path. You might not come out of this unscathed."
Song Lianhe seemed unconcerned. She smiled at Xuan Mei. "So what? Your master has helped me so many times, and not once did he stop to think whether he would get away unscathed."
Xuan Mei froze for a moment, then slowly lowered her hand. "I understand. Rest assured, even if I have to die, I will protect you to the very end."
"Hey, hey, hey! Don’t say such unlucky things! You’re not going to die. None of us are. We’re all going to live to be a hundred!"
"Mm."
Xuan Mei nodded.
Not delaying any further, Song Lianhe jumped down from the carriage and saw the Shadow Guard waiting.
He was still wearing his half-mask, which, under the cold moonlight, gave him a grim, deadly air.
The Shadow Guard breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. He stepped forward and cupped his fist in salute. "My lady, I thank you."
"There’s no need for thanks. It’s the least I can do. Besides, if I don’t help him, who will?"
’The reason he’s the chosen villain of the story is that a tragic backstory is part of the standard package!’
’Before, when I hadn’t interacted with him much, I just thought of him as a character on a page. I couldn’t really empathize with him.’
’But after he saved me from danger time and again, it’s become difficult to remain indifferent. And when I remember the book’s description of how he was treated as a child, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with sympathy for him.’
Time was short. Song Lianhe lifted the hem of her dress and hurried through East Yang Gate.
The Shadow Guard and Xuan Mei were Zhou Cangyan’s personal guards, so it was inappropriate for them to enter the Imperial Palace. Cao Jin’s men were already waiting inside and escorted her directly to Chongzheng Hall.
When the original owner of her body was a child, she had often entered the palace with her maternal grandparents. However, she had only ever frequented the residence of Zhou Junlin’s mother, Consort Jing, and had never been to Emperor Cheng Xiao’s personal sleeping quarters.
Unlike other parts of the palace, this area was a forest of high walls, with layer upon layer of imperial guards standing watch. The atmosphere was solemn and imposing. Walking this path, she couldn’t help but grow nervous, gaining a much more visceral understanding of imperial power.
’This is the Emperor I’m dealing with. If I displease him in the slightest, he could order my death with a single word, and my life would be forfeit!’
’Sigh, I shouldn’t have been so bold. It’s too late for regrets now; there’s no turning back. Zhou Cangyan is the Emperor’s own brother, does he really need an outsider like me to save him? If the Emperor is determined to kill him, it must mean he’s made up his mind to eliminate this potential threat once and for all!’
’In any case, my interference has already changed the plot, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Emperor decided to act this way.’
’In fact, I’m the one who’s likely to lose her life for backing the wrong horse!’
Song Lianhe hurriedly asked the guard beside her, "Do you know exactly why the Holy Emperor is punishing His Highness Prince Qing?"
"I do not know." The man Cao Jin had arranged was clearly just as cautious as his master.
"Lianhe!"
Someone called her name from behind. Song Lianhe started, not expecting to see Cao Ying and Lady Cao!
"Sister Cao? Lady Cao?"
Cao Ying, supporting her mother, quickened her pace. "We received my brother’s message and rushed over to be with you!"
Lady Cao, dressed in formal court attire, stepped forward and took Song Lianhe’s hand. "Child, don’t be afraid. We’ve come to see this through with you."
"Thank you, Lady Cao. But... why have you and Sister Cao come here?"
