Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 156: You Think You’re Worthy to Call My Daughter Sister?
"Ahh—"
Mrs. Liu clutched her face. The slap sent her world spinning, and she collapsed onto the ground. The movement pulled at her other injuries, making her cry out in pain.
"My lady!"
Song Xingfeng tried to rush to her side, but Marchioness Xuan Chang stopped him with a sharp command.
"I am merely disciplining a lowly creature. Does the National Guardian General object?"
"Mother-in-law! Wanqing is with child! Whatever she has done wrong, I will bear the consequences in her stead! I beg you to be merciful and spare Wanqing and the child in her womb. Your son-in-law thanks you!"
"You will bear the consequences? Heh. Do you even hear yourself? Are ’bearing the consequences’ your words for letting your concubine and her family freely insult my poor daughter? For letting them harm my poor granddaughter?"
Marchioness Xuan Chang stared down at Mrs. Liu and sneered, "I came here myself to see just what kind of creature you are to have such nerve! Just whose power are you relying on? Whose orders are you following?"
Mrs. Liu was still sobbing. "I do not know where the Marchioness heard such vile slander. I have never done anything to dishonor my sister..."
Marchioness Xuan Chang’s expression turned frigid. "Slap her!"
Nanny Diao rolled up her sleeves, stepped forward, and grabbed Mrs. Liu by the collar. Nanny Tian tried to block her. "What are you doing? Let go of my lady..."
"Get out of the way!"
With a swing of her thick, round arm, Nanny Diao sent Nanny Tian flying!
Mrs. Liu screamed in terror, "My lord, my lord, save me!"
"Insolence!"
Song Xingfeng was furious and about to order his men forward when Marchioness Xuan Chang said slowly, "My good son-in-law, I advise you to think clearly. Do you really want to make an enemy of me and the Xuan Chang Marquis Mansion for a disgraceful concubine?"
Song Xingfeng froze. His brow twitched, and his expression began to change.
The Marchioness Xuan Chang sneered. "What are you waiting for? Slap her."
"Yes, ma’am!"
Nanny Diao seized Mrs. Liu and, with all her might, slapped her viciously across the face. SLAP! SLAP! The blows left Mrs. Liu with a mouth full of blood as she crumpled to the ground.
"Do you know why I had you struck?" Marchioness Xuan Chang asked calmly. "Because you are utterly unworthy of calling my daughter ’sister’! My daughter was the legitimate-born lady of the Marquis Mansion, a Commandery Princess personally bestowed by the Holy Emperor! She fought on the battlefield for her country and its people, and that is how she contracted the illness that took her! If not for that, why would she have passed away at such a young age? If my daughter were still alive, would a troublemaker like you have ever seen the light of day? You would have spent your whole life groveling in the shadows, forever hidden from sight! And what right does your daughter have to call herself a young lady of the General Mansion?! Mrs. Liu, the glory you enjoy today was bought with your father’s life! And your father was no good man either. Knowing he was going to die, he used the debt of saving a life to secure a lifetime of riches for his daughter! What kind of loyalty is that? Demanding repayment for a favor is something no true gentleman would do! Your entire family is nothing but a pack of opportunistic, sycophantic villains!"
She then looked up and glared at Song Xingfeng. "Song Anu, you are a General, a pillar of the state, a noble minister of the Court! Have you fed all your lessons on propriety, justice, integrity, and honor to the dogs? You let this disgraceful thing stir up trouble in your own home, bringing shame upon your General Mansion and upon your own name, Song Anu!"
Marchioness Xuan Chang was the only one who dared to address Song Xingfeng so directly by his childhood name.
Ignoring Song Xingfeng’s embarrassed and furious expression, Marchioness Xuan Chang had absolutely no intention of sparing him any face today!
"You rose from a mere Captain of Righteous Courage to become the National Guardian General. Don’t tell me you actually think you did it all on your own merits? Heh. If it weren’t for our Marquis Mansion, if it weren’t for my daughter giving up her own military honors to secure your promotions, would you have the prestige you enjoy today? You’re daydreaming!"
Song Xingfeng’s expression turned ugly and defiant. The Marchioness Xuan Chang just smiled. "What? You don’t like hearing it? Too bad. You’ll listen whether you like it or not!"
Her words were utterly merciless, stopping just short of pointing at his nose and calling him a kept husband! Especially in front of the mansion’s servants, Song Xingfeng was naturally infuriated and humiliated. His face ashen, he said, "Why must the Marchioness humiliate me so? No matter what, I was Shuniang’s husband and I am Lianhe’s father!"
The Marchioness let out two loud, mocking laughs before her voice turned harsh and severe. "So you do remember you’re Lianhe’s father? We left our granddaughter here only because she lost her mother at a young age, hoping she could receive her father’s love. But you treated her like a burden and despised her for embarrassing you? It seems we were gravely mistaken! A whole den of vipers dares to bully my precious granddaughter. Do you really think I’m already dead and buried? Let me tell you, if not for my daughter, you would have absolutely no connection to the Xuan Chang Marquis Mansion! And you dare use the title of my Marquis Mansion’s son-in-law to curry favor and build factions at Court? With just your title as a Military General with no actual command of troops, what waves could you possibly make? Do you think those ministers are giving you face? They are giving face to the Xuan Chang Marquis Mansion!"
Song Xingfeng clenched his fists, his face alternating between shades of green and red. He was unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
The colleagues he usually associated with respected him as the National Guardian General, but also as the son-in-law of Marquis Xuan Chang!
No matter how much Song Xingfeng deliberately ignored it, no matter how much he pretended not to understand, he didn’t dare say a single word of defiance in front of his mother-in-law.
Nanny Tian helped Mrs. Liu to her feet. She was trembling all over from the pain. Shaking, she lifted her head and saw her husband unable to even raise his head in front of that old witch, and her heart filled with hatred and anger!
She tearfully approached her husband and said softly, "The Marchioness is angry with me. Since it was my relatives who caused the trouble, it is only natural that I bear all the responsibility."
With that, she knelt before the Marchioness again. "I am willing to accept my punishment. I only beg the Marchioness not to make things difficult for my husband. It was I who made my husband lose face and brought shame upon the General Mansion. All the fault is mine and mine alone. Even if it costs me my life and my child’s, I will have brought it upon myself and can blame no one else."
"Wanqing!"
Seeing her like this, Song Xingfeng was overcome with a surge of protective indignation. Without a second thought, he pulled her to her feet and ordered sharply, "Someone, escort the lady back to her rooms to rest!"
"Yes, sir!"
Nanny Tian shot a vicious glare at Nanny Diao, then lifted her chin and moved to support Mrs. Liu.
But Mrs. Liu gently shook her head, her expression resolute as if she intended to face this with him, side-by-side.
"Husband..."
Mrs. Liu’s eyes were red, a picture of pitifulness. "It doesn’t matter what happens to me, as long as I don’t implicate you, Husband. What does it matter if I lose my life? I only feel sorry for the child in my womb... this is the precious son you have longed for..."
Looking at his delicate, beautiful wife, Song Xingfeng’s resolve hardened. "My lady, just focus on your pregnancy and don’t worry! I am here! I’d like to see who dares to harm you and our son!"
As he spoke, his gaze swept viciously toward Marchioness Xuan Chang. "Marchioness, you’ve cursed and you’ve beaten someone. What more do you want? If you’re still not satisfied, then come at me. I will see this through to the end!"
By no longer calling her "Mother-in-law" and instead addressing her as "Marchioness," he was signaling a complete break.
After all, after being so thoroughly humiliated by her, if he continued to act meekly, wouldn’t that just prove he had a guilty conscience?
