Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 175: If You Get Tired from the Exam, Just Take a Nap

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: If You Get Tired from the Exam, Just Take a Nap

Song Lianhe scoffed inwardly.

’Keep pretending. As if you don’t know perfectly well who it was.’

Su Huaqing leaned in close, but Song Lianhe wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She lifted her chin and said, "Let’s not beat around the bush. Zhou Junlin only found me here because you leaked my location, didn’t you?"

Su Huaqing froze for a moment, then shook his head and let out a laugh.

Song Lianhe frowned. "What are you laughing at?"

Su Huaqing’s expression immediately turned serious. He said admiringly, "I am simply astonished that the Princess Consort could uncover such a secret. Oh, whatever shall I do?"

"...You could make your act a little more obvious."

She wasn’t an idiot. His patronizing tone screamed of someone who was brazenly confident, with nothing to fear.

’But Zhou Junlin is the future Emperor, so Su Huaqing has backed the right horse. I have to admit, the man is cunning and intelligent. Right now, his patron already has one foot in the door of the Eastern Palace. What does he have to worry about?’

Just then, Cao Ying returned.

Her voice drifted in before she even stepped through the door. "They see our Medical Clinic’s business is booming, so they’re jacking up the prices of herbs to match! And they say no more purchases on credit? Pah! A ’time-honored brand,’ my foot! If it weren’t for our Medical Clinic, would they have even survived this long? Do they really think we can only buy from them?"

Cao Ying entered and saw Song Lianhe, exclaiming in surprise, "Oh, what are you doing here?" Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she leaned in and lowered her voice. "I heard from my brother this morning that King Qing has been dispatched to suppress Prince Yongdong, with the National Guardian General accompanying him." She shot a wary glance at Su Huaqing as she spoke. "I also heard that the Holy Emperor originally wanted to send Prince Ling, but somehow it ended up being your husband."

Her look clearly said, ’There’s definitely foul play involved!’

Su Huaqing suddenly spoke up, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Miss Cao, I’m still here, you know?"

’Were her "whispers" so loud because she was afraid I wouldn’t hear?’

Cao Ying glanced back at him without a hint of embarrassment. "Oh, you’re still here?"

Su Huaqing spread his hands. Obviously not.

’As for why the original plot had Zhou Junlin suppressing the rebellion, only for it to be changed to Zhou Cangyan... The only way Song Lianhe could explain it was that the villain’s "protagonist plot armor" was getting stronger.’

’So, overthinking it was useless. The plot had a mind of its own.’

’If you can’t beat them, join them!’

’Since she had already placed her bet on Zhou Cangyan, it didn’t matter if he was the villain or the hero. She was determined to serve him with utmost devotion! She would be more capable than any of his followers! So capable that he would feel guilty for even thinking of harming a single hair on her head!’

Having made up her mind, Song Lianhe felt no more indecision and directly asked about the Medical Clinic’s recent business.

Cao Ying glanced at Su Huaqing. The latter, ever good-natured, said, "Please, you two go ahead. I’ll just go to the back kitchen and lend Little Shuang Ye a hand."

In the back kitchen, Shuang Ye was making pastries.

Her general cooking skills might have been average, but she was a master at making pastries. Even Su Huaqing, who had a discerning palate, praised them endlessly after tasting them.

Shuang Ye would never dare ask him for help, and Su Huaqing didn’t press the issue. He simply brought over a small square stool, sat by the doorway, and chatted with her while fanning himself.

"...Mr. Su, what do you think the Holy Emperor means by this? Yesterday was my lady’s wedding day with the Prince! The Prince didn’t even get to enter the bridal chamber before an imperial edict sent him out of the city."

The fan Su Huaqing was waving abruptly stopped.

Shuang Ye’s hands didn’t stop their work as she couldn’t help but voice the injustice to her mistress. "Who knows how long the Prince will be gone on this campaign! If... what would my lady do then?"

Su Huaqing concealed the bright glint in his eyes and smiled faintly. "Your lady is a fortunate person. None of you need to worry about her."

"How is she fortunate? *Sigh*..." Shuang Ye sighed. "Her mother passed away young, her father doesn’t care for her, and years ago her reputation was ruined because of Prince Ling... She finally managed to marry Prince Qing, only to spend her wedding night alone..."

"Shuang Ye."

Su Huaqing suddenly interjected.

"It’s one thing to say this in front of me, but if outsiders were to hear it, they might blame all these misfortunes on your lady." He gave a light chuckle and said slowly, "Women always get the short end of the stick in these matters. That’s why the people closest to her must treasure her all the more."

It dawned on Shuang Ye, and she quickly agreed. "Yes, yes, you’re right, Mr. Su! If other people knew about this, who knows what kinds of stories they would make up about my lady!"

In the ginkgo tree in the backyard, Xuan Mei lay casually on a branch, cast a disinterested glance downward, and closed his eyes again.

For several days in a row, Song Lianhe spent her days at the Medical Clinic.

Following her three signature pills, she successively launched cough-suppressant pills, pain-relief pills, and anti-diarrhea pills. Even more widely acclaimed were the strengthening heart pill for angina patients, the Awakening Brain Pills for cerebral hemorrhages and stroke-induced comas, the emergency Clear Heat Pills for heatstroke and epilepsy, and the Big Red Pill for improving myocardial ischemia.

These four emergency medicines, together with the Antipyretic Pills, iodine oil pills, and Miasma Pill, were collectively known as the Medical Clinic’s "Seven Dragon Balls."

While the Medical Clinic was busy with its promotional campaign, the metropolitan examination began.

Early one morning, the Medical Clinic hung out a sign that read, "A Joyous Occasion for Our Establishment." The entire staff then formed a grand procession to see Yan Wen off to the examination hall.

Outside the examination hall, a long line of carriages was parked, many belonging to the prominent families of Ling’an City.

Compared to them, Song Lianhe’s retinue was a grand spectacle in its own right.

She wore a veiled hat, attending the send-off in her capacity as a Medical Woman from the clinic.

Su Huaqing, being a good friend of Yan Wen’s, was also waiting there early.

"Don’t be nervous! Just answer the questions you know. If you get tired during the exam, take a nap. Shuang Ye packed a blanket for you..."

Song Lianhe had been chattering nonstop, partly because she was worried her presence would interfere with Yan Wen’s role in the "plot."

Yan Wen wore a new long robe, white with a green bamboo pattern, and a pair of black satin tiger-head boots on his feet. The boots had been renamed "Scholarly Success Boots"—a name Song Lianhe had coined just last night.

He responded earnestly to every piece of advice Song Lianhe gave him. "Mm-hm," "Okay," "I understand."

Su Huaqing folded his arms and chuckled. "I must say, Boss Song, he’s going to take the imperial examination, you know."

"And what if it is?" Song Lianhe, not wanting Yan Wen to feel nervous, deliberately sounded nonchalant. "There are a thousand paths in life, and the imperial examination is only one of them. It might be a shortcut, but it’s not necessarily the final destination! Everyone walks a different road and sees different sights along the way. Whether you become the top scholar or a Shopkeeper, you’re still helping people and serving society. As long as you have a clear conscience, you’re on your own true path!"

She sounded magnanimous, but she was quietly adding in her heart: ’Of course, it would be best if he actually becomes the top scholar!’

Her speech left both Yan Wen and Su Huaqing speechless.

Cao Ying nodded emphatically. "Exactly! Manager Yan and I have been working together more and more smoothly. Lianhe even said the two of us are the business world’s... uh... dream team!"

Song Lianhe also raised a hand and patted Yan Wen’s shoulder. "Just remember, the Medical Clinic will always be your safety net. You don’t need to feel any pressure. Just go take the exam. Do it for yourself, to see it through."

Yan Wen stared at her, his clear eyes filled with the image of her serene smile.

He slowly pulled back his gaze. "I will not disappoint you."

Just then, a soft voice called out, "Young Master Yan."

The group turned to look. It was Song Xilan.