Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 179: Only My Daughter Is Worthy of Lin Shuniang’s Dowry

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: Only My Daughter Is Worthy of Lin Shuniang’s Dowry

"Owww~ If anything happens to the precious child in my womb, I will not let her get away with it!!"

Someone nearby seemed to be trying to calm her, but Mrs. Liu snapped, "Her damned mother has been dead for ages! She’s just using that as an excuse to make trouble, deliberately trying to harm me! And that King Qing, who knows what tricks that little hussy used to have him wrapped around her little finger! Owww... Owww..."

Song Lianhe simply stood outside, leaning against the doorframe and listening at her leisure.

The maidservant on duty outside started to go in and announce her, but Song Lianhe held up a hand to stop her and casually tossed the girl a silver ingot.

She knew Mrs. Liu was stingy. Besides Nanny Tian, none of her subordinates ever got any extra benefits. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Sure enough, the maidservant caught the ingot. After a moment of hesitation, she secretly pocketed the silver and withdrew.

Zhou Junlin’s brow remained tightly furrowed, his expression even darker than before.

"If I’d known it would come to this, I should have hired some thugs to ruin her!"

Zhou Junlin’s eyes went cold, a frigid glint passing through them.

Throughout it all, Song Lianhe remained like an outsider, her gaze coolly detached.

"Ah, Madam, you mustn’t say such things!"

"What’s there to be afraid of? If I hadn’t been thinking of Lan’er, I wouldn’t have held back. I only spread rumors that she abused the servants... Otherwise, how would she have ever had the fortune to become a Princess Consort?!"

Zhou Junlin clenched his fists, his expression grave.

’So that’s how it was...’

He looked over at Song Lianhe, only to see that she was completely unfazed, as if she had known all along that Mrs. Liu was the one who had ruined her reputation.

Mrs. Liu must have been in considerable pain, as she continued to spew curses from inside the room:

"And that old Daoist quack! A stinking Daoist who’s already renounced the world, what business does he have meddling in my family’s affairs? I show him some respect by calling him ’Third Uncle,’ and he starts acting like he’s our ancestor? If it weren’t for him, that Song Lianhe would still be part of our Song Family. If she dared show me an ounce of disrespect, I would have raised hell all the way to the heavens and let everyone know how disloyal and ungrateful she is! So what if she’s a Princess Consort? King Qing would have had to divorce her! And those two old coots from the Xuan Chang Marquis Mansion, with one foot already in the grave, they just had to stick their noses in it, causing my Lan’er’s wedding to be upstaged and turning her into the laughingstock of Ling’an! It’s infuriating!"

Mrs. Liu truly had no filter, spilling every last secret.

"They left, fine, but did they have to burn down the Xubai Small Building? Many of the fine silks and satins gifted by the Holy Emperor were in there! I was planning on adding them to Lan’er’s dowry, and just like that, they were all reduced to ashes!"

Just then, Nanny Tian whispered, "Don’t be angry, Madam. Isn’t there still the first wife’s dowry?"

Song Lianhe’s eyes narrowed.

"Lin Shuniang’s dowry is certainly substantial, but since the Master hasn’t given his approval, I don’t dare take things from it openly. I’ve had to sneak pieces into the other dowry chests... Sigh, poor Lan’er has been so wronged."

If Song Lianhe had been watching this unfold like a comedy before, she was now genuinely furious.

’Lin Shuniang’s dowry was meant for this body’s original owner!’

’Who the hell did Liu Wanqing think she was?’

Song Lianhe said nothing. She shot Zhou Junlin a glacial look, let out a cold laugh, then turned and walked away without a single glance back.

Zhou Junlin remained standing outside the courtyard gate. The servants on guard didn’t dare to move or announce him.

As Song Lianhe passed him, she still said nothing, only letting out a mocking laugh as she walked by.

Inside the main house, Mrs. Liu, having cursed her fill, seemed to have let off some steam. She asked weakly, "Didn’t Lan’er send word that she would surely be able to get the divine physician from the Medical Clinic to come today? Why isn’t there any news yet?"

"Don’t you worry, Madam. This servant will go out to receive them."

"Quickly, go, go."

Nanny Tian lifted the curtain and came out. Once she reached the courtyard gate, a young servant informed her that Prince Ling had just entered the residence with the divine physician, but they had left again almost immediately.

"Left?" Nanny Tian cried anxiously. "But the divine physician never even came to see the Madam! How could they have left?"

On the way back, Zhou Junlin was silent the entire time.

It wasn’t until the carriage stopped in front of the Medical Clinic, just before Song Lianhe got out, that he suddenly spoke. "Your mother’s... dowry. I will make sure it is all returned."

「Ling Prince Mansion.」

When Song Xilan heard the news from the Song Residence, she made some inquiries and learned that Zhou Junlin had gone straight to his study upon returning to the mansion.

She immediately went to Zhou Junlin’s study.

"My Prince, didn’t you take her with you? Why didn’t she go in to treat my mother?"

Zhou Junlin sat by the window, his dark gaze slowly shifting to her. "Xilan, are there items from General Li Hua’s dowry mixed in with yours?"

Song Xilan froze. "What are you talking about, my Prince? I don’t know."

"Really?"

This was the first time Zhou Junlin had ever spoken to her with such a doubtful tone.

Only after she left the study did Song Xilan’s suppressed feelings of indignation burst forth. With reddened eyes, she ordered Man Yue to prepare the carriage. "Back to the General Mansion!"

Song Xilan returned to the Song Residence and went straight to Die Cui Pavilion.

Mrs. Liu was lying on the chaise, groaning. "That damned wretch, calling herself a divine physician... Pah..."

"The young lady is back!"

Nanny Tian was overjoyed. Before she could say a word, Song Xilan rushed to Mrs. Liu’s side and asked with red-rimmed eyes, "Mother, did you put items from General Li Hua’s dowry into the one you prepared for me?"

Mrs. Liu had been happy to see her daughter, but her expression instantly turned awkward upon hearing her question.

"What nonsense are you spouting? What does your dowry have to do with hers?"

Song Xilan nodded. "Fine. Then I’ll go to the storeroom and check everything against the inventory list, item by item!"

Seeing her daughter barge in, not only showing no concern for her own mother but interrogating her like a criminal, sent Mrs. Liu into a rage. "Have you lost your mind?! That Lin Shuniang has been dead for years! What’s so precious about her things? Are they untouchable? Besides, she married your father, so her dowry naturally belongs to our Song Residence. What’s the big deal if I take a few of her things?"

Song Xilan was aghast. "Mother... you really took from Lin Shuniang’s dowry?"

"Yes, yes, I took it! So what?" Mrs. Liu’s mood had been foul for days, and she snapped, "It’s not as if you don’t know! As the lady of the General Mansion, I have to spend silver everywhere. Your father’s stipend is only so much, and I don’t have my maiden family to support me. What am I supposed to do if I don’t find other ways? Lin Shuniang is dead anyway, and the Marquis Mansion isn’t short on silver, so what does it matter if I use some of it? How else do you think your birthday banquet became so lavish?"

"Mother! That was Lin Shuniang! She was a female General who rendered meritorious service to the nation! Even if her dowry wasn’t returned to her maiden family, it should have gone to her daughter!"

But Mrs. Liu just sneered. "Such fine things? Is she even worthy of them? My daughter, on the other hand, is a paragon of virtue and talent..."

"Mother!" The memory of Zhou Junlin’s words made Song Xilan so ashamed she wished the earth would swallow her whole. "Am I a beggar? That I have to take things left behind by another’s mother?! Have you ever once considered my feelings? If Prince Ling finds out about this, what is he going to think of me?!"