Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 183: The Overwhelming Scent of Harem Scheming
Cao Ying returned an hour later.
The Medical Clinic had already closed for the day. Shuang Ye and Song Lianhe stood at the entrance, eating sunflower seeds as they gazed outside.
’Cao Ying has such a hot temper. What if she got into a fight with Song Xilan?’
’But with Xuan Mei there, she probably wouldn’t be at a disadvantage...’
"Miss! The carriage!"
Shuang Ye pointed at the Cao Mansion carriage up ahead. It was the one Cao Ying used exclusively for her trips to the Medical Clinic.
"I’ll go get dinner ready!"
Seeing that she was back, Shuang Ye hurried off to the back kitchen.
Song Lianhe went to greet her. Cao Ying stepped down from the carriage, looking rather downcast, as if she’d been wronged...
Song Lianhe tossed aside the sunflower seeds in her hand, dusted off her palms, and asked, "Did Song Xilan bully you?"
"No."
Cao Ying approached with her eyes downcast, a hesitant look on her face. "Lianhe, tell me, why was I so obsessed with him back then?"
Song Lianhe thought for a moment. "Were you blind?"
"..."
Cao Ying burst out laughing. She went over, linked arms with her, and started walking back. "You’re one to talk! Weren’t you the one crying and screaming about marrying him?"
Song Lianhe sucked in a sharp breath. "Can we please not bring that up? Who hasn’t been blind a few times when they were young and reckless?"
"Mm! That’s true!"
Song Lianhe tilted her head to look at her. "So, did you get the Silver back?"
Hearing this, Cao Ying perked up and slapped her purse. "It’s all in here! Not a single copper coin is missing!"
Song Lianhe gave her a thumbs-up. "That’s our second shopkeeper for you!"
"Of course!"
"Then tell me about it. What happened at the Ling Prince Mansion?"
Cao Ying pressed her lips together, silent for a moment before she began. "It was just seeing him again... Ugh, you know, it’s hard not to feel a little sad. Not for him, but for myself. For wasting the best years of my life on someone who didn’t love me back. You were right. How blind could I have been! SIGH~"
’Thinking back on it now, it’s too late for regrets.’
Song Lianhe’s mind shifted. "So the Silver..."
"That’s right. He’s the one who gave it to me."
Cao Ying explained that when she went to see Song Xilan, Zhou Junlin happened to show up. She didn’t bother hiding anything for Mrs. Liu and her daughter, simply stating that she was there on behalf of the Medical Clinic to settle the bill.
Song Xilan’s expression was absolutely foul at the time. In the end, it was Zhou Junlin who sent someone to fetch the silver notes. When he handed them to her, he even said that if it wasn’t enough, he could have someone deliver more to the clinic.
Cao Ying remarked with a sigh, "It seems he really does like Song Xilan."
"That’s for the best! Who he likes is his business. As long as he gives us the Silver, we’re good!"
Cao Ying, too, was instantly filled with the joy that Silver brought. After all, she aspired to become the richest woman in Ling’an City!
"Princess Consort!"
Just then, Shen Fu and Ah Jun arrived.
"What are you two doing here?"
"It’s getting late. Uncle Liang sent us to escort the Princess Consort back to the Prince Mansion."
"Is it that late?"
Song Lianhe glanced up at the fiery red sky. The sun hadn’t even set yet.
However, since Pang Jiliang had sent people to pick her up, she certainly wouldn’t refuse his kind gesture.
Shuang Ye needed to stay at the Medical Clinic to prepare dinner, and Cao Ying promised to have someone send her back later. So, Song Lianhe went back to the Prince Mansion with them first.
Although Ah Jun had been training in martial arts with Shen Fu, he was ultimately one of Song Lianhe’s people. Besides, he was still a growing boy, so there was no need to worry about impropriety. He sat inside the carriage with Song Lianhe.
"Ah Jun, you seem to have grown taller again. You’re much sturdier, and you’ve gotten a tan!"
Song Lianhe looked him up and down, quite pleased with his transformation.
’A man ought to be tall and strong.’
He had been too thin before, looking even younger than his actual age.
Now, with better nutrition, he was shooting up. It felt like he’d grown even more in the few days since she’d last seen him. She almost had to look up to see his face.
Ah Jun smiled, revealing two rows of neat teeth.
"I’ve learned a lot at the Escort Agency, and everyone is very good to me."
"Then I’m relieved!"
Song Lianhe casually took out a few silver notes and some broken silver from her purse and stuffed it all into his hands. "Take it."
"No, I can’t."
Ah Jun quickly refused. "I’m not serving by your side, Miss. I can’t take your Silver."
"Of course you can’t take it from others! But this is from me, your miss, so it’s different!" She coaxed him in a soft voice, "You’re one of my people, so you can’t embarrass me! Take it. Treat your instructors to tea; consider it a way of showing your respect."
Ah Jun looked down and pressed his lips together. "...Thank you, Miss."
"Why be so formal with me!"
Soon, the carriage arrived at the Prince Qing Mansion.
"The Princess Consort is back!"
Qingqing and Youyou welcomed her in. "Princess Consort, you’re finally back! Nanny Gui is here!"
"Nanny Gui?"
’Who’s that now?’
Youyou explained, "Nanny Gui was the Prince’s wet nurse. In the old master’s household, she was in charge of the inner courtyard. The old madam passed away young, so Nanny Gui basically calls the shots on all household matters."
"Ohh~"
Song Lianhe understood.
Qingqing added anxiously from the side, "Nanny Gui is also Miss Cheng’s godmother."
Youyou added, "And Miss Cheng is the one who accompanied Nanny Gui here."
Song Lianhe blinked. "So?"
’These relationships are a bit convoluted, but what does that have to do with me?’
Qingqing stomped her foot. "Princess Consort! Have you forgotten? Miss Cheng is in love with the Prince!"
"Ah~"
Now she understood.
’Don’t tell me Cheng Xidian invited her here on purpose?’
’No wonder Uncle Liang sent someone to get me so suddenly, even though he knew I was at the Medical Clinic.’
Qingqing and Youyou looked at her with relief and nodded in unison, their expressions seeming to say, ’You finally get it.’
Song Lianhe, however, didn’t seem to care. No matter who came, it wouldn’t affect her peaceful life.
But as it turned out, she had been too naive.
When she was summoned to the main hall, Song Lianhe was still completely bewildered.
’They haven’t even let me have a single bite of food!’
Seated in the center of the hall was an old woman, dressed in an ochre-colored jacket with a dark brown outer robe.
Her half-white hair was combed back neatly, held in place with a forehead band. Her eyes were sharp and her gaze piercing.
’A tough one.’
Pang Jiliang stood with his hands at his sides. When he saw Song Lianhe enter, he frantically gave her a look, signaling her not to provoke the woman seated before them.
The old woman lifted her teacup and took a slow sip. "So this is the woman my son, Biwu, married?"
Song Lianhe: ?
’The pure, unadulterated smell of a palace drama just hit me right in the face~’
’Yep, that’s the stuff!’
Cheng Xidian, standing to the side, leaned in and whispered, "Godmother, that’s Song Lianhe, Song Xingfeng’s daughter."
Song Lianhe raised an eyebrow and smiled. "It seems your information is a bit out of date, Miss Cheng. Song Xingfeng already wrote a letter of severance. Long before my marriage, I cut all ties with the Song Family. I was married out of the Marquis Mansion. If you are unwilling to address me as ’County Princess,’ Miss Cheng, then you may call me ’Princess Consort’ like everyone else in this mansion. We wouldn’t want people saying that our Prince Mansion lacks decorum, with no clear distinction between master and servant."
Thwarted, Cheng Xidian’s face flushed with anger. "Song Lianhe! You are shameless! Don’t think you can hide what you’ve done. Others might not know how you deceived the Young Master into marrying you, but I know everything!"
