Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 184: She Was Never Pregnant!

Song Lianhe looked at her suspiciously. "Miss Cheng, what is the meaning of this? What do you mean I deceived your Young Master? The Prince and I were wed by decree of the Holy Emperor. Are you implying the Holy Emperor deceived him?"

Cheng Xidian sneered with contempt. "Don’t you dare use the Holy Emperor to intimidate me! I’m not afraid!"

She had grown up in Sui Bei, where the people recognized only Old Master Luo, not some Emperor Cheng Xiao.

However, this was Ling’an City. The slightest misstep could bring trouble for Zhou Cangyan.

So, Nanny Gui glanced at her goddaughter and coughed lightly, signaling her to watch her words.

Pang Jiliang quickly stepped forward. "Princess Consort, this is Nanny Gui. She is the Prince’s wet nurse and also the steward of Old Master Luo’s estate in Sui Bei."

Nanny Gui’s openly appraising gaze was anything but polite as she looked Song Lianhe up and down.

"Miss Song, I’ve heard some things about you, and I’ve come to confirm a few details."

’Her refusal to call me "Princess Consort" makes it clear just how unhappy she is with me.’

"By all means." Song Lianhe walked directly to the other side and confidently took a seat. "Nanny Gui, feel free to ask whatever you like."

Seeing her put on airs in front of her godmother, Cheng Xidian fumed, "My godmother is the Young Master’s wet nurse, which makes her your elder! When an elder stands, the young do not sit. When an elder sits, the young only sit when commanded! Do you have any sense of decorum?"

Song Lianhe scoffed. "Aren’t you the one with no decorum, Miss Cheng? This is the Prince Qing Mansion, not your backwater home in Sui Bei! I am the Princess Consort, brought here in an eight-bearer palanquin. I am the mistress of this mansion. Why shouldn’t I be seated?" She then looked toward Nanny Gui. "As for Nanny Gui, she is indeed the Prince’s wet nurse, but *only* a wet nurse. A servant who collects a monthly wage! It’s laughable, really. She is not his birth mother and holds no official rank. What gives her the right to be my elder? Is this how the Luo Family operates? No distinction between master and servant? The lower ranks freely offending their betters?"

SLAM!

Furious, Nanny Gui slammed her hand on the table and turned to glare at her. "What a shameless hussy! Enough of your sharp-tongued insolence! Now tell me, did you or did you not feign pregnancy to trick our Biwu into marrying you?!"

Pang Jiliang froze. "Nanny..."

"Shut your mouth!"

Among these people, Nanny Gui had always held great authority; her word was law.

Pang Jiliang swallowed his words, not daring to speak again, but he cast a worried glance at the Princess Consort.

Qingqing and Youyou, standing on either side of her, were too frightened to even look up.

"Pregnant?" Song Lianhe was bewildered. "Where on earth did this rumor come from?"

"Rumor?" Cheng Xidian sneered. "Housekeeper Pang, why don’t you tell us? Is it a rumor?"

"Er... well..." Pang Jiliang frowned, looking deeply troubled.

"Uncle Liang, why are you stammering?"

Song Lianhe let out a laugh of pure exasperation. "I’m a physician myself. Wouldn’t I know if I were pregnant or not?"

"Pang Jiliang!" Nanny Gui barked. Pang Jiliang immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Nanny... it’s true."

Song Lianhe’s smile vanished.

’She could accept being framed by someone else, but she would never, ever believe it of Uncle Liang!’

"Uncle Liang, what is going on? I’m pregnant, and I don’t know about it? Who did you hear this from?"

Pang Jiliang looked at her and said helplessly, "The Prince."

"Zhou Cangyan?!"

This time, Song Lianhe couldn’t stay seated.

’So the source of the rumor was Zhou Cangyan all along!’

’But why would he say that?’

"What else do you have to say for yourself?" Nanny Gui slammed the table as she rose, striding over to glare at Song Lianhe. "I was wondering why Biwu would suddenly marry a woman as unpresentable as you! So you resorted to such a filthy trick! Xidian, tie her up!"

"Yes, Godmother!"

Cheng Xidian’s eyes lit up; this was the moment she had been waiting for.

Just as she was about to step forward, Pang Jiliang quickly blocked her. "Nanny, please reconsider. The Princess Consort is, after all, carrying the Prince’s child..."

"Uncle Liang! You’ve been deceived by this woman!" Cheng Xidian pointed at Song Lianhe and raged, "She’s not pregnant at all! It’s a lie! She tricked the Young Master!"

"What? Not... not pregnant?"

"If you don’t believe me, go ask Young Master Huai. He said so himself."

Pang Jiliang froze on the spot, disappointment plain on his face.

’Listening to Cheng Xidian’s confident accusations, anyone would think I had orchestrated this whole thing. But I’m the real victim here! From start to finish, not a single person has asked me about any of this! Suddenly being declared pregnant out of nowhere... I’m just as baffled as anyone!’

Just as Cheng Xidian’s hand was about to touch Song Lianhe, a teacup flew through the air.

Cheng Xidian, being quick and agile, instantly dodged it and fixed a wary gaze on the doorway.

Holding a short sword, Xuan Mei slowly walked toward them. "I’d like to see who dares touch the Princess Consort."

The moment she saw her, Song Lianhe felt an overwhelming urge to cry.

"Sister Mei..."

’They’re spreading such malicious rumors about me!’

Xuan Mei walked closer, glanced at her, and rolled her eyes. "So pathetic."

She then moved to stand in front of Song Lianhe, fixing Cheng Xidian with a cold glare. "Cheng Xidian, this is the Prince Qing Mansion. This is no place for you to run wild."

Cheng Xidian said in disbelief, "Xuan Mei, didn’t you hear what was said? This woman deceived the Young Master! Why are you still protecting her?"

"I am merely carrying out the Master’s orders from before he left: protect the Princess Consort. Everything else must wait for the Master’s return to be decided."

Nanny Gui suddenly spoke up. "Go on and tie her up. If anything happens, I will take full responsibility!"

Xuan Mei remained expressionless. "That’s a responsibility you cannot bear, Nanny."

"What do you mean by that?"

Nanny Gui’s authority had been challenged again and again. Her patience had long since run out, and she was ready to teach them a lesson.

"It seems my long stay in Sui Bei has made you all forget who I am!" With that, she shouted, "Seize her now!"

As her voice fell, a dozen or so masked men in black swarmed in through the window and the door, completely surrounding Song Lianhe.

Song Lianhe jumped in fright and immediately hid behind Xuan Mei.

As she peeked her head out, she spotted the Tiger Talisman hanging from the waist of the lead man. She suddenly remembered that the original novel mentioned the two most formidable private guard units in the Sui Bei region: one was the Chi Xiao, founded by Zhou Cangyan, and the other was Old Master Luo’s private guard—the Tiger Beak.

The Tiger Beak was an organization of hereditary Death Warriors, founded by an ancestor of the Luo Family.

That ancestor had arranged for wives and concubines for the Tiger Beak to ensure they had descendants. Afterward, sons would inherit their fathers’ roles, dedicating their lives to protecting the Luo Family for generations!

Therefore, the Tiger Beak were actually more terrifying than the Chi Xiao. Their descendants were endless, generation after generation, like an army that could never be wiped out!

’I can’t believe Old Master Luo even sent the Tiger Beak! Which means...’

Song Lianhe drew in a sharp breath.

’No wonder Nanny Gui was acting so high and mighty. The one who really wanted me captured was... Old Master Luo!’

Song Lianhe’s legs went weak, and she was too stunned to even cry.

And Xuan Mei, standing guard in front of her, also froze the moment the Tiger Beak appeared. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The man in the lead slowly stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Xuan Mei, the brothers and sisters of the Tiger Beak never point their blades at their own... Are you going to defy the ancestors’ creed?"