Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 260: If I Break This Oath, May I Lose the One I Love!
Song Lianhe sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and moistened her throat. "First," she began, "I’m from out of town, which makes me an outsider. I can look at this matter with neutrality and impartiality."
Zhou Cangyan sat beside her, tilting his head to look at her.
"The people say that before all this, E Xianwang was always an honest and upright official. Even with a son like E Jintang, who is so... so simple and straightforward, he never once considered taking a concubine. And although Mrs. E has a fiery personality and often subjected the Governor to ’family discipline,’ their neighbors all saw them as a very loving couple."
She continued, "I know you can’t judge a person by their appearance. Perhaps he’s incredibly cunning and has fooled everyone. But I noticed one detail..."
Song Lianhe paused, her eyes shining as she looked at him with a fiery intensity.
Zhou Cangyan considered this for a moment. Looking momentarily speechless, he closed his eyes briefly before playing along. "Oh? And what detail is that?"
"The sister-in-law who supposedly eloped with E Xianwang arrived in Li Guan Sect from her ’hometown’ one month ago! But guess what? Mrs. E is from outside the border—you can tell just by looking at E Jintang’s build and features! According to the fourth daughter-in-law of the teahouse proprietress’s third maternal uncle, this woman who claims to be her sister speaks with a flawless Ling’an accent!"
Zhou Cangyan raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his eyes. He rested his cheek on one hand, gesturing for her to continue.
"Ever since this ’sister’ showed up, Governor E hasn’t been seen at all—for a whole month! Outsiders just say he’s lost himself in a lover’s paradise, but for Mrs. E and the E Family’s trusted staff to also disappear is just too strange! During that time, only this woman has been parading through the streets, as if she’s afraid people *won’t* know who she is. Considering Mrs. E’s ferocious personality, it’s completely illogical that she hasn’t killed this woman. It’s more like the husband and wife have been put under house arrest. To get to the bottom of this, we need to meet with Mrs. E!"
Having said her piece, Song Lianhe looked at Zhou Cangyan again.
He gave a nonchalant "Ah," the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile. In an instant, his handsome, refined face was suffused with a radiant light.
When he let down his guard, he looked like a banished immortal, unconcerned with the mortal realm. Song Lianhe’s heart began to race, and her cheeks felt warm.
"Go on," Zhou Cangyan said, his voice cool and languid, his light-colored eyes watching her lazily.
"Ahem... In that light, the disappearance of the Defense Map seems very fishy. And as for the alleged embezzlement, the Court hasn’t even begun its investigation, yet the matter is already considered closed because he supposedly confessed by ’fleeing with riches and a beautiful woman.’ Isn’t that all a bit too convenient? From start to finish, there’s been no concrete evidence that Governor E accepted bribes. It’s all just hearsay, rumors passed around the city. Isn’t that strange? Oh, by the way, who at Court was it that accused him of corruption?"
The man’s lips parted slightly. "Liu Weijun."
"Liu Weijun?" Song Lianhe’s memory was jogged, and she asked in surprise, "You mean Mrs. Liu’s cousin?"
Back then, Xin Haiyun had acted on Mrs. Liu’s behalf, bringing men to surround Song Lianhe’s small courtyard and even attempting to smash General Li Hua’s memorial tablet. If Zhou Cangyan hadn’t arrived in the nick of time to save both her and the tablet, she might not have been able to save even herself.
Later, Zhou Cangyan had dealt with Xin Haiyun so severely she was left half-dead. After being carried home, word was that she hanged herself.
Liu Weijun, too, was held accountable and dismissed from his post as Thousand Commander.
She later heard through gossip from Shuang Ye that this Liu Weijun had moved his mistress into his home before the first week of mourning for his deceased wife had even passed. Shuang Ye had cursed his name for some time.
If Zhou Cangyan hadn’t brought him up just now, Song Lianhe would have all but forgotten such a person existed.
"He’s just a measly Sixth-Grade Military Officer, a post he got through connections at that. He has absolutely no connection to Governor E, so what right does he have to make an accusation? And how did he obtain the supposed ’evidence’ of the governor’s corruption?"
Seeing her resting her chin in her hand with a frown, like a little kitten puzzling over a dried fish, he could tell she was thinking hard, yet she still managed to look utterly and endearingly silly.
"...It must be the work of the person backing Liu Weijun. He’s just a dancing clown on a string. But could the person behind him be... Song Xingfeng?" Her eyes widened. "Is it him?"
"We cannot know for certain until we return to Ling’an."
She narrowed her eyes at him. ’He’s too calm. He must already have some information that he’s just not willing to share with me.’
"In any case, Song Xingfeng is Song Xingfeng, and I am me."
Zhou Cangyan scoffed. "You’re quick to distance yourself. If I were to ever find myself in a crisis, you, as Princess Qing, wouldn’t be able to escape. What would you do then?"
"Then I wouldn’t run."
Song Lianhe replied without hesitation, "We’re married, so we’re in this together." She then smiled. "How could you think I’m so disloyal? I definitely won’t run away."
Her words sounded righteous enough, but ’whether I run or not will depend on the situation, of course!’
She silently added that last part in her head.
’I can’t stand those love-obsessed fools who are ready to sacrifice themselves for a lover at the drop of a hat. Hah, in this world, who could possibly be more important than yourself?’
The expression on the man’s face slowly faded.
He propped his head up with one hand, tilting it as he simply watched her, his gaze quiet and pure.
After a long moment, he said, "I will take that seriously."
"It is! What I said is true!"
Song Lianhe’s expression was utterly sincere. If she’d had a mirror, she would have gotten lost in her own torrential display of genuine emotion.
He continued to watch her, his face expressionless.
"Do you dare swear an oath?"
"What’s there to be afraid of!"
’Right now I feel like a total scumbag,’ Song Lianhe thought, ’deceiving a pure, innocent maiden. All that bullshit like, *’I’ll marry no one but you in this life,’* just rolls off the tongue. I could probably make it sound moving enough to shake the heavens.’
She immediately swore an oath to the moon. "What I, Song Lianhe, have said is true. If I break this oath, may I... may I..."
She peeked out of the corner of her eye at the man sitting leisurely beside her.
’Usually, once the mood is set like this, it’s his cue to jump up, reach out a hand in dramatic desperation, and yell, "Say no more! I believe you!!"’
’Only then would the scene be complete.’
But when she looked at Zhou Cangyan, he was still postured like he was watching a play, the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement as he occasionally took a sip of tea.
’He wants to see how I’m going to finish this performance.’
Song Lianhe had her pride, too. She couldn’t just drop a rock on her own foot!
So, steeling herself, she closed her eyes and declared decisively, "If I break this oath, may I be fated to lose what I love most!!"
’What’s love, anyway?’
’What kind of strange beast is a lover?’
’Is it as satisfying as a career?’
She was certain she would never fall into love’s trap, so she could make such an oath without a second thought.
"Lose what you love most, hmmm?" Zhou Cangyan raised his cool eyes, the corners of his lips lifting into an enigmatic smile. "You’re the one who said it. You’d better remember that."
Song Lianhe thumped her chest. "We healers have the best memories!"
"Good."
Just then, a Shadow Guard entered to report. "Young Master E has returned to the E Mansion. I saw Prince Ling and Princess Consort Ling there. Furthermore, Princess Consort Ling was taken to see Mrs. E alone..."
Hearing this, Song Lianhe’s first thought was that the pair wanted to pry information out of Mrs. E!
’Everything Song Xilan does is to help Zhou Junlin, of course.’
’But what about Zhou Junlin?’
’Is he really just here to investigate the case?’
’With Emperor Cheng Xiao gravely ill, he isn’t returning to the capital to report on his duties, but is out here investigating a case instead?’
’The original novel didn’t describe this part in much detail; the main plot points were all used to develop the relationship between Zhou Cangyan and Zhen Niang.’
’So, he must have an ulterior motive.’
’Liu Weijun is one of Song Xingfeng’s men, and Song Xingfeng supports Zhou Junlin. That means Zhou Junlin must be connected to the false accusation against Governor E.’
’But he’s the male lead, after all. He really has no reason to frame a city’s governor.’
’Unless...’
