Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 277: She Really Is Her Spitting Image
Song Xilan refused to believe that Song Lianhe was completely unharmed—not so much as a single hair out of place.
’But how could the news Man Yue brought back be false?’
Suppressing a storm of complex emotions, she asked, "And the Prince?"
"Er, I just asked the coachman. The Prince went to Huaxu Square."
"What kind of place is that?"
"I asked around as well. They say it’s... it’s... the Music Bureau."
CRASH.
Song Xilan violently swept all the teacups from the table onto the floor.
—
「Huaxu Square.」
Shu Fengli knelt on the ground, his head bowed, not daring to breathe.
Zhen Niang stood to the side, watching him coldly.
Zhou Junlin took a sip of tea, his eyes cold and dark. "Where did you go?"
Shu Fengli’s fists tightened, and he lowered his head even further. "Your Highness, an old enemy of mine came looking for me."
"Oh?"
Zhou Junlin looked up. Though his dark eyes seemed gentle, they held an inexplicable, cold detachment. "You have enemies?"
"Your Highness, as a ’guard’ at Huaxu Square, it’s my job to gamble and visit brothels. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be a convincing guard. Since I frequent these places, I’m bound to make enemies. It’s perfectly normal for people to come looking for a fight."
His explanation was plausible enough.
Huaxu Square was a den of vipers where relationships were a tangled mess. Gathering intelligence here inevitably required certain "sacrifices."
The man kneeling before him was a prime example.
Seeing his many injuries, Zhou Junlin’s attitude softened. "Go and have your wounds treated."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Shu Fengli cupped his fist and bowed, then departed.
Just before he left, he glanced at Zhen Niang, then tore his gaze away and strode out.
"Zhen Niang."
Zhou Junlin’s tone was noticeably softer when he addressed her.
"Your Highness."
Zhen Niang turned and gave him a slight curtsy.
"Have you found out anything about King Qing?"
"Yes," Zhen Niang replied, her tone respectful but not subservient. "Zhou Cangyan entered the Li Guan Sect a few days ago under the alias Fu Yuan, claiming to be one of Prince Xin’s men from the Wu Qi Country."
"Hah. Prince Xin? Only he would come up with that."
Wu Qi Country may be in the throes of civil war, but they remain vigilant against foreign threats. Prince Xin has had his own spies planted at Li Zong Pass for a long time.
"He came to see you."
Zhen Niang’s hand tightened within her sleeve. She steadied her breathing and said slowly, "Yes. He’s investigating the E Mansion affair."
Zhou Junlin scoffed. "In that case, he must know you work for me."
Just then, Gu Ha hurried into the room, bowed his head, and whispered, "Your Highness, the Princess Consort..."
Upon hearing those words, Zhen Niang’s lips pressed into a thin line, and her breathing grew heavy.
Zhou Junlin frowned and glanced at her. "Go attend to things outside."
"I will take my leave."
Zhen Niang walked out of the private room, twisting a handkerchief in her hands. She couldn’t help but touch her own face, but she quickly composed herself and led her maid down to the main hall.
She spotted Song Xilan almost immediately.
This wasn’t the first time Zhen Niang had seen her. Back in Ling’an, she had secretly watched her from outside the General Mansion.
’She really does look just like me.’
At the same time, Song Xilan also saw Zhen Niang.
With her sharp intellect, Song Xilan understood the situation the moment she laid eyes on Zhen Niang.
’There was nothing romantic between Zhou Junlin and this woman.’
The moment Zhen Niang saw that flash of understanding in the other woman’s eyes, it felt like a punch to the gut. Guilt, resentment, and a dozen other emotions tangled within her.
’I’ll always be living in her shadow.’
Song Xilan sat with an air of natural grace in a private booth, Man Yue standing behind her. Despite being a maid with a face still bruised and swollen, Man Yue couldn’t help but act haughty and superior in front of Zhen Niang. ’Even among servants, there’s a pecking order,’ she thought. ’No matter what, I serve the Princess Consort. That’s a hundred times better than some woman from a brothel.’
Zhen Niang approached gracefully. "Milady, were you the one asking to see me?"
Song Xilan didn’t speak, instead looking her up and down.
Zhen Niang was used to such condescending, scrutinizing looks. But coming from Song Xilan, it felt like a profound humiliation.
She maintained a polite smile, allowing the other woman to stare.
"I’m here looking for someone."
Song Xilan said, getting straight to the point.
Zhen Niang lowered her gaze and smiled. "And who might milady be looking for?"
"My husband." Her voice was gentle and alluring, carrying the charming, pampered air of a girl from a wealthy family. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
’She must be dearly loved by her husband,’ Zhen Niang thought.
Zhen Niang clutched her handkerchief. The ever-composed woman found herself blurting out, "Only gentlemen come here. I wonder which one you’re looking for?"
The words were laced with mockery, implying that Song Xilan couldn’t keep her own husband in line.
Song Xilan’s expression turned cold.
Man Yue immediately snapped, "Insolence! How dare a common procuress like you speak to my lady that way! Do you have a death wish?!"
Ordinarily, Song Xilan would have reprimanded Man Yue for her foul language.
But now, she merely sat there in cold silence, as elegant and pure as a winter plum blossom braving the snow.
Behind Zhen Niang, her young maid Xi Que, who had served her the longest, couldn’t bear to hear her mistress insulted like this. She couldn’t help but retort, "You’re the one who came here looking for him, so why act all high and mighty? My mistress is just running a business. It’s not like she held a knife to your husband’s throat, did she? He came here of his own free will. What’s that got to do with her?"
"Xi Que!"
Zhen Niang immediately rebuked her.
Xi Que knew Zhou Junlin’s identity, of course, but she also knew how deep her mistress’s feelings for him ran, which was why she couldn’t stop herself from speaking up.
Song Xilan watched the pair, master and servant, with cold eyes, then lowered her gaze.
"Man Yue, slap her."
"Yes, milady!"
Man Yue rolled up her sleeves and strode over. Zhen Niang tried to block her but was forcefully shoved aside. Two sharp slaps landed on Xi Que’s face. SLAP! SLAP!
Xi Que clutched her face, her eyes red with humiliation. Zhen Niang was fiercely protective of her people. Seeing Xi Que struck, she spun around and snapped, "Your Ladyship may be of high status, but we are not dirt beneath your feet! Xi Que is one of Huaxu Square’s people. It is not your place to discipline her!"
Song Xilan’s lips curved into a cold smile. "Whether it is my place or not is for me to decide. As for your status... do I really need to say more?"
’What is my status?’
’Am I Zhou Junlin’s subordinate, or am I just Song Xilan’s stand-in?’
In that instant, Song Xilan’s contempt seemed to break Zhen Niang’s back.
Just then, someone swept aside the curtains to the private booth and walked in. "What’s going on here?"
Seeing who it was, the dam holding back all of Zhen Niang’s grievances instantly broke.
She went to help Xi Que up, her heart aching as she stroked the girl’s cheek. Her own eyes grew red, tears clinging to her lashes, her expression of unshed sorrow utterly pitiable.
"Junlin~"
Song Xilan rushed forward in delight, habitually linking her arm with his and pressing half her body into his embrace. "Why did you come out without telling me? You had me searching for you in the middle of the night..."
The man’s sharp, piercing gaze swept over Xi Que’s face, then to Zhen Niang’s red-rimmed eyes. His brow furrowed involuntarily.
