Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 343: They Cursed Me

"They cursed at me!"

Song Lianhe stomped her foot petulantly, her slender hand pointing directly at the family of three kneeling before her.

"Oh?"

Zhou Cangyan looked back, his gaze slowly turning grim, as sharp as a torch’s flame.

Zhuang Fangming and the others cowered. This wasn’t like the deceit and intrigue of the Court. They had insulted her, and that was that. There was no way to argue their way out of it.

"How did they curse at you?"

That was the very question Song Lianhe had been waiting for. She repeated every single word of Zhuang Qiaoyue’s tirade against her.

She finished with a few symbolic sobs. "They said you have someone else in your heart!"

Zhou Cangyan froze, slowly turning his head to stare at her.

But Song Lianhe didn’t care!

’So what if I’m using a public matter to settle a private score?’

’You’re the one passing off fish eyes as pearls, ignoring a beautiful young lady like me to go chasing after some married woman!’

Zhou Cangyan looked away, but Song Lianhe had no intention of letting him off the hook. She moved closer, staring at him. "So, your silence means it’s true? You have someone else in your heart? You’re toying with my affections?!"

They were so close she could hear him grinding his teeth.

After a long moment, he squeezed a single word from between his teeth: "No."

She leaned in even closer, rising on her tiptoes and deliberately putting her ear near his mouth. "No what?"

Zhou Cangyan pressed his lips together, took a deep breath, and said, word by word, "This Prince has no one else in his heart."

Song Lianhe smiled, like a peony suddenly bursting into bloom—vibrant and incomparably beautiful.

"That’s right! I don’t know where these filthy rumors came from, saying my Prince has someone else in his heart, someone who can’t even be named! If you ask me, the person who started this rumor deserves to be executed! Why would my Prince ever like someone like that? Right now, I’m the only one in his heart!"

Zhou Cangyan stared at her fixedly. She had spoken loudly enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

He suddenly realized she was clearing his name for him.

Zhou Cangyan lowered his gaze. "Shadow."

"Here."

"These people have started rumors to slander and humiliate this Prince’s Princess Consort. Escort them to the Ministry of Justice."

"Yes, sir."

Zhuang Fangming was aghast. "Prince Qing! This humble official is an appointee of the Court! You can’t—"

Suddenly, a sword was at his neck.

"Ah! My lord!"

"Father!"

Zhuang Fangming stared at the sword, his face deathly pale. He didn’t dare say another word.

Zhou Cangyan approached with a slight smile. "This Prince can."

As the three of them were dragged out of the residence, Zhuang Qiaoyue clung to her mother in terror. "Mother~ I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go to the Ministry of Justice..."

Just then, Xuan Mei emerged, carrying a servant in one hand.

"He tried to run, but I caught him."

Song Lianhe pumped her fist happily. "My Sister Mei is amazing!" Then she added, "Could I trouble you to take him to the Ministry of Justice as well, Sister Mei?"

Xuan Mei nodded and left, dragging the man with her.

Zhou Cangyan let out a short, huffing laugh. "You’re getting quite comfortable ordering my people around."

Song Lianhe shook her head, and she did it with confidence.

"This is mutual assistance. How could you call it ordering her around?"

After speaking, she narrowed her eyes at him, a half-smile on her face as she asked, "In that case, let’s talk about you, Prince Qing. The matter you came here for—did you get the result you wanted?"

Zhou Cangyan crossed his arms and walked up to her. She slowly tilted her head back to look up at him.

’Tsk, tsk. This height difference really puts a damper on my imposing aura.’

"You seem to know quite a lot."

"I’ve just been smart since I was little."

"Then this Prince would be interested to hear what you think this Prince’s purpose was for this trip."

"Obviously, it wasn’t to help me vent my anger."

Song Lianhe’s tone was matter-of-fact; she didn’t feel wronged in the slightest. She had never expected anyone else to help with Ah Jun’s matter anyway. ’Of course I have to protect my own people myself.’

He raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.

"The Holy Emperor had just issued the decree for our marriage, so there was no time for an official edict to be promulgated. How could Minister Zhuang’s family possibly recognize me? And that was exactly the effect you wanted! So, you brought me here to openly stir up trouble, didn’t you? The bigger the scene I made, the better. Naturally, I couldn’t disappoint your kind intentions. Minister Zhuang is an old fox, but Zhuang Qiaoyue is simple-minded, so I started with her. And I’d say the results were quite good."

After hearing her out, Zhou Cangyan remained noncommittal, but the smile on his lips deepened.

"Also..."

She raised a hand to her lips conspiratorially and whispered, "Governor E used to be with the Ministry of Industry, right?"

Zhou Cangyan’s eyelashes twitched, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Song Lianhe continued, "Back then, Governor E was the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and Zhuang Fangming was just the Assistant Minister. Although Governor E was forced by circumstances to flee to Li Zong Pass, Zhuang Fangming must have secretly spared no effort to make that happen. Your trip here wasn’t just to get revenge for Governor E. You’re also... looking for something?"

As she spoke, she watched him tentatively. "Perhaps... it’s related to what you were looking for at Li Zong Pass?"

Zhou Cangyan glanced at her, then suddenly reached out and poked her on the forehead, pushing her back a little.

"These are not matters you should be involved in."

Song Lianhe smiled, pressing her lips together. "Don’t worry, I’m not interested in your grand ambitions. I only care about your safety."

The man’s gaze was deep and fixed, his eyes like a dark, bottomless abyss.

---

「Ministry of Justice, Right Temple Deputy Hall.」

Jing Ye informed Zhuang Fangming that the Holy Emperor had already decreed the marriage. Zhuang Fangming immediately collapsed to the floor. "This... Prince Qing didn’t say a single word when he arrived! If this official had known that she was Princess Qing, I would never have been so neglectful! Prince Qing was deliberately..."

Jing Ye cut in sharply, "Mr. Zhuang, please watch your words."

In another official office.

Zhuang Qiaoyue was still crying and complaining, "How was I supposed to know she was the real Princess Qing? She was deliberately trying to trick me!"

Lady Zhuang said angrily, "Our whole family has been locked up in the Ministry of Justice. What’s the use of saying all this now?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"How can you blame me for this? If you’re going to blame someone, blame that bit—"

"Shut your mouth! Are you trying to get your father into even more trouble?"

Just then, the door was pushed open.

"Princess Consort Ling!"

Seeing the person who entered, Zhuang Qiaoyue scrambled to her feet, rushed over, and knelt on the floor. "Xilan, Xilan, you have to help me! That woman is going to be the death of me!"

Lady Zhuang knelt as well. "Princess Consort Ling, you must help my husband, no matter what! We didn’t mean to offend Prince Qing and Princess Qing. It was Princess Qing who deliberately provoked Qiaoyue..."

Kong Qing helped Song Xilan to a seat. She too had been punished for offending Song Lianhe in front of the Empress; she was only spared after Song Xilan pleaded on her behalf. Still, she harbored a deep hatred for Song Lianhe in her heart.

"Some Princess Qing! She’s nothing but a medical woman! Prince Qing only married her because of his lingering bitterness..."

"Kong Qing."

Song Xilan shot her a sidelong glance, and Kong Qing immediately lowered her eyes. "Yes, this servant was wrong. But... but what this servant said is the truth!"

"That’s enough!"

"Yes..."

But Kong Qing’s words still sent ripples through Song Xilan’s heart.

She had also been puzzled. Having lived through this once before, Zhou Cangyan and Song Lianhe shouldn’t have ever crossed paths. Why, then, did he agree to the marriage?

But Kong Qing had hit the nail on the head.

’That’s right. He’s just full of lingering bitterness!’

’He only agreed to the Holy Emperor’s decree to spite me.’