Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 354: Leave the Skinning to Me

The Shadow Guard was startled. He’d always thought Princess Qing was a harmless little rabbit, but he never expected her to be so imposing when she lost her temper!

Housekeeper Pang stroked his goatee, a look of gratification on his face.

’Now *this* is how the mistress of the house should behave!’

Xuan Mei was unfazed, leaning languidly against a pillar.

In her eyes, this was exactly how Princess Qing should be.

She couldn’t quite explain why, but it felt as if nothing Song Lianhe did could surprise her. Instead, she found herself irrationally agreeing with her every action.

Nanny Tian and Kong Qing each had a red slap mark on one cheek. They clutched their faces, glaring at her in a rage.

Especially an elder like Nanny Tian. As the senior nanny to the mistress of the General Mansion and Princess Consort Ling’s own etiquette tutor, how could she possibly swallow the insult of being publicly humiliated!

"You may be Princess Qing, but this old servant is from the General Mansion! Even if I was in the wrong, it is not your place to discipline me!"

"That’s right!" Kong Qing added, grinding her teeth. "Princess Qing, you’re showing no respect for the National Guardian General and Princess Consort Ling!"

’Because of Song Lianhe, she’d been toyed with by a bird! Then she’d nearly been beaten with a rod upon returning to the mansion! Song Lianhe was nothing but a medical woman. In terms of status, she was lower than a first-rank headmaid like herself! What right did she have to become a princess consort?!’

’In her eyes, Song Lianhe was completely unworthy of being Princess Qing! Her station was far above her virtue! To say something truly disrespectful, the Holy Emperor himself must have been blind to have arranged a marriage for such a woman!’

The Shadow Guard’s temper flared. He started to roll up his sleeves and step forward. ’How dare they act so arrogantly in the Prince Qing Mansion? Even if I don’t hit women, I’ll have to make an exception today!’

"Heh."

Song Lianhe suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"The National Guardian General? I doubt he knows about the mess you’ve made back at his home, does he?"

Nanny Tian and Kong Qing’s hearts tightened, and they both averted their gazes.

Nanny Tian said, "This is a matter for our General Mansion. We won’t trouble Princess Qing to worry about it!"

"How could I not? The National Guardian General is a pillar of the state. How can he be shamed because of some woman? Sister Mei, please send an 800-li express message. Make sure this news reaches him, so he can make a decision quickly and preserve the Great General’s reputation."

Xuan Mei: "Mm."

"You can’t!"

Nanny Tian rushed to grab Song Lianhe, but Xuan Mei blocked her with her short sword.

"You insolent creature!"

Housekeeper Pang stepped behind Song Lianhe and rebuked angrily, "How dare you run wild in our Prince Qing Mansion! Is Princess Qing someone filth like you can bully? If we don’t skin you alive, people will think the Prince Qing Mansion has no discipline!"

The Shadow Guard stood on her other side, cracking his knuckles. "I’ll handle the skinning!"

Song Lianhe tilted her head and whispered, "Do it quickly. It’s no fun if they die halfway through."

The Shadow Guard chuckled. "Just watch, Your Highness! When it comes to knife work, I’ve never lost to anyone!"

"You people..."

Nanny Tian and Kong Qing backed away in terror.

Just then, the door creaked open.

Song Xilan looked shyly at the man beside her. "Then, I thank Your Highness."

Zhou Cangyan said nothing. His eyes immediately found Song Lianhe standing at the bottom of the steps. His brow arched uncontrollably as he blurted out, "What trouble have you gotten into now?"

The moment Song Lianhe saw him walk out with Song Xilan, all emotion slowly drained from her face, leaving only cold indifference.

She turned away from him and said flatly, "Just teaching some insubordinate servants a lesson."

Nanny Tian scrambled over to Song Xilan and fell to her knees with a THUD. "Your Highness, you must seek justice for this old servant!"

Kong Qing knelt beside her, lifting her head in a blubbering mess of tears and snot. "Nanny Tian and I were both brought here by you, Your Highness, but Princess Qing attacked us without any reason! Even if we are servants, justice must distinguish between right and wrong! We beg Your Highness to seek justice for us!"

Song Xilan saw the distinct slap marks on their faces, and fury immediately welled up inside her.

’She was still here, and Song Lianhe had dared to strike her people. Wasn’t that the same as slapping her in the face?!’

"Doctor Song—"

Before she could finish, Housekeeper Pang cut her off. "Is Princess Consort Ling not aware that the Holy Emperor himself decreed the marriage? As this old servant recalls, Princess Consort Ling was present when the imperial edict was read! That being the case, how could you possibly be unaware of our Princess Qing’s identity? So what is the meaning of addressing her as ’Doctor Song’? This old servant fails to understand."

Song Lianhe inwardly took a sharp breath, her eyes filled with admiration for Housekeeper Pang.

’A tongue that sharp, practically dipped in max-level poison, was speaking for all the readers!’

Song Xilan’s cheeks flushed. When she looked at Housekeeper Pang, her eyes held hidden resentment, but her expression quickly shifted back to one of gentle humility. "I seem to have forgotten," she said softly. "There is no Doctor Song anymore, is there? It should be Princess Qing."

As she spoke, she timidly glanced up at Zhou Cangyan, her voice laced with disappointment and heartache.

Zhou Cangyan didn’t spare the two servants a glance. His gaze remained fixed on Song Lianhe.

Her skin was as white as snow, which made the bruise on her chin, where she had been grabbed, all the more conspicuous under the sunlight.

His brow gradually furrowed. He found the mark extremely unsightly.

Song Xilan followed his gaze and realized he was looking at Song Lianhe. Her fingernails dug sharply into her palm. Only that acute pain could help her remain composed and stop her true emotions from showing.

"Both of you, get up," Song Xilan said softly. "If Princess Qing saw fit to punish you, then you must have been in the wrong. Stop making a scene and embarrassing yourselves."

Nanny Tian and Kong Qing got to their feet, their faces still filled with indignation.

Song Lianhe let out a laugh. "Princess Consort Ling is truly benevolent, always looking after and protecting those around you! That must be why you have a dear relative like Mrs. Song, a good friend like Miss Zhuang, and servants who feel free to run amok in another’s home."

Song Xilan’s expression changed. She stared hard at Song Lianhe. She had no retort, especially since she had come to the Prince Qing Mansion to ask for a favor. It wasn’t worth antagonizing the entire household over a moment of indignation.

So she forced herself to swallow her anger. Lowering her gaze, she gently reached out and seemed to furtively tug on the corner of Zhou Cangyan’s sleeve. "I don’t know what I did wrong... but I’m very sorry." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Song Lianhe’s eyes widened, her gaze fixed on Song Xilan’s hand.

Then, she slowly raised her head to glare at Zhou Cangyan, her eyes practically shooting fire.

’Let go!’

’Have you no sense of propriety?!’

Zhou Cangyan met her glare, a flash of amusement crossing his light brown eyes. He could have ignored it—he *should* have ignored it—but for some reason, his body acted faster than his mind. He took an imperceptible step forward, smoothly pulling his sleeve free from Song Xilan’s grasp.

Song Xilan froze.

The radiant woman across from her pressed her lips together, unable to suppress the smile that tugged at their corners.

’That’s more like it!’

"Princess Consort Ling, you needn’t blame yourself. You’ve done nothing wrong," he said, then ordered the Shadow Guard, "Bring Zhang Yu here and let them take him away."

Song Lianhe froze, her eyes snapping up to look at him.

’So, in the end, he was still going to give Song Xilan what she wanted.’

’Is she really that important to him?’

Then, she let out a self-mocking sneer.

’Of course she’s important. She’s the chosen female lead, after all.’

Upon hearing this, Nanny Tian was secretly overjoyed. ’It seems my young miss has persuaded King Qing!’

She couldn’t help but feel a surge of smugness. ’This was something only my young miss could have accomplished!’

The Shadow Guard’s eyes hardened. He didn’t move immediately. Instead, he turned his head stiffly to look at Song Lianhe.