Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 357: Not Called Granny for Nothing

When Song Lianhe rushed to the Southern Official’s residence and saw Yin Huan and E Jintang, she felt all the blood rush to her head!

In the side courtyard, E Jintang was kneeling on the ground, his head hanging limply. His face was covered in blood, and his entire body was a mass of wounds!

Yin Huan was tied up, frantic. "Jintang! E Jintang!" Then she started cursing, "Let him go! If anything happens to him, I’ll never forgive you! I’ll make sure you all die without a proper burial! Even as ghosts, you won’t find peace!!"

Song Lianhe spun around and glared furiously at Zhou Junlin. "You tortured him?"

Zhou Junlin sighed and rubbed his brow. Just as he was about to speak, Song Lianhe ran to E Jintang’s side. "Jintang!"

Seeing her, Yin Huan burst into tears. "Princess Consort! Save him! Please, save him!"

Song Lianhe immediately pulled a porcelain vial from her robes, poured out a pill, and stuffed it into his mouth. "This will save your life. It can bring you back from the brink of death."

E Jintang was barely breathing. Kneeling there, a thick, gurgling sound came from his throat. He still clutched his thousand-pound hammer, his eyelids drooped, and he spat out a mouthful of blood from time to time.

She had brought him all the way from Li Zong Pass. Even though he had gone to serve Zhou Cangyan, the bond they’d formed across two transmigrations had led her to see him as her own grand-nephew. He didn’t call her "Granny" for nothing!

Now, seeing him beaten to a pulp, Song Lianhe’s blood boiled. Gritting her teeth, she sprang up, ready to fight Zhou Junlin to the death.

With a helpless sigh, Zhou Junlin smoothed a hand over his brow. As she charged, he easily caught her hands, smoothly twisting her arms behind her back and pinning her against his chest.

"You nearly killed him!"

Song Lianhe was hysterical, struggling relentlessly.

Zhou Junlin, torn between annoyance and amusement, said, "Doctor Song, he’s the one who nearly wiped out my men."

Gu Ha added irritably, "The man fights like he has a death wish! He seriously wounded several of our brothers!"

Song Lianhe froze. Only then did she notice the men lying and sitting all around, groaning in agony. They were Zhou Junlin’s Golden Feather Guards.

The man behind her leaned closer, his voice hovering by her ear. "He’s been afflicted by Nanchen’s Puppetry Technique. Can you not tell, Doctor Song?"

"Puppetry Technique?"

Song Lianhe was stunned. Looking at E Jintang again, she realized his condition was indeed abnormal.

In the brief moment she was stunned, Zhou Junlin glanced down at her. Her skin was fair, seeming to glow with a delicate light. Her figure wasn’t rail-thin; on the contrary, she was soft in all the right places.

His heart softened inexplicably. ’I don’t want to let go.’

The feeling was startlingly sudden, but he had no desire to analyze it.

Song Lianhe suddenly struggled, and he instinctively tightened his grip on her wrist.

She frowned and turned her head to look at him. "Prince Ling! Surely you’re not afraid I’ll run away?"

Zhou Junlin slowly raised his eyes before finally releasing her. "I was simply afraid you would attack again."

Song Lianhe pursed her lips, ignored him, and returned to E Jintang’s side to examine him carefully.

She had once read in an ancient book that the Puppetry Technique was similar to Witchcraft. The most important thing was to find the Poisonous Insect!

But she was only a physician; she was unfamiliar with such esoteric arts.

However, seeing E Jintang’s state, she couldn’t afford to hesitate. She had to stop the bleeding and treat his wounds first, then find the Poisonous Insect.

Who could have known that just as she raised her hand to touch E Jintang, his eyes would snap open—bloodshot and wide with fury. With a great roar, he gripped his hammer and began to swing—

Zhou Junlin moved in a flash. He leaped behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her to safety.

Song Lianhe, her heart still pounding, stared at the rampaging E Jintang. "Who on earth placed this Gu on him?"

"Heh. Take a guess."

"...Zhang Yu?"

Song Lianhe’s head snapped up, and she grabbed the front of his robes. "Where is Zhang Yu?"

Zhou Junlin’s eyelashes flickered. "You’ll have to ask them that."

Song Lianhe started to go to Yin Huan, only to realize the man’s arm was still wrapped around her waist. Their current position was far too intimate.

She looked up at him suspiciously. Zhou Junlin, however, adopted the air of a perfect gentleman. "I merely saved your life. No need to thank me."

"..."

Song Lianhe pressed her lips together. She had always been one to repay her debts, and he had, in fact, just saved her.

So, she cleared her throat and said awkwardly, "Thank you."

The tension in Zhou Junlin’s brow relaxed. "A life-saving favor should, of course, be properly thanked."

Song Lianhe shot him another glare. ’This man is truly infuriating!’

E Jintang was now surrounded by Zhou Junlin’s Golden Feather Guards. Iron chains as thick as a man’s wrist were wrapped around his waist, feet, and neck. More than a dozen men pulled the chains taut in unison, using every last ounce of their strength. Their faces grew red and their necks bulged with the strain, and they could only just barely manage to restrain him.

Gu Ha couldn’t help but exclaim, "What monstrous strength!"

Zhou Junlin narrowed his eyes, watching for a long moment before finally speaking. "Why can’t a man like this work for me?"

Meanwhile, Song Lianhe had reached Yin Huan. Seeing her bound made her furious all over again. Immediately pulling rank as the Princess Consort, she snapped, "How dare you tie up one of my people?!"

The Golden Feather Guards looked to Zhou Junlin, who gave a nod. Only then did they release her.

Yin Huan immediately ran to E Jintang, but his gaze was vacant; he clearly didn’t recognize anyone.

Song Lianhe followed. Zhou Junlin’s eyes narrowed, and he shot a look at Gu Ha. The latter understood at once and moved to Song Lianhe’s side to protect her.

"What happened here?"

"It’s all my fault... It’s all my fault!" Yin Huan murmured, suddenly raising a hand and slapping herself hard across the face. "This is all because of me!"

Song Lianhe pulled her aside and, after some gentle questioning, finally learned what had happened.

After that Zhang Yu had brought them to the Southern Official’s residence, he claimed the Silver was buried underground. Who could have known he’d set a trap? Above the Silver were the Poisonous Insects he’d been raising!

E Jintang was bitten instantly. Zhang Yu had intended to control him and escape. But unexpectedly, E Jintang was a hard man. The moment the Poisonous Insect burrowed into his flesh, he had, without a second thought, raised his own blade and hacked at himself...

Song Lianhe’s voice trembled. "You mean... the wounds on his body... he did this to himself?"

Yin Huan nodded through her tears.

Looking again at the crisscrossing gashes on E Jintang’s body, she realized he must have hacked at himself wherever the Poisonous Insect burrowed... The thought alone of such a gruesome scene was chilling.

"After Zhang Yu escaped, Prince Ling’s men arrived."

Song Lianhe’s gaze met Zhou Junlin’s. He looked at her impassively before glancing away.

’It seems I really did misunderstand him.’

The priority now was to bandage E Jintang’s wounds, so she had no choice but to ask Zhou Junlin for help.

"Give this to him."

She handed him a pill.

Zhou Junlin glanced at it before taking it. At the same time, he picked up a small stone and flicked it at E Jintang’s forehead.

A red welt immediately appeared on E Jintang’s forehead. Song Lianhe frowned, shooting Zhou Junlin a reproachful glare.

Zhou Junlin found it amusing. ’She seems to be soft-hearted toward everyone around her, yet with me, she’s always so prickly.’

His thoughts were his own. Just as E Jintang roared in anger and was about to shake off the men holding him, Zhou Junlin flicked the pill between his fingers straight into his mouth.

Gradually, E Jintang grew quiet. His knees buckled, and he collapsed back onto the ground, panting heavily. Then, his head lolled to one side, and he fell into a deep sleep.

"Jintang!"

Yin Huan rushed over, looking at him with concern.

By now, Song Lianhe had already rolled up her sleeves, ready to suture his wounds.

"Prepare hot water, a willow-leaf scalpel, hemostatic powder, mulberry-bark sutures, needles, and clean linen cloths..."

When the person beside her didn’t move, she glanced sideways at him in confusion.

Zhou Junlin: "..."

He slowly turned his head to look at Gu Ha and raised an eyebrow. "What are you waiting for? Go."

Gu Ha: "Oh... right!"