Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 122: That Is Father and the Concubine’s Home

Chapter 122: Chapter 122: That Is Father and the Concubine’s Home

Song Lianhe had been on edge ever since she left Kunyi Palace.

Although the Empress hadn’t pressed her further, she had a nagging feeling that things weren’t that simple.

A palace attendant had just escorted her to East Yang Gate when someone hurried up from behind.

"Lianhe!"

"Father?"

Song Lianhe hadn’t expected to run into Song Xingfeng here. He was dressed in his official robes, likely having just left the morning court session.

"So you still remember you have a father?!"

Song Xingfeng was so furious he raised his hand to slap her. Seeing this, the palace attendant behind Song Lianhe frantically intervened. "Oh, my! General, please calm yourself! Please, General, calm down!"

Only then did Song Xingfeng recognize the attendant as someone from the Empress’s Kunyi Palace. He gritted his teeth and reluctantly lowered his hand.

Of course, Song Lianhe knew why he was angry. A slight smile touched her lips. "Father, the wedding is in just a few days. Aren’t you worried that your dear concubine will mishandle the arrangements and embarrass you? Rather than wasting time with me here, you should hurry back to the mansion to help oversee things."

"You have the gall to say that?" Song Xingfeng shot her a vicious glare. "Where on earth have you been these last few days?"

Song Lianhe smiled again. "I haven’t left Ling’an City. If you truly cared about me, Father, you would have sent people to find me long ago, wouldn’t you? Ling’an City is only so big; what’s there to fear you wouldn’t find me? Asking now just makes you look insincere. Utterly hypocritical, in fact."

There were some things she was unwilling to say outright, but she refused to let anyone use family ties as a sham.

’Are they even worthy?’

’Even Song Xilan was able to find me, yet my own father didn’t know where I was? Hah. Just how little does he care about his daughter?’

Song Xingfeng had only asked offhandedly. He cared far more about her breaking the engagement than about her whereabouts.

"You ran away from home, and you dare to blame me? You’ve utterly disgraced me!"

"Hah. The feeling’s mutual. It’s not like you’ve brought me any honor, either."

She replied with a placid smile, her impervious demeanor infuriating Song Xingfeng so much that he raised his hand to discipline her again. "You—"

"General, you mustn’t!"

The attendant pleaded again, and Song Xingfeng managed to suppress his fury. "Get back home!" he snapped.

Instead of striking her, he grabbed her by the wrist.

"You’re mistaken, Father. What home do I have? That place isn’t my home. It’s a home for you, your concubine, and my dear sister."

"Just listen to the outrageous things you’re saying! Your surname is Song, so how is it not your home? Stop spouting such nonsense! Your mother has to yield at every turn, living in this house as if she’s walking on thin ice, and your sister has to constantly watch your mood just to get by! Don’t think I don’t know about all this. If you have any sense of shame left, then get the hell back home!"

Although Song Xingfeng was furious, he was well aware they were at the palace gates, where acquaintances and colleagues were constantly passing by.

Hearing Song Xingfeng defend that mother-daughter pair, a dull ache started in her chest. It came in waves, a dense, prickling pain, as if she were being stabbed by countless needles.

She knew this pain belonged to the original owner of her body.

The feeling was deeply unpleasant. She clenched her fist and thumped her chest a few times. If she didn’t do something, she felt like she would suffocate.

Song Xingfeng frowned, looking down on her petty actions. ’It’s as if everything she does is just to get attention. She’s nothing like my Lan’er, who knows how to conduct herself with propriety!’

"What a fine ’yields at every turn.’"

Song Lianhe suddenly flung his hand off, lifted her head, and stared right at him. "Yielding until she was promoted from a lowly concubine to the official wife? Yielding until the illegitimate daughter replaced the legitimate one and is now set to become the properly wedded Princess Consort?"

Song Xingfeng’s face darkened. She was asking in earnest, but he just saw it as her being difficult and throwing a tantrum. "You are her junior. How dare you speak so brazenly of your elders?" he said, his voice laced with impatience. "Have you no upbringing or manners at all? Is this what I taught you?"

She scoffed. "Hah. Of course you didn’t. My mother died young, and you just tossed me aside in a corner of the mansion like a stray cat or dog. Even the servants dared to bully me! I had to fight with every ounce of my strength just to survive, and you want to talk to me about upbringing and manners? Let me ask you, Father, where were you when I was being bullied? Where were you when I was ignored and ridiculed? And I’ll ask you again, were you really so oblivious to what was happening in your own home?"

Song Xingfeng was stunned by her questions. In that single moment of hesitation, Song Lianhe found her answer.

It wasn’t just her; even the palace attendants behind them looked at her with sympathy.

"So you knew all along," she said, still smiling, but this time her smile was even brighter.

’In the original novel, Song Lianhe was just a minor supporting character, cannon fodder who didn’t get much screen time.’

’It was only after becoming Song Lianhe that she understood just how awful the original’s childhood had been. Beneath the glamorous facade seen by outsiders, her life was a ruin.’

Song Lianhe stood her ground and said with quiet dignity, "That is why I said the home you speak of, Father, can belong to anyone. But it is most certainly not mine."

She took a step back and turned to leave.

"Stop!"

Having been talked back to and rendered speechless by his own daughter in public, Song Xingfeng was already at the peak of his fury. ’If he let her leave now, wouldn’t that be an admission of guilt?’

"You’re becoming more and more uncontrollable!" He strode forward, grabbed Song Lianhe, and dragged her out through the East Yang Gate.

The palace attendants saw this but knew it was no longer their place to intervene. They quickly hurried back to report to the Empress.

The General Mansion’s carriage was waiting outside.

"I’m not getting in!"

Song Lianhe clung to the carriage door, refusing to get in.

Noticing a colleague approaching, Song Xingfeng seized her arm. He applied a little pressure, and Song Lianhe felt as if her arm was about to be broken in two!

"It hurts!"

In his rage, Song Xingfeng couldn’t care less if she was in pain. ’As long as it’s not broken, it doesn’t count as pain!’

He continued to use brute force, prying her hands off before shoving her into the carriage.

"Bring me my horse!"

He roared, and a guard immediately brought his horse. Song Xingfeng vaulted into the saddle. "Back to the mansion!"

The dispute between the father and daughter outside the palace gates was, of course, witnessed by many. By the time Gu Ha reported the news to Zhou Junlin, the prince had just recently arrived at Tanwei Palace.

Gu Ha leaned in, whispered in his ear, and then withdrew.

Noticing the subtle shift in Zhou Junlin’s expression, Consort Qi glanced back at him and said slowly, "If you have business to attend to, you may go."

Zhou Junlin’s brow furrowed. "Aunt, you were just saying that the Empress..."

Consort Qi abruptly raised a hand to cut him off, slowly closing her eyes. "I am tired. You should leave."

Zhou Junlin’s brow furrowed even more deeply. He rose and bowed to her.

Only after Zhou Junlin had left did Consort Qi open her eyes and glance toward the doorway.

’He really is just like his dear father, the Emperor...’

「National Guardian General Mansion, Die Cui Pavilion.」

Mrs. Liu was in her room speaking with relatives from her maiden family when Nanny Tian rushed back in. "Madam, the Second Miss has returned!"

"Song Lianhe is back?!" Mrs. Liu shot to her feet, her expression instantly souring. "What is that damned girl doing back here!" she spat.

"Replying to you, Madam, the master brought her back."

"The master... What has he done!"

Furious, Mrs. Liu slammed her hand on the table.

The woman sitting beside her asked curiously, "Sister, what has you so worked up?"

"Sigh, it’s that Song Lianhe. She’s like a lingering ghost you can’t get rid of!" Mrs. Liu grumbled to her sister-in-law, Xin Haiyun, before continuing, "Hmph. All that talk about how she’d never share a husband with another woman... I actually thought she had some spine. And look at her now! She was gone for just a few days before she couldn’t keep up the act and came scurrying back. Ptui! Utterly shameless!"