Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 28: My Reputation Is What It Is, Anyway

Song Lianhe knew she was beautiful. While making her way in the world alone, she’d had no shortage of powerful men offering their patronage. But she simply wasn’t wired that way, choosing instead the most difficult path of struggling on her own.

To be worthy of the label "femme fatale" was, at the very least, a form of acknowledgment for her beauty.

But Zhou Cangyan’s tone suddenly shifted. "However, you’ve underestimated me and overestimated yourself. A rumor so mindless isn’t worth believing."

Song Lianhe was so angry her eyes flew open. "Prince, what you’re saying is terribly biased! It’s a rumor—who cares about logic or facts? Who’s going to investigate? Of course, people will believe it first! I was only looking out for you, but if you don’t care, then I have nothing more to say! My reputation is what it is anyway. One more rumor makes no difference, and one less doesn’t matter!"

She gave a perfunctory curtsy, then turned and went back to her room.

The door slammed shut.

Shuang Ye was terrified and apologized profusely to Zhou Cangyan. "Prince, please don’t be angry with my lady."

Zhou Cangyan’s face darkened. ’She’s the first person who’s ever dared to show such disrespect to my face!’

’But if he were to bicker with a young woman, it would make him look bad!’

After giving him that warning, Song Lianhe decided to let it go. ’If Zhou Cangyan himself doesn’t care, why should I be worrying for nothing?’

Besides, the standard of living in the Prince Mansion wasn’t just a little better than at the General Mansion—it was a world of difference!

Zhou Cangyan had no need to project an image of diligence and incorruptibility. His food, clothing, and daily necessities were all the best money could buy, and he never short-changed himself.

Thanks to him, Song Lianhe also got to enjoy the finest food and goods.

However, there was one strange thing: he was always trying to assign a physician to her.

Having lived alone for so long, she had grown extremely vigilant, and Song Lianhe wasn’t about to give him the chance! She would either claim it was inconvenient or find an excuse to brush him off. Plus, with the strong support of Shuang Ye and Ah Yu, she managed to prevent any of those people from getting near her!

After a few days in the Prince Qing Mansion, Song Lianhe’s face had already started to look a little fuller.

But things at the General Mansion weren’t going so well. The day after Zhou Cangyan took Song Lianhe away, Song Xingfeng had him impeached. But who would have thought that before Zhou Cangyan could even open his mouth in the imperial court, someone else would stand up to accuse Song Xingfeng of managing his household poorly!

Song Xingfeng looked back and saw it was Li Helv, the Junior Minister of the Court of the Imperial Clan. He was a mere junior fifth-rank official, someone nobody usually paid any attention to.

Li Helv, shedding his usual low profile, spoke with impassioned fervor. He began by recounting General Li Hua’s service to the country and its people, stirring a wave of memories that had even the Holy Emperor sighing with emotion. Then, he brought up the birthday banquet for the concubine’s daughter at the General Mansion a few days prior. He told of how Princess Cheng Hong had appeared with General Li Hua’s memorial tablet, and how everyone had learned only then that the anniversary of Song Lianhe’s mother’s death fell on that very same day! Yet the National Guardian General had remembered only his concubine’s daughter’s birthday and forgotten the death anniversary of his departed wife...

「General Mansion.」

Mrs. Liu knew nothing of the events unfolding in the imperial court; she was busy preparing for the next day’s hairpin banquet.

"Lan’er, come quickly and look! This is the new headpiece Mother had made for you!"

Song Xilan fell in love with the Red Agate Headpiece the moment she saw it. "Mother, look! Doesn’t it complement my skin tone beautifully?"

"Heh heh, yes, it complements you very well."

The mother and daughter shared a laugh. Without Song Lianhe around, the entire mansion was peaceful and quiet.

"Madam, bad news! Something’s happened to the Master!"

Nanny Tian came running in and said frantically, "The Master, he..."

Before she could finish, a commotion erupted outside. Song Xingfeng was being carried in by several of his lieutenants.

"Oh, Husband! What... what happened?"

Mrs. Liu rushed forward. Seeing Song Xingfeng’s back beaten to a bloody pulp, she nearly fainted.

"Father!" Song Xilan cried out anxiously. "What happened?"

Song Xingfeng was lying face down on a stretcher as they carried him into the bedroom, his expression grim the entire time.

It was one of his adjutants, Zuo Yong, who quietly explained the situation to the mother and daughter.

Mrs. Liu was incredulous. "Just for a birthday?"

Zuo Yong lowered his voice. "Madam, please forgive me for speaking out of turn. Even in a commoner’s family, having the first wife’s death anniversary on the same day as a concubine’s daughter’s birthday is something that must be avoided. And we’re not just talking about anyone—we’re talking about a female general who donned armor and fought alongside the General to protect the nation, the Commandery Princess of the Xuan Chang Marquis Mansion! The General is lucky the old Marquis isn’t in Ling’an City. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn’t have gotten off with just twenty strokes of the plank!"

Mrs. Liu gasped, nearly unable to breathe. She clutched her chest as she sank into a seat. "How outrageous! This is simply outrageous!"