Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 310: This Woman Must Not Be Spared

Song Lianhe’s identity was questionable from the start, and after she successfully convinced Yin Huan to hand over the poetry collection, she became even more suspicious.

Cao Jin was still in a state of shock all the way back.

"...She seems to know too much. We can’t let her live."

This was his final conclusion.

In contrast, Zhou Cangyan appeared remarkably calm.

"We will know whether she can live or not once Yin Huan delivers the poetry collection."

Cao Jin looked at him in confusion. "This isn’t your style."

Men destined for greatness can’t afford to be sentimental. Even if Yin Huan was truly persuaded to bring the collection, that would only prove the woman was far too dangerous to be kept alive.

"Bullying a woman isn’t your style, either."

Cao Jin froze.

"Bullying?"

He scoffed, his face impassive as he looked at Zhou Cangyan in disbelief. "I’m talking about serious business. And you? Do you even hear yourself right now?"

Zhou Cangyan leaned back in his chair, his posture casual and relaxed. "You can’t touch her until Song Xilan’s poison is cured."

Cao Jin frowned. "Song Xilan is Princess Consort Ling now. She’ll be the death of you."

Although he disapproved of Song Xilan, he could reluctantly accept it if she was Zhou Cangyan’s reason for not killing the other woman.

Zhou Cangyan’s eyes darkened instantly. His gaze was like a deep-sea undercurrent—abyssal, profound, and laced with danger.

Cao Jin knew he had provoked him. Only matters concerning Song Xilan could make Zhou Cangyan show his emotions, but Cao Jin wasn’t afraid.

He just couldn’t understand it.

’He’s a man destined for great things, yet he’s letting romantic entanglements tie his hands!’

’An ordinary woman would be one thing, but she’s the wife of his greatest rival!’

Ignoring the other man’s icy glare, Cao Jin shot back, "You’ll fall at Song Xilan’s hands sooner or later!"

Just as they were speaking, a Shadow Guard entered and reported, "Yin Huan has left the residence. Xuan Mei is already tailing her."

Cao Jin and Zhou Cangyan exchanged a look, and without another word, Cao Jin rose and left.

Zhou Cangyan’s eyes lowered as he slowly leaned back in the chair. He closed them, and the idle afternoon sunlight filtered through the carved latticework of the window, dappling his tall frame.

’I’m going to marry Zhou Cangyan one day...’

’I don’t want my future husband to get the wrong idea...’

’He’s the only one in my heart.’

’I’m going to marry Zhou Cangyan one day...’

’I don’t want...’

"..."

The grating voice echoed endlessly in his ears.

Zhou Cangyan kept his eyes closed, the corner of one eyebrow twitching slightly.

’How... irritating.’

—

*Danling Ci*, a work by a great scholar of a previous dynasty.

The poetry collection, sought after by so many, now lay quietly on the table.

Yin Huan stood in the main hall, her clear eyes faintly glinting with a cold, ruthless air.

Zhou Cangyan merely glanced at the poetry collection before his gaze settled on Yin Huan. "Why?"

A Shadow Guard was staring at the book, his eyes wide with disbelief.

’The reason doesn’t matter anymore,’ he thought. ’The thing everyone has been dreaming of is finally in our lord’s hands! That’s what’s most important! With this poetry collection, all the undercover agents in Da Cheng and the other nations will be at our lord’s command!’

Even facing Zhou Cangyan, Yin Huan’s expression was unchanged. "I value my life."

Zhou Cangyan seemed to understand without needing to ask more. He simply said, "I will accept the poetry collection. And I will protect your life as well."

"Thank you."

Without another word, Yin Huan turned and walked away.

The Shadow Guard: "..."

He gestured toward the departing girl as he faced Xuan Mei. "Has she always been such a character?"

As Yin Huan exited Governor E’s study, Xiaoyi through Little Eight, who were standing guard, merely lifted their heads to glance at her before lying back down to sleep.

"Jiu’er!"

E Jintang was practicing with a war hammer in the courtyard. The moment he saw her, he dropped it and came running over. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

Only when she was alone with E Jintang did Yin Huan allow herself to smile, like a little hedgehog lowering its sharp quills.

"Jiu’er, why did you go in by yourself? I just called out to you, but you didn’t pay any attention to me."

E Jintang had a fierce and powerful appearance, but anyone who spent time with him knew he was simple, honest, and kind, with the pure heart of a child.

In this entire residence, he was the only one who let his guard down completely around Yin Huan.

Every time she saw him, Yin Huan would inwardly scoff, ’Fool.’

She walked on, and E Jintang obediently followed behind her.

Even now, Yin Huan’s heart was still pounding with lingering fear.

’I actually listened to that woman with the mysterious background and handed over the one thing keeping me alive...’

The woman had said she knew what Yin Huan planned to do with the poetry collection and had advised her to give up on her unrealistic fantasy.

’Did I really think I could threaten Zhou Junlin into making me his Concubine? That by entering the Imperial Family, I’d have a patron, escape my current situation, and no longer be a pawn for others to command?’

It was the only way Yin Huan could think of to transcend her station, but it also meant underestimating Zhou Junlin.

To the Royal Family, a dead Concubine was essentially no different from a dead palace maid.

Both options involved using her trump card to pledge allegiance to a powerful figure, but there was a world of difference between proactively offering her loyalty and being subjugated by another.

Now, only two paths lay before Yin Huan: Zhou Junlin or Zhou Cangyan. Anyone else was too far removed and out of reach; it was doubtful she could even get out of the Li Guan Sect on her own.

Between the two, there was a blood feud over her parents’ deaths separating her from Zhou Junlin. Even if she didn’t want revenge, he would never truly trust her.

So, the only one she could seek refuge with now was Zhou Cangyan.

But what truly shook Yin Huan—what terrified her, even—was that she had never told a single soul about her plan to use the poetry collection to force her way into the Imperial Family.

’Who on earth is that woman?’

’How could she possibly know all that?!’

Seeing Jiu’er ignoring him, lost in thought with her brow tightly furrowed, E Jintang didn’t dare to disturb her. He just followed alongside, watching her with a curious gaze.

"Heh." Yin Huan suddenly shook her head with a self-deprecating laugh and murmured, "So be it."

She had survived this long precisely because she never gambled, especially not with her own life.

She sighed and lifted her head, only to be startled by a face suddenly looming right in front of her.

E Jintang had bent over and was looking at her with concern. "Jiu’er, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I can go get a doctor for you."

"There’s no need. I’m fine." Snapping out of her daze, Yin Huan looked up at the tall, simple-looking man before her and suddenly asked, "Why do you help me? You know full well that... Never mind. What’s the point of telling you? You wouldn’t understand anyway."

E Jintang frowned in confusion. "Jiu’er, are you in some kind of trouble? Um, I didn’t really understand what you just said, but I know that Jiu’er is never wrong. Everything you do, you do for a reason. It’s like my mother. If my mother wants to kill someone, it must be because that person is in the wrong. It has nothing to do with my mother."

Yin Huan’s eyes shot up to meet his. "You really think so?"

E Jintang nodded and pointed at Xiaoyi and the others. "They say so too."

Yin Huan suddenly let out a laugh, murmuring "Fool" under her breath.

As the two of them left the covered walkway, one after the other, Mrs. E slowly emerged from around a corner.

She stared in the direction Yin Huan had gone, her brow deeply furrowed.