Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 334: Imperial Father, Imperial Uncle Is Slandering Me

Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Imperial Father, Imperial Uncle Is Slandering Me

Song Lianhe came back to her senses. "Oh," she murmured, lifting her skirts and jogging to catch up.

Fang Xiu glanced at the young woman, a faint smile playing on her lips. She then looked away and said softly, "This must be the Doctor Song that His Highness and the Empress mentioned. I didn’t expect her to be such a beauty. She’s stunning, whether inside or outside the palace. King Qing is a lucky man."

Zhou Cangyan also turned to look at the "beauty" Aunt Fang Xiu had just mentioned. She was currently engrossed in studying the various flowers and plants they passed.

’She had been so narrow-minded before!’

’It was only after digging up the five-split yellow gentian at the E Mansion that she realized the gardens of these wealthy families might contain not only precious flowers but also rare medicinal herbs!’

’If the E Mansion was like that, then the Imperial Palace would be even more so!’

’With such a large area and so much greenery, she could definitely dig up a ton!’

’The only place she remembered without greenery was Emperor Cheng Xiao’s Chongzheng Hall, which was starkly rectangular. Legend had it that a master once advised that a central, square palace like Chongzheng Hall was like an enclosure. If trees were planted inside, it would form the symbol for "trapped," which was extremely inauspicious!’

’That was why, in the entire Imperial Palace, only Chongzheng Hall was bare. Places like the Empress’s Kunyi Palace and Consort Qi’s Tanwei Palace were filled with rare and exotic plants. It was a treasure trove ripe for the picking, and she wouldn’t even have to spend any Silver!’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

’When the time came, she just needed to sneak in! Zhou Cangyan and Commander Cao would become her connections!’

The more Song Lianhe thought about it, the happier she became, completely oblivious to the gazes that had fallen upon her.

"Beautiful?"

It wasn’t the first time Zhou Cangyan had heard others describe her that way.

He lowered his gaze and said unhurriedly, "She’s passable."

Despite saying that, he couldn’t help but look at her again.

The fair-faced woman walked among the blooming flowers, her delicate and slender frame unable to contain a light, joyful energy. She possessed a vibrant, vigorous life force, like a breeze from a lonely valley floor that gently stirred a thousand-year-old tree standing firm on a cliff’s edge.

When he saw Song Lianhe stealthily and swiftly pop a flower petal into her mouth, the corners of his lips curled up. Even his naturally cold, stern eyes couldn’t help but soften with a hint of warmth.

Fang Xiu saw this but remained silent, a smile on her face.

After leading the pair to Chun De, Fang Xiu stepped forward and whispered a few words in the Empress’s ear before excusing herself.

Chun De kept her smiling gaze fixed on Song Lianhe the entire time.

Just then, a eunuch arrived to announce that the Holy Emperor was summoning Prince Qing.

Chun De said gently to Zhou Cangyan, "You should go."

Before leaving, Zhou Cangyan gave Song Lianhe a faint glance.

’Song Lianhe subjectively decided that he was worried about her! As for the warning in his eyes, that could be ignored.’

So, she gave him a confident smile.

After Zhou Cangyan had left, Chun De finally spoke. "So you are the wife the Heir North King picked out for King Qing?"

Song Lianhe did her best to hide the emotion in her eyes, properly kneeling before her. "Your subject, Song Lianhe, pays her respects to the Empress."

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Soon, Fang Xiu reentered. "Your Majesty, Princess Consort Ling is waiting outside the hall."

Chun De’s expression cooled slightly. "Let her wait."

’Song Lianhe’s eyes lit up. The Empress was the Empress, no matter when or where; she would never disappoint!’

The reason Chun De disliked Song Xilan was actually quite simple. She was Princess Consort Ling, yet she was still entangled with King Qing! As a woman herself, how could Chun De not see through Song Xilan’s petty schemes?

She was just greedy, always wanting more than what she had.

She turned back to Song Lianhe, her gaze softening considerably. "Tell me about what happened in Sui Ning City."

’Song Lianhe understood instantly. The Empress was trying to get information out of her!’

She let out a light laugh and readily agreed.

It was now almost noon. The autumn sun was harsh as Song Xilan waited with her maid outside Chun De’s bedchamber, occasionally hearing bursts of laughter from within.

Kong Qing said angrily, "That Song Lianhe really has some skills! She’s managed to flatter her way into the Empress’s good graces!"

Scenes from the past flashed through Song Xilan’s mind: Song Lianhe, relying on her status as the legitimate daughter of the General Mansion, had always held the upper hand over her. Now, even without that status, she had somehow managed to win the Empress’s favor!

"But why would the Empress summon her? Could it be because she saved you, Your Highness? If so, then the person the Empress truly values is you!"

Song Xilan was also wondering why the Empress wanted to see Song Lianhe.

After Kong Qing’s explanation, she was instantly enlightened!

’Yes, that must be it. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make any sense.’

Thinking this, her mood brightened, and even the sun didn’t seem so unbearable.

—

「Chongzheng Hall, Imperial Study Room.」

Emperor Cheng Xiao threw a memorial scroll at Zhou Junlin.

"Look what you’ve done!"

"Your son is terrified." Although Zhou Junlin said this, he picked up the memorial from the floor with neither humility nor arrogance.

After reading it, his expression changed. "Father Emperor! Imperial Uncle is slandering your son!"

He was already grinding his teeth as he spoke.

’You’ve got some nerve, Zhou Cangyan.’ He had imagined Zhou Cangyan might use the Huaxu Square incident to cause trouble, or even the death of E Xianwang, but he had never expected him to accuse him of... accusing him of abusing his own wife?!

’Moreover, the memorial was written in a grand, eloquent, and righteous tone, but in reality, the entire thing was just scolding him!’

’It claimed that King Qing’s wife had shown him grace, but he had responded by allowing his subordinates to bully her, even bullying her himself until she was forced to leave! He had let her wander in the wilderness, where she nearly met with disaster!’

’As a husband, Zhou Cangyan pleaded with the Holy Emperor to uphold justice. He even hinted that if the Holy Emperor failed to act, he, as an elder, would take it upon himself to get justice for his wife!’

With it written in such terms, Emperor Cheng Xiao couldn’t turn a blind eye even if he wanted to.

Emperor Cheng Xiao stared at him and said coldly, "Why did I send you to Li Zong Pass? And what was the result? The Poetry Collection wasn’t recovered, but you got involved with a courtesan there and burned down a music hall?! You have greatly disappointed me!"

Zhou Junlin said quickly, "Father Emperor, there were reasons for what happened with the music hall. I’m sure Commander Cao has already reported to you..."

Before he could finish, a small pouch was thrown at his feet.

Emperor Cheng Xiao suppressed his anger and said, "Is this the ’reason’ you were talking about?"

Zhou Junlin looked down at the pouch. He picked it up and found a small black bamboo tube inside. The top of the tube was sealed with a strip of red paper, on which his own name and birth characters were written.

Zhou Junlin’s heart sank. He had a vague idea of what this was.

Emperor Cheng Xiao said coldly, "I hear this is a Poisonous Insect raised with black magic, meant to be fed to the object of one’s affection."

He stepped forward, staring intently at Zhou Junlin. "To cover this up, Huaxu Square was destroyed, and a miasma almost wiped out an entire city! All for a woman!"

Zhou Junlin suddenly lifted the hem of his robe and knelt on the floor. "Your son knows his error."

’Compared to secretly establishing an intelligence network, this mistake was merely a lapse in personal morals. He was more than willing to admit to it!’

Just then, a eunuch came to announce that King Qing requested an audience.

"Send him in!"

Soon, Zhou Cangyan walked in.

Zhou Junlin was still kneeling on the floor, his face grim.

"Imperial Brother, are you punishing him already? He is of the younger generation, after all. A few casual words of reprimand should suffice." Zhou Cangyan approached with a smile. He was clearly around the same age as Zhou Junlin, yet he put on the airs of an elder with impeccable form.

Zhou Junlin glared at him, secretly grinding his back teeth.