Chapter 193: Chapter 193: This Woman Is a Scourge

Cheng Xidian stood outside the door, her face expressionless, listening to the muffled cries that occasionally came from inside the room.

Only when she could no longer hear a single sound did she turn her head, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

She turned and pushed the door open, stepping inside.

Song Lianhe was lying on the floor.

Cheng Xidian’s breath hitched, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

’She’s dead!’

’She’s finally dead!’

Cheng Xidian immediately rushed forward, instinctively reaching out to check if she was breathing…

“AGH!”

She cried out in pain, only to discover four bloody puncture marks on her wrist!

Cheng Xidian looked down in horror and saw the Five-step Snake she had brought in earlier slithering quickly out the door.

And at that very moment, Song Lianhe sat up.

She dusted off her clothes, then stood up, glanced at the wound, and raised an eyebrow. “You were so determined to see me dead. To ensure there were no mistakes, you wouldn’t have brought the antidote with you, would you?”

At her words, Cheng Xidian’s face turned deathly pale. She screamed and bolted for the door.

Song Lianhe called out a piece of “friendly” advice. “Hey, slow down! The faster your blood flows, the faster the poison circulates… and the faster you’ll die.”

Cheng Xidian’s screams were filled with desperate fear…

「The Council Hall.」

Luo Fubang seemed to have just woken from a nap. He stretched, and upon seeing Zhong Shimin standing before him, he paused for a moment before he seemed to remember him, his gaze slowly darkening.

“Kneel.”

Without a second word, Zhong Shimin lifted the hem of his robes and knelt.

Luo Fubang crossed his arms, tucking his hands into his sleeves. He hunched forward and said unhurriedly, “When did you get involved with that brat?”

“To answer, Master, it was at the Prince Qing Mansion.”

Luo Fubang raised his eyebrows. “The Prince Qing Mansion? Do you take me for a senile old fool? That damn brat was already in Yu State by then. How could he have possibly contacted you?”

“The Young Master’s foresight is uncanny. He had already calculated that you would seek out Song Lianhe and guessed that I would be the one sent. Thus, he left a message.”

…

Luo Fubang’s expression was utterly complicated.

“He dares to give orders to my men? Speak. What did he say?”

Zhong Shimin said, “He ordered me to ensure Song Lianhe’s safety at all costs. If not…”

“Hmph. What will he do?”

“If not, he will first destroy Yu State, and then fight his way back to… Sui Ning City.”

“Bastard!!”

Furious, Luo Fubang snatched up a teacup and hurled it at Zhong Shimin. The latter remained kneeling ramrod straight, not flinching even as the tea splashed all over him.

“Rebellion! This is rebellion! For a woman, he… he… what does he think he’s doing? Fight his way back? Destroy his own home?! I think he’s lost his mind! He’s possessed!!”

Luo Fubang was so angry his beard seemed to stand on end. He clasped his hands behind his back and paced back and forth on the thick, long-piled carpet.

“That ungrateful whelp! Unworthy descendant! Treasonous scum! If I’d known, I would have thrown him to the wolves back then to save myself this anger now!”

Zhong Shimin lifted his gaze to his master. “Master, you should be well aware that the Young Master always keeps his word. And… there is nothing he isn’t capable of doing.”

Luo Fubang stopped short and roared irritably, “I don’t need you to remind me! You think I don’t know what he’s like?! He’s an ungrateful wolf, just like his heartless father! Not a single one of them from the Zhou family is any good!”

Zhong Shimin said slowly, “Perhaps the Young Master only said that to make you understand, Master, that Song Lianhe is very important to him.”

“She’s just a woman. How important can she be? More important than our great cause? I think he’s lost his senses, forgotten all the humiliation he once suffered! To disregard all of that for a mere woman?”

Luo Fubang clenched his fists, his eyes cold and dark. “This woman is a scourge! As long as she’s around, she will only hinder Biwu’s path! The more he values her, the more she cannot be allowed to live!”

Just then, a commotion of crying and shouting came from outside. “I want to see the Old Master!”

Someone hurried in to report that Nanny Gui was requesting an audience.

Luo Fubang was irritated, but he waved his hand impatiently, letting them bring Nanny Gui in.

He then cocked his head at Zhong Shimin. “Move it, move it! Get to the side!”

“Yes.” Zhong Shimin rose and stood to the side, his gaze lowered.

After entering, Nanny Gui fell to her knees before Luo Fubang. “Old Master, I beg you, please save Xidian!”

Luo Fubang looked impatient. “What is it with her now?”

“That damned Song Lianhe! She actually dared to set a venomous snake on Xidian! We’ve given her the antidote, but it’s not working at all! The physician says she won’t make it through the night… It must be Song Lianhe! She used witchcraft to try and kill Xidian! I beg you, Old Master, you must get justice for Xidian!”

Luo Fubang frowned. “Witchcraft?”

At the same time, Zhong Shimin lifted his eyes, a dark look within them.

—

Song Lianhe was once again escorted to the council hall.

“I’ll kill you to avenge Xidian!”

The moment Nanny Gui saw her, her face was a mask of deep-seated hatred.

“Heh. Nanny Gui, what kind of revenge are you talking about? Cheng Xidian was bitten by the venomous snake she brought herself. What does that have to do with me?”

“You’re lying! It was obviously you who wanted to harm her!”

“Nanny Gui, have you gone senile? I was beaten half to death by her, I’ve been bedridden for two days, and I can barely even stand. Do you really think I had the time and energy to go catch a snake? A highly venomous one, no less? And then ’persuade’ it to bite Cheng Xidian? Heh… Nanny Gui, you give me far too much credit. I’m lucky I haven’t already died at your hands. How could I possibly possess such an ability?”

A careful listener could have picked up the hidden meaning in her words.

Luo Fubang looked at her with disgust, as if the mere sight of her was a bad omen.

’Ever since Song Lianhe arrived, it’s been one thing after another. She’s clearly a troublemaker. I have no idea what that damn brat sees in her!’

Nanny Gui had long lost her usual dignified demeanor. She pointed a finger at Song Lianhe’s nose and screamed like a common shrew.

“You think you can get away with that? You used Sorcery and witchcraft on Xidian!”

Song Lianhe thought she must have misheard. ’Sorcery? Witchcraft?’

’Tsk tsk. They’ll really stop at nothing to frame me.’

“A few days ago, you used witchcraft in public, turning two servant girls into puppets! Everyone there saw it, so don’t even think about denying it! I ordered Xidian to question you, and you held a grudge against her, so you used Sorcery to harm her!”

Song Lianhe stared at her, knowing that if Nanny Gui was determined to frame her, there would be no way to argue her innocence.

So, she simply nodded. “That’s right. It was indeed a spell.”

Nanny Gui said urgently, “Old Master! Did you hear that? She admitted it herself! She should be burned at the stake!”

Zhong Shimin’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice tightening almost imperceptibly. “Do you know what you are saying?”

Even Luo Fubang raised an eyebrow and looked over. Unlike Zhong Shimin’s grave expression, he just snorted, curious to hear what she would say.

Song Lianhe stepped forward, her chin lifted slightly. ’No matter when, no matter where, I can’t lose my presence!’

“If I can cast the spell, I can also break it.”

Hearing this, Zhong Shimin guessed what she was planning to do.

The interest on Luo Fubang’s face deepened. He sneered, “Oh? Then by all means, tell us. How do you break it?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep