Chapter 33

Cheng Baisheng entered the study. 

The room was a mess—soup and pastries scattered all over the floor. 

Sheng Changyu stood by the window, smoking.  

He had no idea how many cigarettes he’d smoked; the room reeked of smoke, nearly overwhelming. 

Cheng Baisheng glanced at the spilled soup on the floor, feeling a pang of unease. 

It was ginseng, chestnut, and black chicken soup. 

When Sheng Changyu was a child, he once fought with his brother, Sheng Changkuan, over this soup. A bowl of hot soup had been spilled on his brother.  

Their mother hadn’t cared about the guests or servants present and had slapped Sheng Changyu without asking for any explanation. 

Cheng Baisheng had witnessed it all. 

“No matter how painful a memory is for you, it holds no meaning to others. Even if you bring it up, it’s just digging up old grievances,” Sheng Changyu said, his voice cold and a bit hoarse. 

Cheng Baisheng poured him a glass of water. “The old lady might just want to ease the tension between you two.” 

“She’s selfish. She never cares about anyone else’s feelings,” Sheng Changyu replied. 

Cheng Baisheng sighed softly. 

“She can be quite muddled,” Cheng Baisheng agreed, following Sheng Changyu’s lead. 

Sheng Changyu’s frustration had nowhere to go except through his constant smoking. 

Cheng Baisheng then asked, “How about some alcohol?” 

“Forget it, let’s head to the camp,” Sheng Changyu said. 

The phone in the study rang. 

Cheng Baisheng answered, and hearing a gentle female voice, he turned to Sheng Changyu and said softly, “Miss Jiang is on the phone.” 

Sheng Changyu stubbed out his cigarette and walked over to take the call. 

Cheng Baisheng quietly left the study. 

After a short conversation, Sheng Changyu came out and instructed the adjutant to prepare hot water and his new suit. He quickly freshened up and left. 

He was going to see Miss Jiang. 

The adjutant asked Cheng Baisheng, “Chief of Staff, should we arrange dinner for the third concubine?” 

The governor had allowed her to stay, but hadn’t mentioned for how long or how to entertain her. 

Cheng Baisheng, understanding Sheng Changyu’s intentions best, nodded. “Make sure she’s well taken care of.” 

The adjutant acknowledged the order. 

Sheng Changyu didn’t return until late that night, and his mood had somewhat improved. 

The third concubine, Xu Fangdu, stayed at Sheng Changyu’s residence for seven days before returning to the old mansion. 

The old mansion was abuzz with gossip. 

“Isn’t the third concubine the first one to stay at the governor’s residence?” 

“The governor still favors her the most. It’s a bond from childhood. He brought her back himself—no one else can surpass her.” 

“If she’s the first to get pregnant, with the governor and the old lady doting on her, she’s bound to become the true mistress of the house.” 

Ning Zhen’s maid, Cao Ma, had heard the news as well. 

“Madam, do you think the third concubine will get pregnant this time?” Cao Ma asked anxiously. 

“I don’t know,” Ning Zhen replied, her tone indifferent. 

“Aren’t you worried?” Cao Ma pressed. 

Ning Zhen used to be worried, but after Sheng Changyu’s scolding, she had snapped out of it. 

—Why strive for perfection in everything? 

Her goals and the third concubine’s were completely different. 

She didn’t want children, and her current situation didn’t require her to rely on having a child for support. 

Children weren’t possessions; they were living beings. 

If she had a child, the Sheng family wouldn’t let her take the child in the event of a divorce. The thought of being separated from her own child was unbearably tragic. 

No matter how hard she tried, Ning Zhen would never earn full marks in Sheng Changyu’s eyes. 

Her ceiling was just passing, and her superiors had made that clear. 

“I’m afraid she’ll use the child to overshadow you,” Cao Ma worriedly said. 

“If she does get pregnant, the household management authority will likely be handed over to me. She won’t dare manage the household while pregnant, and the old lady wouldn’t allow it either,” Ning Zhen replied. 

The old lady would treat Sheng Changyu’s first child as precious as gold. 

The third concubine would undoubtedly be pampered and left to focus solely on her pregnancy, free from any concerns. 

“Cao Ma, do you think that after she gives birth, I’ll just obediently hand back my authority over the household?” Ning Zhen added. 

Cao Ma: “But the Old lady…” 

Ning Zhen replied, “The housekeeper is in charge not only of finances but also personnel management and coordination. Even if the Old lady wants to support her, if we have the people under control, she can’t take that away.” 

Hearing this, Cao Ma was overjoyed, “Madam, your chance has come?” 

“So, her being pregnant isn’t a disadvantage to us. Don’t get any funny ideas. Let her stay pregnant,” Ning Zhen said. 

She knew Cao Ma had a lot of thoughts and sometimes worried that she might act on her own. 

Cao Ma was someone who belonged to her grandmother’s side, and while she was loyal to Ning Zhen, she also thought Ning Zhen was young and soft-handed, so she would quietly try to help her. 

“That’s how elders are,” Ning Zhen thought. 

She was really afraid Cao Ma would mess things up. 

If the third concubine had already built her own residence in the old house, Ning Zhen had only just laid the foundation. Competing for treasures before the foundation is even secure? If you don’t even have a place to put them, carrying them on your back would just exhaust you. 

Ning Zhen hadn’t seen the third concubine for a few days. 

After returning from the Governor’s Mansion (Governor’s Residence), the house had been lively for a while, but then it rained, and the cold early winter rain chilled to the bone, so the third concubine hadn’t gone out. 

A couple of days later, the weather cleared up. 

Ning Zhen rose early to practice her martial arts, then bathed and ate. 

After meeting with the stewards in the morning, she planned to visit the kitchen at noon as part of an “inspection.” 

As she made her way to the Sheng family’s large kitchen, she happened to pass by the courtyard of Xu Fangdu, the third concubine. 

From a distance, she saw a few people. 

One of them, wearing a bright red cashmere coat, was none other than FanFan. 

It had been a while since Ning Zhen had seen FanFan. 

FanFan seemed to be saying something to Xu Fangdu, and the servants around Xu Fangdu stepped back a few paces. 

They had only exchanged a few words when suddenly, FanFan lifted her foot and kicked Xu Fangdu hard in the stomach. 

The kick was heavy, and Xu Fangdu staggered back uncontrollably, falling into the arms of her servant, unable to stand properly. 

Ning Zhen was slightly startled. 

She didn’t move, but her arm was tightly grabbed by Cao Ma. “Madam, don’t go over there. Let them fight it out like dogs, who cares where she gets hit.” 

Ning Zhen:  

She hadn’t planned on intervening. 

FanFan was clearly targeting Xu Fangdu’s belly. Why would Ning Zhen get involved in that mess? 

After knocking Xu Fangdu down, FanFan tried to stomp on her abdomen again, but the servant beside Xu Fangdu blocked her. 

The scene turned into a chaotic brawl. 

“What do you think the Governor will do to punish the second concubine this time?” Cao Ma asked. 

Ning Zhen replied, “The Governor has never punished her.” 

Every time FanFan caused trouble at the old mansion, it was just another round in the power struggle between the Governor and the Old lady. 

The Governor barely had time to protect her, let alone punish her. 

Last time, the Old lady had tried to drag Ning Zhen into the mess, pushing the title of “Governor’s wife” on her. The Governor only gave Ning Zhen face because he needed to establish her new position. 

Otherwise, after Ning Zhen shot FanFan, the Governor might have executed her. 

The complex relationship between the Sheng family mother and son was evident. 

“Let’s get out of here!” Ning Zhen, noticing what looked like the Old lady’s figure at the end of the road, quickly signaled Cao Ma to run back with her. 

Ning Zhen, young and fit, ran fast, but Cao Ma was almost falling apart. 

Panting heavily, Cao Ma’s mind was still spinning. “Madam, why don’t you pretend to be sick? The Old lady will surely ask you to handle the second concubine again.” 

The complexity of the situation lay in Xu Fangdu’s pregnancy. 

She had just returned from the Governor’s Mansion, and if she were pregnant, the fetus would be in a fragile state. 

Even a heavy sneeze could cause a miscarriage, let alone being kicked like that. 

Xu Fangdu was frail and delicate, clearly not strong of constitution. The chances of her keeping the baby were slim. Miscarriage was a serious matter, and any punishment of FanFan would either be too lenient or too harsh, offending people on both sides. 

As Ning Zhen jogged, she replied, “Good idea, I’ll pretend to be sick.” 

Cao Ma: smiled