Chapter 71

Ning Zhen’s eldest brother, Ning Yian, and Meng Xinliang were watching polo and had chosen the best box seats. 

Her sister-in-law brought the younger siblings over to say hello. 

Ning Zhen and Ning Ce were the last to enter. 

Inside the box, besides Meng Xinliang, Wen Weinian was also present. 

When she saw him, Ning Zhen’s expression tightened. The slight smile she had quickly vanished, and her face turned cold. 

Wen Weinian’s face didn’t look good either. 

He was undeniably good-looking, with an impressive appearance that exuded refinement and charm. His light-colored eyes gave him an aloof air, adding to his elegance. 

Ning Zhen’s second sister-in-law, Jin Nuan, glanced between Wen Weinian and Ning Zhen, her eyes darting back and forth. 

“…Which box are you in?” Meng Xinliang asked with a smile. 

He was still dressed in a black cloak, with a dark brown waistcoat underneath. His left thumb wore a conspicuous tourmaline ring, which was particularly eye-catching. 

Though his expression was warm, he commanded respect. 

“Box 7,” Ning Ce replied. 

“Would you like to sit and have some tea?” Meng Xinliang asked again. 

Her sister-in-law replied, “You’re busy, we won’t disturb you. We just came to say hello.” 

“Go have fun; we have some things to discuss,” Ning Zhen’s eldest brother said. 

The group quickly left the box. 

Ning Ce whispered to Ning Zhen, “Meng Xinliang has risen so fast! If I had his abilities, our family wouldn’t be in such a difficult position with Sheng Changyu.” 

Ning Zhen replied, “You don’t have his ruthlessness. You couldn’t match him.” 

“He doesn’t look like much,” Ning Ce said. “I’m not necessarily worse than him.” 

Ning Zhen thought for a moment. 

Relying on pleasing a mother-in-law or a husband wasn’t as promising as hoping her brother could rise to power. 

“Do your best,” Ning Zhen said sincerely. “If you succeed, I’ll be a princess; if you fail, we’ll all go down with you.” 

Ning Ce:  

He felt a bit deflated. 

The reason Meng Xinliang dared to be so ruthless was that he had no family ties holding him back.  

If he succeeded, he’d be in a high position, commanding respect across the military, government, and business worlds; if he failed, he’d lose nothing but his life. 

Could Ning Ce do that? 

Giving up everything—the Ning family’s hundreds of members, vast wealth, and high status—was too painful to consider. 

“Forget it,” Ning Ce said. 

Ning Zhen teased, “Giving up before you even start? I was counting on becoming a princess.” 

“But I don’t want to live a lonely life,” Ning Ce replied. 

Ning Zhen:  

In the box, Jin Nuan leaned over to Ning Zhen and whispered, “That Young Master Wen is so handsome.” 

She made sure to avoid her second brother. 

Ning Zhen responded, “Behave yourself.” 

Jin Nuan protested, “But it’s true!” 

She had never seen a man more handsome than Wen Weinian. 

“We’re both married. No matter how handsome he is, he’s out of reach. Better focus on keeping your eyes in check,” Ning Zhen warned. 

Jin Nuan was just expressing her thoughts, but hearing this, she playfully pinched Ning Zhen. 

The two started playfully wrestling. 

Their sister-in-law teased them, “You two are like children! Don’t cry if you lose; I didn’t bring any candy.” 

The room was filled with laughter. 

Meanwhile, Cheng Baisheng had returned to Box 3. 

He and Sheng Changyu had decided to come and watch the horse races at the last minute, so they hadn’t chosen the best seats. Box 3 was still quite good. 

Meng Xinliang’s venue was relatively safe, and there wasn’t much extra security. 

Cheng Baisheng wandered around before sitting back down and slowly poured himself a cup of tea. 

“…Did Ning Zhen really move back to her family’s home?” Cheng Baisheng asked. 

Sheng Changyu replied, “If she didn’t have this bit of backbone, it would be a waste of the support I’ve given her.” 

The third concubine had plotted against Ning Zhen, and the old lady hadn’t made any effort to comfort her. As a result, Ning Zhen’s prestige as the governor’s wife in the old residence had dropped again. 

Sheng Changyu wanted to elevate her position, but she needed to prove herself. 

If she didn’t have the ability and couldn’t stand on her own, Sheng Changyu couldn’t help her either. 

Cheng Baisheng handed him the tea he had just poured. 

After taking a sip, Sheng Changyu continued, “My mother is about to be driven mad by her. Compared to her, FanFan is really not much.” 

Cheng Baisheng said, “You should know when to stop. It’s almost New Year’s, don’t actually drive the old lady into a bad situation.” 

“She won’t,” Sheng Changyu responded with a cold smile. “People who are utterly selfish always take good care of themselves. No one needs to worry about them.” 

Cheng Baisheng paused, as if wanting to say something but holding back. 

Sheng Changyu noticed and asked, “What do you want to say?” 

“You seem to really trust Ning Zhen. I hope you won’t get upset, but I just saw Ning Zhen. She went to Meng Xinliang’s box. Her family is out with him,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

He added, “Ning Yian seems to have a good relationship with Meng Xinliang. It’s probably just him taking his siblings out for fun. Don’t overthink it.” 

Sheng Changyu’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly. 

He blew on the tea leaves and shook his head. “No.” 

“No what?” 

“Ning Zhen wouldn’t watch horse racing in the same box with Meng Xinliang. She’s not that kind of person. Even if her family lacks discretion, she knows better. She’s smart,” Sheng Changyu said. 

After interacting with her several times, Sheng Changyu believed Ning Zhen should understand that his peaceful relationship with Meng Xinliang was built on mutual suspicion, with each side holding metaphorical guns to the other’s head. 

Sheng Changyu needed to suppress the gangs to keep them from getting too bold, but he also had to win them over for his own use. 

He wanted to train Meng Xinliang into becoming his subordinate. 

Cheng Baisheng asked, “Do you really trust Ning Zhen that much? Should I go ask around?” 

Sheng Changyu replied, “No need!” 

He trusted her, and there was no need to verify it. 

If she proved untrustworthy, then next time he wouldn’t trust her. No big loss. 

Just as their conversation was ending, the adjutant called from the door, “Governor, Madam is here.” 

Cheng Baisheng’s face lit up with a smile, and he immediately stood up to open the door. 

Ning Zhen stood at the entrance holding a tray. 

The room was warm, so she had taken off her fur cloak, revealing a light blue padded cheongsam underneath. The elegant color of her clothes made her fair skin, red lips, and dark, striking eyes stand out even more. 

“Ning Zhen, what are you doing here?” Cheng Baisheng asked, pretending to be surprised. 

Ning Zhen replied, “I’m in Box 7, the spot my sister-in-law reserved. I saw the governor’s car downstairs and asked around. They said Box 3 was reserved for an important figure, so I figured it might be the governor and came to check.” 

Cheng Baisheng smiled, his amusement reaching his eyes. “I see.” 

He turned his back to Ning Zhen and winked at Sheng Changyu. 

Sheng Changyu remained seated, expression unchanged. He had drunk half of his tea, and the fragrant steam lingered in the air. 

“Governor, these are special plum snacks from the racetrack. They’re very delicious. Please have some,” Ning Zhen said, placing the tray on the table. 

She knew Sheng Changyu was here, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to pretend she didn’t know. 

If someone higher up found fault with her later, she wouldn’t even have a chance to defend herself. 

Bringing a small snack was a gesture of courtesy—thoughtful, but not overly ingratiating. 

“Thoughtful of you,” Sheng Changyu said. 

“Then I won’t disturb you any longer,” Ning Zhen said as she set the tray down, without taking a seat. 

“We’re just out for fun, nothing serious. Sit down,” Sheng Changyu offered. 

Cheng Baisheng also chimed in, “Ning Zhen, stay a while. Did you place a bet on the races?” 

“Not yet.” 

“Great! I made a bet with Changyu. I bet on Number 13, and he bet on Number 1. If there’s a winner, I’ll share the prize with you,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

He wanted Ning Zhen to witness their bet. 

Ning Zhen smiled, “I think Number 1 will win.” 

“Why?” Cheng Baisheng asked. 

“Master Meng next door told me to bet on Number 1 and wished me a good time. He’s the owner, so he probably knows something,” Ning Zhen said. 

Cheng Baisheng: