Chapter 24

Sheng Changyu and the old lady were locked in a confrontation. 

The old lady believed that investigating Ning Zhen’s servants was necessary to give Yao Wenluo an explanation and clear Ning Zhen’s name. 

 In any case, this would absolve Ning Zhen of any involvement in the situation. The investigation was more of a gesture for Yao Wenluo’s sake, and the old lady never intended to actually find a culprit among her daughter-in-law’s servants. 

However, Sheng Changyu disagreed with the investigation. To him, Ning Zhen was his wife, and investigating her was equivalent to suspecting her, which would also call into question the dignity of the military governor. 

Both sides stood their ground, refusing to back down. 

Xu Fangdu, glancing between the two, stepped in again, “Mother, Brother Yu, how about letting me handle this?” 

“You?” Yao Wenluo was the first to respond. “Do you have the authority?” 

Xu Fangdu smiled gently, “I’m part of the Sheng family, and a part of the military governor’s household. Whether I have the authority, the governor will decide.” 

Yao Wenluo looked disdainful but was at a loss for words. She rarely saw Xu Fangdu being so assertive. It was only when true interests were at stake that Xu Fangdu would reveal her tough side—when the time was right, she knew how to make an effort. 

Yao Wenluo’s eyes teared up as she looked at Sheng Changyu. “Ah Yu…” 

Sheng Changyu glanced at her. His dark eyes were calm, and his emotions were deeply hidden, showing nothing on the surface. But that glance was as cold as ice. 

The old lady, now truly upset, said, “Let Adu investigate. You won’t let me intervene, but Adu is your person. Surely she can?” 

“She’s already ‘your’ person,” Sheng Changyu remarked. 

His voice was steady, but Ning Zhen detected a trace of sarcasm and disdain. 

Still, the relationship between Sheng Changyu and his mother wasn’t entirely without emotion. 

“Brother Yu, I’ve never betrayed you,” Xu Fangdu said softly, looking at him with tenderness. 

Sheng Changyu remained unmoved. Such gentle words fell on deaf ears, having no effect at all. 

Xu Fangdu bit her lip lightly. 

Everyone in the room had their own thoughts, but Ning Zhen’s sister-in-law, Sheng Changyin, was visibly shaken. Her face had turned pale as she looked from one person to the other. 

“Brother Yu, could you trust me this once? I will give everyone a fair resolution,” Xu Fangdu continued. 

Sheng Changyu finally responded, “No need.” 

Xu Fangdu was taken aback. 

“Ning Zhen is the lady of the house. Whether it’s here or at the governor’s mansion, no one has the right to investigate her people,” Sheng Changyu said. 

Yao Wenluo protested, “Ah Yu, are you covering for her?” 

“She’s my woman. Of course, I’ll cover for her. Even if she hid the needles or killed you, you would’ve deserved it,” Sheng Changyu said coldly. 

Everyone was stunned into silence. 

Sheng Changyin, normally timid around her elder brother, mustered up some courage, “Brother, speaking like this only makes it seem like Sister-in-law is even more suspicious.” 

“The military governor’s wife is above suspicion,” Sheng Changyu stated firmly. 

Sheng Changyin had no reply. 

Ning Zhen remained standing. 

Yao Wenluo was almost in tears, “Ah Yu, if that’s how you feel, then I’m willing to endure this injustice.” 

“What injustice?” Sheng Changyu asked coldly. 

“Being bullied by Ning Zhen like this,” Yao Wenluo said. 

Sheng Changyu suddenly turned to Ning Zhen. “Ning Zhen, did you hide needles in her collar?” 

“No, Governor,” Ning Zhen answered, her voice calm and unwavering. 

Everyone looked at her again. 

Ning Zhen met each gaze, her expression composed. 

“Ning Zhen, it doesn’t matter if you deny it. The coat is here, the needles are here, and I only spent time in your courtyard. Are you going to say I brought them from home?” Yao Wenluo sneered. 

The old lady, feeling a wave of anger and frustration, sat down, trying to calm herself. 

Xu Fangdu went over to gently pat the old lady’s back. 

“How would I know?” Ning Zhen replied indifferently. 

The old lady said, “This bickering is pointless. Whether this matter is resolved depends on Wenluo’s decision, not mine. I cannot be the one to decide.” 

“If Mother can’t make decisions, then let the daughter-in-law run the household,” Sheng Changyu remarked. 

The old lady asked, “What do you actually want?” 

“I want you to say something fair. You chose this daughter-in-law yourself, someone extraordinary, unmatched by anyone else in the world. She couldn’t possibly have done something dirty. Mother, is it really so hard to say this?” Sheng Changyu asked. 

Ning Zhen wasn’t sure what others thought, but she sensed the underlying issue. 

It seemed Sheng Changyu’s grievances with the old lady stemmed from childhood favoritism. The old lady always felt he was inferior to his younger brother and that he wasn’t the best. 

Ning Zhen, benefiting from this bias, was unaware of the full implications of this issue. But she tried to understand as much as she could. 

Sheng Changyu wasn’t seeking justice for Ning Zhen but for his younger self—no matter what happened, his mother should have unconditionally stood by him and trusted him. 

The old lady, however, seemed not to understand his anger and found his demands unreasonable. “The matter hasn’t even been investigated! If you hadn’t interfered, it would have been resolved by now.” 

“Does Mother have any doubts in her heart?” Sheng Changyu asked again. 

Trust wasn’t something that could be resolved overnight. 

Ning Zhen grasped the crux of the issue and decided it was time to end the confrontation. 

“Mother, Governor, please don’t be angry. Actually, I wanted to say that this fur coat isn’t Miss Yao’s; it’s mine,” Ning Zhen spoke up. 

Everyone was taken aback. 

Yao Wenluo asked, “What nonsense are you talking about?” 

“After you left, my servant found out that you took my coat by mistake,” Ning Zhen said. “Look at the lining of this coat—doesn’t it have the character ‘Zhen’ embroidered on it?” 

It was not Yao Wenluo but Sheng Changyin who immediately went to check the coat. 

She found it and handed it to the old lady. “Mother, look, this is indeed Big Sister’s coat. Great, the misunderstanding is cleared up.” 

Yao Wenluo’s face turned pale. 

Xu Fangdu’s emotions were complex. 

Sheng Changyu’s dark eyes flickered slightly, and his expression changed a bit. 

The old lady clearly saw the character: “This…” 

Yao Wenluo took a few steps forward and received the coat, seeing the character herself. 

She flipped the coat over. In fact, fur coats come in limited colors and styles, and both Yao Wenluo and Ning Zhen had high-quality ones. The difference was subtle. 

“How could this be?” Yao Wenluo nearly shouted. 

“Your coat is still in my courtyard,” Ning Zhen said. “Someone, go to Zhaiyujü and call for Cao Ma to bring Miss Yao’s coat over.” 

A sharp-witted servant hurried out. 

Zhaiyujü was close to the old lady’s courtyard, so the coat was quickly retrieved. 

Ning Zhen unfolded it and showed Yao Wenluo first: “This is yours.” 

Xu Fangdu’s eyelids twitched. 

She suddenly remembered something very important, related to her. 

Yao Wenluo took the coat and found it almost identical to Ning Zhen’s, except for a slightly different lining color that wasn’t noticeable unless compared side by side. 

She reached to check the collar. 

The needles that should have been hidden were nowhere to be found, having somehow ended up in the other coat. 

“Miss Yao, is this coat yours?” Ning Zhen asked. 

Yao Wenluo stammered, “I…” 

Sheng Changyu cast a cold glance at Yao Wenluo. “Is it yours?” 

Yao Wenluo shivered and said, “Yes.” 

“Next time, make sure before making accusations. What do you take the Sheng family for? Cheng Yang, escort Miss Yao back and explain the situation to the teacher. Ask the teacher to give us an explanation,” Sheng Changyu ordered. 

The adjutant Cheng Yang entered to take Yao Wenluo out. 

Yao Wenluo knew she would face punishment when she returned home and might not be allowed back to the Sheng family’s old residence in the future. She was unwilling to accept such a loss! 

She shrugged off Cheng Yang’s hand and said, “Ah Yu, this matter is very suspicious. Why did Ning Zhen swap my coat and hide needles in it?” 

Xu Fangdu felt a pang of anxiety. 

When dirty water is thrown at her, does she have the ability to clear her name?