Chapter 26

Sheng Changyu sat in his study, staring blankly at a pot of hibiscus flowers. 

Someone cleared their throat. 

He looked up to see Cheng Baisheng had entered at some point, looking at him with suppressed laughter. 

Sheng Changyu disliked Cheng Baisheng’s smirking expression and frowned. “Did you steal a chicken or something?” 

Cheng Baisheng replied, “I’ve been here for a while; where would I have stolen a chicken?” 

He then asked, “Do you think this flower is beautiful?” 

Sheng Changyu took out a cigarette case and tossed one to him before lighting one for himself. “Of course, hibiscus flowers are always beautiful.” 

“Is this pot of flowers particularly beautiful?” Cheng Baisheng asked, still teasing, but didn’t light the cigarette. 

Sheng Changyu shot him a warning glance. “Do you have something serious to discuss?” 

“I do, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here in the middle of the night. It seems you don’t, considering you’ve been staring at a flower for almost half an hour,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

Sheng Changyu responded, “Are you trying to argue with a flower now?” 

“If you just admit it’s beautiful, I’ll let it go.” 

“I admit it. It’s the most charming flower in the world. Is there any flower more beautiful than it?” Sheng Changyu said. 

“Are you really talking about the flower?” Cheng Baisheng asked. 

“Unless you want to spend three months training at the base. You look like you’re bored stiff,” Sheng Changyu replied coldly. 

“Personal vendetta,” Cheng Baisheng pulled up a chair and sat down. “Did Ning Zhen give this to you?” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“You seem to care a lot about this flower. Do you have no thoughts about the person who gave it?” Cheng Baisheng asked. 

Sheng Changyu took a deep drag of his cigarette, letting the smoke envelop his vision. His eyes were dark. “One person for one position. She’s suitable for the position of the main wife in the old residence.” 

“The main wife can’t be a bed companion?” 

“You know my taboos,” Sheng Changyu said. 

His bed companion could neither be someone from the old residence nor someone from the Ning family. Sheng Changyu had very clear distinctions on some matters. 

“I won’t advise you on your issues with the Old lady; that’s not your fault. Your grievances with the Ning family are actually unnecessary. If you could broaden your perspective, the Ning family is a valuable ally. Ning Zhoutong is capable, and his sons are all talented,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

Sheng Changyu disgustedly stubbed out his cigarette, and his veins stood out on his hand, showing his extreme irritation. 

His hatred for the Ning family was evident in every gesture, something Cheng Baisheng could easily interpret. 

Unlike Sheng Changyu, Cheng Baisheng had always admired Ning Zhoutong’s character. 

Cheng Baisheng quickly stopped discussing it. “Alright, I’ve said too much.” 

He added, “You might not value this flower, so why don’t you give it to me? I’ll plant it in my back garden.” 

“Have some sense. My wife gave me this flower; you want me to give it to you? How shameless can you be?” Sheng Changyu said, giving him a disapproving look. 

Cheng Baisheng thought, “You deal with your own contradictions. I can’t be bothered to explain it to you.” 

He had some official business to discuss with Sheng Changyu, though it wasn’t particularly urgent; it was just unsuitable to leave it unresolved overnight. 

After finishing, he stayed in a guest room at the military government’s outer courtyard. 

Facing the cold bed and hard mattress, Cheng Baisheng thought again, “I need to get the matttress back soon. The main wife should be living in the official residence, not the old residence.” 

If there were a wife in the official residence, they would have everything needed for a late-night snack, hot water, and soft bedding. 

Sheng Changyu had become accustomed to military life and didn’t care about quality; he could sleep well even on a hard board bed with a thin mat. Cheng Baisheng, however, could not endure it. 

Cheng Baisheng enjoyed comfort and truly couldn’t handle the hardship of a monk’s life. 

Later, after hearing about the situation in the old residence, Cheng Baisheng praised Ning Zhen again in front of Sheng Changyu. 

“Ning Zhoutong knows how to educate his daughter well,” Cheng Baisheng added with a personal touch. 

He praised Ning Zhen, and Sheng Changyu listened quietly; when he praised Ning Zhoutong, Sheng Changyu grew unhappy. 

“Which side are you on, exactly?” Sheng Changyu asked. 

Cheng Baisheng said, “I’m definitely on your side. I just think Ning Zhen is impressive—she’s good with a gun, cards, and people. A good father will have a good daughter.” 

“Ning Zhoutong spends all his time in the military. How could he teach his children?” Sheng Changyu scoffed. “If you keep talking nonsense, you’ll get a hundred military canes.” 

Cheng Baisheng fell silent, showing his respect. 

A few days later, Madam Yao came to the house with her two daughters to apologize. 

The Yao family gave Ning Zhen a set of jade jewelry. 

“… Wenluo is a child, and I’ve spoiled her,” Madam Yao said with a smile to Ning Zhen. “Please don’t be angry, it was all our fault. If she makes a mistake again, I’ll deal with her myself.” 

The Old lady of the Sheng family was sitting nearby. 

Ning Zhen showed her magnanimity: “Madam Yao, General Yao is a key figure for the Governor. Let’s not let this small matter drive a wedge between us. I know Miss Yao didn’t mean it, and you also know I wouldn’t really blame her. You’re an elder, and I’m not worthy of such repeated apologies.” 

Madam Yao responded with silence. 

The Old lady smiled and said, “Zhen’er is not a petty person. Let’s consider this matter settled.” 

Yao Wenluo, seizing the moment, glared at Ning Zhen with anger. 

Ning Zhen acted as if she hadn’t seen it. 

Madam Yao and her daughters left without having a meal at the Sheng family’s old residence. 

However, the matter of Yao Wenluo teaching piano was no longer mentioned by the Old lady. 

The Old lady found a new piano teacher for Sheng Changyin and increased her lessons, continuing to use her. 

With the crisis resolved for Sheng Changyin, he bought some candied chestnuts from outside and gave them to Ning Zhen. 

“… Sister-in-law, I really owe this to you. Yao Wenluo probably won’t show up at my house for a while, which is great,” Sheng Changyin said. 

Ning Zhen replied, “I didn’t do much; it was just a misunderstanding.” 

“Either way, I’m grateful to you,” Sheng Changyin said. 

After a while, Ning Zhen took another bag of roasted chestnuts to visit Third Concubine Xu Fangdu. 

Xu Fangdu was in a very bad mood. 

She was frustrated and had a grim expression. 

The matter of the needle hidden in the fur collar had become known among the servants of the old residence. 

“It was either Miss Yao or Third Concubine who did it.” 

No one suspected Ning Zhen. 

Clearly, Ning Zhen had the motive; she killed two birds with one stone. Yet she had won and received praise. 

Xu Fangdu was furious. 

On Ning Zhen’s side, she was organizing her new fur coat, taking it out to air, and preparing for winter. 

That day, Ning Zhen had Yao Wenluo brought upstairs, suspecting she might hide something in her coat, and instructed Cao Ma to check Yao Wenluo’s clothes. 

If any issues were found, Ning Zhen would replace it with a similar coat she had selected and see what trick Yao Wenluo would use. 

Cao Ma discovered the needle. 

Without consulting Ning Zhen, she removed the needle and placed it in the collar of Ning Zhen’s fur coat, then swapped it with Yao Wenluo’s. 

— Cao Ma handled this very well, and Ning Zhen rewarded her with ten silver dollars afterwards. 

This successfully exposed Yao Wenluo’s plan and implicated the instigator, Xu Fangdu, causing trouble for both. 

“Madam, the success of this matter was still due to the Governor’s help. If he hadn’t been biased, given the Old lady’s affection for Third Concubine, this issue might still have fallen on you,” Cao Ma said. 

Ning Zhen replied, “I understand.” 

“You see, after such an incident, the Old lady hasn’t shown any sign of acknowledgment. She should have comforted you, at least giving you the kitchen’s account books,” Cao Ma added. 

The Old lady was angered by Sheng Changyu and had directed her displeasure towards Ning Zhen as well. 

Ning Zhen said, “No rush. Patience is required. Good things always take time.” 

She remained composed. 

Every step of her journey in the Sheng family was difficult. Ning Zhen had to forge her path through obstacles without any shortcuts. 

A few days later, the Old lady sent someone to invite Ning Zhen for a private conversation.