Chapter 6

The stewardess from the old lady’s courtyard came to invite Ning Zhen. 

“The General has sent some gifts. Madam, please come and choose one.” 

Ning Zhen replied, “Alright.” 

Even though the General wasn’t coming himself, the gifts weren’t necessarily meant for Ning Zhen. However, since the old lady was willing to give her some face and offer her a gift, Ning Zhen wisely accepted. 

Ning Zhen went about her duties one day at a time, dealing with every little matter in the household with patience and diligence. 

She immediately headed to the old lady’s courtyard. 

The old lady was resting in her quarters for a midday nap, and the two concubines of Sheng Changyu had already arrived. 

Second Concubine, FanFan, had a vibrant, seductive beauty that immediately radiated allure; Third Concubine, Xu Fangdu, was gentle and composed, a delicate flower of understanding. 

Ning Zhen felt a twinge of envy for men. 

“The General isn’t dead, yet you walk around with a widow’s face all the time. It’s such bad luck,” FanFan said as Ning Zhen stepped over the threshold. 

Xu Fangdu was clearly taken aback and quickly teared up. “How dare you cause trouble here in the old estate?” she responded. 

Ning Zhen:  

Perhaps there wasn’t much to envy after all. 

As Ning Zhen entered, no one paid her much attention because FanFan and Xu Fangdu were already quarreling. 

FanFan was arrogant and domineering, while Xu Fangdu, eyes brimming with tears, appeared pitiful but delivered each statement with precision, hitting FanFan where it hurt. 

For example, Xu Fangdu said, “If this were the old days, a woman from a disreputable background would be beaten for stepping foot inside the estate.” 

“Who are you calling out?” FanFan immediately exploded with anger. 

Ning Zhen knew that FanFan’s background was far from ideal. Even though she had been Second Concubine for many years and seemed to have erased her past, no one dared bring it up. 

Xu Fangdu, seemingly refined and gentle, actually used the softest tone to deliver the harshest insults. 

In her fury, FanFan stepped forward and slapped Xu Fangdu hard. 

Ning Zhen:  

The servants:  

“Outrageous!” The old lady came out from her quarters just in time to witness the scene, immediately enraged. 

She pointed angrily at the servants, “Are you all dead, standing by while she behaves so violently?” 

Then she glanced at Ning Zhen, “Is the General’s wife also dead?” 

Ning Zhen: ? 

What did this have to do with her? 

She had thought she was just there to watch the spectacle. 

FanFan immediately knelt, her back straight, without shedding a tear. She looked solemnly at the old lady and said, “Third Concubine insulted the General and you, so I took it upon myself to discipline her.” 

Xu Fangdu, sobbing and tear-streaked, knelt as well. “Mother, I didn’t.” 

The old lady was furious and near collapse. 

“What gives you the right to discipline her?” the old lady angrily pointed at FanFan. “What do you think you are?” 

“I belong to the General,” FanFan boldly replied, raising her head. “If you want to punish me, go ahead. But I will never allow anyone to insult the General.” 

It was only then that Ning Zhen fully understood why it was said that the General’s two concubines were constantly at each other’s throats. 

Neither of them was easy to deal with. 

And it seemed that the relationship between the old lady and the General wasn’t as harmonious as it appeared. After all, FanFan had the audacity to use the General’s name to challenge the old lady. 

If the old lady completely disregarded the General’s status, she could have ordered FanFan to be beaten to death right then and there. 

Yet, despite her rage, the old lady refrained from giving any clear instructions on how to deal with the situation. 

At that moment, Ning Zhen wanted to escape. 

Clearly, as the “General’s wife,” the old lady intended to use her to handle the situation. 

But it was too late. 

The old lady issued her orders: “Zhen’er, you handle this matter.” 

Ning Zhen:  

Punishing FanFan would offend the General; not punishing FanFan and allowing the Third Concubine to be beaten would offend the old lady. 

Punishing both would not only upset both the General and the old lady, but also make Ning Zhen look incompetent and unable to command respect. 

Ning Zhen found herself in a difficult position. 

It was a hot potato, but she had no choice but to take it. 

After a brief moment of thought, Ning Zhen stepped forward and stood beside the old lady. “Today’s incident is entirely FanFan’s fault.” 

Everyone looked at her in astonishment. 

Ning Zhen knew that trying to balance everything was impossible. 

Given that, the only solution was to choose a side. 

She chose to side with the old lady. 

She would take the fall for the old lady and be the scapegoat if the General became angry. 

The old lady couldn’t afford to fall out with her son, so she turned to Ning Zhen. 

Trying to please everyone would only result in being disliked by all. 

Ning Zhen lived in the old mansion. In major matters, the old lady would step in for her, and all Ning Zhen had to do was take care of the old lady, just like Third Concubine Xu Fangdu. 

“Second Concubine FanFan came to the estate provoking trouble with unclear intentions, and then she took the initiative to hit someone, compounding her mistake. Old lady, I suggest she be punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall for seven days,” Ning Zhen stated her resolution. 

The old lady couldn’t fully conceal her surprise. 

She likely hadn’t expected Ning Zhen to be so clear-headed, directly abandoning any concerns about the General. 

While she appreciated Ning Zhen’s decisiveness, she wasn’t completely satisfied. 

The old lady hoped for a daughter-in-law who would have a good relationship with her son, not another Xu Fangdu. 

However, at this critical moment, Ning Zhen knew where her loyalties lay, which pleased the old lady to some extent. 

“You dare?” FanFan glared coldly at Ning Zhen. “I belong to the General.” 

“The General was born to the old lady. By repeatedly bringing him up, you’re attempting to sow discord between the General and the old lady. Such intentions are despicable. Servants, lock her up,” Ning Zhen ordered. 

FanFan froze in disbelief. 

As the servants moved to restrain her, FanFan dodged and retreated to the door. 

Then she ran. 

The old lady, familiar with FanFan’s outrageous behavior, was nonetheless furious. “What kind of behavior is this? Restrain her at once!” 

FanFan dashed off. 

The servants exchanged glances. 

Ning Zhen commanded, “Go after her!” 

The servants in the old lady’s courtyard, although loyal, were also shrewd. If they really held FanFan down, it would create more trouble. It was better to let her run. After all, even if the old lady seemed determined to punish FanFan now, she might later blame the servants for not stopping her, especially if the General became angry. 

So, the servants didn’t pursue FanFan vigorously. 

Seeing this, Ning Zhen rushed out herself, pulling a handgun from her pocket. She chambered a round and fired a shot into the air. “Stop, or I’ll shoot you!” 

The old lady was stunned. After a long pause, she turned to Xu Fangdu and asked, “She… she carries a gun with her?” 

Xu Fangdu replied, “Yes.” 

The old lady:  

As FanFan ran and Ning Zhen chased after her, the servants and masters of the estate witnessed the spectacle with wide eyes. 

The old lady was so furious she almost fainted again, while Xu Fangdu stood in shock. 

“If you don’t stop, I’ll shoot you in the left shoulder. Did you hear me?” Ning Zhen shouted sternly. 

FanFan, exhausted from running, was getting closer to Ning Zhen. She ignored Ning Zhen’s warning and kept running. 

Not far away, Sheng Changyu stood under a tree, wearing military pants, watching the scene unfold with amusement. 

He heard a woman’s bold threat behind him, something about “shooting through your left shoulder.” 

What, did she think she could hit wherever she aimed? 

“Three, two…” the woman began counting down. 

When she reached one, without slowing down, she fired a shot. The recoil of the gun caused her arm to tremble slightly, but nothing more. 

FanFan collapsed to the ground, blood immediately seeping from her shoulder. 

She screamed in pain. 

The woman who had fired the shot sprinted up to FanFan, kneeled down hard on her neck, and aimed the gun at her head. 

Whether by pressing harder with her knee or by the gun accidentally discharging, FanFan’s life would be over. 

Sheng Changyu instinctively felt the danger and shouted without thinking, “Stop!” 

Everyone rushing toward them turned to look at him. 

Xu Fangdu let go of the old lady and ran toward Sheng Changyu, throwing herself into his arms. “Brother Yu!” she cried, her tears soaking his white shirt. 

FanFan was on the verge of death. 

Sheng Changyu gently patted Xu Fangdu’s back, his gaze shifting toward the commotion. 

Ning Zhen released FanFan and stood up. 

She was wearing high-heeled leather shoes and had chased after FanFan while firing a shot. But now, she was breathing steadily, showing no sign of exhaustion. She took a few steps back and looked Sheng Changyu in the eyes. 

Sheng Changyu:  

He recognized her—she was the woman who knew how to fix cars. 

Today had certainly been a chaotic day.