Chapter 3: Jia Rong Gets Beaten

Returning to Huifang Garden, Shen Ning specifically walked toward the areas where the sun was brightest.

Although she felt slightly tired after walking less than three hundred steps, her mood was excellent.

As long as Jiao Da’s mansion guards could be put to her use, she felt she could whip her "good son" into shape, even without relying on Jia Jing.

"Mistress, the eldest daughter-in-law is here."

Qingzhu, who was by her side, kept her eyes and ears open and spotted Lady You hurrying toward them.

Shen Ning turned around.

Lady You was all smiles. "Greetings, Mistress. You look quite radiant today." She naturally stepped forward to take over the task of supporting Shen Ning from Qingzhu. "Qingping just went out to have the Master invite Manager Chen from Huichuntang. While Manager Chen’s pulse readings are fine, he is far inferior to the imperial physicians at the Tai Hospital. You..."

"You also said I look radiant today," Shen Ning said, walking slowly with her support. "It’s just a routine pulse check; why would there be any need to invite someone from the Tai Hospital?"

She wanted to, of course.

But she couldn't change her behavior too drastically all at once.

"Let's wait another half a month."

As long as she slept well and exercised more, her body would surely improve.

When the time came, she would see several doctors and use various methods to recuperate, perhaps bringing her body to the optimal state for childbirth.

"When we do invite the imperial physician, you should have your pulse checked as well and get some treatment."

None of the men in the Jia household today had any sense of responsibility, to the point where even their pampered daughters had become like duckweed with no branch to cling to.

Shen Ning actually hoped Lady You could stand tall. At the very least, after she beat Jia Zhen into a cripple, she needed someone to keep him in check within the inner courtyard.

She had some confidence in this.

Most people who have read *Dream of the Red Chamber* might think Lady You is a woman of no ability, someone who only knows how to blindly obey her husband, a cowardly and dispensable character. But in reality, if you look closely, you will find that the Lady You you think you know is not the whole of her.

In Shen Ning’s view, that was most likely her way of surviving.

From the situations of You Sanjie, You Erjie, and Old Lady You, one could tell that Lady You did not come from a good background. She was not like Wang Xifeng or Xue Baochai, who came from the prestigious Four Great Families; she had no prominent clan or deep-rooted background. Furthermore, as a second wife, if she didn't coax Jia Zhen well, she would likely find it impossible to move an inch in the Ningguo Mansion.

Shen Ning actually quite admired Lady You.

In the novel, when Jia Jing passed away, Lady You’s first reaction was to "order people to lock up all the Taoist priests at Xuanzhen Temple and wait for the Master to come home for interrogation." She did exactly that; she didn't listen to a single word of the priests' explanations, only ordering them locked up to wait for Jia Zhen to deal with them.

Clearly, she was very measured in her dealings with people and affairs.

Shen Ning felt that as long as she could firmly grasp the Ningguo Mansion in her own hands, Lady You would be an excellent helpmate.

"Me?"

Lady You did not know what Shen Ning was thinking, and a flash of unnaturalness crossed her eyes at these words.

Who wouldn't want a child of their own?

But the Master...

"I will listen to you, Mistress."

She hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Mistress, Rong-ge got into a fight at school yesterday."

"With whom?"

Shen Ning wasn't particularly surprised. "And why?"

"With Brother Rui from Uncle Dai Ru’s branch. Brother Yun from the fifth branch was also there at the time."

Lady You watched Shen Ning’s expression while speaking softly. "The children are all about the same age, and a fight is usually nothing, but Rong-ge was being mischievous. On such a cold day, he pushed Brother Rui into a ditch, and the boy developed a fever that very night. You know, Uncle only has that one seedling of a grandson. When the Aunt came over yesterday, she cried in front of me.

I haven't dared to tell the Master yet, but this can't be hidden. There are too many people in the mansion and the school. Even if Uncle is magnanimous and says nothing, the Master is often out and about; he will hear of it eventually."

She had seen how Jia Zhen beat his children.

One kick from him, and Rong-ge had been bedridden for three months, nearly losing his life.

Her mother-in-law’s current health probably couldn't handle such a shock.

If something were to happen, the sky would collapse.

"...Make inquiries to see if Rui-ge still has a fever, and select some good medicine from the storehouse to send over."

Shen Ning thought for a moment and said, "Also, tell the kitchen matrons that the young master will be eating dinner with me tonight. Add a bowl of steamed milk custard with sugar."

Before disciplining a child, give them a sweet treat first.

Her grandmother had always raised her that way.

It was fortunate that her grandmother had passed away half a year ago; otherwise, after losing her son and daughter-in-law, to lose her granddaughter as well—how heartbroken the old woman would have been?

Now...

Shen Ning did not regret saving those two drowning children. Children without parents were pitiful, but parents who lost their children were even more devastated.

She had seen with her own eyes how her grandmother’s hair turned white overnight after her parents died in a car accident.

If not for her, the granddaughter, the old woman might have left long ago.

To be able to save two families with a life that had no attachments of its own—it was worth it.

Besides, if her grandmother knew she had skipped the most troublesome part of marriage and not only had a son and grandson but was also carrying one in her belly, she would only be happy.

Shen Ning touched her belly, thinking about how to teach Jia Rong.

The Ningguo Mansion hadn't known how to teach children since the time of her father-in-law, Jia Daihua. When he was angry, he didn't treat his son like a son, but like a criminal on trial.

By the time it reached Jia Jing and Jia Zhen, they followed suit, or even worse. But they at least had a mother to rely on in their youth, whereas Jia Rong had encountered the massive upheaval of his mother’s family due to court politics at the age when he needed love the most. His mother fell ill and never recovered, and the original owner was so overwhelmed by her own affairs and those of her maiden family that she neglected her daughter-in-law’s physical and mental health. By the time she realized something was wrong, the other party was beyond saving.

Shen Ning sighed inwardly, deciding that when she had the chance to beat Jia Zhen, she would add three more lashes.

His own wife was ill, and as her husband, he hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention.

If he had cared even a little more, things wouldn't have ended up like this.

"Add a plate of fried quail for him, too. I remember he likes that."

Shen Ning wanted to eat some as well.

A plate of six quails—it would be just right for her and Jia Rong to have half each.

"Yes!"

Qinglian hurried to respond. Just as she was signaling a young maid to pass on the message, she saw Nanny Tang from Rong-ge’s courtyard coming toward them with a pale face.

"Mistress, Eldest Daughter-in-law, it’s bad! Rong-ge is about to be beaten with the rod at school."

To be beaten with the rod?

Did Jia Dai Ru have that kind of backbone?

Shen Ning was deeply skeptical.

In any case, Jia Rui wasn't going to die now; he wouldn't die. Jia Dai Ru, who only knew how to drift through life, could never bring himself to deal a heavy hand to Jia Rong, the eldest son and grandson of the Ningguo Mansion, the future heir to the title, and the current clan leader.

"What is going on?"

Shen Ning’s voice was stern.

This Nanny Tang was a servant left behind by the former daughter-in-law, and she managed everything in Jia Rong’s courtyard.

She seemed terrified that someone might mistreat her little master. With the original owner dying early and Lady You not managing affairs, she had indulged him blindly, turning Jia Rong into a greasy, selfish, lecherous, and irresponsible brat.

To put it bluntly, she absolutely loathed this Nanny Tang.

"It’s the Master! The Master arrived at the school, and I don't know what he heard, but he wants to beat Rong-ge to death in front of Master Ru!"

Shen Ning: "..."

Lady You: "..."

Both were in disbelief.

Hadn't Jia Zhen gone to invite a doctor for her?

"Nonsense." Seeing Shen Ning’s expression, Lady You barked sharply, "The Master went to Huichuntang to invite a doctor for the Mistress; how could he be at the school?"

"Master Rui has fallen into a critical illness." Nanny Tang’s tears fell in streams. "Manager Chen is currently treating him at the Master’s house."

What?

The expressions of both Shen Ning and Lady You changed drastically.

If things went wrong, given Jia Zhen’s temper, he really might beat Jia Rong to death.

"Quick! Go to the school!"