Chapter 1: Hold Steady

The sky was neither bright nor dark, and the silhouette of the Ningguo Mansion loomed in the hazy morning mist. Although the lanterns within the estate were still lit, they were so dim they seemed on the verge of flickering out.

"Mistress, Mistress, please wake up. Mistress, are you having another nightmare?"

When Shen Ning opened her eyes and saw Qingzhu, the maid calling her, she felt as if she hadn't yet returned from her dream. She remained dazed for a moment before asking with profound exhaustion, "What time is it?"

This body had not slept well for many days, and her head was splitting with pain.

"It is nearly 5:30 in the morning."

"Let me doze a while longer."

Shen Ning closed her eyes. "Tell the eldest daughter-in-law that there is no need for the morning greeting here for now."

"Yes!"

The bed curtains were drawn, and darkness once again filled the space between the bed hangings, yet Shen Ning no longer felt any sleepiness.

Two days ago, when she had just transmigrated and heard the names Ningguo Mansion and the neighboring Rongguo Mansion, she knew she was in trouble.

Sure enough, she was the wife of Jia Jing, the one who died in childbirth at an advanced age.

The critical issue was that the little one in her belly, "Little Spring," was already over six months along. Now, whether she wanted to give birth or not, she had no choice.

*Hiss~*

According to the standard timeline of *Dream of the Red Chamber*, she didn't have many months left to live.

Although the book didn't specify exactly when Jia Zhen and Jia Xichun’s mother died, the fact that Xichun was taken to the Rongguo Mansion at such a young age meant that the original owner of this body must have already passed away.

Giving birth at an advanced age was high-risk even in the modern era, let alone in this ancient time.

No, she had to find an imperial physician to check her pulse tomorrow, and then find a few renowned doctors to take a look.

Although the eventual fate of the Ning and Rong mansions was grim, even if she did nothing, she still had a dozen years of good days ahead.

Shen Ning took a long breath in and out. While soothing her body, she also reached out to comfort the child in her belly.

The little one might have been kicking and punching; her belly tightened, and from time to time, a small bump would bulge out.

Shen Ning’s hand instinctively chased the little bump. The baby inside must have felt it, for it gave another gentle kick against her palm.

*Oh my~*

A unique feeling flowed through her heart—warm, cozy, and tender...

Shen Ning was stunned for a moment.

So, this is what it means to be connected by blood?

She slowly felt the fetal movements until the little one grew tired and quieted down. Her hand remained wrapped around her protruding belly, as if she were cradling the greatest treasure in the world.

This was her baby.

As soon as she thought this, a wave of immense sorrow and reluctance suddenly filled her heart.

"...Rest assured, I will definitely raise your daughter well. I won't let her be lonely, helpless, or so disheartened that she seeks refuge in a nunnery."

Having received the original owner's memories over the past two days, Shen Ning knew that the original owner’s greatest worry was the little daughter in her womb. "From now on, she is my daughter. As for the others in the Jia family... I will help where I can."

The decline of the Jia family, while appearing to be a lack of successors and indulgence in luxury, was actually a matter of choosing the wrong side.

But this issue could not be blamed entirely on the choices of the Jia family's leaders.

The Jia family rose to power through military merit. Holding military power made them easily feared by the Emperor. By the time the titles passed to Jia Daihua and Jia Dashan, although they were still the Emperor's confidants, both had made better plans for the next generation for the sake of the family's prosperity.

The third generation of the Jia family did not join the military.

Jia Jing passed the imperial examinations at a young age, and Jia She was not cut out for academics. Even if they inherited the titles, they would not inherit their fathers' and grandfathers' military power.

Although these two brothers were not as capable as their predecessors, ensuring the prosperity of the Ning and Rong mansions should not have been a problem.

All the trouble stemmed from the disgraced former Crown Prince, later known as the Prince of Yizhong.

Once he fell, the group of people who had surrounded him all met with misfortune.

Shen Ning’s maiden family was the same, and so was Jia Jing. To prevent further disaster, he even gave up his title to his son and went off to become a Taoist priest.

Although Jia She inherited the title, he couldn't even move into the main courtyard.

Was this entirely the result of Lady Jia’s power-grabbing and balancing act?

The root cause was that the people above did not want the Jia family to thrive.

Jia Zheng was a glaring example. He had been studious since childhood and should have followed the path of the imperial examinations like Jia Jing. However, after Jia Dashan died, the Emperor directly bestowed upon him a position as a department director. He became an official without taking the exams. It seemed like a great imperial favor, but in reality, it completely severed the third generation of the Jia family from the path of the imperial examinations and cut off Jia Zheng’s path to promotion.

After all, officials who rose through the back door could never gain a foothold in the scholar-official bureaucracy.

Facts proved this: he achieved nothing his entire life. Even when he was later appointed as an educational inspector by imperial decree, it was a lateral transfer, not a promotion.

The person above was interfering with the Jia family’s transition, letting them naturally wither away, never allowing them to grow powerful again.

The eventual confiscation of their property was merely a matter of following the trend.

If the two families had kept to themselves and lived their own lives, it is highly likely they would not have been liquidated. But from Lady Jia to Jia She, Jia Zheng, and Jia Zhen, they all wanted to struggle.

Thinking of the final outcome, Shen Ning sighed again in her heart. "And the Shen family. As long as I live well, the fourth generation of the Shen family will eventually return."

Her maiden family had been sent back to their ancestral home, forbidden from entering government service for three generations. From her father to her brothers and nephews, their political careers were all cut short. If she couldn't live a long life, she wouldn't live to see her grand-nephews of the fourth generation.

And without her, their aunt, the struggling younger generation of the Shen family would likely not be able to associate with the Jia family anymore.

"I will watch over and take care of them all for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, the throbbing pain in Shen Ning’s head and the dull, uncomfortable feeling throughout her body suddenly eased significantly.

Had the original owner... left?

Shen Ning touched her belly. The child inside seemed to sense something, too, and moved slightly.

"Be good, we will be a happy little family."

If she died, the baby would only have a life of being unloved by her father, ignored by her brother, and living under someone else's roof.

"I will eat well, and you will grow up well."

If she had the chance, she would beat that "good son" of hers.

And she would scold Jia Jing, who was hiding in a Taoist temple thinking everything was fine.

She was weak and frail; beating that son to death was impossible, so she would have to rely on Jia Jing.

The head of the Ningguo Mansion could be mediocre or incompetent, but he could not drag the entire mansion into such a foul reputation, and he certainly could not commit such shameless, depraved acts.

The gold-threaded curtains let in a sliver of light; the sky was gradually brightening.

Shen Ning fell asleep in a daze. This time, there were no dreams, no unease.

The Ningguo Mansion woke up. People were coming and going through the back gate, a scene of busyness.

Only the main courtyard remained quiet. The cleaning maids walked on tiptoe, and the maids standing under the eaves—holding copper basins, towels, soap, and hot water—stood silently. They replaced the hot water pot after pot until the chime of the clock rang out: 9:45 AM. Only then did a sound come from the inner room.

Shen Ning woke up feeling refreshed, a rare sensation.

The door opened, and everyone straightened their backs and filed in.

Qingzhu, dressed in a gray-green jacket and skirt, walked with light steps, a joyful smile on her face. "Looking at the Mistress's complexion, you are much better today."

"I had a good sleep."

Shen Ning allowed the maids to serve her. "Tell the eldest master to invite Manager Chen from Huichuntang. I want to see if there is anything else I need to pay attention to."

If it were up to her, she would have invited every renowned doctor from the Imperial Hospital and the capital. However, ever since the family’s misfortune, the original owner had stopped dealing with the Imperial Hospital. For the past few years, she had always used Manager Chen Yansheng from Huichuntang. She didn't know if it was because of his name, but after being sick for so long, she had actually conceived.

"Yes!"

Qingping and Qingzhu exchanged a glance and hurried out.

I have always wanted to write a *Red Chamber* story, and I have finally started. I humbly ask for your guidance!!!

(End of chapter)