Chapter 29: So, what fault do you have?

"Yes!" Zi Su hurriedly let out a breath of relief.

Just then she was terrified; she didn't dare to bring a stool for the Young Master, let alone speak.

"Sit down." Jiang Yun Chu looked at his swaying figure and really wanted to pry open this child's head to see what was inside.

The three mistakes you just mentioned aren't mistakes at all.

Seeing the child sit down, she finally spoke.

"Ah?"

"Ah?"

The first shout, loud, was Ning Hanmo.

The second shout, soft, was Bai Zhi behind him.

Although Zi Su was puzzled, she was by nature a rule‑following maid, unlike Bai Zhi's unrestrained temperament.

"Did you cause trouble?" Jiang Yun Chu asked.

Ning Hanmo's fist suddenly clenched: "If it happens again, I'll still strike."

This is Ning Hanmo's attitude.

Actually, after returning, Jiang Yun Chu had already questioned An Wu about what happened, why he struck, and how he struck.

An Wu reported everything in detail.

It was because the Cao family's people called Ning Hanmo a wild child, a fatherless, motherless good‑for‑nothing.

It was because the Cao family's people called her a lowly woman who married into the Regent Prince's Manor as a widow, not knowing how many men she had secretly hooked up with.

All the silver of the Regent Prince's Manor had been used by her to support her wild lovers.

The first insult, Ning Hanmo endured.

The second insult, Ning Hanmo threw a punch directly.

She knew all of that……

"Then let's discuss the second question: should we fight or not?" Jiang Yun Chu asked.

Ning Hanmo's clenched fist made a few faint sounds: "Should we?"

Jiang Yun Chu's pursed lips suddenly broke into a smile—no coldness, no mockery, her whole self warm and peaceful, her tolerant gaze falling on him, causing the little youngster's fist to relax.

"Yes!" Jiang Yun Chu nodded in agreement, answering, "So what fault do you have?"

Ning Hanmo's dim eyes suddenly gathered light, like a multicolored gemstone glowing.

"Let's talk about the third point, implicating the manor." Jiang Yun Chu's tone softened; he's still just a child, only six years old.

But……

In this political dynasty, he inevitably gets stained with a bit of it.

"Ning Hanmo, remember forever: you are the master of the manor; if you live, the manor lives; if you die, the manor is buried with you."

"We are originally one entity; where does the idea of implicating come from?"

Jiang Yun Chu's words, spoken word by word with a rare gravity and an irresistible force, struck these messages deep into Ning Hanmo's heart.

"Is that so?" Ning Hanmo looked at her.

Jiang Yun Chu nodded, ruffling his hair; at his young age he needed to see life and death, understand the situation, and he too had his helplessness.

"Yes, the manor is your backing; you should never fear implicating the manor, nor fear implicating me." Her voice, for the first time so gentle— a gentleness only Yue Yue had ever enjoyed.

"Then... where did I go wrong?" Ning Hanmo was bewildered.

He thought those were his mistakes, but she told him they weren't his faults at all.

Then where was he wrong?

Jiang Yun Chu chuckled, "Acting rashly when the situation is unfavorable—that's the first mistake."

"Being overconfident and not letting Shunzi go first to deliver the message—that's the second mistake."

"A crying child gets milk; if I hadn't had Bai Zhi call a doctor, how would your injury be judged? That's the third mistake."

"Not trusting me—that's the fourth mistake."

"And there's one more mistake—think about it."

Ning Hanmo listened, wondering if things really were like that.

How could listening feel off? Yet analyzing it, it seemed there was nothing wrong.

Zi Su suppressed a smile, seeing in the Princess Consort's eyes a hint of appraisal.

They had been in contact for quite a while, but she still didn't know the Princess Consort's temperament—especially when something happened, the Princess Consort always gave her a surprise.

This time the Young Master got beaten, and the Princess Consort protected him with domineering authority.

She had seen all those maneuvers; the Princess Consort, when at the West Village racetrack, didn't even ask the Young Master a word, not knowing the cause, but……

The person, she protected!

"Anything else?" Ning Hanmo puzzled.

"Ning Hanmo, I've said before: being a good person isn't easy, being a bad person isn't easy either; doing things requires method and measure."

"Their three people's age and height are right there; you four—six‑ to eight‑year‑old kids—an adult could lift one of you with one hand, yet you rushed forward and fought—what is that?"

Ning Hanmo shook his head; in his understanding, when angry you just go forward.

He thought, yeah, the other side had so many adults, while they were four kids, and even the servants' fighting ability was lacking.

Although I don't know why An Wu didn't make a move……

But now, looking at Jiang Yun Chu's meaning, it seems she had ordered it.

"Striking a stone with an egg." Jiang Yun Chu said.

"When we are at a disadvantage, what we need is not force but wit."

Ning Hanmo frowned slightly, recalling the scene bit by bit.

"But……they……" In the end, he still didn't say anything.

"They're scolding me!" Jiang Yun Chu said.

Ning Hanmo abruptly lifted his head, looked at her, so, "You know everything?"

She smiled, and for the first time noticed her eyes were beautiful, curved like a crescent moon.

"I know."

"When did you find out?"

"When I returned to the manor."

This stepmother and stepson exchanged questions and answers without any concealment.

"That means, when you were at the West Village racetrack, you didn't know why I fought," the brat guessed.

When he saw the stupid woman nod, he grew even more astonished, and the words escaped his lips: "Why then?"

"Help you?" Jiang Yun Chu continued.

"You are my own people; they are merely outsiders. Whether you are right or wrong, I will educate you upon my return. In front of outsiders, our Wang Fu is always united."

"Internal problems, internal resolution; external problems, a united front. Understood?" Jiang Yun Chu looked at the brat, gradually imparting the concept.

Ning Hanmo was dazed, yet he understood something.

His heart felt warm……

When Zhang Xiaosan made a mistake, his mother's first reaction was to strike him in front of everyone.

But what about Jiang Yun Chu?

She protected him in front of everyone, even when facing the Cao family or the Third Prince, she always stood ahead of him, continually shielding him.

"Fifth Mistake, Ning Hanmo, shouldn't you write a letter to grandma? The Imperial Noble Consort misses you."

When Jiang Yun Chu spoke, her voice was faint, yet she reminded the brat.

"Jiang Yun Chu, welcome to marrying into the Regent Prince's Manor."

After the brat finished speaking, he blushed and walked out.

He had wanted to run, but his leg indeed had a problem, so he could only limp away.

Jiang Yun Chu froze, seeing his back, and also his ears and face already flushed red, she slightly curled the corner of her mouth.

Painless childbirth—this feeling isn't bad, huh?