Ning Ziming had only just gotten home when he heard the racket coming from the West Court, so he went to look.
But when he saw Ning Chen — face bruised and swollen, unconscious — his expression changed in an instant.
A chill ran up Ning Ziming’s spine from the tailbone straight into the back of his skull, and left him dizzy.
The Xuan Emperor had warned him to treat Ning Chen well, and here was this business the same day. This is going to get me killed.
If the Xuan Emperor learned of this, it wasn’t only him. Every single person standing in this yard, every one of them, was finished.
“Father, you’re back at last. Ning Chen gets worse and worse. Two days ago he split Second Brother’s head open. Today he stole Big Brother’s silver.”
“We came to have it out with him, and not only did he refuse to admit it, he attacked us. Look at my arm. He bit me.”
“Father, you have to do right by me!”
Ning Mao launched straight into it. He had used this move plenty of times and it had never once failed him.
This time it didn’t work. Ning Ziming turned and slapped him hard across the face.
Ning Mao lost his footing and went straight down.
Ning Gan was stunned.
The household men were stunned.
Ning Mao’s face burned. He held it and stared at Ning Ziming, unable to believe it. His father had hit him?
“Worthless. You worthless thing. Your own flesh and blood, and you do this to him? How did I father sons this vicious?”
Ning Ziming’s finger shook with rage as he pointed at Ning Mao and swore at him.
The thought of what would happen if the Xuan Emperor learned of it made him kick Ning Mao once more.
Ning Gan stood there aghast, half wondering whether his father had taken the wrong medicine.
“Father, calm yourself! This isn’t our fault. Ning Chen stole first, and then he attacked. Look at these men. Look at Third Brother’s arm. Ning Chen did all of it—”
Ning Gan’s words were fuel on the fire. He hadn’t finished before Ning Ziming stepped up and gave him a hard slap as well.
Ning Gan was knocked stupid. He held his face, his eyes vacant.
His father favored him above everyone. He had never laid a finger on him in his life. And today, for Ning Chen, he had struck him?
“Worthless. Worthless. You don’t know how close you are to dying and you’re still arguing? Do you want to be killed?”
Ning Ziming roared it.
The Xuan Emperor had warned him only that morning, and now Ning Chen had been beaten unconscious. This was breaking the rule knowing full well what it was. This was a slap at heaven’s own authority.
And if the Xuan Emperor’s anger came down, not even the Left Chancellor could shield him.
“You wretched servants. You dared raise your hands against a master. Fine. Fine. Is there no household law left in this family?”
“Someone. Take these wretches away. Thirty strokes of the rod each, and then out of this house.”
Ning Ziming was in a towering rage.
“Master, spare me!”
“Master, spare me, Master, spare me—”
“First Young Master, save me, First Young Master—”
The men who had done the beating were terrified. They went down on their knees, knocking their heads and begging.
Thirty strokes sounds simple enough. Very few men live through it.
Those punishment rods were solid wood, ridged and uneven along their length. Never mind thirty — an ordinary man does well to take ten.
Thirty strokes: if it doesn’t kill you, it breaks you.
A crowd of household men came running in from outside the yard.
They dragged away the ones who had laid hands on Ning Chen.
“Someone — carry Ning Chen to the East Wing. And find a doctor. Now. Go!”
The East Wing was where the masters of a house belonged. The West Court was for servants.
Ning Chen was carried out.
Ning Gan and Ning Mao held their faces and looked at each other, their eyes full of disbelief.
“Big Brother. Has Father gone mad? How can he be taking that bastard’s side?”
“It’s one thing to hit me. But he’s always favored you most, and he hit even you?”
Ning Gan’s head was full of question marks too.
He half wondered whether this father of theirs was an impostor.
“Father wouldn’t do this without a reason. There has to be something behind it. Come on. We’re going to Mother.”
“Brother, my arm hurts.”
“Bear it. Better that Mother sees it.”
The two of them held their faces and went to find Chang Ruyue.
In the East Wing, Ning Chen was still unconscious.
“Doctor. My son isn’t in any real danger, is he?”
The doctor bowed over clasped hands. “Lord Ning, the young master’s condition is not encouraging. The external injuries are easy enough to treat, but two ribs are broken and he will need time to mend.”
“And the young master has gone undernourished a long while. His breath is weak and his body is depleted. I’m afraid his recovery will take longer than most men’s.”
Ning Ziming’s brow furrowed hard.
“Doctor. Treat him with everything you have. Use the best medicine.”
The doctor nodded. “Set your mind at ease, Lord Ning. I’ll do all I can. I’ll write out a prescription shortly. If Lord Ning would send someone with me to collect the medicine.”
“But with his breath weak and his body depleted, the young master needs building up properly over this period. It will do a great deal for how the injuries heal.”
Ning Ziming nodded and turned to the steward of the Ning household beside him. “Steward Wu. Go with the doctor yourself and collect it.”
“Yes!”
Steward Wu was a pale, fat man who had been at the Ning estate a long time and had Ning Ziming’s full trust.
But at that moment Steward Wu’s head was full of question marks too. Why has the master suddenly turned so kind to Ning Chen?
He spoke again. “And tell the kitchen to pick out a good old hen and send up a stewed soup.”
“Yes, Master!”
Then, after a moment’s thought, he added, “And pass the word. If anyone dares carry today’s business outside this house, don’t blame me for what follows.”
“Doctor. I would ask you to keep today’s business to yourself as well.”
The doctor bowed hurriedly. “Set your mind at ease, Lord Ning. This humble man understands.”
Ning Ziming rubbed the space between his brows. The Xuan Emperor absolutely could not learn of this, or his days as a minister were finished.
At that same hour, Chang Ruyue was on her way to the East Wing with the two brothers.
When Ning Gan and Ning Mao got back to her, they had laid the whole thing out with extra oil and vinegar.
Chang Ruyue was full of questions herself. But the handprints on Ning Gan’s and Ning Mao’s faces, and the piece of flesh nearly bitten out of Ning Mao’s arm, were more than she could stand.
She had to have an answer out of Ning Ziming.
When Ning Ziming saw Chang Ruyue, his head hurt worse.
If Chang Ruyue had been only his wife, that would have been one thing. But Chang Ruyue was also the Left Chancellor’s daughter, and he owed his seat to the Left Chancellor.
“Master. Your wife doesn’t understand. Ning Chen stole first and injured people after. The fault is entirely his. Even if you mean to shield him, surely you can’t do it without asking who was right and who was wrong?”
“Look at Mao’er’s arm. He nearly had a piece of flesh torn out of it. He is your own son. Doesn’t your heart hurt for him at all?”
Chang Ruyue made her accusation with the tears coming down her face in fat drops.
She was a clever woman and she knew better than to come on too strong. Question him, yes — but work on his feelings at the same time, and look fragile while doing it. That was the better strategy.
“Madam. It isn’t what you think. Do you know—”
The words came to his lips and he swallowed them again.
He remembered what the Xuan Emperor had said. Not a fourth person was to know about that conversation.
The Xuan Emperor had a name as a benevolent ruler, but when the time came to act he had never once been soft about it.
Last year the Minister of Revenue got drunk and let slip something the emperor had said. His entire household was put to the sword.
Ning Ziming’s mouth was full of bitterness he couldn’t spit out.
“Madam, there is a great deal in this that I don’t understand myself. Take Mao’er away and get that bound up. In time you’ll see why I am doing this.”
“All I can tell you now is that whether Ning Chen lives or dies decides whether this family survives.”
Chang Ruyue and her sons heard it, and the shock showed on all their faces.
(End of Chapter 9)