Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Luo Ning Touches Prince Yong’s Hand
Madam Bai frowned slightly when she heard Bai Ci Rong’s words.
Was the Young Madam doing this on purpose?
Thinking of all that had happened, the Young Madam really had caused Madam Bai plenty of trouble.
“…We do not have the time to deal with her right now. Let her be,” Madam Bai said after a moment of thought.
She and Bai Ci Rong had more important things to do.
They had to deal with Luo Ning, receive Qiu Shi Dong, and use the status and reputation of the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s household to back Qiu Shi Dong’s nominal title as Imperial Merchant, and so on.
The Young Madam, Madam Wen, had no conflict of interest with the Marchioness.
“Aunt, will Madam Wen help Luo Ning?” Bai Ci Rong asked.
Madam Bai thought for a moment and said: “She probably will not.”
“I still do not trust her. Send someone to watch her and find a chance to cause her some trouble so she will not help Luo Ning,” Bai Ci Rong said.
“That is fine. Just do not hurt A Qin. He is A Yin’s only child,” Madam Bai said.
Bai Ci Rong did not think much of it, but still agreed.
Luo Ning did not care much about this conflict in the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s household.
She knew very clearly that Luo You was not Qiu Shi Dong’s illegitimate son. He was Luo Chong Ye’s flesh and blood, and truly her full younger brother.
Luo Ning had never liked Luo You getting involved in her struggle with Madam Bai.
Unfortunately, after Luo Yin’s death, Luo You would surely be dragged into it.
This could not be avoided.
In her heart, Luo You was her only true blood brother. She only hoped he could live in peace, yet Madam Bai did not care about that at all and even laid hands on him.
Madam Bai was still confined and in the midst of her madness, so Luo Ning did not need to be distracted by her for the time being. By hitting Luo You, Madam Bai had only pushed him even farther away.
That suited her just fine.
In the blink of an eye, the day they had agreed to go hunting arrived.
When she got up early that morning, the sky was filled with dazzling dawn clouds. Even the courtyard looked as if it were on fire.
“Miss, look at the sky,” Nanny Kong said to Luo Ning as she was dressing.
The blazing red clouds shone in through the window.
Luo Ning had not finished putting on her clothes yet. She walked out of the inner room and saw the rolling clouds at the horizon, like flowers blooming all across the sky.
Puffs of cloud piled against the blue dome of the sky, shot through with red light from within, so bright it was almost eerie.
“The heavens are showing signs. Is this a blessing or a bad omen?” Nanny He asked, pressing a hand lightly to her chest.
Luo Ning stood still and looked at the red clouds.
She had seen such blazing clouds at sunset before, but never in the morning.
[Did this happen in my previous life?]
On this day in her previous life, she had still been half-conscious in her courtyard, so angry she had made herself sick and could not get out of bed.
Maybe the sky had looked like this then too, but who would have dragged a “madwoman” out of bed to see such a sight?
“Has this happened before?” Luo Ning asked Nanny He. “You have lived in the capital for decades. Have you ever seen morning clouds like this?”
“I have seen it in the evening, but never in the morning,” Nanny He said.
The people of Wenqi Courtyard were all standing under the eaves.
The strange dawn clouds did not last long. Soon the clouds grew thicker and completely covered the sun, turning the sky overcast.
Luo Ning went back to her room to finish dressing and fixing her hair.
She was going hunting today with Prince Yong and the others. She did not wear any jewelry and only asked Nanny Kong to braid one diagonal plait that hung over her left shoulder. She changed into neat, practical clothes and tied her shoes and trouser legs tight with white silk strips.
After everything was done, she looked very clean and capable.
She brought along the hand crossbow Lin Zhao had given her.
“Princess Consort, this kind of hand crossbow has too short a range. It will not be any use when hunting. It only has three bolts and is inconvenient to carry. It is pretty useless,” Lin Zhao said with a smile.
“They are all masters of mounted archery. I am just going along for the fun. I do not need to show off anything. I am taking this hand crossbow to protect myself, just in case,” Luo Ning said.
Around midmorning, the carriage from Prince Yong’s manor arrived near the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s residence.
Luo Ning left through the side gate near Wenqi Courtyard and got into Prince Yong’s carriage.
He had placed several bows and quivers of arrows in the carriage, both long and short.
Pointing to a very light, small bow, he said to Luo Ning: “Try this one.”
Luo Ning picked it up and pulled the string. It was fine. She could draw it.
As long as she could pull the bow, she could aim accurately. Her aim was good; she just did not have much strength and lacked training.
“Prince, did you see the clouds this morning?” Luo Ning asked him.
She was thinking about her brother’s studies and planned to use this as a way to bring up the subject.
So she was just making small talk.
“I did. The Astronomical Bureau is doing calculations. They said an auspicious beast will appear today,” Xiao Huai Feng said.
“Isn’t that cloud the auspicious beast?” Luo Ning asked.
“In general, it only counts as an auspicious beast if a white crane flies out or a golden qilin appears,” Xiao Huai Feng answered.
Suddenly, Luo Ning remembered something.
In a few days, the Emperor would fall seriously ill, and some would say that Prince Yong was the one who harmed him.
When Luo Ning had been a ghost, Prince Yong had been the Prince Regent. She had heard others curse him as they looked back on the events of that year, saying Prince Yong killed an auspicious beast and caused the Emperor to become gravely ill.
It was that incident that almost ruined Prince Yong’s reputation completely.
His name had become so bad, and he wanted stability, unwilling to let the realm fall into chaos again, that he held back for eight years before he dared to ascend the throne.
“A white deer, which is seen only once in a hundred years, was shot and killed by Prince Yong.”
Thinking back, Luo Ning found that it matched today.
“Prince!” She suddenly raised her eyes and looked seriously at Xiao Huai Feng. “Can you promise me one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Today, can you shoot birds but not beasts? Is that possible?” Luo Ning asked.
Luo Ning knew very well that a white deer was rare and precious, and Xiao Huai Feng was not stupid. How could he possibly kill a white deer the moment he saw it during the hunt?
It was very likely an accident.
“…What kind of rule is this?” He frowned, a bit displeased.
“Can you listen to my advice this once? Or better yet, do not loose a single arrow today. Do not shoot anything,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng: “…”
“Just in case,” Luo Ning added. “Prince, I have made calculations before that later came true. If you listen to me this time, the Censorate will scold you ten years less.”
Counting carefully, from today until he officially ascended the throne would indeed be ten years.
Luo Ning only hoped he would unify the realm as soon as possible so that she could return home in glory early as well.
She hoped the pace of this life could be faster.
In truth, once he became the Prince Regent, Luo Ning’s task would be considered complete. As long as he governed on behalf of the young emperor, he could enfeoff her as a commandery princess.
Even so, Luo Ning still hoped his path to the throne would have fewer ups and downs. They were helping each other, and both wanted to see their wishes fulfilled soon.
“Prince, is that all right?” Thinking of her commandery princess title, Luo Ning felt a bit anxious and pressed her hand on the back of Xiao Huai Feng’s hand.
Xiao Huai Feng lowered his eyes.
He looked at her hand, and his brows were already drawn together: “Madam Luo, A Ning, move your hand away. Unless you no longer want it.”
Luo Ning immediately pulled her hand back.
Xiao Huai Feng’s face was as dark as iron.
For a long time, he did not say another word.
Luo Ning sneaked a guilty glance at him, regretting her rashness.
[It has nothing to do with me.]
She was already guaranteed to become a commandery princess. When he became the emperor had nothing to do with her, so why was she so anxious?
If she made him angry, her future would not be secure.
When Luo Ning stole another glance at him, the carriage had already stopped. They had arrived at the Imperial Hunting Grounds.
Xiao Huai Feng got off the carriage first.
Luo Ning followed. She saw him standing beside the carriage. He reached out, grabbed her upper arm, and lifted her down.
[When will you prepare a footstool?] Luo Ning grumbled inwardly.
She had almost fallen.
She had just barely steadied herself when she saw a group of people nearby, all looking at them.
One woman among them stood out especially.