Chapter 115
Chapter 115: Protecting Luo Ning
The side room of the East Main Courtyard was a mess.
The people inside were also in a sorry state.
Except for Luo Ning.
Madam Bai had fallen into a crazed state once again. Even though Bai Ci Rong kept holding her and rubbing her arm, trying to calm her down, she still could not control herself.
Bai Yu Lin watched his sister, trembling with fear.
“Are you going to force me to death before you are satisfied? How did I give birth to a beast like you?” Madam Bai shouted at Luo Ning.
Luo Ning’s face was steady, her eyes quiet, as she watched Madam Bai go mad.
Her heart was very calm, but she did not enjoy this.
She only wanted justice. [Since you act like you cannot see my pain, then you can taste it yourself. That is the only fair way.]
“Uncle, what is wrong with my questions?” Luo Ning ignored Madam Bai and turned toward Bai Yu Lin.
Bai Yu Lin’s breathing still had not calmed for a long time. He was too fat, and he was panting heavily.
When Madam Bai saw Luo Ning ignoring her and instead pressing her brother step by step, she became even more hateful. She rushed forward, wanting to hit Luo Ning.
A hand blocked Madam Bai.
She looked up and saw Luo You.
Since Bai Yu Lin was visiting, the Marquis of Zhen Nan had naturally called not only Luo Ning but also Luo You to come see their uncle.
Luo You lived rather far away. For the maidservant to go to him and for him to come back took more time. On top of that, he did not really want to come, so he dragged his feet for half an hour. Only now did he arrive.
Seeing the side room in chaos and hearing his mother screaming hoarsely, he was also shocked.
At first, he had wanted to stand outside the curtain for a bit, listen to what was going on, and then decide whether to go in. But he happened to see his mother raise her hand against his eldest sister.
Last time, his mother had also hit him.
Luo You’s feelings for his mother were about the same as his feelings for his father. He knew they were his elders and respected them. Besides that, there was not much more.
He did not have any special affection for his eldest sister either. It was just that his eldest sister had just helped him and Zhou Huai so they could go study at Chunshan Academy. He was grateful to her.
The line between close and distant was suddenly clear. Luo You caught Madam Bai’s arm in time.
“Mother, calm down,” Luo You said, giving Madam Bai a hard push.
He was twelve years old now. He was already a bit taller than Madam Bai. Although he was thin and slight, he was still a growing boy and had quite a bit of strength.
Madam Bai almost stumbled and fell. Bai Ci Rong quickly held her up.
“You want to rebel too?” Madam Bai became even more furious.
Half an hour ago, she had still seemed calm and gentle. Now her hair looked like it had exploded, and her face had become twisted and fierce.
“I do not know what happened between you. But our family has rules. In the Luo family’s rules, when punishing a daughter, you cannot slap her in the face,” Luo You said.
He was already at the age when his voice was changing. His voice was rough and unpleasant.
To Madam Bai’s ears, it cut her heart even more.
“You evil child, you really are blind. You have mistaken an outsider for your dearest kin…” Madam Bai started cursing again.
Bai Ci Rong covered her mouth and used her eyes to signal Nanny Zhen to come help.
Bai Yu Lin watched his sister’s crazed appearance and thought of the letter he had received. His heart pounded wildly.
“Aunt, please calm down,” Bai Ci Rong said. She and Nanny Zhen held Madam Bai down. “A’You, you two go out first.”
Luo You looked at Luo Ning: “Big Sister, shall we go?”
Luo Ning nodded.
The two of them walked out of the East Main Courtyard. Outside, the sun was still blazing hot.
“Come sit in Wenqi Courtyard. Eat some fruit. I have very good grapes there,” Luo Ning said.
“I will trouble Big Sister then,” Luo You answered.
He did not know if things were over yet. If he went back now and they called him in again later, it would be troublesome. Outside, the heat was like a burning fire.
“Big Sister, how did it turn into such a mess?” he asked after they sat down.
Luo Ning told Luo You everything that had happened, from beginning to end.
After hearing it, Luo You snorted: “That is bullying.”
He went on: “Uncle does business. I do not believe his eyes are that bad. He is clearly putting price tags on people. In his eyes, the Marquis of Jian Ning’s manor is worth more than our Marquis Manor.”
He also said: “You are Prince Yong’s principal consort. Those prestigious clans look down on you and think you are not as good as a secondary consort whose maiden home is powerful. I can understand that. They are all arrogant.
“But Uncle is from Yuhang, and he still looks down on you. That shows he already has ties with the prestigious clans in the capital and has heard the gossip. Yet in our family, we have never heard that Mother from Yuhang has dealings with any powerful nobles in the capital.”
Luo Ning glanced at him.
Luo You shrank back a little and said, a bit uneasy: “I am just saying what comes to mind.”
“No. I think what you said is very good. Your thoughts are clear,” Luo Ning said.
From this small matter of the dowry gift, Luo You had seen so many problems. He understood it even better than Luo Chong Ye.
In her past life, he had been pitiful. Luo Yin had harmed him until he was paralyzed in bed. He suffered for two years before he died.
In truth, many paralyzed people could endure for more than ten years, even several decades. Luo You had only lasted for two years. Maybe it was exactly because he was so clear-headed and knew everything that he could not bear it.
His wisdom already surpassed Luo Ning’s. In her past life, Luo Ning had never seen through any of it.
“Mother is really something. Her whole heart leans toward her maiden home. Her children are all less important than her maiden home,” Luo You said again.
Then he thought of something and corrected himself: “It is the two of us who are not as important as the Bai family. Mother still thinks very highly of her brother.”
Luo Ning gave a small laugh.
Nanny Kong made chilled milk custard with ice. Luo Ning had her brother eat some to cool down. She also told a maidservant to bring in iced grapes and watermelon.
Luo You had a good appetite. He ate as he talked. Very soon, the milk custard and fruit all went into his belly.
“We should be careful,” Luo Ning said to her brother. “You are leaving for Chunshan Academy tomorrow. From now on, do not worry about the affairs at home.”
Luo You nodded.
Then he said to Luo Ning: “My wet nurse, Nanny Fan, and my head maid, Chun Zhi, Big Sister, please take care of them for me.”
He added: “Chun Zhi is fifteen this year. My wet nurse says she should be matched soon. If you see a good boy, help her find a marriage.”
Luo Ning agreed to everything: “Do not worry.”
The brother and sister talked for quite a while.
The Luo family had originally prepared dinner to entertain their uncle. After this scene, the Marquis of Zhen Nan went out to drink. Bai Yu Lin left the Luo family at dusk, his head hanging low.
As for the twenty-eight dishes, Second Madam decided how to divide them and sent some to each courtyard.
The meal that Luo Ning and Luo You had that night was especially rich.
In the East Main Courtyard, the Marchioness, Madam Bai, did not eat. She drank her medicine and only then barely calmed down a little. She lay on the bed and sighed.
“Mother, tomorrow A’You is going to study. He has to leave the city. Father and Uncle already discussed it. They will wait for A’You at the tea shed by the Thirty-li Post Station,” Bai Ci Rong said.
She added: “I have already thought of a way. You can go then too. You will not only see A’You off, but also see Father.”
Madam Bai sat up and gripped her hand: “What way?”
“In the rear garden, they are building an ice cellar, so the back corner gate can be used to go in and out. I have already bribed the stewardess. We can go straight out that way, and there will be a carriage waiting at the back gate,” Bai Ci Rong said.
She went on: “The people of the Luo family will only send them off at the gate of the Marquis Manor. They will not leave the city. Mother, at that time the four of us can be together as a family, and you can finally feel at ease.”
Madam Bai let out a soft breath.
When Second Madam handed the silver ingot of five taels from the stewardess to Luo Ning, she sighed a little and said: “The Marquis Manor does not allow Sister-in-law to go out. That cousin of ours wants nothing more than for Sister-in-law’s illness to grow worse and worse. She keeps doing things that are bad for her recovery.”
Luo Ning looked at the silver ingot for a long time, then slowly raised her eyes. “Aunt, is Second Uncle off from court tomorrow?”
“He is not off, but he can ask for leave.”
“Then have him ask for leave. Tell Second Uncle and Third Uncle that Grandmother will come down from the South Mountain summer retreat villa tomorrow and will be at the tea shed by the Thirty-li Post Station to see A’You off. I will call Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, the younger brothers and sisters-in-law at home, and even a few important stewards to go as well,” Luo Ning said.
Second Madam was stunned.
In this blazing heat, what was all this fuss for?