Chapter 125
Chapter 125: Luo Ning’s Vigilance
Luo Ning soon learned about the Imperial Merchant list as well.
Everything was just as she had expected, so her heart stayed calm.
Once the Imperial Merchant spot was decided, it was like a storm had passed and everywhere returned to calm.
Some families were happy, and some were sad.
The Dou family had never imagined that they would suddenly become the Imperial Merchant.
Luo Ning’s talks with Dou First Madam had always been done in secret. The Dou family’s Master of the House loved nothing more than raising and walking birds, and he never bought or sold through the house steward.
Even the people of the eldest branch did not know, much less the other branches.
Fourth Madam Dou was so excited that she ran to her sister-in-law, her face almost glowing red, and said: “Does Miss Luo have divine power? She just said one casual sentence, and it really came true?”
It was something they had not even dared to dream about.
Dou First Madam only smiled and said: “Did my kneeling work?”
Fourth Madam Dou said: “Sister-in-law, you were the farsighted one.”
She then asked First Madam: “Should we go to her house and thank Miss Luo in person?”
Dou First Madam said: “No need. Princess Consort Yong will not care about a little Imperial Merchant.”
Luo Ning had asked Dou First Madam to use the side gate when she came and went, because she did not want many people to know. So Dou First Madam had not even told her own family. She only told Master of the House and the head bookkeeper.
Master of the House listened to her in everything. As long as he could get a rare bird, he was satisfied and had no interest in business at all. The head bookkeeper simply followed the master’s orders.
Inside and outside, the family was as tight as an iron bucket. Relatives and friends who tried to ask around could only sigh that Madam Dou had good luck.
When wealth came, it could not be stopped.
Dou First Madam was generous. She first took out twenty percent of the dividends from the Dou family’s shops for the first half of the year and quietly handed it to Luo Ning.
Luo Ning knew that she was trying to buy favor.
She was willing to have one more friend.
In the next three years, the Dou family would have many places where they needed her support. Merchants had deep pockets but weak influence. In Shengjing, a city full of powerful nobles, every step was hard.
By taking the money, Luo Ning was agreeing to be Madam Dou’s backing.
When she had been a wandering ghost in her past life, she had seen Madam Dou rise up. She knew what kind of person Dou First Madam was and believed that the Dou family would not bring disaster to her.
She took the silver banknotes and then took out half, saying: “The shopboys in your shops know everything. Take this money and choose someone in each shop to focus on asking around. From now on, whenever I want news, I will ask you.”
Even though Luo Ning had some memories, she could not know everything.
It was like Madam Dou’s inkstone. She had searched through her memories again and again and thought hard for many days before she managed to list out their family.
As for news among the powerful nobles, Xiao Huai Feng should know it all.
But common gossip from the streets was also useful and might come in handy in the future.
Dou First Madam accepted the money and said: “Princess Consort, please be at ease.”
The fact that Luo Ning entrusted something to her meant she was willing to be Madam Dou’s support, and Dou First Madam was overjoyed.
She came quietly and left quietly.
Luo Chong Ye called Luo Ning to the outer study again, but Luo Ning refused him.
Luo Ning knew what he wanted to talk about.
He rushed after power and money with all his heart, yet in half his life he had never understood his own strengths and weaknesses. In short, his mind was weak and his sight was short.
When he called Luo Ning to the outer study, he clearly wanted to talk about Bai Yu Lin and Madam Bai, and even about the Marquis of Jian Ning’s manor.
He was probably going to make Luo Ning threaten Bai Yu Lin, use her to link the Luo family with the Marquis of Jian Ning’s manor, and have them join hands so that in Prince Yong’s manor, they could use the prince’s secondary consort as support.
And he would still claim he was doing it “for Luo Ning’s own good”.
When Luo Ning thought about it, she did not want to hear a single word of it.
In her past life, Luo Chong Ye had never cared whether she lived or died. In this life, she told herself she would treat him the same way.
[If a father is not kind, then a daughter does not need to be filial.]
Soon it was late July, and there was a thin coolness in the wind in the mornings and evenings.
One afternoon, a young maidservant came to find Luo Ning’s maid, Dong Yan, to borrow a shoe pattern.
In Wenqi Courtyard, besides Qiu Lan and Qiu Hua, there had been two other maids, Chu Shuang and Dong Yan. After Chu Shuang “disappeared”, no new people were added to the courtyard, and only Dong Yan was left.
Dong Yan was only thirteen this year. She was not as sharp as Chu Shuang, and she was quiet and not talkative, but she worked hard.
She seldom served close to Luo Ning and only did rough work.
Luo Ning asked Qiu Lan: “Who is that maidservant?”
Qiu Lan went out to take a look and came back to say to Luo Ning: “Her name is Chun Tao. She is a rough-work maid from Second Young Master’s courtyard.”
“How did she get to know Dong Yan?”
Qiu Lan said: “I will ask Dong Yan about it later.”
That night, Qiu Lan specially called Dong Yan over and questioned her with a serious face.
Dong Yan told her everything in detail: “A few days ago, her shoes broke. I happened to be at the gate, and she asked to borrow a pair from me. Later she returned a pair to me and then asked me for a shoe pattern.”
Then she added: “We have only met those two times.”
Qiu Lan’s expression stayed serious as she said: “You must be careful in everything. Second Young Master is not at home, and the people in his courtyard are under Nanny Fan. Do not casually mix with outsiders. You know the rules of our courtyard.”
In Wenqi Courtyard, the one menial maid and the two rough servant women feared Qiu Lan more than they feared Luo Ning.
Qiu Lan was not very fierce. On the contrary, she was usually gentle, but she was strict and never showed favoritism. The maids all had to get their monthly allowance through her hands, and because of this she had built up prestige.
Dong Yan agreed.
The matter was dropped.
But that night, Luo Ning had a strange dream. She dreamed of Qiu Lan’s death in her past life.
Qiu Lan had run headfirst into a wall to prove Luo Ning’s innocence. Her head was broken and bleeding. She did not die right away, and Luo Ning had held her as the blood soaked through her own clothes.
As Qiu Lan’s breath slowly stopped, it felt as if Luo Ning’s soul was being torn apart. The pain cut to her heart, and she woke up covered in cold sweat.
After she woke, she did not feel the same panic as last time. She knew clearly that it had only been a dream.
Qiu Lan, who was on night duty and sleeping on the couch at the foot of her bed, asked: “Big Miss, are you awake?”
Luo Ning said: “Yes. I feel a bit hot.”
Qiu Lan got up and lifted the lampshade. There was a bit of light in the room now. She went to pour Luo Ning a cup of water and wrung out a cloth to wipe her sweat.
Luo Ning suddenly said: “The people in our courtyard are all very well behaved.”
She trusted her maids Qiu Lan and Qiu Hua, and Nanny Kong, the steward’s wife. She was also at ease with the two nursemaids, He and Yin, and with Lin Zhao, who were all very sensible.
Besides them, there were three more people: the menial maid Dong Yan and the two rough servant women, Auntie Li and Auntie Qian.
They all behaved properly, at least on the surface.
The only thing out of the ordinary was that a few days ago, Chun Tao from Luo You’s courtyard had come to look for Dong Yan.
Luo You was close to Luo Ning, and she had a good feeling about the people in his courtyard.
But when she thought about it, the only people Luo You cared about were his wet nurse, Nanny Fan, and his head maid, Chun Zhi. He had never mentioned anyone else.
He was still young and often went out to study. The ones who followed him in and out were pageboys and servant boys. How could he manage the maids’ affairs?
Luo Ning said: “Qiu Lan, look into Dong Yan for me.”
Qiu Lan frowned and asked: “Big Miss, do you suspect her?”
Usually, while Luo Ning practiced with the whip, worked on her handwriting, and studied with Nursemaids He and Yin, Qiu Lan took care of the small matters in the courtyard.
Qiu Lan was quiet but careful and watched everyone. In her eyes, Dong Yan, this young maidservant, was quite honest.
Could Dong Yan really be up to something?
But Big Miss would not wrongly accuse her.
Luo Ning said: “No, I do not suspect her. I just want to be careful. Qiu Lan, I suddenly thought of the books. Dong Yan has had contact with Second Young Master’s maidservant. Did she bring back any books from her?”
Qiu Lan said: “Tomorrow I will first send her out on an errand and then search her room.”
After Chu Shuang left, Dong Yan had a small side room all to herself.
Luo Ning said: “…I will search it myself.”