Chapter 153
Chapter 153: Yu Zhuo Meets Luo Ning
The business with the Wang family in the Marquis of Jian Ning Manor became a topic of gossip.
Bai Ci Rong already had a bad name, and with this new joke she had caused, the guests talked about it with great interest after they went home.
Even the Emperor heard of it.
Two young eunuchs were gossiping on duty when he overheard them, and he specially called them over to ask.
“The Marquis of Jian Ning Manor? They have taken in another adopted daughter?” The Emperor frowned slightly.
When prestigious clans took in adopted daughters, they often ended up sending them into the palace.
The Imperial Clan was also happy to see this. Who didn’t like young, beautiful young ladies?
But the Emperor’s health was poor, and he had no interest in women, so he found all this very annoying.
He thought: [Madam Wang is getting more and more greedy. Is she really planning to send such an improper adopted daughter to fool me?]
Seeing the Emperor stay silent, the Chief Eunuch smiled and tried to smooth things over: “I heard she was framed.
That Fifth Miss Wang has a gentle nature and looks of unmatched beauty. The moment she appeared, she stirred up endless jealousy. Poor thing, her talent brings envy, so she is always slandered.”
After speaking, the Chief Eunuch secretly watched the Emperor’s face.
The Emperor felt deep contempt in his heart.
He did not show it on his face. He only nodded lightly: “That is possible.”
Meeting privately with a man at a banquet, and somehow that became “being slandered”?
They really did love to praise themselves. Even when they behaved improperly, they still had to argue three points in their own favor. All the prestigious clans were like this.
The Emperor had suffered under the prestigious clans for a long time and hated their hypocrisy to the bone.
Even for a small adopted daughter with no sense of shame, they still had to dress her up as a “victim” to win sympathy. It was truly laughable.
“Do not talk about such trifles again. These two chatted idly on duty. Drive them out. They no longer need to serve in the Imperial Study.” The Emperor said calmly.
The Chief Eunuch quickly knelt down, a light sweat breaking out on his back.
Later, the Marquis of Jian Ning came to ask him: “Eunuch, how did it go?”
This eunuch had taken his silver, so of course he did not dare say that things had gone badly.
It would make him look useless.
“His Majesty heard the rumors about Miss Wang being slandered. He did not say much. He only said, ‘That is possible.’” the Chief Eunuch said.
The Marquis of Jian Ning understood at once.
He went back and told his wife: “Qiu Shi Dong was right. The Emperor heard what happened to A’Rong and felt for her. He pitied her and said she really was slandered.”
Madam Wang said: “Maybe you misunderstood his meaning.”
“This is the Emperor’s heart. They always say you must win his heart. That sentence was just that.” The Marquis of Jian Ning said.
Madam Wang sighed: “Lord Marquis, let me say something unlucky. This A’Rong young lady is very inauspicious. Her luck is terribly bad.”
She added: “Maybe an ancestor of hers did something evil, and the retribution has fallen on her. She is simply cursed with bad luck.”
Thinking of this, Madam Wang then denied her own words: “No, it is her bad character. She keeps doing wicked things again and again, so trouble keeps coming back to her.”
The Marquis of Jian Ning felt somewhat displeased when he heard this: “What would a woman like you know?”
Madam Wang was also unhappy: “Lord Marquis, do not let Qiu Shi Dong fool you. What kind of good man do you think he is?”
The Marquis of Jian Ning did not want to talk about it anymore.
He bore the mission of the entire family. The power of the prestigious clans either advanced or retreated. The Wang family needed to add more weight to their side. But he did not have many children, especially not many daughters.
Bai Ci Rong was indeed very beautiful. The Marquis of Jian Ning felt she could be used. If she could charm the Emperor, of course he was not willing to give up such a good chance.
When Luo Ning returned to the Marquis of Zhen Nan Manor, she told the Old Madam everything just as it had happened.
The Old Madam thought of Bai Ci Rong and Yu Zhuo, mother and son, and grew so angry she could hardly breathe.
Thinking of Luo Xuan again, she could not help feeling angry: “She has done wrong again and again.”
“Grandmother, I promised to forgive her.” Luo Ning said.
When the Old Madam thought of Luo Xuan, she was first angry that the girl had helped evil, and she hated that she was not smart enough. But she also pitied her for having no one to rely on. For a while, her feelings were very mixed.
“If you are too upset, don’t bother with her matters. Let Aunt handle them. She only wants a future.” Luo Ning said.
In the Current Dynasty, a daughter’s only future was to marry.
“Aunt said she wants to marry A’Xuan to some relatives from her maiden home and pick someone with good character. The Marquis Manor will add a bit more to her dowry.
She is a young miss of the Marquis Manor, and her dowry will be generous. The wealthy families in the county will be eager to marry her. They won’t dislike her leg.” Luo Ning said.
“Does she agree herself?” the Old Madam asked.
“She is very happy. Maybe this kind of marriage suits her better. Aunt also said she will ask her own older brother and sister-in-law to look after A’Xuan a bit and not let her be bullied.”
“That is very good.” the Old Madam said. “She is marrying beneath our status, so I will give her three thousand taels of silver for the bottom of her chests. The rest of the dowry will be the same as for our young ladies. Do not shortchange her just because she was born of a concubine.”
Luo Ning agreed.
With Aunt handling this matter, Luo Ning felt very at ease.
She went back to Wenqi Courtyard. Lin Zhao handed the Formation Diagram back to her: “We used it. Aside from the cover being a bit dirty, there is no damage.”
“I will return it to the Prince tomorrow.” Luo Ning said.
The next day, she went out with Lin Zhao and made a trip to Prince Yong’s manor.
Xiao Huai Feng was once again on the training ground, practicing with a spear together with his deputy general.
He was covered in sweat, his black hair was damp, and his eyes looked even darker.
“I have heard the whole story.” he said.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for lending me the Formation Diagram. Otherwise I could not have lured Yu Zhuo in.” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng glanced at her.
His tone was very calm: “No need to thank me. If you need something, just come to me. You do not have to be polite with me.”
Luo Ning agreed.
Xiao Huai Feng handed the long spear to the deputy general: “Stay and eat.”
He went back first to bathe and change.
Thinking back to his expression, Luo Ning felt that he was not displeased this time.
When she came, she had thought Xiao Huai Feng would again say she was “too soft” and that she had not handled things cleanly enough. She had even planned to explain.
She had not expected him not to blame her.
He seemed to have accepted it and no longer held any expectations for Luo Ning. It felt like he was thinking, [This is all you will ever amount to in this life.]
Lunch was very rich.
Luo Ning planned to talk with him about her plans for the Marquis of Jian Ning Manor and Bai Ci Rong, but Deputy General Zhou came and whispered a few words to Xiao Huai Feng.
Xiao Huai Feng put down his chopsticks: “Eat slowly, there’s no rush. I still have matters to attend to. When you are finished, go back by yourself, and don’t hurry on the road.”
Luo Ning agreed.
She ate alone, slowly and calmly, and only went home after she was full.
As soon as she got back, she heard the servant boy at the gatehouse say that Yu Zhuo wanted to see her.
“General Yu personally sent this visiting card.” the servant boy Ping An said.
Luo Ning looked at the card, her gaze quiet.
“Ping An, later go to the Yu family for me and deliver my reply to General Yu. It is best if you hand it to General Yu yourself and not leave it with his gatekeepers.” Luo Ning said.
She wanted to see Yu Zhuo, but she did not want to leave any extra handle others could use against her.
Outside the city, near the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, there was a plum garden. In the past, Luo Ning and Yu Zhuo had gone there with their mothers to enjoy the plum blossoms.
She set a meeting with Yu Zhuo there three days later.
“Princess Consort, this is not proper. Meeting an unrelated man is risky in itself, and Yu Zhuo is already planning to harm you. If you go see him, he might scheme against you.” Lin Zhao said.
“I know.” Luo Ning said.
“Then you are still going?”
“I am going. He is not my blood relative, yet time after time he helps outsiders hurt me. How can he not pay some price?” Luo Ning said.
“Princess Consort, he is a Military General with a Third-rank Official post. By law, he can command regional troops.” Lin Zhao said.
Regional troops were not as easy to deal with as house guards and servant boys.
“If he wants to see me, he clearly has bad intentions. If I don’t teach him a lesson, he will think I am a soft persimmon.” Luo Ning said.
Lin Zhao did not try to persuade her anymore.
“I remember last time Princess Ping Yang said she wanted to go to Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple for a vegetarian banquet. I’ll go invite her.” Luo Ning said.
Lin Zhao: “…”
Once she had made her plan, Luo Ning went straight to Princess Ping Yang’s manor.
She also brought some pastries for the princess.
The princess had also heard about what happened at the Marquis of Jian Ning Manor and asked Luo Ning: “I have met that cousin of yours. She really is annoying to look at. Did she cause trouble again this time?”
Luo Ning was a little stunned: “Imperial Elder Sister, how is she annoying?”
“Her face looks very much like a certain favored beauty from back then.”