Chapter 161
Chapter 161: The Gift From Prince Yong
Xiao Huai Feng and Cui Zheng Qing were riding toward the Imperial City.
Both were on horseback, dressed in simple clothes, each followed by one servant.
When Luo Ning was getting down from her carriage, Xiao Huai Feng’s horse was just passing by. Because it was a busy street, even princes of the blood could not gallop. They had to ride slowly.
Their eyes met. Luo Ning was still standing on the carriage step, almost at eye level with him on his horse. He pulled on the reins and stopped.
He asked: “Where did you go?”
Luo Ning said: “I just went to visit Grand Princess Jia Hong.”
He asked again: “Dressed like this? What, is Aunt seriously ill?”
Luo Ning said: “This is a specialty of Shaoyang. The Princess especially sent it to me, so I dressed up to show her.”
Xiao Huai Feng said: “You are very good at pleasing these old madams.”
Luo Ning took it as a compliment and accepted it easily: “Yes.”
Xiao Huai Feng did not get off his horse. After a few simple words, he rode away.
The pitiful one was Cui Zheng Qing.
When the two of them started talking, he stopped his horse and got down. Just as he stood firm, Xiao Huai Feng moved on again, and he hurried to climb back into the saddle and follow.
He gave Luo Ning a slight nod as a greeting, then followed after, still thinking: [Am I a monkey, jumping up and down all by myself?]
After he caught up with Xiao Huai Feng, Cui Zheng Qing could not help chattering: “Princess Consort looks very grand today. Huai Feng, blue suits her. It is noble but not old-fashioned. Maybe it is because her looks are so bright and rich.
Next time you can give her sapphire jewelry or kingfisher feather inlay jewelry. She will definitely like it. She usually does not like to wear flowers. It turns out she just has not seen something that truly pleases her.”
Xiao Huai Feng spoke in a cool tone, his brows slightly drawn together: “Why are you so noisy?”
Cui Zheng Qing said: “I am giving you ideas. You can prepare in advance, so you will not have to ask me and lose face later, and then worry by yourself.”
When Xiao Huai Feng heard this, he did not even spare him a glance. They had just left that street. He suddenly squeezed his legs, and his horse sprang forward, kicking up dust that flew right into Cui Zheng Qing’s face.
Cui Zheng Qing said: “…Repaying kindness with hatred. You will have to beg me one day!”
Two days later, Luo Ning received a full set of kingfisher feather inlay hair jewelry.
It was sent from Prince Yong’s manor.
Luo Ning: [What?]
[It is not a festival or any special day. Why is he giving me jewelry?]
This time, the one who came to deliver the gift was Nanny Shi, a steward from the inner courtyard.
Nanny Shi said: “This is a reward from the Inner Court. His Majesty often rewards the Prince. I heard that this time, when the Northern Di Tribes surrendered, they sent countless tribute.
His Majesty is grateful for the Prince’s military merits, so he had the Palace Servants Directorate send rewards to the Prince. The Prince did not let them put this set of hair jewelry into storage. He told me to bring it to the Princess Consort first.”
Luo Ning: “…”
If she remembered correctly, Prince Yong was not the one guarding against the Northern Di Tribes.
The fact that the Northern Di Tribes surrendered was only because the army of the Great Sheng Dynasty was strong and the leading general was capable. For the Emperor to count the credit as partly Prince Yong’s and openly reward him like this was like pouring oil on a fierce fire, clearly trying to praise Prince Yong to death.
The court officials would surely complain.
Luo Ning thought: [The Emperor spends all this effort just to deal with his own younger brother. I wonder how the Empress Dowager feels.]
Prince Yong himself surely did not care. He and his elder brother had not been on good terms for a long time. They competed and guarded against each other, and he handled it with ease.
The one who felt bad in the middle could only be Mother.
Luo Ning accepted the box and said: “Please thank the Prince for me.”
Then she told Qiu Lan: “It is getting late. Send Nanny Shi out first.”
Qiu Lan obeyed and slipped an embroidered pouch to Nanny Shi. Inside was a silver banknote for one hundred taels.
After Nanny Shi left, Luo Ning looked at the jewelry for a long time.
The workmanship was fine and glossy. Compared to the soft shine of pearls and gems, this was a different kind of bright.
It was very beautiful.
She picked up a pair of earrings and said: “These earrings are nice.”
Qiu Hua said: “I will put them on you.”
Luo Ning looked at herself in the mirror and said: “They look good. This Inner Court craftsmanship is better than what you can find among common folk. Put them away. They are worth quite a lot.”
Before she went back to Shaoyang in the future, she could sell all these expensive jewelry pieces and exchange them for gold bars, keeping only a few things to wear herself.
Shaoyang was a small place. Gold, silver, and pearl jewelry would be more than enough for social visits.
Qiu Hua said: “The Prince is very thoughtful, sending them before the wedding. This will be Eldest Miss’s private property.”
Luo Ning said: “The Prince is a good person. He thinks of everything.”
He was generous and broad-minded.
Even though he was very proud and looked down on everyone.
But Luo Ning had signed a deed of sale for him, so she could not stand on equal footing with him. No matter how high he held himself, in Luo Ning’s eyes, it was only natural.
She always remembered the line between master and servant.
Except for his pride, he had almost no faults. He was nearly perfect.
Qiu Hua said again: “We have stored up quite a lot of jewelry.”
Luo Ning said: “Before I marry, we must sort out all the accounts.”
Everything that belonged to her now, she would take to Shaoyang in the future, including the “bride price” Prince Yong gave her.
What she would get later in Prince’s Manor would mostly be things she could only use but not sell, because they would belong to “Princess Consort Yong.”
Luo Ning was going to be Princess Consort Yong as a job, in order to trade for the title of “Commandery Princess of Shaoyang.” The things of Princess Consort Yong were not her private property. She had to leave them untouched for the next Princess Consort Yong.
Qiu Hua said: “All the ledgers are there, so do not worry. There is no need to sort them specially. Qiu Lan keeps accounts better than anyone. She writes down even a single coin.”
Luo Ning could not help laughing.
As mistress and maids talked, Qiu Lan soon came back. Luo Ning told her to put this set of kingfisher feather inlay jewelry away.
They were about to eat lunch when her sister-in-law Madam Wen came with her little son, Luo Li Qin.
Madam Wen said: “The chestnuts at my country estate were harvested this autumn. I made some pastries and brought them for all of you to try.”
Luo Ning thanked her, then told Qiu Hua: “Bring some candy for Little Young Master to eat and take him to play in the yard for a while.”
Qiu Hua agreed.
The wet nurse carried the child out and went with Qiu Hua.
Luo Ning asked: “Sister-in-law, have you been well these days?”
Her sister-in-law smiled and said: “The house is peaceful, and it is quiet inside and outside the courtyard. I have not lived this freely for a long time. When I went back to my maiden home, my parents and my older brother and sister-in-law all said I have grown a bit rounder.”
Luo Ning looked closely at her and felt that her complexion really was better.
Madam Wen did not go out often. Since she had come to see Luo Ning today, she surely had something she wanted to talk about.
For example, whether the Luo family had discussed Luo Li Qin’s future.
Luo Ning smiled and said: “Sister-in-law, you really do look better than before.”
The two aunts talked for quite a while. Madam Wen very gently asked whether Uncle Bai Yu Lin had returned to Yuhang.
She also asked what would happen to Cousin Bai Ci Rong in the future, and whether she was still waiting at the Wang family.
Luo Ning suddenly said, with words that did not seem to match the question: “Grandmother used to say that A Qin looks like you and has a good heart. He is just a small child. How much can you and your son really eat and use?”
Hearing this, Madam Wen felt a warmth in her chest and said: “Grandmother is very kind.”
Luo Ning said: “Blame should not fall on the innocent. That is the kindness of someone who truly believes in Buddha. Grandmother has always been gentle. You can be at ease about that, sister-in-law.”
Madam Wen nodded with a smile.
Luo Ning did not know whether her heart was truly at peace.
Inner peace had to come from oneself. Luo Ning could not give it to her.
But Luo Ning believed that with Madam Wen’s careful and clever nature, she would not do anything extra to make trouble for herself. She would live her life carefully and well.
Everyone returning to their own proper place was not a bad thing for the Luo family either.
However, very soon Luo Ning heard that Marchioness Madam Bai’s spirits had improved. She had even gone to the West Main Courtyard to greet Old Madam.
This was because Bai Yu Lin had sent some tonic to her, personally stewed by his main concubine, Concubine Mei.
Luo Ning thought: [Tonic? What stirring words has Qiu Shi Dong passed in this time?]