Chapter 173
Chapter 173: Are You Blind Or What?
This matter stirred up waves at once.
Luo Ning was still with her Grandmother and was about to send someone to invite Luo Chong Ye when a maidservant hurriedly said: “Eldest Miss, the Prince is here.”
Luo Ning jumped to her feet.
Old Madam also tried to get up.
Luo Ning pressed her back down and said: “Grandmother, it is raining cold outside. Please do not move. I will go take a look and tell you later.”
She added: “It should be nothing serious. If it were really serious, the Prince would not come over in the middle of the night just to talk.”
Luo Ning felt that if something big had really happened, Xiao Huai Feng would first go deal with it instead of running to the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s manor.
He always handled things quickly and went straight for the key point.
“You should hurry and go.”
The snow had stopped completely and turned into light rain. Luo Ning had wooden clogs over her shoes, which made it hard to walk, and the ground was wet and slippery.
The maidservant Qiu Hua held her arm for support.
By the time they reached the Outer Study, the hem of her silk skirt was soaked. The pale silk was stained with dark and light water marks, like small flowers made of rain.
Xiao Huai Feng sat upright and glanced at her: “Why did you come?”
“I heard the Prince had arrived.”
“If there were anything important, this king would send someone to notify you. I only came here to say a few words to the Marquis of Zhen Nan,” Xiao Huai Feng said, still sitting straight.
He wore a dark cloak, with a robe of the same color underneath. It was all deep black, without any gold embroidery, making his air heavy and serious.
He seemed to have taken shape out of the night itself.
“My Father has gone to the prison. He should be back soon. Please sit for a while, Prince,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng nodded.
Luo Ning said: “You want to warn my Father not to act rashly, right?”
“This matter has to be planned carefully.”
“Prince, I know the Duke of Shen is capable, and Madam Zheng holds great military power and has done much for the country,” Luo Ning said with difficulty. “The Luo family can lie low.”
If Luo You had to be sacrificed to protect the Zheng family, Luo Ning could accept it.
The Zheng family held three Duke of the Realm titles. Zheng Xiao belonged to the dukedom of military merit and was the Zheng Empress’s younger brother, but the one who truly held great power was the Empress’s third uncle, the Duke of Shen.
Luo Ning always remembered that in her previous life, the first person to support Prince Yong in ascending the throne had been the Duke of Shen.
Even if this man was not yet Prince Yong’s close aide, he was still someone the Prince was eager to win over.
If one of them prospered, they all prospered. The Zheng family did not want a scandal, as it touched both the Empress’s honor and the Duke of Shen’s prestige. It was possible that Luo You would be made to take the blame.
Luo Ning had thought about many things on her way here.
Even if Luo You was very talented and managed to endure this time, when the imperial examinations were finally held after Prince Yong took the throne, he would still need Xiao Huai Feng to be willing to use him before he could become an official.
If they sacrificed him today in exchange for someone else’s gratitude, it might not be a bad long-term plan.
It was just too bitter to swallow.
The maidservant Chun Zhi had died an unjust death.
Luo You was young and hot-tempered. How could he endure such a thing? But Luo Ning often had to choose between long-term plans and momentary satisfaction.
She said she could accept it, but her heart felt sour.
She felt helpless and once again tasted the powerlessness from her past life.
“Madam Luo, A’Ning, do you think this king would make your family take the blame?” Xiao Huai Feng looked at her. “Would this king use his wife’s younger brother’s good name as a bargaining chip?”
Luo Ning raised her eyes and said: “The Prince is wise and would of course not do that. It is just that the Luo family is willing to be loyal to the Prince.”
“No need,” Xiao Huai Feng said, his tone turning cold. “Last time you said you had good judgment. Looking at me like this now, have you suddenly gone blind again?”
“…,” Luo Ning said.
He fell silent again, and a chill seemed to spread from his whole body.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan came back.
He heard at the door that Prince Yong was waiting for him in the Outer Study, and he almost ran all the way in.
“Prince…”
Xiao Huai Feng’s expression was icy, and his hand was clenched into a fist. When he saw Luo Chong Ye, he stood up.
“Marquis of Zhen Nan, from today until Luo You comes home, you are not to step out of the Marquis Manor even half a step, and you may not see any outside guests,” Xiao Huai Feng said coldly.
Luo Chong Ye stared at him in shock. “Prince, this…”
“Can you do it?” Xiao Huai Feng raised his voice.
He was young and tall, and his presence completely suppressed Luo Chong Ye, who was also a military general, making him frightening.
“Yes, I can.”
“Repeat it for this king!”
“Before Luo You returns home, I will not leave the manor and will not see any guests,” Luo Chong Ye said quickly.
All the cleverness he had shown in his life did not add up to what he showed in this moment.
Xiao Huai Feng said: “Then remember it.”
With that, he turned and left.
His steps were fast as he strode off, full of killing intent.
Luo Chong Ye froze for a moment. When he thought about seeing him off, Xiao Huai Feng was already gone. He ran to the door and did not even see the carriage.
“The Prince is very angry. This matter is serious. A’You, that unfilial son,” Luo Chong Ye grumbled when he came back to the Outer Study and saw that Luo Ning was still sitting there.
His shoes, socks, trouser legs, and the hem of his robe were all soaked, but he had no time to change.
Luo Ning gave a bitter little smile.
Xiao Huai Feng was not angry because Luo You had caused trouble, but because of what Luo Ning had said.
Luo Ning had told him to give up on the Luo family to save the Empress and the Duke of Shen’s face, and that had made him furious.
In truth, Luo Ning had not meant to provoke him, but it seemed she had done just that.
This unexpected result was also a kind of gain.
“Father, you had better listen to the Prince,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng had probably come to the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s manor just to warn the Marquis himself, afraid that he would meddle and make this matter even messier.
Anyone with eyes could see that the ones truly involved this time were Prince Yong’s intended consort and Prince Yong’s manor. It had nothing to do with Luo Chong Ye.
If Luo Chong Ye jumped around carelessly, he would only mess up Xiao Huai Feng’s plan.
He had asked about Luo Chong Ye’s character and had heard about it from Luo Ning too. That was why he came in person.
His words were still useful.
“Father, Grandmother also asked you to go to the West Main Courtyard,” Luo Ning said.
“Let us go,” Luo Chong Ye said.
A maidservant held a bright horn lantern to light the way. Luo Chong Ye complained non-stop along the way, while Luo Ning stayed silent.
In front of the Old Madam, Luo Chong Ye scolded Luo You again.
“His maidservant was humiliated and killed herself to protect his good name. That is loyal and brave of her. He stood up for his maidservant. That shows he is bold. How can you still scold him?” Old Madam said.
Luo Chong Ye said: “He has offended the Zheng family and even the Empress. That Third Young Master Zheng is the Empress’s younger brother.”
“Even if the Empress’s younger brother bullies us to our faces, we still have to swallow it?” Old Madam asked.
Luo Chong Ye said: “Why should he not endure it? What right does he have to be angry with Third Young Master Zheng?”
In front of powerful nobles, what path was there besides bowing the head and bending the waist?
When young people lost their temper like this, they only brought ruin down on the whole family.
The Zheng Empress now, and in the future the Zheng Empress Dowager, if she wanted revenge, the entire Luo clan would be in danger.
It was only the death of a maidservant. Give her parents a few dozen taels of silver, and the old couple would be full of gratitude. Was it worth offending Third Young Master Zheng for her?
“How can you be so spineless?” Old Madam said angrily. “You are now a Lord Marquis and also Prince Yong’s father-in-law.”
“Even the Prince is furious and was almost dragged down by A’Ning. He has confined me to the manor,” the Marquis of Zhen Nan said.
Luo Ning said: “That is not what the Prince meant, Father. This matter is very serious, and he is afraid the Luo family will be schemed against again.”
She added: “A’You did very well. Anyone should praise him for his courage. He is only thirteen, yet he knows how to protect the people beside him and does not fear those in power. You should praise him.”
“…,” Luo Chong Ye said.
In this household, the elders were trapped in the Inner Residence, and the young ones were hot-blooded. One by one, they were all too naive and did not understand how terrifying great noble families could be.
Luo Chong Ye felt very tired and had nothing more to say.