Chapter 179

Chapter 179: How to Please an Angry Prince?

Luo Ning carried a food box and went to Luo You’s courtyard.

Nanny Fan had prepared a brazier for him and boiled water with pine and cypress leaves for him to bathe.

After Luo You had finished washing and dressing, he sat on the big heated brick bed by the window, warming himself by the fire and drying his hair.

“Eldest Miss,” Nanny Fan greeted Luo Ning warmly.

Luo Ning handed her the food box and said: “Set this out for the young master. Nanny Kong made it.”

Nanny Fan thanked her.

Luo Ning looked at her and saw that she now had very obvious white hairs, which she had not had before.

Chun Zhi’s tragic death and Luo You’s time in jail had been a heavy blow to the people in this courtyard. Nanny Fan was only in her thirties and should not have had such obvious white hair.

“You have suffered,” Luo Ning said.

“How is an old servant like me suffering? It is the young master who has suffered,” Nanny Fan said, choking up a little.

She really wanted to say that Chun Zhi had suffered the most.

But she held back.

Maybe the master did not want to hear that, so why take the risk?

Luo Ning went into the inner room and saw Luo You turning over a basket of sewing tools.

“These are Chun Zhi’s things. She made all my underclothes, shoes, and socks. I did not know. I thought they came from the sewing room,” Luo You said in a low voice.

“Underclothes and shoes and socks are all made by the maidservants in your own rooms,” Luo Ning said.

Luo You nodded.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Luo Ning told him: “Those servants of the Zheng family are all dead, and Zheng Xiao is dead too. Chun Zhi can rest in peace now.”

“Big Sister, thank you for taking revenge for Chun Zhi,” Luo You said.

“None of them were killed by me. I planned to first use public opinion, ruin Zheng Xiao’s name, and then kill him at the tavern he often went to. I had the plan ready and was going to act the next night, but he hanged himself early. I heard that his door was locked from inside and there were no traces in the room,” Luo Ning said.

Luo You lifted his face.

“How could he kill himself?”

“He would not, of course. Someone powerful did this for us,” Luo Ning said.

“Who?” Luo You asked.

“I do not know.”

“It must be someone involved. Outsiders would not help us with such a big favor,” Luo You said.

These words were right.

Luo Ning already had a guess in her heart, but she did not tell Luo You.

Today she had come not only to bring him food and comfort him a bit, but also to talk to him about something.

“A You, do you know who is the person behind all this?” Luo Ning asked.

Luo You shook his head and said: “I have no hatred with Zheng Xiao. I have never even met him. I did not provoke him.”

“I suspect it was done by Qiu Shi Dong, because the source of all this is actually at Fahua Temple,” Luo Ning said.

Luo You was truly shocked.

He thought of the time they met at the Thirty-li Post Station, and of Luo Ning taking him to meet Qiu Shi Dong and Bai Yu Lin.

Luo You was a very perceptive child, and the truth was already coming to the surface.

He just did not dare think too much about it.

“Does Qiu Shi Dong have connections to Fahua Temple?” he asked.

“When you were younger, you may not have noticed. For Bai Ci Rong to enter the Luo family, Monk Hui Neng helped a lot. Later many times, it was also Monk Hui Neng who worked for Bai Ci Rong,” Luo Ning said.

Hui Neng was the head monk of Fahua Temple.

“After such a big event, A You, I want to tell you the family’s secrets. You are no longer a child. You can handle it,” Luo Ning said.

She added: “You may not believe me, but do not interrupt me. Just keep my words in your heart and slowly check them for yourself later.”

Luo You agreed.

Luo Ning glanced at the maidservant Qiu Hua who had come with her and told her to guard the door to stop anyone from eavesdropping.

She carefully told him about Qiu Shi Dong’s affair with Madam Bai and about the backgrounds of Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong.

“In short, Qiu Shi Dong thinks you are his son, so he keeps appearing by your side again and again,” Luo Ning said at last.

Luo You’s face changed again and again.

“He is dreaming. I am not his son!” he said.

“You are not, A You. Look at your face and Father’s. You two look almost exactly the same. You are not Qiu Shi Dong’s son,” Luo Ning said.

Luo You felt a sour ache in his chest and said: “Big Sister, does everyone in the family know these secrets?”

“Grandmother and I know. The others have some guesses,” Luo Ning said.

“Do you believe in my bloodline?” Luo You asked.

“I do.”

“Then I believe it too!” Luo You said.

Luo Ning had known he would not let her down. He really was clever.

“A You, we must get rid of Qiu Shi Dong. Otherwise he will still look for chances to hurt us and try to steal the marquis manor,” Luo Ning said.

She went on: “Even though you are not his son, he will use every trick to make you think you are. He is very good at twisting words. I am afraid you will suffer.”

“He can dream on!” Luo You said.

Then he asked: “How will we get rid of him?”

Luo Ning leaned a little closer and said: “I have been thinking about a plan these days, but it will take some time. We can kill him.”

“I will do whatever you tell me,” Luo You said.

“Besides you, I also want to use Zhou Huai,” Luo Ning said.

“Zhou Huai will be willing. He is still thankful that you treated him to meat,” Luo You said.

Luo Ning felt comforted and patted him on the top of his head.

Thinking of his tragic death in her previous life, Luo Ning felt a bitter ache in her chest and said: “A You, you have gone through a disaster. From now on the road will be smooth.”

Then she took out an embroidered pouch and gave it to him: “Here are two hundred taels in silver banknotes. Chun Zhi was a good young lady. Give some money to her family and fulfill the bond between master and servant between you and her.”

Luo You took it.

“Big Sister, when I grow up, I will pay all this money back to you,” Luo You said.

He did not refuse.

He really needed money and chances.

By selling his calligraphy, he could only fill his belly. He could not make a great future that way.

He never wanted loyal people around him to die because of him again.

“This was both hardship and chance. Because of this, you are famous now, and people at the academies all know you. As long as you work hard, you will have the chance to become an official in the future,” Luo Ning said.

Luo You nodded.

Nanny Fan set out the food Luo Ning had brought. After Luo You started eating, Luo Ning went back first.

When she returned to Wenqi Courtyard, everyone was still talking about what had happened to Luo You.

It had been frightening but ended without real danger. At least he had come out.

“Princess Consort, it might have been the Prince’s people who killed Zheng Xiao,” Lin Zhao said.

“This was done very neatly. Besides the people around the Prince, no one else has such skill, and it has nothing to do with them,” Luo Ning said.

“The Prince did not say so,” Lin Zhao said.

“The last time I guessed at him, he got angry with me,” Luo Ning said.

When she said this, she felt a bit troubled and asked: “If the master is angry, how should I please him?”

Lin Zhao said: “…”

Lin Zhao had seen a bit of the world, but she had truly never seen something like this.

Her own master would never get angry with her.

If he was unhappy with her, he would punish her and order her to change.

What did it mean to be angry?

“Princess Consort, why don’t you make some food yourself and send it to the Prince?” Lin Zhao asked.

“Will that work?” Luo Ning asked.

“Try it. What if it works?” Lin Zhao said. “And if it does not, what can he do? Beat you up?”

Luo Ning said: “…”

It was not a bad idea.

She had to go to Prince Yong’s manor anyway.

The way public opinion had spread was even stronger than Luo Ning had expected. Someone must have helped. Zheng Xiao’s death proved this.

Luo You had gained a name, Zheng Xiao had paid for his life with his death, and Luo Ning had reached her goal. She had to go and say thank you.

“Sister Lin, go with me to the Prince’s manor tomorrow,” Luo Ning said.

Lin Zhao agreed.