Chapter 193
Chapter 193: The Prince Sends Another Gift
Luo Ning weighed Jia Hong the Grand Princess’s strange behavior in her heart again and again for several days.
She could not accept her marriage being blocked.
That was the best future Luo Ning could see for herself after her rebirth. She wanted to hold on to it with all her strength, so that this new life would not be wasted.
She wanted the title of Commandery Princess. She wanted to be registered as the head of a female household. From then on, she would not be controlled by others.
Xiao Huai Feng would help her get both of these, as long as she served a few years as Princess Consort Yong.
Luo Ning placed Xiao Huai Feng in the first place. No one could go past him. His future was tightly tied to hers.
[Who can become the biggest obstacle to my marriage?]
The Imperial Edict had already granted the marriage. Unless the Empress Dowager changed her mind, this marriage would surely happen. Even if the Emperor or Prince Yong wanted to go back on it, it would be no use.
If Jia Hong, the Grand Princess, wanted to start from the Empress Dowager, it would be as hard as climbing to the sky.
The best way, of course, was still to start with the Luo Family.
The Luo Family’s noble roots were shallow, so it was easy for Jia Hong the Grand Princess to act against them.
With the wedding close at hand, the best method she could use right now was to delay things: Luo Ning going into Mourning Seclusion.
Filial duty was above everything.
Even the Empress Dowager could not stop Luo Ning from going into Mourning Seclusion.
The only ones who could make Luo Ning go into Mourning Seclusion were her grandmother and her parents.
Luo Chong Ye was in good health and often appeared in front of others. He was strong and fit. If he suddenly died, people would surely gossip.
But Grandmother and Madam Bai were different.
Grandmother was old and Madam Bai was seriously ill. If one of them died in a single night, people outside would not think it too strange.
Thinking of this, Luo Ning went to find her aunt.
Luo Ning said: “The people around Grandmother must be checked carefully. The Marchioness’s medicine also has to be watched very closely.”
Her aunt’s interests were also tied to this matter.
If Grandmother passed away, not only would Luo Ning have to go into Mourning Seclusion, Luo Wan would also have to observe it.
Luo Wan’s wedding was set for the eighth month of next year. If she had an older cousin who was Princess Consort Yong, it would naturally be very good for her.
Her aunt said: “I will send people to watch. Right now I can still move the people in the residence.”
After Luo Ning left, Second Madam began to arrange people and give orders.
The nanny by her side, Nanny Su, laughed and said: “Eldest Miss is so nervous.”
Second Madam said: “With the wedding coming soon, of course she has to be careful. A’Ning is good in this.”
Nanny Su added: “To marry up and become a Princess Consort is a blessing that comes from the Ancestral Spirits’ good deeds.”
Second Madam said: “It is not from the Ancestral Spirits’ good deeds. She exchanged it with her own life.”
If she had not blocked that blade, how would it ever have been her turn to become the Empress Dowager’s daughter-in-law?
What she had earned for herself, she naturally had to treasure.
Second Madam felt that Luo Ning was very promising and knew how to value her blessings. She did not waste her own hard work.
She at once started to arrange things in the family.
She paid special attention to the Marchioness’s courtyard. Everyone who cared for her and gave her food and medicine was changed to Second Madam’s trusted aides. In addition, the stewardess from Old Madam’s side was there to watch, and the two sides kept an eye on each other.
On Old Madam’s side, she and Nanny Sheng were careful in every place, rather making a fuss over every little thing than missing any danger.
The whole family was working together on this.
In the next few days, the family stayed safe and sound.
[Maybe I was thinking too much. The Grand Princess has not gone mad.]
[But it is always good to be careful. Being on guard is never a bad thing.]
In the last ten days of the tenth month, snow fell in Shengjing.
After two days of cloudy skies, the wind began to blow. The cold snow fell in soft sounds, and in just half a day the courtyard was covered in white. The bamboo at the gate of Wenqi Courtyard was pressed down by the snow until it bent its head.
Qiu Hua asked: “Eldest Miss, did you not say we were going to the Hot Spring Villa?”
Luo Ning said: “I had planned to go. But the fight over the Hot Spring Villa has been too noisy lately. Many people are watching that place.
If we go at this time, we will become a target with just a small mistake. We are living well now, so why go there and get scolded? If we burn the heated floor channels hotter at home, it will be just as warm.”
Qiu Hua said: “That is true.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan’s residence did not have such great power. If the Luo Family was scolded, there would be no one to speak up for them.
Luo Ning said: “Around the Winter Solstice is when it is the coldest. If things are calm then, it will not be too late for us to go.”
Qiu Hua agreed.
That evening, the snow was still very heavy. It floated down like willow catkins, and the snow in the courtyard was already an inch deep.
Someone knocked on the side gate.
Qiu Hua braved the snow to open the door, and it turned out to be Nanny Shi from Prince Yong’s residence.
She had a rough-serving maid with her and brought two loads of silver charcoal to Wenqi Courtyard.
Silver charcoal was very precious. It was best used in hand warmers. On heavy snow days, there was likely not enough supply, and there would be no place to buy it.
Luo Ning invited Nanny Shi to sit and said: “Thank you. Qiu Lan, go pour some almond tea.”
She then asked: “Did the Prince tell you to bring this?”
Nanny Shi said: “Yes. The Prince said the weather is cold and told the storeroom to send some silver charcoal to Princess Consort.”
The almond tea was hot and sweet, and it made the whole body feel comfortable after drinking it. Qiu Lan served a bowl to Nanny Shi and the others.
They also gave them red envelopes as a reward.
After Nanny Shi finished the almond tea, she stood up to leave and said: “It is getting late. The snow on the road will only get thicker and harder to walk through.”
Luo Ning nodded.
After they left, Luo Ning told Nanny Kong to set aside one load for Grandmother. The rest was put into the storeroom.
Qiu Lan said with a smile: “The Prince cares about you very much.”
Luo Ning said: “It might not have been his own idea.”
Maybe the imperial palace had given him silver charcoal again, and the chief steward remembered that there was a lot left in the storeroom and wanted to do someone a favor.
Xiao Huai Feng had always been generous, so he casually told people to send some to Luo Ning.
Luo Ning also said: “But the Prince is indeed very good.”
It was only right to think a few good thoughts of him after receiving his things.
Lin Zhao also told Luo Ning that when the snow stopped the next morning, she would build a snowman for her.
Qiu Hua wanted to help and also wanted to secretly learn the skill, as she did not know how to build a snowman yet.
Lin Zhao agreed at once and said: “Get up tomorrow morning and help me.”
With this to look forward to, Luo Ning was in a good mood before sleep and was full of expectation for getting up the next morning.
That night she read a few pages of a book and then let her mind drift over some small matters. The next day, when she opened her eyes, she saw daylight shining on the curtains.
The sun was out.
She got up and pushed open the window. Sunlight and cold wind rushed in together and wrapped around her.
The snow in the courtyard had been swept clean, and in the very center a huge snowman had been built. It wore a bamboo hat and looked just like an old fisherman fishing.
Luo Ning said: “Sister Lin, your skill is really good.”
Hearing her speak, Qiu Lan came in with the young maidservant Dong Yan to help her wash and comb her hair.
Lin Zhao pointed at the corner of the wall and said: “Thank you for the praise, Princess Consort. There are also a few little rabbits.”
Luo Ning could not help but laugh.
As she combed Luo Ning’s hair, Qiu Lan said: “I told them to be gentle so they would not disturb your sleep.”
Luo Ning laughed and said: “I have been sleeping very heavily these days.”
Qiu Lan said: “You did not sleep well before.”
That had been because she was worried that Jia Hong the Grand Princess would cause trouble.
At noon, many invitation cards were sent from the gatehouse, all inviting Luo Ning to go and enjoy the snow.
Last time the snow had turned into rain before it really fell. This time it counted as the first real heavy snow in Shengjing City, and many young ladies from noble families used the chance to hold gatherings.
It was both socializing and fun. Life in the inner rooms was already dull and boring.
Luo Ning flipped through a few of them and did not see any place she wanted to go.
She was not familiar with them.
She even received an invitation from Third Miss Wang.
Luo Ning said: “This Miss Wang does not seem quite the same as Princess Consort Wei. She seems to have a deep mind. I really did not expect her to invite me.”
Someone asked: “Will you go?”
Luo Ning said: “I will not go. Before I marry out, I must avoid any accidents.”
Qiu Lan and the others pressed their lips and smiled.
Luo Ning said: “Silly girls, what are you laughing at? When I become Princess Consort, you will all be people of Prince Yong’s residence and will have someone to rely on in the future.”
Qiu Lan straightened her expression and said: “Eldest Miss is right.”
The snow did not melt for a while, and invitations to enjoy the snow kept coming.
Luo Ning even received one from Jia Hong the Grand Princess.
When she saw that invitation card, her brows drew together.