Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Borrowing Power to Make Grandmother Listen
Luo Ning was temporarily staying in Grandmother’s West Main Courtyard.
Grandmother lived in the west room. The east room was quickly cleaned and new bedding was added.
Grandmother explained to Luo Ning: “…Your sister-in-law had a difficult birth. It was A’Rong who invited a renowned physician and saved both mother and child. She is the benefactor of this Marquis Manor.”
Cousin Bai Ci Rong was smooth in dealing with people and extremely wealthy. She soon bought over everyone in the Marquis Manor.
From top to bottom, no one failed to respect her.
Saving the eldest Young Madam and her child pushed her prestige to its peak. Even Luo Ning’s father acknowledged her.
Mother moved her into Wenqi Courtyard in the inner residence, a courtyard second only to the two main courtyards. She openly took Luo Ning’s place, and no one objected.
Grandmother said again: “A’Ning, you are a sensible child. You can live in Huifu Courtyard just the same.”
She was telling her to give way.
Without Luo Ning, would this Marquis Manor even exist? Never mind just Wenqi Courtyard.
Luo Ning did not hate Grandmother.
Grandmother had no ill will toward her and had protected her. In her previous life, after being blinded for a time by the favors she owed her cousin, she soon came to her senses and took care of Luo Ning.
Later, Grandmother “died of illness” from a sudden acute sickness. That night, only Luo Ning’s mother and cousin were by Grandmother’s side.
After Grandmother died, Luo Ning had no place left in the manor.
Luo Ning smiled and said: “Grandmother, let me live here with you. I am already seventeen. Why have you and Mother not found me a husband’s family?”
She did not talk back to Grandmother.
She did not throw a big tantrum and let others laugh at her.
When others laughed, Luo Ning laughed as well, even more naturally than they did.
Grandmother held her hand and said: “Good child, you have become even more open and straightforward. It is fine for you to live here. Don’t be sad.”
“Yes.” Luo Ning gently returned the grip.
Grandmother’s hand was warm and strong.
She chatted with Grandmother for quite a while.
She even brought up Cousin Bai Ci Rong on purpose.
“How come I have never seen this cousin before?” Luo Ning asked.
Grandmother said: “She is your uncle’s legitimate daughter. Before, she was fostered outside, because we were afraid her stepmother would harm her.”
Then she sounded a bit surprised: “You have never met her?”
Luo Ning shook her head: “No. She looks a lot like my mother.”
“A niece who looks like her aunt will have good fortune,” Grandmother said.
Luo Ning gave a small smile.
“Your brother said he has met her,” Grandmother added.
Luo Ning smiled again.
Of course he had. They were real brother and sister.
She did not shout or make a fuss. She settled down in the West Main Courtyard and kept Grandmother company.
Grandmother no longer managed household affairs. She only worshipped Buddha.
In her parents’ East Main Courtyard, though, there was some worry.
“Now that A’Ning has come back, we should quickly rearrange the courtyard for A’Rong,” Father said.
Mother said: “First Seat Hui Neng pointed it out. The location of Wenqi Courtyard suits A’Rong. I think A’Ning can understand. She has always been sensible.”
She added, “Huifu Courtyard is right behind our main courtyard. There is a small gate between them. It is easy for her to be close to her father and mother. She should be able to accept that.”
“As for small matters in the inner residence, I leave them for you to decide,” Father said coolly.
Then he went to sleep in Concubine Song’s courtyard.
The next day, Mother summoned Luo Ning.
“…I have missed you day and night. If not for your cousin keeping me company, I might have been sick in bed, and you would not see me now that you are back,” Mother said with tears, holding Luo Ning’s hand.
Luo Ning’s face did not show much emotion: “Mother, you have worked hard.”
“Your cousin was once haunted in her dreams and was sick for some days. The head monk of Fahua Temple pointed out the direction and said she had to live in Wenqi Courtyard to hold it down,” Mother said again.
“A’Ning, you just came back. You must not rely on favor and become arrogant, or fuss over too much. Think about it. Only because you were hurt did the imperial house grant us this Marquis Manor. Your father’s face does not look very good because of that.
“If people bring it up over and over, your father’s reputation will be ruined. Would that not be your fault? If you show kindness and do not expect any reward, everyone in the manor will feel grateful to you,” Mother went on.
Luo Ning had eyes very much like her mother’s, charming and full of feeling, bright and lively.
She quietly looked at Mother: “If Father feels his reputation is stained, he can resign and ask the imperial house to grant me the title of commandery princess instead.”
Mother was choked speechless.
“A’Ning, that is foolish talk,” Mother said. “How could a daughter get a commandery princess title over her father’s head? That is always received through a father’s grace.”
Luo Ning’s expression stayed calm: “Mother, Father was granted the marquis title, and you also received an imperial honorary title. This big estate, you said yourself it was gained because I was hurt while saving the empress dowager. Why not speak a word to give credit to me?”
“Merits should be spoken of by others.”
“Mother, can even you not speak of them?” Luo Ning asked.
“It is not good to praise ourselves.”
“Since all of you know it in your hearts, is it such an excessive request for your daughter to want her own courtyard back?” Luo Ning refused to yield.
Mother grew a little angry: “A’Ning, you are being improper!”
The air grew tense.
Mother thought of Eunuch Wei personally sending her back and forced her temper down: “A’Ning, living anywhere is the same. Wenqi Courtyard is not nobler than Huifu Courtyard. It is not important. Do not cling to such petty gains.”
“Since it is all the same and not important, then give it back to me,” Luo Ning said.
Mother was speechless.
She sighed: “You have changed, A’Ning. How did you become so stubborn and vulgar, not knowing the rules?”
Luo Ning smiled softly: “Mother, I do not understand those words. Your daughter has come home and wants to live in her own courtyard. Is that so excessive? Do you need your daughter to ask the empress dowager to uphold justice for her?”
Shock and anger flashed in Mother’s eyes.
She could not say another word.
Luo Ning remained polite and proper, always with a smile, not giving anyone any excuse to spread rumors that she had gone mad.
She went back to the West Main Courtyard and chanted scriptures with Grandmother.
Bai Ci Rong went to the Marchioness’s courtyard and softly advised her not to be angry: “Aunt, I will move out.”
“That will not do!”
She added, “I have another way. When the time comes, we will ask Old Madam to persuade A’Ning.”
The days of the twelfth lunar month were cold. In a few days, it would be Laba Festival.
People who believed in Buddha cared a lot about this day, because Laba Festival was also called Sacred Artifact Festival. The Buddhist order would hold ceremonies and give out Buddha porridge.
Every year on this day, all the side rooms at Fahua Temple were fully booked. The Buddhist Feast was especially fine and luxurious, each table costing five hundred taels of silver.
Even though it was so expensive, people without status still could not book it.
For many years in the past, the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s household had not been able to book the Vegetarian Banquet on Sacred Artifact Festival, and Old Madam felt deep regret about it.
One afternoon, Luo Ning was with Grandmother picking Buddha counting beans when her mother arrived.
Bai Ci Rong followed by her side.
“Mother, A’Rong has good news to tell you,” Mother said with a full smile.
“What good news?” Old Madam asked.
“Grandmother, I have booked the Vegetarian Banquet at Fahua Temple, on the eighth day of the twelfth month, Sacred Artifact Festival,” Bai Ci Rong said with a smile.
By now, Bai Ci Rong, like the other children of the Luo family, directly called Old Madam “Grandmother” to show closeness.
A smile appeared on Old Madam’s face without her noticing.
“How did you manage to book it?”
“First Seat Hui Neng helped. He and I have some personal friendship. Otherwise, we would not be able to grab a Vegetarian Banquet of five hundred taels a table,” Bai Ci Rong said with a smile.
Old Madam smiled kindly: “You have spent money again.”
“This is an important day. Your granddaughter only wants to show her filial piety,” Bai Ci Rong said.
Old Madam nodded with relief.
Luo Ning sat quietly at the side, listening.
She remembered the Laba Festival of this year.
It was also because she refused to give up her courtyard and insisted on taking it back that Mother and Bai Ci Rong came up with this plan.
As a result, snow started on the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month and kept falling until the ninth. Villages within a hundred li of Shengjing were all hit by a snow disaster.
People and livestock died.
The Censorate took the chance to impeach the Vegetarian Banquet held on Laba Festival, attacking Fahua Temple and forcing it to bring out ten thousand taels of silver for disaster relief.
The six noble households that had reserved the Vegetarian Banquet were all impeached as well.
Luo Ning’s father, along with the other five noblemen, was scolded.
Mother did not say it was Bai Ci Rong’s fault, but instead said: “Ever since A’Ning came back, our luck has been so bad. This child…”
The servants in the manor started spreading this saying.
The substitution ruse worked. Luo Ning took the blame in place of her cousin.
She, with only two maidservants by her side, had no way to argue against the whole Marquis Manor.
Thinking of this, Luo Ning spoke up: “I heard there are only six tables of Vegetarian Banquet on Laba Festival, each at least five hundred taels of silver.”
Bai Ci Rong looked at her, a young maiden’s face calm and demure: “Yes. Everyone fights to get it on that day. Many people in the Inner Capital believe in Buddha.”
“In Shengjing alone, there are more than six prestigious clans, not to mention imperial relatives and nobles. Grandmother, would this not bring crime on us?” Luo Ning said in a calm voice.
Old Madam’s smile became a bit strained at once.
The Marchioness, Luo Ning’s birth mother Madam Bai, smiled and explained: “Being able to book it means we have a deep connection with Buddha. People of faith will not be angry, they will only envy Old Madam for her good fortune.”
Old Madam’s mind wavered again.
Luo Ning looked at her: “Grandmother, let us cancel it.”
Mother’s face fell at once.
Seeing this, Bai Ci Rong smiled and said: “Sister, I did not think it through. Do not worry, First Seat Hui Neng will come out to vouch for us and will not let us get into trouble.”
“Cancel it,” Luo Ning said, her face calm. “Grandmother, this matter is not good.”
Bai Ci Rong could not keep her smile either.
The Marchioness was almost showing her anger.
Old Madam looked at one, then at the other, and sighed in her heart.
“…Then forget it. This year on Sacred Artifact Festival, I will just go and burn one stick of incense,” Old Madam said helplessly.
Her granddaughter had just returned. Of course this costly Vegetarian Banquet, reserved with connections and great expense, was not really for the old woman’s own sake, but to fight over the courtyard.
She was not senile.
The courtyard should be returned to her granddaughter Luo Ning. It was what Luo Ning deserved.
So she could only give it up with pain and stand on Luo Ning’s side.
The Marchioness took Bai Ci Rong with her and almost stormed out.
The servants saw it and could not help whispering.
Luo Ning went back to her room and took out a string of sandalwood Buddhist prayer beads carefully carved: “Grandmother, wear this on Sacred Artifact Festival.”
Old Madam took one look and almost cried out: “Xuan Miao’s Buddhist prayer beads? This… this belongs to the empress dowager!”
“Yes. She gave them to me and said they would protect me and keep me safe. Grandmother, I will lend them to you for one day. You must return them to me afterward,” Luo Ning said with a smile.
Almost wild joy showed on Old Madam’s face.
Compared with the expensive Vegetarian Banquet of five hundred taels a table, this string of Buddhist prayer beads was the real sacred artifact that brought face, made everyone admire, and left them in awe.
She looked at her granddaughter.
Something was wrong. Why had she ever hesitated between Bai Ci Rong and her own granddaughter?
This was her own blood, the true eldest young lady of the Luo family, born of the principal wife.
As for Bai Ci Rong, what was she again?
Was there not something off about all this?