Chapter 204
Chapter 204: Secret, Don’t Tell the Prince Yet
Luo Ning wore an apricot-colored long jacket and a light purple silk skirt, with that rose-purple cloak Prince Yong had given her draped over her shoulders.
The colors of her clothes were deep, but they did not make her look old. Instead, they set off her skin, white as snow, and eyes like cold stars, blending quiet grace and brilliance just right.
She stepped forward to pay her respects: “Prince.”
Xiao Huai Feng said: “Didn’t Imperial Mother exempt you from these formalities? Why have you come into the palace?”
The last time he left the Luo Family, he had been very displeased.
“Today is a festival, and Imperial Mother rewarded us with Laba porridge, so I specially came to visit her.” Luo Ning smiled gently. “I am already fine now, and I wanted Imperial Mother to feel at ease.”
Xiao Huai Feng gave a slight nod.
Luo Ning asked him: “Is Prince also going to visit Imperial Mother?”
He answered: “Imperial Elder Brother summoned me.”
The two of them crossed Golden Water Bridge and walked toward the Imperial City.
Yet he still escorted Luo Ning all the way to Shoucheng Palace and sat for a while in front of the Empress Dowager.
“You look much better.” The Empress Dowager studied Luo Ning carefully, full of relief.
Xiao Huai Feng also looked at her.
Her skin was healthy and smooth, fair and full. She had been well nourished these days.
She cherished her life and knew very well how to take care of herself.
Never mind how much the Old Madam liked seeing that. Even he felt in a good mood when he saw it.
“Imperial Mother rewarded me with so many tonics, I eat them every day. I have a bowl of Bird’s Nest Soup morning and evening, and eat two taels of meat every day. I haven’t missed any of it, not even once,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng glanced at her again.
As expected, she was unbeatable when dealing with the Old Madam; the way she talked was so sweet it could almost make people feel stuffed.
She really had a clever tongue.
At times, when her words displeased him, it was not because she did not know how to speak nicely. She clearly just could not be bothered to flatter him.
The smile on the Empress Dowager’s face grew even deeper: “If all the children were as obedient as you, I would have nothing to worry about.”
She looked again at the wound on Luo Ning’s left hand.
The scab had formed and fallen off, leaving behind a slightly noticeable scar.
“I will have Court Physician Gu make another ointment for you to remove the scar,” the Empress Dowager said.
Court Physician Gu was not only skilled in the medical arts, he was also very good at making medicine.
Luo Ning smiled and said: “Imperial Mother, this scar is not on my face, so it does not matter.”
She turned to look at Xiao Huai Feng: “Prince will not dislike me for being ugly.”
Xiao Huai Feng said: “Such a shallow little wound hardly counts as ugly.”
“But it makes my heart ache when I see it,” the Empress Dowager said.
Sure enough, she sent Eunuch Wei to inform Court Physician Gu to specially prepare a scar-removing medicine for Luo Ning.
Luo Ning thanked her.
A Young Eunuch from the Imperial Study arrived. He first bowed to the Empress Dowager and Xiao Huai Feng, then said: “Prince, His Majesty is waiting for you. He has already asked about you several times.”
The Empress Dowager asked: “What is it about?”
“It is still about the matter at Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple,” Xiao Huai Feng said. “Wasn’t there talk of a gold mine there? Imperial Elder Brother is probably asking about that.”
The Empress Dowager said: “Go on then.”
Xiao Huai Feng stood up, then turned to look at Luo Ning: “Stay and keep Imperial Mother company a while longer. When I am done, I will come back to pick you up.”
Luo Ning agreed.
He had been a little unhappy last time; this time, his mood was much better.
Probably mentioning her wound had reminded him of the trouble Luo Ning had suffered for no reason, and he had decided not to hold things against her.
Luo Ning and the Empress Dowager had endless things to talk about.
“…When my old illness recurred this time, I was truly a bit frightened myself,” Luo Ning said to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager sighed deeply: “How could I not have been startled as well?”
“Imperial Mother, after the New Year it will be my wedding. There is something I would like to ask of you,” Luo Ning said.
The Empress Dowager said: “Go ahead.”
Luo Ning motioned for her to send the Palace Maids away, leaving just the two of them speaking in low voices.
She repeated to the Empress Dowager what she had told the two nursemaids last time: it was about how she did not want to have a child.
She did not know what things would be like after she entered the princely manor, or whether Prince Yong would need her to serve him. She wanted to plan ahead. She could not wait until after the wedding to bring this up.
If she only said after the wedding that she did not want children, the Empress Dowager might start to suspect that something was wrong with Prince Yong and push the blame onto Luo Ning.
If that happened, she would anger Prince Yong. That would be a small gain but a great loss, and not wise at all.
Luo Ning had been thinking all along about how to bring this up with the Empress Dowager.
But Grand Princess Jia Hong’s plan had instead given Luo Ning a push in this matter, giving her an excellent excuse.
“…After three years, when my body is completely healthy, it will not be too late to have children,” Luo Ning said.
The Empress Dowager had truly not expected her to say something like this.
She almost wanted to laugh, yet she also felt that this was no small matter.
At times, Luo Ning was not like a child at all. Perhaps because she had never had doting parents since she was young and had to rely on herself for everything, she was very mature when it came to dealing with people.
When the Empress Dowager thought of this, her heart ached a little.
Many times, Luo Ning felt like her own little daughter, soft and considerate.
“A’Ning, do not regret this in the future,” the Empress Dowager said at last after thinking for a long time.
She did not, like the nursemaids, lay out all the pros and cons for her. She believed that since Luo Ning dared to make this request, she must have already thought everything through and did not need the Empress Dowager to repeat it all.
“Yes. I will never regret it,” Luo Ning replied.
The Empress Dowager said: “I will remember these words. If you come crying in the future, I will take them out and throw them in front of you.”
Luo Ning also laughed: “So Imperial Mother agrees?”
The Empress Dowager’s smile faded.
In that moment, she thought of the Crown Prince.
Back then, everyone had been in a rush: herself, her husband, the family behind her, her mother-in-law, and so on. Each of them wanted the Crown Princess to give birth to the Eldest Legitimate Son.
He had to be both the eldest and legitimate, and had to come earlier than anyone else’s son.
And she had indeed lived up to their hopes.
But what was the result?
From the day her Eldest Son was born, he had been weak and sickly. Now he was not only obsessed with pill refining, but also had very few children.
If she had given birth a few years later, even if her child had not been the eldest son, would the title of legitimate son not still have been enough to ensure he became Emperor?
Of course it would.
It was just that, at the time, the Empress Dowager had been too young and had no confidence in herself or the people around her.
“…What is there to rush for? Things that are destined will come in their own time,” the Empress Dowager said.
It sounded like she was speaking to Luo Ning, but even more like she was speaking to her younger self who had just married.
“Thank you, Imperial Mother.” Luo Ning moved to stand and give a formal bow.
The Empress Dowager held her hand and did not let her rise: “There is no need for such formality. Sit down.”
“Imperial Mother, I will discuss this matter with the Prince myself. You do not need to speak for me,” Luo Ning added.
She knew that the bond between the Empress Dowager and Prince Yong as mother and son was not that deep.
If the Empress Dowager spoke about this, Prince Yong might misunderstand. She could explain it herself, and once he agreed, she would tell him that she had already discussed it with the Empress Dowager beforehand.
“A’Ning, that is very good. Husband and wife should always talk things over,” the Empress Dowager said with satisfaction.
At Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, Luo Ning had suffered a great shock, yet it had also solved one of her problems. She had lost something and gained something.
She ate lunch at Shoucheng Palace.
After the meal, Prince Yong finally came over.
“Have you eaten?” the Empress Dowager asked him.
Prince Yong said: “I will eat when I return to the manor.”
He looked at Luo Ning and said: “Let’s go. Imperial Mother is going to take her noon nap.”
Luo Ning stood up and took her leave of the Empress Dowager: “Imperial Mother, I will come visit you another day.”
The Empress Dowager nodded.
Luo Ning left with Xiao Huai Feng.
On the way back, she rode in his carriage. He asked Luo Ning: “What did you talk about with the Empress Dowager?”
“…We talked about something, but I cannot tell you yet. I will tell you later. Anyway, just remember this: whatever happened on the day of the Laba Festival, I am not hiding it from you on purpose, it is just not convenient to talk about it yet,” Luo Ning said.
Xiao Huai Feng frowned: “What could be so mysterious?”
“Does Prince really want to know?” Luo Ning used a bit of a goading tone. “You still insist on listening even to things you are not supposed to hear?”
“I am not that bored.”
He straightened up a little.
He sent Luo Ning back to the Marquis of Zhen Nan Manor and reminded her to keep warm and take care.
Then he asked her: “Has the Bird’s Nest Soup been useful?”
“Yes.”
Two days later, the Empress Dowager had someone deliver a box of ointment personally prepared by Court Physician Gu, which could lighten scars. The Prince Yong Manor also sent over Bird’s Nest Soup, enough for Luo Ning to drink for two whole years.