Chapter 210
Chapter 210: If You Want Something, Just Say It
??????Luo Ning ?????
Prince Yong Manor had raised a group of people for her, counted as part of her dowry.
On the surface, this looked good for Luo Ning, but in truth these people were not her trusted aides. She still needed time to test them.
As for herself, she brought everyone from Wenqi Courtyard over, including two rough maidservants and the young maidservant Dong Yan.
Nanny Shi sent Chu Shuang over.
Chu Shuang had now changed her name to Tao Ye. Luo Ning told everyone who knew her to change how they addressed her.
Qiu Hua was a little surprised and said: “How did you get fatter?”
“She was never thin before,” Qiu Lan said.
Tao Ye was speechless.
Luo Ning looked at her and felt that Tao Ye was plump and cute, healthy and sturdy, which was very good.
“I like how she looks,” Luo Ning said. “Tao Ye can eat. You all should learn from her.”
Qiu Hua said: “When we make new clothes later, she alone will use two lengths of cloth. She will cry.”
Tao Ye protested: “Then I will make one less set.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
The courtyard was full of happy voices and laughter.
In the main courtyard of Prince Yong’s Manor, Prince Yong handed everything over to Luo Ning. Just like back in Wenqi Courtyard, she was the one in charge.
Luo Ning made new assignments.
“From now on, Nanny Yin will be the chief steward nanny of the main courtyard. She will handle all matters. Nanny Kong will manage the small kitchen. Qiu Lan will still be in charge of the money box and the small account book in the courtyard. Clothes and jewelry will be handed to Nanny He.
Qiu Hua, when I go out, you will be responsible for all matters. Sister Lin will still stay by my side and accompany me when I practice with the whip. Tao Ye will be in charge of sewing and washing in the inner courtyard. As for the others, you can arrange them yourselves,” Luo Ning said.
She made two changes: Nanny Kong would no longer be the steward nanny and would only manage the small kitchen. Tao Ye became a first-class maidservant of the main courtyard in Prince Yong Manor, on the same level as Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan.
Luo Ning also announced the amount of monthly pay and told Qiu Lan to record it in the accounts.
These were the matters of the main courtyard.
“As for the inner courtyard affairs of Prince’s Manor, I still do not know how much I can take over for now. Once things start coming in, each of you will have more work. When that time comes, I will ask the Prince for you and help raise your monthly pay,” Luo Ning said with a smile.
Everyone was very grateful.
Luo Ning also stressed one thing: “In our courtyard, everything is decided by me. You follow my orders. Even if the sky falls, I will be the one to hold it up.
If you go against my wishes in the name of ‘doing it for my own good,’ I will not allow it. If you cross me, I will drive you out and show no mercy.”
Her words were serious and strict, without the slightest looseness.
Everyone agreed again and pledged their loyalty to her.
“Your futures are all in my heart. If you serve me loyally, I will arrange a good path for each of you,” Luo Ning added.
In the future, when she returned to Shaoyang, Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan would surely follow her. Luo Ning also planned to bring Nanny Kong along, take her to live out her old age, and treat her as her own wet nurse.
At that time, she would also bring Grandmother over.
As for the others, it would depend on their own wishes. If they were willing to follow, they would go together. If not, Luo Ning would still do her best to arrange things well for them.
After everyone left, a maidservant brought in a cup of tea.
Besides the people she had brought from Wenqi Courtyard, there were also more than ten dowry maidservants for Luo Ning. They were all sent over by Prince’s Manor and were to be arranged by Nanny Yin.
“Big Miss… Princess Consort, what would you like to eat for lunch?” Nanny Kong asked.
Luo Ning smiled and said: “Some vegetables. Make it light.”
“There are fresh chive sprouts. Do you want to eat them?”
“Yes.”
The sunshine was very good that day. Luo Ning sat on the big heated bed by the window, flipping through the account books while watching Nanny He lead people to rearrange the inner room. She felt light-hearted.
In just one morning, the furnishings of the inner room became like those in Wenqi Courtyard again, matching Luo Ning’s tastes and habits.
Lunch was very good.
She took a short nap after the meal.
In the afternoon, Nanny Shi came and explained a few matters.
Luo Ning told her to keep everything as usual for now and said she would later ask the Prince for his opinion.
“Before the three-day return visit, there is no need to worry about the inner residence matters,” Luo Ning told her trusted aide.
Before that three-day return visit to her parents’ home, she did not feel truly settled.
That night, Xiao Huai Feng still came back to the inner residence to sleep.
He did not talk with her. He fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. Luo Ning had wanted to ask about the plans for the next day, but she did not even have time to speak.
The next day, Xiao Huai Feng got up together with her.
Maidservants served them separately as they washed and changed clothes.
They were not wearing court robes, but both changed into new bright red clothes.
On the hair crown he wore, there was a dazzling ruby set in it.
When Luo Ning looked at it a second time, he stood up and gave an order toward the door.
A moment later, Nanny Shi personally came from Linhua Courtyard, holding a box in her hands.
“They are all for you. There are only this many,” Xiao Huai Feng said, pushing it into Luo Ning’s arms.
Luo Ning opened it, and her hands almost trembled.
Inside were four rubies, each the size of a pigeon egg. Their color was the same as the one on his crown, and they were priceless.
“Prince, this…” Luo Ning said.
“Do not be greedy for these common things. If you want something, just say it. Whatever I have, I will give you,” he said.
Luo Ning’s heart grew hot.
The Prince was probably the best master in the whole world.
“They are too valuable. I will choose one,” Luo Ning said.
She was not greedy and would take only one to wear. Before leaving her parents’ home, she had told herself that any property gained after marriage in the name of Prince Yong would not be taken for herself. She would keep it well and leave it for the next Princess Consort Yong.
The rubies were the same.
She had not made any merits, so the rubies she got did not belong to her.
She would only use them and not claim them. In the future, they would return to their original owner.
“As you wish,” Prince Yong said.
Luo Ning picked one with slightly less perfect color and handed the rest back to Nanny Shi, telling her to hide them away. As for this one, Luo Ning did not yet know what kind of jewelry to make with it, so she put it aside for now.
In the time it took to do this, Prince Yong was already fully dressed.
Luo Ning was not done dressing yet.
Xiao Huai Feng stood behind her. When he saw Qiu Lan take a gold hairpin and fix it in Luo Ning’s hair, he said: “Is that the last one?”
Qiu Lan quickly answered that it was.
Xiao Huai Feng took the hairpin, held Luo Ning’s hair bun, and casually slid it into her black hair for her.
He looked at the mirror, then adjusted it a little.
“Not bad.”
Her hair ornaments today were also complex, just not as overdone as in the previous days.
They still looked very good.
Her forehead was full, and her features were so bright that with just a little decoration, she shone with beauty, effortlessly making others envious.
“It is all right,” Xiao Huai Feng said calmly, his dark eyes quiet.
“How about I take off the earrings? They are too heavy,” Luo Ning said.
“That is fine too,” Xiao Huai Feng said.
It would not affect her noble air.
Luo Ning took them off, then felt that something was missing, so she put them back on again even though they were heavy.
She tilted her head a little. Her full red lips let out a bit of faint warm breath that brushed right past Xiao Huai Feng’s cheek.
“Prince, do you think it looks better with them on or off?” Luo Ning asked.
Xiao Huai Feng had already turned and walked away.
Luo Ning stopped fussing and honestly kept the earrings on.
After they were both ready, Xiao Huai Feng accompanied Luo Ning for the three-day return visit to her family.
The gifts for the return visit arrived first.
From far away, firecrackers boomed like thunder.
When Luo Ning and Xiao Huai Feng’s carriage stopped at the gate of the Marquis of Zhen Nan Residence, another round of loud firecrackers went off and lasted for a long time.
Smoke rose like a thick fog, and the air was full of the smell of sulfur.
Xiao Huai Feng got out of the carriage first.
When he turned back, he held out his hand.
Luo Ning was slightly surprised, but she did not hesitate. She placed her hand in his palm and let him help her down from the carriage.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan, the Old Madam, and the members of the second and third branches were all waiting at the gate.
Xiao Huai Feng did not let go of her hand and led her up the red stone steps at the entrance.
“Grandmother, Father.”
Grandmother’s eyes grew moist. “Please, hurry inside.”
Marquis Manor held a grand feast to celebrate Princess Consort Yong’s three-day return visit.
The return gifts sent from Prince’s Manor were extremely generous. All the relatives and friends exclaimed over them with envy.
After today, Luo Ning would be the proper Princess Consort of Prince Yong Manor, and the Luo Family would have married into a powerful and influential house.
Everyone’s face was full of joy, including Luo Ning herself.