Chapter 212
Chapter 210: If You Want Something, Just Say It
On the second day after the wedding, Luo Ning started handling affairs.
Prince Yong Manor had prepared a group of servants for her. They counted as part of her dowry.
On the surface, it looked very grand for Luo Ning, but in fact these people were not her trusted aides yet. She still had to test them slowly.
As for herself, she brought everyone from Wenqi Courtyard over, including two maids who did rough work and the young maid Dong Yan.
Nanny Shi sent Chu Shuang over.
Chu Shuang now had a new name, 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 wasn’t thin before,” Qiu Lan said.
Tao Ye was speechless.
Luo Ning looked at her and felt Tao Ye was round and cute, healthy and sturdy. That was very good.
“I like how she looks,” Luo Ning said. “Tao Ye eats well. You all should learn from her.”
Qiu Hua said: “When we make clothes later, she will use enough cloth for two people on her own. She’ll cry.”
Tao Ye refused and said: “Then I’ll make one less set.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
The courtyard was full of happy voices and laughter.
In the main courtyard of Prince’s Manor, Prince Yong handed everything over to Luo Ning. Just like in Wenqi Courtyard, Luo Ning was the one in charge.
Luo Ning reassigned all the duties.
“From now on, Nanny Yin will be the chief steward nanny of the main courtyard and will arrange everything,” Luo Ning said. “Nanny Kong will be in charge of the small kitchen. Qiu Lan will still manage the money box and the small account books inside the courtyard. Clothes and jewelry will be given to Nanny He.
“Qiu Hua, whenever I go out, all related matters will be your responsibility. Sister Lin will still stay by my side and accompany me when I practice with the whip. Tao Ye will be in charge of all the sewing and laundry in the inner courtyard. As for everyone else, you can each assign the people under you.”
She made two changes: Nanny Kong was no longer the steward nanny and only handled the small kitchen; and Tao Ye became a first-class maid of the main courtyard of Prince Yong Manor, on the same level as Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan.
Luo Ning also stated how much monthly money each person would get and told Qiu Lan to record it in the accounts.
That was the business of the main courtyard.
“As for the affairs of the inner courtyard of Prince’s Manor, I don’t know yet how much I can take over,” Luo Ning said with a smile. “Once things start coming in, each of you will have extra work. When that time comes, I’ll ask the prince to raise your monthly money.”
Everyone was full of gratitude.
Luo Ning also stressed one more thing: “Inside our courtyard, everything is centered on me. You must follow my orders. If the sky falls, I will be the one to hold it up.
“But if anyone goes against my wishes in the name of ‘it’s for your own good’, I will not allow it. If you offend me that way, I’ll drive you out with no mercy.”
Her words were strict and serious, without a single hint of joking.
The servants all answered again and pledged their loyalty to her.
“Your futures are all in my heart,” Luo Ning added. “If you serve me faithfully, I will arrange everything properly for each of you.”
In the future, when she went back to Shaoyang, Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan would definitely go with her. Luo Ning also planned to take Nanny Kong along, bring 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 wishes. If they wanted to follow her, they could go along. If they did not, Luo Ning would still do her best to arrange good futures for them.
After everyone withdrew, a maid came in carrying a cup of tea.
Besides the people she had brought from Wenqi Courtyard, Luo Ning also had more than ten dowry maids, all given by Prince’s Manor. Nanny Yin was in charge of arranging them.
“Big Miss… Princess Consort, what would you like to eat for lunch?” Nanny Kong asked.
Luo Ning smiled and said: “Just some vegetables. Make it light.”
“The new chive sprouts have just come out. Would you like some?”
“Yes.”
The sunlight that day was very good. Luo Ning sat on the heated couch by the window, flipping through the account books. She watched as Nanny He led people to rearrange the inner room, and she felt light and relaxed.
After just one morning, the furnishings in the inner room looked almost the same as in Wenqi Courtyard. They now matched Luo Ning’s tastes and habits.
Lunch was very good.
After she ate, she took a short nap.
In the afternoon, Nanny Shi came over to explain some matters.
Luo Ning told her: “For now, do everything the same as before. Later I’ll ask the prince for his opinion.”
“Before the three-day return to my parents’ home, you don’t need to worry about the affairs of the Inner Residence,” Luo Ning told her trusted aide.
Without the three-day return to her parents’ home, she was not truly settled yet.
That night, Xiao Huai Feng still went back to the Inner Residence to sleep.
He did not talk with her. His head had barely touched the pillow before he fell asleep. Luo Ning had wanted to ask about the plans for the next day, but she did not have time to open her mouth.
The next day, Xiao Huai Feng got up at the same time as her.
Maids served them separately as they washed and changed clothes.
They did not wear court robes, but both of them changed into bright red new clothes.
Set in the crown on his head was a dazzling ruby.
When Luo Ning looked at it the second time, he stood up and gave an order toward the door.
Moments later, Nanny Shi personally brought over a box from Linhua Courtyard.
“It’s all for you. There’s only this much,” Xiao Huai Feng said as he stuffed it into Luo Ning’s arms.
Luo Ning opened it and almost trembled.
There were four rubies, each the size of a pigeon egg, with the same quality as the one on his crown. They were priceless.
“Prince, this…” Luo Ning said.
“Don’t be greedy over these vulgar things. If you want something, just say it. As long as I have it, I’ll give it to you,” he said.
Luo Ning’s heart burned warm.
[The prince is probably the best master in the world.]
“These are too valuable. I’ll just pick one,” Luo Ning said.
She was not greedy, and only wanted one to wear. Before she left her parents’ home, she had already told herself that any wealth she got under Prince Yong’s name after marriage would not really belong to her. She would keep it safe and leave it for the next Princess Consort Yong.
The rubies were the same.
She had not made any military or great merit, so these rubies did not belong to her.
She would only use them, not claim them. In the future, she would return them to their original owner.
“As you wish,” Prince Yong said.
Luo Ning picked one whose quality was a little worse than the others. She handed the rest back to Nanny Shi and told her to hide them away. As for this one, Luo Ning had not decided what kind of jewelry to make from it yet, so she put it aside.
While all this was happening, Prince Yong had already finished dressing.
Luo Ning still was not fully done with her hair and ornaments.
Xiao Huai Feng stood behind her. He saw Qiu Lan take a gold hairpin and pin it into Luo Ning’s hair, and he said: “Is that the last one?”
Qiu Lan quickly answered that it was.
Xiao Huai Feng took the hairpin, steadied Luo Ning’s hair bun, and casually slid it into her black hair.
He looked at her in the mirror, then adjusted it a little.
“Not bad.”
Her head ornaments today were still complicated, but not as overly fancy as the past few days.
They were still very beautiful.
Her forehead was full and smooth. Her features were very bright. With just a little dressing up, she shone with dazzling beauty, enough to make many people jealous.
“It’s all right,” Xiao Huai Feng said calmly, his dark eyes quiet.
“How about I take off the earrings? They’re too heavy,” Luo Ning said.
“You can,” Xiao Huai Feng said.
They did not affect her noble air.
Luo Ning took them off, then felt something was missing, so she endured the weight and put them back on.
She tilted her head slightly. Her red lips were full. A faint breath of warmth slipped out and brushed just next to Xiao Huai Feng’s face.
“Prince, do you think they look better on, or off?” Luo Ning asked.
Xiao Huai Feng had already turned away and was walking out.
Luo Ning stopped worrying and honestly kept the earrings on.
Once they were both dressed and ready, Xiao Huai Feng accompanied Luo Ning for the three-day return to her parents’ home.
The return gifts arrived first.
From far away, the sound of firecrackers shook the sky.
When the carriage carrying Luo Ning and Xiao Huai Feng stopped at the gate of the Marquis of Zhen Nan Manor, there was another round of huge firecrackers that lasted a long time.
Smoke billowed up like a heavy fog. The air was full of the smell of sulfur.
Xiao Huai Feng got out of the carriage first.
When he turned back, he reached out his hand.
Luo Ning was a little surprised, but did not hesitate at all. 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 all the people from the second and third branches were waiting at the gate.
Xiao Huai Feng did not let go of her hand and led her up the steps at the entrance.
“Grandmother, Father,” Luo Ning said.
Grandmother’s eyes filled with tears. “Come inside, quickly.”
Marquis Manor held a large banquet to celebrate Princess Consort Yong’s three-day return to her parents’ home.
The return gifts sent from Prince’s Manor were extremely generous. All the relatives and friends were amazed and full of envy.
After this day, Luo Ning would be the open and proper Princess Consort of Prince Yong Manor. The Luo family had climbed up to a powerful in-law.
Everyone’s face was full of joy, including Luo Ning’s own.