Chapter 216
Chapter 214: The Prince’s Generosity
The next day, on the way back to the city, Xiao Huai Feng was dozing in the carriage.
Luo Ning was doing better. She had more or less slept through the night.
Halfway along the road, their carriage met the Zheng Family’s carriage.
The road there was narrow, so one side had to give way. Luo Ning lifted the curtain to look outside, and at the same time, someone in the opposite carriage also stuck her head out.
She saw Zheng Jia’er.
Zheng Jia’er also saw her. She not only saw Luo Ning, but also saw Prince Yong sitting inside the carriage.
Luo Ning let the curtain fall.
Zheng Jia’er turned to her mother and said: “She went out together with the Prince!”
Her mother’s spirits were not very good. The death of her son had hit her hard. Even after more than half a year, she had not recovered much. In the deep of the night, she still woke up crying.
But she loved her daughter just as dearly.
Madam Zheng said: “The Emperor only told the Zheng Family to choose a secondary consort for Prince Yong. He did not name who it should be. You insisted on taking this chance, and the family and the retainers all pushed you forward. Now if you regret it, it is too late.”
“I do not regret it,” Zheng Jia’er said.
At that time, the retainers had said many things.
In short, Zheng Jia’er becoming a secondary consort was indeed lowering her own status, but the Emperor was pleased.
That was one of the reasons.
The retainers and Zheng Jia’er’s father, uncles, and other elders were all guessing at the Emperor’s will.
Besides guessing the Emperor’s will, they also had their own selfish thoughts. The Emperor was often ill, and the Eldest Prince was still very young. No one knew how things would turn out in the future, so they had to place their bets.
Great aristocratic families could stay rich and noble for hundreds of years. Of course it was because they had sharp eyes, but also because they cast their nets wide.
They used Zheng Jia’er as that net and cast her into Prince Yong’s manor. It might be “using a fine blade to chop vegetables,” yet it might still have unexpected effects.
As for Zheng Jia’er herself, she was even more determined, insisting on marrying him as if her life depended on it.
Once the Zheng Family had decided to send a legitimate daughter, Madam Pei, Madam Cui, and Madam Wang no longer dared to be perfunctory and send a concubine-born daughter or an adopted daughter to Prince Yong.
The Zheng Family had gone all in. If Madam Pei and Madam Cui only went halfway, they would become easy targets, making both the Emperor and Prince Yong displeased and offending both sides.
When Madam Zheng thought of this, she still felt it was unfair for her daughter. But for the sake of the family’s long-term plans, she could only endure it.
Madam Zheng said: “Madam Luo is Prince Yong’s principal consort, and she has the Empress Dowager to rely on. Do not try to compete with her. Like I said before, only if you give birth to the eldest son of the prince’s manor will you have a real chance.”
What if, by some chance, Prince Yong had the opportunity to become Emperor?
If that time really came, the Empress might not be his current principal consort. He would choose a woman who was most helpful to him and most able to be a model for all the women in the world.
That woman’s children and her natal family would be his true bargaining chips.
Luo Ning basically had no chance.
If Prince Yong could not become Emperor, after a few years, the Zheng Family might find a way to make Princess Consort Yong “die,” forcing Prince Yong to promote Zheng Jia’er to principal consort.
Madam Pei, Madam Cui, and Madam Wang were surely thinking the same way.
If Princess Consort Yong’s natal family had not been so lowly, those great houses would not have dared to gamble with a legitimate daughter.
Luo Ning was hardly worth mentioning.
“Mother, please beg Her Majesty the Empress to help me,” Zheng Jia’er said. “Prince Yong used to admire her. She should know what Prince Yong likes. She is already the Empress. Helping her own sister, letting me take the lead after I enter the manor, will not cost her anything.”
“I will try,” Madam Zheng said. “But she may not agree. Besides, she does not like to mention her old matters with Prince Yong.”
She thought about how to bring it up.
Just as mother and daughter returned to the Duke of the Realm’s residence, someone arrived from Kunning Palace.
The Empress sent a palace lady to deliver a few old pieces of clothing to Zheng Jia’er.
The palace lady said: “Her Majesty says that Fourth Miss is about to enter Prince Yong’s manor. These are things Her Majesty loves very much, and she is specially gifting them to Fourth Miss. She hopes Fourth Miss will be cautious in everything from now on.”
Madam Zheng hurried to give thanks.
Zheng Jia’er frowned.
After the palace lady left, Madam Zheng unfolded the clothes sent by the Empress: a light purple beizi, a lotus-green top jacket, and a white silk skirt embroidered with winding begonia flowers.
The fabric and workmanship were excellent, but the colors were a bit old. It was clear they had been worn several times.
Zheng Jia’er said unhappily: “What does Her Majesty the Empress mean by this? Why would she send such old clothes? I cannot wear them. I have never been this shabby.”
Madam Zheng was puzzled too and said: “Could these be the clothes Her Majesty often wore when she was at the Imperial Academy?”
“Mother, I will copy these colors and patterns and make a few new sets,” Zheng Jia’er said. “I will not wear old clothes anyway.”
Madam Zheng said: “Put them away for now. If one day you really have no other choice, you can still bring them out to wear.”
She called for the steward’s people and sent them to the sewing room with instructions to copy the style and colors of this set and make four new outfits overnight for Fourth Miss.
Today, Luo Ning was in a very good mood.
Xiao Huai Feng was feeling generous and let Grand General Chang Ying come and keep Luo Ning company.
Luo Ning really liked it. She asked Xiao Huai Feng about its daily training and food and was eager to raise it herself.
Xiao Huai Feng refused.
That day, Xiao Huai Feng did not rest in the main courtyard. He went to stay in Linhua Courtyard.
No one in the main courtyard said a single extra word about it.
After living together for some time, they had not only come to rely on Luo Ning, but also respected and trusted her. They knew she understood what she was doing.
“Ask Nanny Shi to come tomorrow morning. It is time to get busy with the affairs of the inner residence,” Luo Ning said to Nanny Yin.
Nanny Yin agreed.
The next day, Luo Ning finished arranging the courtyards for the four secondary consorts.
Cui Zheng Lan’s courtyard was the closest to the main courtyard. That was Luo Ning’s little personal bias.
Xiao Huai Feng was at home, and he and Luo Ning ate lunch together.
Luo Ning asked him again if he had any extra plans regarding the four secondary consorts.
He still gave the same answer: “You decide. Do not be soft-hearted.”
Luo Ning tested the waters and asked: “What is the name of the one from the Marquis of Jian Ning’s residence? I am not familiar with her.”
“Do you think I know her any better?” Xiao Huai Feng said.
“Before, at the Summer Retreat Villa, I saw her talking alone with the Prince,” Luo Ning said, voicing her doubt.
“I have seen her,” Xiao Huai Feng said. “She came over to salute me on her own and mentioned Deputy General Zhou’s mother. I only spoke a few words with her. I am not familiar with her.”
Luo Ning understood.
Two days later, Prince Chen and Cui Zheng Qing came to the prince’s manor.
Prince Yong asked Luo Ning to go to Linhua Courtyard to meet the guests.
Cui Zheng Qing looked around and asked: “Why did you move into this courtyard? Did you give up the main courtyard? You are not living in the main courtyard with the princess consort?”
When she heard this, Luo Ning glanced at Prince Yong in surprise.
She had thought he usually lived in Linhua Courtyard. That was what he had told her. She had never expected that he had actually moved out of the main courtyard and given it to her.
“It is the same wherever I live,” Xiao Huai Feng said calmly.
Luo Ning thought that maybe it was because he was an imperial prince. In the inner court of the palace, the Empress and the consorts all had their own palaces.
The Emperor had his own place to live and did not stay with them.
The model Xiao Huai Feng could follow was probably the way his parents lived together.
He gave the best main courtyard in the inner residence to the princess consort.
But in ordinary noble households, the husband and wife lived together in the main courtyard, and the husband only went to a concubine’s courtyard to stay the night once in a while. It was rare for him to sleep in the outer study.
Luo Ning thought in her heart: [The prince’s manor is not exactly an ordinary noble household, right?]
Then she thought again. Her master was a prince of the blood, and there was no Dowager Consort living here with them. So the prince’s manor was his to rule. If he wanted to live in a cellar, that would be fine too, as long as he was happy.
He was the lord of this little piece of heaven and earth.
Luo Ning’s thoughts turned quickly, but nothing showed on her face.
Prince Chen only listened with a smile and did not interrupt.
They chatted for a long time, and Xiao Huai Feng kept the two of them to stay for lunch.
“Princess Consort, I have already spoken with the clan academy,” Cui Zheng Qing said. “Your younger brother and Young Master Zhou can both go there to study.”
So the reason they had specially called her out to meet the guests was to tell her this.
The Prince really handled matters neatly.
“Thank you very much,” Luo Ning said.
“There is no need to be so polite,” Cui Zheng Qing said with a smile. “A’Lan is still hoping you will take more care of her. She has a quick temper and often does things carelessly.”
Luo Ning laughed and said: “When I was young, my family also said I had a quick temper.”
Cui Zheng Qing was surprised and said: “You had a quick temper?”
In his eyes, she was as steady as a rock now.
“It was slowly worn down over time,” Luo Ning said with a smile. “Do not worry. A’Lan will be able to change her temper too.”