Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Tripping Her Up
Luo Ning had just come back from the Old Madam’s West Main Courtyard.
She changed out of her clothes, put on a simple everyday jacket, and was warming her hands around a cup of tea when the Marchioness stormed in.
Luo Ning looked at her.
In her previous life, Madam Bai, the Marchioness, had always been calm and unhurried, using subtle methods to push Luo Ning into madness again and again, then slandering her to outsiders.
Back then, when Luo Ning lost her mind, she had probably looked much like the Marchioness did now.
A faint smile rose in her heart. [So this was how Mother must have felt then: pleased only when she forced me onto a dead end.]
And she had once actually dared to hope that her mother would stand up for her.
[Justice is something you have to fight for yourself.]
Luo Ning set down her teacup and gave her maidservant Qiu Lan a look. Only then did she show a bit of unease and say: “Mother, what is going on?”
“What did you say in Shoucheng Palace in front of the Empress Dowager and the titled ladies?” The Marchioness tried hard to keep her voice steady.
But her throat was out of control. Her voice was high and sharp.
She realized it and tried to lower it again, but then felt her momentum was not enough.
“I did not say anything.” Luo Ning looked innocent, even stepping back two steps. She slightly hunched her shoulders and pretended to feel wronged: “Mother, I did not say even half a word to the Empress Dowager. I am only afraid the Empress Dowager now looks down on Marquis Manor.”
She glanced at the Marchioness again and said: “Mother, it was you who were dressed so beautifully, and you look so good that you drew all the attention.”
The Marchioness was speechless.
Very good. Luo Ning had actually turned it around and was blaming her.
Before she had time to get angry, she heard Luo Ning continue: “Mother, we went out together this morning. If you had only taken another look at your daughter’s clothes, you would not need to rush back in a rage now.”
The Marchioness’s pale face took on a greenish tint: “A’Ning, do you still see your elders as elders?”
“I do,” Luo Ning said. “No matter what my elders are like, I have always respected you, Mother.”
Then she asked: “Mother, do you see me at all?”
The Marchioness was so angry she could not listen and only said: “Has your mother not treated you well enough? Back when I gave birth to you…”
“Mother, if you want to look through your daughter’s trunks, then just look. Why bring up old matters?” Luo Ning took a step forward, straightened the shoulders she had drawn in, and a faint smile hung on her face.
She had pushed the Marchioness’s emotions down as low as they would go. Only when she saw her starting to struggle like a cornered beast did she relax a little.
When she smiled like that, the Marchioness suddenly shivered and calmed down a bit.
But she still did not believe that the steward in Shaoyang had refused to make clothes for Luo Ning.
In her heart, she really disliked Luo Ning.
She hated that Luo Ning had grown up in silks and fine food, with countless servants. She hated that Luo Ning had a proper name and family, a father and a mother. She hated that Luo Ning grew more beautiful each day, and that many old noble households hinted at wanting to propose a match.
Every time she saw what Luo Ning had, the Marchioness immediately thought of Bai Ci Rong.
Bai Ci Rong had none of these things.
If Bai Ci Rong had even a little of them, the Marchioness would not feel so bitter.
Because of that bitterness, she found Luo Ning more and more unpleasant to look at.
Even so, she only did not want to see Luo Ning. She had never actually shorted her in food, clothing, or daily use.
There were so many servants in the house. Even if the Marchioness did not care about Luo Ning, she still had to guard her own reputation. If others saw through her, what would that look like? She would not be able to explain herself in front of her husband and her mother-in-law.
The Marchioness’s anger right now was not only because she had left an opening in front of the Empress Dowager and the enfeoffed ladies, but also because she realized that at this year’s Spring Banquet, Bai Ci Rong was very likely to miss her chance.
She had planned for many years, waiting only for this spring to help Bai Ci Rong shine.
She had prepared countless sets of clothes and jewelry.
With Luo Ning’s return first and the Empress Dowager’s hint later, if she tried to present Bai Ci Rong now, she was afraid no one would dare receive them.
Bai Ci Rong would not only fail to gain any reputation, she would also be humiliated and would lose all chance of marrying into the imperial relatives and nobles or into powerful prestigious clans.
Only then did the Marchioness feel like vomiting blood, and all her anger poured onto Luo Ning.
Luo Ning told Nanny Kong to bring the maidservants and carry out her trunks.
New clothes and old clothes together filled only two trunks.
At a glance, the Marchioness saw a long kesi silk jacket in the trunk and grew even angrier. She strode over, snatched it up, and flung it at Luo Ning’s face: “What is this?”
Just then, a group of people entered Wenqi Courtyard.
Maidservant Qiu Lan had gone to report. It happened that the Marquis of Zhen Nan and his brothers, Luo Yin and the others, had just come home from paying New Year visits and were talking in the Old Madam’s courtyard.
The Second Madam, the Third Madam, and the Eldest Young Madam were also there.
Qiu Lan deliberately said: “Madam is about to beat the Eldest Miss. Old Madam, please come save her!”
When the Old Madam heard this, her hand trembled slightly.
She wanted to go to Wenqi Courtyard, so the Marquis of Zhen Nan had to support her. The others were eager to watch the show and all came along.
Luo Yin, the Eldest Young Master, walked in front, wanting to shield his mother.
But when they entered, he still saw this scene.
Madam Bai, the Marchioness, was furious, almost making no effort to hide it.
“What is all this noise about?” the Marquis of Zhen Nan asked.
The Marchioness’s anger instantly turned into tears that fell in a steady stream: “Lord Marquis, I have lost my composure. It is really A’Ning who has gone too far.
“She deliberately dressed in shabby clothes and went to Shoucheng Palace to complain. The Empress Dowager, in front of several enfeoffed ladies, asked whether Marquis Manor has been mistreating A’Ning.
“Lord Marquis, this is not only about Marquis Manor’s face, it also affects your reputation. If the Censorate seizes on this, your good name as an official will suffer.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan frowned.
He looked at Luo Ning.
Then at Madam Bai, the Marchioness.
Luo Ning had changed into an everyday outfit, the fabric even plainer, while the Marchioness, even in anger and tears, still shone.
Just the ruby headpiece set she wore made her look extremely noble.
“A’Ning, what is going on?” the Marquis of Zhen Nan asked.
Everyone looked at her.
Luo Yin, the Eldest Young Master, pointed at her in anger: “She did it on purpose. As soon as she came back, she got jealous and blamed us for caring more about our cousin than about her.
“So petty, vicious, and selfish – where is even a trace of a noble-born lady’s upbringing? On the First Day of the New Year, she does something that harms others without helping herself!”
Luo Ning looked at them quietly.
The Marchioness took a deep breath and stopped her tears: “Lord Marquis, look at this trunk of clothes. This kesi silk jacket is so valuable, yet she refuses to wear it!”
The Old Madam was a little puzzled as well.
Luo Ning picked up the jacket from the floor and shook it out. Then, in front of her father, uncles, and brothers, she turned around and unfastened the everyday jacket she wore.
The others wanted to stop her, but Luo Ning moved quickly.
The two uncles had no choice but to turn their backs at once.
Luo Ning’s underclothes were thick, so even without the outer jacket, she did not lose her modesty. After that, she put on the long jacket the Marchioness had thrown at her.
Luo Ning’s smile was gentle and calm: “Am I supposed to wear this to see the Empress Dowager? Father, Mother, are you two sure?”
The room fell silent.
Everyone stared at Luo Ning in shock.
The sleeves of the jacket were a whole section too short.
Someone sucked in a cold breath.
Wearing something this obviously too small into the palace was worse than wearing a plain but well-fitting outfit.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan’s face changed several times. The Marchioness froze where she stood, her cheeks trembling. For a moment, even her lips turned white, though her lipstick covered it so it was not obvious.
“Since I returned to the capital, no one asked whether I needed any clothes. I am still a daughter of the house – I cannot go begging for them myself, can I? All these clothes that look so fine were made three years ago.
“Grandmother, Father, Mother, I have grown up and grown taller.” Luo Ning let out a soft sigh. “I should just move back to Shaoyang. No one in this house cares about me anyway.”
Those soft words slapped everyone present hard across the face.
Including the Old Madam.
Even the Old Madam felt her own cheeks burning.
For many years, she had eaten vegetarian, recited scriptures, and left all the household affairs to her eldest daughter-in-law.
There had hardly ever been any big trouble at home.
In these years, the weather had been good, and the Luo family’s country estate had steady harvests, so they never had to worry about food and drink. The eldest daughter-in-law also had money and often said that the Bai family, relying on Marquis Manor, was willing to give them many benefits.
The Old Madam had never imagined that the Marchioness could make such a big mistake in small matters like food and clothing.
Unless it was on purpose.