Chapter 227
Chapter 225: The Prince Can Hardly Restrain Himself
The inside of the bed curtains was dim, but he could still make out Luo Ning’s outline.
The way she lay quietly on the pillow could not be seen very clearly in the dark, but in Xiao Huai Feng’s mind a picture of a beautiful lady had already taken shape.
He thought of last year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, when he had taken Luo Ning, his third brother, and Cui Zheng Qing to admire the lanterns and had mentioned his painting of a lady.
At that time, Luo Ning had said he should paint one and give it to her so she could leave it to her children and grandchildren.
She had even thought about children and grandchildren with him. She had not had any idea of “only going and not returning” then. How had she changed after their wedding?
Where had he done badly?
Xiao Huai Feng had known Luo Ning for more than a year. She seemed to have changed, and yet she also seemed not to have.
From the beginning she had been calm and composed, quick-tongued and clever. She was still like that now. In the past she had not been strong enough to act harshly, and even now she could still be soft-hearted.
But her gaze had become more firm and also more gentle.
She had taken the initiative to come over to his side and walk into Prince Yong’s manor. She had been the one to provoke things first.
When Xiao Huai Feng thought back on the past, he sometimes scolded her a little, but most of the time he had not expected much from her and had not forced her to do anything. Because of that, he had never humiliated her.
So how had she suddenly come to want to leave so completely?
Looking at her, Xiao Huai Feng thought about many things, and his body slowly began to feel strange.
He immediately got up.
Luo Ning was sleeping very deeply. She did not know that the prince left the Main Courtyard in the middle of the night and went back to Linhua Courtyard.
Xiao Huai Feng eased his restlessness, took a quick bath and changed clothes, and finally sat calmly at his desk, cutting paper and grinding ink.
He began to paint.
With a few simple strokes he first drew the outline. As soon as it took shape, it already looked like Luo Ning. He had already planned it out in his mind before. This was just the first time he was putting brush to paper.
Luo Ning woke up at dawn and found that Xiao Huai Feng was not there. She did not think much of it, because he often got up and left in the very early hours.
But a maidservant told her: “The prince went back to Linhua Courtyard in the middle of the night.”
Luo Ning fell silent.
The prince must have had his reasons for doing that, so Luo Ning did not ask.
She only said to Nanny Yin: “Send someone to Linhua Courtyard to ask whether the prince has gone out. See if he is coming to the Main Courtyard for breakfast.”
Nanny Yin answered that she would and sent a young maidservant to run over.
The young maidservant came back to report: “The prince left early this morning.”
Luo Ning slowly shook off her sleepiness, dressed and combed her hair, and ate her breakfast.
After the meal, the Secondary Consorts came as usual to pay their daily respects.
She was not very familiar with them yet and needed time to get along with them and understand them, so the morning and evening greetings could not be skipped.
This was also one of the duties of the Princess Consort Yong.
Wang Jun asked: “Why has Younger Sister Pei not come?”
She was not gloating and did not pretend to be confused. She was only giving Luo Ning an opening so that Luo Ning could explain Pei Yu’s punishment.
Luo Ning understood her intention, but Zheng Jia’er did not.
Zheng Jia’er mocked her and said: “You ask when you already know. Are all the people in your courtyard dead, that your news is so blocked?”
Wang Jun did not look the least bit embarrassed. She smiled and said: “I am shut up in my courtyard all day, so I really am blind with my eyes open. Does Elder Sister Zheng know everything?”
Her words had another meaning.
Cui Zheng Lan glanced at Wang Jun and then at Zheng Jia’er.
Zheng Jia’er almost exploded with anger. “What do you mean by that?”
Luo Ning set her teacup down heavily and said: “Shouting like that, you have no manners. I let you off once, thinking you were young and did not understand, yet you still do not know how to repent. Someone come and send Secondary Consort Zheng back to her courtyard. She is not allowed to leave it for half a month.”
If she did not set rules now, the prince would end up punishing her.
If one day the prince slept in the Main Courtyard and rose late, and heard Zheng Jia’er being this arrogant, Luo Ning would surely be scolded.
He had told her to “beat whoever ought to be beaten”.
“How dare you…” Zheng Jia’er was shocked and angry, but the old maidservant beside her quickly pinched her arm.
The old maidservant pulled her down to kneel and said: “Quickly thank the Princess Consort!”
Nanny Yin came in with people and escorted Zheng Jia’er out.
Zheng Jia’er was held up on both sides. Her face was full of shock and disbelief, but she did not struggle or cry, keeping a bit of dignity.
After she left, the Ming Hall became much quieter.
Luo Ning explained to Cui Zheng Lan and Wang Jun, who were still sitting there: “When I was not in the manor, Secondary Consort Pei was suspected of ‘leaving the manor without permission’. The prince confined her to her rooms for half a month.”
She took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and went on: “The prince’s rules are strict. The prince’s manor is not the marketplace. Secondary Consort Zheng was too overbearing, so I told her to reflect. The two of you should behave yourselves and live in peace. If you lack anything, tell me.”
Wang Jun and Cui Zheng Lan both answered that they understood.
If all four Secondary Consorts were like these two, Luo Ning’s work would be much easier.
Wang Jun said a few flattering words and then made a small request. She was not used to the rouge and powder provided by the prince’s manor and wanted Luo Ning to send someone to buy the kind she usually used. Luo Ning agreed.
Cui Zheng Lan did not say anything. She just sat to the side drinking tea. These past few days she had been dressing rather carelessly. Her hair was tied up in a simple bun, and she wore no ornaments.
A little later, when Luo Ning had finished her tea, the two women rose and took their leave. Then Nanny Shi came in with more than ten stewardesses to give their reports.
Luo Ning began another whole day of busy work.
By evening, Xiao Huai Feng returned to the manor and came to the Main Courtyard first.
The maidservants helped him change clothes, wash his face, and rinse his hands, getting him ready for dinner.
He said: “My Imperial Elder Brother can just barely manage state affairs. The orders have come down. I will make a trip to the southern region so that the spring planting is not delayed.”
Luo Ning asked: “Do you need anything packed?”
“Just a few sets of clothes,” he said.
Luo Ning agreed and then asked: “When will you leave?”
“Early in the morning, the day after tomorrow.”
Luo Ning understood and did not ask anything more. After the husband and wife finished dinner, Luo Ning played the guqin for him.
This time she played a well-known tune. Xiao Huai Feng felt that her playing was graceful and at ease, with a light touch to it.
There was no heaviness or sadness in her music.
That night he slept in the Main Courtyard the whole time. The next day, as usual, he got up early. While the maidservants were helping him change clothes, Luo Ning woke up.
Late in the morning, Luo Ning asked Nanny Shi what the prince usually took with him when he travelled.
Nanny Shi said: “In the past, Deputy General Zhou always prepared everything. The prince would not let us interfere.”
Luo Ning said: “Go invite Deputy General Zhou here.”
Nanny Shi agreed.
Deputy General Zhou stood under the veranda at the gate of the Main Courtyard and answered Luo Ning’s questions in a loud voice.
Luo Ning followed what he said and prepared half a month’s worth of luggage for Xiao Huai Feng.
On the third day, he got up in the very early hours and quickly got himself ready. Luo Ning woke up too.
Luo Ning urged him: “Your Highness, the road is long, so come back as soon as you can.”
Xiao Huai Feng nodded and said: “Sleep a bit more. It is still early.”
Then he left.
In just a few days, work began in the prince’s manor to put up the flower arbor, taking up one corner of the Rear Garden. Four musician courtesans also entered the manor. Three of them were good at playing the flute, and one was skilled at playing the guqin.
Tao Bo said: “The prince said that from now on the four of them are to relieve the Princess Consort’s boredom. For now they are to live in the small building in the Rear Garden.”
[How am I bored?]
Since entering the manor, Luo Ning had found that there were far too many daily affairs in the prince’s manor. There were seventy-six account books alone. Even if she checked each one only once a month, she would still have to go through two or three a day, and that one task alone kept her so busy all day that her head spun.
Not to mention all the other small matters.
Prince Yong was an extremely wealthy prince. He truly had everything.
How could Luo Ning have any free time to feel bored?
Luo Ning asked Tao Bo: “Was this ordered by the prince?”
Tao Bo smiled and said: “If the prince had not given the order, I would not dare to make such a decision on my own, Princess Consort.”
Luo Ning said: “Has the prince ever managed the daily affairs himself?”
“No,” he answered.
Luo Ning was speechless.
Next time she would have to complain a little, so that he would not think the job of Princess Consort Yong was so easy and that she still had free time to listen to music.