Chapter 27
Chapter 27: The Prince Sends Lavish Gifts
On the twentieth day of the first lunar month, several days had already passed since the Ministry of Rites opened its seals, and Luo Ning still had not received an imperial edict granting her marriage.
Instead, Nanny Kong went out and brought back a letter for her.
Nanny Kong said: “…It was delivered by someone from Prince Yong’s manor.”
Luo Ning unfolded the letter.
It was written by Prince Yong. In just a few simple words, he asked her to come to the Prince’s Manor to discuss something.
Luo Ning told Nanny Kong to go to the stables and use the coachman she had brought back from the Southern Region, and not let anyone else send her.
Luo Ning said: “Give these five taels of silver to the steward of the carriage house. From now on, whenever we go out, we will use our own people.”
Nanny Kong agreed.
She was an old servant of the Luo Family, and her husband worked as an accountant in the outer courtyard. The stewards inside and outside the Luo Family household all had some obligation and goodwill toward her.
She handed over five taels of silver at once, which equaled a steward’s monthly pay, so the steward naturally turned a blind eye.
On the way there, Luo Ning thought about how in her previous life she had never sought shelter with Prince Yong. If she could not change her fate, this marriage might have to be given up.
[If it has to be canceled, then so be it.]
That deed of sale she had signed always made her uneasy. It would be better if she could get it back.
One could not be too greedy. The Empress Dowager had already taken great care of her. Not becoming Princess Consort Yong would not really be a great loss.
After talking herself around, Luo Ning felt calm by the time she arrived at Prince Yong’s residence.
Prince Yong was waiting for her in a side hall of the front courtyard.
The servants brought tea, but Luo Ning did not drink it. She went straight to the point and asked him: “Prince, has something changed with the imperial marriage?”
Xiao Huai Feng said: “Third Sister in law came from a high family, and she and Third Brother were deeply in love. Imperial Mother was also very fond of her. Now that she has suddenly passed away, in both emotion and reason it would not be right to immediately choose a bride for me.”
If the funeral had not yet been completed and an engagement was announced right away, even an ordinary commoner family would be criticized, let alone the imperial clan.
Luo Ning could understand and said: “This humble woman will enter the palace another day to visit the Empress Dowager and help ease Her Highness’s grief.”
Prince Yong nodded.
“I must trouble you to wait a bit,” he said, his expression flat, his dark eyes showing neither joy nor anger. “After Third Sister in law’s Hundredth-day Memorial, I will ask Your Majesty to issue an imperial edict for the marriage.”
The Hundredth-day Memorial would be three months later.
Luo Ning thought that there was still time.
She only wanted to make use of Prince Yong’s power and was in no hurry to marry.
Her grudges with the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s household had not yet been settled. Once she married, she would have to leave, and her very status as Princess Consort Yong might even add luster to them.
Without Luo Ning, life in the Marquis Manor would be much easier for them. How could she possibly let them have their way?
Luo Ning said: “Prince, this humble woman is not in a hurry.”
Prince Yong inclined his head.
He took a sip of tea, then called to his personal guard: “Bring the things for the Princess Consort.”
He called her “Princess Consort” in a flat tone, with no hint of affection. It was as if the term was simply more dignified and easy for him to use.
Thinking this, Luo Ning also took a sip of tea to hide her feelings. She could not let a bit of her inner thoughts slip out.
Deputy General Zhou soon came in and set a zither on the small table. Although it was wrapped in silk, it was clear that it was a jade zither.
Xiao Huai Feng motioned for Luo Ning to open it.
When Luo Ning saw the jade zither made from old paulownia wood, she drew in a slight breath.
She tested two notes.
Compared with her own jade zither, this one was indeed fuller and more resonant.
Luo Ning said: “…This is truly a fine instrument.”
Xiao Huai Feng said in a calm tone: “It came from the Commandery Prince’s residence. I heard it was very good. I do not understand music, so you can take it and play with it.”
Many people had tried to compete for it that day, including members of wealthy prestigious clans, yet he had been the one to buy it.
Luo Ning accepted it and said with a smile: “Thank you, Prince. Would Prince like to hear me play?”
Xiao Huai Feng gave a slight nod.
After Luo Ning made a few preparations, the servants carried in a zither stool. Once she had tuned the strings, she played a piece.
She had been afraid she would not play well, since she had not touched the strings in a long time.
But she had practiced since childhood. After a bit of stiffness at the start, she quickly grew skilled again.
She played a tune whose score she had composed at twelve years old, a rather cheerful piece.
She often composed her own music, partly because she was talented and partly because she enjoyed it. It was only after she went to Shaoyang that her pieces had all become more gloomy and sorrowful.
When she finished the piece, Luo Ning looked at Prince Yong.
His face was still expressionless.
After a long moment, he finally said: “…I have never heard this song before.”
Luo Ning said: “I like to take guqin music scores and change the melodies. I also changed this one myself.”
Prince Yong seemed a bit surprised. His gaze fell on her face: “That is rare. I thought you had been old and serious since you were young. I did not expect you to be able to change a score into something this playful.”
A faint flush rose on Luo Ning’s cheeks.
No matter how she took it, that sentence could not be considered praise.
She accepted the zither.
Xiao Huai Feng then said to her: “You play the zither quite well. If your whip skills were even one tenth as good, you would not be bullied the moment you stepped out the door.”
Luo Ning lowered her head and accepted the lesson.
Xiao Huai Feng went on: “I have sent people to find a female instructor who is good at whip technique. She is currently in another region, so it will take some time for her to reach the capital. You will have to wait for now.”
Luo Ning lifted her eyes and looked at him in surprise.
Xiao Huai Feng’s gaze was cold: “With whip technique this poor, you make Prince Yong’s residence lose face.”
His words were very unpleasant.
Luo Ning even felt that when he said this to her, he was full of distaste.
There was a trace of impatience hidden between his brows.
He had been outstanding in every way since childhood and was extremely competitive.
In his eyes, Luo Ning truly was not much to look at. If she had not signed that deed of sale, making this Princess Consort easier to control, he probably would not want to marry her.
But Luo Ning could strip away the surface and see the heart of the matter: she had gained a benefit.
In her heart she was very grateful to him and intended to repay his kindness.
Luo Ning promised: “Thank you, Prince. Once there is an instructor, I will train diligently and not let Prince down.”
Xiao Huai Feng’s expression did not soften. He only gave a slight nod and remained very cold: “I hope you do as you say.”
Hugging the jade zither, Luo Ning left the Prince’s Manor.
After she returned to Wenqi Courtyard, she did not immediately go to practice with the whip, because she realized that when she had first learned from Qiu Hua’s father, she had probably never grasped the true knack of whip technique.
If the path was wrong, the harder she worked on it, the further off she would go.
It would be better to wait until the instructor arrived, correct everything from the beginning, and then polish her skills.
Her zither playing, however, was quite good. Back then, they had invited a master with excellent zither technique to instruct her.
Luo Ning played the zither in the courtyard.
She was still playing that rather cheerful tune. Listening to it put her in a pretty good mood. It felt more comfortable than the gloomy pieces.
The sound of the zither drifted out of the courtyard and spread far away.
Meanwhile, in the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s residence, they were talking about Luo Ning’s “appointed marriage”.
When Luo Ning had spoken of this matter, the Marquis of Zhen Nan had not doubted her. He had expectations for a fine son in law and had been so pleased that he spoke freely. Everyone up and down in the Marquis Manor had heard about it.
But after the seals were opened, the Imperial Palace did not issue a decree right away, and the Marquis of Zhen Nan grew anxious.
He summoned Luo Ning to question her.
Luo Ning told him honestly: “Prince Chen’s consort has died. For now they probably have no mind to arrange a marriage for me. At the very least, they will wait until Prince Chen’s consort’s Hundredth-day Memorial.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan’s brows knitted tightly.
He said: “Even when the late Emperor passed away, there was only a twenty seven day mourning period. It is not as if the Empress has died. Why must Prince Chen’s consort’s death drag on until the Hundredth-day Memorial?”
He then stared sharply at her and said: “Are you just making this up?”
Luo Ning said: “Of course not.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan went on: “Then you must have heard wrong. The Empress Dowager was only considering it and has not actually decided on this matter.”
Luo Ning said: “That is not it either.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan’s expression grew ugly: “Do not play tricks in front of me. If this is pushed all the way to the Hundredth-day Memorial, who can afford to wait that long?”
Luo Ning’s gaze was calm as she said: “Father, it is Daughter’s marriage. Daughter can afford to wait. How could it be that you cannot?”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan was choked by her words and flew into a rage out of shame.
He scolded Luo Ning harshly.
There were maidservants serving outside. Hearing the Marquis of Zhen Nan lose his temper and mention the “appointed marriage,” they guessed that Luo Ning’s appointed marriage was only a lie.
The news spread.
There was gossip in the Marquis Manor.
The food sent to Wenqi Courtyard began to worsen again.
When she had first returned, the dishes the main kitchen sent over had been awful. After Luo Ning received rewards from the Empress Dowager, she had told Nanny Kong to send silver to the main kitchen.
On top of that, she had made the Marchioness suffer a setback, and the servants were good at following the wind, so her meals had become much more normal.
During the first lunar month, when the Marchioness was confined, the dishes the main kitchen sent to Wenqi Courtyard had been much more generous than the usual share.
Now, after the Marquis of Zhen Nan had thrown only a small tantrum, Luo Ning’s food had become poor again.
She had already put in at least twenty taels of silver there.
[What a loss.]
Luo Ning said to Nanny Kong: “We need to add a small kitchen in our courtyard.”
Nanny Kong said: “This servant can cook. If Madam agrees to give our courtyard a small kitchen, this servant guarantees that the eldest Miss will eat well.”
Luo Ning said: “Let me think of a plan.”
She was thinking about what excuse she could use.
But before she could go looking for trouble, trouble came looking for her.