Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First Battle Won

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth month, snow began to fall in Shengjing.

By the eighth day, when the Luo family arranged the carriages, it was already a bit hard to travel.

But Laba is a big festival. Old Madam had to go to Fahua Temple to burn incense.

Luo Ning went with her.

The Marchioness Madam Bai, Bai Ci Rong, Luo Ning’s two aunts, her younger half-sister, and some cousins all went along.

Some people complained in low voices: “The road is hard to walk. The mountain path will be worse.”

“So cold.”

But at the foot of the mountain where Fahua Temple sat, novice monks and donors from nearby villages kept sweeping the snow.

The mountain path was wet and slippery, but still passable.

People came and went, shoulder to shoulder. There were more people than Luo Ning had imagined.

The seats in the main hall where the First Seat preached also had to be reserved, but this had already been settled two months before, and Old Madam had seats.

After Old Madam entered, many people greeted her.

First Seat Hui Neng saw the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand and chanted a Buddha’s name: “Old Madam Luo has great blessings.”

Everyone else turned to look.

The noble ladies all recognized them. Years ago, the first eminent monk Xuan Miao had personally carved these sandalwood prayer beads and worn them for seventy years. When he passed away at one hundred and twenty, he gave them to Madam Cui’s sixth young lady the day before.

The next year, Madam Cui’s sixth young lady was made crown princess, and then smoothly became empress. For the imperial clan she bore four imperial princes and one princess, and the emperor and empress lived in harmony, noble beyond words.

Now Madam Cui was the empress dowager of the current dynasty.

When enfeoffed ladies entered the palace to pay respects, they always saw that the empress dowager never parted from these prayer beads on her wrist.

Now they were in Old Madam of the Luo family’s hand. No wonder even the First Seat came to pay respect.

In an instant, everyone in the hall stood up and came to exchange greetings with Old Madam Luo.

That included the madam of the most powerful family, the Cui family.

After the ritual ended, Madam Cui warmly invited: “Old Madam Luo, if you have not booked a Vegetarian Banquet, please join us for the meal.”

Old Madam Luo remembered her granddaughter’s words well: she must not get too close to anyone, lest it be like frying in blazing oil.

Since she had received the empress dowager’s prayer beads, how could she worry about not having glory in the future?

She had to be restrained and cautious.

Old Madam shook her head: “The weather is bad, and my daughter-in-law and granddaughters are waiting at the gate. We must go back. Madam, I can only accept your kindness in my heart.”

Madam Cui could not insist.

Going down the mountain, Old Madam could not help feeling pleased and spoke of what had just happened.

Luo Ning’s mother, Madam Bai, could not help saying: “Mother, why did you not eat with Madam Cui?”

Bai Ci Rong also held her breath.

Old Madam glanced at Luo Ning, who was wearing a gray squirrel-fur cloak beside her, and shook her head: “Let us go back first.”

She was obedient, but she did feel a bit regretful.

Old Madam did not stay regretful for long before the Inner Capital exploded into an uproar.

People living in the city only felt that the four days of heavy snow were too much, but they did not know how many village houses had collapsed or how many livestock and people were crushed or frozen to death.

The imperial court had to give disaster relief and was extremely busy.

Just as in the previous life, a quick-witted imperial censor in the Censorate, knowing that the national treasury was not full, turned his spearhead toward Fahua Temple and the prestigious clans, making an issue of the Buddha rituals of Laba Festival at Fahua Temple.

He scolded Fahua Temple and scolded the noble households that had booked Vegetarian Banquets, forcing them to bring out money for disaster relief.

The news spread widely, known in every market and alley.

The Luo family naturally heard it too.

That evening, when the children and grandchildren ate at Old Madam’s place, Luo Ning’s father mentioned it: “Mother, you did not eat the Vegetarian Banquet that day, did you?”

“No,” Old Madam said. “Originally A’Rong had booked it. Thankfully A’Ning was farsighted and told me to only take the prayer beads and not eat the Vegetarian Banquet. Otherwise, you would be scolded today too.”

She added, “Our noble rank was granted by the emperor after A’Ning was hurt. It is not solid, because we have no real military achievements. If His Majesty becomes angry, he might strip it away.”

The table fell frighteningly silent.

Luo Ning’s mother turned pale and was almost about to flare up. Father moved his lips slightly, wanting to say something, but could not refute her.

The others looked at Luo Ning, then at Bai Ci Rong.

Bai Ci Rong was truly frightened and immediately knelt: “It is all my fault. I almost caused a huge disaster!”

Tears streamed down her face.

She was beautiful when she cried, like pear blossoms in the rain. Tears fell like broken beads of a necklace, yet she did not twist her face up; she looked pitifully beautiful and made others feel sorry for her.

“Get up quickly. How can we blame you?” Luo Ning’s brother spoke at once.

His wife went to help her up: “Didn’t we cancel it? There is nothing wrong now, so why are you crying?”

But Bai Ci Rong still kept crying: “I am scared in hindsight.”

Mother said: “You silly child.”

Everyone talked over one another to comfort her.

Some stayed silent and watched the scene.

Luo Ning’s mother felt as if her heart would break. She hugged Bai Ci Rong and kept comforting her.

Grandmother slowly spoke: “Sit down now, stop crying. No one said you were wrong. You only had a heart of filial piety, it was just that your luck was a bit bad.”

Then she said to Luo Ning’s father: “A’Ning is a girl of prosperity and very good luck. As soon as she returned, she saved us from a disaster.”

Father nodded: “That is true.”

Luo Ning’s father was a military general. Yet not every general was straightforward and hot-blooded. On the contrary, he was smooth, selfish, and cold-hearted.

When he was in the garrison, he could not see Luo Ning more than a few times a year, so there was no real affection. After he came back to take office in the capital, he was busy every day with social affairs and duties, and still did not see his daughter from the inner residence.

So he did not really care.

Until this moment.

“Madam, get Wenqi Courtyard cleaned up within three days. A’Ning has been back in the capital for almost ten days and is still living with Mother. That is improper!” Father said.

Everyone at the table realized that the wind had turned.

The cousin that the Marchioness had carefully cherished was, after all, only a relative.

The Luo family’s legitimate young lady had returned.

For ten days she had not cried, not made a fuss, not grabbed for anything. She had waited gently and quietly, with perfect manners.

Now that the head of the family had spoken, her courtyard was hers again.

Not a drop of blood was shed.

Luo Ning knew all the elders were watching her.

She smiled slightly and said to Father: “Thank you, Father. Your daughter is willing to accompany Grandmother, but I am afraid of disturbing Grandmother. It is naturally best if I can move back.”

From beginning to end, she had never loosened her stance or said that she was willing to give up Wenqi Courtyard and go live in Huifu Courtyard.

Wenqi Courtyard was hers.

“Mother, why does Aunt not like Eldest Sister?” On the way back, Cousin Luo Wan asked her own mother.

Second Madam said: “She has not liked her since she was young.”

“Why? She is her own daughter.”

“When she gave birth to her, she lost a lot of blood and almost died. After she was saved, it took half a year before she could move her hands and feet. From then on, she could not stand A’Ning,” Second Madam said.

Luo Wan sighed: “Eldest Sister is a bit pitiful. Uncle does not care about the inner residence, and Aunt treats her niece as closer than her own daughter.”

Second Madam was puzzled as well.

But Senior Madam, Madam Bai, had indeed always disliked Luo Ning.

Second Madam had even seen her beat Luo Ning.

At that time, Luo Ning was only five, knowing nothing, and Senior Madam had slapped her mouth with the sole of a shoe.

Old Madam did not know about this.

Second Madam, as a sister-in-law, lived under the support of the eldest branch and did not dare to say anything.

Later, Senior Madam said to others that Luo Ning had swollen her lips by bumping into the edge of the heated brick bed.

“A’Ning has changed a lot. Before, her temper was quick and she could not hold things in. Now that she has grown up, she is steady and reserved, and her self-control is very good,” Second Madam said.

Sure enough, she had only just come back, and Bai Ci Rong was already made to look a bit downcast beside her.

Bai Ci Rong still had to give Wenqi Courtyard back.

“Mother, Aunt wants to raise her niece as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Manor. Her ambition is huge. Luckily Eldest Sister is capable. Why should the benefits of our family be taken by someone with the surname Bai?” Luo Wan said again.

Second Madam covered her daughter’s mouth: “Be quiet. Do not let anyone hear you.”