Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Blunting Her Knife
Luo Ning brought the child back to Wenqi Courtyard.
A short while later, sister-in-law Madam Wen also returned.
The child was tired from playing, so the wet nurse carried him back first. Madam Wen sat in Wenqi Courtyard and would not get up.
She did not speak. She only shed tears in silence.
Luo Ning did not urge her. She handed her a clean handkerchief, then dismissed the maidservants and Nanny Kong, staying alone to keep sister-in-law company.
After a long time, sister-in-law finally spoke in a muffled voice: “I have made a fool of myself in front of you, A Ning.”
Luo Ning sat straight in her seat, wearing a plain apricot-white jacket. Her cheeks were smooth and white as jade.
Her clothes were simple, and she herself was very fair, so her eyes, which looked very much like the Marchioness’s, also seemed cool and calm. They did not sparkle with lively charm, but they were not annoying either.
Luo Ning said calmly: “Sister-in-law, do not blame me for meddling. I only judged things by my own heart. If it were me, I would rather cut away rotten flesh with a sharp knife, bear the pain for a while, than be fooled by others.”
She was not overly warm, and she did not rush to draw closer.
She did not actually need sister-in-law to do anything for her.
She only hoped that this sister-in-law would stop being someone else’s knife.
Madam Wen said softly: “A Ning, do you think I want to be deceived? Thank you.”
She added: “I do not want anyone to vent their anger on you. For this matter, let us agree on what to say, and I will take the blame.”
Luo Ning glanced at her.
This gentle, refined sister-in-law also had a strong sense of responsibility.
“All right.”
After they sat quietly for a while, Madam Wen, her eyes still swollen and red, went to see the Marchioness, Madam Bai.
Madam Bai had already received the news and was in the middle of a fit of anger.
When Madam Wen entered, she gave her a resentful look and said: “Mother, you kept it from your daughter-in-law so cruelly. Since you value Concubine Nan so much and moved her out to live a good life, why would you not tell me clearly? You let me be happy for nothing.”
The Marchioness held back her temper and said: “This matter is not what you think you saw.”
Then she pressed her: “Who took you there?”
Madam Wen wiped her tears and said: “It was A Yin who told the steward to send things to Concubine Nan. I overheard it. In this manor, only A Ning is that crafty. She used the chance, had her take the child out, then pretended to go after the child and deliberately went to Wanxia Ward.”
Madam Wen had always been honest and proper, and she was not close to Luo Ning. Adding in the fact that Luo Yin acted on impulse, the Marchioness believed her.
The Marchioness scolded her: “You should have come to ask me first.”
She went on: “It was indeed I who moved her out. First, it was for the sake of you and your husband. This concubine was already pregnant before she entered the manor. It was not with your consent, and I was afraid that because of this you would grow distant from A Yin.
“Second, the Nan woman schemed against A Yin, and A Yin does not truly care for her. By moving her out, I can slowly let them drift apart. Then I will deal with her and help you vent your anger.
“I have worked so hard, all for you young husband and wife. If you rush over there like this, do you actually suspect me?”
Madam Wen quickly lifted her gaze, her eyes full of tears, and said softly: “Your daughter-in-law would not dare!”
She added: “Mother has always treated your daughter-in-law very well. Your daughter-in-law understands that. In this matter, it was your daughter-in-law whose thoughts were not careful enough.”
Seeing that she had quickly taken control of her again, the Marchioness let out a breath and said: “I will make sure A Ning keeps her mouth shut. From now on, you should interact with her less.”
She added: “Do not tell the Lord Marquis or Old Madam. Only if the three of us are of one heart will this household prosper. You need to understand who truly cares for you.”
Madam Wen agreed.
She wiped her tears again.
She could not help saying: “Mother, the furniture over at Concubine Nan’s place is so expensive…”
The Marchioness said: “All of that is fake, just thin rosewood veneer. Inside, it is all worthless.”
Madam Wen was both shocked and delighted: “I knew it. Mother cares most for your daughter-in-law and would never raise up a concubine to trample your daughter-in-law.”
The Marchioness felt comforted and took her hand: “You really are a clever child. I have not treated you well for nothing!”
She called for Nanny Zhen and told her to bring a jadeite jewelry set for Madam Wen.
Only then did Madam Wen leave.
Nanny Zhen said in a low voice: “The eldest young master is far too bold. This eldest young madam has some brains after all. She actually let herself be drawn over to Wanxia Ward.”
The Marchioness sighed.
Nanny Zhen asked again: “Madam, will the eldest young madam cause more trouble?”
The Marchioness said: “She would not dare. She is just the daughter of a fourth-rank civil official who was lucky enough to marry into the Marquis Manor. In the future she will be the Marchioness herself. How could she dare to make a fuss?”
Nanny Zhen said: “That is true. The eldest young madam is obedient and does not have much of a mind of her own.”
They looked down on her and did not take this turn of events seriously at all.
Not only the Marchioness and Luo Yin toyed with Madam Wen as they pleased, even Nanny Zhen did not guard against her.
The Marchioness then summoned Luo Ning.
Luo Ning and sister-in-law had already agreed on their story: sister-in-law had used her, but her people had never entered the residence, so Luo Ning knew nothing about what it was like inside.
Luo Ning added: “Mother, Nanny Kong’s relative rented the neighboring courtyard a long time ago.”
The Marchioness had already inquired about that as well.
One could only say that the Marchioness had been very unlucky lately, with many things happening to coincide.
Madam Wen and Luo Ning’s words really could not stand up to close questioning, but people did not have the power to see the future. What looked full of holes was precisely the truth.
The Marchioness knew better than anyone that only a carefully woven lie could be flawless.
The Marchioness said: “You do not need to worry about this. This is just a small token, take it. It concerns your brother’s reputation, so do not say a word.”
A servant brought over a red lacquer box to Luo Ning.
Luo Ning took it in her hands. It was heavy. She nodded slightly and said: “Yes. Your daughter understands.”
Still worried that Luo Ning might not understand the seriousness of the matter, the Marchioness continued: “In the future you will have to rely on your maiden home. Your brother’s future is more important than life itself. If things go badly for him, none of us will be well off. Do you understand?”
Luo Ning answered softly.
She looked careless as she kept weighing the red lacquer box in her hands.
Seeing this, the Marchioness finally relaxed completely.
Back in Wenqi Courtyard, she opened it. Inside were one hundred taels of silver.
Luo Ning told Nanny Kong to put it away, then told Nanny Kong’s relative to move out of Wanxia Ward soon and find another place to live. The Marchioness had not mentioned this, but Luo Ning knew that was what she wanted.
The Marchioness grew even more satisfied.
On the eldest young master’s side, he also comforted his wife.
Sister-in-law Madam Wen and the eldest young master returned to how they had been before. The way she looked at her husband grew even more gentle, but she refused to be intimate with him again.
When she had nothing to do, she liked to go to Old Madam’s place and copy Buddhist sutras.
“This has gotten rid of a big hidden danger for me,” Luo Ning told Nanny Kong and the others.
This knife called sister-in-law had been blunted. The Marchioness could no longer use her.
With no one left to use, perhaps the Marchioness and Bai Ci Rong would personally move against Luo Ning.
Luo Ning was not in a hurry.
Someone who had already died once could live her days slowly and calmly.
She was waiting.
In the eighth month of that year, the Huzhou salt merchant Qiu Shi Dong would come to the capital to compete for the title of imperial merchant, and Luo Ning’s uncle, Madam Bai’s elder brother, would also come to the capital.
Luo Ning was waiting for the excitement of that time.
She turned another page of her book.
In the blink of an eye, it was the nineteenth day of the second month, the birthday of the Bodhisattva Guanyin. Luo Ning’s grandmother was going to Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to offer incense.
Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple was in the eastern part of the city. It housed a statue of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, ten zhang tall, towering and grand. It had been built at great cost by the imperial clan of the former dynasty.
Aunt, cousin Luo Wan, and sister-in-law were going with Grandmother, so Luo Ning went along to join the fun.
She had not expected that at the foot of the mountain they would meet Grand Princess Jia Hong.
Cousin had attended the Grand Princess’s birthday banquet before, so she stepped forward with poise to offer her respects.
The princess actually remembered her: “The third young miss of the Luo family.”
She looked this way and said: “Has Old Madam come as well?”
Old Madam, supported by Second Madam and the eldest young madam, also stepped forward to greet the princess.
The princess was not especially warm, but her expression was gentle and her words polite: “It seems we share some Buddhist fate.”
Her gaze shifted to Luo Ning, who stood behind the others.
Luo Ning also bowed in greeting.
The Grand Princess smiled and said: “Last time I was short one invitation, so you did not attend the birthday banquet.”
Luo Ning replied that she had not had the good fortune and had failed to offer birthday congratulations to the princess.
As they were speaking, a young young master rode up on horseback. He pulled the reins to a stop and dismounted.
“Mother,” he called to Grand Princess Jia Hong.
Everyone from the Luo family looked at him curiously, including Luo Ning.