Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Another Vicious Plot, But Luo Ning Overhears the News
Marchioness was also listless.
Her chest hurt, and she had no appetite.
Her eldest son Luo Yin’s cane wounds had healed. He could walk normally again and still went to work at the Ministry of Personnel.
His goal was to become Minister of Personnel, and he was willing to use any means to get there.
The Minister of Personnel was a Heavenly Official. The promotions and demotions of all officials under heaven were held in his hands.
He had the noble rank of the Marquis of Zhen Nan Manor, Qiu Shi Dong’s vast wealth, and the support of Madam Bai from Yuhang. It would not be hard for him to succeed.
Only, he had lately come to hate how low his current office was. He could not overawe Luo Chong Ye or back up his mother and Bai Ci Rong.
“…Nanny Zhen was beaten too?” Luo Yin was full of rage: “One day, I’ll make him taste the stick as well!”
“He” naturally meant the Marquis of Zhen Nan, Luo Chong Ye.
Luo Yin’s hatred for him had already reached the limit. It showed in his everyday words.
Madam Bai shot him a sharp glare: “Stop. Watch what you say!”
Luo Yin took a deep breath and only spoke after a long moment: “Mother, all of this was stirred up by Luo Ning. That ungrateful wretch really should have been beaten to death.”
He added: “Mother, you have to be ruthless. Even if she is your own flesh and blood, she carries the blood of the Luo family. Sooner or later she will bite back at you!”
Marchioness Madam Bai’s heart tightened.
She knew, in her mind, that she should send Luo Ning away as soon as possible, even if she had to use extreme methods. But her emotions kept getting in the way.
She did not know if she could not bear to do it, or if she simply did not dare.
Life and death were serious matters.
Bai Ci Rong sat by the side and softly soothed Luo Yin, telling him not to be so angry. She said: “Brother, Elder Sister A Ning is still useful.”
She went on: “You lose money sometimes in business too. If this matter succeeds, we gain the advantage. If it fails, it is only that Nanny Zhen took a beating. Our loss is not big.”
She looked toward Marchioness, her voice gentle: “Mother, Nanny Zhen is only a servant in the end. You have fed and clothed her well for decades. It is only right that she works herself for you.
“She was beaten because she was doing her duty. You don’t need to feel sad over that. If you keep staring at these small things, you will lose the chance to do big things.”
Luo Yin nodded: “Mother, A Rong is the one with broad vision. You are already a Marchioness, not a merchant’s daughter from Yuhang anymore. Where is your courage?”
Marchioness looked at the two of them: “You two have turned the sky upside down, daring to criticize me now.”
Seeing that she had a little more strength, Bai Ci Rong smiled and said: “Mother, Brother is only afraid you will lose your will to fight, so he is provoking you to cheer you up. Mother, you don’t only have Elder Sister A Ning. You also have the three of us siblings.
“Can the futures of us three together not compare to Elder Sister A Ning alone? When we succeed, that will be real days of wealth and power.”
Marchioness took a deep breath: “You are right. I only lost my way for a while because I was too angry.”
“Now I feel at ease,” Luo Yin said.
He could not help adding grimly: “If we don’t teach Luo Ning a lesson, I can’t swallow this anger. The beating I took, and Nanny Zhen took, she has to pay back double.”
Bai Ci Rong’s brows and eyes were soft. Her long lashes flickered: “Brother, do you have a way?”
Luo Yin thought for a moment: “I can’t think of something right away. I am outside all day. Things in the inner courtyard will have to depend on you.”
“Sister-in-law can help you,” Bai Ci Rong said.
Marchioness also sank into thought.
“It is almost the Shangsi Festival. The womenfolk of Shengjing will all go out of the city for a spring outing. Many noble households will set up spring outing banquets. Elder Sister A Ning will definitely receive invitations. That is a chance,” Bai Ci Rong reminded him.
Luo Yin said: “Indeed.”
Marchioness thought for a bit before saying: “The chance at the Shangsi Festival should be left for A Rong. A Rong needs to show her face. Even Luo Wan has already made friends with a few young ladies of good families and has some connections. A Rong, a young lady of noble birth, does not know a single one.”
A faint sadness floated over Bai Ci Rong’s fine cheeks.
She let out a soft sigh.
Only last year had she had her hairpin ceremony. Only this year’s spring banquets would she finally be qualified to appear in public.
She and Madam Bai had planned it all so well, and she had been full of hope.
With her looks and talent, just a few spring banquets would be enough for her name to spread through the aristocratic families of Shengjing. Then she only needed to make friends with a few young ladies of good families, and her future would be secure.
Bai Ci Rong had never seen a woman more beautiful than herself. She had a face that looked very much like her aunt’s.
Back then, her aunt had relied on such beauty to make Luo Chong Ye unable to let go. He was so worldly and greedy, and even though he knew marrying a merchant’s daughter would harm his career, he still insisted on begging to marry Madam Bai as his principal wife.
Of course, he also valued Madam Bai’s generous dowry.
Bai Ci Rong’s dowry would only be richer than her aunt’s, and her looks were even better than her aunt’s.
As long as she appeared in public, admirers would surely be countless.
Sadly, she had not yet had a truly suitable occasion to make her first entrance.
The first event she attended was too important. It would decide her worth. For example, the birthday banquet of Grand Princess Jia Hong, or the spring banquets hosted by the great aristocratic families.
Because Luo Ning had stirred up trouble, her aunt had been put under house arrest in the first lunar month. Then Madam Bai was injured afterwards. All of this delayed her.
[The blessing of a fair beauty is always thin.] Bai Ci Rong could not help sighing in her heart.
She heard Luo Yin say: “These two things do not clash. The more ridiculous Luo Ning looks, the more she will set off A Rong’s brilliance.”
He went on: “Mother, the spring outing banquets are all held in sheds by the rivers inside the city. Even if there are some servants guarding the place, it is easy to slip in.
“I heard that the madams of the great prestigious clans have already staked out their spots and set up their tents, just waiting for the Third Day of the Third Month.”
Bai Ci Rong’s eyes lit up: “Really?”
“Of course,” Luo Yin said. “I will go ask around and find out clearly where the tents of the titled ladies of the great clans and of the Princesses and Commandery Princesses will be.”
Marchioness was a little excited too.
She looked at Bai Ci Rong, her gaze soft: “We have had bad luck for several months. It is time we had some good fortune.”
Bai Ci Rong agreed.
Luo Yin said again: “Mother, I will go out and gather news. You and A Rong think of a way. We must not let Luo Ning have it easy.”
The tight knot in Marchioness’s chest loosened, and her mood returned: “I have my own plan for this.”
There were not many days left before the Third Day of the Third Month.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan Manor formally received invitations from Grand Princess Jia Hong.
This time, Grand Princess Jia Hong sent four invitations. The stewardess who delivered them especially reminded them: “The eldest miss must come. The Princess is waiting for you to brighten the banquet.”
Luo Ning rewarded her with two gold leaf ingots: “I will definitely go. Thank you for the Princess’s kindness.”
Even for an old maidservant of the Princess Manor who was used to seeing good things, two gold leaf ingots were very moving.
When she went back, she kept praising Luo Ning in front of Grand Princess Jia Hong, saying she was polite, well-spoken, and looked very pleasant.
Servants were the best at flattering or stepping on others.
When the Princess heard her old maidservant praise Luo Ning, she gave a slight nod.
In every way, Luo Ning seemed good.
Luo Ning was very beautiful. It was not a gaudy beauty piled up with powder and clothes, but a natural harmony of skin and bone. She treated her own looks casually and did not care about them at all. This made the Princess think even better of her.
No matter if they were men or women, once many people knew they were good-looking, they could not help showing off and would easily seem frivolous.
The Princess felt that Luo Ning was very rare.
Even more rare was that her son had finally loosened up and said he wanted to stay in the capital city and planned to marry and start a career.
This little ancestor of hers had been obsessed with Buddhist Dharma and the bamboo flute since his teens. He only thought about traveling far away and wanted to shave his head and become a monk at every turn.
No matter how she tried to persuade him, it had been useless. She never expected that he would change his mind.
He treated a single bamboo flute like a precious treasure.
The Princess was almost moved to tears of joy.
If not for her noble status as a Grand Princess of the Imperial House, she would have almost wanted to go curry favor with Luo Ning herself.
The Luo family’s noble status was neither very high nor very low. In her heart, the Princess had also worried that Luo Ning might be petty and small-minded.
After hearing all the servants praise her, she finally felt at ease.
The Luo family was also preparing for the spring outing on the Third Day of the Third Month.
Luo Ning took the invitations to her grandmother and asked her to assign them.
“Let your aunts and A Wan accompany you,” Grandmother said.
“Aunts can be left out,” Luo Ning said. “Why not let sister-in-law go?”
Grandmother gave her a surprised look: “Your sister-in-law?”
“Sister-in-law has been very filial to you these days,” Luo Ning said.
Old Madam hesitated for a few breaths: “You really are willing?”
“If it were a lie, I would not bring it up,” Luo Ning said.
Old Madam nodded and called the steward nanny: “Send it over to the eldest young madam.”
Luo Ning also told the steward nanny: “Avoid Eldest Young Master.”
The steward nanny agreed.
Wan Xi, her sister-in-law, purposely brought the child to play in Luo Ning’s courtyard.
The little child could already call her “A Ning Aunt,” his soft voice sticky and sweet. He looked like his mother, a bit shy. He was not yet two years old. Luo Ning would not dislike him or take out her anger on him.
She told Nanny Kong and the wet nurse to take the child to eat cakes.
“I heard he has been asking about the spring outing banquet,” the eldest young madam said. “I don’t know the details yet, but I will help you watch.”
Luo Ning could not help laughing: “Thank you, sister-in-law, but I do not really need…”
“A Ning, you are trying to save yourself while you are stuck in a mud pit. I want to help you. When you climb ashore one day, don’t forget your nephew,” sister-in-law said in a low voice.
She was not doing it for herself, but for the child.
Luo Ning’s chest ached a little: “Sister-in-law, life will get better.”
Madam Wen gave a bitter smile.