Chapter 54
Chapter 54: Jealous of Luo Ning
The Luo family’s Old Madam drank her medicine and lay down to sleep, but woke up again before the chou hour. Old people did not sleep much.
On duty tonight was her trusted steward nanny.
Old Madam thought of that imperial edict and said: “A Ning really got great fortune.” The knot in her heart loosened more than half.
Trusted Nanny was happy for Luo Ning too: “The eldest Miss is brave and fearless, and she survived a great disaster. She is meant to be rich and noble.”
Old Madam’s heart ached: “These riches did not come easily.”
She had actually been appointed to marry Prince Yong, whose power shook the whole world.
No one could have thought of that.
Or rather, no one would have dared to think of it.
Old Madam said: “The Luo family still has a slim chance to live.”
Trusted Nanny said: “Each child and grandchild has their own future. Please do not worry.”
Old Madam only shook her head.
She said to Trusted Nanny: “The second one has risen too slowly these years. In martial arts, in the art of war, and in courage, he is far above the eldest.”
Trusted Nanny did not understand: “Why are you suddenly talking about the second Master?”
Old Madam said: “Yu Zhuo is only twenty and has already been granted the rank of a third-rank Valiant Cavalry General. The second is forty this year and is only a junior fourth rank.”
So that was what she was comparing.
Trusted Nanny said that becoming a fourth-rank military general was already impressive.
Not everyone had the chance to gain a noble title through a daughter, and not everyone could be like Yu Zhuo, talented at such a young age.
Old Madam said: “Military generals stand lower than civil officials. His junior fourth rank might carry some weight if he were posted outside. But here in Shengjing, he is unknown and nameless. When will he ever be able to stand tall?”
Trusted Nanny said: “Why do you suddenly want the second Master to strive harder? Do we not already have the Lord Marquis? The Lord Marquis has a noble rank, and the eldest young master is clever. He has already gained an official post, and he is a civil official. If the Marquis Manor supports him well for ten years, he will surely have a bright future.”
Old Madam gave a faint smile.
That smile was strangely bitter.
Trusted Nanny felt uneasy.
Old Madam sighed: “In this inner courtyard and outer courtyard, how many people are still ours? Luo Yin dared to beat A Ning in the outer study. If Qiu Hua had not come to complain, we would have known nothing.”
“Senior Madam manages the house well. Did you not always say you should let go, that only when the daughter-in-law has real skill can the household be peaceful?”
Old Madam gave another bitter smile.
She had indeed thought that way before.
She had not wanted to be a bad mother-in-law who wore down her daughter-in-law. She also thought that Madam Bai was a merchant’s daughter. If the mother-in-law did not give her authority, the servants would not obey her, and the inner residence would fall into chaos.
How could she have known that Madam Bai was this kind of person…
Before Luo Ning was appointed to marry Prince Yong, even if Old Madam had caught a glimpse of something wrong, she had not dared to think deeply. If it turned out to be true, the Marquis Manor would be turned upside down, and Old Madam would not be able to accept it.
But Heaven had not treated the Luo family too badly. Luo Ning gave Old Madam hope.
The ancestral foundation could not be ruined in this generation.
Old Madam now placed her hopes on the second branch of the family.
Sadly, the husband and wife of the second branch were both honest people, one more honest than the other, not good at scheming.
She did not say more. She sighed softly and closed her eyes to rest.
That night, the Marquis of Zhen Nan slept in a side room of the outer study.
Concubine Song’s belly grew bigger day by day, and it was no longer convenient for her to serve him, so he had stopped spending the night with her. Besides Concubine Song and an older concubine, Madam Miao, he had no other concubines. He had planned to stay in the main courtyard, but Senior Madam had gone to take care of Luo Yin.
He was full of pride and ambition.
Luo Ning was truly capable. The last time she had talked about an imperial marriage decree, he thought she was only boasting to raise her own worth.
[Such a big matter, and that child could hide it until today,] the Marquis of Zhen Nan thought.
He felt light and pleased.
“Yu Zhuo is only a third-rank Valiant Cavalry General, yet he dared to look down on my daughter. Now he will know what is what.” When the Marquis of Zhen Nan thought of this, he felt very satisfied.
He had finally vented his anger.
What was so enviable about some young general? The son-in-law of the Marquis of Zhen Nan was Prince Yong!
The Yu family mother and son also did not sleep the whole night.
Yu Zhuo had been hurt by hidden weapons. Both his knees were swollen high and hurt so much he could hardly bear it.
People always said Prince Yong’s hidden weapons technique was good, but he never imagined Prince Yong could strike with such force from such a short distance.
How strong his hands were!
Yu Zhuo’s knees hurt, and his whole body hurt.
Yet his mother was still beside him saying: “Tomorrow, ask General Cui to take you to the prince’s manor to kowtow and admit your mistake. Who knew…”
Who knew that Luo Ning would turn her life around like this.
She sighed over and over.
Yu Zhuo’s heart hurt more than his knees. He did not know if it hurt more because he had lost his future, or because Luo Ning had married up so high.
Maybe it was both, stabbing his chest until it felt numb.
He could not help but roar: “Enough!”
Madam Yu froze.
What son dared to go against filial piety and shout at his own mother to be quiet?
“You… you unfilial son.” Madam Yu was shocked and angry.
“Get out!” Yu Zhuo shouted.
He and Luo Ning had never exchanged eight-characters betrothal cards. Until today, he had felt glad about that. He had married the beautiful Miss Bai, so he had not truly broken any promise.
He and Luo Ning had only given each other a verbal agreement. It did not count.
Who knew that the one who was truly unbound by any ties would be Luo Ning?
She had flown straight up to the top of the tree.
His third-rank Valiant Cavalry General title was nothing in front of Prince Yong.
Now that Luo Ning had gained power, the honor Yu Zhuo was most proud of looked like dirt beside her. His pride turned into a joke in an instant.
That was the real reason he was so furious.
Anyone else could rise high, but not someone who had once been so close to him.
Watching someone you knew soar to success was the most painful thing of all, because jealousy could drive people mad.
They were both from military noble households, and the Luo family also held a noble title. She had been his childhood sweetheart, a well-matched green-plum bamboo horse, yet she had become an imperial prince’s consort. Her success only made Yu Zhuo seem worthless.
Yu Zhuo almost hated her.
He looked again at his own swollen knees. Why should he not hate her?
Luo Yin was hurt even worse than Yu Zhuo.
The bone-setting physician said his ribs were not broken, but all his internal organs hurt so much that he had coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“I want to go to the Censorate and impeach him!” Luo Yin said to the Marchioness.
The Marchioness could only try to persuade him: “He is a young master from one of the great prestigious clans. If Prince Yong wants to hit him, he hits him. How could the Censorate ever control him?”
She added: “Swallow this anger for now. A Yin, once he becomes your brother-in-law, you will gain a lot from it.”
Luo Yin understood that.
His mind was clear, but his feelings could not accept it.
How could that lowly girl Luo Ning have such good luck? He and Bai Ci Rong were unlucky in everything and were now pressed under Luo Ning.
“Why could the imperial marriage not be given to A Rong?” Luo Yin said.
The Marchioness gave a soft laugh: “Silly child. Our family has now produced an imperial prince’s consort. In the future, do we need to worry about there being no path for you and A Rong?”
Luo Yin said: “But I still cannot accept it!”
“The days ahead are long. We will move step by step. I have been married into the Luo family for more than twenty years. Do you think I have been willing all this time? Yet now you are the young master of the Marquis Manor and not the son of a merchant.” The Marchioness spoke very softly.
Luo Yin was still young and hot-blooded, so he could only take in a little of her words.
When people can still choose, many will not choose the best path for both sides. Instead, they choose what hurts both sides the most: [I do not want you to have a good life, even if I must pay the price myself.]
Luo Yin knew very clearly that his mother was right. At this time, he should be clinging to Luo Ning and flattering her.
But he just could not stand seeing Luo Ning in the limelight.
“Once you and A Rong reach your goal, there will be a way to let you vent your anger,” the Marchioness said.
Luo Yin only nodded.
The next day, Bai Ci Rong’s eyes were red and swollen, as if she had not slept all night.
The Marchioness had not slept either.
She told Bai Ci Rong that now she had an even better chance of entering the palace as a concubine.
“Do not make trouble. Do not listen to your brother,” the Marchioness said. “As long as you stay steady and let A Ning rise up first, our good days will come later.”
Bai Ci Rong answered: “Rest assured, I know what I am doing.”
Among the meritorious aristocratic families of Shengjing, everyone was talking about this matter.
Grand Princess Jia Hong also had not closed her eyes all night. At first light, she went into the palace.
Inside Shoucheng Palace, the Empress Dowager, Madam Cui, was arranging for two teaching nursemaids to go to the Marquis of Zhen Nan’s residence.
An imperial prince’s consort was a first-rank married noblewoman of the imperial court and had to be proper in all things.
Before the marriage, the Empress Dowager wanted Luo Ning to learn the etiquette a daughter-in-law of the imperial clan ought to know and to understand the ties and clashes between the prestigious clans.
While the Empress Dowager was picking people, the Princess came in. After she saluted, she asked straight out: “Why did you suddenly give the Luo family’s young lady an imperial marriage decree?”
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