Chapter 74
Chapter 74: Infighting Between Madam Bai and Bai Ci Rong
Luo Yin was sent away from the Marquis Manor to Shili Manor to “recuperate.”
Shili Manor was the Luo family’s best country estate on their ancestral lands. A three-courtyard residence had been built there, and the Marquis of Zhen Nan and the Old Madam sometimes went there to escape the summer heat.
High summer was coming soon. It was no bad thing for Luo Yin to go to the country estate to rest.
After the commotion that night, the Marchioness called a physician to examine Luo Yin.
The physician also said Luo Yin’s mind was clouded by phlegm and his wits were unclear.
Everyone in the Marquis Manor was talking about it.
The eldest Young Madam, Madam Wen, watched as the servants finished packing Luo Yin’s clothes, shoes, socks, and books. In the morning, a servant boy would carry them out to the country estate.
Her expression was calm.
Her trusted aide, the head maid, spoke to her in a low voice: “Young Madam, everyone in the manor has been talking about the eldest young master these past few days.”
Madam Wen showed no emotion: “I know.”
The head maid was anxious: “Those loose-tongued servants are saying the eldest young master has gone mad. They say he won’t be able to become heir apparent in the future, and the Lord Marquis might not even be willing to ask the court to grant him the title.”
Madam Wen answered in an even tone: “That is only natural.”
“You are not worried?”
The eldest Young Madam said mildly: “If he becomes the heir apparent and inherits the title in the future, what benefit is there for me and A Qin?”
The head maid was stunned.
One was Luo Yin’s principal wife, and the other was his eldest legitimate son. How could there be no benefit?
Madam Wen could be granted an imperial honorary title, and little young master A Qin could become heir apparent and the next Marquis of Zhen Nan.
“Young Madam, you…”
Madam Wen said: “A cold and heartless person cannot be warmed. No one matters to him but himself. If I spend decades on such a man, it will only torment me and A Qin until we are completely changed, with no benefit at all.”
The head maid said: “You are too discouraged. The eldest young master is only young and ignorant.”
Madam Wen said: “I have seen people like him. You can see what they will be like when they are three. He is already over twenty. His nature is like this, and it is hard to change.”
She could already see how arrogant Luo Yin would become after inheriting the title.
While her parents-in-law were alive, they could barely restrain him a little. Once they were gone, Luo Yin would act without scruples.
He would lay hands on any maidservant at home who had even a bit of looks. There would be countless concubines and children born of concubines, all eager to fight for favor.
If Madam Wen did not flatter and cater to Luo Yin, he would use every means to suppress her.
There would be constant chaos and noise, a foul, smoky mess.
That was not the life Madam Wen wanted. She saw no hope in it.
On the contrary, if Luo Yin was unlucky and her brother-in-law Luo You inherited the title, Luo You would surely manage the family estate in an orderly way.
Luo You had a steady temperament. From a young age he had known how to study hard. His character and Second Master’s were both somewhat like the Old Madam’s.
As long as the Marquis Manor flourished, Madam Wen and Luo Li Qin could live there in peace.
Luo Li Qin could also focus on his studies and making progress, without worrying about household affairs all day.
Madam Wen did not want to cry all the time in the future and make her son worry about her and distract his mind.
Though the manor kept talking about Luo Yin “going mad,” Madam Wen was not affected at all.
By helping Luo Ning this time, and with Luo Ning winning, Madam Wen had gained another layer of protection for her future.
She was in a good mood.
Luo Ning also heard many rumors.
There were only a few ways people talked about someone “going mad.” She had lived through all of them in her past life. In this life, it was Luo Yin’s turn.
Qiu Hua asked her: “My lady, are we really going to let Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong off so easily?”
Luo Ning, Qiu Hua, Qiu Lan, and Nanny Kong were all of one mind. Behind closed doors, the four of them talked about what had happened.
Luo Ning said: “What the Empress Dowager meant between the lines was that our family’s matters must not drag down Prince Yong.”
Qiu Hua’s face went pale: “We caused such a big scene. Will it really affect His Highness Prince Yong?”
Luo Ning said: “It will only hurt my reputation, not the Prince. Before I marry, my status is too low and I was appointed into this marriage, so people already criticize me a lot. Once you have many lice, they do not itch anymore. It is better to bring all these matters out now, while things are already at their worst.”
Once she was truly married, there could be no more mistakes.
Nanny Kong was still shaken: “They really meant to burn you to death. They poured lamp oil all over the silk shop, so the fire spread so fast. Are we letting them off too cheaply?”
With Luo Yin out of jail and Bai Ci Rong unharmed, Nanny Kong still felt afraid.
Luo Ning said: “Luo Yin has lost his post and gone mad. His future and reputation are ruined. He has paid a price. There will be chances to deal with him later.”
This incident was a heavy blow to the Marchioness, Madam Bai, a torment that cut to the heart. Next time when Luo Yin died, she could suffer through it once more.
Luo Ning was quite satisfied.
Qiu Hua was not reconciled: “What about Bai Ci Rong? She got away completely.”
Luo Ning smiled: “Do you think the Marchioness is a fool? Just wait and watch them grow apart.”
She added: “As for the ‘gunpowder’ in her silk shop, the government office did not investigate it, but it left a record. She destroyed one of her own shops and suffered a heavy loss. The matter of gunpowder has also planted a hidden danger. Just wait for her retribution. We must be patient.”
Qiu Hua was convinced.
In fact, there had been no gunpowder in Bai Ci Rong’s shop.
Luo Ning had told Qiu Hua to pack some sky-rockets into a food box.
People set off this kind of firework during the New Year. It was very scary and very loud.
Food boxes were very common. Sometimes guests would carry one when they bought silk and then carelessly forget it in a corner, hidden behind something so no one could see it.
Luo Ning had guessed that Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong would create the illusion of an accidental fire to kill her, and that the fire in the shop would burn very fiercely.
The few sky-rockets inside the food box would make a huge noise, so everyone would hear the sound. Then people could be steered into saying that Auspicious Brocade Pavilion was secretly storing gunpowder. It would follow naturally.
Hiding gunpowder in private was a serious crime.
Luo Ning had first planted this hidden danger. In the future, she would use this matter to deal with the Bai family and Qiu Shi Dong.
Everything she did was going smoothly.
In the East Main Courtyard, after the Marchioness had sent some things to Luo Yin and had just sat down to drink a cup of tea, Bai Ci Rong came.
Bai Ci Rong was very meek and attentive.
Thinking about her son, the Marchioness, Madam Bai, was filled with anger. She said to Bai Ci Rong: “Kneel!”
Bai Ci Rong froze. Tears welled up in her eyes: “Aunt, I…”
The Marchioness pointed at her in anger: “You dare argue? You dare say this matter has nothing to do with you?”
Nanny Zhen hurried to urge her: “Madam, do not make yourself ill with anger.”
The Marchioness could not help blurting out: “She has made A Yin suffer so much!”
Bai Ci Rong seemed stunned. Her tears fell in a stream: “Aunt, it was Luo Ning who harmed Brother, not me.”
The Marchioness closed her eyes in pain, and tears also flowed: “You truly feel no regret at all.”
Bai Ci Rong said: “If Aunt blames me, then send me away.”
The Marchioness felt as if a blunt knife cut across her heart again. It was dull and painful.
She could not bear to.
Crying, the Marchioness pointed at her: “You still will not tell me the truth? Will you only be satisfied after you grind your mother’s heart to pieces? You must tell me, so I can help you think it through and keep you from making the same mistake again.”
Bai Ci Rong cried even harder and threw herself into Madam Bai’s arms.
She gave a brief account.
She pushed everything onto Luo Yin.
It was Luo Yin who was dissatisfied with Luo Ning and wanted her dead, and he had asked Bai Ci Rong to cooperate.
The Marchioness choked up: “I warned you both many times not to fight with Luo Ning again. This time you have fallen into her hands.”
Bai Ci Rong said: “But Mother, Brother was right. Once Luo Ning becomes Princess Consort Yong, she will take revenge on us.”
The Marchioness said: “Even if she wants to, the Empress Dowager and the Prince will not allow it. This time, your brother was able to come out only because a noble lady protected him. The imperial clan also has its dignity.”
Bai Ci Rong said: “Mother, I was wrong. I should not have trusted Brother’s words so easily.”
The two of them cried for a long time before the Marchioness told her to go back and rest.
As soon as she left, the Marchioness felt her heart turn half cold.
Exhausted, she asked Nanny Zhen: “How could A Rong be like this? I told her to admit her fault, yet she still would not. She put all the blame on her brother.”
Nanny Zhen could only say: “Miss A Rong is young. She made mistakes because she was afraid. You can teach her slowly.”
The Marchioness clutched her aching chest: “She harmed my son. A Yin is our only hope. She should not have dragged A Yin down with her.”
The Bai Ci Rong she had always held dear now seemed changed in the Marchioness’s eyes.