Chapter 79
Chapter 79: A Delaying Tactic
The weather grew warmer day by day. In the eastern corner by the wall of Wenqi Courtyard, a patch of roses had been planted, and in the early morning, a few flowers bloomed among the leaves.
Some were pink, some were red, dotting the green leaves and drawing colorful butterflies to flutter around them, lingering and unwilling to leave.
By noon the weather was warm enough to feel a little hot. After practicing with the whip, Luo Ning was covered in sweat. She took a quick bath, then changed into a thin summer robe that felt light and comfortable.
She talked with Lin Zhao about whip technique.
Mostly, she listened to Lin Zhao talk about her progress and her weak points.
“Qiu Hua is advancing much faster than you,” Lin Zhao said. “It’s not that she is smarter than you, but that her wrist strength is much better than yours. Your wrist strength is still not enough. That is the biggest problem.”
Luo Ning asked: “How do I train my wrist strength?”
“Any increase in strength comes from bearing weight. I often see Qiu Hua carrying water buckets,” Lin Zhao said.
When Luo Ning bathed or washed her hair, Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan were the ones who served her at close range.
There were not many people in Wenqi Courtyard. Carrying the water buckets into the bathing room was Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan’s job.
“If I carry water buckets for half an hour every day, would that work?” Luo Ning asked.
Lin Zhao thought for a moment and said: “I will make sandbags for you, and you can carry those. We will start from two jin first…”
The two of them were talking with full focus when the maidservant Qiu Lan came back from outside, moving quickly into the side room.
“Big Miss, the eldest young master has already arrived. He is in front of Old Madam right now. Old Madam sent someone over to ask you to go,” Qiu Lan said.
It was just as she had expected.
After Qiu Lan finished speaking, she and Lin Zhao both looked at Luo Ning’s expression.
They saw that even the tips of Luo Ning’s brows did not move.
Her face was calm as usual. Luo Ning said: “I will go to the West Main Courtyard. Qiu Hua will come with me. Sister Lin, make the sandbags for me as soon as you can. The next time the prince checks our training, I cannot let you lose face.”
Lin Zhao agreed.
In Grandmother’s West Main Courtyard, several people were seated.
Luo Yin, dressed in a stone-blue Hangzhou silk robe, was kneeling on the floor, asking Grandmother for punishment. The Marquis of Zhen Nan and Madam Bai were sitting by Old Madam’s side. The eldest young madam, Madam Wen, stood behind her mother-in-law.
Besides them, there was no one else.
“Grandmother, this grandson already knows he was wrong. From now on, I will study hard. When I am admitted to Lushan Academy and return to serve as an official in the Ministry of Personnel, I will make our ancestors proud of me.” Luo Yin knocked his head three times on the floor in front of Old Madam with great sincerity.
Old Madam’s expression was serious.
She stayed silent until Luo Ning came in.
“A’Ning, come here,” she said, waving her over.
Luo Ning first bowed to her parents and then to Grandmother, before walking to Grandmother’s side.
She took Grandmother’s hand.
With Luo Ning to lean on, Old Madam’s tight face relaxed a little.
Old Madam said to Luo Yin: “How are you feeling now? You must recover slowly. If you want to read, we can invite a teacher to go to the country estate with you. You can still achieve good results there.”
She went on: “There are many people and many matters in the manor. You may not be able to calm your mind to study here. It would be better to go back to the country estate as before.”
At the side, the marchioness Madam Bai almost could not hide the anger in her eyes.
Her eldest legitimate son, the future heir apparent of Marquis Manor, could not stay forever at the country estate.
Only people who had done wrong were driven out and sent to the country estate. This was the unspoken rule.
“Grandmother, I would like to live in a small courtyard in the rear garden and focus on my studies. I will not go out of the main gate or the second gate. I will not slack off at all,” Luo Yin said, still kneeling.
He added: “I really miss you. While my elders are still alive, I should serve you at your knees. How could I hide away in the countryside and enjoy peace and quiet?”
His words flowed smoothly.
He had clearly prepared them in advance.
After he finished speaking, Luo Yin raised his face.
His gaze, dark and deep, fell on Luo Ning. He said: “A’Ning, help Brother plead as well. I was wrong before. Please forgive me.”
Luo Ning’s face did not change. She said: “Brother, this should be decided by the elders. Grandmother is thinking of your health. If you go mad again, who will we rely on in the future?”
“I am already fine,” Luo Yin said.
Old Madam wanted to say something.
At that moment, the Marquis of Zhen Nan spoke.
He said to Old Madam: “Mother, a child must be taught. You cannot only punish him. When he does wrong, keeping him by our side and teaching him well is the best way.
“The physician has already examined him. His mind was blocked for a moment, but after taking medicine to clear it, he has recovered. He is a son and grandson, and he is also a father.
“He is at the age when he should take on heavy duties. Sending him to the countryside and not giving him chances to train is really not right. If he cannot serve in the future, I, as his son, will not be able to answer to our ancestors.”
Old Madam was afraid that if she let her feelings show too much, people would see her true thoughts.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan’s words made her heart pound with fear.
She closed her eyes to hide what she was thinking, and her face showed a hint of hesitation.
After a long time, Old Madam opened her eyes slowly.
She glanced at Luo Ning.
Old Madam felt that since Luo Chong Ye had already agreed, if she kept making a fuss, Luo Chong Ye might be forced to choose between his mother and his son.
He might feel that his son was more important.
When that happened, he would start to distance himself from Old Madam and grow even closer to Madam Bai and her son.
If it really reached that point, the situation of the Luo family and of Luo Ning would become even worse.
That would be truly failing their ancestors.
She had to take things slowly.
She could not rush. It was like stewing meat. If the fire was too strong, the outside would burn while the inside stayed raw. It needed to simmer slowly over a low fire.
Old Madam looked at Luo Ning and gave her a wink, telling her not to be upset.
Luo Ning understood very well and gave her a small smile.
Only then did Old Madam turn back and say to Luo Chong Ye: “You are the Marquis of Zhen Nan and the head of this family, so this matter should be decided by you. As your mother, how could I make you lose face by rejecting your words? Since you agree, then so be it.”
Luo Chong Ye smiled with relief and said: “Now that Mother agrees, I can be at ease.”
Old Madam nodded.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan let out a breath.
Madam Bai and Luo Yin both felt the weight in their hearts lift. At last, they had passed this hurdle.
In Madam Wen’s eyes, a very complicated emotion flashed by.
Just like that, Luo Yin came back to live in Marquis Manor.
In her past life, after Luo Ning “went crazy,” she was often locked up in her courtyard. But as for Luo Yin, after just half a month and a few packets of medicine, he was “cured.”
Luo Ning was neither angry nor anxious about this. Her heart was very calm.
“From now on, do not cause trouble again,” Luo Chong Ye said, scolding his son in front of Old Madam. “If there is a next time, I will break your legs.”
Luo Yin agreed.
He kowtowed to Grandmother again, then finally stood up.
Madam Bai said many grateful words to the Marquis of Zhen Nan.
She even gave him three thousand taels in silver banknotes, saying that it was her private dowry money.
“Lord Marquis has many social engagements. If this money stays with me, it will just be wasted,” Madam Bai said.
The Marquis of Zhen Nan still valued Madam Bai and his eldest son very much.
He accepted the silver banknotes.
Madam Bai let out a breath of relief.
She brought Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong back to the East Main Courtyard, and the three of them shut the door and talked.
Before, Madam Bai had hated Bai Ci Rong for shifting the blame onto Luo Yin.
But this time, bringing Luo Yin back had been Bai Ci Rong’s idea. Madam Bai’s resentment toward her faded.
The three of them were bound by blood.
“A’Yin, you must stay steady. You are Prince Yong’s elder cousin, and a great future is waiting for you. A’Rong, you also must not fight over favor or push your brother to do anything wrong,” the marchioness said.
Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong both agreed.
In Wenqi Courtyard, Qiu Hua, Qiu Lan, and Nanny Kong were all by Luo Ning’s side.
Everyone else had been sent away.
“Big Miss, are we really going to let Luo Yin off this easily? He almost killed you,” Qiu Hua said angrily.
Luo Ning’s face stayed calm. She smiled and said: “Of course not. If he had stayed quietly at the country estate, I would not have time to deal with him for now. But since he has come back, then he is asking to die.”
She lowered her voice and said: “We will set a trap and see if Luo Yin walks into it.”
The other three all leaned closer.
Luo Ning talked with them in detail, explaining everything very clearly.