Chapter 81
Chapter 81: Luo Yin Thinks He’s Clever
At the end of April, the weather was warm.
Many fruits were on the market, more ripe and sweet than before.
Luo Ning loved to eat cherries.
Nanny Kong kept making delicious things for Luo Ning in different ways.
Luo Ning said to her: “Make more. There are many of us.”
The two nursemaids, He and Yin, both praised Nanny Kong’s excellent cooking. Qiu Hua and Qiu Lan did not care much for eating, so Chu Shuang and another young maidservant could eat more and have a big feast.
Lin Zhao ate little but watched a lot.
But she did not say much.
“Princess Consort, you rarely go out to banquets,” Lin Zhao said.
Luo Ning said: “I was granted in marriage to Prince Yong. There are many people who wish me dead. The prestigious clans are not willing to accept it and yet are not willing to give up. On top of that, I am only the intended consort, and I do not yet have the power of the prince’s manor to rely on.
“If I go out to banquets often at a time like this, there will be countless traps and schemes waiting for me. If I make one mistake and fail to become Princess Consort, the loss will be huge.”
Lin Zhao smiled. “You really value the position of Princess Consort.”
“Of course. Without His Highness the Prince and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, with my birth, such good fortune would never fall on me. I cherish it very much,” Luo Ning said.
Lin Zhao did not ask more.
She did not even ask what Luo Ning, Nanny Kong, Qiu Hua, and Qiu Lan were whispering about.
After Chu Shuang had eaten her fill, she glanced at Luo Ning.
Luo Ning gave her a meaningful look, so Chu Shuang said in front of everyone: “I will go to the warm greenhouse in the rear garden and pick some flowers for Miss.”
Qiu Lan scolded her on purpose: “You are slacking off again. Is the water boiling? We need it to brew tea later.”
“It is all boiled.”
Qiu Lan huffed: “Go and come back quickly. You are not allowed to sneak away for a rest.”
Chu Shuang agreed and ran out.
Lin Zhao looked at her again but still did not say anything.
The Dragon Boat Festival was coming soon. The storeroom of Marquis Manor was giving out some things as rewards to the servants, so the manor had been lively these past few days.
However, in the several wards around where Marquis Manor stood, there were rumors: “A band of bandits is hiding nearby. The Government Office has been searching for several days.”
No one knew where the news had come from.
Marquis Manor took it very seriously. The Marchioness especially told the chief steward to send people to patrol at night and to add more people at every side gate.
When Luo Ning heard that Luo Yin had gone to the Marchioness’s East Main Courtyard, she went over at once.
Luo Yin and Bai Ci Rong were both there.
When the three of them, mother and children, talked, there were usually no outsiders present.
“Mother, I heard that lately there is a band of bandits hiding near us,” Luo Ning said.
The Marchioness said: “You do not need to worry. The City Patrol Bureau has already sent people to investigate.”
“Mother, I want the key to the side gate. I want to send my own people to guard it. I do not trust outsiders. What if they join hands with the bandits?” Luo Ning said.
The Marchioness was angered into laughter. “The people I use would join hands with bandits? A’Ning, are you accusing your mother?”
Luo Yin listened without showing any expression.
Bai Ci Rong sipped her tea with a smile and did not speak.
Luo Ning pestered the Marchioness for a while longer.
The Marchioness still did not give in, and Luo Ning had to go back.
Luo Yin watched her back, and his eyes were full of hatred.
The Marchioness reminded him: “Do not bother yourself with her. You are a man and the future Marquis of Zhen Nan. You should spend your thoughts on the right path.”
Nobody liked studying, because it meant hardship. Human nature is to seek comfort, and Luo Yin was no exception.
On the surface, he agreed.
“A’Yin, you have looked in good spirits these days, going to the pavilion in the rear garden to read every day. Mother is truly happy for you,” the Marchioness added with a smile.
“Mother does not have to worry about me,” Luo Yin said.
He really was in a good mood.
He had been worrying about how to find an opening to deal with Luo Ning, and now there were rumors of bandits in the area.
Was that not like someone bringing him a pillow when he was feeling sleepy?
Luo Yin was almost overjoyed. His plan was going well, so of course he was in a great mood.
“…You can have as many women as you want, but do not get entangled with maidservants,” the Marchioness reminded him gently.
Luo Yin came back to himself and smiled: “Mother, did you see me talking with a young maidservant? She is from Wenqi Courtyard. How could I dare to seduce her?”
“Was it that she was being improper?”
“Not really. She is young, very cute and innocent, and does not have much scheming. And she is willing to cling to me. I was thinking, could I place an informant in Wenqi Courtyard?” Luo Yin said.
The Marchioness’s face darkened. “You should be careful not to be used by others.”
“I am not bringing her into my own courtyard,” Luo Yin said. “I just chat with her a bit in the rear garden. If she falls for me and offers herself willingly, would that not be a good thing? If it does not work out, I lose nothing.”
The Marchioness did not look pleased.
“Mother, I really have not been distracting myself by dealing with Luo Ning again,” Luo Yin promised. “Do you still not trust your own son?”
The Marchioness had to hold back her feelings and forced a smile: “It is best if you can think this way. Do not clash head-on with Luo Ning. It is not worth it.”
Luo Yin felt full of disdain listening to her cowardly words.
He glanced at Bai Ci Rong.
Bai Ci Rong did not speak either, but the look on her face showed that she also disapproved of the Marchioness’s timid and fearful ways.
Even between a birth mother and her son, they were not of one mind on every matter. For example, the head maid that Luo Yin liked; the Marchioness, afraid that the Marquis of Zhen Nan would blame her, had simply had the woman beaten to death.
Luo Yin had been angry about that too.
The last time they had tried to get rid of Luo Ning, their plan had been too crude.
First, it was not thorough enough. They had only thought about how to escape and not get caught, and second, Luo Yin had been too impatient, wanting to kill Luo Ning in a single day.
This time, he wanted to learn from that lesson.
He did not believe he would lose to Luo Ning.
That evening, Luo Yin went again to the East Main Courtyard, bringing his wife and son with him.
The Marchioness’s courtyard was bustling.
Luo Li Qin ran all over the place, and Luo Yin actually went after his son in person for once, chasing him into the Marchioness’s bedroom.
When he came out, Luo Yin said his clothes were a bit hot and went back to change.
He was gone for quite a while before he came back.
Two days later, Luo Yin wanted to take a break and go out.
He said to the Marchioness: “Yu Zhuo invited me to drink with him. I have not seen him for quite some time.”
The Marchioness said: “You should not keep company with him. He offended Prince Yong and has no future. A military general of third rank, and the Imperial Court just says he is no longer needed and that is that. His path is cut off.”
“Mother, when we make friends, we should not be so snobbish. Yu Zhuo and I have known each other since we were children. We are childhood friends. Please do not let people point at my back and scold me,” Luo Yin said.
The Marchioness was speechless.
She could only let Luo Yin go.
Luo Yin had agreed to visit Yu Zhuo at noon, but he did not arrive until evening.
The sky was already dark.
There was a woman in his carriage. After she followed him into the gate, the carriage went back. The woman wore a veiled hat. One could only just see that she was tall and slender.
Yu Zhuo had been gloomy these days and was very unhappy with Luo Yin’s late arrival.
“I booked a table at Tao Hua Tower,” Luo Yin said with a smile. “Come drink with me. I will make it up to you.”
Yu Zhuo frowned: “I cannot go drink with women. If the Censorate finds out, they will impeach me in a report, and my future will be ruined.”
After he had returned to the capital, he was still waiting for the Ministry of Personnel to assign him a post.
Originally, he could have become a section chief in the Ministry of War and be promoted to vice minister in less than two years; or he could have gone to a suburban garrison camp.
But Prince Yong had kicked him away, and the Ministry of War was under Prince Yong’s control. Yu Zhuo’s post still had not been arranged.
He was now very depressed and also uneasy.
He did not even feel like seeing Luo Yin, but he could not tear his face and break with him outright.
Luo Yin had a glib tongue.
Yu Zhuo thought of the fire that Luo Yin had set and asked him a few questions. Luo Yin poured out his grievances to him.
“I am going to the privy,” Luo Yin said.
Yu Zhuo paid him no mind.
But Luo Yin went the wrong way and wandered into his bedroom. Only when a maidservant reminded him did he turn back out.