Chapter 87
Chapter 87: Bai Ci Rong’s Backing
Madam Bai fell ill.
Luo Ning had on purpose asked Prince Yong to leave evidence behind, so that Madam Bai would clearly understand Luo Yin’s end.
She wanted Madam Bai to taste heart-piercing pain.
In her previous life, the people around Luo Ning had died one after another because of her. Had she not also felt her heart shatter and vomit blood?
The gold brick found in Luo Yin’s room was taken away by the Marquis of Zhen Nan. He did not return it to Madam Bai, and Madam Bai did not dare ask for it.
Her son was dead and she had lost a large sum of gold. Just as Luo Ning had expected, Madam Bai was hit so hard that she could not get out of bed.
She started to run a fever.
No matter how strong her will was, her body could not endure it.
All the children in the family had to visit the sick and wait on her.
Luo Ning also went.
Madam Bai told her to get out and threw a teacup at her: “You jinx!”
She did not even bother to pretend.
The others all held their breath and kept silent.
Luo Ning left at once. There was a trace of sorrow on her face.
Bai Ci Rong explained for Madam Bai: “Aunt is very ill. A’Ning, do not blame her.”
Luo Ning sighed softly and said: “Brother is missing. He took away my maidservant, yet Mother vents her anger on me like this. I truly cannot understand.”
Madam Wen, the Second Madam, the Third Madam, Luo Wan, and the others were all present. Bai Ci Rong looked embarrassed: “Aunt is in a bad mood.”
“Has Mother gone mad too?” Luo Ning suddenly said.
Bai Ci Rong’s heart skipped a beat.
Luo Ning was truly ruthless.
She had killed her brother and now was driving her mother mad. She had already gained so much and gotten her way in everything. Why did she still have to be so vicious?
[Is this just her nature?]
[Do the most vicious people gain the most?] Bai Ci Rong suddenly felt that she herself was a bit too kind.
“Elder Sister-in-law seems to have phlegm blocking her heart,” the Second Madam said. “We should invite a physician and have some medicine prescribed to clear it.”
The Third Madam smiled, but there was no kindness in her smile: “A’Yin also went crazy before and was sent to the country estate.
“He was not even fully recovered when Elder Sister-in-law could not wait to bring him back. If he had not been mad, how would A’Yin have eloped with a maidservant?
“I think madness must be treated properly. Why does Elder Sister-in-law not also go to the country estate? Otherwise she will harm her son and harm herself.”
Sick and weak all over, Madam Bai was lying in the inner room when she heard this. She rushed out and slapped the Third Madam across the face.
“Get out!” Madam Bai gave the Third Madam a cold, slanting look and said: “From today on, the third branch will move out of the Marquis Manor!”
She was badly ill, and her hand was soft. That slap did not hurt much.
But it was very humiliating.
The Third Madam was both ashamed and angry: “Elder Sister-in-law, this home is not yours alone to decide. Mother is still alive.”
She turned away in anger and went off to complain.
Madam Bai had no strength left. Bai Ci Rong and Nanny Zhen held her up.
“Aunt, Aunt, please do not get so angry again,” Bai Ci Rong said, gripping her hand tightly. “You must take care of your health.”
If she kept acting like this, the Marquis of Zhen Nan might really think Madam Bai had gone mad and send her to the country estate too.
Without her, what would Bai Ci Rong do?
Madam Bai could not breathe well, and her face had turned bluish. She turned her head to look at Luo Ning.
Her gaze was filled with poison.
Back in her past life, Luo Ning’s face was probably just as ugly when she had struggled.
Luo Ning quietly watched the marchioness.
After that day, Madam Bai refused to see anyone who came to visit her. She shut her doors and rested in silence. The small matters of the household were reported by the steward nanny to the Second Madam and the eldest young madam, Madam Wen.
Whether it was the Second Madam or Madam Wen, both were very measured. They knew they could not really take over the house steward’s power.
They were only there in name. All affairs were still decided by Madam Bai, and they did not change her decisions. If something new came up, they simply put it aside and waited until Madam Bai recovered to decide.
They only carried out one thing: the key and token to the side gate next to Wenqi Courtyard were handed over to Luo Ning.
From then on, that side gate was controlled by the people of Wenqi Courtyard.
Luo Ning had gained another bit of freedom.
Bai Ci Rong stayed close to Madam Bai and served her while she recovered.
She felt a wave of relief at Luo Yin’s death. Without Luo Yin, Madam Bai would throw all her strength into lifting her up.
Luo Yin had really been useless and held them back. Though she had lost a helper, she had also lost a burden. Bai Ci Rong felt calm about this.
The Old Madam, however, was in quite a good mood and seemed more energetic.
With Luo Yin dead, there was one less disaster. The Luo Family had one less danger, and the Old Madam no longer had to be so on edge.
The Old Madam did not talk about this with Luo Ning.
Some words could not be spoken.
“Big Miss, Chu Shuang has been settled. She is now in the prince’s inner courtyard, in charge of the tea,” Qiu Hua said when she returned and reported to Luo Ning.
Luo Ning had kept her promise.
Chu Shuang had become a second-class maid, and one at Prince Yong’s manor at that, even though for now she only managed the small task of tea.
Luo Ning had asked Prince Yong to take Chu Shuang in first.
She had also told Chu Shuang to go to the prince’s manor ahead of time and get familiar with the steward nannies there.
When Luo Ning went later, she would not be completely blind in the inner residence.
Luo Ning did not have much time. After her wedding, in less than a month, the secondary consorts would also enter the manor. It might even be half a month.
She had to arrange her people in advance.
Prince Yong had handed all matters of the inner residence over to Luo Ning, so he agreed to let her maidservant enter first.
“She is very good. Loyal and brave,” Luo Ning said to Qiu Hua.
Qiu Hua said: “She handled this matter beautifully.”
Luo Ning nodded and took a sip of tea.
Yu Zhuo then came to the Luo Family.
He handed a handkerchief to the Marquis of Zhen Nan and said: “I do not know where this came from, but it should be Luo Yin’s.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan did not want to mention even one word about Luo Yin.
The defense deployment map Luo Yin had stolen might have been Yu Zhuo’s, and that was even less something he could talk about.
He also had to guard against Yu Zhuo coming to cause trouble.
“I am only returning this handkerchief because of my old feelings with A’Ning,” Yu Zhuo said to the Marquis of Zhen Nan. “Otherwise, if I kept it with me, she would not be able to explain it.”
The Marquis of Zhen Nan said: “This is not A’Ning’s handkerchief.”
Yu Zhuo did not want to listen to his explanation.
Luo Yin’s ‘disappearance’ slowly spread, and everyone who cared heard about it.
All the prestigious clans heard that Prince Yong’s intended consort’s brother had gone mad. Before his illness had fully healed, he had eloped with a maidservant and run away.
As for who that maidservant was or what she looked like, the rumors did not care at all.
The Empress Dowager called Luo Ning in again to ask.
“He had not fully recovered from the last time he went mad. He had only just come back, and he caused trouble again,” Luo Ning said.
The Empress Dowager did not say anything more.
The manor of the Grand Princess Jia Hong, however, cared about this matter. They even sent people out to look for Luo Yin’s whereabouts.
[The Luo Family is very busy. Maybe this is my son’s chance,] the princess thought.
But for the moment, nothing could be found.
Whatever Prince Yong did, there were no leaks.
Yu Zhuo wanted to see Luo Ning and talk with her for a bit, but Luo Ning refused.
While Madam Bai had been sick for many days, Luo Ning ran into Bai Ci Rong twice in the Marquis Manor.
“When will Cousin go home?” Luo Ning asked.
Bai Ci Rong smiled and said: “A’Ning, Aunt has not driven me away yet.”
“Ever since you entered the Marquis Manor, the house has not been peaceful. If you had not come and then come back again, Brother would not have gone mad, and he would not be missing now,” Luo Ning said.
Bai Ci Rong’s face turned green with anger: “A’Ning, how can you slander me?”
Compared to what they had done, Luo Ning’s words and actions were really nothing.
“Is it not so?” Luo Ning smiled quietly. “Cousin, maybe everyone in the Marquis Manor thinks the same way.”
Bai Ci Rong’s cheeks trembled.
She knew that Luo Ning would also move against her.
Maybe Father and Uncle should go to the capital earlier.
The fight for the imperial merchant position had been prepared for many years.
Qiu Shi Dong still had a valuable connection in the capital. They had kept it, waiting for the right time to use it when he fought for the imperial merchant role.
Bai Ci Rong wanted to write a letter and tell Qiu Shi Dong to hurry into the capital and find her another path.
Luo Ning was a very difficult person to deal with.
“Mother, please ask Father to come quickly,” Bai Ci Rong begged Madam Bai. “We still have A’You and Father. Do not lose heart.”
Madam Bai forced herself to sit up.
Luo Yin was dead. That could no longer be changed. Luckily, she and Qiu Shi Dong still had a son, Luo You.
Luo You was twelve this year.
Compared to Luo Yin’s mediocrity, Luo You was more promising and steady. Now he was also Luo Chong Ye’s only son. He could be greatly used.
Madam Bai had not spoken heart to heart with her youngest son for many days.
“I will write and tell your father to come to the capital,” Madam Bai said. “These days, ask A’You to come and eat dinner here.”
She wanted to become closer to him.
Before, he had been too young. She had been afraid he would not understand and did not know the truth, and she had worried that he might let something slip after hearing it.
Now, he should know the truth and start working early for his real parents and sister.