Chapter 97
Chapter 97: Prince Sends Flowers
Luo Ning had been scolded by the Marquis of Zhen Nan.
She was not angry, because she always peeled back the surface of a matter to see its core.
No matter how the Marquis of Zhen Nan lost his temper, he had not stopped Old Madam from ordering Madam Bai’s confinement.
After all this noise, the Marquis of Zhen Nan knew that Madam Bai was in the wrong.
Though they had been husband and wife for many years, he did not plead for Madam Bai.
Luo Ning did not need him to favor her. She only hoped that before things were settled, he would not become a sharp tool that Madam Bai could use against her and Grandmother.
The fact that he chose to stand on Old Madam’s side was already a victory for Luo Ning.
“Lord Marquis has given his word. Our Wenqi Courtyard does not need to take in any more maidservants,” Luo Ning told everyone. “We are not short of hands.”
Everyone answered in agreement.
Luo Ning went on: “In order to plant a spy by my side, Madam did not even hesitate to cause trouble at my birthday banquet. Luckily Old Madam is clear-headed and understands that Madam is just a bit deranged, so she did not punish her and is even allowing her to rest.”
Everyone fell silent.
Lin Zhao did not speak. The two nursemaids kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, saying nothing.
“From now on, no matter who comes to ask a favor and wants to fill any maidservant spot in my courtyard, you must all turn them away,” Luo Ning said.
Nanny Kong and the others agreed.
After Luo Ning finished giving her instructions, everyone went back to their work. She kept Nanny Kong, Qiu Hua, and Qiu Lan behind to talk.
“Last time that old maidservant came asking around, wanting to send her daughter to serve in Wenqi Courtyard, she was actually a trusted follower of the Marchioness. She came on purpose to throw us into confusion,” Luo Ning said.
Nanny Kong said: “She is Nanny Sun from the washing room.”
She then smiled and said: “Big Miss, you handled this matter very neatly.”
Luo Ning thought for a moment.
She had indeed been on guard the whole time.
But the outcome was so good that it was not only her own credit.
“Sister Lin gave me a hand crossbow. Otherwise I would have had to reach out my own hand to block the cat and that maidservant would have gotten her way. I have to thank Sister Lin. She saved me from getting hurt,” Luo Ning said.
She added: “I also have to thank Sister-in-law. Her maidservants were even more alert than I was. As soon as something happened here, without waiting for my orders, Sister-in-law’s people had already taken care of it. If they had not reacted so quickly, the result would not have been so good.”
Nanny Kong and the others nodded.
Qiu Hua could not help sighing: “I used to think the eldest young madam was useless. I never thought that although she looks soft and weak, she actually has quite some skill.”
Luo Ning felt the same.
When she first approached Sister-in-law, it had only been because she did not want Sister-in-law to become the Marchioness’s knife and turn against her.
Unexpectedly, that small bit of kindness and caution had brought her such a powerful ally.
Sister-in-law could always cry and sob and still get things done. Luo Ning felt that she also had to learn this skill of using softness to overcome hardness.
“Big Miss, the Marchioness and Bai Ci Rong still do not take the eldest young madam seriously. Have they still not realized?” Qiu Lan asked.
Nanny Kong said: “It seems to me they still do not care much. They are really underestimating their opponent.”
“They are panicking,” Luo Ning said.
The Marchioness had made a scene and lost face in front of the guests and noble ladies. Bai Ci Rong’s reputation was ruined. Their bright future was now covered in shadow, and they were very flustered.
Luo Ning felt that they might take desperate risks.
“So it turns out that when people are down and disappointed, they easily lose their heads and do not care which road they take. Only success can make a person calm and at ease,” Luo Ning said with a sigh.
She did not blame the self she had been in her previous life.
If Madam Bai and Bai Ci Rong had been in the same situation, they would not have done as well as she had.
At least when the snake had wrapped around Luo Ning, she had kept trying to shake it off and stand up by herself, and she had not wet her clothes.
Her maidservant had also not been like the Marchioness, who reached out a hand and then pulled it back in fear, only knowing how to call others for help.
In ability, courage, and loyalty, Luo Ning and Qiu Lan were both better than Madam Bai and Bai Ci Rong.
In her previous life, she had lost only because she had been young, with less experience and money, and had been somewhat confused and at a loss.
“Big Miss, we have temporarily blocked the matter of ‘planting people into Wenqi Courtyard’, but what about the people we need to use?” Qiu Hua asked again.
“It has already been arranged,” Luo Ning said.
Her three trusted aides looked at her in surprise: “How did you arrange it?”
“Did I not invite the Princess as a guest? After that whole scene, I deliberately pointed out what maidservant Han Zhi was thinking. The Princess could see it.
She will go and tell the Empress Dowager. We do not need to worry about the dowry attendants. When I marry out, the Empress Dowager will send dowry maidservants over,” Luo Ning said.
Everyone was overjoyed.
Qiu Hua could not help asking: “Big Miss, can we really trust the people from the Empress Dowager?”
“Of course,” Luo Ning said. “If the Empress Dowager wanted to scheme against us, we could only sit still and wait to die anyway.”
Qiu Hua was speechless.
After several meetings with the Empress Dowager, Luo Ning had understood one thing: she had no power to fight against the Empress Dowager.
So she trusted the Empress Dowager with all her heart.
Her interests did not clash with those of the Empress Dowager.
In the future, when Prince Yong became emperor, this would surely be something the Empress Dowager agreed to. So there was no real conflict between the Empress Dowager and Prince Yong either.
Luo Ning had not lost faith in human nature.
Qiu Hua, Qiu Lan, and Nanny Kong were all full of sincere loyalty. The Empress Dowager was also truly grateful to Luo Ning and would not harm her.
“So you invited the Princess to the banquet to kill two birds with one stone and solve two problems at the same time,” Nanny Kong said with a smile. “Big Miss, you have become wiser than before.”
Peace returned inside Wenqi Courtyard. Luo Ning again started to practice the whip with Lin Zhao and study with the two nursemaids.
On the thirteenth day of the fifth month, Prince Yong sent someone to deliver a pot of flowers to Luo Ning.
They were camellias in full bloom.
The petals were white with a touch of pink, blooming with a cold, proud beauty.
Luo Ning liked them very much.
The old maidservant who brought the flowers told Luo Ning that the Prince was inviting her for tea and asked her to go to the teahouse.
Luo Ning changed her clothes and did her hair.
This time she did not wear any jewelry. She only tucked a single camellia at her temple as decoration.
She took Lin Zhao with her and went out to the teahouse.
There was no one else in the teahouse, only Prince Yong and his big black dog.
When the black dog saw Luo Ning, it wanted very much to pounce on her, but it also timidly watched Xiao Huai Feng’s expression.
It was very good at reading people.
Luo Ning thought it was funny and could not help pressing her lips together in a smile.
“Prince, did you ask to see me for something?” Luo Ning asked.
Xiao Huai Feng said: “Sit down.”
Then he said to Lin Zhao: “Wait downstairs. I have something to say to the princess consort alone.”
Lin Zhao answered yes.
Xiao Huai Feng went straight to the point: “What was all that fuss at your birthday banquet last time?”
“Did Imperial Elder Sister tell you about it?” Luo Ning asked.
Xiao Huai Feng nodded: “Tell me the details.”
So Luo Ning told him everything that had happened that day, one thing after another, including her own plans.
She did not mention the big snake from her previous life, so it sounded as if she had gone to get a big snake just to scare Bai Ci Rong, making her seem narrow-minded and eager for revenge.
She watched Xiao Huai Feng’s expression.
Xiao Huai Feng did not frown.
Seeing her secretly watching him, he said: “You did well. One big snake in exchange for a ‘madwoman’ is a good trade.”
Luo Ning let out a breath of relief: “Thank you, Prince, for understanding how ruthless I was.”
“Ruthless?”
Xiao Huai Feng seemed to sigh.
Even when she fought back, it was only in such a light way. How could she have the nerve to call herself ruthless?
[Is she so afraid of seeing blood?]
Xiao Huai Feng felt that she did have wisdom. It was just that her heart was too soft, not sharp enough, with no power to kill.
His judgment of Luo Ning was the same as she had said of herself: her wrist strength was not enough.
Whether it was when she wielded a whip or when she faced an enemy, her wrist was too soft.