After falling ill, Yi Ning drifted in and out of consciousness. She only vaguely felt herself being carried and placed on soft bedding.
Maids gathered around to change her clothes. “The mistress is menstruating. She can’t catch a chill…”
“Let’s change her clothes first. Someone fetch a brazier…”
“Oh! The mistress’s forehead is burning. Should we call for a doctor?”
Another voice replied, “The master has already sent for one. Don’t worry!”
Yi Ning let herself be tended to, feeling increasingly drowsy. The curtain seemed to be lifted, and a deep voice came: “Is her fever severe?” She was pulled into an embrace, her cheek gently patted. “Yi Ning, don’t fall asleep. Tell Third Brother if anything else hurts.”
Everything hurt, from head to toe.
Luo Shenyuan saw she was delirious with fever, limp in his arms, weakly avoiding his attempts to pat her face. He pulled back her covers to examine her carefully. It was a pitiful sight – her ankle was swollen again, and her skin was completely pale.
He covered her back up and called for a maid to bring medicine. Sitting at her bedside, he fed her each spoonful. Fortunately, she was still aware enough to take the medicine, followed by two spoonfuls of sugar water. He then applied ointment to her ankle and rewrapped it. Luo Shenyuan dismissed the maids and lay down on the bed fully clothed, his strong arms pulling her into his embrace. “Meimei, sleep well. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”
Yi Ning finally felt dry and comfortable, nestled in his warm embrace.
If she weren’t ill, he rarely spoke so gently and soothingly. Yi Ning hugged his solid waist in return, burying her face in his chest as she fell into a deep sleep.
When she next awoke, daylight was streaming in. Surprisingly, she wasn’t in the inner chamber but lying on a daybed outside, next to a brazier. Screens surrounded her, and Pearl was dozing by her bedside. Yi Ning glanced at the water clock in the room – it was nearly noon.
Seeing her awake, Pearl looked pleased. “…You’ve slept for six or seven hours!”
Yi Ning felt much lighter, no longer so miserable. She was sticky with sweat, though. Last night, with her high fever, no one would have dared to bathe her. She asked Pearl to help her up and instructed, “Have someone heat water. I want to wash up.”
Soaking in the wooden tub, Yi Ning’s hair hung wet. She removed her hairpins, deciding to let it air dry. A young maid added a few drops of rose essence to the water. Inhaling the rose fragrance, Yi Ning relaxed in the hot water before asking Pearl, “How have things been at the manor these past few days?”
“To avoid letting on that you were missing, the Third Young Master said you were visiting Madam Yang. I didn’t dare show my face in the manor and was sent to the country estate by the Third Young Master to lay low. So I’m not sure about the manor’s affairs,” Pearl said softly.
Her third brother was always meticulous. Surely her disappearance had been tightly concealed within the household.
He had to worry about court affairs and manage the household. Even with three heads and six arms, he couldn’t handle it all. If he hadn’t married her, he wouldn’t need to concern himself with these matters.
Yi Ning fell silent, then after a moment asked, “What time is it now?”
“It’s past noon. The master carried you out here this morning before leaving. I’m not sure if he’ll be back this afternoon.” Pearl took a silk cloth from a maid to dry her body, then picked up a light silk robe from a black lacquered tray. As she was about to help Yi Ning dress, she noticed a cut on the back of her neck when lifting her hair. Pearl gasped, “Mistress, how did you get hurt? Who did this?”
“…It’s still bleeding.” Yi Ning pressed the wound and instructed, “Go find some ointment.”
Pearl acknowledged and left. Yi Ning stood up, putting on an indigo floral jacket as she exited the bathroom. Tortoiseshell brought her a bowl of medicinal soup to drink.
Pearl returned with the ointment. Yi Ning held up her hair, tilting her head for Pearl to apply the medicine.
As she applied it, Pearl said, “I don’t know what the Commander was thinking, kidnapping you and even hurting you. You’re his adopted daughter after all…”
“Let’s not speak of this anymore. He acts recklessly without regard for others. I no longer consider him my adoptive father,” Yi Ning frowned slightly, feeling Pearl’s hand press a bit too hard.
Feeling less ill now, she inquired about Shen Yue and the others. A few had been injured, but fortunately, nothing serious. Luo Shenyuan had sent several dozen taels of silver and some chicken and duck to help them recover, and they were almost healed.
“Do you want to pay your respects to the Madam? These past few days, the master has been with the Madam, often speaking of you…” Tortoiseshell asked from the side.
Yi Ning wasn’t fully recovered, but having been silent during her days of captivity, with the excuse of visiting the Yang family being improper, she naturally needed to go. She called for Granny Lou to come and do her hair.
When Yi Ning arrived at the main hall, she saw Luo Chengzhang playing with little Nan. He doted greatly on this son born in his later years. Little Nan, plump as a dumpling, wore a red jacket with the character of “fortune.” His soft little hand clutched a piece of dried sweet potato, which he was struggling to gnaw on, drooling all over.
Unfamiliar with his birth father, little Nan instead lit up at the sight of Luo Yi Ning. He scrambled up from the daybed, wanting her to hold him.
Yi Ning saw little Nan’s expectant outstretched hands, then looked at the drool on those tiny fingers, and hesitated. The small child kept his arms up, confused and slightly hurt by her reluctance.
Yi Ning finally took him. The little one immediately wrapped his arms around her neck, enthusiastically offering her his chewed sweet potato. “Sister-in-law, sweet… eat sweet.”
Holding little Nan, Yi Ning bowed to Lin Hairu and Luo Chengzhang: “Father, Mother, I hope you are well.”
Lin Hairu urged her to sit down: “You’re not fully recovered. Why come pay respects? Zhou Shi quickly takes Nan away and wipes him clean. He’s drooling everywhere…”
But little Nan insisted on being held by Yi Ning, crying if anyone else tried to take him.
Luo Chengzhang motioned for Lin Hairu to move aside and stop massaging him. He spoke coldly: “You’ve been very improper this time. Let me ask you, what new bride leaves home for days just a month after marriage?”
As her elder, Yi Ning had to show some deference: “It was my fault, daughter-in-law was too fond of play.”
Lin Hairu interjected: “Yi Ning is only fourteen. It’s normal to be playful. When we were in Baoding, Lian’er would often spend seven or eight days playing at the Gao family next door.”
Luo Chengzhang’s forehead twitched. What a wastrel. Lin Hairu was favoring Luo Yi Ning! When Lian’er spent a few days at the neighbor’s, she came back to harsh scolding and mockery. But when Luo Yi Ning disappears for days, she’s all concern and care?
Luo Chengzhang’s expression darkened further: “How can you compare an unmarried girl to a newlywed? Lian’er is still in her maiden home, you should treat her well. Wei Shi, you came to be Shen Yuan’s wife. You should properly serve your in-laws and husband. Who permitted you to go play elsewhere? Are you serving your husband or is he serving you?”
He was lecturing her now.
Yi Ning felt helpless. Luo Chengzhang was using his position as an elder, and she couldn’t defy him without being labeled unfilial. In a noble family, who would care about such a label? But in a family of scholars, filial piety was paramount. A government official branded ‘unfilial’ could even lose his position in severe cases.
This time she was clearly in the wrong, and Luo Chengzhang had seized upon her mistake.
She wasn’t Luo Chengzhang’s daughter. In the Ying Guogong household, Wei Ling would have unconditionally sided with her. But in the Luo family, Luo Chengzhang naturally favored Luo Yilian.
“Daughter-in-law will be more mindful in the future,” Yi Ning promised.
Feeling he had asserted some authority, Luo Chengzhang’s expression softened slightly. If Luo Shenyuan were home, he certainly wouldn’t dare speak to Luo Yi Ning this way. But with Luo Shenyuan absent, he could say whatever he pleased.
“Mere words of caution aren’t enough,” Luo Chengzhang said coolly. “You’re young and may find it difficult to serve Shen Yuan properly. He’s now a third-rank government official. Household matters shouldn’t hinder him. I’ll send two maids to serve him.”
“My lord, about sending maids…” Lin Hairu was about to interject.
“You focus on raising Nan properly. The household is in chaos, Nan doesn’t even know how to address people properly. What else do you have to say?” Luo Chengzhang glanced at her. “I shouldn’t interfere in household matters. You’d better reflect on this!”
With that, he stormed off.
As formidable as she was, Lin Hairu dared not defy Luo Chengzhang. Once he left, she spoke:
“If Lian’er hadn’t let it slip that day, your father wouldn’t have known. When he found out, he was furious… At first, he insisted on sending someone to bring you back, but your third brother sternly stopped him, so he said nothing more.”
Lin Hairu slapped the table at this point: “That little minx causes trouble! She’s as scheming as her mother, clearly saying it on purpose. So what if you went out to play for a few days? It’s not like Luo San can’t survive without you serving him…”
Luo Yi Ning couldn’t help but smile. Her mother-in-law was truly adorable, the best mother-in-law in the world.
She sat down next to Lin Hairu with a smile, peeling peanuts for her: “You favor me, but Father favors Lian’er. It doesn’t matter. His words don’t hurt me. Let him vent and feel better!”
“Go tell Luo San about this. He won’t stand for you being bullied. He’ll give his father a piece of his mind…” Lin Hairu whispered to her.
Yi Ning peeled off the thin red skin of the peanuts, placing them in a white porcelain bowl. “He’s always been at odds with Father. I don’t want to bother telling him. I can handle it myself. Father knows his limits. At most, he’ll just say a few words. He wouldn’t dare do anything to me.”
Lin Hairu agreed. Luo Chengzhang was cunning. After being summoned by the Ying Guogong for a talk, he returned with a face as black as the bottom of a pot. Since then, he had become very cautious about dealing with Luo Yi Ning, primarily by trying to avoid managing her as much as possible, letting her do as she pleased, and pretending she didn’t exist in the household.
When Yi Ning left after paying her respects, the small bowl was half full of peanuts, which Lin Hairu would use to make a drink for little Nan. It wasn’t enough, but she didn’t want to ask a maid to peel them.
She had the things cleared away and wiped her hands with a handkerchief before saying languidly: “Fetch the Sixth Young Lady for me.”
When Luo Yilian was brought in, she saw her stepmother leaning against the window frame, patting little Nan’s back as she coaxed him to eat egg custard. Lin Hairu pointed to the bowl of peanuts: “Lian’er, my hands are full. Come peel these peanuts for me.”
Luo Yilian’s face darkened. She had been urgently summoned just to peel peanuts? Weren’t there plenty of maids in the room who could do this?
Unable to defy the mistress of the house, she stepped forward and began peeling peanuts with her head lowered.
The only sound in the room was that of her peeling peanuts.
Tired of standing, Luo Yilian moved to sit on a nearby embroidered stool. But Biyi quickly took the stool away, saying with a smile: “This stool just got dirty. The young lady can’t sit on it.”
Luo Yilian bit her lip and continued standing, her thin silhouette elongated by the candlelight.
Lin Hairu watched her peel peanuts with a cold expression, her hand gently patting little Nan’s back.