Zhenzhu took out several hairpins from the dressing box – one with begonia leaves, another with a lotus head, and one with a precious floral design inlaid with rubies.
Yi Ning chose the ruby-inlaid floral pin and handed it to her. Zhenzhu continued, “…The Sixth Miss was caught in the garden with your Fourth Brother-in-law. The Fourth Miss was so angry her face turned green. She scolded the Fourth Master for being shameless and almost slapped the Sixth Miss. You know, the Fourth Master has always tried to please the Fourth Miss, never going against her. He even endured being sent to sleep with the maids, almost treating our Fourth Miss like an ancestor. Unfortunately, the Fourth Miss never showed him any face…”
“But this time was different. The Fourth Master suddenly became angry. He grabbed the Fourth Miss’s hand to stop her from hitting the Sixth Miss and even said he would divorce her and marry the Sixth Miss. The Sixth Miss herself was shocked, not knowing why the Fourth Master suddenly did this, but he held her tightly and took her to ask our master for her hand in marriage. When the Fourth Miss came to her senses, she cried and went to find the First Madam. When the First Madam heard this, she was beside herself. She immediately brought people to question our master, saying that now that even divorce and remarriage had been mentioned, it must be that little vixen’s doing! She accused our Sixth Miss of being improper.”
Luo Yi Ning had long noticed that Luo Yi Lie had some feelings for Liu Jing. But she never expected Liu Jing to propose marrying her as his wife! This was truly unlike something he would do. After all, even if he wanted to divorce and remarry, this matter was too ill-considered! She continued to ask, “What happened after that?”
Zhenzhu smiled at this point, “You know, this affair being made public wasn’t good for anyone. The Fourth Master was dead set on divorcing and remarrying. The Fourth Miss panicked, but even when she knelt and begged, he wouldn’t say a single kind word. It was really… as decisive as he was when he loved her, he was now just as ruthless in his coldness. But forget about the First Madam, even our master wouldn’t allow it. Divorcing a wife to marry her sister? How could our master let such a thing happen? What would become of the Luo family’s reputation?”
“So he told Liu Jing that he could divorce if he wanted, but the Sixth Miss absolutely couldn’t marry him. When the Sixth Miss heard this, she cried and knelt outside the master’s study for a day and a night, trying to soften the master’s heart and agree to marry her to Liu Jing. But what the master cares about most is the Luo family’s reputation. How could he possibly marry her to Liu Jing? He immediately arranged a marriage for her in Suzhou and married her off within half a month! Liu Jing, who had been resisting his parents and clan at home, heard that the Sixth Miss was forced to marry a merchant as a second wife. He lost his soul and wailed loudly.”
“Now, he no longer mentions divorce, but he no longer cares for the Fourth Miss either. The Fourth Miss was so angry she returned to her maiden home, and Liu Jing doesn’t come looking for her anymore.”
After Zhenzhu finished speaking, she had already finished Yi Ning’s eyebrows, “How do you like this new makeup? It’s a tribute item sent by the Master.”
After listening, Luo Yi Ning was a bit dazed. She asked, “Did Luo Yi Lie want to marry Liu Jing?”
“She had always sympathized with the Fourth Master. Perhaps she was moved by him. Her knees were worn raw from kneeling… She probably really wanted to marry him,” Zhenzhu sighed and said, “Who knows if she developed some true feelings? Even though she knew it wasn’t good for her, such a calculating person still did something foolish. Poor Fourth Miss, her eyes were swollen from crying for days.”
Seeing that her dressing was complete, Luo Yi Ning stood up and picked up Bao’er, “Let’s go, to mother’s place.”
Although she hadn’t been there for over a year, the main hall was still the same as when she left, except some trees in the courtyard had been cut down and more flowers and plants had been added. Lin Hairu took Bao’er from her arms to play with him. Nan’er curiously looked at his little nephew, poking Bao’er’s face, which immediately made him cry. Nan’er panicked and patted Bao’er’s back like an adult, “Don’t cry, nephew, don’t cry!”
Seeing Nan’er’s round face, Bao’er stopped crying. At this moment, someone announced that the Sixth Son-in-law had arrived. Lin Hairu asked the wet nurse to take the two boys outside to play and let them in.
Luo Yi Ning saw a tall man enter with Luo Yi Lie.
Luo Yi Lie was wearing an apricot-colored silk jacket and a gold necklace inlaid with gems. She had become even thinner, but her stunning beauty remained undiminished. The tall man had a broad face and looked to be in his early thirties. He wore a silk jacket with floral patterns and a six-panel hat, with a constant smile on his face.
When Luo Yi Lie saw that she had returned, she was first shocked, then her expression turned unpleasant. She still remembered the humiliation of her forced marriage. The merchantman, surnamed Guo and named Yihai, heard that this was the Third Sister-in-law he had never met before, and promptly paid his respects.
He was very satisfied with having married a delicate beauty from an official family as his second wife, even if she was of concubine birth. When Luo Yi Lie was about to sit down, he wiped the chair repeatedly before letting her sit.
Luo Yi Lie despised him when she saw him like this. She preferred scholars with integrity, not fawning merchants! His constant efforts to please her, wasn’t it just to curry favor with the Luo family?
Guo Yihai was completely oblivious to his wife’s dislike. After serving tea, he smiled and spoke to Luo Yi Ning, “I didn’t get to see the Grand Secretary today!”
“He had matters to attend to at court,” Yi Ning passed a plate of almonds to him.
Guo Yihai thanked her and grabbed a handful to chew, “Ah! What a pity, I’ve long admired the Grand Secretary’s demeanor, yet I still can’t meet him formally!”
Luo Yi Lie was so angry she could have ground her teeth to dust. Who did he think Luo Shen Yuan was? The current Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet – would he specially meet a mere merchant? It was simply ridiculous, not knowing his place, and embarrassing.
She thought of Liu Jing’s gentle smile, and her eyes gradually reddened.
The two of them could never be together, there was no use thinking about it.
Yi Ning could tell what Luo Yi Lie was thinking with one look, but she drank her tea in silence. She wasn’t familiar with the current family affairs, so it was better to observe more and speak less.
After a while, Luo Xuan Yuan also came to pay his respects. The thirteen-year-old boy had grown up completely, even taller than Yi Ning now, handsome and tall. He first glanced at his sister, then cupped his hands to greet Yi Ning, “Third Sister-in-law has recovered, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on your return!”
“No need for formalities,” Luo Yi Ning asked him to rise. Luo Xuan Yuan didn’t need to bow so formally to her. As for this child… to be honest, he was smart to a frightening degree.
Luo Xuan Yuan smiled politely and reservedly, then sat down without speaking further.
When it was time to leave, Luo Yi Lie walked alone with her brother. She was very displeased with him, “Why are you so polite to her! If it wasn’t for her… how would I have ended up in this situation!”
Luo Xuan Yuan looked at his sister’s rich attire and sighed, “Sister if you had listened to my advice back then and cut ties with Liu Jing, who could have done anything to you?”
Luo Yi Lie looked at him pensively, “So you’re blaming your sister now?”
“I’m not blaming you,” Luo Xuan Yuan felt his sister wasn’t smart enough and didn’t say more. Instead, he explained to her, “Father isn’t at home, so Third Brother is in charge. Of course, I need to maintain a good relationship with my Third Sister-in-law. Moreover, given Third Brother’s current power and position… opposing him would be a dead end.”
Luo Yi Lie felt that her brother had become frighteningly mature.
Where did all these convoluted thoughts of his come from?
“Forget it, I don’t want to ask you about this. Let me ask you, have you been to see Mother?”
Luo Xuan Yuan wasn’t close to Concubine Qiao, “After you got married, Aunt’s spirits have been low. I’ve seen her twice, and it’s been about the same.”
Luo Yi Lie could only sigh. After all, she wasn’t raised by her, so naturally, there was distance. Let her brother be. It was fortunate enough that he was willing to be on good terms with her as his sister.
Today, Lu Jiaxue wore the robes of a military official with a tiger badge. It had been a long time since he had worn them, and he found the official robes didn’t fit quite right anymore.
It had been three months from being ambushed to returning victorious to the capital. As soon as he returned, officials came in endless streams to pay their respects, no fewer than before. For a time, the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion was bustling again.
However, there were still some who dared not move, as Luo Shen Yuan had gathered quite a bit of power in the court.
At the court assembly, Lu Jiaxue was surrounded by people as he slowly ascended the white marble steps. From afar, he saw another group of people surrounding Luo Shen Yuan as he approached. How curious, just over a year ago he was merely the Vice Minister of Works, and now he could stand as an equal with him.
Lu Jiaxue knew that Luo Yi Ning had returned, and Luo Shen Yuan was probably guarding her closely, not daring to show any signs now. He had gone so far as to try to kill him, truly not someone to be trifled with.
“Lord Luo,” Lu Jiaxue stood still and smiled at him.
“Commander, I haven’t yet congratulated you on your victorious return,” Luo Shen Yuan smiled slowly. His exceptionally handsome fingers with distinct joints pressed on the memorial, “I will be requesting an honor for you today.”
“Then I must thank you, Lord,” Lu Jiaxue said. “I heard that your wife was gravely ill recently. Is she better now?” His voice lowered slightly, “She always liked to cling to someone while sleeping, and with such a delicate body, I fear Lord Luo, being young, might not endure such torment. I should tell Lord Luo something, she spent two months at the border not returning, she was looking for me.”
Luo Shen Yuan remained unmoved, “If that were true, why would you need to bluff, my lord?” His voice became a bit clearer, “I heard you brought back a beauty from the Oirats and took her into your household. You’re quite fortunate, my lord. Just returned victorious, and already surrounded by beauties.”
“You flatter me, Lord Luo. If you want her, I can have her sent to your mansion in an instant,” Lu Jiaxue continued to smile.
The ritual officials in the hall called for the ceremony to begin. The sound of bells and chimes rang out, and the two men’s verbal sparring ceased. They split into two lines, leading the civil and military officials to enter the great hall through the left and right doors.
The Emperor was in high spirits. At today’s court assembly, he bestowed many gifts upon Lu Jiaxue, who lifted his robe and knelt to express his gratitude. Luo Shen Yuan was rewarded for his efforts in suppressing rebellion with two thousand mu of good farmland, three hundred bolts of various silks, and one hundred taels of gold. As for why Lord Luo was rewarded for suppressing the rebellion, no one knew, and the Emperor didn’t explain. Only Lu Jiaxue smiled mockingly.
After the court assembly, Lu Jiaxue went to the Southern Study, while Luo Shen Yuan and others like Wang Yuan and Xie Yi went to the Inner Cabinet.
The end of the year was the busiest time for the Inner Cabinet. Luo Shen Yuan, now the Minister of Works, was in charge of land reclamation, water conservancy, official trade, and construction. When busy, he had hundreds of documents waiting for his approval each day, all important matters that couldn’t be delayed. Today, he came to discuss military provisions with the Inner Cabinet.
Military provisions were originally under the Ministry of Revenue. The new Minister of Revenue was Jiang Chunyan. Since Xu Wei’s death, the relationship between Jiang Chunyan and Luo Shen Yuan had been poor, but now at least they could speak when they met. Since the last war’s waste, the border’s food reserves have been insufficient. Now that various regions had just paid their taxes, military salaries weren’t a problem, but without food to eat, people would starve to death. Emergency food transport could work for a while, but it couldn’t be sustained in the long term.
After listening for a while, Luo Shen Yuan lightly tapped the table edge and said, “It’s not a difficult matter. The national treasury has no surplus grain, but grain merchants have plenty. Let them transport grain to the border, and we can purchase it at market price.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chunyan said, “Lord Luo, no one acts without profit. The cost for grain merchants to transport grain to the border would increase dramatically due to the long distance. How would they be willing?”
Luo Shen Yuan smiled, “How could they not be willing? We can exchange salt licenses for grain. Once this offer is made, they’ll run faster than anyone else.”
Wang Yuan pondered for a long time after hearing this, then found it brilliant! He said, “Lord Luo’s insight is excellent. Salt licenses were going to be issued anyway. If we use them to exchange for grain, it saves us trouble. You and Lord Jiang can discuss and take charge of this matter. When the time comes, I’ll draft an imperial edict to inform the Emperor.”
Lord Wang was always lethargic and would certainly avoid work if he could. Just like this, relying on listening to their discussions, his eyes were blinking, almost closing. Luo Shen Yuan wasn’t surprised. When it was time to be shrewd, Lord Wang would certainly be more cunning than a fox.
He smiled and, after finishing the discussion, called for someone to put away the writing materials, then left the Inner Cabinet.
After returning to the outer courtyard, Luo Xuan Yuan thought for a moment and instructed his servant, “I remember the water chestnut cakes we bought from Xiang Ji last time were quite good. Go outside and buy a few more boxes.”
The servant ran swiftly, soon delivering several boxes of fresh water chestnut cakes wrapped in red paper to Jia Shu Hall.
Luo Yining had just returned from the main house after seeing Zhou’s newborn child. Since the incident between Luo Yili and Liu Jing, the main and second branches have grown distant. However, as she had just returned, it was proper to pay a visit. Seeing Luo Yining, Chen warmly invited her to stay for lunch.
With a full stomach, Yining entered her room only to be surprised by Luo Xuanyuan sitting in the flower hall.
Xuanyuan stood up and smiled at her, “Third Sister-in-law, I’ve brought you some snacks.”
Snacks? Yining, who rarely interacted with him, was puzzled. What snacks could he be bringing? She glanced at the box in his hands.
Perhaps he intended to foster a connection.
“These are water chestnut cakes from Xiang Ji,” Xuanyuan explained as he unwrapped the package and opened the box. “They’re different from others. They contain almonds, walnuts, and jujubes, fried golden on both sides. Crispy outside, soft inside, with a subtle sweetness of osmanthus.”
As he was Luo Yili’s brother, Yining remained cautious. She nodded lightly, “Pearl, bring some freshly made persimmon cakes for the Fourth Young Master to take back and taste.”
Xuanyuan smiled faintly, picked up a pair of chopsticks from the table, placed a piece of water chestnut cake on a small plate, and slowly offered it to Yining. “I know Third Sister-in-law enjoys pastries. Please try this; the flavor is unique.”
Just then, Luo Shengyuan returned from court.
He saw the young man sitting in the flower hall, his handsome face smiling. He held out chopsticks while Yining sat opposite him, her face also seemingly bearing a smile.
Shengyuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, that intense feeling of discomfort surging again. His gaze darkened as he approached the two. His attendant remained outside the flower hall.
“What’s going on?”
Hearing the familiar voice behind her, Yining thought he had returned early today. She turned to see his tall figure and smiled, “Third Brother, you’re home early today. He brought some snacks.”
Xuanyuan immediately stood up and bowed respectfully, “Third Brother, these are pastries from Xiang Ji. I noticed Third Sister-in-law likes to eat—”
“How do you know what she likes to eat?” Shengyuan interrupted coldly before Xuanyuan could finish.
Xuanyuan’s smile froze.
Shengyuan walked up to him and glanced at the paper boxes, confirming they were indeed pastries. Noticing the small plate and chopsticks nearby, he continued, “Does she lack anything to eat that you need to bring her food?”
He remembered that when Xuanyuan was younger, he greatly disliked Yining. Why had he become so friendly now?
Xuanyuan merely wanted to please Yining, unaware of how he had incurred his Third Brother’s coldness. What had he done wrong? Xuanyuan’s smile became awkward, but he managed to maintain his composure, “It seems I’ve overstepped. I’ll take my leave now.”
Yining found it strange as she watched Xuanyuan disappear into the distance. Shengyuan was usually indifferent towards his siblings, but this seemed unnecessarily harsh.
“Third Brother…”
He gripped her hand tightly. “It’s cold outside. Let’s go back.”
As they walked, noticing her puzzled expression, he said flatly, “Don’t interact with Xuanyuan in the future. He has many thoughts.”
“What thoughts could he have? He’s just trying to please you through me,” Yining laughed, “Why are you nervous? Afraid he’ll scheme against me? He wouldn’t dare, even if he had the courage.”
“Mm.” He merely grunted in response.
Yining frowned, realizing after a moment, “Are you…”
“Yining, I’ve told you before,” Shengyuan gripped her shoulder, “I don’t like you paying attention to others.”
“I’m not paying attention to him,” Yining explained, taking his arm, “What are you thinking? Xuanyuan is your brother. He’s so young, just a child in my eyes.”
“Mm, I just don’t like him,” Shengyuan said, stroking her hair, “He looks a bit like me, doesn’t he?”
“Bao’er looks even more like you!”
Shengyuan felt she was quibbling. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, “Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore.” He currently struggles to control his possessiveness. If he truly could, he would lock her away, ensuring she wouldn’t disappear or love anyone else. His hand trembled in his sleeve, concealing all twisted expressions.
Yining felt his gaze upon her was bottomless.
She said softly, “I only like you.”
“Mm.” He took her hand and led her inside. With her by his side, all his emotions were soothed.
Yining wanted to fetch the soup she had prepared for him, but he slightly raised his head, “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right back,” Yining said, leaving the west side room. A gust of north wind blew as she stepped outside. She exhaled softly. In the kitchen, turtle soup was simmering. She slightly lifted the lid, adding a handful of jujubes which rolled into the water, bobbing up and down. Her profile seemed to be frozen in the steam, her lowered eyelashes betraying no emotion.
Luo Yining turned her head upon hearing movement, discovering he was leaning against the doorway. Silently watching her work. She smiled, “Waiting for the soup?”
“Mm,” Shengyuan seemed not to have heard her question.
“Third Brother, I have something to ask you,” Yining said, “Bao’er is already six months old but still doesn’t have a formal name. Have you thought of one for him?”
He had roughly considered it last night while reading in the study, knowing they couldn’t use the character ‘Bao’ as some nouveau riche merchant would. He had drafted a few names but found none satisfactory. Looking at her, he said, “I haven’t thought of a good one yet. You can choose if you like.”
Yining recalled Grandmother telling her that when Luo Shengyuan was born, his name wasn’t carefully chosen. Luo Chengzhang had merely said, “May he act cautiously in the future,” and thus he was named Shengyuan. The ‘Xuan’ in Xuanyuan’s name, however, had been determined by consulting a Taoist priest and had great significance.
Yining thought for a moment and said, “Since Bao’er is the eldest son of the main line, following the ‘Ze’ generation. How about calling him Zeyuan?”
Hearing this, Shengyuan’s lips curved slightly, “Aren’t you being too simplistic?”
Irritated by his reaction, Yining retorted, “When I asked you to choose, you had no ideas. Now that I’ve chosen, you can’t complain.”
Feeling her soup was almost ready, she called for the old woman to turn off the fire. After letting it simmer with the residual heat for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, it could be brought to the room.
“Come with me,” Shengyuan took her hand, walking through the corridor and across the courtyard. The line of guards saluted, addressing him as Lord Luo. Yining realized they had reached his study. He continued leading her inside, where a piece of paper was held down by a paperweight on the long table. He dismissed the attending servants and took an ink brush from the brush holder.
“Here, write down whatever comes to mind.”
Yining took the brush from him and stepped to the table. An ink blot fell on the paper as she had yet to form any ideas. She wrote a few characters while he silently watched behind her. The room was completely quiet. Suddenly, Yining asked, “Third Brother, how do you write the ‘Hong’ character in ‘Hong Hu’ (wild swan)?”
Shengyuan murmured an affirmation, stepped forward, and covered her hand from behind, leaning down, “Write it like this.”
He guided her to slowly write the character, his palm applying gentle pressure.
His right-handed writing was not as neat as his left.
His breath was very close as he enveloped her in his arms. Yining turned slightly, allowing him to fully embrace her.
The study was exceptionally quiet, with snow reflecting a clear sky. Yining suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to kiss the corner of his mouth. “This is your reward.”
As she was about to move away, he seemed to have been enticed by her, suddenly pressing her against him and sealing her lips with his own.
The matter of naming remained unresolved, and little Bao’er still hadn’t received his formal name. Unaware, he continued drooling, waiting for his wet nurse to feed him turtle soup.
That night, sleeping arrangements were finally settled. Bao’er slept between his parents, the father on the left and, the mother on the right. Fearing Shengyuan might accidentally roll onto Bao’er, Yining led the child to occupy a large portion of the bed.
Shengyuan silently looked at the small half of the bed allocated to him, then at the little bundle crawling about, not wanting to sleep at all.
The little one crawled onto his father’s body, clapping his hands and babbling. Yining coaxed him, “Bao’er, go kiss Daddy!”
Bao’er crawled towards Shengyuan’s head, staring at his father with big eyes. After a while, Bao’er lost interest, wiggled his little bottom, turned around, and lunged towards his mother. He finally became sleepy around midnight and fell asleep in his mother’s arms.
Only then did his father extend a hand, gently stroking the soft little neck. “Ten months of pregnancy, it must have been difficult to carry him?” His tone was extremely gentle.
“It’s fine now. The first couple of months were the most troublesome,” Yining smiled slightly, remembering when Bao’er was just born.
“He should be weaned soon. Then we can leave him with the wet nurse, and you won’t have to work so hard,” Shengyuan continued. He wanted to help, but it was already fortunate that the little one wasn’t afraid of him, let alone be comforted by him. His son, yet giving him no face at all.
Yining looked at him. Shengyuan sighed and said, “After all, you can’t sleep well when taking care of the child.”
Luo Yining felt… she wouldn’t sleep well even if she wasn’t taking care of the child.
“Tell me about your time in Jinling,” Shengyuan pulled her closer, “When you gave birth to him, I wasn’t by your side. Was it difficult then?” His hand slowly patted her, as if comforting her.
The little bundle, wearing a puffy little jacket, lay between his parents, sucking his little fist as he slept soundly.
It seemed to be a moment of perfect tranquility.