Zhao Luoning really hated coming to the Agarwood Pavilion.
Since she entered the mansion, she had been to the Agarwood Pavilion only a handful of times, but the consequences after each visit were earth - shattering.
During the incident of the vaginal bleeding, she narrowly escaped by threatening self - harm. During the trip to the mountain, it was a trap set by Lady Ji for her.
And this time...
On the way to the Agarwood Pavilion, Zhao Luoning passed by the path leading to the Canglang Garden. She stood at the fork in the road for a while. Caixue thought she wanted to go and see Liu Qingyun and reminded her.
"Miss, let's go and see Lady Ji first and then come to visit Miss Qingyun. If we delay the matter, Lady Ji will get angry."
Zhao Luoning did think of Liu Qingyun. At the same time, she also remembered the incident when Ji Shisu flew into a rage in the Hibiscus Courtyard.
She suddenly asked, "Caixue, since Ji Shisu agreed to the deal, it seems that he has made no move?"
Caixue stared blankly and asked, "Miss, what deal?"
Zhao Luoning smiled and evaded the question with a "It's nothing".
She straightened her clothes and walked steadily towards the Hibiscus Courtyard.
Caixue looked at her back and couldn't help feeling a bit sulky.
Alas, the miss has secrets from her. She is no longer the miss's confidant sister who can talk about everything!
As soon as Zhao Luoning entered the Agarwood Pavilion, she was greeted by Lady Ji's scolding.
"Zhao Luoning, how dare you neglect the concubine who is pregnant with Shisu's child? How malicious you are!"
Was she trying to seize the initiative by speaking first?
Zhao Luoning still stepped forward to pay her respects. After fulfilling the etiquette, she replied, "Luoning doesn't understand what you mean, mother - in - law. Where have I neglected Lianxiang?"
"If you hadn't neglected her, how could Lianxiang have had vaginal bleeding? Now it's still unknown whether the child in her belly can be saved. If something happens to the child, I'll hold you accountable."
Zhao Luoning replied innocently, "Mother - in - law, you're wronging me. Luoning knows that Miss Lianxiang is pregnant and is not close to me. So I've always been cautious and even dared not go to see her for fear of being accused of harming the concubine."
"She is Shisu's concubine and also your responsibility. Why don't you even ask about her?"
"Mother - in - law, I'm so wronged. You can ask Mujin. I told Mujin at that time that if there was anything lacking in the Cold Fragrance Courtyard, she could go to the accounting room to get it and charge it to my account. I know that you and the old matriarch have had opinions about me since this incident, so I haven't interfered in Lianxiang's food, clothing and daily necessities and tried to avoid suspicion as much as possible."
"Fine, let's assume what you said makes sense for now. Then why did you send so many old women to the Cold Fragrance Courtyard?"
"Mother - in - law, I did this for Lianxiang's good. I thought that since she is pregnant, she needs experienced old women to take good care of her."
"But you shouldn't have sent them!" Everyone knew that those old women from the Phoenix Crying Studio were just loafing around in the mansion relying on their seniority. How could they take good care of anyone?
Zhao Luoning of course understood this truth, but since she dared to send them, she was not afraid of Lady Ji's questioning.
She pretended to be innocent and asked, "Why can't I send them? Aren't they your relatives, mother - in - law?"
Lady Ji was rendered speechless.
Zhao Luoning continued, "At that time, they made mistakes, and they were sent to the Phoenix Crying Studio as punishment. I remembered that they were your relatives, mother - in - law. Since Miss Lianxiang was short of people here, I assigned them over to give them a chance to prove themselves. This was also to clear your name, mother - in - law!"
Lady Ji was so angry that she couldn't say a word.
It was said that it was easy to change a mountain or a river but hard to change one's nature. This group of old women were so lazy that even Lady Ji herself had given up on them.
Lady Ji didn't believe that Zhao Luoning couldn't see through the true nature of these old women.
But since Zhao Luoning said so, she really couldn't find any fault with her.
Zhao Luoning really hadn't interfered in Lianxiang's daily life. She hadn't poisoned anyone. Although sending the old women there was secretly a form of persecution, on the surface, it was for Miss Lianxiang's good. Lady Ji couldn't blame her either.
After all, once she blamed the people Zhao Luoning sent to take care of Lianxiang for being incompetent, it would also mean dragging herself into the pit.
Lady Ji was so angry that her teeth itched.
But this time, she wasn't going to let it go easily. Zhao Luoning was so arrogant in the mansion. She must suppress her arrogance.
Lady Ji brought out her status as the mother - in - law.
"Presumptuous! Zhao Luoning, for every word I say, you retort with ten. Do you still have me, your mother - in - law, in your eyes?"
"Isn't it that you're asking me questions and I'm just replying?"
But Lady Ji had made up her mind not to argue with her.
"No matter how you try to justify yourself, you're to blame for Lianxiang's matter. You're the main wife and you're responsible for managing Shisu's backyard. But you're jealous that she's pregnant with the second master's child and have ignored her!"
Seeing this situation, Zhao Luoning knew that her mother - in - law wasn't going to reason.
She kept silent and just listened quietly, wanting to see what kind of scheme Lady Ji was up to.
"Go to the Buddhist hall and copy the 'Precepts for Women' a hundred times. You're not allowed to leave the Buddhist hall until you've finished copying."
Zhao Luoning looked up and wanted to argue further. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to her mind. She held back Caixue who was eager to speak and meekly accepted the punishment.
Then, Lady Ji, who was annoyed by the sight of her, didn't even say a polite word and just told her to go.
At the same time, fearing that she would run to Ji Shisu to inform him, Lady Ji also sent an old woman to follow her until she went to the Buddhist hall to accept the punishment.
Caixue was so angry that her face puffed up like a bun. Zhao Luoning was much calmer.
She had completely seen through her mother - in - law, Lady Ji.
Managing a big family like the Ji Mansion, the slightest carelessness could lead to mistakes.
In the past few years, Lady Ji must have been living on tenterhooks.
However, she was reluctant to give up power.
So, on the first day Zhao Luoning got married into the mansion, Lady Ji had given this heavy burden to her, hoping that this young lady who had been raised in seclusion would become her puppet.
Lady Ji hoped that the power to manage the Ji Mansion would still be in her own hands, but all the tiring and troublesome things would be borne by her daughter - in - law.
At first, she still pretended to be a good person and claimed to be instigated by the second Lady Ji.
But the truth was that Lady Ji was just using the second lady. The second lady was making waves in front, and Lady Ji was fanning the flames behind.
The incident of the vaginal bleeding was just like this. It was to intimidate Zhao Luoning.
However, Zhao Luoning, as a daughter - in - law, would never let such a mother - in - law have her way.
As Zhao Luoning's popularity in the mansion grew, as Ji Shisu repeatedly fell out with Lady Ji in order to protect Zhao Luoning.
As power and the hearts of the people were all moving towards Zhao Luoning and getting out of Lady Ji's control.
Lady Ji must have seen it and been anxious in her heart.
So, regardless of everything, she had charged Zhao Luoning with the crime of being a jealous woman.
Zhao Luoning never thought that her own abilities were a mistake.
She would never bow to incompetent people just to take care of their feelings.
When they arrived at the Buddhist hall, the person sent by Lady Ji left. Zhao Luoning looked at her back and coldly said,
"You can't have your cake and eat it too, mother - in - law."
"Miss, what did you say?"
Caixue didn't hear clearly and thought Zhao Luoning was talking to her.
"Nothing, Caixue. I'll go and copy the Buddhist scriptures. You go back to the room and pack our things. We may have to stay in this Buddhist hall for a long time."
When Ji Shisu rushed back to the Hibiscus Courtyard, he happened to meet Caixue who was coming to pack things for Zhao Luoning.
This was the first time Caixue felt happy when she saw Ji Shisu.
She quickly walked over and pleaded, "Second master, please go and save my miss."