"Sorry, Brother Juan. I was the one who sent people to spread the news to the Wu family. I just can't bear the thought of you having a fiancée, even if it's just in name," Ning Ruonian said.
Love is selfish.
To hold on to her love, Ning Ruonian didn't mind using some small tricks.
This was also the biggest difference between her and Zhao Luoning.
Zhao Luoning was smart. She could win, and she wanted to win fair and square.
But Ning Ruonian was different.
She wasn't as noble as her sister.
All she knew was that for the things she wanted to protect, she'd do whatever it took. Who cared about winning fair and square? She didn't need it!
She came back this time to help her sister take revenge on their stepmother!
Once she became the eldest young mistress of the Ji family and had power and influence, she'd surely avenge all the humiliations they sisters had suffered back then!
When she returned to the Ji family, she'd already made up her mind.
Let her sister take the high - road.
She'd handle the shady and underhanded things.
This time, she'd be her sister's bodyguard!
---
Zhao Luoning sent a letter to Ji Shisu, asking him to accompany her back home.
When Ji Shisu received this letter, he was overjoyed. He grabbed Yu Chi and asked several times.
"Yu Chi, is this letter really from her?"
Yu Chi was getting a bit annoyed and nodded impatiently.
"Sir, you've asked so many times. It's indeed from the second young mistress. She needs you now. Hurry back."
Actually, Yu Chi was silently thinking, "Sir, if you don't go back soon, the whole house will be in chaos."
Yes, Yu Chi knew everything that had happened at home. Of course, he also knew Zhao Luoning's instruction: Don't tell the second master.
Caught between the second young mistress and the second master, Yu Chi was extremely frustrated. After much hesitation, he finally figured it out.
If he hid it from the second master, at most the second master would be angry.
But if he hid it from the second young mistress, and the second young mistress got angry, the second master would blame him too.
Well, let the second master make a sacrifice then.
Ji Shisu had been personally involved in clearing the roads with the servants these days. Hearing what Yu Chi said, he even borrowed a clean room from a household, washed up, and changed into a new set of clothes.
Clothes make the man. The suave Second Young Master Ji was back.
Zhao Luoning waited for him on the way back. She was afraid that Ji Shisu would rush back to the Ji Mansion first. If he knew everything, there would be chaos.
Ji Shisu completely misunderstood her intentions. From afar, he saw the Zhao family's carriage waiting by the roadside.
"Why is Zhao Luoning suddenly so nice to me? She even sent a carriage to pick me up?"
When he rode his horse closer, Zhao Luoning lifted the curtain, gave him a charming smile, and called out, "Second Master."
Since they were going back to the Zhao family, Zhao Luoning didn't wear any makeup. And since Ji Shisu had seen her natural face last time, she didn't bother to cover up. So this time, she didn't even wear a veil.
Zhao Luoning herself had no idea how attractive she was. Ji Shisu felt a rush of blood to his head and almost had a nosebleed.
Ji Shisu dismounted from his horse and couldn't help but beam with a big smile on his face.
"Ning'er, why are you here?"
"I've troubled the Second Master with my family's affairs. Since the Second Master is willing to come, I can't do much else. I can only come and pick you up."
What Zhao Luoning was really thinking was: If you go back and find out that I've given your concubine to your elder brother without telling you, you'll surely kill me!
Ji Shisu was over the moon at this moment.
It seemed that just doing something for Zhao Luoning would make her so easy - going.
Ji Shisu used to hate Zhao Luoyue very much. At first, when he heard that Zhao Luoyue was going to get married, he would surely scoff and say, "How blind must that man be?"
But now he was very grateful to Zhao Luoyue. He even wished the Zhao family would marry off a few more daughters.
Oh right.
There seemed to be two younger ones in the Zhao family who weren't married yet.
Zhao Luoming was from the second branch, and he had nothing to do with that.
But he could take care of Zhao Luojing! He was Zhao Luoning's younger brother. For her younger brother's wedding, Zhao Luoning would surely care more.
As long as he helped Zhao Luojing find a wife, Zhao Luoning would surely be more grateful to him!
Ji Shisu was daydreaming happily.
Zhao Luoning sat beside him and watched as the man's mouth had been grinning ever since he got on the carriage.
She was quite puzzled.
Had this man been frozen stupid while clearing the snow in the cold?
The Zhao Mansion
Knowing that Zhao Luoning was coming back, the Zhao family had already sent people to wait at the door. As soon as their carriage arrived, someone came forward to help carry the things.
At this time, the Zhao Mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers. Red lanterns were hung everywhere.
Before Zhao Luoning could even take a good rest, the servant who used to follow her came to complain to her.
"Miss, it's good that you're back. You don't know what this place has been like these two days. The second mistress has been arguing with the master about the betrothal gifts every day. The third young master doesn't understand anything. And when the second miss is unhappy, she takes it out on us servants. We've been looking forward to your return every day!"
There's no comparison, no harm. When Zhao Luoning got married before, since the whole family didn't pay much attention, it was all arranged by Zhao Luoning and "Zhao Luojing" themselves. Although it was hasty and she was neglected, everything was in good order and there were no mistakes.
Now, with the wedding approaching, the invitations hadn't been sent out, the banquet hadn't been prepared, and the people in charge were busy arguing. Even the servants couldn't stand it and were getting anxious.
Zhao Luoning didn't even have time to take a sip of water. She quickly called the mansion's steward and gave instructions.
"Time is tight now. First, go and arrange things according to the scale of my wedding back then. Hire the necessary cooks and prepare the banquet. Then go to the countryside and find some scholars who can write well and fast. Have them work overnight to write the invitations. Don't worry about spending a bit more money."
The steward was in a dilemma. "But we don't have a definite idea from the master and the second mistress about how big the banquet should be. It's hard to arrange the dishes and the staff."
"The size of the banquet isn't up to the second mistress. I didn't have many guests at my wedding, and there won't be many more this time," Zhao Luoning said bluntly. "You don't need to worry so much. Just do as I say."
The steward nodded in agreement after hearing this.
Ji Shisu watched from the side as Zhao Luoning remained calm in the face of the crisis and arranged everything in an orderly manner.
As soon as she came back, the Zhao family seemed to have found their backbone.
What was once in a complete mess instantly became well - organized.
No wonder Zhao Luoning was able to take on the heavy responsibility of being the mistress of the Ji family as soon as she arrived and manage all the affairs of the family in an orderly manner.
Ji Shisu felt a bit regretful.
He regretted that he had only enjoyed the convenience brought by her abilities in the past, without thinking about how she had developed them.
He had never thought about where her wisdom and tranquility, which didn't match her age, came from.
He had just habitually accepted her tolerance.
And he had only known to resent her coldness.
Zhao Luoning turned her head to look at Ji Shisu. Afraid that he might be bored, she complimented him. "The Second Master is really amazing. With the Second Master here to support me, these servants are much more obedient because of your face."
Zhao Luoning was really good at talking!
Although Ji Shisu knew she was just coaxing him, he still felt very happy.
Ji Shisu didn't know yet that there was a reason for Zhao Luoning's good attitude towards him.