As Luo Qing Luan was busy making her grand plans and hiring her ‘laborers’, her wedding date, the twenty sixth day of the lunar year was coming close.
Luo Cheng was increasingly aware of Luo Qing Luan’s importance. Especially after Jiang Yu kept talking to him. He was also aware that he had paid too little attention to Luo Qing Luan, and began to regret. In the past where Wang Xue Ru and Luo Qing Shuang did those things, he had no idea. He had not minded it at all.
Because his beloved wife had passed away, Luo Cheng had taken it out of Luo Qing Luan for more than ten years. He was only now that he knew that it was all because of his concubine, Wang Xue Ru. His heart had changed, and now looked at people different. His daughter, Qing Shuang, who had married out, seemed like she never came back to the residence. Much less was to be said about filial piety towards him. Although Luo Cheng never mentioned it, he minded it greatly.
His second daughter, Luo Qing Luan, was actually getting better. Not only did the prince ask for her hand in marriage, she had even helped him get three concubines. Every time he was with Jiang Yu, Zhang and the others and felt like they were gentle and smart, he would inadvertently think of treating Luo Qing Luan better.
However, what gave him a headache was that Luo Qing Luan didn’t seem to be close to him.
He couldn’t find faults with her respect towards him or her filial piety, but Luo Qing Luan rarely spoke to him. She would leave after finishing business, and less could be said about her smile. Luo Cheng also remembered how he had treated her quite poorly in the past, and how it was fair that she would be dissatisfied with him. He had thought of changing and sending her quite a few gifts. He had even refurbished her home, but Luo Qing Luan was neither hot nor cold towards him.
When the madame of the Luo family came back from the temple in Country Pu, Luo Cheng shared the situation with her.
“Mother, I’ll have to trouble you to speak a few words to Luo Qing Luan. Your son is truly out of options.” Luo Cheng said, crestfallen.
Madam Luo sat on the yellow rosewood rose chair, glancing at Luo Cheng as he complained, “So you’re aware now? I told you long before that Wang Shi is harsh to others. Qing Shuang, who was perfectly fine, was ruined by them. You just refused to listen to me. Now you know that your second daughter is good? But she no longer feels close to you. How big of a failure of a father are you?”
She would have to go cleanse herself periodically, and Madame Luo was dressed cleanly. She was in a dark cyan garb and on her head was a silver hairpin stuck into her hair. Aside from a jasper bracelet handing on her wrist, she was not adorned with anything else. She was already an old person, hair filled with white and face covered with wrinkles, but in her eyes was a gentleness that would cause others to see her tenderly and helplessly.
If it was not because she had seen how much Luo Cheng did not care about Wang Xue Ru bullying Luo Qing Luan year after year, Madame Luo would not have hidden herself in the temple. This time, once she knew that her second granddaughter, who had always been bullied, was marrying the first prince and that even Luo Cheng had changed his attitude towards her, Madame Luo was extremely gratified.
“Mother, I know that I’ve neglected Qing Luo in the past, which is why I want to make up for it now. But Luo Qing Luan has never accepted any of the items that I’ve sent to her.”
He pointed at some folds of cloth on the table, along with some nourishing beauty products that some girls fancied and Luo Cheng sighed, “I, your son, really tried my best. I hoped that she wouldn’t hold a grudge. It’s just nice that Mother, you’re back today. You used to be rather good to Luo Qing Luan and she’ll definitely listen to you. Mother, help me say a few words to her. She’s going to be married off woon. If others happen to notice something, I’m afraid…”
“So you finally know the urgency?”
Madam Luo’s expression was dark, but she loosened up shortly after, saying gently, “On account of your wife who passed away, I’ll help you say a few words. Whether or not Luo Qnig Luan, that kid, listens to this grandmother of hers, I do not know.
Luo Cheng smiled and saw Madame Luo moving to stand, so he hurriedly went to support her, “Mother, go slowly. As long as you do something, it will definitely be fine. Qing Luan has liked you the most since she was young. If you speak, she will definitely listen.”
“Sigh, if it were not because her mother passed on early, how would things be this way…” Madame Luo shook her head, somewhat rueful.
Luo Cheng’s heart skipped a beat and hurriedly changed the topic. He inwardly celebrated the fact that he already suspected
In any case, he no longer went to the Yilan courtyard anymore. Wang Shi… he could do as he pleased.
……
From far away, Madame Luo heard noisy sounds coming from in front of her. It was coming from Yilan’s courtyard.
With a frown, she naturally guessed that Wang Shi was unhappy again and taking it out on her servants by punishing them. Only then would it cause such chaos. She had never liked her. Although Wang Shi was respectful in front of her, she would secretly oppose her and never respected her. Otherwise, why would she have been so angered as to leave?
When she saw that her son, Luo Cheng, no longer took the advice of Wang Shi, Mamade Luo was even happier as she went on her way. Ignoring it and finding his pious heart once again, she made a wish to buddha before hurriedly said a few chants of “amitabha, I’ve sinned, I’ve sinned”, before heaving a sigh of relief.
“Let’s go, we’ll head to Second Young Miss’ courtyard.” She said.
“Yes, Madame.” The servant girls said respectful as she held the gifts in their hands.