Luo Ning took a knife for the Empress Dowager and was severely wounded.
Her entire family gained wealth and honor because of her.
Her injuries, which affected her lungs, lingered, and she was sent to a warm estate in the south to recuperate for three years. When she returned, a Cousin had moved into her home.
The Cousin lived in Luo Ning's courtyard, used her monthly allowance, and had her Servants.
Luo Ning's parents and older brother doted on her, her grandmother admired her; even Luo Ning's childhood friend secretly admired her, saying she was superior to Luo Ning in every way.
The Empress Dowager had originally intended to bestow Luo Ning with the title of County Princess, but due to her mother's interference, the title fell to the Cousin.
Luo Ning couldn't bear it and made a huge fuss, but they said she had gone mad.
After Luo Ning was killed, the entire household breathed a sigh of relief, everyone feeling they had shed a burden.
Luo Ning was a ghost for eighteen years, watching the Marquis Manor slowly collapse, and all those who had wronged her die tragically. Then, she was reborn.
She was alive again.
"Miss, Thirty Li Shop is ahead. Would you like to get out and rest?" the coachman asked her.
Luo Ning shook her head, "No, let's go straight into the city."
She added, "Don't go back to the Marquis Manor, go to Anxingfang first."
The coachman didn't understand but followed her instructions.
One of the two Servants who returned with Luo Ning, named Qiuhua, asked, "Miss, what kind of place is Anxingfang?"
"It's the private residence of Eunuch Wei, who serves in the Empress Dowager's Palace," Luo Ning said.
Qiuhua was surprised, "You're going to see Eunuch Wei? Aren't you going home first to pay your respects to the Marquis and Madam?"
In her previous life, Luo Ning had gone straight home.
She encountered an incident.
It was also one of the reasons for her increasing difficulties later on.
Within a year, her two trusted Servants, Qiuhua and Qiulan, were successively murdered, severing her left and right arms, making her situation even more perilous.
"No hurry," Luo Ning said.
Getting out of the carriage at Anxingfang, Luo Ning personally knocked on the door.
Eunuch Wei was off duty today, tending to flowers and plants in his residence.
Upon hearing it was Luo Ning, he rushed out to greet her.
When Luo Ning took that knife, Eunuch Wei was also by the Empress Dowager's side and witnessed it firsthand.
"Miss Luo," he said, his face beaming, "I heard you went to recuperate. Are you well now?"
"I have fully recovered, thank you for your concern, Gonggong. I just entered the city today and wanted to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager first, but I'm afraid The Palace gates are deep…"
"This Servant will take you," Eunuch Wei said enthusiastically.
Luo Ning successfully reached Shoucheng Palace and met the Empress Dowager Cui.
The Empress Dowager never forgot their past connection.
"You seem to have grown taller. You've recuperated well, looking vibrant and pretty. This Empress Dowager is pleased," the Empress Dowager said, holding her hand.
In her previous life, after Luo Ning returned to the city, she repeatedly suggested visiting the Empress Dowager, but her mother forbade it.
"If you go before the Empress Dowager, it will just be to exploit her kindness for personal gain, and it will kill us," her mother had said.
The Empress Dowager sent people to inquire several times, but finding no way, her messages eventually ceased.
After Luo Ning's death, the Empress Dowager lit lamps at Fahua Temple for fifteen years, praying for her to have a good rebirth, with wealth and health.
Regaining her composure, Luo Ning squeezed the Empress Dowager's hand, "Your Majesty, this commoner is doing very well."
"Tell this Empress Dowager anything you desire."
"May I ask for the string of prayer beads on your wrist, Your Majesty? This commoner wishes to borrow the Buddha's light and your grace to ensure peace in her future," Luo Ning said.
She was neither polite nor evasive, which instead warmed the Empress Dowager's heart.
The Empress Dowager was eager to do something for Luo Ning.
She immediately took off the string of prayer beads she wore year-round on her wrist and gave them to Luo Ning.
They then chatted about trivial matters.
Luo Ning was not at all reserved, speaking cheerfully and fluently, telling the Empress Dowager various interesting stories from the southern estate.
Her words even held a hint of playfulness, making the Empress Dowager laugh heartily.
The Empress Dowager kept her for lunch.
Luo Ning was about to leave.
"I just entered the city gates and haven't yet paid my respects to my grandmother and parents. I will trouble the Empress Dowager another day," she said, rising to bow.
The Empress Dowager asked Eunuch Wei to escort her.
Luo Ning's objective achieved, she carefully put away the prayer beads and returned to Zhennan Marquis Manor.
The entrance to the Marquis Manor was very spacious, with a majestic gatehouse, a grand crimson platform, two imposing lion statues, and a heavy, tall vermilion gate with shining golden door knockers.
—Who would have thought that its owner was merely a third-rank military general just three years ago?
The plaque bearing "Zhennan Marquis Manor" was bestowed upon the Luo Family by the Emperor after Luo Ning took that knife, to show filial piety and commend Luo Ning for saving the Empress Dowager's life.
The residence was also an imperial gift.
This magnificent plaque, so pristine, was stained with Luo Ning's blood.
"Who's there?" A gatekeeper stopped them.
The coachman replied, "It's the Miss returning."
Luo Ning and Eunuch Wei rode in one carriage, while the two Servants sat outside.
The Servant Qiuhua said to the gatekeeper, "Quickly lower the threshold and let the Miss's carriage in."
The gatekeeper closed the gate again and went inside to report.
Seeing this, Eunuch Wei comforted Luo Ning, "Perhaps they haven't received word yet."
"Yes," Luo Ning said with a smile, "I'm sorry to make Gonggong wait with me."
"Waiting a bit is no bother; this Servant is here specifically to escort the Miss home today," Eunuch Wei said.
A moment later, a steward came out.
The steward's attitude was condescending, "Use the side gate on the west. The main gate's threshold cannot be lowered easily."
Qiuhua was immediately annoyed, "The Miss's return home is a major event; how can she use the side gate?"
Returning through the side gate would diminish her status.
The steward said, "Please forgive the Miss. These are the rules; the Marquis Manor is not what it used used to be. Carriages entering the gate always use the side gate."
He added, "The Miss hasn't been home for a long time; she'll gradually learn the rules later."
Qiulan was furious.
Eunuch Wei was surprised in his heart, but quickly understood.
It was nothing more than "ingratitude" and "burning bridges."
Eunuch Wei stepped out of the carriage, "Please ask Zhennan Marquis to come out. This humble one has an oral decree from the Empress Dowager."
The steward didn't recognize Eunuch Wei, but he recognized the first-rank eunuch's attire he wore, and his legs began to tremble in fright, "Old Gonggong, this, this…"
"Don't be rude! Go report quickly!"
Thus, when Luo Ning returned home after her rebirth, she was not forced to enter through the southwest side gate.
Her grandmother, parents, and elder brother and his wife all came out to greet her.
The Cousin, Bai Cirong, stood behind her mother, wearing a silver-red cloak, her appearance exquisite and her demeanor elegant, making her extremely striking.
In her previous life, Luo Ning was blocked at the entrance, and her carriage had to enter the manor through the side gate, which led to her being looked down upon by all the Servants in the manor.
Once she lost the dignity of a Miss, her path ahead was a step-by-step descent, where everyone could step on her.
In this life, at least the steward and Servants were clear that the Miss was not a pitiful wretch to be humiliated. If they wanted to bully her to curry favor with the Cousin, they would have to consider if they had a way out.
Tricky minor issues, resolve this first.
Luo Ning successfully entered Zhennan Marquis Manor, a place that belonged to her.
Eunuch Wei chatted for a few moments before returning to The Palace to report.
In her grandmother's Zheng Courtyard, her parents, elder brother and his wife, two aunts, Luo Ning, and other Cousins were all present, filling the room with lively chatter.
Everyone was laughing and talking.
It was as if the incident of Luo Ning being deliberately obstructed and blocked at the door by the small steward had never happened.
"How is A Ning's courtyard being prepared?" Her grandmother seemed a bit tired and wanted to dismiss everyone.
Her mother replied, "Hui Fu Courtyard has long been tidied up properly."
Everyone present's expressions tightened slightly.
Before Luo Ning left home, the Marquis Manor had already bestowed it upon her. She had lived there for three months at the time; the courtyard was Wenqi Courtyard.
Wenqi Courtyard had many rooms and a good location, second only to her grandmother's and parents' East Main Courtyard and West Main Courtyard.
"Mother, what about my Wenqi Courtyard?" Luo Ning asked.
Her mother smiled, "Wenqi Courtyard is currently occupied. Hui Fu Courtyard is just the same, behind the East Main Courtyard. You're back, and Mother wants to live close to you."
She spoke with extreme openness and as if it were perfectly natural.
As if there was nothing amiss.
Luo Ning did not question her as she had in her previous life, which had made her cry in front of her grandmother and father. Instead, she smiled, "I still prefer to live in Wenqi Courtyard.
I almost died back then, and only slowly recovered after moving into Wenqi Courtyard. That place is a blessed land for me. Since it's already occupied, I'll stay in Grandmother's warm room first, and move back once it's cleared out."
She then asked with a smile, "Such a good courtyard, who is living there? Has Big Brother and his wife moved in?"
Looking at her sister-in-law, "Sister-in-law, your sister won't be living at home for many more years. Can you dote on me a little? Once I marry out, the entire Marquis Manor will be yours. Why be in such a hurry now?"
The room fell silent once again.
"Sister, I am living in Wenqi Courtyard," the Cousin, Bai Cirong, replied with a smile from the side.