This house in Fuxue Hutong was left in the capital by a retired cabinet minister from the previous dynasty. He sold it to a friend, reportedly a calligrapher and Jinshi (Jinshi) named Yao. This Jinshi's family was very wealthy, so he expanded the house, adding pavilions, terraces, attics, and courtyards to create a very elegant and charming atmosphere. Luo Shenyuan purchased the house from a descendant of this Jinshi Yao.
The courtyard where Yining currently resides has two entrances. The front entrance houses Luo Shenyuan's study and living room, with wing rooms on either side also providing rest areas. The back room has a small kitchen. The back entrance primarily houses Yining's residence, consisting of the main hall, two side chambers, and an annex. Several towering ancient cypresses, their trunks requiring several people to embrace, are planted in the front yard. The grounds are covered in greenery, with crabapples, crape myrtles, and phoenix-tail bamboo dotting the Taihu rocks. The scene is truly poetic, and although the vegetation has already yellowed at this time of year, it possesses a unique charm.
Yi Ning followed Luo Shenyuan through the Moon Gate. He was tall, and the bamboos planted along the path brushed against his shoulders. He reached out and held her, protecting her from the brush of the treetops. "This area is so overgrown with vegetation, I didn't think it could be changed, so I left it alone. If you don't like it, you can move it."
Yining turned her head to look at his big hand that was around her. The treetops brushed against his hand, which felt very wonderful, but he soon withdrew his hand.
It seems that she has really made up her mind to get along with her brother and sister?
Last night, Yi Ning seriously considered her feelings for him. Her dependence on him was indeed a product of admiration for her older brother, and a childhood of dependence. But when he approached her, she felt something strange. Perhaps it was this sudden change that caused this.
She looked at the grandeur of the mansion and was a little curious: "Third brother, how did you suddenly become so rich? How much silver do you have?"
Only someone close to you would ask you this directly, without any embellishment. Luo Shenyuan didn't think it was a big deal. He glanced at her and said, "Are you planning on my property?"
"I'm just asking out of curiosity. The Luo family's annual income is only five or six thousand taels, how come it becomes so extravagant in your hands... If you have any way to get rich, I'd like to hear it." Yi Ning had sixty thousand taels in his hand and was very interested in making money from money.
"You can't make that kind of money. It's a dicey business," Luo Shenyuan said, dismissing her idea. Seeking the skin of a tiger wasn't for her. She seemed resilient, but in reality, she was too naive for people like them. It wasn't that she was unworldly, but sometimes people were so different. How could the world of the inner chamber ladies be the same as theirs?
Luo Shenyuan never thought that these were that great. Although the money came easily, few people dared to do it, and not everyone could bear the psychological burden.
"Don't worry, I still remember what we said on the day of our wedding. If you really want to take care of it, I will ask the housekeeper to give you the account book." He said with another smile.
Yi Ning had no interest in managing his money, but she smiled and said, "Then just give me the account book."
As they talked, they walked to the door. There were several guards outside. When they saw Luo Shenyuan coming out, they bowed respectfully and said, "Sir."
These guards called him "Sir" instead of "Third Young Master". They must have been trained by him and only obeyed him.
Luo Shenyuan simply hummed a soft "hmm." He was cold and indifferent to his subordinates, but his tone when speaking to her was surprisingly gentle in comparison.
He took her to the main room.
Lin Hairu lived in the main house with Nan'er and their wet nurse. Luo Chengzhang's courtyard was right next to Lin Hairu's. Concubine Qiao and Luo Yilian lived in Shaoguang Pavilion, nestled in the peach orchard at the back. The eldest wife's family had lived in Fuxue Hutong since arriving in the capital, and Chen had also come along for the family reunion.
Lin Hairu, neatly dressed, sat in the main room, smiling at Yining with a kind smile that made her feel uneasy. Luo Chengzhang sat beside her, accepted the tea she offered him, and stiffly called her "father." He was supposed to give a red envelope after changing his words, but Luo Chengzhang didn't care and just gave her a red envelope.
Mother Lou, who was following behind Yining, looked at the red envelope, which was just wrapped in ordinary red paper, and her mind was clear as a mirror.
Lin Hairu was very happy: "Mei Jie'er, come here quickly!" She asked the maids to open the screen next to her and show her what she wanted to give her.
It was a rosewood step-out bed inlaid with pure gold reliefs, gleaming with gold. Yining approached and saw that the carvings depicted fertility and good fortune. The baby's belt was inlaid with rubies.
When Luo Chengzhang saw Lin Hairu's gift, his face became even uglier. He coughed several times in succession to ask Lin Hairu to be careful.
Lin Hairu was always slow to express dissatisfaction with her husband. She continued, "Yining, do you like it? I had the craftsmen make it specially. If you like it, you can move it into your house now! Look at how beautifully carved it is, the symbol of fertility and good fortune is! I specially found the best carpenter..."
Seeing Lin Hairu's admiring look on her face as if she was about to move them into her room, Yi Ning coughed until her face flushed red. "Mother, there's really no need! My bed is fine."
No wonder Luo Shenyuan said it was a generous gift!
She looked back at Luo Shenyuan, who had already sat down to drink tea. Lin Hairu didn't dare to talk to him like that.
"You don't like this style?" Lin Hairu saw that Yining looked dissatisfied, so she hesitated and said, "Actually, I don't really like the pattern of Guanyin delivering a child, but if you want to change it to this carving, that's fine too."
Yining clearly saw a smile on Luo Shenyuan's lips.
"No need to change it, I quite like this pattern..." Yi Ning said with a faint smile, "But moving the bed after a wedding is a big taboo. How about moving it to the warehouse first?"
Lin Hairu didn't know much about the various taboos, as merchants didn't have these taboos. The most they feared was that the bad feng shui of their ancestral graves would affect their fortunes.
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