Chapter 100: Volume 1, Chapter 100 — The Empress's Vicious Schemes

Rong Luoge had a vague feeling that the Empress wanted to use her womb to stir up trouble, and her opinion of the Empress plummeted straight down, yet she revealed not the slightest hint of it on her face, still speaking with the Empress with a calm expression.

The Empress mostly asked about matters of the Dong Gong, and at the end, looking at Rong Luoge, she said, "The Dong Gong is still too empty now. Since you have become a Good Lady, you ought to properly urge the Crown Prince to take in a few more people, so as to spread branches and leaves."

Rong Luoge:...

Why must women make things difficult for women? The Empress had spent her whole life scheming against the consorts of the Hou Gong — was that not enough? Was this a rhythm of dragging her down to sink together with her?

"You speak truly, Your Highness. After all, I am someone who has been divorced before, and I follow His Highness in constant trepidation, so I have always urged him to take in new people..." Rong Luoge said this far with a stiff smile on her face, then sighed softly, "Your Highness, you know His Highness's temperament — how could I possibly persuade him? Instead, I only managed to annoy His Highness over it; the day before yesterday, His Highness slept in the front hall."

The day before yesterday was the day Han Xinglan was injured.

If not for that as a catalyst, the two of them might still have been in a cooperative relationship now.

The Empress carefully scrutinized Rong Luoge's expression, and hearing her speak with such apparent sincerity, she did not suspect anything — after all, she still knew a thing or two about her own son's temperament.

"What should be urged still must be urged. This is also your duty as a Good Lady."

Rong Luoge sneered inwardly — she did not see the Empress urging His Majesty to dote more on the Crown Prince; as the mistress of the six palaces and as a mother, was the Empress not even more responsible?

"You speak truly, Your Highness. I will certainly properly advise His Highness when I return," Rong Luoge said earnestly.

Anyway, agreeing in words would not cost her any flesh. Besides, Han Xinglan — if not for his entire life, then at least for the next few years — would absolutely not do such a thing. She had confidence in her heart, so naturally she did not care about the Empress's words here.

The Empress, seeing that Rong Luoge's attitude was not bad, said, "That is right. When the Crown Prince does well, it benefits you too."

"Yes," Rong Luoge replied with a smile, then brought up the main matter she had come for today. "I heard that Consort Zhong has become pregnant, so I wished to ask Your Highness — should I send a congratulatory gift over?"

By rights, they were the younger generation, so naturally they need not send a gift. However, Han Xinglan was also the heir apparent — if they did not send one, would people suspect him of disliking the child in Consort Zhong's womb?

That would not be good for Han Xinglan's reputation.

The Empress glanced at Rong Luoge with some surprise, rather satisfied that she was so concerned about the Crown Prince's affairs, and nodded slowly, saying, "More gifts offend no one — just send one. But do not send food or anything that might easily invite taboo."

Rong Luoge noted it down, and seeing that the Empress had nothing further to say, she rose to take her leave.

The Empress clearly had no intention of keeping her either, and waved her hand to dismiss her.

When Rong Luoge came out, she did not encounter Yan Yin — she did not know whether the earlier matter was somewhat troublesome, or whether there were other arrangements to be made.

It was a bit of a pity that she did not see Yan Yin and could not glean some news from her.

Emerging from Fengyi Palace, the clouds had already dispersed, and the sky had returned to clear blue, as if that downpour had been nothing but a dream.

Rong Luoge's mood was not particularly good. Thinking of the Empress's words, she felt the woman was treating her like a fool.

Returning all the way to the Dong Gong, Rong Luoge took out the storehouse ledger and examined it carefully, selecting a jade ornament symbolizing "all things as you wish" from it, and had Que Cai take the item over to Consort Zhong's place.

"Remember to have the gift go through proper channels — have someone inspect it for problems before it reaches Consort Zhong's hands." Even if the Empress had not reminded her, she would still be extremely careful.

Besides, the Empress was not concerned about her — she was worried that she might implicate the Crown Prince.

Rong Luoge also thought of Consort Zhong — she just did not know whether the Empress's protecting Consort Zhong like this was also because she wanted to use Consort Zhong's womb to scheme something.

Just as the Empress, with a kindly and benevolent face, urged her to drink the tonic from the Imperial Hospital and urged her to conceive the Crown Prince's child early — if not for her detecting today that the Empress had other plans, she might truly have thought this was a good Empress who single-mindedly hoped for grandchildren.

There was also Liu Yingying, who had twisted her ankle and chanced upon His Majesty today — she suspected that was likely the Empress's doing.

"Rong Xin."

"This servant is here."

"Go and inquire about that Liu Yingying from today." Rong Luoge certainly did not trust the Empress — who knew how many of the words coming from her mouth were true? She still needed to investigate on her own.

"Yes, this servant will go right away."

Rong Luoge rose and stood before the window. It was nearly noon, and she did not know whether the Crown Prince would return for the meal — today's turmoil in the court was considerable, so he probably could not get away.

Rong Luoge calmed her mind and continued taking out the blueprints to trace. Many figures needed to be weighed repeatedly, and this was not an easy task for her either.

Que Cai returned very quickly, and seeing the Good Lady drawing, she did not dare disturb her. She stood quietly at the doorway, waiting until the Good Lady set down her brush, then hurried forward to report, "Good Lady, the gift has been delivered."

Rong Luoge rose and stretched her neck and shoulders. Que Cai immediately went up and had the Good Lady sit down, massaging her shoulders to ease the tension.

Rong Luoge gave a comfortable sigh. "How is Consort Zhong's situation?"

"She does not look very well — there are dark circles under her eyes, clearly she cannot sleep peacefully. And this servant felt that for someone who is pregnant, she was even thinner than when I last saw her." Que Cai shook her head and said, "When this servant went, there were hardly any palace attendants serving in Consort Zhong's Tingfeng Pavilion."

Rong Luoge was somewhat surprised. "Could it be that His Majesty still does not know about Consort Zhong's pregnancy?"

"This servant does not know. However, Consort Zhong has never had much favor with His Majesty, so even if His Majesty knew, he might not pay it any mind," Que Cai said. "Besides, there is also Consort Ming speaking before His Majesty."

"That is quite pitiful." Rong Luoge thought to herself that in this Hou Gong, beauty alone was not enough for a woman — being able to conceive was not enough either. One also needed the fortune to give birth, and after giving birth, the ability to raise the child to adulthood.

The princes raised by the Emperor were only this few — could it really be that only these few consorts had become pregnant?

Of course not — it was just that the other children did not have the fortune to be born, and even those born might not have the fortune to grow up.

Thinking of this, Rong Luoge recalled what the Empress had said to her today, and her disgust deepened. If one day she became pregnant and the Empress tried to do something with the child in her womb, she would fight the Empress to the death.

"Was it not said that Her Highness the Empress was protecting Consort Zhong? Why does it seem as though Consort Zhong's situation has not changed at all?" Rong Luoge asked, somewhat puzzled.

Que Cai thought for a moment before saying, "Her Highness the Empress likely has concerns."

Rong Luoge gave a light laugh. What was there that could not be said? It was simply because the Crown Prince was born of the Empress — those of them in the Dong Gong naturally could not speak ill of the Empress.

"I understand." Rong Luoge mused that Consort Zhong's side might not necessarily be impossible to develop. In a desperate situation, Consort Zhong would presumably be willing to establish a connection with her for the sake of her child.

It was just a matter of how to do it — she still needed to think it through carefully.

Right now, the Empress treated her as a plaything of the Dong Gong. She could be certain that once the Crown Prince ascended the throne and the Empress became the Empress Dowager, she, this Good Lady, would likely be the first stain the Empress sought to erase.

Before that happened, she needed to do something.