Chapter 103: Volume 1, Chapter 103: Take It Back from Rong Dai

Although Consort Ming was not a capricious person, this slap had come too quickly, and Rong Luoge felt there must be some other reason behind it.

If Consort Ming were ten or eight years younger, it might truly have been a fit of jealousy and temper.

But now she was getting on in years, her looks no longer what they once were, and her son was competing with the Crown Prince for the position of heir—no matter how one looked at it, she would not be so impulsive.

Moreover, regarding the matter of Di Yue Nu and Rong Dai, Consort Ming had been able to lay her plans for years without showing any sign, even willing to let her son marry the original host to claim the title of Princess Consort Qi as a decoy to mislead Rong Dai, and able to fight the Empress for so many years without losing ground, her imperial favor intact—how could she be a fool?

Back then, when Consort Zhong gained favor through her beauty, Consort Ming had gritted her teeth and endured until she gave birth, recovered her figure and looks, and won back the favor—only then did she kick Consort Zhong while she was down.

Rong Luoge kept feeling that something was not quite right about this matter, but because she had not seen it with her own eyes and only knew that Consort Ming had struck Liu Yingying, she did not know the specific reason.

"Does His Majesty know about this matter?" Rong Luoge asked after careful thought.

Que Cai shook her head. "When I received the news, His Majesty was reportedly still taking pills and had not appeared."

"And what about the Empress?" Rong Luoge asked again.

"After Consort Liu was struck, once Consort Ming left, she reportedly went to Fengyi Palace to ask the Empress to uphold justice, but no imperial decree has come down yet," Que Cai replied with her head lowered.

Hearing this, Rong Luoge knew the matter was indeed not simple. Given the Empress's temperament, if Consort Ming had been making trouble without cause, she would surely seize the leverage to suppress her at the first opportunity.

Now the Empress had not done so, which meant either Consort Ming had left no leverage in Liu Yingying's hands, or the Empress was joining forces with Liu Yingying to dig a pit for Consort Ming, waiting until the Emperor finished taking his pills before striking at Consort Ming.

"Look into the news carefully," Rong Luoge said with a wave of her hand. It was too late to think of anything now; she still had to wait for the Empress's next move to surface.

Que Cai acknowledged and withdrew.

Rong Luoge rose and stood before the window, carefully taking stock of recent events. The first thing that came to mind was that Dadongshan Si had been wiped out by Han Xinglan, and she wondered what reaction there had been from Di Yue Nu's side, and whether there was any movement from Liu Yuniang.

Rong Luoge told herself not to be anxious, to calm her mind and wait patiently. So she took out a copybook to trace characters—the tedious stroke by stroke always managed to quiet one's heart.

Guanju Palace.

"Mother." Prince Qi hurried into the palace, and upon stepping through the hall doors, he saw Consort Ming leisurely boiling water and brewing tea. The fragrance of tea filled the room, and exquisite, luxurious tea ware was arranged on the table—a sight that put one instantly at ease.

He had expected to find his mother frantic with worry upon entering the palace; he never imagined it would be like this.

Prince Qi's restless heart settled at once. He sat across from the tea table, reached for the pot, and first poured tea for his mother, then added a cup for himself.

One mouthful of tea down, and the last trace of agitation vanished entirely.

Consort Ming looked at her son. "At your age you still don't know how to conduct yourself—rushing in such a panic, what would it look like if the court officials saw you?"

Prince Qi showed a helpless smile. "Your son was worried about you."

"What is there to worry about? Your mother has lived in the Hou Gong for a lifetime—what demons and monsters have I not seen? The Empress thinks she can control me by bringing in a Liu Yingying? What a joke." Consort Ming gave a cold laugh, her striking features revealing a hint of killing intent.

"So today's matter was indeed deliberate?" Prince Qi said.

"Mm." Consort Ming gave a slight nod, a trace of helplessness showing on her face. "Your imperial father is now obsessed with the Dao of alchemy, and grows ever more absurd where women are concerned. Which of the palace maids serving in that Daoist temple is still clean? Originally this would not have mattered much to you, but the Crown Prince has been increasingly diligent of late, and your father is no longer as guarded against him as before—that is what works to your disadvantage."

Prince Qi lowered his eyes slightly. "So Mother struck at Consort Liu today to test Father's intentions?"

"Correct. I am a greatly favored consort—is it so wrong to show a little jealousy?" Consort Ming gave a light laugh. "Though your mother is no longer young and beautiful, when it comes to understanding your imperial father, even the Empress may not match me. But let us set that aside for now—how are things outside the palace?"

At this, Prince Qi's expression grew even uglier. "Dadongshan Si was wiped out entirely. I went there and didn't see so much as a hair of anyone—only devastation left behind."

Consort Ming's expression changed at once. "And the Qiongchuan merchant caravan?"

"Gone as well. No sign of the living, no trace of the dead." Prince Qi's face darkened as well when he mentioned this. "Mother, is the information you obtained really true? All these years, to obtain that seal, you did not hesitate to have Yuniang become your brother's kept woman, and even offended your sister-in-law over it—is that seal truly so useful?"

"I never told you the origin of that seal because you were still somewhat hot-headed and unable to keep your composure, but now the situation is dire and your mother can only tell you everything." Consort Ming's expression turned grave. "Di Yue Nu is a princess of the previous dynasty of Qingxuan, and the seal in her hands is a token of the former Crown Prince."

Prince Qi was startled. "Truly? Has the Qingxuan imperial family not long since eradicated every remnant of the previous dynasty?"

"How can such a thing be stated as yes or no? Every dynasty will always have a few loyal servants. Whether the former Crown Prince is alive or not is unknown, but Di Yue Nu is indeed a princess of the previous dynasty." Consort Ming raised her eyes to look at her son. "When Yuniang was young, she wandered in Qingxuan for a time. She was the one who recognized her—there can be no mistake."

Prince Qi was reeling from this revelation. "Then you had Yuniang get close to Di Yue Nu in order to obtain that seal?"

"It is said that seal can mobilize the former Crown Prince's private army. Your mother does not covet the seal herself; I simply thought that Di Yue Nu was truly useless—so many years and she never thought to use that seal to restore her dynasty and reclaim imperial power. Since it is wasted in her hands, it might as well be used to pave the way for us."

Prince Qi vaguely understood his mother's meaning. The expression on his face shifted continuously before he finally broke into a long smile. "If I can return the seal to the former Crown Prince and help him restore his dynasty, once he reclaims imperial power, he would naturally become my greatest ally."

"Exactly so." Consort Ming looked at her son with gratification. "Since you understand this point, spend these next few days coaxing that Rong Dai and see whether you can learn anything from her."

"I have probed Dai'er indirectly. She likely truly does not know of this matter—when I occasionally mentioned Qingxuan, she looked completely bewildered, not at all like she was pretending," Prince Qi said helplessly.

Consort Ming's brows furrowed tightly. "So much effort spent on her, and she turns out to be useless! We cannot sit and wait for death. Now that Dadongshan Si has been emptied, we must take it back from Rong Dai!"