Chapter 108: Volume One, Chapter 108: Hand Over the Seal

Volume One, Chapter 108: Hand Over the Seal

The Protector Duke and his wife made a tumult over fifty thousand taels of silver; Rong Ling Shan received the news from her brother, covered her face, and wept.

Rong Yan looked at his sister and said, "Don't be sad; sooner or later I will make mother proud of me."

Rong Ling Shan wiped her tears and said, "I just can't understand why father has become the way he is today; he wasn't like this before. What is it about Di Yue Nu that's so good, what mind‑clouding broth did he give him? Now he not only despises mother, he ignores you and me as well. Every time I see Rong Dai looking at me with smug satisfaction, it hurts me deeply."

Rong Yan fell silent for a long while, not knowing what to say. His earlier days had been too smooth, so when calamities came one after another, forcing him to mature instantly, he finally realized that some things and some people are not what they appear to be.

Why has father become the way he is today?

He thought perhaps it wasn't only because he was infatuated with Di Yue Nu; if that were the sole reason, when Di Yue Nu's looks were at their peak years ago, wouldn't the timing have been better, why wait until now?

There must be reasons here that he does not know.

"I'll go take a look." Rong Yan inhaled deeply, stood up, and said.

Rong Ling Shan seized him, "No, brother, have you forgotten mother's words? You must not go; your future is important now. If he pins a label of disobedient and unfilial on you, you won't be able to keep your post in the Imperial Dragon Guard."

Rong Yan, hearing that, clenched his teeth in frustration, hammered the table hard, his face turning dark as iron, yet he felt helpless; he was too weak to protect the one he needed to protect.

His elder sister was right; he must become stronger and more formidable.

The matter of fifty thousand taels of silver reached Rong Luoge the next day, not because Rong Ling Shan told her, but because the Duchess Who Guards the State ran through the streets, hair disheveled, shouting that the Protector Duke had forced his original wife to death for a concubine…

Rong Luoge didn't know whether to applaud her or give her a like.

Now the Protector Duke truly made a name for himself.

It wasn't surprising that the couple quarreled to this point; when the Imperial Dragon Guard was first established, Han Xinglan had said the Protector Duke wanted to intervene. Though he didn't get his way, the outcome shows it wasn't for Rong Yan; if not for Rong Yan, then it was for Rong Lang.

Chu Ke probably lost his last ounce of feeling for the Protector Duke because of this; otherwise he would never have caused such a scandal that became a joke throughout the capital.

When the Crown Prince returned, he saw Rong Luoge sitting by the window, a chessboard before her, black and white pieces locked in battle, a lone player with a look of deep grievance.

He walked over slowly, sat opposite her, and placed a black piece down.

Rong Luoge was startled when she saw the black piece placed, looked up, saw Han Xinglan opposite her, paused, then asked, "When did you return?"

"Just back. What were you so absorbed in just now?"

"Thinking of Di Yue Nu." Rong Luoge felt that if she didn't clarify the seal matter with Han Xinglan, she had a feeling that when Di Yue Nu reappeared, something unexpected would happen.

"Di Yue Nu?" Han Xinglan looked at Rong Luoge. "The person hasn't been recaptured yet; as long as they're still in the capital we can catch them, but if they've left the capital, then it's uncertain."

Beyond the capital, the world is vast; catching even one or two people is indeed difficult.

Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan and asked softly, "When does Xiao Shen plan to present the map?"

Han Xinglan, hearing that, looked at Rong Luoge and said, "In a day or two. Do you have any objections?"

Rong Luoge hesitated, looked at Han Xinglan, and asked, "Do you know Di Yue Nu's background?"

"Di Yue Nu's background? Why did you think of asking that?" Han Xinglan asked Rong Luoge, a bit surprised.

Rong Luoge didn't know how to answer at first; after thinking, she said, "I have an item belonging to Di Yue Nu."

"What item?" Han Xinglan laughed and asked casually, not taking it seriously, assuming it was just a petty trinket used in inner‑court rivalries. Before Rong Luoge could answer, he added, "Di Yue Nu's background has surely been concealed; its origin is dubious. I've already sent people to investigate, together with those probing the Qiongchuan Caravan. The agents haven't returned yet; once they do, we should have it figured out."

Listening to Han Xinglan, Rong Luoge was about seventy‑to‑eighty percent certain that even if the Protector Duke didn't know Di Yue Nu's former status as a Qingxuan Kingdom princess, he would at least be aware that her ties to the former princess were not insignificant.

If that were the case, it would also indirectly explain why a man as despicable as the Protector Duke could dote on Di Yue Nu for decades without wavering.

Does he only love a person?

Not necessarily.

Perhaps the Protector Duke also values the background behind Di Yue Nu.

Rong Luoge inhaled deeply, led Han Xinglan into the inner chamber, had him sit on the bedside couch, and herself went into the back room to fetch a palm‑sized brocade box.

Han Xinglan looked at the brocade box Rong Luoge placed on the table, eyeing it suspiciously, "What is this?"

"Open it and see." Rong Luoge hadn't intended to bring it out now; she had planned to wait a while longer until her feelings for Han Xinglan steadied.

But with Di Yue Nu and Hu Dachuan missing, Rong Luoge had no time to wait. She feared Prince Qi might act faster than Han Xinglan and be better prepared, leaving Han Xinglan caught off guard, which would be an unsightly scene.

Han Xinglan watched Rong Luoge's solemn expression, reached for the brocade box, opened it, and saw a seal inside. Upon seeing the seal, his expression shifted slightly; he lifted it, turned it over, and his face brightened. "Qingning Treasure Seal?"

Rong Luoge was also surprised, "You still recognize the characters of Qingxuan Kingdom?"

The two locked eyes, both eyes flashing with surprise.

Han Xinglan's mind raced. Since Rong Luoge said the seal belonged to Di Yue Nu, her identity was practically obvious; even if she wasn't the former princess, she must be someone very close to that princess, otherwise how could such a seal easily fall into anyone's hands?

"You—" Han Xinglan found it hard to express his current feelings, paused, then continued, "Do you know how much Qingxuan Kingdom offered as a bounty years ago for finding a seal like this?"

"I don't know." Rong Luoge shook her head. "What does the bounty have to do with me?"

Han Xinglan suddenly laughed, twirling the tiny seal in his hand, and said to Rong Luoge, "I've found you're truly my lucky star; ever since meeting you, my fortunes have turned, and everything goes smoothly."

Rong Luoge: …

Han Xinglan looked at Rong Luoge's slightly awkward expression, his smile growing, "You probably don't know, but this seal isn't only being hunted by people from Qingxuan Kingdom; even Consort Ming and her son have been searching for it in secret for years."

Hm?

Han Xinglan actually knows this?

So this seal holds another secret?