Chapter 115: Volume 1, Chapter 115: On What Grounds Do I Take the Risk for Her?

Rong Luoge said, "Probably it's a farewell, after all she's going to follow Mrs. Ming back to Jiangdong."

Han Xinglan instructed, "Then take a few people with you to protect you from the shadows."

Rong Luoge nodded, "Alright."

Early the next morning, Han Xinglan still went to the court to act as a wooden post, but with Xiao Shen there, the court's fun has become ever greater, and his room for maneuver has also expanded.

Han Xinglan is now far more eager to attend court than before; when he left, Rong Luoge was still asleep, and opened her eyes at the sound. He looked at her and said, "You keep sleeping; I'm going to court now."

Rong Luoge thought for a moment and sat up, "I'll see you off."

She, as a Good Lady, is truly lazy; she sleeps later than the Crown Prince and wakes later than the Crown Prince. If the Empress Mother found out, she'd surely be punished to kneel for a day.

"Stop fussing; after you see me off, aren't you going to come back and keep sleeping?" Han Xinglan pushed her back, then smiled and left.

Rong Luoge leaned on the headboard, watching his back; meeting him could be considered her luck.

She felt no drowsiness at all, so she simply got up; she still had to meet Ming Yuhua today.

Rong Luoge had breakfast, changed into light clothing, and slipped away with the others through the side gate of Dong Gong.

The appointed time with Ming Yuhua was still far off, so she first went to the old residence to see Cangyun, then took a tour around the house in Xi Cheng. In Xi Cheng she has her dowry and estates; He Huai and Jing Chu, besides handling her orders, also help manage the dowry. Xi Cheng is much livelier than the old residence.

After finishing her round, she even went to Liu Yuniang's house, but unfortunately it was empty; He Huai explained that Ming Zan had taken the people away.

Tsk tsk, they really are impatient.

He Huai and Jing Chu plan to open a few shops; they haven't decided what kind yet. Rong Luoge told them to make their own decisions and report back to her once settled.

With such a carefree mistress, He Huai and Jing Chu became even more attentive.

When the time was about right, Rong Luoge went to the place arranged with Ming Yuhua; by the time she arrived, Ming Yuhua was already there.

She entered, sat down, and Ming Yuhua looked much thinner, no longer as flamboyant as before.

"You don't seem to be in good spirits," Rong Luoge asked with a hint of concern.

Ming Yuhua glared at her, and after a moment sighed, "It's not great. Whenever I think about going to Jiangdong later versus staying comfortable in the capital, I get very irritable."

"Then you could stay; you're already so grown, staying in the capital isn't impossible," Rong Luoge said.

Ming Yuhua grew even more despondent, lifted a teacup to pour for both, and said in a low mood, "I don't know what my father is thinking; is Liu Yuniang really that good? He'd rather divorce my mother to be with her."

"Men always think the unattainable is the best. Besides, Mrs. Ming might live better after leaving him."

"Not everyone is as fortunate as you," Ming Yuhua said, looking at Rong Luoge.

How many people in this world, after a divorce, can still become the Crown Prince's Good Lady?

Her mother is already at that age; after divorcing her father, she'd essentially spend her whole life alone—how could she possibly remarry?

What's so good about returning to Jiangdong?

Without any utilitarian value, taking her siblings back, how could her mother, back at her natal home, hold herself upright in life?

Ming Yuhua doesn't want to return to Jiangdong; she grew up in the capital, isn't close to her maternal grandmother there, the two places are far apart, and she's only gone back once, so she has little feeling; how could she manage well?

She was very annoyed inside, not knowing whom to confide in; after much thought, she realized that after all these years in the capital, only Rong Luoge was someone she could talk to—truly ironic.

"Then what do you think? If you don't go back, Mrs. Ming would probably disagree," Rong Luoge never offers random ideas on such matters; this concerns someone else's life.

"I just don't know, I'm irritated and don't know whom to tell, so I wanted to talk to you; I thought you wouldn't even pay attention to me."

Rong Luoge: …

There's a reason this person can't make friends!

"Why does Mrs. Ming insist on returning to Jiangdong? She could have you and your brother live in the capital," Rong Luoge asked. Someone like Mrs. Ming, even if divorced from Ming Zan, has a substantial dowry, so even without returning she could live well.

"I don't know either, but my mother insists on returning to Jiangdong," Ming Yuhua said.

Rong Luoge saw her expression was indeed poor; she probably had tried to persuade Mrs. Ming, but failed.

"Did you know Liu Yuniang has already moved out of Xi Cheng?" Ming Yuhua asked Rong Luoge.

Rong Luoge nodded, "I just found out too—where did she go?"

Ming Yuhua fell silent for a moment, "It's not far from the General's mansion, but my elder brother is in the residence, so mother and son can't get in."

A father like that is truly better off not existing.

Rong Luoge looked at Ming Yuhua, "Just pretend he never existed."

Ming Yuhua: …

Is that really comforting?

"I want to marry, so I won't have to return to Jiangdong. Can you help me?" Ming Yuhua gritted her teeth and voiced her plan.

Rong Luoge was so startled she almost threw the teacup she held onto the floor, "Do you know what you're saying?"

Not to mention in this era, even as a matchmaker in later times you'd need to know the background thoroughly.

"Of course I know, but besides you I have no one else to beg," Ming Yuhua said dejectedly.

Rong Luoge was headache‑stricken; she hadn't expected Ming Yuhua to prefer marriage rather than returning to Jiangdong.

"Even if you want to marry, your marriage must be approved by Mrs. Ming."

Ming Yuhua wanted to say she certainly knew, but if Rong Luoge were willing to act as a Good Lady, her mother's obstacle could be cleared.

But on second thought, on what basis does Rong Luoge take that risk for her?

"Forget it, pretend I never said anything," Ming Yuhua perked up, "I came to you also because I have news. I learned from that little brat of Liu Yuniang that Di Yue Nu disappeared after meeting her."

Rong Luoge was startled, "Really?"

Ming Yuhua nodded, "It should be true; that little brat has seen Di Yue Nu, after all he followed his mother a few times, he wouldn't mistake her."

Rong Luoge looked at Ming Yuhua and asked, "What did Di Yue Nu go to see Liu Yuniang for?"

"I don't know; the little brat probably didn't hear, so can't say," Ming Yuhua looked up at Rong Luoge, "If I go with my mother, the capital will only have my elder brother and sister‑in‑law; I'm afraid my father might do some shady things. I want… I want to ask you to look after me a bit. I know this sounds shameless, but I truly have no one else to turn to."

Rong Luoge, seeing Ming Yuhua's distress, thought for a moment and said, "Don't rush. Let me see if there's another way. Hold off on Mrs. Ming for now; don't hurry to leave. I'll try to find a way to keep you all."