Chapter 150: Volume 1, Chapter 150: The Empress Dowager Is Hard to Deal With

Rong Xin and the others quickly bowed and withdrew upon seeing this, gently closing the hall doors.

Rong Luoge had a mouthful of questions she wanted to ask, but this embrace scattered them all. She rested quietly against his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat, and her own heart instantly settled.

She rarely felt this nervous, but ever since the Late Emperor fell into a coma some time ago, she had often felt this way.

Now it had finally settled.

Han Xinglan held her for a good while, feeling the warmth of the person in his arms, before slowly letting go. He looked down at her expression and noticed she had thinned slightly, knowing she must have been worrying endlessly about him during this time at the Dong Gong.

Rong Luoge took the opportunity to study Han Xinglan as well. She saw that his cheeks were slightly sunken and his eyes were bloodshot. Though his spirits were passable, one look told her he had not properly rested in a long time.

Rong Luoge quickly pulled him to sit down and said with great concern, "How did you wear yourself down to this state these past days?"

Han Xinglan found her words and tone very familiar. She had not grown distant or fearful because he had become emperor—she was just the same as always.

A trace of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "It's fine. It wasn't just me; everyone has been pushing through like this."

Rong Luoge sighed. "Now that things have settled, you need to take good care of yourself."

Han Xinglan nodded and said with a smile, "I'll listen to you on everything. Have you gotten used to it since coming in?"

Rong Luoge thought for a moment and said, "Habituated and yet not habituated. Whether it's Yuzhao Gong or Hanliang Hall, both are unfamiliar places. But unfamiliar places furnished with things I like—I knew that was your thoughtfulness, so naturally I became accustomed."

Han Xinglan was pleased. It was not for nothing that he had specially set aside time to carefully instruct the people of the Inner Court Office to attend to these trifling matters.

Only then did Rong Luoge have the chance to ask Han Xinglan about what had happened before. The main thing was that matters had progressed smoothly, which was rather different from what she had anticipated.

Han Xinglan looked at Rong Luoge. "This is all thanks to you. Xiao Shen personally went to persuade the Three Great Camps. Faced with the divine weapons in Xiao Shen's hands, who wouldn't be wary and want them? I can give them these things; Prince Qi cannot. Those men wavered only to secure greater benefits for themselves."

Rong Luoge had not expected Xiao Shen to personally step forward to persuade them, so she said with a smile, "Commander Xiao has truly contributed great effort. Your Majesty must reward him well."

"Did the Late Emperor ever wake up after falling into a coma?" Rong Luoge asked.

Han Xinglan nodded. "He woke once, but Han Yifeng and I were on night watch at the time. Han Yifeng probably did not want to see my face, so he sat in the outer hall while I was in the inner hall."

Rong Luoge understood at once. "So Han Yifeng didn't know about the Late Emperor waking up?"

Han Xinglan nodded. "That's right. After all, he only woke for a brief moment and fell back asleep in an instant."

Han Xinglan's tone was utterly calm when speaking of this, but in his mind he recalled his father's fury at seeing only him standing guard in the inner hall. His father had even tremblingly raised his arm and told him to get out.

Of course Han Xinglan would not leave. He stood before the bed, looking down at his father from above, and said softly, "Father, you never expected you would have a day like this, did you? It's just a pity that the son you favor most has no wish to stay and watch over you. Only this son you despise is here to see you on your way."

Only at this moment did the hatred and loathing in Han Xinglan's eyes reveal themselves without any concealment. He smiled with biting irony and satisfaction. "The Xiao Shen you personally promoted is actually my man. The Three Great Camps of the capital have also pledged their loyalty to me. Even that assassination attempt back then was arranged by my own hand. You never expected that, did you?"

The Late Emperor stared at him with wide eyes, his whole body trembling and his face turning livid with rage. He seemed to want to say something, but in his fury the anger rushed to his heart. His body could not withstand such agitation to begin with, and he immediately fainted again.

This time, he never woke again.

Han Xinglan had no desire to be an unfilial son, but if the father is without compassion, the son naturally will be unfilial.

Was he expected to obediently offer his own head to Han Yifeng?

That was impossible.

Rong Luoge saw that Han Xinglan's expression was not good, so she did not press further. She knew something unpleasant must have happened then, so she changed the subject and said, "You were in such a hurry to have me come—is it about the Hou Gong? What can I help you with?"

Han Xinglan pulled his thoughts back at these words. He held Rong Luoge's hand and lay back against the soft pillow. Closing his eyes, he rested while slowly saying, "The widowed consorts in the palace need to be resettled. I have no time to handle this matter, so I can only entrust it to you."

"How should they be handled?" Rong Luoge, seeing how exhausted he was, gently massaged his temples to ease his fatigue.

"According to the rules, those without children are to be sent to the imperial villa, and those with children are to return to their sons' residences to be honored and cared for. But for now, we won't let them go back." Han Xinglan said indifferently, speaking without any emotion, as if discussing something of no consequence.

Rong Luoge nodded. She understood Han Xinglan's meaning. The court situation was still unstable. At the very least, they had to wait until the new emperor's coffin was sent to the imperial mausoleum and the formal enthronement ceremony was held before releasing anyone.

Moreover, Consort Ming and Han Yifeng were not the type to meekly surrender. This time Han Xinglan had acted swiftly and deployed properly, and the Late Emperor's coma had come so suddenly that Han Yifeng had not been able to wait for reinforcements like Di Yue Nu and the others.

If they let the people go back, there was no telling what Han Yifeng might do. Naturally, they had to keep Consort Ming in the palace first—only then would Han Yifeng behave.

"I understand." Rong Luoge nodded. Remembering something, she looked at Han Xinglan and asked, "Then how should their palaces be arranged? It would no longer be appropriate for the Empress Dowager to keep staying at Fengyi Palace. And when Song the Good Lady and the others enter the palace, they will need places to live as well, so all the widowed consorts must be moved."

Han Xinglan paused. "Invite the Empress Dowager to relocate to Funing Palace. That is where the empresses dowager of past dynasties have resided. Consort Ming is to move to Jinhua Hall, the Worthy Consort to Yongyan Hall, the Virtuous Consort to Guangming Hall, Consort Hui… to Dongming Hall. As for the other consorts, they already live in remote quarters and need not be moved for now."

Rong Luoge was startled. The rest was manageable, but Jinhua Hall, where Consort Ming was being moved, could be considered the most remote palace among the four consorts' relocations.

Han Xinglan did not conceal his disgust in the slightest, showing that he truly had not a shred of affection for Consort Ming and her son.

Rong Luoge certainly had no sympathy for them. She thought for a moment and said, "Alright. I'll start on this today. Once the widowed consorts have moved palaces, when will the others from the Dong Gong be brought in?"

Han Xinglan frowned slightly. "We'll talk after the major matters have passed. No rush."

Rong Luoge thought of Song Huihe, who had been jumping up and down with activity. If she learned this news, she would probably be so furious she'd spit blood.

What a delightful decision indeed.

However, there was still the Empress Dowager's side. Rong Luoge felt it would certainly be very hard to deal with—after all, the Empress Dowager had never liked her.