Chapter 163: Volume 1, Chapter 163: The Result of Taking Sides

"Hard to say, but it happens to be a good opportunity to see," Han Xinglan said. The mess left behind by the Late Emperor was full of holes everywhere; patching it up would take not only time but also the right moment.

Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan thoughtfully. "If the north attacks the border, even if Xiao Shen and Liao Weijing are patrolling the border, they wouldn't have the authority to command the local government troops. If messages have to be relayed back and forth, a lot of time would be wasted on the road."

Han Xinglan looked at Rong Luoge and laughed. "You understand this too?"

Rong Luoge said, "I wouldn't call it understanding—it's just idle speculation."

Han Xinglan thought to himself that this idle speculation was quite sharp, and so he explained to her in detail, "When Xiao Shen leaves the capital, I will have him carry a secret edict granting him the authority to take over command of the local garrison on the spot."

Rong Luoge smiled and said, "Then there's nothing to worry about. I just don't know whether Xiao Shen can manage the Imperial Dragon Guards, but commanding tens of thousands of troops—I wonder if he's up to it."

Marching and fighting in war was not such a simple matter either. If reading a few military books were enough to make a battle commander, why would history have so many defeated generals?

"He won't be running everything single-handedly either. There will be local garrison commanders to assist him. As long as he doesn't act arrogantly, there won't be any major problems," Han Xinglan said.

Rong Luoge didn't know Xiao Shen very well, but hearing Han Xinglan say this put her somewhat at ease.

That day was so busy that her feet barely touched the ground. As they were talking, Rong Luoge unknowingly fell asleep leaning against Han Xinglan's chest.

Han Xinglan gently placed her on the couch, covered her with a brocade quilt, and lay down beside her to sleep.

With so many matters inside and outside the court, there was not a moment of leisure—it was truly exhausting.

Early the next morning, when Rong Luoge rose, Han Xinglan had already gone to morning court. She washed, dressed, and had breakfast, then first went to Fengyi Palace to help the Empress Dowager relocate her palace. When she arrived, the Empress Dowager was still eating breakfast, so she waited slowly in the outer hall.

The Empress Dowager took rather a long time with this breakfast, seemingly quite intent on leaving her cooling her heels.

Rong Luoge wasn't angry. With someone like the Empress Dowager, the angrier you got, the happier she would be, feeling she had gained the upper hand.

She sat as steady as a mountain, her expression leisurely and calm. When it came to patience, she certainly wouldn't lose.

When she didn't get to see Rong Luoge flustered and frustrated, the Empress Dowager found it pointless as well, and after finishing breakfast, she led her people toward Funing Palace.

Rong Luoge had prepared a soft palanquin, but the Empress Dowager refused to use it, insisting on walking step by step. Rong Luoge went along with it—at her age, how could she lose to the Empress Dowager?

Funing Palace was some distance from Fengyi Palace. The Empress Dowager was older, after all, and when they were more than halfway there, Rong Luoge noticed her breathing becoming labored. But she wasn't the charitable sort—not at this moment would she offer her own face for the Empress Dowager to slap.

Given the Empress Dowager's temperament, if she were to take the initiative and suggest the Empress Dowager ride the palanquin for the rest of the way, the Empress Dowager might seize on it and accuse her of ulterior motives.

With someone of the Empress Dowager's temperament, keeping one's distance was naturally the best strategy.

Since Rong Luoge wouldn't offer a way out, Yan Yin could only step forward and propose that the Empress Dowager ride the soft palanquin.

Rong Luoge put on an air of leaving it entirely up to the Empress Dowager, refusing to express any opinion. The Empress Dowager was so angry her face darkened, and she gritted her teeth and walked the rest of the way.

When they reached Funing Palace, the Empress Dowager sent Rong Luoge away without even letting her enter the hall.

Rong Luoge was glad of the leisure. Watching the Empress Dowager enter Funing Palace, her task was complete. With that, the great undertaking of palace relocation was entirely finished.

She returned to Yuzhao Gong and received news from Noble Consort Hui's side: her maiden family's brother and nephew were willing to take her back to be cared for.

Seeing how happy the wet nurse beside Noble Consort Hui looked, one could imagine just how overjoyed Noble Consort Hui must be right now.

Rong Luoge smiled and said, "Go back and tell Noble Consort Hui to prepare herself. The Liao family should come to take her out of the palace within the next few days."

The wet nurse left happily. When she returned to Dongming Hall and relayed the message, she saw Noble Consort Hui's eyes redden with joy and quickly said, "Noble Consort, this is a good thing—please don't cry."

"I'm not crying, I'm just happy. I never thought there would come a day when I could return to my maiden home. I always felt I might have to spend my twilight years in the temporary palace in desolation." How could Noble Consort Hui not be happy? Returning to her maiden home meant having family to keep her company. She had also accumulated quite a fortune over her many years in the palace, enough to live the rest of her days comfortably—wasn't that better than going to the temporary palace in bleak loneliness?

She thought again of Noble Consort Rong and said to the wet nurse beside her, "I truly didn't see it coming—Noble Consort Rong actually has a kind heart. If it were Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, she certainly wouldn't let me live so comfortably."

The wet nurse lowered her voice and said, "Please don't say such things, Your Ladyship. If someone overhears, it will cause trouble again."

Noble Consort Hui quickly nodded. "I won't say it, I won't say it. I'll be leaving the palace soon, and my days ahead will naturally be relaxed and easy. I'll remember this kindness from Noble Consort Rong—I just don't know how to repay her."

The wet nurse said, "There's no rush. If the Noble Consort ever needs your help in the future, you can lend your strength then."

"True enough—a person's life is long," Noble Consort Hui said happily. "Hurry and pack up our things. I'll just wait for my family to come fetch me. When the time comes, I'll return to the manor in grand style."

The news of Noble Consort Hui returning to the Liao family to be cared for was still a secret for now. Noble Consort Hui's side naturally didn't dare spread it—what if the Empress Dowager intervened to stop it?

Rong Luoge's side naturally wouldn't gossip either, and besides, she was currently busy with the matter of Song Huihe and the others entering the palace.

The path from Dong Gong to the Hou Gong was not far, and the palaces had all been prepared beforehand. Once the people were brought in, they could be sent directly to their respective palaces. The happiest was Qin Zhaohua—she felt that her Third Rank Zhaohua title had dropped from the sky, and she would wake up laughing in her dreams.

Xu Shuyuan was also happy. Her mind was more delicate than Qin Zhaohua's, and she sensed that their ranks being higher than expected was likely thanks to Noble Consort Rong.

So this was the result of taking sides last time?

Xu Shuyuan was a cautious person. After settling into Guanju Palace—which had once been the residence of Noble Consort Ming—she felt somewhat uneasy living there. After much thought, she went to find Qin Zhaohua.

Qin Zhaohua was staying at Changle Palace, which had once been the residence of the Virtuous Imperial Noble Consort. It had been beautifully appointed inside and out. She happily looked around, and when she heard Xu Shuyuan had come to visit, she hurried out to welcome her.

"Why has Sister Shuyuan come?" Qin Zhaohua said with a smile, ushering her in as she spoke. "I've just moved in and everything is still a mess—please don't mind it, Sister Shuyuan."

Xu Shuyuan looked at Qin Zhaohua's happy demeanor, pondering how to broach the subject. After they both sat down, she finally said, "Sister Zhaohua, regarding the conferral of ranks this time—what do you make of it?"

Qin Zhaohua was taken aback, then said, "Wasn't it conferred by His Majesty?"

Xu Shuyuan, seeing that she still hadn't figured it out, gave her a hint. "If it were His Majesty's intention, your and my ranks wouldn't have been conferred this way. You know very well the ranking order in Dong Gong, don't you?"