Chapter 180: Volume 1, Chapter 180  The Empress Dowager Is Truly Stupid

In the Purple Imperial Hall, Han Xinglan was reviewing memorials, while Shi An knelt on the ground unmoving, head bowed, staring at the floor without speaking.

After a while, Han Xinglan finished the documents in his hand without raising his head, then finally spoke: "Go to Funing Palace. Say that I am too busy with state affairs to visit my cousin. Since the cousin has entered the palace, she should stay in Funing Palace, calmly accompanying the Empress Dowager."

Shi An pondered His Majesty's words: keeping the Miss of the Su family safely in Funing Palace means she should not wander out without business. His Majesty indeed has many court affairs to approve, but he is not truly so busy that he lacks even time for a meal; it is clearly an excuse to avoid Funing Palace.

"Yes, I will go at once," Shi An immediately bowed and left for Funing Palace.

When the time was right, Han Xinglan prepared to go to Yuzhao Gong to dine with Rong Luoge, but the Minister of Works requested an audience, so he could only send someone to deliver a message to Yuzhao Gong, and then met Wu Lu.

Wu Lu entered, bowed his head, and, suppressing excitement in his tone, said: "His Majesty, the method of assembly‑line production is indeed feasible. After carefully comparing the work of the past few days, I find it truly boosts speed. Previously, making paper armor by the old method yielded a few hundred pieces per day; with the current assembly‑line process we can produce nearly a thousand, more than double."

Han Xinglan's eyes brightened at this and asked, "Really?"

"Yes, it's still the result of craftsmen mastering the technique over a few days. If it continues, speed can surely increase further, and supplying the army with paper armor will be solved." Wu Lu was somewhat moved; there are many capable people around His Majesty, and he did not know which master devised the method.

Han Xinglan was, of course, very pleased: "Besides paper armor, other weapons can also be experimented with; once results are in, we'll report back."

Wu Lu immediately agreed; this is a great boon—who in the Ministry of Works will dare call it a useless department again?

The Ministry of Works is about to turn the tide, and the Office of Official Construction has been restless these days, even sending spies into the Ministry to gather information—do they think it's just a decoration?

Wu Lu took a step forward, and immediately the chief of the Office of Official Construction requested an audience.

Han Xinglan's mouth twitched slightly, "They can't sit still, huh."

Han Xinglan was so busy that everything turned like a gear; in Yuzhao Gong, Rong Luoge ate well, drank well, and was in a wonderful mood.

Su Ying entered the palace; the Empress Dowager invited Han Xinglan to dine, suspecting impure motives at a glance, but Han Xinglan declined.

Rong Luoge was delighted, not because she had asked Han Xinglan to do so, but because he took the initiative himself.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Funing Palace was far from pleasant; the Empress Dowager suppressed her anger and, facing Su Ying, had to comfort her,

Su Ying wore a perfectly measured smile, revealing neither loss nor composure; her steadiness pleased the Empress Dowager.

The daughters of the Su family must possess this temperament; to compensate Su Ying, many gifts were bestowed to appease her.

After Su Ying finished lunch with the Empress Dowager, she returned to her resting chamber, which is the East Side Hall of Funing Palace. Once the servants in the hall withdrew, she finally exhaled slightly, and her smile vanished completely.

Things were far worse than she had expected; she thought His Majesty would, out of respect for the Empress Dowager, because the Su family was his maternal relatives, and because she was his cousin, at least grant some courtesy.

But His Majesty did not.

Su Ying frowned slightly; this was not a good sign.

She still could not tell whether His Majesty was truly busy or was avoiding Consort Rong, who refused to appear. If it were merely busy court affairs, there would be no worry, but if it were for Consort Rong…

Su Ying's lips tightened slightly.

This time entering the palace, she could not slink home in disgrace; she had to stay, for returning as a failure would leave no promising future.

Moreover, after His Majesty ascended the throne, he granted great titles to many officials as rewards, yet he did not ennoble the Su family.

During the Late Emperor's reign, because he favored Consort Ming, he continuously withheld a noble title for the Su family; the Su family produced an empress yet had not even a viscountcy. Fortunately, the grandfather remained steadily in the position of Chancellor; otherwise the Su family would truly become a joke.

But as the grandfather grew older, it was assumed that the new ruler's accession would allow the Su family, as an external clan, to obtain a viscount title, yet His Majesty never even mentioned it.

Since His Majesty did not bring it up, the Su family could not raise it themselves, which made things very awkward.

Su Ying felt uneasy; events unfolded beyond her expectations, and she must now consider her next moves carefully, lest she misstep.

Su Ying's entry into the palace drew attention from the inner court; even Consort Ming could not resist sending people to gather information. Upon learning the outcome, she sneered, "The Empress Dowager really is stupid."

At this moment, bringing Su Ying into the palace, the Emperor was not foolish; he could see at a glance that it was aimed at the throne.

Now the Emperor's attitude clearly shows indifference toward Su Ying. Consort Ming, while mocking the Empress Dowager, cannot help but think she was mistaken before; she never expected Rong Luoge to be so adept at winning men's hearts. The Emperor now truly dotes on and protects her, no less than he did with her, perhaps even more.

She may have the favor, but the Emperor's beauties have never ceased; she is merely the most favored among them.

Rong Luoge is different; ever since she entered Dong Gong, she has enjoyed exclusive private favor. Even after Dong Gong later welcomed newcomers under her maneuvering, the new Emperor has not moved a muscle.

If there was hesitation in Dong Gong that kept her from acting, what about after the ascension?

Thinking of this, Consort Ming couldn't help but wonder: if her son had not become entangled with Rong Dai and had not divorced Rong Luoge, what would the situation be now?

Consort Ming could not imagine it, but she vaguely knew that allowing them to divorce was a mistaken decision.

Look at Rong Luoge now; how could she be someone who grew up without the insight of Zhuangzi? She is clearly extremely intelligent.

Unfortunately, she now knows this too late. Though she regrets it, she feels more comfortable than the Empress Dowager, who must be even more annoyed now.

Originally, to deal with herself, she placed Rong Luoge into Dong Gong; now, wanting to support her own niece to become empress, Rong Luoge has become the biggest obstacle.

Consort Ming thought about it and felt delighted; with the Empress Dowager as a benchmark, she no longer felt so depressed.

In Guanju Palace of Xu Shuyuan, Qin Zhaohua arrived, her face showing a hint of nervousness. After a brief pause she finally asked, "Sister Xu, have you ever had any dealings with Miss Su before?"

Xu Shuyuan shook her head, "No, I haven't. Could you be acquainted with Miss Su?"

The young lady of the Su family rarely attends capital banquets and seldom goes out, yet her poems often circulate and are praised as those of a talented woman; although she rarely appears, her reputation is brilliant.