Chapter 183: Volume 1, Chapter 183: Does the Empress Dowager Really Think She's Easy to Bully?

The Director of the Inner Court Bureau hanged himself to death—an incident that could be major or minor—but occurring at this particular juncture, right when Rong Luoge was reducing personnel ahead of Su Ying's entry into the palace, it was impossible not to think more of it.

Rong Luoge looked at Lady Xu and said, "What was the reason for his suicide? Embezzlement and bribery, lining his own pockets, or some other cause?"

"As far as I know, he embezzled a great deal during his tenure, and most of the embezzled silver had already been spent, so he could not produce the silver to buy his way out of guilt," Lady Xu said with a frown.

Rong Luoge heard this and said, "So the embezzled silver was all spent, and now he cannot come up with the money to redeem himself. Whether he took this path because he had no way out or because someone deliberately guided him remains hard to say. There is no use being anxious—let's just watch how things unfold."

Hearing Noble Consort Rong's words, Lady Xu could not help but admire the consort's composure—unruffled even if Mount Tai collapsed before her—and she steadied herself as well before continuing, "If someone is pulling strings behind the scenes, I believe it must be aimed at you, Your Ladyship. You must be careful."

Rong Luoge certainly knew this. She looked at Lady Xu. "It doesn't matter. It was bound to come sooner or later. Right now, someone simply can't sit still and wants to drag me down from this seat to make room for someone else."

Make room for whom?

Lady Xu vaguely understood whom Noble Consort Rong was referring to, and could not help feeling somewhat indignant. For the Noble Consort to have what she had today was the result of risking her life to save His Majesty back then.

Some people had contributed nothing whatsoever, yet wanted to pluck the fruits of others' labor—simply shameless.

After Lady Xu first entered the Dong Gong, she too had hoped to win favor, hoping she and His Majesty could be as harmonious as zither and lute. But reality proved otherwise. Yet she also knew that Noble Consort Rong had not employed any underhanded tactics against them, nor had she even had anyone make things difficult for them, openly or covertly.

That she could not win favor was partly due to Noble Consort Rong capturing His Majesty's heart—but let alone the Noble Consort, if it were herself, would she not also wish for exclusive favor?

If she could not win favor, her abilities were inferior to others', and she would accept the loss gracefully—so she had actively sought another way out.

But some people did not do things this way. They came in wanting to beat others to death with a single blow?

Simply too sinister, too vicious, too overbearing.

At this moment, Lady Xu's impression of Su Ying plummeted to rock bottom. Today Su Ying saw Noble Consort Rong as an obstacle in her path; she had not even entered the palace yet, and the Su family was already willing to go this far against the Noble Consort for her sake. If one day she entered the palace and received a rank, would all of them become eyesores in her sight?

At that point, what way out would they have?

Lady Xu held a breath of frustration in her heart. Judging from the current situation, they absolutely could not let Su Ying succeed—otherwise, once she entered the palace, none of them would have any good days.

Especially herself, someone who had pledged allegiance to the Noble Consort—she feared it would be even worse.

Lady Xu went back and spent the night investigating the matter of the Director who had hanged himself, especially his case files. These were records previously submitted by the Inner Court Bureau—not exhaustive, but enough to see how much he had embezzled. She needed to gather more evidence for Noble Consort Rong.

Protecting Noble Consort Rong meant protecting herself.

While Lady Xu was reviewing case files through the night, Rong Luoge was not idle either. She sent Yuan Bao to pass word to He Huai and Jing Chu, telling them to investigate everyone the deceased had recently been in contact with, to see if there was any breakthrough.

He Huai and Jing Chu had been having a thoroughly boring time in Xi Cheng lately. After the former Miss Rong became Good Lady Rong, they had grown idle. Later, when Good Lady Rong became Noble Consort Rong, apart from managing the Noble Consort's dowry, they had nothing to do—bored to death.

Now that a task had finally come down, the two of them immediately roused their spirits and set out to investigate.

Rong Luoge thought it over—she still had too few people in the palace. The Empress Dowager's foundation of decades in the palace was not something she could catch up to in a few days.

Even if releasing palace servants this time could clip away a large portion of the Empress Dowager's wings, among the remaining palace servants, the majority would likely still be the Empress Dowager's trusted confidants.

Rong Luoge's fingers tapped lightly on the table. Since the Empress Dowager was dealing with her like this, she would not show mercy.

Who understood the Empress Dowager best?

Naturally, it was Dowager Consort Ming.

She figured Dowager Consort Ming would be very willing to give her a list.

Rong Luoge had Wet Nurse Zhao quietly make a trip to Jinhua Hall. Dowager Consort Ming was startled upon hearing Wet Nurse Zhao's purpose, but then understood at once.

Although she was now a Dowager Consort, her foundation built over the years in the palace was still there. Even if the Empress Dowager had weeded out a portion, she still had her remaining network of contacts.

The matter of the Inner Court Bureau Director's suicide was impossible to suppress—it was clearly someone deliberately spreading the news.

At whom was all this directed?

Naturally at the chief culprit—the one who had demanded the personnel reduction, Noble Consort Rong.

It seemed Rong Luoge was very clever, guessing at once who had acted. Whether it was the Empress Dowager or Prime Minister Su, they were one family—all the same.

Dowager Consort Ming half-narrowed her eyes and glanced at Wet Nurse Zhao before saying with a smile, "The Noble Consort has truly worked hard managing the Hou Gong's affairs for His Majesty. It is only right that I do my small part for her."

Wet Nurse Zhao had not expected Dowager Consort Ming to agree so readily, and immediately said with a smile, "The Noble Consort often says that Your Ladyship is pure of heart. Seeing you today, it is indeed so."

Pure of heart?

Dowager Consort Ming laughed mockingly in her heart, but not a trace showed on her face. She smiled and said, "Go back first. I will have someone deliver it to the Noble Consort later."

"Yes, this servant takes her leave," Wet Nurse Zhao agreed with a smile.

When Wet Nurse Zhao returned to Yuzhao Gong and reported the matter, she heard the Noble Consort say with a smile, "I knew Dowager Consort Ming was a smart person. Of course she would seize an opportunity like this."

Causing trouble for the Empress Dowager was Dowager Consort Ming's favorite thing to do.

That very night, Rong Luoge received the list Dowager Consort Ming had sent. The number of people on it was not large, but upon close inspection, every one of them held a position in the palace. Her brow furrowed tightly—no wonder the Empress Dowager remained unhurried; she truly had the composure of one who held the universe in her heart.

Han Xinglan returned somewhat late. Entering the door, he saw Rong Luoge writing something. He walked over, and only then did she hear his movement and look up.

"What are you busy with, so focused?" Han Xinglan asked with a smile.

Rong Luoge set down the brush in her hand and then said, "I asked Dowager Consort Ming to give me a list of the Empress Dowager's informants in the palace." She looked at Han Xinglan. "You've heard about the Inner Court Bureau Director's suicide, haven't you?"

Han Xinglan nodded, looking at Rong Luoge. "Don't worry, I will handle it."

Rong Luoge was certainly not worried, but letting the Empress Dowager suppress her like this was also out of the question. She smiled and said, "With you in the front court, I'm not worried. But matters in the Hou Gong I will handle myself."

Did the Empress Dowager really think she was easy to bully?

Did Su Ying really think that with the Empress Dowager as her backer, she could do as she pleased?