Chapter 221: Volume 1, Chapter 221 — The Fisherman's Profit Is Not So Easy to Reap

Chu Ke had been the matriarch's wife for many years and knew how to deal with these people; coupled with the Noble Consort's previous advice to spend some money to win hearts, her tearful pleas this time had some effect.

Chu Ke had made up her mind this time to contend with Rong Heng to the bitter end, so she did not return to stay at the Protector Duke's residence, but instead went to lodge at the small house her eldest son had purchased for himself.

Ever since Rong Yan moved out, he had never again lived at the Zhen Guo Gong Fu; when he went back ordinarily, he would just visit his mother and leave, so he was somewhat surprised to see his mother there when he returned from duty.

Chu Ke pulled her son over and told him everything, finally saying, "Yan'er, if there were another way, Mother wouldn't want to do this either, but once Di Yue Nu returns, she certainly won't agree to remain an outside mistress again. With the marriage treaty between two nations, am I supposed to wait until then to be divorced by your father? That's why we must strike first. At the very least, I need to secure what belongs to you siblings."

When his mother mentioned his father, a flash of disgust crossed Rong Yan's eyes, and he said, "If you want a separation, I won't stop you. I think we should bring Ling Shan and Rong Yu back from their grandmother's house and have them stay with me. Grandmother is kind, but their aunt is difficult to get along with, and I'm afraid they'll be wronged."

"No rush, wait until this matter is settled first," Chu Ke said, looking at her eldest son.

Rong Yan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Did the Noble Consort tell you to do this?"

Chu Ke nodded. "Speaking of which, I truly feel guilty. Back then... never mind, let's not talk about it. The Noble Consort said the past is in the past, and you should get along well from now on. The Noble Consort has it hard enough in the Hou Gong, with the court constantly in an uproar over the matters of establishing an empress and the grand selection. If you can rise high in the future, you can also speak a few words on the Noble Consort's behalf."

Rong Yan nodded silently. "Your son understands."

Chu Ke looked at her increasingly silent eldest son, feeling both sad and heartbroken, and discussed with him, "The Noble Consort said your military merits will be held back for now, and after I separate from your father, His Majesty will bestow rewards, and then we can establish a separate household."

"Lord Xiao did discreetly inform me — so that's what it was about. It doesn't matter, your son isn't in a hurry," Rong Yan said in a low voice. Having been to the battlefield, he was no longer the idle hedonist he had been while passing time at the Zhen Guo Gong Fu.

A life that has faced blood directly is always steadier than before.

"Mother, you can just stay here. If he comes, I'll talk to him," Rong Yan said, looking at his mother reassuringly.

Chu Ke shook her head. "No, you can't show yourself. You are his son, after all — defying him would give him a handle against you. I'll go. I'm not afraid of him at all now. You should know that right now, he's the one who needs something from me."

Rong Yan actually wanted to say he didn't care about these things anymore, but meeting his mother's protective expression, he still nodded. "Then I'll listen to you, but if he goes too far, your son will still step in."

"Fine," Chu Ke agreed readily.

Chu Ke settled comfortably into her son's small house. The small house was indeed small, with only two courtyards front and back. When she moved in, Rong Yan moved from the main room to the east wing room and also added quite a few things for his mother.

However, he had to be on duty every day and couldn't stay home all the time, so he could only instruct the gatekeeper to notify him immediately if the Protector Duke came to make trouble.

Chu Ke lived comfortably at her son's place, but Rong Heng's days were somewhat agonizing — he neither wanted to split off more than half his property, yet also wanted Chu Ke to agree to a clean separation.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered writing a divorce letter, but he feared Chu Ke would truly burn bridges and drag him down with her. After so many years as husband and wife, it wasn't as if she didn't have leverage over him.

Just as he was still hesitating, he received a letter from Di Yue Nu. Seeing Di Yue Nu express her deep affection in the letter, saying she wanted to bring their son and reunite with him so their family could live well together thereafter, Rong Heng became even more desperate to separate from Chu Ke.

Rong Luoge knew somewhat about the farce at the Protector Duke's residence, but she couldn't attend to it now. Looking at Fan Mingzhang, who had come to confess his fault, she said casually with a smile, "What is Grand Commandant Fan doing? Let's talk properly."

Fan Mingzhang now dared not slight Noble Consort Rong, and immediately said, "It is all due to this subordinate's lax supervision that such a lapse occurred. This humble minister has come specifically to confess his fault."

Rong Luoge pondered upon hearing this — so this was an old fox, knowing he couldn't cover it up and simply choosing to sacrifice a pawn to save the king. A thought turning in her mind, she said, "This matter is neither large nor small. Grand Commandant Fan, it is not that I am making things difficult for you, but you also know that a palace has its rules and a nation has its laws. The people below deceived their superiors and concealed the truth to do these things, but I am the one who manages these trivial matters in the Hou Gong. Others will only say I line my own pockets and shortchange the palace consorts and dowager consorts on their food, clothing, and daily expenses. If this gets out, tell me, how could I bear the blame?"

Fan Mingzhang drew a breath inward, his face immediately showing a look of guilt. "It is all this humble minister's negligence that put you in a difficult position, Your Ladyship. This humble minister has already ordered people to rush-produce new garments, and will certainly deliver them to the dowager consorts and all the masters within three days. I will absolutely not let you be put in a difficult position."

Rong Luoge listened as Fan Mingzhang confessed fault in every word and sentence, yet pointedly never mentioned who had done such things — it seemed he intended to shield them to the end. With a cold glint in her eyes, she said unhurriedly, "Since Grand Commandant Fan has put it this way, I cannot well continue to blame you. But how do you plan to deal with the offender?"

Fan Mingzhang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately said, "This subordinate has already dismissed the person from their post and sent them to guard the storehouse."

Was guarding a storehouse some kind of hard labor?

On the contrary, it was a cushy post — with so many goods in the storehouse, who knew how much flowed into these petty people's pockets.

Rong Luoge's expression had now completely darkened. She looked at Fan Mingzhang and said without any expression, "Since Grand Commandant Fan has already made the decision, why come back to report to me? You may go back first."

He merely wanted to continue fooling her. Rong Luoge showed him no courtesy, rising and supporting herself on Rong Xin's hand to go directly to the rear hall, giving him no further chance to speak.

Rong Xin supported the Noble Consort back to the rear hall and said angrily, "Your Ladyship, this is truly too much! How dare Fan Mingzhang try to fool you like this?"

"What wouldn't these people dare? After all, in their eyes I'm nothing but a temporarily favored noble consort — they simply look down on me," Rong Luoge said with a smile. She wasn't particularly angry. Since she now knew it was Fan Mingzhang's people who had done it, she would just wait to see which of Hu Zongxi or Fan Tinglin would make the first move.

Fan Mingzhang looked down on her, not knowing that ships overturning in a gutter was a common enough occurrence.

Rong Luoge had guessed correctly — the very next day, she received a visiting card from Hu Zongxi requesting an audience.

That was quite fast.

Rong Luoge's eyes shifted, and she said with a smile, "It seems Hu Zongxi is very eager to replace Fan Mingzhang."

Que Cai said upon hearing this, "Your Ladyship speaks truly. Since they are fighting amongst themselves, you can sit back and reap the fisherman's profit."

Rong Luoge smiled faintly — the fisherman's profit was not so easy to reap, either.