Chapter 23: Volume 1 Chapter 23 Crown Prince

Perhaps having arrived at her own place, this sleep was especially sweet; when she opened her eyes, she noticed the light in the room had dimmed, she slowly sat up, steadied herself, and only then slipped on her clothes and got out of bed.

On the windowsill stood a three‑legged white‑jade lucky‑beast incense burner, its fragrant smoke curling upward; through the window one could see the courtyard was also very clean, because the only maid serving inside the inner house was Cang Yun, and the other rough‑handed women only appeared when sweeping, while the guards were all in the front courtyard, making the place especially quiet.

This quiet gave Rong Luoge a great sense of security; her previous occupation never required many people, and the fewer who knew her, the safer she felt.

"Miss, you're awake?" Cang Yun said, surprised as she watched the girl push the door open.

Rong Luoge gave a slight nod, looked at Cang Yun and said, "You look a bit off—what's the matter?"

Cang Yun hesitated briefly then said, "A guest arrived in the front courtyard, claiming to be your friend. I told him you were resting and asked him to come another day, but he said he'd wait until you woke up."

Rong Luoge's thoughts shifted and she knew who it was; she hadn't expected this person to be so easy‑going. She smiled and said, "I'll go take a look; you continue with your duties."

Cang Yun quickly replied, and watching the girl step down the stairs toward the front courtyard, she suddenly remembered she hadn't told her the joke about the Zhen Guo Gong Fu.

But there's no hurry; it can wait until after the girl finishes.

Rong Luoge reached the front courtyard, passed through the long gallery and the drooping‑flower gate, and saw Han Xinglan sitting on a goose‑neck chair beside the fish pond, leafing through a book, long sleeves trailing on the ground, posture relaxed and unhurried, looking less like a guest at someone's home and more at ease as if at her own.

"I didn't know the Crown Prince would grace us with his presence; I'm sorry for the oversight," Rong Luoge said, stepping into the pavilion and offering a slight bow.

Han Xinglan casually set the book on the stone table in the pavilion, then saw Rong Luoge in a light‑purple ru‑skirt standing before him, her face as white as snow, lips the color of vermilion, making her appearance dazzlingly beautiful and exquisitely radiant.

Han Xinglan lowered his eyes slightly, then lifted his head and smiled, "I'm sorry for the presumptuous intrusion; Miss Rong, please don't mind."

Rong Luoge sat opposite the Crown Prince; she always spoke straight and didn't bother with false pleasantries, asking directly, "Are you here about the blueprint?"

Han Xinglan hadn't expected such bluntness, but it was indeed his purpose, so he simply nodded, "Yes."

"This is my sincere offering for our cooperation; is there anything you're dissatisfied with?" Rong Luoge thought that this sincerity was truly heartfelt—if he were still unsatisfied, she would have to reconsider the partnership.

Han Xinglan hadn't expected Rong Luoge to be so guarded; he gave her a deep look, realizing the person before him was completely different from the one his investigation had described—if not seen with his own eyes, he truly wouldn't have believed it.

"I'm quite satisfied, just a bit surprised; I didn't expect Miss Rong to actually understand these."

Facing Han Xinglan's test, Rong Luoge gave no answer, only saying, "If you want to stay alive you have to learn more; otherwise you'd have starved long ago on Zhuangzi."

Han Xinglan smiled faintly, "Miss Rong, you don't intend to return to Zhen Guo Gong Fu; have you firmly decided to cut ties with them?"

Rong Luoge shook her head, "If I were to sever the relationship, it would be difficult; I'd like to, but I know it's unlikely. For now I just hope they'll be sensible, so we can all live peacefully."

Han Xinglan understood Rong Luoge's meaning: as long as the people from Zhen Guo Gong Fu don't trouble her, everyone can coexist peacefully; if the other side refuses to stop and tries to strip another layer from her, she won't be polite.

"It will probably not be easy," Han Xinglan said, looking at Rong Luoge.

【5】 This wasn't meant to frighten her; rather, since Rong Luoge had already been with Prince Qi and left, she now faced the issue of remarriage, and given the Protector Duke's temperament, he would likely still be scheming against her.

These words were not meant to frighten her, but since Rong Luoge had already divorced Prince Qi, she then faced the question of remarrying, and given the Protector Duke's temperament, he would likely scheme against her again.

Rong Luoge gave a faint smile, understanding the Crown Prince's meaning, "The first marriage is to one's father; I have already fulfilled my filial duty. The second marriage is to one's heart, and naturally it should follow my own wishes."

Han Xinglan's eyebrows lifted slightly at her words, then he smiled, "Miss Rong, your remark is rather unexpected; even so, it will likely be hard to put into practice."

Filial piety at the forefront, many mouths melt gold.

"Isn't the Crown Prince still here?" Rong Luoge asked.

Han Xinglan's deep eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Rong Luoge and said, "I promise that Miss's matters will remain unchanged; rest assured."

"I am certainly at ease," Rong Luoge said.

There was no sharp, sword‑and‑gun‑like exchange between them, yet this round of testing had already concluded.

Han Xinglan sensed a bit of Rong Luoge's temperament, and not intending to beat around the bush, said directly, "I am naturally satisfied with the items you sent, but the repeating crossbow's strengths and weaknesses are equally evident. Since you are proficient with weapons, I wonder if you could craft something more to my liking."

Rong Luoge frowned slightly at the words, unsure whether the Crown Prince was deliberately testing her depth or truly lacking the item, but she could not let Han Xinglan think she was easily manipulated, so she said, "Is the sleeve‑arrow unsatisfactory, Your Highness?"

Besides the repeating crossbow, she also sent the blueprint for the sleeve‑arrow.

"The sleeve‑arrow can only catch an opponent off guard; in a head‑on battle it is insufficient."

Rong Luoge smiled lightly, "Close‑combat weapons—swords, daggers, spears, short staffs—why should I trouble the Crown Prince with those?"

"Precisely because of that, I need Miss Rong's keen intellect."

Rong Luoge looked at the smiling, easy‑going Crown Prince before her; despite the difficult task, his attitude and words were exceptionally persuasive, making him quite unlike the Crown Prince of rumor.

"Luoge thanks Your Highness for the confidence, but I still need to think it over," Rong Luoge said, naturally not agreeing outright, especially since the matter was indeed somewhat challenging.

"That's natural; take your time to consider, Miss Rong," Han Xinglan said as he rose, "I will wait calmly for your good news."

Rong Luoge rose and escorted the Crown Prince out the door, watching his somewhat frail figure board the carriage and depart before withdrawing her gaze.

Early spring weather, especially at night, was a bit chilly; the Crown Prince had sat here for so long without any sign of frailty—'frail'? That seemed nonexistent.

But that had nothing to do with Rong Luoge; on the contrary, the Crown Prince's robust health was beneficial, allowing him to contend longer with Han Yifeng and giving her more time to arrange her own future.

For close‑combat weapons, a wooden staff is naturally the top choice, but given current technological constraints, forging a wooden staff is not easy.

Beyond that, only those she mentioned earlier remain, but there's no need for her to trouble herself with them.

Close combat…

Rong Luoge's expression flickered; close combat isn't necessarily hand‑to‑hand fighting—there's also close‑range combat!