Chapter 291: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

Di Yue Nu's eyes flashed with a cold ruthlessness as she looked at her daughter and said, "There's no need to rush this matter; the Grand Consort is already at this age, how many years does she have left? Right now the most important thing is to steady the Prince's heart—that is the foundation of your standing."

She paused, then continued, "Men, after all, are always compassionate toward the poor and weak. Find a chance; when the Prince returns to the residence, let him see you being bullied by Princess Consort Qi or harassed by the Grand Consort, and it will be easy to handle."

Rong Dai knit her brows, "That might not be easy; the Prince's backyard is rarely entered."

"Then find a way," Di Yue Nu said sharply to her daughter. "If you don't want to spend a lifetime being oppressed by the Grand Consort and Yun Shizhuang, always watching others' moods, then stand up yourself. Nothing is impossible; it all depends on whether you're willing to do it."

Rong Dai was startled by her mother's harsh tone and, after a while, said, "I understand, daughter."

Di Yue Nu looked out the window at the pedestrians on the street; she had once been the little princess under the emperor's knee, once a person who could have anything she wanted, but unfortunately…

Di Yue Nu stood up, "You go back first. Remember, this matter cannot be compromised; otherwise it will be hard to rise again later. When the Grand Consort makes things difficult for you, find a chance to fall ill; when Yun Shizhuang makes things difficult for you, devise a way to make her dare not to trouble you. In front of the whole Prince's household, the Princess Consort Yun Shizhuang's face must be saved. As long as you can step out boldly, others will fear you a little. Remember!"

Back then, if she hadn't risked her reputation to become Rong Heng's concubine, she would have died on the roadside long ago.

All these years she never tried to cage Rong Heng; the three of them—mother and children—would have been abandoned long ago. She has always believed that everything depends on human effort; it all comes down to whether you want to do it.

Rong Dai subconsciously nodded, watched her mother walk away first, then steadied herself before boarding the carriage back to the residence. While seated in the carriage, Rong Dai's thoughts rose and fell dramatically; she was never a particularly kind person, but after making up her mind, she felt much lighter.

Mother was right: as long as she can step out boldly, others may not be able to, and she will have a great advantage.

Thinking of the Qi King's indifference, the Grand Consort's dislike, and Yun Shizhuang's harassment, she had no more reservations.

At that moment, Rong Luoge and Han Xinglan had already returned to the palace, each carrying various small toys bought from outside, and were sitting on a warm couch teasing their son.

Han Xinglan looked at their son's eyes and laughed, "Those eyes look a lot like yours."

Rong Luoge leaned forward for a glance, skeptically asking, "How could I look more like you?"

Han Xinglan burst into laughter, "Is that so?"

Probably because his heart was full of her; watching his son become more and more like his mother made him happy. That happiness was different, spreading from his heart as a genuine smiling joy.

He and his son were blood‑related, but his feelings for Rong Luoge made him even more moved.

Rong Luoge didn't overthink; thinking of the Weaving Workshop brought many matters to mind, and she said to Han Xinglan, "I plan to have Kang Shufei start tomorrow, taking Madam Qiongzhang with her, to follow up on the Weaving Workshop affairs. What do you think?"

Han Xinglan turned his head toward Rong Luoge, "That early?"

Rong Luoge nodded, "Because they don't understand these things well, if they join from the start they can learn more, grasp the specific processes of the Weaving Workshop faster, and go through everything from beginning to end. Then when problems arise later we'll know where they come from and won't be easily deceived by the craftsmen below."

"Fine, you can decide as you see fit, but the matters at the Weaving Workshop are crucial; you must stay attentive yourself and not let anyone exploit a loophole."

"That's natural." Rong Luoge nodded, "All the craftsmen selected this time have already been vetted by you. If we make a big move, unless we're willing to die, any real action will only be a small‑scale probing. Then I'll have Yuan Bao keep an eye on it, and he can follow the trail."

"Just keep me informed if you're short of people or need anything; tell me directly. If I'm busy, let Shi An handle it," Han Xinglan said.

"If we're quick, a half‑month will yield the finished product. Once everything is running, by Mid‑Autumn we'll see some profit from these few months." Rong Luoge mused, "When the Mid‑Autumn banquet comes, I'll make sure you stand confidently before the ministers."

Han Xinglan laughed heartily, "Rong Yan has already left with the trade caravan. If the journey is swift, he should be back by the Mid‑Autumn Festival, and we, as a couple, will have double joy—a good omen."

Rong Luoge let out a slight sigh, "If all goes smoothly, after Mid‑Autumn you can gradually expand your power on the court."

"I plan to add an Enke class next year. What do you think?"

"That's certainly a good thing," Rong Luoge said happily.

Han Xinglan clasped Rong Luoge's hand, "It was supposed to open this year, but we first needed the Glazed Tile Workshop to be established, and I also wanted to weaken the Office of Official Creation. A move that big would easily provoke court officials, so we postponed it by a year."

"I think it's great. This year we can tidy up the court a bit, and next year the Enke recruits can be smoothly assigned positions; otherwise even if the Enke opens, it would be hard to place them," Rong Luoge whispered.

Speaking, she watched her son slowly squint his eyes, ready to sleep; she gently lifted the child, walked around the room, and coaxed him to sleep.

Han Xinglan propped a soft pillow against him, half‑squinting, and said, "Indeed, a radish in a hole—if you want to place your own people, you must first dig others out. A year is just right."

The two slowly discussed court matters; Rong Luoge could not help much, but at least she could remind Han Xinglan. Once the child was sound asleep, she called the wet nurse in and moved the child to the side hall to rest.

Only then did Rong Luoge sit beside Han Xinglan, leaning on him, and softly said, "Give yourself another two or three years; I'm sure you'll be able to unleash your full strength and do what you wish."

Two or three years sound easy when spoken, but they are not easy to achieve.

Because of the matter of establishing the Empress, Marquis Anding and Prime Minister Su have gathered their factions in the court, frequently opposing him in state affairs. The Su family can still tolerate it for the sake of the Empress Dowager, but Marquis Anding has no intention of enduring any longer.

"I intend to deal with Marquis Anding first."

Rong Luoge was startled, "Marquis Anding? Did he do something?"

Han Xinglan nodded, "He colluded with Shi Lian on the weakening of the Office of Official Creation, constantly setting traps for me, leaping up and down wildly. Seeing him irritates me; it's also a case of killing the chicken to warn the monkey."