Chapter 300: Volume 1, Chapter 300 — This One Was Born of Herself

Regarding the Ten Thousand Li Rivers and Mountains Painting, Virtuous Consort Su only hoped she herself would not tell Consort Song, but Her Majesty the Empress had not asked her to keep it secret, so she recounted it in detail to Lady Ruan of Shurong.

Lady Ruan of Shurong fell silent for a long moment before saying, "I truly never expected it either. Those two are clearly in the same boat, yet they still guard against and scheme against each other like this."

Gou Jing heard Lady Ruan of Shurong's words and looked up at her. "Sister Ruan, think about it — if they could truly work together wholeheartedly, you and I would not have it so hard in the Hou Gong. It is precisely because each of them has her own calculations that you and I get treated as chess pieces, to be manipulated at will. If these people treat their allies like this, how much more would they treat minor pawns like us?"

Lady Ruan of Shurong's expression was very solemn. She looked at Gou Jing and said, "Thank you for telling me all this. Rest assured, I will not relay it to Consort Song."

"Sister Ruan, if I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have said it," Gou Jing looked at her and said.

Lady Ruan of Shurong rose to take her leave. "Hurry and get back to your work — a painting like this will keep you busy for a long time, and I can't help with it. If you don't find me a nuisance, I'll come help you sort threads when I'm free."

"That would be wonderful. If Sister Ruan is willing to come keep me company and chat, I couldn't ask for more." Gou Jing very much enjoyed talking with Lady Ruan of Shurong, and smilingly saw her out.

After Lady Ruan of Shurong left, Gou Jing sat back down before the embroidery frame, a touch of melancholy on her face. She could understand Lady Ruan of Shurong's hesitation — after all, the Ruan family treated her well, and giving up one's family was not easy.

These were things she truly could not help with, nor did she have the power to change.

In this world, wanting to live, and to live well — everyone has their own hardships.

On the other side, Rong Luoge was also thinking about the Weaving Workshop. After turning it over in her mind, she summoned Kang Shufei and looked at her as she asked directly, "The Weaving Workshop is more or less ready now, but the dye workshop still needs someone to oversee it. Do you have anyone to recommend?"

Kang Shufei was taken aback — Her Majesty the Empress was asking her to recommend someone?

She and Shuangshu were already overwhelmed with the Weaving Workshop affairs and certainly had no energy to keep an eye on the many trivial matters of the dye workshop. Now that Her Majesty was asking her this, she hesitated slightly and said, "In reply to Your Majesty, I have no one to recommend. In this Hou Gong, I am only somewhat close to Lady Qiongzhang, and I am not very familiar with the others."

Rong Luoge was a little surprised. She had assumed Kang Shufei would want to promote a newcomer to consolidate her own position; she hadn't expected her to be so straightforward, and couldn't help being amused.

"I intend to put you in overall charge of the Weaving Workshop affairs, and the manager of the dye workshop will also be important to you — at the very least, it has to be someone you can work with smoothly. That is why I called you here to ask," Rong Luoge said with a smile.

Kang Shufei quickly shook her head. "Such matters are for Your Majesty to decide. I have no objections. If the person who takes over the dye workshop has any shortcomings, I will do my best to guide them. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

"When it comes to you, what would I need to worry about?" Rong Luoge felt that both Kang Shufei and Consort Xian of Xu were people of practical action, and they were indeed fine as her right-hand assistants.

Consort Xian of Xu was already helping her manage palace affairs, so she certainly couldn't burden her further — the affairs of the palace alone were enough to keep her busy.

Lady Mu Guang wouldn't do either; her temperament was suited to doing tasks but not to leading them. Who else in the Hou Gong could be used?

Gou Jing?

Not for now — at least it would have to wait a while.

Rong Luoge found that she truly didn't have many people available. The dye workshop did indeed need someone to manage it.

After thinking it over, Rong Luoge suddenly thought of Liu Yingying, and her eyes lit up at once.

Liu Yingying was a clever person, and one who had endured hardships since childhood. Moreover, she was a long-term resident of the palace who would not leave. People like Kang Shufei would all be released in a few years to marry grandly, and at that point might not necessarily come out to work again.

Rong Luoge looked at Kang Shufei and said, "Since you have no one to recommend, and I cannot for the moment pick someone from the other palaces of the Hou Gong, I will first have Dowager Consort Liu go over to help."

"Dowager Consort Liu?" Kang Shufei was taken aback. She had heard of this Dowager Consort Liu. In the final year of the Late Emperor's life, he had doted on this one most dearly — even Dowager Consort Ming had to temporarily yield to her prominence at the time. "I have never met Dowager Consort Liu. Whoever Your Majesty the Empress decides upon, I will agree to."

"You need not worry. Dowager Consort Liu is very easy to get along with. You'll know once you meet her," Rong Luoge said with a smile.

Kang Shufei knew that Her Majesty the Empress never spoke or acted without substance, so she naturally felt reassured. If someone troublesome came along, she would inevitably end up caught in the middle, taking grief from both sides.

After sending Kang Shufei off, Rong Luoge had someone invite Dowager Consort Liu over. There was also the matter of the wet nurse from before that she needed to discuss with her — now was the perfect opportunity.

Liu Yingying arrived very quickly. Between her brows and eyes, she looked even more lively than before. That face of hers was still as radiant as peach blossoms and plum blossoms — if no one told you, who would believe this person was a dowager consort?

"Your Majesty the Empress." Liu Yingying greeted the Empress with a smile. "You called me over suddenly — is there something the matter?"

Rong Luoge hadn't seen Liu Yingying in a long time. Seeing her now, she smiled and said, "There are two matters I wish to discuss with you, Dowager Consort Liu. How are Princess Yile and Dowager Consort Zhong?"

"Very well — eating and sleeping soundly. Isn't that the greatest fortune?" Dowager Consort Liu said with a smile.

Rong Luoge looked at her and said, "What do you think of the wet nurse attending to Princess Yile?"

Dowager Consort Liu was taken aback by these words. Her Majesty the Empress would not ask about such a thing without reason. She asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, has something happened?"

Rong Luoge nodded. "There is a matter. I have already sent people to investigate, and news will come soon. Someone reported to me that someone has bribed a wet nurse with the intent of harming a master, but whether this wet nurse is from Princess Yile's side or the little prince's side has not yet been determined. So I wanted to ask you first — you have always been attentive, and perhaps you may have noticed something."

Dowager Consort Liu thought carefully, but still shook her head and said, "The several wet nurses are all diligent and devoted to their duties. I have not noticed anything unusual."

Rong Luoge gave a slight nod. "In that case, let us wait for news. There are only a few wet nurses — it won't take too long to investigate."

Dowager Consort Liu was still somewhat worried upon hearing this. "Your Majesty the Empress, you must also pay close attention to the First Prince's side."

Rong Luoge certainly would — this one was born of herself.

"Apart from this matter, there is one more thing I wish to tell you. You've heard about the Weaving Workshop, haven't you?" Rong Luoge said.

Dowager Consort Liu immediately nodded. "Your Majesty the Empress is not only formidable at managing the Hou Gong, but this Weaving Workshop venture is also quite impressive. Who in the Hou Gong doesn't know of it now?"

Dowager Consort Liu mused that the Empress never liked to waste words. Now that she was bringing up the Weaving Workshop, could it have something to do with it?

But what connection could she herself have with the Weaving Workshop? This was something she could not figure out no matter how she thought about it.

"Beneath the Weaving Workshop there is also a dye workshop, which falls under the Weaving Workshop's management and is dedicated to dyeing cloth. At present, it lacks someone to oversee it. I wonder if Dowager Consort Liu would be interested?"

Dowager Consort Liu:?

Her?