Chapter 303: Volume 1, Chapter 303: The Virtuous Consort Waiting for the Rabbit

Rong Luoge looked at Su Ying's face, barely suppressing her anger, and felt thoroughly pleased. This aunt and niece pair were no good—secretly scheming against her all day long—and it was rare for her to give them such a satisfying taste of discomfort.

"Empress..."

"I know the Virtuous Consort's kind intentions; there is no need to comfort me." Rong Luoge interrupted Su Ying's words and spoke with a face full of sincerity, "Please take good care of the Empress Dowager on her side. Rest assured, I will certainly report to His Majesty."

Su Ying felt this breath stuck in her chest, unable to come up or go down, but hearing the Empress say she would speak to the Emperor, she still forced herself to swallow it. Even knowing the Empress might play some tricks, if her cousin the Emperor found out, would he perhaps see her a little differently?

If he could come to see her, that would be best.

After Rong Luoge left Funing Palace, the Empress Dowager opened her eyes, her expression still fairly calm, and looked at her niece, saying, "With this illness of mine, His Majesty will surely come to visit. You stay and keep watch here."

This was the only thing the Empress Dowager could do for her niece now. If it still didn't work, then she could only accept her fate.

Wasn't the reason Su Ying came so willingly to attend to the sick precisely because she hoped the Emperor would come?

Now that the Empress Dowager had said this, she immediately said, "Aunt, why say such things? Right now I only hope Aunt gets well soon."

These words from Su Ying were sincere. With her aunt alive, the Empress had to show her some deference. If by some chance her aunt were to... then this Hou Gong would be even more entirely Rong Luoge's domain. Without her backing, what chance would she have to stand out in this Hou Gong?

Rong Luoge did not go to the Weaving Workshop today. Liu Yingying went instead, and with her help, Kang Shufei and the other two could rotate properly, so she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The little one could now roll over and crawl, and even dared to shake his little legs trying to stand up. Despite countless falls on his bottom, he never gave up—this kind of tenacity was quite like her.

While the mother and son were playing happily, Han Xinglan returned.

The court was a mess, and being emperor wore him down. Returning to Fengyi Palace and hearing the laughter of his wife and child, that weariness slowly dissipated.

He first changed into casual clothes, washed his hands and face, and only then walked in.

Rong Luoge turned to look at him and made room for him to sit down.

As soon as Han Xinglan sat down, Kangkang immediately crawled over wanting to be held. He picked his son up and lifted him high, and Kangkang was so happy that drool ran down his chin.

Rong Luoge hurriedly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe him, looked at him with a smile, and said, "Why are you back early today?"

"I'm planning to make a trip to Funing Palace." Han Xinglan sighed softly, "How is the Empress Dowager's health?"

Rong Luoge said, "When I went, Virtuous Consort Su was there. According to her, the Empress Dowager has pent-up distress in her chest."

Han Xinglan suddenly didn't know what to say. Looking at Rong Luoge, he asked softly, "The Empress Dowager didn't see you?"

Rong Luoge smiled but said nothing.

If the Empress Dowager could do such a thing, why couldn't she complain to Han Xinglan?

Han Xinglan's face darkened, and Kangkang immediately turned his head to look for his mother.

Seeing that he had startled his son, Han Xinglan truly couldn't keep a stern face anymore.

Rong Luoge smiled and said, "You should go take a look. If you don't, I'm afraid the Empress Dowager's illness won't get better."

Han Xinglan knew the Empress Dowager wasn't in serious danger, so he wasn't anxious, and said unhurriedly, "No rush. I heard you had Consort Liu go to the Weaving Workshop?"

"No choice, there's no one to use." Rong Luoge sighed.

Han Xinglan looked at her with a complicated expression. "You're using consorts as female officials, and you still complain about having no one to use?"

Rong Luoge couldn't very well voice her grievances then, and smiled at Han Xinglan, "Consort Liu recommended a candidate for shopkeeper. I think we should summon this person to the capital to see if they're usable."

Only then did Han Xinglan show some interest. "Tell me more."

"The people in the capital are basically all familiar faces, so it's hard for me to maneuver on my end. But right now, having a new face as a shopkeeper at the Weaving Workshop means they'll have no scruples when doing things, which is a good thing for the Weaving Workshop." Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan. "The person Consort Liu recommended has quite a bit of boldness. What we need now is exactly this kind of fearless, daring energy. Using him to open up a new situation is worth a try."

Han Xinglan had always felt that the situation in the court was hard to break through, but now hearing Luoge say this, he suddenly had a new idea. He looked at her and said, "Court positions are one radish per hole, and these holes are controlled by noble families, making them hard to replace. But now I think we can add the position of Recorder—first place our own people inside, then find an opportunity to replace them."

Rong Luoge hadn't expected Han Xinglan to come up with such an idea. She thought for a moment and said, "Can it work?"

She felt this wouldn't be easy.

Han Xinglan scoffed. "Naturally it won't be easy, but making a feint to the east while attacking the west isn't impossible either. When choosing between two evils, one picks the lesser. They'll make their choice."

Choosing the lesser of two evils...

Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan with a complicated expression. She was about to speak when she saw his expression change. She looked down and saw that Kangkang had wet himself.

Rong Luoge hurriedly called someone in to clean up, while smiling and taking her son over, looking at Han Xinglan, "Go change your clothes first."

It wasn't the first time Han Xinglan had been urinated on by his son. He turned and went to the inner room to change.

Rong Luoge also changed her son's clothes, then had the wet nurse take him down to wash. Seeing him smiling happily, completely unaware of what had happened, she was both exasperated and amused.

By the time Han Xinglan came out after changing his clothes, the outside had already been cleaned up. Rong Luoge looked at him and asked with a smile, "Are you going to the Empress Dowager's side now?"

Han Xinglan thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll go over and take a look first."

"Alright, you go first. When you come back, we'll discuss the matter from before." Rong Luoge saw Han Xinglan out.

Han Xinglan pressed her to stay and walked out himself.

Rong Luoge smiled and didn't follow him out, but instead carefully thought about what Han Xinglan had said earlier. The reason she hadn't continued the topic just now was because she hadn't yet figured out exactly what was going on.

Now, pondering Han Xinglan's meaning, it seemed he had been prepared for some time. Selecting Recorders was no matter of just one or two people. It seemed Han Xinglan had been selecting quite a few usable people from among the idle talents of past years' imperial examinations.

It was just this "choosing the lesser of two evils"—she hadn't yet figured out which two evils they were.

At this time, Han Xinglan arrived at Funing Palace. Su Ying, having received the news, immediately tidied her makeup and clothes, took a deep breath, and stepped out to welcome him.

Han Xinglan stepped in, not expecting someone to walk out of the inner hall first. He frowned slightly and watched the other person bow to him, "This consort greets His Majesty."

Han Xinglan immediately knew something was up. Who else could be at the Empress Dowager's place right now?

His already unhappy face was now covered with an additional layer of frost. Without so much as a glance at Su Ying, he merely tossed out a flat "Rise," and strode inside.

Su Ying froze for a moment, her face turning a bit unsightly. She still took a breath to calm herself down, then turned and also entered the inner hall.