Chapter 309: Volume 1, Chapter 309 — Poaching

Fishing?

Rong Luoge did not understand for a moment, so she looked up at Han Xinglan.

Han Xinglan reached out and brushed across Luoge's fair, tender face, his eyes brimming with tenderness as he gazed at her, and said softly, "Every grievance you have suffered, I will avenge one by one."

Rong Luoge was startled, then understood, looking at Han Xinglan. "You want to lure the Marquis of Anding out?"

Rong Luoge did not mention Chancellor Su directly. No matter what, Chancellor Su was the Empress Dowager's family member; no matter how dissatisfied she felt, some things still required leaving a bit of room.

Han Xinglan gave a light laugh, hearing that she had not mentioned Chancellor Su, and nodded. "We'll see whether he takes the bait."

Rong Luoge also smiled, then thought for a moment and said, "True enough. This kind of thing is hard to say. The Marquis of Anding is a suspicious man. Don't be fooled by how vigorously he bounces about—he's actually somewhat cautious and indecisive in his actions. No wonder he's been bouncing around for so long without ever accomplishing anything great."

Han Xinglan was instantly amused. If the Marquis of Anding heard these words, he would probably faint from anger.

Rong Luoge understood Han Xinglan's intention. His staying overnight in the front hall recently was to put on the appearance of doing something momentous. With Kang Jinsi cooperating on his end, once the Military Ordnance Bureau became bustling with activity, whether it was the Marquis of Anding or Chancellor Su, they would certainly grow curious.

As long as their curiosity was aroused, other matters could then be arranged accordingly.

Rong Luoge could not help with these matters from within the palace, but she was not without things to do. The Weaving Workshop alone was enough to keep her busy.

Because the two of them could not be together during this period, Han Xinglan was especially passionate this night, quite clingy. Rong Luoge was like a small boat in a fierce storm, rising and tossing with him, occasionally managing to seize a bit of initiative.

Before dawn even broke, Shi An called out from outside the window.

Rong Luoge opened her eyes and felt the person beside her move. She turned her head to look at him.

Han Xinglan sat up and saw Rong Luoge starting to rise as well. He pressed her back down. "Don't busy yourself. You go on sleeping. I'll be back in a few days. It's just for show."

Rong Luoge was delighted beyond measure and reached out to embrace him. "Then I'll wait for you to come back."

Feelings are truly wondrous. Clearly, having been together for so long, even the deepest affection should have faded by now. Yet first they had to observe mourning for the Late Emperor, then she gave birth, and with the affairs of court mixed in as well, their feelings for each other had unknowingly grown even deeper.

That feeling was hard to describe. It was a kind of longing when apart, joy when together, the happiness of emotional resonance.

Rong Luoge still rose to see him off, and rarely helped him dress. But the sash at his waist ended up not tied as well as Han Xinglan would have done himself.

Rong Luoge laughed, and Han Xinglan laughed too.

The sky outside was still somewhat dark and heavy, the stars above twinkling. Rong Luoge stood beneath the eaves watching Han Xinglan stride into the curtain of night. Suddenly he turned his head, and the two of them gazed at each other through the darkness, simultaneously breaking into a smile.

Han Xinglan smiled, then turned and walked away.

Rong Luoge also turned and returned to her bedchamber, but she no longer felt sleepy. She simply changed into everyday clothes and first went to check on her soundly sleeping son, kissed his little cheek, then went to the study to continue her previously unfinished work.

What she had handed to Han Xinglan was only the casting portion. There was still plenty left to be busy with. She had to lay out all the matters clearly, deliberate over specific figures repeatedly, and mark those that were not entirely clear so the craftsmen could experiment and test.

She kept busy until the sky was fully bright. Rong Xin came in with some heartache and said, "Your Highness, it is time for breakfast. You should rest a little."

Rong Luoge then straightened her back and asked Rong Xin, "Has the First Prince woken up?"

"He's been awake for a good while now. The wet nurse is taking the First Prince to admire flowers in the garden," Rong Xin said with a smile.

Rong Luoge nodded, stood up, washed her hands first and then ate, but her mind never stopped for a moment, constantly mulling over a certain figure.

"Your Highness, Kang Shufei requests an audience."

Rong Luoge was taken aback for a moment, then collected herself. Why had Kang Shufei come so early?

"Have Shufei drink some tea first." Rong Luoge sped up her eating. After finishing her meal, rinsing her mouth, and going to the bedchamber to groom and change clothes—she could hardly meet someone looking disheveled.

By the time she finished tidying up and went out, Kang Shufei had already finished a cup of tea.

Upon seeing the Empress, Kang Shufei immediately rose and paid her respects. "This concubine greets Her Highness the Empress."

Rong Luoge said with a smile, "No need for such formality between sisters. Sister Kang, sit and let's talk. I was just eating earlier, so I made you wait a long time."

Kang Shufei said with a smile, "It was this concubine who came too early and disturbed Your Highness's meal."

"I still don't know you? If it weren't something important, you wouldn't come over this early in the morning. Speak—did the Weaving Workshop run into a problem?" Rong Luoge asked. Kang Shufei was in charge of the Weaving Workshop, so she must have come about matters there.

Kang Shufi smiled upon hearing this. "Your Highness, I've come to tell you good news. All the newly produced cloth from our Weaving Workshop has sold out."

Rong Luoge was startled. "All sold out? That fast?"

Originally, by her estimate, this first batch would take at least a month or so.

"Yes, this concubine didn't expect it either. Our new patterns are very popular with everyone. Especially the low-priced cloth you introduced—the cloth's quality is good, the patterns are new, and the price you set is low, so how could the common people not love it? In one stroke, our reputation spread far and wide." At first, Kang Shufei had felt this was not a good approach. Selling cloth at fair prices to the common folk, they could only break even with no profit at all.

But now she understood the benefits. Their fairly priced cloth had spread their reputation in one stroke, and their high-priced cloth had followed suit in popularity. So this was what Her Highness called the market effect?

She did not quite understand it, but she knew the decisions Her Highness made were right.

Kang Shufei's face was full of joy. She now admired the Empress from the bottom of her heart. In any case, she could never have come up with such a method, nor did she have such boldness.

Rong Luoge was also happy. She had never done business before; the methods she used were actually all things she had seen in later times, and she had not known whether they would work. In truth, she had been somewhat anxious in her heart, but she could not show any uncertainty before Kang Shufei and the others. Now that she had received good news, she was naturally happy.

Having good news arrive first thing in the morning was a good omen.

"Now everyone at the Weaving Workshop is full of drive. We worked through the night. The craftsmen take shifts by day and night according to your instructions. Because there is bonus silver to be earned, everyone is overjoyed," Kang Shufei said with a smile.

Rong Luoge said, "The craftsmen all have families to feed, and it's not easy for them. Wages are fixed rates and cannot be casually changed, but bonus money can be flexible. You can handle this point as you see fit."

Because the rules originally set by the Imperial Manufactories stipulated that each craftsman's monthly wages were fixed and could not be arbitrarily changed.

Rong Luoge had no intention of fighting the court officials over such matters, so she took a different path and gave everyone bonus silver. In this way, she both reduced the clamor of the court officials and kept the initiative in her own hands.

Rong Luoge still had another plan in mind: poaching.

Why were the great families' foundations so deep?

Because they had people!

She was now introducing a wage system of monthly salaries plus generous bonus silver. Once word spread, the craftsmen under the great families would inevitably grow restless!