Chapter 31: Volume 1, Chapter 31: The Outer Chamber's Origins Are Somewhat Extraordinary

"Let's go." Rong Luoge didn't want to go in once she heard this. Whatever grievances the beaten woman might have, being someone's outer chamber was true, bearing a child was true, and leaking the news for Ming Yuhua to find out was also true.

If she were truly detached from the world, how could she have done so many things?

"You're not going to intervene?" Han Xinglan watched Rong Luoge, who had followed with such deep concern, now leaving with flagging interest. He truly didn't understand what these women were thinking.

"How am I supposed to intervene in something like this?"

Han Xinglan noticed Rong Luoge's tone was off, and suddenly recalled that the Protector Duke also had an outer chamber. That outer chamber had given birth to a daughter named Rong Dai, and the Protector Duke had even done things to make Rong Luoge serve as Rong Dai's stepping stone.

Thinking of this, he somewhat understood Rong Luoge's current mood. He thought for a moment and said, "If you don't want to intervene, let's go back."

"We"?

Rong Luoge glanced at Han Xinglan. Since when were they a "we"? This fellow certainly acted like they were close.

The two were about to head back when they suddenly heard commotion coming toward the entrance. Han Xinglan had no desire to run into Ming Yuhua, and in his urgency, he grabbed Rong Luoge's hand and ducked around a corner to the side.

The corner was cramped and narrow. Rong Luoge was practically pressed against Han Xinglan's chest. Had it not been so sudden, she would have suspected him of harboring improper intentions!

Han Xinglan hadn't expected the space to be so tight either. The two of them pressed closely together, and the faint fragrance on Rong Luoge reached his nose, making him suddenly feel a bit uncomfortable.

The commotion outside grew increasingly intense. Rong Luoge listened as the frail woman cried out, "Eldest Miss, I beg you, I truly have no intention of entering the residence. I don't know who passed the news to you. If you want to beat me, then beat me to death. But Yaoyao is innocent! He is also your younger brother. Spare his life, I beg you!"

The woman's words sounded like pleading at every turn, yet every sentence drove Ming Yuhua into a corner, piling one heavy accusation after another onto her head.

This woman was no simple matter. It seemed that every woman capable of being an outer chamber possessed a shrewd and calculating heart, adept at seizing opportunities and securing advantages for herself.

Rong Luoge couldn't listen anymore. Besides, staying there with Han Xinglan was extremely awkward, so she said to him, "Don't move from here. I'll go out and take a look."

Han Xinglan caught hold of her. "That woman outside is named Liu Yuniang. She has a six-year-old son. Seven years ago, Ming Zan kept her outside."

Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan in surprise. "How do you know all this?"

Han Xinglan's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "Liu Yuniang was once the palace maid Yuliu who served beside Consort Ming. After she was released from the palace, Ming Zan kept her outside."

Rong Luoge: …

It felt like listening to something utterly fantastical. Consort Ming helped her own brother keep an outer chamber, and the outer chamber was her own personal palace maid. What would Madam Ming, who had supported and defended her for so many years and run about everywhere outside the palace on her behalf, think of this? And what would Ming Yuhua, who had always been close to her, think?

Then again, that wasn't right either. If Consort Ming truly favored Ming Yuhua, Prince Qi would certainly have married her as his principal consort. Looking back now, all that talk about overlapping and wasted resources was, on closer reflection, likely just an excuse.

There was another point. Since she had been someone by Consort Ming's side, even if she was released seven years ago, Ming Yuhua would have been old enough to understand things by then. Could she really not have seen Liu Yuniang while at Consort Ming's side? Now that they were facing each other, Ming Yuhua putting on the appearance of not recognizing her was also very strange.

This was getting rather interesting.

Rong Luoge glanced at Han Xinglan. "Thank you."

Such important information, and he had simply told her just like that. Moreover, he had no idea what she might do with this knowledge.

This kind of trust… somewhat reminded her of former comrades-in-arms who had fought side by side.

"Miss Rong, there is no need for courtesy between us. Whether it is the kindness of your assistance back then, or our subsequent cooperation, this trifling bit of information is nothing," Han Xinglan said with a gentle smile.

Rong Luoge felt slightly ill at ease. He treated her with such sincerity, which made her seem overly guarded against him by comparison.

Rong Luoge suppressed these thoughts and stepped out. The moment she emerged, she saw the woman clinging to Ming Yuhua's leg, weeping and pleading, looking utterly pitiful. Especially with Ming Yuhua's face now showing uncontrollable disgust and fury, the bystanders who had come out upon hearing the commotion were even more inclined to side with the woman.

"Isn't this Eldest Miss Ming? What are you doing here?" Rong Luoge deliberately lowered her voice into a male tone and spoke loudly, drowning out Liu Yuniang's wailing.

Ming Yuhua was already thoroughly vexed in her heart. She looked up and saw Rong Luoge dressed in men's attire. Her shocked mind went completely blank, and she even forgot about Liu Yuniang's crying.

"You…"

"Long time no see. My younger sister mentioned Eldest Miss Ming to me, her brother, just this morning. I didn't expect to run into you here." Rong Luoge cut off the words Ming Yuhua was about to say—she could guess what she would say without even thinking. "It's just, how does Eldest Miss Ming know Liu Yuniang? That is quite curious."

Though Ming Yuhua was somewhat reckless, she was not stupid. Hearing these words, she instinctively sensed that Rong Luoge was here to help her. She swallowed the words that had nearly slipped out to expose her identity, and immediately asked sharply, "You know her?"

Rong Luoge was exceedingly cunning and would never do anything pointless. If she dared to say such a thing, she must know something.

Hearing Ming Yuhua's words, Rong Luoge looked at her with an even more astonished expression. "You don't know her?"

"Why would I know a lowly woman who serves as someone's outer chamber!" Ming Yuhua was about to go mad with anger. She had previously mocked Rong Luoge's father for keeping an outer chamber. Truly, the cycle of heaven's retribution was unfailing—within a few days, it had come around to her own father.

Liu Yuniang, half-kneeling and half-collapsed on the ground, cautiously stared at the newcomer. She looked her over and concluded she had never seen this person before, which set her slightly at ease. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something more, she heard the young gentleman speak again.

"Don't you find this person familiar? She is Yuliu, the palace maid who served beside Her Ladyship Consort Ming."

Ming Yuhua: …

Liu Yuniang: …

Ming Yuhua's face was full of shock and disbelief.

Liu Yuniang trembled all over, her heart quaking.

"What is this young gentleman babbling about? I know nothing of any Yuliu. You know Eldest Miss Ming—are you helping her frame me? There's truly no place for justice in this world. I've been wronged!"

Rong Luoge was far more direct and decisive than Ming Yuhua. She immediately cut off Liu Yuniang's words. "Ah, is that so. If this humble one has mistaken you for Miss Yuliu, then I apologize. It's just that my eyes are fairly clear and I don't believe I would mistake someone. But since Miss Yuliu keeps insisting on her innocence, how about this: let us report to the authorities and have the prefect pass judgment. What do you say?"

Liu Yuniang's remaining words were instantly choked off. Her face went pale, and she no longer cared about putting on an act for Ming Yuhua. She immediately scrambled up from the ground, scooped up her still-crying son Ming Jingyao, and headed toward the courtyard. As she walked, she said, "I don't know what this gentleman is talking about. You're clearly in cahoots together, seeing that I'm a lone widow with a child and easy to bully. What terrible luck today."

Seeing Liu Yuniang about to flee, Ming Yuhua reached out to grab her, but Rong Luoge stopped her.