Chapter 352: Who knows if the one by the pillow is a person or a dog

"What's the use of knowing now?" Rong Luoge couldn't stand to see the scumbag turn back, saying he regretted not acting earlier—doesn't he know he's doing something bad when he does it?

I know.

But why still do it?

Because he's never a good person; expecting a villain to change instantly is like hoping a sow can climb a tree.

Thinking of that, Rong Luoge turned to Han Xinglan and asked, "How's the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's assignment going?"

"It's fine, no merit nor fault," Han Xinglan said. He hadn't expected him to achieve greatness; originally the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion and the Liang Prince were employed to soothe the people. Moreover, Liang Prince could endure hardship and was capable, but the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion was different—his tasks were always easy, with no ambition.

So now, to Han Xinglan, Liang Prince and Shou Shou Prince's Mansion carry different weight; the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion is just a royal who lives off others, a task given to him is enough.

Liang Prince, however, can be heavily utilized; for some complicated matters in the capital, he hands them to Liang Prince to practice, and eventually will cultivate him into a general.

As for the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion, that's all there is.

"Since it's neither merit nor fault, what does the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's consort have to tell me about the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion?" Rong Luoge asked hesitantly, which left her a bit puzzled,

Han Xinglan heard this, looked at Rong Luoge, and the two spouses locked eyes.

"We'll know tomorrow; overthinking now is useless," Han Xinglan said, patting Rong Luoge's hand.

Rong Luoge nodded, "I won't think so much; tomorrow we'll know. Lately I've been thinking too much, my head hurts."

"Shall I accompany you to the Imperial Garden for a walk?" Han Xinglan said with a smile.

Rong Luoge shook her head, "I'd rather have you stay with me and talk. Any news from Suizhou?"

Han Xinglan shook his head, "Each trip takes a lot of time; let's wait a bit longer."

"Is the court now different from before?" Rong Luoge asked with a smile.

Han Xinglan laughed at her question, "There are some differences; now everyone is pondering how to annex your Weaving Workshop into the state treasury."

Rong Luoge scoffed, "It's a nice thought; once it's in the treasury, those people will have an easy hand. In a few days, I'm afraid the workshop will be just an empty shell."

"Indeed, on the outside Xiao Shen commands troops here, and inside you, my virtuous partner, keep earning money for me. I now have money, troops, and weapons that noble families lack; they truly don't dare to decisively confront the court head‑on."

Rong Luoge leaned on Han Xinglan's shoulder and said softly, "Since ancient times it's always been money, authority, and troops. The court used to be inferior to the noble families in every way—less money, fewer troops, and the great power in the court was held by the nobles. Ultimately it comes down to whose grip is stronger. With powerful weapons in hand, even a shortage of money isn't a big issue, and the court's authority will gradually consolidate under military deterrence."

"So you originally insisted on establishing the workshop to make money."

"Indeed, it wasn't just to wrestle power from the noble families; once you truly hold great authority, the first step is still to let the whole Owl Kingdom recuperate, so the people can live peacefully. First you need land, then you need money; with grain and cash in hand, the people's lives become stable."

Speaking of land, both their expressions grew serious again; how to reclaim the vast estates held by the noble families is also a severe problem.

Rong Luoge discussed slowly with Han Xinglan, "Land can't become state‑owned; privatization is never ideal, but forcing the nobles to cede land is like compelling them to rebel, and that pressure is hard to control,"

"When forced by military pressure, it's a last resort; if it can be resolved peacefully, that would be best."

For a moment neither had a better solution; Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan and said, "We have no good plan right now; let's wait for the outcome from Suizhou before proceeding."

Han Xinglan nodded, "You can't eat a fat person in one bite; with your help, my steps have already grown large. Luoge, we're moving steadily now; don't overexert yourself. I still hope to grow old together with you."

Rong Luoge laughed; 'growing old together' is truly a beautiful phrase.

But life is long; if you don't live until you close your eyes and enter a coffin, who can be sure their love will last forever without wavering?

Anyway, she wasn't certain; she'd take one step at a time. At least for now she knows Han Xinglan's heart is 100% sincere toward her.

If life doesn't reach old age, who knows whether the one by the pillow is a person or a dog…

Recalling that line, Rong Luoge instantly felt delighted.

She thought it was a bit unrefined, but the saying was quite true.

"What are you laughing at?" Han Xinglan felt a slight shiver from Rong Luoge's laughter.

"It's nothing," Rong Luoge waved her hand, sat up, and looked at Han Xinglan, "Do you still want to check on the son? I guess it's time to sleep now."

"I'll take a look," Han Xinglan stood up, "You also freshen up and wait for me."

Rong Luoge felt that 'wait for me' carried a hidden meaning; she ignored him and went to the clean room to freshen up.

Han Xinglan smiled, shook his head, and went to the adjacent side hall to see the son; indeed, Kang Kang was already asleep, and the wet nurse rose immediately to greet His Majesty.

Han Xinglan waved his hand, went over to look at his son's peacefully sleeping little face, thinking he'll return early tomorrow when there's nothing else to do to keep him company.

Early the next morning, Han Xinglan rose early to attend the morning court; the people around him were still asleep, and he sat up and slipped out of bed quietly.

Rong Luoge heard the sound but didn't open her eyes or move; now that his pressure on the court had sharply lessened, he had energy to devote to her, so she could sleep a bit longer.

When dawn was about to break, Rong Luoge finally got up; the wet nurse brought the son over. She now gradually introduced complementary foods to the child, had the Imperial Kitchen simmer the rice porridge until it was very soft, and each time she gave the child a bite, the mother ate a meal together—it was rather pleasant.

After the meal, she carried the son for a walk in the courtyard to aid digestion, then let the wet nurse set him down, and sent Rong Xin to the Weaving Workshop to invite the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's consort for a talk.

He Wan arrived quickly, and upon seeing the Empress she immediately knelt and performed a grand salute. Rong Luoge had Que Cai help her up, and smiled, "The Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's consort need not be overly formal; sit, we can speak slowly."

He Wan steadied herself, then looked at the Empress and said, "Your Majesty, I never expected you would truly attend to my affairs. When Concubine Kang Shufei appeared at the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's Mansion, at that moment I felt my sky brighten like never before."

Rong Luoge listened to He Wan's words, and for a moment she didn't know what to say, sighing lightly toward her, "Days will keep getting better. When Xu Xianfei told me, I truly couldn't believe it. I always thought you were doing fine at the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion's Mansion. Concubine Ruan may be favored by the Shou Shou Prince's Mansion, but no rumors of a favored concubine destroying a wife have ever spread, so who knows…"