Chapter 376: Volume 1, Chapter 376: Could She Really Be Wrong?

The Empress Dowager looked at Yan Yin, disappointment in her eyes, recalling that she had served her for decades without ever taking her anger out on her; after a while she said, "If you want to leave, then leave; I will not keep you."

Yan Yin felt a pang of sorrow, wanting to say she would not leave, but thinking of her family she swallowed it down, bowed forcefully before the Empress Dowager, and her forehead quickly flushed red, tinged faintly with bruises.

"Fine," the Empress Dowager said, seeing Yan Yin like that, the fire of anger in her heart easing a bit, "Leave then; I no longer wish to see you."

Yan Yin rose, tightly covering her lips to keep from crying out, bent over and stepped back.

The Empress Dowager looked at her silhouette wistfully, wondering if she was truly wrong.

"Yan Yin has left the palace?" Rong Luoge asked Rong Xin in surprise.

"Yes, I, a servant, was startled by the news as well; I didn't expect she had truly gone." Rong Xin still found it unreal; Yan Yin's aunt had served the Empress Dowager all her life, and no one expected her to leave now.

Rong Luoge was somewhat pleased; Yan Yin could find her way back from the wrong path, and that settled a worry of hers.

It remains to be seen whether Yan Yin's departure from the palace will awaken the Empress Dowager a bit and make her speak for the Su family; I fear Han Xinglan will no longer be able to endure.

However, with Su Ying present, the Empress Dowager may not truly be able to let go.

Su Ying…

won't be able to stay much longer either.

Rong Luoge currently doesn't want to deal with Su Ying; she has so many things to do.

The effort to establish the Business Department has hit snags, but what she's doing now is Business Department work: first set up the Chamber of Commerce.

As the notices have been posted longer and over wider areas, more merchants have come to the capital.

Yang Yi can now handle things on his own; the arriving merchants are all received and settled by him. Rong Luoge has added a few assistants for him, and now Chief Steward Yang Yi is quite imposing.

"Your Majesty."

Rong Luoge looked at Kang Shufei and said, "Sit down and speak."

Kang Shufei's eyes brightened, "Your Majesty, this is the register of people hoping to join the Chamber of Commerce; please have a look."

Rong Luoge opened the booklet and examined it carefully; she said in surprise, "So many people?"

"Yes, they were amazed when they saw the workshop market we built; some are already eager to reserve the workshops and locations they want, and they wish to buy them outright," Kang Shufei said with a smile.

"No," Rong Luoge shook her head, "Only rent, not sell."

Such property is a golden hen that lays eggs; it could never be sold off in one fell swoop. Though rent brings in money slowly and little, we cannot focus only on that—we must consider long‑term benefits.

If we sell it, it becomes someone else's, and thereafter they call the shots; how could she still set the rules?

She currently has little leverage; she cannot simply sell the workshop market. Only by keeping these workshops firmly in her own hands can she have more bargaining power when negotiating terms with the merchants.

Moreover, with the workshops under her control, these people would not dare betray her easily.

Rong Luoge felt that her strength was still insufficient; otherwise she wouldn't have to worry about these people being poached by noble families.

Kang Shufei, listening to the Empress Dowager's words, said anxiously, "But these people all want to buy; if we only rent and not sell, will they leave?"

"There's no need to worry about that; our workshops are built so well, and we have the technology they desire, so they won't leave easily," Rong Luoge said slowly.