Chapter 79: Volume 1, Chapter 79: Good Lady Rong Is Someone Who Does Great Things

After the new drawloom appeared at court, the Ministry of Works instantly became bustling. Everyone knew well the hidden profits in this thing—if one could get their hands on it, the gains would naturally be substantial.

Minister of Works Wu Lu was truly in pain and joy at once; His Highness had guessed correctly. These people fixated on him like flies drawn to rot—indeed, they came for profit.

Wu Lu sat in his study carefully writing out a list. Everyone who had come looking for him, His Highness had instructed him to record in a register. Though he did not fully understand what His Highness intended to do, he could still sense a trace of His Highness's purpose.

Writing down the names one by one, Wu Lu sighed softly. The current situation at court was worrying, and he, as Minister, was walking on eggshells. The Ministry of Works used to be a cold, powerless office, and his days had been relatively easy.

But from now on, that would likely be difficult.

However, fortune favors the bold. Since he had boarded the Crown Prince's ship, he had to plan carefully.

Tucking the list into his robe, Wu Lu slipped out the door under cover of night.

On the other side, Minister of War Kang Jinsi was speaking with his wife. Lady Kang had a gentle disposition, but upon hearing her husband's words, she too could not help furrowing her brow.

"My Lord wishes to send Hua Lu into the Dong Gong?" Lady Kang had not expected her husband to make such a decision. "His Majesty has not spoken to let the Crown Prince take a wife—what rank would Hua Lu enter the Dong Gong with? Is she to stand on equal footing with that Good Lady Rong? How could that work? If word gets out, how will Hua Lu face people in the future?"

Lady Kang disagreed, her face full of worry.

Kang Jinsi looked at his wife. "The struggle between the Crown Prince and Prince Qi grows ever more intense. It is time to choose a side. Moreover, in this matter we received His Highness the Crown Prince's favor. If we wish His Highness to trust us, this path is the most reliable."

A marriage alliance—the most convenient, swift, and easy thing since ancient times.

It was just that their daughter would have to suffer in terms of rank. Kang Jinsi was of course reluctant as well. He looked at his wife. "Do not fixate on the petty gains before your eyes. Once His Highness ascends to that position in the future, he will naturally compensate Hua Lu. The grievance now is all for the sake of the future—it is worth it."

"But there is still a Good Lady Rong in the Dong Gong. Did you not see it with your own eyes at the Dragon Boat Festival? His Highness the Crown Prince treats her most unusually. And setting aside Good Lady Rong's outstanding looks, she is exceedingly bold—she has clashed with Consort Ming and others several times without losing the upper hand. I fear that even if Hua Lu enters the Dong Gong, she may not be her match."

One must be alive to enjoy wealth and rank. If one loses one's life, everything is for naught.

Hearing his wife's words, Kang Jinsi said with some displeasure, "What use is Good Lady Rong's aggressiveness? A daughter of a family must ultimately be gentle and demure. His Highness is only lenient toward her because she saved his life—how long can such leniency last?"

Men understand men best. Kang Jinsi did not believe that His Highness the Crown Prince had truly developed affection for the Former Consort of the Qi Prince. It was most likely just putting on a show for everyone to see, and then trampling on Prince Qi's face.

Hearing her husband speak thus, Lady Kang also began to hesitate. She sighed softly, "Even if Good Lady Rong is nothing to worry about, what about the Yun family?"

At the mention of the Yun family, Kang Jinsi said, "Yun Jing is an old fox. The Ministry of Revenue benefited from the drawloom matter this time, but he may not be willing to send his daughter into the Dong Gong as a Good Lady."

"What Good Lady? They have their eyes on the position of Crown Princess." Lady Kang had heard from her daughter about certain matters regarding Yun Shizhuang, so naturally she also knew of Yun Shizhuang's feelings for the Crown Prince.

Kang Jinsi scoffed. "Yun Jing won't release the hawk until he sees the hare. He certainly won't send his daughter into the Dong Gong now."

Lady Kang was taken aback. "If that's the case, then the Yun family's situation becomes rather interesting."

"What do you mean, my Lady?"

Lady Kang also knew that her husband did not pay much attention to matters of the inner quarters, so she explained in detail: "Minister Yun's eldest legitimate daughter, Yun Shizhuang, has her heart set on His Highness the Crown Prince and is determined to win the position of Crown Princess. I hear she had some conflict with Good Lady Rong a while back. I had assumed Yun Shizhuang was so confident because Minister Yun had promised her something, but from what you say, my Lord, it seems that is not the case."

"Such a thing happened?" Kang Jinsi was also taken aback. Yun Jing was exceedingly cunning—otherwise he would not have secured the position of Minister of Revenue. He had not expected that the daughter raised under his guidance would be rather troublesome.

"Indeed. I heard it from Hua Lu as well. You know how these young girls are—they get together for tea every few days, and their information is very well-informed." Lady Kang smiled.

Though on the surface Lady Kang seemed to be discussing Yun Shizhuang's affairs, at the root of it, she still hoped her husband would not send their daughter into the Dong Gong. She kept feeling that Good Lady Rong was uncanny. If they truly sent their daughter in, wealth aside, she feared even her life might not be safe.

Kang Jinsi did not get along well with Yun Jing. Hearing his wife's words and thinking it over carefully, he found this matter rather interesting. He could well use it to stir the waters.

If only he could get Yun Jing removed from his position at the Ministry of Revenue.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the Crown Prince became visibly busier. Rong Luoge was not idle either—she summoned He Huai and Jing Chu to ask about matters in Xi Cheng.

"Liu Yuniang has been very well-behaved lately, staying in her residence and rarely going out. However, the Great General has been seen appearing a few times recently, always after the curfew hour deep in the night," He Huai spoke up.

Rong Luoge raised an eyebrow slightly. "Recently as in when? Before the Dragon Boat Festival, or after?"

"After the Dragon Boat Festival," He Huai said.

Rong Luoge thought to herself, just as expected. It seemed Consort Ming's side was growing anxious, which was why she had Ming Zan personally step in.

"Keep a close watch on them. You must pay attention to Liu Yuniang's movements."

"Yes." He Huai nodded in acknowledgment.

"Any news from Di Yue Nu's side?" Rong Luoge turned to look at Jing Chu.

"It has been found. Di Yue Nu's hiding place is also in Xi Cheng, and not far from Liu Yuniang's residence."

Rong Luoge had not expected Di Yue Nu to go to Xi Cheng—this was rather strange.

Previously, when Di Yue Nu had her residence smashed by Chu Ke, she had not seen her flee to Xi Cheng. Now that Qiong Chuan had produced a merchant caravan, she was willing to go to Xi Cheng?

To say there was nothing strange in this, she did not believe.

Moreover, the people who ambushed her that night had a deep connection with Di Yue Nu. Judging from her move to Xi Cheng, that person was likely traveling with the Qiong Chuan merchant caravan as well.

What she could not quite figure out was that the seal had already been lost by Di Yue Nu. If the Qiong Chuan merchant caravan had also come for the seal, what did Di Yue Nu have to trade with them?

There must be some piece she did not understand. Not getting to the bottom of it truly made it hard to sleep soundly—especially since Di Yue Nu had also sent people to ambush her. If it were purely to vent on behalf of Rong Dai, there had been plenty of opportunities before; there was no need to act at that particular time.

So for what reason?

Jing Chu and He Huai exchanged a glance, neither knowing what the Good Lady was agonizing over.

Come to think of it, the eldest young lady suddenly becoming a Good Lady of the Dong Gong had been quite a shock to them brothers. The eldest young lady was truly someone who did great things—just look at all these schemes one after another. An ordinary person could never pull them off.