Chapter 85: Volume 1, Chapter 85: Let's See If He Can Still Treat Him As a Treasure

The murder of an examination candidate was no small matter, and it quickly blew up, with rumors flying inside and outside the court. Even the emperor had grown several degrees more irritable over the matter, losing his temper in the Hou Gong for several days running, and several consorts suffered the fallout and were reprimanded.

Rong Luoge only smiled when she heard about it. If the current emperor were truly a wise ruler, how could he have done something like marginalizing the Crown Prince in an attempt to back Prince Qi instead?

Moreover, the several times she had met with His Majesty, though he had presided over the annulment of her marriage to Prince Qi, it was only because she had made a scene in front of the court officials, forcing the emperor to put on the appearance of a wise ruler.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, hadn't the emperor still favored Princess Zhaoqing? All that talk of house confinement was just putting people off.

She had gotten a sense of the emperor's temperament, which was why she had given Han Xinglan that advice.

She just hadn't expected the situation to develop to this point. There must be reasons behind it that she didn't know about.

"Good Lady, the second young lady of the Zhen Guo Gong Fu, Rong Ling Shan, requests an audience." Rong Xin hurried in and bowed to report.

Rong Ling Shan?

Rong Luoge didn't know what she was coming for at this time, but her impression of Rong Ling Shan was fairly good, so she said, "Let her in."

After Rong Xin ushered the visitor in and served clear tea, she bowed and withdrew.

This was Rong Ling Shan's first time entering the Dong Gong, so she was inevitably a bit nervous. Only after seeing her eldest sister did she quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

Rong Luoge looked at her like this and said with a smile, "When you came to find me back then, weren't you quite bold?"

"How is that the same?" Rong Ling Shan muttered, not daring to waste time either, and got to the real matter she had come for. "Eldest sister, that subordinate of yours named Jing Chu delivered evidence to my mother. Now we can prove that big brother's leg was caused by someone's deliberate harm."

If Rong Ling Shan hadn't mentioned it, Rong Luoge wouldn't have thought of this matter at all. She'd had quite a lot going on lately and had long forgotten this small thing. Now hearing Rong Ling Shan bring it up, she looked at her and asked, "Can it directly catch Rong Dai's handle?"

Rong Ling Shan shook her head somewhat helplessly. "Not directly."

Rong Luoge nodded. "That's within expectations. That Lin Gao Xuan likes Rong Dai, but he only heard a few words of Rong Dai's grievances. Whatever he wanted to do, what does that have to do with Rong Dai? Even if we both know perfectly well she did it, if Lin Gao Xuan refuses to admit it, there's nothing we can do."

"I don't know what kind of love potion Rong Dai fed that Lin Gao Xuan to make him protect her like this," Rong Ling Shan said indignantly.

"Though a woman's beauty can sometimes be a knife that scrapes bone, men don't necessarily see it that way. It's like drinking water—only you know whether it's cold or warm. What are you angry about?" Rong Luoge said.

"I just can't swallow this. The suffering big brother has endured all this time—how can we not get justice for it?"

"There are many things in this world where justice can't be gotten back," Rong Luoge said plainly. If it hadn't been for her transmigration, who would have returned justice to the original owner?

Rong Ling Shan saw that her eldest sister's expression was displeased and knew she had said the wrong thing. For a moment she timidly lowered her head.

Rong Luoge looked at her like this. Besides, Rong Ling Shan had given her the seal—though it was a transaction between the two of them, she had kept her promise and told no one. Rong Luoge had a very good impression of her for this.

"You don't need to be upset either. You're all angry, but wouldn't Lady Lin be angrier than you? Her perfectly fine son, who ended up doing such things for an illegitimate daughter—she's probably so angry she wishes she could stuff him back into her belly and start over."

Rong Ling Shan was immediately amused, and that bit of awkwardness and nervousness slowly dissipated. After thinking it over, she said, "Does eldest sister mean for my mother to go find Lady Lin?"

"Borrowing a knife to kill someone—Rong Dai isn't the only one who knows how to do that." Rong Luoge scoffed. "Besides, right now Consort Ming is looking for a Princess Consort Qi for Prince Qi. Rong Dai's calculations of becoming Princess Consort have completely fallen through. I'd say she'll be lucky to even secure the position of side consort."

"Really?"

"Of course." Rong Luoge nodded. Consort Ming only used Rong Dai—how could she possibly let her become her own daughter-in-law? Her background was a stain to Consort Ming. But because Rong Dai was still useful, Consort Ming would probably bestow the title of side consort on her to keep her hanging.

Rong Ling Shan's mind immediately became active. Rong Dai had been so arrogant at home lately, all because she was convinced she could become Princess Consort Qi. But what if she couldn't?

Would their father still value her and her brother so highly?

Rong Ling Shan immediately breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Rong Luoge and said, "Eldest sister, my mother asked me to tell you to be careful. The Yun family is scheming for the position of Crown Princess."

Rong Luoge looked at Rong Ling Shan and smiled. "Then they'd better work harder. This isn't going to be easy."

The emperor was pressing Han Xinglan to take a wife. Unless the Yun family could persuade the emperor to change his mind, she truly wouldn't be able to sit in that Crown Princess's seat.

Rong Ling Shan saw how confident her eldest sister looked and couldn't help clicking her tongue inwardly. She hadn't expected her eldest sister to be so favored by the Crown Prince—it seemed eldest sister was very confident indeed.

Rong Ling Shan felt stifled staying at home. Her relationship with her eldest sister was good now, so she dawdled and didn't want to leave.

Rong Luoge could see what she was partly thinking and didn't shoo her away. Instead, she brought up Rong Yan's matter. "How is Rong Yan's leg?"

"Fortunately eldest sister gave the warning. Mother kept a close watch on big brother's leg and spent a great deal of money to invite an Imperial Physician to treat him. He said that with another month of proper recovery, he'll be able to walk." Speaking of this, Rong Ling Shan became happy. As long as her big brother was safe and sound, the position of Heir Apparent would never fall to Rong Lang no matter what.

Rong Luoge calculated that a month's time was still acceptable. The Protector Duke was the greatest reliance of Di Yue Nu and her children at present. To take away their backer, they needed to prop up Rong Yan.

Only if Rong Yan could stand on his own could he keep the Protector Duke in check, which would indirectly keep Di Yue Nu in check as well.

"Tell him to rest well and recover as soon as possible. I will plead for a position for him in front of His Highness," Rong Luoge said.

Rong Ling Shan was stunned. She hadn't expected that coming to deliver a message would also bring such good fortune to fall on their heads. Though she had a steady temperament, she was also a bit excited at this moment.

After all, because of Rong Lang, big brother's recent days hadn't been easy. But what if big brother had a bright future ahead?

Could her father still treat Rong Lang as a treasure?

"I'm going back right now to tell big brother. Thank you, eldest sister, thank you." Rong Ling Shan hurriedly rose to her feet, tears already welling in her eyes.

Rong Luoge: ……

Was it really necessary?

Rong Ling Shan truly couldn't sit still anymore this time, and immediately took her leave and went home.

As soon as she got home, she didn't even have time to see her mother and went straight to find big brother. She hadn't expected her mother to be there with big brother too. She calmed her emotions before relating the matter.

Both Rong Yan and Chu Ke were taken aback. Chu Ke looked at her daughter. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Mother, with something this big, could I possibly be speaking nonsense?" Rong Ling Shan said.

Chu Ke's thoughts were complicated. She hadn't expected that after all the twists and turns, she would still end up relying on Rong Luoge. Now thinking about it, it was fortunate that she had swallowed her pride and bowed her head to Rong Luoge back then.

Now seeing her son benefit from it, what did bowing her head matter!