Chapter 89: Volume 1, Chapter 89 — This Person Must Be Sick in the Head

The Empress looked at Prince Qi, noting a trace of hostility in his eyes, yet her face still wore a warm smile as she spoke slowly, "Your eldest brother's injuries are manageable. Why have you come? Is there anyone attending to His Majesty?"

Prince Qi replied respectfully, "To answer Mother Empress, Father Emperor is well. Out of concern for my eldest brother, he specifically sent me to visit."

Rong Luoge listened to the Empress and Prince Qi exchanging pleasantries, their mouths full of nonsense. These people were probably born knowing how to act; their speech and manners were steeped through and through.

She paid no attention to Prince Qi, only watching the Imperial Physician treat the Crown Prince's wound. The injury looked ghastly; because the arrowhead had to be pulled out, even though the Imperial Physician was extremely careful, the flesh still tore open and blood flowed freely.

Rong Luoge helped the Imperial Physician bandage the Crown Prince's wound from the side, her gaze fixed intently on the injury. Perhaps because her expression was overly grave, Han Xinglan found it somewhat unsettling and glanced up at her several times, but Rong Luoge simply refused to meet his eyes.

The Crown Prince was not used to this version of Rong Luoge. After all, ever since she entered the Dong Gong, she had always been full of warmth—no matter when he saw her, she was always smiling, and every time he saw her, Han Xinglan felt himself lighten up a little too.

The Crown Prince gently tugged at Rong Luoge's sleeve. The moment he did it, Han Xinglan regretted such a childish gesture—he hadn't done something so foolish in many years.

Yet even after doing so, Rong Luoge still wouldn't glance at him, and Han Xinglan belatedly realized—was she angry?

Rong Luoge hadn't expected Han Xinglan to tug her sleeve either. She quietly pulled her sleeve back and, facing the Imperial Physician's somewhat astonished gaze, offered an innocent smile.

Imperial Physician: ……

He saw nothing at all.

It seemed His Highness the Crown Prince truly did like this Good Lady Rong.

The little exchange between the two was not very discreet; both the Empress and Prince Qi saw it.

The shock in the Empress's heart was no less than the Imperial Physician's—after all, did she not know her own son's temperament?

She had never seen her son accommodate any woman like this… like this before.

Prince Qi stared dumbfounded at this scene, genuinely shaken. Was this the Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince's reaction was one thing, but what about Rong Luoge?

With Rong Luoge's foul temper, if he dared to tug her sleeve, she'd probably slap him right back. So impatient and cold toward him—why was it different when it came to the Crown Prince?

The differential treatment was far too obvious. Prince Qi couldn't swallow that breath, and his expression grew somewhat twisted.

Why her?

He simply couldn't understand what Rong Luoge was thinking. For some reason, ever since the divorce, every time he saw Rong Luoge, there was a change in her—and it was a change he did not like.

Prince Qi could not stay any longer; he forced out a few polite words and left.

Once he was gone, the Imperial Physician finished treating the wound, wrote a prescription, and withdrew as well.

Only Rong Luoge and the other two remained in the hall. Only then did the Empress look at her son and say, "Rest and recover well. I will speak on your behalf with His Majesty."

Han Xinglan gave a slight nod. "Thank you for your trouble, Mother Empress."

The Empress glanced at Rong Luoge, hesitating to speak. Rong Luoge tactfully rose. "I will go have the prescription filled."

Once she left, the smile faded from the Empress's face, and she lowered her voice to her son: "You took too great a risk. How could you do such a thing?"

Han Xinglan cast a sidelong glance at the Empress before saying, "A grave illness requires strong medicine. Now that I have the merit of protecting the sovereign, Father Emperor will have to think thrice before wanting to abolish the heir."

"But…" The Empress sighed softly. "Never mind. You are grown now and have your own mind. As long as you've thought it through, that is enough."

"Mother Empress need not worry. Your son knows what he is doing."

How could the Empress not worry? She feared that even with his injuries, her son would not be able to exchange for the Emperor's fatherly compassion.

After leaving, Rong Luoge thought for a moment, then took the prescription directly to the Imperial Hospital to have a look. Following the palace road out of the hall, the Imperial Hospital was in the southeast corner—quite a distance from here. As she passed through a small garden on the way, someone suddenly darted out and blocked her path.

Rong Luoge had already taken a quick step back upon hearing the sound. When she looked up and saw the person before her, her expression turned instantly cold. "Han Yifeng? What are you doing here?"

Prince Qi saw the look on Rong Luoge's face, as though she couldn't get away fast enough, and the anger he couldn't swallow surged right back up. He gave a cold laugh. "Rong Luoge, I truly underestimated you before. I didn't realize you had such abilities—to turn around and curry favor with Han Xinglan and enter the Dong Gong. You think the Dong Gong will be safe and worry-free?"

This person must be sick in the head!

"Han Yifeng, what does what I do have to do with you? And what position do you have to speak? How ridiculous." Rong Luoge fired back at Han Yifeng with absolutely no mercy.

"I am merely reminding you out of kindness."

"Keep your kindness to yourself. Most people cannot afford such kindness." Rong Luoge stepped around him and continued on her way, wanting nothing more than to avoid entangling with him.

Han Yifeng, for some reason, had a lapse in judgment and shifted to the side, immediately blocking Rong Luoge's path again.

Rong Luoge: ……

"What exactly do you want?" Rong Luoge's face darkened, the corners of her eyes turning slightly. If there had been no one around, she would have pinned him to the ground and rubbed his face in the dirt.

Han Yifeng stared at Rong Luoge. "Name your terms. What will it take for you to leave the Dong Gong?"

Hmm?

This person was truly insane!

"Han Yifeng, I think your brain is broken. If Rong Dai heard those words, if your future Princess Consort heard them, I wonder how you'd explain yourself." Rong Luoge gave a mocking smile. "I've seen the dark side of human nature, but someone as disgusting as you is a first."

"You…"

"Move. If you don't move, don't blame me for being rude!" Rong Luoge made as if to roll up her sleeves. This dog of a man couldn't even speak human language; he was so disgusting she wanted to throw up last night's dinner.

What did he take another woman's reputation and future for?

A toy?

To want it when he wants it, to toss it when he doesn't?

And to pick it back up once tossed?

Bah!

Did he ever ask the toy's opinion?

"Rong Luoge, I'm only reminding you out of kindness. The Crown Prince is no decent man. Sooner or later, you'll suffer greatly at his hands," Han Yifeng reminded, suppressing his anger.

"Heh. What gives you the nerve to say such things, Han Yifeng? Your shamelessness on your wedding night, or your invincible thick skin? Anyone in the world has the right to say those words—except you. The things you did to me—you've probably forgotten, haven't you?"

Rong Luoge dropped those words, shoved Han Yifeng hard aside, and strode off.

Don't get angry, don't get angry—fall ill from anger and no one will take your place!

But she was still furious. Did this dog of a man think he was a gold-plated turd?

If it weren't for being in the palace with many eyes around, she would have taught him how to behave!

Han Yifeng was shoved by Rong Luoge, staggering, his face dark with anger, but he could do nothing.

Thinking of how Rong Luoge had smiled at the Crown Prince, and then looking at her attitude toward him now, the anger in his heart could not be suppressed any further.