Ming Yuhua wasn't truly foolish—she was simply too infatuated with her cousin, Prince Qi, which led her to subconsciously overlook many things.
Seeing her like this, Rong Luoge actually felt a bit sorry for her. She considered that although the relationship between the Ming family and Han Yifeng was solid, it wasn't entirely without cracks to exploit.
In this world, the original owner's family was unreliable, and her maternal relatives were thousands of miles away, so she could only rely on herself. Therefore, she needed to find forces she could borrow.
The Ming family might just be suitable.
There's no wall in this world that can't be toppled—it all depends on whether the hoe is sharp enough!
"Miss Ming, shall we find a place for a cup of tea?" Rong Luoge offered a friendly smile.
Ming Yuhua: …
She felt stifled, but she was eager to know what was really going on. Gritting her teeth, she said, "You'd better not lie to me, or else…"
"Or else what? You can't beat me in a fight, and you can't out-insult me either. Besides sulking and running back to complain to your family, what else can you do?"
Ming Yuhua grew even angrier, but Rong Luoge's bluntness left her with no retort.
The two found a nearby teahouse and went inside. Ming Yuhua wore a dark expression, her pitch-black eyes fixed on Rong Luoge. "Now, explain clearly what's going on. How could Rong Dai be with my cousin? Wasn't the engagement between you and him?"
Rong Luoge sighed softly. "It's truly a melodramatic story, and a bit long. Listen carefully."
Ming Yuhua: …
Rong Luoge organized her thoughts, trying to explain the matter as simply and quickly as possible. She concluded, "That's how it is. Their scheme of deception was quite clever—sacrificing me to protect Rong Dai's position as Princess Qi. Once they succeeded, it would have been my death sentence. Ming Yuhua, I'm no fool either. They plotted against me, and I simply turned their scheme to my advantage. I just didn't expect someone as foolish as you to willingly walk into the trap."
Stunned by the truth, Ming Yuhua ignored Rong Luoge's mockery. After a long pause, she said, "No wonder Rong Dai tried to get close to me when we first met. No wonder she's been flattering me all these years. I was truly blind not to see it."
"Rong Dai is very patient and knows how to disguise herself. Who would have guessed she and Prince Qi had long been secretly involved? To put it bluntly, I, as Princess Qi, still have my maidenhood, but she… well. If I hadn't resisted, who knows—she might have given birth to a son one day and passed it off as mine, claiming I was the mother," Rong Luoge said.
"That wretched woman!" Ming Yuhua slammed the table hard, her palm turning red, but she felt no pain. Her eyes reddened as she looked at Rong Luoge. "She knew how much I liked my cousin, yet she told me openly and secretly that he liked me too, and that it was only because you shamelessly clung to him that this engagement was arranged."
"Using others to do the dirty work," Rong Luoge sneered. "Ming Yuhua, how about we join forces?"
"Us?" Ming Yuhua was bewildered. As a young lady who only knew how to eat, drink, and enjoy life, she had no skills to speak of.
For the first time in her life, Ming Yuhua realized she was utterly useless. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. "I don't know how to do anything. I only know how to play and enjoy myself…"
"This is your strength," Rong Luoge chuckled softly. "The enemy is in the open, while you remain hidden. Rong Dai doesn't yet know that you've seen through her true nature. Isn't she obsessed with vanity? This is the perfect opportunity to teach her a lesson. A daughter of a concubine—and one not even acknowledged by the Duke's household—what do you think those noble young ladies would do to her if you weren't there to protect her?"
Ming Yuhua's confused eyes gradually lit up with understanding. Yes, wasn't this exactly what she excelled at?
She had used this tactic against Rong Luoge more than once in the past…
At this thought, Ming Yuhua couldn't bring herself to look at Rong Luoge, feeling a twinge of guilt.
Seeing Ming Yuhua's expression, Rong Luoge knew exactly what she was thinking. After a moment's consideration, she said, "Ming Yuhua, both of us were deceived by petty people in the past. As you can see, I have no interest in your cousin, and there's no conflict of interest between us. I believe we share a common enemy and could work together. What do you think?"
Ming Yuhua's expression shifted uncertainly for a long while before she finally asked, "You really don't like my cousin?"
"Are there no other men left in the world? Why would I like someone who wanted me dead?"
Ming Yuhua felt a weight lift from her heart, though she found Rong Luoge's words rather harsh. Unable to hold back, she added, "My cousin isn't that kind of ruthless person. It must have been Rong Dai's idea. Don't worry, once I marry him, I won't let him trouble you."
Rong Luoge looked at Ming Yuhua. This young lady truly was naive. Then again, if she weren't so easily fooled, how could Rong Dai have deceived her for so long?
"Then I thank you in advance. A pleasure to work with you," Rong Luoge said, extending her hand with a smile.
Though somewhat awkward, Ming Yuhua high-fived her and asked, "So what should I do now? I can't just stand by and watch Rong Dai continue to deceive my cousin."
"Rong Dai has already moved into Prince Qi's residence."
"What? How could she be so shameless?"
"No one knows about this yet. I think the truth shouldn't be hidden from the public—everyone deserves to know."
"Exactly! We should tear off her mask and let everyone see what she really is." Ming Yuhua was furious, her expression darkening as if she could spit fire and reduce Rong Dai to ashes.
"Do you know why Rong Dai moved into Prince Qi's residence?" Rong Luoge asked, guiding the conversation gently.
"Why?"
"Because Zhenguo Gong Furen had people ransack the home of Rong Dai's birth mother. Rong Dai used that as an excuse to pressure Prince Qi into taking her into his residence. What's more, Prince Qi is currently petitioning to have her granted the title of side consort. If that title is approved…"
"She's dreaming!" Ming Yuhua hadn't realized the situation was this dire. She glared at Rong Luoge. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Rong Luoge chuckled lightly. "Before we agreed to work together, why would I have told you any of this?"
"You're something else!" Ming Yuhua was nearly in tears from anger. "Rong Luoge, in the past, when others bullied you, you didn't even dare to make a sound. You really played the part well. Is this the real you now? Not just Rong Dai—none of your Rong family members are any good."
"Likewise," Rong Luoge replied. Ming Yuhua: …
She didn't want to argue with Rong Luoge anymore. She couldn't win against her, so she redirected all her fury toward Rong Dai. That so-called pure, beautiful, flawless white lotus—this time, she was going to tear off her mask!
Before marriage, she moved into Prince Qi's residence, and her mother's family from the concubine household was smashed by Zhenguo Gong Furen. With such news spreading, she wanted to see what face Rong Dai would have to appear before everyone.
Ming Yuhua left in a huff, while Rong Luoge remained seated without moving. She gently swirled the teacup in her hand and said softly, "Everyone has left. What else are you trying to eavesdrop on? Come out."
The room fell into silence, yet Rong Luoge remained as steady as a mountain. After a while, a soft chuckle was heard, sounding somewhat familiar.
Immediately after, she heard the faint sound of a mechanism activating. The wall shifted slightly, revealing a hidden door that swung open, and a man stepped out from within.
He was dressed in a white robe, with subtle golden patterns embroidered on the cuffs and collar. Walking into the sunlight, the halo of light accentuated his extraordinarily handsome features, making him appear even more noble.
As he moved, his smiling eyes turned toward her, bringing a sense of warmth and delight, as if bathed in a gentle spring breeze.
This was a man of remarkable handsomeness, seemingly harmless at first glance.
However, Rong Luoge's years of experience sent a chilling sensation creeping up from the soles of her feet.