Hough oughten oughsetting it is tough nough tough much.

Hough as in bough
oughten as in cough
oughtsetting as in hiccough (regionalism? I pronounce it "hiccup")
tough as in through
nough as in though or although

and that doesn't even include
*ough as in rough

You want consistent rules? In English? Silly person! "Consistent rules in English pronunciation" is an oxymoron.

In the opposite direction it goes "Though the tough cough and hiccough run him through." Might make for an interesting cryptogram, that.