Chapter 104: High-Grade Beasts

He Shi checked and decided not to distribute the remaining crisp, sweet red carrots.

"Jiang Shi," He Shi said, "go to Rong Wang Fu and check on your sister."

"Yes, Mother," Jiang Shi replied and returned to her own courtyard.

Jiang Shi packed up to go out; upon learning this, Qin Lang rushed over to join her on the carriage. He also wanted to visit his cousin, so they stopped at a famous pastry shop on the way to buy two packs of pastries.

Qin Bi was at home resting during her pregnancy. When Jiang Shi and Qin Lang arrived, they showed smiles, but she remained seated before the charcoal stove without rising. Jiang Shi and Qin Lang did not mind, sat down, and began talking with Qin Bi.

When they mentioned that the Marquis Qin Yan's wife wanted crisp, sweet red carrots, He Shi gave her a few.

Qin Bi's smile faded: "How many did you give?"

Jiang Shi observed Qin Bi's expression and pondered, "Probably five, or maybe six. It wouldn't do to give fewer than what was given to the third branch's illegitimate son. After all, the Eldest Aunt is the main mistress of the Hou Fu; giving less would be embarrassing."

Qin Bi fell silent. Giving one or two, considering the size of the crisp, sweet red carrots, the Marquis Qin Yan's wife would likely eat them herself. If more were given, it was hard to say. Qin Bi had a premonition in her heart.

Qin Lang offered the pastries to Qin Bi, watching her expression carefully.

"The Eldest Aunt made a request," Jiang Shi said, worried that Qin Bi might be upset, and explained, "Mother couldn't refuse her face."

"Just wait," Qin Bi calculated. It wasn't a huge loss. As long as the fourth branch didn't mind, she had no reason to be unhappy. She said, "Qin He will have good fortune again."

Qin Lang and Jiang Shi listened, utterly confused. The topic had jumped too far.

What did this have to do with Qin He?

Even a small loss must be made clear to the one who suffers, otherwise Qin Bi would feel displeased. She said, "Let me guess. He Yan and Xue Qing went to the small space in the Beast Realm. They probably found a high-grade spirit fruit, or perhaps the Great Yan Emperor sent another spirit-plant chicken."

"Where does that come from?" Jiang Shi asked.

Such a guess needed some basis, and Jiang Shi had heard no news.

Qin Lang outright denied it. Qin Bi didn't eat the pastries, so Qin Lang ate them himself. "Our Emperor finding a spirit-plant chicken isn't easy. How could he give Qin He a spirit-plant chicken every time?"

"You'll know in a couple of days," Qin Bi said with some certainty, then offered her analysis: "Mother gave the Eldest Aunt crisp, sweet red carrots, which were grown with abundant rain. Qin He had her pregnancy qi disturbed and vomited whatever she ate. The Eldest Aunt saw they were fresh and gave two. Qin He's good fortune is coming. Once this luck moves, it's either good news from the Beast Realm or something sent from the palace to her."

Jiang Shi smoothed her thoughts and laughed; she didn't believe it. Qin Bi wasn't a Xuan Shi.

Qin Lang didn't believe it either. A few crisp, sweet red carrots? The Yan Guogong Fu had given Qin He countless good things. Could eating a few crisp, sweet red carrots really transfer luck to her?!!

Rong Juan had taken Rong Yang hunting. Jiang Shi and Qin Lang returned without having lunch.

They didn't take the idle chat seriously. The next day, He Yan and Xue Qing returned from hunting in the small space of the Beast Realm. Qin Yan and several daughters from the second branch all ran to Xue Wang Fu. Qin Lang looked stunned.

Qin Lang lifted his robe and ran to Qin Tang's courtyard.

"Sister-in-law," Qin Lang said upon seeing Jiang Shi, "He He Shizi has returned from the small space in the Beast Realm. He hunted an orange high-grade beast."

Jiang Shi looked surprised. After a moment's thought, she immediately sent someone to fetch Qin Tang and told him Qin Bi's guess. Qin Xun was also called over. After hearing this, Qin Tang called everyone to He Shi's courtyard.

"Was it a guess?" He Shi asked.

Qin Tang pondered while Qin Xun went out to inquire.

Not long after, Qin Xun returned: "The Emperor gave Qin He a portion of spirit vegetables."

Jiang Shi's heart skipped a beat. Qin Bi had guessed a high-grade spirit fruit from the Beast Realm's small space, which turned into a high-grade beast. She guessed the palace would send a spirit-plant chicken, but now they sent a portion of spirit vegetables.

There was a discrepancy, but with just that small difference, Jiang Shi couldn't have figured it out even if she racked her brains.

So, she had guessed correctly.

Everyone thought silently. He Shi was fine, but Qin Xun and Qin Lang felt increasingly uncomfortable the more they thought. Jiang Shi also tightened her handkerchief. It was hard not to care when something was predicted so accurately.

Fortunately, it was Qin Bi who figured it out. If it were a Xuan Shi, the fourth branch would treat it as a major issue.

"If it was just a lucky guess, that's fine. But what if there's a principle behind it?" Qin Tang frowned, thinking slowly, and instructed, "Jiang Shi, go to the Eldest Aunt's courtyard and subtly inquire whether she really gave Qin He the crisp, sweet red carrots."

"I'm afraid the Eldest Aunt won't tell the truth," Jiang Shi said as she stood up.

"Your Eldest Aunt comes from a prestigious family," He Shi said. "She is not that kind of person."

Jiang Shi went to the main mistress's courtyard of the Hou Fu and returned half an hour later. Qin Xun's wife also arrived at He Shi's courtyard. Everyone looked at Jiang Shi. Zhu Shi from the third branch was also present; Qin Lang had summoned his mother.

"Did you give it to Qin He?" Qin Tang asked.

"Yes," Jiang Shi said as she stepped into the room. "We gave two. She said the crisp, sweet red carrots were very appetizing. Qin He's morning sickness has eased, and she can now eat food."

Qin He could eat food again, and the fourth branch felt distressed.

Since Qin He returned last time, her pregnancy qi had been disturbed and wouldn't heal. The crisp, sweet red carrots of the fourth branch were not spirit vegetables, nor any miraculous medicine, yet she recovered after eating them. Qin Xun narrowed his eyes and immediately thought too much.

He Shi also frowned, regretting giving the carrots to the Marquis Qin Yan's wife.

"We don't know if there's a principle behind this; we don't understand," Jiang Shi said with a worried expression. "If it wasn't because of the crisp, sweet red carrots, that would be fine. But if there is some connection, did Qin He benefit from the Hou Fu's glory, or from our fourth branch's?"

Invisible flow of fortune was one thing, but targeted transfer was another.

One side sends something out, and the other side immediately gains benefits. Who wouldn't mind?

Qin Xun thought more and more. Over the years, in the exchanges of favors within the Hou Fu, who knew how many things had ended up in Qin He's hands. If their fortune was supporting Qin He, saying they didn't mind would be a lie.

Openly borrowing fortune and invisibly borrowing fortune are two different things.

Qin He lives a flourishing life, thinking only that she has good fate, but she won't show gratitude.

"I'll go see Qin Bi," Qin Tang said, calling Qin Xun along.

Qin Lang followed too. He Shi said, "Go ahead."

Arriving at Rong Wang Fu, Rong Juan and Rong Yang were in the study. Qin Tang first met with Rong He Shizi, then went to see Qin Bi. Upon seeing Qin Bi, Qin Tang expressed the fourth branch's concerns.

"Do you think Qin He's fortune came from the fourth branch or from the Hou Fu?" Qin Tang, no longer caring whether Qin Bi was a Xuan Shi, felt uneasy with this matter on his mind and asked.

"I don't know either," Qin Bi said helplessly. There were things she couldn't say. "I even think Qin He benefited from me. I'm not a Xuan Shi, nor a Shu Shi; I just guessed."

Qin Tang sat drinking tea and said, "Right after we sent it out, Qin He's fortune began to grow. I feel uneasy."

"Just don't give things away easily in the future," Qin Bi stated her objection. "Especially things I bring back to my natal family. I'm not willing for Qin He to benefit even a little."