Chapter 160

Qin He, thinking and fuming, arrived at the garden with her entourage.

Once seated in the pavilion, a maid served tea. Qin He suddenly had an idea and gave an order: "Go to the shop I opened and fetch some iced drinks and ice cream; the summer heat is unbearable."

"There are iced drinks! That's wonderful," her younger cousin cheered first.

The guards departed quickly while Qin Yan and the others, delighted, began discussing the iced drinks.

"Sister Qin He, you are so amazing, able to open a shop with men and even expand it further." Qin Yan looked full of admiration, pulling on Qin He's arm: "If only I had half your talent."

Enjoying everyone's praise, Qin He thought of something, and her smile faded slightly: "What good is it that I'm good at running a shop? It's better to marry well. Even a parasitic flower who knows nothing has everything if she marries well."

Qin Yan immediately thought of Qin Bi, letting go of Qin He's hand: "Sister Qin Bi married well, but what can she do? She gained immense benefits simply because she married well."

Qin Bi was the most low-key among the concubine-born daughters, preferring to stay cooped up in her courtyard. She had no beautiful clothes and few ornaments. Being older, she lacked their flower-like youth; truly, she was good for nothing.

Yet, this very person stood above them all.

Frustrated, jealous, and unable to accept it, Qin Bi's current situation felt like it was all unearned.

Back then, her marriage to He He Shizi was also an unearned match. The Hou Fu had more than one marriageable daughter of age, each younger and more beautiful than Qin Bi. If not for He He Shizi's fate of killing wives and having no children, he would never have married Qin Bi.

The young ladies of the Hou Fu were talking when Qin Han arrived at Qin Yan Hou Fu.

Qin He immediately called Qin Han aside. Before the round table of pear wood, only Qin He and Qin Han remained. The guards had already brought the iced drinks, and the other Hou Fu young ladies were enjoying them while helping Qin Han look after her child.

"Do you know Qin Bi is playing schemes?" Qin He asked with a stern face.

Qin Han looked serious: "What happened?"

"The child she gave birth to, Rong Juan." Qin He looked at Qin Han and voiced the words she least wanted to say: "They say it is He He Shizi's child."

Qin Han's eyes widened in shock. How could that be? After a moment of reaction, she said: "Young Master Rong Juan is Rong He Shizi's child, isn't he? How could he be He He Shizi's child?"

Rong He Shizi was a killing god, a noble of fine clothes and furious horses. Such a person would absolutely never raise another man's child.

"Where did you hear this?" Qin Han didn't believe it, shaking her head: "You know what kind of person Rong He Shizi is. He would never raise another man's child. This is nonsense."

Qin He pondered as well. Yes, Rong He Shizi's temperament meant he wouldn't raise another man's child; it was absolutely impossible. Good, she hadn't expected Qin Bi to scheme against the heirs of two powerful ministers of Great Yan.

Qin He grew angry again, fuming: "Hmph, the entire court knows."

Qin Han froze. If the entire court knows, it cannot be false.

"He He Shizi will definitely claim the child." Qin Han was far more rational than Qin He.

"It is said the He family members have all returned." With no outsiders present, Qin He showed no restraint in her anger before Qin Han, snorting fiercely: "He He Shizi is no longer clean. I don't want him anymore. He is hopelessly stupid, schemed against by a woman."

Qin Han felt as if lightning had struck her brain before she realized what Qin He had said. She panickedly looked around, only relaxing when she confirmed no one was nearby. Qin He was already married, but Xue He Shizi was not as amiable as he appeared.

"Be careful someone hears." Qin Han warned Qin He.

"What if they hear?" Qin He looked as if she feared no one. Her eyes, not very imposing, carried a chill as she angrily declared: "He keeps saying he cares for me and will protect me for my whole life, yet he has a child with another woman. I will go back and demand an explanation from He He Shizi."

Qin Han was timid: "Is that necessary? You are both already married."

Qin Han regretted it somewhat. Why had she come to stir this muddy water at this moment? Given Qin He's temper, she might really go question He He Shizi. Who was He He Shizi? A powerful minister of Great Yan; not just anyone could run up to him shouting.

"If you can't do it, don't promise me." Qin He was so angry she felt dizzy and her mind was unclear, but her words were satisfyingly blunt: "You promised to be my one and only for a lifetime but failed. Now you have a child with another woman. I don't want you anymore."

Qin Han didn't know how to persuade Qin He to stop being angry, only saying: "He He Shizi has no children; having one is not easy..."

Hearing this made Qin He even angrier: "Why not find anyone else to bear a child? Why must it be my concubine-born cousin? I'm furious."

Qin Han wanted to speak but held back. Back then, He He Shizi and Qin Bi's marriage was all to pave the way for you, and you didn't stop it. You waited to enjoy the path He He Shizi paved for you; where was the "one and only for a lifetime"?

Besides, even if Qin He wanted He He Shizi, she couldn't have him.

Qin He hadn't thought of marrying He He Shizi; she had waited hopelessly for several years, waiting for He He Shizi to stop killing wives before she could marry him. You were engaged twice and nearly died both times!

You wanted He He Shizi, but you couldn't have him.

The fate of killing wives and having no children; no one could do anything about it.

Qin He only married after accepting her fate, so why bring up old accounts now?

Qin He made grand claims before Qin Han, speaking as if He He Shizi had no choice but her, as if even after she married, He He Shizi still couldn't forget her. With such certainty, even Qin Han believed it a little.

Qin He returned to the Second Courtyard. Before leaving, she didn't forget to tell Cui Shi: "Mother, I am going to Yan Guogong Fu to ask He He Shizi to clarify. We were married and then divorced, so how is there a child?"

Cui Shi's hand trembled, nearly dropping the tea bowl. A surge of anger rose, and Cui Shi said: "Go ahead, I won't stop you. Ask He He Shizi whatever he did wrong to you. Your face is more important than anyone else's."

"I'm not just saying it." Worried Cui Shi would look down on her, Qin He shouted: "I will really go ask."

Cui Shi's face turned black. She waved her hand: "Go. If you dare go ask, I dare kill you."

Qin He was stunned, tears of grievance falling: "Mother, He He Shizi betrayed me."

"You eat his food, drink his drink; your food, clothing, and expenses all come from Yan Guogong Fu." Cui Shi was furious. She had said so; this concubine-born daughter brought nothing but trouble since returning: "Your twenty-li red dowry for your wedding was all given by He He Shizi. How did he betray you? You have the nerve to say he betrayed you. Even bloodsucking has its limits. How can you be so shameless? He He Shizi delayed your marriage for a few years; he has given you enough. How did he wrong you? He He Shizi was destined to have no heirs. It was hard enough for him to have a child, yet you don't rejoice for him but pretend to be deeply devoted here? Did you not marry for He He Shizi? You damn well have two children already. You lack neither husband nor children; having both sons and daughters makes you complete. Yet because He He Shizi has a child, you jump up and down. How can you be so hypocritical?"