Chapter 185: Planning for Qin He

Qin He said in a bad mood, "It didn't rain, so the immortal sect's harvest was poor too; it's very expensive."

Fu Bao furrowed her brows, thinking for the first time that it would be better to go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture to ask for things; at least she wouldn't have to spend silver. As long as she spoke sweetly, the Old Lady and the Yan Guogong's Lady would give her all sorts of good things.

Fu Bao stopped pulling at the flowers and grass, stood up, and said, "I'll go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture to ask."

She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"If you go right after returning, outsiders will laugh at your greed and accuse you of coveting the Yan Guogong Prefecture's estate," Qin He hesitated, thought for a moment, and said, "Go in two days and bring a small gift."

The maids and old women wanted to speak but held back. This time, going to the Yan Guogong Prefecture felt different; the people there seemed unwelcoming, but these maids and old women dared not say much.

With the Young Master's Wife's temper, she wouldn't listen anyway.

While Qin He hadn't sent Fu Bao to the Yan Guogong Prefecture, rumors outside claimed Fu Bao had poor upbringing. Though the little girl was young, she had grown up eating many fine things and looked about five or six years old.

At that age, she should understand propriety, yet when she visited someone's residence, she showed no manners whatsoever.

"How did she lack manners?" someone asked.

"When visiting others' homes, one eats whatever is served by the host. Adults usually don't eat much, just tasting a bit is enough. Yet the First-Rank Little Princess came as a guest and loudly demanded to eat spirit fruits."

"Spirit fruits are so rare; you can't even buy them with silver. Only monster crystals can purchase spirit fruits and spirit foods. To demand them outright, how could she have the nerve? Even if she's young, she shouldn't lack manners. A First-Rank Little Princess, yet she's not even as good as ordinary families' daughters."

"The Little Princess's mother is a talented woman; this shouldn't have happened!"

"You don't know this! That Xue Young Master's Wife is a concubine-born daughter. She became a talented woman only because her legitimate mother trained her well. Having a concubine-born daughter teach a child is far from sufficient."

"That makes sense. Doesn't the Xue Wang's Wife care?"

"She probably doesn't know that Qin He hasn't taught the Little Princess well."

"The Little Princess is right under her eyes all day. How could the Xue Wang's Wife not notice the problems in her upbringing? Manners and learning are evident from childhood. The Xue Wang's Wife's background is not low."

These words reached the Xue Wang Prefecture, making the Xue Wang's Wife smash a tea cup in anger.

The Xue Wang's Wife was furious. Their Wang Fu's Fu Bao could only be a lucky Fu Bao, not one with a bad reputation. Where did these rumors come from? Nothing happens without cause; it was quite possible that the Xue Wang Prefecture's enemies were behind this.

The Xue Wang's Wife said, "Summon Qin He to me."

She used her name directly, omitting the title "Young Master's Wife," showing the Xue Wang's Wife was truly angry.

The maid invited Qin He, and Qin He entered the room.

The Xue Wang's Wife scolded Qin He from head to toe. Qin He felt wronged: "Mother, why are you scolding me?"

"Why?" The Xue Wang's Wife wore an angry expression. Just thinking about it made her furious. She glanced and signaled an old woman, "Tell the Young Master's Wife the rumors outside. Our good Fu Bao, and you, a concubine-born, haven't taught her well at all."

"What's wrong with being concubine-born?" Qin He shouted angrily, "Mother, you cannot belittle my origin."

The Xue Wang's Wife grew even angrier: "You don't care about the rumors but quibble over my single word? A concubine-born is indeed short-sighted."

Qin He immediately felt a bellyful of anger and wanted to retort. She was used to smooth sailing; whenever she went out, everyone praised her, saying that although Qin He was concubine-born, her character was as elegant as orchids, and among the women of Jingcheng, they all thought she was beautiful and kind-hearted.

On what grounds did the Xue Wang Prefecture look down on her?

At that moment, the old woman recounted the outside rumors in full detail.

"Who said that? I'll tear their mouth apart!" Qin He, hearing this, became furious. Her face turned red with anger: "Our Fu Bao is the Great Yan's Fu Bao, a First-Rank Little Princess. Anyone daring to say the Little Princess lacks manners deserves death."

The old woman lowered her head, letting Qin He shout.

"Enough." The Xue Wang's Wife looked down on Qin He's inability to stay calm. After thinking, she said, "Right now, we must investigate who is our Xue Wang Prefecture's enemy. This is trying to cut our Xue Wang Prefecture's luck value."

In the Xue Wang's Wife's view, Fu Bao gathered the entire Xue Wang Prefecture's luck value.

Qin He immediately sent people to investigate. Upon hearing this, the Xue Young Master also sent people to investigate. Cui Shi from the Qin Yan Hou Prefecture's Second House sent someone to call Qin He, and Qin He went to the Qin Yan Hou Prefecture.

In the scorching summer heat, inside the living hall, Cui Shi sat upright and asked, "Qin He, do you know the rumors outside?"

"I don't know which gossip-monger said it." Qin He spoke with a bit of willfulness, angrily and resentfully, "If I find out who said it, I will not show mercy. The First-Rank Little Princess is Fu Bao; even the Emperor does not allow anyone to mock our Fu Bao."

Cui Shi's mouth twitched. Qin He was too arrogant. The First-Rank Little Princess was highly praised in the Xue Wang Prefecture, but in the eyes of the Great Yan Emperor, she was merely one among many princesses, with princesses above her.

Mocking Fu Bao, the Emperor might not have the leisure to care.

Unless the Xue Wang made a scene before the Emperor.

Cui Shi glanced at Qin He. As the head of the household, she was sharp-eyed and clear-minded, not to be blinded by Qin He's righteous appearance. This concubine-born daughter, Cui Shi had always seen clearly: proud and arrogant, with an inflated sense of self.

"You are concubine-born; I haven't taught you well." Cui Shi lifted her tea, took a sip, and said, "If you cannot teach Fu Bao properly, you should send Fu Bao to the Xue Wang's Wife."

"No way." Qin He immediately refused, "How can I give my child to someone else?"

Cui Shi paused in her tea-drinking, her eyes filled with disappointment. She did this for Fu Bao's sake, planning for Qin He, but this unseeing thing couldn't understand anything, let alone feel gratitude. This concubine-born daughter must resent her in her heart.

"The Xue Wang's Wife is Fu Bao's grandmother," Cui Shi reminded Qin He.

Qin He refused, "I will raise my child myself."

Cui Shi let her be. Fu Bao wasn't her child anyway; interfering too much would only make people dislike her. She was just a granddaughter. Cui Shi had her own biological granddaughter; she wasn't short of children like the Yan Guogong Prefecture.

Qin He worried that if someone else raised the child, the child wouldn't be close to her, so she clung to the child and wouldn't let go, as if others couldn't see through it.

This concubine-born daughter didn't know what she was thinking, always worrying the child wouldn't be close to her. What's the use of being close to you? The real skill is paving the path of cultivation for the child. She always liked playing these petty tricks.

What a pity. If Cui Shi had Qin He's ability to earn silver, the entire Cui family and the Qin Yan Hou Prefecture could rise a level. Alas, for so many years, the Qin Yan Hou Prefecture only earned a little silver.

Putting aside the matter of letting the Xue Wang's Wife raise the child, Cui Shi took a small sip of tea and said, "Rumors don't arise without cause. Which family's residence did you take Fu Bao to for a banquet these past few days?"

Qin He knew Cui Shi wanted to help her resolve the rumors, so she put aside her earlier resentment and said, "We didn't go anywhere else. We attended a few flower-viewing gatherings. Fu Bao didn't ask for anything from anyone's residence."

Qin He guarded her tightly; it must be others gossiping. Fu Bao was very well-mannered.

Knowing Fu Bao's temper, Cui Shi took a deep breath and thought of something, "Did Fu Bao go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture?"

"We went once," Qin He said discontentedly, "They gave us nothing."