Chapter 284

At mealtime, Qin Tan and Lady Zhu saw Qin Lang smiling happily.

Lady Zhu did not know what made Qin Lang so cheerful early in the morning; recalling something, she said with a smile, "Qin He came back with us yesterday. Guess how many melons Qin Yan gave her?"

Qin Tan, in a good mood these days, did not mind guessing: "Two ordinary watermelons."

"Impossible?" Qin Lang paused with his chopsticks holding pickled vegetables, looking at Qin Tan and Lady Zhu, "Qin He and the First House opened a shop together; the bond between them and our two houses is different. He should have given her several more watermelons."

Qin Lang's meaning was also that he gave only ordinary watermelons.

Spirit melons are rare; they are not given away casually. Because Qin He and the First House did business together and opened a shop, she gained some favor in the eyes of Heir Qin Yan and the Marquis Qin Yan's wife.

Receiving spirit melons? That was a bit of a stretch.

At most, when the First House ate spirit melons, they might cut a small piece to share with Qin He. Giving her an entire spirit melon to take back was absolutely impossible. Even though spirit melons have a high yield, they grow mixed with ordinary watermelons; one eaten means one less.

"He gave two melons," Lady Zhu said.

Qin Tan guessed correctly; he understood human relations and exchanges.

Lady Zhu picked up a plain bun for Qin Lang and told them with a smile, "Qin He did not accept them."

Qin Lang stopped eating, finding it both unexpected and yet within expectation. Qin Tan shook his head, uninterested in such trivial matters. After finishing his meal, he took a few spirit melons, activated the teleportation array, and left.

After eating, Qin Lang was heading to the Rong Prince's Mansion. The illegitimate sons waited in the courtyard. There was still work in the fields, so the illegitimate sons volunteered to help with the farm work, considering it a form of training in the Wild Lands.

Qin Lang hesitated, "I want to go to my sister's house first."

The illegitimate sons blinked. Which sister's house?

Remembering that the legitimate daughter of their Third House had married far away, it couldn't be her. It must be Qin Bi, the sister from the Fourth House. Since Qin Lang was going to the Rong Prince's Mansion, they shouldn't follow along, right?!

"We will wait at the Ministry of Revenue where the teleportation array is set up," one illegitimate son said.

Qin Lang nodded, "I will be back shortly."

Hearing that Qin Lang was going to the Rong Prince's Mansion, Lady Jiang went along with him.

Qin Bi had just finished breakfast. Rong Yang was gnawing on a spirit melon early in the morning. The little bun had not yet woken up. The Rong Heir had gone to the Wild Lands with his advisors; he had to take a look at the fields planted by his wife and children.

The sun in the Wild Lands was fierce; the Rong Heir could not take the little bun there.

With Qin Bi at home, the Rong Heir had some free time.

"I want to go to the Wild Lands with Father too," Rong Yang said in a milk-child's voice, taking a bite of the melon.

"Later, Mother and I will go," Qin Bi coaxed him.

The child nodded, "Okay."

When Lady Jiang and Qin Lang arrived, Qin Bi invited them to sit in the courtyard.

Lady Jiang immediately gossiped with Qin Bi, "You don't know, do you? The First House gave Qin He two ordinary watermelons, but she didn't accept them. I said yesterday that Qin He looked sickly and kept not going back; she probably wanted spirit melons."

"Children of nobles and royalty have to spend monster crystals to buy a single spirit melon. Qin He really dares to dream," Qin Bi sneered. "She probably thinks her face is so big that she deserves a spirit melon."

Lady Jiang was displeased, "Qin Han also asked for a spirit melon."

Qin Bi was surprised; she had nothing to say about this. Qin Han and she were both illegitimate daughters of the Fourth House, with the same status in the Fourth House. Even if she did not like Qin Han, she could not speak ill of her.

Qin Lang was surprised, "She asked you for a spirit melon?"

Having said too much, Lady Jiang immediately corrected, "Don't tell anyone else outside."

Qin Lang disapproved, "Qin Han is really something."

Lady Jiang told him not to speak of it, and though Qin Lang disapproved, he agreed.

Lady Jiang and Qin Lang came just to gossip with Qin Bi. After speaking, they did not stay long, stood up, and left. Qin Lang hurried to the Ministry of Revenue to meet the illegitimate sons of the Third House where the teleportation array was set up.

Lady Jiang wanted to return to her maiden home to prepare items to bring.

Lady Lin also returned to her maiden home. After the melons were harvested in the Wild Lands, they would send a few to her maiden home. Both their maiden families were cultivation families; bringing spirit melons to their door would surely be welcomed. Since spirit melons were rare, they must visit discreetly.

After seeing off Lady Jiang and Qin Lang, Qin Bi went to the bedroom to check if the little bun had woken up. The child was not awake yet. Qin Bi returned to the courtyard, drank a cup of tea, and thought to herself: in ancient times, even in this fictional cultivation world, an illegitimate daughter was still an illegitimate daughter.

If an illegitimate child wanted to live a life of wealth and honor, they had to strive relentlessly, calculating every extra advantage.

Since crossing over, Qin He had been used to smooth sailing, so she wanted more. Do not think others did not see through her. Qin He aspired to become the Marquis House's prodigy, a position belonging to the Marquis House's legitimate daughter.

An illegitimate daughter could become a prodigy, but it was extremely difficult.

Cultivation, how difficult it is.

This fictional cultivation world is called cultivation, but in reality, cultivating is arduous. At the very least, cultivation resources are scarce. The kind of controlling wind and rain, scattering beans to create soldiers that Qin Bi imagined...

Only heard of, never seen.

Qin He had received spirit food too easily before, so she thought spirit melons were too simple. High-level monsters are ferocious; killing one is not easy. Obtaining a high-level monster crystal requires who knows how much effort.

Buying a spirit melon from the Immortal Sect requires two high-level monster crystals. How could Qin Yan possibly give Qin He a spirit melon for free? Qin He thought she deserved a spirit melon, but that was wrong.

What she thought was only what she thought.

Sigh. Qin Bi sighed. Since she learned of her relationship with the Half-Immortal Realm, her combat value had skyrocketed, filled with killing intent. Now, she clearly felt her combat value's killing intent weakening.

It was just like when Little Five Grains Abundant Cloud advanced; it started with something powerful, then one had to start from the beginning and cultivate step by step.

The little bun woke up. Qin Bi held the little one into the courtyard to play. Rong Yang's small desk was set up, and he took a brush to write. A servant woman brought steamed egg custard. Qin Bi scooped some to feed the little one.

The steamed egg custard was soft and tender. Do not underestimate eggs; they were laid by spirit-plant chickens. Qin Bi did not ask how many monster crystals one cost.

After feeding the little bun a few mouthfuls, Qin Bi stood up holding the child, scooped a small spoonful of egg custard, and bent down, "Rong Yang, here is a bite for you."

Rong Yang lifted his small head, opened his mouth. Qin Bi tilted the spoon, pouring it in. The child chewed the egg custard. Looking at the little bun Rong Chi, he waved his little hands happily, making "ah ah" sounds.

As long as he was not possessive of food, it was fine. Qin Bi returned and continued to scoop egg custard to feed Rong Chi.

Rong Chi took a bite, made an "ah ah" sound, and pointed toward his older brother.

Qin Bi fed another small spoonful of egg custard to Rong Yang. Rong Yang took a bite and continued writing with his brush. The little one had not gone to the Yan Guogong Mansion for a long time. The Yan Guogong Lady had sent people to pick him up several times, but Rong Yang did not go; he only sent a few spirit melons over.

Qin Bi did not dare to ask, lest the child think she was urging him to return to the Yan Guogong Mansion.

"Princess Consort," the servant woman said, "There is still one bowl of egg custard left."

The Heir had specifically instructed that both young heirs should have egg custard. Rong Yang was a bit older than Rong Chi, but he was only a little over one year old. Rong Juan had not thought to cancel Rong Yang's portion of egg custard.

The Rong Heir, known for being cursed to lose his wife and have no children, doted on his children, truly holding them in the palm of his hand.

After Qin Bi finished feeding the two children, Rong He Shizi also returned from the barbarian lands.