Chapter 288

Qin Yan glanced lightly at Qin He, thinking that if one truly wished to avoid being questioned, one should cultivate one's own plot of land.

Since she had meddled in land cultivated by others, why say such things? Qin He had meddled in others' land and now questioned them; this illegitimate cousin was somewhat arrogant.

Seeing Su He Shizi arrive, Qin Yan went over to speak, and Qin He followed.

Qin Yan was surprised; he had not asked Qin He to come along. The Su Guogong Fu was a great cultivation family, and Su He Shizi was a noble scion; many illegitimate children seized such opportunities to befriend nobles.

Never mind; Qin Yan did not stop Qin He.

After Qin Yan and Su He Shizi exchanged pleasantries with Su He Shizi's wife, Qin He smiled gently and specifically told the couple: "Su He Shizi, Lady He Shizi, next I will irrigate this field."

She spoke as if she alone were irrigating; in truth, more than one fortunate cultivator was summoning rain, for the field was quite large, and the rain summoned by one cultivator would not suffice.

Su He Shizi was slightly surprised and nodded perfunctorily: "Oh, I hope you can summon rain."

Qin He felt pleased inside; only chosen individuals could summon rain. Suppressing her pride, she sighed lightly and added: "I am just worried that after I irrigate and crops grow in the field, someone will come claiming the credit."

These words carried a clear implication...

Su He Shizi found it hard to respond. Su He Shizi's wife, unaware of whom Qin He implied, smiled and said: "The farmlands planted by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works are not arbitrary; once you summon rain, those ministries will speak up for you."

Qin He had merely made an early point to ensure everyone knew she summoned the rain for irrigation. Seeing that both Su He Shizi and Lady He Shizi had taken note, Qin He smiled, nodded, and left.

Watching her go, Su He Shizi wondered: "So confident?"

Summoning rain in the Wildlands was no easy task; even cultivators with Water Spirit Roots could not guarantee much rain. Without a magic treasure, it was best not to show off, lest one deplete spiritual energy and harm one's cultivation base without even summoning rain.

Qin Yan said nothing; he too had noticed Qin He's great confidence. He only hoped she would not end up embarrassed. He did not know where Qin He had picked up this habit of speaking so boldly.

Qin He was equally confident in running her shop, having earned much silver to date, so Qin Yan found it hard to interfere with her.

Qin He chatted and laughed with Qin Yan, worried about tanning, so she deliberately stood under the spirit fruit trees. As for the grape trellis, Rong Wang Fu's advisors were present; Qin He knew she could not join their conversation and did not approach.

Qin Bi gave the order: "Transplant the grape vines back."

"This..." Lin Yao hesitated. "Lady He Shizi, without rain, it is not good to transplant immediately."

Qin Bi said: "Summon rain immediately."

Lin Yao could not dissuade her further. He immediately instructed the advisors to summon rain to moisten the soil. Once the soil was thoroughly soaked, they could transplant the spirit fruit trees; only a few grape vines required little rain.

The guards, being carefree by nature, stepped aside. The advisors waited until the soil was saturated, then carefully transplanted the vines.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue rushed over: "How can you transplant under such a poisonous sun today?"

Lin Yao was merely following orders; indeed, it was somewhat hasty. Normally, one would wait for a cloudy day to summon rain and transplant fruit trees. In such haste, the advisors consumed considerable spiritual energy summoning the rain.

Qin Bi did not answer the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Instead, she pointed to the few spirit peach trees: "Do you want those spirit peach trees?"

The Vice Minister's eyes lit up: "Yes, we do."

Qin Bi declared: "They are yours."

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was immediately delighted and had no time to worry about the grape vines. Who cared about grape vines? Those belonged to Rong Wang Fu. From now on, the spirit peach trees would belong to his ministry.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works arrived and argued with the Ministry of Revenue, splitting off two spirit peach trees for himself.

An advisor said: "Lady He Shizi, we should not have given them the spirit peach trees for free."

Qin Bi looked over: "They cannot survive; the leaves are already withered."

Even though the Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works could not keep the trees alive, they valued the spirit peach trees highly. Qin He volunteered, claiming her good fortune, disregarding whether the spirit fruit trees were planted by Qin Bi. She took out her summoning artifact and summoned rain to irrigate the spirit peach trees.

The grape spirit fruit trees were dug up, and Lin Yao led them away from the Wildlands.

Back at Rong Wang Fu, Rong He Shizi said nothing upon seeing the spirit fruit trees transplanted. Lin Yao understood; on major matters, Lady He Shizi could make her own decisions. He immediately transplanted the trees into the He Shizi's courtyard.

Rong Wang Fu had thoroughly scoured the Wildlands and left together with the Third and Fourth Branches.

Qin Yan, Rong Yan, and Jiang Xu arrived a bit later. Qin Yan asked Qin Yan for some melon seeds and vegetables and shared some with Qin He. Seeing this, Su He Shizi's wife asked Qin Yan for some melon seeds and vegetables as well.

Upon returning to Qin Yan Hou Fu, the Third and Fourth Branches, Qin Han said to Jiang Shi and Lin Shi: "Two sisters-in-law, may I take some melon seeds and vegetables?"

"Take them," Jiang Shi said generously. "It is just a handful of vegetables."

Unfortunately, as soon as these words left her mouth, Jiang Shi soon regretted them.

Qin Han, having somehow obtained a bag, squatted down and selected fresh melon seeds and vegetables to fill it. Jiang Shi and Lin Shi exchanged glances; both had already filled half a bag. Seeing the situation, it seemed Qin Han intended to fill the entire bag.

"If you take too much, it will spoil before you can eat it all," Lin Shi said, deliberately telling Jiang Shi: "Later, I will send some to my natal family."

"I will send some to my natal family too," Jiang Shi said, only then telling Qin Han: "If you take too much, you won't be able to finish it."

Qin Han felt embarrassed and had to stop, arranging the bag and tying it shut.

Lin Shi was furious; it was already more than half a bag. Could you possibly eat it all?

Qin Han could not finish it. After dinner at her natal home, she returned, leaving some melon seeds and vegetables behind and giving a bundle to each of her sisters-in-law: "These grew in my natal family's own fields; sisters-in-law, please do not dislike them."

The sisters-in-law accepted them and asked Qin Han about the harvest of the fields, praising her natal family for rising and becoming a cultivation family. They said plainly: "From now on, we must flatter you."

Qin Han felt secretly pleased but said aloud: "Our Hou Fu has just become a cultivation family."

The next day, each family tasted the melon seeds and vegetables, exclaiming how delicious they were. Qin Han's sisters-in-law asked her for more. Qin Han packed up and took two children to Qin Yan Hou Fu; in Great Yan, it was quite normal for a married woman to return to her natal home.

This was provided the natal home was capable and the married woman was willing to stay there.

Jiang Shi and Lin Shi had already put away the melon seeds and vegetables. The small watermelons had not yet been stored. When Qin Han's gaze shifted toward them, Jiang Shi gave a look to the maids and nannies, who hurriedly put them away.

Jiang Shi pulled Qin Han to He Shi's courtyard and called Lin Shi to join them in playing.

Had she not called Lin Shi, Jiang Shi feared Qin Han would go to Lin Shi to ask for things again. Vegetables and small watermelons were inexpensive items; if Qin Han asked for them, a Hou Fu household would find it hard to refuse.

Yet Jiang Shi truly did not want to give anything to Qin Han anymore.

Qin Han, feeling displeased, took her nephews to the bustling market to buy food, returning with large and small bundles.

Jiang Shi gave Qin Han another handful of vegetables, the portion set aside by the nanny. This time, Jiang Shi had learned her lesson and did not let Qin Han take them herself.