Chapter 289: Originally Wanted to Take a Concubine

There were many melon greens, and they grew in patches, but they couldn't withstand being packed into bags.

The Marquis Manor valued face and reputation, so Jiang Shi couldn't say much; she could only play some petty tricks. There was no helping it—she had been pushed by Qin Han. Jiang Shi had tasted the melon greens, and the texture was quite good.

Qin Bi came to the Marquis Manor, saw this, and roughly understood the situation in her heart.

Ancient times were not as affluent as one might imagine, and the Marquis Manor wouldn't eat well at every meal. Each branch paired their breakfast with small pickled vegetables, had stir-fried dishes with both meat and vegetables for lunch, and dinner was much the same.

Therefore, melon greens were not something that could be given away casually.

With food supplies scarce, ancient people valued everything from the fields very highly.

The entire Great Yan was like this; Qin Bi did not know how Great Chu or the Rongdi were.

Qin Bi stepped forward to enter the main hall to see He Shi. Qin Han spoke up: "Sister Qin Bi, why have you come at this time? You should have come earlier. We are all going back after we eat in a while."

The implication was that Qin Bi was not sociable. When the sisters of the Marquis Manor returned to their maiden home, they should gather on the same day; how nice it would be for everyone to be together and talk. Qin Han was about to leave, and Qin Bi had just arrived.

"I was idle at home." Qin Bi had brought Rong Yang with her. At this moment, the child was with Qin Lang, likely in the front courtyard. Qin Bi said: "I came to play. Eldest Sister-in-law, is Mother in?"

"She is in the room," Jiang Shi said.

Qin Bi entered the main hall, and Lin Shi greeted her.

"Did you come by yourself?" He Shi asked.

"I brought Rong Yang." Qin Bi took a palm-sized ceramic jar from the maid's hand, placed it on the table, and smiled: "Mother, this is jam made at home. I brought some for you and Father to taste."

He Shi's heart stirred, and she looked at Qin Bi with suspicion.

Qin Bi whispered affectionately: "It's made from spirit fruits. You and Father should save it and eat it sparingly; don't give it to others."

Lin Shi heard this and pretended she hadn't. He Shi personally put the ceramic jar away. Lin Shi didn't dare to covet it, but she could curry favor with He Shi; the mother-in-law already had several good things in her hands.

If she gained He Shi's favor, perhaps she would be rewarded with a taste.

Qin Han entered the main hall and saw He Shi coming out of the inner room. Qin Han suspected that Qin Bi had given He Shi something, and she was actually hiding it from her? Qin Han was disdainful; no matter how Qin Bi curried favor with He Shi, He Shi didn't treat her badly either.

Respecting the legal mother was enough; going overboard was unnecessary. She hadn't seen many who got along like they were truly related.

Laughter came from the courtyard. Qin Lang brought Rong Yang into the main hall, and Rong Yang called out in a milky voice: "Grandmother."

"Yes." He Shi answered with a smile, reaching out to pick up the child.

This child didn't even go to the Yan Guogong Fu... He Shi had words on the tip of her tongue but didn't say them. Let it be. Qin Bi was a good child; He Shi didn't want to make Qin Bi unhappy. After all, He Yan had originally wanted to take a concubine.

It served him right; wanting the child was useless.

"Grandmother," Rong Yang said, "Mother and I came to bring you and Grandfather some jam."

He Shi looked loving: "Your mother already gave it to me."

Qin Han was curious: "What jam?"

Jiang Ren had just followed Qin Lang and Rong Yang into the room, tilted her head, and asked: "Is it delicious?"

He Shi didn't answer, lowering her head to talk to Rong Yang.

Jiang Shi said: "Jam won't keep once opened."

Qin Lang leaned over, chatting and laughing with He Shi and Rong Yang. Jiang Ren also leaned over. Qin Han glanced at them; she was very happy to see her two children getting closer to the people of the Marquis Manor.

Her maiden family was powerful, and now they were living better and better. Qin Han had calculations in her heart.

Previously, their fourth branch was far behind the second branch.

The two powerful heirs had originally had dealings with the Marquis Manor because of the fourth branch, but later, the eldest daughter of the fourth branch passed away, and the Rong Heir had not decided on a wife, so he was indifferent to the fourth branch.

The He Heir was fond of Qin He and favored the second branch even more.

Thus, the fourth branch had the least say in the Marquis Manor.

In the last two years, the fourth branch had also improved.

"Fourth Aunt," Qin Lang said, "I want to take Rong Yang to play at the third branch."

He Shi gave Rong Yang to Qin Lang: "Go ahead."

Qin Lang carried Rong Yang away, chattering. Jiang Ren and her younger brother followed for a few steps. Qin Lang didn't look back. Jiang Ren looked back at Qin Han hesitantly. Qin Han let out a breath of frustration; the third branch and Qin Bi had a better relationship.

The children of Qin Tang and Qin Xun saw Qin Lang and Rong Yang and followed them in a rush.

Qin Han was about to leave, so Lin Shi said to Qin Bi: "The children have all gone to play. Stay for dinner before you go."

Qin Bi hesitated: "Rong Yang is young and cannot stay until dark."

He Shi instructed Jiang Shi: "Hurry to the kitchen and arrange dinner."

The simplest dinner was boiled dumplings. There were melon greens at home, so they simply made melon green and meat dumplings. The kitchen was busy, and soon, plate after plate was served.

Zhu Shi was also invited. Qin Lang carried Rong Yang and returned with a string of children.

Qin Han felt a bit uncomfortable. Her children had tried to get close several times, but Qin Lang only had eyes for Rong Yang. Everyone sat down to eat, and Qin Bi didn't put on the airs of a Heir's wife, eating next to Qin Lang.

Qin Han felt a bit more balanced; Qin Bi was the same as her.

Qin Han had seen what Qin He looked like when she returned to the Marquis Manor—very imposing. Thinking about it, it wasn't strange; Qin He was pampered by the He Heir. How could Qin Bi compare? If the Rong Heir hadn't been cursed to lose his wives and have no children, he wouldn't have married Qin Bi.

After eating, Qin Bi wanted to leave, and Qin Lang rode a horse to escort her.

Jiang Mo came to pick up Qin Han, and they returned by carriage.

In the following days, there was nothing for the Marquis Manor to do in the wilderness. Qin He spoke with the Ministry of Revenue and took over the task of irrigating the spirit peach trees. The cultivators from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works began to use summoning artifacts to summon plants to till the soil.

The Vice Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Works returned to Jingcheng for a trip, and when they returned, the spirit peach trees were dead.

"How did you irrigate them?" the Vice Minister of Revenue asked Qin He angrily.

Qin He's face flushed bright red: "I irrigated them every day. Why is my lord scolding me? I am the Xue Wang Manor's Shizifei."

The Vice Minister of Revenue scoffed: "In Great Yan, you are a Shizifei, but in the cultivation world, you must have real ability. I only left for a day or so, and the spirit peach trees have lost all vitality."

"That's not true," Qin He said, not believing it: "How could they have no vitality?"

The Vice Minister of Revenue pointed at the spirit peach trees: "Look for yourself, the leaves are all dried up, completely devoid of vitality, and there is no Qi at all."

Qin He was unconvinced: "They were already like this to begin with."

Qin He's eyes turned red, on the verge of tears. Xue Shizi received the news and rushed over, pulling the Vice Minister of Revenue aside to speak kindly; Qin He's spirit mansion was injured and had not yet recovered, so her summoning ability was somewhat lacking.

"Give this Shizi some face," Xue Shizi said.

The Vice Minister of Revenue let out a long sigh: "Forget it."

Over the next few days, the group of cultivators summoned rain for irrigation. The sun was scorching, and the summoned rain was very sparse. Qin He's delicate and beautiful face was suddenly lost among the crowd, only her dangling jade hairpin was eye-catching.

After tossing and turning for several days, they finally managed to irrigate the land once. It was not yet time to plant wheat, so the Vice Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Works discussed it and decided to plant Chinese cabbage and green radishes.

Last year, the vegetables grown by the Rong Wang Manor were excellent. The wilderness was arid, so they didn't ask for them to be as good as the vegetables grown by the Rong Wang Manor, but even just having them sprout would be fine!