Chapter 343: The Little Milky Bun Cannot Count

Rong Juan leaned forward: "Is your little brother asleep?"

Rong Juan hummed, frowning in conflict. Returning at this hour, the child was still quite young, yet if Qin Bi were at home, she would surely worry; Qin Bi's lifespan had already been damaged.

Thinking of Qin Bi's damaged lifespan, Rong Juan glanced at He Yan.

He Yan narrowed his eyes, wondering why Rong Juan's glance carried such coldness.

He Yan said, "I will have someone arrange a guest room."

Rong Juan pondered briefly: "No need. His mother is waiting at home."

He Yan's expression shifted imperceptibly before instantly recovering. It was not suitable for a child to go out at night, yet Rong Juan doted on his children above all; if he insisted on returning, it would be hard to stop him, and Rong Yuan was also making a fuss about going back.

Helplessly, He Yan escorted Rong Yuan and saw them off.

The young prince, seeing no one to protect him, simply decided to stay at the Yan Guogong Prefecture.

The Yan Guogong arrived at the courtyard: "I will see you off."

With the Yan Guogong's aura of fortune, plus the two sons of powerful ministers, there was no need to worry about any evil spirits. Seeing the Yan Guogong leading a horse to escort them, the young prince promptly climbed into the carriage.

Rong Juan's gaze fell on the little milky bun's small face as he tucked the small blanket around him.

He Yan, holding Rong Yuan, also took a small blanket and draped it over Rong Yuan. Children could not withstand the night chill. The young prince poked his head out, looking at Rong Yuan and the little milky bun; the child was sleeping soundly.

"Your younger brother might have been restless," the young prince said to Rong Yuan.

Rong Yuan replied, "He is adorable."

The young prince nodded: "When he cries, it's quite loud."

The children chattered away. He Yan said to Rong Juan, "If the child wants to come to the Yan Guogong Prefecture tomorrow, tell me. I will come to fetch him. You raised Rong Yuan, so I will naturally treat Rong Shi well."

Rong Juan saw clearly that the Yan Guogong Prefecture treated his youngest son, Rong Shi, well.

Rong Yuan asked, "Does that mean you don't treat Fubao well?"

He Yan sighed, gently stroking the child's head, and said, "No one can compare to Rong Yuan."

After a pause, He Yan added, "And Rong Shi."

Rong Yuan did not know whether to believe it, but Rong Juan did. A wild child could never compare to a biological one. Although He Yan treated Fubao well, Rong Juan knew it was merely superficial.

However, since Rong Yuan cared about it, Rong Juan let him be.

The young prince, lacking any sense of propriety, lifted the carriage curtain slightly to glance at the Yan Guogong riding ahead. Guards protected the carriage as they passed through a bustling market, brightly lit at night.

"Fubao goes to the Yan Guogong Prefecture," the young prince asked. "Does the Yan Guogong escort him too?"

"No," He Yan chuckled. "I am repaying a debt. It has nothing to do with the Yan Guogong."

Even if He Yan had asked the Yan Guogong to escort Fubao, he might not have been able to persuade him. The young prince's question was childish; aside from his own grandson, Rong Shi, no one could make the Yan Guogong lower himself to personally escort anyone.

Of course, the little milky bun, Rong Shi, was an exception; he was treated no differently than a biological grandson.

The Yan Guogong knew exactly how much the Rong Wang doted on Rong Yuan. Even for Rong Yuan's sake, he had to show respect for the Rong He Shizi's love for his child. In the future, if he was to dote on anyone, he would dote on both of them.

"I thought the Yan Guogong Prefecture treated Fubao like their own child," the young prince said, feeling the night chill and lowering the curtain. "So that is not the case. It is different from Rong Yuan after all."

The young prince spoke with a tone of sudden realization.

He Yan's eyes flickered. Thinking that Fubao had his own small courtyard in the Yan Guogong Prefecture, perhaps it was time to revoke the treatment reserved for the Guogong's legitimate daughter, after all, he was not their own child.

Upon arriving at the Rong Wang Prefecture, Rong Juan and He Yan carried their respective children down from the carriage.

The Yan Guogong entered the Rong Wang Prefecture. The Rong Wang greeted him: "It was troublesome for the Yan Guogong to make the trip."

"Nonsense," the Yan Guogong said. "They are all our own children."

The Rong Wang reached out and took Rong Yuan from He Yan's arms.

He Yan was reluctant, but since he had never raised the child, they were not close, so he let go and handed him to the Rong Wang.

He Yan and the Yan Guogong could not stay longer, so they took their leave. The young prince stayed behind; he lodged there and even helped look after the children. Even if he had no merit, he had put in the effort, so he could surely get a meal in the morning.

Qin Bi hurriedly arrived, and Rong Juan's expression softened.

"Is he asleep?" Qin Bi was delighted that Rong Juan had brought the child back.

She had thought that at such a late hour, given that the Rong He Shizi doted on his children so much, they would not return.

Qin Bi was overjoyed. Rong Juan nodded and carefully handed the youngest son to Qin Bi, trying not to let the small blanket unravel to avoid the child catching a cold and falling ill. The little milky bun, sensing a familiar presence, continued to sleep.

Rong Juan turned, picked up Rong Yuan, and led Qin Bi back to their own courtyard.

The young prince stood still. Qin Bi looked back: "Come on."

The young prince immediately beamed and followed, chattering: "Even my father does not hold me."

"There are too many princes," Qin Bi replied.

The young prince was about to say there weren't many, but then he thought of the two sons of powerful ministers and realized there were indeed quite a few princes. Upon reaching the He Shizi's courtyard, Rong Juan first escorted Qin Bi and the youngest son to their bedroom.

He then turned to ask the young prince, letting him choose a guest room.

The young prince promptly left; he did not want to be left to watch the child, as he was exhausted.

Rong Yuan was also sleepy. Qin Bi put the youngest down and settled Rong Yuan for sleep: "I thought you were staying at the Yan Guogong Prefecture and would not return."

Rong Juan said, "With you and the children away, I was worried you would not be able to sleep."

Qin Bi's eyes sparkled. It was undeniable that the Rong He Shizi doted on his children, yet in front of his youngest son, whom he cherished above all, Rong Juan still considered her feelings and returned. It seemed her status in the man's heart was not lower than that of his children.

Rong Yuan voiced his opinion: "I don't want to stay at the Yan Guogong Prefecture."

Qin Bi withdrew her thoughts and smiled gently: "But your younger brother wants to go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture. Since you don't want to go, he is quite eager. He is a little miser; he wants everything."

As she spoke, Qin Bi removed the storage bag from the little milky bun's young master robe. Opening it, she paused, then smiled. In just half a day, he had gathered quite a lot of things.

"Compared to Fubao, Rong Shi is better at gathering things," Qin Bi said, handing the storage bag to Rong Yuan.

Rong Yuan glanced at it. Rong Juan took the storage bag, took out half, and gave it to Rong Yuan: "He doesn't know how to count."

Rong Yuan put it away; his younger brother indeed did not know how to count.

If the little milky bun went to the Yan Guogong Prefecture to gather things, giving him half would be acceptable. Rong Yuan was small, but his mind was full of schemes. Qin Bi glanced at him, feeling the child had deep cunning.

Nothing more; although Rong Yuan seemed to care deeply about Fubao taking things from the Yan Guogong Prefecture, his tantrum seemed merely performative. True displeasure would not look like that. What likely surprised Rong Yuan the most was the little milky bun insisting on going to the Yan Guogong Prefecture.

Rong Juan held a meeting, with Rong Yang and the strategists accompanying him.

With advisors surrounding a child, it would be strange if he lacked cunning.

Qin Bi lay down to sleep. Rong Juan held her in his arms and said, "Your lifespan is damaged; you cannot exhaust your mind with worry. Tell me anything. If you want me and the child to return, just tell me directly."

Qin Bi hummed in agreement. She mentioned nothing, yet Rong Juan still brought the child back. This shows the great difference in a man's heart when he cares for you versus when he does not. Fortunately, Rong Juan cared for her.

When the little milk bun woke up, the sky seemed to have collapsed, and he threw a tantrum, demanding to go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture.