Chapter 349: A Fool Emerges from Xue Wang Fu

Fu Bao froze; "a cuckoo taking over a magpie's nest" was not a compliment.

Fu Bao was merely spoiled and domineering, not stupid; she could tell good words from bad. The little girl stood dazed, momentarily bewildered. She had not taken over a magpie's nest; her mother had told her that everything in Yan Guogong Prefecture belonged to her.

A maid from Xue Wang Fu nearby also looked anxious. Their First-Rank Little Princess had always been raised according to the standards of a legitimate young lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture; how had she become a cuckoo in a magpie's nest?

Yet, in front of the heir of a powerful minister, the maid dared not speak.

Here, none of the maids had any say.

"I did not take over a magpie's nest." Fu Bao still listened to Qin He. Remembering what her mother had taught her, she lifted her chin: "It was Rong Yang and Rong Chi who came to Yan Guogong Prefecture and stole my things."

He Yan did not want to ask who had taught her; that did not matter. He Yan said, "Rong Yang is my child; this is his home. Everything in Yan Guogong Prefecture belongs to Rong Yang. Your things are at Xue Wang Fu."

Fu Bao felt wronged and said grievously, "But I grew up in Yan Guogong Prefecture. Yan Guogong Prefecture has a courtyard for its legitimate young lady. Rong Yang has no courtyard in Yan Guogong Prefecture; he is the outsider."

He Yan felt that he could not make Fu Bao understand.

As for arranging a courtyard for Rong Yang? He Yan was not very keen.

For no other reason; the child had just returned, and He Yan only wanted to spend more time with Rong Yang.

However, since Fu Bao had misunderstood, arranging a courtyard for Rong Yang should be put on the agenda. It would not do for Fu Bao, a child of an outsider, to have a courtyard while Rong Yang had none in Yan Guogong Prefecture.

Once Rong Yang had his own courtyard, he could also live in the heir's courtyard.

He Yan picked up the little milk bun and stood up, calling Rong Yang to go to the main courtyard. The little prince followed. A servant packed boiled melon seeds and followed shortly after. No one paid attention to Fu Bao. Fu Bao looked left and right; no one was there.

The maid from Xue Wang Fu was at a loss, feeling for the first time that they were outsiders in Yan Guogong Prefecture. Fu Bao did not think that much; she ran after them. She could not let the two children from Rong Wang Fu steal her things.

All the way, He Yan carried the little milk bun, strolling leisurely.

Rong Yang was small and could not keep up. He Yan was not in a hurry.

Fu Bao ran fast, dashing ahead: "I run fast."

Rong Yang looked at Fu Bao as if she were a fool. Xue Wang Fu produced fools; everything was a competition. What was the point of running so fast? Rong Yang strolled with his short legs alongside the little prince, admiring the flowers. A servant handed over boiled melon seeds.

Rong Yang grabbed a handful of boiled melon seeds and shared them with the little prince.

The little prince held them happily: "What flavor are the boiled melon seeds?"

Rong Yang said, "Five-spice flavor. My mother loves them."

Fu Bao ran back: "I want to eat some too."

The servant looked at the heir walking ahead and talking to the little milk bun, pretended not to hear, took a few quick steps, and caught up with his heir. The boiled melon seeds were spirit melon seeds, prepared only for the two young heirs. How could they be given to an outsider!

They were extremely expensive; who in an ordinary family could afford them?

Fu Bao thought the servant had not heard. She stamped her feet behind them and shouted loudly: "I want to eat boiled melon seeds."

He Yan frowned, turned, and said to the maid from Xue Wang Fu: "Take your little princess back."

The maid panicked. In Yan Guogong Prefecture, she had no say at all. If someone else had said this, the maid could have relied on Qin He's weight in He He Shizi's heart to refute.

But now it was He He Shizi speaking.

The maid could not guess He He Shizi's meaning. Terrified, she quickly said to Fu Bao: "Little Princess, let us go back. The Heir Consort is at Qin Yan Hou's residence. Let us go back to your maternal grandfather's house to play."

"No." Fu Bao had not played enough: "I want to play in Yan Guogong Prefecture."

"Little Princess, go see your courtyard." The maid pulled Fu Bao and said, "You have not been to your courtyard for a long time. See if anyone has touched your things."

The maid thought more and more that they should go see. Perhaps the young heir from Rong Wang Fu had touched things in Fu Bao's courtyard.

Children like to compare and compete.

Fu Bao was reminded, nodded, and went to her courtyard.

If no one had touched her things, that was fine. If Rong Yang had touched her things, she would make him pay.

He Yan carried the little milk bun. Rong Yang and the little prince followed to the main courtyard. He Yan was very patient. He shelled melon seeds and fed them to the little milk bun, then shelled another, stopped, bent down, and fed it to Rong Yang.

Rong Yang shelled one for himself and ate it. The little prince watched with envy.

The Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture drank tea. Seeing the children had all arrived, she stood up, smiled, and invited Rong Yang over. He Yan mentioned arranging a courtyard for Rong Yang. The Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture stood up.

"Go to your grandmother's courtyard," the Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture said. "Discuss it with your grandfather and grandmother."

He Yan worried Rong Yang might get tired walking, so he picked Rong Yang up too.

Arriving at the Old Lady's courtyard, the Old Marquis of Yan and the Old Lady, upon hearing about arranging a courtyard for Rong Yang, immediately began to deliberate. Their child had not been raised in their own home since childhood; naturally, the best courtyard must be arranged.

"The courtyard where Fu Bao lives is quite good," the little prince interjected. "Rong Yang can live in Fu Bao's courtyard."

"No," He Yan said. "The courtyard is too small."

Immediately, He Yan glanced at the little milk bun in his arms and said, "I plan to arrange a courtyard for Rong Chi as well."

The Old Marquis of Yan nodded: "That is proper. Rong Yang indeed cannot live in the courtyard Fu Bao lived in. Not only is it small, but he is our Yan Guogong Prefecture's young heir. We fear it might harm his luck and fortune."

Previously, Fu Bao had been raised as a legitimate young lady in Yan Guogong Prefecture.

Rong Yang is He Yan's child and the rightful young heir of Yan Guogong Prefecture. Places where Fu Bao lived might hinder Rong Yang. If something were suppressed, it would be bad.

Besides, driving Fu Bao away as soon as Rong Yang returned was not the conduct of a noble family.

Looking across the entire Yan Guogong Prefecture, the largest and best courtyards were far from He Yan's heir's courtyard. He Yan did not approve. Finally, after consulting with Rong Yang and having a metaphysician calculate, they decided to open up and expand the area next to He Yan's courtyard to build two courtyards for the two young heirs.

After the discussion, He Yan said, "This matter must also be discussed with Rong He Shizi."

The Old Lady and the Old Marquis of Yan nodded: "Indeed, it must be discussed with Rong He Shizi."

He Yan picked up the little milk bun and stood up: "Rong Yang, I will take you to see the spot next to my courtyard."

The Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture reached out: "Give me the little one."

The little milk bun turned his head, hugged He Yan, and said, "Father holds me."

The Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture smiled. He Yan carried the little milk bun, led Rong Yang, and the little prince followed as they walked toward the heir's courtyard. The Lady of Yan Guogong Prefecture thought for a moment and decided to follow to take a look as well.

Fu Bao wandered around her courtyard. Nothing was missing. She could not find Rong Yang and the others. Feeling bored, she took her maids and nannies and went back.

Rong Yang inspected the spot for building the courtyards, then turned around and led people to Fu Bao's courtyard. He took out a storage bag and put all the valuable items into it. These were things belonging to Yan Guogong; do not think about taking them away.

After He Yan learned of this, he said nothing. Rong Yang could make this decision.