Chapter 393

Lin Yao broke off a piece of cabbage leaf to taste; the spiritual energy was scant, barely qualifying it as a spiritual vegetable.

Yet, this alone was enough to make mouths water.

Lin Yao asked the scholars and cultivators, "What kind of vegetables do you want?"

The scholars whispered together to discuss, while the cultivators looked around at the spiritual vegetables in the fields.

"Can we have a taste?" a cultivator asked.

Lin Yao nodded, "Sure."

A cultivator tore off a bit of cabbage leaf, just a small piece, about the size of a bug bite, tasted it, then pulled up a sweet radish, cut it open, and everyone had a taste.

"We want sweet radishes."

"I want cilantro to put in my noodles."

"I want cilantro too."

"Can we taste the chili peppers?"

What were they thinking? Lin Yao refused, "Chili peppers are not for sharing."

"Alright, I knew you wouldn't give them, I was just asking."

Everyone laughed it off without concern; the spiritual energy in the chili peppers must be high, as the spiritual energy scattered by that small luck-bringing child was almost entirely absorbed by the crops in the chili patch, benefiting the surrounding fields considerably.

Luck protection is truly powerful; one cannot deny it.

"Someone tried to steal credit earlier," a scholar said. "Luckily no one paid her any mind; she is utterly shameless."

"Yes, stealing credit without considering one's luck."

"She probably doesn't understand."

"She looks like a cultivator."

"Some cultivators don't understand luck and fate either."

"Just thinking about it is amusing; how could such a person exist?"

"I don't understand either; do they have no brains? Qin Yan, the Marquis of Qin Yan Hou Fu, and Qin Tan are both here."

Everyone debated; Lin Yao felt that since the spiritual energy in the vegetables varied, dividing them was difficult, so he asked Qin Bi again. Rong Juan, this little money-lover, followed Lin Yao to distribute the spiritual vegetables.

Those wanting sweet radishes got one; those wanting cilantro got a stalk.

The cabbage plants were the sturdiest; one weighed nearly ten jin, the smallest five or six jin, so they could not be distributed.

Therefore, only sweet radishes and cilantro were shared.

The scholars did not mind the small amount; they took a stalk of cilantro and waited for their classmates.

Their classmates wanted sweet radishes; a few gathered to discuss, planning to make noodles with them upon returning, pickling the sweet radishes and cilantro into small side dishes to pair with the noodles, which would surely be delicious. They left in small groups.

Someone asked before leaving, "Will the spiritual vegetables be sold later?"

Rong Juan said, "Yes."

Come back tomorrow to check. The questioner and classmates left; in the evening, they all ate noodles. Those who didn't like noodles could make small pickled dishes with the spiritual vegetables to eat with steamed buns, which would also be fragrant.

Everyone left, and Rong Juan ran back to find Qin Bi and Rong Juan.

"Father, Mother," Rong Juan said, "our spiritual vegetables will surely sell well."

"Dig some up," Qin Bi said in high spirits, smiling. "We will eat them for dinner tonight."

Rong Juan's eyes shone bright. Rong Juan told Lin Yao, "Give the young heir a bamboo basket."

Lin Yao went to find Qin Tan. Not to mention, Lin Yao found the right person; Qin Tan indeed had small baskets for children. Qin Lang took the small basket and led Rong Juan to pick vegetables.

Qin Bi's gaze was bright as she looked at Rong Juan.

Rong Juan was slightly surprised and spoke, "You go too."

Qin Bi happily went to find Rong Juan and Qin Lang. Qin Bi, picking vegetables alongside them, lost all sense of restraint; the bottom of the small basket was already lined with picked chili peppers, and Rong Juan felt a bit of heartache.

"For your grandfather and uncles," Qin Bi explained.

Hearing this, Qin Lang hurriedly said, "They haven't fully grown yet; just tasting the flavor is enough."

Neither Qin Bi nor Rong Juan paid him any mind. Rong Juan nodded and pulled another handful of cilantro.

Qin Bi said, "I love eating it."

Hearing this, Rong Juan knew his mother was not stingy with children; he immediately pulled two large handfuls of cilantro, each about twenty stalks, and picked some miscellaneous vegetables until the small basket was full.

Rong Juan was very generous toward Qin Bi's natal family. Qin Tan dug up over ten heads of cabbage and a basket of radishes, then stopped; doing favors and building connections required only this much; spiritual vegetables were not ordinary produce.

Rong Juan and Qin Bi picked another small basket of spiritual vegetables to send to the maternal grandfather's family.

The young prince ran back after circling around, "Consort Rong, I contributed too."

Qin Bi pointed to the chili patch, "Pick a few chili peppers yourself, or go dig up a head of cabbage or something?"

The young prince was clever; he carefully entered the vegetable patch to pick chili peppers. His hands were small, so he could only pick a handful before stopping. Rong Juan pulled another handful of cilantro for him. Knowing the cilantro grew next to the chilies and thus held more spiritual energy, the young prince accepted it with a smile.

There were also sweet radishes; Qin Lang dug up a few for the young prince.

Near dusk, Rong Juan activated the teleportation array. Qin Tan returned to the county office, and Qin Yan went with him; this cart of spiritual vegetables would be used to expand Qin Tan's connections, which was vital for the Qin Yan Hou Fu.

Everyone entered the teleportation array and, in moments, returned to the front courtyard of the Rong Wang Fu in Jingcheng.

Qin Tang, Qin Xun, and Qin Lang took their leave. People from the Yan Guogong Fu came to invite Rong Juan. Knowing something was up, Rong Juan told the Rong He Shizi and Qin Bi, then the child followed He Zu away.

The young prince also returned to the palace.

At this time, Qin Han and Qin He's legitimate younger sister went to the Xue Wang Fu. Upon seeing Qin He, Qin Han said, "The He He Shizi has returned."

"Sigh," Qin He sighed. "I wonder how Fubao offended the Yan Guogong's wife to be sent back. Children squabbling is hardly worth mentioning."

"What happened?" Qin He's legitimate younger sister asked.

Qin He recounted only what favored her family, then added, "Fubao is the legitimate daughter of the Yan Guogong Fu. The He He Shizi has returned and surely collected many good things, yet he didn't even share them with Fubao."

Qin He's legitimate younger sister was confused, "He gave the spiritual fruits to Rong Juan of the Rong Wang Fu, but not to Fubao?"

Just as Qin He said, Fubao could be considered the legitimate daughter of the Yan Guogong Fu.

Qin He said, "I am angry precisely about this."

It was indeed infuriating; with Rong Chi involved, they actually didn't give it to Fu Bao.

In terms of closeness, Fu Bao is the legitimate young lady of the Yan Guogong Fu.

Fu Bao spoke up, "Mother, I want to go to the palace to eat good things."

Qin Han and Qin He, the legitimate younger sister, paused for a moment. Upon hearing this, Qin He immediately sent Fu Bao to the Wang Fei's courtyard. The Wang Fei, hearing that Fu Bao wanted to go to the palace to eat good things, knew the child had a mouthful of luck.

Fu Bao indeed had good fortune; whatever she wanted to eat, she could eat.

Xue Wang also knew of this matter. After thinking it over, he found a reason to enter the palace.

Unfortunately, the young prince had already sent someone to guard the palace gates. Learning that Fu Bao had entered the palace, the young prince stayed in his own palace and did not go out. The Great Yan Emperor could not go to the Imperial Consort to ask for food either.

The Minister of War was initially puzzled. A little eunuch by the young prince's side handed the Minister of War a sprig of coriander.

After tasting it, a gleam flashed in the Minister of War's eyes. He knew why Xue Wang had brought Fu Bao to the palace. It was truly strange; whenever any young prince in the palace obtained a spiritual food, Fu Bao would inevitably enter the palace.

The Great Yan Emperor possessed full-level fortune. Yet, whenever he obtained something good, Fu Bao would eagerly enter the palace as well.

The young prince was on guard this time. When Fu Bao entered the palace, she made her way to the harem but was stopped by the Imperial Consort's nanny.