Chapter 401: Where Are There Still Cultivation Resources?

When she went to the Xue Wang Fu, Qin He's younger sister and Qin Yan often came by; they didn't need to send a calling card and would head straight for the Heir Apparent's courtyard.

Seeing the two of them arrive, Qin He dismissed the others.

She glanced at the sky outside; it was overcast. Qin He's mood was slightly poor, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Qin He Jiejie," Qin Yan said, taking Qin He's arm and speaking with heartfelt sincerity, "Don't quarrel with He Shizi anymore. You should reconcile as soon as possible, lest some people become too smug."

Qin He immediately said, "Tell me what's going on."

Qin He kept a straight face, feeling that this was not something she wanted to hear.

Sure enough, Qin He's younger sister blurted out, "It's none other than Qin Bi from the Fourth Branch. I just knew she wouldn't stay quiet while you and He Shizi were at odds, and sure enough, I guessed right. First thing this morning, Qin Bi went to our Marquis Manor."

"What did she go there for?" Qin He's tone was poor, carrying a hint of interrogation.

"I'm not sure." The younger sister was also prone to making things up; she truly didn't know why Qin Bi went to the Marquis Manor, but she could speculate: "What else could she be doing? I bet Qin Bi must have heard that you and He Shizi had a fight, so she's puffed herself up and deliberately ran to the Marquis Manor to seek attention."

At this point, Qin He's younger sister also grabbed Qin He's arm and said, "Jiejie, as long as you lose face at the Yan Guogong Fu, the one who will be happiest is Qin Bi. You absolutely cannot let her be smug."

"Exactly," Qin Yan chimed in. "You can't let her have her way. Qin He Jiejie, you just had a fight with He Shizi, and Qin Bi is already acting up, wanting to get the upper hand over you at the Marquis Manor. Qin He Jiejie, you must reconcile with He Shizi quickly."

Qin He thought about it. She had already sent the word out that she and He Shizi would have nothing more to do with each other. If there was to be a reconciliation, it would have to be He Shizi coming to find her, not her lowering herself to go to him.

If she were the first to bow her head, wouldn't the people at the Yan Guogong Fu look down on her even more?

The moment Qin He thought of the disdainful looks from others, she couldn't stand it. After pondering for a moment, Qin He said, "No, I will absolutely not forgive He Shizi. Unless he comes to apologize to me and apologizes to our Little Tuanzi, don't even think about me forgiving him."

Qin He wouldn't listen to reason, and Qin Yan stomped her feet in anxiety: "Why must you be like this?"

Qin He had backbone; she would absolutely not forgive He Shizi. If anyone was going to bow their head, it had to be He Shizi first.

Qin Yan wanted to find someone to persuade Qin He. She thought through everyone: Xue Shizi was Qin He's husband, and some things had to be kept from him; finding Xue Shizi would be like having water in one's brain. There was no one in the entire Xue Wang Fu she could turn to.

Go back to the Marquis Manor and find the Heir Apparent's wife? That wouldn't work either.

There was no reason; Qin Yan just knew it wouldn't work.

Qin He's younger sister and Qin Yan thought and thought, and the most suitable person to persuade Qin He was Qin Han. The two of them rushed off to find Qin Han at the Jiang family's shop. Qin Han had just arrived at the shop.

"Why have you two come?" Qin Han had planned to go to the Marquis Manor at noon. She had heard about the affairs between the Yan Guogong Fu and the Xue Wang Fu and had intended to visit the Marquis Manor to ask about it once she had the time.

Qin Han brought them into a small parlor, the maid served tea and then withdrew.

Qin He's younger sister and Qin Yan spoke over each other, roughly explaining the situation. Qin Han stopped her tea-drinking motion and held the teacup: "Children competing for favor—the Yan Guogong Fu is making too much of a fuss. Was it really necessary to drive Little Tuanzi out of the Yan Guogong Fu?"

Qin He's younger sister pouted: "Exactly."

The Yan Guogong Fu really didn't need to go that far; someone must have been up to no good and whispered slander.

"What does Qin He say?" Qin Han asked.

Qin Yan sighed: "Don't mention it. Qin He Jiejie is furious and has vowed to have nothing more to do with He Shizi."

"How can that be?" Qin Han disapproved. "Ever since Qin He started doing business and opened her shop, He Shizi has been very supportive. This kind of favor is something many people envy; Qin He shouldn't be speaking in anger."

Qin Yan nodded: "You go and persuade Qin He Jiejie."

Qin Han handled some matters at the shop and went to the Xue Wang Fu with Qin He's younger sister and Qin Yan. As soon as they arrived, Qin He knew what it was for; she pulled a long face, her expression as solemn as still water.

"Qin Han, you don't need to persuade me." Qin He sat in a chair, her hand resting on the table, and said with a straight face, "This time, I will absolutely not forgive He Shizi. My Little Tuanzi, whom I cherish and pamper, whom I wish I could hold in the palm of my hand—they actually dared to drive her out of the manor. Just thinking about it makes me so angry I could wake up at night."

Qin Han sat down, not in a hurry to persuade Qin He, and only asked: "Have you seen He Shizi?"

Qin He glanced at Qin Han: "No."

"Whether Little Tuanzi was wronged or driven out of the manor, you haven't actually seen the situation yourself." Qin Han grabbed a small handkerchief, sat on the chair on the other side, and leaned closer to Qin He: "You should go find He Shizi and ask clearly; perhaps there is some misunderstanding in this."

After a pause, Qin Han added: "Driving Little Tuanzi out of the manor—He Shizi might have had his own hidden difficulties."

Qin He's heart stirred: "What hidden difficulties could he have?"

Qin Han sensed Qin He's softening, sat up straight, and said: "Go find He Shizi and ask clearly. If you told me someone else was fickle and heartless, I would believe it, but if you told me He Shizi wasn't good to you, I wouldn't believe it."

Qin Yan hurriedly said: "I don't believe it either. He Shizi is so good to you."

Qin He's anger subsided a little. She also didn't believe that He Shizi would change his heart toward her just like that. However, Little Tuanzi had indeed been sent back by the Cui family. Regardless of the reason, Qin He was annoyed—an annoyance of being let down.

"That's because he owes me." Qin He spoke without thinking, venting her anger.

Qin Han and the others exchanged glances. Saying that was unreasonable. He Shizi didn't owe her anything; Qin He had been protected by He Shizi from the very beginning. Without He Shizi's support, how could Qin He have lived so well?

Even if the betrothal didn't go through, He Shizi didn't owe Qin He anything.

Finally, seeing that she couldn't persuade Qin He, Qin Han had to ask: "Are you willing to let the harvest from He Shizi's trip to the Beast Realm's small space all be given to Qin Bi's child, Rong Yang?"

Qin He still spoke in anger: "If He Shizi is willing, why shouldn't I be?"

Qin Han: "..."

She was truly furious.

What He Shizi collected were cultivation resources. Qin Han sighed in frustration, blaming Qin He for being unreasonable. What was there to fight about? She had already promised to give cultivation resources to her sisters once He Shizi returned.

Now, with Qin He and He Shizi at such odds, where would there be any cultivation resources left?

Qin He's younger sister was also anxious, constantly urging Qin He to go find He Shizi to explain the misunderstanding, if for no other reason than that they all wanted cultivation resources. But Qin He would not bow her head.

To Rong Shizi's fief, Qin Bi, Rong Yang, and the Little Imperial Prince hurried over.

It was unclear why, but today was the day to harvest the spiritual vegetables. The sky was heavily overcast, and with the arrival of winter, the temperature had dropped quite a bit, yet everyone was in high spirits looking at the large fields of spiritual vegetables.

When Qin Bi and the others arrived, Rong Shizi was not surprised to see Qin Xun, Qin Lang, and the children of the Fourth Branch. Qin Xun and the others greeted Rong Shizi one after another, and Rong Shizi waved his hand, letting everyone run off to harvest the spiritual vegetables.

"Where is Rong Chi?" Rong Shizi asked.

"It's cold," Qin Bi said. "I didn't bring him." ===== CHAPTER 402 =====