Chapter 402: Selling Spirit Vegetables

Rong Juan and others were waiting for Qin Bi when Qin Lang ran back again.

"Harvesting spirit vegetables is a bountiful harvest that increases a child's fortune," Rong He Shizi said. "If it is warmer at noon, bring Rong Yu over."

Qin Bi nodded; Rong He Shizi spoke to her as casually as ever.

Qin Bi could not help asking, "Do you know I am going to invite Second Brother and Qin Lang and the others?"

Rong He Shizi smiled lightly, glanced at Qin Lang who was listening too, and answered Qin Bi, "This boy Qin Lang likes following you. Even if I didn't invite anyone else, I would have to invite him. I didn't bring him this morning because I hoped he and Qin Xun would come with you."

People with good fortune need their families to protect them so their lives may be long.

Qin Bi's lifespan had been damaged but restored; still, one could not be careless. Rong He Shizi rarely mentioned it, yet he cared most about Qin Bi's lifespan. He had thought of everything.

Qin Lang's eyes lit up; Rong He Shizi cared so much about his sister.

Qin Lang was genuinely happy and stopped calling him Rong He Shizi, instead calling out, "Brother-in-law."

Rong He Shizi made a low "Hmm," smiled, and said, "Go quickly to harvest the spirit vegetables. With your sister and your two great-nephews here, you won't lack benefits." He then instructed, "Protect Rong Yu."

"Got it," Qin Lang called to Rong Yu and they left.

The young prince followed; wherever Rong Yu went, he went too.

By rights, Qin Bi should have stayed with Rong He Shizi, needing no labor, merely watching everyone harvest the spirit vegetables.

Qin Bi looked at Rong He Shizi, "I want to go too."

Rong He Shizi paused, then nodded after a moment, "Go ahead."

Qin Bi cheerfully followed Qin Lang and Rong Yu. The young prince turned back to look at her curiously: Why wasn't the Rong Shizifei staying with Rong He Shizi? Standing beside Rong He Shizi would be so gentle, dignified, and noble.

"Sister," Qin Lang was also surprised, "Rong He Shizi treats you so well."

In noble families, there are many rules, yet Rong He Shizi did not make Qin Bi follow the rules of a Rong Shizifei.

Qin Bi was also happy and smiled. Rong Yu spoke up for Rong He Shizi; the small child looked up and said, "Father has always treated Mother very well. Others cannot scold the younger brother, but Mother can scold the younger brother."

The little milk bun Rong Yu was Rong He Shizi's heart's delight; no one could utter a harsh word against him. Qin Lang knew this well; otherwise, how could Rong Yu visit Hou Fu anytime, while Rong Yu's visits made everyone extremely cautious?

Alas, they worried about failing to look after the child properly and being blamed by Rong He Shizi.

Everyone else could not say much. Rong He Shizi was known to lose wives and have no children; finally having one child, he naturally treasured him like a pearl, holding him in his palm. Everyone in Qin Yan Hou Fu understood.

Not only the people of Qin Yan Hou Fu, but even in the imperial court, all civil and military officials understood.

Qin Lang felt relieved. His sister's position as Rong Shizifei was secure, and Rong Yu and Rong Yu's position as He Shizi was unshakable. As a family following them, Qin Yan Hou Fu could also look forward to a bright future.

Thus, Hou Fu advancing further among the cultivation families should be no problem.

The Minister of War arrived first, followed by the scholars who had helped plant the fields earlier, and cultivators. Everyone stepped forward, asking one after another if the spirit vegetables were for sale and at what price.

Some scholars came from modest families; they had few monster crystals and could not afford to buy with silver either.

A young scholar asked Rong Yu, "Little He Shizi, can one low-grade monster crystal buy spirit vegetables?"

Rong Yu hesitated and turned to look at Qin Bi.

Qin Bi saw the scholar's clothes were simple but not shabby, and his demeanor was sunny and enthusiastic. She pondered briefly and said, "One Lan-grade low-grade monster crystal can buy one cabbage leaf, or one sprig of coriander, or one radish leaf. That is all it can buy."

The scholar turned to discuss with his classmates; they could afford it.

Scholars usually went to reclaim wasteland to earn some monster crystals. If they worked hard, they made some gains and were not unable to produce even a single monster crystal. Other independent cultivators were not necessarily much wealthier than the scholars.

The path of cultivation consumes resources greatly.

The Minister of War was stunned, "They have started selling leaf by leaf?"

Su He Shizi, who had come along, was also stunned. He turned to Su Er Young Master and said, "Only green radishes count as spirit vegetables. What? Radish tops are now sold one top at a time, one top at a time?"

Su Er Young Master: "······？？？？？？"

Su Er Young Master had to ask; this was not how things were sold.

"One radish top for one monster crystal?" Su Er Young Master asked. After speaking, he could not help adding, "Rong Shizifei, even the immortal sects do not sell spirit vegetables this way. Radish tops are given free."

Qin Bi immediately ordered, "Guard Yan, cut off the radish tops. Sell them one top at a time. Rong Wang Fu's reserves are low; there is no such thing as giving things away for free."

Guard Yan was stunned, "Got it."

Guard Yan called his men to chop down the radish tops; pulling them up was fine too, but be careful. They could not be treated as rotten vegetable leaves. Hadn't Rong Shizifei said these were worth one monster crystal?

Good heavens, even more expensive than the spirit vegetables sold by the immortal sects.

Su Er Young Master: "······"

Su He Shizi: "······"

The Minister of War: "······？？？？？？"

The Minister of War whispered, "This is worse than not asking at all."

The young prince was stunned. Oh my, he should not have returned to the palace yesterday; he should have stayed at Rong Wang Fu, eating their food and drinking their drinks. In Rong Wang Fu, even a single leaf of spirit vegetable was sold for a monster crystal.

"Shall we buy?" everyone discussed.

The scholars did not need to discuss; buying vegetable leaves was fine, since scholars were not well-off to begin with.

"Let's buy. We don't have to buy radish tops."

"Alright, let's figure it out and see if we can buy one whole Chinese cabbage together."

No need to figure it out; if not, they sold leaf by leaf anyway. One Lan-grade low-grade monster crystal per leaf. Lin Yao explained this to people, though he himself did not understand what Rong Shizifei meant.

Selling vegetable leaves? Noble families would not spend monster crystals just to eat vegetable leaves.

Even spirit vegetables were not worth it; who wanted to eat vegetable leaves?

The Minister of War stepped aside to watch.

The scholars bought Chinese cabbage, mostly buying one leaf at a time.

One scholar watched the leaves being torn off one by one and got excited, thinking he could wait a bit longer to buy the cabbage heart. But he was overthinking it; they were not selling the cabbage heart.

Qin Bi said to Rong Yu, "I am saving the cabbage heart for you to eat."

Rong Yu was delighted, ran over, and carried the cabbage heart away.

The young scholar: "······"

The cabbage heart ran away?????

The Minister of War thought something was off; no one is foolish enough to trade beast crystals for cabbage leaves, which might pass, but spending beast crystals to buy radish tops is laughable.

You are shrewd, but are others stupid?

The Minister of War called the young prince over and whispered, "Go ask Rong Rong Shizifei why anyone would sell rotten radish tops for beast crystals? Who eats radish tops?"

The young prince was also quite puzzled; he nodded and ran to find Qin Bi.

"Rong Shizifei," the young prince said.

Qin Bi turned around. The young prince whispered, "Who eats rotten radish tops? No one buys them."