Chapter 414: No Cultivation Foundation

Everyone exchanged glances, and Qin Yan fell silent for a moment.

How could such a question be asked? Qin Yan even suspected Qin He was pretending to be ignorant on purpose.

Did Qin He still think these spirit vegetables were grown by the Hou Fu itself?

Qin Yan and the others liked to go mimic Qin He; it made no sense for Qin He to know nothing. Qin Bi grew the spirit vegetables, so Qin He should have avoided them. Yet Qin He came asking for spirit vegetables, making Qin Yan feel awkward on Qin He's behalf.

Qin Yan sat in the chair, flicked dust that wasn't there from his embroidered robe, and said, "Qin He, the Hou Fu has only just become a cultivation family, a little over a year ago. We have no substantial gains and lack any cultivation foundation. Producing a large quantity of spirit vegetables at once is unrealistic. No one in the Hou Fu grows spirit vegetables. The spirit vegetables distributed this time were given by the Rong Wang Fu."

The words were clear enough; Qin Yan thought there was no need to say more.

Qin He paused only briefly, then spoke in an unquestionable tone: "If the spirit vegetables came from the Rong Wang Fu, shouldn't they be distributed to the Second Branch even more? I must receive a share. The Xue Wang Fu and the Rong Wang Fu have a very good relationship."

If not for the sake of her face, would the Rong He Shizi have sent spirit vegetables to the Qin Yan Hou Fu?

Within the entire Qin Yan Hou Fu, only she, Qin He, and the two powerful ministers' heirs had the best relationship. They opened shops together and discussed cultivation; they were like old friends, with spiritual understanding and moving forward together. She was a woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the powerful ministers' heirs.

Qin He was so certain, so convinced that she deserved a share, as if without her, the Rong Wang Fu would never have sent spirit vegetables.

Qin Yan and the others lowered their heads to think. Come to think of it, it was quite possible. Qin He was one of the few famous talented women in Jingcheng, considered a red-dress confidante to the two powerful ministers' heirs.

Who knew if the Rong Wang Fu sent the spirit vegetables to the Qin Yan Hou Fu because of the son-in-law's status, or if they also did so partly for Qin He's sake? Before Qin Bi married the Rong He Shizi, the Rong He Shizi did not like her; the entire Hou Fu knew this.

The more they thought about it, the more many of the younger generation in the Hou Fu sided with Qin He. Qin He opened shops with the powerful ministers' heirs to earn silver; her words carried weight before the Rong He Shizi and the He He Shizi.

If it were before, perhaps the Qin He Shizi would have given Qin He this face.

Now, Qin Yan felt some things needed to be stated clearly. He told Qin He: "The spirit vegetables from the Rong Wang Fu were not given by the Rong He Shizi. Qin Bi gave them to her elder brother, Qin Tang, and Qin Tang shared them with me."

Upon hearing this, the young ladies of the Hou Fu were surprised, and even the Rong Shizifei was astonished.

Could Qin Bi make decisions regarding the spirit vegetables from the Rong Wang Fu? Wasn't it true that, aside from the title of Rong Shizifei granted because she bore a son, she had nothing else? Spirit vegetables concerned cultivation; they should not be touched by Qin Bi.

In other words, the Rong Shizifei could eat them, but she could not give them away.

Qin He thought the same. She sneered and said, "Even if it was given by Sister Qin Bi, it was at the Rong He Shizi's instruction. Only because the Rong He Shizi allowed her to give them could Sister Qin Bi do so. How is it that she merely followed the Rong He Shizi's instructions to give the spirit vegetables to the Hou Fu, and now it is as if she has the final say?"

At this, Qin He stared at Qin Yan and asked, "Is it Qin Bi who told my eldest cousin not to give me spirit vegetables?"

Qin He's full sister pouted, "It must have been her idea."

The Rong Shizifei's expression darkened. If Qin Bi had done this, it would be most improper.

The various branches of the Hou Fu had been relatively harmonious these years. Was Qin Bi trying to sow discord among the branches, making the Second Branch dissatisfied and the Fourth Branch unhappy as well? What good would that do?

Qin Yan's face also darkened, though not because of Qin Bi. He said to Qin He, "Qin He, the Rong Wang Fu is not ruled by Qin Bi. Does that mean you rule it? Do not forget, you are the Rong Shizifei of the Xue Wang Fu, and your other identity is merely a concubine-born daughter of the Second Branch of the Qin Yan Hou Fu. That is all."

Qin He choked, and Qin He's full sister closed her mouth.

Even a fool could hear the unspoken words in Qin Yan's statement. Qin Bi had the final say regarding the Rong Wang Fu's affairs, without question. However, no matter how good Qin He's relationship was with the two powerful ministers' heirs, she was not the Rong Shizifei of the Yan Guogong Fu, nor was she anyone of the Rong Wang Fu.

As a younger sister-in-law, could this identity dictate terms to the Rong Wang Fu?

No, Qin He had overstepped her bounds.

She had lost sight of who she was. Realizing she had overstepped, Qin He cursed the complexities of ancient matters in her heart but dared not say more on the subject. Too many words lead to mistakes. Fortunately, this was within the Qin Yan Hou Fu; if it were at a banquet, people would point and whisper.

"I only want to know why there are no spirit vegetables for the Second Branch, and none for me," Qin He circled back to the topic and continued, "Even if they came from the Rong Wang Fu, if others received some, then my share and that of the Second Branch should exist too."

Everyone watched from the sidelines; not a single person spoke up.

Qin Tang and Qin Xun of the Fourth Branch arrived at the front courtyard hall, followed by Qin Lang, who came upon hearing the commotion. If Qin He had not mentioned the Fourth Branch and Qin Bi, it would have been fine, but mentioning them meant things would have to be sorted out.

Was the Fourth Branch a soft persimmon?

Heh, previously, the Fourth Branch had to avoid the sharp edge of the powerful ministers' heirs simply because they favored the Second Branch; now, for the sake of Rong Yang and Rong Chi, the Fourth Branch must stand up.

Then there was the Third Branch. From the moment Qin Bi left Jingcheng with the Third Branch, their bond was destined to be different. Even though the family treated Qin Bi indifferently in the place where Qin Tan served as County Magistrate, the Third Branch still took Qin Bi away from Jingcheng to avoid the He He Shizi and Qin He.

At that time, the Third Branch never dreamed Qin Bi would marry the Rong He Shizi and become the Rong Shizifei. Yet, once this position was given to Qin Bi, Qin Tan would go all out to solidify her status.

As the legitimate son of the Third Branch, Qin Lang, setting aside personal feelings, had to protect Qin Bi.

As for Qin He? She was ungrateful; the bond was lacking.

The Third Branch and the Fourth Branch would move forward together. Qin Yan, the Qin He Shizi, would not act on emotion. His responsibility was to utilize all resources to lead the Qin Yan Hou Fu and the family to advance further.

"The spirit vegetables from the Rong Wang Fu were grown by Qin Bi." Qin Yan stared at Qin He, deliberately emphasizing the point. Then, he glanced at the others with ulterior motives. Sure enough, everyone's expressions changed.

There was no need to argue. The spirit vegetables grown by Qin Bi, once brought to the Qin Yan Hou Fu, were under the Fourth Branch's control. They belonged to the Fourth Branch. Even if they were given to the Qin Yan Hou or the Qin He Shizi, it could not erase the fact that they were the Fourth Branch's property.

Qin He wanted to say, "So what if Qin Bi grew them? As long as they are from the Rong Wang Fu, given my relationship with the Rong He Shizi, I am certainly entitled to a share. On what grounds does the Fourth Branch block me?"

However, Qin Yan gave Qin He no chance. He asked her, "You came to ask me why no spirit vegetables were given to the Second Branch, and why none were given to you. Qin He, in the past, whenever items were distributed in the manor, when did you ever give any to the Fourth Branch?"

The minds of the Hou Fu crowd immediately began to turn. Thinking about it, they were stunned.

Qin Yan paused only briefly, lifted his tea bowl, took a small sip, and said, "Name just one instance. Let me see if my memory is poor and I forgot. If I owe you spirit vegetables, I will make it up to you."

Qin He: "..."

She opened her mouth, but Qin He, who had just been so self-righteous, was left speechless.

Why should she have given anything to the Fourth Branch? The He He Shizi gave them to her, so why should she share with the Fourth Branch!