Chapter 418: With These Spiritual Vegetables

Cui Shi wanted to ease relations with the Fourth Branch, but feared it would not be easy.

Qin Tan was in the study, handling official business.

When Qin Bi, Qin Lang, and Rong Juan arrived, the servants did not need to announce them; they entered the study. Qin Lang took out three bags of spiritual vegetables, and Rong Juan also took a basket of spicy peppers from her storage bag.

Qin Lang picked up the small chili spiritual vegetable that had fallen to the ground.

Qin Bi reached out, took the small basket from Rong Juan's hand, and placed it on Qin Tan's desk.

Qin Tan was stunned and stood up: "This is..."

"Qin He's cultivation base is high, isn't it? To prevent her revenge, it is better to raise our own cultivation base." Qin Bi spoke with sharp intensity: "Third Uncle, you eat these spiritual vegetables first. If you don't believe they can raise your cultivation base, I will give you more after you finish."

Qin Tan's gaze fell on the three bags of spiritual vegetables and the basket of peppers. Eating these spiritual vegetables could indeed raise one's cultivation base a little. As long as it increased by ten percent, it would provide more confidence than being ten percent lower.

"Cultivate in secret, raising your cultivation base bit by bit." Qin Bi anticipated the worst-case scenario: "Even if we encounter Qin He in the small space of the Beast Realm, we can catch her off guard."

Qin Tan's expression changed; he looked at Qin Bi for a few seconds.

Qin Tan had expected what reaction Rong He Shizi would make and how he would handle the matter. He did not expect Qin Bi to make arrangements, with the solution being for the Third and Fourth Branches to raise their cultivation bases together.

This was far better than relying on others. Who does not want to raise their cultivation base and ascend the path of cultivation?

If a choice had to be made, Rong He Shizi intervening to discipline Qin He would truly not compare to Qin Bi bringing back so many spiritual vegetables, especially a basket of peppers. This basket was substantial, a real, full basket.

Regarding the spiritual vegetables in Rong He Shizi's fiefdom, no one knew better than Qin Tan and the others which ones had the highest spiritual energy.

The small chili peppers were specially cared for by the Hou Fu's luck-bringing Little Little Tuanzi, so their spiritual energy was high. Looking at the basket of small chilies, Qin Tan understood and felt inexplicably excited. It was better to raise the overall cultivation base than to merely guard against Qin He.

"Does Rong He Shizi know?" Qin Tan suppressed his excitement, worried that Rong He Shizi might be unhappy about so many spiritual vegetables being sent.

Qin Bi's answer was: "First, the strategist Lin Yao watched Qin Lang pack them."

Qin Tan felt relieved and excited. He immediately ordered Qin Lang: "Go to the Fourth Branch, tell your Fourth Uncle and cousin to come. We will discuss cultivation, divide the spiritual vegetables, and we will not go to the small space of the Beast Realm until our cultivation base has increased by one rank."

"Yes." Qin Lang ran off to fetch them.

"Uncle!" Rong Juan called out.

Qin Lang returned, picked up Rong Juan, and left.

Soon, Qin Di arrived at Qin Tan's study in the Third Branch with his two legitimate sons. Seeing the quantity of spiritual vegetables, everyone felt reassured and somewhat happy. Their cultivation base was lower than Qin He's not because their aptitude was poor, but because they lacked cultivation resources.

With these spiritual vegetables, they could surely raise their cultivation base.

Qin Bi briefly explained her intention: "As for these three bags of spiritual vegetables, my idea is to give a portion to Rong Yan and Jiang Xu. If we encounter danger in the small space of the Beast Realm, we can advance or retreat together."

The same applies if we encounter Qin He, as well as other cultivators who kill to seize treasures.

On the path of cultivation, it is absolutely impossible to have no allies.

Qin Tan was slightly surprised, not expecting Qin Bi to be so thoughtful, and nodded: "Agreed."

Thus, the spiritual vegetables were divided: each family received one bag of Chinese cabbage and radishes, and the remaining bag was divided among Rong Yan, Jiang Xu, and the natal families of the wives of Qin Tang and Qin Xun.

The He Shi natal family did not need them; they had plenty of extra resources to support Qin He for so many years.

After the division was complete, Qin Bi brought up building courtyards: "Third Uncle, our Fourth Branch is going to build a courtyard. Do you want to expand your courtyards as well? The layout of a cultivation family differs from that of an ordinary family."

Qin Tan had just learned of this matter and glanced at Qin Di.

Qin Di said: "I haven't mentioned it to Third Brother yet. If you want to build a courtyard, let's do it together."

The Third Branch's courtyard was acceptable, but expanding it would also be fine.

Qin Tan said: "Let me think about it."

After the spiritual vegetables were divided, Qin Xun went to find Rong Yan and Jiang Xu.

Everyone moved to the courtyard of the Fourth Branch.

While the Third and Fourth Branches were preparing for Qin He to cause trouble in the small space of the Beast Realm, Xue He Shizi brought Qin He back to Xue Wang Fu and immediately questioned her about what had happened. What did it mean that she had never given spiritual vegetables to the Fourth Branch before?

Xue He Shizi only knew that because of the items he gave to Qin He, she and Qin Bi were at odds, so he never gave anything to the Fourth Branch. Xue He Shizi did not know that Qin He had never given anything to the Fourth Branch.

Qin He's cultivation resources in the past were all provided by He He Shizi.

"You never gave anything to the Fourth Branch?" Xue He Shizi asked uncertainly again.

"What?" Qin He was in a bad mood: "What's wrong?"

"Before we got married, and even earlier." Xue He Shizi stared at Qin He's face, which was still flushed with anger and had not yet calmed down. He knew he shouldn't bring this up now, but discord in the Hou Fu was not beneficial for Xue Wang Fu: "The items given by He He Shizi, you decided for yourself. Did you give nothing at all to the Fourth Branch?"

"What's wrong?" Qin He did not see any problem: "Why should I give anything to the Fourth Branch? Everything He He Shizi gave was for me."

Xue He Shizi let out a long sigh. Qin He blinked. Xue He Shizi dismissed the servants before saying: "Qin He, do you know that the one who always had a betrothal with He He Shizi was Qin Bi? You and He He Shizi were betrothed several times, but it never happened."

If it never happened, she was not the fiancée.

"Qin Bi is He He Shizi's fiancée." Xue He Shizi said: "The items He He Shizi gave to the Hou Fu, even if part of them were for you, also belonged to Qin Bi. You took it upon yourself to give nothing to the Fourth Branch? In what capacity did you decide how to distribute He He Shizi's items?"

"I, I..." Qin He could not answer.

She had never been He He Shizi's fiancée; she could not even be discussed for marriage. She vomited blood and fainted, nearly losing her life. Once or twice, Qin He dared not become He He Shizi's fiancée.

No one had ever questioned her: since she was not the fiancée, why did she take He He Shizi's items?

Qin He, angry and ashamed, retorted: "So what if I am the fiancée? All of He He Shizi's items are for me. Why should I give anything to the Fourth Branch or to Qin Bi? I am still He He Shizi's childhood friend."

For a moment, Xue He Shizi did not know what to say to Qin He. He had thought Qin He was as calm as an orchid, not greedy or mercenary, and very high-minded. At the very least, she would not take what was not hers.

When He He Shizi chose Qin He for marriage discussions, Xue He Shizi was He He Shizi's close friend, but he was not clear on some matters, such as what He He Shizi sent to the Hou Fu. Xue He Shizi had no authority over those things.

However, Xue He Shizi's high fortune value was not without reason; he was not a bad person.

If he had not gone to Qin Yan Hou Fu today, Xue He Shizi would truly not have known that Qin He had concealed the items He He Shizi sent to the Hou Fu. Even if He He Shizi did not value his fiancée much, the items he sent to the Hou Fu also belonged to Qin Bi.

This was a principle even children understood, yet Qin He acted as if it was perfectly natural.

It could be understood as Qin He being jealous, but jealousy should not target the items He He Shizi sent to the Hou Fu. Qin He was not short of money.