Chapter 44

Qin Bi finally realized that personality is innate.

Rong Juan and Rong Yang are not the type to suffer losses; they are domineering, flamboyant, and imposing. He Yan merely paid a bit more attention to Qin He's child, and Rong Juan could not stand it.

Rong Yang is formidable too; Rong Juan raised him to be just like himself.

The child is already born. Qin Bi had no intention of stopping Rong Yang from acknowledging He Yan. Running away while pregnant, hiding and covering it up, was unnecessary. If Rong Juan had not claimed the child as his own, Qin Bi would not have wanted him at all.

But what do Rong Juan and Rong Yang mean right now?

Rong Yang is treating himself as a control group. Just as Qin He's child is doted on and pampered, and He Yan offers extra care, Rong Yang will run to the side of the "little pitiful one," making He Yan regret it later.

This truly strikes right at the heart.

"Are you full?" Qin Bi asked, watching one feed with patience and the other eat eagerly, worried the child might overeat.

Rong Yang said, "Full."

Rong Juan ate a little simply, while Qin Bi wiped the child's mouth.

"I'll do it myself," Rong Yang said. "I am grown up."

Qin Bi retorted sharply, "You are not even half a year old."

Rong Yang turned to find Rong Juan. "Father."

Rong Juan said to Qin Bi, "He is grown up; he is the noble young heir of our Rong Wang Fu."

Qin Bi: "..."

Qin Bi watched the tiny figure climb down from the stool to wash his hands. The maids in this courtyard were merely ornaments; even bringing water was a rare task they could snatch. As the child washed his hands himself, Qin Bi took a towel to wipe his hands.

Once this was done, Rong Juan finished his meal, and the maids cleared the table.

A small eunuch from the palace arrived to deliver a message: "Young Heir, it is time for court."

Rong Juan's expression remained unchanged. "I have requested leave."

The small eunuch bowed his head low. "The Emperor requests the Young Heir attend court to discuss matters."

Rong Juan hesitated for a moment. "I will enter the palace this afternoon."

After the small eunuch left, Rong Juan and Rong Yang got busy arranging how to dress to look like a "little pitiful one." Guard Yan and the strategist Lin Yao of the residence were summoned to offer advice and give their opinions.

Several small robes were tossed onto the small precious couch. Rong Juan picked up a purple robe of noble air, held it against the little one, and asked, "What do you think of this one? Does it look like a little pitiful one?"

Lin Yao's mouth twitched. "Very noble."

Guard Yan remained silent. Qin Bi looked and saw that none of them were suitable. Rong Yang's clothes and ornaments since infancy were made by the Wang Fu's tailoring workshop; every single piece was a masterpiece. Who with eyes could mistake them for a little pitiful one?

Rong Yang was very perceptive. He trotted over and picked up another goose-yellow robe, embroidered with clusters of flowers. "How about this one? Does it look like a little pitiful one?"

Qin Bi pressed her lips together. In ancient times, common people wore fabrics of single colors and simply could not afford such bright hues. Such a striking goose-yellow robe was a joke.

Lin Yao also tired of speaking, agreeing with Luo Bi's view.

Guard Yan inwardly scoffed. The Young Heir and the Little Young Heir had no idea what a "little pitiful one" was. Any of these small clothes was worth a fortune; wearing them out had nothing to do with being pitiful.

"Young Heir," Guard Yan ventured, "these small robes are all made of superior fabric; none are suitable."

Rong Juan seemed to see the problem too. He lifted his chin. "Go fetch a few pieces of children's clothing."

Guard Yan withdrew. Not long after, he brought an old child's garment. Wearing this would definitely look like a little pitiful one, but Rong Juan frowned upon seeing it and waved his hand dismissively. Guard Yan tactfully took it away.

Fine. Qin Bi, Guard Yan, and the strategist Lin Yao were not close, so at this moment, they silently agreed to say nothing.

Let them fuss. Let Rong Juan and Rong Yang decide for themselves; as long as they thought it was good, it was fine. They clearly wanted to dress as a little pitiful one, yet they disliked the small clothes for not being good enough. There was no solution.

Finally, Rong Juan picked a black robe with cloud-patterned sash, a beast-skin cape, and a pair of white fox-skin boots. Rong Juan dressed the child, and Qin Bi went over to help.

As soon as he was dressed, Rong Juan was dissatisfied. "The temperature dropped today; this outfit is too thin."

Qin Bi wanted to say, "Young Heir, please make the decision," but she kept her inner thoughts to herself and said nothing.

Rong Yang was mimicking speech. He pinched the small robe. "Not thick."

Rong Juan put another beast-skin jacket on the child, layered the small robe over it, and added the small cape. Outside, snow pellets and light rain were falling. Rong Juan wrapped the little one into a ball.

Guard Yan glanced at Lin Yao. They were still trying to dress as a little pitiful one? In his view, the Little Young Heir was blessed beyond measure.

There were matters the Captain of the Guards and the strategist dared not ask deeply about; they could only follow orders.

Qin Bi simply stopped caring. Let it be. If she were He Yan, seeing Rong Yang wrapped in all that fluff, she would never think he was a little pitiful one. Even as Rong Yang's mother, she could not close her eyes and speak falsehoods.

Rong Yang behaved obediently. Once Rong Juan had tidied the child up, he took the child's hand and led him out the door.

"You come too," Rong Juan said to Qin Bi.

Qin Bi hesitated, then followed.

The ground was covered in small ice pellets and rainwater. Rong Juan lifted the child, pulled Qin Bi's cape down for her, helped her into the carriage first, and finally climbed in himself, holding the little one.

Guard Yan drove the carriage, with guards following behind, while the strategist stayed behind.

On the carriage was a small table, upon which were placed fruits and melons, along with tea.

All the way, Rong Juan and Rong Yang continued to discuss how to play the part of a little pitiful one. When they arrived not far from Yan Guogong Prefecture, the carriage stopped. Rong Juan gave the little one a small hand warmer to hold.

"If you get cold, come back," Rong Juan instructed his son.

Rong Yang nodded. "I know."

The child had just learned to walk. He stuffed the hand warmer into his robe. Qin Bi helped, tidying it up. Regardless, if they wanted He Yan to feel heartache later when he remembered his child had no one to care for him, he had to look like a little pitiful one.

Although Qin Bi could barely bear to look, she was serious about her task.

Once the small hand warmer was tucked in properly, Qin Bi asked, "Are you really going?"

"Yes!" The child climbed down from the carriage.

The ground was covered in rainwater, and the cold wind made passersby huddle up. Rong Yang thought for a moment and huddled up too.

Rong Juan was startled and quickly leaned out of the carriage. "Rong Yang, are you cold?"

The child waved his small hands and giggled. "Not cold, not cold. Father doesn't care."

Rong Juan watched the child wobble toward the entrance of Yan Guogong Prefecture. Heh. He Yan was no virtuous and talented tree; he hoarded his own wealth instead of leaving it for his own child, but handed it over to outsiders.

He would just wait and see. When He Yan learned Rong Yang was his son and thought of this day, would he feel heartache?

Rong Juan watched his tiny son wobble through the rain; before He Yan could feel a pang of heartache, Rong Juan's expression shifted, his cold, sharp eyes fixed on the child.

Qin Bi dared say that if the child fell, Rong Juan would scoop him up and bring him back.

The Duke of Yan Prefecture was a hereditary First-Rank Duke, a title that never descended in rank; a family of merit. On such a rainy day, servants lingered at the gatehouse outside the prefecture, glancing at the weather from time to time.

They saw a jade-carved, pink-skinned child wobble toward them, wrapped up like a ball.

The guard asked in surprise, "Child, whose are you, and how did you end up here?"