Chapter 46

With He Yan's status, having married Qin Bi, even after a divorce, no one would dare to marry her.

If Rong Juan does not marry her, He Yan will eventually take Qin Bi back.

Taking her back means Rong Juan would no longer have a wife or son; both Rong Juan and He Yan have fates that doom them to childlessness and the loss of wives. Rong Juan marrying Qin Bi completely altered his fate, whereas He Yan and Qin He never succeeded.

So, He Yan gained nothing.

"When you have time, I will go to the Immortal Sect," Rong Wang said. "The fortune teller originally told you that you could only marry a woman from Qin Yan's Marquis Prefecture. I never expected you to actually marry the right one."

Originally, Rong Wang arranged the betrothal between Rong Juan and the eldest legitimate daughter of the fourth branch of Qin Yan's Marquis Prefecture. Later, that daughter went to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm for cultivation training and died there.

Therefore, that eldest daughter of the fourth branch lacked fortune.

Qin He seemed sufficiently fortunate in everyone's eyes, yet she was betrothed to He Yan twice and nearly died both times, so she wouldn't work either. Only Qin Bi was unaffected, leaving no other choice.

Rong Wang knew that Rong Juan had never liked Qin Bi.

He never expected Rong Juan to marry a divorced woman like Qin Bi; Rong Juan had shown no such intention before. Yet who could have guessed that Rong Juan's fate of dooming wives and children would have no effect on Qin Bi?

One must say, this child of Rong Juan's was not easy to come by.

With Rong Juan's fate, it was already a miracle he didn't doom his wife; how could one even hope for a child?

Yet Qin Bi gave birth to Rong Juan.

"You will spend this life with your wife," Rong Wang added. "Treat her well."

After saying this, Rong Wang felt it was unnecessary, as Rong Juan already doted on his wife enough.

Rong Juan sat in the chair, tapping his fingers on the table, his expression unreadable.

Rong Wang had no further business, and after Rong Juan left, the Great Yan Emperor immediately summoned Rong Juan to the palace.

Hearing this, Qin Bi hurriedly handed Rong Juan to Rong Juan: "He's been calling himself a little pitiful all day. It's not good; take him to the palace to soak up the Great Yan Emperor's fortune."

This is a cultivation world centered on fortune and luck; one cannot help but believe it. Going against the Heavenly Dao brings no good results. Rong Juan already had great fortune, so calling himself a little pitiful was inappropriate.

Previously, it was always Rong Juan who insisted on taking Rong Juan to soak up the Great Yan Emperor's fortune.

Now, Qin Bi also wanted the child to soak up some fortune.

Rong Juan didn't mind and, together with Qin Bi, adjusted Rong Juan's small cape.

Rong Juan said, "Go soak up some fortune."

Rong Juan's eyes and brows curved into a smile as he carried Rong Juan into the palace. Sparse snowflakes mixed with rain fell from the sky. This rain and snow came a bit late; if it had fallen during the autumn planting season, there would have been no need to invite people from the Immortal Sect.

Inside the palace, the Great Yan Emperor glanced at a memorial, set it aside, and took a sip of tea. He simply didn't want to approve the memorials, but when he saw Rong Juan carrying Rong Juan, he finally perked up.

"In this snowy and rainy weather, why are you carrying a child into the palace?" The Great Yan Emperor beckoned, signaling Rong Juan to come closer, as he had something to discuss: "Someone, bring a small hand warmer for the child."

The eunuch went to arrange it and soon brought a small hand warmer.

"Your subject has brought Rong Juan to soak up Your Majesty's fortune," Rong Juan spoke.

A powerful minister's recognition of the Emperor's fortune also consolidated the Great Yan Emperor's fortune value.

The Great Yan Emperor happily took little Rong Juan: "My fortune is only something my imperial nephew can soak up."

The Great Yan Emperor felt quite pleased in his heart.

Rong Juan took his seat. The Great Yan Emperor signaled the eunuch, who promptly moved a stack of memorials and placed them before Rong Juan. Rong Juan, accustomed to this, picked up one memorial.

"Soaking up fortune," Rong Juan said, nestled in the Great Yan Emperor's arms while eating melon seeds.

The Great Yan Emperor glanced at the child; Rong Juan was not making a fuss at all.

"What is going on?" The Great Yan Emperor finally asked. "I heard you took your wife and child to the Yan Guogong Prefecture? Rong Juan even ran to He Yan's gate and called He Yan 'father'."

The Great Yan Emperor might appear innocent and charming, but he was not without cunning. The state affairs still relied on the heirs of the two powerful ministers. Since Rong Juan currently had a wife and child, provoking He Yan would be wrong.

Rong Juan's calm gaze fell on the memorial. Before he could speak, the Great Yan Emperor asked again, "Was going to the Yan Guogong Prefecture your idea, or the Heir Consort Qin Bi's?"

The Great Yan Emperor suspected Qin Bi had instigated Rong Juan to provoke He Yan. He Yan had no children, which was his weakness; the entire Yan Guogong Prefecture, due to He Yan's childlessness, had given all benefits to Qin He's child.

Most likely, Qin Bi, seeing this with jealousy, orchestrated this whole affair.

"My idea," Rong Juan said while approving the memorial.

The Great Yan Emperor found this hard to believe and told Rong Juan, "Regardless of whether it was you or the Heir Consort's idea, you must not provoke He Yan. To appease He Yan, I granted two hundred mu of fertile land to Qin He's child."

"What?" Rong Juan was furious.

"What?" A milk-sweet voice exclaimed. Rong Juan, nestled in the Great Yan Emperor's arms, was shocked.

The child was so surprised he stopped eating melon seeds and hurriedly told Rong Juan, "Father, we lost out."

Indeed, Rong Juan also felt they had lost out.

The Great Yan Emperor looked at Rong Juan, then at the little one, completely baffled.

Rong Juan waved his small fist: "I only asked for fifty mu, and that was second-class fertile land."

He had just received fifty mu of land from the Yan Guogong Prefecture, and now his imperial uncle had immediately given two hundred mu of fertile land to that lucky child. A child didn't need to ask; when his imperial uncle gave something, it was definitely first-class fertile land.

He was just a little pitiful!

The child was stunned.

Upon hearing "fifty mu," the Great Yan Emperor understood what had happened. The secret guards had already reported back: the child had asked He Yan for fifty mu of fertile land. Just look at that expression, as if struck by lightning.

Rong Juan would not accept a loss and told the child, "We will go ask He Yan again later."

Rong Juan said, "Okay."

He popped a melon seed into his mouth to calm his nerves. Oh my, two hundred mu!

The Great Yan Emperor frowned: "That makes no sense."

Rong Juan picked up another memorial and said, "He Yan's is all our Rong Juan's."

The Great Yan Emperor paused, looking at Rong Juan. Rong Juan looked back but said nothing.

The Great Yan Emperor quickly analyzed the meaning of those words, then glanced at the little one in his arms. Those eyebrows, that face... The Great Yan Emperor was startled and immediately turned to look at Rong Juan.

"Rong Juan is..." The Great Yan Emperor couldn't quite process it.

Rong Juan stated firmly, "My son."

Did the Great Yan Emperor believe it? Looking at the little one again, the Great Yan Emperor said no more on the matter.

The child raised by Rong Juan belongs to Rong Juan. The Great Yan Emperor's lips are tightly sealed; unless Rong Juan has a legitimate son, Rong Yang can only be Rong Juan's child.

The young prince ran over: "I'm here to play with little brother Rong Yang."

Rong Yang felt blessed and asked Rong Juan: "Father?"

Rong Juan nodded: "Go play."

Having absorbed enough blessing, Rong Yang wobbled over toward the young prince.

Taking sunflower seeds still in their shells, Rong Yang handed them to the young prince: "Here, you eat."

The young prince accepted without hesitation: "Why are yours still in shells? Yours aren't shelled."

"My father shelled them for me," Rong Yang said, brimming with pride.