Chapter 463: Competing With Her

Even if Qin Tang and Qin Xun were biased, they would never let Qin Han see it.

With such a full table, no wonder Qin Han's expression changed.

Those who didn't mind were fine, openly unconcerned that Qin Bi's side had more and richer dishes, but Qin Han's expression clearly showed she was keeping score; she wasn't smiling at all.

Qin Lang was displeased: "It's my own money. My father also gave me money to buy more delicious food for Qin Bi Jiejie's children. As I kept buying, there was more of it. Is Qin Han comparing herself now? My family has always been close to Qin Bi Jiejie; she lived with us in the prefecture for several years. My parents treated Qin Bi Jiejie as their own child. Qin He couldn't match that. Whenever I saw something delicious, I bought it. Would I stop buying just to make Qin Han happy?"

Buying a lot made Qin Lang happy; what did Qin Han matter?

For the sake of face, everyone might say the young generation of the Hou Fu are all the same, but can they really be the same? The Third Branch definitely treats Qin Bi and Qin Han differently; only those who don't understand would nitpick over such things.

Of course, now that Qin Lang had spoken, Jiang Shi only then realized that the Third Branch had spent money on the items bought.

When Qin Lang went with them to the Spirit Plant Street, Qin Tan found out and gave Qin Lang a money pouch. Qin Lang had spirit stones and bought whatever he saw. He wasn't stingy with Qin Bi, and Qin Tang didn't stop Qin Lang from buying things; they each bought their own.

To be honest, Qin Lang spent more spirit stones than Qin Tang. After all, Qin Tan was a County Magistrate who passed the imperial examination, and the Great Yan Emperor was a fortunate ruler, so his salary was not low; the Fourth Branch couldn't compare.

Qin Di gave Qin Tang money and spirit stones, and Qin Tang also added quite a bit of his own.

Now that Jiang Shi heard Qin Lang's explanation, she understood, but Qin Han didn't know whose money or spirit stones were spent. She certainly thought all these purchases were made with the Fourth Branch's money, spent from the Fourth Branch's funds, meaning she and Qin Bi were treated the same.

Yet there was still favoritism; this table was very abundant, while the other table was much worse.

She brought her children to the Hou Fu, yet she and her children were made to sit at another table. Qin Han was surely dissatisfied. Everyone could read facial expressions; Qin Han's expression was far from pleasant.

"Qin Han doesn't know whose money you spent," Jiang Shi said. "She must be unhappy."

Qin Lang didn't care. He picked up a piece of spicy spirit duck meat, saw it was a good cut, and immediately placed it on Rong Juan's small plate. He and his little nephew had a very good relationship.

"Uncle," Rong Juan said. "I have some."

Qin Bi also said, "The spicy duck legs and such have all been saved for Rong Juan. Eat yourself."

"Rong Juan should eat more." Qin Lang was thirsty, poured tea, and continued talking to Jiang Shi: "What's the big deal to keep score? Your four older children in the Fourth Branch are all married, each with their own small families, and their social obligations have their own considerations. Qin Han is too much trouble. Qin Bi Jiejie is welcome at her maiden home because she gives so much. Rong He Shizi also looks after the Hou Fu. These are all bonds of affection. Who is like Qin Han, running over to ask for spirit vegetables and spirit birds every time she hears of them? After so many times, doesn't she even feel ashamed?"

Pausing, Qin Lang took a sip of tea and said, "Besides, the spirit vegetables and spirit birds Qin Han asks for are all given to her maiden home by Qin Bi Jiejie. Even if Qin Han comes to ask, she should remember the favor Qin Bi Jiejie did. Instead, to avoid owing a favor, she only says she asked her maiden home, not mentioning a single word that it was Qin Bi Jiejie who gave them to her maiden home. Qin Han is very shrewd; she looks simple but is full of scheming. She's not even as much of a troublemaker as Qin He."

In the Third and Fourth Branches, everyone knew Qin He was hard to deal with, while Qin Han had a steady temperament, and He Shi trusted Qin Han. But in reality, what kind of things had Qin Han been doing these past two years?

Her calculating nature was so obvious it seemed to bounce right off her forehead.

Qin Lang hadn't realized before that Qin Han was so pretentious and full of schemes.

Jiang Shi sighed helplessly and explained to Qin Bi, "Qin Han seems to be comparing herself to you."

"I give Mother spirit duck and spirit vegetables." Qin Bi patiently peeled a duck head to feed Rong Juan. Hearing this, she let out a light scoff. "She can compare herself if she wants. I wouldn't mind if Qin Han gave more; it would be wonderful if she could give a single immortal elixir. If Qin Han gives more, Mother will dote on her more. I absolutely won't be like her, feeling bitter in my heart, resenting Mother for neglecting me, or blaming Mother for being biased."

Jiang Shi: "..."

Sorry, but Qin Han even has to ask her maiden home for a single spirit vegetable; how could she possibly produce an immortal elixir? What kind of talk is that? If Qin Han really had an immortal elixir, she would give it to her husband and children.

Give it to He Shi? Jiang Shi thought it unlikely.

Speaking of this, Jiang Shi took a handkerchief and tugged her son to give up his seat. The child stood up to eat; he wasn't full yet. The child thought his mother would just talk for a while and leave, otherwise she would have asked him to move sooner.

Qin Bi's courtyard didn't have many stools; there weren't enough to sit on.

Jiang Bi sat down and finally sighed, "Qin Han... I don't know what she's thinking. Who can't she compare herself to? On the path of cultivation, she's actually comparing herself to Father and Mother. She is very envious that Father and Mother don't have to go to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm to gather cultivation resources. Qin Han is extremely wary of the dangers in the small space of the Demon Beast Realm. Jiang Mo and Jiang Ren are clearly capable of cultivating, yet Qin Han simply won't let them go to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm to kill demons and gather cultivation resources."

Qin Han's plan was truly nonsensical.

Qin Bi held the child and fed him duck meat, speechless. Qin Lang surprisedly put down his tea bowl. Why didn't Qin Di and He Shi have to go to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm? Because they had Qin Tang, Qin Xun, and Qin Bi; they would share cultivation resources with their parents.

Qin Bi gave her parents spirit duck and spirit vegetables. With these, Qin Di and his wife didn't need to go to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm. What did Qin Han have? She didn't go to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm, nor did she let her husband or children go, so she had no cultivation resources.

Having a spiritual root but not cultivating just makes one a waste.

Was Qin Han's brain broken? No, she was just dreaming and spoiled. Because in the early years, the Fourth Branch's life wasn't easy, and Jiang Mo took care of Qin Han's maiden home, giving Qin Han confidence.

Like Qin He, Qin Han didn't consider herself an outsider, thinking she could take whatever was from her maiden home. But she forgot that the spirit duck and spirit vegetables were given to the maiden home by Qin Bi; it was inappropriate for Qin Han to take them.

"Sigh," Jiang Shi sighed. "Jiang Mo cares a lot about our Fourth Branch."

Qin Bi just pouted. "When the Hou Fu and the Jiang family were discussing marriage, if the Jiang family hadn't been wealthy, they couldn't have matched with a young lady of the Hou Fu. The two families marrying was precisely because they valued the Jiang family's wealth."

As a result, a broken merchant family, and Qin Han is actually competing with her for it.

Since she's competing, Qin Han shouldn't think her husband's family caring for her maiden home is a favor. When He Shi originally chose a merchant for her concubine-born daughter's marriage, she valued the Jiang family's wealth and foundation, which could support the legitimate son and the Fourth Branch to some extent.

The one good thing about He Shi treating her concubine-born children well was that she chose Jiang Mo, whose appearance and character were both excellent.

Jiang Mo was elegant and handsome; He Shi was indeed thoughtful.

Jiang Mo married a young lady of the Hou Fu, which counted as a high match, relying on the Hou Fu. Yet Qin Han actually felt that Jiang Mo caring for her maiden home meant her maiden home owed her. If she had the ability, she should cut ties; but Qin Han didn't want to cut ties.