Chapter 47

The little Imperial Prince was truly envious: "Your father really dotes on you."

Rong Yang, a tiny little ball, ate a melon seed: "Yes."

The little Imperial Prince touched his pouch, took out a seed, and gave it to Rong Yang: "For you."

"A seed, eh." Rong Yang put it away: "My mother should like it."

Rong Juan took a look, and seeing the children playing well, he returned to continue signing memorials for the Great Yan Emperor. The Great Yan Emperor drank tea, and a little eunuch brought a small plate of tea snacks to the little Imperial Prince and Rong Yang.

By the afternoon, the rain and snow stopped; it was a false alarm, and everyone had been happy for nothing.

"Sigh!" The Great Yan Emperor sighed: "The weather is bad, hurry and take the child home."

"Rong Yang." Rong Juan stood up and called the child.

"Coming." The little Tuanzi wobbled back.

Rong Juan spoke to the Great Yan Emperor about the memorials and took Rong Yang out of the palace.

Back home, Rong Yang threw himself into Qin Bi's arms, chattering impatiently.

"Mother, Imperial Uncle gave that Fubao another two hundred mu of fertile land." The child, like a little adult, mimicked the words in a milky voice: "I only asked for fifty mu, and it was second-grade fertile land."

Qin Bi was stunned, shook her head with amusement, and couldn't help but feel indifferent in her heart.

Could it be that there really is a group-pet in this world?!

Supposedly, the Great Yan Emperor in the palace was not familiar with Qin He, yet for various reasons, he bestowed items upon Qin He and her daughter—let alone that it was bestowed upon Fubao.

Giving it to Qin He's child was the same as giving it to Qin He.

These items all carried some measure of fortune, yet they were given to Qin He and her daughter. Whether it was good or bad, Qin Bi couldn't say. Supposedly, it had nothing to do with her, and Qin Bi didn't care, but who knew if the items from the Yan Guogong Fu contained any of Rong Yang's fortune.

Qin Bi was lost in thought; if it really came to it, Rong Yang should stay away from the Yan Guogong Fu.

After the child finished chattering, he followed Rong Juan to the Prince's courtyard.

After wandering around, he brought back a few delicious things.

The next day, the weather turned cold, and a layer of ice formed on the ground. Qin He watched the sky over and over at home, feeling an indescribable annoyance in her heart. She really wanted to go find He Yan to ask, but felt it was inappropriate.

Xue Qing played with Fubao for a while, and seeing Qin He was distracted, asked, "What's wrong with you? You seem burdened."

Qin He gave a gentle smile, holding a handkerchief in her hand, walked over, and said to Xue Qing, "I want to take a trip to my maiden home. Seeing how cold the weather is, I'm worried about our Fubao catching a chill."

Xue Qing warmed her hands: "It is indeed very cold."

Qin He immediately ordered: "Put in another piece of pear wood charcoal."

The maidservants got busy. Qin He looked out from the veranda, but in the end, she did not take her child to the Qin Yan Hou Fu.

When she arrived at the Qin Yan Hou Fu, Qin He was so angry her eyes turned red, and she felt somewhat aggrieved. She hurried to the second branch's courtyard; her stepmother, Cui Shi, had just returned from paying her respects at the Old Madam's courtyard.

"What is the matter?" Cui Shi sat down and asked.

"Mother..." Qin He glanced at the maidservants and matrons, hesitating to speak.

Cui Shi glanced over, and the maidservants and matrons withdrew, leaving only two to serve. The first-class maid and matron were quite observant and lowered their eyes. Qin He's younger sister from the same father entered from outside.

"Elder sister, you're back." The younger sister said enthusiastically.

Qin He nodded: "Mm."

"What's wrong?" The younger sister noticed Qin He's poor complexion.

"Speak." Cui Shi took a sip of tea and also said, "Coming back in such a hurry in this weather, is there something the matter?"

Only then did Qin He recount the matter of Qin Bi's child going to the Yan Guogong Fu. When she heard about it at the time, her heart felt sour, angry, and hateful. How could Qin Bi's child go find He Yan?

He Yan was fated to have no wife or children; he was destined to have no children in this life. If He Yan were to dote on anyone, it could only be her child.

"What's wrong with the Rong Heir Apparent's child going to the Yan Guogong Fu?" The younger sister didn't understand what Qin He was angry about and frowned, saying, "The Rong Heir Apparent and the He Heir Apparent have always had a good relationship. It's just that the Rong Heir Apparent married the fourth branch's daughter, and the two heirs haven't interacted much since."

Cui Shi was only surprised for a moment and didn't take it to heart: "What of it? It's very common for children to visit each other."

"Mother." Qin He was full of anger, her heart feeling as if it were on fire, and she said, "You also know that I was originally supposed to be betrothed to the He Heir Apparent. The He Heir Apparent is fated to have no wife or children, so he had no choice but to marry Qin Bi. It was clearly agreed that they would divorce upon marriage. How could Qin Bi truly become the He Heir Apparent's wife?"

Once these words were spoken, Cui Shi immediately understood Qin He's meaning.

No wonder Qin He was angry; it turned out she was calculating the fact that Qin Bi and He Yan had married.

The younger sister blinked, not understanding.

Cui Shi said to her, "Get out."

The younger sister didn't want to leave, but Cui Shi glared at her, and only then did the younger sister stomp her feet and go out.

"Qin He." Cui Shi was furious.

Qin He shivered, clearly frightened by Cui Shi's stern words and harsh expression.

"You, you really are..." Cui Shi pointed at Qin He, stopped drinking her tea, stood up in anger, walked a few steps, turned back, and scolded, "If you dare to go to the fourth branch to question them, believe it or not, even with the Xue Heir Apparent and the He Heir Apparent protecting you, your fourth uncle will give you a few big slaps."

"He dares?" Qin He straightened her face.

"What? Having been used to smooth sailing all these years, you don't even put your elders in your eyes?" Cui Shi glared sternly at Qin He.

"Why?" Qin He dared not act presumptuously in front of her stepmother.

"Why?" Cui Shi scoffed and said, "In the Great Yan Kingdom, why do you think a woman is betrothed as a wife with three letters and nine betrothal gifts? With the He Heir Apparent's family status, would he marry Qin Bi back just to be a decoration? To go through the motions of a marriage and then divorce to clear a spot for you, and for the He Heir Apparent to remain chaste for you? You think very beautifully. He Yan is fated to have no wife or children; Qin Bi was betrothed as his wife first. Only when the He Heir Apparent loses his fated curse can you enter the door."

Cui Shi became angrier as she spoke, sat down to drink tea, and looked at Qin He with complex emotions: "You've taken all the benefits, and you still delusionally think the He Heir Apparent and Qin Bi's marriage was just going through the motions. How could you dare to think so beautifully?"

Qin He felt a bit guilty from Cui Shi's scolding, but still said angrily, "If I had known He Yan would truly marry Qin Bi, I would not have agreed to be a secondary wife. I only wanted one person for a lifetime."

Cui Shi suddenly stopped being angry: "Qin Bi is just a daughter of a concubine and doesn't have your ability. She made a scene wanting to call off the engagement, but it didn't succeed. Why didn't you jump out back then to call off the marriage for her? Then, you and He Yan would only have each other."

Qin He was left speechless, unable to respond; she couldn't make decisions for the He Heir Apparent.

Besides, He Yan was fated to have no wife.

Cui Shi scoffed; that settled it, Qin Bi couldn't make the decision either.

"Furthermore." Cui Shi began to lecture Qin He, picked up her teacup, brushed away the tea leaves with the lid, and said coldly, "In what capacity are you questioning these things now? As the Xue Heir Apparent Consort? Or as the He Heir Apparent's 'white moonlight'?"

In ancient times, given Qin He's status, she should not have questioned this matter.

Cui Shi came from a prestigious family and valued rules; if this daughter of a concubine didn't have ability, she wouldn't be worth keeping.

Qin He had already married the Xue Heir Apparent and even given birth to a child, Fubao, yet she was still thinking about He Yan.

What the He Heir Apparent does—is that any of your business?!