Chapter 51: Reclaiming Wasteland

Qin Bi: "......"

She earned a crystal just like that?!

"How big is the field?" Qin Bi asked.

Rong Juan gestured: "A field this big."

The size of a plate? Qin Bi was stunned. Is this called a field?

"Where did you pick it up?" Rong Yang asked in a childish voice, "Is it easy to find?"

He was quite earnest; Qin Bi's mouth twitched.

"The barbarian lands west of our Great Yan." Rong Juan didn't hide it, explaining the location in detail to the young heir: "The soil is poor everywhere, just a small patch of loose earth. My luck is truly good."

The little one turned to Qin Bi: "Mother, I want to go too."

"No." Qin Bi refused without hesitation: "It's cold in winter, you're too small, you'll catch a chill."

Rong Yang turned to look at Rong Juan. Rong Juan said, "You accompany Father to court."

Rong Yang was dissatisfied with court: "They never assign me any duties."

Rong Juan: "......"

Qin Bi: "......"

Rong Yan, standing aside, was surprised; the child was quite cute.

Rong Juan's lips curved slightly, a light chuckle: "Your duty is to pick spiritual vegetables from your Imperial Uncle's plate. Children must eat well and be full. If you don't go to court, your Imperial Uncle will miss you."

"Okay." Rong Yang didn't say he'd follow Qin Bi: "I'll go to court with Father."

With that settled, Rong Yan went to Qin Yan's Marquis Prefecture to find Qin Lang.

For dinner, Rong Juan instructed the kitchen to cook two sweet potato spiritual foods. There seemed to be a large pile of sweet potatoes, enough to last. Qin Bi ate one, Rong Yang ate one, and watching the two of them eat made Rong Juan full.

After dinner, Rong Juan put Qin Bi and the child to bed early.

Qin Bi had to select land tomorrow, and Rong Yang had to attend court; one was weak, the other small. Rong Juan would naturally have to take extra care, so there was no need for maids or nannies to get close. His wife and children needed to be close to him.

In the morning, Rong Juan got Rong Yang ready, and they took a carriage to court.

Qin Bi couldn't sleep, so she got up too. She sent someone to inform Qin Lang and Rong Yan. A maid brought breakfast, which included one sweet potato spiritual food, prepared by Rong Juan's order.

Rong Juan kept all of the young heir's spiritual foods; if he didn't give permission, no one could get them.

Qin Bi didn't even need to ask to know it was Rong Juan's order. She sighed lightly, her mood complex. Back then, because Rong Juan disliked her and couldn't stand her, she had to be cautious and low-key.

Their marriage was even disrupted. Now, look, marrying Rong Juan came with completely different treatment.

Last year he still treated her with cold eyes. Alas. Qin Bi finished eating and stood up.

The strategist Lin Yao waited outside: "Young Lady, the Young Master asked me to accompany you."

Qin Bi was surprised: "You're helping me reclaim the wasteland?"

"No," strategist Lin Yao said. "My subordinates are selecting a plot to reclaim as well."

Qin Bi wasn't used to people following her. Hearing this, she nodded: "Once we reach the barbarian lands, pretend we don't know each other."

Lin Yao was more than happy. To be honest, this Young Lady came from a low background and lacked ability herself. No one among the subordinates knew what happened when they went to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm last time, nor did they know if she had the aptitude for cultivation.

For the young heir, the assistance his mother provided was too little.

These subordinates of the Young Master asked for nothing more than for Qin Bi not to be too terrible. But there was one thing they couldn't change: her fate was formidable. Two powerful ministers' heirs hadn't hindered her, and Qin He, who was so fortunate, almost died because of He Yan.

Yet this Young Lady only suffered a loss of lifespan, which has now been restored.

Lin Yao was the chief strategist of the Rong Prince Prefecture. He actually didn't want to accompany Qin Bi, since she lacked ability. But since the Young Master assigned him, Lin Yao had to go along, reclaiming land as well.

Qin Bi boarded the carriage and set off for the Ministry of Works' location where the teleportation array was set up.

Rong Yan and Qin Lang were already waiting there. Qin Lang waved: "Sister."

Qin Bi walked over. Lin Yao entered the teleportation array, exchanged pleasantries with acquaintances, and pretended not to know Qin Bi. Lin Yao was going to reclaim land, so he wasn't a leisurely person. Qin Bi stayed with Qin Lang and Rong Yan.

Inside the teleportation array, Qin Xun was also present.

Qin Bi looked over. Qin Xun explained: "I'm also going to reclaim land to earn spirit stones."

As he spoke, the teleportation array activated, instantly transporting over a hundred people to a barbarian wasteland. Qin Bi looked around and her eyes ached. She had seen good land before; what the hell was this? It was compacted solid.

Stepping out of the teleportation array, Qin Bi kicked the ground. The soil didn't scatter. She lifted a few chunks of compacted earth. How to put it? Even if seeds sprouted, they couldn't push through.

Qin Bi stepped on it again. The clods of earth hurt her feet and wouldn't crumble.

Lin Yao and the scholars went to register. Near the teleportation array, officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue had set up tables, holding brushes dipped in ink, writing something. Qin Bi thought they were going to register too.

"We'll register at noon," Rong Yan, who knew much, said, leading the group away.

Along the way, Qin Bi learned from Rong Yan that wastelands varied; some were good, some very bad. If scholars reclaimed wasteland and wanted to become junior scholars, they had to report it. If they farmed their own land, no reporting was needed.

Walking west, Qin Bi observed: the closer areas had slightly better soil, but the further they went, the worse it became.

A scholar stood before a plot of land, holding a tea bowl painted with streams, summoning water. Only a little water appeared, wetting an area half the size of a desk. The ground was damp, and the scholar continued summoning.

There were also cultivation fairies holding tea bowls painted with flowers and grass, summoning.

After walking for a while, Rong Yan finally led the group to a spot he had chosen. Rong Yan said: "This area is severely compacted, not very good, but still reclaimable. If we go further, it's unclaimed barbarian land."

Unclaimed barbarian land, compacted to the point of making one gasp.

If the people of Great Yan reclaimed wasteland, it belonged to Great Yan. Of course, if Great Chu reclaimed it, it belonged to Great Chu. Rest assured, no one would fight over unclaimed barbarian land; the area is vast, reclaim as you please.

The plot Rong Yan chose was also quite large. The reason it was so big was precisely because the compaction was severe; one had to find a soft spot to reclaim carefully. Otherwise, struggling against the land for a year might not yield a single field.

"Choose a place to reclaim," Rong Yan said, walking away to find a suitable spot for reclamation.

Still choosing? Qin Bi looked around; it was all the same compacted earth. Rain would make it even harder. Nothing would grow. Since Rong Yan said to choose, Qin Bi strolled around, with Qin Lang following her.

Everywhere was bare. Plants clung to the ground and were very prickly.

Normally, wild vegetables and mugwort are relatively soft. However, Qin Bi pulled at one; it cut her hand and wouldn't break. Qin Bi said: "I'll reclaim here."

Qin Lang pried off a chunk of compacted earth, threw it down, and it remained whole, not damaged at all. "The soil here is too poor. Let's walk back a bit and choose a place with slightly better soil."

Qin Bi was helpless: "They all look the same to me."

Qin Lang looked the same and asked, "Where are you clearing the land?"

Qin Bi did not dare to be greedy; she traced an area the size of a table in front of her. "This spot."