Chapter 543: Thinking of the He Family

Qin Han pulled her half-sister aside and asked, "Why has everyone gone to Rong Juan's Prince Fu?"

"They say they are making small clothes and little boots for Rong Yuan and Rong Chi." The half-sister was somewhat upset. Rong Juan's Prince Fu was a royal and powerful household; she was of an age to discuss marriage, and taking her there would benefit her prospects, yet she was not invited. "Who knows? They didn't call us sisters, only the eldest brother's family went, along with Third Aunt and Qin Lang."

"How can they let Mother work so hard?" Qin Han spoke as if she were concerned for her legitimate mother's well-being.

She was a concubine-born daughter raised by He Shi. Her affection for He Shi and her concern for her were not wrong, after all; Qin Han had a closer bond with He Shi than other concubine-born daughters, and those raised by the legitimate mother were always different.

Qin Han expressed dissatisfaction: "Does Rong Juan's Prince Fu lack people to make clothes for the young heir? There is also the Imperial Robe Bureau. Mother is, after all, the Lady of the Marquis Fu. Asking Mother to make clothes for the young heir, what if she gets tired?"

The half-sister blinked. The eldest brother was there, along with two daughters-in-law; if the legitimate mother got tired, what did that have to do with them, the concubine-born daughters? Those raised by the legitimate mother were indeed different; look how anxious Qin Han Jiejie was.

"Don't worry," the half-sister said. "The eldest brother and the two daughters-in-law are accompanying her."

Qin Han sighed: "Sigh, I have never asked Mother to do needlework for my children. Qin Bi should think; although our Marquis Fu has fallen on hard times, Mother was born into the Yan Guogong Fu. Needlework was always done by maids and nannies."

"Sigh," the half-sister sighed along. "If they had called us sisters, Mother would only need to guide us from the side. Pity Qin Bi Jiejie didn't invite us; we wouldn't have dared to follow anyway."

As she spoke, the half-sister remembered something: "Uh, it must be that the fur from the fire demon beasts they killed is ready. They are making small clothes and little boots for Rong Yuan and Rong Chi. Wearing clothes and shoes made from fire demon beast fur in winter is incredibly warm."

Qin Han's eyes lit up: "Does our Fourth Branch have a lot of fire demon beast fur?"

"Of course, there is a lot," the half-sister said excitedly, chattering to Qin Han. "Pity the colors aren't very nice; they are all a dull gray. I heard the fire demon beasts killed by Su Guogong Fu and outside the Imperial Court Hall have beautiful colors."

She didn't need the beautiful ones; even the dull gray ones would do for her.

The Fourth Branch was not wealthy; the half-sister didn't even have a beast-fur cloak to wear. She chatted with Qin Han about wanting one too, though she was unsure if the Fourth Branch would distribute fire demon beast fur to concubine-born sons and daughters.

"It's not just one or two pieces," Qin Han said. "If there is a lot of fire demon beast fur, it must be distributed. For the Red Flame Festival, it would be one thing if our Fourth Branch had none, but since there is beast fur, everyone should get a piece; making a cloak would be good."

The half-sister pulled Qin Han and said with a smile, "You go and say it."

Qin Han naturally intended to go and say it. The Marquis Fu killed fire demon beasts but didn't invite Jiang Ren; if they didn't give her even a piece of beast fur, it would be unreasonable. Giving her a few extra pieces was only right.

The half-sister had mentioned that quite a few fire demon beasts were killed.

Qin Han was confident she would receive fire demon beast fur, but she wanted more. She stepped out to find her father, Qin Di, in the Third Branch, as Qin Di was usually there with Qin Tan.

However, when Qin Han arrived, she found no one; Qin Tan and Qin Di had gone to the County Government Office and were not at the Marquis Fu.

"Sigh," Qin Han said. She had originally wanted to ask her father for a few pieces of fire demon beast fur.

If her father gave her a few pieces and the legitimate mother distributed a few more, she, her husband, and her children could each make a fire demon beast cloak. Dull gray was fine; Qin Han didn't mind.

Qin Han didn't leave; she returned to her courtyard to wait for her father's return.

Sitting in a chair, Qin He wondered what else gray fire demon beast fur could be used for. Actually, attaching gray fire demon beast fur to the hoods of children's cloaks and along the edges of little boots didn't look bad at all.

Qin Tang was in the main hall of the Marquis Fu, together with Qin Yan and others.

Qin Bi had sent Qin Lang to call him. Qin Lang said, "Go to Rong Juan's Prince Fu for lunch."

Qin Xiang teased, "What delicious food did they make?"

Qin Lang was happy and cheerful: "It was very abundant."

Qin Xiang and Qin Yan teased Qin Lang a bit. They had just returned and still had household affairs to attend to; although they wanted to join the fun, they had no time. Qin Yuan tilted her head, looking at this one and that one.

Qin Yan said to Qin Tang, "Go quickly."

Qin Tang stood up and said with a smile, "I am going to Rong Juan's Prince Fu."

As Qin Tang and Qin Lang were about to leave, Qin Yuan couldn't help saying, "Qin Han Jiejie has come to the Marquis Fu."

Her meaning was that Qin Lang and Qin Tang should invite Qin Han along. Today, He Shi had taken the whole family to Rong Juan's Prince Fu, so no one was home. Qin Han was also from the Fourth Branch; it was only right to invite her to eat with them.

Qin Tang glanced at Qin Yuan, then left with Qin Lang.

In the main hall, everyone had different expressions. Qin Jue glared at Qin Yuan; she was meddling. Qin Han and Qin Bi didn't interact often. If Qin Bi had agreed to invite Qin Han to eat, that would be one thing, but since she hadn't, what would it mean if Qin Tang took Qin Han along?

Qin Yuan was unconvinced and pouted. They were all sisters; why make things so distant?

Compared to Qin Bi, Qin He Jiejie had a better personality, getting along well with the sisters in the Fu, laughing and talking; how nice that was. Qin Yuan pouted and said nothing; her eldest brother had scolded her for speaking out of turn.

When Qin Lang and Qin Tang arrived at Rong Juan's Prince Fu, the dishes were already on the table.

"Come eat quickly," Zhu Shi called out.

"Ho," Qin Tang glanced over. "It really is abundant."

"Give the chicken legs and duck legs to Rong Yuan and Rong Chi," Jiang Shi told Qin Su.

Qin Su immediately gave Rong Yuan and Rong Chi a duck leg and a chicken leg each. Qin Tang took his seat. The table couldn't fit everyone, so two tables were set. Besides the dishes, there was also a plate of small sweet radish candies.

The sweet potato candies were saved; Qin Bi loved to eat them.

Rong He Shizi did not come to eat with them. For no other reason, his status was too noble; his presence made everyone at Qin Yan Hou Fu feel uncomfortable. Everyone ate happily and noisily. The little Little Tuanzi ate until his mouth was full of meat, and his little hands were oily too.

Qin Bi saw this, picked him up, and carried him to the study to find Rong He Shizi.

Rong He Shizi didn't mind the little fellow's oily hands. The guard prepared warm water, and Rong He Shizi washed the little Little Tuanzi's hands. The little fellow turned his head to look at Qin Bi, worried she would leave him in the study.

"I'll come back to carry you in a moment," Qin Bi said, wanting to leave and handing the child over to Rong He Shizi to save trouble.

"No," the little Little Tuanzi said anxiously. "Together."

Rong He Shizi sighed helplessly but patiently used fragrant baby soap to wash the little Little Tuanzi's hands. He said to Qin Bi, "Wait for him a moment."

Very well, Qin Bi waited.

After Rong He Shizi washed the little Little Tuanzi's face as well, his little face immediately turned white and clean.

"Am I handsome now?" the little Little Tuanzi asked Qin Bi.

Qin Bi leaned in close to look: "Yes, you are handsome."

The little Little Tuanzi immediately became delighted. Rong He Shizi smiled too; no matter how he looked at the little Little Tuanzi, he found him adorable. After wiping his face clean, he applied fragrance to the little Little Tuanzi, who was overjoyed.

Qin Bi couldn't help laughing on the side, and Rong He Shizi was in a good mood too.

After changing the little Little Tuanzi into a small red robe, Rong He Shizi carried the little fellow and walked toward the main hall living room to escort Qin Bi and the little Little Tuanzi over.