Chapter 92

Rong Juan took another roasted sweet potato, peeled it, and gave it to Qin Bi.

Sweet potatoes were usually roasted on the charcoal stove; whenever Qin Bi or the children were hungry, they would eat one. They didn't roast many, generally just one or two, because leaving extras uneaten meant they wouldn't taste as good as freshly roasted ones.

Previously, Qin Bi didn't eat the spiritual sweet potatoes; she saved them all for Rong Juan.

After becoming pregnant, Qin Bi started eating them too; otherwise, Rong Juan would have thoughts, wondering if she was neglecting his child or what. Men didn't care if the food was precious, but Rong Juan wouldn't tolerate anyone mistreating the child she carried.

When she was pregnant with Rong Juan previously, the hereditary foundation of the Rong Prince's residence had been depleted by Qin Bi eating like this.

There was no reason for Rong Juan's own child not to eat! If she didn't eat, Rong Juan wouldn't know what to think; Rong Juan had even invited his father, the Rong Prince, to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm for this child, showing how highly he valued it.

"Eat it," Rong Juan said.

Rong Juan added, "Eat just a little bit."

Qin Bi: "..."

Rong Juan lowered his small head, took a big bite from the roasted sweet potato in Qin Bi's hand.

Qin Bi: "..."

A smile appeared in Rong Juan's eyes and brows; knowing Qin Bi wouldn't get angry with her own child, he handed it over with a smile: "Take another bite, but don't eat too much; you'll be eating the spiritual herb chicken soon."

Rong Juan took another bite and held the food in his hands.

The roasted sweet potato wasn't large, and Qin Bi ate it carefully.

Normally at this time, Rong Juan would go to the study to meet with strategists, but now, seeing his wife and children eating so happily, he didn't leave. Instead, he poured tea and fed a sip to Qin Bi, then a sip to Rong Juan.

Rong Juan was satisfied; look, how easy his wife and children were to raise. As for Xue Qing, what sort of thing had he married?

The first strategist, Lin Yao, requested an audience. Rong Juan said, "Come in."

Lin Yao entered the room and felt the warmth, clicking his tongue; even in the dead of winter, there wasn't a trace of cold. Lin Yao had never thought this Princess Consort possessed good fortune, after all, someone with good fortune wouldn't be a concubine-born daughter of a Marquis's residence.

If she had good fortune, He Yan wouldn't have married her to pave the way for Qin He.

Now it seemed the Princess Consort and the child she bore both possessed good fortune.

The Rong Heir had presented all the best things in the entire residence to this Princess Consort. However, for the Rong Heir, who was known to be cursed with a wife-killing fate and childlessness, exhausting the Prince's residence's foundation to obtain an heir was worth it.

"Heir," Lin Yao bowed: "The carrot patch in the fiefdom for the young Heir needs to be harvested."

Rong Juan didn't make the decision immediately; he looked at Qin Bi and Rong Juan. When digging vegetables, Qin Bi had forbidden digging up this carrot patch. Rong Juan, eating his roasted sweet potato, sat on a small stool, tilting his head to look at Qin Bi.

Qin Bi thought for a moment: "How about we go dig them up now?"

Rong Juan was speechless; she really was impulsive. He said, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow, take people to dig the vegetables. Rong Juan will go to the fiefdom to supervise. The fiefdom is cold, so you shouldn't go."

The last sentence was directed at Qin Bi.

"I will go arrange it immediately," Lin Yao said, then withdrew.

Rong Juan finished the roasted sweet potato, ran to the kitchen to check, and when the stewed chicken was ready, he brought it to the dining table. The maids and nannies stepped aside, and Rong Juan personally served two bowls of stewed chicken with cabbage.

Chicken wings, drumsticks, and other parts were divided into two portions: one for Rong Juan and one for Qin Bi. The child needed to be cherished, and Qin Bi was carrying another child; it wouldn't do for her to eat too little. Rong Juan's nature was cold and indifferent, but having only this one child after being reborn several times made him cherish him deeply.

Therefore, Rong Juan actually cherished Qin Bi a bit more.

Rong Juan didn't argue; he was worried too.

His father had told him that this might be the only child he would have in this life. While other families had many brothers and sons, ensuring a flourishing lineage, he only had one younger brother, so he must protect him well, or else he might run away.

Qin Bi had a small appetite; after eating a few pieces of chicken, she stopped.

Rong Juan frowned: "Eat a bit more."

"I feel this amount is just right," Qin Bi said, not throwing a tantrum but stating the truth: "Regarding what is good for the body, I know better than you. Eating this much is enough; you and Rong Juan eat the rest."

Rong Juan then let it go, and most of the stewed chicken went to Rong Juan.

Fu Bao also received a spiritual herb chicken. When He Yan's guard delivered it, Qin He was delighted and suddenly stood up from her chair, startling Xue Qing into rushing to support her. Fu Bao was so happy she jumped for joy.

"Wow, we get to eat spiritual herb chicken," the little girl said happily.

Qin He's mood improved; seeing the spiritual herb chicken, the anxious knot in her heart loosened. She had said so; He Yan still had feelings for her, so why would he suddenly ignore her?

It just so happened that Qin Yan and Qin He's legitimate younger sister had come to visit, and they ran over to look at the spiritual herb chicken.

Qin Yan said, "It must be delicious."

She was counting on Qin He inviting her to eat together; Qin Yan had never eaten spiritual herb chicken in her life.

The legitimate daughter of the Second Branch had eaten it before. She said proudly, "Sister Qin He gave me some; it was incredibly delicious. Since Sister Qin He is pregnant, she must eat good things, otherwise we could also taste the spiritual herb chicken."

"I'm sorry," Qin He said gently. "Next time."

Qin Yan enviously took Qin He's arm: "Sister Qin He, He Heir treats you so well. If someone treated me this well and was also so handsome, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."

Qin He felt very gratified hearing this. Then Qin Yan added, "Sister Qin Bi is far inferior to you. No wonder she divorced immediately after marrying. He Heir agreed to it so readily. The bond between you and He Heir is not something she can compare to."

Qin He glanced around; her legitimate younger sister eagerly said, "Heir Xue took the spiritual herb chicken and left; he won't hear."

Both Qin He and Heir Xue were married; mentioning her bond with He Yan put Heir Xue in an awkward position. Everyone understood this, so they could only speak privately; Xue Qing couldn't hear.

Qin He's face fell, and she stepped back into the main hall, with Qin Yan and her legitimate younger sister following.

"What is that concubine-born daughter of the Fourth Branch doing now?" her legitimate younger sister asked dissatisfied.

Qin He had only frowned because Qin Yan had mentioned Qin Bi.

"Fu Bao is being pampered by the Yan Duke's residence, and she is jealous," Qin He said, taking a deep breath. She recounted how many times Rong Juan had gone to the Yan Duke's residence, saying unhappily, "You all know how much the Yan Duke's wife and others dote on Fu Bao, giving her all the good things. Qin Bi saw this and got jealous, even sending her own child to fight for things from the Yan Duke's residence. It's truly laughable."

Qin Yan was surprised, and her legitimate younger sister became angry: "On what grounds?"

Qin He sat upright in her chair: "Exactly."

On what grounds did Qin Bi have? She and He Yan were childhood sweethearts; what was Qin Bi, and what right did she have to compete with her? Qin He said, "Fu Bao went to the Yan Duke's residence and just brought back many good things. Now He Heir has sent another spiritual herb chicken."

As she spoke these words, Qin He sounded somewhat proud and boastful.

Her legitimate younger sister felt better. Before leaving, Qin He gave her and Qin Yan a few items collected from the small space in the Demon Beast Realm. Qin Yan and Qin He's legitimate younger sister left happily, while the legitimate daughter of the Second Branch remained very dissatisfied with Qin Bi.

Back at the Qin Yan Marquis's residence, Qin He's legitimate younger sister and Qin Yan told them about Rong Juan and Fu Bao fighting over things from the Yan Duke's residence.

Cui Shi, drinking tea, paused in surprise. "That's too strange," Cui Shi said. "It can't be!"

The concubine-born daughter of the Fourth Branch felt ashamed and went back to tell He Shi.