Chapter 99: The Great Yan Emperor Was Dumbfounded

In the palace, Rong Juan reviewed memorials while the Great Yan Emperor drank tea.

Rong Yang ran into the Imperial Study, leaning against Rong Juan's side: "Father, Rong Yang wants to go home."

"Your father is busy," the Great Yan Emperor said with a chuckle, handing Rong Yang a handful of melon seeds.

Rong Yang did not eat, but lay down on Rong Juan's lap.

Rong Juan glanced at the child, set down the memorial, stood up, and said: "Your Majesty, I will escort Rong Yang back. He must go to his fief to harvest crops; it would be improper for him to linger in the palace and delay official matters."

What could the Great Yan Emperor say? He ordered: "Send Eunuch Fu to escort him."

"No need to trouble Eunuch Fu," Rong Juan said, lifting Rong Yang into his arms.

Rong Juan carried the child out of the palace. The Great Yan Emperor waited; escorting a child home should take little time. He was impatient to handle state affairs, as He Yan had gone to the small space in the Demon Beast Realm, and now he relied solely on Rong Juan to review memorials.

In the end, he waited for a long time, but no one returned.

Eunuch Fu sent a young eunuch to the Rong Prince's Mansion, only to find it empty; the entire family had gone to the Rong Heir's fief. Was reviewing memorials a subject's duty? If your eyesight is poor, review the memorials yourself!

Now, the Great Yan Emperor was dumbfounded.

The young prince grabbed a few melon seeds from a carved porcelain plate and chattered: "You gave that Xue Heir's Consort a spiritual-energy chicken, but not to Rong Yang. Now the Rong Heir refuses to review memorials for Your Majesty."

"Nonsense," the Great Yan Emperor said. "Lord Rong is not the petty type."

The young prince stamped his foot: "That is exactly what happened."

The Great Yan Emperor's hand, holding a pastry, paused. Nothing tasted good anymore. He stammered: "But the Xue Heir's Consort has disturbed her pregnancy qi, while the Rong Heir's Consort is perfectly fine; she has no need for a spiritual-energy chicken."

The young prince Yan Xun cracked melon seeds, said nothing, and lost interest in the topic.

The Rong Heir's Consort did not need a spiritual-energy chicken, yet the Rong Heir left the palace and did not return.

The young prince thought for a moment, put on a small cloak, summoned attendants, and left the palace. He wanted to go to the fief to play, to watch little brother Rong Yang harvest crops. A crowd of palace servants hurriedly followed, activating the teleportation array to depart.

At the Rong Heir's fief, Lin Yao, the First Strategist, seeing both the Heir and the Heir's Consort had arrived, dug up a fresh red carrot, brushed off the damp sand, and walked toward the Rong Heir.

"Heir, Heir's Consort," Lin Yao said. "This carrot is of decent size. Would you like to try one?"

"Is it spicy?" Qin Bi reached out.

Rong Juan stopped her; outside, the weather was bitterly cold, and the crops in the ground were very cold.

Rong Yang tilted his small head, standing beside his parents. The biting north wind only partially reached the child; most of it was blocked by Rong Juan. His wife and child were the very core of his heart.

Lin Yao paused, then replied: "I have not tasted it yet."

Rong Juan looked unsurprised. Qin Bi was only momentarily stunned before understanding: in this fictional cultivation world, rain was scarce, the soil was parched, and crop yields were low.

Especially winter crops; even noble families cherished them.

The vegetables in the field had not yet been tasted by Rong Yang, so Lin Yao and the others would not eat first. Qin Bi said: "Cut it open and let everyone taste. If it is spicy, I will not eat it."

In this fictional world, there were many types of carrots. Each family planted a little for their own consumption, and yields were low. Previously, Qin Bi had tasted one type of carrot with a red core; it looked mouth-watering but was so spicy it was unbearable.

It was not the same kind of heat as chili peppers, but the spiciness was intense.

Upon hearing Qin Bi's words, Lin Yao used a small knife to trim the leaves and handed the carrot to a guard. In winter, carrot leaves were also valuable; they could be kept for cooking. The red carrot was not large; the knife touched it once, and it cracked with a snap.

An advisor exclaimed in delight: "So crisp?"

Before even tasting it, one could imagine how delicious it would be.

Lin Yao was more careful the next time he cut, but the knife touched it and it snapped again. The pieces were uneven, yet they looked wonderful. Lin Yao handed them to Rong Juan and Rong Yang. The child put a piece in his mouth and took a bite.

Immediately, the child's eyes lit up: "It's sweet!"

"Who believes you?" Qin Bi glanced at the child with a sharp look.

Last time, the fruits they grew were also claimed to be delicious. The fruits were indeed good, but sour fruits are still sour. Yet Rong Yang said they were delicious and not sour at all. Qin Bi no longer believed them.

Rong Yang took another bite: "It's very, very sweet."

Rong Juan tasted a small piece and froze. Lin Yao needed to taste it to know. Rong Juan did not rush to distribute it to the advisors. He cut a small piece that was nearly falling apart, put it in his mouth, and chewed.

Lin Yao's eyes brightened: "Sweet and mellow, Heir. This red carrot is almost as sweet as sugar."

A gleam flashed in Rong Juan's eyes. The advisors reached out, snatching the rest from Lin Yao's hands. They did not even need the knife; they simply broke it apart with force. Everyone tasted it; it was sweet right to the heart.

The Guard Captain also received a piece. It was small and vanished as soon as it hit his mouth, but it was sweet. The Guard Captain wanted to chew it a few more times, but it was gone. After the advisors finished, they too were left wanting more.

"Heir," the Guard Captain asked. "Does the Young Heir sell his carrots? I would like to buy a cartload."

"Buy a whole cartload?" An advisor blew his beard and glared, pointing toward the vegetable fields beyond: "Go play over there!"

"Why not ask for an entire fief's worth of carrots?" Someone, angered by the Guard Captain's audacity, said. "You want a whole cartload? How dare you!" The man bowed and said: "Heir, I would like to buy some."

The advisors chattered all at once, each wanting to buy some. Rong Yang perked up.

"Let me try," Qin Bi said, intrigued. "If you are deceiving me, so be it; perhaps it is not spicy."

Guard Yan, hearing this from the group digging vegetables, picked out the most symmetrical red carrot, trimmed the leaves, and did not wash it. This fertile field was sandy soil; a single brush removed the dirt from the carrot.

The knife touched it, and the crisp red carrot shattered.

Qin Bi reached out and took a piece. Rong Juan, uneasy, glanced at Rong Yang. The child stood on tiptoe, took a huge bite, and only a tiny bit remained. Eating just this much was enough.

Qin Bi was speechless. She put it in her mouth; it was cold, then crisp and sweet upon chewing.

"Is this really a carrot?" Qin Bi asked doubtfully.

"Yes, yes," Lin Yao replied, smiling. "I bought the seeds."

Guard Yan gave the remaining carrots to the Young Heir. He selected a flowering carrot and distributed it among the guards and attendants harvesting the crops. Now, everyone's eyes lit up; it was sweeter than sugar.

Lin Yao could not help but speak up: "Heir, I would also like to buy some."

Normally, the Rong Heir should have gifted a portion to his subordinates to win their loyalty. But the Rong Heir had a wife and child; he was stingy. Would he give away something so delicious for free? How dare you even think that!

The First Strategist did not dare to hope for a gift; he only hoped to be allowed to buy some.

The Rong Heir was saving up a small fortune for the Young Heir. The Heir's Consort was pregnant again; this unborn child would certainly need a small fortune too. Earning silver from others was better than earning it from his own subordinates, who were willing to spend money to buy.

Rong Juan spoke: "These belong to the Young Heir."

"Young Heir," Lin Yao and the others looked eagerly at Rong Yang. Lin Yao glanced at the vegetable field and said: "The carrots were planted in alternating rows with the cabbage. I estimate there are three mu of land; the yield is not low."

Rong Yang's round eyes widened at the vegetable field: "Mother, let's not sell them. Let's keep them for ourselves to eat."