Chapter 55: Not Following Her

Qin Bi didn't care for what He Yan gave to Qin He's child, and it would be even better if Rong Yang didn't care for it either.

Therefore, she had to build up a little secret treasury for Rong Yang, bit by bit.

After dinner, Rong Jun guided Rong Yang in practicing calligraphy. Qin Bi stayed by their side; whenever she felt bored, she would get up to place a few spiritual food sweet potatoes on the charcoal stove, then return to flip through a book.

The room was warm and incredibly cozy.

"I want to go施雨 (施雨 - bestow rain/irrigate)," Qin Bi said to Rong Jun.

"No," Rong Jun refused without a second thought.

Leaning against Rong Jun, Qin Bi said in a coquettish tone, "I'll only bestow rain; I won't do any manual labor."

Rong Jun's expression remained unchanged. Qin Bi sighed softly, "I will act within my strength."

Rong Jun didn't respond, and Qin Bi didn't bring it up again. The next day, she called Lin Yao over to inquire about Rong Jun's fiefdom. Rong Jun possessed ten thousand mu of fertile land, all granted to him by the Emperor of Great Yan.

The fertile land was divided into first-class and second-class, and there were also many ordinary fields.

Local farmers cultivated them, and he simply collected rent every year.

"Does the Consort want to go take a look?" Lin Yao asked tentatively.

Qin Bi caught the implication, and Rong Jun agreed.

Qin Bi nodded, and Lin Yao made a gesture inviting her: "This way, Consort."

Upon reaching the front courtyard, Guard Yan and several other guards were also present. Lin Yao activated a teleportation array, and the group instantly arrived at Rong Jun's fiefdom.

When Qin Bi looked, she saw that almost everything planted in Rong Jun's fiefdom was winter wheat. Whether it was the specific type of wheat she knew or not, it was definitely wheat seedlings. Since winter had just begun, the seedlings were not tall.

They were sparse, the soil was extremely dry, and the wheat leaves had turned yellow.

Judging by the level of drought, it would be a miracle if even two out of ten survived by next year. In ancient times, harvests were meager, and in this fictional cultivation world, harvests were even scarcer due to the lack of water sources.

There were also cabbages being grown, but they were also half-dead. The rain summoned by the Immortal Sect could only solve the drought temporarily.

There was a large area of idle land nearby. Lin Yao led Qin Bi over and pointed: "This area is all sandy soil. The soil quality is alright, but it's too dry, making it difficult to grow crops. If the rainwater summoned by the Consort can soak through a layer of soil before the ground freezes, we can plant some cabbage and radishes."

Having said that, Lin Yao left Guard Yan and the others behind and walked to the adjacent field to bestow rain.

Qin Bi took out a tea bowl and waved her hand. Fine mist began to fall from the air, transitioning from a light drizzle into a slightly heavier rain. Guard Yan and the guards were astonished—was it really this easy?!

They were martial cultivators; they could not summon rain, nor did they possess condensation abilities.

Since they didn't know much about it, they couldn't just stand by watching, so they decided to take out summoning artifacts to summon plants to loosen the soil. Qin Bi saw this and thought it was a good idea to have the soil loosened; once the plants finished their work, she would walk over to make it rain.

Guard Yan turned to look at the side; it was still raining there, and it was raining here as well.

Combined, they were covering about a third of the land.

The light rain only dampened the surface; the soil underneath remained dry. Guard Yan led the guards to the first plot to direct the soil loosening. Qin Bi took a look, and as a breeze carrying rain swept over, the light rain grew heavier.

When the summoned plants encountered water, they became incredibly efficient, immediately and diligently tilling the soil.

"Is this even light rain?" one guard asked.

Guard Yan inhaled sharply; who would have known? The rain was looking quite heavy now.

Across the two plots, it rained here and there. Qin Bi's summoning ability could only manage to cover two fields at once; when the rain was heavy on this side, it became a light drizzle on the other. When Lin Yao came over to look, he was startled.

Taking advantage of everyone being busy, Lin Yao showed great foresight and went back for a moment. When he returned, he brought a bag of cabbage seeds. Taking advantage of the soft sandy soil, Lin Yao called over a farmer skilled in planting, and under the elder's guidance, they began scattering the seeds.

The elder and several farmers gazed at the rain with eyes full of envy.

Lin Yao was very tactful and walked up to Qin Bi: "The Consort may take a rest."

Qin Bi was indeed tired. "Are we going back to eat?"

Lin Yao hesitated. He could follow her lead and just eat something makeshift at the manor and continue raining in the afternoon, but this Consort held significant weight in the eyes of the Prince; "making do" would not do.

Qin Bi's eyes flashed as she saw through Lin Yao's thoughts, but she wanted to go home.

"The rain is stopping," Lin Yao pointed to the rain falling from the sky, reminding Qin Bi.

Qin Bi: "..."

Qin Bi looked at Lin Yao, and Lin Yao looked back in confusion; the two stared at each other.

"I don't know how to stop it," Qin Bi told Lin Yao.

Lin Yao: "??????"

After a moment of processing, Lin Yao turned to look at the dense, light rain falling. Good heavens, not knowing how to stop the rain was actually a good thing! The fields lacked rain; let it rain! It would be better if it rained continuously.

He didn't have such an ability; if Lin Yao had this skill, he would be happy to make it rain for an entire year.

However, once the distance between the summoning artifact and the summoned rain grew too large, the spell naturally could not reach.

Lin Yao ignored the rain and took out the teleportation array. Only then did Guard Yan and the others withdraw the summoning. Qin Bi stood in the teleportation array, and once everyone was gathered, Lin Yao activated it.

Unfortunately, they left quickly, but they returned just as fast.

The rain continued to fall. It wouldn't do to waste such precious rainwater. After a moment of stunned silence, Lin Yao led the group back. The rain continued to fall, and even the sky over the fiefdom turned overcast.

Qin Bi ran to the cabbage field, controlling the rain to fall directly onto the ground.

"It looks to me like it's going to snow," Qin Bi said, glancing at the sky.

"It can't," Lin Yao said with certainty. "It is not easy for it to snow in winter. Generally, our Emperor has to ask people from the Immortal Sect to summon rain or snow. The last time it snowed was because of the snow brought by Qin He's 'Fubao' child."

Qin Bi didn't believe a word of it; the sky looked like it was about to snow.

"Are we still eating?" Qin Bi asked the Prince's first strategist.

The rain followed her wherever she went; if Lin Yao left, Qin Bi would not stay here.

Therefore, Lin Yao had to stay.

Lin Yao didn't dare let the Consort go hungry, so he instructed Guard Yan: "Go back and get lunch."

Qin Bi thought about it—eat here? In the middle of winter?

"Never mind," Qin Bi said. "Let's go back and eat together."

Guard Yan went back anyway and brought back some dried meat. Following Lin Yao's instructions, Guard Yan also brought a bag of radish seeds. It wouldn't do to just keep raining on one plot of land; the soil had already been turned and was getting wet very quickly.

Qin Bi moved to the side of the cabbage field to continue the rain, while Guard Yan and the others summoned plants to loosen the soil.

Summoned plants were still plants, after all; they were quite happy to be loosening soil in the rain, working with great vigor.

Under the guidance of the farmers, Lin Yao planted the radish seeds.

Just as they finished planting, it began to snow from the sky.

Everyone froze, looking up at the sky, and then erupted in joy.

"It's snowing!" the farmers cheered happily.

Lin Yao and Guard Yan were somewhat dazed. The rain summoned by Qin Bi had also stopped. The group, feeling a bit lightheaded, activated the teleportation array to go back. Once they returned to the Prince's mansion, the sky was dry and cold, and not a single snowflake had fallen.

Qin Bi was freezing and rushed to the charcoal stove to warm herself.

Rong Yang returned from the palace and lunged toward Qin Bi: "Mother, you're back?"

Qin Bi reached out to hug Rong Yang, feeling as though the whole room had become warm. This child was nothing like her; while she had a cold constitution, the little fellow was like a small furnace, his tiny hands feeling warm and toasty.

Rong Jun touched Qin Bi's hand; it wasn't cold, so the man said nothing more.

(End of Chapter)