Chapter 54: Spiritual Food is Truly Expensive

When the spiritual rice was bought, the Emperor of Great Yan heard about it and sent a few stalks of spiritual vegetables via a young eunuch.

Guard Yan reported the accounts: "Purchased half a jin of high-grade spiritual rice."

Qin Bi felt depressed at the reduction from one jin to half a jin; spiritual food was truly expensive! Not to mention the spiritual vegetables. The Emperor of Great Yan was quite something—you could grasp other news quickly, but why did you have to tell me that Rong Yang is eating spiritual rice without any vegetables?!

And now, they had to add spiritual vegetables to the mix.

"Cook it all into rice for the young Heir Apparent." Rong Jun put down his military treatise and spoke, "Stir-fry the spiritual vegetables with only salt to keep it light."

This was half a jin of spiritual rice, and Rong Yang was not even six months old. Qin Bi asked, "Can Rong Yang eat this much?"

Rong Jun looked at her but said nothing.

Qin Bi: "..."

Rong Jun had a better grasp of a child's appetite than she did. After all, when her health was poor, it was Rong Jun who had raised the child. Qin Bi's heart skipped a beat—with an appetite like this, how much of the Emperor's food would he consume in a single meal!

Knowing he was being talked about, Rong Yang asked Qin Bi in a milky voice, "Mother, did I eat a lot?"

She couldn't say "a lot." Qin Bi forced a smile and said, "Not much. Children need to eat their fill."

Rong Yang said happily, "I ate my fill! I'm very powerful."

Looking at the child, Qin Bi felt a sense of genuine happiness.

Guard Yan took the spiritual rice to the kitchen, keeping a close eye on the cook.

The rice paired with the green vegetables was incredibly fragrant. As Qin Bi fed him, the little fellow gobbled it up with "ah-woo" sounds. Only a small bowl of the half-jin of rice remained. Rong Jun told Qin Bi to eat it; she needed to nourish herself as well.

Feeling helpless, Qin Bi looked at Rong Jun. "I don't like eating rice."

Rong Jun scooped a small spoonful with a porcelain spoon and fed her a bite. Qin Bi ate it reluctantly. Rong Jun let it be; if she didn't want to eat, so be it—everyone has different tastes, and if she truly didn't want it, he wouldn't force her.

Rong Jun took the small bowl and ate slowly and methodically.

Qin Bi's emotions were complex. Last summer, he had treated her with cold indifference, but now, while not exactly holding her in the palm of his hand, he was close to it.

At bedtime, Rong Jun took Qin Bi's hand to inspect it. Her palms were somewhat red; there were no blisters, but they were close. Rong Jun got up to fetch medicine to apply to her hands.

After wrapping them in a handkerchief, Qin Bi watched him in silence.

Rong Jun said, "Sleep now."

Qin Bi leaned into Rong Jun's embrace and closed her eyes to sleep, while Rong Jun rested with his eyes closed.

The next morning, Rong Yan came to call Qin Bi to the Wastelands. Rong Jun did not respond. The man said nothing else, simply dropping Rong Yang into Qin Bi's arms; since she was holding the child, she couldn't go anywhere.

After the morning court session, the Emperor of Great Yan watched Rong Jun reviewing memorials with a cheerful expression.

"My dear official," the Emperor said, eating a piece of pastry and taking a sip of tea, "why didn't Rong Yang come to court with you?"

Among his civil and military officials, there had been an addition of a child under six months old. Over time, the Emperor had grown used to it. When the little fellow suddenly didn't appear at court, he felt a sense of emptiness. He was He Yan's child, raised by Rong Jun, and was already becoming quite the expert at reviewing memorials.

Thinking of this, the Emperor felt quite pleased.

"His mother is with him," Rong Jun replied calmly, his brush moving steadily.

"Why hasn't he gone to reclaim the wasteland? I heard the Consort is capable of summoning rain." The Emperor frowned, having only worked the fields for a day, and decided not to go. "Our Great Yan's soil lacks water! Even a little light rain would do."

Rong Jun continued reviewing the memorials: "Her lifespan has just been replenished; she should not engage in strenuous labor."

The Emperor wanted to persuade him further, but he opened his mouth and instead took a bite of pastry.

When the little Prince came looking for Rong Yang to play, the Emperor immediately seized the opportunity: "Quickly bring the young Heir Apparent to the palace. Say the little Prince wants to play with him and that there are delicious treats waiting for him."

Rong Jun's hand paused. The little Prince was bewildered; he didn't have any delicious treats!

Since the Emperor insisted on the visit, Rong Jun personally returned home to fetch Rong Yang and bring him to the palace. Upon seeing the little Prince, Rong Yang kicked his little legs, and Rong Jun set him down.

What delicious treats could the Emperor possibly have? Spiritual food was only served on the first and fifteenth of the month.

He could only order the Imperial Kitchen to make a few small pastries mixed with a bit of spiritual rice flour. Once the pastries were made, several princes ran over to sit in a row with Rong Yang.

He Yan arrived from the Hall of State Affairs, and the Emperor beckoned, "My dear official, come have some pastries."

He Yan bowed. "I shall pass."

"Is something the matter?" the Emperor asked.

Eating his fragrant little pastries, Rong Yang tilted his head to peek at He Yan.

The little Princes also watched. He Yan said, "It is nothing major. I simply wish to request a few stalks of spiritual vegetables for Fubao of the Xue Prince's Manor."

Rong Jun let out a huff and stopped his brush. Rong Yang blinked.

"This..." The Emperor looked at Rong Jun, then at Rong Yang, stammering, "This... the spiritual food I receive from the Immortal Gate is limited. I have just given Rong Yang a few stalks of spiritual vegetables; I have no more to give Fubao."

"Your Majesty," He Yan said, having come specifically for this, "I shall have no children in this life. Your Majesty must not show favoritism."

He Yan's meaning was simple: if there was something for Rong Yang, there should be something for Fubao. One could not be biased.

The Emperor gasped, hesitating. He looked at Rong Yang's wide, dark eyes, then at He Yan. Rong Jun watched coldly. The Emperor felt a headache coming on—what kind of situation was this?

"Do you truly wish to demand spiritual vegetables for Qin He's child?" The Emperor gave He Yan a chance to back down.

He Yan nodded. He and Rong Jun were the two powerful ministers of Great Yan; there was no reason for Rong Jun's child to enjoy all the benefits. Since he had no children of his own, he could bestow his share upon Fubao.

The Emperor stopped resisting and had a eunuch fetch a small basket.

The Emperor leaned in to look and nearly fainted. Five stalks of spiritual vegetables???!!!

After giving the eunuch a fierce glare, Eunuch Fu's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward to present two stalks of spiritual vegetables, sensing that there was indeed a distinction between the young Heir Apparent and Qin He's child.

Rong Yang also stood up from his small stool, wobbling as he counted the vegetables.

With He Yan's eyes upon him, Eunuch Fu could not pull any tricks. The child counted them correctly: five stalks of spiritual vegetables, the same amount his Imperial Uncle had given him. It was the reward his other father had requested for Fubao.

The child said nothing, took his little pastries, and went back to sit with the princes to continue eating.

He Yan left with the spiritual vegetables. The heartbroken Emperor of Great Yan ate two extra pieces of pastry. Thinking about how small they were, he ate two more. One by one, they were all snatching his spiritual food!

After finishing the memorials, Rong Jun walked over and crouched before the child. "Are you angry?"

"No," Rong Yang said crisply.

"Don't worry." Rong Jun put a small cloak on the child and picked him up to leave the palace. "I will pave the path for your future. No one shall ever mistreat our Rong Yang."

Rong Yang happily ate his little pastries as Rong Jun bid farewell to the Emperor and exited the palace.

Upon returning home, the child mimicked Qin Bi's speech: "The father from the Duke of Yan's manor asked for rewards for Fubao."

"Do you like eating spiritual vegetables?" Qin Bi asked.

"Spiritual vegetables are only at the Immortal Gate," Rong Yang said in his milky voice. "They are so yummy."

Qin Bi pondered. He Yan had no children, yet he had given Qin He's child everything that belonged to his own child without shortage. Let him give it; she just had to make sure Rong Yang didn't care for it.