Chapter 45: You Have Many Natural Treasures

Rong Yang pointed a finger at the Duke of Yan's manor: "This place is it!"

The guard: "......"

The guard looked back, pondering which concubine's child in the manor might be related to this little one. After running through a mental list, he found no match. When he looked back, he saw the child searching around and pulling a small stool from a storage bag to place by the door.

The child sat down, peering curiously at the passersby on the road.

"Does the young master know anyone in our manor?" Seeing the child's clothing, the guard did not dare to be dismissive.

Rong Yang sat obediently: "He Shizi."

"Our Shizi is at court," the guard said. "Which household do you belong to? I'll take you back. It's raining, and it might get colder or even snow; we wouldn't want you to freeze."

"Nobody wants me," Rong Yang sighed.

The guard froze, dumbfounded. A servant approached to ask what was happening.

After the guard explained, the servant went over to question the child, who simply said: "I am a little pitiful thing that nobody wants."

The servant was at a loss. Rong Yang summoned auspicious clouds, pulled out some melon seeds, and sat outside the Duke of Yan's manor eating them. Upon seeing the auspicious clouds, the servant immediately rushed into the manor to report to the Duchess of Yan.

The Duchess of Yan had given up hope of having a grandson in this lifetime and felt nothing for the child. She waved her hand: "Don't bother with it."

Whichever family the child belonged to, they would come looking for him later.

In the carriage, Rong Jun's expression grew increasingly grim. As a light snow began to fall and a biting wind blew, Rong Jun worried about the child freezing. Qin Bi was speechless; if Rong Jun wanted to act the worried parent, he could do it himself instead of making He Yan feel the heartache first.

She didn't know who he was trying to spite. In Qin Bi's view, if it was the Duke of Yan's property, He Yan could give it to whoever he pleased; there was no need for Rong Jun to try and snatch it away from Rong Yang, only to let He Yan end up supporting Qin He's family!

The small hand warmer lost its heat, and the child ran back.

Rong Jun hurriedly pulled the child into the carriage: "Are you cold?"

Qin Bi felt the child's hands, and Rong Yang said: "Not cold, the hand warmer just isn't hot anymore."

Guard Yan hurried to replace the charcoal. Rong Jun said: "Let's go home."

"No," Rong Yang said. "This family hasn't seen me yet."

This family doted on that Fu Bao; Rong Yang wanted to hover around them. He was the child they could never have, so he would just linger there. Rong Yang had his own little ideas.

Rong Jun yielded to Rong Yang. Qin Bi gave him his hand warmer, thinking that this whole family was essentially a group of villains.

Since Qin He and her child hadn't arranged for them to be a "foil," Rong Yang had gone to find a foil himself. The more people doted on Qin He's child, the more pitiful he would seem.

Rong Yang felt this way, but Qin Bi did not.

The child ate a piece of pastry, took a sip of water, and went back.

The Duke of Yan's guard: "......"

When He Yan returned from court and stepped out of his carriage, he saw a familiar little ball of fluff in front of his manor gates. Approaching closer, he realized it was indeed the little Shizi from the Prince of Rong's manor, who attended court every day.

"Rong Yang," He Yan lowered his eyes and asked, "Why have you come to my manor?"

"This is my home," the child said, looking up and pointing at the Duke of Yan's manor.

Heh, He Yan raised an eyebrow: "You certainly aren't being polite."

"Doesn't your father hold you in the palm of his hand as if you might melt?" He Yan spoke calmly to the child. Glancing at the sky, he added, "It's going to rain and snow. Go home quickly so you don't freeze."

The child stood up, looked at He Yan, and said: "You gave Fu Bao many things."

"Just as your father dotes on you, I have watched Fu Bao grow up since he was small." He Yan looked down at the child, a flash of complexity in his eyes: "You have many natural treasures; Fu Bao should have them too."

Rong Yang said: "But you didn't give them to me!"

He Yan was speechless. After a pause, he said: "Go back."

"I'm not leaving," Rong Yang said, sitting back down on his small stool.

The child was too small, not even half a year old; He Yan was at his wit's end.

But this was Qin Bi's child. For that reason alone, He Yan didn't want to say more.

However, both Rong Jun and He Yan were powerful ministers and heirs of the Great Yan Empire. As officials at court, they couldn't simply ignore a child. He Yan wanted to send the little guy home, but the child wouldn't budge, and the little ball of fluff wasn't bored, as he was busy eating peeled melon seeds.

"I am a little pitiful thing that nobody wants," Rong Yang told He Yan.

He Yan: "......"

The seeds were already peeled; the "Fortune Value" was practically maxed out.

"You also gave Fu Bao a field," Rong Yang continued his accusation.

He Yan's brow twitched. His things were his to give to whomever he pleased; why was this child meddling? But the child wouldn't leave, sitting on his little stool eating peeled seeds and rambling on.

He Yan gave in. He pulled out a land deed and handed it to the child: "I'll give you fifty mu of fertile land. Now, go home."

Upon hearing this, the child's dark eyes instantly lit up. He jumped off the stool, reached out his small hands to take the deed, and leaned his little head almost against it, recognizing the characters one by one.

As He Yan's patience ran out, the child looked up: "You gave Fu Bao a hundred mu of fertile land, but this is second-class land."

He Yan fell silent and stared at the child: "Why should I give you a hundred mu? Go ask your father for it."

"Father," Rong Yang called out to He Yan.

He Yan felt as if struck by lightning. The child's milky voice left him feeling dizzy. The usually unflappable He Yan's expression shifted; he stared at the child for a long time without moving, leaving the servants too terrified to make a sound.

"Your father is Rong Jun," He Yan said, sounding weary.

Rong Yang looked up at the shaken He Yan. After waiting for a long time, he realized he wasn't getting a hundred mu of fertile land, only fifty. He wanted the fifty mu anyway. Rong Yang packed up his little stool and wobbled away.

*Sigh, I really am a little pitiful thing. Fu Bao got a hundred mu, and now I got fifty mu, and both were fertile land. And that father actually likes his child, yet he only gave me fifty mu of second-class land.*

*No matter. I'll come back next time and empty out the Duke of Yan's manor.*

Back in the carriage, Rong Jun held Rong Yang, who presented the land deed like a treasure: "Fifty mu, Father, here you go."

"This is yours," Rong Jun said. "Keep it for yourself."

Rong Yang looked at Qin Bi: "Mother."

"It's yours. Put it in your little treasury," Qin Bi said with a smile.

Rong Yang put it away. His father gave it to him; there was no reason not to take it.

Rong Jun narrowed his eyes, thinking the same. Since Rong Yang had already called him "Father," if He Yan couldn't recognize it himself, he couldn't be blamed. If He Yan wanted to give his things to Qin He's child, then let's see how he handles the fallout once he realizes he has a son.

Rong Yang had only gone to hover in front of He Yan today to let him know such a son existed. Since He Yan didn't recognize him, the young Rong Yang didn't care, and Rong Jun cared even less.

When they returned to the Prince of Rong's manor, the Prince was already waiting.

Qin Bi carried the child back to their courtyard. The Prince of Rong sat in a chair and said, "Why did you take the child to the Duke of Yan's manor? Don't you know how much they long for a child? They treat other people's children like treasures."

"Don't worry," Rong Jun said. "He Yan doesn't care for our Rong Yang."

The Prince of Rong nodded and sighed: "Back then, if you hadn't married Qin Di's concubine's daughter, you wouldn't have children. Although her background was a bit low, she is much better than Qin He."

As he spoke, the Prince of Rong felt a bit guilty. Both Rong Jun and He Yan were destined to be men who would lose their wives and have no heirs.