Chapter 49: She Also Needs to Build a Secret Stash for Rong Yang

Fubao returned home, and Qin He praised the child: "Our Fubao is truly blessed."

Fubao felt a bit smug. Qin He looked at the rare delicacies she had brought back, steeled her heart, and picked out two small pastries, dividing them into a large portion and a small portion to give to her legitimate younger sister and Qin Yan.

The larger portion was, naturally, for her legitimate sister, intended to be shown to her legal mother.

While at the Prince Rong Mansion, Qin Bi had indeed heard that Qin He had returned to the Marquis Qin Yan Mansion with a sour expression. Qin Lang had come to tell her about it; since Qin Lang couldn't stand seeing Qin He do well due to the poor relationship between Qin He and the third and fourth branches, he had come to share the gossip as entertainment.

"She was very angry when she arrived," Qin Lang said, puzzled. "But her expression had recovered by the time she left, so it was hard to tell what happened. I wonder what business was so urgent that Qin He had to rush back to the Marquis Mansion like that?"

Qin Bi had a guess; it was likely because she had heard that Rong Yang had visited the Duke of Yan's mansion.

The fact that Qin He's child could obtain a pile of heavenly treasures from the Duke of Yan's mansion relied solely on the fact that He Yan had no children of his own. With children, the way they are raised from a young age makes a difference; He Yan might not necessarily favor those nephews born to concubines.

In Qin He's heart, she felt that He Yan's belongings rightfully belonged to her child, Fubao.

Whenever a child approached He Yan, Qin He would inevitably be on guard.

*I suspect Qin He went to the Marquis Qin Yan Mansion specifically because of me,* Qin Bi thought with a cold sneer. In her view, He Yan could give his things to whomever he pleased—she didn't care—but Rong Jun could not stand seeing He Yan mistreat Rong Yang.

The little one was quite something, insisting on running straight to the "control group."

Qin Lang continued talking to himself, saying admiringly, "Qin He's child went to the Duke of Yan's mansion and packed up quite a lot of things. There were so many that Qin He even gave a portion to her legitimate sister and Qin Yan. Her child has obtained quite a lot of heavenly treasures."

A cold wind blew outside. Qin Lang sat by the charcoal stove, stretching his legs to keep warm.

There was a small table beside him with a plate of melon seeds.

Qin Lang grabbed some seeds to eat, saying while cracking them, "A child born after swallowing two Auspicious Clouds is indeed different; their fortune value is high. Qin He's child hasn't lacked heavenly treasures since childhood."

Listening to this, Qin Bi thought to herself that Rong Jun was also building a small treasury for Rong Yang.

However, back when her lifespan was damaged and she became pregnant, Rong Jun had used a vast amount of heavenly treasures to nourish her body. Between the two powerful ministers' heirs in Great Yan, Rong Jun did not have as many good things as He Yan.

*No, I must also build a small treasury for Rong Yang.*

With this thought, Qin Bi's heart raced with excitement. She asked Qin Lang, "If I want to earn money, what would be suitable? Should I go to the Monster Realm small space to kill monsters?"

"I don't know about that either!" Qin Lang paused his seed-cracking, thought for a moment, and said, "Rong Yan knows a lot. How about I ask him and tell you later?"

"Okay," Qin Bi nodded. "Ask Rong Yan later."

Qin Lang stood up. "I'll go ask right now."

Qin Bi liked this temperament; she wanted things resolved immediately and disliked procrastination.

As Qin Lang left, discarding his seed shells, Qin Bi took out a spiritual sweet potato and placed it on the charcoal stove to roast. Rong Jun had taken Rong Yang to the palace, so she would need something to tide the child over when they returned.

After instructing a maid, she brought out a plate of peanuts and placed them on the stove.

The stoves in wealthy ancient households were exquisitely crafted, and the charcoal used was made from various fragrant woods, such as pear wood, which gave off a light scent. However, Qin Bi didn't particularly like that; she used unscented charcoal.

After a while, the aroma of roasting peanuts drifted out.

Qin Bi flipped the peanuts. About half an hour later, Rong Yan and Qin Lang returned together. Ever since their last training session in the Monster Realm small space, Rong Yan and Qin Bi had become somewhat acquainted. Upon hearing that Qin Bi was inquiring about earning money, he had followed her to the mansion.

"Have some peanuts." Qin Bi was not pretentious. Before marrying Rong Jun, she was merely a concubine's daughter, and having only been the Consort of the Heir for a few days, she had no reason to act superior. Qin Bi smiled, "I just started roasting them."

Rong Yan did not stand on ceremony; he sat on a stool by the stove, took a few peanuts, and peeled them to eat.

Qin Lang also took some and urged Rong Yan, "Rong Yan, tell my sister—if we don't go to the Monster Realm small space to kill monsters, what can we do to build a small treasury for the little Heir?"

Qin Bi glanced at the maid, who brought over some tea.

"Land reclamation," Rong Yan suggested. "In this cultivation world, planting is not easy. The soil is mostly compacted. Most noble families and scholars take advantage of the winter before the ground freezes to reclaim land."

Qin Bi knew a little about land reclamation. In Great Yan, reclaiming a piece of wasteland earned fifty spirit stones per *fen* of land. If it was less than a *fen*, it could be settled using monster crystals.

If cultivators lacked resources for training, they could reclaim land.

Since winter had just begun, the soil should not have frozen yet. Qin Bi asked, "Do I have to dig the soil?"

"Only non-cultivators dig the soil for reclamation," Rong Yan said, looking at Qin Bi's delicate appearance. "You were quite impressive in the Monster Realm small space. It would be great if you could be like the scholars and use immortal arts to reclaim land."

Qin Bi tried to understand and asked, "You mean using immortal arts to turn compacted soil into good soil?"

Rong Yan nodded. "You should be able to do it. You can already summon rain, so land reclamation is possible. If you go to reclaim land, it doesn't need to be much—just a little bit a day. Once you accumulate half a *fen* of land, you can go to the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Works to claim your spirit stones and crystals."

Qin Bi pondered whether she should try land reclamation.

Qin Lang also frowned in thought. "It's the middle of winter; reclaiming land is hard work."

Qin Bi also felt she might not be able to do it. Ever since her trip to the Monster Realm small space, she felt she had become terrifyingly strong, but land reclamation seemed a bit too mundane; she would prefer something more mystical.

"I was thinking of doing land reclamation," Rong Yan continued. "I have a spiritual root now, but there isn't a suitable place for training in the Monster Realm small space at the moment. This winter, I plan to reclaim land along with the scholars. Perhaps I can even become a *tongsheng* (entry-level scholar)."

In this cultivation world, the imperial examinations were also based on fortune and luck. As long as one could use immortal arts to clear a certain amount of farmland, one could become a *tongsheng*. Qin Bi had only heard of it, but from Rong Yan's tone, it seemed he intended to take the exams.

She wanted to as well. Qin Bi grew excited. "I'll become a *tongsheng* too!"

Rong Yan found it amusing, and Qin Lang said, "You can do it."

"I might be able to." Qin Bi, who was usually gentle and soft-spoken, suddenly became quite lively. She turned to Rong Yan and said, "Let me cast a hexagram for you first. If you visit the Spirit Plant Street before heading to the reclamation site, you will be able to pick up a piece of land for free once you arrive at the land."

Qin Lang was laughing uncontrollably while eating his seeds.

Rong Yan also found it funny. "I didn't expect the Consort of the Heir to enjoy joking around."

"I'm not joking." Qin Bi tried to look serious, but she couldn't help laughing. "I feel... I am having a revelation."

Qin Lang: "...???!"

Rong Yan: "????"

"What revelation?" Qin Lang didn't understand.

"Divination," Qin Bi explained. "Casting a hexagram."