The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 81: Off to Roast Fish（3）

"The Tianshan Snow Lotus? The legendary one? It's that valuable?" Yun Qianyue asked. She knew Tianshan Snow Lotus was an extraordinarily rare medicinal herb, but she wasn't sure if what Rongjing gave her was indeed that. Since Tianshan Snow Lotus is a flower, and she'd eaten a pill, she figured maybe it was a synthesized pill made from it.

Ye Qingran scoffed, casting her a scornful glance. "Do you even know what goes on in that head of yours? Of course, Tianshan Snow Lotus is valuable. There aren't even two plants of it in the entire world. The Imperial Apothecary doesn't have any—one was given to Master Lingyin, who used half of it years ago to save your dear brother Yun Muhan, and the other half to rescue the Crown Prince of Southern Liang, who suffered a similar disaster. The only remaining one somehow ended up in the hands of that delicate beauty. He blended it with other rare herbs to create a few pills, no more than ten in total, and over the years, most of them have already been used. And now, he gives you one to cure motion sickness? It's a complete waste of a precious medicine!"

"Oh! So that means Rongjing can be pretty generous after all!" Yun Qianyue looked a bit surprised.

Ye Qingran huffed, "He's only generous to you!"

Yun Qianyue blinked, then blinked again, finally waving her hand dismissively, "Hmph, he's just doing it out of obligation. He's probably worried that if I pass out from motion sickness, my grandfather would go after him. He didn't have a choice! Otherwise, he wouldn't be so magnanimous. When I stepped on his carriage floorboards, he said if I damaged them, I'd have to pay him back. Tianshan Snow Lotus is far more valuable than that wood, right? Agarwood might be precious, but it has a price, whereas Tianshan Snow Lotus, as you say, is priceless. Why would he be so generous with me?"

"You're probably right! He's surely scheming something. He'd never be so generous without an agenda," Ye Qingran nodded in agreement. Then, remembering the past, he spoke with resentment, "Years ago, I wanted his warm jade chess set, but he refused. And when I lost my Ferghana horse to him, that wretch immediately slaughtered it for horse meat before I could win it back. Such a vile person!"

Yun Qianyue, though not as emotionally attached to the horse, shared his outrage. "He has no appreciation for things, just wastes them completely!"

"Exactly! Everything good ends up spoiled in his hands!" Ye Qingran was visibly irritated, and even after all these years, he hadn't forgotten the anger of losing his Ferghana horse. He still felt like taking a bite out of Rongjing.

Unlike Ye Qingran, Yun Qianyue's anger was short-lived, and she realized that if he went off to confront Rongjing now, her chance at grilled fish might be ruined. So, she quickly said, "Come on, it's ancient history now. I'll help you get back at him properly one day. But for now, let's focus on grilling fish and imagine it's him!"

"Good, let's go!" Ye Qingran walked ahead.

Yun Qianyue followed him, eager to test her new skill in lightness techniques. Without saying anything, she kicked off and flew toward the pavilion halfway up the mountain. This time, her inner energy didn't cut off mid-flight, and within moments, she reached the pavilion. She turned around, marveling at the distance she had covered in such a short time, and was again awed by ancient martial prowess.

"Not bad this time!" Ye Qingran praised as he landed beside her.

Yun Qianyue lifted her chin smugly, "Of course! I got here first, so now I'm ordering you to catch some fish and grill them for me!"

Ye Qingran looked startled but then burst out laughing. After he'd laughed enough, he replied, "Alright, I'll catch the fish, and you can go pick some lotus leaves from that half-stem lotus patch over there."

"No problem!" Yun Qianyue scanned the area halfway up the mountain, spotting a dense patch of half-stem lotus blooming vividly on the right side of the pavilion. On the left was a narrow river, its clear water showing the underwater algae and stones. A natural waterfall poured down the mountain into the river, flowing downstream toward the mountain's base. Curious, she asked, "What river is this, and where does it flow?"

"This is the Fragrant Spring River, which flows five hundred miles to the Green Forest Town waterways. That town is a major river port for sea salt and passenger boats," Ye Qingran said, heading toward the river.

"Oh!" Yun Qianyue nodded. "So, all the fish along the way to Green Forest Town must be pretty tasty, right?"

"Not really! Only fish raised in the Fragrant Spring Mountain's waters are this tasty. Once you're past the mountain, you can't find anything nearly as good. Other waters mix into the river, so with all those impurities, the fish there aren't as flavorful. And don't forget that it's only the lotus grown here in the Fragrant Spring water that has this unique flavor. Only half-stem lotus grilled fish has such a taste. I've traveled for years and never found a better fish than the ones from here." Ye Qingran broke a branch from a nearby tree, snapping it to make a fishing stick.

"I see!" Yun Qianyue nodded.

"Hurry up and bring me a lotus leaf," Ye Qingran called to Yun Qianyue.

"Coming!" Yun Qianyue turned toward the right of the pavilion, where a mass of half-stem lotus spread out, its branches and leaves dense, with petals in hues of purple, red, orange, yellow, and white. Their fragrance filled the air, almost as if the lotus scent were washing over her entire body. She took a deep breath and plucked a leaf, throwing it toward Ye Qingran, "Here, catch!"

With a flick of her wrist, the lotus leaf shot forward, swift and direct, like an arrow cutting through the air.

Yun Qianyue was momentarily startled, glancing at her hand. She realized that, just as when she had unintentionally overpowered the Fourth Prince, her dantian's energy had surged from her arm to her hand, imbuing her movement with strength and precision beyond her normal control. But this time, her power was even greater than before.

Ye Qingran was also caught off guard. Seeing the lotus leaf hurtling toward his chest, he quickly sidestepped, grabbing it mid-air, but still feeling a slight numbness in his hand from the impact. He looked at her, wide-eyed, "Sister Yue, were you trying to kill me?"

—————

Dear fans! The new book, Reborn as a Campus Spy, is now live with updates! 🎉

This is a story of rebirth and rise: she was once the number one ranked international spy, a master of firearms, assassination, and hacking. But fate took a twist, and she's reborn as an ordinary ninth-grade student, facing a weak and helpless family and countless challenges. Yet to her, weakness is just a facade—she uses her calm and strength to strike back, gradually revealing the prowess of her former life as a spy.

Each chapter will take you through the journey of a rising campus legend as she fights back from the brink, becoming a hero admired by all! 💥 Don't miss out, and I'm thrilled to have you join me on this exciting journey of rebirth!