The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 172: A Stick to Drive Them Out (4)

"This old geezer!" Yun Qianyue fumed.

Cailian stifled a laugh, thinking how amusing Old Lord and Miss were together. He seemed to delight in teasing her, but she knew he truly doted on her, allowing only himself to bully her and no one else.

"Miss, hurry along now! The carriage is waiting at the main gate," Yun Meng called out as he turned and walked away.

Yun Qianyue stood up and started walking out, with Cailian sneaking amused glances behind her. The two left Qianyue Pavilion.

At the gate of the Yun Prince's residence, a brand-new carriage awaited them. Though it lacked the luxury of Rongjing's sandalwood carriage, it was made from top-quality wood. The carriage was draped in colorful ribbons, fluttering in the breeze, with a fine red horse at the front. From head to tail, the horse was decked out in little bells and trinkets that jingled whenever the wind blew.

Yun Qianyue sighed, looking at the flamboyant carriage and horse. Did they really need such a grand display? She felt like a courtesan parading through the streets. She glanced at Cailian, who looked delighted with the sight of the carriage.

"Miss, you finally have your own carriage! Isn't it wonderful?" Cailian said.

"You didn't notice anything off about the decorations on this carriage?" Yun Qianyue asked.

"This carriage was decorated according to your taste! Think about your previous horse—wasn't it like this too?" Cailian replied, as if it were perfectly normal.

"So it's my 'taste' then!" Yun Qianyue sighed, glancing back at the carriage. "Well, if I go out like this, I'm sure everyone on the street will be gawking instead of minding their own business."

Cailian giggled, "Exactly! No one will block Miss's path, and we'll get to where we're going smoothly."

"Hm." Yun Qianyue lifted the curtain and got into the carriage.

Cailian followed close behind, hopping in after her. The driver cracked the whip, and the carriage started off smoothly.

Just as Cailian had predicted, the route took them along two main streets. The Yun Prince's residence was in the eastern part of the capital, while the Rong Prince's residence lay to the north. The ancient adage spoke of east and west as honored, and north and south as noble. When the Heavenly Saint Dynasty's founding emperor allocated the four major prince's residences, Yun Prince's residence was given the east, Rong Prince's residence the north, the Duke of De's residence the south, and the Duke of Xiao's residence the west, with all four converging around the palace in the city center.

As their carriage wound its way through the streets, colorful ribbons fluttered, and the bells jingled non-stop.

The passersby who saw the carriage and horse immediately thought of Yun Qianyue. Seeing the carriage's emblem, they weren't surprised and quickly made way for her.

Cailian lifted the curtain slightly and whispered to Yun Qianyue, "Miss, look, everyone knows it's you and is giving way! I told you, Miss, that traveling this way would be smooth sailing!"

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes, "Thank goodness they're letting me through and not treating me like a rat in the street that everyone wants to chase off!"

"Not at all! Though Miss has a reputation for being spoiled and unruly, you are much better liked among the common folk than those so-called proper young ladies. Miss has done a lot of good for the people, too! You've set up soup kitchens and aided refugees; the people have seen it with their own eyes. Honestly, your reputation is all due to those in the capital with nothing better to do than spread tales. And those shelters for orphans? You've set those up too, but no one knows," Cailian explained.

"Really? I'm actually that nice?" Yun Qianyue blinked, surprised.

"Oh, Miss, you're getting forgetful! If I hadn't stayed by your side all this time, I'd really think you'd been replaced!" Cailian rolled her eyes. "You did all of this secretly. I've been with you for half a year and only once accompanied you to visit those children. And since it's so discreet, naturally, no one else knows."

Yun Qianyue smiled. "If everyone did good deeds for fame, it would defeat the purpose of kindness." Seeing that Cailian only half-understood her words, she added softly, "In a few days, we'll go check on those children. Keeping it private was just to avoid drawing attention and disrupting their lives."

"Yes, Miss is right." Cailian nodded. "Many of those children were ones you saved from those truly wild noble scions in the capital who used people as targets for amusement! If anyone knew, they'd surely interfere."

"Hm." Yun Qianyue nodded, deep in thought about the former owner of this body.

Since arriving in this world, she had only heard of this body's faults: illiterate, unskilled in arts, music, or embroidery, with even her martial arts regarded as purely for show. Obsessed with Ye Tianqing, subjected to the bullying of concubines and half-siblings in the household, a pampered young lady who wouldn't listen to reason, known for her crimes and misdemeanors. But, perhaps, there was more to her story.

Though she had no memory, Yun Qianyue sensed that the original Yun Qianyue was likely quite intelligent. The elegant simplicity of her room's decor was not something an uncultured person could arrange. There was her previously immense inner power, and now these secret acts of kindness she had learned about from Cailian. How could these all belong to someone as wicked as her reputation?

She began to feel that all of this might be an elaborate disguise.

This carriage and that overly decorated horse were so garish—but it matched the supposed character of a girl without taste. She was supposedly incapable of the arts women should know, and her true skills in martial arts were kept hidden.

But why would she choose to maintain such a facade?

Unfortunately, these questions had no answers; the original owner of this body was gone. There was also the mystery of her death. Yun Qianyue had come to this world abruptly, without any wounds on her body or memories. It was as if the original had simply vanished into thin air, leaving her here.

A thousand questions swirled in Yun Qianyue's mind. Since arriving, she hadn't had the time to think deeply, but now, prompted by Cailian's words, she realized something was amiss. This body, outwardly simple, seemed to hide many secrets. If that was the case, then all the bad reputation she'd heard about could very well have been a ruse.

Until she fully understood, she'd have to keep up the act.