The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 188: Dark and Boundless (4)

"The Young Master only took Xian Ge with him. I'm afraid only Xian Ge knows where he went," Qingquan sighed enviously. "I really envy Xian Ge, being able to go out with the Young Master every year, while we have to stay here."

"Who told you that you don't have Xian Ge's martial skills? Keep practicing! The Young Master said that one day, if you beat Xian Ge, he'll take you out too," QingShang teased with a smile.

Qingquan huffed. "I'll definitely beat him!"
QingShang chuckled and shook her head. "I used to think that as long as the Young Master is well, we'd ask for nothing. Now, with Heaven's blessing, the Young Master is finally better, and we don't have to worry every day that he might leave us."

"Yeah, it's all thanks to Miss Qianyue," Qingquan agreed, nodding.

"It's a pity that Miss Qianyue has such a high status. If she weren't the only legitimate daughter of Prince Yun's residence, I'd hope she would marry our Young Master. They don't get along, and their personalities are completely different, but somehow, when they're together, whether standing or sitting, they just seem to be the perfect match," QingShang whispered.

"I wish for that too! But don't think about it. If the Young Master likes her, he'll find a way to marry her. If he doesn't, it won't matter how much we like her," Qingquan teased, glancing at QingShang. "Sis, stop worrying. At this rate, Xian Ge will snatch you away."

"Go away, you brat! You're getting more and more mischievous!" QingShang flushed slightly and pretended to swat him.
Qingquan quickly dodged, and the two of them laughed and left the study.

Inside, Yun Qianyue was already engrossed in the books on the shelf. She started from the first row, flipping through each book and comparing it to what she had learned. Some books that she didn't remember from her prior knowledge she set aside, while the ones she recognized were quickly skipped.
She became so absorbed in her reading that she didn't realize it had grown dark. Only when the room became too dim to see did she finally call out, "QingShang, bring me a lamp!"

"Miss Qianyue, would you like to have dinner now?" QingShang asked.
"Bring the food here," Yun Qianyue hesitated slightly before answering.
"Alright!" QingShang immediately left.

Before long, QingShang returned with a glowing night pearl, illuminating the study as brightly as daylight. Yun Qianyue glanced at the night pearl, which was the size of a fist, and smirked. Rongjing really has all sorts of treasures. After spending so many days surrounded by these things, I've become used to them.

"This night pearl was left behind by the princess. The Young Master never used it, but he's worried that Miss Qianyue will strain her eyes, so he had me bring it in for you," QingShang explained, having prepared everything. She asked, "Miss Qianyue, should I serve your meal?"
"No need. I'll do it myself. You go rest. There's no need for you to wait outside for me," Yun Qianyue said as she walked to the table, waving her hand for QingShang to leave.
QingShang nodded and retreated.

Yun Qianyue continued to read while eating. After the meal, she buried herself in the books again until she became drowsy. Then she lay down on the soft couch that Qingquan had brought in. It felt like returning to the old days—reading and sleeping, with nothing else to do.

For the next few days, the cycle continued—dawn would break, then night would fall, only for the day to begin again. Yun Qianyue tirelessly immersed herself in the books. After going through dozens of rows, she had only a few books left, and she had lost track of the days passing by.

While Qingquan and QingShang were concerned about Yun Qianyue's health, they spared no effort in preparing her meals.

One day, Yun Qianyue finally finished skimming through the books in Rongjing's study. She set down the last book, looking at the pile of books she had yet to read. There were more than a hundred remaining, including ancient tomes, rare chronicles from centuries ago, and a few on medicine and poisons. Some were extremely old, their pages yellowed with age, and there were even a few written on bamboo slips. These books were evidently hard to find on the market, and the previous owner of this body had never read them. The rest were books about strange tales and stories of common folk, which she quickly went through.

She stretched and yawned, feeling the stiffness in her body. She then called out, "QingShang, what day is it today?"

"It's the fourteenth day, Miss. It's just past noon," QingShang responded from outside.

"Good. Bring me lunch here. I'm going to finish reading these today," Yun Qianyue said, rubbing her sore shoulders. She then asked, "Has Rongjing returned yet?"

"No, Miss. The Young Master hasn't returned to the manor yet," QingShang replied.

Yun Qianyue frowned, wondering what Rongjing was up to, leaving her here for nearly half a month without a word. She couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore and began adjusting her posture, practicing Tai Chi to loosen up her stiff arms and legs.

When QingShang didn't hear her voice anymore, she immediately went downstairs to prepare the meal.

After lunch, Yun Qianyue continued to focus on the remaining books. She started with the rare volumes and ancient texts. The pace slowed as she encountered books that were not familiar to her, but her photographic memory, along with her ability to absorb and convert the knowledge of this body, allowed her to work through even the more difficult material.

As evening came, she had finished reading the last few books on medicine and poison. Since it was still early and she wasn't tired, she picked up a book of local stories and began to read it. She found it amusing, and before she knew it, she was reading one story after another, unable to stop.

When the night had fully settled in and the study had become too dark to read, she was about to call QingShang for a light. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching the door. The door creaked open, and she thought to herself, Has he finally returned? Without lifting her head from her book, she called out, "You're back just in time—light a lamp for me!"