Chapter 29, Chapter 7: The Heir Apparent's Wife
Xu Qingzhou didn't react for a moment.
"What new gentleman?"
As soon as he asked the question, he immediately understood what he meant.
Is this because the change in his handwriting is related to the change of his teacher?
Xu Qingzhou raised an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile.
"You'll understand once you've married."
Xu Mingche froze, his gaze blank.
Xu Qingzhou didn't explain further, dusted off his sleeves, and left the pavilion.
Upon returning to Chengruixuan, Xu Qingzhou saw Xueya directing people to carry a box into the study.
He hesitated for a moment, but still walked over.
"What is this for?"
Xueya curtsied respectfully.
"Your Highness, these are the books that Madam usually sees. She just ordered us to organize them and move them to the study."
"..."
Xu Qingzhou glanced at the box.
The box wasn't sealed, and at a glance, it was indeed full of books.
Thinking of what Yu Wanwan said when she left that morning, I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine.
"These...are they all meant for me to see?"
Xueya smiled, pursing her lips.
"This servant doesn't know either."
"..."
Xu Qingzhou pressed his temples.
"Where is Madam?"
"The lady went out to buy some things, and Tinglan went with her."
Xu Qingzhou didn't ask any more questions.
Xueya directed people to take the books out of the box and arrange them neatly on the bookshelf. Then she bowed to Xu Qingzhou and led her people away.
After Xueya and the others left, Xu Qingzhou went to the bookshelf and randomly picked up a book.
The Hermit's Record of Mountains and Rivers
Xu Qingzhou paused for a moment when he heard the book title.
During this time, he had finished organizing and summarizing the original owner's memories, but he had never heard of such a book.
Out of curiosity, I turned the pages of the book.
"I have no interest in fame or fortune, but only wish to devote myself to nature and live as a carefree hermit. For decades, I have followed the footsteps of the Da Rui Mountains and rivers, seeking out secluded spots and scenic wonders. In my twilight years, my steps have become increasingly frail, and I can no longer venture into the dangers of the mountains and rivers. However, I have traveled extensively throughout my life and have seen and heard a great deal. I fear that time will obscure this knowledge, so I have taken up my pen to record it, hoping to pass it on to future generations and share it with those who come after."
This is clearly a travelogue.
Xu Qingzhou suddenly became interested.
The original owner's books, apart from the Four Books and Five Classics, were almost entirely collections of elegant poetry.
In the original owner's eyes, these travelogues were nothing more than low-class travel musings, which he felt were beneath him.
Upon actually reading it, Xu Qingzhou discovered that it was quite different from the novel/biography he had imagined.
This travelogue records the local customs, traditions, and geographical wonders of various places in the Great Rui region in a humorous and witty way.
Even the farming activities of ordinary people are vividly depicted.
It was not boring at all to read, and even helped Xu Qingzhou learn about many of the customs and lands of Da Rui that he had never seen in the original owner's memories.
What caught Xu Qingzhou's attention the most was that the travelogue mentioned a desert at the end.
In the northernmost part of Da Rui, there is a desert called Han Hai, a vast expanse of sand that stretches for hundreds of miles and is uninhabited.
He once traveled to Linsha County, which is closest to the Gobi Desert.
Located on a major transportation route, it was an important stop for desert caravans. The town had a market where merchants from all over the world gathered, creating a prosperous scene.
"I remember when I was young, I rode my horse across the desert and followed a camel caravan deep into the Gobi Desert. At that time, the desert was vast, but the city was still separated from the desert by fertile fields. Amidst the melodious camel bells, there was greenery as far as the eye could see. Now that I am old and revisiting, I vaguely see that the edge of the desert seems to be closer to the city than before. Upon closer inspection, I think it may be due to the wind and sand obscuring the view. However, looking into the distance, all I see is yellow sand filling the sky. I have no trace of the greenery of the past. How strange, how strange!"
Xu Qingzhou's eyes narrowed. He stroked a corner of the book, turned to the title page, and glanced at the time.
This travelogue was written more than thirty years ago.
The author's name has also become obscured.
"What are you looking at?"
Yu Wanwan's voice pulled Xu Qingzhou out of his travelogue.
He looked up and saw Yu Wanwan stepping into the study against the light.
Xu Qingzhou revealed the cover, and Yu Wanwan glanced at it, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"What did you see?"
Xu Qingzhou hesitated for a few seconds.
"How is Linsha County?"
Yu Wanwan didn't answer. Instead, she walked to the bookshelf, looked up, took out another book, and handed it to him.
Xu Qingzhou accepted it.
Compared to the travelogue that was somewhat like a novel or autobiography, this one is much more serious.
The Great Gazetteer of Rui
Just by looking at the title, you can tell what the book is about.
It simply records the mountain ranges and river networks of Da Rui and draws maps on them.
He had seen similar books on the original owner's bookshelf.
Xu Qingzhou still opened it and started reading.
Upon closer inspection, he realized that the book Yu Wanwan had given him was far more detailed than the one on the original owner's bookshelf.
This comprehensive record of geography not only records and maps mountains and rivers, but also records the products, taxes, and even the population of each prefecture and county within the entire Da Rui territory.
The maps drawn above should be more detailed.
With just one glance, one can have a clear understanding of the vast territory of the Great Rui.
In particular, the book combines geographical features with human culture, and in this era of inconvenient transportation, one can imagine how beneficial this would be to the government's governance, even though Xu Qingzhou has not yet entered politics.
He was deeply impressed by the people who drew this map and amazed by their wisdom and perseverance.
In such a backward era, it's incredible that such a map could be drawn. I wonder how much manpower, resources, and time it must have taken to complete it.
Indeed, one should never underestimate people from any era!
Compared to these, Xu Qingzhou was more curious about something else.
Where did you get this book from?
Yu Wanwan didn't pay much attention.
"My father gave it to me."
Changrong Bo was fond of literature, and Xi Qingyao was his daughter, as well as his eldest daughter. She was exposed to literature from a young age and naturally read a lot of books.
The Earl of Changrong was naturally very pleased that his eldest daughter loved reading, and he gave her many of his books.
Of course, what was given was not the original, but a reprint that Changrongbo had himself commissioned.
Yu Wanwan tapped the book in his hand.
"Didn't you want to see Linsha County?"
Xu Qingzhou belatedly realized her background, coughed lightly, and lowered his head to examine her.
In this map, the northernmost part is still the vast desert, but...
The travelogue mentions that Linsha County, which was once a transportation hub between the desert and the Central Plains and was located hundreds of miles away from the desert, has now been incorporated into the desert and become a city in the desert.
Xu Qingzhou's suspicions were confirmed, and his heart sank.
The desert is shifting southward...
This is not a good sign.
Having been thoroughly outmaneuvered by Yu Wanwan, Xu Qingzhou no longer readily applies the knowledge he learned in his later life.
He pursed his lips, calmed his mind, and carefully examined the travelogue.
Yu Wanwan didn't disturb him and quietly left the study.
In the time that followed, Xu Qingzhou immersed himself in those books, reading them even more intently than the Four Books and Five Classics.
Yu Wanwan didn't bother him at this time, she just came to check on him every day and gave him some token instructions to the servants to take good care of him.
While Xu Qingzhou was immersed in the sea of books, Chengruixuan welcomed an unexpected guest.
Yu Wanwan waved her round fan, looked at the person sitting opposite her, and raised her eyebrows slightly.
"Why is Mingche here?"
Xu Mingche was extremely reserved, his head slightly lowered, and he didn't dare to look at her at all.
He quickly stood up, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and answered politely.
"Sister-in-law, Mingche wanted to visit my elder brother. Is he in?"
"oh?"
Yu Wanwan was somewhat surprised and looked him up and down.
Xu Mingche, at present, has not yet been deliberately cultivated by Marquis Chengqing. Although he is not as timid and hesitant as other illegitimate sons, he still lacks the temperament to carry himself.
If there's anything outstanding about him, it's his scholarly air that emanates from within; he's refined, self-disciplined, and courteous.
And what the original young master disliked most was precisely these things about him.
After Xu Qingzhou arrived, although he didn't ridicule him like the young master did, he certainly wouldn't give him a kind look in order to maintain the young master's image.
When did these two become so close that Xu Mingche, who always avoids the young master, would take the initiative to come and visit?
Yu Wanwan beckoned and called Tinglan over.
"Tinglan, take the Second Young Master to see the Heir Apparent."
"yes."
Xu Mingche relaxed a little, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, performing the most rigorous etiquette with perfect precision.
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
"Um."
Yu Wanwan casually responded and watched Xu Mingche follow Tinglan downstairs.
Only after the two figures disappeared did she look at Xueya.
Xueya was quick-witted and immediately stepped forward, bent down and whispered in her ear, telling her everything that Xu Qingzhou had done that day in the garden when he encountered Marquis Chengqing and Xu Mingche.
After listening, Yu Wanwan roughly understood why Xu Mingche's attitude had changed.
Her feelings were probably similar to Xu Qingzhou's at that time.
It's amazing that such a simple thing could change his attitude towards someone who had disliked him since childhood and constantly mocked him.
That's really true...
They're so simple-minded.
With nothing exciting to see, Yu Wanwan instantly lost the desire to pry. She waved her hand, dismissing Xueya.
Yu Wanwan was unaware of what had happened between Xu Qingzhou and Xu Mingche.
But ever since that day, Xu Mingche has always come to Chengruixuan.
He didn't go directly to Xu Qingzhou; he always went to the main hall first, met Yu Wanwan, and greeted her before Yu Wanwan sent someone to take him there.
Even though she had already told the servants to take him directly to the study when he came again, without him having to come to her to pay his respects, she couldn't stop Xu Mingche from coming.
Moreover, Yu Wanwan also noticed that this was different from the first two times when he was so reserved that he didn't dare to look at her.
Now, Xu Mingche always steals glances at her with his eyes gleaming, and whenever she looks at him, he always tries to cover it up, like burying his head in the sand.
All these differences made Yu Wanwan feel uncomfortable and completely confused.
If she were any more narcissistic, she would have thought that Xu Mingche had fallen for her.
She herself didn't indulge in that kind of narcissistic thinking, but she couldn't control what others thought.
Within just a few days, rumors began to circulate in the Marquis's residence.
These rumors, unsurprisingly, reached Lady Hou's ears.
Lady Hou had been in charge of the household for so many years, and she never made a big fuss over such unfounded rumors.
She first secretly dealt with and sold off the servants who had spoken the harshest, and then sent someone to Chengrui Pavilion to invite Yu Wanwan.
The visitor was Madam Hou's confidante, Granny Dong.
At that time, Yu Wanwan was in the study, checking Xu Qingzhou's study progress.
"Madam, Granny Dong has arrived."
Author's Note: Are there any worlds you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments!
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