Chapter Sixty-Two: Going to the Manor

Liu Qin immediately twisted back and forth in delight, clapping her hands with joy. Wonderful! In all her years, aside from spending one night at Guiyuan Temple, she had hardly ever ventured beyond the Liu residence. Now, with her mother planning to spend the summer at the estate, she was determined to go along, eager to relax and have some fun.

Seeing Liu Qin so excited, the old madam shook her head in amusement. “You child, the moment you hear you can go out to play, you get this overjoyed. Sit properly—where’s the grace of a proper young lady?”

These days, the old madam’s every word was about being a proper lady, for she was truly anxious. Her one and only cherished daughter—no matter how she looked at her, from any angle—simply did not resemble a young lady of refinement. How could she not worry? She wanted to discipline her, but her husband wouldn’t allow it, saying the child was still young and didn’t need to be so restrained. Yet if she left her undisciplined, she feared the girl's reputation would suffer and she’d never find a good match.

Liu Qin understood her mother’s worries well enough. If she could, she’d have loved to reassure her: “Mother, don’t fret. Your well-behaved son-in-law and daughter have already been found, right here at home, and you’ll be perfectly satisfied. Besides, with the way I dress and act, looking every inch the dashing young man, talk of being a refined lady is a joke. No matter how reserved I try to be, I’ll never quite fit the mold.” But Liu Qin dared not utter such thoughts aloud—if she did, her mother would likely smack her then and there.

After much preparation, the trip to the estate was finally set for mid-June. With the heat unbearable, Master Liu and the old madam decided, after discussion, to give the children a holiday from their studies so all could go and enjoy the countryside.

Tutor Zhou took the chance to visit his family, while Master Mu would not accompany them. At Liu Qin’s request, the old madam agreed to let Xiao Wu come along. Master Mu, though not joining, assigned everyone homework—the daily horse stance exercises must continue, supervised by Lei Hu. As Master Mu said, martial arts required constant diligence to lay a solid foundation and make progress.

Everyone was thrilled by the news, chattering for days about what to pack. The Liu household was in a merry uproar. With so many people going, there were naturally many servants as well—Cuiliu, Cuiyu, Xing Sheng, An Kang, and Datong all came along. Lei Hu, of course, would follow wherever the young lady went. There were also servants attending to Haige and Chao Ge, as well as those serving the old madam and the main lady; all told, a veritable flock. No wonder, in ancient times, people found travel troublesome—such an entourage made it a major undertaking.

In the end, they filled six carriages. Changxing and the other young servants sat up with the drivers to make room for everyone.

Three carriages were for the family: one for the old madam; another for Cai Xinlan with Haige and Chao Ge; and a third where Liu Qin, Jiang Li, Fang Nuo, and Xiao Wu—four half-grown children—were squeezed together. Cuiliu, Cuiyu, and the other maids and matrons crowded into the remaining three carriages.

Lei Hu, not one to cram in with the others, rode a tall horse at the head of a squad of guards, escorting their party out of the city toward the estate.

Liu Qin lifted the curtain and gazed outside, watching Lei Hu cut an imposing figure on horseback. She felt a twinge of envy—how wonderful it would be to learn to ride one day and experience the thrill of galloping across the fields.

Jiang Li, sitting beside Liu Qin, guessed her thoughts. He turned and smiled, “When you’re older, Lei Hu can teach you.”

“Really?” Liu Qin brightened, but then another question occurred to her—when exactly is one considered ‘grown up’? Did she have to wait until her hair-pinning ceremony at fifteen?

“Pfft.” Xiao Wu, sitting opposite, let out a disdainful snort.

At Xiao Wu’s mocking, Jiang Li and Fang Nuo’s faces both soured, but Liu Qin was used to his tone and paid him no mind. Instead, she grinned and asked, “Xiao Wu, you must know how to ride, right? When did you learn?”

Still proud and aloof, Xiao Wu answered quietly, “At three.”

“Three years old?” Impossible! At three, children can barely walk straight. Xiao Wu really is a marvel. Why are there so many prodigies around me? Thankfully, Jiang Li, though smart, is still within the bounds of normalcy.

“Three? Who’d believe that?” Fang Nuo curled his lips in disbelief, his foxy eyes full of skepticism—as if to say, go ahead and brag, it costs nothing.

Xiao Wu said nothing, his expression indifferent as if he couldn’t care less who believed him.

But Liu Qin believed him. With Xiao Wu’s temperament, he’d never make things up. If he said so, it must be true. She looked at him with genuine admiration, showering him with praise, “Xiao Wu, you’re amazing! So talented, learning to ride at such a young age. No wonder your martial arts are so good. Xiao Wu, will you teach me to ride?”

Flattered by her admiration, Xiao Wu’s eyes sparkled with delight, and he nodded.

“It’s settled, then. You can’t go back on your word.” Liu Qin leaned back in delight, but as she turned her head, she caught Jiang Li’s disgruntled look. Hastily, she sidled up to him, grinning, “Brother Li, let’s learn together, all right?”

Jiang Li, softened by her fawning, tapped her nose in resignation. “You’re still too young. Auntie won’t allow it.”

At the mention of her mother, Liu Qin sighed and slumped back, crestfallen.

Her mood swings—from elation to dejection—amused the others, and laughter filled the carriage. In that cheerful atmosphere, they soon arrived at the estate without realizing it.

The Liu family estate lay just outside the southern part of the city, not far from Wucheng—half an hour by carriage at most. There were other estates in the area, but none as large as Liu’s.

The estate had originally been her maternal grandfather’s wedding gift to his daughter. The old madam’s maiden name was Gao, so the estate had once been called the Gao Family Manor. That thought always made Liu Qin chuckle in private—Gao Family Manor, wasn’t that where Pigsy’s father-in-law lived? Her mother turned out to be a daughter of Gao Manor, so did that make her father... well, if he ever heard his daughter likened him to Pigsy, he’d probably be fuming!

The Gao family had once been a distinguished clan, even more illustrious than the Lius, so they spared no expense on their daughter’s dowry. The Liu estate was vast, spanning more than a hundred acres, with a hundred more acres of fertile fields cultivated by local villagers.

As they approached, they saw lush green crops in the fields, with farmers hard at work. When the procession of carriages passed, the farmers looked up, curious, but soon returned to their labors. The estate’s entrance road had been well maintained, lined with peach and pear trees bearing pale, unripe fruit. Outside the estate was a large pond where ducks splashed, and from afar, the sounds of chickens and dogs reached their ears—a tranquil, pastoral scene.

Liu Qin fell in love with the place at first sight. Perhaps it was her playful nature, but compared to the ornate halls and flowing streams of the Liu mansion, she much preferred this unfettered country life.

As they traveled, Liu Qin resolved: one day, she would build an estate just as grand—turn it into a cheerful haven where everyone could live happily. Yes, she’d call it Happy Village, a place where all its people could live with joy.

Lost in her pleasant thoughts, she was brought back to reality by Changsheng’s voice outside the carriage: “Miss, young masters, we’ve arrived.”