Noticing his younger sister’s envious gaze, Li Ming grew more and more animated as he spoke. “When the journey isn’t too rushed, we drive the horses into the woods to hunt. Pheasants, wild rabbits—your brother here never misses a shot.”
“After plucking the pheasant and removing its innards, we skewer it over a fire and roast it. It smells wonderful!”
“In the countryside, without any seasonings to cook with, how could it possibly taste good?” Li Sushu felt that he had deliberately embellished his experiences on the road. She did not think that traveling far from home in this era was fun at all.
Li Yueyue, on the other hand, yearned for every sight she had never seen and every experience she had never had, listening with great interest.
“What would a little girl like you know? The whole point of wild game is to preserve its original flavor. That’s what makes it fresh and delicious!”
As they spoke, they unknowingly arrived outside Madam Wang’s reception hall. Inside, Madam Wang and Concubine Zhao were seated on opposite sides, playing chess, while their respective maids stood behind them in attendance.
The three siblings bowed and paid their respects to Madam Wang, then gave Concubine Zhao a half-bow.
Concubine Zhao hurriedly set down the white piece in her hand, rose, and returned their half-bow.
Madam Wang glanced at the chessboard and said with a smile, “You came at just the right time. We’ll stop here. If we continue, I’m going to lose.”
A smile touched the corners of Concubine Zhao’s lips as she said modestly, “It is only because Madam has been going easy on me.”
Li Ming was quite interested in the game. He stepped forward and studied the board for a moment before picking up a black piece and placing it at a crucial point. The black stones were unexpectedly brought back from the brink of defeat.
Seeing this, Madam Wang suggested, “Why don’t you finish this game with Concubine Zhao, Ming’er? That way, we can see which of you has the better chess skills.”
“I was just about to ask Concubine Zhao to instruct me,” Li Ming said. In front of his elders, he was clearly much more modest.
Concubine Zhao hurriedly said, “I dare not claim to instruct the Eldest Young Master. From what I see, that move of yours turned certain defeat into survival. Your chess skills have already surpassed mine.”
At that moment, Li Yueyue tugged at Madam Wang’s sleeve and wheedled, “Mother, can’t you let me return to our old home with Brother to deliver the festival gifts?”
Li Ming’s chess piece slipped from his fingers in fright and dropped into the chess bowl.
“Don’t. If we take you along, I’m afraid we still won’t have reached our old home even after the Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Madam Wang touched her daughter’s fair, delicate cheek. “How could you endure the hardships of such a long journey? Besides, if you spend several days traveling in this weather, you’ll get tanned, and then you won’t be beautiful anymore.”
“Mother, please let me go! I’m not afraid of hardship or exhaustion, and I’m not afraid of getting tanned.” Li Yueyue pouted and pleaded.
Then she turned on Li Ming. “Brother, be quiet. How much time could taking me along possibly delay? It would only mean bringing one extra carriage. We could even share one carriage, just the two of us.”
She turned to ask Li Sushu, “You want to go too, don’t you, little sister?”
Since entering the room and sitting down, Li Sushu had been gnawing on a pear. She waved both hands repeatedly. “I don’t want to go. I’m afraid of hardship, and I’m afraid of being tired.”
“Just look at how self-aware Third Sister is, unlike certain people.” Li Ming grinned roguishly, not forgetting to place another piece on the chessboard.
Furious, Li Yueyue ran over and pounded him twice. “If you don’t know how to speak properly, then keep your mouth shut!”
She ran back and continued clinging to Madam Wang, wheedling and pleading until Madam Wang was thoroughly annoyed.
Madam Wang silently grumbled at her son. What was he thinking, boasting to his sister about traveling away from home for no reason?
“All right, all right. I can’t make this decision. Wait until your father comes back and ask him! As long as your father agrees, I have no objection.”
When she did not want to agree to something, of course she would push the matter onto the master of the household.
Li Yueyue jumped up happily. “Mother, you have to keep your word!”
Madam Wang helplessly shook her head. “Don’t celebrate too soon. Whether your father agrees or not is still uncertain.”
What a silly girl. Why insist on suffering for no reason?
What was there to enjoy about returning to their old home? The people there were not all easy to get along with.
In autumn, the sun set early, and the sky gradually darkened.
The maids began lighting candles and lamps. Only then did Li Weidong leave the government office and return home.
As soon as he entered the residence, young servants and maids ran to announce his arrival. After receiving the news, Madam Wang instructed the maids to set the meal, while other young maids brought in basin after basin of warm water and waited for their masters to wash their hands.
Li Yueyue walked to the entrance of the reception hall to welcome her father.
Everyone inside also rose to pay their respects.
“Father, you’re home! Are you tired? Are you hungry?” Li Yueyue pretended to support her father to the seat of honor. She took the bronze basin brought by a maid and diligently attended to him as he washed his hands.
“All right, all right. Your father isn’t so old that he needs to be supported.” After sitting down, Li Weidong looked suspiciously at his daughter, then washed his hands with the water she was holding.
He took the handkerchief the maid offered and dried his hands. “Speak. What trouble have you gotten into?”
When she was suddenly this obedient and ingratiating, either she wanted something or had caused trouble and was trying to act innocent.
Li Weidong understood the children of his household quite well.
Li Yueyue secretly glanced at her mother and gathered her courage to make her request. “Father, I want to return to our old home with Brother to deliver the festival gifts.”
Without even thinking about it, Li Weidong replied, “Ask your mother about that.”
He was very comfortable leaving the children’s upbringing to his wife.
“Mother said that if Father agrees, then she agrees too.”
Li Weidong pondered for several moments. Now that the child was grown enough to take care of herself, wanting to go out and broaden her horizons was a good thing.
Great Qi had been established for only a little over a decade. Its people were bold and rugged, and women were not restricted from going out.
Women who were talented and capable could even become officials or lead troops into battle.
His two daughters had mediocre aptitude for their studies, were not diligent, and had no ambition at all.
He felt that women did not need to support a household, so after his daughters had spent several years at school learning a few characters, he had stopped sending them there the previous year.
Afterward, he hired a tutor for the household to teach them needlework and women’s handicrafts.
His daughters stayed at home all day. Going out for a walk was not necessarily a bad thing.
Besides, when returning to their old home, they would be escorted by loyal servants the whole way. What danger could there be?
Even if they encountered a few petty thieves, none of them would dare provoke a convoy of several dozen people traveling under an official document and in such grand fashion.
Furthermore, he had checked the almanac. Tomorrow was an auspicious day for travel in every respect, so it would not be good to change the date.
Li Weidong shook his head. He feared his daughter would be disappointed—unless she could pack her luggage that very night and join them on time the next morning.
“Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. I approve of your wish to return to our old home and have a look around.
“However, we have already decided to set out tomorrow, and it would be inconvenient to change the date. If you want to go, pack your luggage tonight and gather in the front hall tomorrow morning.
“Also, you may bring only one maid or nanny. Bringing too many people would require preparing additional carriages, which would inevitably make the journey cumbersome.”
“One more thing: if you want to go, then both of you sisters must go together. I will not favor one over the other.”
Li Yueyue looked pleadingly at Li Sushu, as if saying, Please, come with me!
If you don’t go, Father definitely won’t let me go either.
Li Sushu turned her head away. She really did not want to go!
She was lazy and liked staying within her own comfort zone.
If she traveled far from home, she had not even made her mooncakes yet, nor had she prepared the dry rations and seasonings.
Unable to withstand Li Yueyue’s coaxing and pleading, she ultimately agreed to return to their old home together.
There was too little time. After leaving Madam Wang’s courtyard, the two sisters returned to their own rooms to pack their luggage.
The maids would take care of the clothes, shoes, and socks. Li Sushu planned to write down the recipe for snow-skin mooncakes and give it to Madam Wang.
After all, the ingredients had already been prepared. Wouldn’t it be wasteful not to make them?