The Yan family girls had actually hired a female teacher for lessons.
Yan Zigui attended one class, then said she was crude and could not understand, so she didn’t want to listen anymore.
Mrs. Song let her be. It was spring, the time for having fun. Not wanting to study was normal.
Gancao was a little worried. “At least show some manners at home so the mistress sees how good you are. If you don’t learn house management, skip lessons, and don’t get close to your brothers and sisters, people might think badly of you.”
“The old lady knows what to worry about,” Yan Zigui said.
“I feel free like this,” she continued. “I still interact with my sister-in-law and Third Sister. It’s not like I don’t socialize at all.”
“The house management lessons are annoying. Girl school… I get headaches listening to those rules about how girls should behave. Why not learn something useful instead of this nonsense?”
“I just worry the mistress might think you are rebellious and dislike you,” Gancao said. Watching her, she realized Second Miss was clever, refined, and a model young lady. No wonder the mistress liked her.
Compared to her, Gancao’s own daughter always acted out of line.
Since she hadn’t grown up with the mistress, if she didn’t please her, how could a mother-daughter bond exist?
“I’m her own child. If she likes me, she will like me even if I make trouble every day,” Yan Zigui said calmly. “If she doesn’t like me, no amount of pleasing her can compete with the person she loves most.”
“No need to force yourself to please others,” Gancao said.
“But it’s not like others. It’s my own mother,” Yan Zigui replied.
“A mother shouldn’t make her own child suffer. She’s older, you’re younger—she should give way,” Gancao argued.
Yan Zigui had long passed the age of seeking her mother’s approval. On the way home, she decided: if they are warm, she returns warmth. If they are cold, she responds with coldness. Even close families can have shallow relations.
Cultured people don’t force anything.
Since her family annoyed her from the start, why bother trying to get along? In short, everyone should just stay safe and peaceful.
Spring had come, so naturally it was time to go out for a spring outing. Yan Zigui liked going out. She looked at the clothes Zi’er brought and said to Dansha, “Today I’ll wear a round-collared robe with pants. It’s convenient.”
The four colored maids had only been serving her a short time. They didn’t dare argue with her. Only Gancao tried to suggest, “Is this okay? Going out of the city isn’t just our family. All the young ladies dress up, and there are boys around your age too.” The implication was that spring outings were social events for young men and women.
Gancao thought for a moment. Since this was her first outing since coming home, she was probably eager to play. If they told her to dress up, she might be unhappy. Even the nicest clothes and decorations would be useless if she refused.
Gancao said, “She’s used to convenient clothes for going out. It’s hard to change her right now. We’ll try gradually later.”
Yan Zigui wore a dark red round-collared robe, tied half of her long hair into a ponytail with a gold lotus hairpiece, and added a plain forehead band about one finger wide.
Zi’er took the opportunity to bring a red forehead band decorated with pearls. “Miss, use this. It matches your outfit perfectly.”
Yan Zigui put it on.
Zi’er then brought some waist ornaments to hang on her belt, making her look less plain.
While arranging them, Zi’er watched Yan Zigui’s face. “Miss, this really makes you look spirited. Standing with the young men, no one can tell the difference.”
“I have a good temper,” Yan Zigui said suddenly. “You don’t need to be afraid of me.”
“You’re joking, Miss. How could we be afraid of you?” Zi’er said, lowering her head while tidying. If the mistress acted wrongly, the young lady wouldn’t be blamed. The maids were only disciplined as an example.
But they were definitely afraid.
When they were about to get into the carriage, Mrs. Song finally noticed Yan Zigui’s outfit. He looked at it but said nothing.
Ding Miaoshuang held Yan Zigui’s arm. “You like wearing boys’ clothes. Later, I’ll ask my husband’s nanny if she still has any robes from when he was young that weren’t worn. I’ll give them to you.”
After Ding Miaoshuang’s morning sickness ended, her appetite returned and her health improved. She had the doctor’s permission to join the spring outing. Once her belly got bigger, she couldn’t go out.
“I also want to wear clothes like my big sister,” Yan Ziqin said immediately.
The nanny pressed on her shoulders. “In a few days, I’ll make some for you. Today there’s no time.”
Yan Ziqin and Yan Zipei were still little girls. They wore short jackets and skirts with double braids, red hairbands with pearls, and tiny bells jingled as they moved. Yan Zhenying dressed elegantly, with brightly colored wide-sleeved robes, elaborate hair buns decorated with gold, sparkling in the sunlight. She stood in strong contrast to Yan Zigui.
Rao Xue-niang said, “Big Miss is dressed too plainly. If you don’t like the jewelry the mistress gave, I’ll bring some for you tomorrow. Dressing nicely when going out adds glory to the family too.”
Rao Xue-niang’s tone mocked Yan Zigui as shabby and Mrs. Song as stingy.
But Yan Zigui answered honestly, “This is already better than how I dressed at Jialan Pass.”
Her sincerity made people feel sympathetic and made Rao Xue-niang seem mean.
They reached the city outskirts. On the green lawn, laughter and voices filled the air. Family servants had already claimed spaces, set up tents with tables, chairs, and carpets. Hot water for tea was ready behind the tents.
The ladies sat in the tent, watching the spring scenery from afar.
Young boys ran out to play cuju (an old ball game), hopping around. Though the green field seemed open, each family’s servants marked the area. The best spots were for high-ranking officials; commoners were pushed back. Everyone only played with people they knew.
Young girls flew kites, of course with maids handling the strings. The girls just clapped their hands, urging the kites higher.
Older girls burned incense, played the zither, or other instruments, sometimes dancing gracefully.
Yan Zigui walked around, bored, hands on her hips. “This is spring outing? It’s not fun at all.”
Gancao and Dansha were busy watching everything. “Look at this scenery, Miss. It’s so green everywhere! At Jialan Pass, we could never see this.”
“This area is for civil officials. It’s calmer and more refined,” Yan Zhenying said. She stayed to accompany Yan Zigui, not seeking her close friends.
The Yan family’s grandfather had been a military general, but the ancestors were mostly scholars. Yan Di passed the imperial exam, so the Yan family considered themselves a refined civil family, not soldiers.
“What do the military families do for fun?” Yan Zigui asked.
“Archery, pitching jars, cuju, and polo. That’s about it,” Yan Zhenying replied. “If the Princess Royal is here and organizes competitions, it will get lively.”
Just as she spoke, they heard that the Princess Royal’s carriage had arrived.