"That’s not something to joke about. Your daughter is not the same as your brother or your nephew," Lady Zhang said to Lian Manman.

Lady Zhang’s thinking was quite realistic. Riding a horse is not the same as taking a carriage or walking; in the eyes of tenant farmers, it inevitably carries risks. If a boy falls off a horse, it might not be a big deal. But for a girl, it’s different. If she injures her face, it could be a major issue. Even injuring her hands or feet could be serious.

Simply put, girls rely on their appearance, while boys do not need to.

Although Lady Zhang was easygoing, Lian Manman knew there was no room for discussion about riding horses, so she didn’t bring it up again, instead commenting on the beautiful scenery.

"This is nice, but nothing special," Wu Lang glanced around and laughed, "When we reach the Prefecture City, I’ll take you to Jiuyun Mountain outside the city on a sunny day. There is a large maple forest there, and it’s the most beautiful season now."

"Great, that’s settled then," Lian Manman said happily, turning to smile at Lady Zhang, "Mother, we’ll all go together as a family when the time comes."

"What’s so great about a mountain?" Lady Zhang laughed. She grew up in the mountains, surrounded by beautiful scenery, and found it quite ordinary.

Even though Lady Zhang said that, seeing her son and daughter’s joyful expressions, she nodded in agreement.

"Alright, we’ll all go, the whole family," Lady Zhang said with a big smile. It didn’t matter where they went or what they did; the important thing was that the family was together, which brought the greatest happiness.

"Sister, let’s bring a few horses with us," Xiao Qi winked at Lian Manman.

Lian Manman understood and nodded with a smile.

Along the way, besides stopping for tea, the family only made a brief stop in Fuyuan County. By dusk, they finally arrived at the Prefecture City and settled down at the house in Pine Tree Alley.

As everyone got off the carriage, there was inevitably a bit of chaos. By the time they had roughly settled down, it was already lighting time. Due to the fatigue of the journey, everyone washed briefly, had dinner, and then retired to rest.

Early the next morning, Lian Manman got up, washed, and came out with a few maidservants, wandering into the garden through the Moon Gate on the west side.

The garden spanned about fifteen acres, complete with flowers, trees, rockeries, small bridges, flowing water, artificial hills with waterfalls, and even pavilions and towers. This property was something Lian Manman’s family had managed to acquire by chance last year. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The garden originally belonged to a rich merchant with the surname Chu and was separated from Lian Manman’s house by just one wall. Last year, due to certain matters, the merchant intended to sell the garden. When Lian Manman, who was in the Prefecture City, heard the news, she immediately found a broker to mediate and efficiently purchased it to make it their family garden.

Lian Manman already loved this garden. After buying it, she didn’t make any major renovations, only opening two entrances to facilitate family access. She discussed with Wu Lang to rename the garden, and they had a plaque made, personally inscribed by Wu Lang with the name West Garden.

After a brief stroll in West Garden, without wandering too far, Lian Manman picked a few hibiscus and went to Lady Zhang’s room.

Lady Zhang had risen even earlier than Lian Manman and was now sitting on the heated bed. Beside her on a small bed table was a red lacquer tray holding a stack of invitations.

"You went to the garden? It’s so early, and it’s quite chilly. Come over and sit," Lady Zhang called Lian Manman over, pointing at the invitations for her, "Take a look, they’re invitations for us."

After greeting Lady Zhang, Lian Manman had the maids arrange the flowers in a vase before sitting across from Lady Zhang to look at the invitations, which were indeed invitations for meals and theater performances for the mother and daughter.

"Mother, were these delivered early this morning?" Lian Manman asked while flipping through the invitations.

"Your brother just had someone deliver them, though they were sent over a couple of days ago," Lady Zhang replied. Before they arrived in the Prefecture City, they had sent notices, so families acquainted with them had sent the invitations in advance.

Wu Lang and Xiao Qi had passed their exams but hadn’t hosted a banquet in the Prefecture City yet.

"Your father and brother also received invitations, which your brother kept at the front," Lady Zhang informed Lian Manman.

Having gone through all the invitations, Lian Manman calculated the upcoming schedule—luckily, the dates didn’t conflict—and discussed them one by one with Lady Zhang.

"These families are ones we regularly associate with. Since they’ve invited us, there’s no reason not to go. Later, have someone write replies and instruct the Steward at the front to prepare for our outings," Lian Manman said.

"Alright." Lady Zhang readily agreed. Matters of social interactions at home were always discussed with Lian Manman, and she almost always followed her daughter’s advice.

After chatting a little longer, a few stewardess aunties came in to report back, and Lian Manman handled each matter. Seeing that it was getting late, Lady Zhang ordered breakfast and sent someone to invite Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi from the front yard.

Lian Shouxin had risen early like Lady Zhang and went to the front yard afterward.

Before long, Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all came in. The maids served breakfast, and the family sat around the table as they always did, just like in the countryside. Whenever everyone was present, they preferred dining together, cherishing the warmth of the family.

With the arrival of autumn, to prevent autumn dryness, breakfast included bird’s nest porridge, crab yolk buns, and various sweet and savory pastries, along with a table full of delicately prepared dishes. After finishing breakfast, the maids cleared the table, and a young maid served fragrant teas. Sitting around, they discussed family affairs.

First on the agenda was visiting several families, then hosting two days of plays and banquets at home, followed by attending various invitations.

...

Double the pinks in progress; please ensure minimum monthly votes.

Today’s update was slightly delayed due to some matters. Tomorrow, I’ll strive to update early and add more content.

Additionally, I sincerely thank everyone for their support last month. This month, Ruoyan and everyone will continue to work hard together, fists clenched! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)