It is often said that the first child is raised according to the book, while the second is raised casually. When she was raising Baozi, she couldn't find any books to refer to, yet he had grown up just fine.
"Where do you want to play today, Baozi?" Yi Qing asked with a somewhat obsequious smile.
Baozi had been precocious since childhood and was a very clever boy with a strong will of his own. Since he was eager to go out, he must have had a place in mind.
"I heard there's a poetry gathering at Yongcui Lake today. I'd like to go and have a look," Baozi said seriously.
Yi Qing looked at Xiao Jinghan. She had no interest in poetry gatherings at all. She would rather go to a pharmacy or take a walk in the mountains if she had the time.
"Aren't those people all older than you?" Xiao Jinghan noticed that Yi Qing didn't want to go.
"Age doesn't matter when one has ambition," Baozi replied.
"Alright, let's go, let's go," Yi Qing readily agreed. Taking the child was the same wherever they went.
Baozi sensed his mother's perfunctory attitude. "I'm not going to participate. I just haven't seen it before and want to take a look."
"I have a painted boat on Yongcui Lake. I've never been to check it out. We can just go and have a look," Xiao Jinghan suddenly remembered.
"When did you get a painted boat?" Yi Qing was surprised.
She had thought that all of Xiao Jinghan's properties were already under her name, but it seemed there was still something else.
"The Mu family gave it to me before. I haven't been to see it yet." If it weren't for Baozi wanting to go to Yongcui Lake, Xiao Jinghan would have forgotten about it.
"The Mu family? Duke Mu?" Yi Qing guessed.
"Yes," Xiao Jinghan nodded.
Yi Qing asked someone to prepare some food. Since they were going to take a boat ride on the lake, they would probably have lunch there.
Xue Miao'er was even more excited than them. She skipped out of the General's Mansion. Suddenly, she turned her head and looked to one side. A person quickly hid. She didn't go over to check. There were many people watching the General's Mansion every day. The madam had said not to pay attention.
Sang Sang followed Yi Qing very respectfully, holding Shuang'er's hand with one hand.
Everyone got into the carriage. Only then did the two people who had been hiding on one side come out, a servant and an old woman from the Ke Mansion.
"Is that her?" the servant asked doubtfully.
The old woman rolled her eyes. She had lied that Shuang'er was dead, but now she was doing well in the General's Mansion. She would surely be punished when they found out. Anyway, the silver she had received from selling Shuang'er was enough for her to retire, and she didn't have to serve in the Ke Mansion anymore.
But when she thought about the convenience and status of the Ke Mansion, she wavered a bit. "Yes, it's her."
"Good. Let's go back and report to the madam right away," the servant said and led the old woman back.
Yi Qing thought the painted boat Xiao Jinghan mentioned was a small boat, but it turned out to be a two - story large ship. There was more than enough space on it to watch singing and dancing. Only then did she realize how rich the Mu family was.
"Qing'er?" Madam Di thought she was seeing things.
"Mother?" Yi Qing saw Madam Di with Bai Yutang. Bai Yutang was affectionately holding Madam Di's hand. They looked more like real mother and daughter.
Madam Di subconsciously avoided Xiao Jinghan when she saw him. "You're here for a stroll too?"
"Yes," Yi Qing hadn't seen her mother when she went to the Duke Di's Mansion last time. After detoxifying her grandfather, she hadn't been there again. It seemed that Bai Yutang never stopped causing trouble.
"It's a pity that the boat is already full. Otherwise, we could have invited Mrs. Xiao to board with us," Bai Yutang said with a look of embarrassment.
"I didn't say I wanted to board your boat. Why are you so nervous?" Yi Qing saw Bai Yutang's eager look, as if she was afraid Madam Di would invite them.
"General, the boarding bridge has been set up," a servant reported.
"Let's go over," Xiao Jinghan supported Yi Qing.
"Since Mother has an appointment with others, we won't disturb you," Yi Qing said with a smile and then turned around and left.
Bai Yutang gritted her teeth secretly. Although Yi Qing didn't pay much attention to her, she was very vigilant towards Yi Qing, always feeling that Yi Qing would ruin her big plan.
When she saw the painted boat that Xiao Jinghan boarded, Bai Yutang's face turned even uglier. The painted boat that the Xiao family boarded was even bigger than theirs.
It was only when Yi Qing got on the painted boat that she realized it was full of surprises. The hull was much larger than an ordinary boat, and there were sliding lattice windows around. Sitting on this painted boat was no different from sitting in a room.
"How much is this worth?" Yi Qing asked, getting closer to Xiao Jinghan.
"I haven't asked," Xiao Jinghan never cared about such things.
Yi Qing just pretended she hadn't asked. "Is today's poetry gathering organized by the Yuan brothers?"
"I don't know," Xiao Jinghan said as he took out some documents from a trunk.
Seeing him like this, Yi Qing guessed that he was going to handle official business here. She wasn't angry either. Xiao Jinghan was so busy but still willing to come out with them. "Baozi, let's go fishing at the bow. We'll eat whatever we catch today."
Baozi happily followed his mother to the bow.
The deck of their painted boat was relatively high, offering a good view.
There were usually quite a few people coming to Yongcui Lake for a stroll. Since there was a poetry gathering today and Madam Di and the others were probably having a gathering too, there were quite a lot of boats on the lake.
Their painted boat quickly caught people's attention. After all, this painted boat had always been parked on Yongcui Lake. Many people had seen it, but they didn't know whose it was, and it was never open for others to play on.
"Baozi, how's it going at the academy?" Yi Qing asked casually.
She had only recently managed to recognize characters with great difficulty. As a person who had been exposed to simplified characters since childhood, suddenly learning small seal script with its winding and curving strokes was like looking at a page full of earthworms. No wonder in ancient times, writing was only in the hands of a few people.
"I've already finished reading The Five Classics," Baozi said nonchalantly. "Dean Lu said I'm too young and inexperienced to understand the essence, so he asked me to memorize them first and I'll understand the true meaning later."
Hearing Baozi say this, Yi Qing felt a bit dejected. She had given birth to a son who had outshone her.
"Is Mother unhappy?" Baozi asked curiously, looking at his mother.
"I'm too happy. I feel I'm not as good as Baozi," Yi Qing said.
"Mother doesn't have to think like that. Mother's medical skills are unparalleled in the world," Baozi said, making a fist to encourage his mother.
Yi Qing thought he was right. She couldn't neglect what she was best at. She had to think of a way later. Even if she didn't open a medical clinic, she should start a pharmaceutical business.
Just as they were chatting, a painted boat approached theirs.
"It's Dean Lu," Baozi stood up.
Yi Qing turned her head and took a look. It was really Lu Tianxun. It had been a long time since she last saw him. He looked more heroic than before. He was probably going to charm many young ladies in the capital.
"Dean," Baozi stood up and saluted, regardless of whether the other person could hear him or not.
The people behind Lu Tianxun saw Baozi being so serious and all bowed their hands, but there was a bit of laughter in it.
"Lu Tianxun, you said we're not even as good as a child. This must be a student from Yunyang Academy. Why don't we let them see what's different," Ke Jianxun said jokingly.
"Mr. Ke pursues learning just for fame and profit. This is already a lower - level pursuit. There's no point in comparing," Lu Tianxun was already a bit impatient with Ke Jianxun, but Ke Jianxun still wouldn't let it go.
"Lu Tianxun, don't think you can be so arrogant just because you're the dean of Yunyang Academy. If you're really that capable, why don't you enter the court as an official? My father will give you a sinecure to make a living," Ke Jianxun sneered.
Baozi couldn't hear what they were specifically talking about, but he understood what Ke Jianxun meant. "Row the boat over," he said.