Xu Jilan and Xu Qinli rode their horses to the archery grounds, laughing and competing with each other. Meanwhile, back at the Xu residence, Xu Manman sat in her room, her fingers reluctantly playing the guqin strings. Her mother, Madame Li, stood outside the door, listening critically.
"Xu Manman, your technique is still clumsy. Practice more!" Madame Li's voice was stern.
Xu Manman sighed inwardly. She longed to ride horses like Xu Jilan, but her mother deemed it unladylike. Instead, she was forced to master the guqin and memorize ancient poems.
Madame Li's ambitions for her daughter were clear: she wanted Xu Manman to attend the prestigious Academy for Young Ladies, where only the most refined and talented girls were accepted. The academy emphasized traditional arts, including music, poetry, and calligraphy.
Archery and horse riding etc were included but but not much interest were placed on them.
Xu Manman's heart wasn't in it, but she knew she'd face her mother's wrath if she didn't comply. As she practiced, she wondered what it would be like to follow her own dreams, like Xu Jilan seemed to do.
"You must attend the prestigious Mingxin Academy for Young Ladies. It's the best institution in the land, and I won't have you embarrass me." Her mothers voice rang out once again.
Xu Manman sighed inwardly. She longed to ride horses like Xu Jilan, feeling the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. But her mother deemed it unladylike.
"Mother, must I attend the academy?" Xu Manman asked, her voice hesitant.
"Of course, you must!" Madame Li replied. "It's the path to refinement and respectability. You'll learn the traditional arts, including music, poetry, and calligraphy. You'll be a true lady, worthy of our family's name.
Xu Manman's fingers moved mechanically over the guqin strings, her mind elsewhere. She felt trapped in a world of expectations, where every move was dictated by her mother's desires. Her heart longed for freedom, for the thrill of riding horses through open fields, for the joy of creating art that wasn't bound by tradition.
As she played, Xu Manman's thoughts drifted to Xu Jilan, who seemed to embody the freedom she craved. Xu Jilan's mixed heritage and unconventional upbringing had given her a unique perspective, allowing her to navigate the world with a sense of confidence and independence that Xu Manman envied.
Xu Manman wondered what it would be like to break free from her mother's constraints, to forge her own path and follow her own dreams. But the fear of disappointing her mother, of facing societal disapproval, kept her tied to her duties.
But wait again she thought to her self. Apart from qin, poetry and ..., horse riding swordry, and archery were part of the lessons. They were not popular as it was a female academy. Poem writing and reciting was the height of the lessons most noble daughters of official family's were willing to learn.
"Ha Ha," came the evil grin from Manman. "After all it's the same school , I'll find a way to make things my way" she thought.
"Again!"came her mother's voice .
Xu Manman snapped back into reality still playing qin.