Chapter 14: Auspicious Date

Nursemaid Qian chuckled, “Princess Changting is absolutely right. The old Marquis is blessed with great fortune. Master Xinghai has performed divination for him, and with Third Young Madam entering the household for blessings, he is sure to awaken.”

Princess Changting nodded, her gaze shifting to the slumbering old Marquis. She appeared more at ease and began reminiscing about days gone by. As she recounted her memories, she seemed to be transported back to bygone years…

In the evening, Marquis Jiang, the Second Master, and the Third Master arrived at Crane Hall.

Usually, every evening, almost all the younger family members would gather at Crane Hall to dine with Princess Changting and the old Marquis, engaging in casual conversations. However, since the old Marquis fell ill, Princess Changting felt troubled and only allowed her three sons to join her for dinner each night, while the other younger relatives paid their respects every ten days. Today, the female members of the household came to Crane Hall to discuss the upcoming celebration of the Empress’s forty-third birthday in five days.

The three brothers were delighted to hear about the activity around the old Marquis upon Lu Man’s arrival at Crane Hall.

Marquis Jiang remarked, “Master Xinghai is incredibly powerful. If he says that Lu Man can cure Father, then he must be right.”

Princess Changting nodded in agreement and expressed her desire for Jiang Zhanwei to return promptly and consummate the marriage with Lu Man.

The Second Master noted, “Zhanwei has not returned home in recent days and hasn’t even been to the office. I assure you, Mother, I will send someone to find him tomorrow. If he still doesn’t return, I will have to take severe measures.”

During the Dachun Dynasty, government officials were granted ten days of leave for marriage, including travel time. Deducting these ten days, Jiang Zhanwei had already missed seven days without attending his duties.

The Third Master interjected, “We can’t blame Zhanwei for feeling disheartened. With three unbetroth sons in the family, it was indeed a difficult decision to have him marry Lu Man. Her suicide attempt has brought disgrace upon him. Second Brother, talk to him sensibly. Zhanwei is a filial child and may heed your advice.”

Princess Changting added, “Zhanwei has been wronged. Once he returns, I will speak with him personally.” Reflecting further, she mused, “Throughout history, young men have been drawn to exceptional women. Lu Man’s beauty is remarkable, and she appears quite clever. Zhanwei may find her appealing, but only time will tell.”

Marquis Jiang pondered, “Mother, it’s essential to select an auspicious day for Zhanwei and Lu Man to… um… on their wedding day. They missed the originally chosen auspicious day, and even if they do… um… consummate their marriage, we should still pick another favorable day. This is crucial for the success of Father’s recovery, and we must proceed with caution.”

Princess Changting wholeheartedly agreed, stating, “Tomorrow, send Zhanju to Guangji Temple. If he can’t meet Master Xinghai, he must consult Master Mingyi to help determine an auspicious date.”

In the Orchid Pavilion, after finishing dinner, Lu Man pondered the medical texts from her memory and recalled descriptions of pulse patterns, using her right hand to feel the pulse on her left wrist.

Seeing her sitting on the kang with her eyes closed, the two maids quietly left the room.

Suddenly, Hong Ling’s scream and the dog’s frantic barking interrupted Lu Man’s thoughts. It turned out that Hong Ling had gone to close the courtyard gate and encountered a large dog trying to enter. She refused to let it in, prompting the dog to bark furiously, frightening her.

Lu Ying was also in the courtyard and shouted loudly, “Third Young Madam, it’s the Eighth Young Master’s big dog.”

Lu Man leaned towards the window and indeed saw Qichang, barking fiercely at the two maids.

She smiled, impressed by the dog’s intelligence for finding its way here.

Getting up, she went outside to play with Qichang in the courtyard and had Lu Ying bring out two golden silk gourds as treats for it. The golden silk gourd was a pastry with a crispy exterior, a tender inside, and a hint of subtle fish flavor.

Qichang seemed to enjoy the treats, finishing them quickly and barking for more.

Lu Man instructed Lu Ying to bring out more treats.

Qichang was delighted, licking Lu Man’s hand with its long tongue as she petted its head with laughter.

Seeing how eagerly Qichang was eating, Lu Man joined in as well. They both quickly finished the treats.

Concerned, Lu Ying urged, “Madam, you just had dinner, and now you’re eating so many treats. It’s not good for digestion.” What she really meant was, “You’ve worked hard to slim down and look so beautiful, don’t let yourself gain weight again.”

Feeling her stomach getting full, Lu Man quickly stopped eating.

As they played joyfully, they heard a scolding voice from outside the courtyard gate, “Qichang, so you’re here! You made it hard for us to find you. Hurry back, or I’ll tell Brother to lock you up in the study room.”

It was Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu standing hand in hand outside, peering into the courtyard.

Upon hearing the scolding, Qichang quickly ran behind Lu Man to hide.

Smiling, Lu Man extended an invitation, “Eighth Young Master, Second Young Miss, you’ve reached the doorstep. Please come in and have a seat.”

Proudly, Jiang Zhankui raised his head, “We’re busy, let Qichang come out.”

Lu Man chuckled, “So, it’s called Qichang. What a lovely name! But I’m curious, it exudes such authority like a general, so why ‘Qichang’ instead of ‘General’?”

Jiang Zhankui was eager to explain, “I also think it should be called General, even Marshal, due to its imposing presence. However, my Third Brother said that giving a dog those titles might offend certain people, so we settled on Qichang.”

Jiang Jiu added, “Yes, my Third Brother used to have a big dog named Soldier. Unfortunately, it passed away, and we never got to meet it.”

Lu Man was fond of the two children. Walking towards the gate, she remarked, “Oh, Soldier is also a powerful name.”

With a coy smile, Jiang Jiu’s chin became even more pointed as she said, “Yes. My Third Brother said that if we get another dog in the future, I can name it. I’ve already thought of a name – Sugar Heart.”

Her voice was soft and gentle, like a breeze brushing past the ears.

The petite girl, dressed in a willow-yellow satin blouse and two crimson silk ribbons in her hair, looked delicate and refined. Even bathed in the fiery sunset glow, Lu Man noticed her pallor, emphasizing her pointed chin – a sign of congenital frailty.

Praising sincerely, Lu Man said, “What a lovely name. It sounds delightful.”

Delighted, Jiang Jiu looked up and said, “You like the name too? My Third and Eighth Brother teased me about it for a long time.”

Squatting down to meet her eye level, Lu Man smiled and whispered, “Men and women have different tastes in names. They prefer imposing titles, while women favor cute names. Let me tell you, I’ve always wanted to have a cat and even thought of a name – Pea Yellow.”

In her past life, Lu Man had envisioned owning a white, chubby cat named Cotton Candy. However, in this world, lacking Cotton Candy, she settled on Pea Yellow.

Jiang Jiu giggled, rubbing her hands together, “Pea Yellow? That’s a lovely name, just as nice as Sugar Heart.”