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Lu Man inwardly sneered, realizing that Mama Gu was indirectly scolding her through the maid. It was rather embarrassing to be humiliated by a servant in such a manner. Bringing up Third Young Master Jiang was likely insinuating that Lu Man was trying to please the children for his sake.
In truth, occasionally feeding fatty meat to children with weak stomachs can help lubricate the intestines and aid digestion. Since the lean meat from pork belly isn’t easily chewed into small pieces, Lu Man had intentionally cut a piece of fatty meat for Jiang Jiu. She had also minimized the frying time and added only a small amount of chili powder and Sichuan peppercorn.
In a cold tone, she said, “Nursemaid Gu, are you suggesting that I am cruel and intentionally trying to harm Second Young Miss’s stomach? Or perhaps insinuating something more sinister, implying that I have ulterior motives using the children?”
Seeing them disappear into the dusk, Lu Man sighed deeply. Her well-intentioned gesture had stirred up unnecessary trouble. She felt sorry for the siblings’ plight and even saw herself as inferior to them.
Hong Ling, indignant, remarked, “A good horse is often ridden, a good person is often taken advantage of. Third Young Madam is too kind, even if that nursemaid is domineering, she’s just a servant. She dares to bully the madam. Third Young Madam should put her in her place.”
Using the old tactic once again.
Glancing at Hong Ling, Lu Man coldly retorted, “Should I, as the Madam, stoop to argue with a servant? Then what purpose does a servant like you serve, just to be fed for free?”
Tears welled up in Hong Ling’s eyes as she twisted her handkerchief, too scared to speak.
Seeing this, Lu Ying blushed with embarrassment and said, “Third Young Madam, I’m slow-witted and often slow to react. If you ever want me to argue, just give me a hint.”
Lu Man couldn’t help but chuckle. This maid was loyal, but even with her loyalty, she couldn’t compete with servants like Gu. Facing the cunning and overbearing servants of the wealthy household, even a strand of their hair was more valuable than these maids.
She advised, “Don’t always resort to ‘arguing.’ Sometimes, speaking calmly and reasonably carries more weight than arguments. Look at Hong Ling, even though she annoys me, now is not the time to discipline her, nor do I want her to cause trouble outside. And remember, you’re cleverer than Lu Ying, use your wits. This is the Princess Changting’s, not the Lu family.”
Lu Man found herself missing Mama Wang even more, with her around, she wouldn’t have to worry so much.
Upon returning to her room, the two maids cleaned up the kitchen while Lu Man began examining medical books and notes left unread by the previous Lu Man. The handwriting in the notes was somewhat sloppy, as the original Lu Man hadn’t bothered to read them, focusing instead on neatly written medical texts.
Both the medical books and notes were in classical Chinese and lacked punctuation, making them cryptic and difficult to understand. Lu Man had to mentally segment the text, translate it into modern language to grasp the meaning, which made her progress slow.
By the end of the day, she had only gone through half of one slim booklet, unable to find any records related to soul-separation illness. Due to the simultaneous reading and translation process and her remarkable memory, she retained about eighty to ninety percent of the content after a single reading.
The next morning after breakfast, Lu Man took Lu Ying to Crane Hall.
Observing the princess’s prying gaze, Lu Man hesitantly explained, “The books have all been brought back, and there are quite a few. Daughter-in-law searched late into the night yesterday but couldn’t find any information on soul-separation illness, so she’ll continue searching…”
Disappointed, the princess replied, “Keep searching then.”
Lu Man added, “The books stored in boxes are at risk of damage, many have become damp, and a few have started to decay. Daughter-in-law plans to make some bookcases for better preservation.”
The princess instructed a servant, “Discuss this with Lady Zhang.”
Later that afternoon, servants measured the room at Orchid Pavilion and brought insect-repellent incense. Regardless of Young Madam Han’s motivations, Lu Man felt genuine gratitude towards her.
Busy with her tasks, Lu Man delved into studying medical texts whenever she was at Orchid Pavilion, often working late into the night. In the past few days, the old Marquis had shown some reactions, sneezing, moving his toes, and even twitching his eyebrows.
The princess was ecstatic about these developments, which improved Lu Man’s relationship with her.
Lu Man was pleased, the old Marquis’s condition belonged to a category of patients known as minimally conscious state, where parts of the brain still function, offering a possibility of recovery. Though slim, this chance brought hope to Lu Man.
On the sixteenth of April, upon returning from Crane Hall to Orchid Pavilion, Lu Man found several carts parked in the courtyard, with maids moving bookcases into the west wing.
The bookcases were placed in the north room, filling both walls with four sets of cabinets.
After seeing off the servants, Lu Man and her companions joyfully arranged the books from the boxes into the newly acquired bookshelves. With a dedicated library, Lu Man immersed herself even more in her studies, feeling as diligent as she had been before her college entrance exam in her past life.
During her diligent study sessions, the occasional thoughts of those two children and the dog would briefly cross her mind. It had been many days since their last encounter. What could nursemaid Gu have done in her absence? Additionally, the Third Young Master who had returned once hadn’t been back since.
On the evening of the eighteenth, Lu Man finally came across the term “Soul-Separation Illness.” Although the related content spanned only five pages, Lu Man was ecstatic. However, one corner of a paper had become moldy, obscuring a few words.
This information was recorded in the “Records of Revival” by someone named Sun Wa, compiled by the ancestor He Hong of the He family.
Translated into modern language, the term “soul-separation illness” was deemed inaccurate and should be referred to as “living trees”. These individuals exhibited symptoms akin to plants, living despite head injuries that rendered them unconscious but with a heartbeat.
Further reading critiqued the superstitious practices of exorcism and spell-casting used to treat this condition.
The treatment methods outlined focused on acupuncture, massage, and medication, with additional sensory stimulation. The text described massage techniques similar to those Lu Man used, acupuncture targeting specific points, and a list of sixteen medications, of which she only recognized five, including oral administration and medicinal baths.
The details on sensory stimulation were partially obscured, but Lu Man inferred these to encompass touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste, completing the sensory experience.
Upon finishing these five pages, Lu Man was elated. Sun Wa’s description provided the most accurate definition of the condition known as “living tree people”, akin to modern vegetative states. She sensed that Sun Wa’s treatment methods were likely the most scientific and advanced for that era.
Recalling Sun Wa from her past readings, where he was falsely accused and executed by a prince, Lu Man felt a sense of connection.