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The second madam was displeased, it seemed that Lady Hong really did see Lu Man as a midwife. If Lu Man was a midwife, did that mean she was the midwife’s mother-in-law? Unable to hold back, she spoke up, “Elder sister-in-law, we all feel for Ling and hope she has a successful childbirth. However, time and time again, Zhanwei’s wife has been stated as a physician, not a midwife. She diagnoses and treats illnesses and assists with childbirth positions. If she continuously monitors Ling’s delivery like a midwife, it would confirm that she’s a midwife. If this news spreads, it would damage our reputation.”
Madam Hongn, both angry and anxious, sternly asked, “Sister-in-law, what’s more important? Ling’s life or Lu Man’s reputation?”
Madam Lin calmly replied, “This isn’t just about Lu Man’s reputation, it’s about the reputation of everyone in our household.”
This was the demeanor of a cultured person – unruffled and composed, pushing Madam Hong into a corner.
With the main mother-in-law backing her up, Lu Man couldn’t back down. Besides, she had realized that Princess Changting wasn’t insistent on her attending.
Lu Man didn’t want to engage in a direct conversation with Madam Hong, it was vexing. She turned to Princess Changting and said, “Grandmother, I think mother-in-law is right. Eldest sister is fine right now. For me to be present solely because of her childbirth would solidify the rumors of me being a midwife. You’ve explained repeatedly that I’m not a midwife. If I go to monitor the birth like a midwife, it would undermine your explanation. Eldest sister is respectful and understanding; she wouldn’t want you to endure shame because of her childbirth. It would not only be my fault but also distress her.”
Madam Hong flushed with anger. The words of Lin and Lu were cutting, accusing her of prioritizing her daughter over her mother-in-law and the entire family. Particularly, Lu Man dragged Jiang Ling into the matter, insinuating that if she went, it would reflect poorly on Ling’s filial piety.
She dared not push further and said, “Sister-in-law and Zhanwei’s wife have misunderstood my intentions. I only wanted Zhanwei’s wife to remain outside the delivery room, not inside.”
Madam Lin chuckled, “Monitoring outside the delivery room would be the same as monitoring here. The two households aren’t far apart, they can relay messages, and if there’s any issue, daughter-in-law can go to Yuan’s house. This way, it’s known that Zhanwei’s wife went there for medical reasons, not for midwifery.”
Princess Changting had fully sided with the second daughter-in-law and Lu Man’s argument. She said, “Second daughte-in-law is right, that’s indeed the reasoning. Eldest daughter-in-law, don’t worry. We’ll send more maids to Yuan’s house to keep us updated on Ling’s condition. If there’s any issue, we’ll have Zhanwei’s wife assist immediately.” She added, “Please, have a seat, and we’ll wait here.”
Incidentally, this resolved Madam Hong’s restriction.
Madam Hong dared not say more and reluctantly sat down, fidgeting and occasionally dabbing her face with a handkerchief, disregarding the sweat beads forming on her face.
Princess Changting’s brows furrowed slightly as she remarked, “Ling is my granddaughter, and I care for her too. However, no matter how much we care, we should maintain composure. You are now a grandmother yourself. If you can’t handle such trivial matters calmly, how can I trust you to oversee the entire household in the future?”
Upon hearing this, Madam Hong quickly apologized, “Yes, I acted hastily.”
She sat up straight, casting a glance at Han, feeling extremely frustrated. At this moment, if she didn’t intervene to appease Lu Man, was she expected to personally step in? Looking at Lin and Lu, who weren’t even related by blood but were still so united, she seethed.
Young Madam Han noticed the momentary malice in the Madam Hong’s eyes, but Princess Changting was clearly siding with Lu Man. The princess was the ultimate authority in the household. Her husband had reminded her numerous times not to defy Princess Changting in the slightest, so how could she risk incurring her displeasure?
Perplexed, Young Madam Han couldn’t understand why Madam Hong expected Lu Man to assist her daughter when she had already offended her to such an extent that even her mother-in-law couldn’t bear it and had stepped in to help. Moreover, considering Lu Man’s demeanor in recent months, she was not someone easily manipulated.
Feeling distressed, Young Madam Han lowered her head.
Princess Changting subtly observed the expressions of those present. She took a sip of tea, masking her anger.
She thought that, Lady Hong not only refused to listen but also involved outsiders in their family affairs. She was self-centered, lacked a holistic perspective, and disregarded the family’s reputation for personal gain. Fortunately, Lady Han had a broader view and didn’t join in the commotion. In the future, many family matters could be entrusted directly to Lady Han.
Lu Man couldn’t bear to look at Madam Hong’s face any longer and stood up, saying, “I’ll go check on Grandfather.”
The Old Marquis had just finished his leg exercises and was sitting in a chair playing with Sweet Pea. Lu Man approached, smiling, “Grandfather, your eldest granddaughter is about to give you another great-grandchild.”
Looking puzzled, old Marquis Jiang replied, “Who is my eldest granddaughter? I can’t remember, I only know I have a granddaughter, little Jiu.”
Becoming a bit sharper, although not fully recovered memory-wise, he seemed more logically oriented and spoke more coherently.
Excitedly, Jiang Jiu chimed in, “Grandfather, even if you don’t remember the eldest sister, you remember me, right?”
The old Marquis replied, “I’m not silly, you and little Pea are always playing with me, how could I forget you?”
Lu Man quietly instructed Xing to make a trip back to Orchid Pavilion and have Lu Ying bring a box of motherwort ointment.
She requested Lu Ying to personally deliver it instead of Xing. Though Xing was young, she was very clever and promptly left.
Fifteen minutes later, Lu Ying arrived with the box of motherwort ointment.
Faking annoyance, Lu Man said, “Why did you only bring one box? Is there more?”
Lu Ying responded, “I apologize for my mistake. I thought Third Young Madam needed it urgently, so I brought one box quickly. I will go back and check again.”
Lu Man nodded and quietly instructed her a few things.
Fifteen minutes later, Lu Ying returned with another box of ointment, explaining that it was the last one. She discreetly handed Lu Man a small packet of medicine.
It was the same medicine Hong Ling had taken before. If Jiang Ling faced difficulties during childbirth and Princess Changting instructed Lu Man to assist with repositioning, she would take this medicine. It required a large dosage, and within half an hour, rashes would appear on her hands.
It wasn’t about defying Princess Changting or being unwilling to help, she simply wasn’t entirely confident in her ability to save all women experiencing childbirth complications, especially since not all difficulties were due to fetal positioning. If she succeeded, whether Madam Hong acknowledged it was irrelevant. However, if she failed, the consequences would be severe. Madam Hong had made it clear that she was not a physician and should not overstep.
The women stayed in the Crane Hall, even having their lunch there. Every half hour or so, a maid would come to report on Jiang Ling’s condition.
Madam Hong was extremely anxious, though she kept a calm facade.
As the afternoon drew to a close, even Princess Changting seemed restless. Lu Man suspected that if Jiang Ling didn’t give birth soon, she might be asked to go to Yuan’s house.
At that moment, a maid rushed in to announce, “Congratulations to Princess Changting and Eldest Madam! The Eldest Young Miss has given birth to a healthy baby girl weighing five pounds and eight ounces. The delivery went smoothly, and both mother and daughter are safe.”