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After Princess He drank her medicine and lay down, Lu Man came to give her an injection.
Once the injection was done and Princess He fell asleep, Lu Man and Lu Ying left the room.
Song Ming also walked out and urged, “Third Young Lady, why not have lunch before leaving?”
Lu Man smiled, “If I don’t go back at noon, my grandfather probably won’t even eat.”
The servants had everything prepared.
Seeing Lu Man and Sweet Pea ready to leave, Song Mo felt reluctant but didn’t insist. With tears in his eyes, he said, “Sister-in-law, you have to come for my birthday, bring Sweet Pea, and also your mentioned brothers and sisters.”
Lu Man replied to Song Mo with a smile, “Alright, not only will we come to celebrate your birthday, but we will also bring you some rare gifts.”
Song Mo became happy again, saying, “A gentleman’s word—”
Lu Man interjected with a smile, “Is as good as a fast horse.”
This prompted another hearty laugh from Song Ming.
Returning to the Princess Changting’s mansion, Lu Man went straight to Orchid Pavilion, bathed, changed clothes, and then, pinched Jiang Zhankui who was looking at her, took a clean Sweet Pea to the Crane Hall.
Indeed, the old Marquis had not eaten and was waiting for her in the dining hall.
Lu Man went over, comforted the old man for a few moments, and then they all sat down to eat together. The old Marquis retired contentedly, letting Jiang Jiu take Sweet Pea and Qichang back to Orchid Pavilion.
Noticing that Lu Man hadn’t left, Princess Changting understood she had something to discuss and discreetly dismissed the servants.
Lu Man sat down on Princess Changting’s bed and quietly informed her about the possibility of Song Mo being slowly poisoned.
Princess Changting slammed the small table in anger, exclaiming, “They are really audacious, persecuting the royal offspring! Hmph, within the noble gates and even in the palace, such underhanded methods are not uncommon. I never thought that with just a few people in the Prince He’s Mansion, such a thing would happen.”
She strongly suspected it could be the doing of the two consorts, though she couldn’t entirely rule out other possibilities. She asked, “How can we be sure it’s poisoning? Is there a way to detoxify?”
Lu Man replied, “There are ways to detoxify. If the poisoning isn’t severe, simply stop consuming those substances, drink mung bean soup daily to detoxify, and after a month, the poison should gradually dissipate. For deeper poisoning in adults, as long as it’s not too late, taking the antidote for half a month should suffice. But for someone as young as Song Mo, if the poisoning is severe, it could be dangerous.” Seeing the Princess’s probing gaze, she added, “From what I see, Song Mo is likely in the mid-stage of poisoning.”
Princess Changting continued, “We must conclusively prove that Mo is poisoned before informing Song Ming. We can’t accuse based on suspicion alone, this not only involves matters of life and death but also the grave offense of harming royal offspring.”
Lu Man agreed, understanding the repercussions of a wrongful accusation. After discussing further, she returned to Orchid Pavilion.
Both Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu were waiting for her without resting, seated on the heated brick bed in the eastern room.
Upon Lu Man’s return, they both stood up, embracing her tightly and resting their heads on her. Jiang Jiu in front, Jiang Zhankui behind, both with red-rimmed eyes.
Lu Man chuckled, embracing them both as they sat on the bed together affectionately.
Jiang Jiu, with her head buried in Lu Man’s chest, softly said, “Sister-in-law, I now understand how tough it was when you weren’t here…”
Jiang Zhankui added with a choked voice, “Even I, not to mention my sister, felt uneasy without you around, missing you terribly…”
While Jiang Jiu’s reaction was expected by Lu Man, Jiang Zhankui’s heartfelt words surprised her, as even Little Zhankui had never shown such deeply felt emotions.
In this alternate world, Lu Man felt fortunate to have these two sweet siblings and the warm-hearted individuals at the Crane Hall.
Unnoticed by them, Sweet Pea had slipped away while they were bonding.
After their midday rest, Lu Man and the others headed to Donghui Courtyard together. Princess Changting advised Lu Man to rest well and join them for dinner at the Crane Hall in the evening.
The sky was dusted with light snow as the round-faced Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu followed Qichang and Sweet Pea, running ahead with giggles trailing behind. Lu Man felt a sense of illusion, seeing the four figures in front of her as her children and pets, walking together on their way home.
Unconsciously, the melody of the song “Going Home” from her past life echoed in her ears once more.
On this chilly winter night, under the dim streetlights, amidst unfamiliar passersby, the tune of a saxophone drifting from a small shop brought warmth, sorrow, and faint memories… Lu Man quickened her pace involuntarily, eager to return home sooner, to see her mother sooner…
Tears welled up in Lu Man’s eyes once again. In this alternate world, through relentless efforts, she not only found familial love but was also about to have a safe and peaceful home, she was walking the path back home.
Before reaching Donghui Courtyard, they heard bustling noises from inside. Upon entering, they found the courtyard, though not entirely renovated, transformed. The necessary repairs had been completed, with craftsmen on tall ladders painting the pillars and balustrades in the corridor.
Steward Ming and Deputy Steward Wang warmly welcomed them, taking them on a tour of the courtyard.
Due to Jiang Zhanwei’s strict order for the renovation to be finished by mid-month, they had hired many craftsmen, resulting in swift progress. The main and secondary courtyards, as well as the rooms in the west wing, were already fully furnished, while the remaining exterior corridors, courtyard areas, and other buildings were undergoing rapid renovation, likely to be completed within seven days.
“…In a few more days, we can move in the furnishings, and the master can move in.” Steward Ming chuckled.
Lu Man nodded, praising Steward Ming and Wang for their efficient leadership and commending the servants and craftsmen for their hard work. She made some requests and mentioned her preferences for furniture and decorations.
She also instructed them not to use the items allocated for Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu now but to save them for their marriage or dowry. Since the household had allocated extra wealth and property to Jiang Zhanwei and her, any expenses before the siblings’ marriage should be borne by the elder brother and sister-in-law…
The three of them sat in the room of the west wing, discussing. Steward Ming had two charcoal braziers lit for warmth. After their briefing, he excused himself.
Lu Man and the others remained, mainly because Jiang Jiu didn’t want to leave. She looked around excitedly, inspecting every corner and suggesting placements for items. She was overwhelmed, never dreaming she could live in such a large courtyard, and such a nice one at that.
They played until dusk began to fall before heading to the Crane Hall.
The Third Madam, the eldest Young Madam, along with the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Young Masters, were already there.
The old Marquis was in a fuss, upset that his granddaughter-in-law had not arrived again.
Relieved to see Lu Man finally there, the old man relaxed. He suggested to Lu Man, “Granddaughter-in-law, I know you don’t like Zhanwei, and I don’t blame you because I don’t like him either. If you really want to remarry, marry Zhanyan he’s good-natured and pleasing. You won’t lose out marrying him…”