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Lu Man rolled a stack of rice paper into a long cylinder, then placed two lenses inside the cylinder, ensuring a certain distance between them. She had the maids open the doors of several rooms, light every room, and stood in the bedroom holding the cylinder, occasionally adjusting the distance between the lenses. When the cylinder reached nearly three feet in length, she could clearly see the two brushes on the table in the west room. Although the image was inverted, it was very clear.
Yes, Lu Man had created a simple telescope. However, due to having only concave lenses, the objects viewed through the telescope would appear inverted, like a reflection in water. Even when viewing reflections, one could still see distant objects.
She had inquired and learned that there were no telescopes available here. It seemed they hadn’t been imported to the Dachun Dynasty yet, or perhaps they hadn’t even been invented across the vast oceans.
She was ecstatic. Tomorrow, she would go outside again to fine-tune the focus.
In her past life, Lu Man had only heard about making a simple telescope but had never actually made one herself. She was surprised that she had successfully made one now.
If Jiang Zhanwei possessed this “miracle tool”, his execution of special tasks would be even more effective.
She happily fiddled with the telescope for a while, leaving Mama Wang and Liu Ya puzzled.
Mysteriously, Lu Man said, “I’ll show you all once it’s ready, it’s truly magical.”
The next day, without snow and under clear skies, Lu Man, not rushing to the Crane Hall, sent Jiang Jiu ahead as she had something to attend to first.
Eagerly, she took a few maids to the Mirror Lake, gazing through her “telescope”, adjusting it until she could see even the farthest bamboo grove clearly, and then she was satisfied.
After measuring the distance between the two lenses, she returned to Orchid Pavilion. Sitting by the heated brick bed, she drew a cylinder, marking the length, diameter, and the distance between the copper foil holding the lenses inside the cylinder. She then had Liu Ya deliver the blueprint to Liu Xin, explaining the instructions and urging him to make a similar copper tube as quickly as possible.
What Lu Man didn’t expect was that the news of her saving the dying old Princess He spread throughout the capital city, along with her previous successful treatment of the critically Lady Xie, and helping two infertile women conceive within six months. Her reputation soared, with people hailing Princess Changting’s daughter-in-law as a miraculous healer, especially skilled in heart diseases and gynecology. It was also widely circulated that the Angel’s Trumpet flower was a miraculous cure for heart conditions!
However, a day later, a physician used Angel’s Trumpet to treat a heart patient without authorization, resulting in their death, leading to a more intense spread of the news.
The implicated physician was reported to the local authorities by the deceased’s family.
Upon being arrested, the physician claimed that he had learned from Imperial Physician Zhou at the Imperial Hospital half a month earlier that Angel’s Trumpet could effectively treat heart conditions, citing the successful treatment of the Fifth Young Master of Princess Changting’s mansion. Consequently, he administered this remedy to three patients, with two showing improvement while the third tragically passed away.
The Magistrate summoned Imperial Physician Zhou and two other imperial physicians, with testimonies from the families of the other patients. Due to Lu Man’s special status and her successful treatment of the old Princess He and the Fifth Young Master Jiang’s heart conditions, she was not called to testify. The verdict concluded that while Angel’s Trumpet could treat heart conditions, it was highly toxic and not suitable for all cases, requiring cautious use. The physician was found to be lacking in medical expertise, using a poisonous substance outside the medical guidelines, resulting in accidental death. He was publicly punished, fined, and compensated the deceased’s family, who decided not to press further charges, leading to the physician’s release.
The favorable outcome of the case was due in part to the relationship with the Magistrate of the capital.
Following this incident, the once revered Third Young Madam Jiang was questioned and her reputation suffered a setback. Some doubted her miraculous abilities, attributing her successes to chance, questioning how a young lady of fifteen or sixteen could possess such extraordinary skills. Nevertheless, there were steadfast believers who maintained that Third Young Madam Jiang’s medical prowess was unparalleled, defining her as a divine healer capable of feats beyond other physicians.
As a result of these events, the number of people seeking treatment from Third Young Madam Jiang suddenly decreased. The incident involving Madam He, who was expelled from Princess Changting’s mansion, further deterred those who believed they had the stature to request treatment from the granddaughter-in-law of Princess Changting. Instead, those who still had faith in Third Young Madam Jiang sought treatment at Tongren Hall, her own clinic. As a result, Tongren Hall saw a significant influx of patients, particularly those seeking gynecological and heart-related treatments.
Lu Man was surprised to find that prestigious families sought her expertise: Madam Chen, the second daughter-in-law of Elder Chen; Madam He, the fifth daughter-in-law of Magistrate He; and Young Master Chen, from the Ping’an Marquis’s mansion. All of them had obtained Princess Changting’s approval.
Madam Chen and Madam He were both experiencing infertility issues and had come to Princess Changting’s mansion to seek treatment from Lu Man. After examining their pulses, Lu Man diagnosed them with primary infertility, advising them to return on the day of their menstruation for further treatment.
On the other hand, Young Master Chen was suffering from a heart condition at just five years old, with a frail body that left him exhausted after a few steps. Lu Man personally visited the Ping’an Marquis’s mansion to diagnose his condition.
The young boy lying in bed appeared frail, with a pale complexion, large eyes, and a small, emaciated frame. Lu Man looked at the child with compassion, realizing that in her past life, he might have had a chance with surgery, but in this era, even surviving another year was uncertain.
According to his grandmother, Madam Chen, the Imperial Physician had diagnosed the young boy to have no more than six months to live, with the possibility of passing away at any moment. Upon hearing that Lu Man was renowned for treating heart conditions and had a miraculous medicine, Madam Chen clung to a renewed hope for her grandson.
After conducting her examination, Lu Man regretfully informed them that the child couldn’t be treated with Angel’s Trumpet and that she had no better solution to offer. Madam Chen burst into tears upon hearing this news.
Lu Man reviewed the medication previously prescribed by the physician, finding no errors. She then prepared a herbal remedy, adding a small amount of yellow lotus. Records in the miscellaneous “Records of Revival” indicated that a certain dosage of yellow lotus could be used for this condition. Lu Man recalled from her past life that yellow lotus was effective in treating irregular heartbeats and other heart-related ailments, enhancing myocardial contraction.
Returning to her mansion, the Ping’an Marquis’s gifts were delivered promptly, but feeling undeserving as she hadn’t provided a definitive solution, she had the gifts returned.
Due to the increase in heart patients at Tongren Hall, Lu Man visited the clinic for several consecutive days. Physician He specialized in gynecology, and Physician Chen focused on heart conditions, both were former apprentices of Imperial Physician He, with excellent skills and good character.
Lu Man shared insights and knowledge with them, particularly focusing on gynecology and heart conditions. She emphasized which heart conditions were suitable for Angel’s Trumpet treatment, the importance of caution, and the necessity for consultation with her if in doubt. She strictly forbade the use of Angel’s Trumpet unless under specific circumstances and granted Physician Chen sole authority to administer it at Tongren Hall.
Furthermore, Lu Man clarified that Angel’s Trumpet’s medical name would be referred to as Digitalis, and prescriptions must only mention Digitalis, never Angel’s Trumpet.
The previous month, Lu Man had secretly approached three individuals through Manager Li.