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A total of five people escorted He Mingzhu and her son back: one sent by Jiang Zhanwei to find them, and two soldiers along with two coachmen sent by General Li from Jincheng.
Lu Man instructed Lu Ying to go to the restaurant and reward the person sent by Jiang Zhanwei and the two soldiers with fifty taels of silver each, and the two coachmen with twenty taels each. She also asked them to accommodate the group sent by General Li for two days and to present a generous gift to General Li when they returned to Jincheng…
Just after finishing their meal, Jiang Jiu and Song Mo hurried back. The news of He Mingzhu and He Cheng’s arrival at Donghui Courtyard had already reached Crane Hall.
Following Jiang Zhanwei’s instructions, Jiang Jiu paid his respects to He Mingzhu. Lu Man advised Song Mo to address He MIngzhu as Aunt.
He MIngzhu had prepared a gift for Jiang Jiu, a Shu embroidery handkerchief purchased during their stopover in the provincial capital. However, she didn’t have a suitable gift for the young master of the Prince He’s household.
Anticipating this, Lu Man discreetly handed her a jade pendant, which she then shyly gave to Song Mo.
Jiang Jiu mentioned, “Grandmother also said to let Sister-in-law, Aunt, and Brother He enjoy themselves. Tomorrow night, she will invite Aunt and Brother He to Crane Hall as guests.”
Later, they all moved to the East Wing.
He Mingzhu presented the gifts she had brought for Lu Man, Jiang Zhankui, and Jiang Jiu. Aware of the wealth and status of the Marquis’s children, she had refrained from making clothes and instead crafted two pairs of shoes slightly larger in size to accommodate their growth. The shoes were made of silk with embroidered bamboo leaves and plum blossom patterns, along with some local delicacies and bamboo toys. She also brought some snacks and toys for Song Mo but no shoes.
She chuckled, “These are just rural items, don’t be picky.”
Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu already viewed Lu Man’s mother as their own, so they appreciated the gifts and complimented them, expressing their gratitude.
Song Mo pouted and asked, “Aunt, did you not make a pair of shoes for me too? Sister-in-law is not just their sister-in-law, she is mine too.”
He Mingzhu’s heart melted at Song Mo’s words and quickly replied, “If Mo doesn’t mind, Aunt will make you a pair too.”
With that, she crouched down to pick him up, comparing his foot length with her hand.
Song Mo only expressed satisfaction.
Mama Duan blushed and scolded, “If the Prince knew you were demanding things from Madam He like this, he would surely scold you.”
Song Mo retorted, “Aunt is my sister-in-law’s mother, not just anyone.”
The children were persuaded by the maids to enjoy the snacks from Shu Region brought to the round table, leaving Lu Man and her mother in peace.
He Mingzhu also made several pairs of socks for Lu Man using fine cloth and a satin outfit tailored to her own measurements from her younger days, slightly undersized but still wearable after some time.
Embarrassed, He Mingzhu said, “The fabric isn’t top-notch, please don’t mind, Manman.”
Lu Man chuckled, “I love them very much, I could never mind.”
The clothing colors matched well, the stitches were fine, and the embroidery was lovely, despite the average fabric quality suitable for servants in the household.
She then carefully examined He Cheng, who blushed a bit but maintained a smile, eager for his sister’s approval.
As beautiful as a spring blossom, as graceful as a mountain stream, as gentle as a March breeze… her brother’s only flaw was being too handsome.
Unlike Jiang Zhanwei and Jiang Zhanyu’s beauty, he exuded the charm of a handsome young man.
Suddenly feeling a hint of nervousness, akin to a beautiful daughter being eyed by others, but now directed towards her brother, Lu Man resolved to watch over him closely.
Noticing He Cheng’s growing blush, Lu Man turned to He Mingzhu, self-indulgently remarking, “Mother, you truly have a gift for bearing children, giving birth to both me and my brother so handsomely.”
Her words elicited laughter from everyone.
Blushing, He Mingzhu scolded, “Look at you, acting like a child at your age, not afraid of being teased.”
Lu Man playfully embraced her arm for a while before leading He Mingzhu and He Cheng to sit on the kang, where they engaged in private conversations.
He Mingzhu shared more about her life in Shu Region. She had been deceived and frightened by her uncle, who took her money, but her grandmother was kind and forced her uncle to secure some properties in the countryside for them. While Mrs. Fu was fierce, Mr. Wu, though honest, was strong and martial, being her father’s cousin. Living in a simple mountain village, they faced financial constraints, with He Mingzhu spending generously and selling land to make ends meet.
He Cheng attended a village school where he excelled academically. His teacher considered him the brightest student he had ever taught, foreseeing his success in the civil service examinations or even the imperial exams. However, He Cheng’s ambitions lay elsewhere, as he knew his maternal lineage included a disgraced ancestor, and he would inherit that legacy, belonging to a family of traitors. Therefore, he dedicated more time to studying medicine.
When He Mingzhu left the capital, she took five medical books as mementos. He Cheng began studying these books as soon as he could read, managing to memorize them over the years.
He Mingzhu remained calm when discussing the hardships in the countryside, even when recalling being swindled of her money. However, when the topic shifted to the Lu family, she became furious, tears welling up as she denounced their callousness and greed, resenting how they valued wealth over family bonds.
While He Mingzhu was indifferent towards material possessions, she treasured her daughter’s well-being, which made things simpler.
Lu Man remarked, “In this world, there are few like Mother who are indifferent to wealth. Loving money isn’t wrong, but a noble person acquires it through ethical means. The Lu family, however, sought to seize wealth by any means, even resorting to harming me, making it entirely theirs.”
Her intention was not to sow seeds of hatred against the Lu family in He MIngzhu and He Cheng’s hearts, but to ignite a fiery resolve against them. By kindling this resentment, they would sever ties with the Lu family and Lu Fangrong cleanly, preventing future conflicts.
Lu Man’s biggest fear was dealing with blind loyalty and foolishness, which she found both troublesome and distressing.
Taken aback, He Cheng asked with widened eyes, “How could the Lu family mistreat Sister? What did they do to her?”
Listening intently, Mama Wang recounted the Lu family’s transgressions once more.
Even upon hearing it a second time, He Mingzhu couldn’t help but cry.