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While Jiang Yue was asleep, the old Marquis sat silently beside her, gazing at the sky. He waited patiently, undisturbed, this was the quietest time for him.
Lu Man felt that the bond between this old man and the young child was a testament to divine providence. Perhaps in recompense for the past mistreatment by the old Marquis towards Jiang Zhanwei, even the heavens saw fit to have Jiang Zhanwei’s daughter fill the void in the old man’s life.
Jiang Yue inherited the good genes from Jiang Zhanwei and Lu Man. Intelligent, soothing, always smiling, she was reminiscent of Lu Man. Yet, crafty, strong-willed, bold, and unyielding, her features resembled Jiang Zhanwei more.
Especially when dealing with the old Marquis, she exhibited traits reminiscent of Jiang Zhanwei. Despite being unable to talk, she could be quite fierce with the old man, scolding and even tangling his long beard or pinching his face. The old Marquis enjoyed being teased by her.
At times, Lu Man worried that Princess Changting might be displeased and want to spank the mischievous child, but the old Marquis always protected her.
When Lu Man arrived at Crane Hall, Princess Changting was still in bed. Since Princess Changting’s health had deteriorated, Lu Man visited Crane Hall every morning without fail, regardless of the weather. She checked Princess Changting’s pulse, administered acupuncture, and assisted her in getting up.
Upon returning to Donghui Courtyard, it was already past the morning hour, Xie Shu, Xiu Yu’s sister and the nursemaid was leading little Kaipei into the courtyard.
Upon seeing Lu Man, Kaipei broke free from the nursemaid’s grasp and ran towards her, calling out loudly, “Godmother, godmother, look at Sister!”
Kaipei stumbled towards her, and Lu Man quickly caught him, playfully patting his bottom and scolding, “Only look at Sister, not at godmother.”
The sturdy Kaipei, with his bold demeanor, chuckled, “Sister first, godmother later.”
His words made Xie Shu burst into laughter.
Teasing him, Lu Man remarked, “You’re not as well-behaved as Little Mo, every time Little Mo visits, he says to look at me and Yue together.”
Kaipei, unhappy that godmother teased him, demanded attention, alternating between being carried and held, exclaimed with wide eyes, “Little Uncle Mo, fight!”
Lu Man playfully patted his chubby bottom in his split pants and scolded, “Your Little Uncle Mo is a gentleman, he won’t fight with you.”
Kaipei looked genuinely upset, tears welling up in his eyes as he asked loudly, “Who is your son?”
Seeing his distressed expression, Lu Man stopped teasing him and gave him a kiss, saying with a smile, “You are my son, godmother was just joking. Go play with your sister.”
On her way back, Lu Man spotted the old Marquis with Jiang Yue in the baby carriage, along with a group of attendants playing at the peony pavilion.
After watching the attendants take Kaipei away, Lu Man led Xie Shu into the western room of the main house.
She checked Xie Shu’s pulse, changed her medication, and then had her lie down on the beauty couch to administer acupuncture personally.
Xie Shu had been designated as the Crown Prince’s consort in October of the previous year and was set to marry in February of the following year. The favor from the Emperor brought immense joy to the Xie family. However, due to an incident in her childhood where she fell into a lake during winter, causing concerns about her health, Xie’s mother secretly asked Lu Man to help her improve her health in preparation for pregnancy.
Having a constitution susceptible to cold, Xie Shu had previously taken various herbal remedies but hadn’t fully recovered. Every ten days, she brought Kaipei to Donghui Courtyard to “play” with her sister, which was actually a disguised medical visit. To keep it hidden, especially from the prominent Madam Hong at the other mansion, Lu Man didn’t take Xie Shu to the clinic but treated her discreetly in the western room of the main house. She checked her pulse, prescribed medication, established a treatment plan, and later, He Cheng would visit the Xie residence regularly to administer acupuncture. Given the need for secrecy and He Cheng’s superior acupuncture skills, he was the ideal candidate for this task, considering his good rapport with Xie Jiuye and frequent visits to the Xie household.
The selection of the Crown Prince’s three women resulted from a political maneuver among several influential figures.
Initially, the Emperor had two candidates in mind for the Crown Prince’s consort: Miss Lu from Duke Anguo’s household and Miss Xie from Duke Xie’s household. Both families held significant power in court. Miss Lu was talented, while Miss Xie was virtuous and dignified. The Crown Prince struggled to make a decision between the two.
To everyone’s surprise, the Empress chose Miss Xie from the estranged Xie family, stating eloquently, “Although I despise the rude and unreasonable behavior of the old man from the Xie family, Miss Xie is truly exceptional. Virtuous, respectful, and gracious, she embodies the virtues expected of a Crown Prince’s consort.”
Her unexpected stance pleased the Emperor and the Crown Prince, emphasizing the importance of character and grace over mere talent in the selection of the Crown Prince’s consort.
Empress Wang seized the opportunity to propose that a girl from the Wang family serve as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince, but this suggestion was firmly rejected by the Emperor and the Crown Prince. With the Empress Dowager and the Empress already from the Wang family, it was deemed inappropriate to have another Wang family member as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince. To avoid hurting the Empress’s feelings, the Crown Prince chose Hong Yun from the Hong family, a close ally, as his lady-in-waiting. Hong Yun was also a niece of the eldest Madam of the Marquis Jiang Family.
Meanwhile, Liu Xilan, the fifth daughter of Duke Pingguo’s household, was also chosen as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Prince, satisfying everyone involved.
Later on, Madam Xie approached Lu Man, asking for assistance in helping Xie Shu improve her health. Lu Man then realized the true intentions behind Xie Shu’s selection.
Upon learning of this, Princess Changting expressed disdain, saying, “The Emperor is highly pleased with the Empress’s decision this time, believing she chose the Xie family girl sincerely for the Crown Prince’s benefit. But in reality, she selected Xie Shu based on the knowledge that Xie Shu wasn’t fit for childbearing. She’s playing a clever game, if Xie Shu can’t bear children and Hong Yun does, they could eventually maneuver to have the Crown Prince, ultimately benefiting the Wang family…”
Considering the Crown Prince’s constitution afflicted with fetal poison and the effects of the medications he was taking, Lu Man shook her head at the potential implications for fertility and possible birth defects.
With numerous royal heirs vying for position, the competition could become cutthroat. However, having too many or none at all would be equally distressing.
Xie Shu had a cheerful personality, a pleasant appearance, and two adorable dimples when she smiled. She was also sociable, and Lu Man grew quite fond of the young girl.
Xie Shu affectionately referred to Lu Man as “Third Sister-in-law.” Lu Man chuckled, “You can only call me Third Sister-in-law for now, once you marry into the Eastern Palace, you’ll become my elder.”
Blushing, Xie Shu laughed along with Lu Man.
As they conversed, they heard a maid in the courtyard announce, “Fifth Miss Liu has arrived.”
Liu Xilan, the second daughter of Duke Pingguo, was appointed as the Crown Prince’s lady-in-waiting by the Emperor, ranking higher than Hong Yun. Madam Liu requested Lu Man’s assistance in improving her health for childbirth. Although Lu Man didn’t have a close relationship with the Duke Pingguo’s household and Liu Xilan wasn’t ill, Princess Changting insisted that any woman related to the Crown Prince’s offspring should receive the utmost care.