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Sweet Pea was very intelligent, seeming to sense its owner’s unease and not being disruptive. It would gently lick Lu Man’s hand with its little pink tongue. Feeling ticklish, Lu Man smiled at Sweet Pea’s affectionate gesture, lifting it up and giving it a kiss.
In the morning, the younger siblings were up, and the maids helped them get ready. It was a day for family reunion, and at little Jiu’s request, she wore the willow-green little jacket.
She also asked for some makeup, but Lu Man, citing the harmful effects of frequent makeup on children’s skin, only applied a bit of cinnabar to the center of her eyebrows.
With Sweet Pea accompanying Qichang, the journey was no longer as troublesome as before.
Jiang Jiu was particularly delighted on this day, chattering happily all the way. Lu Man speculated that perhaps little Jiu resembled Miss Zhou, causing her father to avoid her or fear close contact. Unfortunately, the girl was determined to win her father’s affection, leading to a clash of opinions between them.
Upon reaching the Crane Hall, they saw the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Young Masters playing in the courtyard. The Ninth Young Master, Jiang Zhanyan, approached Lu Man’s group and inquired, “I heard Third Sister-in-law has a little cat that’s exceptionally good at eating and loves to be affectionate, is that true?”
Jiang Jiu nodded and replied, “Yes, it’s not only exceptionally good at eating and affectionate, but also loves to cry a lot. Third sister-in-law says it’s made of water…” and continued chattering.
Seeing the children playing happily, Lu Man excused herself and headed to the old Marquis’s bedroom. Jiang Jiu wanted to follow but was stopped by Jiang Zhankui.
Princess Changting, along with other family members, including the elders, were present. Perhaps the morning’s “good news” had lifted their spirits, making the room livelier. After paying her respects, Lu Man proceeded to give the old Marquis a massage.
Despite the family’s disregard for and suppression of illegitimate children, Lu Man felt they still cared about their well-being and didn’t want them to meet a tragic end. Compared to some dark noble households, including the smaller ones like the Lu family, this household seemed far more considerate.
After the massage, Young Madam Han brought in some younger children to play around with the old Marquis. The noise bothered Princess Changting, prompting Marquis Jiang to take her to the eastern room, with everyone following along.
As they chatted and laughed, cries from the children and sharp screams from Young Madam Han suddenly echoed from the other side. Before anyone could react, a maid rushed in, reporting, “Bad news, the Ninth Young Master suddenly fell and can’t catch his breath after being picked up.”
Everyone panicked and rushed to the bedroom. They saw Imperial Physician Fu holding Jiang Zhanyaan’s small body horizontally, face down, while Physician Wang was patting his back.
Jiang Zhanyan’s face was turning red, struggling to breathe, unable to cry, while the other three children were crying in fear.
Third Madam Huang was terrified, tears streaming down her face as she asked, “What’s wrong with Zhanyan?”
Young Madam Han explained, “Just now, the Ninth Young Master fell and seems to have something stuck in his throat.”
After patting Jiang Zhanyan’s back for a while without dislodging the obstruction, his face turned purple, and his body went limp.
Third Madam Huang couldn’t stop crying, and Princess Changting was frantic, crying out, “What do we do, what do we do?” She scolded, “Are you Imperial Physicians useless? You can’t even remove a foreign object…” She was about to say harsher words but refrained, considering the old Marquis still lying in bed and Jiang Zhanyan’s condition.
If they delayed any longer, the child could be in real danger.
Initially hesitant to intervene, Lu Man believed that Physician Fu’s methods were appropriate. However, seeing the situation worsen, she quickly stepped in, saying, “Let me try.”
Physician Fu, aware of Lu Man’s extraordinary abilities, handed Jiang Zhanyan over to her.
Lu Man placed Jiang Zhanyan on the floor facing up, kneeling beside him. She applied pressure with one hand between the navel and sternum, pressing upwards, and used the other hand to compress the chest wall, repeatedly squeezing the chest cavity.
Marquis Jiang and the others thought Lu Man’s actions were chaotic. To dislodge something from the throat, the child should be face down, not face up. They believed that the object would only get further lodged if he faced up. Additionally, Lu Man was not patting the neck and back near the throat but was applying pressure to the abdomen and chest, appearing untraditional.
Young Madam Han murmured softly, “Heavens, isn’t Lu’s actions harmful? To seek fame, she even resorts to such methods.”
Marquis Jiang, already fearful, was alarmed by this comment and immediately shouted, “Lu, do not disregard lives! Quickly, get up and let the physician handle this!”
Marquis Jiang anxiously exclaimed, “This Lady Lu, ah, don’t delay in saving a life.”
Third Master Jiang was equally frantic, asking, “Zhanwei’s wife, can you handle this? If not, step aside quickly.” He thought Lu Man had some real skills but found her current approach unreliable.
Third Madam Huang wanted to intervene but felt powerless, being supported by two maids as she cried.
Princess Changting anxiously asked, “Zhanwei’s wife, what’s happening?”
Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu tightly held hands, too scared to even cry. They knew that if Jiang Zhanyan didn’t make it, their sister-in-law would be in big trouble.
The room was filled with cries and commotion.
Lu Man was completely focused on the rescue, ignoring the people behind her trying to pull and push her. Suddenly, Jiang Zhanyan coughed up a date.
“It’s out!”
“Thank goodness!”
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they saw the child, eyes closed, seemingly lifeless.
The room erupted in cries once again.
Lu Man stacked her hands and repeatedly pressed on the child’s chest. If this didn’t work, she would have to perform rescue breathing. Fortunately, after several presses, Jiang Zhanyan cried out, taking a breath.
Relieved, Lu Man lifted the child up. She was so tense that her legs were weak, and she needed help standing up.
Third Madam Huang tearfully embraced the child, crying, “Zhanyan, my precious, if something happened to you, how could I go on living…”
Wiping her sweat, Lu Man instructed Physician Fu, “The child’s throat is injured, please prescribe some throat-healing medicine.”
Physician Fu, both excited and amazed, exclaimed, “No problem at all. Young Madam is truly a miraculous healer, this method really worked…”
Third Master Jiang expressed his gratitude, saying, “Zhanwei’s wife, you truly have skills. Thank you.”
As Lu Man was about to modestly respond, the eldest son suddenly exclaimed, “Grandfather, Grandfather, you’ve finally woken up!”
The shout was like a thunderclap, startling everyone present. They hurried to the bed to see the old Marquis lying there, eyes open, speaking unclearly.
Except for Third Madam Huang, who was still holding Jiang Zhanyan, both crying and smiling, the younger children looked confused, but everyone else rushed excitedly to the old Marquis’s bedside, exclaiming, “Father (Grandfather), you’ve finally awakened.”