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After acknowledging the elders’ praises, Lu Man smiled and said, “I also have to thank Ninth Young Master. If it wasn’t for his little act, I don’t know how much longer we would have had to wait for Grandfather to wake up.”
Princess Changting laughed heartily, “Exactly. That little rascal caused such a commotion, it almost scared me to death and managed to wake the old Marquis up too.” She then had someone bring a red coral ornament and half a pound of bird’s nest from her private treasury to reward him.
Upon mentioning this incident, the eyes of the three elders turned red as they expressed gratitude to the old Marquis for his extreme care towards Jiang Zhanyan and thanked Lu Man for her effective methods of saving him.
After the meal, Princess Changting took Lu Man’s hand and advised, “Good child, your grandfather still relies on you. Starting tomorrow, you should continue to show filial respect to him every day just as before.”
To continue as before? That old man was truly clingy.
Lu Man inwardly sighed but didn’t dare to refuse. She quickly replied, “I understand, granddaughter-in-law will do as instructed.”
Not long after returning to Orchid Pavilion with Jiang Zhankui and Jian Jiu, Marquis Jiang, the Second Master, and the Third Master sent rewards. It was surprising that even the Second Master rewarded her, which left Lu Man feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Marquis Jiang’s gift was a Longquan celadon incense burner, the Second Master’s gift was a flower and bird painting by the former dynasty painter Huang Hezhi, and the Third Master’s gift was a pair of colorful large vases.
Thinking back to the box and the unfinished sentence from Jiang Zhanwei, Lu Man had serious doubts about the ancient artifact gifted by the Second Master.
Upon learning that the painting was given by her father, Jiang Jiu praised it extensively. Jiang Zhankui wanted to comment but refrained from dampening her enthusiasm.
Jiang Jiu reminded, “Third Sister-in-law, have you forgotten? We need to send invites for sister Ping today and invite them to see Sweet Pea.”
Lu Man had indeed forgotten, having been too occupied to visit the Xie Mansion to see the elder Mrs. Xie and the chubby little boy who might become her godson. She responded, “Oh, right, luckily Little Jiu reminded me.” and instructed Jiang Zhankui, “Eighth brother, write a letter, and let Little Jiu sign it to be sent to the Xie Mansion.”
Despite the busyness in the household, interactions among children didn’t affect the adults, so Lu Man fulfilled Jiang Jiu’s wish.
Upon hearing he was entrusted with such an important task, Jiang Zhankui smiled brightly and got to work. He sat at the table writing the letter while Lu Man and Jiang Jiu watched beside him.
Jiang Zhankui only smiled after the third attempt at writing the letter properly, which Lu Man then approved. She instructed Jiang Jiu to write her name at the bottom left of the notice. Though Jiang Jiu couldn’t write other characters, she could write her own name.
Once the notice was ready, Lu Man had Lingzhi deliver it to the outer courtyard, who would then have the outer courtyard staff send it to the Xie Mansion. She also informed the elder Mrs. Xie that they would have a children-friendly banquet at Orchid Pavilion the next midday.
At the banquet, Mama Wang would prepare some snacks and double-boiled milk. Jiang Zhankui suggested teppanyaki, but Lu Man declined, considering the delicate palates of the two young girls who were visiting.
She then arranged for the East Cross Courtyard to be prepared, where Jiang Jiu would entertain the young guests.
Originally, Orchid Pavilion served as a resting place for the masters after wandering around the Mirror Lake or the backyard. The furnishings were adequate but not overly luxurious. Lu Man had a few exquisite decorations brought from her storage to enhance the setting.
Watching the excitement of the two siblings discussing how to receive the guests the next day, Lu Man felt a bit helpless. Since Sweet Pea took up residence on Orchid Pavilion, the siblings had been reluctant to leave. With two children here and one in Crane Hall, oh… and another kind old soul, trying to get rid of these four individuals was no easy task.
Contemplating the awakening of the old Marquis and Jiang Zhanwei’s lack of accomplishments, Lu Man wondered if the Lady of the House might try to remove her from the household. Perhaps she should devise a plan to make herself look bad, giving the Lady of the House a reason to take action…
Upon waking in the afternoon, Lu Man didn’t feel inclined to go to Crane Hall. Since Princess Changting had granted her a day off, she shamelessly decided to take a break. With the old Marquis awake, she no longer needed to strive for recognition as she had done before.
When Jiang Jiu got up and Jiang Zhankui returned after walking the dog for an hour, Lu Man admired the boy’s resilience and determination. Not only did he study with his teacher, but he also secretly read military and martial arts books. It seemed that Jiang Zhanwei had gone through a similar process, explaining why he was so strict with his younger brother.
After Jiang Zhankui finished bathing, Lu Man carried Sweet Pea, accompanied by the two children, the dog, and a few maids, to the flower house to select some high-quality chrysanthemums to display in the East Cross Courtyard.
The flower house was located in the backyard, which was vast and featured peach trees, apricot trees, crabapple trees, purple wisteria, cherry blossoms, and various potted plants, with a glass greenhouse in the center.
Gazing at the long glass greenhouse shimmering in the sunlight, Lu Man felt a hint of awe. In this era, a piece of glass like that could sustain an ordinary person for a lifetime.
Standing beside the flower house, they could faintly hear the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and opera singing coming from the southwest, as if two opera troupes were performing in the southwest corner of the mansion.
After circling the flower house, they selected ten pots of chrysanthemums, including five rare varieties, and ten pots of autumn crabapples. They couldn’t carry everything in one trip and would have to return for more.
After dinner, Lu Man dressed up the little girls beautifully and had Lanzhi and Mama Guo lead them to the Second Madam’s pavilion. There, they would report on the upcoming social event where she, as the host, would entertain young guests for the first time, seeking guidance on proper etiquette.
This timing might allow them to meet the Second Master. He was usually in a good mood at this hour, and Lu Man hoped he would show kindness towards the little girl, considering Jiang Zhanwei’s “filial” behavior.
Lu Man didn’t accompany Jiang Jiu. The Second Madam was reserved and rarely socialized, except for occasional poetry gatherings or aristocratic banquets where she acted as a judge for young gentlemen and ladies. Lu Man considered herself down-to-earth and felt she had little in common with such prestigious women. Moreover, the Second Madam had made it clear that she didn’t require younger relatives to pay their respects, so Lu Man didn’t insist on visiting.
However, it was essential for Jiang Jiu to cultivate a good relationship with the Second Madam. As her stepmother, the Second Madam had a responsibility to educate her. By approaching her for advice, Jiang Jiu could establish her presence and strengthen their bond. In the future, if Lu Man were to leave the household, the Second Madam could provide support to Jiang Jiu in times of need.
The little girl, feeling nervous, tugged at Lu Man’s skirt, saying, “Third Sister-in-law, Jiu is scared. Can you accompany Jiu?” She knew her brother wouldn’t be able to accompany her, so she pleaded with Lu Man.