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Jiang Zhanwei glanced at Lu Man, nodded, and continued to focus on the work, occasionally pointing out areas for improvement, with Jiang Zhankui nodding in agreement from time to time.
Liu Ya brought a bowl of sticky rice porridge and placed four side dishes on the table. Lu Man sat on the heated brick bed to eat.
Mama Wang looked at the people around the table and then at Jiang Jiu, who was playing with Qichang and Sweet Pea on the floor, her smile growing wider. These people seemed like a harmonious family.
After finishing her meal, Jiang Zhanwei handed the schoolwork to Jiang Zhankui and said to Lu Man, “Liu Xin has returned. He witnessed Bao Qin being given twenty lashes, and then they dragged her unconscious body to an estate on the outskirts of the Capital.” He handed over a deed to Lu Man, saying, “The shop is now yours.”
Lu Man took the deed, saw her name written on it, and felt a mix of emotions—sour, bitter, and complex. It was for this shop that Little Lu Man had been pushed to the brink. Now, having avenged her and regained the shop, she could offer solace to her departed soul.
Jiang Zhanwei inquired, “Are you planning to open a clinic with it?”
Not wanting to hide anything, Lu Man nodded, “Yes, I want to reopen Renhe Hall to honor my maternal grandfather’s memory.”
Jiang Zhanwei advised, “You can open a clinic, but don’t use the name Renhe Hall. Choose a different name for now, and later, once things have settled down, you can change it back. Also, don’t personally practice medicine.”
Understanding that “once things have settled down” likely referred to the Empress Dowager Wang’s passing, Lu Man agreed, “Okay, I’ll choose a different name and refrain from practicing personally.” She knew she wouldn’t practice until she removed the title of Third Young Madam Jiang. Then she asked, “What does Grandmother think?”
Jiang Zhanwei replied, “Grandmother is satisfied with the handling of the Lu family. She also wanted me to tell you that there are no perfect parents in this world. Those two women have faced the consequences, so don’t hold too much resentment towards your grandmother and father…”
Lu Man fell silent. Despite the Princess’s affection, the feudalistic old beliefs were difficult to accept.
Jiang Zhanwei, understanding Lu Man’s thoughts, advised, “Some things are best kept to yourself. As long as things seem acceptable on the surface and avoid being criticized, that should suffice. Perhaps Grandmother’s words were meant to educate me, urging me to…”
He held back the rest of his words.
Lu Man nodded, remembering the promise she made to Jiang Zhanwei. Despite his occasional unpleasantness, he had indeed helped her significantly, putting forth his utmost effort.
She asked Xing to bring paper and pen, jotting down several prescription formulas to give to Jiang Zhanwei. She explained that these prescriptions could cause diarrhea, rashes, or fever and weakness. One of the prescriptions mimicked symptoms of the plague, challenging even experienced physicians to discern the difference. This particular formula would likely have the most impact since the plague spreads quickly, causes rapid death (though this medicine wouldn’t be fatal), and has a certain incubation period, effectively disrupting the enemy’s camp and breaking down their psychological defenses…
Jiang Zhanwei looked at the prescriptions in disbelief and asked, “Are they truly this miraculous?”
Lu Man replied, “I tested two of them on Hong Ling, and they were indeed effective. You can try them out as well. These medicines don’t require antidotes, with a moderate dosage, the symptoms will disappear after stopping the medication for two days.” Pointing to the plague-like formula, she added, “For this one, a slightly larger dosage requires a ten-day break for the symptoms to subside.”
Jiang Zhanwei burst out laughing, dispelling the seriousness and reluctance from before. His sudden laughter startled Jiang Zhankui reading nearby and Jiang Jiu playing on the floor, causing them to look up in astonishment.
His laughter was so carefree that not only had Lu Man never witnessed it before, but even the siblings and long-serving attendants were taken aback.
After his laughter subsided, Jiang Zhanwei said to Lu Man, “Thank you. You’ve once again shown me great kindness.”
At that moment, Jiang Zhanwei was far from stern and gloomy, his radiant smile was like summer sunshine, too bright for Lu Man to gaze directly at.
With lowered eyelids, Lu Man cautioned, “Please do not spread these prescriptions, they must not be misused, as it would dishonor the ancestors of the He family.”
Jiang Zhanwei gazed at her intently and reassured, “Rest assured, I will entrust this to my most trusted aides. They won’t divulge the details, and even if they produce them, they won’t understand the true purpose behind it.”
Lu Man suggested to Jiang Zhanwei the idea of creating camouflage uniforms. This was something she had thought of a few days ago. In her past life, various military forces wore camouflage uniforms to not only confuse the enemy’s sight but also to counter infrared surveillance.
She explained that for surprise attacks or special missions requiring better concealment, a special type of clothing could be made—camouflage uniforms. These uniforms would have irregular patterns dyed in green, yellow, brown, and black colors on the clothes and hats. Depending on the unique characteristics of the Northern regions in winter, the clothing could also be dyed in pure white or white and brown intermixed. In battles in the western regions, the uniforms could be dyed yellow. In essence, the colors would change according to the terrain and season. Even the horses, swords, and other equipment could be camouflaged, and so on.
Moreover, she also sketched various backpack designs from her past life. These backpacks had large capacities, were easy to carry, and less likely to fall apart, unlike the method of wrapping items in cloth and tying them around the body. For rain protection and durability, she suggested using animal skin.
Listening to these unique clothing ideas and seeing the peculiar backpack designs, Jiang Zhanwei became extremely excited. These two items would be highly beneficial for his army. Particularly, the camouflage uniforms would provide excellent concealment, confusing enemy scouts and allowing them to approach undetected, catching the enemy off guard.
Why hadn’t he or many other generals thought of this strategy before?
Glancing at Lu Man, he noted her gentle appearance, seemingly timid and delicate, yet surprisingly intelligent, far exceeding his expectations.
Excitedly getting off the heated brick bed and pacing around the room, Jiang Zhanwei finally sat opposite Lu Man and said, “My vacation was supposed to last until the day after tomorrow, but I can’t wait. I plan to leave early tomorrow morning.” Initially, he had thought of leaving immediately but remembered the city gates were closed, so he revised his statement. “Man, thank you. You are not only a lucky star for my grandfather but also for me.”
Jiang Jiu chimed in playfully, “Third Sister-in-law is also a lucky star for Eighth Brother and me. Whenever she’s around, Grandmother, Father, Mother, and Fifth Brother treat us well and give us nice things.”
Meanwhile, Jiang Jiu pondered on a deeper level, excitedly exclaiming, “Third Brother, with Third Sister-in-law’s suggestion, could you win battles now?”
Jiang Zhanwei laughed heartily and responded, “Exactly. In a confrontation between two armies, victory doesn’t always favor the stronger side. Sometimes, ingenious ideas can lead to unexpected victories.”
Lu Man couldn’t help but think that this man was a military genius. Not only was he intelligent, but he had also come up with a special forces unit, showing foresight and innovation, breaking away from traditional methods.