Chapter 155: Stating Intentions

Lu Man was completely puzzled. How had her maternal grandfather managed to anger Empress Wang to the extent that not only was he executed, but even his only granddaughter was not spared? Perhaps Empress Wang did not want her to become the granddaughter-in-law of Princess Changting…

Simultaneously, with so many people watching her closely, leaving the protection of Princess Changting’s household would endanger her life. Thinking of those disgustingly sticky and repulsive eyes, Lu Man felt increasingly uncomfortable.

She absolutely could not leave Princess Changting’s residence now!

Staying at the residence was not only against her wishes but also not the best option. Madam Hong held a much higher position than her, controlling the household affairs. With these vindictive women engaging in household intrigue, even a slight misstep could put her in danger. Wang Haobai’s actions today were a clear example. If she lost the favor of the household members, her situation within the residence would become precarious, especially since it seemed that Princess Changting and Marquis Jiang were displeased with her today.

It was truly a dilemma! Lu Man held onto the packet of medicine, torn with indecision.

She didn’t want to lose the protection of Princess Changting, she wanted to maintain the status quo and reside here temporarily. However, she wasn’t sure if this wish could be fulfilled. The feeling of helplessness, like a fish on a chopping board, left her breathless.

Even if she were to leave, she absolutely could not lose the title of Third Young Madam Jiang. The contract she had with Jiang Zhanwei must be upheld until her danger was averted.

Even if the household members were unhappy with her, she still had the trump card of being the granddaughter-in-law of the old Marquis…

Having thought it through, Lu Man returned the medicine packet to the drawer.

During dinner, Zhankui and Jiu arrived with the cat and dog.

Jiang Jiu glanced at Lu Man’s face and tenderly asked, “Sister-in-law, is Brother right that you’re tired? Have you rested well?”

Lu Man managed a faint smile and replied, “I took a short nap, feeling much better now.”

Jiang Zhankui then whispered, “Sister-in-law, my third brother is quite capable. If you ever face any difficulties, let Brother Liu Xin know, and he will send words to my brother.”

Lu Man couldn’t help but chuckle and said, “Alright, if anything comes up, I’ll ask Liu Xin to pass a message to your brother.”

The young siblings were adept at reading people’s moods and didn’t say another word, sitting quietly and even signaling the cat and dog not to make a commotion.

For dinner, they had a simple meal of vegetable congee, rice porridge, a plate of crystal dumplings, and a few non-greasy stir-fried dishes.

As the dishes were placed on the table, Xiao Huan from the Crane Hall arrived with a food box.

She smiled as she took out a plate of pine nut and sea snail rolls from the food box and said, “This is a reward from Princess Changting. She said that Third Young Madam had worked hard today and should rest well. Tomorrow, take Second Young Miss and Sweet Pea to the Crane Hall as scheduled.”

Was Princess Changting expressing her stance with this gesture?

Surely, she must have realized that this was a scheme orchestrated by Madam Hong, intentionally sending Wang Haobai to the Crane Hall to disgust people and turn the household members against her. Madam Hong might be cunning, but even her schemes would not elude the shrewdness of the experienced Princess Changting. Besides, Lu Man was not really fifteen, she had her suspicions about Madam Hong’s intentions.

Lu Man’s heart, which had been in turmoil, finally settled. She was moved to tears. Rising, she respectfully thanked Princess Changting and said, “Thank you for your reward, wise and knowledgeable elder.”

Mama Wang and the others, seeing Lu Man’s initial distress upon her return, speculated that something had happened or that she was upset with someone. However, upon seeing the items sent by Princess Changting to console her, Lu Man’s expression improved, and her face lit up with a smile.

The people at Orchid Pavilion warmly welcomed Xiao Huan. Lu Ying came over to guide Xiao Huan to the back room and whispered, “I learned from Third Young Madam how to make a type of pill. It’s good for women during their menstrual cycle, promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, and enhancing beauty…”

Feeling some discomfort during her menstrual cycle, Xiao Huan happily accompanied Lu Ying to the back room.

That night, Lu Man drew a pattern for a cotton shoe, with the shoe covering just above the ankle, wrapping it snugly. The shoes were beautiful, resembling a pair of leather boots made for winter. She planned to present them as a gift to Princess Changting, whose birthday fell on the sixth day of the twelfth month. She felt it was fitting to make something decent by hand to honor her.

She asked Mama Wang to help cut out the shoe’s vamp and upper part, using red silk for the heel and ankle area, and black silk for the majority of the ankle. The skilled Lu Ying embroidered a wreath of peonies on the vamp and three branches of green plum blossoms on the ankle, while Lu Man worked on the rest by hand.

The shoes turned out exceptionally beautiful, snugly wrapping around the ankle, ensuring warmth and elegance.

Upon seeing the pattern, Mama Wang was delighted but shook her head, saying, “The shoes look exquisite. However, the opening is too small, making it difficult to slip the foot in. As people age, it becomes even harder to wear boots.” She added, “Elderly individuals rarely wear boots because they are challenging to put on.”

Lu Man pointed to a section on the ankle area of the pattern and explained, “Look here, these two buckle pieces aren’t just decorative. This part needs to be longer, while this one should be shorter, with the longer piece covering the shorter one when fastened with the button…”

Lu Man explained and gestured, and Mama Wang quickly grasped the idea, exclaiming, “Indeed, making the shoes this way ensures both warmth and style, and they are easy to put on.” She looked at Lu Man with joy in her eyes and proudly said, “Third Young Madam is clever to have thought of this method.”

Lu Ying chimed in, “This method isn’t difficult. Even skilled tailors hadn’t thought of it.”

Lu Man then suggested making the button pieces in red and the abacus knots in black, creating a unique and eye-catching design. Typically, buttons in this world were simple, with a single button attached to an abacus knot. Although she had seen some beautiful buttons on qipaos in her previous life, she hadn’t examined or studied them closely enough to replicate them. By using contrasting colors for the buttons and knots, she introduced a subtle change.

The next day, Lu Man dressed simply, wearing a semi-new ice-blue embroidered coat, a celestial blue horse-face skirt, and only two pearl hairpins on her head, with minimal makeup. She didn’t dare to dress up further, fearing criticism of being too flirtatious.

Even so, the woman in the mirror exuded a unique charm. She even whimsically thought that she was naturally beautiful in this lifetime and couldn’t ruin her appearance or intentionally make herself look unattractive just to avoid suspicion.

Leading Jiang Jiu, Sweet Pea, and Qichang, Lu Man went to the Crane Hall.

Princess Changting frowned upon seeing Lu Man’s attire. She remarked, “Our family’s granddaughter-in-law should not dress so plainly. Not only would it invite ridicule for being drab, but it also makes me uncomfortable. Young ladies like you should dress in a more vibrant and fashionable manner.”

Lu Man smiled and replied, “I was afraid…”

“Afraid of what? As long as your intentions are pure, there’s nothing to fear.” Princess Changting said boldly.