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Upon entering the courtyard, Lu Man heard Sweet Pea’s distressed cries grow louder upon sensing her presence.
Approaching, Qingqing said, “Third Young Madam, Sweet Pea has been crying all morning, its eyes are swollen from tears. It looks pitiful.”
Lu Man remained silent, ignoring Sweet Pea, and proceeded to the upper room.
That evening, Sweet Pea quieted down, bringing peace to Orchid Pavilion. Two days later, in the morning, Lu Man went to the West Ear Room. Sweet Pea, looking dejected, was lying in the basket. As Lu Man entered, Sweet Pea stood up, sniffled, and then began to cry. However, it made an effort to stifle its sobs, whimpering softly.
Approaching, Lu Man lifted Sweet Pea, still tethered with the iron chain, and asked, “Are you still eating small animals indiscriminately?”
Sweet Pea shook its head while crying.
Lu Man continued, “Are you going to behave now?”
Initially shaking its head, Sweet Pea quickly nodded.
Watching this, Mama Wang commented, “Heavens, this cat is truly cunning, just like a child.”
Lu Man wiped its tears with a cloth and said, “This is the kind of cat that people like. Remember, behave yourself, no more hurting domestic animals, and definitely no harm to humans. If you misbehave again, I won’t punish you anymore.” she said sternly, noticing Sweet Pea’s bright eyes fixed on her. She then added, “I’ll directly abandon you in the deep forests, where you can use your skills to survive and choose who to prey on. If you fail, you’ll become prey for other wild creatures. Moreover, you’ll never see me again.”
At the mention of never seeing her again, Sweet Pea’s eyes widened in horror, shaking its head vigorously.
Lu Man chuckled, “Now that’s more like it.” Truly a clever cat.
She then fed Sweet Pea a piece of meat, a reconciliation akin to a slap followed by a treat. Finally, the human and feline relationship was restored as good as new.
She unchained Sweet Pea and had Qingqing give it a bath. Carrying it to the East Wing Room, she tied a red bow around its neck. Its breakfast was ready, a steamed carp delicacy, allowing Sweet Pea to enjoy a satisfying meal. After missing two meals and eating vegetarian for a while, it developed quite an appetite.
Jiang Zhankui, Jiang Jiu, and Qichang were delighted, enjoying a meal filled with laughter and joy, creating a festive atmosphere.
As Lu Man prepared to head to the Crane Hall, Wang Dawang arrived with Master Qin’s grandson. He carried two large packets and one small one: one packet contained the prepared Angel’s Trumpet, another the Bai Hezi, and the small packet held the powdered form of the Angel’s Trumpet.
Master Qin’s grandson was a shy fourteen-year-old with fair skin and a slender frame. Blushing, he bowed and said, “My grandfather mentioned that Bai Hezi is highly toxic. He found it from an old herbalist and bought all that was available. He advised Third Young Madam to handle it carefully and not administer it casually. He also prepared a small amount of powdered Angel’s Trumpet for emergencies as it is easier for patients to absorb in liquid form…”
Lu Man thanked him with a smile, rewarded him with a few silver ingots, and asked him to take some snacks back to Manager Li, Master Qin, and the two Physicians. Then, she instructed Jiang Jiu to take Sweet Pea and Qichang to the Crane Hall to accompany the old Marquis while she went to the workshop in the backyard.
She prepared a medicinal soup with the Angel’s Trumpet and instructed Lu Ying to make licorice mung bean soup. After preparation, she began experimenting with three small white rabbits.
On the evening of the sixteenth day of winter, with the Second Master still not returned, both the Princess and the Second Madam grew anxious. The journey from the capital to Dingzhou took four to five days round trip. With Physician Gu’s slow progress due to his age, it was likely that he would arrive in the capital by the afternoon.
Jiang Zhanyu’s condition had worsened over the past few days. He couldn’t even get out of bed, let alone attend his studies at the Imperial Academy. Despite several visits from physicians specializing in heart ailments, including those from Jishi Tang, no effective solutions were found.
The family anxiously awaited the Second Master’s return with Physician Gu.
Late that night, as Lu Man slept soundly, a loud bang echoed through Orchid Pavilion’s gates, accompanied by the maid’s screams, “Third Young Madam, something’s wrong with the Fifth Young Master…”
In the quiet of the night, these sounds were especially startling and terrifying. The dog and cat began to bark and meow, followed by Jiang Jiu’s loud sobs.
Lu Man quickly sat up, calling out, “Liu Ya, hurry, light the lamp. I need to go to the Fifth Young Master’s room and bring Lu Ying too.”
Liu Ya, in the side room, swiftly rose, lit the lamp, got dressed, then hurried to the gatekeeper to fetch Lu Ying from the backyard. Returning, she assisted Lu Man in getting dressed.
Lu Man put on her coat and cape, grabbed the emergency medical kit from the side room. She had previously arranged a small wooden box containing emergency trauma and common ailment medications, including the two formulations of Angel’s Trumpet, licorice, and mung beans.
Lu Ying arrived at the front yard with the medical kit, Liu Ya carried a horn lamp, and they all left Orchid Pavilion, hastening towards the outer courtyard.
In the dark night, with bone-chilling winds and frosty moonlight, Lu Man prayed as she ran through the corridors, hoping the young man could hold on until she arrived. She felt immense guilt, if that vibrant and beautiful life were lost due to her timidity, she would be haunted by regret for life.
Arriving at Jiang Zhanyu’s residence, the sound of the Second Madam’s weeping could be heard from inside. In the room, aside from the Second Madam, there were three imperial physicians present.
Madam Lin approached Lu Man, holding her hand, pleading, “Please use that miraculous medicine on Zhanyu. Regardless of its toxicity, save his life first.”
Approaching Zhanyu’s bed, Lu Man saw his darkened complexion, bluish lips, half-closed eyes, and struggling breaths.
She opened the medical kit, prepared the powdered medicine in a teacup with hot water, and had Lu Ying make licorice mung bean soup for emergency use. Supporting Zhanyu upright, Lu Man slowly administered the medicine to him.
After a quarter of an hour, Zhanyu’s complexion improved, his breathing steadied, and he began to drift off to sleep.
Lu Man reevaluated his condition, noting some relief in his symptoms and no signs of poisoning, letting out a sigh of relief. The three imperial physicians also examined him, nodding in agreement with Lu Man’s assessment.
The Second Madam, tearful but relieved, clasped Lu Man’s hand and said, “Thank you.” In that moment, she was no longer a dignified figure but a worried mother grateful for her child’s well-being.
Exiting the room and entering the side chamber, the three imperial physicians eagerly asked Lu Man about the miraculous medicine she had administered.
Lu Man, willing to share medical knowledge for the benefit of the era, replied, “It’s Digitalis, extracted from Angel’s Trumpet, effective in treating various heart ailments.” She emphasized, “However, it’s not a cure for every heart condition. Incorrect usage could be fatal. Due to its toxicity, dosage must be carefully managed…”