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After spending a day and a night in close proximity to Princess He, Lu Man had become quite familiar with her. She chuckled and reassured, “My grandfather is like a big kid now. Have you ever seen a well-behaved child? Of course not.”
Amused by Lu Man’s remarks, Princess He replied, “Exactly. Our little Mo, I’m not used to him being quiet either.” She then took Lu Man’s hand and continued, “No wonder my elder sister likes you. You’re not only good-looking and capable but also filial, sweet-tongued, and endearing. If I had a daughter-in-law like you, I’d show her off everywhere.”
After showering Lu Man with praise, the Princess couldn’t help but cough a few times.
Blushing at the compliments, Lu Man humbly responded, “You’re too kind, Princess He. I’m not that great.”
Song Ming found the earlier conversation sensible but remarked that it wasn’t appropriate to suggest that Princess Changting liked to show off. He jokingly added, “Mother, if Fourth Princess Aunt heard you say she likes to show off, she wouldn’t be pleased.”
As they bantered, they heard the laughter of a child and the meowing of a cat coming from the courtyard. It was Song Mo carrying Sweet Pea.
Sweet Pea, mischievous as ever, matched Song Mo’s hearty laughter with a loud meow of its own.
Lu Man explained, “This cat is quite perceptive. It knows I’m staying here and won’t return, so it cried and made a fuss to come along. I couldn’t refuse, so I brought it. Surprisingly, it got along well with Song Mo.”
Later that evening, after administering acupuncture to the Princess, Lu Man returned to the East Courtyard to rest. Qingqing had brought Sweet Pea back, and it was perched on the table, enjoying the treats Song Mo had offered.
Curious about Song Mo’s activities, Lu Man inquired about his time with Sweet Pea.
Qingqing mentioned that Tang was highly favored by Song Mo and seemed to have earned the trust of Prince Song Ming. She held absolute authority in Song Mo’s courtyard, with the servants fearing her. Song Mo was indeed still nursing, once in the morning and once in the evening. Before bedtime, he also drank a bowl of Ophiopogon japonicus water to alleviate internal heat and dryness, as instructed by the imperial physician due to Song Mo’s dry stool.
Lu Man became more convinced that Song Mo had been poisoned. Given his young age, he couldn’t have consumed all the foods and shanhu (related to Chinese herbal medicine) himself, but if his nursemaid eat them and then breastfed him, he would have indirectly ingested the toxins.
Lu Man was filled with righteous indignation. How could anyone harm such a lovely and endearing child? She also blamed Song Ming, believing that if he hadn’t taken multiple wives, his son wouldn’t have been targeted. She directly attributed Song Mo’s situation to the two side consorts.
Lu Man suspected that Concubine Wei, who was pregnant, might be responsible for harming others. However, she didn’t rule out the possibility of Concubine Jiang executing a clever plan to eliminate both parties in one fell swoop.
Feeling shaken by the sinister events unfolding in even the simplest households, Lu Man realized that such devious schemes likely extended to larger families as well. Fortunately, she had distanced herself and maintained peace in her own small household. Despite the tumultuous events outside, she had created her own oasis of tranquility.
For this, she felt grateful to Jiang Zhanwei. Before departing for the frontier, he had divided the family, allowing her to steer clear of the conflicts within prominent families. He hadn’t brought home multiple women to disgust her, enabling her to lead a quiet life.
After two days and nights of busyness, thoughts of Jiang Zhanwei resurfaced in her mind.
In the past, she had forced herself to think of his good qualities daily, as per his instructions. However, today, she found herself involuntarily reflecting on his virtues.
Song Ming, handsome and noble, treated the Princess with respect, showcasing his filial piety and manners. His gentle demeanor towards Song Mo revealed his compassionate nature as a father. His courteous interactions with Princess Changting and others demonstrated his intelligence and social grace. His past assistance to her portrayed him as a just and emotionally intelligent man.
Despite his seemingly impeccable qualities, Song Ming had married multiple women and remained unaware of the harm befalling his son. Despite his consorts being gifts from the Emperor, his inconsistent behavior remained unchanged.
Comparing him to Jiang Zhanwei, who may have been slightly less exceptional in appearance but excelled in other aspects, Lu Man noted a significant difference. Jiang Zhanwei had provided his wife with a peaceful home, even arranging matters after his passing, ensuring her well-being. Although his feelings for her might not have been deep, his commitment to her as his wife drove him to fulfill his promises.
Lu Man couldn’t help but think of the despicable actions of Lu Fangrong, who had used his wife’s money to support his family and callously allowed his mother to divorce her during her most difficult and helpless time.
Now reflecting on Jiang Zhanwei again, Lu Man found him somewhat more bearable in comparison. Despite his mistreatment of her on their wedding night, the original Lu Man had also wounded his pride. While he had numerous flaws – a bad temper, poor character, and lower social status – he didn’t indulge in promiscuity (which was her absolute bottom line). He had earnestly protected her in times of need, pledged his wealth, promised to return and live well with her, and had a grandmother like the Princess Changting. In the end, his actions seemed somewhat more acceptable. How many truly loving couples existed in ancient times anyway?
Waking up, Lu Man found herself in complete darkness inside the tent. Recalling that night, she was still seething with anger, yet strangely, her body showed no physical reaction.
The next morning, after administering acupuncture to the Princess, Lu Man was informed that Princess Changting, old Marquis Jiang, eldest Young Madam, and Jiang Jiu had come to visit Princess He.
It was perfectly normal for Princess Changting to visit Princess He, but it seemed improper for old Marquis Jiang, to pay a visit. This breach of etiquette left Song Ming puzzled, and even Princess He, who was almost asleep, was startled awake.
Quickly thinking on her feet, Lu Man explained, “It must be my grandfather wanting to see me and causing a commotion.” She added, “My grandfather is like a child now, so please don’t mind.”
Amused, Song Ming responded, “Please welcome them”, and got up to greet the guests.
Although Princess He couldn’t receive guests in bed, she immediately had her attire changed, hair styled, and makeup done. This was the refinement of a noblewoman, or perhaps a display of strength, as they couldn’t bear to show any unflattering sides to others, excluding physicians.
Observing this, Lu Man felt a bit embarrassed but refrained from intervening. Old Marquis Jiang’s childish behavior was disrupting the patient’s peace.
Soon after, Princess Changting and her entourage arrived in sedan chairs.
Lu Man went to meet them at the door and watched as Princess Changting, old Marquis Jiang, eldest Young Madam, Jiang Jiu, accompanied by Song Ming, entered the courtyard.
Upon seeing Lu Man, old Marquis Jiang abruptly pushed away the royal physician escorting him and hurried towards her. He exclaimed, “Granddaughter-in-law, you’ve been living here and not returning home. Are you planning to remarry? No, you can’t remarry. I won’t allow it.”
Old Marquis Jiang’s nonsensical outburst left everyone shocked.