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One bothersome aspect of their lives was the intrusion of the Lu family, with the old lady, Lu Fangming, and Lu Xin intermittently coming to annoy them. Lu Man refused to see them, but He Cheng didn’t want to cause trouble for his sister. Knowing they would wait at the door if not received, he occasionally met them and then sent them away.
On one occasion, Lu Fangming tried to lure He Cheng back to the Lu family by promising to help him pursue an official career. When He Cheng remained unyielding, Lu Fangming, furious, slapped him and berated him for being spineless, lacking ambition, and being led astray by a woman…
He Cheng retorted, “I have not been led astray by a woman. At the very least, I have never thought of using a woman’s money to support myself. I will work hard, use my own abilities to provide a good life for my mother and myself. I will also support my sister and not allow anyone to bully her.”
His words left Lu Fangming embarrassed and ashamed, causing him to storm off. After that incident, he never shamelessly sought He Cheng out again.
On the first day of March, Jiang Zhanwei’s younger siblings celebrated their seventh birthday. Lu Man and He Mingzhu organized a delightful feast for them, inviting Jiang Zhanyan and the Xie family of four to join the celebration.
As the Princess and the old Marquis went to the palace that day, the old Marquis couldn’t attend, so old Duke Xie was invited instead. Old Duke Xie had long wanted to visit Donghui Courtyard but hadn’t been invited previously due to old Marquis Jiang’s connections.
They didn’t invite older boys like Jiang Zhanyu because Lu Man didn’t want to invite Jiang Zhanxun. That child had the same issues of being a spoiled brat. Lu Man disliked him greatly and didn’t want He Cheng to be friends with someone like that.
Lu Man also inquired with Lady Yang about a female teacher. Jiang Jiu was seven now and needed a teacher.
Lady Yang smiled, “Alright, I will inquire for you.”
Three days later, Lady Yang brought a woman in her thirties to Donghui Courtyard. The woman, Miss Ruan, widowed, and had some talent, working as a teacher for affluent families’ daughters.
After that, Jiang Jiu began studying with Miss Ruan for an hour and a half every morning. The classes were temporarily held at her residence in the West Wing until He Cheng moved out, after which she would conduct classes in her room.
As March progressed, with the grass growing, birds chirping, and flowers blooming, Lu Man’s belly began to show signs of pregnancy.
Seeing her slightly protruding belly and feeling the small life growing inside, transitioning from a tiny embryo to a new life, brought indescribable happiness. Lu Man’s heart softened, feeling immense joy and remorse for ever complaining about the timing of the child’s arrival.
This child was hers, nurtured with her life and blood, who would come into this world carrying her life and blood, continuing her legacy through generations. Thinking of the adorable, tender child, Lu Man’s heart overflowed with happiness.
The impending joy and sense of responsibility of becoming a mother grew stronger within Lu Man. She longed to strengthen the bond with Princess Changting and old Marquis Jiang, improve the management of Tongren Hall, and establish a network through her medical skills. If the day came when she had to part ways with Jiang Zhanwei, she hoped to take the child with her. If that wasn’t possible, she aimed to create a positive living environment for the child, ensuring the stepmother wouldn’t pose any difficulties…
With the efforts of Manager Li and Lu Man’s sincerity, a neighboring shop next to Tongren Hall had been purchased. This property, slightly smaller than Tongren Hall, cost 3,500 taels of silver. Lu Man intended to transform this property into an inpatient department, currently undergoing renovations.
Initially, Lu Man had considered transforming the three-entry courtyard she previously purchased into a large comprehensive hospital but decided to delay this plan. The location wasn’t as favorable as Tongren Hall, lacking the foot traffic of the main street. Additionally, she didn’t want to act too independently at the moment and needed to progress gradually.
On the 18th of March, Song Mo, who was visiting Donghui Courtyard, mentioned that his grandmother wasn’t feeling well.
Upon hearing this, Lu Man asked He Mingzhu and Jiang Jiu to entertain Song Mo at Donghui Courtyard while she took He Cheng and Lu Ying to the Prince He’s Mansion. She had long wanted to introduce He Cheng to Song Ming but hadn’t found the right opportunity until today.
Arriving at the Prince He’s Mansion, Song Ming welcomed them in the courtyard where the old Princess resided.
Lu Man bowed to Song Ming and then introduced He Cheng, saying, “This is my younger brother, He Cheng, who has been studying medicine with me…”
He Cheng knelt and bowed, saying, “The humble one greets the Prince.”
Song Ming quickly helped He Cheng up, saying, “I’ve already heard from Mo,” then, after observing He Cheng, he complimented, “Truly a talented individual,” before presenting him with a string of red coral beads as a gift.
Entering the old Princess’s bedroom, He Cheng accompanied Lu Man as her assistant.
Upon learning that He Cheng was Lu Man’s brother, the old Princess was delighted, praised him, held his hand, and even presented him with a precious jade pendant as a gift.
Afterwards, Lu Man examined the old Princess’s pulse and recommended two doses of digitalis for her. Due to the old Princess’s allergy to digitalis, she needed to take a detoxifying medicine called Bai Hezi after taking digitalis. Lu Man also had to administer acupuncture to counteract the effects of Bai Hezi.
By the time she finished, it was already late.
After lunch, Lu Man smiled at Song Ming and said, “My brother is a rural child, pure, polite, and inexperienced in worldly matters. He is new to the capital, and I fear he might offend the wrong people due to his inexperience. I would like to ask the Prince for guidance.”
Song Ming understood Lu Man’s intentions. This child indeed had exceptional looks and could easily attract unwanted attention. Lu Man had helped him tremendously, and he felt deeply indebted. This time, he would take this request seriously.
He replied, “Of course. I will invite a few friends for drinks another day and have young Master He accompany us. He is a valued acquaintance of mine and a relative of Princess Changting. Even if he makes mistakes, others won’t underestimate him.”
He Cheng was young and had been living in the countryside, where the people were simple and straightforward. There had never been any inappropriate behavior from men, and he didn’t understand the underlying meaning behind his sister and the Prince’s words. He thought the Prince’s mention of being “underestimated” was due to his rural background. Blushing slightly, he made a silent vow to study diligently, maintain his appearance, and not tarnish his capable sister’s reputation.
After dinner, Lu Man administered another dose of digitalis to the old Princess and detoxified her before returning to the mansion with the others. Since Song Mo had stayed at Donghui Courtyard and hadn’t seen much of Lu Man that day, he refused to return home and stayed there.
On the twentieth, Song Ming hosted a gathering and invited He Cheng. After some preparation by his sister, He Cheng, accompanied by Liu Xin, Bai Zhi, and a few servants, set out. As it was He Cheng’s first time meeting with a dignitary alone, Lu Man was worried. She not only had Liu Xin brief him on the etiquettes in the capital but also had Liu Xin accompany him for added support.