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Upon hearing Liu Xin’s warning, old lady Lu was beyond furious. When Lu Fangming returned, he advised her, “Mother, please don’t act rashly. If we push Man and Cheng further away, it might lead to my dismissal from the capital. Let’s wait for Second Brother to return. He can handle coaxing He Mingzhu back. Since He Mingzhu’s affection leans towards Second brother, Man and Cheng will naturally come around.”
Old lady Lu didn’t want her eldest son to be sent to a remote location for an official position. Thinking back to how affectionate her second son and He Mingzhu had been, she chuckled. Indeed, second son was charming and persuasive, once he returned, there was no doubt he couldn’t win He Mingzhu’s heart back.
In the evening, just as Lu Man bid farewell to the guests, Jiang Zhanwei’s personal soldier, Liu Chun, hurried back. He informed her that Third Young Master acknowledged Third Young Madam’s birthday and sent him back with a letter and a birthday gift.
Lu Man instructed Liu Chun to relax and rest in the front courtyard, then arranged for the letters and gifts for the Princess, Second Master, and He Mingzhu to be delivered. She then gathered with Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu to examine their respective letters and gifts.
Jiang Zhanwei sent a set of jewelry with inset chicken blood stones for Jiang Jiu and a captured dagger embellished with gemstones for Jiang Zhankui.
Frowning at the dagger, Lu Man advised, “You’re still young. Let Lingzhi keep it for you. You can play with it when you’re older.”
Though reluctant, Jiang Zhankui nodded obediently.
Lu Man received a variety of gifts, including chicken blood stone jewelry, ornaments, four pieces of sable fur, and four pieces of mink fur.
Seeing Jiang Jiu’s envy, Lu Man suggested, “Take two pieces of sable fur and make a cloak for yourself to wear in winter.”
Jiang Jiu declined, saying, “These are Brother’s gifts for you. I’m fine, you can keep them for yourself.”
Lu Man insisted, “These are gifts for me, so they’re mine. If I choose to have one made for you, then it’s yours.”
Jiang Zhanwei’s letter, spanning ten pages, overflowed with longing and anticipation for his family, expressing his hopes for their children, with no mention of the brutal battlefield. It seemed as though he was merely away on a distant journey, missing his family…
Despite the elegant and strong handwriting, Lu Man almost believed someone else had written it for him.
This person was a unity of contradictions. Cold and distant at times, chilling to the bone, yet warm and inviting when the mood struck.
Which one is the real him?
Once again, she found herself sleepless at night.
On May 20th, Physician Gu left with his grandson and a substantial gift, content with their discussions on heart disease treatment and understanding. They also adjusted the treatment plan for Jiang Zhanyu.
Physician Gu mentioned that Jiang Zhanyu wouldn’t need to visit him in Dingzhou anymore. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, “Physician Lu” could extend his life by another twenty years.
In a hushed tone, Lu Man whispered to Jiang Zhanyu, “I will continue to strive, aiming to grant you at least another thirty years.”
The words of Physician Gu and Lu Man’s promise greatly moved Jiang Zhanyu, bringing tears of joy to the eyes of the Princess, Second Master, and Second Madam.
The Princess looked at this granddaughter-in-law even more differently.
The day before Physician Gu’s departure, Lu Man accompanied him to the Prince He’s residence for a consultation with old Princess He, readjusting her medication.
After a challenging month, Lu Man longed to spend some time in the countryside, rest, and reflect on the fruitful exchanges with Physician Gu, particularly regarding the suspected Night Yellow Flower. She planned to discuss with Zheng Qiang, although the exact location had faded from memory. It should be relatively close to Zheng Qiang’s temporary residence in the mountains. Considering the circumstances, she couldn’t search for the flower herself, thus requiring Zheng Qiang’s assistance.
Lu Man discussed her plans with the Princess. Initially reluctant, the Princess agreed upon hearing about the potential existence of an “ancient” miraculous herb in the mountains. However, she stressed the importance of safety and insisted on additional guards. Alongside the eight guards from Donghui Courtyard, Lu Man would be accompanied by ten guards from the Princess Changting’s residence.
Furthermore, Lu Man requested an expert in gardening, Mrs. Wei, from the Princess Changting’s residence to accompany her to the outskirts of the capital. Mrs. Wei had decades of experience in cultivating flowers and plants. Whether they found the flower or not, Lu Man intended to cultivate it for medicinal or ornamental purposes.
This particular flower was notoriously difficult to grow, evident by Lu Man having only encountered it once in her lifetime.
The Princess readily agreed to her request.
On May 21st, Lu Man set off with Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu, He Mingzhu and He Cheng, a group of maids and servants, along with several guards, and even their pets, to the village on the northwest slope of Shanping County in the outskirts of the capital.
For safety, Lu Man rode in a sedan chair.
Although Jiang Zhankui and He Cheng accompanied her, they planned to return to the capital the following day to avoid missing their studies due to leisure activities.
Due to the need to care for the sedan chair carrying Lu Man, the horses and carriages traveled slowly. They set out in the early morning and didn’t arrive at the village until the late afternoon.
The estate consisted of a two-courtyard compound, where Mama Wang and her husband had arrived a day earlier to prepare the rooms.
The head of the village was a man named Mr. Li, commonly known as Uncle Li, who lived there with his wife, Aunt Li.
The male servants stayed in the front courtyard, while Lu Man, along with the siblings, He Mingzhu and He Cheng, and the maids, stayed in the inner courtyard.
Exhausted, Lu Man had a simple meal, freshened up, and rested. She and Jiang Jiu stayed in the east room of the upper house, He Mingzhu stayed in the north room of the east wing, He Cheng and Jiang Zhankui occupied the south room, and the other servants shared rooms in the west wing or in the side rooms.
By the time Lu Man woke up, it was already evening, with the red hues of the sunset casting a warm glow through the light blue window curtains.
Mama Wang helped her get dressed and mentioned, “My husband took Eighth Young Master, Second Miss, and Qichang to Zheng Qiang’s house to have Qichang recognize his origins…”
Lu Man chuckled at the thought of the siblings wanting to visit Zheng Qiang’s home, especially when they discovered that they had stayed there for a night previously.
Stepping into the courtyard, the rolling green hills bathed in golden light presented a breathtaking sight. Reflecting on the past events, Lu Man felt a sense of relief, knowing that if it weren’t for Jiang Zhanwei, the young original Lu Man might have perished. She couldn’t help but wonder about the yellow flowers—could they be the Night Yellow Flowers Sun Wa mentioned? Would they still be found if they searched now?
As dinner approached, a six-year-old boy, the eldest son of Zheng Qiang, named Zheng Jingang, was brought to the inner courtyard by Deputy Steward Wang Dabo. He knelt down and greeted Lu Man and He Mingzhu, mentioning that Young Master He, Young Master Jiang, and Miss Jiang were dining at their house and would return afterward.
Upon hearing his name, Lu Man couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s playful nickname.
Lu Man had him stand up and rewarded him with a purse containing silver coins and a bag of candies. He Mingzhu also gave him a purse as a token of appreciation.