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The room was warm as spring, with the floor heating system burning and the charcoal stove alight. Lu Man wore a thin jacket and sat on the heated bed, telling stories to Jiang Yue.
Little Yue, holding a piece of mung bean jelly in her arms, listened to “Little Red Riding Hood” and then shouted, “More hat!” She then said fiercely, “Hit, hit, hit the bad guy…”
“Let’s change to a different story. Mother knows many more”. Lu Man suggested.
“No, I like the hat.” Yue said firmly, shaking her head and threatening her mother, “I’ll find Grandma.”
Lu Man tapped her little head with her index finger and told “Little Red Riding Hood” several more times until Jiang Jiu arrived and she stopped.
During lunch, Liu Chun suddenly returned. He wore brand-new military attire, grinning broadly, looking much more spirited than usual upon his return.
He was sent back by Jiang Zhanwei to deliver the news that the Xie family’s army had arrived outside Changcheng, over two hundred miles from the capital, the day before. On the eleventh of the twelfth lunar month, the day after tomorrow, the army would reach the outskirts of the capital and set up camp there, entering the city on the morning of the twelfth.
Thinking about seeing their long-missed brother soon, Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu were so excited that they screamed and jumped up. Jiang Yue also understood that her father would be coming back soon and jumped along, though her feet couldn’t leave the ground, making it look like she was just puffing out her little belly and squatting with her little butt.
Lu Man asked, “Was Third Young Master injured? How is Lu Fangrong?”
For that man, Lu Man really couldn’t bring herself to call him “father”. However, in front of elders like the Princess and others, as well as outsiders, she still didn’t dare to be so bold.
Liu Chun smiled and said, “Third Young Master suffered a minor injury, but it’s no longer a big deal. General Lu is not doing well, he was seriously injured in the thigh and still can’t walk properly. I heard that Third Young Master used all the Huang Ke Lai he had on him, which managed to save his leg.”
Lu Man nodded. Knowing that Lu Fangrong hadn’t died, she started to dislike him again. There was nothing she could do, people are just so contradictory.
Liu Chun continued, “General Lu couldn’t ride a horse because of his injury and returned by carriage. He won’t be able to follow Commander Xie and Third Young Master into the capital on that day. After the army enters the city, he will go straight back to the Lu family by carriage.”
Lu Man rewarded Liu Chun with twenty taels of silver and had Lu Ying lead him to the outer courtyard to find Steward Ming, telling him to drink some wine and then go back to rest. He must have galloped back overnight in the ice and snow, which was quite tough. However, since he had returned this time, he wouldn’t need to go back to camp to rejoin Jiang Zhanwei.
Lu Man didn’t dare to immediately inform the Princess, fearing it would disrupt her afternoon nap. Instead, she sent someone to Yuling Courtyard to inform He Mingzhu. He Mingzhu was so delighted that she momentarily forgot the unpleasantness with her daughter and braved the snow to come to Donghui Courtyard.
Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu both refused to sleep and stayed with Lu Man in the eastern side room to chat. Although Lu Man felt somewhat conflicted, her joy outweighed her apprehension. After all, that man had returned safely. He had gone to war with the lofty ambition of either succeeding or becoming a martyr, and heaven had seen fit to let him return alive, achieving his grand aspiration—fame and success.
Hours after their chatting, Lu Man took Jiang Jiu, Jiang Yue, He Mingzhu, and the cat and two dogs to the Crane Hall. The humans rode in sedan chairs while the cat and dogs frolicked and rolled in the snow, leaving a trail of laughter in their wake.
As soon as they reached the corridor of the main courtyard, Jiang Yue slipped out of Mama Li’s embrace and stumbled toward the main door of the hall, shouting loudly, “Grandma, Grandma, Daddy’s coming back, Daddy’s coming back…”
Her cry immediately turned the quiet courtyard into a hubbub.
The birds, which had been dozing with their necks tucked in, chirped noisily, and the servants clearing the snow in the courtyard straightened up, smiling and saying, “Congratulations, Third Young Madam, congratulations, Miss Yue.”
The little girl continued to shout as she entered the main hall, and the Princess, supported by someone, came out and asked, “Is it true? Which day exactly?”
When the army had begun its return journey, Grand Marshal Xie would send someone to report to the Emperor every five days on the army’s progress, so they had a general idea of the army’s movements. Now that they heard the army was about to return, their joy was different.
Lu Man smiled and relayed Liu Chun’s words.
Princess Changting clasped her hands together and said, “Amitabha, after two years, Zhanwei is finally coming back.” She then instructed the servants, “Tell the kitchen to add more dishes, invite the masters and their children to dine here. Also, set up a few tables for the servants, let both the masters and servants celebrate.”
The old Marquis opened his mouth, wanting to say that the return of a concubine’s son didn’t matter. But these days, Princess Changting had been constantly reminding him not to scold Zhanwei anymore. Zhanwei had not only driven away the barbarians but also made a significant contribution to the continued prosperity of the family and would be a strong support for the family in the future. Although his mind wasn’t sharp, he still hoped for the family’s prosperity and wanted his descendants to have more support. So, he wisely chose not to say anything that would invite resentment.
He reached out to Jiang Yue with a smile and said, “Great-granddaughter, come, play with your great-grandfather.”
The news that Jiang Zhanwei would be entering the capital on the twelfth of this month spread like wildfire, traversing the snow and gales, quickly reaching every corner of the Princess’s estate. All the masters who were at home came to the Crane Hall, and the steward, other officials, and respectable servants also came to congratulate the Princess and kowtow to her.
The first to rush over with congratulations was Jiang Zhankun. He had recently been assigned to work as a clerk in the Ministry of Justice, although he was a low-ranking official of the eighth rank, the department was good, and with a strong backing, he was sure to rise through the ranks in the future. Due to the recent busy schedule of the court in welcoming the return of the Xie family’s army, he would only start his duties at the yamen in early December.
Jiang Zhankun ran so fast that he was sweating at the tip of his nose. He made a deep bow to the Princess and laughed exaggeratedly, “Congratulations, Grandmother, many congratulations. Your heroic grandson is coming back. A reward, please, a reward.”
Princess Changting was amused and laughed, “Go, give ten taels of silver to this sweet-talking, quick-footed little monkey.”
Mama Qian playfully took out a ten tael silver ingot, and Jiang Zhankun eagerly tucked it into his bosom.
This caused a burst of laughter among everyone.
Then, he bowed to Lu Man to offer his congratulations.
Lu Man smiled, stood up, and curtsied, saying, “Congratulations to you as well, congratulations.”
Jiang Zhankun was extremely adept at dealing with people, and Zhankun’s wife’s personality was also likable. Lu Man now had a pretty good relationship with the couple.
The Crane Hall remained lively and noisy until dinner was served. After eating, everyone stayed to chat and laugh with the Princess before eventually dispersing.
Outside the flower-hanging gate, many small sedan chairs were waiting.
The snow had stopped, and the cold wind was brisk, with a chilly silver light illuminating the scene, a vast expanse of white as far as the eye could see.
Several sedan chairs carried Lu Man and the others back to Donghui Courtyard, while two other sedan chairs continued on to take He Mingzhu and her son to Yuling Courtyard.
He Cheng stopped the sedan chair carriers and got off to quietly ask Lu Man, “Did Liu Chun say how that person is doing now?”
Lu Man whispered, “He didn’t die, but his leg was seriously injured, and he still can’t walk properly. It’s a case of the good dying young while the wicked live on for a thousand years.”