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Lu Man said, “These two illnesses have nothing to do with your family, Second Madam. They are only related to you.”
The Second Madam was so angry that her face turned pale, but she maintained her dignity and did not want to argue with her daughter-in-law. She turned to leave.
Lu Man said coldly, “Please stay, Second Madam. Don’t you want to know why the sons you gave birth to are not in good health?”
The Second Madam stopped abruptly and turned back to ask, “What do you mean?”
Lu Man tugged at the corner of her mouth and began to educate the Second Madam, “To have a healthy baby, you must practice good prenatal care. From two to three months before deciding to have a child, you should pay attention to many things, all the way until the child is born. For example, you shouldn’t take medicine carelessly, be careful not to catch a cold or some infectious disease, keep a distance from small animals, maintain a pleasant mood, and you must abstain from alcohol. Because these factors can easily cause fetal malformations… um, that is, congenital diseases, or even miscarriage and death. Now, let’s just talk about drinking. If the mother drinks too much, especially strong liquor, the alcohol… um, the thing in the wine that numbs people, it will remain in the blood. And the fetus relies on the umbilical cord to transmit the mother’s blood for survival. If the mother’s blood contains excessive alcohol, then the alcohol will also be transmitted to the fetus. The more you drink, the more will be transmitted. Think about it, if adults can get drunk or even die from drinking too much strong liquor, the impact on the fetus in the womb is even greater…”
It’s impossible to explain science to ancient people, so she could only speak in general terms.
The Second Madam’s eyes widened. If this were true, wouldn’t she be the executioner who killed her own son? Wasn’t all of her current predicament self-inflicted?
She shook her head and whispered, “Impossible, impossible, you’re lying to me.”
Her eyes were already red, she couldn’t believe it, but she also instinctively felt that Lu Man wouldn’t lie about such a matter. And if Lu Man really wanted to harm her, she could have gone directly to the matriarch, and the matriarch would have scolded her to death by now…
Lu Man said, “Why would I lie to you, Second Madam? When the patients I treat become pregnant, I always advise them on those points of attention. In the future, I will also write medical books, including how to practice good prenatal care, how to have a healthy baby…”
She wanted to write a book about women’s and children’s health, and she had already begun to conceive it.
Seeing the Second Madam’s tears flowing down, Lu Man softened her tone and said, “To speak boldly, excessive drinking can only numb yourself for a moment, it doesn’t solve anything and is harmful rather than beneficial. What’s done is done and cannot be undone. You should think about how you and the people you care about can live better in the future. If you want the Fifth Young Master to have fewer episodes and live longer, it’s not just about taking medicine to control it, paying attention to his health, and resting. He must also maintain a pleasant mood. The Fifth Young Master is a filial son, and he’s always worried about how you and the Second Master will live if he’s not around. Especially concerned about you, feeling that you’ve had a hard time and fearing that you’ll be wronged. If you could just relax and let the Fifth Young Master see you happy and content, he would also be happy and free from psychological burdens, which would be better for his health.”
Madam Lin’s temperament was cold and aloof. Besides Jiang Zhanyu, she didn’t like to communicate with others. Some things couldn’t be said in front of her son. But Lu Man’s words struck a chord in her heart. She said, “I know this too. They haven’t stopped advising me, but whenever I encounter something upsetting, I just want to drink.” Thinking about how alcohol had harmed her two sons, she seemed to make up her mind and added, “You’re right. For Zhanyu’s sake, for him to live longer and better, I can’t indulge myself anymore. I need to drink less and let him see me happy. Having such a filial and good son, I should be grateful and happy.”
Lu Man said, “Heaven closes one door for him, it will surely open another window. Although the Fifth Young Master’s health is not good, he is of high moral character, gentle and talented, a rare good man in the world. Having such a good son, you should indeed be grateful and happy.”
Madam Lin’s tears flowed again, and she covered her mouth with a handkerchief, saying, “Yes, yes, my Zhanyu is the best child in the world. I hope he can be healthy and live a long life.”
Lu Man then said leisurely, “In Miss Zhou’s eyes, her children are also the best in the world, and she also hoped to see them healthy and live long lives. Unfortunately, she didn’t live to see the day when her children became successful, or even see them grow up. She was worried about them until her dying breath… I’ve always believed that people have different statuses, but there’s no difference in character, unless they choose to degrade themselves. And Miss Zhou, everything about her was forced upon her. What fault did she have? She lived a humble and painful life, but she raised several good children. It’s only right for her son to seek recognition for her after her death! I heard she was a kind and gentle woman, I think she would have liked all the arrangements her son made for her.” Her eyes then turned to the green bamboo outside the window, as if talking to herself, “My thoughts are somewhat unconventional. If I were Miss Zhou, I would rather be buried alone in the mountains and rivers as an individual.”
Afterward, she bent her knees slightly and said, “I’ve said too much today. Goodbye.”
Watching Lu Man’s graceful figure disappear, Madam Lin’s lips trembled, and it took a long time before she muttered to herself, “If it were me, I would also prefer to be buried alone in the mountains and rivers as an individual.”
After saying this, she suddenly felt a sense of clarity…
Returning to Donghui Courtyard, Lu Man went straight to the dining room. Jiang Zhanwei hadn’t returned yet, but Jiang Zhankui and Jiang Jiu were already seated at the dining table, and Jiang Yue was being held by Mama Li and seated at a small table.
When Lu Man arrived, everyone smiled happily. Jiang Jiu acted coquettishly and said, “Sister-in-law, why did you come back so late? Brother even said he was going to look for you.”
Lu Man looked at these children. They had received a substantial sum of money and shops, which was something to be happy about. But for Jiang Zhanwei and his siblings, what they wanted most was certainly not money and shops, but the love and acceptance of their family.
Seeing Jiang Yue reaching out and calling “Mommy”, Lu Man smiled, picked her up, and kissed her. This little girl was fortunate, she didn’t lack any of the love she deserved.
The Third Madam, Madam Huang, however, was restless all day. It was only after dinner, when she returned to Mingfu Courtyard, that she told Third Master Jiang about what had happened that day, “… I feel that Mother-in-law is definitely going to divide her personal savings among the second family and Zhanwei’s siblings. Our family has three sons, and when we divide the family in the future, the eldest family will get the majority of the estate, and the rest will be split between us and the second family. I was hoping Mother-in-law could give our sons more personal savings. We owe Zhanwei a favor, so if Mother-in-law gives them some, that’s fine. But Zhanwei’s siblings have already separated from the family, and the second family only has Zhanyu left as their son. In the future, second brother-in-law’s wealth will all be his, and giving him more…”