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Upon hearing this, Lu Man finally understood why Mrs. Xiao Chen had schemed to frame the original Lu Man and drive away Mama Wang—it was all for Renhe Hall.
Driving away Mama Wang served a dual purpose: to harm the helpless Lu Man and to prevent Mama Wang from revealing the truth about Renhe Hall to Lu Man once she grew older.
By luring the original Lu Man, if she became unwed but pregnant or was caught in an illicit affair, her fate would be sealed. She would either feel ashamed and seek death or become a concubine for Chen Fei. Death would be the preferred outcome, as it would secure Renhe Hall for Mrs. Xiao Chen. Becoming a concubine would mean entering Chen’s family, and even if a concubine’s status had its limitations, having a downsized version of Renhe Hall would be satisfactory.
The Lu family and Mrs. Xiao Chen had not foreseen that due to Lu Man marrying into the Princess’s household, the downsized version of Renhe Hall could no longer be included in Lu Man’s dowry.
Mrs. Xiao Chen’s actions, along with Bao Yin and the Lu family’s indifference, had ruined an innocent girl for their own selfish motives.
Lu Man, seething with anger and pain, exclaimed, “Lu Fangrong and the Lu family just watched the original…” She quickly corrected herself, “They just watched me being mistreated by Mrs. Xiao Chen, it’s despicable.”
Lu Ying added, “The Third Young Master was equally furious upon hearing this and asked Manager Li about it. Manager Li mentioned he wasn’t entirely sure, but according to Mama Wang, Mrs. Xiao Chen only informed the old Lady Lu once everything was in place. The old Lady Lu already harbored ill feelings towards He Mingzhu and Lu Man, worried about tarnishing the Lu family’s reputation and hesitant to disrupt the situation involving Renhe Hall, originally belonging to He Huang. As for the Second Master, far away and easily influenced by Bao Yin by his side, he might still be unaware of the changes to Renhe Hall… Manager Li isn’t fully privy to many of the Lu family’s internal affairs, only through Mama Wang can the exact truth be revealed.”
Ah, Mama Wang.
Lu Man anxiously inquired, “Does Manager Li know where Mama Wang was sold to?”
Lu Ying explained, “Manager Li had been trying to gather information about Mama Wang’s situation. It seems he found out which Slave shop sold them, and even preemptively bought Mama Wang’s grandson. The adults were sold to distant places, and Manager Li is unsure of their exact whereabouts. The Third Young Master and others are working on a plan, so I returned first.”
The time the Lu family sold Mama Wang’s family coincided with Lu Man marrying into the Princess Changting’s household, likely out of fear that Lu Man would remember Mama Wang or that Mama Wang might reveal Mrs. Xiao Chen’s misdeeds. Fortunately, they only sold them off, without resorting to murder. Lu Man firmly believed that they spared their lives not out of compassion but because they valued the money more than the lives they sold.
Enraged and anxious, Lu Man broke out in a sweat and quickly requested water to prepare for a bath. She discreetly instructed Lu Ying to give a different medicine to Hong Ling, causing rashes all over her body and inducing diarrhea to weaken her but ensure her survival. One day, when she emerged as a key witness, she would deal with her accordingly.
The He family’s medical case notes not only contained healing practices but also antidotes. Among the antidote information were details on food incompatibilities and the effects of combining different medicines. The ancestors of the He family emphasized the confidentiality of these books to prevent their misuse by malevolent individuals.
Sitting in the large tub, Lu Man touched the small copper pendant, feeling a sense of calm. She resolved to live well, starting with bringing Mama Wang’s grandson to safety, finding Mama Wang’s family, investigating He Mingzhu’s situation in Shu, reclaiming Renhe Hall, and dealing with Mrs. Xiao Chen, Bao Yin, and the Lu family…
Strengthened with determination, Lu Man’s physical and mental state improved significantly.
Emerging from the bath, Liu Ya hurried to help dry her hair. Seeing Lu Man seated at the dressing table, Liu Ya inquired, “Third Young Madam, shouldn’t you be resting in bed?”
Lu Man shook her head, “I’ve been lying down for two days and two nights, my body feels sore.”
The reflection in the mirror showed a slimmer figure, a sharper chin, and larger eyes. Yet, there was a newfound elegance and delicacy.
Lu Man styled her hair into a bun on top of her head, adorned with a silver hairpin, then settled on the bed in the eastern room. A gentle breeze flowed in through the small window, bringing a refreshing coolness that eased her senses.
In ancient times, there was a misconception that once someone fell ill, they should avoid exposure to wind and cold. It saddened Lu Man that, in this hot weather, the supply of ice to Orchid Pavilion had been halted.
Dinner was served, consisting of a bowl of vegetable porridge, four side dishes, and a bowl of thinly sliced meat noodles.
Feeling the hunger in her stomach and the bitterness disappearing from her mouth, Lu Man quickly finished the vegetable porridge and ate half a bowl of noodles.
As the sun began to set, its golden rays cast a warm glow over everything. Suddenly, two children and a dog appeared in the radiant light, walking towards her through the courtyard.
Seeing the young siblings, Lu Man felt joyous, especially towards the confident young boy who had given her high praise before.
The children noticed her in the window, grinning widely, running towards her.
Upon entering the room, the siblings removed their shoes and climbed onto the bed, joining Lu Man. The young boy leaned against her without his usual shyness, while the loyal dog stood nearby, wagging its tail and smiling at Lu Man.
Following them, the elderly maid followed, exclaiming, “Oh, Eighth Young Master, Young Miss, Third Young Madam is still recovering from her illness, don’t tire her out.” She then attempted to lift the young girl, but Lu Man reassured her, “Don’t worry, my illness is not severe.” She then instructed Tao to take the maid for tea, acknowledging her hard work serving the Second Young Miss.
Lu Man, not in the mood to deal with the maid’s loyal facade, had Tao and Xing escort her out.
Lu Man first patted the dog’s head, then asked the siblings, “Have you finished your meal?”
Jiang Jiu replied, “We just ate. We came to check on Third Sister-in-law.” After assessing Lu Man’s appearance, she continued, “Third Sister-in-law looks vibrant now.”
Jiang Zhankui added, “Seeing Third Sister-in-law fully recovered, we can finally rest peacefully.”
These words warmed Lu Man’s heart. She smiled and hugged them tightly.
The siblings reassured Lu Man, stating that the old Marquis would recover, and their brother wouldn’t die. This comforted Lu Man, and they played at Orchid Pavilion until dusk before returning with the dog and servants.
As they left, Jiang Zhankui found a reason to return.
Curious, Lu Man asked, “Is there something else?”