Lu Zhaoling thought to herself that, considering the three resonant kowtows the little girl had given her so earnestly, she really ought to give her a peace talisman in return.
Xiao He scrambled to her feet after finishing her bows and hurried off to brew a pot of ginseng tea.
Lu Zhaoling picked up the cup, focusing her attention on the tea.
However, her mind was currently occupied by a different matter: When would Prince Jin be able to leave the palace? Once he returned to his manor, it would be much more convenient for her to head over and "inhale" a few breaths of his energy.
The imperial palace was simply too difficult to enter.
She sipped her ginseng tea, feeling a tinge of melancholy. Sigh, just another day of missing Prince Jin.
Madam Wu finally finished her crying spell, which had also served to wake Lin Yanran.
As soon as Yanran regained consciousness, her thoughts immediately returned to her hands. She let out a sob. "Mother, I... have I turned into a monster?"
If she wasn't a monster, why had her perfectly fine hands suddenly become like those of an old crone?
"Yanran, it's alright now, it's over," Madam Wu said quickly, lifting the girl's hand so she could see it clearly. "Look, you're healed!"
Yanran's eyes widened.
"My hand..." It was restored?
At that moment, Physician Fu noticed her eyes; they too had returned to normal.
"Yanran, your eyes?"
Yanran laughed through her tears. "Mother, I can see you clearly. There's no more red curtain in front of me..."
She really was better!
Madam Wu pulled her into a tight embrace, weeping once more.
Lin Rong patted his wife's shoulder, his own voice thick with emotion. "Alright, Yanran is well now. This is a cause for celebration, so stop crying. Help Yanran up so she can thank the second Miss Lu."
Madam Wu remembered the task and hastily wiped her tears. Together with her husband, she helped Yanran stand.
"Quickly, Yanran, give your proper thanks to Miss Lu. She is the one who saved you."
Still feeling a bit dazed, Lin Yanran managed to whisper a thank you to the second Miss Lu.
She didn't quite understand what had happened yet, but her eyes landed on the young woman sitting in the room, calmly drinking tea.
When their gazes met, a wave of affection instantly surged in Yanran's heart. She really liked this older sister; she felt an immediate affinity for her.
Is this the second Miss Lu?
How did she save me?
"Rest well," Lu Zhaoling advised. "It's essential to keep the room well-ventilated; don't keep the windows shut too tightly. When the sun is high at noon, help her go out for a bit of sunlight. It will help dispel the lingering sickly aura. As for the rest, just follow Elder Fu's prescription."
Lin Rong and Madam Wu naturally committed every word to memory.
Outside, the sky had already begun to dim.
"I'll be heading back now. Elder Fu, would you care to give me a lift?" Lu Zhaoling looked toward Physician Fu.
"We shall escort Miss Lu back ourselves," Lin Rong said, hurrying out to see her off. "Miss Lu, how much do we owe for the consultation fee?"
Lu Zhaoling considered it for a moment. "Five thousand taels."
She had mentioned that her fee would be expensive. After all, she had forced her weakened body to draw a Vitality Refining Talisman.
Lin Rong wouldn't dream of complaining about the price.
If his daughter had truly been forced to live her life in that state, his wife would have been destroyed along with her. Lu Zhaoling had effectively saved his entire family.
Five thousand taels he would pay it without hesitation.
Though he was a clean official, his wife came from a wealthy background.
Lin Rong immediately went to retrieve five thousand taels in silver notes. In addition to the money, he brought out an Emerald Ruyi Pendant of excellent quality and a hundred-year-old ginseng.
"Please accept these, Miss Lu. You are still injured, after all."
"My thanks to you, Lord Lin." Lu Zhaoling didn't refuse, signaling Qingyin to accept them. She had received far more extravagant gifts in the past; her storehouses used to be filled to the brim with all sorts of precious items.
In any case, her conscience was clear in accepting this.
Lin Rong arranged a carriage to take her back to the manor.
Physician Fu also took his leave at the same time.
During this trip, he had once again witnessed Lu Zhaoling's remarkable abilities.
Qingyin held the boxes in her arms, feeling a sense of unreality. A single trip out, and her lady had earned another five thousand taels!
Five thousand taels!
For the Lu family, parting with three hundred taels was as painful as carving out their own flesh, yet they never would have guessed that their lady could earn five thousand taels on her own.
Besides that, there was a jade pendant and a ginseng root, which had to be worth several hundred taels themselves.
Did the Lu family have any idea what a treasure their lady truly was?
Qingbao hadn't accompanied them this time, staying behind to guard Tingnuan Pavilion instead. However, she had kept an eye on the time and had already fetched dinner.
Lu Zhaoling arrived just in time to eat.
"Qingbao's timing is perfect," she praised. Then she added, "I'll give you both five taels of silver each. Later, go out and buy yourselves something nice to eat."
She was giving them money again!
Qingbao's eyes went wide as she looked toward Qingyin in inquiry.
Qingyin said nothing, merely opening the boxes to show her the contents.
"Miss is amazing..." Qingbao's voice was a bit airy with shock.
Lu Zhaoling smiled. "Alright, let's eat."
After finishing her meal and bathing, she returned once more to the embrace of her bed.
"The Sutra Copying Gathering is tomorrow. Miss should rest early," Qingyin whispered to Qingbao.
"We need to stay sharp. I feel like the eldest Miss is up to no good, and Princess Changning has a nasty temper. I'm afraid she'll try to bully our lady," Qingbao said worriedly.
"We just need to protect her."
While the two maids were fraught with worry, Lu Zhaoling was already fast asleep.
With the Spirit Gathering Array she had laid down, her sleep was indeed much more restorative.
When she woke, the sky was bright outside.
After she finished washing up, Qingyin and Qingbao began fussing over her attire.
During this period of national mourning, wearing bright or flashy colors was inappropriate. However, Lu Zhaoling was still physically weak and her complexion was pale; if she wore pure white, she would likely look completely drained of spirit.
Thus, they chose a water-blue dress for her and tied a ribbon of the same color in her hair, creating a look that was elegant and refined.
After the lesson Lu Zhaoling had taught the kitchen staff, they didn't dare pull any stunts. When Qingyin went to fetch breakfast, they had even added a bowl of bird's nest with lotus seeds.
The sight of it had likely made Madam Lu's mouth twitch with rage. But since she and Lu Zhaoyun both had a portion, Lu Zhaoling had demanded one as well, and they simply didn't dare say a word of protest now.
They figured they would swallow their anger for now and let her go to the Sutra Copying Gathering first.
When the time came, there would be plenty of people to deal with her!
Lu Zhaoyue didn't want to go herself. Her handwriting was poor, and she knew she would only lose face if she attended, so she feigned illness.
Lu Zhaohua, on the other hand, was eager to go. Lu Zhaoyun figured she needed a helper by her side, so she reluctantly agreed to bring her along.
"Second Sister, the carriage isn't that large. It won't fit if you bring two maids."
Lu Zhaoyun frowned when she saw Qingyin and Qingbao following Lu Zhaoling out.
These two maids were people sent from Prince Jin's Manor; it was inconvenient to have them around.
She put on a look of gentle warmth. "The three of us sisters can look after each other. I've brought my own maid as well, so perhaps you should leave yours behind? There really isn't enough room in the carriage."
Qingyin and Qingbao exchanged a glance. How could they possibly let her go alone?
However, the carriage truly did look a bit cramped.
"Second Sister, I didn't bring a maid either," Lu Zhaohua chimed in. The Lu family wasn't that grand to begin with; in situations like this, it wasn't her turn to bring a personal servant. She was already lucky just to be following Lu Zhaoyun.
"We're going to the Princess's Manor. It will be nothing but young ladies; nothing will happen," Lu Zhaoyun added.
Lu Zhaoling gave her a deep, meaningful look. "Are you sure you want me to go?"
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