Lu Tianjiao stood silently at the archway, peering inside for a long time before finally putting on a smile and softly calling out, "Granny Zhang."
Upon hearing the sound, Granny Zhang suddenly looked up at the door and was immediately stunned by the person who had entered.
Meanwhile, Little Ling'er, who was leaning against a large water vat in the center of the courtyard with her back to the archway, teasing several lively red carp in the water with a withered water lily branch in her hand, was playing with them with great interest. She quickly turned around and spoke first, her big, bright eyes wide open, and she said in a happy, childish voice, "It's you! Sister, what brings you here?"
"Sister, come and see the cute little Ling'er, is that alright?" Lu Tianjiao said with a smile as she stepped into the courtyard. She stopped and smiled at the little girl who greeted her, then patted Ling'er's head. The girl looked at her innocently and giggled happily.
Immediately afterwards, Lu Tianjiao placed a slender, fair hand on Ling'er's shoulder, and together they walked towards the two elderly people in the corner.
"Granny Zhang, it's been a long time. How are you? I am Tianjiao, daughter of Lu Xian from Xiqin Academy. When I was little, I often visited and kept the Dowager Consort company at the Prince's residence. Do you still remember me?... I have come here specifically to apologize. This morning, upon learning that His Highness was seriously ill and unconscious, I was so anxious and flustered that I lost my composure with Xiaoling'er. If I have frightened you, I hope you will forgive your sister." Lu Tianjiao said with feigned sincerity and an apologetic expression.
Ling'er was still a naive child who didn't understand anything. Upon hearing this, she blurted out, "Sister, don't worry, Ling'er is fine. Ling'er knows that sister means well and is worried about His Highness Prince Qin. Sister... do you... like His Highness Prince Qin too?"
Everyone was caught off guard; they never expected Ling'er to suddenly say such a thing.
For a moment, the two old men were stunned by the little girl's words and the blush that suddenly appeared on the woman's fair face. They were speechless and their response was so obvious that it seemed like they were admitting something they shouldn't have. They looked at each other in bewilderment.
Instantly, the courtyard fell silent, utterly still.
After a long while, Granny Zhang still maintained a cold and serious expression, focusing only on threading her needle and continuing her needlework. She seemed to ignore the gentle, dignified, and generous woman who had suddenly appeared before her, and even seemed to harbor some hostility towards her.
At this moment, Lu Tianjiao thought to himself, just as Physician Le said, Zhang Mama's temperament really hasn't changed at all. She is still as stubborn and hard as a rock in a cesspool.
She, a noble young lady from a scholarly family, had to humbly come to apologize to a servant like her, only to be met with indifference. It was utterly humiliating.
Judging from the old man's demeanor, things were bound to go badly from here on out. Luckily...
Just as she was looking embarrassed and lost in thought, Ling'er's grandmother secretly glanced at the displeased expression on Zhang Mama's face. Suddenly, she reached out and pulled Ling'er into her arms, tightly holding Ling'er's chubby, red hands in her large hands. She breathed on them and vigorously rubbed them, scolding Ling'er, "Look at you, you little rascal! It's still so cold outside, and all you do is play in the water. Tomorrow, I'll have General Cheng take those red carp away. I'm not letting you keep them anymore. Don't you feel the cold? Hurry up and rub your hands hard! If you get frostbite, you'll suffer for the rest of your life!"
Clearly angry and uncomfortable, Lu Tianjiao had no choice but to force a smile and move her gaze to the other old woman beside Zhang Mama in order to achieve her ultimate goal. She couldn't afford to give up any opportunity, no matter how slim.
Lu Tianjiao walked over with a smile and said, "This must be Ling'er's grandmother. I've often heard Ling'er mention her."
As Lu Tianjiao spoke, he placed the mysterious food box that he had brought with him and carefully prepared on the stone table in front of everyone.
The lid was lifted, and an enticing, refreshing aroma immediately filled the entire courtyard.
The little girl had just exclaimed, "It smells so good!" when her grandmother covered her chubby little mouth with a kiss. Lu Tianjiao smiled at her, pursed her red lips, and took out the two packets of pastries from the top of the food box. She opened them and spread them on the stone table, introducing them with a happy expression, "These are two pastries I brought for Ling'er: this is a nutritious sesame cake made with black sesame powder and water chestnut powder. And there's a five-nut cake made with almonds, peach kernels, olive kernels, sesame seeds, and melon seeds. Ling'er, try them!"
As he spoke, Lu Tianjiao reached out and pinched off a piece of the richly filled five-nut cake, intending to hand it to Ling'er's small hand.
Unexpectedly, just as Ling'er was about to put the delicious treat she had just received into her mouth, a sudden "smack" rang out as Grandma Ling'er slapped her little hand hard. Ling'er immediately burst into tears, filled with disappointment and grievance, "Waaah...waaah...waaah..."
Seeing this, Lu Tianjiao could no longer suppress her anger. She instantly dropped her cheerful expression and frowned. Just as she was about to question her, she saw Zhang Mama forcefully throw down her needlework with a "thud," then suddenly stand up and walk straight out the door.
Seeing this, Lu Tianjiao turned around and glared fiercely at Granny Ling'er. He quickly closed the food box lid, picked it up, and hurriedly chased after Granny Zhang's retreating figure.
"Granny Zhang, Granny Zhang..." A delicate young lady, whose hands had never touched a piece of land since birth, was indeed carrying a large food box, and her steps were no longer light. At this moment, Lu Tianjiao was chasing closely behind her, calling out.
Suddenly, Granny Zhang stopped and asked in confusion, "Miss Lu, you come from a prestigious family and have such a noble status, so why do you always bother with an old servant like me?"
Lu Tianjiao caught up in the process, panting, "So...so Granny Zhang...still remembers me!"
Granny Zhang snorted coldly, then suddenly turned her head and stared intently into Lu Tianjiao's eyes, saying, "Hmph... In this life, I, this old woman, may forget anyone, but you... Miss Lu, even if I die and turn to ashes, I will still firmly engrave you in my heart, for all eternity, and never forget you!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Tianjiao suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness on his back, the kind that penetrates to the very marrow. He immediately froze on the spot, unable to move.
After a long while, Lu Tianjiao came to her senses. There was no smile on her face anymore. She just said blankly, "Granny Zhang, Tianjiao knows that you are still holding a grudge against Tianjiao because of the fire in the City God Temple in the south of the city eight years ago, which accidentally burned the Empress Dowager to death. Isn't that right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Mama unexpectedly burst into laughter. "Hahaha... Miss Lu, as the saying goes, 'Heaven sees what man does.' Right and wrong, justice and the truth will eventually come to light. You know in your heart how good Her Highness the Dowager and His Highness Prince Qin have always been to your Lu family. And you, at such a young age, already possess such cunning. You know even better what you did during that fire. In these eight years, has Miss Lu never dreamed of Her Highness the Dowager at night? But it doesn't matter, 'Heaven's net is vast, its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it.' Karma has never let anyone off the hook. I don't need to say anything; justice will prevail. One day, you will pay the price for your actions. This old woman will definitely keep this wretched life of hers and live on in this world to see with my own eyes how you will pay for your life against Her Highness the Dowager."
As Lu Tianjiao listened to Zhang Mama's words, she seemed to be transported back to the fire eight years ago. Her eyes were glazed over, her teeth were clenched tightly, her two rows of white teeth were chattering, and her hands were trembling.
Finally, she shakily picked up the food box and presented it to Granny Zhang with both hands, saying quietly, "This is a decoction I got from Physician Le to prevent your dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, insomnia, and fatigue. I've already prepared one pot and put it in there; you can take it immediately. For the remaining three days' worth, you can prepare it yourself. Boil each dose in eight bowls of water until you get two bowls; take one bowl in the morning and one in the evening, or drink it as tea regularly. It's my father Lu Xian's prescription; he's been using it for a long time with excellent results, and it will definitely help you. If you run out, you can go back to Physician Le to get more; I've left the prescription with him."
"Take away your filthy and disgusting thing, this old woman doesn't need it..." Zhang Mama said stubbornly with a disdainful look on her face.
Unexpectedly, Lu Tianjiao suddenly roared angrily at Zhang Mama, saying, "Did you hear me clearly? This medicine is from the Prince of Qin's residence. This prescription came from my father, Lu Xian. Even the words on the prescription were written by him personally. It has nothing to do with me, Lu Tianjiao. If even my father is to be implicated in that fire, then why has His Highness relied on him so much all these years?"
Seeing that even now, Zhang Mama remained stubbornly standing in place with a serious expression, refusing to accept the food box offered to her, Lu Tianjiao's bright eyes were filled with helplessness. She closed them tightly for a moment, took a deep breath, and then suddenly opened them again.
With a thud, Lu Tianjiao bent down and placed the food box she was carrying heavily at Zhang Mama's feet. She glanced at Zhang's feet casually, paused for a moment, then stood up and said seriously, "Even if you hate me, the fact remains that the Dowager Consort chose to let me live during that fire. Therefore, I will dedicate the rest of my life to repaying Brother Han. You have worked tirelessly in the Prince's mansion your whole life, and now Brother Han is unconscious and on the verge of death. If you fall ill now, who else can take better care of Brother Han than you... As for this medicine, whether you use it or not is up to you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Tianjiao turned and strode quickly towards the front yard. Granny Zhang seemed moved by her words and glanced down at the food box at her feet.
At this moment, Lu Tianjiao suddenly stopped and said with his back to her, "Equal parts red beans, carp, water, and rice vinegar, plus a little cooking oil. Put them in a clay pot and simmer for half an hour. Drink the soup and eat the solids. This can cure swollen feet in the elderly."
After saying that, he turned and walked away without looking back...
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