Li Shu stood up and walked towards Li Man'er.
"Your Lordship." Li Shu glanced at Madam Guo, who was so frightened that she dared not speak further, only watching with wide eyes.
"Come with me."
Li Man'er immediately replied, "Yes." Before leaving, she did not forget to glance back at Madam Guo. This look seemed to carry infinite pride and joy, making Madam Guo's liver tremble with anger.
Li Man'er followed Li Shu to his study.
Li Shu sat behind his desk, silent for a long time. A young servant quietly brought in dishes and then withdrew noiselessly.
Li Man'er took a sip of tea, waiting patiently.
Finally, Li Shu asked, "Is everything you said true?"
Li Man'er put down her teacup and said confidently, "Everyone present at the Princess Wuyou's residence today can testify for me. What I said is absolutely true."
"Your sister is young and ignorant; as her elder sister, you should be more tolerant of her."
Li Man'er smiled, a dazzling, almost blinding smile.
"Presumptuous! You just talked back to your mother, and now you intend to talk back to your father as well?"
"Father, what are you saying? Mother is Zhao'er's mother, not mine. You say my sister is young and ignorant, but Father, have you forgotten that I am only a year older than her?"
Li Shu was slightly stunned, and some of his anger dissipated.
"What my second sister did, Father has the face to listen, but I, as a daughter, do not have the face to say. You only tell me to be tolerant, but when she brought people to the Princess's residence to catch me in a private meeting with an outsider, did she ever consider that we are from the same household and share the same surname, Li?" Li Man'er was furious, feeling indignant for the original owner of the body.
"She..." Li Shu didn't know what to say either.
"It's only because she has a good mother, and my mother passed away early."
Mentioning Ning Ruoying, Li Shu felt inexplicably annoyed. "In this family, who has ever treated you unfairly? Aren't you the eldest daughter of the Marquis's mansion?"
"What does Father think? Do you think I haven't been mistreated?"
"Even if your mother was unfair, you still have your grandmother."
Li Man'er sighed with disappointment, "You are my father. If I can't count on you, how can I count on grandmother? Today's incident, if Father doesn't want me to pursue it, then I won't. Please, Father, don't speak such high-sounding words while pretending to be just. It makes me feel disgusted."
"Presumptuous!" Li Shu slammed the teacup down. "You unfilial daughter! Everything you have now is given by the Li family. You are ungrateful and always petty. What kind of conduct is this?"
"Conduct? Since Father mentions conduct, then I must ask, Madam Guo has occupied my mother's dowry shops for many years, and all the income has been pocketed by her. What kind of conduct is this?"
"What?" Li Shu was shocked. "Say that again?"
Li Man'er glanced at him lightly. "Father doesn't know? My mother's dowry shops have been held by Madam for many years. They were tricked from me back then. I originally thought this money went to the main household, or was sent to the palace to curry favor with Aunt, and that at least this money was spent on our Li family, so I endured it."
"Nonsense! I have my salary, and the family has ancestral property. Your aunt has enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, so why would she take your mother's dowry money?"
"Those shops are all in prime locations, earning at least two thousand taels of silver a year. Five shops would be ten thousand taels. It has been five years since Mother asked for the shops. Who knows where this fifty thousand taels of silver has gone?" Li Man'er added, "I heard that the Guo family bought a set of three courtyards two years ago. Guo Lingyu is only a sixth-rank official, where did he get the money?"
Li Shu's face was terrifyingly dark, as if water could drip from it. If it were known that his current wife had embezzled his deceased wife's dowry, then he, Li Shu, would have no choice but to pack his bags and go home, with no career left in officialdom.
Any man with a shred of integrity would not touch a woman's dowry, let alone the one left by his deceased wife for their daughter.
"Why didn't you mention it before?" Li Shu harbored doubts. He could also see through some of Li Man'er's thoughts.
"I wanted to, but how many times do you see me in a year, Father? Even if I said it, would you believe me? It's different now. After all, I saved your life once. On that account, you should at least listen to me, right?" The last sentence seemed to carry a hint of grievance, making Li Shu uncomfortable.
Li Shu sighed, "Time passes so quickly. It's been more than ten years since your mother passed away."
Hypocritical.
Li Man'er remained silent, appearing somewhat sad.
"I will ask her about the shops."
Li Man'er shook her head, "Madam values profit. She might not hand them over easily."
"She dares!" Li Shu cursed in a deep voice. "I am the head of this family!"
"When will Father help me get the shops back?"
"Why are you asking this? In any case, it won't be too late."
Li Man'er lowered her head, concealing her smile. "It's not enough to just get the shops back. The money must be returned too. Those are Ning family shops. Why should the Guo family get the money?"
It was better if she didn't mention it. Her mentioning it made Li Shu even angrier. "Are you foolish? If you regret it now, why did you hand over the shops in the first place?"
"Do you think I wanted to? I was not even twelve years old then. How could I understand these things?"
Li Shu was speechless, then said, "Go back. I will handle this matter for you. At the latest, within half a month, I will get the money and shops back for you."
Li Man'er did not believe him. If Li Shu had such charisma, he wouldn't have been so easily deceived by Madam Guo.
"Yes!" Li Man'er turned to leave, then suddenly stopped and turned back to ask Li Shu, "Father, have you found out anything about your poisoning? So much time has passed, the culprit should have been caught by now, right?"
Li Shu felt a little comforted. She was his flesh and blood, after all. No matter how unruly she was, she still cared about him.
"Regarding matters of the previous dynasty, you should not inquire further. The Emperor will make his own judgment on this matter."
So it hasn't been figured out yet!?
Li Man'er smiled. "Father, the bystander sees clearly. If something happened to you, who would benefit the most?"
Li Shu frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Does Father think I'm referring to the Xiao family?"
Could she not be referring to the Xiao family of Mobei? Then who would it be?
Who benefited the most?
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.
If he and the Xiao family were the snipe and the clam, then who was the fisherman?
A sharp light suddenly shot from Li Shu's eyes, burning like a flame towards Li Man'er.
Li Man'er was unfazed and said, "Flowers don't bloom for a hundred days, and people don't have a hundred days of glory. Father, you are often by the Emperor's side, and you should understand this principle even better. If my guess is not wrong, the Xiao family will soon come to the capital to confess their crimes, and then it will be time for Father to leave the capital. Perhaps Aunt will regain favor because of this matter. Most importantly, you must get the shops and money back for me before you leave."