Li Man'er's "She deserves it" completely ignited Li Zhao'er's fury.
Li Zhao'er, with her fiery temper, could not tolerate anyone. Now that Madam Guo lay there, unconscious, and Li Man'er was fanning the flames by saying she deserved it, this was absolutely unbearable for Li Zhao'er.
"I'll rip your mouth off." Li Zhao'er, disregarding her image, lunged at Li Man'er with bared teeth and claws.
"Scoundrel, stop." Madam Cui quickly sent someone to pull them apart. Before the servant could even get close to the two sisters, a crisp slap echoed.
Everyone froze. Looking again, Li Zhao'er clutched her face, tears welling up, her eyes blazing with anger. "Li Man'er, you dare to hit me."
"I hit you because I dared to. You were hit, and you're still asking? Are you stupid?"
Li Zhao'er's pent-up grievances surged forth. "I'll fight you to the death." She lunged at Li Man'er again, but before she could land a blow, her arm was grabbed, and with considerable force.
"Enough," Li Shu said, his face dark, his voice stern. "Look at yourself. Where is the demeanor of a marquis's daughter? Imperial Physician Duan said your mother is ill, not poisoned. You're taking your anger out on your elder sister, twisting the facts, and you're utterly unreasonable."
From childhood to adulthood, Li Zhao'er had never heard such harsh words. Seeing both Li Shu and Madam Cui siding with Li Man'er, she felt completely despairing.
"Father, you've changed. You weren't like this before! You used to dote on me. Why are you like this now? Is it only because Li Man'er saved you?"
"Nonsense! It's precisely because I doted on you too much, indulged you too much, that I've spoiled you into being so lawless."
Li Zhao'er glared fiercely at Li Man'er. "She could poison my mother, so she can poison you too. Perhaps your poisoning last time was her doing. She acted like a good person and helped you detoxify, but it was all with ulterior motives."
Li Shu was furious and slapped Li Zhao'er to the ground, startling everyone.
Li Zhao'er lay on the ground, unable to get up for a long time. The blow was so heavy that her face immediately swelled. In comparison, Li Man'er appeared much gentler.
"Father..." Li Zhao'er only managed two words before tears streamed down her face, tugging at the heartstrings.
Li Shu didn't even look at her. "Take the second young lady away. She is not to leave her room without my order."
The servants dared not disobey. They helped Li Zhao'er up and dragged her away.
Whether Li Zhao'er was stunned by fear or knew that arguing was futile, she allowed herself to be led away.
The farce subsided. Li Shu did not linger, leaving Chaohui Courtyard with a dark expression.
Madam Cui frowned, displeased with her son's attitude, but in front of Li Man'er, she tried her best to defend him. "Your father bears a heavy burden. The Emperor has also assigned him new duties. If the family is not stable, how can he be at ease when commanding armies outside!"
Li Man'er replied, "Grandmother, I understand. It's just that second sister is truly out of line. Whether she scolded me or attacked me, it's all minor matters."
"Minor matters?"
"Although I hold grudges, I wouldn't be petty considering our family ties. But for second sister to say I poisoned Father, and then to say I poisoned Mother—the crime of patricide and matricide is more than just unpleasant."
Madam Cui nodded. "Her loose tongue deserved a beating."
"That's not the most important thing."
Madam Cui became even more confused.
"Grandmother, if something had happened to Father last time, how would the Xiao family have accounted for themselves?"
Before Madam Cui could react, Li Man'er curtsied slightly. "Your granddaughter takes her leave."
As Li Man'er left Chaohui Courtyard, Madam Cui immediately sent Granny Wang out of the manor. What she did, no one else knew.
"The young lady can finally hold her head high. For the past decade, the Marquis has never protected her like this before." Lü Yi thought more simply; seeing Li Zhao'er get beaten made her feel pleased.
Zi Yan, however, felt it wasn't that simple. If the Marquis truly cared for the young lady, why did he leave without a word after hitting the second young lady? It seemed more like he was trying to avoid something.
Li Man'er only said, "It's not as simple as you think."
The master and servants returned to Qingping Pavilion. After changing their clothes and unbinding their hair, Li Man'er explained to them.
"Do you really think Father hit Li Zhao'er to protect me?"
"Wasn't it?" Lü Yi placed the mung bean soup on the table. "Young lady, please tell us."
Muyun and Yinzhu were also serving nearby, eager to hear what Li Man'er had to say.
"Father doted on Li Zhao'er for over a decade. How could he not know her temperament? Li Zhao'er's arrogance is a result of his indulgence. Him hitting Li Zhao'er in public was merely putting on a show for me."
"Young lady, how can you say that?"
"Madam is ill. Who will support Li Zhao'er? Madam Cui won't. Will the second branch or third branch aunts come to her support? The heir is still young. If he wants to support Li Zhao'er, he'll have to wait a few more years."
Lü Yi was bewildered, but Zi Yan understood a little.
"You mean the Marquis is protecting the second young lady."
Li Man'er took a sip of the mung bean soup and nodded. "More or less. After the second young lady is confined, won't she be safe?"
Lü Yi said gloomily, "So the Marquis is wary of you? I thought the Marquis had a change of heart."
Zi Yan glared at her. "Don't talk nonsense. You two are the same. Don't forget he is the Marquis, the master of this household. Speaking ill of the master could cost you your life!"
"Good sister, don't be angry. There's no one else here."
"Sister Zi Yan, we wouldn't dare speak nonsense."
Zi Yan couldn't do anything about Lü Yi, but she still warned, "Walls have ears. It's always wise to be cautious."
The three maids nodded repeatedly.
"Young lady, if you are tired, please rest. I will wake you when it's time for dinner."
"Yes." Li Man'er leaned against the small table and napped for half an hour.
For lunch, the kitchen sent steamed mandarin fish, stir-fried pork, steamed minced pork with egg, glutinous rice lotus root, cold mixed sprouts, and honey-pear balls.
Li Man'er asked Granny Wu, "Why are there six dishes? Is this exceeding the regulations?"
"Those people in the main kitchen are all sycophants. They probably heard that the Marquis hit the second young lady..."
Li Man'er understood when she said this.
"Alright, let's eat first."
Li Man'er washed her hands, casting aside unpleasant matters. Nothing was more important than eating.
While Li Man'er was eating, Lü Yi kept peeking in from outside the door. As soon as she finished her meal and the table was cleared, Lü Yi entered the room.
"Young lady, someone has sent you a letter." Saying this, she produced an envelope.
A letter?
Li Man'er took it and saw that it only had the words "To the eldest young lady of the Li family, please open" written on it, sealed with wax.
Who was writing to her?