Li Zhao'er smiled like a blooming flower, "Big Sister, did you hear that? Grandmother wants you to kneel!" The last two words were spoken as if in triumph, extremely arrogant!
She had always liked to bully Li Man'er by leveraging her status. She had her own father and mother to protect her, and elders like Cui Shi who blindly believed her, making her extremely favored in the mansion.
As for Li Man'er? Her mother was gone, and due to her maternal family being merchants, she suffered all sorts of bullying and neglect in the mansion. The original owner herself was not capable, had a temper but no skill, only knew how to cause trouble. Madam Guo, with her subtle methods, had systematically ground away the original owner's inherent pride.
But from this moment on, all of that would change. The detested Li Man'er would henceforth be a transformed person.
"You kneel!"
Before Li Man'er could speak, Cui Shi glared at Li Zhao'er and repeated, "Kneel." Her tone was already impatient.
Li Zhao'er was stunned for a moment, "Grandmother~" Her voice was filled with grievance, confusion, and a hint of coaxing.
Madam Guo saw this and quickly gave her daughter a look, signaling her not to defy Cui Shi.
Even though Li Zhao'er was unwilling, she could only kneel, "Grandmother, it really has nothing to do with me! How would I know why Granny Xu would harm Big Sister!"
"Chun Zhi is your maid, and she said she saw me meeting with Third Master Geng in secret. How do you explain that?"
Li Zhao'er simply said, "Chun Zhi was mistaken. I have already punished her. What more do you want?"
"You're still being stubborn at a time like this?!" Li Man'er sneered, "Mistaken! What an audacious slave! To accuse her mistress with bare words without seeing anything clearly, who knows who gave her the nerve! One is like this, and two are also like this!" As she spoke, she stared at Madam Guo, making both mother and daughter feel a chill.
"Grandmother, Granny Xu's insubordination and Chun Zhi's grave mistake must be punished! If this matter is glossed over lightly, it would be a small matter for outsiders to laugh at the Iron Gallant Marquis Mansion for their disobedient servants bullying their master. But if the Emperor were to accuse Father of not managing the household strictly, then the Consort would surely be reprimanded. She is of the same lineage as the Marquis Mansion, how could she remain unscathed?"
Granny Wang's eyelids twitched, and she couldn't help but inwardly exclaim at her brilliance! This move by the eldest young lady had truly struck the old madam at her most vulnerable point.
"You..." This time, even Li Zhao'er didn't know how to retort! She knew that Consort Xu and Chun Zhi were beyond saving, and they had to sacrifice the pawns to protect the king.
If Li Zhao'er understood these principles, how could Madam Guo not?
"It is my fault. I assigned Granny Xu to Big Sister. I thought since she came from Mother's courtyard, she would not be bad!"
Was she trying to shift the blame to Cui Shi?
Li Man'er smiled slightly and looked up at Cui Shi. Seeing her displeasure, she continued, "I heard that when Granny Xu was in Grandmother's courtyard, she was exceptionally capable and efficient. If Mother had not taken charge of the household and lacked someone as capable by her side, Grandmother would likely not have been willing to let her go. It's strange, how did she change so quickly? Once she came to Mother's courtyard, she became so arrogant!"
Madam Guo almost bit through her silver teeth, and could only force a smile, "She was fine in my courtyard originally. Perhaps there have been some changes in the past half-year."
Granny Xu had been assigned to her courtyard for about half a year!
Li Man'er was not angered. Feigning sudden enlightenment, she nodded and said, "Then Granny Xu saw that I was young and easy to manipulate!"
This...
Madam Guo's face turned pale with anger. How did she not know that Li Man'er possessed such a sharp tongue!
"Grandmother, whether it's Granny Xu or Chun Zhi, such wicked servants cannot be kept."
Cui Shi nodded. She would not tolerate anyone who harmed the Iron Gallant Marquis Mansion or was detrimental to the Consort.
"Mother, Granny Xu at least served you for a while. Why not beat her twenty times and send her to the estate!" Madam Guo naturally wanted to spare Granny Xu's life.
In the past, if she had a request, Cui Shi rarely refused. But this time, Madam Guo's wish was unfulfilled.
"That old hag, relying on coming from my courtyard, likely acted arrogantly. She even dared to scheme against her master, an ungrateful wretch! Can such a person be kept?"
Precisely because Granny Xu came from Cui Shi's courtyard, she absolutely could not be kept!
"Then Chun Zhi..."
"Beat her to death, both of them!"
Cui Shi instructed Granny Wang, "You handle this matter. Have them beaten outside the courtyard so that those with unseeing eyes can witness the consequences of betraying their master."
Upon hearing this, Li Zhao'er's face turned green and red. Her own maid was beaten to death, and she had lost face! But at this point, they had no room to negotiate.
Madam Guo's gaze towards Li Man'er also turned gloomy and profound. She had always thought Li Man'er was merely a pawn in her hand, to be manipulated at her will. Now, it seemed the pawn had her own thoughts.
"Yes, this old servant will attend to it immediately."
Li Man'er stopped her, "Granny, there's no rush for this matter."
"Grandmother, may I ask if this task could be entrusted to Second Sister?"
"Entrust it to Zhao'er?" Cui Shi was taken aback, but quickly understood Li Man'er's intention.
Her being framed was inextricably linked to Madam Guo and Li Zhao'er. Having Li Zhao'er supervise the execution was also a form of punishment and warning to her.
Thinking of how Li Man'er had averted a disaster for the Iron Gallant Marquis Mansion and the Consort today, Cui Shi felt quite pleased. She looked at her with less displeasure than before and immediately agreed.
"Very well! Then this matter will be entrusted to Zhao'er!"
Li Zhao'er's face instantly turned ashen. She crawled forward two steps on her knees before saying, "Grandmother, this granddaughter knows her mistake. I will strictly discipline my servants from now on and will never repeat it."
Madam Guo also pleaded for her daughter, "Mother, that scene will be bloody. Zhao'er is still young. What if she is frightened?"
Cui Shi was hesitating when she heard Li Man'er say, "Without rules, there can be no order. Mother loves her daughter dearly, and Grandmother is no different! If everyone can act recklessly without consequences, then what use are rules? What place do ancestral laws hold?"
Cui Shi heartily agreed, "Man'er is right. Besides, it's just supervising an execution; what's the big deal! Our family's young ladies will all become mistresses of their households in the future, and they will have to go through this sooner or later." After speaking, she gave Granny Wang a look.
Granny Wang naturally understood her meaning and immediately said, "Second Young Lady, please come with this old servant. It's not a difficult task. With this old servant here, I will certainly not let Second Young Lady worry."
Madam Guo breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that her mother-in-law still considered her and her daughter's reputation. With Granny Wang supporting her, the matter became much simpler.
Cui Shi was already becoming impatient, "You two go down as well! None of you are easy to deal with. When the master returns from the palace, tell him to see me immediately."