Granny Wu's thought processes were always somewhat peculiar, and even stranger was Li Shu, whose thoughts were surprisingly aligned with Granny Wu's.
"This is sheer nonsense! Why didn't you tell anyone when you were studying medicine with your maternal uncle? Now the entire capital knows you're a physician, it's a complete disgrace to our Hou Manor."
If a miraculous doctor appeared in any other family, everyone would be overjoyed. What a great asset! But Li Shu only thought that Li Man'er, as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Hou Manor, had lowered her status by becoming a doctor, and it was a loss rather than a gain.
Li Man'er didn't expect Li Shu, a military general who conquered the world on horseback, to nag like a monk. Had he picked up the wrong script?
"Father, I did want to tell the family when I was studying medical books. It's just that you all forgot about me in the farthest reaches of your minds, only remembering that I didn't get along with my second sister. The fact that you can still scold me so vigorously now is entirely because I learned medicine. Otherwise, our Hou Manor would already be draped in white."
"You..." Li Shu was clearly angered by her words. "Are you trying to rebel? I say one thing, and you retort ten."
"You haven't gotten to the point with anything you've said!" Li Man'er retorted, "Instead of blaming me, Father, you should think about who wanted to harm you, how this poison was administered, and find the culprit."
She didn't need to be involved in such matters. Li Shu likely knew what he was doing.
"A lady should mind her own business and not cause trouble. Regarding the Grand Princess, I will intercede for you."
"Intercede?" Li Man'er rolled her eyes inwardly. "Father, don't you know? Prince Jiu has already agreed to my request, and this marriage will be void."
Li Shu's previously ruddy complexion turned pale again due to Li Man'er's words. "Matters of marriage are not to be trifled with! Moreover, this marriage was personally bestowed by the Empress Dowager, partly out of respect for your maternal grandfather having dispersed his family fortune. If you are jilted, your reputation will be damaged, and who would marry you then?"
Li Man'er finally understood why the original owner had been so unreasonable. The root of it was here.
"It's not that I'm being jilted; it's that I don't fancy Tong Qiao," Li Man'er said with a hint of anger in her voice. "I want to break off the engagement!"
That was the main point!
Just as Li Shu was about to say more, Li Man'er suddenly withdrew her sharp edges and said somewhat obediently, "Father, you are not well; you shouldn't get agitated. I shall take my leave now."
Li Shu watched his daughter's retreating figure, a sense of powerlessness welling up within him. He seemed to have never known how to interact with this daughter. Their meetings were either filled with awkward silence or constant arguments.
It gave him a headache.
After leaving Li Shu's courtyard, Li Man'er, with a stern face, headed towards Songhe Hall.
Ziyan and Luyi didn't dare to ask any questions, merely trailing behind their young lady.
By the time Li Man'er reached Songhe Hall, her anger had subsided. There wasn't anything truly worth being angry about. She wasn't someone who easily lost her temper, but in that moment, she felt an uncontrollable urge to lash out.
Later, she realized it was the original owner's emotions acting up.
Although the original owner was gone, her body might still retain a trace of residual consciousness, a trace of her resentment and unwillingness. Perhaps this was how she interacted with Li Shu when she was alive, and Li Man'er was unconsciously influenced.
Scumbag father!
As soon as Li Man'er entered the courtyard, she noticed the tense atmosphere. Yunxi was earnestly inviting Li Man'er to help select fabrics for Cui Shi, even complimenting her discerning taste.
"The Old Madam wishes to visit a temple to offer incense in a few days and wants to make some new clothes. However, if the fabric is too plain, it won't appear dignified enough and doesn't match her status; if it's too ornate, she fears it might be disrespectful to the Buddha. Since the Eldest Young Lady has always had good taste, perhaps you could help me choose. We can then ask the Old Madam for her opinion."
Li Man'er raised an eyebrow slightly at this. Although Yunxi hadn't explicitly stated it, her words implied that Cui Shi was busy and it would be best for Li Man'er not to visit at this time.
Who would she be entertaining so early in the morning? Perhaps Guo Shi was being lectured inside.
Li Man'er readily agreed, pretending not to notice Yunxi's relieved expression. "Let's go, take me to see. Show me how difficult it is to choose, so much so that it has stumped the intelligent Sister Yunxi."
Yunxi then led Li Man'er to a side room.
Indeed, several bolts of fabric were displayed in the side room. Upon entering, Li Man'er didn't even glance at them. She directly sat on the large heated kang by the window and got straight to the point: "Is Mother in the main hall?"
Yunxi was taken aback for a moment, then quickly nodded. She took a couple of steps forward and whispered, "Eldest Young Lady, please forgive me. I also can't think of a good solution. If we were to bump into each other, it might not be good."
She could tell that the Eldest Young Lady was giving her some leeway.
"I understand. I'll visit later."
Yunxi quickly replied, "I'll have someone bring tea for the Eldest Young Lady."
Li Man'er waved her hand, signaling that she could go about her business.
A short while later, a young maidservant brought Li Man'er tea and a plate of pastries.
Li Man'er didn't understand tea. She could handle wine, but tea was a deep subject! However, the original owner's memories and senses were still present. As soon as she smelled the tea, she knew it was Longjing, and it seemed the original owner was particularly fond of it.
She took a sip and found it quite good, then began to ponder Li Shu's poisoning.
Li Shu, a dignified Marquis, being poisoned in the capital was simply an unbelievable matter.
Furthermore, Li Shu's activities on the day he was poisoned were very simple: only at home, then the palace, and then he went to Zuihu Tower to scold her.
Everything was normal at home. He was fine when he returned from the morning court, and then he entered the palace...
The situation in Mobei was urgent.
Upon hearing these four words, a sharp glint flashed in Li Man'er's eyes, and she immediately had an idea.
The Xiao family had been entrenched in Mobei for generations. How could their hard-earned gains be coveted by others?
And the current Emperor was a suspicious man. He likely harbored thoughts of dealing with the Xiao family. Fearing the Xiao family's dominance in Mobei, he intended to have Li Shu lead troops to support Mobei...
What was called support was, in fact, infiltration, an attempt to uproot the Xiao family's influence in Mobei.
How easy was that? Wasn't that asking for trouble?
As a subject, the Xiao family naturally wouldn't dare to do anything to the Emperor, but what about Li Shu?
This was a case of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, wasn't it?
Li Man'er thought of this and secretly noted down "Xiao" in her small notebook. Regardless, the Xiao family was one of the suspects.
And then there was the current Emperor.
He was suspect number two, and the reason was not difficult to understand.
Just as he suspected the Xiao family of disloyalty, he could also use Li Shu to make an example of the noble families.
The art of ruling involved balance. With Li Shu's death, the hereditary title of the Li family, passed down for three generations, would need to change. In other words, the son born to Guo Shi could only be the Iron Courageous Earl.