Li Man'er walked out before Li Qingyun could enter.
"Eldest Miss," Ziyan said hurriedly, "we couldn't stop the Heir."
Li Man'er glanced at Ziyan's red and swollen cheek, then at Li Qingyun, who was charging like a mad bull. She asked in a deep voice, "Who gave you the guts to hit my people?"
Li Qingyun had been disciplined by Li Man'er last time, so he came prepared this time, bringing over a dozen martial arts instructors and followers who usually taught him saber and horse skills. He was here to make trouble.
"So what if I hit your people? I'll hit you too," Li Qingyun, who was naturally arrogant and overbearing, blamed everything on Li Man'er, including what happened with Madam Guo and Li Zha'er.
People's hearts are inherently biased. Li Qingyun's heart naturally leaned towards his mother and sister. All the mistakes were Li Man'er's fault; she deserved death and deserved no forgiveness. With Li Shu paralyzed this time, Li Qingyun's target turned squarely onto Li Man'er. He intended to use his position as the Heir of the Tie Dan Mansion to uproot Li Man'er, this poisonous tumor.
Li Man'er raised an eyebrow and smiled, "If you had the ability, I might actually look up to you. It's a pity that 'embroidered pillow, straw bag, and useless trash' is a perfect description for you... and your shameless mother and sister."
Li Qingyun, being young and hot-blooded, could not tolerate such verbal humiliation. He immediately ordered his men to block the entrance to Qingping Xuan. His eyes were filled with malice. With a wave of his hand, he signaled the martial artists behind him to charge at Li Man'er.
Lüyi saw that this was a serious situation and quickly called out to the people in the courtyard. They grabbed whatever they could, shouting to boost their morale. Since the gate was blocked and they couldn't get out, she rallied the old women, who grabbed cooking spoons and cleavers, and surrounded Li Qingyun and his men.
Li Qingyun coldly surveyed the maids and old women in the courtyard, angrily questioning, "Have you all gone mad? I am the Heir. You people eat the Li family's food!" He didn't take these servants seriously at all. What angered him was that these people didn't show him due respect.
Lüyi was terrified, but she didn't put down the rolling pin in her hand. Her eyes were fixed on Li Qingyun and his men, as if ready to fight to the death at any moment.
"Heir?" Li Man'er laughed twice, "You think you're worthy?"
Li Qingyun had his pride, and upon hearing these words, he couldn't hold back any longer. He shouted, "I'll take responsibility for whatever happens. Killing is not to be blamed."
"What are you doing?" Ziyan, fearing Li Man'er would be harmed, desperately tried to intervene. The martial artists, acting on Li Qingyun's orders, dared to hit Li Man'er, so why would they care about a little maid like her?
The martial artists didn't even glance at Ziyan before kicking her. These martial men were rough. The foot that kicked out was larger than Ziyan's head. If that kick landed, would she survive? Could Ziyan possibly live?
Li Man'er sneered and flew towards the martial artist who had kicked out, kicking him. The man hadn't expected anyone to fight back, and her kick was faster and more ruthless than his. Ziyan, who thought she was doomed and had tightly shut her eyes in fear, didn't expect Li Man'er to descend from the sky and kick the martial artist six or seven meters away. He fell heavily to the ground and, after several attempts, couldn't get up.
Li Qingyun's eyes blazed with fury. He had lost all reason. At this moment, his mind held only one thought: to kill Li Man'er, the one who harmed his mother and his kin.
"Why are you all standing there? Attack!"
Li Man'er snatched the rolling pin from Lüyi's hand and charged forward. A bearded man who rushed towards her was in for bad luck. The rolling pin in Li Man'er's hand seemed to have eyes, smashing heavily onto the man's shoulder and neck. The bearded man let out a pained cry, his body falling to the ground in a bizarre posture. With a clang, he closed his eyes; it was unclear if he was unconscious or dead.
The two martial artists who then lunged forward were like targets, beaten all over their bodies by Li Man'er. She struck with heavy blows, specifically targeting their joints. Within three moves, she had them both scurrying away on their hands and knees, begging for mercy.
Although the martial artists were skilled, they were still far behind Li Man'er. Li Man'er had killed people and seen blood in the northern deserts. Dealing with a few guard martial artists like these was no more than a matter of her hand?
The few martial artists behind them exchanged glances, not daring to step forward. The servants who had accompanied Li Qingyun were already weak-kneed, almost wetting their pants.
"What, is that all your men are capable of? Li Qingyun, when the general is weak, the whole army falters. I see it's you, the good-for-nothing Heir, who is so incompetent that you've gathered a bunch of failures."
Those martial artists abandoned all pretense of honor. Hearing this, they prepared to swarm forward and take down Li Man'er first.
Lüyi jumped up in anger, shouting, "You shameless bastards, bullying the few with the many! Over a dozen grown men bullying our young lady!"
Ziyan couldn't curse well, so she could only add a few words of "shameless."
Li Man'er swung her rolling pin in a wide arc, hitting these martial artists. She didn't aim for vital spots, but specifically for their ribs and joints. She beat them until they cried out in pain, lying on the ground unable to get up.
"Heh, a bunch of straw bags."
Lüyi jumped up excitedly, "Miss, you're amazing!"
Ziyan also cried tears of excitement.
The sweeping old women and young maids in the courtyard cheered. Their mistress was too formidable, practically a match for ten thousand men.
Seeing his men defeated, Li Qingyun jumped up and cursed, "A bunch of useless trash." He felt he had lost face, and Li Man'er was openly mocking him. Without a second thought, he drew a dagger hidden in his sleeve and lunged at Li Man'er.
To Li Man'er, Li Qingyun's meager fighting skills were like those of a three-year-old child. His stance was weak, his waist and abdomen as soft as a woman's, and his thrusting arm was limp, like a joke.
Li Man'er grabbed Li Qingyun's arm and twisted it lightly. Li Qingyun let out a scream, and the dagger dropped from his hand to the ground.
"It hurts, it hurts, let go."
Li Man'er said nothing more. She pressed his shoulder with one hand and held Li Qingyun's wrist with the other, giving it a forceful pull. With a *crack*,
"Ah~" Li Qingyun, like a pig tied up, screamed so loudly it echoed through the heavens. He couldn't believe that Li Man'er had dislocated his arm.
Li Man'er let go and kicked Li Qingyun. He fell directly to the ground, wailing, "Li Man'er, you're not human! To treat your own brother so harshly. It hurts so much."
A few lackeys rushed forward, "Young Master Heir."
"Young Master Heir, are you alright?"
"Hmph!" Li Man'er picked up Li Qingyun's dagger, a hint of mockery in her eyes, "Oh, now you remember you're my brother? Weren't you very arrogant just now, calling yourself 'this Heir' every other word? Brother? I'm sorry, I've never considered you my sibling, just as you've never considered me your elder sister."
This was something everyone knew deep down.