Li Man'er picked up a steamed bun as if nothing had happened and whispered, "The bun is fine, eat the bun!"
A Si also picked up a bun and took a bite, chewed it a few times, and swallowed, his neck bobbing as he choked.
"Liu Ya, quickly pour her some water." Li Man'er smiled and tore off a piece of the bun, putting it in her mouth.
Liu Ya quickly poured a cup of water, but feared it might also be tainted. She first showed it to Li Man'er to confirm it was unadulterated before giving it to A Si.
Liu Ya poured another cup of water for Li Man'er and sat opposite them, watching them guzzle water and eat steamed buns with concern.
After fighting all night outside, they couldn't even get a hot meal.
The more Liu Ya thought about it, the angrier she became. She cursed the person who had poisoned them from head to toe, lamenting that some people, with weak bones, would sell their souls for material gain.
"Miss, what do we do now?" With someone like that around, it was always unsettling; they should be apprehended as soon as possible.
Li Man'er had already finished two steamed buns by now and was feeling a bit choked. She downed her cup of water and said, "Don't worry, the effect of the medicine will last at most two hours. Within two hours, this person will surely show themselves."
Li Man'er asked Liu Ya to tidy up the dishes on the table and instructed her, "Don't let anyone notice."
Liu Ya understood immediately. She cleared away all the dishes and collected all the plates and utensils.
"Now we just wait. Someone will come looking for me eventually. You two should go rest too. If you guard me like statues, how can anyone possibly show themselves?"
"Go to sleep, it's almost dawn." Li Man'er yawned. She was truly feeling sleepy now.
With no other choice, to force the poisoner into revealing themselves, they both went to rest.
Li Man'er, indeed exhausted after a night of intense fighting, fell asleep moments after closing her eyes.
She always slept with one eye open, never losing her vigilance no matter how tired she was. Thus, when someone pushed the door open, Li Man'er woke up instantly. To avoid alerting the intruder, she continued to feign sleep, wanting to see who this "immortal" was.
The person tiptoed into the room and stood by the door for a long time without moving. After a while, Li Man'er faintly sensed a glimmer of light flashing outside. She thought, "Could this person be planning to start a fire?"
As she was thinking, a faint fishy smell suddenly wafted into the air. Li Man'er quickly drank some Lingwu spring water, just in case.
The intruder, fully prepared, waited for about fifteen minutes before slowly entering the room. As he walked, he pulled a dagger from his embrace, and with one hand, he tentatively lifted the bed curtains. With the other hand, he raised the dagger and fiercely plunged it towards Li Man'er.
Li Man'er's eyes suddenly snapped open. In her hand, she also held a dagger, which directly parried the intruder's. She leaped from the bed and, brandishing her dagger, attacked the assailant. The other party seemed surprised that Li Man'er hadn't fallen victim to the poison. Realizing he was no match, he turned to flee.
Li Man'er wouldn't let him escape so easily. She kicked a nearby stool, sending it flying. The stool hit the intruder squarely on the back, knocking him to the ground.
The man lay on the ground, unable to get up. Li Man'er walked over and stepped on his back, stomping down hard twice.
The man grunted in pain but his hand was still restless, attempting to stab Li Man'er's foot with his dagger. Li Man'er kicked his wrist, breaking it, and the dagger finally flew out of his grasp.
"My hand..." the man wailed, finally unable to suppress his cries.
Liu Ya and A Si also heard the commotion and hurried over. Seeing that Li Man'er was unharmed, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
The person on the ground was still struggling, but with his hand broken and Li Man'er pressing down on his back, all his struggles seemed futile.
Liu Ya found a tinderbox, lit a lamp, and held it near the intruder. To her surprise, it was a young boy, barely grown, whom she didn't recognize.
A Si, however, recognized him and cried out in shock, "Da Mao, how can it be you?"
"You know him?"
"Miss, he's Gao Yujuan's son, his name is Da Mao."
Li Man'er mused to herself, "There must be a 'Er Mao' as well."
"He has a younger brother named Xiao Mao."
"How careless!"
Li Man'er yanked Da Mao up from the ground. He was only fourteen or fifteen years old, somewhat thin, but his eyes burned with fierce malevolence, clearly a fearless soul.
"Who sent you to kill me?"
Da Mao seethed with indignation, his eyes filled with intense hatred. Without a second thought, he opened his mouth, intending to spit in Li Man'er's face.
Unfortunately, Li Man'er had anticipated this. She reached out and dislocated his jaw. Da Mao let out a muffled groan of pain and failed to spit.
"You two go rest. I'll interrogate this little fellow myself."
"Miss, please let us handle him. You've had a long day and should get some rest."
The sky was almost dawn.
"I'm fine!" Li Man'er waved her hand. "You two go down!"
Liu Ya knew Li Man'er's temperament. She exchanged a look with A Si, and they had no choice but to retreat.
Li Man'er smiled at Da Mao, observing that he was clearly defiant.
"At such a young age, you've learned nothing good. Poisoning and killing, and you think you're some kind of hero?"
Da Mao refused to look at her, adopting an attitude of 'do as you please, kill or dismember.'
"You're not afraid of death. That's understandable. Such ruthlessness at such a young age suggests you're not afraid of death." Li Man'er chuckled lightly. "It's fine, I don't want you to die either. We're all people of the same kingdom, there's no need for us to be enemies."
Hearing this, Da Mao's shoulders relaxed slightly, as if he had been relieved.
However, in the next second, Li Man'er's words plunged him into an abyss of despair.
"However, people like you, with such fiery tempers, are not good. How about this? I'll spend a few coins and send you and your brother to the palace to become eunuchs. Ah, do you know what a eunuch is? A eunuch is an attendant in the palace. You two brothers will have a way out, and our past grievances will be settled."
Become eunuchs?
Perhaps Xiao Mao, being younger, didn't understand what a eunuch was. But Da Mao, at fourteen or fifteen, an age when many were already married and had children, how could he not know what a eunuch was?
The thought of being sent to the palace by Li Man'er to become a eunuch nearly scared Da Mao to death. His father was gone, and only he and Xiao Mao were left. If they both entered the palace as eunuchs, wouldn't their family line be extinguished?
"Mmph, mmph." Da Mao shook his head, sobbing. This was worse than death itself.
The ancients valued this matter greatly; it was indeed effective.
A Qi and A Si, who had been eavesdropping outside the window, were sweating profusely.
A Qi had originally come to find A Si. Coincidentally, they met A Si and Liu Ya coming out of Li Man'er's room. Liu Ya left, but A Si and A Qi remained.