Li Man'er’s first thought was that Xiao Rudí had ill intentions; he must be plotting something.
Her father and she were already unable to return to the capital for the New Year. As the host, it was only right and proper for Xiao Rudí to invite them to celebrate the minor festival together. Xiao Rudí could state things concisely, so why would he mention hitting it off immediately and being like family?
It was obviously ill-intentioned, with another agenda.
“It is as it should be. Everything is up to the General’s arrangements.” Li Man’er had initially planned to use this opportunity to meet Li Nian outside. However, after a second thought, she realized she didn’t yet know what Xiao Rudí was up to. If it put Li Nian in danger, it wouldn’t be good.
It was better to see what the Xiao family intended before making plans.
On the day of the minor festival, Li Man’er got up early to tidy herself. The New Year called for a fresh start; one couldn’t sleep in.
“The Xiao family is going to perform the Stove God ritual. Why are you up so early, miss?”
Liu Ya brought a hot water bottle over for Li Man’er to hold and draped a padded jacket over her. “The weather in Mobei is truly harsh. The underfloor heating is on, and the hot water bottle is warming you, yet it’s still so cold.”
“The household is bustling in and out. I’m not deaf; I can hear it. I can’t sleep anyway, so it’s better to get up early and avoid being called ill-mannered.”
“Your maid heard that the eldest young master of the Xiao family has returned, which is why the servants are moving things around with more noise.”
Li Man’er’s brow furrowed slightly. “The eldest young master of the Xiao family?”
“It’s Xiao Si, the eldest legitimate son of the main branch of the Xiao family. They say he’s been in the military camp all this time. He’s returned today for the Stove God ritual and seems to be staying in the yamen to celebrate the New Year.”
Returning for the Stove God ritual? Staying in the yamen for the New Year?
Li Man’er recalled Xiao Rudí’s words from yesterday and couldn’t help but let out a cold snort. She finally understood why he had said those inexplicable things yesterday. “Hitting it off immediately,” “like family” – Xiao Rudí was intending to arrange a marriage between the Li and Xiao families, wanting her to become his daughter-in-law!
Pah! How dare he even think of such a thing!
A hint of smugness appeared on Li Man’er’s face. “What’s that young man from the Xiao family called?”
“Xiao Si.”
“Which character?”
Liu Ya shook her head. “Your maid doesn’t know.”
Li Man’er chuckled, hugging the hot water bottle. “It doesn’t matter.” Whether he was Xiao Si or some stray cat or dog, the point was that he would be utilized by her. She had been worrying about how to meet Li Nian before, but now she could think of a hundred reasons.
Liu Ya felt her mistress was smiling rather cunningly. “Miss, what happened?”
“Nothing, or rather, it’s good news.” Li Man’er threw down the hot water bottle. “Let’s eat.”
“Alright.” Liu Ya quickly brought over the food heated on the small stove in a food container. Because they were making medicine, two stoves had been built in the side room, which could be used for both making medicine and cooking food.
Li Man’er’s culinary skills were average, and Liu Ya couldn’t cook much either, so they still had to fetch their three meals from the main kitchen, by which time the food would be cold. With the small stove, they could directly reheat it in the small kitchen, which was quite convenient.
After the mistress and servant finished eating, they set about working on the large pile of medicinal herbs again.
Li Man’er wanted to make more hemostatic powder and several other medicines that should not be known.
“Liu Ya, take this medicine and slice it, then grind it. I have a use for it.”
“Yes, miss.” Liu Ya was strong and found these tasks easy to handle.
The mistress and servant became engrossed in making medicine and soon lost track of time.
Only when their stomachs rumbled with hunger did they remember to check the time.
“Miss, it’s already mid-afternoon. No wonder my hands and feet are weak.”
Li Man’er wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Did the kitchen send food over?”
“It seems not.”
The mistress and servant drew hot water to wash their faces. Just as they were thinking of going to the main kitchen to inquire, they saw Xiao Qiniang, accompanied by her maid, personally arrive with a food container.
“You don’t collect food from the main kitchen either. Have you really become so unappetizing that you can’t even smell the medicine? What if you starve yourselves?”
Liu Ya was slightly startled and glanced at Li Man’er with her eyes. She felt that Xiao Qiniang’s words today were strange, unlike her usual hypocritical demeanor.
It seemed even more hypocritical.
“Why has Miss Xiao Seven come?” Li Man’er rose and said unhurriedly, “It’s just a little late; it won’t starve us.”
“You can’t go without eating. Here, I brought it myself. I had the stove re-cook it. Hurry and taste it.”
Li Man’er then stopped being polite. “Then thank you, Miss Seven.”
“You’re always so formal. We’ve known each other for a long time. May I call you Man’er, and you call me Seven Niang?”
Liu Ya nearly choked on her own saliva. Was this really Xiao Qiniang? Why did she sound like she was possessed by something vile? Her words were so cloying; her teeth couldn’t stand it.
“Miss Xiao Seven is too kind.” Li Man’er neither agreed nor disagreed, only asking Liu Ya to bring out all the food and place it on the table in the outer room.
Feeling that it was still warm, there was no need to reheat it. The mistress and servant ate at the same table, which greatly irked Xiao Qiniang. The servants of the Li family were too ill-mannered. How could they eat at the same table as their mistress?
She thought this to herself but didn’t say it. She just decided that after Li Man’er married in, she would have to learn proper etiquette. A noble lady from the capital, yet less respectful than the people of Mobei.
Li Man’er saw that Xiao Qiniang wasn’t leaving, and she felt awkward about asking her to go. After all, Xiao Qiniang had brought the food, and she was indebted to her.
After the meal, servants and maids came in to clear the dishes. Li Man’er held a cup of hot tea, looking at Xiao Qiniang’s rather uninteresting face, and felt a bit drowsy.
“Man’er, did you hear what I was saying?”
“Yes, I heard.” Li Man’er replied, “Miss Seven said there’s a banquet tonight and I should dress up nicely.”
Xiao Qiniang smiled. “You are naturally beautiful. With just a little dressing up, you will have the beauty to captivate a nation. I’ll have to compete with you then.”
Liu Ya became more and more confused as she listened, but this was not the time to speak, so she could only endure it.
After Xiao Qiniang left, she immediately reported to her mistress, “Miss, this Xiao Qiniang is very strange! She’s been exceptionally attentive to you today. She might be plotting something.”
“It’s not just her who is attentive to me; her whole family is attentive to me.”
Liu Ya thought about it and realized it was indeed so. Even General Xiao treated her mistress with special consideration. Could it be that because Miss cured his leg injury, he was so grateful?
“Consider them kind-hearted; they know Miss’s abilities.”
“You foolish girl, do you really think they are thanking me for curing the injury?”
Liu Ya was taken aback by her words, and her certainty gradually dissipated. “Isn’t it?”
“Of course not. Xiao Rudí, he’s interested in me.”
Liu Ya nearly choked on her own spit. “What did you say, Miss? That old man, how dare he have such perverse thoughts?”
“He wants me to be his daughter-in-law.”