The flames danced, and a subtle scent of wood filled the air.
Zi Yan felt her head swim and her eyelids grow heavy. She desperately wanted to sleep, but her reason told her she couldn't. She was the only one left to attend to the young lady.
Zi Yan pinched her own thigh hard, tears welling from the pain, and felt herself become somewhat more alert. However, the next moment, drowsiness overwhelmed her again. In a daze, she saw that Li Zhao'er's maid also seemed to have fallen asleep.
Why was she so sleepy today? Had she been too worn out these past few days? As she pondered, Zi Yan saw the old woman who had been keeping her head bowed slightly lift it. The woman looked very familiar, as if she had seen her before.
Where had she seen her?
Zi Yan couldn't recall, but she saw the old woman give her a strange smile, her eyes glinting with cold light.
Zi Yan was terrified, suddenly feeling as though she might have been drugged. She quickly looked towards Li Man'er, only to see her mistress yawn, seemingly just as drowsy.
It's over!
Young lady, run!
Zi Yan finally couldn't resist. Her head lolled to the side, and she collapsed onto a nearby cushion.
Li Man'er's mind seemed to be tied in knots. "Zi Yan, Zi Yan," she mumbled, shaking her head, her consciousness becoming hazy.
"You... you did something?"
Li Zhao'er finally revealed her true colors, saying triumphantly, "Of course."
Li Man'er swayed precariously. "I was so careful. I didn't eat anything here, nor did I drink any water."
"Then how did you guard against the joss paper?" Li Zhao'er sneered. "The joss paper burned the past few days was normal. Only the joss paper tonight was soaked in a medicinal solution beforehand. After drying, it looked no different from ordinary joss paper. However, once burned, the medicine on it would be released through combustion. To prevent you from noticing, I deliberately mixed them with the normal joss paper. Li Man'er, you probably didn't expect this, did you!"
Li Man'er rubbed her forehead, trying to clear her head, but the drug's effect was too strong. She directly fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Li Zhao'er burst into laughter. Her previous hint of caution vanished, replaced by even greater smugness.
"Li Man'er, I never thought you'd end up like this."
Li Man'er pointed at her, unable to speak a single word. She looked utterly resentful, but what use was resentment? It was she, Li Zhao'er, who would have the last laugh.
"I've disliked you since childhood! Why is it that, despite being born a legitimate daughter, you, an orphan, can marry a prestigious young master like Tong Qiao, while I might only end up marrying the son of a minor official with a clean background? We have the same father, so why are you so beautiful, and I can only be your foil!"
Li Man'er truly wanted to slap her. Why? Because your mother isn't as beautiful as Ning Shi, and you're an idiot!
"So, from childhood, I've snatched everything that was yours. At first, I stole your clothes, your jewelry, and then I stole your father's affection. Yes, my mother ruined your reputation, indulged you, and raised you to be so morally corrupt and unteachable. So what? No one knows about it anyway, they just think you're inherently bad and beyond redemption."
"So... your ambition grew so large that you even want to snatch the marriage granted by the Empress Dowager?" Li Man'er managed to eke out this sentence, as if expending all her strength.
"That's right! I let you escape that time at the Princess's manor, sparing you the disgrace of ruin. This time, let's see how you escape."
Li Man'er panted, "If I die, how will you explain it?"
"Explain? What do I need to explain? Father has always been indifferent to everyone, and Grandmother only favors those useful to the family. You're dead, so what use are you?" Li Zhao'er laughed maniacally. "Don't worry, after you're dead, I'll find a way to marry into the Tong family in your place."
"Don't you know my marriage to the Tong family has been called off?"
Li Zhao'er scoffed. "How is that possible?"
"Two days ago, the Ninth Prince personally delivered an imperial decree. My engagement to Tong Qiao has been annulled, and henceforth, we owe each other nothing in marriage or any other matter."
Li Zhao'er shook her head like a rattle. "That's impossible, you're lying to me!"
"What use would it be for me to lie to you?" Li Man'er said with a cold laugh. "Even if you kill me, you won't be able to marry into the Tong family. The Princess has always been haughty; how could she possibly fancy someone like you? I am, after all, a descendant of the Ning family, with unparalleled beauty, and my marriage was bestowed by the Empress Dowager. What do you have?"
Li Zhao'er was so provoked by these words that she didn't even notice Li Man'er had recovered.
"This is impossible, Li Man'er, you dare to deceive me."
You can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep. Li Man'er felt that saying was very true. Li Zhao'er was obsessed with this marriage and wouldn't believe she had failed.
"Kill her," Li Zhao'er said with a manic expression, laughing eerily. "Li Man'er, you never thought you'd end up like this, did you? Look who this is!"
The old woman slowly stepped forward, revealing a familiar face.
"Granny Xu?" The same old woman from the Princess's manor who insisted I was meeting Young Master Geng San in secret. But she was dead, wasn't she? I was present at her execution and saw her breathe her last.
"Your humble servant greets the eldest young lady."
Hearing this voice, Li Man'er immediately understood. "You're not Granny Xu. Your voice is different, but your appearance is remarkably similar. Could it be that you're twins?"
"Eldest young lady is very clever. That's right, the one who died was my incompetent younger sister."
Li Man'er gave a bitter smile. "So you want to kill me to avenge your sister?"
"Why not? A life for a life." A cold glint flashed in the old woman's eyes, along with a hint of greed.
Li Man'er realized, "Revenge is a pretense. I'm afraid Li Zhao'er promised you some benefits."
Only then did Li Zhao'er and the old woman realize she was fully conscious and showed no signs of fainting.
"You..."
"Didn't you fall for my powder?"
Li Man'er stopped pretending and stood up nimbly. "This young lady has practiced medicine for many years and has a keen sense for the taste of all sorts of medicinal powders. A mere sleeping draft, such a childish thing, and you dare to show it off. I forgot to tell you, this young lady has tested various concoctions on herself and is now immune to all poisons."
"This is impossible!" Li Zhao'er seemed possessed, pointing at the old woman. "Kill her! As long as you kill her, I'll give you a thousand taels. Then you can flee to a distant land, change your identity, and live a carefree life. Don't you want to avenge your sister?"
Granny Xu mustered her courage and drew a knife from her embrace, gripping it tightly. She walked step by step towards Li Man'er, gritting her teeth. "I want to avenge my sister, die!"
A flash of cold light, the knife gleamed as it swung towards Li Man'er's head. The old woman had considerable strength, and if it had landed, Li Man'er would have been split in two.
Unfortunately, Li Man'er had no intention of giving her that opportunity.