The incense offerings at the Medicine King Temple, once prosperous, were now in decline, a truth that applied to this place as well. The rise of Gan Zhao Temple and the passing of the old abbot merely accelerated the temple's downfall.
There were several monks like Old Sun who had taken refuge in the temple for various reasons. They lacked great skills and it was unrealistic to expect them to change the temple's situation single-handedly. That was why Old Sun was so resistant to going to Mobei; he was primarily worried about his junior brothers in the temple.
These people were either old, infirm, or young, facing immense hardship.
Now, he was no longer afraid. With the three thousand taels of silver extorted from Li Man'er, he feared nothing.
Old Sun gave careful instructions, packed a few useful clothes, and then followed Li Man'er down the mountain, returning to the city.
Li Man'er told him to book a room at an inn on Changqing Street and instructed him, "When we depart, I will have Ziyan send a message. Once you receive it, check out immediately and wait at the entrance."
Old Sun acknowledged, accepted the silver Ziyan handed him, and settled down to wait.
After settling Old Sun, Li Man'er did not return directly to her manor but had the carriage head towards the Qian family's residence.
Ziyan was confused and tentatively asked, "Miss, why are we going to the Qian family's again?"
"To deliver a message," Li Man'er took out paper and a brush from her medicine box, quickly wrote a few lines, and handed them to Ziyan, saying, "Deliver this, and have someone give it to Madam Qian. She'll understand everything once she reads it."
Ziyan didn't know what was written and dared not look.
"Miss, what if the doorman refuses to deliver the message for us?" After all, they had just offended Madam Qian, and she might have instructed the doormen beforehand; such things were predictable.
"Just state my name, and the doorman will surely deliver the message."
Ziyan vaguely understood but couldn't grasp the key point.
The carriage ambled along, soon traversing streets and alleys, finally stopping before the Qian manor.
Ziyan pushed open the carriage door, jumped down, and stepped forward to deliver the message.
The doorman, having just received instructions from the steward, was told that any message from Miss Li, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Iron Courage, must be personally delivered to Madam. He dared not slack off, quickly jogging towards the inner courtyard.
Madam Qian was earnestly admonishing her daughter, "When I hit you at the temple, it was to protect you! You've now seen what kind of person Li Man'er is. If your mother had spoken recklessly and fallen out with her for your sake, it would have harmed you."
Miss Qian the Second, having also realized her mistake, immediately declared, "Mother, I was wrong. I will never be petulant again and will certainly obey you."
Madam Qian didn't take her promise to heart. Since childhood, she had said the same thing every time she caused trouble.
"Li Man'er is about to travel to Mobei, which is a mix of fortune and disaster. If she dies, past debts will naturally be settled. But if she returns unharmed, you will offend her even less."
Miss Qian the Second looked confused, "Mother, why?"
"Why would a young lady like her go to Mobei? She claims it's to save her father, but I don't think it's that simple." Matters of the court were always intricately linked with the inner courtyards. Madam Qian had long understood this, sensing the unusual nature of Li Man'er's expedition. Miss Qian the Second was still too inexperienced to grasp Madam Qian's words.
"Mother, if she leaves, what about the Medicine King Temple..."
Madam Qian snorted, "Is my money so easily taken? She took it today, but I have a hundred ways to get it back tomorrow. Furthermore, those people in the temple won't have peace anymore."
"Aren't you afraid she'll seek revenge later?"
"If she wants revenge, she has to be alive first! Besides, don't you think, we brought them all back. With no witnesses and no proof, who would know?" Let her sue if she wants; the Qian family might not fear their Li family in a confrontation.
Her submissive behavior at the temple was merely a show of deference. If she couldn't deal with Li Man'er, couldn't she deal with those who had become monks?
Just then, an old woman entered holding a piece of paper.
"Madam, the gate sent in a note, from Miss Li of the Marquis of Iron Courage's manor."
Madam Qian's eyelids twitched, a bad premonition arising.
"What note?"
The old woman respectfully handed over the note. Madam Qian quickly opened it and saw two lines written on it: Madam left in a hurry and left Miss Qian the Second's maid, Dang Nu, at the temple as a servant. I pity Dang Nu and cannot bear to see her become a test subject again, so I have taken her in for treatment. Madam need not worry.
Madam Qian's hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She glared at Qian Fang Ruo and asked, "Did you bring Dang Nu with you?"
"Yes, Mother, didn't you see her?" Miss Qian the Second was also flustered now. She recalled carefully that they had returned in too much of a hurry and a state of disarray, and they truly hadn't brought Dang Nu.
"Dang Nu..." Qian Fang Ruo wanted to say that although Dang Nu was her mother's person, she was foolish, and keeping her would be useless to Li Man'er.
Before she could finish speaking, Madam Qian's palm descended again, this time hitting harder than the last. Qian Fang Ruo's face, which had not yet healed from the previous blow, quickly began to swell again.
"Mother?" Miss Qian the Second covered her face, her expression shocked.
Madam Qian trembled with rage, her anger overwhelming her. She spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted with her eyes rolling back.
"Mother!"
"Madam!"
Chaos erupted in the room.
"Quickly find a doctor, hurry!" Qian Fang Ruo cried, choking on her sobs, her hatred for Li Man'er deepening.
The Li family's carriage remained parked at the alley entrance, not having left.
Ziyan found it strange, "Miss, we've sent the message, why aren't we going home?"
"Watching the show," Li Man'er leaned conspiratorially against the window, "Let's wait."
Wait for what?
Ziyan peered out the window, seeing nothing. The Qian family's residence was peaceful. What was Miss watching?
Just then, a voice from the courtyard suddenly shouted, "Quickly go find a doctor, Madam has vomited blood!"
His voice was so loud that not only the doorman heard it, but the master and servant in the carriage also heard it clearly.
Madam Qian vomited blood?
Ziyan looked at Li Man'er with suspicion, "Miss, did you already guess Madam Qian would vomit blood, which is why you insisted on staying to watch the fun?"
She pondered, then felt it wasn't right, and her eyes suddenly widened, "M-Miss, could it be that your note..."
...made Madam Qian vomit blood?
Li Man'er said triumphantly, "Naturally, how about it, am I amazing?"
The servant sent to fetch a doctor ran past their carriage. Li Man'er found it uninteresting and ordered the carriage to return home. Passing by lively places, Li Man'er even instructed the driver to buy some snacks, "Take them back for Madam Wu and the maids to have a treat."