Li Nian then said, "Man'er, you need to be prepared. We leave the day after tomorrow."
"The day after tomorrow? So soon?" Li Man'er was a little surprised, but then she thought, she didn't know what the situation was with Li Shu yet. The sooner she went, the sooner his crisis could be resolved, which was a good thing.
"It's not fast. Your grandmother can't wait for us to grow wings and save him."
Madam Yu glared at him, "That's only natural. Do you have any complaints?"
Li Nian only then realized that Li Shu was Li Man'er's biological father!
"Heh heh, that's only natural. We're family, why would I have complaints? Uh, Qingyan is hungry, can we serve the meal?"
Madam Yu rolled her eyes, always using her son as a shield.
Li Man'er envied their marital affection. She could see that this couple from the third branch was truly in sync, deeply in love.
"Alright, serve the meal!"
The maids and servants busied themselves.
"Man'er, tonight is a small family dinner. We're all eating together, so don't feel uncomfortable," Madam Yu said. "We haven't been in the capital for a long time, so we don't know your preferences very well. We might have to ask you to accommodate us."
"Third Aunt, what are you saying? It's good for a family to be together like this, so close."
Madam Yu thought of how her biological mother had left her when she was still swaddled. How could a woman like Madam Guo treat her as her own? Over the years, she couldn't imagine how much she had suppressed and neglected her. Those rumors spreading outside, who knew if Madam Guo hadn't started them.
"Yes, you're right. We should be this close, as a family." Madam Yu felt incredibly warm hearing these words. Once the dishes were all laid out, the four of them took their seats.
Li Nian took a few sips of wine and spoke of his past postings at the table. "That place, Dangyang, was peaceful and comfortable. Unlike Xintu, where bandits ran rampant. We stayed there for four years, fighting countless battles, big and small."
Madam Yu also said, "The world is not yet truly at peace."
"It's easy to say, but difficult to do! Just look at the northern frontier. We've been entangled with the barbarians for decades, and there's still no clear victor." At this point, his tone soured, and he placed his cup heavily on the table.
Madam Yu glared at him, "Why are you talking about this with Man'er?" The implication was that Li Man'er was not interested in such fighting matters.
Li Man'er, however, said, "The barbarians are uncivilized, but they are born strong and martial. A people who grow up on horseback have an indomitable spirit in their bones. If their lands weren't so barren and only suited for nomadic life, the situation might be different."
Madam Yu and Li Nian exchanged glances, both quite surprised.
For a young lady from a noble family in the capital to say such things was remarkable.
"Well said, Man'er. Do you know the barbarians' strengths and weaknesses?"
The advantages and disadvantages of nomadic peoples have always been the same since ancient times.
"The barbarians are martial. Elderly, young, women, and children can all participate in battle. Their horses are fine, and their physiques are strong. The grasslands are vast, and they can make a home anywhere, which is their advantage." In essence, they strike and retreat. You want to capture their cities, but they have none. Zun Guo's cities are there; if you hold them, you hold them. If you can't, they will be plundered. The barbarians can't take anything away, but they can occupy. And the barbarians' home is the grassland. Wherever their tents are, wherever there is water, that is their home."
Li Nian nodded continuously.
"Their disadvantages are also very obvious. The tribes are independent and not united, making it difficult for them to band together. Their craftsmanship is backward, making it difficult to forge fine weapons, so they can only rely on plundering. Overall, their productivity is low, their medical skills are not developed, and more importantly, they lack grain, making logistical support very difficult." Because they cannot grow grain on a large scale, life becomes extremely difficult for these barbarians after the snow falls in winter. Only through raiding can they secure their living necessities.
It is precisely because of this that for decades of conflict between the two countries, they have fought every year, yet there has been no resolution.
"Indeed." Li Nian was both surprised and delighted. "Man'er, you actually understand these matters. Did Elder Brother tell you?"
"Father has no time to concern himself with such trivialities. It's simply because this niece enjoys reading. Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles."
Madam Yu kicked Li Nian hard under the table. He was really asking about the wrong thing. If the Marquis had fulfilled his responsibilities as a father, Man'er wouldn't have been harmed by Madam Guo to this extent, and her reputation wouldn't be so ruined.
Li Nian gave an awkward smile, "Eat, eat."
In the third branch, there was no rule of silence during meals. The conversations at the table felt even warmer.
"Eldest Sister, what was that medicine you gave me last time? It was so potent," Li Qingyan asked. "I woke up after sleeping for four hours, and my arm wasn't numb, nor were my legs uncomfortable."
Previously, he always seemed to be half-asleep, sometimes sleeping for seven or eight hours a day.
Li Man'er's gaze flickered.
The early stages of the Three-Absolutes Syndrome had no symptoms, and the changes in the pulse were not significant, making it easily misdiagnosed. Many doctors practiced their entire lives without ever hearing of this illness.
However, in the later stages, patients with the Three-Absolutes Syndrome would experience numbness in their limbs, weak legs, and difficulty moving. If it worsened, their memory would become very poor. They would frequently feel dizzy, fall, and in more severe cases, fall into a perpetual sleep, passing away in their dreams.
Li Qingyan was already beginning to show the late-stage symptoms of the Three-Absolutes Syndrome.
"This medicine is to alleviate your physical symptoms. Take one more today, and after three doses, you can begin practicing cultivation techniques."
Li Qingyan was overjoyed. "Father, Mother, I think my cousin is more reliable than any doctor I've ever seen. Cousin, you're not old, how do you have such remarkable medical skills?"
"Qingyan!" Li Nian chided his son gently, "Don't speak carelessly."
"It's alright," Li Man'er said. "My medical skills, I learned from my maternal uncle."
Madam Yu's eyes lit up. "Have you found your maternal uncle?"
Li Man'er shook her head. "When I was ten, I lived in the Ning family in Jiangnan for a few years. It was during those years that my maternal uncle gave me many medical books and opened a new door for me. I found studying medicine very interesting and followed my maternal uncle for a period."
Li Qingyan's eyes widened. "Cousin, you're amazing! Just by reading books, you're better than those white-bearded old men!"
Li Man'er: I thank you!
"Is this talent?" Madam Yu also found it unbelievable.
"It's not that simple," Li Man'er thought for a moment. "Third Uncle, Third Aunt, Qingyan, you must keep this a secret for me."
Li Nian waved his hand. "Man'er, perhaps it's best not to say more. Qingyan is young and speaks without thinking. If he accidentally reveals your affairs, it would be disastrous."
Madam Yu glared at him again and said, "Listen to your Third Uncle. Whatever extraordinary encounters you've had, they are things to be kept to yourself. Don't tell anyone."