Cui clan could not help but hear Guo clan’s instigation! The old lady shook her head indifferently, “She is a young girl, destined to be married off. Do you dislike her that much?”
Guo clan’s eyes widened, as if she had met Cui clan for the first time, “Mother, are you also bewitched by her, bribed by her?”
“Nonsense.” Cui clan slapped the table, “She is my legitimate granddaughter. What do you mean by bewitched or bribed? If outsiders heard your words, they would think that the grand Iron Gallant Mansion cannot accommodate a child who has lost her parents.”
“Mother, what are you talking about? If I couldn’t tolerate her, would the eldest lady have reached this age safe and sound?”
Cui clan raised an eyebrow, “You know what you have done. In our mansion, we do not keep idlers, let alone parasites.”
Guo clan’s nerves were instantly agitated, “Mother, what do you mean by that?” Was she calling her a thief?
“I know you don’t want to return the five shops to her. But have you even looked at the current situation? If you don’t return them, will she let you off?” Cui clan deliberately exaggerated the matter, “With the Marquis backing her, the shops will have to be returned sooner or later. I am also doing this for your own good. Greed knows no bounds. If you occupy them by illegitimate means, who will protect you when something happens? Relying on your maiden family?”
Guo clan was speechless for a long time. When a wall falls, everyone pushes. It seemed she could not count on the old madam anymore.
“I have indulged you enough over the years. You used the Ning family’s shops to support your Guo family. I have turned a blind eye. If Man’er were to publicize this matter, your reputation, which you have painstakingly maintained for over a decade, would be ruined. Our Li family cannot afford to lose face. What is not yours, even if put in your pocket, is still illegitimate.”
Guo clan’s anger had reached its peak. She suppressed her anger and stood up, “Mother speaks the truth. If that is the case, I will take my leave. Regarding the shops, I will attend to it as soon as possible.”
Cui clan nodded with satisfaction, “Go back! Don’t forget what the Marquis said.”
“Yes.” Guo clan immediately got up and left, leaving behind a resentful figure for Cui clan.
Granny Wang saw this and could only remind her softly, “Old Madam, regarding Madam, it’s likely not that simple.”
“Do I need you to tell me? How could I not know her character?” Cui clan sighed with a little worry, “However, it may not be a bad thing either.”
At this moment, Guo clan had returned to Zhaohui Courtyard. She was very angry but could not vent her frustration. Seeing the goose that laid the golden eggs about to fly away, she would be a fool to sit still.
“Madam, please don’t anger yourself to the point of harming your health.” Granny Yu placed a teacup beside Guo clan, “This matter happened so suddenly, let’s make a long-term plan.”
“There’s no time.” Guo clan had already crumpled the handkerchief in her hand, “That vixen has latched onto Princess Wuyou, and her status at home has risen accordingly. Now even the old madam is speaking for her. If this continues, what chance do I have of winning?”
“The old madam has always doted on you.”
Guo clan sneered, “Doted on me? She has always valued profit. Whoever brings benefits to the Li family, she dotes on them. Before, Li Man’er was useless, so she naturally doted on us. Now that Li Man’er is gaining power, the old woman is also ready to betray us.”
“Then what should we do?” Granny Yu said, “If we just return the shops, that would be fine. But she wants the profits from these years. Where can we get such a large sum of money?”
Guo clan glanced at her and said, “The old madam said one thing correctly: what is not ours, is illegitimate.”
Granny Yu was a bit confused. Had Madam lost her mind from anger?
“Why don’t we just turn those things into our own?”
Granny Yu was slightly stunned, “You mean…”
Guo clan beckoned her closer and whispered into her ear, “You do this…”
As she listened, Granny Yu’s eyes lit up, and her face bloomed like a flower, “Your old servant understands.”
“Go and handle this matter. Make sure there are no mistakes, and be quick!”
“Yes, your old servant will go immediately.” As she turned to leave, she was called back by Guo clan.
Guo clan’s face was filled with seriousness, and she repeatedly instructed, “Remember to use a stranger.”
“Madam, please rest assured.”
Granny Yu left the Iron Gallant Marquis Mansion impatiently. She took small paths and alleys, and soon arrived at the Guo family.
Granny Yu stayed at Guo clan’s for about half an hour before leaving stealthily.
All of this was clearly observed by Lv Yi, who had disguised herself and followed her out.
Li Man’er had been having them keep an eye on Zhaohui Courtyard’s activities. As soon as one of Guo clan’s confidantes left the mansion, she would send someone to follow and see.
No one was more suitable for this task than Lv Yi. This girl had a bold and assertive spirit, and was both daring and meticulous. The only drawback was that she did not know martial arts and could not protect herself.
However, Granny Yu was not a formidable character, and she did not discover Lv Yi throughout the entire process. The two returned to the Marquis Mansion one after the other.
“The young lady guessed correctly. Granny Yu went to the Guo family and stayed for half an hour before coming out. This servant saw that she was definitely up to no good. She was sweating when she came out and acting suspiciously.”
Li Man’er took a bite of a peach and said, “Madam naturally wouldn’t hand over the shops easily, so she has to find a way to delay.”
“But the Marquis has already told her to return the shops. Does she not even listen to the Marquis?”
In this world, all men believe that women should obey their husbands. However, some women do not think so. They put on a show in front of others but act differently in private. If they truly obeyed their husbands and considered them their sky, how could they do things that harm their husbands?
For example, Guo clan used Ning clan’s dowry to support her Guo family. Once this matter spread, Li Shu would be laughed to death.
Precisely because the matter was of great importance, Guo clan was determined to resolve it quickly.
When people act impulsively, they become devils!
“You did a good job with your mission.”
“But young lady, this servant doesn’t know what Granny Yu did at the Guo residence, nor does she understand the plan between her and Madam. In this case, how can we guard against it?”
“Does she still dare to make a move within the mansion?” Li Man’er said, “Your young lady is not what she used to be. If anything happens to me in the mansion, Guo clan will be the first one to be held accountable. Therefore, she might be planning a ‘lure the tiger away from its den’ strategy. Let’s just wait and see.”
The few maids also felt that what she said made sense.
“Then should we continue as usual?”
Gathering information about the mansion, chatting with the gatekeepers when there’s nothing else to do, and understanding the dynamics of each household in the mansion are the most basic tasks.
Li Man’er nodded. At the same time, she felt that without capable subordinates, she was somewhat restricted and unable to act freely.
It was time to cultivate some of her own confidantes.