Li Man'er naturally understood why Li Qingshu did not seek help from the Empress Dowager or the Emperor.
In the depths of this palace, only she herself was reliable. The Emperor was merely Li Qingshu's boss, not her husband. In order to balance the relationships in court, he would inevitably use the consorts in the harem as a counterweight. This way, the relationship between the inner palace and the outer court would be tightly linked, and Li Qingshu, like other consorts, was just a pawn.
Winning over officials required more than just promotions and appointments.
As for the Empress Dowager, there was no need to even mention her. She simply did not care whether the women in her son's harem were happy or sad, pure or slandered. Her focus was always on progeny. Whoever's family served the country loyally and assisted His Majesty was considered a confidant of the Emperor. If they also had a noble background and could give birth to an imperial heir, that would be even better.
Li Qingshu had long seen through all of this and understood her own position. Therefore, even when faced with such a major incident, she remained silent, intending to resolve it herself quietly.
"What's the use of talking about it? In the palace, one ultimately has to rely on oneself." Li Qingshu had calmed down by then. "Let's deal with that thing first! Otherwise, if someone frames me, I won't be able to explain myself even with a hundred mouths."
Li Man'er thought that Li Qingshu probably already had a suspect in mind, which was why she did not keep such crucial evidence but instead wanted to destroy it.
Perhaps in true palace intrigue, the game was never about conspiracies, but about overt strategies.
"Alright!"
Li Man'er ordered the pit to be dug deeper, then lined it with straw and quicklime, followed by hot oil and wine. The jar was placed in the deep pit, and finally, more oil was poured over the jar, and it was set ablaze.
A pungent odor filled the air, forcing the palace maids and eunuchs to cover their noses and mouths with their sleeves, fearing they would be poisoned to death.
Li Qingshu stood under the corridor, watching with cold indifference.
In the raging flames, there seemed to be the cry of an infant. Though not loud, it was remarkably clear and mournful.
The palace maids trembled, and even Aunt Wen Xiu's expression was grim.
Li Qingshu, however, felt there was nothing to fear. If ghosts truly existed in this world, the infant's vengeful spirit would not come for her; it should seek the one who harmed it to claim their life.
"Fill the earth."
With Li Man'er's command, two eunuchs stepped forward and filled the pit with soil mixed with glutinous rice and quicklime, finally burying a talisman obtained from the temple before leveling the ground.
"Find a bricklayer to build a small flower bed here. We don't need to plant anything at first. Just use the incense ash offered to Buddha to nurture it for a few months, then try planting flowers and plants. When the flowers and plants planted here can survive and thrive, it will mean there are no problems."
Li Qingshu felt much more at ease and quickly ordered someone to carry out the task.
The aunt and niece changed their clothes separately,
then sat together to talk.
"The Empress Dowager has already agreed to let you stay in my palace for a while," Li Qingshu said. "Today's events were too sudden, and I haven't had time to prepare your living quarters. How about you stay in the side hall?"
Li Man'er shook her head like a rattle drum. "Aunt, I'm not a child anymore, this is not appropriate. I think the rooms in the rear courtyard are quiet, and if I stay there, it will be convenient for me to read and prepare medicine." She was an unmarried maiden, what was she doing staying in the side hall? What if the Emperor visited, where would she hide?
Those who didn't know might think she had ambitions of climbing the dragon and clinging to the phoenix. She didn't care if unpleasant rumors spread, but what if the old Emperor used it as an excuse? If he really made her a consort, she might even commit regicide and usurp the throne.
Li Man'er's words were a reassurance to Li Qingshu. It wasn't that she was being petty, but the methods of noble families were always disgustingly vile. The day she entered the palace, she was no longer the Li Qingshu she used to be. She had to consider everything thoroughly to survive in this place that devoured people without spitting out bones, otherwise, she would have died eight hundred times over.
Convinced that Li Man'er had no intention of seeking higher status, Li Qingshu's attitude softened a few degrees.
"I'll have someone tidy up the back courtyard for you. If you need anything, just ask Wen Xiu."
"Thank you, Aunt."
Li Qingshu sighed softly, "It is I who should thank you." Her gaze was deep, like an abyss.
It was woven from hatred!
Previously, Li Qingshu's will to live was not strong. After the Fourth Princess left, her heart died, and whether her body could recover was not that important to Li Qingshu.
Now, she did not think that way anymore.
"Aunt, there were too many things today, it's not suitable to prepare medicine. How about I prepare medicine for you tomorrow?"
"Very well. Devise a prescription, and I will have someone search the Imperial Hospital. If that fails, we can buy it elsewhere."
"That won't be necessary. I suppose all the good medicinal herbs in the world are in the Imperial Hospital. However, if I openly treat you like this, am I not showing disrespect to the Imperial Hospital?" Li Man'er blinked, revealing an expression of inexplicable excitement.
Li Qingshu didn't know what to say to her. "You still care about that?"
Uh...
Alright!
She truly felt like she was causing trouble, with a tiny bit of schadenfreude.
However, Li Qingshu soon couldn't laugh anymore.
The prescription she wrote fell into Duan Xu's hands. When Duan Xu heard that the prescription was written by Li Man'er and that she was in the palace, he immediately, without a word, carried his medicine chest and returned to Xiaoxiang Hall with Li Qingshu's people, leaving his disciple and grand-disciple behind.
"Imperial Physician Duan, why have you come?"
"Your humble servant greets Consort Shu, may the Consort be blessed."
"Imperial Physician Duan need not be so formal." Li Qingshu said, "Is there a reason for your sudden visit, Imperial Physician Duan?" Her health had always been poor, and the people in the Imperial Hospital dared not neglect a principal consort. They frequently checked her pulse. Even so, Imperial Physician Duan visited infrequently, as he was very busy.
The Emperor, the imperial physicians, and the princes' health were clearly more important than the concubines.
"Uh... that, your humble servant, your humble servant's master is with Consort Shu."
Li Qingshu frowned. Had she misheard?
"Your master? Duan..." She was about to ask if Imperial Physician Duan was mistaken, then, as if remembering something, she immediately broke into a wry smile.
"Childish banter, why are you still taking it seriously?"
The master Duan Xu spoke of was none other than Li Man'er.
The two had made a bet, and Duan Xu lost, immediately kneeling to acknowledge her as his master. Li Man'er, showing magnanimity, had spared his feelings, calling it a joke and letting it go.
At the time, Duan Xu was extremely grateful to Li Man'er, thinking this young lady was not as bad as outsiders said, and had saved him face.
Later, when he thought about it, he realized he had been at a disadvantage.