This was Madam Guo’s usual trick, the blame-shifting tactic! She pointed the finger at Madam Jiang, implying that Madam Jiang’s words and actions were too extreme and that Madam Jiang had bullied Li Man’er.
Li Man’er could see through her scheme at a glance. If it were the original host, she would have hated Madam Jiang! But Madam Guo could reap the benefits.
“How could that be? Madam Jiang spoke earnestly, and I can understand her motherly concern.” But it was you and your daughter who frightened me greatly. You are both shameless!
Li Man’er’s words threw Madam Guo off balance. A flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes, but Madam Guo quickly regained her composure and returned to normal.
Only Li Zhao’er’s eyes seemed to be spitting fire, her jealousy and hatred for Li Man’er completely undisguised!
“What’s wrong, Second Sister? Grinding your teeth?” Li Man’er asked with a smile. “Who bullied you? Tell Big Sister, and Big Sister will help you get even.”
“You…” She clearly knew everything and was still playing dumb here, which was truly detestable.
“Zhao’er, you are too ill-mannered!” Madam Cui, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “You haven’t greeted your elder sister. Is this how your mother taught you manners?”
Li Zhao’er’s heart skipped a beat. Madam Cui had always doted on her since she was young. She used to have the same attitude, even more so, towards Li Man’er, and the Old Madam never scolded her. But today, for some unknown reason, Li Man’er had managed to get her to scold her for such a trivial matter.
“Grandmother…” Li Zhao’er tried to act spoiled to get away with it, but she saw Madam Guo shake her head slightly.
Her thoughts shifted, and she immediately changed her tune. “Grandmother is right. Zhao’er was wrong. I hope Big Sister will not hold it against me.”
Li Man’er merely smiled. “We are sisters, so there’s no need to be so formal.” She took the opportunity to bid farewell. “Grandmother needs to speak with Mother, so I will not intrude. Man’er will take her leave now.”
Madam Cui nodded seemingly satisfied. “Go.”
Madam Wang did not move. Yunxiu escorted Li Man’er out and even chatted with her at the door for a long time before turning back.
Ziyan was accustomed to such situations. In just one day, many people’s impressions and attitudes towards her young lady had changed! Adding Yunxiu didn't matter, and removing Yunxiu didn't matter either.
She was quite calm, but Luyi was not!
“Miss, Sister Yunxiu is the most favored maid in front of the Old Madam. I always felt she was a bit distant towards you, but why is she so warm and polite today?”
Upon hearing Luyi’s words, Ziyan glared at her fiercely. “Shut up!” If you don’t know how to speak, don’t speak.
Luyi also belatedly realized that her words were inappropriate.
The daughter of a noble marquis actually had less standing than a maid. If this were to get out, it would make outsiders laugh their heads off! Unfortunately, this was the true portrayal of the original host’s seventeen years of life.
“Never mind, it’s not a big deal.” Li Man’er didn’t care about these things. “You’ll understand in the future.” Sooner or later, everyone in this household would have to bow to her will!
Li Man’er believed that day would not be far off.
After Li Man’er left, Madam Cui sent all the servants in the room away, including those around Madam Guo and Li Zhao’er, ushering them into the courtyard.
Yunxiu knew the Old Madam was about to lose her temper, so she quickly gathered them in the side room for tea. Only two young maids and two steady wet nurses remained outside to serve.
The atmosphere in the room became somewhat heavy.
Madam Cui said with full vigor, “Granny Wang, what did the Geng family say?”
Granny Wang dared not conceal anything. “The wife of Assistant Minister Geng is a sensible person. When she saw this old servant holding the Marquis’s calling card to go to the military command, she immediately stated that she was only inquiring and had no other intentions!”
“Hmph! A lie!”
Granny Wang weighed her words carefully. “But the surface was not made too ugly. The Geng family is cautious and will naturally not speak carelessly. As for the Grand Princess…”
Madam Cui waved her hand, signaling her not to say more, and turned to Li Zhao’er. “Zhao’er, you are so muddled!”
“Grandmother, Zhao’er knows she was wrong.” At this point, she dared not argue and immediately knelt to admit her mistake.
“Yu Fei, do you know your mistake?”
Madam Guo’s given name was Yu Fei, which showed the hopes her parents had for her.
“Mother, I… I am just unwilling!” Madam Guo did not even have the courage to argue with Madam Cui. Without Madam Cui, she would not have become the second wife of the Ironclad Marquis Manor. Her current life was thanks to her aunt.
“The Grand Princess cares most about her reputation. This time, she was instigated by Zhao’er and acted rashly. Otherwise, given the Grand Princess’s nature, even if she killed Li Man’er, she wouldn’t have come up with a method to frame Li Man’er for having an illicit affair with an outsider! Isn’t that equivalent to cuckolding the Young Master? Have you two mother and daughter ever considered the consequences of doing this!” Madam Cui roared, clearly agitated.
Li Zhao’er had never seen Madam Cui so angry. She dared not even breathe, her eyes turning red.
“Mother, please calm your anger.” Even Madam Guo knelt down this time.
“Granny Wang, take the Second Young Lady to the ancestral hall to kneel. Release her tomorrow morning. No one is allowed to see her without my permission!”
“Grandmother!” Li Zhao’er exclaimed. She had never suffered such humiliation in her life!
Madam Guo was about to say something when Madam Cui stopped her. “Even at this point, you still want to protect her.”
With things having reached this stage, what else could Madam Guo do?
“Granny Wang, what are you waiting for? Hurry and take the Second Young Lady to the ancestral hall! Make her kneel before the ancestral tablets and reflect properly.”
“Yes.”
Granny Wang coaxed Li Zhao’er with kind words and personally escorted her to the ancestral hall. At this point, only Madam Cui and Madam Guo, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, remained in the room.
“You may rise.”
Madam Guo said submissively, “Yes, Mother.”
“For so many years, I have not involved myself in the affairs of this manor out of trust in you.”
“It is my fault, Mother. I have caused you worry.”
“This was not your fault to begin with!”
Madam Guo was very surprised. “What does Mother mean…”
Madam Cui sighed, and a gleam flashed in her cloudy eyes. “It is not that you are not smart enough, nor that you have not thought carefully. It is that there has been a variable in our family.”
“Are you referring to the Eldest Young Lady?”
“Exactly!” Madam Cui nodded. “Think carefully about what happened today. If that girl were still as reckless and rude as before, would your plan still have failed? The reason your plan failed is because she has changed, but you have not! You are still using the old methods to deal with her, but they no longer work.”
Madam Guo thought about it carefully and suddenly understood Madam Cui’s meaning. “Mother, the Eldest Young Lady… was she hiding her true abilities before?”
People couldn’t suddenly become smart overnight. Could there have been a divine intervention? If Li Man’er had truly been hiding her abilities for seventeen years, then she was too cunning!
It was too terrifying!