"Don't say anything yet," Li Man'er said. Suddenly, the curtain was lifted, and it was Granny Wu.
"If the young lady tells you to go, then you go. What right do you have to question your master?" Granny Wu's stern face was quite intimidating, especially her emaciated appearance now, which made her seem extremely harsh. Green Clothes couldn't help but shrink her neck in fright.
"Yes, Granny, please spare me this once. I'll never dare again." Green Clothes also knew that Granny Wu meant well for her. She knew that the eldest young lady used to be arrogant and willful, and they, the servants closest to her, had also suffered many consequences. If it weren't for Granny Wu's protection, they would have suffered even more.
Recently, the eldest young lady's temper had improved a lot, making her forget her cautious duty.
"Alright, Granny, it's not a big deal," Li Man'er said. "I'm hungry. Let's have dinner!"
Seeing Zi Yan signaling to her, Green Clothes quickly turned and left the room, telling the young maids to set the table.
Li Man'er didn't like being surrounded by people serving her. She told them to do what they should be doing and ate alone in the room with her bowl, which felt more comfortable.
In her past life, she was also pampered and didn't lift a finger. However, after coming here, she was still a bit unaccustomed to it.
There was no concept of privacy in ancient times. The servants served the masters as if they were idiots, as if all masters were incapable of handling their lives and were useless.
While Li Man'er was eating, Granny Wu was outside, so worried that her hair had turned white.
Well, a lot of it had already turned white.
Seeing her like this, Zi Yan knew that Granny Wu was worried about the young lady. She had been locked up on the estate for half a year and knew nothing about the young lady's changes. Upon seeing that the young lady's behavior was completely different from before, she would naturally have many questions.
In fact, on the way back, Granny Wu had a stomach full of things she wanted to ask but never found an opportunity. She had accompanied the young lady to Songhe Hall and returned with her mind in a daze, as if she had just realized Li Man'er's change for the first time. If her body hadn't given out, she would probably have wanted to have a long talk with the young lady all night.
Thinking of this, Zi Yan couldn't help but curl her lips. She remembered seeing her young lady awaken at the Princess's mansion a few days ago and was so frightened that she didn't know which way to turn. If the young lady hadn't explained the whole story clearly, she would have been as restless as Granny Wu.
She just didn't know if the young lady would tell Granny Wu the truth, as it concerned an immortal and was of great importance.
Li Man'er put down her chopsticks in the side hall and called for someone to clear the table.
A young maid served clear tea and then efficiently cleared the bowls and plates from the table.
Granny Wu eagerly entered the room. "Your servant greets the young lady."
"Granny, didn't I tell you to rest for a few more days?" Li Man'er had intended for Granny Wu to rest for a few days before returning to work, considering her injuries were not minor. She, as the boss, couldn't be too harsh, could she?
"This old servant is fine." Granny Wu stood awkwardly at the door, wanting to ask Li Man'er what was going on, but after thinking for a long time, she didn't know how to start.
"Granny, if you haven't figured out how to ask, then think about it first. I need to go see my father. After I pay my respects to Grandmother, we'll talk."
Li Man'er changed into another set of clothes and, with Zi Yan and Yin Zhu, went to the front courtyard, leaving Granny Wu alone in the room, still feeling uneasy.
Since Green Clothes was not around, Granny Wu called Muyun over and asked her in detail about Li Man'er.
"I was away for half a year, what happened to the young lady? Why has she completely changed?" Granny Wu's heart was in her mouth, and she felt very unsettled.
"Oh, Granny, it hasn't been half a year. It's only been these past two days."
"What?" Granny Wu didn't understand.
Muyun whispered, "Do you feel that the eldest young lady's temperament has changed drastically, as if she's a different person?"
Granny Wu nodded repeatedly, "Exactly. The eldest young lady has changed so much. I was almost shocked to death when I saw her yesterday."
Muyun smiled, "Granny, think carefully, who does the eldest young lady's current demeanor resemble?"
Resemble whom?
Granny Wu was puzzled at first, but then, as if she had thought of something, she suddenly shivered, grabbed Muyun's hand, and said excitedly, "Like Madam?"
Muyun only said, "Granny, I am young and have never seen Madam's elegance. However, I have heard from the elders in the mansion that the eldest young lady's steady and capable demeanor now is exactly the same as Madam's back then."
Granny Wu's eyes lit up. "That's right, how could I not have thought of it! Madam was so intelligent, how could her daughter be any worse?"
"I heard from people in Madam's courtyard that our young lady was hiding her talents!"
Granny Wu frowned, "Hiding her talents?" She was very confused. The eldest young lady was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion. Even if Madam was gone, she still had the Old Madam as her own grandmother. In all these years, as long as the young lady didn't make any major mistakes, the Old Madam wouldn't dote on others like she did now. Or was there something they didn't know about?
"I'm just repeating what they said. They said our young lady is cunning and afraid that Madam would harm her, so she pretended to be foolish and incompetent to make Madam lower her guard."
Granny Wu pondered for a moment and felt that this explanation made sense. Perhaps it was precisely because of her hidden talents that the young lady had managed to stay safe until today.
Granny Wu breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes moist. "Perhaps Madam's spirit in heaven is protecting our young lady."
"That makes sense. Granny, you don't know yet, do you? A few days ago, at the Princess's mansion, the eldest young lady was almost schemed against by Madam and the second young lady again."
"What happened?" Granny Wu's face turned stern. She knew that mother and daughter pair had malicious intentions, constantly finding ways to bully the young lady.
"This is what happened..." Muyun began to narrate, and it took nearly half an hour.
When Granny Wu heard this, she exploded, "Shameless slut, I knew that mother and daughter had wicked hearts."
Despite her anger, Guo Shi was now the matriarch. They had no evidence, so what could they do?
"Fortunately, the young lady is intelligent and escaped the danger." Granny Wu seemed to understand why Li Man'er had suddenly revealed her true nature. Faced with a life-threatening crisis, she had to reveal all her skills.
"It's really hard on the young lady. Such a small person, enduring all the way, facing so much scorn and misunderstanding. God knows how she endured it."
"Granny, don't be sad. Now that our young lady has cured the Marquis's poison, who in the mansion dares to look down on her? The young lady has her own opinions, and with such abilities to protect herself, Granny should be happy."
Granny Wu, however, said, "The eldest young lady is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion. Learning medicine, isn't that lowering her status?"