Zhou Wang's wife was also visiting Xiao Wang Village for the first time, so she didn't recognize the estate manager. She asked, "Who are you?"
The estate manager found Zhou Wang's wife unfamiliar as well, but the crest on the carriage was the Li family's, which he had seen many times and recognized.
"I am Ge Dazhuang, the estate manager of Xiao Wang Village. This is my younger brother, Ge Erzhuang," Ge Dazhuang said with a fawning smile. "Madam, it's been a long time. As soon as I received word, I rushed over."
Zhou Wang's wife glanced behind him and then said, "The person in the carriage is not Madam, but other female relatives from the Marquis's manor. You don't need to pay your respects. Go back."
Not Madam?
The brothers exchanged glances and whispered to each other, "If it's not Madam, then who is it?"
As they were talking, the main gate creaked open. The sharp-faced, scrawny steward was momentarily stunned when he saw Zhou Wang's wife. Then he noticed the carriage at the entrance and immediately put on a smile. "Someone from the manor has arrived. May I ask,嬷嬷, which master you are accompanying?"
Zhou Wang's wife looked at the steward and asked, "Are you Su Hai?"
"Indeed, I am."
"Good. We are here to pick up Wu嬷嬷. Have her brought out, and we will take her with us."
"Wu嬷嬷?" Su Hai was taken aback and peered into the carriage. "Wasn't she sent here after committing an offense in the manor? Why are you taking her back now?"
Zhou Wang's wife glared at him, fanning herself impatiently. "Why do you care so much? Are you permitted to inquire about the masters' affairs?"
Su Hai smiled obsequiously. "This嬷嬷 hasn't been here before, has she? I don't know your name. Which master has come from the manor this time?"
Zhou Wang's wife replied, "It is the Marquis's legitimate eldest daughter. Wu嬷嬷 was originally someone from the elder young lady's retinue. Stop with the nonsense and quickly bring the person out."
The weather was so hot, who wanted to stand in the sun at the entrance?
"嬷嬷, it's already noon. Are you going to make the elder young lady rush on an empty stomach? We have melons cooling in the well. Why don't you invite the elder young lady down, let her wash her face, eat a couple of melon slices, have a meal, and then rest for a bit before leaving!"
Zhou Wang's wife was quite tempted. On such a hot day, eating a couple of well-cooled melon slices would be wonderful.
As she was hesitating, there was movement from the carriage. Ziyan alighted.
"Miss Ziyan, does the elder young lady have any instructions?" Cui Wang's wife was a sharp one. She knew that Li Man'er's status in the Marquis's manor was not what it used to be, so she dared not be negligent.
Ziyan said, "Steward Su, we have food and drink in the carriage, so you don't need to worry. The elder young lady wants to take Wu嬷嬷 with her, now, immediately."
Su Hai asked with a sly grin, "May I ask who the young lady is..."
"Steward Su, this is Miss Ziyan, from the elder young lady's side," Zhou Wang's wife prompted him. "The elder young lady is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's manor. Don't think that just because Madam isn't here, you can disregard the master's orders. This was agreed upon by the Old Madam." Zhou Wang's wife said the last two sentences very quietly.
Su Hai paid no attention to her prompting. He put his hands in his sleeves and said with a forced smile, "This is Madam's dowry estate. Let alone the elder young lady, even if the Old Madam herself came..." He paused, then added, "You can't force things, can you? We all eat from the Guo family's rice bowl. Without Madam's orders, this matter is difficult to handle."
Li Man'er, hearing this from inside the carriage, immediately said to Lv Yi, "Help me out of the carriage."
Lv Yi quickly opened the carriage door, jumped down, and then helped Li Man'er out.
"Young lady," Ziyan hurried over and whispered, "Steward Su refuses to let her go. From the looks of it, something is amiss."
"Hmph! A dog relying on the power of its master." Li Man'er strode forward.
When Su Hai saw Li Man'er, his expression changed several times. First, it was surprise, then a flash of malevolence in his eyes, which he quickly concealed.
"Greetings, elder young lady," Su Hai said, performing a perfunctory bow, appearing not entirely uncivilized.
"Where is she?"
Su Hai feigned ignorance. "Who is the elder young lady asking about?"
Li Man'er was almost amused to the point of laughter. "Wu嬷嬷. She hasn't been sent to your place for a day or two. Don't you remember?"
Just as Su Hai was about to say something, Li Man'er's expression suddenly changed. Then his vision blurred, and with a loud slap, he felt a sharp pain on his face.
Only then did Su Hai realize he had been hit.
He clutched his burning cheek, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. "Elder young lady, this is Madam's dowry estate, not your mother's estate."
Li Man'er, holding up her skirt, lifted a foot and kicked Su Hai squarely in the stomach.
Her strength was considerable. Even though her physical condition hadn't fully recovered to its peak, it was enough to deal with Su Hai. The unfortunate Steward Su, caught completely off guard, was sent flying four or five meters and lay on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
Zhou Wang's wife cowered in fear, but she didn't forget her duty. She immediately called out to the attendants who had followed her, "Are you all dead? Didn't you see him sassing the elder young lady? Tie him up!"
Several household guards quickly entered the courtyard. Two of them directly bound Su Hai.
The estate manager Ge Dazhuang and his brother Ge Erzhuang were terrified. The brothers turned and fled, afraid of being implicated.
Li Man'er led her people into the courtyard and ordered a search. The servants in the residence were gathered by Zhou Wang's wife and lined up in the courtyard.
"Stand properly." Zhou Wang's wife frowned as she looked at the old, weak, sick, and young in the courtyard. These people were not important enough to be noticed by the masters, long forgotten in some corner, so Zhou Wang's wife was not polite to them.
Before long, Lv Yi and Ziyan found Wu嬷嬷 in a dark side room.
Wu嬷嬷 had lost a lot of weight. In just half a year, her hair had turned gray, her complexion was sallow, and she looked utterly haggard.
"嬷嬷," Ziyan could hardly believe her eyes when she saw her. How could a healthy person be tormented to this extent?
When Wu嬷嬷 saw Ziyan and Lv Yi, she thought she was dreaming. Upon seeing Li Man'er, she finally couldn't hold back. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Li Man'er, sobbing softly, "Young lady, this old servant has finally waited for you."
Lv Yi stepped forward to help Wu嬷嬷 up, accidentally touching her wound. The few of them then saw that Wu嬷嬷's body was covered in bruises, black and blue with injuries.
Seeing Wu嬷嬷's state, Li Man'er was filled with murderous intent. She asked coldly, "Who did this?"
Wu嬷嬷 shook her head and said, "It is already a great fortune that young lady has come to pick me up. Do not cause discord with the manor because of this old servant. This old servant has suffered much in her life; these minor injuries are nothing."
Even if she hadn't said it, Li Man'er could guess who the instigator was. There was no harmony between her and Guo Shi; war was inevitable sooner or later.