The carriage stopped at the General's manor gate. Xiao Man returned home, while Xiao Zhen had to go to the military camp. After the carriage had driven away, the smile on Xiao Man's face vanished, and she turned to enter the General's manor.
"Eldest Miss."
"Uncle Lu, Second Sister, has Third Sister returned?" Xiao Man asked gently. When Xiao Man went to change, these two were at the horse farm; they should have returned to the manor by now.
"They have already returned. As soon as the two young ladies arrived, they went to the upper court with eager expressions. Second Miss is currently in your Water Moon Pavilion, and Third Miss is in her own courtyard." Steward Lu, for some unknown reason, felt that the smile on Xiao Man's face was somewhat chilling. He also knew about the incident at the horse farm. Now that Xiao Man had returned safely, it seemed she had cleared her name.
"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Lu."
Xiao Man went directly to Xiao Ling's courtyard. The old woman guarding the gate saw Xiao Man arriving with her maidservants and quickly sent someone to inform Third Miss.
"Greetings to Eldest Miss," the old woman said, bowing hastily.
Xiao Man didn't even glance at her and walked straight in. As soon as she entered, she saw Xiao Ling hurrying out. She stopped at the doorway and said, "Eldest Sister is back, that's wonderful. I was worried..."
Xiao Man raised her hand and slapped her. Xiao Ling swayed and hit the doorframe, then stumbled to the ground in a sorry state. Yun Shang cried out and rushed to help Xiao Ling up.
"Eldest Sister, what are you doing?" Xiao Ling covered her face, tears streaming down like water, and asked aggrievedly.
"Everyone else, leave," Xiao Man ordered coldly, staring down at Xiao Ling.
Yun Shang didn't want to leave, but under Xiao Man's sharp gaze, she didn't dare to stay. They all withdrew from the courtyard, leaving only Xiao Man and Xiao Ling.
"Do you know why I hit you?"
Xiao Ling shook her head, sobbing. In her heart, she knew exactly why. She suspected Xiao Man suspected her.
"Didn't you steal my dagger?"
Xiao Ling was shocked, but her face showed innocence. "Eldest Sister, what dagger? I don't know."
Seeing Xiao Ling quibbling, Xiao Man sneered. She grabbed Xiao Ling by the collar and slapped her repeatedly, more than ten times, until Xiao Ling's cheeks were swollen and her lips were bleeding. Then she let go. Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Man in terror. What was Xiao Man doing? Was she crazy to dare to slap her face so brazenly!
"Eldest Sister, are you trying to force a confession?" Xiao Ling asked through gritted teeth. "Why do you assume I took your dagger just because it's missing?"
"The changing room in the General's manor has dedicated guards. Apart from the three of us sisters, no one else can enter. When I changed my clothes, the dagger was safely placed inside. Why did it end up stabbing the Fifteenth Princess in the chest?"
"How would I know? Eldest Sister also said only the three of us could go to the changing room. Why do you assume it was me and not Second Sister?"
"I always thought you were intelligent, but I didn't expect you to be so foolish," Xiao Man crouched down to face Xiao Ling. "Do you think Second Sister would place her life in my hands if I didn't trust her? If something happened to me, she wouldn't survive either. Are you still going to argue?"
Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Man in disbelief. How daring was Xiao Man to hold her sisters' lives in her hands? Wasn't she afraid that Xiao Xiang would get angry and complain to their father and grandmother?
"Do you think Second Sister might reveal this matter?" Xiao Man's expression was gentle, but to Xiao Ling, Xiao Man looked like a devil crawled out of hell, ready to bare her fangs and tear her throat at any moment.
"If I dared to act, it means no one could investigate. Besides, I have Father's support. No matter how much Grandmother dislikes me, what can she do?" Xiao Man reached out and patted Xiao Ling's face. "Normally, when you bicker within the manor, as long as you don't cross my bottom line, I don't bother with you. But you were foolish enough to conspire with outsiders to bring about the destruction of the General's manor!"
"I didn't..."
"Do you know what would happen to the General's manor if I were convicted of harming the princess today?" Xiao Man asked coldly. "At best, it would be considered poor upbringing of a daughter, and exile would be a good outcome. At worst, it would be considered intent to rebel, leading to the execution of the entire family and the destruction of our hundred-year foundation. Xiao Ling, when the nest collapses, no egg remains intact. If the General's manor falls, you, Xiao Ling, will also die!"
Xiao Ling bit her lip and remained silent. She admitted that Xiao Man was telling the truth. That person had clearly said they would only kill a noble young lady and frame Xiao Man. Who knew it would be a princess? When she learned that the deceased was the Fifteenth Princess, she was also very scared, fearing she would implicate the General's manor.
"Speak, who told you to steal it?"
Xiao Ling remained silent for a long time, finally defeated. "The Princess of Han's Consort."
Having obtained the answer she wanted, Xiao Man turned and left. She had originally intended to spare Wen Moyu out of consideration for Wen Mohan, but she didn't expect Wen Moyu to become increasingly audacious, crossing her bottom line.
"Miss."
"Let's go back," Xiao Man said tiredly. It seemed that she and Wen Mohan could never be friends.
Not long after they left, the old madam, supported by Nanny Xu, entered Xiao Ling's courtyard with trembling steps. When Xiao Ling learned that the old madam was coming, she quickly put on a veil.
If it were any other day, she would have gone to the old madam with her injured face to instigate animosity between the old madam and Xiao Man. But now she dared not. If Xiao Man exposed her theft of the dagger, even the old madam couldn't protect her.
"Ling'er," the old madam crossed the threshold and saw Xiao Ling wearing a veil, her eyes red. Fury surged in her heart. "Why are you wearing a veil? Did Xiao Man bully you again?"
"Grandmother, no. Eldest Sister didn't bully me," Xiao Ling explained repeatedly. "It's just that I have a rash and can't be exposed to the wind, so I'm wearing a veil."
"Take off the veil," the old madam ordered immediately. She wanted to see just how arrogant Xiao Man had become.
Xiao Ling lowered her head, remaining silent. The old madam looked at Yun Shang, who immediately pulled off Xiao Ling's veil. Everyone saw Xiao Ling's face and gasped. A perfectly good face was now swollen and bruised, unrecognizable.
"This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!" the old madam exclaimed, banging the table. "Someone, tie up Xiao Man and take her to the ancestral hall! She caused trouble outside and dares to return to beat her sister out of spite. Does she really think no one can deal with her?"
"Grandmother," Xiao Ling quickly hugged the old madam's leg. "Grandmother, this is not Eldest Sister's fault. It's truly not Eldest Sister's fault. It's my fault. Eldest Sister was right to hit me."
"How important is a young lady's face? Doesn't she know that? She hit you so hard, she clearly intended to ruin your face and your future. She's so vicious, why are you still protecting her?"