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Chapter 176
"You think we can just pretend nothing happened? When Li Shan did this, did she consider that you're her own brother, or that Aunt Wang is her birth mother?" Li Xia's words made Li Yao stumble backward and collapse onto the ground.
When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Li Xia didn't need to say it; Li Yao understood. He walked back to Bingqing Courtyard, his spirit broken.
Aunt Wang, who had been listening by the door, scrambled up. "Yao, how did it go? Did you find your father?"
Li Yao didn't answer her. Instead, he turned to Qiu Chan and said, "Let me in." He wanted to ask Li Shan what exactly she had done. "The young miss said not to let anyone in or out," Qiu Chan refused. Li Yao said nothing more. He turned and pushed the door; it was chained, with only a small gap. Adults couldn't get through, but Li Yao, being a child, could squeeze in.
"Yao, what are you doing? You can't come in!" Despite Aunt Wang's protests, Li Yao squeezed through. He lost a shoe but didn't stop to pick it up. With a tense face, he asked Aunt Wang, "Where's Li Shan?"
Frightened by Li Yao's demeanor, Aunt Wang stammered, "In my room."
Li Yao walked into Aunt Wang's bedroom and saw the unconscious Li Shan. Looking around, he spotted a teapot on the table. He reached out to test its temperature, then removed the lid and poured it directly onto Li Shan's face.
"Yao, what are you doing?!" Aunt Wang, who had followed him in, screamed at the sight and lunged forward to snatch the teapot from Li Yao. He wouldn't let go, still trying to pour more on Li Shan.
Li Shan woke up and, seeing the scene, grabbed a nearby teacup and smashed it on the ground. The shards cut Aunt Wang's hand.
Seeing Aunt Wang injured, Li Yao put down the teapot to check her wound.
"I'm fine," she said, turning to see Li Shan awake. She moved closer to examine her carefully. "How are you? Does your head hurt?"
"How could it not hurt after being hit? It's all because of that bitch Li Xia. I won't let her get away with this," Li Shan's face was contorted with rage, making Li Yao feel as if he was looking at a stranger. Was this really Li Shan? His own sister?
Suppressing his dismay, Li Yao tried to reason with her. "Sister, you need to control your temper."
"Just because you passed some exam, you think you can lecture me?" Li Shan's words were harsh.
"Shan, he's your own brother. How can you speak to him like that?" Aunt Wang was displeased with Li Shan's words. She was truly out of line.
"I'm going to find Second Sister," Li Yao began, but Aunt Wang cut him off.
"Yao, why are you going to that girl Li Xia? Today is such an important day; you should be by your father's side, showing your worth. Let everyone know you're the son Li Ming values most."
"Sucking up to Li Xia, then trying to act big in front of me," Li Shan's words were cutting.
Li Yao suddenly felt exhausted. He had worked so hard these past few years to help her. But in Li Shan's eyes, he was just a dog, and in Aunt Wang's eyes, he was merely a tool for gaining favor.
Enough, Li Yao suddenly didn't want to know what Li Shan had done. He didn't want to care anymore. He turned to leave.
"This child is getting harder to manage as he grows. We barely say two words to him, and he walks away. Soon we won't be able to say anything at all," Aunt Wang commented as she watched Li Yao's retreating back.
"Look at how you've spoiled him," Li Shan snapped at Aunt Wang. Ever since the incident with the child, Li Shan had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Aunt Wang.
Aunt Wang didn't like Li Shan's tone. "No matter what, he's still your brother. His success is your success. If you alienate him, who will support you in the Zhao family?"
"He's just a little brat. How could he support me? It would be better if he didn't rely on me," Li Shan dismissed Li Yao completely.
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This visit from Li Shan had only brought anger. It would have been better if she hadn't come back at all. What little maternal affection Aunt Wang had left for Li Shan was quickly disappearing.
As the banquet ended, Mrs. Lu told Mrs. Zhao that she wanted Li Shan to stay at her maiden home for a few more days, as her brother was preparing to return to their hometown for the provincial examinations. Hearing this, Mrs. Zhao left with her servants.
After seeing off all the guests, the Li family gathered in the Wild Goose Pavilion. Li Xia instructed Qiu Chan to bring Li Shan and Aunt Wang.
"My lord, you must do right by us! Second Miss knocked Third Miss unconscious without warning and had people lock the doors of Bingqing Courtyard, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. This is rebellion!" Aunt Wang immediately knelt before Li Ming to lodge her complaint, hoping to strike first.
"I told Xia to do it," Li Hui walked in holding a letter. Seeing the letter, Li Shan's face changed for a moment before quickly composing herself.
"Li Shan had someone plant this letter in my study," Li Hui said, handing the letter to Li Ming.
Li Ming read the contents, then stepped forward and slapped Li Shan hard. "Unfilial daughter! Are you not satisfied until you've brought death to the entire Li family?"
Aunt Wang watched in confusion but moved to protect her daughter. She crawled forward on her knees, reaching out to grab Li Ming's robe. He kicked her away.
Li Yao hurried to support Aunt Wang, whispering in her ear, "Aunt, I beg you, don't say anything."
Li Shan stumbled back from the slap, steadying herself against a pillar. Holding her stricken cheek, she sneered, "If the Li family treats me unjustly, don't blame me for being disloyal."
Li Ming laughed bitterly at Li Shan's words, pointing at her. "The family treats you unjustly?"
This was the biggest joke Li Ming had ever heard. If Li Shan had done such a scandalous thing in any other family, they would have cut off her hair and sent her to a nunnery to live out her days in seclusion.
Everything the Li family had done for her, and now Li Shan saw it as unjust treatment. Li Ming was thoroughly disappointed in Li Shan.
Calming down, Li Ming looked at Li Shan. "Fine. From today on, I'll show you just how 'unjustly' the Li family can treat you. Come, take Li Shan away!"
"You can't do this to me! I'm a Zhao family wife!" Li Shan panicked as she saw the servants approach, shouting loudly. No one listened to her; the matrons dragged Li Shan away.
Aunt Wang bit her lip as she watched Li Shan being taken away. Li Ming looked down at her. "From today on, you are not to leave Bingqing Courtyard." Li Yao pulled Aunt Wang away from the Wild Goose Pavilion. Worried, she wanted to go to Luhua Courtyard to check on Li Shan.
Unable to dissuade her, Li Yao accompanied her to Luhua Courtyard. At the entrance, they could hear Li Shan inside, cursing the entire Li family, including Li Yao and Aunt Wang.
"Aunt, I promise I'll study hard and earn a good reputation for you. Don't worry about her anymore; she's not worth it," Li Yao said, his voice trembling with anger.
Aunt Wang looked at Li Yao, who was struggling to control his emotions, and embraced him, crying loudly. The last person in the Li family who cared about Li Shan had now been completely alienated by her actions.
Li Shan hadn't yet realized how serious it was to be thoroughly abandoned by her own family. She was still thinking about how she would surely impress everyone, unaware that upon her return, Mrs. Zhao had already arranged for someone to send her to a country estate on the outskirts of town.
Li Ming took Li Yao, Li Chou, and Li Guang to the study in the front courtyard to discuss who might have influenced Li Shan to behave this way. The Li family couldn't afford to be passive; they needed to identify their enemy and deal with them.