Seeing that Li Shan wasnât speaking, she pressed on, "Father, think about it carefully. A little bastard is about to live a life of glory and wealth, while your own daughter will have to bear a concubine-born status all her life, marry some small shopkeeper with two or three shops, and scrape by for the rest of her days. Father, donât you feel even a little heartache for your daughter?"
"Old Master, if you wonât stand up for Second Miss in this household, who else will think for her?" Concubine Sun chimed in smoothly, "And after what happened today, Second Miss has already offended Madam. If this matter isnât settled, once Madam calms down, Second Miss will definitely come to no good end. Sheâll surely be casually disposed of by Madam. Just look at Eldest Miss."
"Father, you donât even know what kind of days Eldest Sister is living now, do you? Eldest Brother-in-law doesnât do proper business; theyâre down to just one shop left. Eldest Sister is about to have to wash clothes for others just to get by."
As for the Li Familyâs eldest daughter, Li Qianru, the truth was half and half. Eldest Miss Liâs household had indeed fallen on hard times, but the reason for their decline wasnât caused by Yang Aoshuang.
Yet when this reached Li Shanâs ears, it sounded completely different.
He took it as Yang Aoshuang suppressing his children.
He flew into a rage, flinging his sleeve so hard that the cups on the table shattered into pieces.
"On this matter, Father will stand up for you." After a long moment, Li Shan said in a low voice.
Li Mengru wasnât particularly happy, because she didnât think her father could come up with any good solution either.
After thinking a bit, she said, "Father, why donât I just go straight to Li Luru and make things clear to her? Anyway, sheâs a stray wild child that nobody wants. If she leaves our family, she has nowhere else to go. We might as well threaten her: if she doesnât listen to us, weâll throw her out of the Li Family. Even if a wild child like her really has the luck to marry into the Capital City, without her maiden family to rely on, sheâll never be able to straighten her back."
"Itâs better if Father goes and speaks to her." Li Shan stood up. "She has feelings for me and your mother. Perhaps for the sake of a bit of fatherâdaughter affection, sheâll agree. You should leave it be."
With Li Shan going, the chances were better than with her, so she naturally had no objections.
"Then Iâll have to trouble Father."
"..." Li Shan waved his hand.
All these years, Li Shan had been lost in women, and last night he had fooled around several times with Concubine Sun. On top of that, heâd been brooding all night over this matter. When he came over for breakfast in the morning, he already felt a bit unwell. After the ruckus and quarrel just now, plus the words from several of his sons, he felt even more uneasy inside.
At this moment his vision went dark, and the threshold in front of him looked as if there were two of them.
His whole body swayed unsteadily!
"Father?" Of course Li Mengru noticed something was wrong. "Concubine, hurry and support Father."
"Old Master, let this concubine support you."
Concubine Sun said in a sweet, delicate voice, but she was a step too late. By the time she reached him, Li Shan had already toppled to the ground.
Concubine Sun was stunned, and Li Mengru was stunned as well.
"Old Master..." Once she came back to herself, Concubine Sun cried out loudly, "Old Master, whatâs wrong with you? Donât you scare me like this!"
Li Mengru also rushed over, thinking that Father absolutely could not have anything happen to him at this time, or sheâd be finished.
"Father, Father, are you all right?"
She hurried over, but when she saw one side of Li Shanâs mouth slanting, her legs gave out and she dropped to the floor with a thump. "Father... Concubine, quick, hurry and have someone fetch the doctor."
On the other side, Yang Aoshuang was also in her courtyard taking her pills. "That cheap little slut, sheâs going to anger me to death. Her ambitions higher than the sky, her life thinner than paper. Still wants to be my daughter? That cheap whore still wants to step on my head? She should look at what kind of filthy thing she is."