Tao Wanniang remained expressionless as she looked at Yang Song and the others, and slowly said, "Are you going to take this job or not? Give me a straight answer."

"Manager Tao, give me a message, how much?" As the leader of the group, Yang Song really wanted to agree, but he wasn't alone; he had to fight for his brothers' money!

“There used to be fifteen shops on this street. You charged each shop twenty coins a month, which was three hundred coins a month. If I pay that amount, would you be willing to pay it?”

Tao Wanniang paused for a moment, then continued, "There are five of you in total. If you divide these three hundred coins, each person will only have sixty coins. To be frank, that's not enough to support yourselves!"

“You don’t need to worry about this. We’ll take the job. I’m not bragging, but if Manager Tao hadn’t been so clueless before, your little restaurant wouldn’t have been the target of all this trouble!” Yang Song readily agreed, but couldn’t resist venting his frustration.

Tao Wanniang glared at Yang Song. If it weren't for the fact that this group of people had been quite dedicated in handing out flyers to her last time, she wouldn't have wanted to hire them.

She couldn't help but want to teach him a lesson for being so young and idle, but she held back.

“I don’t need you to be there all the time, but I need you to be there when something happens!” Tao Wanniang said seriously. “Someone is going to harm my restaurant soon, and they’re looking for you because they know you’re not very capable.”

"You..." Yang Song couldn't save face after being so bluntly disliked by Tao Wanniang!

“I don’t need you to risk your lives. To be honest, there will be people from the Prince Rui’s mansion protecting us secretly. So, if you have any ulterior motives, I advise you to give up immediately!” Tao Wanniang continued, “Arrange the division of labor yourselves. If you understand, then go. We’ll start work tomorrow!”

"Where's the money? When will you get it?" Yang Song immediately shouted.

"You're asking for money before you've even started working? You're not even that good-looking, but you've got some pretty wild ideas." Tao Wanniang sneered. "I'll pay you after a month of work. If I don't see you tomorrow, I'll assume you disagreed. If I do see you, I'll assume you accepted!"

Yang Song wanted to retort, but when he saw Ling Dahu and Ling Dapeng, who looked like two mountains behind Tao Wanniang, he swallowed his words.

Thinking about how he had fought tooth and nail for territory, even though this only brought in a few coins, every little bit helps. After a quick calculation, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, you just wait!"

"Mother, why should we let these people get away with this? If they really cause trouble, do you think we brothers are afraid?" Yang Dapeng said with dissatisfaction as soon as Yang Song and the others left. Three hundred coins a month, just thinking about it hurts.

"Can you two do your job as waiters properly first?" Tao Wan's mother glanced at her two sons. When dealing with a madman, it's better to use a rogue. These two sons are stupid and cowardly at heart!

Ling Dahu and Ling Dapeng were stunned by Tao Wan's mother's gaze. They exchanged a glance and sighed. What could they do when their mother managed all the money in the house?

The next day, Yang Song really did come, walking from one end of the street to the other, which was a way of showing Tao Wanniang his attitude.

However, whether it was because Yang Song and his group had a deterrent effect, or because the spies from Prince Rui's mansion were keeping a close watch, neither Liang Laifu nor Zhang Xinlan ever appeared again.

On this day, Ling Yunzhou was summoned by the eldest princess multiple times, and with no way to avoid it, he went to the princess's residence.

"Yunzhou, I heard that you are still searching for your past. Coincidentally, I also sent people to help you find your roots. Today, my people have found the closest clue. There is an old man from Lingjia Village in Ping'an Town, Shanhai Prefecture. Would you like to meet him?"

When he met the princess's elegant and affectionate gaze, Ling Yunzhou looked away.

“Your Highness, I don’t remember the past, but I have a feeling that I’m already married. Why do you need to do this?” Ling Yunzhou didn’t quite believe the princess’s words. He had asked many people before who claimed to know him, but in the end, they were all liars.

“Yunzhou, perhaps that’s just your imagination. Or perhaps, after all these years, your wife has remarried? Or even if she hasn’t, are you sure there are still feelings between you?” the princess advised. “If your love is still stronger than ever, and she deserves it, then I will let go and grant you your wish!”

Ling Yunzhou pursed his lips, frowned as he looked at the princess, and finally sighed, "Your Highness, why are you doing this to yourself?"

The eldest princess smiled faintly, softening her voice. "Yunzhou, ever since you returned to the capital with your commander ten years ago, I have fallen for you at first sight. You have upheld your responsibilities, but I could not suppress my feelings for you. In any case, I have waited for ten years, and I must see a result in the end!"

"Where is he?" Ling Yunzhou avoided the question and asked the princess where the old man from Lingjia Village she had found was.

"This old man is frail, so I've arranged for him to rest in the backyard. Yunzhou, why don't you come with me to see him?"

Ling Yunzhou nodded and followed the princess to the backyard. He remained silent along the way, his brows furrowed. The princess looked at him several times, unsure of what to say.

In the back room, the old man lying on the bed, barely breathing, was none other than Uncle Ling from Lingjia Village. After separating from Tao Wan's family, they had wanted to find a village to settle down in, but gradually, the young people began to have wandering thoughts, wanting to make a living in big towns. There weren't many people to begin with, and now they had all separated!

Uncle Ling and a few others had originally settled in a village, but they encountered bandits and were separated. Due to his advanced age, he had no choice but to beg along the way. He happened to overhear someone inquiring about Ling Family Village, seized the opportunity, and was taken to the capital.

"Greetings, Your Highness." The doctor greeted the princess immediately upon her arrival.

"Can a person speak clearly?" the princess asked. "The general has questions for you."

"This old man is on his last legs. Acupuncture with gold needles might bring him back to consciousness, but I'm afraid he could die at any moment," the doctor asked truthfully.

"Then... what if we raise them like this?" The princess's heart sank, and she quickly asked.

"That's only been a matter of the last two days. The old man's health is severely deteriorated. If it weren't for the princess using medicine to keep him alive, he would probably have passed away long ago!"

“Then let him wake up. I want to ask him questions.” After thinking for a moment, the princess decided, “No matter what happens in the end, I will give him a proper burial.”

Ling Yunzhou saw the frail old man on the bed, whose heavy breathing made him feel suffocated.

"That's for the best. He's in such a daze; living is just suffering for him!" the doctor sighed, and then stepped forward to begin acupuncture on Uncle Ling.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Uncle Ling woke up. His cloudy eyes opened blankly, and his throat made gurgling sounds as if he had phlegm in it.

"Old man, is there a man named Ling Yunzhou in your village? He was conscripted by the government seventeen years ago, and we haven't heard from him since." The princess stepped forward and asked, fearing that the old man might pass away at any moment, so she asked directly and bluntly.

“Lingyunzhou… Oh, it’s Yun Yazi, yes, Yun Yazi died somewhere, poor Tao Shi is raising two children alone… cough cough cough…” Uncle Ling said, then coughed violently.

"What did you say, Tao Shi? Child, who are they?" Ling Yunzhou's eyes darkened, and he immediately pressed for an answer.