Yang Song actually found out for Tao Wanniang that Liang Laifu not only protected the caravan but also saved the chief caravan leader all by himself.

"However, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) Wu Xiuping was injured and has been recuperating at home for the past few days."

"I understand, you go ahead with your work." Tao Wanniang wondered if she should go and visit them, but then she thought better of it. After all, she didn't have much of a relationship with the escort agency, and given Liang Laifu's matter, her going there would only seem provocative.

Liang Laifu was also a source of unease. Tao Wanniang suddenly lamented that she hadn't been in the capital for long, but she already had an enemy.

As autumn deepened, a sense of desolation was already evident. Tao Wanniang learned from others that Lingyunzhou had returned to the city, had made meritorious contributions in suppressing bandits, and had been rewarded by the Emperor.

"Have you heard? General Ling has remembered who his wife and children are. It seems that the Princess's enthusiasm will be misplaced."

"It's hard to say. General Ling comes from a farming family, so his wife must have been a peasant woman. Their current social statuses are worlds apart. The general is still a good match for the princess. It's impossible for the general's wife to be a vulgar peasant woman."

Tao Wanniang felt a little conflicted when she heard the customers at the restaurant discussing Ling Yunzhou. She was a peasant woman and not worthy of Ling Yunzhou's peasant wife, so she asked Ling Yunzhou to stay far away from her.

"A woman can be abandoned, but a child must eventually be recognized as part of the family line."

"I wonder where this son farms. It's like his ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke. This farm boy is going to become the son of a general."

Tao Wanniang listened silently to the diners' discussion, inwardly complaining.

"Esteemed guests, this way please!" A loud shout came from the doorway. Tao Wanniang looked in that direction and her heart skipped a beat. Even though the woman was wearing a veil, she could tell that this was the Princess.

"A private room, right? Okay, this way please, sir." The simple-minded Ling Dapeng enthusiastically invited people into the private room.

"Mother, we are honored guests, we must be honored guests!" After settling the guests in, Ling Dapeng said excitedly, "We ordered the best dishes, and when we went in, only that woman sat down while the other five people stood. This setup shows that we are from a wealthy family."

"Hmm, I understand. Guess if you're going to call the shopkeeper right away?" Tao Wan's mother glanced at her silly son with a cool look. That's your stepmother!

"Manager, my master invites you in." As soon as Tao Wanniang finished speaking, a nanny came out from inside and said this, looking directly at Tao Wanniang.

What could Tao Wanniang do but go?

"I wonder what brings you here, esteemed guest?" Tao Wanniang asked with a smile as she entered the private room, perking up.

"Why haven't you paid your respects to the Princess yet!" the servant shouted as soon as Tao Wanniang entered the room.

Tao Wanniang's face immediately showed great alarm, but she was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stand or kneel, looking flustered and helpless.

"This humble woman... bows, pays respects to Your Highness the Princess!" Finally, Tao Wanniang hurriedly clasped her hands together and bowed deeply.

"Pfft!" A maidservant beside the princess sneered, "Your Highness, look at her, she looks like a monkey being performed."

"Hmm!" The eldest princess hummed, then slowly said, "Tao, do you know why I'm looking for you?"

“Why? This humble woman is ignorant. Please explain, Your Highness,” Tao Wanniang said with a bitter face.

"You are the first wife of General Ling Yunzhou, are you aware of this?" The princess's words were devoid of much emotion, her tone gentle and melodious.

Tao Wanniang nodded, then quickly waved her hand and said, "You flatter me! I used to be a peasant woman, now I'm a merchant woman. I've already set up a memorial tablet for him, and suddenly... he's not dead, he's become a great general! I'm panicking!"

“I’ve met him a few times before, but I never imagined that General Ling would be my man. I can’t afford to be with him, so I told him directly that we could never rekindle our relationship. I asked for five thousand taels of silver, and from now on we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”

This is exactly what Ling Yunzhou told her. The princess looked Tao Wanniang up and down. Faced with the position of general's wife, she was not tempted at all.

"I have known General Ling for ten years. Although he lost his memory, he has always kept you all in his heart," the Princess said slowly.

"It's no use even if he cares about me and the child. In the most difficult and painful times, I was the only woman raising the child. Men don't show their support when they need us, but once the woman has made it through, they become unimportant."

Tao Wanniang sighed, "I'm not going to join in that fun. He's a great general, and someone as noble as a princess should be his match."

"Is this your honest opinion?" the princess asked tentatively.

“It’s real, more real than gold. I asked for five thousand taels of silver directly. Hehe, with that money, what man do I need?” Tao Wanniang chuckled dryly. “What kind of Grand General’s Mansion is this? There must be a lot of rules. I’m just a rough man, I’m not used to them.”

"What if he insists on giving you a formal title?" the princess pressed.

"I don't want to. If possible, could you please get a divorce deed?" Tao Wanniang said distressedly. "Honestly, I didn't even recognize him standing right in front of me. I know for sure that my husband is gone."

"Um... Your Highness, is there anything else? I need to go cook for you. I'm the head chef at this restaurant."

The eldest princess gave Tao Wanniang a deep look and waved for her to leave.

"Do you think I could lose to a woman like that?" the princess murmured to herself after Tao Wanniang left.

After Tao Wanniang left, she breathed a sigh of relief. The princess was definitely not as gentle as she appeared. Kidnapping her away in the middle of the night and coming directly to her door today was also a show of force, wasn't it?

Look at the trouble Ling Yunzhou has brought her; five thousand taels of silver is not enough!

Tao Wanniang went to the kitchen to prepare dishes for the private room and had Ling Dapeng deliver them there.

"Mother, that distinguished guest was a very kind person. He let everyone around him eat," Ling Dapeng said happily after returning home. "He even said I looked good."

Tao Wan's mother rolled her eyes at Ling Dapeng. "Silly son, that's because they look down on this place. They're used to fine clothes and delicacies and can't handle home-cooked meals."

"Of course, isn't my son a spirited young man?" Tao Wan's mother said coolly, "He's so stupid, he'd probably be sold out and still be helping them count the money."

"Mother, two more distinguished guests have arrived, saying they want to see the manager," Ling Dahu said as he entered.

"What a day it is today, with one distinguished guest after another," Tao Wanniang muttered. Even the most distinguished guests couldn't possibly be more important than the Princess.

Tao Wanniang wiped her hands as she spoke and went to the distinguished guest that Ling Dahu had mentioned.

As soon as she pushed open the door to the private room, Tao Wanniang was stunned. Wasn't this the man with low blood sugar she had met on the West Mountain?

"A small farmhouse restaurant, Manager Tao, are you surprised?" Zhao Zhe said to Tao Wanniang with a smile.

"Oh, it's you, esteemed guest! What would you like to eat?" Tao Wanniang said with a polite smile, acting as if they were old friends. "We have several dishes listed. Are there any dietary restrictions you may have?"

"There are no dietary restrictions, just order whatever you like. The pastries from the other day were quite good, so Manager Tao's culinary skills must be excellent as well. I'll be watching closely!" Zhao Zhe looked at Tao Wanniang, the wife Ling Yunzhou had mentioned!