After expressing her opinion, Tao Wanniang took her leave, as the restaurant was waiting for her to cook!

Ling Yunzhou had Qian Feng take Tao Wanniang back to Zhaixing Tower and also asked him to pick up Zhou Xiaoyun. Looking at his still kneeling son and Shishi, he sternly told them to get up.

“Since I don’t object to you two being together, I’ll have to be upfront about the unpleasant things first,” Ling Yunzhou said. “You can forget about staying in the capital. I have a few estates in the suburbs. You can go to those estates when the time comes.”

Ling Dapeng was startled and immediately asked, "Father, what are we going to the estate for?"

"What are you doing?" Ling Yunzhou snorted. "You're my son. Although I haven't told everyone, anyone who's interested will find out. You're going to let people know my son married a courtesan. Where will I put my face then?"

Ling Dapeng's face stiffened, his expression awkward, and he weakly said, "Shishi is different."

"General, Shishi comes from a tragic background and has been a burden to Brother Dapeng. As long as you can grant me and Brother Dapeng our wish, I'll go anywhere," Shishi immediately said.

"Then let's go to the manor. Ling Dapeng, aren't you only good at farming and not at anything else? If you don't want to go, then stay in the general's mansion and train with me every day."

"No, I'll go, I'll go right now!" Upon hearing that it would be at the General's Mansion, Ling Dapeng immediately chose the manor. But then, he tentatively asked, "But if Shishi and I go to the manor, what about Xiaoyun and the child?"

"I have already sent someone to fetch your wife, Zhou, and the children. You can ask her yourself if she wants to come to the estate with you."

Ling Dapeng felt that Zhou Xiaoyun would definitely leave with him; how could he possibly stay in the capital alone?

When Zhou Xiaoyun arrived at the General's Mansion with her son, she saw Shishi and her eyes widened immediately.

"Er Gouzi, look, it's this woman, this shameless woman!" Zhou Xiaoyun grabbed Ling Zhi's hand, pointed at Shishi angrily, and said, "Dad, it's her! She seduced Da Peng! You have to stand up for me!"

"Stop making a scene!" Ling Yunzhou scolded. "Zhou, as a man, you should take responsibility for your outrageous actions. Since he wants to take responsibility, I, as his father, naturally cannot stop him!"

"Father, this woman is just a prostitute. Can't we just give her some money and send her away?" Zhou Xiaoyun said angrily upon hearing this.

"Xiaoyun, you can't say that about Shishi. It wasn't her who seduced me!" Ling Dapeng spoke up to defend Shishi. "Xiaoyun, it's normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines. You...you shouldn't be so impulsive."

Ling Yunzhou clenched his fist, which he wanted to punch. Listen to what he was saying! He had only been in the capital for a short time and had already gotten involved in such things. His wife was pregnant, yet he had an affair with another woman. He had simply disgraced the Ling family ancestors!

“Zhou, I understand your distress, but Dapeng wants to take responsibility for this girl, so he still has some conscience,” Ling Yunzhou said through gritted teeth. “I’ve already told Wanniang that you two should hold the concubine-taking ceremony as soon as possible, and then go to the estate in the suburbs!”

"What village? What does that mean?" Zhou Xiaoyun asked in surprise, confused.

“My general’s second son has taken a woman from the music academy as a concubine. Even if I go out one day, people will laugh at me. Therefore, I went to the estate for a few years, and you can come back after this matter has passed. Zhou, are you not planning to go?”

Using Gao Cuiniang's affair to threaten him, this Zhou woman is simply audacious. Ling Yunzhou also has no good feelings towards Zhou Xiaoyun, but he looks at his grandson and feels a little sorry for him.

“Xiaoyun, let’s go to the manor. We’re not comfortable in the city. You feel like you have nowhere to go, so let’s go to the manor, just like we are in Lingjia Village.” Ling Dapeng stepped forward and pulled Zhou Xiaoyun aside, persuading her.

"Father, I'm almost five months pregnant. If we go to the estate now, what if..."

"Does my General's estate lack servants?" Ling Yunzhou retorted. "Or do you not want to go? If you don't want to go, then stay in your little courtyard. Ling Dapeng will take this woman to the estate!"

How could Zhou Xiaoyun possibly agree? She angrily shook off Ling Dapeng and glared at Shishi.

"If you want me to see you two having fun somewhere else," Zhou Xiaoyun said, her chest heaving with anger. "You're taking a concubine, aren't you? Since you're a concubine, you should serve me, your wife!"

"Sister, don't worry, I won't break the rules." Shishi spoke up at the right time, her pretty face showing a very obedient expression.

"Also, Zhi'er is the grandson of my General's Mansion. You adults have done wrong, so don't implicate the child. From now on, Zhi'er will live in my General's Mansion. I will raise him to be a true man!"

Seeing the three of them struggling, Ling Yunzhou felt disgusted and spoke up.

"Father, you're going to separate us, mother and son!" Zhou Xiaoyun immediately cried out in a shrill voice. "Zhi'er, my Er Gouzi, how could I possibly abandon you!"

"Stop, stop, stop! What are you saying? How can you talk nonsense when the child is so young?" Ling Yunzhou immediately scolded. "Zhou, think about it yourself. You won't lack food and drink at the manor, but will you be able to take care of the child?"

"I don't think you've ever wanted to live a peaceful life. Do you want the child to witness you two arguing every day, Ling Dapeng? Tell me, is leaving Zhi'er in the General's Mansion going to harm you?"

Ling Dapeng was stunned. He hadn't expected Ling Yunzhou to make such a request, to leave his son in the General's Mansion.

"Brother Dapeng, Sister, although I haven't entered the mansion yet, this is the General's Mansion. It's the best choice for you to stay here, Young Master." Shishi was very good at reading people's expressions. Since this condition was proposed by General Ling, she naturally had to go along with him!

"Father, are you going to teach Zhi'er yourself?" Ling Dapeng, being the child's father after all, asked anxiously.

“This is my own grandson. Do you really think I would harm him? Ask yourselves how capable you are. Do you want this son to grow up to be well-mannered and knowledgeable, or to be a boorish person like you?”

Ling Yunzhou said with a stern face, "My grandson is only one and a half years old. If I want to teach him, I can still teach him well."

"My child, my Er Gou, Mom... Mom doesn't want to be separated from you!" Zhou Xiaoyun hugged her child, tears welling up in her eyes. She understood the reasoning, but she had always taken care of the child, how could she bear to part with him!

“Zhou, if you can’t bear to leave, then stay here with the child!” Ling Yunzhou said deliberately. “Ling Dapeng, you take your concubine to the estate. I don’t want you to embarrass yourselves in the capital!”

Zhou Xiaoyun immediately looked at Ling Dapeng. She was pregnant, and if Ling Dapeng was with Shishi on the manor and no one was watching over him, wouldn't they be inseparable every day? Instantly, she was furious and couldn't stand it!

Looking back at her son clutching her sleeve, then at the timid Ling Dapeng, and the defiant Shishi, Zhou Xiaoyun bit her lip and hugged her son tightly.

"Ergou, your mother is reluctant to part with you, but... your mother is doing this for your own good!"