Song Ning didn't care much about this. She was very casual at home and did whatever made her comfortable. She wasn't very familiar with the rules of such a grand mansion.
However, Song Ning knew that in everyone's eyes, Aunt Yao's actions were a disgrace to Madam He.
"Madam, what are you saying? I've already forgotten about what happened today."
Through conversations with the two women, Song Ning could tell that although Madam He was gentle and approachable, she was indeed not very shrewd and, as He Qiu's wife, was always overshadowed by the concubine.
Aunt Yao was good at manipulating and coaxing, something Madam He couldn't do.
Miss He is sixteen years old this year and is also a person who considers the overall situation.
Song Ning felt a pang of emotion, thinking that these women in the inner quarters might sometimes be worse off than the poor like them.
Song Ning didn't say much, feeling that it wasn't her place to meddle in such matters. She would stay here for at most ten days or so before going back, and probably wouldn't see them again.
The next morning, Miss Xie came to find her, saying she would take her for a walk. Song Ning had already planned to go for a stroll and get a general idea of Yuanzhou City.
"Ms. He, then I'll trouble you."
Miss He smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite with me? Just call me Wanying. I'm a few years older than you, so you can call me 'sister' if you want."
Song Ning liked this kind of generous person and sweetly called out, "Sister Wanying."
Song Ning called Shunzi and Li Xingwang along, and then they went out onto the street.
Yuanzhou City is very large. If the three of them were to wander around like this, it would take at least half a month. Song Ning planned to just get a general understanding of the situation and rely on the map for the rest.
“Where do you want to go? I grew up here and know this place very well. I’ll take you wherever you want to go,” He Wanying asked with a smile.
Song Ning thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we go to a place with lots of people?"
Yesterday, the prefect sent her several land deeds and told her to choose whichever she wanted, or even to give her all of them.
Song Ning couldn't possibly want them all, so she listened to He Wanying and chose one from them. She heard that the location was good, and Song Ning wanted to go and take a look.
"That's perfect, I'll take you to your shop."
After wandering around several streets, there were quite a few people on the streets. When they passed a place called Zuixianglou, Li Xingwang asked curiously what it was and why it was not open during the day.
He Wanying immediately felt embarrassed. Although Song Ning had never been inside this place, just by hearing the name and looking at the outside layout, he could guess what it was with his toes.
"Alright, you'll see later. Let's hurry up, there are still many places we haven't visited today."
Fortunately, Craftsman Li didn't come along today, otherwise he would have thought that all of them were not decent people.
Just as the four of them left, Xie Linzhou and Zhang Ping came up from behind.
Zhang Ping looked up and whispered, "Young Master, it's a brothel."
Xie Linzhou didn't look too good. He had never stayed in any other place for so long, but he was very curious about this place.
Don't let Song Ning be led astray.
But actually, of the four of them, Song Ning knows the most.
The shop Song Ning chose was located in the middle of Furong Street, a very bustling area. Compared to the first one, it was much better.
And this time it was a big gift; they gave her a restaurant.
The shop is still being managed. When they went there, it was lunchtime, and there were quite a few people there.
Perfect timing, Song Ning was planning to have lunch here.
Once inside, I found that the restaurant was quite large, a two-story building, similar to other restaurants, with the lobby on the first floor and private rooms on the second floor.
It was cleaned quite well, and as soon as they entered, the waiter came to greet them.
They took their seats in the lobby, and He Wanying asked in a low voice, "You're the owner of this restaurant now, why don't you go to a private room? It's much more comfortable upstairs than here."
"We're here to inspect the place today. Only by sitting in the main hall can we see what it's really like. If we go to a private room, we won't be able to see what's going on down there."
He Wanying nodded: "That's true. But I used to come here often. The roast chicken here is pretty good. It's one of the best in Yuanzhou City. You must order it."
Song Ning handed the menu to Shunzi and Li Xingwang: "Order whatever you want."
The two were still unaware that the restaurant already belonged to Song Ning, and were somewhat flattered, holding the menu and unsure of what to order.
In the end, we asked the waiter to bring out some of the restaurant's signature dishes.
While waiting for the food, He Wanying whispered to her, "But there's something I need to tell you beforehand."
The manager of this restaurant is one of Aunt Yao's people. Be careful. This restaurant was built by Aunt Yao herself; it's her life's work. She won't give it up so easily.
"Now that I have the land deed, does she really think she can renege on her promise?"
"That's not necessarily true. You saw it last night too. Ever since Aunt Yao gave birth to a son for my father, she's become the ancestor of the He family. My father spoils her, my grandmother indulges her, she's completely lawless, and even my mother can't beat her."
"I heard this shop makes a lot of money every year, but with Aunt Yao's personality, she won't give it to you easily."
Hearing He Wanying's words, Song Ning took them to heart and asked, "After all, Madam He is the legal wife. Even if Concubine Yao is favored, the Prefect should be a reasonable person."
He Wanying sighed: "In the past two years, the relationship between my father and mother has deteriorated day by day, and Aunt Yao has become more and more smug. The child is still young now, but what will happen when the child grows up?"
I can get married in the future, and then I can leave the He family, but my mother..."
“Your mother is, after all, a proper lady who has been the head of the household for so many years. She shouldn’t be at a disadvantage.”
He Wanying gave a bitter smile: "You don't understand my family's situation. My grandmother dotes on her grandson. Just because my mother didn't give birth to a son, she now finds all sorts of things displeasing about my mother. Although my grandmother also looks down on Aunt Yao, what can she do when she gave birth to a son for the He family? Moreover, my grandmother is currently planning to elevate her to the status of a second wife."
Song Ning didn't know what to say, because the people around her were the same; whether they were commoners or from wealthy families, they all wanted a son.
Science has proven that only girls can truly pass on their genes.
But whatever, in this era, sons are everything, otherwise Li Guixiang wouldn't have been so high and mighty in the Song family.
Once the topic came up, He Wanying had endless things to say. As the two were talking, the dishes were served, along with a middle-aged man.
As soon as the middle-aged man approached, He Wanying's face darkened.
The man said with a fawning expression, "Miss, why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have been happy to entertain you personally."
He Wanying snorted coldly: "Pretentious."
She used to come here often, and the waiter here has known her for a long time. He should have known when she first came in. The fact that he only came out now is just a deliberate act, isn't it?
The man had a smile plastered on his face, and although his tone was ingratiating, it was a forced smile that showed no respect whatsoever.
He Wanying didn't want to see his disgusting face, and said irritably, "Alright, alright, we still need to eat, stop getting in my way."
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