"Sister Tao, you don't mean to transport all the chickens and ducks to the capital, do you?" Xiao Yi chuckled, thinking that Tao Wanniang was making a mountain out of a molehill.
“No need for that. I want to ask the young master to buy that house for me. I’ll sell the chickens and ducks to pay off the debt!” Tao Wanniang said with a light laugh. “That house is quite something.”
Xiao Yi was puzzled. Shanhai Prefecture was far from the capital. Tao Wanniang's family already lived in a large house in the capital. What did they need a house in Shanhai Prefecture for?
"Sister Tao, isn't it good to live in the capital?" Xiao Yi asked tentatively.
"It's alright. This doesn't affect the residence in Shanhai Prefecture. Didn't the young master himself say he could do things for me as compensation? Then let's settle on this!"
Since he couldn't immediately go back on his word, Xiao Yi agreed.
"By the way, Zhang Shicheng, the prefect of Shanhai Prefecture, will be escorted to the capital in the next couple of days," Xiao Yi added.
"Oh, besides him, were his family members also implicated?" Tao Wanniang's heart sank as she asked cautiously.
“Zhang Shicheng’s officials were all in cahoots, and those who were implicated included the prefect, the vice-prefect, and the guards led by Li Jianghai,” Xiao Yi replied. “As for his family, although the Zhang family’s property was confiscated, his wives and concubines were not implicated.”
In other words, Liang Laifu shouldn't have been arrested. Liang Laifu was a head constable in the yamen, unlike Li Jianghai. Tao Wanniang thought to herself that it was best not to see Liang Laifu again, after all, things were different now!
"Why is Your Highness telling me all this? I don't even know that prefect," Tao Wanniang said with a dry laugh.
Xiao Yi was speechless when he saw Tao Wanniang immediately trying to distance herself from the situation. Didn't she just ask if her family had been implicated?
“I know Sister Tao is concerned about your daughter, so why don’t you just ask her directly?” Xiao Yi pointed out.
Tao Wanniang glanced at Xiao Yi in surprise. She had never mentioned Xiao Qiao'er's identity. But then she understood. It seemed that her family's identities had been thoroughly investigated.
"Is Sister Tao's look making you think I know too much?" Xiao Yi teased.
“No, I’m not surprised. But if the young master is so resourceful, how could my husband, who has been missing for so long, possibly find out where the body is buried?” Tao Wanniang asked deliberately.
Xiao Yi's face stiffened, and he finally smiled bitterly, "Sister Tao, that era is so long ago, there are hardly any people left in your village, so how can we investigate?"
“Your daughter is different. When we first met, she wasn’t your daughter yet.”
Tao Wanniang was just speaking off the cuff, but at least Xiao Yi's answer made her realize that the Prince's mansion couldn't find out everything!
"What about Yu Mei's previous husband and his family?" Tao Wanniang countered. "This didn't happen so many years ago. They were prominent figures; surely they could be traced back to us!"
“Who said we didn’t find anything? But we still need to verify it. We’ll tell Sister Tao once we’re sure,” Xiao Yi said. “Speaking of which, after Father returned to the manor, he jokingly said that you were boasting. Sister Tao, can you really make anything with whatever ingredients you’re given?”
Tao Wanniang chuckled and said proudly, "That's right, I'm that amazing. If you don't believe me, bring it here!"
Seeing Tao Wanniang's shameless manner, Xiao Yi couldn't help but laugh out loud. Cheng Feng, standing to the side, pursed his lips and chuckled, his eyes fixed on Xiao Yi. It had been too long since he had seen the young master so relaxed!
Inside the private room, Tao Wanniang was talking to Xiao Yi, while two groups of people outside were curious.
"Boss, this shopkeeper's connections are incredible! Everyone he knows is a big shot!" Yang Song's underling exclaimed. "We should stick close to him, boss, let's work for him!"
Yang Song was also surprised. How could this small restaurant be related to royalty? He had really messed with a hot plate.
"What can we do? Can this small restaurant accommodate so many people?" Yang Song said with a stern face. "Are you all full? I'd like another bowl of rice, but I don't know if they'll give it to me."
After Yang Song finished speaking, his underlings all swallowed hard. They hadn't finished eating the dishes on the table yet. Could they have more rice?
"What do you think Mother and the young master are talking about inside?" Ling Dahu's eyes kept glancing towards the private room. "They came to see me this morning, and now they're coming to see me. I really don't know what these important people are doing in our little restaurant. They're not even here to eat!"
"Whatever they say, let's eat," Ling Dapeng said inwardly. "Anyway, I admire Mother immensely. If it weren't for Mother saving the young master back then, we wouldn't be living such a good life now!"
"I wonder what Xiaoyun is doing at home, and whether the children have eaten yet," Wang Hongyu said with some concern.
“There’s always something to eat, it’s just that Xiaoyun’s cooking…” Ling Dapeng said softly. Suddenly, the food in his hands didn’t seem so appetizing. “Brother, sister-in-law, you’re saying we’re eating Mom’s cooking here while Xiaoyun and the child are at home cooking and taking care of the child…”
Wang Hongyu herself is a daughter, and she knows that when her child is clinging to her, there's simply nothing she can do.
"Rui'er will help Gu Meimei and Zhi'er, right?" Wang Hongyu said weakly. Three-year-old Rui'er has always been sensible.
“If you’re worried, go back and check this afternoon,” Bai Yumei suggested. “We can consider having Xiaoyun bring the child to the restaurant in the future, or having one of you deliver the food.”
"It's really not easy for Xiaoyun to bring three children to the restaurant all by herself. It's two streets from home to the restaurant!" Ling Dapeng said with a frown.
One table was waiting for more rice, while another table was talking about their children. The atmosphere in the restaurant became a little strange.
Tao Wanniang, Xiao Yi, and Cheng Feng walked out of the private room.
Xiao Yi still had a smile on his face, "Sister Tao, I'll come back another day to taste your cooking."
“I’m also looking forward to seeing what precious ingredients the young master will bring!” Tao Wanniang said confidently.
After seeing Xiao Yi and Cheng Feng off, Tao Wanniang noticed that people at both tables were looking at her with different expressions.
"What, can't you eat without me here?" Tao Wanniang said sarcastically.
"Um...shopkeeper, can we have more rice? We can still eat," Yang Song said, forcing himself to speak.
"You still have food? Are you a glutton? I see you haven't finished sending out all the orders. Continue this afternoon," Tao Wanniang said bluntly. "Wait, there's plenty of food."
"Mother, I'm worried about Xiaoyun and the child. I want to go back and check on them," Ling Dapeng said.
“He’s a grown man, what’s there to worry about? If you’re worried, then go back and check on him!” Tao Wan’s mother frowned slightly. Her son and daughter-in-law had a good relationship, so she couldn’t say anything.
Once his mother gave her permission, Ling Dapeng immediately put down his chopsticks and left the restaurant.
"Dahu, go to the kitchen and get them a bowl of rice." Tao Wanniang didn't even glance at her youngest son's back, but only said to Ling Dahu.
"Mom, we were just saying that it's a bit too much for Xiaoyun to take care of the child and cook all by herself at home," Wang Hongyu said cautiously. "How about we let Xiaoyun bring the child to a restaurant?"
"Oh, so how do you think she'll get here? Will she carry one on her back, hold one in her arms, and lead one by the hand?" Tao Wanniang countered. "I didn't know you all became so pampered after coming to the city. Or are you going to hire a maid to take care of her?"
Tao Wan's mother laughed in exasperation, looking at her eldest son and daughter-in-law. They had survived such hard times before, were they living too well now?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com