"You said you're twenty-eight this year, but you're not married, right?" Tao Wanniang asked curiously, looking at the ordinary-looking woman that Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun had brought back.
"Madam, I was married when I was eighteen, but I have not borne any children for many years. So my husband's family divorced me and I was sold to a slave trader. This time, I am so grateful that the young master and madam have taken a liking to me." The woman said nervously, as if she was afraid that Tao Wanniang would reject her.
"What do you want?" Tao Wanniang wouldn't be picky about a woman, and seeing that this person looked quite haggard, and since it was her second son and his wife who had chosen it themselves, she didn't want to interfere.
"Gao Cuiniang, a commoner."
"Alright then, you can work for my family, take care of a few children and do some housework. You'll get two taels of silver a month, including room and board. If you work long-term, we'll increase the pay depending on the situation."
Gao Cuiniang looked up in confusion. Wasn't this her indenture? What did it mean that she could get more for working long-term?
"Alright, Hongyu, arrange a place for her to stay in the front yard. Tell her what you need to do, I'm busy." Tao Wan's mother called her eldest daughter-in-law over and went off to do her own thing.
Wang Hongyu looked Gao Cuiniang up and down and said politely, "Cuiniang, come with me. Let me tell you where you live."
Ling Dahu and Zhou Xiaoyun exchanged a glance, finally managing to get away with it. Then they immediately followed Wang Hongyu.
After introducing the place to stay, Wang Hongyu introduced Zhang Liang to Gao Cuiniang, and then led her to the main courtyard.
“Cui Niang, we have a lot of children in our family. Everyone is at home now, but after a while, we will have to go out to work, and then you will have to take care of the children.”
As Wang Hongyu spoke, she led Gao Cuiniang to meet the children, which was considered a way of introducing them to each other.
Xiao Qiao'er's female tutor arrived the next day. This tutor, named Chen Lian, was recommended by Tao Wan's mother through the neighbor, Madam Wang. It was said that she was quite sought after in these wealthy families. Not only was she proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she was also kind and gentle. However, she was selective about her tutors.
“Sister Tao, Shen Liansheng is so beautiful that the male head of the household in the past always caused trouble. She only agreed to take this job after she learned that there was no male head of your household.”
Madam Wang's words echoed in Tao Wanniang's mind. When she saw Chen Lian, who had the delicate and innocent air of a white flower, Tao Wanniang couldn't help but nod. Indeed, this little girl was so pitiful.
"Master Shen has already met our little Qiao'er. Is there anything else you would like me to prepare?" Tao Wanniang said politely.
Shen Lian was in her thirties, with fair and delicate skin, and a pair of watery eyes that gave people a feeling of wanting to cry and tell a story when she looked at them.
"Master Tao, I have some books here. Please prepare them accordingly, as they are needed for daily teaching. Also, I need to take my students to choose a zither."
“Sure, just tell me how much it costs,” Tao Wanniang said readily. “Qiao’er, serve tea to the teacher.”
Xiao Qiao'er respectfully handed over the tea and walked to Chen Lian, kneeling down and saying, "Student Tao Linglong greets Master. Please have some tea."
Everyone was watching Xiao Qiao'er's apprenticeship ceremony. When Tao Wanniang said that she would give money as long as the female teacher told her the amount, Zhou Xiaoyun's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
She's just an adopted daughter; isn't it a bit wasteful to treat her so well? She already had severe pregnancy symptoms, and whether it was real or not, she started gagging.
"Mother, Xiaoyun isn't feeling well. Let me help her back to her room first," Ling Dapeng said immediately. Looking around, he simply handed Ling Zhi, whom he was holding, directly to Gao Cuiniang.
"You take care of Zhi'er, I'll help Xiaoyun back," Ling Dapeng said hurriedly.
Without even saying goodbye to Tao Wan's mother, Ling Dapeng helped Zhou Xiaoyun away.
Tao Wanniang frowned slightly but didn't say anything, letting Xiao Qiao'er and the female teacher finish their greetings first.
“Master Shen’s room is in the west wing, and Xiao Qiao’er will also have her classes there in the future,” Tao Wan’s mother said. “I will give the master one hundred taels of silver first, and he can use it for Xiao Qiao’er as long as it’s not needed.”
Shen Lian nodded her thanks, saying that this was her employer's trust in her.
“Dapeng, Xiaoqiao is an adopted daughter, and her mother really raised her like a princess.” Zhou Xiaoyun said sourly, “If I had a daughter this time, I would have raised her the same way.”
"Oh, is that so? Then we don't have any money either. A tutor is very expensive," Ling Dapeng said after a moment's hesitation.
Zhou Xiaoyun stomped hard on Ling Dapeng's foot. "How can you be so spineless? Our child, have you ever thought about it? If your mother hadn't insisted on divorcing your father, you would be the young master of the General's Mansion."
"No, no, wife, Dad is just too scary. I don't want to have to do horse stance as soon as I get up. Those old scholars with their classical Chinese sayings give me a headache. What are we suffering for with Dad? We're not really being raised like young masters and mistresses." Ling Dapeng shook his head repeatedly.
"If you don't think about yourself, you should think about Zhi'er. The child is still young. If he grows up in the General's Mansion, won't he just be the young master of the General's Mansion?" Zhou Xiaoyun said indignantly. "This time, Father arranged for a woman to come here so readily. Doesn't that just show that he cares about the child?"
"Never mind, wife, don't overthink it. Anyway, I think Mother's place is the best. Besides, the child is still young. When he's as big as Xiao Qiao, he'll naturally have a tutor too," Ling Dapeng said with a simple smile. "Mother is good to Xiao Qiao, and she'll be the same to our child!"
"That's only right," Zhou Xiaoyun muttered. "I don't want to go out. You go by yourself and tell them I'm not feeling well and need to rest." Zhou Xiaoyun made up an excuse.
Ling Dahu chuckled, told Zhou Xiaoyun to rest, and went upstairs to watch the excitement.
After paying respects to the teacher, Tao Wanniang still had Wang Hongyu arrange a room for Chen Lian. Once everything at home was settled, Tao Wanniang prepared to go to the restaurant.
As soon as the gilded signboard of Zhaixinglou was hung up, people started asking who was behind the restaurant.
Although outsiders are barred from entering, those in the know understand what Zhaixinlou used to be like; if it were to be truly developed, it would be one of the top establishments in the capital.
"Who is the owner of this restaurant?" asked one of the workers, a colleague who had come to gather information.
"One is surnamed Tao, and the other is surnamed Lu."
"Never heard of them, and there aren't any big shots with those surnames in the capital!" The fellow investigator pondered for a while before returning to tell his employer.
"Zhaixinglou, they want to open without even telling the merchants first. Who is this hothead?" The president of the Beijing Chamber of Commerce held a teacup and discussed with the managers of several other restaurants in the capital.
"President Jin, our distinguished guest has arrived." The Chamber of Commerce manager entered the room with a beaming smile and announced, "The Prince Rui's son has arrived."
"Prince Rui's heir!" President Jin Danyang was greatly surprised. What was Prince Rui's heir doing here? "Quickly, quickly invite him in. No, I'll go and greet him myself."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com