If it weren't for the fact that all the people who came were the wives of his colleagues, the Prefect of the Capital really wouldn't want to handle this kind of women's quarrel.
However, the defendant was actually from the Tao family. Although Tao Wanniang was just a merchant's wife, he knew very well that she was not only the first wife of General Ling Yunzhou, but even the woman in the palace thought highly of her. And then there was the Star-Picking Tower, which had previously been protected by the Prince Rui's mansion, and now by the General's mansion!
"My lord, the servants of the Tao family spoke rudely to Lady Liu and even tried to assault her," Lady Li said first. "These troublemakers must be severely punished."
“My lord, Madam Li’s words are excessive. They mocked me and insulted a child as young as Qiao’er. Zhang Liang was just a guard of the Tao family and spoke up for me and Qiao’er.” Shen Lian said neither humbly nor arrogantly. “May I ask, what crime have we committed?”
Before the Prefect of the Capital could speak, Madam Li snorted coldly and said with dissatisfaction, "That sounds nice, but if we really start fighting, now is not the time for you to speak!"
"Silence!" The Prefect of the Capital slammed his gavel. "Madam Liu, do you have something to say?"
"The baby in my womb moved a bit more; perhaps it was frightened," Liu Yangshi said displeasedly. "My lord, in court, do these commoners not kneel?"
What a pointless trouble-maker! The Prefect of the Capital knew perfectly well what was going on, but what Lady Liu Yang said made sense.
"Please wait a moment, Your Excellency..." Just as the Prefect of the Capital was about to speak, a shout came from outside the courtroom.
Liu Yunliang and his colleagues hurriedly entered the courtroom. Liu Yunliang bowed to the Prefect of the Capital and said, "Your Honor, let's drop this case. I'm taking my wife home."
“Yes, that’s enough, it’s just a quarrel between women!” the other men chimed in.
What a joke! Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. Does that mean you can just mess with Tao Wan?
"Come home with me and don't cause trouble outside. Do you want to never be able to go to the Star-Picking Tower again?"
"Exactly, you've made a fuss before, but now you've taken it all to the authorities. Do you want me to divorce you?"
Shen Lian looked at the couple who had started arguing in the courtroom and couldn't help but sneer. This is what married life is like.
Liu Yunliang comforted Liu Yangshi, then looked at Chen Lian with a hesitant expression.
Seeing this, the Prefect of the Capital acted as if the case never happened, called for the court to adjourn, and left on his own pretext.
Upon leaving the government office, Chen Lian saw Lu Neng, the manager of Zhaixinglou, waiting to the side.
"Manager Lu," Chen Lian said, stepping forward. It must be that Sister Tao found out and did something.
"Master Shen, Xiao Qiao'er, and Brother Zhang Liang, let's go home!" Lu Neng said kindly when he saw that the three were unharmed. "Manager Tao said not to think too much. As long as your family members don't cause trouble outside, they don't need to be inferior to others."
"Thank you very much, Manager Lu!" Shen Lian said gratefully.
"Chen Lian!" After settling his wife, Liu Yunliang called out to Chen Lian and walked over. "Chen Lian, my wife means well. Knowing you have no one to rely on, she wants me to take you as a concubine. You know I am now a fourth-rank official in the imperial court, and I will not dishonor you!"
"Lord Liu, I, Chen Lian, come from a scholarly family. I would never stoop so low as to become a concubine!" Chen Lian was so angry that she wanted to hit him. "If Lord Liu truly respected and loved your wife, he wouldn't have such thoughts."
"Chen Lian, why do you have to do this!" Liu Yunliang naturally had some feelings for Chen Lian.
"Lord Liu, why are you doing this? You already have such a beautiful wife, why force yourself on a commoner like me?" Chen Lian said sarcastically. "In such a vast capital city, what kind of tragic fate brought me together with you?"
"After I return this time, I will definitely burn incense and pray to Buddha, asking my deceased father to bless me so that I will never see either of you again!"
Shen Lian's decisive words made Liu Yunliang lose face, but he still endured it!
"Chen Lian, you'd better watch yourself!" Liu Yunliang said with a stern face, then walked away.
As Lu Neng watched Shen Lian and Xiao Qiao'er being driven away by Zhang Liang, he looked thoughtfully at Liu Yunliang. He would have to discuss this matter with Manager Tao later.
Because they run a restaurant, they know a lot of people. Before leaving, Prince Rui and his family instructed them not to let Manager Tao suffer any injustice.
Tao Wanniang told Chen Lian about this the next morning.
"Since that Vice Minister of Works is so unreasonable, why not trip him up a bit?"
Shen Lian shook her head and said frankly, "Sister Tao, I only hope that we will have nothing to do with each other in the future. Whether his official career is successful or not, I don't want to care. You don't need to go against an official of the court because of me."
"How could I possibly have that ability!" Tao Wanniang smiled. "Master Shen is truly generous." She had been told about the connections the Prince Rui's family had in the capital, and she could make use of them. Besides, she wouldn't go to Lingyun Prefecture, but the Emperor still owed her six hundred taels of gold and had another request!
“There’s no need to waste any more time and effort on someone who’s irrelevant to me,” Chen Lian said. “Sister Tao, I’m telling you the truth, I don’t care about that person.”
"Very well, if they make things difficult for you again in the future, I really won't be polite!" Tao Wanniang said, deciding to give them a subtle warning.
Chen Lian thanked her, but for the next few days, she was reluctant to go out.
Tao Wanniang did not tell Shen Lianming about it, but after arriving at the restaurant, she mentioned it to Lu Neng.
"Don't worry, Manager Tao, I know exactly what to do!" Lu Neng, true to his background from the Prince Rui's residence, had already secretly taken care of things. "That Vice Minister of Works wants to take a concubine; he must be too busy with official duties. Let's make him busier!"
Tao Wanniang wholeheartedly agreed, "That's absolutely right!"
A message came from Wangjing that Zheng De had redecorated the restaurant and asked if they could send a chef over to learn from him.
Tao Wan Niang naturally agreed. Since she could provide the recipe, she wasn't afraid of people stealing her skills. Zhaixinglou was more focused on future innovations than on the current dishes.
The chef from Wangjing Zhaixinglou was named Lu Sanqi. Upon asking, I learned that he was Zheng De's brother-in-law, and he was indeed a hardworking young man.
Soon, Yun Pingting from Sifanglou also wrote a letter, informing her that the restaurant had started construction, but she was still troubled about who to marry.
As summer approached, a letter arrived from Youzhou. After reading it, Tao Wanniang wondered if the person in the palace was about to come out as well.
However, Zhao Zhe didn't come. Instead, Lin Zhuangshi from the village went to the capital to find Tao Wanniang.
"Master, this is incredible!" Lin Zhuangshi exclaimed as soon as he saw Tao Wanniang at the restaurant.
"What's so important? Tell me properly." Tao Wanniang knew that something must be serious to get Lin Zhuangshi to come to the capital.
"Our rice grows better than others, and the grains are fuller. The officials have their eyes on our rice!" Lin Zhuangshi said. "They say that an official from the Ministry of Revenue who is in charge of the people's grain wants all of our rice!"
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