The journey back to the capital was much smoother than the way there. Perhaps it was because the end of the year was approaching and the government had strengthened its control over public security. Nobody wanted to get into trouble during the New Year.
After a journey of nearly a month, on a snowy day, the group returned to their home in the capital.
"Brother Asheng, it's getting late. Why don't you go to your eldest sister's house for the night?" Bai Yumei said to Chen Liansheng after asking Tao Wanniang.
Chen Liansheng looked at the sun. He still didn't know exactly where his cousin's house was. After thinking for a moment, he bowed deeply to Tao Wan's mother.
"Sister Tao, I'm sorry to bother you!"
During the journey, Tao Wanniang also came to approve of Chen Liansheng's character and saw the affection between Bai Yumei and Chen Liansheng.
"Then stay at my house for now. My house is quite big, one more person won't be too crowded," Tao Wanniang said. On this cold day, all she wanted to do was go back inside. "Yumei, you make the arrangements."
"You two, put everything away properly. Hongyu, Xiaoyun, you take the children back to your room first. Xiaoqiao, you should go back to your room too. It's cold outside, we should light a fire." Tao Wanniang muttered, urging Xiaoqiao to take her bundle and go back to her room.
Tao Wanniang had barely returned home when the news reached Ling Yunzhou's ears, since people had been keeping an eye on her for some time.
With only two days left until Lunar New Year's Eve, and Tao Wanniang and the others still not back by day, he began to wonder if they were lying to him and that the family wasn't planning to return to the capital.
"Qian Feng, it's cold, take them two baskets of charcoal," Ling Yunzhou instructed. They had just returned, so they probably weren't prepared.
"General, why don't you go yourself? It's been so long, don't you miss them?" Qian Feng suggested. "In this freezing weather, you could bring them two baskets of white charcoal; you can't even buy that."
"You're so talkative. If I tell you to deliver it, then go deliver it." Ling Yunzhou wanted to go by himself, but he was a little unhappy because he always ended up arguing with Tao Wanniang every time they met.
Qian Feng looked at Ling Yunzhou with sympathy and muttered, "This princess is also destined to be apart from you, General. She has requested to enter the Chaotian Palace to pray for the country for a year."
Ling Yunzhou glared at Qian Feng angrily, "Why are you so talkative!"
After Tao Wanniang left the capital, the eldest princess, citing the late emperor's call, moved into Chaotian Palace to pray for the nation's fortune and observed a year of vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting.
Although she did not explicitly state that she had severed ties with the General, the Princess still had people spread the word that Ling Yunzhou had remembered his past and had a wife and children.
In this way, others naturally felt that the eldest princess had severed her ten-year relationship to fulfill General Ling's wishes.
Ling Yunzhou remained silent in the face of outside speculation and the probing of his colleagues. In any case, the eldest princess had indeed wasted ten years of his life, from a sixteen-year-old girl to twenty-eight years old.
Seeing Ling Yunzhou's unfriendly expression, Qian Feng wisely went to the steward to get two baskets of white charcoal and hurried to the Tao family's residence.
On such a cold day, even the blankets were cold. Tao Wanniang stayed in her room for a while before going to the kitchen to boil water. A hot water bottle was essential for every room.
"Mother, go and rest. I'll boil the water," Wang Hongyu said, shivering. Although she was wearing a thick coat, she couldn't stand the cold!
"Are the children alright? I hope they don't catch a cold," Tao Wan's mother asked. If the adults felt cold, the children must have felt even colder.
“Dahu is with me, and I’m wrapped in a quilt!” Wang Hongyu replied. “Mother, how did you come up with this hot water bottle?”
"It was very cold in Jinzhou City, and we didn't have any at home. If it weren't for the fact that you can't buy charcoal even if you have the money, I would have bought two baskets of it too," Tao Wanniang said, gesturing with her hand. She even thought about buying some hand warmers from the system to stick on her body.
"Mother, someone's here, from the General's Mansion." Ling Dapeng had just come out of the house when he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and saw Qian Feng, so he led him inside. "They even brought two baskets of white charcoal."
Tao Wanniang was overjoyed; this was a timely help. However, the thought of the General's Mansion made her feel uneasy. But... it's cold!
"Hongyu, fill the hot water bottles with hot water and send one to each room. These things can warm the bed," Tao Wanniang instructed Wang Hongyu before going to check on the people in the General's Mansion.
In the hall, Qian Feng was also pacing back and forth. The house was too big and had been uninhabited for several months, making it feel particularly eerie.
"Sister Tao, I've brought you a charcoal brazier and some charcoal. It's been especially cold this year, and the General was worried you'd catch a chill, so as soon as he heard you were back, he sent me over." Qian Feng said immediately when he saw Tao Wanniang, not forgetting to add a bit of drama for Ling Yunzhou.
"What, did you send someone to keep an eye on things?" Tao Wanniang said with a dry laugh. "We accepted the things, but we just got back. We didn't even have hot tea. We've been too rude to Master Qian."
"Sister Tao, there's no need to be so polite. I was blind to your greatness before and offended you greatly. I'm so grateful that you're so magnanimous and didn't hold it against me," Qian Feng said with a silly grin. This was the former General's wife!
"Lord Qian, you're too kind. I'm so sorry to have troubled you to come all this way in this snowy weather." Tao Wanniang was being personal, not concerned with the matter at hand; this white charcoal was exactly what they needed.
"Hehe, it's alright, it's alright. We roughnecks aren't afraid of this little bit of wind and snow. Sister Tao, you just got back, is there enough food? The New Year is coming soon, have you prepared enough food?"
"I bought everything on the way back. Thank you for being so thoughtful, Master Qian."
"That's good, that's good!" Qian Feng was also a little speechless. He was just a rough man. Before, he was the one who went to Tao Wanniang's restaurant to eat and drink well. Now, given Tao Wanniang's status, he didn't dare to be presumptuous.
"Sister Tao, I'll head back now," Qian Feng said. Suddenly, he saw Chen Liansheng and was taken aback; the man looked completely unfamiliar.
"Big sister, is there anything I can help you with?" Chen Lian's room was already set up. Thinking that he had been taken care of by Tao Wan's mother all the way, he didn't dare to act like a guest, so he came out to help with the chores.
"You've come at the perfect time. Send some charcoal to each room. These days, the houses won't be warm without burning charcoal," Tao Wanniang casually instructed.
"Okay, I'll go right away." Chen Liansheng was very quick and efficient.
Qian Feng looked at Chen Liansheng and then at Tao Wanniang. This young man looked a few years younger than Sister Tao, but Sister Tao didn't look old at all!
This trip out, and now there's another man in the picture? No, he has to go back and tell the General that even if they're divorced, he can't just find a new love so quickly! Qian Feng's alarm bells rang, and seeing this, he bid farewell to Tao Wanniang!
Tao Wanniang naturally didn't try to keep him, politely asking Ling Dapeng to see him off, while she went back to the kitchen.
On a cold day, wouldn't it be perfect to cook a pot of hot porridge and pair it with braised duck?
It got dark quickly, and Tao Wan's mother's hot porridge was ready. A large group of people sat around the table, drinking meat porridge and eating steamed braised duck. It was incredibly warm and cozy.
Lingyunzhou, who was in the General's Mansion, was a little uneasy. The man was young and looked clean and refreshing. What a Taowan woman! She went out and brought a man back with her!
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