When the prefect of Shanhai Prefecture was escorted to the capital, he walked along the main road of the capital, where people lined the road throwing rotten eggs and stones.
"Corrupt officials! I heard that many people have starved to death due to the drought, and the government's disaster relief funds have been embezzled by these officials."
"This kind of person deserves to be beheaded! Heaven has eyes, and His Majesty is wise!"
Tao Wanniang and Bai Yumei, like spectators at a spectacle, disappeared into the crowd, hearing the people cursing the corrupt officials.
"Big sister, are you worried about Xiao Qiao'er's father?" Bai Yumei was pulled over by Tao Wan's mother.
Tao Wanniang was somewhat relieved after confirming that Liang Laifu was not in the escort team.
“I am a little worried. I don’t want to give away my daughter whom I have finally won over,” Tao Wanniang said frankly. “However, I estimate that his new wife should be in confinement after giving birth at this time.”
"If that person really comes, what are you going to do?" Bai Yumei asked tentatively on the way back.
“No, Xiao Qiao’er is already my daughter, and I want her to be my successor!” Tao Wan’s mother refused without thinking. “Back then, Liang Laifu gave five hundred taels of silver to buy off the father-daughter relationship. If he really cared about Qiao’er, he wouldn’t have taken the child back when he was in trouble.”
“If they really come to ask for it back, then they have ulterior motives and want to use Qiao’er as a cash cow, and I will definitely not agree to that!” Tao Wanniang said firmly. “In other words, the capital city doesn’t belong to them. Do you think they can find us just by coming here?”
"I hope nothing bad will happen. Little Qiao'er is so happy right now!" Bai Yumei sighed.
Yes, the girl is now very motivated and seems to have inexhaustible energy every day. She is happy and fulfilled, and she really doesn't want anyone to break this kind of life.
In a restaurant along the road, General Ling Yunzhou stood by the window watching the escort team, and he also saw Tao Wanniang and Bai Yumei in the group meeting up.
"General, who are you looking at?" Accompanying Ling Yunzhou were Xiao Yi and his guard Cheng Feng. Noticing that Ling Yunzhou's gaze was not on the prison cart, Xiao Yi asked jokingly.
"Oh, it's Sister Tao and Miss Bai." Xiao Yi also saw them.
"Is the young master very familiar with them?" Ling Yunzhou asked. It wasn't that he was being suspicious, but he felt that he had seen Tao Wanniang somewhere before, and her knowledge and manner of speaking were not like those of a country bumpkin.
"It was fate. I met her family on the road before. They were fleeing from a drought in their village and were in a very sorry state. I helped them out. Later, I met them again in Shanhai Prefecture. They had settled down there and even opened a wonton shop. However, because of my situation, they were forced to flee Shanhai Prefecture."
"So, how come a woman with a family, who fled from a village during famine, possesses such eloquence and courage?" Ling Yunzhou countered. "Doesn't Your Highness find this strange?"
"Life is so strange. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have had the same confusion. But Sister Tao is such an interesting person!" Xiao Yi had a very high opinion of Tao Wanniang!
Ling Yunzhou looked at Xiao Yi intently. If it weren't for the woman's status and age, he would have suspected that Xiao Yi had fallen for her.
"Putting everything else aside, Sister Tao's cooking skills are in no way inferior to those of a master chef. When I was in Shanhai Prefecture, I ate her wontons and scallion pancakes. I must say, I still miss them quite a bit. Cheng Feng has frequented her little restaurant, and my father and mother have also been there. They both thought it was quite good."
Xiao Yi smiled and said.
Thinking of Qian Feng's praise for Tao Wanniang's cooking, Ling Yunzhou remained noncommittal. So what if she has a stutter? Is it really that big of a deal?
Looking around again, Tao Wanniang and Bai Yumei were no longer in sight. Ling Yunzhou stopped asking about Tao Wanniang. This case involving the prefect of Shanhai Prefecture had implicated many people, and many guards were arranged in the escort team to prevent some people from making a last-ditch effort under the emperor's nose.
Tao Wanniang didn't pay special attention to the case, but she had heard some things about it. The prefect had been sentenced to beheading, and the execution date was only a few days away.
After distributing flyers for three days, the reputation of this farmhouse restaurant has spread. The number of customers is almost doubled every day. Tao Wan's mother is too busy cooking to care about anything else!
Amidst the hustle and bustle, the autumn colors deepened, and in the rustling autumn rain, Tao Wanniang looked at the sparsely populated hall. Suddenly, a man holding an umbrella walked in, and Tao Wanniang's expression changed.
Liang Laifu has arrived!
"Why is he here?!" Bai Yumei was also stunned. Is the capital city so small, or has their little restaurant become known to everyone?
Xiao Qiao was busy in the kitchen, and Tao Wan's mother, afraid of disturbing the child, quickly went up to her. "What are you doing here?"
Upon seeing Tao Wanniang, Liang Laifu's expression became somewhat complicated. He wouldn't have asked for help if he hadn't been desperate.
"Where is Qiao'er? Is she doing well?" Liang Laifu asked, his face noticeably more haggard and thinner than when he was in Shanhai Prefecture.
"Go outside and talk to me." Tao Wanniang pushed him out directly. "Didn't we say our father-daughter relationship was over? What are you doing here now?"
"Sister Tao... please have mercy and let me see Qiao'er. She's still my daughter!" Liang Laifu said with a bitter expression.
Tao Wanniang crossed her arms and looked Liang Laifu up and down with a disdainful expression. She then said sarcastically, "What, don't you have a pregnant wife? She should have given birth to your child by now."
“I do have a son, but Qiao’er will always be my daughter.” A hint of joy flashed across Liang Laifu’s face, but he immediately frowned.
“Sister Tao, I’m no longer a constable from Shanhai Prefecture. I brought Xinlan and Lin’er to the capital. Someone told me that you opened a restaurant in the capital, so I came to see how my daughter is doing,” Liang Laifu said. “Sister Tao, why won’t you let me see Qiao’er? I couldn’t before, but now Xinlan has said that we can bring Qiao’er to live together.”
"Heh, Liang Laifu, the way your eyes are darting around makes you look really guilty. What, do you want Qiao'er back? Or are you trying to use this as an excuse to get your money back from me?"
Tao Wanniang bluntly stated sarcastically, "Let me think about it some more. Bring Qiao'er back? What, are you going to have her take care of your son? The Zhang family has already fallen on hard times. Your wife, the daughter of the prefect, suddenly wants to acknowledge Qiao'er back. Don't tell me she's gained maternal instincts after having a son. I think she's either trying to extort money or people!"
"How...how can you say that? If I hadn't given you five hundred taels back then, would you be living the life you have now?" Liang Laifu's face turned red, and he spoke with some exasperation.
"I am Qiao'er's father, and I am taking Qiao'er away. No one can stop me!"
Tao Wanniang laughed in anger and said sarcastically, "With the wife of a disgraced official's daughter, you probably won't be able to work in the government office anymore. Asking for Qiao'er back is just an excuse. Tell me, what do you want? Five hundred taels?"
Liang Laifu's face showed the shame and annoyance of being seen through. Five hundred taels of silver was a huge sum of money for him now.
"I'll let you not take Qiao'er, but give me back my money!" Liang Laifu said through gritted teeth.
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