“Mother, we’ve all heard that you’ve planted a lot of things we’ve never even heard of before,” Zhou Xiaoyun said first. “Mother, we want to come here to help you.”
So direct? Tao Wanniang glanced at Zhou Xiaoyun, who had regained her former figure, and was somewhat surprised.
“Yes, Mother, you must be short-handed too. It’s more reliable to use your own people. Xiaoyun and I have been working in the fields since we were little. Wouldn’t it be better for you to use us?” Ling Dapeng said bluntly.
Tao Wanniang looked at her second son and daughter-in-law with a half-smile and asked, "But you two really aren't much better than the people on my side. Besides, since we're all farming, isn't the estate over there better?"
"Mom, please let us come over here. You don't have many people here, and we can be a great help," Ling Dapeng insisted. In order to get back here, they had been staking out people every few days.
Tao Wanniang scoffed and bluntly said, "You two, just focus on your work, it won't make a difference where you are."
"It's different, Mother, let's stay with you!" Zhou Xiaoyun said hurriedly. Everyone over there knew about Shishi's situation, and she felt ashamed to stay there. In addition, the person in charge was unyielding and did not show any favoritism to Ling Dapeng because he was the son of a great general.
"But the things you two caused before have left me with a lingering fear!" Tao Wanniang said directly. "I won't be able to see through your true nature in three to five years. Just stay put and don't cause any more trouble!"
Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun were dumbfounded. Did he speak so decisively, leaving no room for maneuver?
"Mother, why!" Ling Dapeng said, bewildered. "We're all from the same village, why can't we come here? Even if you hire outsiders, won't you take care of your son and daughter-in-law?"
“Yes, I’d rather trust outsiders than the two of you!” Tao Wanniang said bluntly. “It’s all the same estate, why can’t we stay over there? Don’t think I don’t know what you two are up to. Can’t you just focus on your work?”
"Mother, you're so biased! My older brother and sister-in-law live a life of luxury by your side, while Xiaoyun and I have to farm in the countryside. Are you just trying to make things difficult for us?" Ling Dapeng said angrily. "Why are Xiaoyun and I so disliked by you? We're so pitiful. We don't even get to see our children, and we have to work in the fields every day. The few coins we earn are nothing compared to what my older brother and sister-in-law make. Mother, think about it yourself, what kind of life are Xiaoyun and I living?"
Seeing Ling Dapeng's indignant look, Tao Wanniang laughed in exasperation. Life is what it is, these two are just asking for trouble.
“At least Da Hu and Hong Yu didn’t leave me with several thousand taels of silver in debt. Ling Da Peng, you don’t think about what you’ve done, you just complain. It seems the work at the manor is too easy.”
“Mother, Dapeng didn’t mean that. We were deceived before, but Mother, we know we were wrong. We feel safer following you.” Zhou Xiaoyun immediately said, “Even if we don’t follow you, we feel safe working with your people.”
"Let's see in three to five years!" Tao Wan's mother didn't condemn them outright. "You all need to settle down first, figure out what path you want to take and how to take it, then talk to me. Anyway, there's no hope right now, so hurry up and leave!"
"Mother, are you really that heartless?" Ling Dapeng's hopes were dashed again, and he was furious. "What do I lack compared to my elder brother? I can do everything he can. You've already kicked me out of the restaurant, and now you won't even let me stay here?"
"Don't let me hear that again! You should be grateful that you still have a farm where you can work. Someone as ambitious but incompetent as you should go outside and see if you can even survive!" Tao Wan's mother also put on a stern face. This second son of hers was truly hopeless!
Seeing that Tao Wanniang was angry, Zhou Xiaoyun immediately tugged at Ling Dapeng, hoping that Ling Dapeng would shut up.
"Mother, aren't you afraid you'll need me in the future? I'm your son!" Ling Dapeng was very resentful.
"Don't worry, if I'm in a situation where I need you, my son, to support me, I probably won't have to live anymore!" Tao Wan's mother said without any mercy.
Ling Dapeng was about to say something when Zhou Xiaoyun stopped him.
“Mother, well… let’s not talk about that anymore. We miss our child. Could we go see him/her, or have someone bring him/her to the estate to see us? His/her parents are here; we can’t abandon our child!”
“It’s not like no one in the village goes to the general’s mansion. Why don’t you just go with them yourselves?” Tao Wanniang retorted. “But ask yourselves honestly, aren’t you ashamed to see children these days?”
"I...I...a child doesn't despise his mother for being ugly, my child won't despise us!" Zhou Xiaoyun seemed to be convincing herself. If she didn't want to enjoy a comfortable life in the future, she wouldn't have had the idea of leaving her child in the general's mansion.
"Ha!" Tao Wanniang scoffed. "Don't you think you're so capable? You don't even dare to ask your own father to let you see your son?" Tao Wanniang looked at Ling Dapeng with disdain. "You need others to help you with everything. Why don't you let others live for you?"
"Mom, let's go, let's go right now!" Zhou Xiaoyun was afraid that Ling Dapeng and Tao Wan's mother would quarrel again. After everything that had happened, she knew that she couldn't offend Tao Wan's mother now. It was a pity that the child's father was still the same as before!
Watching the defiant Ling Dapeng being dragged away by Zhou Xiaoyun, Tao Wanniang shook her head helplessly. This son was truly useless! However, she had never had any expectations for him.
"Mother, it's all packed!" Ling Dahu and Yang Song loaded all the vegetables onto the carriage.
"Then let's go back to the capital," Tao Wanniang said, looking around.
The news of Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun arguing in front of Tao Wanniang also reached Ling Yunzhou's ears. Ling Yunzhou felt a little helpless. Why was his second son so annoying?
He felt a pang of resentment when he learned that Shi Tianbao could frequently bother Tao Wanniang, but he couldn't.
That day, Shi Tianbao came to the general's mansion to chat, and Ling Yunzhou said impatiently, "What are you doing running to my general's mansion? If you care about farming, you should go to the estate and the fields to take a look!"
"General, you are absolutely right!" Shi Tianbao slapped his thigh. "I've heard that your estate is not far from Manager Tao's. Would you like your estate to have a better harvest? Why don't you ask Sister Tao to send some seeds to your estate and see how the harvest goes?"
Ling Yunzhou was taken aback; it seemed plausible.
"Does Lord Shi want me to ask Tao Wan Niang for seeds?" Ling Yunzhou asked. "Does she have any more seeds?"
"No, could General Ling's people learn a thing or two from Manager Tao's estate? Good seeds are one thing, but drainage, planting, and fertilization are all matters of expertise," Shi Tianbao said. "Does General Ling's estate have such skilled farmers?"
Ling Yunzhou sensed the disdain in Shi Tianbao's voice and sneered, "It's just farming. Before I joined the army, I was a farmer. If I had Tao Wanniang's seeds, my estate would surely grow excellent rice!"
“Alright, let’s try using General Ling’s land first!” Shi Tianbao decided immediately.
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