Tao Wanniang was overjoyed to have a new daughter. Sitting in the spacious carriage, the corners of her mouth were always slightly raised.
Seeing Tao Wan's mother like this, the two daughters-in-law felt a little uneasy.
“Mother, from now on, Gouwa and Huani will have to call Xiaoqiao’er Auntie!” Wang Hongyu said, perking up. Considering the money Xiaoqiao’er’s father gave them, it was only right to treat Xiaoqiao’er as his aunt.
"Qiao'er's full name is Linglong. From now on, she will take my surname and be called Tao Linglong," Tao Wanniang said with a smile. "And Gouwa and Huani, Er Gou, you can't call them that anymore. If you call them that when we get to the capital, people will laugh at you."
Wang Hongyu was taken aback. She exchanged a glance with Zhou Xiaoyun and asked, "Are you going to name the children?"
“It should have been done long ago!” Tao Wan’s mother had always had this idea. “If you trust me, I will give the child a name. If you think I’m not qualified, go to the capital and find a tutor to give the name. We’ll settle this matter once we get to the capital.”
“Mother, what you’re saying is wonderful. If you’re going to give the child a proper name, that would be perfect!” Zhou Xiaoyun said excitedly. “Although Er Gou is a humble name, it’s easier to raise a child with a humble name. But once we get to the capital, he should definitely be given a proper name.”
“Yes, that’s what I was thinking. Well then, since we’re almost at the capital, I won’t hide it from you anymore,” Tao Wanniang said. “The Inspector said before that if I helped him leave the mountains and seas, he would give me a large house in the capital and a thousand taels of silver.”
"One thousand taels!" Wang Hongyu and Zhou Xiaoyun's voices instantly rose, startling Er Gou in Zhou Xiaoyun's arms, who immediately started crying.
"Good boy, Er Gou, don't cry!" Zhou Xiaoyun immediately comforted the child, but couldn't help but exclaim, "Mom, a thousand taels, this... this is too much!"
“More? What’s so much? Is the life of a prince only worth a thousand taels?” Tao Wanniang retorted.
"It's not much, but a big house in the capital isn't cheap, is it? Sister Tao, you've made a deal that's guaranteed to make you money!" Bai Yumei couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. This was a secret they kept from her!
"Fortune favors the bold, and now that we're in the capital, we can't be too poor, can we?" Tao Wanniang said, feigning maturity.
"So, Mother specially changed into new clothes and dressed up again?" Wang Hongyu immediately said.
"What outfit? Do I have an outfit?" Tao Wanniang retorted immediately. "Before, you all supported me and made me look pale and thin. Now, I'm the one supporting you. Look how healthy I am! And look at yourselves, none of you look like refugees. You're not exactly glowing, but you don't look like you've starved, right?"
Tao Wanniang's words made Wang Hongyu and Zhou Xiaoyun lower their heads in embarrassment.
“Mother also received care from Father.” Zhou Xiaoyun still had some reservations about Tao Wan’s mother, and heard her mutter softly.
Tao Wan's mother was taken aback, but she didn't argue. Since her daughter-in-law believed this excuse so readily, she could continue to use it.
“Yes, I was the most beautiful girl in the village back then. I remained a widow for him for seventeen years. Isn’t it only right that he took care of me?” Tao Wanniang retorted.
Bai Yumei and Xiao Qiao'er were unaware of the intricacies of the situation, but they were curious about what kind of person Tao Wanniang's deceased husband was, that Tao Wanniang would still remember him to this day!
"Sister Tao, I've never heard you mention that person before. Judging from your two sons' tall and handsome appearance, that person must have been exceptionally good-looking as well!" Bai Yumei asked politely.
Tao Wanniang smirked and said without any politeness, "Can't it be that because I'm good-looking, my son is good-looking too?"
“But your son doesn’t look like you at all!” Bai Yumei teased with a smile.
“It happened more than ten years ago, who still remembers what he looked like?” Tao Wanniang said. Even in the original owner’s memories, the appearance and voice of her deceased husband were blurry.
A woman has a child, and then spends more than a decade raising the child alone. The hardships of life have long since worn her down, and all the original owner is holding onto is an obsession.
Wang Hongyu and Zhou Xiaoyun still didn't believe Tao Wanniang's words. If their mother-in-law had really forgotten her deceased father-in-law, why would she have been so stubborn in staying in Lingjia Village before?
As for not remembering his appearance, that's even less believable. Didn't they say that his father-in-law was an official down below? Maybe he often saw him in his dreams!
The rest of the journey to the capital went smoothly. With a carriage, even if we couldn't find a place to stay at night, we wouldn't have to sleep in the open.
Finally, at dawn, Tao Wanniang and her party arrived in the capital!
"Mother, what do you think? Should we go straight to Prince Rui's mansion?" The Ling brothers were eager to get started. A thousand taels of silver and a large house—that would allow them to live a comfortable and peaceful life in the capital!
"What's the rush? Are we trying to make people think we're so desperate?" Tao Wan's mother disapproved. "Let's find an inn to stay in first, and see what kind of people we are. If we come here like this, people will think we're beggars!"
After several days of travel, the group was covered in dust and grime. Tao Wanniang decided to go ahead and sound out their intentions.
After Tao Wanniang said that, the Ling family members also felt that they were too shabby, after all, the other party was the young master!
After checking into the inn, Tao Wanniang wasn't in a hurry to find anyone. She washed up, ate something, changed into her beautiful dress, and asked the innkeeper where the Prince Rui's mansion was. Then she went out alone.
The prosperity of the capital city was something she had never seen before. The crisscrossing streets, the towering buildings, and the diverse crowds on the streets all exuded a sense of peaceful tranquility.
Doing business in Beijing should be quite easy, right? Should she start by opening a small restaurant, or go straight to opening a large restaurant?
Tao Wanniang pondered all the way, and halfway there she called another carriage to inquire about the customs of the people in the capital, and then she arrived at the vicinity of Prince Rui's mansion.
"Madam, the Prince Rui's residence is just ahead; we must not get too close."
“Alright, I’ll go by myself!” After giving the money, Tao Wanniang headed straight for Prince Rui’s residence.
"What are you doing here?" Before she even reached the door, the guards from the Prince's mansion stepped forward and questioned Tao Wanniang.
"Is your young master here? I've come to find him," Tao Wanniang said calmly.
The guards of the Prince's mansion scrutinized Tao Wanniang from head to toe for a while, and finally asked sternly, "Does the young master look like someone a woman like you can just see him whenever you want? Which household are you from? Do you have a visiting card?"
“I am not from any mansion, I am just an ordinary citizen. I have made a deal with your young master. Please go in and inform him that Lady Tao has come to see the Prince Rui’s son to fulfill his promise.”
"What kind of arrogant woman is this? I think you just want to take this opportunity to talk to our young master. Get out of here, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
The guards, with stern faces, chased Tao Wanniang away, almost resorting to violence!
What a miscalculation! Why didn't she take the young master's identity token back then? This brat is so troublesome, she can't even see him! Tao Wanniang felt regretful. Looking at the gate of Prince Rui's mansion, she could only walk away. But since she had already come all this way, should she just give up like this?
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