Having acquired land and property, Tao Wanniang naturally envisioned a day when she could retire comfortably. Besides, did she intend to live with her eldest son's family for the rest of her life?
After chatting with Wang Fugui about other things, Madam Wang, who had been out, returned and then talked with Tao Wanniang for a while.
When Tao Wanniang left the Wang family, she had learned quite a bit. She wouldn't touch the rice business, but since she had land, she wanted to stockpile some grain just in case.
When Zhang Liang returned, it was already evening. As soon as he got back, he told Tao Wanniang about the situation there.
“Sister Tao, I can’t stand that sickeningly sweet stuff.” Zhang Liang first took a big gulp of water, then continued, “After we picked up Ling Dapeng, that young lady cried and chased after the carriage for more than a mile, as if it were a matter of life and death.”
"How is Zhou Xiaoyun doing?" Tao Wanniang asked again. "She can't really be about to give birth, can she?"
"It's hard to say. I saw quite a lot of noise over there, so I didn't go in." Zhang Liang, being a man, couldn't very well go and see if Zhou Xiaoyun was about to give birth.
"The noise is too loud? I hope she's really giving birth!" Tao Wan's mother was a little worried.
"Zhang Liang, why don't you go and take a look tomorrow morning?" Tao Wanniang thought for a moment and then said, "Go and rest first, and get ready for dinner."
Zhou Xiaoyun was really going into labor, more than a month early. She started labor in the middle of the night, and the faint cries of pain made Ling Dapeng anxious, so he went to find a midwife that very night.
The next morning, the midwife brought out a big, fat son.
"It's amazing! This premature baby is just as chubby as a full-term one," the midwife exclaimed happily. "Congratulations, sir!"
"How is my wife?" Ling Dapeng held the child and watched as Cao'er poured out basin after basin of bloody water, his heart pounding in his throat.
"Alas, the lady's baby is too big. This old woman can only deliver the baby herself. The lady is hemorrhaging so badly that this old woman has no choice but to help!" the midwife said truthfully.
Ling Dapeng's heart sank. No matter how gentle and understanding Shishi was, he never thought that Zhou Xiaoyun would get into trouble!
"Doctor, Aunt Liu, hurry and find a doctor! Son, you must make your mother get better!" Ling Dapeng said anxiously, holding his child who had just been cleaned of blood and wrapped in cotton cloth.
When Zhang Liang arrived, Liu Ma also brought the doctor over.
"The baby's been born?" Zhang Liang was a little surprised. It really happened so quickly!
Upon seeing Zhang Liang, Ling Dapeng thought of Tao Wan's mother and immediately nodded, saying, "The child has been born, but Xiao Yun is bleeding profusely. Can you talk to your mother about it? I... I don't know what to do!"
Zhang Liang glanced at the bewildered Ling Dapeng and thought with disdain, "How can the father of these two children still be so spineless?"
"Where are the mother's family members?" Ling Dapeng was anxious when he heard the doctor's voice from inside the room. Liu Ma had found a female doctor from the Qianjin Department, who had performed hemostasis on Zhou Xiaoyun, but Zhou Xiaoyun had lost too much blood and was now just clinging to life.
“Yes, I’m here!” Ling Dapeng immediately went inside.
Zhang Liang tapped the child being held by Cao'er, waited outside the door for a while, and finally, seeing Ling Dapeng bring the doctor out, knowing that Zhou Xiaoyun was not in mortal danger, he bid farewell to Ling Dapeng.
“Sister Tao asked me to come and check on you. She still cares about you. If you're really having difficulties, you should talk to Sister Tao yourself. After all, she's your own mother,” Zhang Liang advised Ling Dapeng.
Ling Dapeng still looked somewhat distressed. The doctor had given him a long explanation, including the need to get medicine for Zhou Xiaoyun. His son had just been born and would need to drink milk later. He felt his mind was buzzing and very confused.
Last time Zhou Xiaoyun gave birth, there were no problems, and with her brother and sister-in-law helping out, he didn't have to do anything!
“Brother Zhang, um... could you ask my older brother and sister-in-law to come? I... I can’t manage it all by myself.”
Zhang Liang chuckled and said directly, "Sure, I'll deliver your message."
"Master, the young master is crying; he wants milk." Liu Ma took the child from Cao'er's arms and handed him to Ling Dapeng.
Ling Dapeng carried the child into the inner room again. When Zhang Liang walked out the door, he could still hear the child crying. Then he thought about it and found it even more funny. They already had two children, how come they still couldn't do anything!
Back at the Tao family home, Zhang Liang told Tao Wanniang about what had happened.
When Tao Wanniang learned that Zhou Xiaoyun had given birth to another son, she was somewhat surprised. After hearing Zhang Liang's words about Ling Dapeng, she summoned Ling Dahu and Wang Hongyu.
“You two can rest today. Zhou Xiaoyun gave birth a while ago. You can see for yourselves. Do you want to go and see her?” Tao Wanniang said. “I have fifty taels of silver here. Consider it my congratulatory gift after the baby is born. You can take it with you when you go.”
"Mother, why don't you go and see for yourself?" Wang Hongyu couldn't quite figure out what Tao Wan's mother was thinking. She would surely want to see her own grandson!
Tao Wan's mother shook her head and muttered, "Why would I see a baby? I'll wait a few days." She couldn't bring herself to hold such a small child.
"Mom, don't worry, we'll go check it out. If Dapeng needs our help anywhere, we'll help him too," Ling Dahu said honestly.
Tao Wanniang nodded. It was about time, so she took Bai Yumei directly to the restaurant.
Ling Yunzhou returned, and that very evening, the people who escorted him secretly entered the city. Tao Wanniang learned of this from Hongzhu a few days later.
"Hey, Ling Yunzhou is back. Aren't you going to go see him?" Hongzhu was still very curious. She had found out more about the Princess and Ling Yunzhou. But Tao Wanniang and Ling Yunzhou had two children. In the end, Ling Yunzhou owed Tao Wanniang the most!
“I’m not a doctor, what would I be doing here?” Tao Wanniang replied calmly. “The person next to him right now must be the Princess.”
"You're really just handing him over like that? He's a great general! I've even heard he really wants to get back together with you." Hongzhu asked, puzzled. "Sister Tao, although I've never met Ling Yunzhou, I've heard he's handsome, brave, and a good man!"
“There are plenty of good men in the world, why should I cling to him?” Tao Wanniang smiled. “Young lady, there are many things in this world that are more interesting than revolving around a man.”
“But you can’t just push him to the Princess. That woman has a bad temper and is arrogant. Who knows what she might do?” Hongzhu felt a bit of sympathy for Ling Yunzhou, whom she had never met before.
“But what have I done to deserve being bullied by the Princess?” Tao Wanniang said helplessly. “Lingyunzhou owes the Princess what he owes her, and he should settle it himself. I’m living a peaceful life, and I really can’t stand a crazy woman coming to make trouble again and again.”
Looking at Tao Wanniang's aloof expression, Hongzhu couldn't help but sigh. This Sister Tao was indeed somewhat cold-hearted.
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