The bustling noise attracted everyone nearby.
Song Tao accompanied Ma Hui and the others to the unveiling site warmly yet with reservation.
The surrounding crowd, seeing this, gathered in groups, pointing and whispering among themselves.
Song Tao’s heart raced.
It was as if she had returned to her previous life, carefully clutching the silver borrowed from Jiyun’s hand, timidly walking out the main gate of the Song Family, watched by those passersby.
With clenched hands, Song Tao’s gaze was like a torch.
Fortunately, in this life she had seized the initiative and rewritten her own destiny.
The sound of drums and gongs suddenly ceased. The lion, draped in red and gold, stepped on the podium, and the red silk balls unfurled in the wind, dropping the couplet "Wealth flows from all seas, business thrives in all seasons."
The diverse voices around also reached Song Tao’s ears at the same time.
"How is there a woman standing right in the center? Could it be that the owner of this kiln factory is a woman?"
"You dare look down on a female owner? The County Magistrate has said, ’Women are not inferior to men.’ This kiln factory is run by the elder branch of the Song Family. The kiln factory of their second branch is managed by Second Master Song’s daughter; what’s so strange about having a female owner?"
"Is it the one commended by the County Magistrate?"
"Yes!"
"Then this is also a case of the earlier generations planting the trees and the later ones enjoying the shade. Just don’t know if that female owner of the Song Family Kiln Factory has arrived yet?"
"Stop pushing! Stop pushing! I’m looking for her!"
Song Tao’s face still wore a generous and appropriate smile, but her chest felt like it was pressed down by a boulder. The name Jiyun was like a curse she couldn’t escape.
But after today, she would show these people who was truly formidable.
A trace of coldness flashed in her eyes, she stepped forward, pleased with herself, and stood in front of everyone, nodding to the master of ceremonies.
The master of ceremonies loudly announced, "The auspicious time has arrived!"
Again, the sound of firecrackers cracked.
Song Tao, smiling, grabbed the red silk beside the plaque, looking over the crowd at Jiyun.
The golden morning light shone on her, her eyes twinkling with mirth, her demeanor vibrant.
Suddenly, a loud shout pierced her ears, "Old Master Song has arrived!"
Song Tao’s eyes widened with shock, turning toward the sound.
The dense crowd also looked in that direction, noisily parting to create a path.
Song Tianbao, panting, supported the pale Song Daliang, appearing in the middle of the road.
Song Tao’s head buzzed!!
What was happening? Before coming, she had made sure the doctor fed him medicine. How could he have suddenly awakened?
She was frantic and confused, but within a moment, she calmed herself, pretending to be ecstatically surprised, and ran toward Song Daliang, lifting her skirt, "Dad, it’s wonderful! You’ve woken up just in time for the auspicious hour. If you hadn’t woken up, I wouldn’t know what to do! Are you alright? What did the doctor say?"
Song Daliang grunted dissatisfiedly, shaking off the steward’s hand that reached out to help him, his gaze fixed steadily on Song Tao.
Song Tao forced calmness, "Father, let me help you!"
As she spoke, she reached out to help Song Tianbao support Song Daliang.
However, instead of making way, Song Tianbao clung tighter to Song Daliang’s arm and forcefully pushed her, "What are you trying to do? I’ll have you know, it was I who attended the bedside when father was unconscious!"
Song Tao staggered from the push.
She looked at Song Tianbao in astonishment.
How could Song Tianbao treat her this way?!
In her past life, she was the one who would scrimp on water just to buy him a bun to fend off hunger!
And he had never let down his elder sister. He was the one who, when she was desperate, insisted on bringing her and her two children back to her parental home despite being chased and beaten by his fierce sister-in-law, offering them shelter.
In her heart, they depended on each other through thick and thin and were siblings with the best affections.
How could he have changed like this?!
Song Tianbao, feeling uneasy under her gaze, retorted loudly, "I’m not wronging you! If you were truly filial, why weren’t you attending to father when he lay in bed? Besides, with me here, what right do you have to hold the opening ceremony for our Kiln Factory? Do you also want to manage the family business like Sister Cousin Yun?"
Song Tao felt a chill in her heart, feeling that looking at him any longer was an eyesore.
She cried out to Song Daliang with grievance, "Father, isn’t it because I feared that the Kiln Factory you worked so hard to establish would miss the peak season for porcelain trading if we didn’t open on time? Now that you’re awake, of course it should be you who unveils the plaque..."
Song Daliang, very impatient, didn’t wait for her to finish speaking and waved her off, saying, "Your brother makes sense. You’re a girl, do you also want to manage the family like Song Jiyun? You have no business here, you’d better go home. Your mother is counting on you to settle the past few days’ medicine costs and the pharmacy accounts."
Song Tao’s heart pounded, unclear about the meaning behind Song Daliang’s words.
She observed Song Daliang’s expression calmly and tentatively said, "Father, although you have regained consciousness, you were still unconsciously out for several days; maybe we shouldn’t rush to settle the pharmacy accounts. It would be better for them to come over and check your recovery for a few more days."
"That’s none of your business!" Song Daliang said unappreciatively, urging her to hurry back home and adding disdainfully, "Look at what you’re wearing. People who know we’re having an opening might think you’re getting married!"
Song Tao felt as if she had been stabbed.
From childhood, Song Daliang never liked seeing his three daughters; he was either scolding them for this or reprimanding them for that.
Song Tao gritted her teeth, about to speak when Ma Hui and others crowded around.
They bombarded Song Daliang with questions, "How are you feeling? Weren’t you unconscious? How did you become unconscious?"
Someone else said, "You don’t look well. You have children, there’s no need to prove anything. You can let your sons and daughters handle things! I think your daughter is quite capable!"
Song Tao listened nervously.
"Just some superficial skills." She heard Song Daliang dismissively say, "What can a woman do? If it weren’t for those stewards, everything would’ve been in chaos long ago."
Unwilling to say more, he bowed round the crowd and made small talk, "Thank you all for coming. From now on, those who come to my Kiln Factory to buy porcelain will get a twenty percent discount."
He joked, "You know, Gratitude Temple really has some skills. They chose this auspicious day for me, and it turned out to be just right. Here I am, awake just before the unveiling."
The crowd burst into laughter, shifting the topic, and someone even said, "The master you consulted for the date, introduce him to me; I’ll consult him for my matters too!"
Another person said, "Misfortune and fortune go hand in hand. You recovering in time must mean there’s more good fortune to come. Let’s hurry up and unveil the plaque today; don’t delay the auspicious moment."
The laughter rose again.
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