What Mrs. Cao brought was a multicolored phoenix hairpin with a drop-shaped luminous pearl in the middle. After the dressing box was opened, everyone in the room was stunned by the multicolored phoenix hairpin.
Even though Old Lady Dou was knowledgeable, she had never seen such a valuable five-colored phoenix hairpin.
"Fifth Lady, this gift is for you."
Hearing the hint in Mrs. Cao's words, everyone looked at Yao Niang again and saw that the girl was wearing a half-sleeved skirt with a jewel-blue weave and silver-thread peony pattern. She was only about ten years old, but she already had the feeling of "her eyebrows can surpass the color of daylilies, and her red skirt can kill pomegranate flowers". She was not inferior to the beauties Biyu and Lihua.
The Cao family has an old aunt who is the mother of Lu Tongpan, who was born in the same year as Luo Zhizheng. The Lu family and the Luo family also have occasional contacts. Today, the Lu family also came here with several girls.
Miss Lu San was a legitimate daughter, and she had always done what she wanted at home. Today, she wanted to show off in front of her concubine sister, so she smiled and said, "Sister, do you know who this girl is?"
The fourth daughter of the Lu family looked at this and was secretly shocked. Although she was a concubine's daughter, she always knew that she was very beautiful. Although she usually played quail with her biological mother, she also knew her own advantages. But after leaving the Lu family, she saw the fifth daughter of the Luo family and suddenly felt ashamed of herself.
She couldn't help shaking her head: "I don't know about that."
Miss Lu San smiled and said, "You only follow your aunt, so naturally you don't know. This is the legitimate daughter of the current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Her family has a long history of fame. A few years ago, the late emperor selected daughters of officials as study companions for the princesses and county ladies. She is now the study companion of the current emperor's second daughter, Princess Zhenyang. Oh, she also has an older sister who married into the Fenyang Palace."
"It turned out to be her." The fourth daughter of the Lu family knew that her two elder sisters had both gone to choose a study partner, but unfortunately both of them failed. It is said that the competition is very fierce, and not only family background but also talent is considered.
Now taking a look at this Miss Luo Wu, I find that she is indeed young, with a stunning appearance and a very good demeanor.
But I don't know why she stood up.
When Yao Niang saw the colorful phoenix hairpin, she just smiled and said, "Mrs. Cao, thank you for thinking highly of me. But I think this colorful phoenix hairpin is more suitable for my fourth sister. My fourth sister once saved your son. As the saying goes, a life-saving favor should be repaid with a spring of water."
After she finished speaking, she turned to Ren and said, "Aunt, do you think I am right?"
Mrs. Cao's eyelids jumped. This girl said this, isn't it letting people know that her son has had dealings with Luo Si Niang? Although she promised the Wang family to help them, she didn't want to offend the Luo family? Luo Zhizheng was a well-known person who always stirred up trouble.
And there is this girl from the Luo family who has been in the imperial court for a long time. If she says something bad and is heard by Concubine Hong, then their family will suffer an unprovoked disaster.
At this time, Ren was overjoyed, because Yao Niang had clearly mentioned in front of everyone that her daughter had saved Cao Wanxuan, and that the Luo family was not of low status, but Shi Fang's father was just a convict.
Madam Cao and the Luo family were old relatives, so she certainly knew what kind of person Xiao Ren was. She would never marry Luo Shifang.
Seeing that Ren was about to speak, Madam Cao said, "Our two families are close friends. You all grew up together when you were little. Looking at you reminds me how old we are."
Seeing that Madam Cao had revealed the matter, did not mention the five-colored phoenix hairpin, and said that everyone could go to the opera, Yao Niang finally breathed a sigh of relief. When she looked at Shi Fang again, she saw that she had tears in her eyes and felt very wronged.
Yao Niang glanced at Ren and snorted coldly.
While listening to the opera, she also met many acquaintances, including the Lu sisters. "Isn't this the third sister of the Lu family? Come, let me introduce you to her. This is my fourth sister Shi Fang and my sixth sister Shi Yu."
Miss Lu San was flattered and hurriedly greeted them. Shi Yu was okay, because she saw that her fifth sister had just refused even such an expensive phoenix hairpin, which was enough to show that she was not greedy for wealth, and she admired her very much.
And no matter where she goes, even if Shi Yu recognizes the Lu family, she will introduce them.
When Yao Niang saw Miss Lu's younger sister, Miss Lu's Fourth Lady, she actually discovered an acquaintance. Although she now looked like a concubine's daughter of the head of the Ministry of Households, she would be the mistress of the Xuanping Marquis Mansion, Princess Xing'an's in-laws' family, in the future.
Of course, she also married in as a second wife. When she married into the Mansion of Marquis Zhongjing, she heard Princess Xing'an mention that she was very powerful in the Mansion of Marquis Xuanping because of her husband's status.
These had nothing to do with Yao Niang, but once, she heard that the couple had pulled out the tongues of disobedient servants and killed many people. In addition, Marquis Xuanping was doing a big business secretly and was also selling smuggled salt. Her husband Lu Xiao fell off a cliff because he encountered people from Marquis Xuanping's mansion selling smuggled salt in Anzhou.
This past event was discovered by her son who later became the commander of the Jinyi Guards. It is true that she and Lu Xiao had no feelings for each other before, but she also had no good feelings towards the Xuanping Marquis Mansion.
Therefore, his son Lu Chengyun not only dealt with Lin Chaoyan, but also wanted to raid the Xuanping Marquis Mansion.
The Lu family is not very well-known now. If the old lady of the previous generation of the Lu family had not been a cousin of the Dongyang Marquis' Mansion, they probably wouldn't even be able to come here.
The fourth daughter of the Lu family found that Yao Niang was different from her own elder sister. Her elder sister treated her like a worthless person, but Yao Niang was very good to her concubine sisters. After talking to them, she immediately took Shi Yu to meet other people.
"Shi Yu, this is the old lady Hong that I mentioned to you." Yao Niang introduced her sister to Concubine Hong's mother.
When this old lady Hong entered the palace, she had also met Yao Niang and they had a very familiar relationship.
Madam Hong said, "This is your sister. You two are really a pair of beauties."
"Of course not. My sister is much prettier than me. She and I are always inseparable. It's just that I spend most of my time in the palace, and the little girl is sad about it." Yao Niang pinched Shi Yu's face affectionately.
Shi Yu's relationship with Yao Niang has been good since it was restored last year. Moreover, when Yao Niang was not at home, she took care of Jing Hao for her and was filial to Yu Shi. Yao Niang also treated her well in return.
Old Madam Hong understood what Yao Niang meant. As the new nobles, many people in this circle were willing to make friends with her family. Yao Niang introduced her sister to the Hong family in order to get the Hong family to take care of her.
Mrs. Hong was also a smart person and agreed immediately.
After returning from Cao's house, Yu was very angry. She even said to Luo Zhizheng, "One or two of them, they really have a good plan. They want to clear away the obstacles. What do they think of our Yao Niang? She is only ten years old. Why are you so disgusted with her?"
Seeing Yu's face flushed with anger, Luo Zhizheng smiled happily for a rare moment: "If you are not envied by others, you are a mediocre person."
"Master, you are still laughing. We should think of a way." Yu said anxiously.
Luo Zhizheng waved his hand: "That won't work. The people in the palace are all human sperm. Our Yao Niang has always been smart, so you don't have to worry."
"Oh, by the way, you have to look for Jingyuan's marriage first. It will take several years from the date of engagement."
When Yu heard about her second son's marriage, she couldn't help but nod. She had been planning this for a long time. Now that Luo Zhizheng asked about it, she mentioned two families: "I do have two families here. One is the youngest daughter of the Minister of Rites, and the other is a girl from the Marquis of Yanping's mansion. The Wang family is also interested in marrying us."
"Okay, I'll send someone to investigate." Luo Zhizheng still trusted Yu's judgment. This was a person without bad intentions. She was stupid and honest, a little stupid, and too honest.
She actually believed that her daughter would be happy if she married into an ordinary family. What a joke. Ordinary families still have a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. The daughter-in-law has to serve the parents-in-law, give birth to children, and take concubines for the husband. Those of low status have to kneel before everyone they see.
It would be better to be like Yao Niang. If she really becomes a princess, not only will she have a high status, but at least there will be many royal rules, which can be very torturous sometimes. However, people are less emotional, so it is a good thing that she does not need to interact with everyone.
As long as you can master this rule, it will be a powerful tool for you.
After returning to the room, Yao Niang rested. She was already tired after watching the opera all day. However, Ren Shi was making a scene. She blamed Shi Fang and said, "Look at you. You saved someone but didn't even say a word of thanks. You gave us such a shabby thing. You really think we are beggars."
Shi Fang noticed that her mother seemed to be getting more and more impatient with her. She really hated herself. Sometimes she didn't eat all day and just drank rice soup. She just lost a little weight, but as long as she returned to this way, she would be fatter than last time.
She was not a very perseverant person, and even secretly ate croton seeds, but she just had severe diarrhea and still wanted to eat.
Today I saw that my two younger sisters were both radiant, especially the fifth younger sister Yao Niang. She was the focus of everyone's discussion wherever she went. She was simply a darling of heaven.
The next day, the family invited guests to a banquet. Yao Niang and Shi Yu entertained the girls who came to play, including the eldest sister Luo Shilan. After Luo Shilan got married, she had a son and had a good relationship with Duke Cheng. The Prince of Fenyang was the emperor's uncle and had a high status. Luo Shilan's arrival brought honor to the Luo family.
Luo Jingrou sat with him. She looked at Luo Shilan's glorious appearance and felt very regretful. Although the couple loved each other very much, they could not compare to the status of her elder sister, who was like the moon surrounded by stars.
"Fifth sister, come and sit here with me." Luo Shilan called Yao Niang.
"Big sister."
Luo Shilan asked about Yao Niang's study in the palace, and then asked: "So you are in Wenqizhai, we used to study in Gonglinzhai. They used to say that Wenqizhai has a beautiful scenery, how is it now?"
"Now there is a crape myrtle tree planted next to it. In midsummer, the tree is full of flowers, and the flowers are gorgeous when they bloom." Yao Niang often reads under the crape myrtle tree, which is a beautiful thing to say.
Luo Shilan also missed it very much. Yao Niang chatted with her for a while and then took the other girls out to play. This time she took everyone to the garden.
時雨出了主意：“姐姐，不如我們大家一起玩投壺吧？”
“投壺可以，我已經讓人準備了酪飲，不如咱們投壺完，皆年節下，以元宵為題作詩如何？”瑤娘問大家。
有人連忙擺手：“哎呀，羅姑娘，我不會作詩啊？”
“哎呀，只是玩玩而已，如果大家一時無巧思，撰寫前人詩句也成。今兒我娘可是說了，準備了彩頭，方才我大姐姐也是特地送了彩頭過來。”瑤娘在說的時候，把身旁丫鬟們端着的托盤的布揭開。
赫然是一枝丹砂點翠朝陽挂珠釵，這枝釵精美無比，又名貴無比。
陸家姐妹看的咋舌，羅家居然這麽大手筆。
這次投壺，瑤娘穩居第一，她并不求勝，只是陪着大家一起玩兒，一圈下來，人就都熟悉了。以前，她久居宮中，難得和大家一起組織宴會，自然神采奕奕。
羅家姐妹二人幾乎是出盡了風頭，有喜歡她們的，當然，也就有不喜歡她們的，瑤娘就聽到有兩位武将家的姑娘就說她們家賣弄才學，比起憲國公府的大小姐那才是真的千金小姐的做派。這種酸文醋汁算不得什麽。
時雨也很熱衷這種場合，但到最後姐妹倆都是筋疲力盡，她們一起躺在榻上說話。
“其實我最喜歡的還是和姐姐一起跳百索，姐姐還說教我騎馬的呢……”時雨撒嬌。
瑤娘笑道：“這也不是什麽難事，我在宮中遲早也是會出來的。”
時雨乖巧點頭，她現在年紀漸長，已經不和秦姨娘住在一起，也能分辨是非了，姨娘說人不為己天誅地滅固然是對的，可獨木難支，況且姐姐對她從小到大都很好，至于選伴讀失利，也是因為她自己。
甚至她還聽說宮裏有人要澆熱水在姐姐臉上害她，更覺得駭然，還好姐姐福大命大，睡在床邊側，沒有睡在中間，恐怕就會毀容被送出來了。
因此，瑤娘又問：“這憲國公府的大小姐你可認得？今兒聽誰提起過，但是忘記了。”
時雨想了想：“聽說是從大名府回來的，她陪母親在濟南住了三年，也怪道姐姐你不知道她了。其實倒不是說她有多厲害，但是她有身份，憲國公深受皇上信任，也因為如此，她的地位極高。”
“我明白了。”
這個憲國公的掌上明珠不知道是何人？
很快，瑤娘就見到了這位憲國公的千金，因為她是直接召進宮陪伴真陽公主，這位姑娘年方十四歲，一張方圓臉十分周正，身材豐腴，肩寬腰細。
“瑤娘，這位就是新進來的伴讀憲國公的女兒莊令儀莊姑娘。如何，你前次還說多來一位姐妹，這不就來了嗎？”真陽公主很是高興。
她好動，正好這位莊姑娘聽聞也是極其擅長騎射馬球，不在話下。
瑤娘笑着上前道：“莊姑娘，幸會幸會。”
莊令儀連忙上前拱手道：“羅姑娘，幸會。”
二人分座位坐好，瑤娘對着莊令儀一笑，呷了一口茶，心道王元霜和李天驕千方百計的算計我，哪裏知道黑馬橫空出世，看來這還真是人算不如天算。
真陽公主和瑤娘更熟悉，瑤娘就把自己這次回家後和姐妹們一道寫詩詞之事說了，真陽公主也是素來愛寫詩詞之人，她這個人天性豁達，因此寫的詩豪闊。
但瑤娘不同，她寫詩很有靈性，非常婉約多情，雖沒有哀怨，但是卻勝在清新自然。
真陽公主聽了幾首，不由道：“這樣好的詩宴，我居然沒有參加。”
“日後咱們在宮中也作詩不就好了？哦，對了，這次我從我爹爹那裏拿了一幅名畫來，若公主不嫌棄，我們等一會兒一起去賞畫，是《虢國夫人游春圖》，公主看如何？”
“那可太好了。”
莊令儀暗自皺眉，她從小讀的是《列女傳》《女誡》，當然也知曉這虢國夫人是什麽人了，即便是名畫，她也覺得不太合适。
作為伴讀，羅瑤娘應該規範公主的行為，即便賞畫也是該看《女史箴圖》這樣規範女子行為道德的畫才可。她卻偏偏往虢國夫人這樣□□的女兒人的畫。
再有，若是可以也能把公主往巾帼英雄方向帶，更該看看《花木蘭替父從軍》《穆桂英挂帥》《樊梨花征西》這樣的畫才好。
可真陽公主是公主身份，她只好暗中勸誡了。
瑤娘當然也有留心莊令儀臉色的不對，仿佛有些怪她，可瑤娘覺得這很奇怪，她們同樣是伴讀，況且真陽公主平日裏就是這般和她相處的，并無什麽不妥之意啊。
你是憲國公的女兒沒錯，但是我又不低你一等，無論如何，大家還不都是真陽公主的伴讀。
這次從家裏過來，瑤娘還特地送了一件禮物給真陽公主，是磨喝樂，這磨喝樂自然是玩偶。瑤娘自己倒是玩這些還好，但她知曉真陽公主很有童趣喜歡這些，特地買來的，還在家和時雨一起為這磨喝樂做了好些小衣裳。
這磨喝樂就是玩偶娃娃，宮裏雖然有，但是外頭賣的也有意趣兒。
真陽公主見狀十分歡喜，還悄悄的對瑤娘道：“今年父皇賞了我三皇兄金瓜子兒，皇兄分了一顆給我，不如送給你吧。”
這金瓜子是皇帝賞賜勳貴大臣的禮物，輕易不會給別人。
瑤娘搖頭：“那東西多名貴啊，我不必了。”
“那我送一盞花燈給你，特地給你留的。”真陽公主見她不要這個，又把花燈要送給瑤娘。
原來是一盞兔子燈，栩栩如生，又很好看。
……
文绮齋
昭平長公主終于紮了耳洞了，特地戴了新的耳铛過來，李天驕和王元霜都在稱贊這對耳铛，瑤娘對這兩人想把自己拉下馬的行為也不點破，這種事情只能意會不能言傳。
“李姐姐，王姐姐好。”
“原來是羅妹妹。”
新來的莊令儀也由瑤娘介紹過來，“這位是憲國公的掌上明珠莊令儀莊姑娘。”
果然，之前注意力還在她身上的李天驕和王元霜立刻就轉移了注意力在莊令儀身上，李天驕還好，王元霜卻是深谙莊令儀的出現并不簡單。
如果缺伴讀，應該從以前選的伴讀裏面再遞補進來，而非随便從外弄過來的。
再看年歲，顯然莊令儀和周王更加合适，大家再看看瑤娘，明顯年紀更小。
瑤娘知道這些之後，開始不像以前那般自我表現，反而處處擡高莊令儀。這讓李天驕和王元霜，甚至是洪淑怡都覺得不簡單。
王元霜一貫和李天驕關系很好，她們兩人既是對手，又有同樣的目标。
二人回房就道：“我看瑤娘以前次次得第一，每次得了第一都會很高興，現下她倒是尋常。現在看來，這莊令儀家世高貴，恐怕是你我二人最大的對手。”
李天驕道：“是啊，瑤娘年紀還小，她家中雖然有意，可你別忘記了，她的年紀無論是和皇長子和二皇子都不相配。這但凡宗室子弟，除非守孝或者身體病弱的，一般十五歲就成婚封爵。”
“是啊，看來是我們想左了。”王元霜當然是沖着大皇子妃來的。
別看現在宮裏是洪妃作主，皇上按住不封林正妃為皇後，但是三年孝期一過，就很難不封林正妃了。
只要名位已定，就是司馬衷也能做皇帝。
嫡長子繼承制，就是皇帝也要遵守，也受此約束，更何況當今聖上是一位稍微軟弱的天子。
先帝去世，當今天子守制二十七個月，孝期已滿，當即除服。
而瑤娘也還有兩個月就要滿十三歲了，如今的她和三年前相比就更出衆了，少女的曲線已經畢露，她像極了郁氏，腿生的極細長，似蔥段一般，胸脯卻難免長大了許多，露出了驚人的美麗。
而在這幾年裏，她和莊令儀相處的就不太好，當然，不能說莊令儀不好，而是兩人不是一路人。
莊令儀自有一股傲氣，而她絕對是那種最擁護正統的人，就比如她對林正妃那邊的人格外尊敬，對洪側妃固然也有尊敬，但更多的是區別。
更有甚者，她似乎用小妾的眼神在看洪側妃。
對于這樣的人，瑤娘當然是——
敬而遠之了。
不是由于前世如何，而是洪側妃作為宮裏實際管理人，她最是洞若觀火的人，你現在給臉子給她看，興許日後她不動聲色就讓你完蛋。
無論是皇後還是嫔妃，她們是不同于宮外的妾，人家都是有品級的，還是一宮主位。
你以為你厭惡了洪側妃，就會被林正妃看中嗎？哼，即便是林正妃，也要聽皇上的，而皇上最寵愛的卻是洪側妃。
想到這裏，瑤娘漾起笑容對莊令儀道：“莊姐姐，今日騎射課，我等又要一展你的風姿了。”
莊令儀傲然一笑：“那是自然，我憲國公府以武起家。”說罷，她又看了瑤娘一眼，微微帶些不喜道：“你也該勸着公主去皇後那裏請安，到底皇後是她的嫡母呢？”
Now that she hasn't been crowned as the empress yet, Zhuang Lingyi has already started calling her the empress. Yao Niang smiled slightly and said, "Sister Zhuang, how can we outsiders know about the royal family's affairs? We just accompany Princess Zhenyang to study, and I don't know anything else."
He looked at Yao Niang and walked out after saying this.
Zhuang Lingyi heaved a sigh of relief and said to the people around him, "I just don't want to enter the palace, but entering the palace also means that our family supports the orthodoxy and the queen, so I came anyway. I know that women like Luo Yaoniang are born to compete for favors, but I don't want to. This palace is a place where people are eaten, and there are countless princes and sons of the royal family with three wives and four concubines. Dozens of women are competing for one man. I disdain to do this. My family background and my pride do not allow me to do this. I just want to find someone with a clean family background and talent, even if I have to eat coarse food, I am willing."
She said these words in the corridor, thinking that no one was around, but she didn't know that Gao Xuance happened to pass by here. When he heard these words, he remained expressionless, but sneered in his heart, "Who do you think you are to dare to compare yourself with Yao Niang?"
It is said that after her "death", Luo Yaoniang was able to ask the emperor to confer upon her the title of fourth-rank commander. What else do you think you are, except for a better reincarnation?