On the way back, Princess Zhenyang kept looking at Yao Niang and laughing secretly. Yao Niang felt embarrassed by her laughter and couldn't help but said, "Princess, please stop laughing. If someone hears you like this, they will think something is wrong with me."
"Oh, isn't this a great thing? You will become my sister-in-law." Princess Zhenyang was still very happy.
Compared to having an outsider as the third sister-in-law, it would be better to have Yao Niang. At least her relationship with Yao Niang has always been good. Another outsider may not be as good as her.
Yao Niang turned her head away: "Princess, if you keep talking nonsense, I will ignore you."
Princess Zhenyang was afraid that she was really angry, so she immediately promised: "Okay, okay, I promise not to tell anyone, okay?"
Seeing this, Zhuang Lingyi felt that she was finally going to be free. Fame, wealth and status were nothing. Even if Prince Wangsun married a fairy, he would get tired of her in a few days.
Now that Yao Niang's position and fame are already secured, of course she has even less interaction with Zhuang Lingyi, and she doesn't care what she thinks. She just feels sorry for her. It's a rare opportunity for her to enter the palace, and she has lived in the palace for so many years, but she has gained nothing.
Of course, everyone has their own aspirations, and she is not forcing herself, but if she can get a title of a county lady or a county lady, she will have an identity when she leaves the palace in the future. A woman does not necessarily have to rely on a man to get a title, and it is not impossible to achieve it through her own efforts.
However, Yao Niang is too lazy to care about other people's affairs.
Since the marriage was promised, she could no longer live in the palace. Concubine Hong prepared a carriage for her to go home. After being arranged to marry, she was already a member of the royal family and could not wait and see. When she returned home, the palace maids and maids would take her to the Luo family.
Hong Shuyi was also among them. Concubine Hong Guifei specifically said to her, "You are more familiar with Yao Niang. If she feels uncomfortable, just tell me."
"Yes." Hong Shuyi found it boring.
The second prince married Xu Qingrong, the third prince married Luo Yaoniang, she didn't get any of them. Even when the fourth prince had a lame leg, the emperor felt sorry for her and wanted to choose a marriage for him with a higher-class family to make up for it. In short, it was never her turn.
When she went to Yao Niang's place, Yao Niang had changed into her own cape and pinned two kingfisher hairpins on her hair, looking elegant and noble. When the two met again, Hong Shuyi smiled and congratulated her: "That's great, your matter has been settled. I am relieved. It's not in vain that I have been worried every day."
She said this as if all his problems depended on her, and she even hinted that she and Gao Xuance had an affair.
Yao Niang therefore showed an innocent look: "Sister Hong, why do you always say weird things? It was the same last time. You really think too much."
Hong Shuyi was helpless when she saw that Yao Niang was not willing to take the bait. This Luo Yao Niang was really too smart.
Such a personality may not be likable in the future. Others are deceived by her gentle face and really think that she is a virtuous daughter. In fact, her personality is too tough. Such a woman is very unlikable.
But it was useless to think so much, as she, a female official, could only stand outside the sedan chair, while Yao Niang was sitting in the warm sedan chair.
The Luo family had already received the news that Yao Niang was returning, and almost sent out the whole family to welcome her. Even Old Madam Dou came, which surprised Yao Niang very much, because in her previous life, she had never enjoyed such a grand ceremony when returning to her parents' home.
Yu and others saw a luxurious sedan chair at the door. The sedan chair was decorated with phoenix feathers and covered with a purple round canopy. The four pillars were covered with tents. This was the sedan chair of Concubine Hong, which was specially lent to Yao Niang.
After getting off the sedan chair, two female officials came forward to open the curtain, and a maid waited beside it. At this time, Yao Niang came out of the sedan chair. She walked over slowly and paid her respects to the elders in the family. This time, even Old Lady Dou avoided them.
Instead, they knelt on the ground and said, "We, the concubines, pay our respects to Princess Chen."
Yao Niang said quickly, "You are all my elders, how can you accept such a big gift?" Moreover, she has not really gotten married yet, so she quickly helped up Old Lady Dou, her mother and others, and did not dare to act too arrogantly.
Seeing that her daughter was young but well-mannered, Yu was very proud. You know, when people are proud, even the most honest people can't control themselves, but those who can control themselves are definitely not ordinary people.
Her family gave two purses to each of the people in the palace who sent her back. Hong Shuyi had already met many people from the Luo family on this occasion. The Luo family was actually very different from hers.
Almost all the ladies in the Luo family were imperially ordained, whether it was Old Madam Dou or several of the Luo ladies. There were also the younger generation of Luo family's young wives. Seeing that her sister-in-law, Mrs. Fan, loved her very much, these were what Hong Shuyi lacked.
Their family had always been dependent on others. In order to please Mrs. Hong, her mother often had to go over to talk and read other people's faces. Even she was the same. There was no prospect of marriage, and the matter was dragged on year after year.
"Two maids, and Sister Hong and Sister Mo, I'm home now. You should go back soon and have some rest. I'm really sorry to trouble you today." Yao Niang turned around and thanked them.
They didn't even dare to do that and returned to the palace together.
After closing the door, Yao Niang immediately took Yu's hand and said, "Mom, did you miss me?"
Just now, Yu saw her daughter talking slowly and dignifiedly to the people in the palace. She had no idea that as soon as they left, she would cling to her side. But it was this kind of intimacy that made Yu very happy.
"If someone saw you, they would say you were disrespectful. Now that you are a princess, you should learn to be quieter."
Although Yu said this, she still held her daughter's hand. Her two daughters-in-law, Fan and Zhu, of course understood what she meant.
A family dinner was held at Wenhua Hall. Old Madam Dou sat at the head of the table, with Lady Yao by her side. Then the others sat down in turn. The younger ones, Mrs. Fan, Mrs. Zhu, and Mrs. Jiang, all picked up their chopsticks and served soup. This time they were willing to serve.
Yao Niang asked, "I just heard that the third sister returned home, why is she not here?"
"Oh, she is moving today, and Duke Fuguo also invited your third sister and brother-in-law to come over, so she didn't come today. We'll pick her up in a few days." Yu knew very well that Luo Jingrou could not stand this stimulation, so she moved out on the grounds that Yao Niang was coming back and there was not enough space in her home.
This put Yu at ease, and Yao Niang also understood what he meant.
Luo Jingrou looks calm on the outside, but she is a very strong-willed person on the inside. She wants to be the best in everything she does. Whether someone is good to her is never her criterion for treating others, but whether the person can surpass her is her criterion for taking action against others.
Just like her, no matter how good she is to Luo Jingrou, if she threatens her or might surpass her, she will retaliate against her.
After the banquet, the women sat here and talked. Little Jiang was not as outstanding as before. Yao Niang saw that Fan and Zhu were both fine, but little Jiang seemed to have lost her luster.
So after leaving the table, she asked Yu: "What happened to Sister-in-law Fa Er?"
Speaking of this, Mrs. Yu was almost angry to death: "It's all your careless cousin's fault. A few years after she married into the Lin family, your cousin's husband passed away. Your grandmother also passed away a few years ago. There was no one left in the Yu family. I thought she was alone, so I asked your father to take her back and thought about finding a marriage for her in the future."
"How could I know, how could I know that she and your second brother Fa had something going on? I was so angry that I sent her to a nunnery with your father right away. You said she did this to become a concubine? We in the Yu family cannot have such a girl. But your second brother Fa is not a good person either. We sent the girl away, but he chased her out and now she is pregnant. I am too ashamed to see your second sister-in-law Fa..." Yu was depressed whenever she mentioned it.
So in the previous life, was it because of this incident that Little Jiang came to make trouble and fight, and even Yu Shi lost all her prestige because of Little Jiang? But in this life, probably because she was named Princess Chen, Little Jiang didn't dare to compete with Yu Shi for anything.
Yao Niang frowned and reprimanded: "My cousin is really something. If she wants to get married, no one will stop her, but why does she have to do such a shameless thing in front of her relatives?"
"How can a poor man's wife compare to a rich man's concubine? She felt it was an insult to her when she was married to a centurion who held an official position. I also wanted her to marry well, but the fact is that it is impossible for her to marry into a noble family. Even the thirty-six-load dowry was paid by me. What's more, the Yu family has no one, so what's wrong with marrying into the Lin family, which is a well-matched family? But she thinks it's not good." Yu was very helpless.
Yao Niang sighed, "The first marriage brings you back home, the second marriage brings you freedom. It's fine for cousin Yu to seek support, but is it that easy to be a concubine? Besides, we are in a difficult situation, how can we get along with the second wife in the future?"
Yu shook her head: "Forget it, I can't control it anymore. If the child is not born, I will send your cousin to the countryside to raise her and buy her a few acres of land. She can make her own decisions in the future and don't have to get involved with your second brother. How could you have known that your second aunt agreed to bring someone in as a second wife?"
"Is it for future generations?" Yao Niang asked.
Yu nodded: "Your second brother Fa has only one daughter, Hui Jie'er, so it's not enough to take several concubines. Although your cousin Yu is a widow, she has a clean family background and is also the daughter of an official. Your second aunt thinks it's no big deal to have her as a second concubine."
This matter is no longer under Yu's control, but of course all the hatred is definitely on himself.
Little Jiang would not blame her husband and mother-in-law, but would blame herself for doing it on purpose.
Yao Niang curled her lips and said, "This Second Brother Fa is really something. He is still messing around even though the people have been sent to the nunnery. Isn't he deliberately trying to cause discord among our families?"
Although Yu Yan is not a decent person, Luo Jingfa is also a lustful and lecherous thief.
Yu waved her hands and said, "I can't do anything about it. I really can't do anything about it. If I do, and something happens to the baby in your cousin's belly, then the second wife will blame me. And as for your cousin, just let her be."
“嗯，別說這些了，娘親，女兒這次回來就不必進宮了，日後天天在家陪您。”瑤娘笑道。
郁氏戳了一下她的額頭：“別這麽說，再過幾年就要嫁人了。對了，你在宮中見過宸王嗎？他如何呢？昨兒本想你父親告訴我的，後來又因為公事沒回來，我也沒處問去。”
提起三皇子，瑤娘則道：“三皇子具體如何，我并不清楚，只不過見過寥寥幾次罷了。”
這是實話，雖說三皇子品貌不錯，但是具體如何她也不清楚，更何況三皇子不知道會不會夭折，她不想母親太高興了，以至于後來無法挽回。
這也是她有點患得患失的緣故，雖然她對三皇子還是頗有好感的，那樣精神的少年，看起來平日都沒什麽大病，不知道是什麽情況。
想起來自己也是豪賭一場，如今看着風光，他日未必。
有時候她想提醒三皇子一聲，可惜三皇子非常守禮，二人幾乎從解簽之後就沒怎麽見過面了。
她覺得自己就是個賭徒，大概賭的就是三皇子能活下來吧。
“也是，宮裏規矩大。那洪貴妃喜歡你嗎？”郁氏急問。
在一個家裏，丈夫對你面子上過得去就行，如果婆婆不喜歡你，那就很嚴重了。
瑤娘笑着點頭：“洪貴妃娘娘和真陽公主和我的關系都不錯的。上次我還替娘娘繡了一幅觀音像，娘娘挂在寝殿呢。”
外人只看到你的才藝，家裏人就只心疼你的付出，郁氏就道：“在家了就別成日做女紅了，好好地歇會兒啊。”
“好。”瑤娘很是感動。
難得在家中歇息，瑤娘白日睡的昏昏沉沉的，有下人要喊醒她，被正進來的郁氏阻止了，“少年人正貪睡，千萬別吵着她。”
銀容此時早已出嫁，白英和白芷成了大丫頭。
白英小聲道：“昨兒一回來，五姑娘就睡了，睡的很沉，奴婢們不敢喊。”
“嗯，炭火不要一直燒着，端一盆水到附近。唉，這孩子不知道在宮裏多受苦。”郁氏很心疼女兒，當然知曉女兒要成真的王妃了，可惜，要成王妃也要忍受許多。
白英等人卻很高興，她們是五姑娘身邊服侍的，日後五姑娘嫁給宸王，她們就是陪嫁丫頭了。可以一起去王府了。
聽到窸窸窣窣的說話聲，瑤娘迷迷糊糊的睜開雙眼，發現是在自己的閨房，她翻了個身起床，看到了郁氏，嬌聲喊了一聲“娘”。
郁氏本來在小聲吩咐白英，聽到瑤娘說話，連忙跑過來，心疼道：“肚子餓了吧，我讓人特地晚上煨了雞湯，用雞湯炖的銀絲面，佐了幾樣小菜。一并端過來床上，在床上擺一張炕桌，你就在床上用。”
“娘，這樣不是太沒規矩了嗎？”瑤娘心道為何娘每次關自己幾天還是忍不住給吃的給自己，說起來還是太寵溺她了。
郁氏搖頭：“這算什麽，這麽冷，你就在房裏待着。”
“好。”瑤娘笑眯眯的應着。
在家就是好，想做什麽就做什麽，可以放心大膽的睡懶覺了。桌上擺的也是自己喜歡吃的面和小菜，還有娘親陪在身邊。
不一會兒，時雨也揣着手爐過來，瑤娘趕緊掀開被子，讓她也進來，時雨是從善如流。
“今日下雪，咱們哪裏都別去，在宮裏天天想着歇息，現在終于可以歇息了。”瑤娘笑的很輕盈。
瑤娘左邊躺着時雨，右邊又拉着郁氏的手，不禁道：“前幾日我去看了冰上蹴鞠，可惜看的太緊張了，真陽公主已經看不下去了，然後我就陪她去觀花。接着我又穿了一回冰刀，都不敢大動，她們別的人都滑的快飛起來了。”
“姐姐，你說冰上也能蹴鞠嗎？”時雨好奇。
“當然了，還能冰上玩雜耍。女眷們就是冰上觀花，其實還沒有我們園子裏的花好呢。”瑤娘笑。
郁氏見她姐妹兩人聊上了，也不打攪，尋了個由頭出去了。
大人一走，時雨就掀開被子，往瑤娘胸口一看，震驚道：“姐姐，為何你那裏那麽大的？”
瑤娘臉一紅：“你這臭丫頭說什麽呢。”
不知道是不是今年月事開始來了，所以胸前鼓鼓囊囊的，以前的小衣都穿不上了。想到這裏，她又看了時雨一樣，有些詫異道：“你沒有穿小衣嗎？”
時雨連忙道：“當然穿了啊。”
“你那裏是不是太平了，我讓娘給你炖點木瓜湯喝。”瑤娘覺得自己的太大了，妹妹的又太平了。
真是各人有各人的煩惱，這也是她不願意現在騎馬和以前那樣了，要不然跑起來顫顫巍巍的，讓人不知道如何是好。
時雨本來有點羞赧，但聽瑤娘這麽說，又問：“喝這個真的能變大嗎？”
“肯定有效，我看洪貴妃喝過的。”瑤娘笑道。
姐妹倆說完都有點不好意思，但小姑娘家就是說這些，都是些隐秘的事情，平日不會對旁人提起的。
瑤娘說起同屋的莊令儀：“真不知道她為何那般清高，要我說真清高就別進宮了啊？成日防備我，我和她無冤無仇的緊呢。”
“這種人就是沒嘗過人情冷暖的，日後她就知曉了。是了，姐姐，昨兒送你回來的那洪女官，是不是就是那位洪淑怡啊？”
“是她，湯慧君當年就是受了她的撺掇。”
“看起來倒算是個美人了，怎麽還不托娘娘的福成親呢？”那位洪姑娘看起來都有二十歲了。
瑤娘搖頭：“我哪裏知道她如何想的。”
洪淑怡住的地方在圍房，她是以女官的身份進來的，又不是像瑤娘她們那樣的伴讀，她好好地官家千金，現在卻真的成了個丫鬟，怎生是好。
偏此時，有個形容嬌小的丫鬟進來，洪淑怡一看是她，忍不住笑了。
“是你啊，杏兒。”
杏兒當時只是浣衣局的一個小宮女，因為被洪貴妃救後，後來被選入坤寧宮服侍，她豆蔻年華，生的嬌媚，平日對高玄策青睐有加。
“是我啊，洪女官，還要多謝你給我的那些炭火。”杏兒很是感激。
其實全宮上下，哪個沒受過洪女官的照看呢，偏她從不張揚，為人十分妥帖，杏兒她們聽說二皇子和三皇子選王妃都沒選到她，難免為她鳴不平。
但杏兒卻又覺得洪女官雖好，可是要配三皇子身份還是很不夠的，這樣對三皇子沒有什麽助力。
洪淑怡擺手道：“不必謝我，不過是舉手之勞，今兒我有些精神不濟，昨兒陪羅姑娘回家回了一趟，要歇一歇。”
“羅姑娘？她要成王妃了吧。”杏兒道。
洪淑怡慶幸道：“是啊，聽說是三皇子求來的，貴妃娘娘原本想讓她娶莊姑娘的，就是憲國公掌上明珠，但是三皇子不知道怎麽非不聽，就……唉，之後的事情我不說了。不過這也說明三皇子對她有意，如今算是有情人終成眷屬了。”
她是知曉杏兒是盼着三皇子好的，更有一種婆婆心态，她未必真的能夠到三皇子，被洪貴妃送去給三皇子暖床，但是她卻一直支持三皇子，幾乎就是被色相所惑。
杏兒聽了不由得道：“莊姑娘是憲國公的女兒，而羅姑娘只是個侍郎的女兒，這……”
“罷了罷了，這些閑話不該我們提，要是被人聽到就不好了。”洪淑怡又狀似好心道。
杏兒點頭，忍不住道：“大抵是羅姑娘有真陽公主撐腰吧。”
她那時還只是個小丫頭，聽到湯姑娘曾經說羅姑娘害她雲雲，有羅姑娘在真陽公主身邊，她會把所有人擠下去，真是個小人。
這樣心術不正的人在三皇子身邊，不知道日後會如何。
但她現在只是個小丫頭，還無可奈何。
哪知杏兒回去寝殿服侍時，正好遇到高玄策過來請安，他平日來坤寧宮非常勤，杏兒不敢多看。
高玄策踏步進來，利落的行禮：“給母妃請安。”
洪貴妃放下茶盞：“快起來，今兒怎麽來我這裏了，沒去你父皇那裏。”
“兒子今日有事要去晉陽王府，順道打算去羅家拜訪一二。”
許婚之後，總要上門拜訪一二，聯絡感情，無論如何，羅家現在應該站在自己這邊才對。
洪貴妃笑着打趣他：“你呀，在宮裏的時候讓你見你也不見，如今倒是要去羅家了。只是你就這麽去嗎？”她見兒子穿着常服，覺得頗為奇怪。
“若擺出儀仗，豈不是衆所周知，今日主要是拜見一下他們家的長輩。尋常人家結親，女婿還要去認親呢。”高玄策昨日見過羅至正，那老匹夫對自己還頗和藹可親的。
再有瑤娘的母親郁氏夫人，前世他和瑤娘雖然陰差陽錯，連嫁妝都來不及準備，郁氏夫人偷偷塞銀兩給他，還說讓他們去安州好好照顧自己，倒是個不錯的人。
Yao Niang slept all morning. Jinghao came back in the afternoon. She and Shi Yu took Jinghao to the garden to make a snowman. After making the snowman, they came back and prepared to pay their respects to Yu Shi, but they saw a lot of people standing there.
She looked through the window and saw Gao Xuance. He was wearing a dark green and gold gown today and looked like the grandson of a wealthy royal family. He was talking and laughing to Yu. Yao Niang dared to bet that she had never seen her mother laugh so brightly.
After thinking for a while, she went inside and heard Gao Xuance saying to Yu: "I'm so sorry, when I first saw you I thought you were Miss Luo's sister."
"No, no." Yu tidied her hair and said, "You are so sweet, kid."
"I always tell the truth and never lie. I have come to visit you today specially. I wonder if Minister Luo is here?" Gao Xuance asked respectfully.
The prince was so humble, which made Yu like him even more.
Yao Niang came over just in time. Yu saw that her daughter's hair was loose and she was wearing ordinary clothes, so she knew at a glance that she had come back from playing outside. But today Gao Xuance came in disguise and brought two servants with him. Yu wanted to ask Yao Niang to go back to her room quickly.
Gao Xuance was stunned. Today at home, Yao Niang was wearing a close-fitting Hu dress, with a slim figure and a rosy face, making her look extremely pretty and lively.
"Mother Yao, go back to your room quickly."
Yao Niang turned around and saw that it was Luo Zhizheng who came over. She didn't dare to stay any longer, and Gao Xuance withdrew his gaze and quickly stood up to perform the evening salute.
Luo Zhizheng snorted in his heart, this mother and daughter are both fools, being fooled by an outsider.