The moon was bright in the sky, surrounded by a few sparse stars. Yao Niang raised her cup to the air and drank a glass of pear syrup. She was not good at drinking and did not like to drink much, but she loved all kinds of syrup the most.

The Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes are too sweet, and it is best to drink some starch to remove the greasiness.

Yu had just attended a banquet in the palace recently. Especially this year, the position of Minister of Rites was vacant, and the inner cabinet recommended Luo Zhizheng, who would soon be promoted from Left Vice Minister of Personnel to Minister of Rites. Yu was also a wife of honor, so of course she was treated with courtesy when she entered the palace.

She was talking to Yao Niang about something: "I met your elder sister in the palace, and I just learned that she is about to be pregnant. Since her second child died, she is pregnant again, but she dared not tell anyone. This time, you should go to see her after she gives birth. It has not been easy for your elder sister over the years."

Giving birth is like going through the gates of hell for a woman. This time she endured so much pain just to give birth to her baby safely.

"Okay, then come with me." Yao Niang has had a hard time going out recently. Even when she went to the Lin family of Marquis Zhongjing, it was only for Wei Feng's sake. She hasn't been anywhere since then.

If she doesn't come out, Shen Liang, the son of Marquis Xuanping, and others won't have many chances. Besides, the Luo family is not an ordinary family. Now Luo Zhizheng has not yet stood on the side of the third prince. If you completely offend Luo Zhizheng, then causing a backlash will be asking for trouble.

Lin Weinan said, "In my opinion, it would be better to choose someone who looks similar to Luo's daughter. I heard news from the palace that the third prince has a special liking for this girl and doesn't even want concubines."

Everyone was amazed at what they heard. Princess Xing'an's husband, Shen Yun, even laughed and said, "I also find it hard to believe. I heard that Concubine Hong was furious for a long time because of this."

"That proves even more that this beauty trap is still useful." Shen Liang couldn't help but say.

Forget about the so-called evildoers. As the saying goes, a man cannot be a hero without evil. The Third Prince himself created the auspicious sign that prevented Concubine Lin from ascending the throne as she wished. If they don't fight back, what chance does the First Prince have of winning?

Shen Liang was a thoughtful person. He was good at painting. After meeting Yao Niang that day, he went back and painted a picture. He took it out to show everyone: "What Master Lin said is very true. Everyone, take a look at this daughter of the Luo family. It will be easier for you to use your connections to find someone in the future."

Even these people, some of whom have read countless women, still hold their breath when they open the picture album and see the beauties.

The woman in the painting smiled sweetly, with charm in her innocence, tenderness in her agility, and a pair of eyes that seemed to be able to captivate people and make them feel a little lost.

Lin Weinan sighed, "No wonder the eldest prince was so cautious when I mentioned Prince Chen's wife last time. He..."

After saying this, Lin Weinan knew he had made a mistake, but he could also think that the eldest prince should have wanted to marry her. Children from aristocratic families like beautiful women, but women are just playthings, and they don't care. Compared with power, women are nothing.

Especially Prince Chen, who is young but insidious and cunning. Unexpectedly, he gave all his love to a woman and even had a quarrel with Concubine Hong.

As everyone knows, Prince Chen is a very filial son.

Shen Liang pretended not to hear and instead told a famous story from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. "In the past, Xia Ji became queen three times and married seven times. A total of nine men died because of her. She killed three husbands, one king, one son, and destroyed two ministers of a country. Since ancient times, beautiful women have brought disaster. Don't underestimate her!"

Yao Niang had no idea that someone had compared her to women like Daji, Baosi, and even Xia Ji, who were detrimental to the country and the people. Just when she heard that her elder sister had given birth to a child, she and Shi Yu accompanied Yu to the Fenyang Palace.

On the way, Yao Niang saw Shi Yu looking downcast and asked hurriedly, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Shi Yu's face looked a little bad.

These days, Yao Niang had been embroidering the missing embroidery while the weather was warm, and hadn't paid attention to her. Seeing her like this, she pinched her nose and said, "What's wrong? You have to tell me, okay?"

Shi Yu then said, "Sister, let me tell you something in secret. Auntie asked me to take Chunli, who is by her side, over to her as a dowry maid, but I don't want to do that."

Chunli? Yao Niang remembered that she was a pretty maidservant of Concubine Qin. Now that Concubine Qin was old, Luo Zhizheng rarely visited her. It was said that maidservants like this were sent out to serve the male master.

In fact, Yu had mentioned this matter before, especially after what happened with Xiao Jiang. If you are not prepared, there will be many people who will try to take advantage of you, and it will be even more difficult to deal with you.

But who wants to live like this?

As they were both women, Yao Niang could understand her feelings very well, so she comforted her: "If you don't want to, then don't be willing. In fact, not every man is unfaithful. Besides, even if he is like that, we have lived comfortably for a long time. Let's talk about the future later."

This is also what Yao Niang herself thinks. If she has to prepare maids just to prevent others from taking the lead, then she will be sharing her husband with others from the beginning.

Shi Yu felt much more relieved after listening to Yao Niang's words. They grew up reading "Nu Yi", "Nu Ze" and "Four Books for Women". Especially in a family like theirs, the thing they can't tolerate the most is female jealousy. Just like Xiao Jiang's family, she has a noble family background but is a vicious person. But after Yu Yan gave birth to a son, her worth doubled, and she could do nothing about it.

In terms of closeness, Yu Yan is from the eldest house, so of course she is closer, but after Yu Yan and Luo Jingfa did such a thing, they all kept their distance from Yu Yan. But since Yu Yan entered the mansion, she has been very virtuous. She suffered a lot at first, and even Luo Jingfa changed his mind. Later, under the protection of Jiang, she gave birth to a son. It is said that Luo Jingfa now keeps all his personal belongings with Yu Yan.

Immersed in these things every day in the inner house, some of these girls who are planning to get married don't want to get married at all.

"Sister, you're right. I'm being too picky. Just like my third sister, she died within a few years after getting married. In that case, why should we think so much?" Shi Yu suddenly understood.

Yao Niang nodded: "It's good that you understand. Besides, just because everyone else does this, does that mean it must be right? I only know that we should live according to our own ideas."

Today is the third day of Luo Shilan's youngest son's birthday. The Fenyang Palace is very lively. Many people come and go to visit Luo Shilan. Yao Niang looks at the child and kisses his little hand...

"Aunt Wu, you are finally here. I want to be a grasshopper."

A little boy in a brocade robe ran over. It turned out to be Luo Shilan's eldest son Gao Heng. Gao Heng was more than six years old. Yao Niang took him to play once. This child had a good memory and even remembered the grasshopper that Yao Niang made for him when he was a child.

Luo Shilan smiled and said to Yao Niang: "He has always been thinking about Fifth Aunt, and he insisted on wearing the tiger-head hat made by Sixth Aunt. This child..."

"Big sister, let me take Heng'er out to play." Yao Niang took Gao Heng's hand and went out.

Shi Yu was originally preparing to go out, but she had slept late yesterday because of Aunt Qin's matter and was not in good spirits. Yao Niang patted her shoulder and signaled her to have a good rest in the room.

She didn't know why the child was so energetic. It reminded her of the time when she could dance the croquet without feeling tired. Now when she thought about it, it had become a memory.

"Brother Heng, run slower. Aunt Wu can't catch up with you."

"Okay. Fifth Aunt, I heard from Uncle Jinghao that you can also make dragonflies, right?"

"Yeah, come on, whatever you want to do today, I'll do it for you."

Gao Heng took her to a pavilion, and Yao Niang asked someone to bring the leaves over, and then she really started to do it, without any impatience. She had a lot of experience dealing with children, and to be fair, Gao Heng was actually a very sensible child. He was raised by the Princess of Fenyang, and could only see his parents when he paid his respects.

He is so lively only in front of his grandparents. Luo Shilan also feels sorry for his son.

"Fifth aunt, why do you do this?" Gao Heng looked at Yao Niang's hands dancing up and down as she weaved in disbelief.

Yao Niang smiled and said, "Because I like it, and practice makes perfect. Grasshoppers will turn yellow easily when exposed to the sun. You'd better put them in a woven grass box, so that they can be kept for a longer time."

"Fifth aunt, let me tell you in secret that my brother has a katydid. It's very fun, but he won't let me play with it. I'm really jealous."

"Because it's his treasure. We all have our own favorite things, and not everyone is willing to share them with others. So, we can't force it, understand?"

Gao Heng nodded as if he understood, and in the blink of an eye, Yao Niang had already prepared a grasshopper and put it in his hand.

"Fifth Aunt, this... is really lifelike."

Yao Niang pretended to bite his hand with a grasshopper. The child was anxious and laughing. Yao Niang patted his back again. Afterwards, she made a dragonfly out of grass and listened to Gao Heng reciting.

Every time Gao Heng finished reciting, Yao Niang would applaud to encourage him: "Great, Heng, you are really smart and amazing."

A child, especially one like Gao Heng who is used to being alone, would be extremely happy to hear others praising and caring for him. He still wanted to recite it, but Yao Niang said, "Drink some tea to moisten your throat first."

Gao Heng drank the tea obediently, and then begged: "Fifth Aunt, can you stay at our house? I like you very much. If you stay at our house, I will give you my favorite snacks, okay?"

Yao Niang was very surprised. She didn't expect a child to like her so much. "Brother Heng can come to the Luo family to play with me in the future, okay?"

Gao Heng refused: "Fifth Aunt, I want you to accompany me. I won't go to the Luo's house. You can stay in our palace. I have plenty of rooms there." He really liked Fifth Aunt.

But before Yao Niang could answer, a man came up from behind with a smile: "That won't work. Your fifth aunt wants to go to our house. We have more houses."

Hearing the voice, Yao Niang turned around and saw that it was Prince Gao Xuance.

Of course he was going to Fenyang Palace. After all, Duke Cheng Gao Dengfeng and he would become brothers-in-law in the future and had a close relationship. Of course, Fenyang Palace wanted to arrange a meeting between him and Yao Niang, so they deliberately pointed the way here. Gao Xuance of course went along with it. How could he have known that when he got here he would hear that a little kid liked her so much?

Yao Niang thought that the two of them were destined to be together, so she happily ran over to pay her respects. When Gao Xuance saw her running over, he didn't know what he saw, and his face turned red instantly.