Chapter 037 Chapter 37

"False pregnancy? Doctor, that's impossible. You must have made a wrong diagnosis." Guan was extremely anxious behind the curtain. How could she be having a false pregnancy?

Yan Jingzhao looked very calm: "Yes, doctor, you can check again."

The doctor was a famous doctor. Hearing the two people questioning him, he couldn't help but get angry: "It's definitely not wrong. I'm not one of those quack doctors who lie to you just to make you happy. If you don't believe me, false pregnancy usually lasts about two or three months. After these two or three months, you will know?"

Yan Jingzhao quickly said something nice: "Doctor, your medical skills are great, and we don't disbelieve in yours. It's just that we have been married for almost two years and this is the only time this has happened. We have to be careful."

After hearing what Yan Jingzhao said, the doctor also said, "What Yan Hanlin said is right. I will diagnose him again."

This time, Guan was even more impatient. The doctor didn't say much. After taking her pulse and asking about her symptoms, he still insisted that it was a false pregnancy. Yan Jingzhao sent the doctor out and gave him a generous reward. The doctor knew that he couldn't say anything nonsense.

"Why don't I take my father's letter and ask Dr. Wang Yu, who specializes in gynecology at the Imperial Hospital, to come and take a look?" Yan Jingzhao said to Guan.

Before Guan could respond, Yan Jingzhao went to ask for help again. This time, Doctor Wang Yu said the same thing: "Madam, you are not really pregnant. It is just that you have amenorrhea and have qi stagnation and phlegm obstruction, which has caused the qi and blood in the Chong and Ren meridians to be blocked. Phlegm stagnation will cause slippery pulses, and qi stagnation will cause abdominal distension. Therefore, you seem to be pregnant, but in fact you are suffering from depression."

If Guan didn't believe what the first doctor said, but the second one was still a doctor, Guan began to be skeptical. Then when he heard Yan Jingzhao tell the doctor to prescribe any medicine he had, Guan suddenly became suspicious. Was this Yan Jingzhao's conspiracy?

She deliberately hired many people to create the appearance of a false pregnancy and abort her real child to take revenge on herself.

Yan Jingzhao was certainly not that bored. He just felt that he had hardly touched her during that period of time because he was preparing for the exam. How could she be pregnant? He originally asked a doctor to come and investigate, but he didn't expect it to be a false pregnancy.

Doctor Wang Yu and the expert doctor they had invited were all acquaintances, so they wouldn't say anything irresponsible. Yan Jingzhao also couldn't tell anyone about her fake pregnancy, so he discussed it with Xie, who said, "Otherwise, we can just say that this pregnancy doesn't look good, and let your wife take care of herself in the name of confinement."

"Mom, I can see that she is very angry. Xi Que, who is beside her, also told me that she had two outbursts this month, and some of them were strangled and beaten severely. I think it would be better to let her go to a quiet place to recuperate more, so that she can calm down a little." Yan Jingzhao said.

Xie didn't say whether it was good or bad, but just said, "You should discuss it with your wife, and then inform your parents-in-law."

Yan Jingzhao smiled and said, "If I tell her, I'm afraid she won't go. Mother, you are a kind person. If she continues like this, it will be bad if there is a murder case in the family. Both my son and father are in the official career, don't worry, I will definitely handle this matter well."

After he said this, what else could Xie say? She could only sigh that her son had never cared about these trivial matters before, but now he was very smart. She had no choice but to agree.

Later, Xie told Yao Niang, "Your sister-in-law's pregnancy was a fake one. Your brother has already told Madam Guan about it. She is a liar. Your brother still gave her some respect by only telling her to worship Buddha for a few months after giving birth."

"Has the Guan family agreed?" Yao Niang asked.

Xie nodded, "At first, the Guan family thought that your brother didn't like your sister-in-law and deliberately set up a trap, but Madam Guan came over and took a look. Your sister-in-law had her hair disheveled and was angry and yelling that everyone wanted to harm her. Your brother said that mediocre Taoists were harming people, so he asked Shuntian Prefecture to arrest the Taoist who sold the talisman water."

"Living in our house, there are so many eyes watching her. If she makes the slightest mistake, people might gossip about her. What's more, your sister-in-law is like this. If she tells others, it will bring shame to the Guan family. Of course, she agreed, but she was afraid that others would say that her daughter was not good. She also specifically asked you to accompany her to worship Buddha, but I refused."

Yao Niang pointed at herself and said, "Who does Madam Guan think she is? She even dares to order me around."

Xie spread her hands and said, "That's right. I used to think she understood better than her daughter, but in reality, she is still the same, trying to control our whole family. In this situation, your brother is trying his best to give face to the Guan family. As for what will happen in the future, it's hard to say."

However, Yao Niang asked: "Mother, can I go see my sister-in-law?"

Xie shook her head, not willing to negotiate: "Of course not. It would be bad if the disease gets worse. Besides, you are not married yet, so don't worry about it. Your brother has his own ideas, and even I can't control him."

Suddenly, Yao Niang remembered that when her brother was taking the imperial examination, she had said that her brother might be happy if Guan gave birth to a child. Her mother scolded her. Perhaps her mother knew there was a problem from that time on. No, it should have been earlier, from when her sister-in-law started eating supplements crazily, her mother predicted that there was something wrong with her.

In fact, my mother stopped giving my sister-in-law the tonic. If she had really listened to me, she would have known that all medicines are poisonous. But Guan became even more aggressive and caused the disaster today.

When Guan's carriage left Anrenfang, many people didn't know about it in the morning. Xie thought that Mrs. Guan would accompany Guan, but she said that she had something to do at home and everything would be arranged by the Yan family. Guan Dashi valued Yan Jingzhao more than Guan, and took special care of him in the Hanlin Academy.

Xie said, "How many families look for a capable son-in-law just to take care of the family. Your brother is only twenty this year, and he has a high academic record. He has at least forty years of official career, while none of your sister-in-law's brothers passed the imperial examination. And your brother is not a poor boy. If the Guan family does not show good will, how can your brother accept it?"

"Alas, since I grew up, I found that the relationship between people is nothing but a relationship of interest." Yao Niang felt quite discouraged.

When Xie was trying to comfort her, Yao Niang laughed and said, "But what does it matter? If you can be used by others, it means you are still useful. If you are no longer useful, then no one will respect you."

Xie said with relief: "You kid."

Yao Niang stood up again and said, "I have to make a Taoist robe for my brother as well. Last time I made one for my second and third brothers, but not for him because I was afraid that my eldest brother would scold me."

"Go." Xie touched her daughter's head.

Now that she no longer had to go to school, Yao Niang had a lot of free time. She returned to her room and started cutting with Mother Gu, and then sewing.

After having a few side dishes at noon, she felt hot again, so she went to the lake to take a boat ride, letting the boatwoman row and feeling the breeze which was very comfortable.

I didn't expect that as soon as I got off the boat, Qianniang and Yingniang came to me. They asked, "Why can't I find you anywhere? It turns out you're just having fun on the boat."

"It's so boring staying at home, I just want to go out and get some fresh air." After saying this, Yao Niang asked them what they wanted to see her for.

Yingniang said quickly, "Third sister, don't you remember that when we went to the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion last year, the wife of the Duke of Cheng said she wanted to invite us to her polo club. My mother said she would ask someone to come over to cut a new riding suit, and she was just about to ask you to come over."

"Just for such a small matter, you can just send a servant over. Is there something else?" Yao Niang pointed at the two of them and smiled.

Qianniang glanced at Yingniang and said, "Isn't it about riding a horse? None of us three have the time to learn. I was just about to ask you."

"It's even more impossible for me now. You see, my elder brother has so many classes in the Hanlin Academy now. How can he have the time to teach me?" Yao Niang had never thought about really learning polo. She always felt that people in the world were always pursuing perfection too much, not knowing that water will overflow when it is full and the moon will diminish when it is full.

If you want to ride a horse to relax, that's fine, but if you want to really play polo, you can't learn it overnight.

Qianniang and Yingniang were a little disappointed. Every time they looked at Yan Ningxin's heroic and heroic appearance, they also wanted to learn. However, Zhen was now busy with Yan Jingwen's homework. She urged Yan Jingwen to consult Yan Jingzhao every night. In addition, Yan Ningxin's wife, Madam Gong, was ill, and she had to find another wife. She had too many things to do and had no time to take care of these girls.

The three sisters came to Yao Niang again. Yao Niang asked someone to make tea and serve snacks, and took out some new books. Qian Niang was reading a new book, while Yao Niang and Ying Niang played double sixes.

"The number on your dice is big enough." said Yao Niang.

Yingniang smiled but said nothing. Her mother was an expert at playing double-six. It was said that when she was at her grandfather's house, Zhen was the only one in the family who could beat her grandfather, which was enough to show her skill.

Actually, Xie didn't like playing double-six games. She followed her stepmother, who was afraid that people would pick on her for being a concubine's daughter, so she taught her more about housekeeping and managing the household. As a result, Xie opened a fructose shop this year. The floor space of the fructose shop was bought with the surplus earned from the teahouse.

Yan Yingqi, who originally thought that his wife was just making trouble, admired Xie and realized that she really had the ability to make money.

Yao Niang played a few rounds of chess with her, then yawned and climbed onto the couch: "I'll take a nap for a while."

"Wait a minute, Third Sister, I'll lie here with you for a while." Yingniang took off her shoes and squeezed Yaoniang. She smelled a fragrance again: "Third Sister, why do you smell like flowers?"

Yao Niang closed her eyes: "Maybe I am the reincarnation of a flower fairy."

"Tsk..." Yingniang hugged Yaoniang's arm and fell asleep faster than Yaoniang.

Looking at the two sisters who were noisy just now but now fell asleep, Qianniang couldn't help shaking her head. She herself became drowsy and fell asleep on the table.

They had dinner at Yao Niang's place. It was already before the Dragon Boat Festival. Xie knew that Xiao Qianniang and Ying Niang were having dinner here, so she specially asked someone to add a few more dishes.

While eating, Yingniang suddenly asked, "Why hasn't my sister-in-law come back these days?"

"Yes, it takes time to recover. The quieter, the better." Yao Niang said with a smile.

倩娘心想這宅子裏有些事情是人家夫妻關着門說的，不到一個時辰就能傳遍全府，可有些事情大家就是知道，也都緘默不提，也只有大大咧咧的瑩娘敢問了。

實際上，關氏的日子并不好過，她名義上是來禮佛的，但是每日古井無波的生活讓她更加不耐煩，可她若是回去了呢？回去之後，府裏所有人都知道她是假孕，大家都會怎麽看她？尤其是顏景昭一遍又一遍的找大夫來看，娘家人婆家人所有人看她都是個笑話。

她一向看不起的于氏，也過的比她好。

就是日後回去了，顏景昭和她也是貌合神離，婆母不喜，還有什麽意思。

想到這裏，聽到門外一陣響聲，原來是有小孩子在哭，她先皺了皺眉頭，又聽外面有女童喊道：“我姐姐才嫁人嫁了三年，就被你們家人折磨死了。”

喜鵲道：“大奶奶，我出去看看。”

“嗯。”關氏點頭。

這個出去看看當然也就是把人趕走，不能擾了關氏的清靜，關氏本來就胡思亂想，半夜做夢說顏景昭想殺妻，讓喜鵲都懷疑大奶奶是不是真的瘋了。

但過了好一會兒，喜鵲才進來道：“大奶奶，說起來外面也是可憐人，那小姑娘自小喪母，從小是由姐姐帶大的，她姐姐在幾年前出嫁，沒想到嫁過去之後，公婆不待見，好不容易婚後第二年好容易生有一子，結果她自己又染上怪疾，婆家還不給醫，說她不吉利。多虧這小女孩四處賣花兒，掙了錢給姐姐買了幾幅藥，剛剛好轉，孩子又被婆婆抱走，憂憤而死。”

關氏“啊”了一聲，她想起自己的命運，也是一樣的。婆家人嫌棄她得了怪病，把她送到這裏，丈夫表面上為了她好，其實故意找大夫揭破自己的病情，讓她在家族難堪。

“喜鵲，這孩子自小和姐姐相依為命，如今她姐姐去了，恐怕她也無處容身，你問她願不願意跟着我？”關氏也感念這死去的娘子好歹還有個親妹妹幫忙聲張，而她呢，她娘到最後反而站在了顏景昭那邊。

喜鵲一愣。

**

成國公府的馬球會窈娘就直接沒去，她這幾天沉迷于做衣裳，并不想過去塵土飛揚的地方。但是聽瑩娘提起，大姐姐顏寧馨出了大風頭，瑩娘當然是悶悶不樂。

窈娘幫顏景昭的道袍做好之後，她爹顏應祁不知道發什麽瘋，讓她給他做秀才穿的襕衫，據娘說，爹是吃味了，她好容易幫爹做好。

現在才有功夫幫她的小娃娃們縫制新衣裳，這些衣服全部都是她自己先用畫筆畫出來，再照着樣子縫制的，誰喊她她都懶得去。

“三姐姐，你說大姐姐好不好笑？在馬球場用大碗喝酒，以為自己是梁山好漢呢？咱們家的臉都被她丢盡了。”瑩娘捂嘴取笑。

窈娘則道：“只要沈公子喜歡就好，咱們旁人管她呢。”

瑩娘撇嘴：“沈公子我看沒什麽，倒是沈姑娘撮合的起勁。”

“好了，滾邊縫好了，這件縫完，我今兒得出去坐船玩玩，說真的，這毒太陽我都怕曬黑了。下個月我生辰，我打算咱們幾個桌上多擺些冷飲子吃。”窈娘沒有接瑩娘的話。

日子過的真快，窈娘馬上也要十三歲了。

小時候窈娘總覺得想要快點長大，現在長大了也未必是極好的事情。

又說龔家大夫人生病，未能做全福太太，龔家如今當家的六夫人便替她們另外請了一位，這位夫人身份更高了，她是靖海侯世子夫人，靖海侯世子是當今皇帝發小，錦衣衛指揮使劉寂，且靖海侯府又是世襲罔替的侯爵，簡而言之，已經算是權利頂尖之一的人了。

在飯桌上，顏應祁也和解氏說了：“另外請了全福太太，這可是咱們府裏到京城的頭等大的喜事。”

說這話的時候顏應祁身上穿的是窈娘做的襕衫，紋飾很簡單，但是窈娘提前漿洗過，還薰了爹爹愛的松木香，所以又貼身又透氣，穿在身上很舒服。

解氏聽了笑道：“這就太好了，大姑娘和沈姑爺那是天造地設的一對，日後好福氣還在後頭呢。”

“這次我和大夫人那邊說了，陪嫁的人也一定要多一些，四司六局都陪嫁一套人過去才好。”顏應祁倒不是怕別的，就怕顏寧馨出洋相。

主母可不止是當人家的妻子，平日家務打理人情往來扮演非常重要的角色，有時候一個家中主母缺失，整個宅子裏都無法正常運轉。

四司六局是為盛大宴會供役的人，現在大姐姐居然要陪嫁這樣一套人去。

窈娘道：“爹爹，您對大姐姐真好。”

顏應祁看了窈娘一樣，又笑道：“小丫頭還吃味了吧，爹爹平日難道對你不好？”

以前窈娘覺得關心你愛護你，就是對你很好，後來她開始幫娘算賬，又逐漸對內宅有所了解，她才知道錢權在哪兒，好才在哪兒？

“老爺，小孩子不懂事，你別和她計較。”解氏笑道，她倒不會吃味，她很明白顏寧馨實在是不行，若是真的出醜了，害的還是妹妹們。

若是老爺真的很在意她，怎麽早年不把她接回來，而是任由齊王府養着。

現在這般并非是因為顏寧馨的關系，而是她嫁的人是沈臨風沈公子。

窈娘也不會真的去争什麽，在這麽多兄弟姐妹中長大的，哪裏能讨到真的偏愛？從小她就習慣了，祖父母對她提出的要求斟酌再三甚至不會允許，好不容易同意，會附帶許多要求，似乎施恩自己一樣，但是哥哥什麽都不用提，哪天多嘆了一口氣，大家都會努力想他為何不開心？怎麽幫他解悶。

其實去年她雖然惱怒顏寧馨因為畫的事情，但是想來父親責罰之後，她也就沒怪罪顏寧馨了，說白了，她們其餘三姐妹，至少都跟在生母身邊，偏偏顏寧馨沒有生母，甄氏對她也只有表面盡心。

看瑩娘今年也暗自在學理賬人情走賬，甚至甄氏私下教她打雙陸，葉子牌，顏寧馨如今會的還是打馬球？

所以，窈娘吃了一塊鍋包肉，才道：“爹，我是開玩笑的，大姐姐就要成婚了，當然是越盛大越好了。”

其實這個女婿原本是準備給三丫頭的，但如今木已成舟，他自然不會和窈娘還有解氏再說這些話了，等飯畢，窈娘離開後，顏應祁才和解氏提起：“窈娘的事情不必急，以前她姑母都是十七八歲才出嫁的。她的女婿我一定會找一個最好的給她，你且放心。”

“什麽最好的？只要日後的姑爺人好，比什麽都強。”解氏倒是沒有過多想法，又是英明神武，又是家世好，又是人品好，這樣的鳳毛麟角。

什麽都太完滿，也未必是好事。

顏應祁笑道：“人也要好，能力也要好，這樣才配得上咱們女兒啊。你放心吧，現在京城中子弟多浮躁，前兒我看杜學士家的大公子倒是頗為上進，只是杜家到底寒門出身，雖說他家女兒嫁給了劉指揮使，但也不過一時之顯赫罷了。”

“怎麽說？”解氏看着他。

顏應祁倒不是随意評判人，只是道：“張湯、來俊臣、江彬哪一個下場好的？這個人的确很聰明，不完全靠皇上發小的身份來的。但是，即便他本人能得以善終，可是子孫後代就未必了。”

解氏一驚。

而顏應祁也道：“即便是我們家中，也是有浮浮沉沉，但到底詩書傳家，只要子孫科舉，出了一個人才，家族便有興旺之道。或者像你們家，即便不出人才，那也是鄉紳之家，不會過分起落。”

解氏替他端了一杯茶：“我看富貴險中求，也不是好求的。”

“就是這個道理，罷了，不提這些了，大哥兒媳婦如何了？”顏應祁問起。

解氏道：“還在禮佛呢。”

顏應祁冷哼道：“承受能力太差，這還什麽事情都沒遇到呢？她自個兒假孕，拼命吃什麽符水，要不就恨不得把魚翅燕窩堆滿床的吃，吃出問題來了就發瘋，大哥兒好心找大夫過來，反而被她到處嚷嚷要殺她，真是娶妻不賢壞三代。這樣的人，怎麽擔當宗婦之責？幸而是在我們家裏，公公婆婆連規矩也不要她站，十幾歲就有小廚房，我記得我母親那時候嫁過來多年，等我祖母過世，才有自己小廚房的。”

“罷了罷了，何必為了她動肝火，只是不知道景昭何時去接她回來？”解氏問起。

顏應祁道：“現在還不行，宮裏出了大事了，我想等大丫頭出嫁後再接她回來吧，要不然她這麽喊着一些不着邊際的話，被沈家人聽到了，還以為我們多麽不堪呢。”

解氏點頭：“嗯，她在那裏的吃穿用度和家中分毫不差，只是景昭似乎也不好去看她，若是她又說什麽景昭要殺她的話，被人聽到就不好了。”

In Xie's view, it was just a small matter. If it was a false pregnancy, she could just take care of herself. But Guan was suffering from paranoia.

The couple discussed for a long time. Seeing that he was still wearing a long shirt, Xie couldn't help but ask, "Do you like this dress so much?"

"It's mainly because it's comfortable to wear. It's said that daughters are the most caring. I don't know who can be worthy of Yao Niang." Yan Yingqi has also met many young men in Beijing, but there are really few who can compare to Shen Linfeng. Those who are not bad have also been to Qinlou and Chuguan.

**

It was sultry in the morning. Xie made a lot of ice cream and turned on the air conditioner. Yao Niang drooled at the sight. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Zhen leading a young lady over.

Given the status of the Zhen family, the person who came personally must be an important figure, but I didn't expect him to be so young.

After Xie and Yao Niang paid their respects, they returned to the third room. After the mother and daughter ate the ice fruit, she suddenly said, "Your elder sister's wedding has attracted a lot of attention, and they have invited the wife of Commander Liu to come. Look at that lady just now. I heard that she got married at the age of 15, and she was in charge of the entire mansion within a few days of her marriage. Your elder sister must stay calm."

"Daddy gave her so many people as a dowry. I think her good days are definitely yet to come." Yao Niang said with a smile.

But it was said that it was hot and humid in the morning, the sun was white with heat, and then there was a heavy rain at noon.

Therefore, Zhen also sent someone to ask Yao Niang to go with her to meet the commander's wife. Yao Niang was of course willing to go, but Xie could not go. If she went once, Zhen would probably secretly not let Yao Niang go next time.

"Go ahead. Mother needs to take a nap." Xie looked at her hesitant daughter.

Yao Niang turned around and hugged Xie: "My daughter will be back soon."

At this time, things that seemed fair became unfair again. But she was afraid that she would be too late and upset the conductor's wife, so she had to walk quickly.