Chapter 044 Chapter 44

After Shao Xixi's coming-of-age ceremony, the relationship between the five people improved by leaps and bounds. After Yu Qing'er learned that Yao Niang didn't know how to play polo, he specially invited them to play over and taught her how to play polo.

Yu Qing'er even said self-deprecatingly: "Don't be fooled by my appearance, I'm pretty good at polo. My brother just invited some people to come over to play, so I'll use this place to teach you."

"Thank you for remembering me." Yao Niang complained casually that she couldn't play polo and was laughed at. Yu Qing'er took it to heart.

After saying this, Yao Niang invited Chen Shuyi to come as well. Chen Shuyi shook her head desperately, but she didn't force herself. As for Shao Xixi and Ye Jingwan, they both happened to have their menstrual period today, so they couldn't do it either.

The General's Mansion is different from other civil servants' residences in that it has a large area. I heard from Yu Qing'er that many soldiers from the General's Mansion are training here. I heard that General Yu was born into a family of a noble lady and a concubine, and his great-grandfather was also the descendant of a famous official, so his family inherited the title of a hundred households. Later, he took the military examination and fought in Xuanfu. Now he is about 45 years old and has been appointed as a general.

Yu Qing'er specially selected a docile horse for Yao Niang to ride, and taught her how to mount it first: "Mounting a horse is very important. If you can't mount a horse steadily, then you can't ride it."

"Yao Niang, you see we have to stand on the left side of the horse, from the left saddle. You need to collect the reins and throw the excess to the right side of the horse. You can grab a little bit of the horse's mane with your left hand, it's not tight. Hold the stirrup with your right hand, step on the stirrup with the sole of your left foot, and then grab the rear saddle bridge with your right hand. Don't be too nervous when grabbing it, use the elasticity of your right foot and step on it in one step. After sitting down, find the stirrup with your right foot and step firmly."

She spoke in great detail. After all, she came from a military family and she heard that women in Xuanfu fought just like men during wartime.

Yao Niang listened carefully. She was smart and courageous. After practicing for about half an hour, she succeeded in getting on the horse.

After getting on the horse, you have to adjust your sitting posture. Yu Qing'er said, "You see, the direction of the horse is controlled by the reins. Pull the reins to the left and it will turn left. Pull the reins to the right and it will turn right. If you want to move forward, you have to squeeze your calves inward at the same time. If you want the horse to stop, just tighten the reins."

Yao Niang studied like this for about half an hour, only drinking some water in between.

Probably because they had been active all morning, Yao Niang, who usually only ate half a bowl of rice, ate a bowl of rice today and added another half bowl. Xie was frightened: "Eat slowly, don't choke."

"I got it, mother. Today my daughter learned how to mount a horse, how to control a horse, and how to do waves. Do you know how to do waves? It means standing up, pushing your hips out like this, then sitting down gently, and then standing up gently again." Yao Niang smiled as she talked about the fun things that happened today when she learned to ride a horse.

Xie picked up a piece of squirrel mandarin fish for her and said, "Last time you talked about our family affairs with your friends, is it okay? You still have to be careful with what you say in the future, for fear that others will deliberately make you say something miserable and miserable to trick you into telling them."

Yao Niang nodded: "I know, but think about it, if I only say good things, how can they accept me into the circle? Besides, I think these friends of mine are all good people. Moreover, they don't have any conflicts of interest with each other, and they usually get along very happily. If there are conflicts of interest between people, even if they are brothers or sisters, it is common for them to fall out. On the contrary, I think that in the process of making friends with them, I can also improve myself better. Even if we are no longer friends in the future, I have become a better version of myself."

"Well, what are the advantages of your friends?" Although Xie hoped that her daughter would make more friends, she was also afraid that her daughter would be taken advantage of. She was like an old hen, wishing to keep her chicks under her wings all the time.

Yao Niang thought for a moment, "As for Sister Chen, I think she is introverted, but kind. With a friend like her, I won't worry about betrayal. Sister Shao has a hard life, but she is warm and cheerful, and rarely complains. Sister Ye has a bad fate, but she has principles in her heart. She is a person who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Sister Yu is very loyal, which is rare among women."

Xie looked at her daughter tenderly: "You can see so many good points in others, which shows that you are also a good person."

Later, Yao Niang went to Yu's house to learn horse riding a few times. At first, she let others lead the horse, and then she could trot a few steps by herself, and even run a lap.

Her ultimate goal was not to play polo, but to learn how to ride a horse. After learning how to ride a horse, she would be able to ride freely in the future and even take her mother for a ride.

With Shao Xixi's introduction, Yao Niang got to know the sisters of the Peng family, who were wealthy people in the city. The sisters had different personalities. The older one was quiet and said to have been betrothed to a salt merchant, while the younger one was pretty and charming, and was also engaged to her mother's cousin.

Yu Qing'er secretly said to Yao Niang, "The Peng family is very generous. They wanted to give the eldest daughter of the Peng family to Shen Xun to play the role of the second string."

"Shen Xunfu is not young anymore?" Yao Niang was surprised. She heard that Shen Xunfu was already over 40 years old and the Peng family was capable of doing this.

"That's right, but since our parents have decided on the marriage, who can go against it? Fortunately, Shen Xun persuaded her not to marry him, otherwise Sister Peng would have been in trouble." Yu Qing'er curled her lips.

Yao Niang was not familiar with the Peng sisters, and she liked them because they were not philistines and seemed to come from a scholarly family. However, she did not expect that they were both good at the double six of Ma Diao Si Zi. Yao Niang rarely beat Ying Niang at home, so it was a good opportunity for her to learn from the Peng sisters.

Yao Niang even learned how to roll the dice to get big ideas, and the two sisters even taught her how to cheat.

Sister Peng said, "Miss Yan, I'm going to tell you something. Look at all those casinos and see which one really relies on luck."

As the saying goes, people of all walks of life come together. It is difficult for her to come into contact with too bad people in the inner chambers, but Yao Niang is not averse to it. She even listens to the Peng sisters talking about their own business and does not feel disgusted. When the Peng sisters opened a shop, she even invested 50 taels of her own private money as shares.

In Henan, she had more freedom and met a variety of women, no longer all the same.

Before the winter month, Shao Xixi was going to get engaged. She was the eldest daughter of the Censor, and had the same status as Yan Ningxin. Only if the eldest daughter had a good start, the rest would be better, so Shao Xixi thought this marriage was a good one.

Yao Niang specially went out to find a pair of lotus earrings to give to Shao Xixi. Now Chen Shuyi is not so scared when she is with Yao Niang, and she even feels more comfortable talking to outsiders.

When they came over, Shao Xixi was just saying, "I'm going to get engaged now, so I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for me to go out in the future. You all know my stepmother, she always scolds me for no reason. So, I want to take advantage of the opportunity before the engagement to go to Daxiangguo Temple for a visit, so that I can think about this day at home."

Yao Niang remembered that girls like them always had to be accompanied by adults when they went out, so it would be convenient to call her mother out. She had originally planned to travel with her mother, but her grandfather was busy and Xie rarely went out.

So, she said, "How about this? If we girls go out, the elders will definitely be worried. Why not let my mother take us? Firstly, I want my mother to visit the scenic spots, and secondly, it will also make the elders feel at ease."

Shao Xixi smiled and said, "That's great."

When Mrs. Chen heard that Xie was going, she also wanted to go with her, mainly because she was worried about her daughter.

Daxiangguo Temple has been named since it was given by the emperor in the Tang Dynasty and has been used ever since. Kaifeng is located in a plain area, and when a horse-drawn carriage passes by, all you can see is a flat plain.

Ye Jingwan was sent here together with her brother Ye Tinggao. Ye Jingwan said that her brother's biological mother died early, and he grew up with his grandfather. Now that she is with her grandfather, she has a good relationship with this brother alone.

"It's late autumn now, and I wonder how your brother is doing lately?" Although Xie's days in Kaifeng were peaceful, she was worried about Guan's passing and her son being alone in the mansion.

Yao Niang said, "Mom, do you think Dad will give up the idea of ​​letting me marry Shen Linfeng?"

Xie smiled and said, "It may not have happened before, but maybe it will happen now. Otherwise, he would not allow the two of us to go out and would definitely keep us in the capital. I think Shen Linfeng is only one year younger than your brother, and will be nineteen this year. In order to wash away this great shame, the Shen family may also find another lady from a famous family. We can go back next year and everything will be fine."

"I thought so too. In fact, elder sister must have regretted it when she came back, right? I saw that when the Shen family sent the betrothal gifts, and after she got engaged, she was very proud every time she went out and was complimented. Little did she know that one wrong step would lead to many wrong steps." Yao Niang knew very well that even if Yan Ningxin was released in the future, it would be very difficult for her to find a good marriage again.

No matter how capable a woman is, few can survive on their own. They must have firm beliefs and the ability to support themselves. Yao Niang learned the lesson from Yan Ningxin, so now she has learned how to ride a horse, play mahjong and mahjong, embroider, and play the piano. No matter what she does, having many skills is always a disadvantage.

Xie spread his hands and said, "Where in the world is there a magic medicine for regret? So, no matter what we do, we must think twice before we act."

"You are right." Yao Niang thought so.

Xie was observing men of the right age, such as Ye Jingwan's elder brother Ye Tinggao, who was of average appearance and passed the examination for a scholar at the age of 14. Now he was 17 years old and failed the provincial examination. His grandfather was a governor and his father was a student who was later appointed as the magistrate of Jiujiang.

She still needs to investigate it, and if it is feasible, she will write a letter to the capital.

When they reached the foot of the mountain of Daxiangguo Temple, the forest was so dense that it looked like the sky. Yao Niang took Xie's hand and said, "Mother, listen to the silence."

"The sound of the wind." Xie said.

Yao Niang is in a good mood.

解氏又讓她和小姐妹們一起玩兒去，不必跟在她身畔，窈娘這才跑上前和邵惜惜她們說話。一路上有說有笑的，窈娘進去寺廟之後，沒有去雄武的正殿看，而是直奔千手觀音處。

千手觀音能幫人度過各種難關、消除各種病痛，雖說窈娘不太信神佛，但是鑒于最近的事情，她忍不住跪下來求道：“大慈大悲的觀音菩薩，求求您讓我消除業障，我顏神妃別無所求，但求賜下天下最好的男子給我，我們能夠白頭偕老。”

這些日子以來，窈娘能夠察覺到解氏身上的焦慮，這種焦慮是對自己未來婚姻的不确定性。

盡管她們母女因為這件事情向顏應祁表達了态度，但是既然拒絕了這門親事，就要找一門比沈家更好的親事，否則，日後一輩子都是別人的笑柄。

窈娘也不想日後父親指着母親的鼻子說就因為你不同意，女兒才過的這麽不如意。

想到這裏，窈娘又叩頭重複：“求大慈大悲觀音菩薩，賜予我全天下最好的兒郎。”

拜完千手觀音，她又去找葉淨婉那裏集合，沒想到在外面看到一位少年，窈娘趕緊斂祍行禮，那少年臉一熱，又急忙回禮。

“小姐好。”

窈娘低頭進門去，見葉淨婉正在翻看詩書，她不由得道：“方才在門口遇到你哥哥了？”

“我哥哥親自送了幾樣點心過來。來，咱們一起用吧，她們還有一會兒才回來。”葉淨婉道。

窈娘又好奇：“姐姐不去拜佛嗎？”

葉淨婉搖頭：“以前我日子過的不順心的時候，也随家中長輩求神拜佛，沒什麽用處，有這等閑工夫，還不如多看看書呢。”

“這神佛一事，也是寧可信其有，不可信其無。”窈娘開了個玩笑緩解一二。

葉淨婉颔首，她素來喜歡安靜，正手不釋卷，窈娘覺得在外枯坐難免浪費光陰，遂又帶着兩個丫頭去看寺內名勝。

幾人走着，見有人用擔子挑着寫的文章出去，窈娘對青黛紅袖道：“也不知是哪家的士子，這般用功，何愁不成？”

青黛則道：“咱們大公子以往讀書也用功，但也沒到這個地步。”

“我哥哥天資聰穎，但也很努力啊，每日坐在椅子上久了，經常肩膀腰背酸痛。”窈娘倒是覺得即便是天才也都要努力的。

“不說了，我們繼續往前面走走吧，畫板子拿了吧，我想等會兒作畫，日後等我老了，我看這些畫，也是一種極好的回憶啊。”窈娘也不知道以後還能不能出來，她明年就十四歲了，父親不可能一直讓母親和她在外家的，甚至母親也心中惦記哥哥。

好容易選了一處地方，青黛讓人送了一張長條桌子過來，又盛了一甕水來，窈娘則從自己的匣子裏拿出顏料開始調色。

她想畫大雄寶殿，這處地方的視角看最妙。

俞慶兒和邵惜惜逛到此處，邵惜惜想上前去喊，俞慶兒卻道：“咱們還是不打攪她了，說實在的，我還是挺佩服窈娘的。我和人交朋友，總恨不得時時刻刻在一處生怕冷落別人，她卻總能做自己的事情。”

邵惜惜點頭：“她也是個熱心人呢，上次我的及笄禮若非她出頭都無法進行下去。”

她們私下猜測過窈娘應該也是出身大族，但窈娘不說，她們也不會多問，甚至她們都吃過解氏做的點心，都很喜歡解氏，也為解氏的處境擔憂。

她們沒有打攪窈娘，又走去別的地方了，窈娘在此畫了一個時辰，也不過只畫了一角，她對紅袖道：“我午膳就在這兒用吧，要不然等會兒天色晚了，就不能畫了。”

午膳卻是解氏親自送來這兒的，窈娘随意吃了幾口，又繼續畫，解氏見女兒一幅要畫完的沖動，倒也不便打攪。

只不過，維持一個動作久了，窈娘腿麻了，不由得站起來往前活動了幾步，卻沒想到對面的門突然打開，走出來一個戴着四方巾帕着青衫的青年，他就站在那兒，岩岩若孤松之獨立，這個人容貌如此之盛，不是沈臨風又是哪個。

沈臨風也沒想到會在這個地方看到窈娘，他還以為自己看錯了人，他原本就是因為父母面對顏應祁提議把三女兒嫁過來意動，覺得很難接受，再者，他現在封心鎖情，愈發覺得自己簡直就是個笑話，因此便來叔父這裏清靜，正好準備制科考試。

這個情境之下，窈娘也不可能完全當自己無視人家，說起來也是自家不對，她立馬斂祍行禮：“沈公子。”

沈臨風雖然現在并不是很想看到顏家人，但是人家問好，他還是依禮回道：“顏姑娘安。”

窈娘心想沈臨風是翰林院庶吉士，前途大好，庶吉士五日才休沐一日，便是她哥哥妻子死了，請了幾天假治喪，都得馬上要到翰林院報道，難道是翰林院出什麽事情了嗎？她擔心哥哥，于是問道：“沈公子，你怎麽在這裏？難道是翰林院提前散館了嗎？”

想起他為何在這兒，沈臨風沒好氣道：“顏姑娘，你說我為何在這兒呢？還不是拜你們顏家所賜。”

窈娘沒想到沈臨風是因為顏寧馨的事情，居然連翰林院庶吉士都辭掉了，要知道官場上有一句口號就是非進士不入翰林，非翰林不入內閣，所有進士如果能進翰林院，那麽就有五成的機會入內閣，尤其是沈臨風和顏應祁一樣，都這麽年輕，是朝堂重點培養的人才。

一旦無法正常留館，那麽将來做到人臣之極最多就是尚書，而留館翰林院，就是将來閣輔之選，這其中差別非常之大。

“沈公子，過去的事情已經過去了，我們顏家的确也對不起你，我們也都不知道會發生那樣的事情的。可是你也不能因為這些流言蜚語，就真的受不了了啊，庶吉士可是進士上上之選。”窈娘就怕日後傳出什麽流言，都是顏家害的沈臨風仕途受損。

她說完，也為自己喊冤，畢竟現在沈巡撫是沈臨風的叔父，萬一給自己的外公穿小鞋這可怎麽辦？

“沈公子，其實我也是受我姐姐影響，如今不得不離開京中。”

她很怕沈臨風再責問她，沒想到沈臨風看了她的樣子，沒有任何怪罪遷怒，反而還解釋：“我如今在考制科考試，明年若是得中，就能直接授官。若我得中，依舊能進翰林院的。”

制科？

“古往今來，能中制科者也不過三十多人，連韓愈都幾次未中。沈公子，你這是……”窈娘原本想說你行不行啊？要不還是回翰林院吧，但還是轉念道：“你這是胸有成竹，我就先祝你馬到成功了。”

沈臨風不置可否的點頭，指着自己的屋子道：“我一共要寫五十篇策論，現下要去寫了。”

窈娘哪裏還敢攔他，只道：“我也還有事情要做，就先走一步了。”

二人都轉身而去，覺得分外尴尬。

窈娘畫完畫，又按捺住這件事情，裝作沒事人似的和大家說笑，到回到家中後，才和解氏說起此事。

解氏吓了一跳：“你這傻孩子，你孤身一人，還敢上前和人家說話？萬一她遷怒你如何是好？”

“什麽孤身一人，我帶了丫頭的。而且我們是正好面對面看到了，難道您讓我那麽失禮的直接無視別人嗎？”窈娘說完，還把中間他們的對話都說了。

解氏聽完見沈臨風有問必答，這個沈臨風有些出乎意料的好管理啊！她丈夫和兒子都是性子頗為桀骜的人，這就是關氏從一進門就和顏景昭不和的原因，若是你不能對他們的意思，那你們在他眼裏就什麽都不是。

不過，解氏搖頭：“這沈臨風這麽做也太冒險了？若是沒考上怎麽辦？難道就因為一些閑話，就把庶吉士這麽好的身份放棄了，太可惜了。”

窈娘倒是對沈臨風深有同感：“娘，照您這麽說，我和您也不必從京裏出來了，反正也不過是別人說幾句閑話嘛！殊不知，人言可畏，他若能考上制科，從此宏圖大展，別人不會再拿以前的事情說嘴了。”

“你這麽說也有道理。”解氏道。

窈娘又把自己畫的畫拿出來給解氏看：“您看這裏是大雄寶殿，千手觀音太難畫了，我就沒畫。”

“畫的很好啊，對了，怎麽今日沒見你和陳姑娘一處？平日她不是和你最要好的嗎？”解氏還覺得奇怪呢。

窈娘則偷笑道：“娘，您還沒看出來啊？”

解氏滿頭霧水的搖頭。

"Of course it was Madam Chen who did it on purpose. If Sister Chen had always been with me, how could she be with Sister Ye's brother? Think about it, Sister Ye's grandfather is old. I heard from Sister Ye that he might retire after completing his term as the governor. As for Sister Ye's father, he is just a magistrate in Jiujiang. She will have to rely on her father-in-law in the future. And although Sister Chen's father is only a Tongzhi now, he is no more than 40 years old and has a successful career. The Chen family has only this precious daughter, and Madam Chen is quite good at business. In the future, won't Tongzhi Chen's connections all be those of Mr. Ye?" Yao Niang explained.

Xie said, "That's not right. Didn't Mrs. Chen say that she would keep her daughter to raise money?"

Yao Niang stamped her feet and said, "Mother, you are too honest. Mrs. Chen is just talking. If there is a good aunt, how can she find a son-in-law? Besides, with Sister Chen's personality, it would be better if she finds a kind man. If she finds those evil spirits, I am afraid that the Chen family will be eaten up. Now there is a good candidate, how can they miss it."

Xie secretly thought that it was not good. Ye Tinggao was the son-in-law she had been investigating, but someone else had gotten there before she even started investigating. She had always thought that Mrs. Chen was trying to bribe her and asked her about Ye Tinggao, but she had never thought that she was actually doing someone else a favor. On the surface, her daughter seemed innocent, simple-minded, and open-hearted in her friendships. In fact, she was very smart and she was inferior to her.

No, something was even more wrong.

Why did Yan Yingqi let them come to Henan? Could it be that he had the same idea as Mrs. Chen? To group Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng together?