Chapter 046 Chapter 46
Difficult cases don't come up every day, and unless the cases in the county or state are very serious, they are generally not allowed to be reported to higher levels. Yao Niang can also have some free time. It happens to be the Ramadan month now, and the Xie family is also preparing New Year's goods for the New Year.
The happiest people celebrating the New Year at the Xie family are Magistrate Xie and his old concubine. Xie's uncles and cousins are all in Dongshan, and now with Xie and Yao Niang here, the family has more popularity.
The flower thief has been eliminated, and Yao Niang can go out normally. Among the friends she knew before, Shao Xixi and Chen Shuyi are already engaged and can't go out easily. Yu Qing'er asked Yao Niang to go over and give her the horse whip he usually used. I heard that she was going to return to her hometown in Luzhou to live with her grandparents, and she didn't have to worry about her parents every day.
"Sister Yu, it's true that even if you travel thousands of miles to build a parasol, it will eventually end. I will also always remember that it was you who taught me how to ride a horse. I don't have anything to give you, but this is a kite I brought back from the capital. Give it to you, sister." Yao Niang said with a smile.
Yu Qing'er took the kite, which was a swallow-shaped kite with a pole, and looked very delicate. She raised her eyes and looked at Yao Niang: "Thank you, Sister Yan."
The two talked for a while, and before leaving, Yu Qing'er suddenly said, "Yao Niang, that Miss Lu seems to be spying on you, you should be careful."
"Are you asking about me?" Yao Niang turned around and asked.
Yu Qing'er smiled and said, "Nothing. My mother invited everyone to come that day, but you happened to be busy and didn't come. When she came, she heard us mention your last name Yan, so she asked a few more questions. Maybe I was overthinking."
Among the new friends made in Henan, if Ye Jingwan is cold on the outside but warm on the inside with a noble character, then Yu Qinger is a thoughtful person who is different from his appearance and can understand the elegance of others just by listening to their music.
Since she said so, Yao Niang had to pay attention to this person.
Just then, Mrs. Chen came over to deliver some beef. These days, whenever Mrs. Chen had something delicious to eat or drink, she would always give a portion to Xie and Yao Niang.
While Xie was thanking her, Yao Niang asked, "Mrs. Chen, I heard that Teacher Lu has been a teacher in Kaifeng for more than ten years. How come he speaks in Beijing dialect? Also, isn't she the teacher's daughter? How come she doesn't recognize a single word?"
Mrs. Chen took a look at Yao Niang. This girl was completely different from her mother. If Xie was born with a gentle and charming appearance, like a flower that could speak eloquently, she looked harmless and could please men. But this Miss Yan was completely different. She was young, but her mind was more cunning than her mother. She spoke and acted in an unstoppable manner, as if she disdained the governor of Henan.
"Lu Shan'er is the adopted daughter of Instructor Lu, who came from the capital. That's right. By the way, she came just after you. I heard that Mrs. Lu is teaching this girl to read now." Mrs. Chen said with a smile.
Yao Niang nodded: "Is that so? Is Sister Shuyi okay?"
Mrs. Chen waved her hands: "You are complaining to me about the endless sewing work."
Xie smiled and said, "It was like this before we got married."
Mrs. Chen thought to herself that such a beauty like Xie was only a second wife. The powerful and noble families were really extraordinary. The daughter of a prefect could actually be willing to be someone's second wife.
But she still looked friendly and amiable. When she turned around, Yao Niang narrowed her eyes.
"Yao Niang, do you think there is something wrong with Madam Chen?" Seeing Madam Chen walking away, Xie couldn't help but ask.
Yao Niang shook her head: "This person may not be a bad person, but her ability to intrigue is really strong. I think she is trying to stop me, afraid that I will play with Sister Shuyi. I don't know what shameful thoughts she has. In the future, we will accept the things she gives us, but we must also return them. If we don't owe her anything, she won't give us anything."
The reason why she gave gifts was simply because it was her habit. People would feel grateful for what they had received. Now that they did not accept the invitation, Mrs. Chen would not give gifts anymore.
"Okay, but aren't we estranged from her for no reason?" Xie said.
Yao Niang smiled and said, "Mother, you always want to be gentle, but you don't know that we should be kind to others, but we should also learn to have the courage to confront others. Only in this way will others be afraid and dare not offend us at will."
"After this trip, you are totally different from before." The worst person Xie had ever met was probably the Third Old Lady. As for the Yan family, she was almost forced into the game. She was always afraid that if she was too decisive in everything, she would provoke even greater retaliation from others.
But my daughter is completely different. When she was in the Yan family, although she was smart and lovely, she was still a timid little girl. Now, like her father and brother, she has become more ruthless.
Yao Niang took Xie to stay and said, "Mom, I was wondering if it was right for the two of us to come out like this."
Xie thought that Shen Linfeng was in Henan, and her husband might have sent them here on purpose. How dare he write a letter saying that she would not marry Shen Linfeng.
When her daughter asked, Xie was confused: "What does this mean?"
Yao Niang said, "When we leave, others will have the opportunity to take advantage of us. During the past few months I have been in Henan, the woman who lives closest to us, Mrs. Chen, is the most prominent one. I have no ill will towards her actions, and even her ability to maneuver is admirable. Although we don't like it, if someone takes advantage of the opportunity to do so, when we return, I am afraid that someone will take your place."
"Yao Niang, you don't have to worry about this. Your father is not what you think he is." Xie didn't know how to tell her daughter about her husband's feelings for her. He was definitely a power-hungry man. If nine out of ten things in his life were fame, wealth, and family power, then only one out of ten was for her.
It was not another woman who defeated the couple, but someone else. To some extent, Yan Yingqi was a villain. He was not indifferent to fame and fortune, and he liked power and chasing power. He was nothing in front of those things.
But if someone else takes her place, it's not because she is confident, but because she has never worried about it.
Yao Niang glanced at Li Shi secretly and stuck out her tongue. She knew that matters between her parents were not something she could interfere in.
At dinner time, Yao Niang and Magistrate Jie asked about the background of Lu Jiaoyu. Magistrate Jie smiled and said, "I know a little about this. Your brother's former wife Guan's family is related to the Lu family."
"No wonder you asked around when you heard my last name was Yan." Yao Niang thought of Guan, who was always like this. She thought Yan Jingzhao and she were not close, or maybe Yan Jingzhao had a favorite concubine in his bed. She did not blame her husband, but instead thought that Jie had a good temper and always wanted to suppress her mother-in-law.
Or she would look at things sent by Xie and herself as if they were thieves. Sometimes when her brother played music with her, her face would turn as dark as the bottom of a pot. This man only knew how to bully women, and he never blamed the instigator.
Before she committed suicide, the person she hated the most was probably not Yan Jingzhao, but them. And she had never seen this Lu Shaner in the Guan family before?
During the New Year, Shen Linfeng also returned to Shen Xunfu's home to celebrate the New Year. Shen Xunfu's two older sons were in Beijing, and the other four younger sons were studying with him, so he rarely had a chance to rest.
Shen Xunfu said: "You are wasting your time. You are already a scholar, but you are still taking the imperial examination. If you fail, you will not be able to enter the Imperial Academy in the future."
"What can I do? My affairs have made my parents a laughing stock. If I leave, they can rest in peace." Shen Linfeng never thought that at the age of eighteen, he passed the imperial examination and attracted everyone's attention, but then he was laughed at because of a marriage, even though it was not his fault.
Shen Xunfu talked about the Yan family again: "I thought that Minister Yan would make amends to you after what happened, but he is still so stubborn. He will be investigated in Beijing soon. Your father said that he discussed it with him, but he did not agree."
"Uncle, don't talk about this. I have already sworn that I will never have anything to do with the Yan family again in this life. We will go our separate ways in the future." Shen Linfeng didn't want to mention the Yan family at all.
But Shen Xun smiled and said, "I'm asking you about someone in the Yan family. Don't worry, he has nothing to do with Yan Yingqi's family."
Shen Linfeng said, "Uncle, tell me. Yan Jingzhao and I are of the same age. He and I have a good relationship. I also know something about the Yan family."
"Do you know the son of the River Governor Yan Mai?" Shen Xunfu asked.
Shen Linfeng smiled: "Uncle, what are you talking about? Minister Yan is the son of Governor Yan, and Yan Yingqi is the son of both families. Take Yan Jingzhao, who is on the same list as me, for example. He is the son of the second wife."
Shen Xun comforted him and told him the story of Magistrate Jie's granddaughter. After listening to this, Shen Linfeng remembered what Miss Yan San said in person, saying that she was also dragged to other places.
Yes, he was criticized for his bride running away with someone else when they got married, and some people even deliberately taunted him by saying he was a cuckold. As for Yan Ningxin’s sisters, they were probably more involved. With a sister like that, which wealthy family would dare to take the risk?
However, Shen Linfeng did not want to ruin someone's marriage, and said, "Uncle, the third Miss Yan is from a different family than the first Miss Yan. I heard that she is talented and decent, completely different from her sister. If the third brother can marry this girl, it will be a great honor. Moreover, although Minister Yan is unwilling to give in, the Yan family is a high-ranking official. Uncle must not be disturbed by rumors."
Shen Xunfu looked at him and said, "You are kind-hearted."
"She is filial and ambitious. Why should we be like those foolish people?" Shen Linfeng shook his head.
"You are right. Your third brother is a dull boy. He is not as smart as you, but he is the son that your aunt is most worried about. I might as well find him a smarter wife so that I don't have to worry about the future." Shen Xunfu said that the first three sons were born of legitimate parents, and the last three were born of concubines. Before his late wife died, the eldest and second sons had already married, but she was worried about the third son.
沈臨風心想看來叔父十分欣賞顏三姑娘，要不然也不會這般了，他想起那位三從弟雖然有些魯鈍，但是倒也不壞。
又說元宵佳節，窈娘随着母親和老姨太太出去玩兒，在開封府最熱鬧的地方，左邊是燈樓，右邊是戲臺，她們租了一條船，既可以觀燈，又可以看戲。
船上讓小厮買了不少零嘴來，窈娘瓜子嗑的起勁，她最喜歡嗑瓜子。解氏倒了一杯紅棗茶給她：“小心嘴裏起大泡。”
“不怕不怕，也不知道為何我就是愛嗑瓜子，愛啃焦骨頭，和梁山好漢似的。”窈娘自己也覺得好笑。
解氏捂嘴直笑：“哪有這麽說自己的。”
身邊都是熱鬧非凡的場景，往年都是一大家子在一起過元宵節，爹難得陪着她們母女出來，因為一大家子在一起，就不能專門只偏心誰，這樣就很容易引起別人的怨怼。
戲臺上武生翻的很是熱鬧，連着翻了十八個跟鬥，窈娘站起來拍手：“娘，您看，這個人也太厲害了。”
老姨太太也很少能出門子，她是生了解氏之後才擡的姨娘，一輩子都很怕人家說她是姨太太，出身卑賤，所以對自己的要求愈發高，若非是窈娘撒嬌，她都不會出來，現下她看的比窈娘還要起勁。
窈娘拿起桌上的橘子，幫老姨太太剝了一個遞給她：“外祖母，您嘗嘗這蜜橘，很甜的，別光顧着看戲，也得吃點啊。”
“好。”老姨太太還是目不轉睛的看着戲臺子。
不遠處的岸邊一群小孩子在那裏玩兒，窈娘回過頭看了一眼，忍不住道：“娘，您看那些小孩子在那兒玩兒，大人們都盯着戲臺子，也不怕孩子被拐子拐走。”
解氏也是皺眉：“有些大人就是心大，每年元宵都會有孩童走失的。”
窈娘正欲說什麽，見前面有人落水了，又有人在打撈，聽說凍水裏命都快點沒了。感嘆了一回，又聽後面有人撕心裂肺的哭着，據說是孩子被拐子帶走了。
見狀，解氏決定打道回府，老姨太太雖然很喜歡看戲，但是也贊成：“咱們在這兒看了一個多時辰了，也盡夠了，窈娘，回去吧。那些拐子可不是只拐小孩子，還有你這樣漂亮的小姑娘，到時候人擠人，可不是鬧着玩兒的。”
“也是，咱們也快些回去告訴外祖父，派人來這裏守着吧，要不然等會兒散場的時候，更是怕人，我方才看到幾個人在那兒爬着燈樓呢。”窈娘觀察的很仔細。
船橹很快到了岸邊，窈娘扶着丫鬟的手下來，卻沒想到一群人突然擠了過來，隊伍立馬被沖散了，窈娘慌了一下神，轉過頭去見解氏也是想過來拉她……
“青黛紅袖，拔下簪子，有人拉你們，你們就直接紮下去。”窈娘吩咐。
這二人平素最聽窈娘的話，她話音落，就見有男子想過來拉人，被青黛紅袖直接紮下去，頓時一片“哇”聲。
暗中保護的護衛也上來，很快就反剪住兩個賊人的手。
窈娘冷冷的對兩個護衛道：“給我把他們捆的嚴嚴實實的送衙門去。”
兩個護衛恭敬道：“是，小姐。”
窈娘照舊走在前面，身後跟着一衆人等，氣勢非凡。
不遠處，沈臨風也看着這一幕，他本來也是被拉過來聽戲的，沒想到看到顏三姑娘如此霸氣的樣子。似乎和她姐姐完全不同，這位未來弟妹還真的和顏景昭一個娘胎裏生出來的，都有一種大丈夫的風範。
上了馬車之後，解氏擔心不已：“那群人是何人？”
“就是拐子，這些人膽子大的很，我看若是今日不是我身邊跟着護衛，很有可能被人擄走。”
這些人當然被抓了，同時還供出自己的同夥，只可惜他的同夥們早已逃之夭夭，窈娘旋即就和解知府說後，經過那兩個拐子的形容，把他們男男女女四個人的畫像畫出來了。
約莫是在龍擡頭之後，她把幾個拐子的畫像畫好，解知府當然通知各州縣嚴查，尤其是供出來的幾個窩點，這個案子在三月被破獲，救了二十三名孩童。
這次沒有讓解知府提醒，沈巡撫居然主動替解氏申請了正六品安人的敕命，甚至還旌表窈娘的事跡，讓她上了當地的孝女傳。
窈娘也是真的沒有想到這件事情居然就這麽辦成了，她見到已經是安人的母親，眼淚嘩嘩的：“娘，女兒無能，只能替您求到六品的敕命，等哥哥将來若是為官做宰了，您肯定會是一品夫人的。”
“窈娘，娘現在已經很歡喜了，娘真的很開心。”解氏也不知道為什麽眼淚止不住的流。
這原本是一件喜事，她還想着等到下個月就和娘一起去看牡丹花了，到那裏畫了三天，就打道回府。
只是沒想到，沈巡撫親自遣了媒人上門來。
陳夫人彼時正帶着陳淑怡在恭賀解氏，沒想到遇到這件事情，她就坐在此處不走，準備聽解氏如何作答。
她真的沒想到堂堂巡撫居然派人過來提親，吳興沈氏和葉家這樣的布政使可不一樣，葉家寒門出身，兩三代就不成了，沈氏子弟可是高官能臣非常之多。
看了女兒一眼，她光想着怕女兒難受，自己還是得應酬對人才行啊。
明顯顏家應該家世很好的，她真是失策了。
解氏也很堂皇，她沒想到沈巡撫都沒見過自己的女兒，就找了媒人上門，要知道沈巡撫在這次她封敕命的事情上出力頗多。
媒人正說着：“咱們巡撫家的三公子，年紀十五歲就進了本地正鴻書院，生的也是儀表堂堂，我們巡撫大人，又聽聞顏家小姐才貌雙全，年貌相當，故而想上門求娶。”
要知道因為顏寧馨的事情之後，沈家還想娶顏家女兒，聽的出來是真心欣賞女兒。
說實在的，這的确是人家擡舉，也很有誠意了。
但是這婚姻之事……
解氏先委婉道：“不如這樣，這些事情我還要商量外子，并非我一人能作主。”
媒婆笑道：“顏夫人說的極是，婚姻大事也的确要慎之又慎，不過嘛，我們沈巡撫可是十分的有誠意了。”
解氏颔首：“小女蒲柳之姿，能讓巡撫大人看上，這也實在是她的福，我們會慎重考慮的。”
實際上也不太好拒絕，巡撫的公子，名門士族子弟，即便是祖父也指不定會同意，畢竟上次祖父母還把關氏許配給哥哥，造就了一對怨偶。
陳夫人還想問什麽，卻見解氏頭一次冷臉對她道：“陳夫人，我還有事，就恕不奉陪了。”
“是，是。”陳夫人帶着女兒回家。
正巧碰到盧扇兒過來，陳夫人便和她說起今日的見聞：“我瞧着那顏姑娘的确漂亮，可是巡撫公子上門求親，她母親還面有難色，不知道日後嫁什麽人，心也太高了。”
盧扇兒笑道：“這位顏姑娘可是河道總督顏邁的孫女，吏部侍郎顏應祁的女兒，她哥哥又是翰林，家世顯赫，才貌出衆，挑挑揀揀也實屬正常。”
做夢也沒想到，顏景昭的親妹妹居然就是之前給她畫像的那位顏姑娘。
她的人生正前途光明，無數青年男子讓她挑選，她日後指不定也會活的很好，一定會夫唱婦随的，可是關氏呢？她說她嫁過來的第一日，這位小姑子就百般為難，常常在她想和丈夫說些什麽的時候，還會故意被小姑子叫走，兄妹二人彈琴作樂。
明明她婆婆之前不讓她吃那些補品，說怕吃出病來，可她有了身孕之後，婆婆卻送了好多補品過來，可她什麽都查不到。
這個世道真的不公平？盧扇兒想，即便是現在她也對付不了顏家人。
**
“不如我們明日就啓程回京，到時候沈巡撫就知道我們的意思了，再讓你爹……”解氏還是怕自己再鬧的沈家和顏家關系弄僵。
窈娘卻笑道：“娘，咱們也不必事事依賴父親。不妨就說我曾許諾下誓言，若能過我的三關，才能娶我，若他是個草包，自然知難而退，可若是他的确才識淵博，儀表堂堂，那女兒就是嫁給這樣的人，又有什麽吃虧的？女兒更怕那種像祖父他們只看門第結親，我并不喜歡這樣。”
解氏聽了，也覺得女兒這個法子好，如果你是故意不和沈家結親，那說明你對人家沈家有成見，當然容易得罪人了。
可是，解氏道：“萬一，他們找人假冒呢？”
窈娘則道：“那就更好了，之前大姐悔婚是顏家不對，沈家若是找人冒充，那就是沈家不對了。”
“可是這名聲……”
“娘，若我們直接就拒絕沈家也不好啊！說起來沈巡撫這次還幫了咱們大忙，要不然可能等回到京中您的敕命才會下來。”窈娘也覺得難辦。
Xie agreed: "Yes, how about this? I will send someone to talk to Shen Xun and tell him what you mean. Then tell him that your father has very high expectations of your aunt and it is difficult to say anything. If the third young master can pass the test, we will help him speak well of him in front of your father. If not, there is nothing we can do."
Yao Niang was a little embarrassed and said, "Wouldn't it be Daddy who would be blamed for this?"
Xie said nothing: "Let him take the blame. Just go back and tell him."
Yao Niang was stunned. Her father was not an easy person to talk to.