Chapter 058 Chapter 58
Because of all the fuss, Yao Niang and others' meals were decent, and Yu didn't dare to use the excuse that the place was remote and difficult to buy. Ying Niang came over once and was filled with indignation. After a while of teasing her, Yao Niang said: "She is pregnant now and she is sister-in-law. We just have to achieve our goal."
Anyway, Yu is not living with them, so why should she care?
Ying Niang curled her lips: "If you hadn't told me, I would still be kept in the dark."
"It's nothing. You will marry into the Xu family and become the mistress in the future, and you will be the eldest daughter-in-law. Xu's brother-in-law also has younger brothers and sisters. Things like this will only increase, not decrease. He uses public money to do favors for himself, and he targets you in everything he does, but he appears to be very nice to you on the surface." Yao Niang looked at her and said.
Yingniang said, "No one in the world is as bad as you say. I think everyone around me is a good person. Third sister, you just can't stand seeing others do well."
Yao Niang knew that Ying Niang had a high opinion of herself, and she was too lazy to really argue with her. She could just let such a person go out and suffer the loss. As for other things, she was too lazy to comment.
It is the tenth day of August. Although it is still very hot, we have to cover ourselves with blankets at night.
Also because it was Mid-Autumn Festival, Yao Niang and the others had to go back. Yu patted her belly and breathed a sigh of relief. She found that Qian Niang and Ying Niang were easier to fool. Qian Niang was not likely to say it out loud and often kept it to herself, while Ying Niang could not discover it. Only Yao Niang was really not easy to fool.
But fortunately, she is not as stubborn as Guan, who sticks to one path to the end.
Even when the ladies at home questioned her, she could say that she was young, had just arrived, and didn't know the area around.
When she returned home again, Mrs. Xie saw that her daughter's skin had become much whiter, but her chin had become more pointed. She asked distressedly, "Why are you getting thinner?"
"It's okay, Mom. I wish I could be thinner. When I was at home, you always let me eat so many delicious dishes. It would be strange if I didn't gain weight." Yao Niang said with a smile.
Seeing that Yao Niang didn't say anything, Xie and the other five called Gu Mama over, and Gu Mama didn't dare to hide it: "Our sister was kind-hearted when she was young, and we didn't want to say anything to her because she was pregnant. But she didn't act like a sister-in-law. She gave all her money to the servants, bought things blindly, and didn't behave well. She only served the people sent by the eldest lady. You can imagine that she only gave so much money in total, which was originally intended for the girls' expenses, but she used it all to manage them. She really knows how to behave. If our girl hadn't found out about her like this, I'm afraid she would have to eat those farm dishes on the farm."
Xie snorted coldly, "She has high aspirations but a fragile life. When I was still in Jinling, I heard that my second brother didn't necessarily want to marry her, but her family often came to our house and persuaded our old lady. It's not that I'm mean. If she had nothing to do with my daughter, I would naturally not say anything. But if she made my daughter suffer, I would not let her go."
"Don't worry, Madam. The meals will be almost the same as at home," said Mother Gu.
Xie shook her head and said, "Don't think too much. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. This year, the two families will celebrate together. Let the girl come here tomorrow. Her brother will be on leave tomorrow. Let's go out and inspect the teahouse together. It's a good opportunity to take her to a restaurant."
Mother Gu said yes repeatedly.
Not all mothers and daughters in the world are like Xie and Yao Niang. Mother Gu wondered why the servants in the third room rarely had infighting. It was because Xie, Yao Niang and Yan Jingzhao all had a good relationship, so few servants tried to please both sides.
Ying Niang quickly said indifferently, "I never thought that the second sister-in-law was such a master at winning people's hearts. Do you know what she gave us to eat those days? Chicken soup with vermicelli, or a few plates of fried fatty meat, and four plates of vegetables. She said that the conditions on the farm were like that. But she gave more rewards to the servants, like a boy who gave money away. Everyone praised her and criticized us."
"Of course it's wrong for her to do this, but Yingniang, you might as well learn from her. This is the way to win people's hearts." Zhen understood as soon as she heard it. Although she thought about giving Yu a lesson later, she also felt that Yu's move was quite clever. No one from top to bottom had said anything bad about her.
Yingniang frowned: "Why should I learn from her? Didn't Third Sister see through all her tricks immediately?"
Zhen shook her head: "This is because your second sister-in-law is still immature. If she gives your third sister and your cousin Zhen one thing, and secretly gives you and your second sister another, then your third sister will be unable to handle it alone? Even if she knows the truth, what can she do? She can't say anything about her suffering, and who will testify for her?"
Yingniang was horrified when she thought about it carefully. Her mother did not say that Yu was wrong. She said that Yu's approach was too rough.
**
Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xie asked Yan Jingzhao to go to the Li family to deliver a gift. She was a generous person and gave a generous gift. She also instructed: "This is your first visit after the engagement, so we should be courteous and considerate."
"My son knows." Yan Jingzhao didn't care much in his heart. She was the second wife and her wife was not beautiful or talented. But like his mother said, she had to be polite and considerate. Even if this person was not a very good person, since they were engaged, she would be his future wife.
Xie smiled and said, "In fact, life is not entirely based on appearance. A person's character is also very important. I think Miss Li is an honest and kind girl. If you treat her sincerely, she will definitely go through fire and water with you."
It is hard to predict the ups and downs of officialdom. No one will be successful. If there is a confidant by your side in the future, it will be better than anything else.
Yan Jingzhao thought Xie was making a big deal out of nothing, so he just said perfunctorily, "Okay, don't worry."
Seeing her brother was about to go out, Yao Niang said, "Brother, I just bought two boxes of rouge yesterday. They look pretty good. I have packed them just now. You can take one box to give to my sister-in-law."
"I don't want it." Yan Jingzhao resisted a little.
Yao Niang covered her mouth and laughed: "Brother, my sister-in-law will definitely like the gift you gave her."
After hearing what his mother and sister said, Yan Jingzhao accepted it reluctantly and went out to harness the horses to go to Li's house.
After Yan Jingzhao left, Xie looked at Yaoniang and said, "Your brother is actually very traditional at heart, but he just looks quite rebellious."
"Yes, the last time my brother went to get his hairpins inserted, it seemed that he was still very good at pleasing girls." Yao Niang said.
Xie shook her head: "If a man is a little handsome, there will be many people who like him. If he is a little polite, he will look good. It's not that your brother is so good at pleasing girls. But we women are different. If we are too beautiful, our parents-in-law will make groundless speculations, and we have to act virtuous."
After she finished speaking, she saw her daughter was in a daze, and continued, "Your father said that you were all children before, but now everyone has a marriage, and this time all three sons-in-law are coming to visit. They really didn't want to come, but now they all came at once."
Yao Niang smiled again after hearing this.
My sister-in-law is going to marry into the family at the end of this year, and my second sister is getting married at the same age.
The two were chatting when they heard Mother Song come over and say that the second aunt from the main house had come. Mother Song also said, "The first lady originally wanted our eldest master to come and receive them, but I heard that our eldest master has already gone to the Li family, so she asked the second and third masters to go and talk to Aunt Wen."
Xie explained, "This Wen Qilang was chosen by your father. He said he is a very sensible person. No wonder he came the earliest and was so sincere."
"Mom, if that's the case, why didn't Fourth Sister ask Dad to help look for it?" Yao Niang asked.
Xie shook her head: "I don't know about that."
Yao Niang thought that her second sister actually married well because she was good at getting along with everyone. Everyone at home could see that the first wife and their third wife were not getting along, but Qian Niang was able to navigate between them and maintain a good relationship with them. This was not something that ordinary people could do. The old chief minister of the Wen family had married three wives and had seven sons. When the second sister came into the family, there were so many sisters-in-law that it might be difficult for others to handle such a relationship, but Qian Niang could do it easily.
The family that Yingniang married into had been officials through the imperial examinations, and this had only been going on for two generations. It was said that although Minister Xu was the Minister of Justice, he did not like to argue with others and was a smooth person. But Mr. Xu was a son of a government official, and if he was easily persuaded by soft words, then Yingniang's life would be difficult.
Wen Qilang was talking to Jing Zhang and Jing Wen. He had only had a brief contact with them, but he had a rough idea of their personalities. The second son of the Yan family was a flatterer without any ambitions. Although the third son of the Yan family was young, he was better than his brother. However, if there was anyone who was truly talented in the Yan family, it would be Yan Jingzhao.
But unexpectedly, Yan Jingzhang and Yan Jingwen both had a good impression of Wen Qilang, and Qianniang was also very satisfied with Wen Qilang.
The two of them met briefly. Wen Qilang was a very respectable man. Seeing Qianniang's elegant temperament and gentle and virtuous personality, he felt a special liking for her. As a child of a noble family, he also had people serving him, but the meaning of a legal wife was different.
The most important thing is that Yan Yingqi was successful at a young age and became a high-ranking official in middle age. He had to wait for a title from his father, and he had six brothers ahead of him. If he married a powerful Yue family, his career would be smooth in the future.
Naturally, now that his father is the head, the Yan family is inferior to the Wen family.
Qianniang said to him, "My father likes to drink calamus powder, and my mother likes to eat snacks from West Street fructose. Remember this later."
"Okay, I'll make a note of that."
"Then I'll leave first. You be careful." Qianniang said and left.
Wen Qilang pursed his lips and smiled, then left.
Here, Yao Niang was having some snacks at Xie's place. They said that these were new snacks from the teahouse. Xie's teahouse also employed many women, who washed dishes and did odd jobs, and even worked as pastry chefs.
Xie often said that life is not easy for women. If they can earn some money at home, they will have a higher status at home.
卻聽說沈臨風過來了，窈娘立馬起身要避開，因為解氏素來對她管教的很嚴，經常說姑娘家要注意自己的清白，尤其是她長的好看，本來就很容易被人說閑話。
可今日解氏卻道：“你坐下吧，既然定了親，你們就是未婚的夫妻。雖說男女大防，可人之天性怎麽能拂逆。”她也是過來，男歡女愛本來就是十分正常的。
雖說顏應祁不怎麽樣，但是也是真真實實有男女之情的。
沈臨風今日一襲紫袍，頭戴金冠，整個人進來，窈娘愈發加深了對蓬荜生輝的印象。沈臨風進來之後，很是恭敬的對解氏道：“小婿給顏夫人請安。”
解氏請他坐下，又讓人看茶。
沈臨風坐下之後，看了對面的窈娘一眼，見她一身粉衫白裙，頭上戴着荷花樣式的像生花，看起來整個人含苞待放。他就想着等她過門了，他親自幫她搭配衣裳，肯定比現在還要好看。
“顏夫人，這次我除了送月餅這些節禮來，還送了些螃蟹來，都是最新鮮的，從咱們浙江路運來的。”
解氏笑的合不攏嘴：“你真是有心了。”
窈娘看着解氏道：“娘親，我想吃蟹黃包。”
解氏不好意思的看了沈臨風一眼：“我這女兒不懂事。”
“沒有，顏妹妹喜歡吃就好。”沈臨風眼神亮晶晶的。
窈娘微微側頭，露出一截優美的粉頸，又聽解氏在問沈臨風最近在忙什麽，沈臨風笑道：“近日多半都是在修書，昨日還在翰林院留宿了一晚。”
“這般累嗎？我聽哥哥說翰林院的夥食不好，沈哥哥你都在哪兒吃？”窈娘插言。
聽到窈娘關心他，沈臨風爽朗一笑：“也沒有那麽差，我時常和同僚一起出去吃。”說完，他又問起：“怎麽沒看到伯英兄？”
窈娘打趣道：“我哥哥去李家了，怎麽啦？你們每日在翰林院見面，到我家了，還想着見面啊。”
解氏趕緊打圓場：“窈娘她就是愛開玩笑。”
窈娘？沈臨風心想真真是人如其名，窈娘淑女，君子好逑，方才是小姑娘在吃醋嗎？他對貓兒狗兒過敏，有貓毛或者狗毛，都會不舒服。可是看到別人逗貓逗狗，似乎就是看它們的反應，現在他才意識到窈娘這般吃醋的樣子也很好看。
還好，沈臨風也怕窈娘尴尬，立馬遞梯子：“妹妹說笑了，我是專程來送節禮，也想着妹妹愛吃蝦蟹，特地送過來的，雖然也算不得什麽好東西，還請妹妹笑納。”
“心意比什麽都重要，上次我們在莊子上，就多虧了你們家中，還未來得及道謝呢。”窈娘也連忙起身福了一身。
沈臨風也立馬回禮。
還是解氏想留沈臨風用飯，沈臨風連忙告辭，解氏就道：“窈娘，你送送臨風。”
這也是讓小兩口獨處，沈臨風沒想到還有意外之喜，他一出來就偏頭看着窈娘：“多日不見，顏妹妹，你可好？”
“還好，就是上次去莊子上，頭發被蟲子盯了，結果摳了流了好多血，拿回來的藥也不好塗。”窈娘小聲抱怨。
她本來以為沈臨風可能會嫌棄的，沒想到沈臨風道：“是哪裏？要不要我看看。”
“算了，現下也不方便看，我盡量讓她們不碰到就好了。”窈娘搖搖頭。
沈臨風看周圍的人也覺得不方便，他又很擔心：“還是要請大夫看看，不能就這樣子，紗窗也要糊好。”
“嗯，都聽你的。”窈娘笑道。
快到二門時，她又道：“過幾日我們做蟹肉包子，到時候讓哥哥帶過去也給你嘗嘗。對了，你會不會吃這些過敏？”
沈臨風快速搖頭：“我就是吳興人，以前在家中也是常常吃的，怎麽可能會過敏。”
“那咱們就說定了。”窈娘笑道。
沈臨風臨走時，還有些依依不舍，也不知道為何每次和她見面，他都覺得和她一點兒隔閡也沒有，總有話題聊，而且很開心。
送走沈臨風後，很快就到了中秋節，窈娘歡喜的過去賞月，還把自己畫的十二花神圖給大家鑒賞。
顏應祁見她們兄弟姐妹都會和睦，不由得感慨道：“人生難得的是花好月圓人團圓，如今咱們家裏也算是做到了。”
甄氏笑道：“老爺說的是。”
解氏也道：“今年咱們家要辦兩樁喜事，二姐兒的喜事也提上議程，這也是她們姊妹最後在娘家過中秋節了。”
中秋節吃的是沈家送過來的螃蟹，解氏就對顏應祁道：“沈家哥兒有心，特地送了螃蟹過來，我吃着倒是很好，想着你愛吃蟹黃，所以特地讓人做了蟹黃湯包。”
顏應祁很受用：“你讓人做的，我就多吃一些。”
他是喜歡吃什麽的時候，是真的吃的不少，可甄氏在場，她連忙勸道：“這蟹黃生性偏寒，您也少吃一些。”
真的有女子完全不吃醋嗎？這不可能。
以前顏應祁至少表面上不會偏向解氏，但是現在随着他們一直在一起過日子，顏應祁和解氏那種默契都讓她人不知刺痛。
甚至她還有一種為何顏應祁不喜歡她，就是因為她是忠言逆耳，而解氏則是什麽都縱着他的緣故。
可解氏很無語，蟹黃包她自己都能吃半籠，更何況是顏應祁一個大男人。
再者顏應祁是個大人了，又不是小孩子，人生難得開心，但甄氏這般說，解氏也不會針鋒相對。
顏應祁聽甄氏這麽說，倒是沒在意：“沒事兒，我自小就愛吃螃蟹，小時候我母親早上還讓人做蟹黃醬。”
大人們說話頗為微妙時，孩子們都不說話，顏景昭又敲了個螃蟹，旁若無人的吃起蟹黃，衆人都看向他，他也置若罔聞，還對窈娘道：“好妹子，多謝你結了這門親事，我聽說他們沈家有人做河道海運的生意，天南地北想吃什麽吱一聲就有。”
“哥哥，說什麽呢。”窈娘心想此時甄氏的臉還真的有可能氣歪了，聽說之前顏景昭就罵顏景璋絕對是爛泥巴，現下甄氏勸爹別吃娘做的蟹黃包，哥哥就直接砸蟹，也是夠狂的。
顏景昭又轉了話題：“父親，聽說周家被平反了，那陵光是不是能夠來京了？”
顏應祁點頭：“是這樣，也是皇上突然提起來，又讓劉指揮使去查了，現下周祭酒過世了，一切恩怨煙消雲散。”
“這可太好了，這些年他沒有一日浪費功夫，日後必定宏圖大展。”顏景昭頗重義氣，對周陵光這個朋友倒是一直記挂在心上。
顏應祁卻道：“他若上京時，到時候你安排他住下。”
“是，兒子聽命。”
窈娘卻聽出一絲不尋常的說法，因為父親說的是讓哥哥安排，難道父親不在京裏嗎？現在她爹在吏部侍郎這個位置做了三年，快到廷推時，父親想争取禮部尚書的位置，這是入閣之前的備選，否則父親轉到別部，或者是升任吏部尚書，日後要入閣就難了。
父親絕對不是輕言放棄的人，難道發生什麽了嗎？
窈娘如此想着，但見顏應祁談笑風生，又覺得自己想多了。
這些輕微的差別，甄氏也聽在耳朵裏，她心想難道丈夫這次升不了官了嗎？這也不是沒有可能。
龔次輔現在雖然需要幫手，但是清流現在覺得龔次輔實在是阿附執政，科道不知道誰在指使，流言紛紛。
中秋之後，顏景昭一早就去翰林院，看到沈臨風了，就直接遞了食盒給他：“公定兄，這是蟹黃包，家中讓我帶給你。”
“是嗎？”沈臨風早就期待了。
顏景昭見他的樣子，忍不住道：“沈兄，你可真是好福氣。我妹妹完全不會下廚，還說過些日子準備下廚呢。”
沈臨風一聽說窈娘要下廚，趕緊道：“別讓她傷着手了，她是真的不會，上次在船上，她連茄子都不認得，說只是吃過茄子還沒見過茄子長什麽樣。”
顏景昭心想，今日我若不問，還不知道你們好些事情瞞着我呢。
但他見沈臨風這麽心疼妹妹，心裏還是好受的，所以笑道：“我娘不讓她下廚房呢，是她自個兒要做的。”
“讓她別做了，我們都是江南人吃的是一樣的，我家裏廚子多，哪裏還要勞煩到她。”沈臨風揭開食盒，就見一小籠蟹黃包，上面還有一張花箋，寫的是露深花氣冷，霜降蟹膏肥。
即便現在蟹黃包只是溫熱，有些冷了，他還是吃的很開心。
不過，顏景昭也說道：“沈兄，你可知曉周陵光？當年聽聞和你一同在京中聞名的。”
沈臨風眸色暗了暗，又恢複如常：“這我當然認識，只是後來沒見過他了，也是很可惜。”
顏景昭笑道：“他在我家裏住呢，過些日子指不定就要上京來了，這些年他雖然一直未曾參加科舉，但與我來信時的文章我看過，卻是越發好了，到時候介紹你認識。”
“好，那就多謝伯英了。”沈臨風道。
Yan Jingzhao patted his shoulder and said, "You are my future brother-in-law. Besides, we are in the same class and on the same list. Isn't this the way it should be? I can guarantee that my friend is definitely a talented person. When the time comes, we can recruit him from both families to prevent him from falling into the hands of others."
Shen Linfeng just smiled and said nothing.