Chapter 063 Leaving the Pavilion (Part 1)

Yan Jingzhao and Li lived in the east wing. Yan Jingzhao's concubines were still just girls in title. Baohua and Xique were the ones who served him the most on weekdays. Although Li felt a little sad when she saw them, she remembered that Yan Jingzhao did not seem to be fake to her, so she gave each of them rewards.

In Yan Jingzhao's opinion, he was already 21 years old but had no children. After Li came into the family, he was determined to have legitimate sons and daughters with Li, so he spent most of the first few days of his marriage by Li's side.

At dinner, Yan Jingzhao was still eating with Li. He asked, "Are you used to eating the meals at home?"

Upon hearing this, Li nodded heavily: "They are all delicious."

She really liked the Yan family's food. She originally thought that since she was from the northwest and Xie was from the south of the Yangtze River, their tastes should be very different. However, the Yan family's dishes were all light but fresh and sweet. They would also make some sweet and sour pork tenderloin as a side dish every time, and there were even several kinds of side dishes. She wanted to have a second bowl at every meal.

When Yan Jingzhao heard her answer, he thought that she was really a simple person. He couldn't help but smile and said, "That's good. I was just worried that you wouldn't be used to it."

"No, I wouldn't. I had lunch today with my mother-in-law and sister. They took good care of me, fearing that I wouldn't be used to it. In fact, I'm used to it." Li was still a little spoiled. She didn't expect that the Yan family she married into, not only did she have a high-class husband for a long time, but even her mother-in-law and sister-in-law took such good care of her.

Yan Jingzhao was also very happy to hear her say this. His previous wife, Guan, did not get along well with Jie Yaoniang when she married into the family. She never said anything good about her mother and sister, and seemed to have a lot of complaints about marrying him. The bigger problem was that Guan was not wholeheartedly loyal to him, and always wanted to collude with the third old lady.

Looking at Li again, he couldn't figure out whether this girl was simple in nature or was just pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger. But now seeing her like this, Yan Jingzhao didn't mind expressing his attitude: "My sister is going to marry into the Shen family soon. She is young, so you can give her some advice. When she gets married in the future, my mother will be the only one at home. I would like to trouble you to be filial to her on my behalf."

Seeing his sincere attitude, Li said seriously, "Don't worry, my husband. I will definitely be filial to my mother-in-law and be friendly to my sister-in-law."

Seeing her so nervous, Yan Jingzhao laughed again: "I just told you in vain. Even if I didn't tell you, you would definitely do the same thing."

But Li really liked talking to Yan Jingzhao. She looked up at Yan Jingzhao again. Yan Jingzhao seemed to sense something and also looked over. Li's cheeks flushed instantly.

When Xie heard that Yan Jingzhao had been staying in Li's room for the past half month, she could not help but nod her head and said to Song's mother, "After Li gives birth to the baby, we can stop giving his two concubines the medicine."

Mother Song said, "Madam, please be merciful."

"They have been with Jing Zhao for so many years. Li is the legal wife, so I naturally love them more. But those two were also born by my father and raised by their parents. Contraceptives are not good things. If a concubine or a maid has a child, they will have someone to take care of for the rest of their lives without worries." Xie was not a kind-hearted person, but she also knew how to put herself in others' shoes.

After that, she said to Mother Song, "Li looks pretty good. She comes to my place every morning and evening to visit me. Her tone of voice and appearance are also good. But whether she is really good or not can't be judged by just one glance."

Mother Song thought that almost everyone in the third room was a smart person, but once they recognized you, they would truly treat you as a family member.

Li's life in the Yan family was still very good, because Xie told her that she should behave properly as a newlywed, and after a month, she would not have to come to pay respects every day, and could do whatever she wanted in her own yard. She also introduced her to the wives of Yan Jingzhao's colleagues so that she could start interacting with them.

"There are many more. I will tell you after your sister gets married." Xie said with a smile.

Although Li had just arrived in Beijing, she had heard about the marriage between the Yan and Shen families. She heard that the eldest daughter of the Yan family was originally going to marry Shen Linfeng, but was kidnapped halfway through. Naturally, some people also said that the eldest daughter of the Yan family ran away with someone, so the two families formed a new alliance.

Shen Linfeng was a very famous person, as handsome as Pan An and as talented as Zijian. Li thought that her sister-in-law and Shen Linfeng were a perfect match.

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking, they saw Yao Niang coming over with flowers in her hands. Xie said hurriedly, "Did you go to the garden just now? Don't let the branches scratch your face."

"Don't worry, I didn't break it myself. I asked someone to break it for me. I was tired from sewing, so I wanted to go out and walk around for a while, so that I wouldn't feel any pain." Yao Niang smiled.

In fact, she was also observing how Li acted as a new bride. Li was more diligent than Guan in paying her respects in the morning and evening, and it was obvious that her mother enjoyed it. Her mother was not the kind of person who would bother her daughter-in-law, and usually never let the new bride stand, but always let her sit.

But I'm afraid she will be treated differently when she goes to the Shen family. Li meets her mother and brother. Her mother never makes things difficult for others, and her brother is a person who values ​​etiquette. But she went there with the debt owed by Yan Ningxin, and Mrs. Shen seemed difficult to deal with, but she didn't have time to contact other people in the Shen family.

The only person I've met who I thought was good was Shen Xunfu, who was serving in Henan.

Xie intended to let Yao Niang and Li have more contact because she went home with Yan Yingqi to attend the funeral. Since Yan Jingzhao was from the third house, the third old lady had written down her grandson's name in the family tree, so the couple did not have to go back to worry.

This dynasty has a regulation that, except for those who are in mourning for their parents and grandparents, others are not allowed to rush to the funeral.

Li didn't have many friends, but she and Yaoniang were only three years younger than each other, so they got along very well. She envied Yaoniang for her fair complexion, even though she didn't wear any makeup.

Yao Niang couldn't help but give her some advice while Jie was away. After all, she was her sister-in-law, and Li was much more sincere than Guan, otherwise she would have been too lazy to say it.

"Sister-in-law, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. Our third room is very quiet, but the first room is not like that. In your opinion, what about the second sister-in-law?" Yao Niang said.

Li and Yu were from different families, so they had few opportunities to interact with each other, but she often heard people say that Yu was a warm-hearted and kind person. But when her sister-in-law mentioned her, she thought there must be some secret. She also thought: "I don't understand these, please teach me, sister."

Yao Niang said, "When our second sister-in-law first came into our family, she was so kind to us. We were very nice to her and praised her. Later, we realized that she was just building up her reputation. People like her are not bad people, but you have to be careful."

"I see." Li nodded.

Yao Niang smiled and said, "I really envy my sister-in-law, you are such a good cook, but I can't cook at all."

Li had heard that the Yan family was afraid that she would get hurt, so she never went into the kitchen. She usually painted and wrote, and at most played the piano and arranged flowers. So, Li was a little anxious: "Sister, do you want me to teach you?"

"Of course I want to learn, but I have too much needlework to do now, and the Shen family is too anxious to come and ask for marriage." Yao Niang held her chin with her hand, and seemed to have her own troubles.

All the men and women in the Shen family can play polo. Shen Bangyan's wife came into the family shortly after her. I heard that the woman was also a virtuous person.

Even if she had the means, would Shen Linfeng really listen to him completely in the future? For example, she would not allow other women to be concubines, and she would not like other women to cook.

Li could also understand: "You are too hasty to finalize this marriage." Even she had been preparing for more than half a year, but still felt that something was not done well.

But it is said that after Yao Niang had lunch with Li, she went to Qian Niang's place. Qian Niang, as the elder sister, left the pavilion first. Yao Niang, as the younger sister, also did some needlework as a gift.

Qianniang's marriage was arranged according to plan. Because she was marrying the son of a prime minister, she received 10,000 taels from the public inheritance. Together with the betrothal gift from the Wen family and the 1,000 taels that Yan Yingqi gave her for her dowry, it was considered a very generous sum.

Now her room was all red. Qianniang was lying on the kang doing needlework. Seeing Yaoniang coming over, she was very happy: "Third sister, pull me up quickly, let's go over there and talk."

The two sisters sat separately, and Qianniang said with a smile: "Third sister, I have been looking forward to your coming, but I didn't expect that your wedding date and mine are a few days apart."

"Yes, the Shen family came to ask for someone, and father had no choice but to agree. Second sister, this is my wedding gift to you. I won't be able to come when you get married." Yao Niang said.

Qianniang also gave her a gourd-shaped box inlaid with gold and sapphires. They didn't know whether they were going to get married, but they felt the same way.

"You are better off than me. After all, brother-in-law Shen has only one son in his family. Miss Shen is older than you and will be married in one or two years. It won't be a big deal. But my husband has six older brothers. I don't know what to do when I think about it." The closer it got to her marriage, the more Qianniang's dreams of marrying into a prime minister's family became a reality, and she became worried.

Yao Niang sighed, "Sister, please don't say that. Although he is the only son of the Shen family's eldest branch, the three branches all live together. Madam Shen has a prejudice against my eldest sister. If it weren't for my grandfather's re-arrangement of marriage, the Shen family might not have married me."

In fact, Shen Linfeng treated her very well. Although Mrs. Shen had some resentment, she certainly didn't dare to do anything too excessive. To put it bluntly, that was her status.

But even if you are proud, don't show it. This will make others feel better and you will receive more goodwill.

Thinking of Yan Ningxin, Qianniang was naturally filled with anger. Although she and her sisters seemed to be fine on the surface, there were still many people gossiping about them behind their backs. She might even be ridiculed if she entered the Wen family.

“三妹妹，日後我們都出嫁了，可要多往來才是。咱們家來京中沒多久，又出了那樣的事情，只有我們姐妹互相扶持才能走的長遠。”倩娘握着窈娘的手道，她說這話也是真心實意的，她們三姐妹不管內裏怎麽鬥，外面還都是一致對外的。

雖然倩娘也曾眼紅父親把顏寧馨的嫁妝都送給了沈家，可嫉妒也沒用，她比甄氏瑩娘她們看的更透。她哥哥仕途已經不成了，又毫無毅力，如今只在女人堆中作樂，三弟弟景文固然人品秀雅，可根本不是做官的料子，還是小孩心性，顏家下一代還是要靠顏景昭，這也是沈家為何還同意顏家這門親事的道理。

因為誘惑實在是太大了，一品官的祖父，部堂高官的爹，翰林的親哥哥，窈娘甚至還才貌雙全。

自己拿什麽跟別人比呢？

窈娘點頭：“二姐姐素來在我們姐妹中是長姐，日後你我二人出閣了，也自當同心同德。”

嫁出去了，從小姐變成某人的媳婦，出去交際就都要靠自己了。尤其是已知父親可能馬上就要丁憂了，她們姐妹的身份還會降。

又說沒幾日倩娘出閣了，甄氏聽說累的差點癱倒，她現在上了年紀，萬事都覺得不順心，兒子終于吊車尾過了院試，做了秀才，連廪生都做不到，且他現在年紀不算小了，跟顏景昭完全沒法比。

解氏是剛忙完兒子的親事，就又開始忙女兒的婚事，也是腳不沾地，人也累的緊。

倩娘之前看起來憂心忡忡，三日回門時卻又是個精明強幹的小娘子了，也完全沒有閨中那股沉靜的氣息，還受解氏所托，教避火圖給窈娘看，見窈娘害羞，還掰着她的肩膀道：“好妹妹，沈家和咱們家裏心疼你，所以讓你大點兒了才圓房，可這些你不能不懂啊。”

窈娘被強拉着聽了半天，最後總結了一句：“這種事情太可怕了，還好醜，難道就一定要如此嗎？”

倩娘笑的意味深長：“好妹子，該說的我都說了，日後你就知道其中滋味了。”

窈娘覺得臨近婚期，日子過的和走馬燈似的。

到了送嫁妝那一日，劉夫人再次登門，她看到窈娘，趕緊問道：“三姑娘，我怎麽看你又變白了？”

“都是因為不出門子，連游湖家裏人也不許，天天在家，可能就變白了吧。”窈娘笑道。

劉夫人刮了一下她的鼻子：“真好看，莫說是外頭的男子，就是作為女子我也喜歡。”

窈娘有些不好意思：“前兒送給您的丹參羊脂膏如何？”

“好用，我家姐兒膝蓋上的瘢痕消了不少，那日我就提過一嘴，哪裏知道你配好了。”劉夫人家中有一對龍鳳胎，女兒珊姐兒和她爹爹學打馬球摔傷了，姑娘家可不能留疤，正着急時，窈娘聽說了，倒是配了一些，讓她先給下人用着試試看，若是可以，就讓珊姐兒用，沒想到還真的有效果。

窈娘欣慰道：“能幫的上您的忙就好。”

劉夫人又重新看了看窈娘的嫁妝，竟然有兩百多擡，這還是專門壓縮了的，比如尋常的樟木箱子都沒用，全部用的是最深的箱子，一個箱子裝了人家的兩倍。

劉夫人對解氏道：“我不得不再說一句，沈家真的是好福氣。”

解氏笑道：“沈姑爺也是極好的。”

劉夫人想了想，也點頭：“也是，還真的是年輕又一表人才，頗有魏晉風度，我幫你們打聽過了，一個通房侍妾也沒有。”

解氏心道，你是錦衣衛指揮使的夫人，我們信你。

其實劉夫人曾經說她覺得沈顏兩家重新聯姻時，聽丈夫提起道：“早就在一起了。”她這才感嘆沈臨風這小子，可真是動作迅速。

沈家也沒想到顏家的嫁妝送的比之前多了一倍，劉夫人因為和窈娘關系很好，當着沈夫人和沈老爺的面對窈娘那是不吝誇獎：“顏家對這樁親事十分看重，也疼女兒，正所謂十裏紅妝，也不過如此了。沈總憲，沈夫人，你們好福氣啊，那孩子是我看着長大，沒有人不愛她。”

沈夫人強笑道：“您說的是。”

劉夫人看了沈夫人一眼，覺得她沒有之前那場婚事那麽熱情了，說起來明明這個三姑娘還更好呢？也不知道怎麽想的。

嫁妝送到了，劉夫人就帶着人去鋪床，她也正好看到了沈臨風，比起上次沈臨風做甩手掌櫃，現下他卻和之前不同了。

跟着過來的顧媽媽和沈臨風很熟悉，畢竟當時一起從開封回來的，“姑爺。”

“顧媽媽，三妹妹可好啊？”沈臨風有兩個月沒見到窈娘了，還是有些想念。

顧媽媽笑道：“一切都好，明日就要嫁過來了，今日在家裏舍不得我們老爺太太呢。”

“她頭那裏好了嗎？”沈臨風問起。

顧媽媽搖頭：“姑娘總有些諱疾忌醫，打小就不愛看大夫，到時候您還得勸勸。”

大抵是沈臨風性格爽朗，顧媽媽和他沒有任何距離感，劉夫人在旁聽他們說話，忍不住點頭，沈臨風明顯就是非常關心顏三姑娘。

沈臨風見喜帳都挂的差不多了，他也不好在這裏待着，就先去了外面。這次成婚因為是兩房前後腳辦，吳興老家來了不少親戚，堂弟沈邦彥也從國子監請假回來。

“大哥。”沈邦彥笑着迎上來。

沈臨風拍了拍他的肩膀：“二郎。”

“嫂嫂的嫁妝可真多，恭喜兄長了。”沈邦彥拱手道賀。

沈臨風含笑：“诶，二郎千萬別這麽說，依我看，你娶的是公侯千金，那也是豪門貴胄，不是一般的人能夠比拟的。”

他們兄弟二人，一人是左都禦史之子，另一人的父親現在是國子監司業，馬上要升國子監祭酒，年紀相差也不大，現在一人娶了吏部侍郎的千金，另一人娶的是勳貴之女，也算相得益彰。

兄弟二人說了幾句，又見沈陌過來拉着沈臨風去前面，沈臨風才問她：“前面又有什麽事情？”

“哥哥，母親說姨媽她們來了，讓你過去見客。”

沈臨風才訝異：“姨母不是說不過來了嗎？怎麽還是來了。”

沈陌斜睨了他一眼：“之前不來，就是心疼你，說幹嘛還往顏家蹚渾水？現在這不就還是關心你，她素來刀子嘴豆腐心，你又不是不知道？”

“刀子嘴豆腐心？對我倒也罷了，若是對神妃妹妹說點什麽就不好啊……”沈臨風也很擔心，因為上次顏寧馨的陰影讓親戚們也都很火大。

沈陌攤手：“哥哥，到底顏神妃是你妹妹，還是我是你妹妹啊。那位三姑娘的親哥哥不是也成婚了嗎？我們還去觀禮了呢，人家也沒像你這樣啊。”

沈臨風自嘲道：“顏景昭素來風流倜傥，我對男女之事并不敢興趣，如今，我只是拿神妃妹妹當我的親妹子看罷了，她年紀小，原本我就應該多照顧些。”

“哥哥，你真的這麽想？”

“是啊，我和伯英兄素來很好，他的妹子，我也當妹子看待。”

沈陌狐疑的看了他一眼，也不确定他說的是不是真的？雖說哥哥拒絕了貌美的丫頭，但他原本就不看重男女之事。

……

這是在家最後的一頓飯了，大家都圍在大桌上吃飯，氣氛很凝滞，沒有往日那種歡快，就連一向十分嘚瑟的顏應祁都低着頭，悶了一口酒。

“明天，明天還要早起，今日也早些休息。”顏應祁看着女兒的臉龐，終究還是吞下許多原本要囑咐的話。

解氏原本是笑着的，還道：“這雞頭米炒的好吃，你嘗嘗。”

“好，女兒嘗一嘗。”窈娘低頭扒飯，眼淚卻不自覺的滴在碗裏。

解氏也看見了，她拿着帕子死命的捂住嘴，哭的顫抖起來，她也舍不得女兒，即便沈臨風是個很不錯的女婿人選，但想起女兒離開她，她就淚水泛濫。

顏應祁看着她們母女倆狂哭，在決定要不要哭出來，因對他而言這對于女兒是好事，過了這個村就沒這個店了，十九歲中了制科，日後必定前途無量，且沈臨風以前常常打馬球，身體又好，這樣的夫君還不趕緊抓住。

“窈娘，吃飯啊，這裏有你最愛的海蜇絲涼拌的鹌鹑蛋，廚房還加了幹絲，還有你最愛的花生碎，你若不吃，爹爹全都吃了啊？”顏應祁道。

窈娘紅着眼睛，用筷子夾了一大筷子：“我先吃飯。”

顏應祁笑道：“這就對了，好好地在沈家過好日子，你母親和我都為你高興，這說明你從一個小姑娘要變成大人們，不必日後事事聽長輩們安排，自己能夠作主了，這不好嗎？”

“爹，這些道理我都知道，可是我就是想哭。”窈娘舍不得的并非是父母，還有可能永遠也回不去的少女時光。

她晚上睡在自己的床上，都覺得很寂寥，可沒人能夠理解這種惆悵之感。

On the contrary, Shen Linfeng rested in the study today because the wedding bed was laid in the new room and he could not sleep until the bride came tomorrow. He was in a very good mood. Tomorrow he would be able to see his sister, the Goddess Consort, and they would soon become real husband and wife. The thought was very beautiful. In less than a cup of tea, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.