Chapter 068 Chapter 68
Three-day return
Yao Niang officially became a wife of the Shen family, and Shen Linfeng also ended his wedding leave and began to work in the government office.
One morning, before Shen Linfeng left, it was still dark. He was reluctant to wake up Yao Niang, so after thinking about it, he squatted beside the bed, carefully pulled aside her hair, and began to apply medicine for her.
It was when Yao Niang woke up that she realized she had chemicals on her hair after hearing what Gu's mother had said.
"He is so considerate. I had forgotten that." Yao Niang felt like she was being cared for.
Mother Gu smiled and said, "Aunt really cares about you. Since ancient times, if you marry a good husband, you will have hope even if you have to eat coarse food."
Yao Niang covered her mouth and said, "I don't want to eat bran or vegetables."
"Yes, yes, you are born with a good life with both blessings and wisdom, how could you possibly eat coarse food? It's all because mom can't speak." Mother Gu joked.
Yao Niang's heart sank. Now everyone was based on her father's status as the Minister of Personnel. So even with Yan Ningxin's influence on her, the Shen family could still restrain themselves. But if her father wanted Ding You soon, then those people would not be polite to her anymore.
After dressing up, Yao Niang went to Madam Shen's place first. Madam Shen often couldn't sleep at night and felt uncomfortable during the day. Even in the coldest days of winter, she would sweat all over if she moved a little. When the servants were dressing her up, they heard that her daughter-in-law was coming.
She had to cheer up and respond: "Why are you here so early? You young people should get more sleep and be more energetic."
Yao Niang could neither say it was good nor bad, she just said, "Let your daughter-in-law help you wash and dress."
Mrs. Shen smiled and said, "My son, please sit down. I have them busy here."
The servants around her said that there was no need to bother the grandmother, so Yao Niang could only sit aside and wait, watching her. Last month, she still watched her sister-in-law standing in a proper manner, but now she didn't have to stand, but she also had to keep calm.
Mrs. Shen was of course also observing her daughter-in-law out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that she was sitting upright and dignified, she couldn't help but nod slightly. No matter what, this daughter-in-law was still quite presentable.
When Madam Shen finished dressing, Yao Niang stood up and followed her. Madam Shen said to her, "Your sister-in-law will be coming in soon. Let's go to the second room after breakfast."
"Yes." Yao Niang smiled.
The meal was already on the table, Yao Niang helped to serve the dishes with chopsticks, and several of her father-in-law's concubines came over, some opening the curtains and some serving the dishes. Madam Shen then said to Yao Niang, "You go down first, and come back after you finish eating."
"Yes." Yao Niang went back to her room to eat. She couldn't eat too slowly. It was said that this was a special favor from her mother-in-law. Yao Niang once heard Xie Shi mention that when she served her mother-in-law, she was often so hungry that she almost fainted. So every morning when she went there, she would eat some snacks in advance.
This is still the case for wealthy families who have countless servants. If it is a small family, it is even worse. They have to sweep, buy groceries, cook, sew, and even give birth to children. Everything has to be checked and approved by the mother-in-law.
These are just housework. If the mother-in-law has backache, the daughter-in-law has to massage her back and waist. Even as long as the mother-in-law doesn't beat or scold her, she is considered a good person.
Sometimes Yao Niang really felt that it was not worth it for women, but everyone, including Xie, told her that she just had to endure it, and after a while, the daughter-in-law would become a mother-in-law.
When Yao Niang finished her breakfast and went over, Shen Mo had already arrived. Madam Shen looked at Shen Mo with a doting look on her face, and Yao Niang hurried over. Shen Mo stood up and saluted: "Sister-in-law."
"Sister." Yao Niang returned the greeting.
They followed Madam Shen to the second room first. Madam Shen was really busy here. The wedding tent was still the same one used when Yao Niang and her friends got married. It was said that the bride would send her dowry over today. Madam Shen said, "There are still four rooms in the Yizi warehouse over there. I have asked someone to pick them out in advance."
No matter how capable and outstanding Second Madam Shen was, Madam Shen was still the head wife in charge of the entire family. Yao Niang also realized something.
Madam Shen Er quickly smiled and said, "My eldest sister-in-law is so considerate, I don't know what to say. Brother Feng's daughter-in-law has married, and Brother Yan's daughter-in-law is about to marry. We both have two sons in total. It would be perfect if they could get along like sisters."
Mrs. Shen also smiled and said yes.
The Second Madam Shen was very good at talking. In between her conversation with Madam Shen, she asked Yao Niang, "My nephew's wife, how does my nephew treat you?"
"Please don't worry, everything is fine." Yao Niang said.
Madam Shen Er said to Madam Shen, "Hello, sister-in-law. You and your daughter-in-law are both from Jinling. You have the same customs and habits. Unlike me, my daughter-in-law is from the north."
Although they were both from Jinling, Yao Niang didn't receive any special treatment, and Madam Shen was indifferent to her. Instead, Shen Mo spoke up for her: "Second Aunt, we southerners now also eat northern dishes, they are all the same. My mother and Aunt are from the same place, but even if they are not from the same place, we are now one family."
"You are so good, Sister Mo, the relationship between a sister and a aunt is truly better than gold." Mrs. Shen joked.
They were in a happy mood for a while. The courtyard of the second son, Shen Bangyan, was next to theirs and seemed to have been renovated. When they went out again, they met two women with a slightly weathered look on their faces.
"What are the names of these two ladies?" Yao Niang asked.
Mrs. Shen introduced them, "These are your two aunts from your second aunt's family."
Yao Niang bowed quickly and said, "Hello, Aunt Bi Da and Aunt Bi Er."
Aunt Bi, who looked to be over fifty, saw that Yao Niang was elegant and graceful, and her breath was as fragrant as orchid, so she couldn't help but say to Mrs. Shen: "This must be the eldest grandmother, she is really a beautiful woman."
"Thank you for your compliment." Yao Niang bowed.
Even to the two aunts from the Bi family who seemed not even worthy of being called Madam, she was still polite and did not show any displeasure, which made Madam Shen look at her with a new eye. It was not that she was snobbish, but she had met the fourth daughter of the Yan family many times. This girl was sweet as honey to them, but she was very angry with others who were not as high-ranking as her. Shen Mo often said that the Yan family treated people differently, but this third daughter was obviously not like that.
The two aunts of the Bi family were also very excited to see Yao Niang perform the rituals of a younger generation. The Bi family had been in decline for several years and had to rely on Mrs. Shen for help, but how much help could others give? Every time they came, they would give them twenty taels and some clothes, like they were treating a beggar, and they also had to consider people's expressions.
This time, taking advantage of Shen Bangyan's marriage, the two aunts came to ask for money again. In order to prevent them from causing trouble, Mrs. Shen gave each of them fifty taels.
But these few dozen taels had to be used to buy winter bedding and clothes as well as New Year gifts. The money was gone before it even got warm. The two of them then stayed at the Shen family hoping to get some financial help from Mrs. Shen in the future when she was in a good mood.
By chance, she met Yao Niang and her group. When Bi's aunt saw that the bride was wearing a lot of gold, she also remembered that her dowry was more than 200 sets, and she couldn't help but sigh. When she married into the Bi family, there were rows of expensive birds under the corridor, and the family had three opera troupes. After her aunt got married, the family fell into decline.
I took over what I could at home, and now I have nothing left. Everything has changed in a moment.
Mrs. Shen obviously didn't want others to see her poor family. She said a few words and let people in to see Shen Bangyan's new house. Yao Niang thought that if she got along well with her brother and sister-in-law, it would be fine, but if not, it would be hard to say.
At lunch, she served Mrs. Shen her meal before returning to her room to eat.
After dinner, just as he was about to take a nap, someone outside said that Grandma Qing had arrived. This Grandma Qing was the eldest daughter-in-law of Shen Xunfu. Shen Linfeng had told her that Shen Xunfu's eldest daughter-in-law was also from the Wang family. She was the granddaughter of the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. She was from the Wang family of Langya and was not from the same family as the Wang family of Xinning Marquis.
"Why is Sister-in-law Qing here? It's me who should visit you." Yao Niang stood up and welcomed her in.
Grandma Qing said, "You are the new bride, so it is only right for me to come and see you. To be honest, I was not used to it when I first got married. Tomorrow, Yan's daughter-in-law will send the dowry over. Before you came in, the aunt asked me to take care of it. Now that you have come in, I think it is your turn to do it. I can't take over."
Yao Niang has seen this kind of thing too many times at home. She has even concluded that retreating is just an attempt to advance and embarrass you.
Therefore, Yao Niang did not respond to this: "Sister-in-law came in before me, so she is not completely in the dark like me. Let sister-in-law come, and I don't need to do it."
Because Shen Linfeng died before getting married, Qingda's grandmother was often called the eldest daughter-in-law of the Shen family, and she also went out to socialize with this identity. Now that Yaoniang has entered the family, she sees that she is still young, cannot consummate the marriage, and the Yan family has a criminal record. Therefore, she has a bit of contempt for her, and she is eager for her to ask for rights, so that she will not lose what she gains.
It took her a long time to realize that Mrs. Shen was someone she could give to, but she couldn't take.
But she didn't expect Yao Niang to not be fooled. Grandma Qing thought she was timid and said earnestly, "Don't be humble. You will be in charge of the entire Shen family in the future. If you don't sort it out now, you will be in a mess in the future. You don't know that everyone in this mansion is snobbish. When I first started, I was bullied a lot. This is what I say from the bottom of my heart. Don't take it lightly."
"What Sister-in-law Qing said makes sense. It's hard for you to think about me. Speaking of the slave bullying the master, I would like to ask you, sister-in-law, how do we usually add dishes to our meals? Do we have to pay the kitchen?"
Sorry, I will make the best use of everyone who comes to me.
…
Grandma Qing originally planned to go to Yao Niang's house to lobby her, but after she came out, she found that she had told her a lot of the rules of the Shen family, and also told her the whole story of how the third room set up a small kitchen, and even told her about Shen Mo's repeated failed marriage proposals.
Just like that, Shen Linfeng came back in the evening and asked Yao Niang what she had done that day.
窈娘倒是跟記流水賬似的：“早上你走了，我就去伺候母親用膳，伺候完我又回來用了膳食去看了二房那邊，中午站了會兒規矩，再有清大奶奶上門來，我們說了會子話，我就想着替你做身單衣，等開春了穿，結果忘記量你的尺寸了。”
“早上伺候完我母親用膳，你自個兒才用膳的？你不是說早上你起床如果沒有吃東西就頭暈的嗎？”沈臨風關心。
窈娘笑道：“可這是規矩啊，我不願意別人腹诽你，我的行為若不做好，你的親戚們可能就會說你，所以我再怎麽頭暈也要忍下來。”
沈臨風斥道：“胡鬧，你要以你自己的身子為主。”
“嗯，那我每日去你母親那兒之前就先吃點點心，你別生氣。”窈娘哄他。
沈臨風則道：“我看還不如把東廂辟出來做小廚房，你要早上吃點面食粥之類的也便宜，我明日和母親說去。”
窈娘拉住他：“算了吧，現在二房的弟妹要進門，家裏的事情多如牛毛，我怎麽能讓這些事情煩擾長輩呢。還不如等一個恰當的時機再提出來，好麽？”
沈臨風想來也是，他是常常要辦公務的人，一整天都在外面，他越看重窈娘，母親對窈娘似乎就越不喜歡，見窈娘這般，他就道：“不如這樣，我吩咐廚房一聲，讓她們早些把早膳送過來，就說是我要吃的，不就成了？”
“可是你起的也不早，還得趕着去翰院，不成。”窈娘搖頭。
沈臨風沒想到自己新婚遇到的第一個障礙卻是妻子早膳的問題，他撓撓頭：“要不這樣，我晚上從衙門回來，帶些糕餅回來，你早上吃，好不好？”
這樣倒是可以，窈娘才同意下來。
沈臨風很是心疼窈娘的乖巧，他握住窈娘的手，燭火下發現她手生的很好看，手指修長，柔若無骨，肌骨瑩潤，他放在唇邊親了親，見窈娘要抽回，他緊緊握住。
“我們是夫妻。”他強調。
窈娘難為情道：“我知道，可是別的夫妻也沒有這樣啊。”她哥哥都娶兩個老婆了，對待正妻都是很正經的，況且她們倆還沒夫妻之實呢。
沈臨風卻笑道：“小姑娘，我們成親了，這些都是應該的。”
他平常是個對女色很不上心的人，可是看到窈娘之後，甚至有一股很想要看到她躺在自己身上的感覺了，不行，這樣是亵渎她，他不能這麽想，得冷靜一會兒。
窈娘正欲說話，見他又放了手，她親手替他盛了一碗湯：“慢慢的喝，這個湯特別香甜。”
“多謝神妃妹妹。”
“說喜歡叫我窈窈的，可還是喜歡叫神妃妹妹啊，那就叫我大名吧。”窈娘偷笑。
沈臨風有些不好意思。
飯畢，窈娘要替他量尺寸，她先量了肩寬，又低下身子替他量腰圍。沈臨風低頭，就見她的頭在自己身下，他一瞬間臉爆紅，又不知道說什麽。
等窈娘替他量完尺寸，見他額頭冒汗，還不解道：“你很熱嗎？”
“沒有。”沈臨風怕窈娘看出端倪，急忙搖頭。
窈娘笑道：“原本我還打算和你一起泡腳解解乏，看你這麽熱就算啦，我自己泡。”
她不愛那種很臭的藥材味泡腳，很容易把整間房都薰臭，一般她都是用紅花或者桂枝泡，沒什麽太大的味道。
沈臨風早已沐浴出來，見下人正替窈娘褪去鞋襪，纖細的腳踝，紅潤的足尖，雙腳小巧玲珑，如同蓮花瓣一樣的可愛。
他從未見過女子的玉足都生的這般好看的，完全不知道自己如何自處，手中的書久久沒有翻動一頁。
窈娘倒是和他道：“明日弟妹那邊送嫁妝過來，後日她人就要進門了，我想以前沒有成家也就罷了，成家了，我們是否該私下送一件賀禮過去？”
她得看看沈臨風婚後到底是不是真的對她好，別看男人很關心你，嘴上說着疼你，最重要的是錢在哪裏，地位在哪裏，這是實打實的。
就像她們家中，父親常年陪伴母親，對哥哥的事情無比上心，最後在嫁妝上也是偏向自己。
否則，旁的都是假的。
但沈臨風沒反應過來，只道：“好啊，這些你決定就好。”
窈娘笑道：“那你說我們送什麽好呢？要不要去我的嫁妝裏挑一件來？”
“怎麽能動用你的嫁妝，哪個男人用女人嫁妝，那可是吃軟飯。你等等，我們耳房有幾個箱子放了些我的東西，也算作是我的小庫房吧，鑰匙我現下給你，你明日就過去挑。”沈臨風道。
窈娘滿意了：“多謝我多金又英俊的夫君大人。”
沈臨風被她逗笑了：“什麽夫君大了，你倒是提醒我了，我的俸祿都交在公中。平日我在交引鋪投了些錢買了些引子，也算是賺一些錢花花，如今手裏的現銀倒是不多，我那櫃子裏放着二百兩，你平日打點或者打釵都可。”
原來他平日都是投錢在交引鋪賺錢，窈娘還真的不懂這些，她的錢就是放在錢莊拿些利錢，因此很佩服沈臨風，能搞錢的都不是一般人。
不過，聽他說給錢給自己，窈娘又推辭：“還是算了吧，你的錢拿着你自己用吧。”
“你說的是哪裏話，本來就該給錢你的，我是真的忘記了。”沈臨風覺得自己色令智昏，滿腦子都是想的旖旎之事，恨自己現在讓窈娘覺得他是個小氣人，一個摳男，這怎麽行。
窈娘見他這般說，越發道：“我聽太太說我的月例銀子一個月五兩，已經夠我用的了，你別操心我了。”
沈臨風自己幹脆去開了櫃門，把裝散銀子的匣子拿了過來放窈娘懷裏：“給你。”
窈娘哭笑不得，她現在可是在泡腳啊。
今夜似乎有些不一樣了，泡完腳看了會書上床已經戌時了，窈娘大抵摸清楚他睡覺的點，故而道：“你下去熄燈吧。”
她夫婦二人睡在裏屋，就沒讓丫鬟守夜，白日一早才讓她們進來伺候。
卻見沈臨風翻身朝向她，一直盯着她看，窈娘連忙道：“你怎麽了？是不是把鑰匙放我這裏不放心，我給你就是。”
“不是，是……”沈臨風不知道為何，想起她的玉足就血脈砰張，他想說能不能讓自己再看看，但是怕窈娘甩自己兩耳光，說他有問題。
窈娘見他坐起來，又去熄了燈，拉着被子還把頭蒙上，似乎有些煩躁的樣子，她也識趣的不問了。
到了次日一早起來，平日她們倆的寝衣都是疊起來的，沈臨風的亵褲卻不在床上，她狐疑了一會兒，又過去給婆母請安了。
信寧侯以軍功見長，家族繁茂，而他本人則擔任京營節度使，這樣的武官勳爵之家，原本應該是軍人之間世代聯姻的。但如今文官地位已經超過武将，信寧侯女兒也不少，這位嫁過來的王七姐兒聽聞是嫡出的女兒，她姐姐就是嫁到了勳爵之家。
嫁妝也是滿滿當當的一百二十擡，這壓箱底的銀子聽說有一萬兩，禮單還專門在順天府備案了的。
衆人都恭喜沈二夫人，畢竟新娘子出身豪門勳貴之家，卻不是那等尋常勳貴人家，外面風光裏面爛的，這位小姐的親哥哥還已經封了世子，沈二夫人實在是面上有光。
窈娘也跟在沈夫人身邊保持笑容，沈夫人卻想當年她兒子要娶妻的時候，那顏寧馨的身份算的是最拔尖的了，後來鬧出了那樣的笑話。
恰逢此時，她們看完嫁妝後，窈娘伺候婆母回去，卻見到了周媽媽過來和沈夫人道：“太太，顏家派了管事上門說他們家老太爺，就是顏司馬顏老太爺過世了，如今顏侍郎已然報了丁憂，說我們府上如今正辦喜事，他們不便打攪。”
“什麽？”王夫人看了窈娘一眼。
窈娘眼圈頓時紅了，她其實對伯祖父沒有什麽感情，雖然這位才算是她的親祖父，三老太爺反而不是，但她心裏三老太爺才是她親祖父。
但自己親人沒了，她心裏頭也是發酸。
即便早就知曉的事情，在窈娘請示婆婆回家之後，也是忍不住和母親嫂子抱頭哭了一場。解氏勸着窈娘道：“你哥哥嫂嫂在京中，有什麽事情尋你嫂嫂就好。”
“女兒知曉。”
但窈娘更放心不下解氏，“娘，女兒不在您身邊，三老太太本就是個左性的人，您一切都小心為上。”
解氏有些呆呆的道：“窈娘你怎麽還擔心起我來了？我們這一走，你哥哥還未授官，沈家可是頗有些勢利的。”
窈娘拍了拍解氏的手道：“也沒什麽好怕的，娘，女兒身體強健，腦子轉的又快，天下人我不坑她們，算我善良了，還沒人算計的到女兒來。況且，父親推杜學士做禮部尚書，恐怕日後父親更能鵬程千裏，如今不過是以待來日，女兒沒什麽好怕的。”
Xie nodded: "Your father said that Scholar Du was born in a poor family, and his son-in-law is the commander of the Jinyi Guard. The emperor will never allow him to make any real decisions. I am afraid that even if he enters the cabinet, it will be difficult for him to become the prime minister. Now that he has returned home to worry about Ding You and your father has also raised Wang, it may be a good thing. The court is not peaceful now."
"My daughter knows." Yao Niang understood.
Xie touched her daughter's face and thought that the Shen family might be unhappy and her daughter might not be able to cope with it. What's worse, her daughter couldn't consummate the marriage for the time being.
It was indeed the case. Before, Shen Mo got Yao Niang's bracelet and thought that the Yan family's daughter was worthy of her brother. Now Yan Yingqi and his family were all in trouble. She said to Madam Shen: "When you married the first Yan family's daughter, your brother's future was ruined and he became a laughing stock. When you married the second one, the Yan family was in trouble. After three years, who knows if there is still a place for them here? My brother will not be of any help at all."
Madam Shen beat her chest and stamped her feet: "I knew this would happen a long time ago. It's all my fault. I couldn't bear it at the moment and promised your brother..."