Chapter 069 Chapter 69

Although Yan Yingqi had an absolute advantage, he actually announced before leaving Beijing that the position of Minister of Rites could only be held by Master Du because Ding You was eliminated.

By saying this he actually offended a large group of people including Gong Ci-fu and Wen Shou-fu, because they each had candidates that they wanted Yan Yingqi to recommend, but Yan Yingqi did not play by the rules at all.

You have to know that Du Hongchen and he are from different hometowns, not in the same list, and they have no contact with each other on a daily basis.

Shen Linfeng secretly tapped the table and heard Old Master Shen say, "Your father-in-law doesn't care about his children's lives at all. How could the Gong family let Yan Jingzhao go if he was like this? Gong Cifu did a lot for your father-in-law, but in the end he wanted Ding You, and he should have nominated someone from our faction, but he nominated Du Hongchen instead."

"I think my father-in-law is quite conceited. He may think that he will come back after his troubles, so he chose Mr. Du who has no faction." Shen Linfeng said.

In Shen Zongxian's opinion, this further proves that Yan Yingqi only cares about himself. Most of his sons and daughters are married to Gong Ci Fu, but now Yan Yingqi doesn't care about the Gong family. What a waste of time.

He looked at his son and said, "We treat the bride very well in our family, but other families may not be so kind."

Shen Linfeng nodded: "Father, no matter what, Yan's grandfather is still the governor of the river, and her brother is also my colleague. The bride is virtuous and dignified, and she has always been sincere to her son."

Shen Zongxian glanced at his son and said, "Of course, our family is not the kind of people who flatter the powerful and look down on the weak, and we would never do anything to bully a woman."

Shen Linfeng nodded his head.

At this time, Shen Linfeng came out of his father's study and returned to his room. He was originally thinking that he might have to comfort Yao Niang, but he didn't expect that Yao Niang was doing needlework under the lamp. He didn't expect that Yao Niang's needlework was so fast and looked so skillful.

Looking at a beauty under the light is naturally a different experience.

Yao Niang looked up and saw that he had returned. She put down her needlework and said, "I heard that you went to see your father, so I had dinner first. How is it? Are you hungry?"

"I'm not hungry. When I went to your house today, my mother-in-law said that you passed away first. Please accept my condolences." Shen Linfeng sat down and looked at her.

Yao Niang took out a handkerchief and tapped her eyes: "I just got well, and you're scolding me again. My father said that my grandfather was seriously ill and it was beyond human power to save him, so we shouldn't be too sad."

Shen Linfeng sat down and took her hand and said, "It's all my fault."

"Although I don't have to go back to Nanjing to attend the funeral, I still have to observe the minor mourning period. I want to wear this dress inside and something simpler outside, as a way of showing my filial piety." Yao Niang and Yan Jingzhao were both adopted sons, and they had to observe the minor mourning period for five months.

The minor merit is to wear fine linen, and you can wear ordinary shoes, just remove the laces. Originally, Yao Niang wanted not to attend the second room's wedding, but Madam Shen refused. She probably thought she would collapse, but she didn't know that Yao Niang didn't care about these things at all. If you don't care about it, then she will be even less so.

Shen Linfeng said: "Then you can make one for me and I will wear it inside too."

"Are you willing?" Yao Niang looked at him in disbelief. After all, if he didn't follow suit, no one would say anything.

Shen Linfeng smiled and said, "I am already your husband, isn't this what I should do?"

Yao Niang nodded heavily: "Then I will also cut one for you to wear inside."

Soon it was the day for the second wife Shen Bangyan to get married. Yao Niang, Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang's wife were all in the front yard entertaining guests. Within a day, the Yan family's influence was no longer as strong as before.

Mrs. Gong was the matchmaker between Shen Linfeng and her. Mrs. Quanfu was replaced by Mrs. Liu. Mrs. Gong was quite dissatisfied when she heard about it, but Yan Yingqi also said: "Everything has a beginning and an end."

Mrs. Liu had failed in the marriage between the Yan and Shen families before, but if things can go smoothly for both families now, wouldn't that be a good thing?

Naturally, Madam Gong would not exclude Yao Niang with such direct words, or ridicule her directly, but as long as she did not respond to Yao Niang when she was speaking, the people below would know what the Gong family meant. Therefore, no one paid attention to Yao Niang, and everyone was happy to watch the joke.

If she was really a proud person, she would naturally not be able to bear it, but Yao Niang had been treated coldly countless times in the Yan family. Since she was a child, Ying Niang had pulled Qian Niang to isolate her, and Zhen never wanted to take her out to socialize. Even if she did, no one would introduce her to them. So this kind of thing was considered a humiliation to her by Mrs. Shen and Mrs. Gong, but Yao Niang was able to keep her composure.

When she turned around to take her seat, Grandma Qingda and Grandma Jiang Er in the back looked at each other.

In the evening, after the bride and groom worshipped heaven and earth, they came out together. Shen Bangyan was very handsome, and the bride, Wang, was worthy of being a descendant of a noble family. She looked quite dignified and had a beautiful appearance.

Shen Linfeng and Yao Niang stood together. She had prepared a pair of dragon and phoenix jade pendants, symbolizing the harmony of the phoenix and the dragon. They were placed in a small-leaf red sandalwood box inlaid with various treasures and inlaid with flowers, which looked extremely exquisite.

"Second Madam, this is our Grandma." Mother Wu beside Mrs. Shen introduced.

Wang followed Shen Bangyan in paying respects and called him brother and sister-in-law. Yao Niang smiled at Wang. She heard that Wang was seventeen years old this year, but was actually two years older than her.

When Shen Bangyan got married, no relatives of the Shen family made trouble, and no one said anything strange. Yao Niang glanced at the second aunt, who was talking to the second wife of Shen and the first wife of Shen.

Yao Niang thought that if the second aunt only attacked her once, it meant that it was still because of Yan Ningxin, and she could still tolerate it, because Yan Ningxin did have a lot of influence on the Shen family. But if she attacked her again, she would definitely not let her off.

After the bride and groom greet their relatives and friends, the bride, Wang, will go to the bridal chamber, while the rest of the people will have a feast.

Wang was the legitimate daughter of Marquis Xinning. Her mother was very strict with her subordinates. The Shen family was also a noble family, but she was not a daring girl. Instead, like her mother, she pursued feminine virtues. In simple terms, she hoped to be a good daughter-in-law praised by everyone.

Therefore, Yao Niang thought that the bride and groom were in perfect harmony, but she never expected that Wang would get up early before dawn to prepare a large table of breakfast, and even sent a portion to Mrs. Shen.

"This is hand-rolled noodles, the soup is good and the taste is good." Mrs. Shen took a bite and actually sweated in the hot weather. She felt much better.

Mother Zhou glanced at Yao Niang and smiled, "Yes, the noodles were rolled by Second Madam herself. I heard that she is very skilled. It's hard for someone of that status to roll the noodles herself. Her skills are so good. No one would believe it if I told them."

Madam Shen said: "This is a rare good woman. Since ancient times, women with good morals, good words and good appearance are a blessing to the family."

Originally Yao Niang was thinking about whether she should learn to cook a few dishes in the future, but seeing that Mrs. Shen started saying these weird things to her just a few days after her marriage, she decided that even if she learned a few dishes, she would definitely not cook them for her.

In another three years, if her father can return to officialdom, she will have nothing to fear from the people in the Shen family.

After serving Mrs. Shen and Shen Mo Ren their meal, she went back to her room.

As soon as she left, Shen Mo raised his lips and said, "She is really shameless. When you praised the second sister-in-law just now, she didn't even say anything."

"I think she doesn't take the words I said to heart at all, and still thinks that she is the eldest daughter of the Yan family who married into our family." Mrs. Shen shook her head. Look at the daughter of the marquis's family who has given up her job to cook. How could she be as filial as others?

Shen Mo snorted coldly: "If you want to blame someone, blame her father for leaving the family with nowhere to go. The Gong family hates the Yan family so much that even Yan Jingzhao's selection may be in trouble."

Mrs. Shen even suspected that the Yan family knew that they might have Ding You, so they married their daughter off early. But then she thought it was not right, and she wanted to arrange the marriage in advance.

The more the mother and daughter thought about it, the more they felt that this marriage was not worth it. They were like the ones being taken advantage of, falling into the same trap twice in a row.

But Shen Mo was smarter than Madam Shen. When she saw Shen Linfeng, she said, "Sister-in-law has lost a relative at home. Don't worry, brother. I will definitely comfort you."

Shen Linfeng was quite grateful: "Thank you very much."

"My brother has always treated me very well. Why are we talking about these things as siblings?" Shen Mo knew that Shen Linfeng had always been very good to her, and they had a very strong brother-sister relationship.

Shen Linfeng didn't know the details, and Yao Niang wouldn't tell him about it. Since ancient times, the estranged family members have never been separated. She is now a wife in the Shen family according to the patriarchal system. As long as she can endure this period, it will be fine. As a daughter-in-law, it takes time to get along with the in-laws. She hasn't established her footing yet, so she has to endure some hardships silently.

But these were just minor disturbances for Yao Niang. She thought about how her mother had lived in obscurity for so many years, and how the third old lady was even worse than Madam Shen, who was only a few sarcastic remarks. Thinking in this way, she could adjust her mentality every time she faced Shen Linfeng.

In the evening, when the two of them were having dinner, Shen Linfeng asked her, "Are you getting along well with your new sister-in-law?"

"I just know that she is good at cooking. She cooked in the morning and sent a portion to my mother-in-law. She can also make hand-rolled noodles. She is so amazing. I can't do that." Yao Niang praised sincerely.

Shen Linfeng's thinking is different from many people. If he is an ordinary man, he will definitely think that other people's wives can cook, so why don't you do it? But Shen Linfeng glanced at Yao Niang, held her hand and said, "She may not be able to cook even if you can. Besides, I cook in our family, so I can cook."

Yao Niang smiled and said, "I will also learn to cook, but I will only cook for you."

The two smiled at each other. Among Yao Niang's dowry were people she had brought with her, so she imitated the four departments and six bureaus and brought over the people on the stove. However, now that she had no small kitchen, these people had no place to show their skills.

"Are you making it just for me? Why?" Shen Linfeng touched his nose.

窈娘笑道：“當然因為你是我最心愛之人了，別的人我才不願意為她們做腌臜活了。”什麽扣魚鰓，殺魚，還要弄那種黏膩的面粉，那些事情她真的做不來。

心愛之人，她說自己是她的心愛之人？沈臨風覺得有些飄飄然，還提出要求：“我喜歡吃牡蛎煎餅，你以後做給我吃好不好？”

窈娘看了他一眼，心想我就是這麽說說，你還真的當真了，還敢跟我提出要求？膽子大了麽？她晃着他的手：“我還從未吃過牡蛎煎餅，你先給我做一遍，我再學，好不好？”

沈臨風其實哪裏真的做過分，見窈娘晃着他的手，早已經是色令智昏，立馬答應下來：“好。”

今日窈娘褪下常穿的寝衣，又換了另外一件素白的裏衣，她本來就是花朵似的人，如今頭發披散，白衣素素，面上多了幾分楚楚可憐的樣子，且這件裏衣很貼身，渾圓都看的一清二楚。他的心裏是又煎熬又歡喜，還不能對任何人說。

而窈娘則攏好自己的被子，把頭發抛出來在枕巾上，問沈臨風：“我還沒問你呢？你在翰林院如何？”

“修史書，寫寫诏書，翰林院和別的地方不同，派系鬥争不是很多，大家都比較平和。”沈臨風湊近了似乎還能聞到窈娘的發香。

窈娘則想起了顏景昭，哥哥明年就要授官了，他這個人的确很有魄力，有雄辯之才，素來支持不破不立，但是性子桀骜，很容易得罪人，她想讓沈臨風幫忙看着哥哥，可又覺得不成。政治上只有利益之分，便是親兄弟都可能不同陣營，更何況沈家之前把爹最得意的門生排擠出去。

說真的，她現階段相信她爹三年後東山再起，也不會信沈家會幫她哥哥。

如此，窈娘忍住嘴沒多做聲了。

沈臨風明顯察覺窈娘有話要說，但她終究沒有說出來，又覺得窈娘還不到十五歲，心智城府實在不是一般人。

他也見過不少女子，說話時興頭上或者氣頭上不管不顧，她卻很有分寸，也從來不跟他抱怨，兩人相處很輕松。

他轉過頭時，再見窈娘今日卻比她先睡着了。

夜深了，沈臨風這邊吹了燈，下人們也都歇下了，二房卻正是夫妻成就好事之時，這才剛剛新婚，沈邦彥自然要歇在正房。

王氏母親親自傳授不少女子生存的本事，上得廳堂下得廚房，所以王氏成婚前專門讓府裏擅長風月的姨娘教了她不少房中術，只不過她是大家小姐，還是有點放不開。而沈邦彥早已有了通房，娴熟于男女之歡，雖然和王氏算得上房事和諧，但還不如和丫鬟們放的開。

且王氏常年在家是嫡女，庶女們雖然和她是姐妹，但言語中多為避讓，故而她這個人要的便是別人捧着，受不了半點冷待。

沈邦彥也是二房獨子，沈二夫人對兒子平日多有寵愛，父親可能馬上要升任國子監祭酒，所以兩人随意聊了幾句都覺得有些不投機。

甚至二人性格都隐約有些高傲，沈邦彥自己相貌就頗為秀雅，也并不覺得王氏美的如何驚天動地。王氏在家被信寧侯稱贊諸女中最聰明者，相貌也出衆，因此就不願意讨好他。

兩人睡覺時，各自都背過身子歇息。

卻說早上窈娘出去時，正好碰到了王氏，二人相視一笑，又相互行禮。

“弟妹，你們這才新婚，我不好前去，日後咱們住的近，你若是閑着無趣了，只管來找我。”窈娘笑眯眯的。

王氏颔首：“嫂嫂說的是，我正有此意呢。”

二人本來不同房頭，也不是嫡親的妯娌，就像于氏和李氏的關系一樣，保持面上平和就成。但窈娘和沈邦彥差不多，她願意費心思的人多是沈臨風或者她親爹娘，頂多還算公婆這些長輩，對平輩她沒必要讨好。

故而，今日大家在一起抹牌，窈娘可是在開封專門學過的，因此上場就贏的非常順利，頂多就是給一個子兒給沈夫人吃，其餘的人她不太可能讓着。

這其中沈二夫人也是常常抹牌的好手，雖然不怎麽胡牌，但很少放子兒給別人胡。

沈夫人吃了窈娘喂的一張牌，還杠上開花了，心情頗好，窈娘立馬讓人開錢，還笑道：“太太今兒手氣真好。”

“還是我碰的好，不過你今兒手氣倒是很好？在家常常抹牌嗎？”沈夫人問道。

窈娘搖頭：“這還是我第二次抹牌呢，我們在家中時，父親不許我們抹牌，常常抽查我們幾個女兒的功課。”

沈夫人也是聽過窈娘幫助她母親得到诰命的事情，就是靠畫畫破案的，據說她畫的畫像仿若真人在眼前。

又說窈娘說完話後，下一局，她就連着自摸三把，再擡頭看王氏臉色有些不好，她算是這桌子上輸的最慘的一個了。

即便沈夫人不太喜歡窈娘，但見她的确手氣很好，她們對她敲打冷眼也罷，她情緒一直非常穩定，巧笑倩兮，有時候她們冷臉，她也不會挂臉子。

甚至抹牌之後，沈夫人和沈二夫人一起用飯，她跟在身邊伺候布菜，還怕自己冷，特地讓周媽媽拿了大氅給她披上。

總而言之，就是挑不出錯來。

王氏輸了不少錢也就罷了，她在布菜時，也不知怎麽盛湯時因為太燙，把湯灑了出來，她自己惱怒非常。

其實這種事情都是極小的事情，她卻最在乎這些，甚至覺得自己無論家世還是婦功都比窈娘強多了，她可是聽沈二夫人身邊的人說顏氏不擅長庖廚。

現在卻讓她覺得丢臉至極。

更有甚至顏氏還接到了靖海侯府的花宴邀請，要知道當初顏寧馨逃婚，聽聞劉夫人罵了顏寧馨幾天幾夜都不帶喘氣的，偏偏對她倒是真的看重。

“太太，那日我可以過去嗎？”窈娘拿到了劉夫人給的帖子，也是很高興。

劉夫人不僅僅是靖海侯世子夫人，她還是宣平侯的外甥女，如今禮部尚書的女兒。自己之前努力和她交好，看來還真的沒錯。

沈夫人當然不會說什麽，只道：“你去吧，讓車馬房的人準備就好了。”

窈娘颔首：“那就多謝娘了。”

在一旁的沈二夫人道：“風哥兒媳婦，你正好可以帶陌姐兒一起去，她可是很好熱鬧的，成國公府以前也常常請她過去。”

要說成國公府和靖海侯府其實是一家子，後來各自開府，但兩邊比鄰而居，關系頗好。

窈娘卻聽出不尋常來，這張帖子只給了自己，她若貿然帶沈陌去也不好，若是不帶沈陌，恐怕婆母對她有意見。

這個沈二夫人看起來這般輕巧的就挖了個坑，不知道是無意還是有心為之？

她莞爾一笑：“我正這麽想呢，小姑原本在我們上京就是極其有名的才貌雙全的女子，恐怕這一出去，多少男兒踏破咱們家的門檻呢。只不過，冬日去倒是沒什麽滋味，我聽聞靖海侯府的桃花宴很有名，原本呢只是官眷們往來，可後來便有相看之意，不如我這次過去，向劉夫人多讨要一份帖子。”

沈夫人當即同意：“原先我也帶陌兒去過一次，後來我這身體不好，就懶得出門去了，風哥兒媳婦，日後你妹妹的事情就拜托你了。”

“娘說的哪裏話，夫君常常同我說，他與小姑一母同胞，要我一定要對小姑好。”窈娘有時候真的覺得自己撒謊不眨眼睛。

沈夫人聽完心情倒是很好，甚至思路都跟着窈娘走，就比如窈娘說起沈臨風的事情：“我聽我哥哥說翰林院的夥食很一般，夫君她常常都要和同侪們下館子，如今天氣又冷，也不知道怎麽幫他補身子，正要請教您呢？”

對于養生，沈夫人心得非常多，因此斷斷續續說了一個多時辰，窈娘佯裝聽的認真拖時間，反正和沈夫人這樣的人相處，不要說太多核心話題。這個年紀的女子，喜歡當別人的老師，她就是想讓沈夫人這樣和她說習慣了，日後她和別人相處時，別人若是沒法子聆聽，她肯定不自在，到時候就離不得她了。

有些人不明□□神陪伴，其實是最重要的。

饒是沈二夫人也佩服窈娘，這樣的年紀，居然能聽年紀大的人說這麽久，還是很不容易的。她卻待不下去了，自然帶着王氏先下去了。

可這些看在王氏心裏，就覺得這個嫂子比自己似乎更得意。

晚膳時，沈臨風派人傳話說他要去同僚家中吃喜酒，窈娘便伺候沈夫人用了晚飯，回房的時候，卻發現下起了鵝毛大雪。

走到自己院子門口時，雪已經下到了膝蓋處，正好她看到了沈臨風，立馬甜甜的喊了一聲：“夫君。”

沈臨風也快步走上前來：“怎麽現在在外面，不在屋子裏？”

“我剛剛從婆母那裏回來的。”窈娘一幅很柔弱的樣子。

Shen Linfeng immediately thought that she must not have eaten yet, so she was so weak, so he made a gesture to support her, but Yao Niang whispered, "I can't walk anymore."

"Then I'll carry you in?" Shen Linfeng asked quickly.

Mother Gu was staring at the scene, wondering where her sister had learned all this.

But Yao Niang said, "It's snowing so hard. If you insist on hugging me, I have no objection, but you have to be careful!"

Shen Linfeng always felt that Yao Niang was very polite before and did everything by herself. Now that she relied on him a little, he was very happy. He immediately bent down, picked up Yao Niang and walked into the house.

Although the servants did not dare to look, they understood the position of the eldest lady in the eldest master's mind, and they dared not underestimate her in the future.