Chapter 081 Chapter 81

Shen Linfeng and Yao Niang were there to accompany him. There were several dishes that Yan Mai liked on the table, and they both accompanied him to eat. Yan Mai was not particular about details. He would chew on the bones and suck the marrow. He also drank a lot of wine, and Shen Linfeng also drank with him.

"Grandfather, you are now the Grand Marshal. Everyone is jealous of their son-in-law marrying into your family so that they can learn more from you." Shen Linfeng said with a smile.

Yao Niang watched them talking with a smile. Yan Mai patted his grandson-in-law on the shoulder and said, "You are still young. Sometimes you should not see too clearly. It is rare to be a little confused in life. Just like this world, you and I both know that it is impossible for the government to be clean. The powerful occupy the land and the common people have no land to farm. But is it really powerless to change the situation? Maybe I can turn the world around with one hand."

…

Yao Niang heard these words vaguely. She added wine and changed dishes from time to time. She also prepared several kinds of wine and dishes for the people who came with her to have a meal. She also gave them rewards and asked them to take good care of their grandfather when they returned. She was busy and happy.

Shen Bangyan was writing in his study, but he couldn't write a single word. He had a few good friends who invited him, so he went out to have a drink with them. He was the son of the Imperial College's chief academic officer, a son of an official, and the people he usually interacted with were also sons of officials. One of them was named Tong, the second son of the Imperial Academy's lecturer, and the other was Lu Balang, the youngest son of the Minister of Agriculture.

The three of them were drinking in Chunfeng Manyue Tower. Shen Bangyan had finally taken leave from the Imperial College and was able to come out and meet his friends.

Tong Er said, "Brother Shen, I just went to pick you up. I heard that Grand Minister Yan was at your house. Why didn't you stay with the guests and come out with us instead? We can get together anytime."

"Grand Minister Yan came here specially to see my sister-in-law. My sister-in-law brought my eldest brother who had just returned from the Hanlin Academy, and my sister-in-law came out to keep him company. What am I going to do there?" Shen Bangyan said with a smile.

Lu Balang couldn't help but say: "That's true, but your two families are related by marriage, so it doesn't matter when you meet?"

“It seems that Grand Minister Yan is quite trusted by the Emperor and is also a high-ranking official in the ministry. It’s a pity for Yan Boying that he has been demoted. He was obviously going to stay in the Hanlin Academy soon, but this time he was sent out, he went from the clean stream to the muddy stream.” Tong Er’s father was a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, so he naturally knew some of the differences.

Shen Bangyan said: "Yan Boying is the grandson of Yan Dasikong. Even if he cannot be in the Hanlin Academy, it will be easy for him to return to Beijing in the future."

Tong Er poured a glass of wine for Shen Bangyan and said, "I would say Yan Boying is indeed a man of great character, but he is not as good as your brother. Your brother is now an editor in the Imperial Academy, and he has not been affected by the incident involving Yan Dasikong, and he is still doing well."

Lu Balang also said enviously: "Your brother really makes us envious, your brother is so generous, last time I was drinking in a tavern on Qipan Street, I happened to run into your brother, he was having dinner with Rui Long, the two of them were chatting animatedly, I went up to him and called him, and he directly helped me to settle all the bills."

It's not a trivial matter like accounting. As children of officials, they all have money. This means that Shen Linfeng is a man who values ​​righteousness over money.

Shen Bangyan smiled and said, "My brother is a very nice person. He is always generous."

When people talk about Wu Xinglai's Mr. Shen, the person they are talking about is never him, but Shen Linfeng.

The three of them ate for a while, and Shen Bangyan came back drunk. He met Yan Mai at the door. Although Yan Mai was old and had drunk a lot of wine, his steps were still steady, and he refused Shen Linfeng's offer to send him back.

"Ms. Shen, don't send me off. I can just have them send me back." Yan Mai quickly stopped her.

Of course Shen Linfeng would not really refuse to see you off, he just said: "Grandfather, your grandson-in-law certainly knows that you are fine, but my wife is worried and has repeatedly told me to see you home. Besides, I also want to be closer to you, so please give your grandson-in-law this face."

In fact, at Yan Mai's age, who wouldn't want to have children around him? But he never had his own children. Fortunately, Yan Jingzhao adopted him, but unfortunately he was exiled and left the capital long ago. In name, he treated Yao Niang as his granddaughter, but in fact, he still treated her as his daughter. Now it seems that his granddaughter is still caring. I enjoyed the steamed pork with rice flour today.

Shen Bangyan happened to see Shen Linfeng helping the old Minister Yan onto the carriage. He thought that it was no wonder that his brother wanted to marry the daughter of the Yan family, even after suffering such a great humiliation. After all, he had better vision than his mother.

Moreover, the Yan family members were very close to him. They were all families with achievements in imperial examinations. Unlike the Xinning Marquis's family, all of them were from military families. His brothers-in-law, apart from being short-sighted, all lived on their ancestors' influence.

He returned to his room. Tongfang Xiaoya, who was serving as a waitress, listened to the whole thing with Wang today, and hurriedly told Shen Bangyan a lot, "That old lady Yan is so majestic, people say he is the reincarnation of Bao Gong, and they are afraid of being chopped off. Even the first lady was criticized by her, as if she was helping the eldest grandmother to vent her anger."

Shen Bangyan frowned: "You shouldn't show off in our house. If you want to show off, go to his house."

Xiaoya was the eldest maid who had served him since she was young. Naturally, she hoped for the best for Shen Bangyan, so she advised: "No daughter-in-law in any family is like the eldest grandmother. Everyone knows that she is a troublemaker. But then again, this is the business of the eldest wife, and it has nothing to do with us."

"Wait, you said that if my sister-in-law gives birth to a son in the future, she will be given the title of confinement ward?" Shen Bangyan thought of this.

The reason he could enter the Imperial College now was because of his uncle. As Shen Linfeng passed the provincial examination at the age of seventeen, his uncle gave him the quota in the family. After all, his father was only the director of the Imperial College at that time and could not benefit from it.

Xiaoya nodded quickly: "Yes, it was said by Minister Yan himself. Didn't the eldest master and the eldest grandmother go to the palace last year? Of course, we don't know why."

Shen Bangyan felt that he was one step behind in the game, so when Xiaoya left and there was no one around, he hammered the table.

It is also said that Yao Niang went to pay respects to Madam Shen the next day. Seeing that Madam Shen was indifferent to her and a little cold, but she did not dare to really ignore her, she knew that what her grandfather said yesterday was a real warning to her. Madam Shen's little tricks could not faze her, and Madam Shen naturally knew that her daughter-in-law had a strong background, so it would not be easy for her to deal with it in other ways, so she had to do this.

But Madam Shen didn't dare to go too far, it was just that the auras of the two people were not compatible. Yao Niang also knew that although Madam Shen was the head wife of the Shen family and looked decent, she was actually a fake. She liked the kind of people who flattered her, licked her, and talked nonsense all day long. She felt that those who were serious, opinionated and powerful stole her limelight.

Yao Niang would not speak to Mrs. Shen in a flattering manner. She sat for a while, paid her respects, and then left.

When she left, Mrs. Shen snorted coldly: "Look, she doesn't even want to sit for a while. I still have to help her prepare for her coming-of-age ceremony."

Mother Zhou smiled and said, "You will have to bear the burden. If the eldest master and the eldest grandmother can successfully consummate their marriage and have another child, if they give birth to a boy, he will be born under the supervision of a censor."

"A family like ours doesn't lack them either." Mrs. Shen was quite proud.

Mother Zhou said, "Although we don't lack anything, it's good to have something more. Others want this kind of treatment but don't have it yet. I heard yesterday that Old Minister Yan liked our eldest son very much. Grandmother said that our eldest son should go to the Yan family more often to learn the strategies of governing the country from the old master."

"He has no son, so naturally he treats other people's sons as treasures." Mrs. Shen sneered, still remembering Yan Mai's sarcastic words yesterday.

She only dared to complain about these things to Mother Zhou, and she didn't even dare to tell Master Shen. As soon as the two of them stopped talking, Shen Mo came in and said, "Mom, you are going to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for your eldest sister-in-law."

"Even if we don't do it in a lavish way, it has to be done in a proper manner," said Mrs. Shen.

Shen Mo said unhappily, "You have a sharp tongue but a soft heart, no wonder your sister-in-law can bully you, otherwise I wouldn't be afraid of her."

"You should talk less. I will take you to the Dong family to attend the birthday banquet in a few days." She also had to find a husband for her daughter as soon as possible.

When Shen Mo was a child, a fortune teller said that she was destined to be a phoenix, but now the Shen family will not let her enter the palace. Once she enters the palace, her father and brother can only become rich and idle people. This is also the real reason why she cannot marry the Prince of Qi and cannot enter the palace.

"Mother, I'll follow your will." Shen Mo used to think that if her brother married Yan Ningxin, she could marry the Prince of Qi. Later, she realized that she was just overthinking.

In this dynasty, all the relatives of the emperor were honored, and at most they were given a title of nobility. The Shen family passed down poetry and literature from generation to generation, and they were unwilling to be honored. Especially the second and third wives. If she really became the empress, her father and brother would certainly be able to be honored, but the second and third wives were nothing.

Therefore, when Shen Mo thought that this eldest sister-in-law was introduced by his third uncle, he felt that his brother was being schemed against and was still stubborn and ignorant.

Now that she can't become the empress, and can't marry a member of the royal family, she can marry anyone she wants.

Shen Mo then said to Madam Shen, "Mom, are you really planning to marry cousin Han to San Lang? I don't think San Lang is that good. He is not worthy of her."

"Your third uncle agreed and let me make the decision. A clever wife and a clumsy husband are a perfect match, so what's wrong with that? If your cousin Han can marry into our Shen family, I will have someone to take care of her." Mrs. Shen thought so. Being related by blood is better than anything else.

The adults had made the decision, so Shen Mo certainly wouldn't say anything. Soon Yao Niang also heard about this happy event.

Zhou Wangjia said, "The storeroom over there is filled with Miss Han's dowry. She brought it with her to the capital. I heard that the Han family entrusted her to the eldest lady, and the eldest lady can make the decision."

"But the Han family is not bad, so why should I marry into their family?" Yao Niang pays more attention to a person's character. Shen Sanlang is a man of average talent and is said to be a dull person.

Mother Gu poured tea for Yao Niang and said, "Miss Han's father was a provincial governor at best, but now he is only an inspector. It would be a great honor for her to marry into the Shen family."

Originally Yao Niang thought that this matter had nothing to do with her, but Madam Shen's eyes were red and her teeth were aching. She saw that Madam Shen's second wife and Madam Lu were sitting below, and finally she looked at Yao Niang.

"Let our brother Feng's daughter-in-law take care of this marriage. Even though she has only been in the family for half a year and there are many things she doesn't understand, she is the head wife of our family and can be considered the proper mistress of the household."

Even if he did not love his daughter-in-law, Second Madam Shen was from the second wife after all, and Third Madam Lu was from a small family, so her status as the wife of Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang was not high enough.

Mrs. Shen thought that her eldest sister-in-law was usually muddle-headed and always leaned inward at critical moments. She let her nephew's wife take care of the affairs of the third house directly, which was to help her establish her authority in the family. No young daughter-in-law would be involved in weddings and funerals right from the start. As long as she started from this point, she would definitely make rapid progress.

Yao Niang never expected that her mother-in-law would let her lead the whole family at a critical moment, and she declined, "Madam, after all, I am still young..."

Mrs. Shen was very firm: "No, no, no, you shouldn't be so arrogant, but who else can take on the responsibility besides you?"

Everyone thought that he was probably frightened by Minister Yan.