Chapter 088 Chapter 88

Shen Linfeng had seen Yan Da and Yan Er, who followed Yao Niang, in Kaifeng. They were big and steady, ruthless and accurate. Yao Niang usually couldn't sleep after reading strange stories and was afraid of the dark, but now she was sitting on top, being dragged out to teach the servants a lesson, full of majesty, not at all timid.

"This Wanggu, don't allow her to enter our main room in the future." If she were in the Yan family now, she would definitely be kicked out. She even dared to smash the kitchen. It was really outrageous.

At this time, Wanggu was filled with regret. She had not expected that this old lady was so tough despite her young age.

Second Madam Jiang was waiting for breakfast, but no one showed up. She was hungry, but she heard a noise outside. A group of people came over, led by Yan's housekeeper. The maid came forward and bowed, saying, "Second Madam, yesterday you, a servant, broke into our house without any regard for others and smashed our kitchen. Today you are forcing us to break in again, and you even said in front of our first madam that you were the one who ordered you to do it. Our first madam said that anyone who slanders the master like this must not be a good person. Seeing that she was talking dirty, she gave her a lecture."

"Yes, Second Madam. Our First Madam said that the two families have been separated for so many days, how could you not know? It must be this little slave who is causing trouble. She is still one of our family members. If it was someone else, if she dropped the dishes in the kitchen or damaged things, she would not be let off unless she paid three to five hundred taels as compensation and then handed her over to Shuntianfu for punishment. What about Wei Wuji back then? He was still exiled on the road." Qingdai said with a smile.

To be honest, Qingdai thinks that the Yan family is much better than the Shen family in handling personnel matters. The wet nurse of the eldest master Yan Jingzhao dared to hit his chin at will, and was forced to hang herself. Not to mention Wei Wuji, who kidnapped the eldest lady, who was the son of the governor. He was severely punished by the Yan family and was sentenced to eighty years of chastity and exiled.

Mrs. Shao had not expected things to develop to this point. She thought that even if Mrs. Yan was dissatisfied, so what, because that was the order from her aunt.

But now she was so embarrassed by the scene that she could only hold her stomach and cry out in pain. Mama Gu had someone release Wang Gu and said, "We were concerned about your stomach yesterday, but our grandmother was patient and didn't complain."

"Yes, the Second Madam must be severely punished." Qingdai added.

Mother Gu was really worried that something might happen to Shao's stomach, so she quickly took Qingdai away. When she returned home to report to Yao Niang, she mentioned Shao's stomach.

Yao Niang said, "She already smashed the kitchen when she went to someone's house, so why is she holding her belly now? She is not pregnant with Shen Linfeng's son, nor does she have a golden belly. I won't fall for her tricks."

As it happened, Shao had been lying there for the whole afternoon. When Shen Linjiang came back, she started crying again: "She is trying to intimidate me. She beat up my people and threatened me. We are sisters-in-law, how could she do this? I am angry now, you have to help me out."

Shen Linjiang also found this very unbelievable and asked, "Don't you have a good relationship with the Yan family?"

"I don't know what she is doing here." Shaw wiped away tears.

Shen Linjiang called Wanggu over again and saw that her face was indeed bruised and swollen. He asked again, "Tell me everything that happened. If you tell me even a lie, I will not let you go."

Wang Gu felt that she had encountered her master who was speaking out, so she said something like she rushed in and said that the lady asked them to go over and get food, and then she was beaten.

"When the grandmother was talking, where was the grandfather?" Shen Linjiang quickly grasped the key point of the problem.

Wanggu thought for a moment and said, "The eldest master will sit next to the eldest grandmother and eat."

"Did he say anything?" Shen Linjiang thought that even if something really happened, he and Shen Linfeng would have to negotiate, and there was no reason to ask his sister-in-law. Besides, the Yan family was a wolf in sheep's clothing, and the Shao family was probably no match for them.

Wang Gu recalled for a long time and said, "The eldest master didn't say a word. It was only when the eldest lady asked him to go to the kitchen that I found him there. He came back from the kitchen and said that the plates I broke were made from some official kiln or Ru kiln and were worth three hundred taels. The eldest lady said that being related to such a family was a curse for eight lifetimes, so I shouldn't damage her things or she would blame me later..."

Shen Linjiang was stunned, pointed at her and said, "You really went to smash someone's kitchen?"

Shao chimed in, "Before, Wang's servants from the second house didn't eat well, and she went to make trouble. The eldest aunt just asked the kitchen to make it right. We also know that these people in the kitchen are cunning and like to serve people dishes according to their power. The servants bully their masters."

"You are confused. My aunt passed away yesterday and my sister-in-law is now in charge of the household. She has just taken over the family and she won't allow others to act so presumptuously." After Shen Linjiang finished scolding, he asked people to find out how the other families solved the problem.

The person who went to get the news came back and said, "The second house is already building a stove. Yesterday, the second lady ordered a few tables of banquets at Chunfeng Manyue Tower and sent some to our grandmother. Grandma Qingda asked the servants to buy food. As for the third lady, she asked people to buy a lot of snacks."

After hearing this, Shao was stunned. This meant that apart from her, no one else went to the big house for dinner.

No wonder Yan dared to pick a fight with her.

**

Shen Linfeng was still worried for the whole morning. He was thinking that if someone came, he would rush to the front to protect Yao Niang. But he didn't expect that nothing happened. Everything was calm. There was no news that Shao Shi had a stomach problem or that they came to settle accounts with Yao Niang.

"Yao Niang, why haven't they come yet?" Shen Linfeng asked Yao Niang who was keeping accounts.

Yao Niang smiled and said, "Come on, if she dares to come, I will quarrel with her for three days and three nights. I am not afraid of her. Don't worry, when we are together, no one dares to risk his life."

Even if someone instigated something that caused the Shaw Brothers to get into trouble and she was blamed, she would still have to go and make trouble.

Madam Shen Er had never thought that Yao Niang was so fierce. As a big family, even if there was some discord, she would act very nicely. She had never been like this before. She was really a wolf. She was not even afraid of Shao's child being lost. Yes, even Shao, who was pregnant, could not take advantage of her, let alone others.

After that, Yao Niang made night patrols for three consecutive days. She punished those who were found gambling severely by beating them with sticks and sending them out. She also let the people who she usually thought were good take the place of the others. Suddenly, the whole house was in turmoil.

However, the servants' food was obviously improved to a higher quality, and their work became less. There were only two main masters in the first house, Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng. Shen Linfeng was often in the yamen, and Yao Niang was not a meddlesome person.

Normally, whenever people raised something, she could always come up with a plan, and she was fair in her actions. After only being the housekeeper for a few days, she was actually quite well-received.

Shen Linfeng couldn't wait to introduce his friends Lu Long, Qin Shubai and Fang Sui to him. Yao Niang had already asked the kitchen to prepare a feast, and everything was ready.

Yao Niang also came out to meet the three of them. Shen Linfeng introduced them, "Madam, let me introduce you to some of my good friends. This one is Master Lu Longlui."

"Mr. Lu." Yao Niang bowed. She saw that Lu Long had thin eyebrows and long eyes with a cunning look in them. His clothes were washed white, but his face did not show any embarrassment. He looked like an honest and talented gentleman, and he should be over 30 years old.

Qin Shubai had handsome features. Yao Niang heard from Shen Linfeng that he was originally a merchant who had entered the government, and he and Shen Linfeng were both successful candidates in the imperial examinations. Now he was the director of the Ministry of Works. This man was quite a good person, and he gave her a generous gift as soon as they met.

"Thank you, Mr. Qin." Yao Niang asked someone to put the things away and did not treat anyone differently.

The last one is Fang Sui. He is very young and a descendant of the famous official Fang Yan. He lives in the capital and likes to talk about lofty ideas. He has many scholars who are good at talking at home.

The three were very polite. Yao Niang also said, "This is your first time here, and I don't know what you like to eat, so I made more. Next time you come, I will know your taste by looking at which dishes are empty."

The three of them said they didn't dare, and Yao Niang said to Shen Linfeng, "You stay with them to eat, I'm leaving first."

Seeing Yao Niang's noble demeanor, proper manners, and generosity, everyone congratulated Shen Linfeng, and Shen Linfeng was full of praise: "She has nothing to say about me. The sachets and handkerchiefs I wear are all embroidered by her. She couldn't be more thoughtful."

Rulong took a sip of the wine and said, "Good wine, good wine."

"This was given to my wife's grandfather by someone, and my grandfather gave some to us." Shen Linfeng looked proud.

The four of them were talking loudly at the table. Qin Shubai said to Shen Linfeng, "I toast to you, Brother Shen. If you hadn't introduced me to Minister Yan, I, a Jinshi who was studying politics, wouldn't have been able to stay in the Ministry of Works so soon."

Shen Linfeng waved his hand: "It's because you are talented."

Qin Shubai thought for Shen Linfeng: "Although you are an editor now, how long will you finish compiling history? It would be better for you to take up the position of the inner cabinet earlier. If you are noticed by some cabinet assistant, you will have a bright future."

"I've also been considering what you said, but it's not that easy. We have so many talented people in the Hanlin Academy, and it's hard for me to get a turn. I'm an editor now, which is already much better than many people. My position is the same as the top scholar in the same list." Shen Linfeng said.

Qin Shubai waved his hand: "Brother Shen, in the official career, it is better to bully the old and not the young. I know you are thinking about age. You are young, and if you argue now, it will reveal traces. But as the saying goes, if you don't advance in your official career, you will retreat. Think about it carefully."

Among his three friends, Lu Long was good at Qimen Dunjia and some government skills, Fang Sui was the type who usually made trouble to enhance his reputation, and only Qin Shubai, who came from a merchant family, was resourceful and was determined to climb up the officialdom.

Shen Linfeng took their words to heart and invited them to eat and drink.

Yao Niang saw the gifts these three people gave her. Rui Long gave her an exquisite sleeve arrow, Fang Sui gave her spiced tea, and Qin Shubai gave her fashionable fabrics, a few boxes of Cuihua, two suckling pigs and two jars of Jinhua wine.

“他們都有心了，把這些禮物都放好。”窈娘道。

青黛等人把東西都收好，窈娘對沈臨風的這幾位朋友不予置評，默默觀察，她之所以相見，也是看這三人到底能不能交？

沈臨風不知這所有，和他們推杯換盞好不快活，這幾人喝的醉醺醺之後，還是窈娘吩咐車夫把他三人都安全送回去。

這三人被扶着出去，自然被沈邦彥和沈臨江看到了，沈邦彥早就知曉之前發生的事情，他忍不住道：“大哥真是交游廣天下。”

“是啊，那個姓秦的商人之子，若非是臨風幫忙，哪裏能留京，還能做工部主事。”沈臨江對這些門兒清。

沈邦彥笑道：“怪道當時大伯母不同意大哥娶顏家女，他非要娶，還真是高瞻遠矚。”

沈臨江聞言，總覺得沈邦彥這話有些怪，要知道以前沈邦彥可是常常以身臨風馬首是瞻的。但想來世情如此，人情也如此。

很快就到了窈娘生辰，沈二夫人打發王氏過來，還送了一擔壽桃，一塊懷表，三房的盧扇兒送了一對荷包一雙鞋，清大奶奶則送了兩疋彩緞，兩瓶上等清露。原本江二奶奶和窈娘起初關系最好的，她生辰還專門接窈娘過來，如今二人關系剛鬧過一場，她拉不下臉。

又見住在她對面的韓若華正讓人擡着壽禮過去大房，難姑出去看了一眼，才回來道：“雲三奶奶送了一擔豫竹面去了，又準備了兩匣子牛乳糕。”

“這些人送的也算不得什麽嘛！”邵氏沒好氣道。

難姑道：“她們那些人哪能和您比啊。”

邵氏舅舅當大官，家境也殷實，這也是沈夫人幫沈臨江娶她的緣故。但是現在她們都去了，自己卻不能過去，邵氏倒頭就睡，決定日後她也要開始拉攏這些妯娌。

除了沈家一個房頭的過來送禮，還有李氏大着肚子都過來了，李夫人這位戶部侍郎的夫人也來了，劉夫人帶着珊姐兒還有她母親禮部尚書杜夫人也過來了，更別提祖父顏老尚書親自過來，還有秦叔白和方睢的夫人還有沈臨風關系不錯的同僚的夫人也都過來了。

窈娘忍不住笑道：“原本是我的一個小小的生辰，不曾想大家都過來了，真是讓我受寵若驚。”

“驚什麽？窈娘，看看我送給你的簪子，知道你不辦及笄禮了，但是東西我是要送的。”李氏專門為小姑子撐臉。

窈娘打開一看，竟然是一支鑲嵌綠松石的花金簪，這綠松石并不易得，她連忙道：“多謝嫂嫂，嫂嫂肚子這樣大卻還要為我的生辰來，真是……”

杜夫人和李夫人也認得，見李氏這般，忍不住道：“正所謂長嫂如母，便是如此了。”

李夫人想起女兒女婿成婚不久，女婿就被貶成縣令了，還好顏家人通徹，讓她回娘家養身子。在李家的時候，也只有嫁到沈家的小姑子常常登門拜訪，每次來都是提好些東西過來，姑嫂二人關系非比尋常。

在一旁的沈家年輕的媳婦沒想到窈娘人脈如此之強，雖然只強調小打小鬧，不過是認得的人相聚，可今日一來，都是部堂夫人，還有靖海侯世子夫人劉指揮使夫人這樣的官家夫人。

偏偏窈娘身處其中，倒是把衆人都紛紛介紹，“劉夫人，您是南直隸長陽人，豈不聞這秦夫人也是長陽人，說起來你們還有鄉誼。”

秦夫人原本為商人婦，丈夫還未發跡時，和官家夫人們一起常常被奚落，現下丈夫前程是由沈編修引薦，她來這席上雖然只得沈大奶奶只言片語的提點，秦夫人心中無限感激。

窈娘四處引薦一番，仍舊是她請衆人品嘗果酒：“我家裏如今釀了荔枝酒、青梅酒還有椰子酒，雖然普通，你們若嘗了，又察覺和旁人家的不同。”

王氏擅長庖廚，她先嘗了一口椰子酒，不禁道：“尋常的椰子酒并不用酒曲，而是用椰子漿天然發酵而成，就已經很好喝，沒想到喝這個就更醇香。”

“因為這裏面兌了枸橼，所以喝起來不僅醇香卻又清新，反而不顯酒味。”窈娘道。

衆人見窈娘雖然年輕，但是口齒伶俐，妙語連珠，都忍不住點頭。劉夫人當然有更多私房話要和窈娘說，窈娘在花廳招待大家用膳過，借着更衣和劉夫人說道：“您這是有話和我說嗎？”

“怎麽沒有？你們今日就圓房，記得一定不要害羞，你年紀還太小，也不可讓他多折騰你。”劉夫人道。

窈娘臉一紅，只是微微點頭。

接着，她又請衆人去聽戲，衆人見桌上都擺着睡蓮時興的鮮花，另有果品飲子點心等等，可以算得上十分周到了。

杜夫人看着窈娘道：“你這孩子年紀輕輕，辦事倒是很周到，我看你們府上的下人有條不紊。”

窈娘陪嫁的下人本就是簡易的四司六局，這次她先拟出菜單，增設人手，如何不井井有條。但如此辛苦，她也不足為外人道。

這邊韓若華倒是突然機敏起來，主動幫人斟酒遞茶說話都不在話下，王氏見韓若華如此，也立馬表現起來，窈娘樂得她二人表現，只時不時稱贊幾句，讓她們愈發幹勁十足。

外間，沈臨風正和杜尚書、李侍郎、顏邁一桌，讓藺泷、秦叔白、方睢和沈家子弟們陪酒，他還對衆人道：“今日劉指揮使還要來。”

顏邁笑道：“他也要過來？杜宗伯，你這位女婿可是令人聞風喪膽啊，不過呢，倒是替我孫女争取了一個好事兒，日後有這樣的事情，多找我孫女。她雖然并非丹青名家，但有過目不忘之能，只要見過一面的人，都能畫的栩栩如生。”

“世間真有如此奇才？”杜尚書捏須疑惑。

沈臨風笑道：“當年若非我親眼所見，也不信內子竟會如此。”

杜尚書看向顏邁道：“老大人家中有女如此，真是令人羨慕。”

“千萬別這麽說，我孫女對我說過說你的女兒平日很照顧她，日後大家權且當通家之好，如何？”顏邁哈哈大笑。

杜尚書寒門出身，在官場獨木難支，雖然女婿是劉指揮使，可若是能和顏家這樣的人家往來，絕對是有好無壞。李侍郎就危險了，他是龔家一手提拔，現在龔次輔走了，他的地位怕是岌岌可危。

官場就是這樣，牽一發而動全身。

沈臨風親自給衆長輩倒酒，他性子疏闊，才學頗高，人還有慧根。他這樣的年輕人，正是長輩們正喜歡的，杜尚書還要兒子親自跟沈臨風請教，沈臨風連道不敢。

顏邁看着很是高興，又聽沈臨風說起藺泷擅長機關之術，他是個惜才之人，立馬多問了幾句，忍不住誇獎道：“我們工部倒是正需要你這樣的人才，今日你宴畢之後來我府上我們詳談。”

沈臨風招攬藺泷許久，沒想到人才這麽快被妻子的祖父招攬走了，他也不好說不行，顏邁倒是和藺泷相談甚歡。藺泷則看向顏邁道：“老大人，您擡舉我我很高興，但把您那邊的忙幫完了，我還得回沈編修這裏。”

顏邁看了看孫女婿一眼：“我這位孫女婿在翰林院尋章摘句，想必也用不到你，不如你跟着我，日後必定有前途。”

藺泷還是搖頭：“沈兄雖然年紀比我小，但曾救藺某于水火之中，他答應過我一輩子供養我飯食，老大人好意，藺某心領了。”

“成吧成吧，反正日後把你再還給我這孫女婿，我孫女婿天生富貴命，供你吃喝沒問題。”顏邁擺擺手，也放棄了從孫女婿那裏要人。

沈家子弟看的羨慕不已，沈臨風現在也不過二十歲，就身居翰林院編修，有追随的人，整個人簡直就是宴會的中心。

幾人正說笑着，外面說劉指揮使過來府上傳聖旨，沈臨風趕緊讓家裏早就準備好的香案擺好，又請窈娘出來。

窈娘從裏屋出來，她和沈臨風跪在一處迎接聖旨。

“臣婦顏氏給皇上請安，祝願吾皇千秋萬代。”窈娘還嗑了一個頭。

劉寂笑道：“聖躬安。”

“咨爾顏氏，毓質名門，端懿惠和，作配翰林院編修沈臨風辛勤有加，故特封爾為六品安人，其子特許進國子監，欽此。”

窈娘再次叩頭，心情激動，她幫娘拿了诰命，自己如今也能恩蔭子孫，何時若是她自己能封個什麽官就好了，但當下今日能有此殊榮，已經是榮膺在身。

如何再行禮不多說，只說随着劉指揮使過來，宴會又推向高潮。窈娘才發現劉寂其實也挺愛笑的，和沈臨風二人竊竊私語也不知道在說些什麽。

宴畢之後，賓客散去。

窈娘見到沈臨風道：“方才劉指揮使和你說什麽呢？”

"It's nothing. In fact, if it weren't for these external identities, I think everyone is fine. Commander Liu knows that I am learning the Jingchu long sword, and he discussed the moves with me. Your grandfather jokingly asked Commander Liu and I to protect him on the left and right." Shen Linfeng was quite emotional.

Yao Niang couldn't help but laugh and said, "You're always talking about other people's business? Have you ever thought about what you want to do today?"

Shen Linfeng's face suddenly turned red. Naturally, he was thinking about it all the time.