Chapter 092 Chapter 92
Mrs. Shen Er didn't know that her nephew You Da was in trouble. She and Lu Shan'er rushed over and saw a group of people tying up a man with bloody holes in his body and walking out. They were all women, and even if they beat people with sticks on weekdays, they would rarely see bloody scenes. Mrs. Shen Er's legs felt weak.
Lu Shaner was a bit more courageous, and came over to ask Yao Niang: "Grandma, what's going on?"
Yao Niang smiled and said, "It's nothing. A thief took advantage of my absence to break into my house, but was shot into a sieve by the trap I set up."
"You also know the art of Qimen Dunjia?" Lu Shaner looked delighted.
Now that she was being targeted by the bad guys, if Yao Niang couldn't frighten others, she was afraid that someone would come again next time, so she said in a mysterious manner, "It's just a trivial trick."
Yao Niang even raised her arm and said, "I have hidden arrows here, so people with no connections can't get close to me. But some villains thought I was a weak woman and actually wanted to plot against my eldest son."
Mrs. Shen stood back quietly for a while, because Yao Niang said that more government officials might come to visit, so she asked them to go back first, while she stayed to wait for the officials to come.
After returning home, Mrs. Shen sat down and said to Mother Qian, "My legs are still shaking."
Mother Qian was also terrified: "I never thought that the eldest grandmother knew the art of Qimen Dunjia and was hiding in the room. I just don't know how the thief got in? The eldest room is very heavily guarded."
"I saw such a big thing happening. Although Yan looked a little nervous, she was still very calm. She even said that she would go back to sleep after the government officials came to investigate. She is quite brave." Madam Shen II really lamented that she was not as good as before. She wanted to give Yan some advice, but she didn't listen at all.
Lu Shan'er always thought that she was the smartest person in the world and was not afraid of fighting with others. However, she did not expect that the Yan she met was even more extraordinary. Moreover, Yan was not the kind of person who was aggressive and usually did not care about worldly affairs.
"There is always someone better than you. By the way, Second Madam has had her period recently, so let her stay in bed and burn some moxa to protect the fetus, and take good care of her." Lu Shan'er thought of Shao's near miscarriage, and couldn't help but take responsibility.
But on second thought, Yan and Shao have conflicts, even if that's the case, Yan's means are cruel and she won't harm the children of the sister-in-law next door, so will the Yan family treat their own sister-in-law badly? You know, Yan went back yesterday and made a special trip to visit her sister-in-law who was about to give birth, and Li was also very good to her younger sister-in-law. When Yan celebrated her birthday, Li came even with a big belly.
Shao almost lost her baby after this incident, and her aunt came to visit her several times. Fortunately, the child was saved, and Grandma Qingda was helpless because anything she did at this time would easily be discovered.
Shen Bangyan had the same mentality. At most, he spoke out of turn after drinking. He praised his sister-in-law's beauty in front of You Da, and even advised him afterwards. He was the one who insisted on having his own way. He did not provide any help. Even if You Da tried to make an inference, he could not link it to him.
In fact, it was true. You Da's identity was soon revealed. Even Mrs. Shen was surprised: "Why is it You Da? I was wondering why he came to my house so often these days. I thought he wanted to show his filial piety to me."
Shen Bangyan said righteously: "Cousin You is really too much. My aunt has high hopes for him. It's ok that he failed the martial arts test many times, but he even sneaked into my sister-in-law's room. It's really too despicable. Mother, this matter has nothing to do with us. What's more, he is now involved in the death of Xu Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Works. This Xu Yuanwai was just sent to inspect the river works and died inexplicably."
"Yes, tell me about your cousin, how did he get involved in this matter." Mrs. Shen naturally wanted to cut off ties with him, so how could she possibly go to save him.
Shen Bangyan also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Yan Mai was no pushover. Seeing Yao Niang crying so sadly, he quickly said, "Don't worry. Whether he is lustful or for some other reason, I won't let him off so easily. But why is there a device in your room?"
"It was Shen Linfeng who arranged it for me before he left. I didn't expect it to come in handy." Yao Niang didn't expect that You Da had deliberately set a fire to lure him out, and even sent people to harass him on the road. She avoided all these inexplicably.
A catcher from Daxing County actually coveted me so much and even broke into my room.
Yan Mai looked at his granddaughter and said, "Don't be sad. Your sister-in-law has just given birth to a son and will be having her third birthday celebration soon. You can stay at home for a while then."
"No need for that. There are so many servants at home. If I were alone, I would definitely go back home to accompany you." Yao Niang heard that he climbed out of the lake, so she had to send a few people to patrol there regularly.
Seeing that she insisted, Yan Mai did not need to persuade her any further: "Okay, then you should be careful. Grandfather will come with you later."
Although my grandfather was old, he was in good health. After Yao Niang arrived, he looked around and saw that the Shen family had equipped themselves with many good things. After looking for a long time, he went to Yao Niang's room. By then, he had already returned to normal, but he still beat the people from the Yan family who came as dowry.
"This You Da is a relative of your second aunt. I think he is also closely related to the second branch of the family." Yan Mai said slowly.
Yao Niang nodded, "Yes, it's a pity that You Daquan didn't mention anyone from the Shen family, and he also said that Shen Bangyan had advised him. Our second master is the chief priest of the Imperial College, and Cheng Shaoqing is the chief examiner of my uncle's provincial examination. Moreover, this man was stabbed to a bloody mess and was whipped thirty times. I think even if I go to the Second House to punish him, I'm afraid it will only cause trouble. I can only wait for Shen Linfeng to come back before making a long-term plan."
Yan Maize said: "But if he is greedy, how come he has a golden cup in his arms? If it was an attempted crime, I'm afraid the sentence would be less, but it's different if he stole something."
Yao Niang said, "I put it in there, and I won't let him get out alive."
"You are interfering with other people's judgments." Yan Mai pointed at his granddaughter.
Yao Niang said, "I know that if this evil person is not eliminated, he will harm the world again in the future, or seek revenge on me. If you don't remove the roots, the grass will grow again in the spring breeze. Grandfather, you must help your granddaughter."
"Don't worry." Yan Mai also knew that his granddaughter was living here alone and might be coveted by others, which could cause trouble, so he had to kill her to scare the monkeys.
"I think the Second House doesn't want him alive. Let me go ask them."
Yao Niang nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Bangyan had not expected Yan Mai to come to his house, and the second master Shen hurried out to greet him: "Old Master, I don't know what brought you here? I was just about to come to your house to tell you that You Da is really a piece of shit. It's our fault that Lin Feng is not at home."
Yan Mai waved his hand and said indifferently: "What he did has nothing to do with you. Even if he implicates you, I will never believe it. I have already told my granddaughter to let her do what she wants in the future. Don't ruin the relationship for someone who has nothing to do with you."
Shen Bangyan thought to himself, could it be that Mr. You had dragged himself into this?
"With an elder like the old man in our Yan family, there is no need to worry about the prosperity. You really understand the big picture." Second Master Shen remained calm, as if he was completely unaware.
Yan Mai stopped talking at that point. After all, as his granddaughter said, unless you have evidence, You Da himself said that he did this repeatedly because he was familiar with the Shen family's terrain and was greedy for beauty. He even mentioned that Shen Bangyan persuaded him and that it was he who was obsessed with sex. Therefore, Yan Mai also warned him.
After saying this, Yan Mai said he had other things to do at the government office and left.
When Shen Bangyan saw Yan Mai leaving, his steps became lighter, but Second Master Shen said to him, "Come with me to the study."
Compared to the elder Shen, who was always serious and intimidating, the second elder Shen actually smiled a lot, but he was very strict with his son. After Shen Bangyan entered the study, he saw the second elder Shen and asked, "Do you know about You Da's affairs?"
Shen Bangyan immediately protested: "My son knew that he was extremely lecherous and even tried to persuade him, but I had no idea that he would not listen to my advice."
"You really don't know?" Old Master Shen narrowed his eyes.
Shen Bangyan shook his head: "How could I know he would be like this? I also didn't expect that my sister-in-law had already prepared for it and actually set up a mechanism."
Elder Shen Er snorted coldly: "She did this to guard against those villains. You are idle and don't know what to do on weekdays, and you don't help your sister-in-law."
Shen Bangyan nodded and agreed.
You Da hanged himself in his cell three days later. It was said that his mother scolded him for bringing shame upon him after visiting him in prison. He also felt that he had no face to live in the future, so he hit his head and died in the cell.
Originally, hearing about the death of a person should have made her heart tremble, but when Yao Niang thought about what this person had done behind her back time and time again, she felt no wavering in her heart.
"I had my third-day baptism ceremony yesterday. My eldest nephew is quite cute. He will be one month old in a few days. I will go back to see him then." After Yao Niang finished speaking, she thought of Shen Linfeng again. She wondered what he would do if she told him that the mechanism he had set up was useful?
But it was said that Shen Linfeng had already arrived in Jiangxi. When he came, everyone saw that he was very young and felt a little unconvinced, because Shen Linfeng was not a grandmaster. It has to be said that in the officialdom, people who are older and have more experience will be considered to have more experience.
Although Shen Linfeng was young, he was dignified and handsome. He kept himself clean. When a subordinate official sent a beautiful woman to him, he didn't even look at her. Instead, he scolded her. At the same time, Shen Linfeng also found that being an official was completely different from studying. He was so tired. It would be great if he had his wife by his side. Every time he was a little emotional, Yao Niang would always comfort him. She didn't do anything, but he felt inexplicably at ease when she was by his side.
想到這裏，他從懷裏把畫掏出來，裏面的女子仿若在天宮的神仙似的，可現在是他的妻子了，“窈娘，你可知道我好想你。”
一個月後，現下已經進了秋，窈娘也讓人給下人們做了衣裳，她自個兒也做了好幾套。料想沈臨風也要回來，她倒是想幫他也做幾身衣裳，但想來沈臨風眼光絕頂，自己挑的他未必喜歡，遂作罷。
她陪嫁來的布匹裏，有些是最上等，顏色也鮮亮的，她便挑了幾樣最好看的放着，到時候讓沈臨風選。
偏這個時候邵氏胎坐穩了，這次邵氏經此一劫，以前的要強丢了幾分，迷信上信佛，還請了幾位庵堂的住持過來。
窈娘對顧媽媽道：“人受到衆大挫折時，很容易信神鬼之說，只是她送這個給我做什麽，我可不信什麽神鬼。”
顧媽媽笑道：“您也不必信，那些想害您的人都近身不了您，就沒有好下場。”
“那是因為即便我有難，我會信人定勝天，邵氏那裏送些補品過去就是了。”窈娘道。
只不過今日要去文家，倩娘生了個女兒，今日正好滿月。窈娘打了一幅金項圈金手镯腳镯過去，她自然聽說倩娘不甚高興，但是孩子的事情實屬緣分，就像窈娘和沈臨風也同床共枕一段時日，也沒有身孕。
要知道倩娘是很注意這一胎的，胎兒大了之後她是哪裏都沒去過，就是為了養胎，結果她認為生下來的孩子不如人願，心情抑郁，但人前還要逞強。
倩娘對窈娘家發生的事情并不關心，只想一個勁兒的說自己：“我為了生這個孩子，真的是受罪了，你不知道我的惡露還有……”
“二姐，你們家恭房在哪裏，我想先過去。”她并不願意聽這些，因為上次過來倩娘已經說了一遍了，但倩娘似乎已經忘記了。
而如果她說了解決問題，倩娘又會說怎麽能這樣，不能那樣，反過來說自己不懂規矩。
所以窈娘直接尿遁了，她覺得自己的婚後生活似乎和很多人都不同，她也不是覺得她們俗氣，只是覺得和婚前太不一樣了。她不會想随時随地談自己的丈夫，也不喜歡抱怨，其實她家裏的煩心事也不少，但她覺得處理問題比抱怨好多了。
倩娘後來發現窈娘走了，還怪罪道：“她也真是的，首輔門第她也不說在這裏多認得一些人，就這麽回去了。如今嫁了人還不懂交際，以為憑着做學問真的能得到一切呢。”
白鷺則道：“您是姐姐，素來對三姑娘都是這般忍讓。”
“沈家受龔家牽連，沈總憲已經辭官回鄉，沈臨風現在也只是一個小小翰林。她來不來，也不必在意，我看她還沒意識到情勢早已不對，在我這裏還以為和在顏家的時候一樣。”倩娘也不在意，還翻了翻窈娘所送之禮，又覺得她送的少了。
以前她還只是個庶女，早已習慣家中父親偏心，可如今她出嫁了，又是姐妹中如今嫁的最好的人，自然也就不滿起來。一切令她不滿的事情，在生了孩子之後，達到了頂點。
窈娘哪裏理會她，回來之後，舒舒服服的泡澡，洗發，甚至還讓人把玉足也好生洗了一番，趴在床上美滋滋的看書。
顧媽媽現在上了年紀，多半不會再和以前一樣上夜，晚上吃完晚飯也就回去了。
窈娘正欲歇息時，卻見外頭道：“大爺回來了。”
夫妻二人夏末時分開，深秋再見，窈娘有些猝不及防，沈臨風也發怔似的看着她：“我不會做夢吧？”
窈娘上前牽着他進來：“都回來了，怎麽還說胡話？吃飯了沒有啊？”
沈臨風搖頭：“沒有，我不想住驿站，又想早些見你，所以星夜兼程趕了回來。這些日子我總做噩夢，還好見到你了。”
“做噩夢了？小鬼纏身嗎？不怕不怕，都到了我身邊，我會好好守護你的。”窈娘見他瘦了，十分心疼。
跟牽着小孩子似的把人牽進來，沈臨風有些不好意思道：“我要先沐浴一番，等會兒我們再說話。”
窈娘道：“我就在外面等你，別怕，我還有一件事情告訴你，關于你機關的，快些洗啊。”
真沒想到這個時候沈臨風回來了，她其實不是那種喜歡依靠男子的人，但沈臨風回來之後，她心下安定了許多，但又擔心丈夫是不是遇到什麽事情了？她們夫妻好像和別人家有點不一樣，也不知怎麽，那些想害她的人，很容易被反殺，但是沈臨風身邊不少魑魅魍魉，且這些人還真的能暗算成功。
魏無忌搗亂，游大觊觎她……
這樣的事情看似偶然，可每一件都脫不了和二房的幹系。
沈臨風一回來，就發現身邊暖洋洋的，浴盆裏放的是白芷，桃皮、柏葉、零陵、青木香，正是五香湯，有辟邪的功效。
他沐浴完之後，順便還洗了頭發，才覺得整個人清爽無比。
窈娘見他洗了頭發，才道：“過來我幫你擦幹，仔細吹了風，明早起來頭疼。”
沒想到沈臨風搖頭：“娘子，你就坐在那兒我自己擦就成了，咱們倆說說話。說實在的，我這次去江西，日日夜夜總想你，批閱考卷的時候都想起你。”
窈娘嬌羞道：“傻瓜，我就這麽讓你在意嗎？”
“不是，是我每次想起你，我就什麽都不怕了。”沈臨風搖頭。
窈娘哭笑不得：“我是關公還是秦瓊啊。”
沈臨風連忙道：“娘子莫生氣，我是想娘子曾經在開封時，我見過有好幾個人要抓你，沒想到你那樣的威風凜凜，讓手下直接把人捆了，我好生羨慕。只是我在乘船去江西時，為了放松，也是一時好奇看了不少兇殺案，因此噩夢連連。”
聽他說完，窈娘卻道：“你是噩夢連連，我卻是真的遇上了。”
“什麽？”沈臨風驚起。
窈娘遂道：“二嬸的姨甥游大，據說是某日見了我一面，便想□□于我。先是在我們西角門附近放火，結果那些日子我常常巡夜讓下人們學會用唧筒，故而火勢很快就撲滅了，他沒有得逞。之後我幾乎閉門不出，只有我嫂嫂臨産之時出門，他日夜監視于我，可惜手段太差，不知道我随身帶着侍衛，想讓地痞騷擾我，再英雄救美，自然又未得逞。”
沈臨風聽的十分緊張，一把抓住窈娘的手，甚至起了殺心。
又聽窈娘道：“也就在那日，他沒了耐心，趁着我去工部畫疑犯時，帶走了不少親近之人。他從二房湖底潛入，我們家和二房的湖是連着的，他又熟悉路線，所以從湖底游了過來，翻牆而入，等着我守房的兩個丫鬟午睡時進來了。他原意是想下迷藥，等我們回來時，他悄悄對我行不軌，只是沒想到他看到你的畫像後，不知怎麽走上去碰了碰，被射穿成了篩子。我怕他偷盜不遂，到時候反而報複我，所以我說他是因為工部兇案來殺我的，此人也知道利害，在獄中交代他只是觊觎我的美貌，就幾日之後自缢了。”
沈臨風連忙走向機關之處，早已擺了一張花鳥圖擺上，他沒想到窈娘竟然遭遇這麽多事情，情急之下過來握着她的手道：“以後咱們倆別分開了，我去哪兒就帶着你。”
“這不是解決之道，我們雖然是夫妻，可我們也有各自要做的事情，不可能每日黏膩在一起。曾經的魏無忌，現在的游大，夫君，我們要除去的是心懷叵測的壞人，而這倆不是都有共同點嗎？”窈娘提醒。
沈臨風起身看了窈娘一眼：“我知道你想說什麽，我曾經也有過懷疑。你可知道我哥哥沈臨羿是怎麽死的嗎？”
窈娘搖頭，她只是聽聞沈臨風的那位兄長是個少年英才。
“我兄長馬上風而死，當年他才十三歲，已經要去考舉人了。我們家的規矩，怕爺們被外頭的人勾着，都會放一兩個丫頭在身邊。這丫頭自然也是精挑細選的，那兩個丫頭看着老實巴交的，私底下卻完全不是那樣，甚至還喂藥給我兄長吃，以至于我兄長年紀輕輕，死狀讓家族蒙羞。那時，我還不知曉，興沖沖的早上沖去兄長房中，想讓他幫我去金陵帶鴨子回來我吃，哪裏知道兄長……”沈臨風現在回想起來還覺得惡心想吐。
窈娘沒想到是這般，她看向沈臨風：“這兩個丫頭從哪兒弄的這樣助興的藥？”
“不是，是我兄長要的，聽聞她們私下故意說我兄長不行。我兄長此人年少才高，性情高傲，被兩個丫頭嘲笑，故而才這般……”沈臨風道。
“就和游大是自願的一樣，他還說是沈邦彥勸他別打我的主意，當年你母親什麽都沒查到嗎？”窈娘問。
Shen Linfeng said, "When my brother passed away, my mother almost went crazy. She refused to eat or drink for days and nights and almost died with my brother. No one wanted to bring up the past again. I was growing up and learning quickly at that time, so my mother was mostly concerned about me. As for the two girls, they were originally sent to the government for murdering their master. It was my second aunt who said that if such a thing was exposed, the Shen family would be ridiculed. Later, my grandmother asked my second aunt to deal with it as soon as possible."
"Do the backgrounds of these two girls have anything to do with your second aunt?" Yao Niang asked.
Shen Linfeng shook his head: "No, those two were my mother's maids, the most trustworthy. That's why I hate having maids around all these years. You said it was related to my second aunt, but I was still a child at that time. Later, the adults didn't allow this matter to be mentioned, so it's probably difficult to investigate now. I don't even know what happened to those two girls later."