Chapter 099 Chapter 99
"Why is the letter from my daughter so thick? It contains every detail." Yan Yingqi shook his head after reading it.
Mrs. Xie said, "I am happy to read it. My daughter is very close to me. We don't know her current situation. I would be worried if she didn't write more. She said she didn't expect that I would give her a brother. She asked me to take good care of myself. She was surprised that I gave birth to a child."
She couldn't help laughing at the end.
Yan Yingqi said: "Children are always children. Our Yao Niang still has such a childish mentality, which shows that she is living well in the Shen family."
"She didn't live a good life either. Her elder sister ran away from her marriage, and we were in a hurry to attend her funeral. How could her life be easy? Life in the rear house was just endurance." her side.
The marriage between Zhen and Xu's family has been going on for several years, Jingwen's marriage has not been finalized yet, Yan Yingqi has been at home for nearly 27 months of mourning, and the road to recovery is not easy. Xie doesn't care, anyway, it's good for the couple to enjoy their child.
Zhen was very anxious, but she had no say in Yan Yingqi. At first, after Yan Yingqi was demoted, Zhen was secretly happy. Later, the old lady of the third room was already the Minister of Works. As long as the old man was there, Yan Jingzhao's career would not be too bad, but it would be difficult for Yan Yingqi to recover.
Yan Yingqi's career in officialdom was very smooth. He was in his prime, and he even had some plans in mind before leaving. But again, man proposes, God disposes, and the same goes for the changes in officialdom. He had to be patient, and staying at home to raise his children was a good choice.
He didn't need to tell Xie about these things, because Xie never thought about these things and she and he were in perfect harmony.
There was no need to explain to Zhen Shi. Why should he tell her about his future plans? Zhen Shi also relied on him to get the imperial decree of a third-rank official and had been an official's wife for many years. He had nothing to let her down.
As usual, Xie accepted some of the things Yao Niang sent over, and also gave some pieces of cloth to the main room. Zhen snorted coldly after receiving them.
"This little thing is worth sending over."
Mother Wei served tea and consoled her, saying, "An old clam giving birth to a pearl is not ashamed. She is already a grandmother, and she gave birth to a son who is almost the same age as her grandson."
Zhen waved her hands: "I am worried that the old man can't be reinstated. The third old lady is so old, but she refuses to step down. This makes it impossible for our old man to be reinstated. The people in the third house are pleasing, but our family is finished. It seems that the mourning period is about to end, and I don't know what to do?"
Mother Wei came up with an idea: "Why don't you go ask the old man? See what he says."
"The old man never comes to our main room. He stays with Jie every day. How can I let her come over?" Zhen was older and would not compete for favor.
However, after the old man passed away, the old lady loved her granddaughter Xin Wan more and more. She still wanted to rekindle the old matter and marry her granddaughter to Jingwen. Jingwen came back to observe the mourning this time, and Zhen was not ignorant of what was going on with Xin Wan under her nose. However, the old man's attitude became ambiguous, and it seemed that he did not object to Jingwen marrying Xin Wan.
…
Therefore, when Yao Niang received Xie's reply, it was already the day before her birthday. The letter talked about many interesting things about her younger brother Jingci, and also said that Jingwen's marriage might still depend on Xin Wan.
"This can be considered as lovers finally getting married." Yao Niang said.
Shen Linfeng asked: "Why did your father suddenly agree?"
Yao Niang smiled and said, "You also know that my grandfather is working in Beijing, so it is difficult for my father to return. After all, relatives cannot be officials in Beijing at the same time, otherwise there will be fear of favoritism. Although there is no explicit rule, there is also this unspoken rule. Besides, you see my brother's two marriages, in the end they were all in vain. In this case, why not choose someone who knows you well and has a similar personality? This way, the relationship will last long, but these are just my guesses."
Everything is based on emotion, and Shen Linfeng can understand that.
Just like Shen Linfeng himself, before he met Yao Niang, his requirement for his wife was that she could meet the requirements of the mistress of the house. But after meeting his wife, he felt that being with the person he loved was happier than anything else, because this person was the one he chose.
This year is her sixteenth birthday. This is not a formal birthday. Yao Niang especially liked celebrating her birthday when she was little, but now she doesn't like it so much. She also accepts gifts from others. In the evening, Shen Linfeng accompanies her to eat a bowl of longevity noodles.
Tonight the couple no longer used contraception, and Yao Niang was of course ready. When Shen Linfeng was about to have sex, Yao Niang also went to meet him. People outside did not know what the couple was planning, especially Wang Shi. Although she also wanted a child, Shen Bangyan rarely came to her room because he was studying hard.
Fortunately, Chunluo comforted her beside her: "Isn't the eldest grandmother not pregnant? She is under more pressure than you. After all, she is the eldest daughter-in-law of the eldest son."
"Yeah, if she's not in a hurry, there's nothing for me to be in a hurry for either." Wang felt better after she felt so comforted.
After saying that, she went to talk to Han Ruohua again. Among the sisters-in-law, only Han Ruohua was considerate and kind. She had treated Han Ruohua just averagely before, but she didn't expect that Han Ruohua was such a nice person. Moreover, they were both young daughters-in-law, and Han Ruohua was not as arrogant as Yan.
In fact, Yan was better in front of her mother-in-law, Madam Shen. Once Madam Shen left, Shen Linfeng seemed to be dead and could not control her at all. As a result, Yan became arrogant and bossed her sisters-in-law around. She was arrogant and willful, and her words were often sharp and difficult to deal with. Wang often interacted with other sisters-in-law, and Yan rarely participated when they got together.
Wang brought people to the third room of Qingyi Garden, but heard that Han Ruohua went to the first room.
Yes, when Han Ruohua arrived at the main room, Yao Niang was painting a lotus pond in the pavilion. She was afraid that her skills would become rusty, so she didn't ask for her painting to reach a certain level, but she must not regress.
"I guessed that Sister-in-law Feng was here. Everyone says you are a great painter, but who knows the hard work that goes into it?" Han Ruohua talked freely.
Yao Niang smiled and said, "It's you. I wonder what brings you here at this time?"
The last time Han Ruohua tried to snatch Shen Linyi's portrait, Yao Niang noticed something unusual. It is possible that the person she likes is Shen Linyi, and she may be in love with Shen Bangyan because of Shen Linyi. This is not impossible.
The relationship between her and me has always been indifferent, especially regarding her wedding, when they actually had some disagreements. So this time she came to my house with a smile, probably just for the painting.
Han Ruohua said, "It's nothing else. I just got married last year and I don't know what to give my relatives for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Unfortunately, both of our sisters-in-law in the third room are busy, so I came to ask Sister-in-law Feng for advice."
Yao Niang said, "Your family is now ruled by the eldest sister-in-law Qing. You are the younger daughter-in-law, so there is no need for you to prepare these things."
"I really don't want to prepare?" Han Ruohua asked hypocritically.
Yao Niang smiled and said, "Perhaps you can ask your eldest sister-in-law. We have our own relatives now, so I have no way of knowing. Hey, the third wife has gone to Henan now. I heard that the eldest sister-in-law Qing has contracted out the garden at home?"
She asked this on purpose. Han Ruohua never said a single practical word. She liked to ask people questions aggressively, but she herself was unwilling to talk about any core matters. So Yao Niang asked this on purpose, knowing that she would not answer, so that Han Ruohua would leave.
As expected, Han Ruohua just shook his head and said, "If you don't know what's going on here, I'll go back first."
But after Han Ruohua said goodbye and went back, she was in a depressed mood. Mother Xu hurriedly advised: "Sister, you are the most sensible one, why are you so about this matter? You used the excuse of being a lifesaver to get rid of it before, do you still plan to ask for a portrait? What will the people in the tribe say about you angry if you do this?"
Han Ruohua closed her eyes and cried: "I just couldn't help it. If cousin Yi was still alive and really won the first place in the imperial examination, then I would..."
Just as she finished speaking, she heard outside say that the Third Master had returned. Han Ruohua quickly wiped her tears with a handkerchief, gave a look to Mother Xu, and then stood up leisurely to greet him.
Shen Linyun finally came back. The couple had a quarrel before. Han Ruohua wanted her husband to socialize with officials more, but Shen Sanlang didn't like it. He ran away when she mentioned it, and the couple parted unhappily. But he listened to his second brother Shen Linjiang's advice, so he came back.
After all, they are a young couple. Han Ruohua is very eloquent and took the initiative to admit her mistakes: "Although those words of mine were all for your own good, I didn't care about your feelings. I was wrong. These days I always sit here, looking forward to the sound of your footsteps, hoping that I can find a shoulder to lean on like before, but unfortunately all this is a dream."
Shen Sanlang scratched his head: "I was wrong too, don't be angry with me, I'm back now, right?"
Han Ruohua took the initiative to hold his hand and said, "Let's stop arguing from now on, okay?"
"Um."
Seeing that her husband was coaxed by her, Han Ruohua also breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that although Sanlang was not of the highest quality, he was a rare honest and kind man without a philandering heart. How could she not want such a husband? Moreover, Sanlang was very good-looking. She put her arms around him and said, "I miss you, I really miss you."
Shen Sanlang was a few years younger than her. Han Ruohua was so plump and beautiful that he could not control himself after being teased like this. Han Ruohua was also very satisfied with her husband's performance. After all, he was young and full of energy.
When she woke up again, Shen Sanlang wanted to rape her again. Although she was satisfied, she still said, "We haven't had dinner yet."
After the two reconciled, Han Ruohua temporarily forgot about Shen Linyi. However, Shen Sanlang was indeed not a good student. He was not young anymore and his writing was very sloppy.
Grandma Qing was now pregnant and was content. She could finally give birth to a boy or a girl, and her position would be secure. She even asked the little maid beside her to serve Shen Linqing. Of course, she loved her husband and wanted to have a child, but the most important thing was that her position was secure.
Therefore, she hoped that the family would be harmonious when she was in charge so that she could manage it more easily. She now had a reputation as a virtuous person, which was better than that of her brothers and sisters.
She even planned to do something during the Mid-Autumn Festival to let everyone know her abilities.
Housewives also wanted to show off their skills during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Fortunately, Yao Niang's family only had two people, so it was easy for her to prepare. However, if the family was well prepared, the gifts to the outsiders had to be carefully prepared. The gifts sent by Zhao Cifu, the president of the Hanlin Academy, and several other superiors could not be the same.
But these are also managed by a housekeeper, and Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng and his wife also have to review them. If you give the wrong gift, it is very likely that others will have a bad impression of you.
The mooncakes were all ordered from Fanlou, the wine was from the best brew, and as for the calligraphy and painting utensils, Shen Linfeng selected them according to Shangguan's preferences, while Yao Niang re-drew the list beside him. After the two of them checked it, they felt much more relieved.
"I really don't want to be an adult. Look, why are there so many things to do!" Yao Niang yawned and seemed a little sleepy.
Shen Linfeng said: "You, why do you feel sleepy so easily recently?"
"I don't know either. It might be because of the pregnancy-maintaining medicine I took. The doctor also said that I am lacking in energy and blood." Yao Niang said.
Shen Linfeng secretly took Yao Niang's arm to feel her pulse. Seeing that her pulse was normal, he said, "Well, since you are sleepy, just rest more and don't work too hard."
Yao Niang nodded, and she asked again: "We have to send the painting back. It has been almost three months. Your parents should have received it, but they haven't replied yet. I wonder what they think?"
"As for investigating cases, my father once cleared 10,000 cases in the Dali Temple in just one year, without missing a single one. I wrote the letter to them. If they really want to investigate, why do they need us?" Shen Linfeng said.
Yao Niang snorted coldly: "Never mind, how about the Bi family?"
Shen Linfeng said: "I have some clues about the Bi family, but they are related to my second aunt after all. We have to wait until they are really broke next time, then we can ask them some questions. Besides, I am an official now, and I cannot use extreme means."
The dead are gone, Shen Linfeng has to find out the truth and keep his official position first.
Yao Niang could understand this. She talked to Shen Linfeng about her younger brother again and felt very curious: "You said my younger brother is only a little over one year old. It's really interesting that I have such a young brother. My mother said that my father is like a son slave now. He even wants to hold the child when he gets up at night. He is completely different from before. Hey, do you think your father and your mother can still have children?"
"Hehe, that definitely can't happen." Shen Linfeng had never thought about his parents.
Seeing that Yao Niang didn't understand, Shen Linfeng added, "Think about it, my mother is already fifty years old. My great-grandfather and great-grandmother passed away one after another when she married into the family. She has been in mourning for several years. My father is the eldest son and the grandson."
A fifty-year-old woman is almost at the end of her menopause, so she shouldn't be able to do it. But that's not necessarily the case. Yao Niang emphasized, "It's possible that your mother could be one too."
Shen Linfeng was stunned by her imagination: "I have never heard of a fifty-year-old woman still being able to have a baby. Please stop talking about it. I can't imagine it. Please."
Yao Niang threw her handkerchief at his face and said, "You are so boring and cowardly."
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Grandma Qing had a miscarriage. It was said that she worked too hard and fell ill. This surprised Yao Niang very much. She said, "I saw that Grandma Qing was a person who valued the child in her belly very much. How could she have a miscarriage?"
Mother Gu knew a little more: "I heard from Zhou Wang's wife that the fertility medicine that Grandma Qing took before was not the ordinary medicine for regulating qi and blood like you. People who take strong medicine are prone to problems. Some people are strong and can handle it, but some people are weak and will suffer from it. Sometimes, if the child is not born, it may be because the child was not good to begin with, so it was aborted first."
However, Mother Gu still advised Yao Niang: "Grandma is preparing for pregnancy now, so you must not follow her example and must take things slowly."
Yao Niang knew that this was because the people around her were truly thinking about her. For example, Grandma Qing was ambitious and the people she raised were all strong and fierce. They would not really care about their masters in what they were going to do, but only care about how they could make achievements. And when Grandma Qing saw that Second Grandma Jiang was pregnant, she also became pregnant soon after.
In fact, in a family like theirs, Lu Shan'er is just a stepmother and would not care about what happens in the rooms of her daughters-in-law. It is better to let things take their own course.
After saying this, Yao Niang stood up and prepared to visit Grandma Qingda, but she didn't expect that when she stood up, she felt dizzy.
Mother Gu thought that Grandma had not had her period yet and was sleepy. She knew what was going on, so she said, "Grandma, I advise you not to go yet. You should go see a doctor to see if you are pregnant. If you are, it would be inconvenient to visit someone who has just given birth."
"Me? No way." Yao Niang knew that her mother was a good candidate for a boy. Her mother gave birth to her brother and several children right after she got married. However, her menstrual periods had been irregular before, and she had been on contraception for more than a year. She had only been preparing for pregnancy for two months, so it shouldn't be that soon.
Mother Gu smiled and said, "You are young and energetic, and you are also very capable. I will go and ask the doctor to come over now."
The doctor came over quickly, took Yao Niang's pulse for a long time, and asked about her symptoms. He couldn't help but stroke her beard and smiled, "It's almost certain that she's pregnant, but the date is still a little early."
For a moment, Yao Niang seemed to be overwhelmed by joy. At the same time, she was a little nervous: "Doctor, am I really pregnant?"
The doctor nodded and said, "I have been practicing medicine for many years. If I cannot find the pulse of a pregnant woman, I should have packed up and gone home as soon as possible."
Yao Niang couldn't help but grin. She touched her belly carefully and listened to the doctor and Gu's mother talking about the do's and don'ts: "You can eat more walnuts, beef and milk. If you want to eat fish, sea bass is the best. But you should eat less barley, longan and papaya."
"Can we eat oysters?" Yao Niang asked. This year, her family received a lot of oysters.
The doctor smiled and said, "Of course you can. Oysters are also known as the milk of the sea. You are three months pregnant and this is the best thing for you."
Yao Niang said to Mother Gu through the curtain, "Mom, give this doctor double the reward, and let her tell you what to do and what not to do. Also, let Brother Xiaoqing go to the Hanlin Academy to tell the master."
Mother Gu said happily, "Okay, okay, Grandma, take a rest first, and leave the rest to us."
…
Shen Linfeng was on duty in the inner cabinet, and he had to report to the Hanlin Academy on weekdays. When he just arrived today, he heard that his servant was looking for him anxiously. He thought something had happened, but he didn't expect that his wife was pregnant.
Xiao Qing said, "Grandpa, it was Grandma who asked me to come and tell you the good news. I just found out today and she said it's not too late and asked you not to make it public yet."
"How about I go back now? But I still have to ask for leave from my assistant, so I'd better go back at night. Good boy, this is a reward, take it." Shen Linfeng thought to himself that he was too awesome, he really hit the mark at once, but he didn't know whether Yao Niang was pregnant with a boy or a girl. It would be great if it was a girl, and she must be as cute as Yao Niang.
When Xiaoqing saw that Shen Linfeng actually gave him a silver cookie as a reward, he took a bite and thought to himself that it was no wonder that the young lady asked him to come and announce the good news. The young lady really thought of him for all the good things. When they were in the northwest, the young lady said that she was a general and would let him, Xiaoqing, fight in the vanguard.
Shen Linfeng usually comes early and leaves late in the inner cabinet, but today he is walking briskly. Zhao Cifu once again feels that he is seeing things: "Wasn't Editor Shen still here just now? How come he is almost at the palace gate now?"
"Gong Ding usually walks with great grace, and everyone says he is the most elegant person from a noble family. But I heard that his wife is pregnant, so I guess he is rushing back home." said the dean.
The president of the academy still admired Shen Linfeng very much, because Shen Linfeng was very good at writing articles, and now he was in the cabinet and he handled the relationship with the first assistant and the second assistant very well.
The young man has a bright future. The most important thing is that he is tolerant, talented and broad-minded.
Zhao Ci Fu couldn't help but nodded.
The news of Yao Niang's pregnancy quickly spread throughout the Shen family. Second Madam Shen came to visit in person and told her a lot of do's and don'ts. Yao Niang thought that no matter what, Second Madam Shen always did everything perfectly.
"Thank you, Second Aunt, for telling me. I am young and don't know all this. It is better to have elders around me." Yao Niang's face was filled with emotion.
Mrs. Shen saw that Yao Niang was lying on the bed, wearing a pink nightgown, with no makeup on her face, and looking smart and noble when she spoke. No wonder Shen Linfeng was so fascinated by her that he turned his head away. After two years of marriage, not even a female mosquito could get close to her.
For a moment, she felt a little sad that this dead girl was so lucky. Her parents-in-law were not around, and usually they would let the girl go if she had no children for three years, but she got pregnant at this juncture.
Then Rong An was heard outside, "Grandma, the master specially invited the chef from Fanlou to come over and cook for you. Please stop working in the kitchen first."
"Fanlou? It's really hard for him. The chefs there are not easy to hire." Yao Niang couldn't help but smile.
But this offended Grandma Qing, who was not an easy person to get along with. She had a miscarriage, but the first wife was celebrating her pregnancy with great joy. This was not good.
Although she wanted to remind him, Mrs. Shen thought that this matter had nothing to do with her, so why should she wade into the muddy water? This Yan was usually very arrogant, and she didn't know the dangers of the world. She thought that if there was no conflict of interest with others, others would not harm her. Qingda grandmother very seriously. Recently, I heard that Qingda grandmother's cousin Fan family was the Zuodu Yushi, and there happened to be a girl in the family who was still in the palace. If Yan had any accident, the mistress of the big house might change.
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