Chapter 109 Chapter 109
"As you get older, if you stay in the sun all the time and don't sleep well, you'll be more likely to get moles on your body. Remember to either hold an umbrella or wear a veil when you go out," Shen Linfeng warned Yao Niang.
Yao Niang wanted to row a boat in the lake and play the piano in the wind today. Shen Linfeng was afraid that she would be exposed to the sun, so he warned her. She thought the lotus leaves in the lake were reaching the sky, and it was just after the beginning of autumn, and there was still some wind in the morning. She just wanted to enjoy the breeze, so why did she want to wear a veil and feel stuffy?
But she also knew that Shen Linfeng had good intentions, so she had no choice but to agree: "I understand."
Shen Linfeng knew that she was disobedient, so he said, "Then I'll hold your umbrella and take you there."
He was dressed in his official uniform and usually was the first one to arrive at the government office, but today he made an exception to send Yao Niang off. Yao Niang was also extremely happy, and after getting on the boat, she burned incense and played the zither, the sound of which was lingering.
Wang was restless yesterday. She just wanted to sleep for a while in the morning, but she kept hearing music. She turned over in annoyance: "Are those people in the small opera troupe at home so ignorant of their own life? I just wanted to sleep for a while in the morning, but they started playing music."
After the family split up, Wang's yard faced the lake and she lived in a waterside pavilion because a fortune teller said she lacked water in her destiny.
Chunluo went outside to check and said, "Second Madam, it's not the opera troupe in our family, it's the eldest Madam. She is playing the piano while touring the lake."
"Sister-in-law? She really is." Wang turned over and got up with dark eyes.
Chunluo laughed and said, "Grandma is married, why is she still playing the piano and painting? I heard from the servants in the first house that she is like an immortal in the sky, who grew up drinking dew."
Wang was puzzled: "Although my eldest sister-in-law is very beautiful, there are few men who don't cheat. How can my eldest brother be so honest and really have his heart set on her alone?"
It is really unexpected that a child of such a noble family would have such a successful career.
"Sister Yan is so unlucky. She openly ran away from her marriage, which gave Yan San an advantage." Wang let people put on their clothes.
Who in the capital doesn't know that the sisters of the first house are easy to marry? Everyone says that Sister Yan is wrong, but some things are hard to say.
Yao Niang was rowing and playing the piano, feeling extremely comfortable in the breeze. She also picked a lot of lotus flowers and brought them back to make magic water.
Qing Dai was confused: "Grandma, what is the magic water?"
"You don't know that the pure dew made from lotus can naturally moisturize the face, but it is not greasy at all. It can also whiten the face when applied on it, especially in the hot summer. There are red blood streaks after sun exposure. Applying this is the most effective. In addition, if there are small pimples and some small acne marks on the face, they can be removed. The most important thing is if the skin on the face starts to sag, become loose and swollen. But it is very troublesome to make this thing. I probably can get two porcelain bottles more. I want to make it and give it to my mother." Yao Niang smiled.
She first picked the petals of the lotus flowers by hand, washed them repeatedly with clean water, steamed them, and added new flowers and water to the water from the first batch of flowers. She took the second batch of flower dew, steamed it again, and simmered it overnight. In this way, she finally got two bottles.
Xie hadn't used it yet, but Shen Linfeng had used it first. He had been out in the sun for a day because of something, so his skin was naturally sunburned. He was just worrying about it, and Yao Niang slapped him with the Summer Lotus Pure Dew. Strangely enough, his face immediately felt cooler and the burning sensation was gone. He didn't like to apply cream before because he thought it was greasy. Now he just begged Yao Niang, "Give me this bottle."
"Okay, okay." Yao Niang couldn't do anything about him. This man actually loved beauty much more than she did.
Shen Linfeng hugged her arm and said, "You are so nice."
When Xie came over, Yao Niang gave her the other bottle: "Mother, your skin is a little looser now than before, don't let it swell, or you will look old. Your daughter made this specially for you, and it took several days to make it."
When Xie was in Jinling, her biggest regret was not having the perfume powder made by her daughter. Now that she saw her daughter making it for her, she couldn't help but ask, "Is this really good for the skin?"
"Of course, you can try it first." Yao Niang opened the cork and put a few drops into Xie's hand.
Xie said happily, "You are really my good daughter. You always think of mother in everything."
"Let dad come over for dinner later, and let Gong Ding have a few drinks with him. Don't rush back today, your daughter will stay with you more today." Yao Niang said with a smile.
Xie naturally wanted to be with her daughter. She also said, "Your father said that it would be good for your brother to be sent out to be tempered. Officials either have their temperaments smoothed out and become mediocre, or they become more courageous after setbacks. He was demoted before, but now your father has entered the inner cabinet. The Ministry of Personnel has drafted a document and conferred him the title of magistrate of Xiangfu County. He should be an official with a seal and work hard for the people."
Yao Niang also thought so: "My brother passed the imperial examination at a young age and had a smooth career. Now he has been demoted for three years and can now work as an official. With his ability, I am sure my daughter will achieve great things in the future."
"Yeah, I think so. Your sister-in-law is wholeheartedly taking care of the children at home. It's just the beginning of autumn, but she's already thinking about making winter clothes for your brother." Neither Xie nor Li are the type to like to compete, but they get along well with each other.
The mother and daughter were talking about some household matters when they heard someone outside announcing the good news: "Grandma, Aunt Chu from the third room is pregnant."
"Oh, she's pregnant just two months after getting married. Hongxiu, I remember that my family has some donkey-hide gelatin and sea cucumbers sent by others. Pack some and send them to her. They are the best for pregnant women." Yao Niang said with a smile.
Aunt Chu was pregnant, but she looked calm. The happiest person was Shen Linqing. He was 26 years old now and had no children. Besides, Chu was beautiful and interesting, and he liked young and beautiful women. Besides, Aunt Chu was also a legitimate second wife with a clean family background, so he paid more attention to her.
But at this time, Grandma Qing bought a beautiful and talented woman for Shen Linqing. Yao Niang felt familiar with this woman. Wasn't this the same as when her mother was favored, and Zhen bought a woman to share the favor? I heard that she was a skinny girl from Yangzhou.
The methods used by the harem have never changed. They always support one to check and balance the other, so that they can sit on the fishing platform. However, the women fight to the death, but the men still get the advantage.
Shen Linqing got a beauty without any effort. That woman was extremely good at flirting, even better than Aunt Chu.
"Sister-in-law always says she has no money, but this time she spent six hundred taels to buy this daughter." Shao and Han Ruohua said.
After hearing this, Han Ruohua said, "Sister-in-law is really kind."
Shaw shook his head: "Xian Hui is too much."
She was too virtuous, so it would be difficult for Shaw to be like her. If Shen Linjiang was jealous, he would be rejected. Therefore, Shaw felt that Grandma Ching had made a bad move, allowing them to be compared.
Han Ruohua smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law, we don't have to worry about what happens in the bedroom of the eldest sister-in-law."
"It's boring to talk to you. You never say a word from your heart." Shao said.
Han Ruohua thought, "With a big mouth like you, and always saying one thing in front of me and another behind my back, how can I open my heart to you?" Therefore, she just pretended to be stupid and didn't say anything else.
Shao left in boredom. Han Ruohua saw that Mother Xu had sorted out a lot of old skirts. She said, "Have them washed and give them to the servants. I remember I have a crimson skirt and an aqua skirt, both made of top-quality Yuhua brocade. Give one each to the maids of the eldest and second sister-in-law."
"Third Auntie is so generous. Everyone here speaks well of you." Mother Xu said with a smile.
Yan's temper was obviously not easy to deal with in this mansion. She rarely played with the servants, but she knew how to make perfume powder. The servants in the first house said that when someone had an itchy face or felt uncomfortable, they would often ask her to give them medicine, which was much better than the medicine outside. In addition, everyone Shen Linfeng of the first house had a successful career, and as his wife, Yan's family was from a prime minister's family. If she was too approachable, would not be able to adapt.
As for Wang from the second house, her temper was not very good either. It was said that she was going crazy these days because of wanting a child, and she was even not polite in front of her mother-in-law.
Needless to say, in the third room, Madam Qingda is quite strict with her servants, and Mrs. Shao has a bit of a nouveau riche mentality, yet her reputation is surprisingly the best in the mansion.
"Aunt Xu, I remember my cousin's servant was called Rong An, is he going to get married soon?" Han Ruohua asked.
Aunt Xu smiled and said, "You have a really good memory. Rong An is the most useful person around the eldest master. Many girls in this mansion want to marry him. His mother was overwhelmed by the selection and couldn't find one after two years. Later, the eldest lady said that no one is perfect, and it's okay to have some flaws. So Rong An's mother chose a beautiful girl for her. She is the daughter of the second steward. After the eldest lady entered the mansion, she saw that she was smart and asked her to work in the tea room, under Madam Zhou."
"Oh, I heard that Qinghe from our courtyard originally worshiped Rong An's mother as her godmother when she was in the eldest house?"
"You have a very good memory."
"I have a good job for Qinghe. Our Qingyi Garden's flower and tree Fusu needs some useful people. Qinghe is good at arranging flowers and plants, so I recommend her to help."
Mother Xu curled her lips and said, "Third Grandma is really good at this."
Han Ruohua said: "What tricks? I'm new here and I'm just the third son's daughter-in-law. I have to have more spies of my own. Did Sanlang go out again today?"
"Yes, he went out early in the morning." said Mother Xu.
Han Ruohua said, "I just want to ask my cousin to help me take care of Sanlang. Sanlang is not good at studying and is easily deceived. I am just a woman and cannot control what happens outside. If my cousin can take care of him for me, it will be better than anything else."
Mother Xu thought that if women could not choose a husband who was already capable, and only cared about family background, they would have too much to worry about. Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang did not care much about Sanlang, so she had to find another way.
**
Yao Niang took a sip of the coconut wine and could not help but nod. She then said to Xiao Qingge, "I have brewed these jars of coconut wine. You can send them to the residence of Marquis Jinghai. His son and his wife love to drink this. Also, I have someone dig out the coconut meat and make coconut cakes. Send them to their residence as well."
Over the years, the only thing that has not changed is the relationship with Mrs. Liu. They have always been good.
Xiao Qing said quickly, "I'll do it right away."
"Well, take my seal with you." Yao Niang nodded.
The days of being the mistress of the house are actually very busy, especially after the Mid-Autumn Festival comes the Double Ninth Festival. She originally wanted to climb the mountain with Shen Linfeng, but Shen Linfeng wanted to go with his friends, so she had to prepare flower cakes and sake at home to distribute to everyone.
Fortunately, after Xie knew about it, she asked Yao Niang to take Ruo Fu back to her parents' home to celebrate the festival. Yao Niang did not refuse and immediately took her daughter back to the Yan family. She also wanted to see how the summer lotus dew she made was. Shen Linfeng was young and it was hard to tell whether he had applied it or not, but Xie was almost 40 years old, so naturally it was different. A woman over 35 years old would look different at different ages.
I just didn't expect that after not seeing her for more than a month, Xie's skin had become white, smooth and tender again, and more importantly, much clearer.
Xie personally took her granddaughter in her arms. Seeing Yao Niang staring at her face, she felt a little embarrassed and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Mom, it seems that the Summer Lotus Dew my daughter gave me is very useful. I found that the small spots and sagging on your face seem to have disappeared, and you seem to be ten years younger." Yao Niang really felt a change.
Xie smiled and said, "The ones you made are better than those bought outside. Please give me some of the Yurong powder when you get it."
Yao Niang said, "Of course. Is Daddy home?"
"Are you still showing off the Peach Leaf Wine? This is a good opportunity for Sister Fu to meet her grandfather. Your father can hold a child now. Jingci is very well behaved in front of me, but he is a different person in front of your father." Because Xie gave birth to a little son, she wished she were younger.
The skin care products she uses now are all made by Yao Niang herself. She also heard Yao Niang say that people age first in the neck and hands, so she pays close attention to this.
When the mother and daughter came in and saw Yan Yingqi, Yao Niang greeted them first. Yan Yingqi saw the child in Xie's arms and said, "Hurry up and bring the child here for me to see."
Yan Yingqi looked at the little granddaughter in his arms. Her skin was white, her hair was black, her eyes were big like black pearls with a hint of luster, and her eyelids were a little double. He squinted his eyes and said, "Yao Niang, are there no Hu people in the Shen family's ancestors?"
"What do you mean?" Yao Niang didn't understand.
"She has a high nose, deep eyes and fair skin. Although she is still young, but when I feel her bones, I'm sure her nose will be very straight in the future." Yan Yingqi agreed.
Yao Niang was happy: "Daddy is really good at praising. Hey, look, Fu'er is smiling. She must have heard what you said."
Xie looked at her husband and said, "You are worthy of being the assistant to the emperor. Even the little baby can't handle it."
"Who said it wasn't?" Yao Niang echoed.
"Alright, alright, you and your daughter are singing the same tune, I can't handle it anymore." Yan Yingqi quickly stopped them.
Yao Niang asked the wet nurse to take the child away, and then sat down to talk to her parents. Yan Yingqi asked about Shen Linfeng, and Yao Niang complained that Shen Linfeng had gone out with his friends.
"You are not tying up a monkey, so how can you let a grown man stay by your side? Let him go if he wants to. Don't worry too much about him taking care of you every day." Except for the first few years after marriage, Yan Yingqi was like a stud, sleeping here and there. After he became normal, he just hated that he had to go home.
As they were talking, someone outside said that Master Xu had arrived. Yan Yingqi said, "It's rare for him to come here. Let him come to the study to see me."
Of course, Aunt Xu was talking about Xu Sijia. Yao Niang told Xie what she had asked Xiao Qing to find out. Xie said, "Is it really so? You know, I heard that the first lady didn't treat Xin Wan very well either."
"Cousin Shen? I seldom go to the first room and rarely see her. What's wrong with her? Now that she's married, we know each other well. What's wrong with that?" Yao Niang remembered that it was the Third Old Lady who chose Guan, and she had no prejudice against Guan at first.
Xie snorted coldly: "She wouldn't think so. She only wants to find a man with a first-class family background and doesn't care about anything else. In fact, you can see that our family is different from your two sisters-in-law's family backgrounds."
Yes, my brother had many choices at the beginning, but mother chose the daughter of Li Shilang because mother thought that Li was honest. However, Li Shilang's father was forced to resign in a blink of an eye, and was even involved in the affairs of the Gong family. Even the Yan family had ups and downs. As long as the family background is clean and the character is noble, it is better than anything else.
Otherwise, it is impossible that my father would still want to marry her to Shen Linfeng at that time.
"This aunt from the Xu family seldom comes to visit, and your father treats him just averagely." Xie said.
Yao Niang didn't understand: "I heard Shen Linfeng mention that this Mr. Xu is quite talented, otherwise, Dad wouldn't have agreed to it just because I heard from you."
"It's not that. Your father's temper is not something that ordinary people can tolerate. Wen Qilang and your aunt are both people with good tempers. Your brother-in-law Wen often comes here. The chrysanthemums from our garden on the Double Ninth Festival were sent by him. And your Gong Ding is even more so. He is just like his own son and comes whenever he is called. In addition to the peach leaf wine, even the clothes your father is wearing were sent by Aunt Shen. Your father loves to wear them and even says that I didn't choose the right ones for him. As for Aunt Xu, compared with the two of them, she is..." Xie said more tactfully.
But Yao Niang understood. Just like a family with many daughters-in-law trying to fawn on their mother-in-law, the sons-in-law also had to show off their skills.
Yao Niang was still very surprised: "Gong Ding also gave clothes to Daddy?"
"Of course. He usually helps entertain guests from our hometown."
"No wonder Dad spoke for him just now."
The men were all good at flirting. Although Xu Sijia was also the son of an official, his father had a relatively smooth career. Although he himself led a decent life, he was not as good a person as Wen Qilang and Shen Linfeng.
Study
Xu Sijia said: "My son-in-law has brought a special Double Ninth Festival gift on behalf of my parents."
Yan Yingqi now has several sons-in-law. Wen Qilang is quite respectful to his father-in-law and has always been very considerate. Not to mention Shen Linfeng. As for the one from the Xu family, we have to wait and see how he reacts.
Xu Sijia was also frightened by the look and quickly acted respectful. Yan Yingqi hummed and said, "Thank your parents for me."
The person in front of him was the former Minister of Personnel and now the Grand Academician of the Dongge. He was a very dignified person, so he did not dare to say a word. Moreover, the Xu family had not benefited from the Yan family until now, and he did not have any feelings for Ying Niang. If he were to choose, he would of course choose the one he loved, and Ying Niang was obviously not one of them.
Furthermore, he also felt that the Yan family treated him differently, especially Yan Yingqi, who treated Shen Linfeng better and treated him indifferently.
It was because Shen Linjiang was a descendant of a noble family and graduated from the Imperial Academy. Once, when he came to visit, his father-in-law was chatting happily with Shen Linfeng and ignored him, so he was reluctant to come.
Then Yan Yingqi briefly examined his knowledge and saw that he was still a little hesitant and unhappy: "Forget it, go to the eldest lady and pay your respects to her."
In fact, Xu Sijia's talent was not bad, but when it came to Yan Yingqi's level and his own personality, Yan Jingzhang, who was a little inferior in his family, was scolded and was not allowed to follow him in Jinling. Otherwise, it was for this reason that he liked Yan Jingzhao so much, and even Yan Jingwen was disliked by him for not doing his job properly.
Therefore, the people he likes are either those who are truly very talented, eloquent, and generous like Shen Linfeng, or those who can understand the elegant meaning of music just by listening to it like Wen Qilang.
But Xu Sijia's talent and learning cannot compare with Yan Jingzhao and Shen Linfeng, and her interpersonal skills are far inferior to Wen Qilang.
Moreover, Yan Yingqi knew some inside information. Xu Sijia took the provincial examination in Shuntian Prefecture, and there were rumors that she had secret connections back then.
It is also said that Xu Sijia went to pay respects to Zhen Shi. Zhen Shi has been complaining about Yan Yingqi recently. She always felt that letting her son marry Xin Wan was intentional, as there were so many ladies from wealthy families in Beijing. She agreed at the time because she thought her husband had no hope of recovery, and her husband also said that they were childhood sweethearts and he was interested in the old lady, so she said so.
But now that I'm back in Beijing, I've lost my mind when I see so many women from good families.
But Jingwen and Xinwan are very close, and the couple are of one mind. Her son protects his wife in front of her, which makes her speechless.
Mother Wei came in and said, "Madam, Aunt Xu is here."
"Oh, he's here. Let him in." As the mother-in-law, Zhen naturally had to meet her son-in-law.
Xu Sijia didn't say much in front of her mother-in-law, but Zhen asked her about many household matters and even invited her to stay for dinner. However, Xu Sijia said that she had something to do and would not eat here.
Zhen asked Jingwen to see him off again. After sending him off, Jingwen said to Xin Wan, "If it was Shen's brother-in-law, he would have stayed for dinner. He is usually in the best of moods and talked to us about everything. I saw him leave very quickly."
"Maybe it's not good for him to stay in our house for too long because he hasn't married your sister yet." Xin Wan was an extremely smart person. Her marriage was not easy to come by, and she knew a little about the Yan family. If it weren't for the fact that her uncle didn't get well for a long time and her grandmother cried for a long time in front of her uncle, it would be difficult for her and her cousin to get married.
Jingwen said, "That's not the case at all. Wen Qilang had met my second sister before marriage, and he was very considerate to my mother. He often prepared the fruit candies that my mother liked to eat, and he also personally gave my father the wine he liked to drink."
Xin Wan smiled: "I think Xu Sijia is an ordinary son-in-law, but your family's requirements are too high. You want every son-in-law to be outstanding."
When she said that, Jingwen also laughed, "You're right, I think that's what the old man thinks. The fourth sister Xun Yue is going to get married, and in the future all three aunts will be together, and that will be like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their magical powers. Guess who will win among the three aunts in our family?"
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