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, 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, everyone 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, 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 worshipped 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.
**
窈娘正品了一口椰子酒，忍不住點頭，又對小慶哥道：“這幾壇椰子酒我釀造好了，你送去靖海侯府上，他家世子夫人愛喝這個。再有我讓人挖了椰肉做成的椰子糕，也送去她們府上吧。”
這麽些年，唯一不變的還是和劉夫人的感情，她們一直都很好。
小慶連忙道：“小的這就去辦。”
“嗯，把我的箋貼帶上。”窈娘颔首。
當家主母的日子其實說忙也很忙，尤其是中秋過了之後就是重陽，她原本想着和沈臨風一起登高，但沈臨風要和朋友們一起去，她就只好在家準備花糕和清酒分送給大家。
好在解氏知曉後，讓窈娘帶着若芙回娘家過節，窈娘也不推辭，立馬帶着女兒回了顏家。她也是想看看自己制作的夏荷清露如何，沈臨風年輕，擦不擦的看不太出來，但是解氏是快四十歲的人了，自然又不一樣，女人過了三十五歲，一個年紀是一個樣子。
只是沒想到一個多月未見，解氏居然皮膚又白膩細嫩，更重要的是清透了許多。
解氏親自接過外孫女，見窈娘盯着她的臉，還有些不好意思：“看什麽？”
“娘，看來女兒給的這個夏荷清露挺好用的，我發現您臉上的小細斑和下垂好像都不見了，年輕了十歲似的。”窈娘真的覺得有變化。
解氏笑道：“你制的那些比外頭買的好，還有玉容散到時候也給些我。”
窈娘道：“那是自然，爹爹在家嗎？”
“還拿着桃葉酒在那兒炫耀呢？正好讓芙姐兒見見她外祖父，你爹爹現在可會抱孩子了，景慈別看在我的面前很乖，在你爹爹面前又是另外一個樣。”解氏因為生了個小兒子，整個人也希望自己更年輕一些。
她現在用的護膚的都是窈娘親自做的，也聽窈娘的話說人老先老脖子和手，因此也很留心。
母女二人進門見顏應祁，窈娘先請安，顏應祁看到解氏懷裏的孩子，就道：“快些抱過來我看看。”
顏應祁看着懷中的小外孫女生的皮膚雪白，小小的嬰孩頭發烏黑，眼睛大大的如同黑色泛着光澤的珍珠，眼皮還有點雙，他眯了眯眼：“窈娘，沈家祖上沒有胡人血統嗎？”
“什麽意思？”窈娘不明白。
“高鼻深目皮膚雪白，雖然年紀還小，但是我摸她的骨頭，将來鼻子肯定也會很挺的。”顏應祁深以為然。
窈娘開心：“爹爹真會誇，咦，您看，芙兒笑了，肯定是聽到您說的話了。”
解氏看着丈夫道：“不愧是閣輔，小嬰孩都招架不住了。”
“誰說不是呢？”窈娘跟着附和。
“好了好了，你們母女一唱一和的，我都招架不住了。”顏應祁趕緊打住。
窈娘讓乳母把孩子抱下去，又坐下來和父母說話，顏應祁問起沈臨風，窈娘則抱怨沈臨風和朋友出去了。
“你這也不是栓猴子，怎麽能把個大活人酸在你身邊，他出去就出去吧。平日天天鞍前馬後的，少操點心。”顏應祁除了剛成婚那幾年和種馬似的，這邊睡了去睡那邊，後來正常之後，他只恨不得不回家才好。
幾人正說着，外面說徐姑爺來了，顏應祁道：“他過來倒也少見，讓他去書房見我。”
徐姑爺當然說的就是徐思嘉了，窈娘把之前她讓小慶哥打探的說給解氏聽，解氏道：“竟然如此嗎？你可知曉，我聽說大夫人對莘婉也不是很好。”
“莘表姐？我不怎麽去大房，少見她了，她這是怎麽了？如今人都娶了，也是知根知底的，有什麽不好。”窈娘想起當年關氏還是三老太太選的，娘起初對關氏都沒任何成見呢。
解氏冷哼一聲：“她可不會這麽想，她想的都是找一個家世一等一的，什麽都顧不得了。其實我們家自從你兩位嫂嫂的家世，你就看出來了。”
是啊，當初哥哥的選擇很多，娘卻選了李侍郎的女兒，就是娘覺得這個李氏敦厚，可李侍郎轉眼父親就被迫辭官，甚至還牽扯進了龔家的事情中去，就連顏家也是起起落落。只要家世清白，人品貴重，比什麽都強。
否則，當時爹也不可能還是想把她嫁給沈臨風了。
“這徐家姑爺上門來很少，你爹也對他一般般。”解氏道。
窈娘不明白：“我聽沈臨風提起，說這位徐公子才學還不錯，否則，爹當時也不會聽大娘說了就同意啊。”
“不是這個，你爹爹脾氣不是一般人能夠消受的，文七郎和你家姑爺都是何等脾氣好的人。你文姐夫常常過來，重陽節我們園圃的菊花都是他送的，再有你家公定，那就更不必說了，完全和自己兒子沒兩樣，随叫随到，除了桃葉酒之後，連你爹身上的衣裳都是沈姑爺送的，你爹可愛穿了，還說我給他選的不好。這個徐姑爺嘛，和他們倆比起來，就……”解氏說的比較委婉。
窈娘卻聽懂了，這就跟兒媳婦多的人家在婆婆面前獻媚一樣，女婿們也是要大顯身手的。
窈娘還很詫異：“公定還送衣裳給爹爹呢？”
“這是自然的，平日我們有老家來的客人，他還幫着招待呢。”
“難怪爹方才幫他說話的。”
男人們搶着獻媚，也都是一把好手啊，這徐思嘉雖然也是官宦子弟，但他父親官途算是頗為順利，他自己雖然人生的也還算體面，可做人方面比起文七郎和沈臨風就差一些了。
書房
徐思嘉正道：“小婿代家父家母特地送重陽節禮來。”
現在顏應祁也有幾個女婿了，文七郎對他這個岳父那是頗為恭順，素來周到的很，沈臨風更不必說，徐家這位嘛，還要以觀後效。
徐思嘉也被看的發毛，連忙作恭敬狀，顏應祁“唔”了一聲：“替我多謝你父母。”
在他面前的人是曾經的吏部侍郎，如今的東閣大學士，威嚴甚重的人，他不敢多說一句話。再者，徐家到現在也沒沾到顏家什麽光，尤其是他對瑩娘也是沒什麽感覺，若是讓他選，他當然是選自己心愛之人，而瑩娘顯然不是。
再者，他也覺得顏家有區別對待，尤其是顏應祁對沈臨風更好，對他更是平平。
還不是看沈臨江世家子弟，又制科出身，有一次他登門過來，岳父卻和沈臨風說的歡，對自己頗為忽略，他也就不太願意過來了。
随即顏應祁又略微考較了一下他的學問，見他還有些遲疑，有些不悅：“罷了，你去大夫人那裏吧，去給她請安。”
實際上徐思嘉才學也并不是很差，但到了顏應祁這個高度，以及他本人的性格，家中子弟稍微差點的顏景璋被罵的狗血淋頭，在金陵都不許跟過來。要不說他為何頗喜歡顏景昭就是這個道理，連顏景文還被他嫌棄不務正業。
所以他喜歡的人，要不就是如沈臨風那樣才學的确非常高，談吐潇灑，出手大方的人，要不就是文七郎那種聞弦歌知雅意的。
偏偏徐思嘉才學比不得顏景昭和沈臨風，為人處世比文七郎差太遠了。
更何況顏應祁還知道一點內幕，徐思嘉鄉試是在順天府考的，當年還有傳聞暗通關節了的。
又說徐思嘉去給甄氏請安，甄氏近來對顏應祁頗多埋怨，總覺得讓自己兒子娶莘婉實在是故意的，京中這麽多大家閨秀。當時她同意，是以為丈夫起複無望，且丈夫也說她二人青梅竹馬，于老夫人有意，故而這般說。
可現在回京了，那麽多家世好的女子，自己真是昏了頭了。
偏偏景文和莘婉親密無間，夫妻二人倒頗同心同德，兒子在她面前對妻子多有維護，更讓她難以言喻。
衛媽媽進來道：“大夫人，徐姑爺過來了。”
“哦，他來了。讓他進來吧。”甄氏作為丈母娘，自然也得見見自己的女婿。
徐思嘉在岳母面前也并不多話，甄氏倒是問了許多家常，還要留飯。徐思嘉卻道自己已經有事，便不在此地用飯了。
甄氏又讓景文送他，把他送走了，景文則和莘婉說起：“若是沈家妹夫肯定就留飯了，他平日性情最好，和我們談天說地了，我看他走的很快。”
“也許是他現下還未曾和你妹妹成親，在咱們家裏待久了不好吧。”莘婉是個極其靈秀聰明的人，她這樁親事來之不易，對顏家的人也略微了解一二。若非當時舅舅久不起複，外祖母在舅舅面前哭了許久，自己和表兄恐怕很難有情人終成眷屬。
景文卻道：“絕非如此，文七郎婚前和二妹妹也見過面，對我母親百般體貼，母親愛吃的點心果糖常常備下，父親愛喝的酒也是他親自奉送。”
莘婉莞爾：“我看這徐思嘉分明是個尋常女婿，只是你們家的要求太高了，對女婿的要求那是恨不得個個都人中龍鳳。”
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?"