Chapter 110 Chapter 110
It was already afternoon when Shen Linfeng and his friend came back from climbing the mountain. Hearing that Yao Niang had returned to her parents' home, he changed his clothes and went back to Yan's house.
At this time, Yao Niang was doing needlework with Jie. Jie wanted to sew a hat for her son. Yao Niang was also very good at needlework, so she just grabbed the hat and helped sew. She also felt that her mother's vision was a little old.
Mrs. Xie put baby Ruofu in a stroller nearby and took care of her. She liked this kind of warmth very much and started to joke with her daughter, laughing non-stop.
"My second sister-in-law Jiang said bad things about me behind my back, but pretended to be affectionate with me on the surface. She wanted my Yurong Powder and Rose Saltpeter, but I would rather throw them away and feed them to the dogs than give them to her. She still thinks she is very smart." Yao Niang said.
Because she found that all parents like to hear that their daughters are better, and Xie was the same: "Yes, if it were me, I wouldn't give it to you either. It's not easy for you to make so many every year, why give it to such a person?"
Yao Niang nodded: "That's right, and there's that sister-in-law Qing. I think she's up to no good, just like the old lady. She bought a skinny horse to show off her favor. After all, our father was still an assistant minister at that time, and brother Qing was just a nobody. I don't know why she spent seven or eight hundred taels to buy a skinny horse for such a man? I think he deserves only two cents to drink a bowl of noodle soup."
"Hahaha." Xie covered her mouth and laughed.
Just hearing outside that Aunt Shen is here, Yao Niang stood up and said, "He's here? But he went to Dad's place."
"Yes, the third aunt went to see the old master, and the old master asked Madam when to serve the meal?" said the servant.
Xie said, "Your father said that he wants to set the table for dinner. I'll go and tell everyone to eat at the same table. We're all family, so there's no need to be so formal."
After going to the front hall, Shen Linfeng was talking to Yan Yingqi about officials. He had been in the inner cabinet for several years and had his own judgment, while Yan Yingqi had been an official for many years. The father-in-law and son-in-law were always talking. Yao Niang and Jie Shi were sitting beside them, listening to them and finding it boring. They just ate nothing.
"Mom, did you add green plums to the meat? It's more refreshing and delicious than sweet and sour pork." Yao Niang took a bite of the green plum pork ribs and couldn't help but sigh in praise.
Xie smiled and said, "I guessed that you would like to eat it. I made a lot. You can take some back later and eat it tomorrow."
Yao Niang said: "Then I won't be polite."
Then Shen Linfeng said, "My wife, you can have lunch at home tomorrow, and we will go to Fang's house tonight. The Fang family is hosting a Qushui Liushang banquet, which is very interesting."
"But I'm worried about Fu'er being at home, so you go by yourself." Yao Niang said.
Yan Yingqi said, "If you are asked to go, then go with me. The child has so many wet nurses and maids to take care of him at home, why does he still need you? Besides, the child will probably sleep at night. If you are really worried, then send him to your mother."
Xie was speechless. He wanted to interfere in the affairs between a couple.
Pian Yao Niang continued, "With my father here, I can handle everything. When I was pregnant with Sister Fu, Mrs. Fan of Zuodu Yushi suddenly asked Aunt Ping to tell me about my grandfather and use this to target me. I don't know why."
Shen Linfeng thought that Yao Niang would never let anyone go. She had been tolerant of Madam Fan's affairs before, and now that her father was in Beijing, she would get back at him herself.
"Oh, as the wife of Zuodu Yushi, she also knows that the emperor's orders cannot be disobeyed. Why did she ask you to go to her to appease the emperor? Does she want money or something else?" Yan Yingqi knew it was a scam as soon as he heard it.
Yao Niang smiled and said, "That's hard to say, Daddy, I'll just tell you."
Yan Yingqi nodded slightly.
Mrs. Fan's son-in-law Zhou Lingguang actually brought Fan Ruhui to visit Yan Yingqi when he returned to Beijing. He originally grew up in the Yan family, and now Yan Yingqi is a bachelor of the Dongge University, so it is natural for him to pay a visit.
Yan Yingqi always felt that Zhou Lingguang was too scheming. Now he married the daughter of the Fan family. He had heard that the reputation of the daughter of the Fan family was similar to that of Yan Ningxin. A normal man would not marry her. Just like Yan Ningxin, unless he married an unknown person, those with a little family background would stay away from her when they heard of her reputation, unless they were the kind of people who climbed up the power and wealth.
The couple went back. In the carriage, Shen Linfeng looked at Yao Niang and asked, "Why did Madam Fan do this?"
Yao Niang shook her head: "I don't know about that."
No matter what Yao Niang thought, she probably wouldn't think that Mrs. Fan wanted her to leave the palace on her own accord.
But after returning from the Double Ninth Festival, something big happened. After Grandma Qing went to visit Aunt Chu, Aunt Chu went into labor. The doctor said that it seemed that she had eaten something that was incompatible with her, and her meals were all cold, and even the water she drank had safflower in it.
Madam Qing was speechless and Aunt Chu also kept crying.
"Could it be Sister-in-law Qing who did it? It's unacceptable to harm the offspring." Shen Linfeng frowned.
"Was your first reaction also Sister-in-law Qing?" Yao Niang asked.
Shen Linfeng nodded: "Most likely."
Yao Niang said, "She is just an aunt, it is not convenient for us to visit her in person, I will send someone to go over there to take a look."
Qingyi Garden was also in turmoil. Aunt Chu lay on the bed with a pale face. She knew very well that everything Grandmother Qing did was aimed at her belly. In that case, it would be better to go all out and make a scene than to be tortured by a soft knife. The love of men is like the passing clouds and smoke, and it is very unreliable. She must use a big move to make a scene for her.
"Could these red flowers have grown legs and run into my teacup? You have arranged everything inside and outside me, including the people who serve me. Since I entered your mansion, I have been obedient to you and never said a word. Why do you have to do this?" Aunt Chu's tears never stopped.
Grandma Qing was speechless: "Mrs. Chu, I have so many concubines in my family. Do they know what I am like?"
Aunt Chu said, "Madam, you don't have to explain anything to a lowly concubine like me. I have nothing else to ask for now. I am all alone, and all I ask for is your mercy." She then pulled Shen Linqing and said, "Master, please let me go back to Henan. I have a miserable life, but no matter how miserable it is, it is still a human life..."
Shen Linqing had been childless for many years, and many people had suspected that he had a problem. He was very happy that Aunt Chu was pregnant, but he didn't expect such a thing to happen. He glanced at Grandma Qing and slapped her in the face, "Evil woman."
This slap stunned Grandma Qing. In the past, Shen Linqing and she treated each other with respect, and the couple complemented each other. Now she didn't expect that he would hit her.
Shen Linqing seemed to have endured her for a long time and said, "Offspring are the most important thing now. Dad personally chose the Chu family for this purpose. I didn't expect you to be so mean. You are in charge of every aspect of this family, and you pretend not to know."
"Master, are you trying to kill me?" Grandma Qing knew that she was different from the Yan and Wang families. Her family was impoverished, and she was in power after dividing the family and controlling the third branch. She almost felt that the overall situation was under her control. She had no idea that Chu was pretending to be honest, but dared to make trouble for her.
This person completely messed up his own plans because Shen Linqing trusted Aunt Chu more.
…
Yao Niang was not surprised at all that Shen Linqing and his wife were quarreling, but Second Madam Shen came to ask Yao Niang to mediate between them, and said, "Speaking of which, Linfeng and Linqing used to have a good relationship, and we can't just watch them turn against each other. You are the eldest daughter-in-law of the Shen family, so you have to go and mediate between them."
How could Yao Niang be held hostage by others? She said, "I heard that too, but you are the elder, and they only listen to you. I am young, and they would not listen even if I said it."
Moreover, Yao Niang looked at Second Madam Shen. She always felt that Mr. Shen should have found out something, but he kept it secret. Maybe it was because he wanted to wait until Second Uncle and the others were no longer in office before he could tell anyone.
Madam Shen sighed and lamented, and Yao Niang also sighed: "Second Aunt, how did Chu's child disappear?"
"I don't know about that." Mrs. Shen didn't want to delve into this topic. She also didn't want to persuade the third room and didn't want to take care of these things at all.
Yao Niang knew that these people were serious and no one would dare to promise, so she deliberately brought up these dangerous topics. Shao Shi, who had a good relationship with Grandma Qing, privately said to her maid Wang Gu: "Sister-in-law is really something. Why don't you wait until the child is born? You are doing this so early."
Who doesn't know the tricks of the wives? Especially the Qingda grandmother, who had been childless for several years. She was already out of her job and her family was in decline. To be honest, if the eldest house was still childless, who knows what would happen in the future? She even dared to take action so quickly against the concubine sent by her father-in-law. She was too impatient.
It is better to have a son than to have no son at all.
"I think so too. However, the Second Madam doesn't come to see us." The servants in the mansion were also puzzled.
Shao snorted coldly: "Second aunt is very smart, why would she care about such things? I have seen through it. If the eldest aunt was in Beijing, she would have come to mediate long ago. Second aunt is a person who would not be involved in such things."
"Yes, it would be nice if the first lady was here. When you first got married, you had a quarrel with the second master, and it was the first lady who mediated between them."
Although she is no longer here, everyone misses her kindness.
Aunt Chu recovered from this battle and rested for a month. Although she looked weak, she was loved much more than before. When Yao Niang saw her in the winter moon, Aunt Chu was even prettier than before. Grandma Qing had schemed against others before, and now she was being schemed against again. Although Grandma Qing was still the housekeeper, her authority was no longer as strong as before.
It just so happened that Wang was found to be pregnant at this time. After a long period of hard work, Wang finally got pregnant. Madam Shen Er made an exception and gave the servants more bonuses, and Yao Niang also sent some supplements over.
After the winter solstice, Ruofu is almost half a year old. The little girl is different from before when she only knew how to sleep and eat. She has become much more lively.
沈臨風每日從衙門回來，最喜歡的就是陪女兒，聽到咿咿呀呀的聲音都會覺得幸福不已。他和窈娘感情因為有了孩子，牽絆更深，年底顧四郎還有周陵光都在京，準備明年的會試。沈邦彥原本是秀才，但他父親是國子監祭酒，因此為兒子以監生資格參加會試還是可以的。
瑩娘也聽說徐思嘉要下場，自然希望自己的未來的夫君能夠中，年底出嫁，明年年初他若中了，證明自己的确是有福氣的。
又聽甄氏道：“我打聽過，徐姑爺身邊只有一個通房，他的年紀比你三姐夫還大一歲呢。足以看出他對你是真心的。”
“說是身邊沒有通房，秦樓楚館，外邊養的，指不定也不少呢。”瑩娘可不信，那個徐思嘉對她根本就算不得很上心，如果沒有姐夫們做對比，她自然不覺得有什麽，但有沈臨風和文七郎做對比，就不一樣了。
甄氏笑道：“你是做大婦的人，你公公恐怕即日就要升刑部尚書了，何必在意這些。看我，你父親就是有許多妾侍，甚至還有二房，可正經的夫人還是我。男人的情愛，是這個世界上最不可靠的東西。”
可是瑩娘卻覺得解氏的日子明明更好過啊，爹爹為東閣大學士，皇上賞賜的鲥魚還有內造之物都往三房搬去。解氏成日有父親陪着，連帶着爹還為三姐姐撐腰，常常去沈府，幾乎把沈臨風當自己兒子一般，對小弟景慈萬般寵愛，比娘這裏好多了。
這些話她無法說出來，因為她的心底已經暗自察覺不對了，故而她暗自觀察解氏平日作為。解氏似乎很恬淡，幾乎無欲無求，每日就是守着丈夫孩子，父親發火的時候她又是解語花，做生意時又頗有決斷。
該軟的時候軟，該硬的時候硬。
解氏其實比三姐姐還強，三姐姐屬于性情尤其傲的人，但還好三姐夫心胸開闊，極其寵愛三姐姐。
臘月出嫁，窈娘随沈臨風一起回娘家為其添妝，說起來奇怪，原本顏應祁說要把顏寧馨嫁到山東的，後來卻又遲疑了，據解氏說似乎是看上什麽人了。
瑩娘今日倒是收拾的很漂亮，她的氣質變了很多，窈娘總覺得她說話的聲音都比以前小了不少，還指了指面前的點心道：“三姐姐，你嘗嘗，這是我親自做的玉帶糕。”
窈娘詫異：“這是你親自做的？”
“是啊，昨日閑來無事，就親自做了蘇州的玉帶糕，讓廚房的人教我做的。”瑩娘笑道。
窈娘嘗了兩口：“還不錯。”
瑩娘開心了：“你這麽嘴叼的人，你若是覺得不錯，那就肯定好了。我想等新婚頭一日就下廚做些菜點給公婆，如此，也是我的心意。”
“你如此賢惠，徐家肯定會更喜歡你這位兒媳婦的。”窈娘道。
時下對婦人的要求就是恭順賢惠不多言，窈娘自認一條也做不到自然就放棄了，但瑩娘本身性格就不是這種人，就和王氏一樣，原本就不是柔順的性子，卻非要搞這一出，到時候反而是四不像？
但這些話窈娘肯定不會宣之于口，連遲來的倩娘也對玉帶糕贊不絕口，卻并不說其她，大家都對甄氏和瑩娘心中有數。
徐思嘉房裏當然有個丫頭，徐夫人原本對他身邊的人并不在意，但自從顏應祁封了東閣大學士之後，就把不老實的打發出去了，況且徐思嘉也并非重欲之人，他若真的控制不住，也并不去尋歡作樂，只與一人處便可。
徐尚書囑咐他道：“新婦是宰相的女兒，顏家的女兒都是才貌雙全，你可不要辜負了人家。”
“是，爹。”徐思嘉道。
徐尚書又道：“為父在文首輔去後，現在還能官居尚書之位，說起來也有你老泰山相助。只是我在這個位置上恐怕也不會太久，你且看看顏家其餘幾位女婿如何做的，千萬不要落于人後。”
徐思嘉道：“那沈公定在顏家落難時，還不是靠自己入了內閣，兒子若是能中進士，何必求人。”
“話雖如此，可沈公定也不是人人都是啊。為父知道，你素來也是心高氣傲之人。又素來不喜顏家人嚣張傲慢之氣，可人多一條現成的人脈比什麽都強。”徐尚書能做到這個位置，也不是白得來的，做官很有一手。
顏應祁脾氣的确一直不是很好，但他揣摩皇上心思比別人都強，且顏家衆人出挑的不少。再有沈臨風這等女婿，同心同德，至少這幾十年還能夠遮天蔽日。
徐思嘉暗暗點頭。
成婚之時，掀開蓋頭，他已經是平常心了。瑩娘年輕秀美，年紀比他小七八歲，雖然有些拘束，但總體而言還是頗為和諧的度過一晚。
徐思嘉卻對她既說不上很好，但要說差也并不差，總之便有幾分無趣。瑩娘心中惱怒，但她沒學甄氏的主母之道，一味賢惠，反而覺得自己應該和解氏一樣溫柔體貼，故而對徐思嘉非常體貼，甚至到了倒貼的行為。
徐夫人暗自對身邊的人道：“原本我想着顏四姐是家中小女兒，怕她性情驕縱，還把人都打發出去了，沒想到竟然是個好性兒的人。”
一時又覺得可能是自己兒子太受人愛慕了，才把顏四姐兒治的服服帖帖的，心中自然得意了幾分。自己兒子若能轄制住兒媳婦，将來還不是予取予求。
做婆婆的幾乎都是這般心态，媳婦太厲害的，她們也看不慣，媳婦溫柔的，她們卻覺得人家好管。
但樊如慧卻沒有這些煩惱，她和周陵光住在自己娘家，根本沒有所謂的婆媳矛盾。
甚至在次年的二月，周陵光會試中了，三月殿試奪得探花。
原本周陵光相貌就很好，又中了探花，打馬游街時，不少女子紛紛送上手帕。樊如慧更是揚眉吐氣，她又有了身孕，只覺得自己實在是運氣極好。
樊夫人喜氣洋洋的道：“我聽說顏家的四女婿中了二甲第十幾名，他是宰相女婿尚書之子，指不定通關節了，咱們姑爺卻是實打實的。”
樊如慧則道：“母親，這話就不必說了，如今女兒只等肚子裏的孩子降生，旁的都不想了。”
樊夫人心想自己還好沒有要那沈臨風，此子雖好，可自家這女婿更好。正想着，樊如慧卻喊着要生了，她又急忙請穩婆過來。
當日便産下一男，樊夫人欣喜不已，她想那顏家女子出嫁，聽聞都是生的女兒，不是有福之相，自己的女兒倒是難得福氣之相。
窈娘這幾日正忙着，女兒愈發大了，更黏着她，她就沒那麽多功夫和以前一樣了。沈臨風還要忙于公務，她還要管着家，事情也多了起來。
正好徐家還有席請她過去，窈娘還得先去徐家。
說起來瑩娘嫁過去也有幾個月了，窈娘還是過年的時候見過她一次，完全是以夫為天，竟然和她想象中的完全不同。
今日過去徐家見瑩娘一直站在徐夫人跟前，完全鞍前馬後，保持笑容，體态恭順，看起來這般已經不是一日兩日。
私下相見時，窈娘道：“妹妹在家時，都沒日日替父親斟茶捶腿布菜，在婆家倒是柔順。”
“三姐姐，做人媳婦不就是這般嗎？我若是對婆母好些，相公也必定會感念于我。若是做兒媳婦的淩辱婆母，便是我是宰相之女，旁人恐怕也要說閑話了。我在家時間三老太太頑固不化，二娘也是熬出來了。”瑩娘如此道。
窈娘心想你這不是沒苦硬吃嗎？徐家本來地位就比顏家低，正該掌家控住丈夫之時，卻開始讨好婆婆來了。這做婆婆的，到頭來還不是聽兒子的。
但她願意吃苦，自己也不好說什麽，只道：“妹夫現下中了進士，又被分到兵部觀政，你現在就是官夫人了，這是福氣之兆。”
“三姐姐，進翰林院才是有福氣吧，你就別埋汰我了。不過，人家周陵光一下就中了探花，倒是比世人都強。”瑩娘也是想用周陵光諷刺沈臨風。
窈娘笑道：“是啊，要不都說樊家慧眼識珠呢？”
瑩娘又道：“是啊，樊娘子聽說還生了個男孩兒，我也有了身孕，若是我也能有這個福氣就再好不過了。”
顏家女兒都不好生養，瑩娘也有耳聞，自己現下卻有了身孕，她若是生下兒子，倒是姊妹中第一了。三姐姐和沈家族人不睦，據說和沈夫人關系也不好，她既孝敬婆母，又體貼夫君，将來若是誕下兒子，自己将來可就……
她如此想着，窈娘只覺得她天真，正如樊家人當年為了把魏國公府的案子辦大，拼命拱火，祖父都被削職為民，現下黃河汛期将至，又出現了問題，朝中有人要起複顏邁，自然把當年樊總憲刻意擴大之事翻出來說。
When the Fan family was enjoying their success, General Fan was impeached by the Ministry of Justice. During the interrogation, the Jinyi Guards received a blackmail letter saying that the Fan family had colluded with others when they were in the local area and made a lot of ill-gotten gains. They even dug up how the Fan family had a nepotism relationship with their in-laws and how they were tyrannical in the local area.
God has mercy on us. General Fan was dismissed from office. Mrs. Fan cried as if she had lost her parents. When Fan Ruhui heard about this during her confinement, she had a hemorrhage and died.
Yan Mai was recommended by the officials of the Imperial Academy and was directly reinstated as the Governor of the River and concurrently in charge of military affairs. Yao Niang was naturally happy about these things. However, afterwards, Yan Yingqi wanted to recruit Zhou Lingguang as his son-in-law and marry his eldest daughter Yan Ningxin, which made Yao Niang dumbfounded.
When Mrs. Fan heard about this, she cursed the Yan family for stealing someone else's husband and wished them a miserable death...