Chapter 71
This was not the first time Liu Ji had spoken to Shen Linfeng. He looked at the young man in front of him and it was no wonder that his wife thought that this was a truly handsome man with excellent manners.
He then explained his purpose: "Your wife is indispensable for this matter. I was inspired by her investigation of the Kaifeng case. I never thought that someone could draw a person out of thin air. Such talent should not be underestimated."
Liu Ji had seen a lot of people, and most men were afraid of women showing off. He didn't know what Mr. Shen would think. Would he agree to the proposal or would he make a decision to decline the proposal? If he agreed, he would confirm it. If he declined, Liu Ji would tell Miss Yan San about it. It was obvious that she was a very opinionated person.
Unexpectedly, Shen Linfeng said: "Has my wife agreed? As long as she agrees, I have no objection."
Liu Ji breathed a sigh of relief: "Of course she has no objection, she's just afraid that you won't agree."
Shen Linfeng confirmed again and again whether painting this picture would bring Yao Niang a fatal disaster, and then bowed: "That's good, that's good."
In his opinion, it would be better for Yao Niang to go out and do things than to stay at home and waste time.
When Yao Niang saw Shen Linfeng coming to pick her up at the Marquis of Jinghai's mansion, she immediately ran over with great joy. Shen Linfeng saw that she was like a little deer, ignoring the worldly looks around him, and immediately grinned and stretched out his hands to take her in.
"Are you really coming to pick me up?" Yao Niang's mother couldn't go out before, and every time she went out with Zhen, she felt like an outsider. She was particularly looking forward to someone coming to pick her up.
"Did you have fun today?" Shen Linfeng helped her tidy up her messy hair.
Yao Niang nodded: "Happy."
Madam Liu was just sending Princess Jianing out and happened to see this scene. In fact, Shen Linfeng usually behaved in a carefree and generous manner, but such men often did not have that fatal attraction. However, when he stood next to Yao Niang, it seemed that the two of them had a sense of fate and bond, and Shen Linfeng became even more graceful.
But she saw that Yao Niang seemed to be still a virgin, and looked at Shen Linfeng in surprise.
On the way back, Yao Niang told her about Liu Ji's visit: "Please help me think about it. I want you to go with me when the time comes."
"Go ahead if you want to. I support you." Shen Linfeng had no grudges.
Yao Niang was a little surprised: "Really? Then you must accompany me." She also wanted Shen Linfeng to see this side of her talent. The rest of the making of balms and powders were just trifles.
Shen Linfeng scratched her nose and said, "Of course, I will support our Yao Niang's affairs, and I don't need to let you be trapped in the inner house all day long."
"Oh, I really married a very good husband, but before this matter is finalized, let's not tell my family. If by some chance they don't need me, wouldn't it just be a laughing stock?" Yao Niang said.
Shen Linfeng also agreed.
After attending the flower banquet at the Marquis of Jinghai Mansion, Madam Shen began to prepare for the Laba porridge. She had been a clan wife for many years, and she handled everything very well. She had someone cook it last night. The Laba porridge of the Shen family is different from that of other families. They first cook red bean paste, filter the red bean skin, and then use the red bean paste to cook lotus seeds, peanuts, black beans, etc., so it is very dense when eaten.
"Madam, our Laba porridge is really delicious. Can I send some to my parents' and sister's home?" Yao Niang asked.
Even though Mrs. Shen was angry with Yao Niang, she only had this daughter-in-law. She still had to teach Yao Niang about her responsibilities as a clan wife. After all, Yao Niang would have to perform sacrifices in the future.
So, when Yao Niang suggested sending Laba porridge to her parents' home, how could she not approve of this little favor?
"Of course you can. Just ask the kitchen to pack more."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"We are a family and this is what we should do. After Laba, it will be Chinese New Year and our family will be busy. You should follow me and pay more attention." Mrs. Shen urged.
Yao Niang responded with a smile. She seldom contradicted Mrs. Shen in front of her.
It is also said that Yao Niang sent Gu Mama and two maids out to deliver Laba porridge. After they came back, the Yan family and the Wen family also sent people to deliver things. The Yan family also sent back a portion of Laba porridge and Laba garlic, while the Wen family sent a box of white jade steamed buns.
The Yan family’s white porridge is dyed with persimmons and chestnuts to create shapes of flowers and birds, which is very beautiful. The Wen family’s white jade steamed buns are filled with beans of various colors, both of which are unique.
Even the Marquis of Jinghai Mansion sent Yao Niang a portion of porridge, and the one in the Marquis of Jinghai Mansion contained milk, which was particularly fragrant.
During lunch, Shen Mo and Han Ruhua came over to talk to Mrs. Shen while waiting for the meal.
Then someone outside sent a letter to Yao Niang: "Grandma, this is a letter from Princess Jianing's mansion, inviting you to watch an opera."
"Okay, I got it. You go and reward the person who delivered the letter." Yao Niang knew very well that this was a letter given by Princess Jianing for the sake of Madam Liu.
In the past, Shen Mo would often go out with Shen Linfeng and Madam Shen. Now that Shen Linfeng has started his work, Madam Shen is not in good health and is afraid of the cold, so she rarely goes out.
It takes energy and spirit to socialize with these four people. Besides, there are differences between civil officials and nobles. If it weren't for the last time when the Gong family invited Madam Liu to be the wife of Quanfu, Yao Niang would not have been able to maintain the relationship, and she would not have been able to get in touch with these marquises, princesses and queens.
"Sister-in-law, I also have rashes on my face. Do you still have Xiaofeng Yurong Powder and Rose Saltpeter?" Han Ruohua was not used to the climate in Beijing. Because it was too dry, she applied too thick facial cream on her face, which caused rashes on her face. After taking the medicine, her face became uneven and almost all of it was covered with rashes when viewed against the light.
Yao Niang looked at her face carefully and said, "Oh, you'd better get up early and treat it early. Remember to use Xiaofeng Yurong Powder mainly on the bridge of your nose, forehead and chin. Don't scrub your cheeks too hard."
Han Ruohua responded with a smile. Actually, this Han girl was a standard beauty. She was young and enthusiastic, and Yao Niang had a good impression of her.
After the maids had served the meal and Yao Niang had waited on Madam Shen, she prepared to leave for her room to eat. She was not actually very hungry, as she had eaten too much Laba porridge in the morning and her stomach was still a little bloated.
But she didn't expect to run into Wang on the way back. Wang was also like her, she had just returned after serving Mrs. Shen. A month after Wang came into the family, she began to show some of her true nature, so she said to Yao Niang: "Sister-in-law, I heard that you went to the Marquis of Jinghai's mansion yesterday?"
"Yes, the wife of Marquis Jinghai was the full-time wife when my master and I got married, and we both got along well, so she sent me an invitation." Yao Niang did not have much ill will towards Wang now, because she knew that Wang was not in the same room with her, and she also had her own way to be better.
However, Wang was not convinced. In her opinion, although the Yan family was also a high-ranking family, her status as the daughter of Marquis Xinning was even higher. But Yan deliberately showed off her in front of the relatives and made a big splash. In Wang's view, Yan was climbing up by stepping on her, which made them grudge against each other.
But Yan was not a decent person. Last time, she saw with her own eyes that her uncle actually carried her into the house. It was really immoral. She acted as if other people didn't have a husband. This deepened her dislike for Yan.
Now that she heard that Yao Niang and the Liu family were connected, she felt even worse. Although Xinning Marquis was also a marquisate and an old noble family, and her uncle was even a meritorious official, Jinghai Marquis was now in power, and Liu Ji was a close minister to the emperor.
She vaguely felt that Yao Niang seemed no weaker than her, which increased her anxiety even more.
In the Marquis' Mansion, everyone flatters her. In the Shen family, she is the younger daughter-in-law. Her cousin's wife who came in at the same time is better than her, more popular than her, and her husband is more promising. Yet, she has become the contrast?
"Sister-in-law is a civil servant. How could she associate with these military officers and nobles?" Wang said in a high-sounding manner.
Yao Niang narrowed her eyes and said, "What are you talking about, sister-in-law? Aren't your family also noble? You can still marry Erlang?"
In Wang's impression, she rarely saw Yao Niang get angry, and she was even quite humble. Although she was her sister-in-law, she was a few years younger than her. She didn't expect her to be so eloquent and she fought back directly, leaving her face blue and white.
Qingdai, who was standing next to Yao Niang, saw it clearly that their daughter was not really a humble person. She began to manage her superiors slowly and deliberately blocked her mother-in-law so that she could not say anything. How could she, who had never lost an argument with the fourth daughter at home, be afraid of a sister-in-law?
Even if they were noble, so what? The Yan family was not a family of idleness.
Back in the room, Shen Linfeng saw her coming back and said with a smile, "We can have dinner now."
"How about we use our meal money to play a little game?" Yao Niang was very happy to see Shen Linfeng. After all, in this house, Shen Linfeng had the closest relationship with her.
Shen Linfeng was also happy to play with her, and he also showed his childishness: "What game? I'm good at playing pot toss and double six."
"No, you went to the inner room, and then I pretended to push the door open, like a fairy coming to the mortal world for the first time. I wanted to see how you would react~" Yao Niang shook his hand.
In fact, Shen Linfeng had never played like this before. Sometimes he admired Yao Niang's creative ideas and nodded with a smile.
After he entered the inner room, there was no one there. They didn't want anyone else to be around when they were together, which was why the servants felt more comfortable working for them.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around and saw Yao Niang looking confused. His heart melted. She rushed into his arms. Before Shen Linfeng could react, he heard Yao Niang say, "I wanted to rush into your arms like this yesterday, but there were too many people around."
Shen Linfeng hugged her tightly, put his hands on her back, and felt very satisfied just by caressing her like that.
二人就這樣互相靜靜相擁，卻聽到外面的丫鬟喊：“公子爺，大奶奶，午膳已經擺好了。”
這道聲音仿佛才驚醒二人，窈娘從他懷裏出來，又抱着他的胳膊道：“我們一起用飯去。”
其實窈娘一直聽別人說沈臨風以前愛說愛笑，現下好像不是那種性格，可她總覺得現在的性格才是真正沈臨風的性格。
其實他很容易害羞，也不是那麽喜歡說話，世家公子的風光霁月也是表現出來給別人看的，可不管他怎麽樣，現在的他真的對她很好，和她睡在一處，從不逾矩。
她不喜歡那種不尊重她，總是拂逆她的人，沈臨風性格很好，又很尊重她，人亦是一流的品貌，說完全不動心那是假的。
沈臨風其實人生一大半不是在讀書科舉，就是耗費在官場上了，生活平乏，最多就是三五朋友成群喝酒聽聽戲，難得有了窈娘之後，從此心裏有了牽挂。
“鳗魚尾巴？下次不要上這道菜了。”沈臨風皺眉。
窈娘還不明所以：“怎麽了？這個不挺好吃的嗎？”
沈臨風是有苦難言，鳗魚尾巴有強精壯腎之效用，這對于男子而言當然很好，可是對他這種本來就每日睡在美人旁，熬盡心血壓抑自己，亵褲晚上都要換幾條，再吃這個，他人都要廢了。
還好窈娘是個從不勉強的人，見沈臨風不喜歡，她就道：“不吃就不吃吧。其實我也不愛吃韭菜，也不是不愛吃，就是每次吃韭菜盒子吃了酒覺得氣味特別大。”
沈臨風心想這可真是個善解人意的小姑娘，她若知曉自己對她的觊觎，還不知道如何想他？如此，他親手替她盛了一碗鴿子湯：“冬日多喝些湯補補身子。”
“多謝。”窈娘接了過來。
她在桌上又說起王氏的話：“她說我不該和勳爵往來，可是嘉寧郡主那邊也是看在劉夫人的份上請我去看戲，若是不去，劉夫人的臉上怎麽過的去呢？”
沈臨風看到的都是兄友弟恭，婆慈媳孝，窈娘很少同她說起家中誰對她不好怎麽樣？今日她能和他說，他其實還很高興的，故而道：“別管人家說什麽，你能夠出去聽聽戲，玩耍一番，總比在家裏好。”
“就知道你對我最好了，說真的，我有時候覺得你這麽開通透徹的人，若是參禪悟道，肯定更會有大智慧的。”窈娘說完又捂嘴，“說錯了，我家夫君要陪我白頭到老的，可不許去參禪悟道。”
“你總是這樣小孩子似的。”沈臨風不知道自己怎麽回應了。
“用完飯，我來撫琴一首，你想聽什麽，我都可以彈？”窈娘問道。
沈臨風昨夜沒睡好，他就道：“只要能讓我歇息一會兒的就行。”
現在算是放松了，剛開始稱呼那幾日窈娘出恭都要等他出去才行，兩人也都是努力為對方展現最好的一面，現在是洗腳睡覺都在對方面前做了。
窈娘也沒有任何不悅：“等會兒我彈一些佛樂，有寧靜安息之作用。”
沈臨風笑的跟小狗似的：“好。”
另一邊，王氏也正在用膳，其實她有些吃不慣沈家的吃食，她自小就在京中住，雖然平日也吃別的菜色調劑一下口味，可每日都吃米飯，她都吃膩味了。
她的丫頭春蘿見王氏用的少，又道：“姑娘可是覺得這些菜不好吃？”
“太淡了，實在是太清淡了。”王氏不愛吃江浙菜，甚至她們的面條裏還甜絲絲的，她更是難以下咽。
春蘿則道：“我看上次大奶奶那兒送的木瓜絲您吃着挺好，還有一小罐呢，要不奴婢拿過來？”
王氏看了春蘿一眼：“罷了，我不吃她送的那些小菜，你們分了吧。”
大丫頭春蘿和秋萍都是信寧侯夫人專門放在王氏身邊的，日後若要開臉也是從她們倆中間選，春蘿素來忠心，沒那個想法，秋萍卻是第一眼見到沈邦彥，就當成自家夫君似的。
王氏看的清楚，平日只讓春蘿在旁伺候。
她放下筷子，又和春蘿道：“我聽說大公子身邊連個侍妾通房都沒有，是嗎？”
春蘿點頭：“奴婢們哪裏敢打聽大房的事情，但我們兩房住的近，奴婢也從未見過大公子身邊的通房侍妾。”
“那她還真是命好。”王氏總覺得自己嫁人了，反而還不如成婚之前了。
她正欲做些針線打發光陰，卻又聽見隔壁傳來琴聲，王氏自然也是讀書學規矩的人，但家中人不許讀詩經或者太過奔放的書，更何況是彈琴這種實在是移情之物。
甚至吹拉彈唱對于王氏而言，是她們府上養的樂妓才學的，于是更看輕了窈娘幾分。
窈娘自幼在顏應祁教導之下，不僅僅是四書五經連諸子百家，詩詞歌賦，琴瑟都非常擅長，甚至她還覺得人和人之間有時候話雖不相通，但音樂是能夠共通的。
沈臨風躺在她身邊，聽着舒緩的曲調，倒是睡的很香，窈娘才一曲作罷，又替他掖了掖被子，坐在他身畔做女紅。
晝寝當然對于讀書人而言并非好事，《論語·公冶長》中就說過“ 宰予晝寝。子曰：‘朽木不可雕也，糞土之牆不可圬也！于予與何誅？’”
意思就說說宰治這個人白天睡覺，簡直是朽木不可雕也。
“大奶奶，韓表姑娘過來了。”
得，窈娘還得幫沈臨風打掩護，她笑道：“你把韓姑娘請去次間吃茶，我這就過去。”
韓若華過來是來拿薔薇硝和玉容散的，但基本的禮儀她還是有的，她客居于此和沈陌自然不能比，禮數要周到。
但見此處布置和沈夫人那裏完全不同，沈夫人那兒是沉甸甸的樣子，織錦地毯都鋪的滿滿當當，一看就是富貴氣息，可大表嫂這裏嘛，又是另外一個樣子，引枕是嫩綠色的，吃茶的杯子也是泛着清麗的釉色。
茶葉也鮮，正是她愛喝的恩施玉露。
剛喝了一口，就見表嫂過來了，韓若華連忙起身。
“快坐下飲茶吧，我們年紀差不多，何必如此見外。”窈娘笑着請她一起坐下，又道：“原本我都包好了，等晚點去太太那兒的時候順道給你，或者派個丫頭送過去，哪裏知道你親自過來。”
韓若華笑道：“姑母嫂嫂都憐惜我，只我不能不知禮數，偏了嫂嫂的好東西。”
“也不值當什麽，并不是什麽好東西，青黛，你拿過來給表姑娘吧。”窈娘道。
又聽韓若華道：“表嫂，我方才似乎聽到琴聲，你和表兄琴瑟和諧，真好。”
窈娘則道：“不過一時技癢罷了，現下你表兄在溫書，我就做做針線什麽的。”
“表兄真是勤奮。”韓若華贊了一聲，知趣的告辭了。
等韓若華離開，窈娘才回去看沈臨風睡的香甜，忍不住道：“你呀你，晝寝還要我給你遮掩。”
沈臨風踏踏實實的睡了一覺，醒來時，發現窈娘正低着頭縫制衣衫，那模樣一看就令他十分安心：“神妃妹妹。”
“醒啦？不再睡會兒嗎？”窈娘一臉寵溺的看着他。
沈臨風動情的看着她：“你一直都坐在我身邊陪着我嗎？”
窈娘點頭：“那還用說，你晝寝在家，我肯定是要給你遮掩的啊，再說我見你睡覺時手放在胸口處，怕你做噩夢。”
“不會的，有你陪我，我每日都是甜夢。”沈臨風還輕輕把頭靠在窈娘的肩頭，滿臉笑意。
窈娘摸了摸他的頭。
晚膳前她們夫妻先來昏省，沈夫人道：“正好與你們說一件事情，你們三叔馬上就要續弦了。你們的親事說起來還是托你三叔的福，若是可以我們到時候開春讓人送賀禮過去。”
沈巡撫要成婚了？
窈娘在開封還很熟，因此便問道：“太太，不知三叔娶的是哪家的人啊？我在河南待過一些時日，興許我還認識呢。”
沈夫人想了想：“說是本地一個教谕的女兒，續弦嘛，又不是娶原配，身份過的去就可以。”
教谕？窈娘狀似無意問道：“不知道是不是姓盧的教谕？”
在開封府那邊她所見的女子中，葉姐姐是布政使的孫女，她如是嫁給沈巡撫身份倒是相配，性子淡泊些，但論及漂亮，那個盧姑娘倒的确是個美人，人也很活泛。
盧教谕和她原先那個大嫂的爹關學士似乎是連襟，關夫人一直想讓哥哥娶關學士的侄女，那位姑娘還來過她們家幾次，但是娘一直沒有同意，哥哥也沒那個意思。
所以關夫人後來和她們家也不來往了，據哥哥和娘說關學士對他也不如以前，明年選官還不知道如何？
“對，是盧氏，年紀仿佛和你差不多大，你叔父明年上京述職就會把人帶來和我們見面了。”沈夫人倒是挺高興，小叔子家裏六個兒子兒媳婦，全部交給她，她也吃不消，三房也是該有個人管管了。
還真的是盧扇兒，窈娘右眼皮跳了跳。
Shen Linfeng was a little surprised: "My uncle is already forty years old, and this girl is only fourteen. Isn't the difference too big? Isn't this an old cow eating young grass?"
Mrs. Shen coughed a few times and said, "Child, stop talking nonsense."