Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Zhou Lingguang was still the same as when she had seen him in her childhood, with an exceptionally outstanding appearance. The young ladies and cousins of the Yan family once competed for his attention. Later, something happened to his family, and Zhou Lingguang came to live with them. She no longer had any impression of him.

Her brother's reminder was not wrong, but what did it matter if Zhou Lingguang now came to the capital? Even if he entered officialdom, it would be extremely difficult for him to compete against the Shen family, a household full of officials.

What could she do? Shen Linfeng had never mentioned Zhou Lingguang to her. If she asked about him suddenly, it might not be appropriate. Her brother only told her, not the Shen family, originally intending for her to be cautious and to advise Shen Linfeng.

"Lady, Madam said to prepare the ancestral worship items and asked me to invite you over," Zelan, who served Lady Shen, came to deliver the message.

Yao Niang stood up and smiled, "I understand. Why did Madam send you, Sister Zelan, to deliver the message? Would you like to have a cup of tea here?"

Zelan replied, "Lady, I should not refuse your kindness, but Madam is waiting for you."

Gradually, Yao Niang began to understand some aspects of Lady Shen. To a certain extent, her mother-in-law was rather innocent and carefree, lacking the cunning of the Zhen family, and even less patient and adaptable than her own mother. Perhaps, being the youngest daughter at home and marrying a husband several years older than her, who was also upright and respectful, made her very respectful towards her.

Such a person, in a way, was another kind of emotional person, acting based on personal preferences rather than practical considerations.

For example, Lady Shen calling her over to teach her about the rituals was not because of her honor of painting in the palace or because she was Shen Linfeng's wife. It was likely because her daily morning and evening greetings made Lady Shen feel that she was sincere.

Yao Niang followed Zelan over, and Lady Shen said, "The Minor New Year is approaching. We must repeatedly check the ritual utensils and offerings the day before and on the day of the ceremony to ensure they are clean. Our ancestral home is in Wu Xing, but these past years, Linfeng's father and his second uncle have been serving in the capital, along with some clan members. Therefore, we conduct the ancestral worship here."

"Madam, may I ask what foods are needed for the ancestral worship?" Yao Niang usually spent the New Year with Jie Shi at the main house, and Zhen Shi certainly would not be so kind as to inform her.

As for Jie Shi, although she managed the household, the head of the Yan family was Yan Yingqi. Her father always led the male members in the rituals, and Zhen Shi usually handled the preparations. Yao Niang only had a basic understanding of the rituals, which was why she was so compliant with Lady Shen.

Firstly, as a new bride, and secondly, she was too young when she married into the Shen family, knowing nothing about it. There was no better place to gather information than from Lady Shen.

Seeing Yao Niang ask, Lady Shen continued, "Our Shen family still follows the ancestral worship customs of Wu Xing. Mostly, we use newly harvested glutinous rice and sticky rice. Remember, it must be new."

"I understand, Mother," Yao Niang nodded obediently.

Lady Shen genuinely taught her, saying, "During the rituals, we must steam rice cakes and round cakes. Our cooks in Huzhou knew to fetch the bamboo leaves from the banks of Luoxi River in Changxing to steam the cakes, giving them a faint aroma of bamboo leaves, which is very pleasant."

"Madam, shall I take notes? I'm afraid my memory isn't good," Yao Niang pretended to struggle to remember.

Lady Shen nodded, feeling that her daughter-in-law had a proper attitude, and added, "Before the cakes come out of the steamer, there is one more step: apply cooled, cooked vegetable oil on the surface of the steamer. Once the oil seeps into the gaps between the bamboo leaves and the cakes, they won't stick together, especially the green cakes, known as emerald cakes. There are also yellow rice cakes, which I don't need to explain further; you know they are made from yellow rice."

Yao Niang nodded, "When I visited my maternal grandparents, we often ate yellow rice cakes."

"There is also a wine called 'Wax Third White.' Counting from the Winter Solstice, using the sequence of the Heavenly Stems (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding...), the third day of the Earthly Branches (Xu) is the wax. If it snows before the wax, using this snow to make wine is very delicious. For the ancestral worship, we generally use Wax Third White."

Wax Third White? Yao Niang silently noted it down.

Lady Shen continued, "There is also Qingming flower cake, which is not only used during the Qingming Festival but is also an essential offering for various ancestral worship activities. Our family makes eight types of flower cakes, each with its own mold. You can take a closer look when they are delivered."

Yao Niang smiled, "Madam, if you manage the household like this, perhaps I could paint a picture of you preparing the Qingming flower cakes. Although it's cold now, I believe that if it were passed down, future generations would see and appreciate Madam's kindness."

"You have such a sweet tongue, unlike Linfeng, who is so blunt," Lady Shen implied.

Yao Niang knew that Lady Shen was indirectly criticizing her for being smooth-talking, but what did it matter? What she learned was real skill. Shen Linfeng and others in the Imperial Academy were scolded like grandchildren under the head scholar. In the future, when they held high positions, who would remember these things?

Therefore, she only said, "Silence is golden, and the wise speak little. It's actually our talkative ones who are fortunate to have Madam's tolerance."

Lady Shen actually felt that Yao Niang was sincerely praising Shen Linfeng and spoke about how intelligent, clever, and articulate Shen Linfeng was. Although Yao Niang might not agree with everything internally, she nodded along with a smile.

After a busy day, Yao Niang gained much. That night, Shen Linfeng massaged Yao Niang's legs. As he massaged, he found that Yao Niang had fallen asleep. He looked at her with concern, bent down to kiss her forehead, then gently placed her in bed, afraid of disturbing her.

The couple slept until dawn. Shen Linfeng, currently on leave, wanted to sleep a bit longer, but Yao Niang woke up first and nudged him, "These few days are busy with the ancestral worship. You are the clan head and the main sacrificer."

The Shen family, being a prominent clan, has an abundance of formalities and rituals that surpass even the Yan family. Not only must the stewards from each branch temple be convened, but the clan head must also set up an office to arrange the duties for each person during the sacrificial ceremony. In the evenings, people are assigned to stay in the ancestral hall, and even the ritual masters for the ceremony are selected from young scholars, known as "zhusheng," who practice various rites and postures in the ancestral hall days before the ceremony to ensure they perform them proficiently.

All the sacrificial vessels must be properly arranged by designated personnel. When the time comes, music must be played, animals slaughtered, and incense burned in the censers—all preparations must be made. Yao Niang had heard Lady Shen mention that during the sacrifice, the wine should be warm on the stove, the soup boiling in the pot, and the rice fragrant in the steamer.

After burning incense, one must offer libations and invite the ancestors. After the three offerings, there is the ritual of serving food, followed by tea, and then all the food is removed and distributed to everyone.

Only then can it be considered complete.

Despite Lady Shen's extensive preparations, women are not allowed to enter the ancestral hall; they can only kneel outside.

Shen Linfeng extended his finger: "Let me sleep for just one more cup of tea, just one cup. We will part ways again soon."

Both of them have their own matters to attend to, which is indeed a fact. They are not an ordinary couple but the clan head and his wife. Yao Niang complained, "You only think about your own sleep, never caring about my feelings. Now that you've married me, you seem like a different person. I was hoping we could have breakfast together when you returned."

Hearing words like "married me and became a different person," Shen Linfeng quickly sat up in bed. Just awakened, his skin looked even more like jade.

Yao Niang felt her heart skip a beat at the sight, but Shen Linfeng was unaware. He said, "My lady, rest assured, I will get up now and send someone to inform Mother."

In truth, Yao Niang knew he usually struggled to wake up early, and it was rare for him to get some rest. Naturally, he would want to sleep longer, but with so many things to do during the festival, it wouldn't be possible.

"Um." Yao Niang sat by the bed, watching him.

Shen Linfeng hurriedly covered his face: "I'll go wash up right away." Just waking up, his appearance was disheveled, and he needed to tidy himself up so that Yao Niang wouldn't see him in such an unkempt state.

Yao Niang held him back, leaned in, and kissed him. Seeing him stunned, she laughed, "What are you doing? Staring blankly first thing in the morning?"

"You did what I wanted to do but didn't dare to," Shen Linfeng whispered softly.

Yao Niang didn't know why, but every time she saw him, she wanted to tease him.

Meanwhile, Lady Shen was getting dressed. At this hour, Yao Niang would usually have arrived, but today, Shen Linfeng's maid, Qianhong, came over and said, "Madam, Master says he will come to pay respects with Madam today. After paying respects, he still needs to go to the ancestral hall, so he will eat at home first before coming over."

"Understood," Lady Shen replied.

In reality, men generally don't involve themselves much in household affairs, and it's quite normal for daughters-in-law to pay morning and evening respects. Even when she herself was younger, she still paid respects to her mother-in-law.

Who doesn't know these little tricks? She believed Yao Niang was cunning, and her honest son might be taken advantage of.

However, it is natural for a daughter-in-law to serve her son, and Lady Shen could certainly use filial piety to force her daughter-in-law to serve, but that would be the behavior of a common scold, not someone of her status. If word got out, others might say she deliberately kept her daughter-in-law from her son.

When Yao Niang came over, nearly an hour had passed. Shen Linfeng had already paid his respects and gone to the ancestral hall, while Yao Niang continued to learn about the ancestral worship from Lady Shen. Today, Lady Shen was less detailed than yesterday, perhaps as a form of punishment for not coming to serve today.

But Yao Niang wasn't the kind of person who would let others see her as weak. Even if she needed something, she wouldn't show it.

A mother-in-law like Lady Jie, who doesn't make life difficult for her daughter-in-law, is rare. Even so, a daughter-in-law like Lady Guan would still be dissatisfied. It's almost impossible for a daughter-in-law to be completely equal with her mother-in-law.

Therefore, the relationship must neither be too soft, making others think you're easily manipulated, nor too hard, leaving no room for flexibility.

Today, someone sent gold and silver ingots to Lady Shen, prepared for the New Year's gifts. Yao Niang knew this; her family also made such gifts for the New Year, including designs like peonies for wealth, lotus flowers for marital bliss, and chrysanthemums for scholarly success.

Lady Shen said, "These peonies and chrysanthemums are good for women and young ladies, the lotus flowers for newlyweds, and the scholarly success designs for young scholars."

"Yes," Yao Niang nodded.

Lady Shen talked about many household matters, and Yao Niang couldn't help but ask, "Is my sister coming today?"

"Why bring her out in such cold weather?" Lady Shen looked outside at the deep snow and asked Aunt Zhou to send some ginseng soup over.

Yao Niang thought to herself, I'm younger than your daughter, so why do I have to brave the wind and snow? But such complaints could only remain in her heart, and she couldn't even talk much about it with Shen Linfeng, who was also constrained by circumstances. He wanted to sleep in every day but couldn't even get a bit more rest.

Mama Zhou felt that these words were inappropriate, but seeing no trace of displeasure on Yao Niang's face, she admired this lady-in-waiting. She had interacted with the lady before and knew that she was not one to misunderstand words. In fact, despite her young age, the lady was very astute; the more she held back, the more formidable her eventual retaliation might be.

Yao Niang naturally would not vent now. Having spent over a decade in the Yan family, she knew better. After reaching the age of marriage, if she could bear a son or daughter, she would have a solid support. With such support, managing the household would come naturally.

For now, it was important to mitigate the negative impact caused by Yan Ningxin.

Then, Bai Lu from Qian Niang’s side came to report the good news that Qian Niang was pregnant. Yao Niang instructed someone to prepare the carriage to visit her second sister, bringing along several tonics.

The Wen family’s residence differed from the Shen family’s. The Shens were from Wu Xing, where houses were known for their exquisite details. The Wen family’s residence, however, was spacious and open, with particularly high beams.

Yao Niang turned right around the corridor, passed through a screen wall, and arrived at a small courtyard with three small main rooms. To the east was another corridor, and to the west were side rooms. The garden in the middle was well-maintained, with large camellias blooming in winter, creating a festive atmosphere.

Upon meeting, Yao Niang noticed that Qian Niang looked much thinner. She hurriedly said, "My dear sister, I should congratulate you, but you must also take care of your health."

Now in the capital, Qian Niang only had Yao Niang and Yan Jingzhao as close relatives. Unfamiliar with Lady Li, she saw Yao Niang dressed in an orange-red robe, looking radiant, and envied her, saying, "Sister, you look much better than me. After Father entered mourning, I, being a junior wife, have to follow the instructions of my senior sisters-in-law. Any mistake invites their criticism."

"Second Sister, your pregnancy is a blessing. Taking care of yourself is more important than anything else. My life isn't easy either. I have to attend morning and evening greetings, and as the only daughter-in-law, I handle all household matters and pay respects without any substitute," she added, reluctant to mention the repercussions of Yan Ningxin’s elopement.

Qian Niang smiled, "Sister, actually, the Shen family is quite good, and your husband has an official position. When we were at home, we thought having many people was normal, but at the Wen family, I realized what a large family truly means. Look over there."

Yao Niang looked and saw a large black wooden box, asking, "What is this?"

"These are New Year's money for the nephews, all arranged by your brother-in-law. The money itself isn't much, but I have to be mindful of every birthday of the elder brothers, sisters-in-law, and younger sisters. A slight misstep leads to endless gossip. My mother-in-law likes to play favorites, and I fell ill recently, serving her in shifts. Otherwise, I wouldn't have fainted and discovered my pregnancy." Qian Niang confided these things only to Yao Niang.

Yao Niang spread her hands, "Why are mothers-in-law all like this?"

Qian Niang stroked her belly apologetically, "You've taken the trouble to come, why am I burdening you with these worries? Our Wen family has a dish called stewed mutton, which the kitchen prepares excellently. Why don't you stay and try it?"

But Yao Niang shook her head, "I wish I could, but the ancestral worship is coming up. If I return late, my in-laws might blame me."

Though Qian Niang complained about the Wen family, if she criticized the Shen family, she would be mocked for life.

The relationship between sisters can be delicate. Some are intimate and supportive, but Qian Niang and Yao Niang were not like that. Yao Niang still prioritized her own affairs, and though Qian Niang was somewhat disappointed, she understood.

After Yao Niang left, she told Bai Lu, "They say Eldest Brother resembles Father, but I don’t think so. Third Sister’s temperament is most like Father’s."

Bai Lu was puzzled.

Qian Niang thought that when Father returned home in mourning, he directly recommended Scholar Du, solely to ensure his future return to the capital. Scholar Du, lacking a strong foundation, faced many constraints in his role as Minister of Rites. When the time comes, Minister Du will surely recommend Father again.

Vice Premier Gong is now frequently targeted by Premier Wen, losing much of his former prestige.

Father’s actions show no concern for Eldest Brother’s situation in the capital, focusing only on his own position. Marrying Third Sister to the Shen family was a temporary measure to prevent the Shens from targeting the Yans, achieving two goals at once.

Third Sister is the same. She and I do not share deep affection. Her visit today is for her reputation and to signal her close ties with Premier Wen’s family, but ultimately, she acts in her own interest. See, she’s already rushing back for the ancestral worship.

Yao Niang returned quickly after her visit. Upon returning, she removed her cloak and continued to serve Lady Shen, learning the duties of a clan matron thoroughly.

On the day of the ancestral worship, all members of the clan gathered. Lady Shen had the sacrificial items delivered and then conversed with the other women of the Shen clan.

Perhaps because of the facial cream Yao Niang provided, Second Lady Jiang felt a fondness for her and said, "My uncle sent some early spring tea. I heard you enjoy tea. Have you tried this one?"

"I’ve had it before. The leaves are thick and the flavor is fresh and fragrant. It’s quite memorable," Yao Niang replied with a smile.

Second Lady Jiang was pleased, "If so, I’ll send some to you."

Yao Niang tilted her head, "Thank you, Second Sister."

Second Lady Jiang said, "Don’t mention it. We should visit more often. My birthday is on the eighth day of the first month. I won’t have a grand celebration, but I hope you can come."

"Second Sister-in-law, you flatter me. I shall certainly go," Yao Niang said with pleasure.

As the two were talking, Lady Wang felt herself being isolated. She was young and proud, with a high status, but after entering the household, she found that not only did the Yan family match her in strength, but also the two sisters-in-law from the Third House seemed to exclude her, barely interacting with her at all.

What she didn't know was that although the two women of the Third House had lower status than hers, they were also daughters of officials, and thus did not need her for anything, making it unnecessary for them to seek her out. Even Yao Niang was initially ignored, only gradually becoming familiar with everyone.

This was Yao Niang's first New Year in the Shen household. After the New Year's Eve dinner, they went to watch the fireworks, which were dazzling, making one realize how quickly time passes.

Then came endless visits to relatives and friends. On the second day, they originally planned to return to her natal home, but her brother and sister-in-law were going to the Li family, and on the fifth day, they visited the Jinghai Marquis's residence. By the eighth day, it was Second Madam Jiang's birthday.

Second Madam Jiang's parents were not in the capital, so her maternal uncle sent a basket of silver thread noodles, six plates of longevity peaches, two roasted ducks, two bolts of Shu brocade, and two bolts of Huanhua brocade. Yao Niang heard that Second Madam Jiang's maternal uncle was the one who had raised her mother, and thus treated Second Madam Jiang like his own daughter. This marriage was arranged by her maternal uncle's family for the Shen Governor's second son.

Yao Niang didn't know what others had given, but she chose two gold-embroidered handkerchiefs, two boxes of premium cotton rouge, and two bolts of colored silk.

These bolts of colored silk were originally part of Yan Ningxin's dowry. Although some time had passed, they were well-preserved and still looked very fresh. Second Madam Jiang was very pleased when she saw them.

At the table, there were also Second Madam Jiang's cousins and relatives. The sisters-in-law sat together, but Lady Wang was nowhere to be seen.

"Second Sister-in-law Jiang, why isn't Second Son's wife here?" Yao Niang asked, puzzled.

Second Madam Jiang replied, "I invited her, but that day was also the Xinning Marquis's theatrical banquet, so she returned home."

So she had gone back to her natal home. Yao Niang and Lady Wang didn't have a particularly close relationship, so she didn't press the matter further. Instead, she continued chatting and laughing with Second Madam Jiang and the others. After a few rounds of drinks, Second Madam Jiang called Yao Niang aside and said, "The doctor told me to eat light, but today I'm so happy that I drank wine. Could you please pack some rose nitrate for me?"

Yao Niang naturally smiled and agreed.

Unexpectedly, Second Madam Jiang glanced at Yao Niang and asked a strange question, "Sister-in-law, do you know if Miss Han has been betrothed?"

"I don't think so; she's still quite young," Yao Niang replied.

Second Madam Jiang forced a laugh, "I always feel that when boys grow up, they should marry, and when girls grow up, they should be married off."

Actually, Han Ruohua was the niece of Lady Shen. Whether she got married or not had little to do with their family, but Second Madam Jiang's concern made Yao Niang suspect that she might be trying to play matchmaker.

Just as she was about to ask more, Second Madam Jiang changed the subject, saying, "This year, my father-in-law will return to the capital for his official duties. His new wife is said to be younger than us, and I wonder what kind of person she is."

Speaking of Lu Shaner, Yao Niang originally wanted to ask Magpie, the former personal maid of Lady Guan, who was now in Yan Jingzhao's quarters. However, since the second day of the New Year, Magpie hadn't returned home, and Lady Li seemed somewhat anxious. If Yao Niang were to seek out the former eldest sister-in-law's maid, Lady Li might misunderstand, so she delayed.

However, it was clear that no matter how she married into the Shen household, her path would be difficult. She had stepsons who were like wolves and tigers, and sisters-in-law who were much older than her, putting her in a dire situation.

As the saying goes, 'When a deer appears on the left, the eyes do not blink.' Her first goal was to learn the responsibilities of the ancestral worship mistress, and she had already won over some people in the household with her homemade fragrances. As for other matters, she would wait until she reached adulthood to gradually achieve her goals and eventually control the entire Shen household.

With this goal in mind, people like Lu Shaner and Zhou Lingguang were not something she needed to consider now.

Putting these thoughts aside, after returning from Second Madam Jiang's birthday celebration, Yao Niang felt a bit bloated and decided to stand while speaking to Shen Linfeng, who was resting on the bed with his eyes closed.

"Why did Second Sister-in-law mention Cousin Han? It doesn't seem like she's trying to arrange a match," Yao Niang asked.

Shen Linfeng opened his eyes and looked at Yao Niang, "Don't you know?"

Yao Niang was puzzled, "Why would I know?"

This girl was completely clueless. The Yan family had taught her many things, but most were superficial, and she seemed entirely unaware of such private matters.

Shen Linfeng whispered, "Second Brother Jiang and Cousin Han have some sort of affection for each other."

"What? No, I heard that Second Brother Jiang and Second Madam Jiang have a good relationship. Lady often jokes about them," Yao Niang was surprised.

Shen Linfeng, somewhat irritated, said, "My dear sister, Second Madam Jiang's maternal uncle is the Minister of Justice, and Second Brother Jiang has no official position yet. Uncle Three has many sons, so he naturally needs to maintain a good relationship with Second Madam Jiang. But love knows no bounds of status or other factors. He likes someone like Cousin Han, not someone as straightforward and illiterate as Second Madam Jiang."

"No, I wouldn’t know about it even if I stayed in the inner chambers? You’re at the Imperial Academy every day, how did you find out?"

Shen Linfeng smiled, "Do you really need to ask? If a man has someone he likes, how can he hide it? Just like how I like you, no matter what, I would marry you."

Although Shen Linfeng’s confession should have made her happy, she felt a pang of sadness thinking about Second Sister-in-Law Jiang. But then she remembered her father’s words and quickly perked up.

Shen Linfeng was puzzled, "You were frowning just now, but now you’re all lively again."

"My father said that being able to understand others’ hardships is a good thing, but don’t cry over someone else’s coffin in your own home," Yao Niang said with a smile.

Shen Linfeng thought to himself that his father-in-law was quite skilled at teaching his children.