In a beautiful garden filled with various colorful flowers planted neatly around a lotus pond and a beautiful gazebo.
A beautiful girl was seen sitting. The girl was wearing a bright pink hanfu, combined with pearl hair ornaments, and a touch of make up that made her even more beautiful, she was brewing tea very gracefully, but her facial expression was the opposite of her elegance.
She was not sitting alone, in front of her was a middle-aged woman who was also sitting gracefully. holding a handkerchief that matched the color of the hanfu she was wearing, which was bright red with a gold hair ornament.
"Mother, are you sure about the news you received?" asked the young girl.
"Of course, I didn't get the news easily. Even if you like the son of General Lie Nan Gong, you should hand back this engagement agreement to that cowardly fool!" the middle-aged woman replied.
"Mom, do you think I'm stupid! Hmmp, even though Lie Pei Nan is very attractive but I want to live! Let that idiot accept his fate. Wasn't this engagement agreement his from the beginning?"
"Hahaha.. I was right in educating you, my daughter! But this matter cannot be discussed with your father and brother. Wait for your father and brother to return to discuss all of this."
"But Mom, will Dad mind? Fei Ning is still his daughter after all."
"Hmmp! What daughter? Your father clearly prefers you! Your reputation must not be tarnished. How could that fool possibly compare to you?"
"Okay, then wait for father and brother to come home.
He replied with a smile.
The middle-aged woman was none other than Madam Chen, the concubine of the fifth-ranked Ministry of Rites Official, Shen Ping Xiu, who had now been promoted to the rank of Madam of the ministry official's residence after Madam Wu, Shen Fei Ning's mother, passed away due to illness.
Meanwhile, the young girl who brewed the tea was Shen Yu Nie, the daughter of Madam Chen and Shen Ping Xiu.
Mrs. Chen and Shen Ping Xiu also had a son who was the only successor to the Shen lineage, and also their pride, named Shen Hou Fei.
So where is Shen Fei Ning now?
She was now crouching behind the flower plants, listening to the conversation between the mother and daughter in the gazebo. She had come here by accident, to look for the loose bead on her shoe. But she did not expect to hear the secret conversation between the mother and daughter.
Shen Fei Ning knew that she was not liked. Since her mother died, she had lived in the ministry official residence with difficulty. They often oppressed her, but she didn't dare to fight back, just trying her best to survive in this house.
Shen Fei Ning knew that the engagement agreement with the Lie family had been hers since she was in her mother's womb. But somehow, later the engagement agreement had become the property of her half-sister Shen Yu Nie.
Shen Fei Ning was supposed to have an older sister, but when her mother was 8 months pregnant, she suddenly miscarried and the baby died.
Not long after, Concubine Chen became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Shen Hou Fu.
So that made her become Shen Ping Xiu's favorite. Not long after, only 2 years later Concubine Chen became pregnant again and almost at the same time as Madam Wu. So the age of Shen Fei Ning and Shen Yu Nie is only a few months apart.
The origin of this engagement agreement was because when his mother was visiting the temple to offer incense for her deceased child, she was trapped there because of the heavy rain.
Coincidentally, Mrs. Lie, the wife of General Lie Nan Gong who was pregnant at the time was also in the temple. She slipped while trying to take shelter and gave birth before her time.
Seeing this situation, Shen Fei Ning's mother, Mrs. Wu, stepped forward, daring to help Mrs. Lie with the birth process.
Fortunately, thanks to Mrs. Wu's help, and also because her pregnancy was already advanced enough, the birth process went smoothly.
Mrs. Lie felt she owed her life and gratitude for Mrs. Wu's help, she didn't know what would have happened if she hadn't gotten Mrs. Wu's help.
Since then, their relationship has become good and they are close friends. Always interacting with each other.
And even Mrs. Lie joked, if Mrs. Wu gave birth to a daughter, she would have to be her son's wife.
A year later. Mrs. Wu became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. Mrs. Lie was very happy when she heard the news.
Then she rushed to her residence to state clearly that she was the mother-in-law of the little baby.
Lie Pei Nan, who was still small at that time, did not understand anything, he just kept looking at the tiny baby on the bed.
"Look Pei Nan, that's your future wife. Do you like her?" Mrs. Lie asked teasingly to her toddler son.
Little Pei Nan just looked at his mother and then at the tiny baby with a frown.
Mrs. Wu chuckled at this. "Mrs. Lie, you're exaggerating. Pei Nan doesn't understand yet. Let's leave it to the two of them when they grow up."
"No. I like your daughter. That's decided," said Mrs. Lie, smiling at the tiny yawning baby.
"Then I thank you, Mrs. Lie," said Mrs. Wu.
"No need to be polite. Without you, I wouldn't be able to live happily watching Pei Nan grow up well," said Mrs. Lie.
"It was my pleasure to be able to help you then," said Mrs. Wu with a smile.
Mrs. Lie held Mrs. Wu's hand with gratitude.
Little Pei Nan was just speechless looking at the baby.
"See, Pei Nan likes your daughter too. He keeps staring at her," Mrs. Lie said with a laugh.
Mrs. Wu also laughed.
Their togetherness was well established, visiting each other in their free time, bringing their sons and daughters.
But after Madam Wu passed away, the relationship between the two families became strained. There was a time when Madam Lie, ordered her inner servant to pick up Shen Fei Ning to visit her residence, Shen Fei Ning refused.
It was all due to nothing other than pressure from Mrs. Chen and her daughter who were jealous of her.
Even all the things that Mrs. Lie sent to Shen Fei Ning, were all seized by Mrs. Chen, never reaching Shen Fei Ning. They were all taken and given to her daughter, Shen Yu Nie.
Shen Fei Ning was too scared and weak to be able to fight them, plus the lack of support from her biological father who never cared about her at all made her even more scared.
Mrs. Lie also visited many times to meet her future daughter-in-law, but always ended with rejection from Shen Fei Ning who of course had been threatened first by Mrs. Chen.
Mrs. Lie just wanted to comfort little Fei Ning who had been abandoned by her mother so that she would not be too sad. There was him who would be her supporter. But in the end, after continuous rejection, Mrs. Lie came to the conclusion that little Fei Ning did not like her.
Even though Mrs. Lie felt disappointed, she always remembered her promise to Fei Ning's mother. If later they reach marriageable age and they reject it, Mrs. Lie will not mind.
He respects both of their decisions and will find a suitable partner that Shen Fei Ning likes.
Lie Pei Nan was busy studying and practicing martial arts all day long, let alone thinking about marriage, he rarely even socialized with fellow nobles.
This is all a tough and firm education from his father who is a general and his grandfather who is a regent. So that it triggers him to be even better.
There was no time to think about it. So marrying whoever, it made no difference to him, moreover his own mother had chosen him, it must have all been full of consideration.
Coupled with the explanation from his mother during the birth process that he owed his life to his mother, so there was no reason for refusal.
He didn't want his mother to feel guilty for breaking her promise to her helper who was her best friend, so Lie Pei Nan asked her mother to propose an engagement in accordance with her mother's wishes.
"Mom, I entrust all my marriage matters to you. Whoever you choose, it is the best for me."
Mrs. Lie was happy when she heard the decision of her eldest son. She immediately took care of this matter without delay.
But in the end the one who became Lie Pei Nan's fiance was Shen Yu Nie, Shen Fei Ning's half-brother.