This is all Mrs. Chen's doing. Don't know what Mrs. Chen and her biological father Shen Fei Ning said to the Lie family so that they can accept this change of engagement.
In the end, Shen Yu Nie proudly showed off his engagement in front of Shen Fei Ning and her friends.
"Yes, that's right, I'm just following my family's wishes," Shen Yu Nie said, blushing shyly.
Her engagement to Lie Pei Nan had added to her reputation and made her even more famous in the capital.
Before the news of her engagement to Lie Pei Nan spread, Shen Yu Nie had indeed had a good reputation among all the noble sons and daughters in the capital. In addition to being beautiful, she was also very clever in everything from calligraphy, painting, playing the zither, to embroidery.
This was all due to the education of Madam Chen and the support of Shen Ping Xiu who was biased, favoring this daughter of his concubine, who would be given all the good education.
Lie Pei Nan was the most sought after man in the capital. Many noble daughters dreamed of marrying him.
Besides being handsome, he is also smart, he is known for his straight, cold and no-nonsense attitude. Added to the Lie family who has no trace of a second wife or concubine in his residence.
Who wouldn't want to marry a man as upright and bright as jade.
Even the daughter of the Imperial Concubine also liked him, it was just impossible for her to be with Lie Pei Nan because her brother, the Fourth Prince was the enemy of the First Prince, Jiang Ye who was Lie Pei Nan's cousin.
So fate had separated them from the beginning. But never thought that Lie Pei Nan would be engaged to the daughter of a fifth-rank official.
This is what caused a lot of jealousy and envy among the noble daughters.
"What's so good about Shen Yu Nie? She's just the daughter of a 5th-rank official's concubine."
"That's right! He's so no match for Lie Pei Nan!"
Although Shen Yu Nie's reputation was good in the eyes of society, it was not enough to be able to compete with Lie Pei Nan.
At least Lie Pei Nan was able to marry the daughter of a minister of the same rank as him.
Mrs. Lie did not know that Shen Fei Ning had been threatened by Mrs. Chen to cancel her engagement agreement with Lie Pei Nan.
Because Madam Chen wanted her own daughter, Shen Yu Nie to be with the son of a noble family. The timid Shen Fei Ning could only follow her orders without daring to fight back.
Mrs. Lie came from a good and loving family, there were no concubines in her family, and also in the former Chancellor's residence, the General, her husband loved her so much that he would not take a concubine. So she did not know any dirty tricks used by Mrs. Chen.
Shen Fei Ning who was currently squatting down felt sad, she didn't know what she should do at this time.
"Madam, Master and Young Master have returned," a servant reported.
Madam Chen and Shen Yu Nie immediately rushed away.
After Mrs. Chen and Shen Yu Nie and her servants left the gazebo to go to the main room because her biological father and half-sister had arrived there.
Finally, Shen Fei Ning stood up slowly with difficulty because her legs were cramping from squatting for too long.
With unsteady steps he walked back to his room which was at the end, in a secluded place, wiping away his tears.
"Mom, I miss you," he said softly.
Shen Fei Ning knew that although the conversation between Mrs. Chen and Shen Yu Nie was not very clear, she could understand it clearly.
No one else knows how hard his life is in this ministry office residence.
Her life is very different from Shen Yu Nie who is like heaven and earth. Shen Fei Ning lives in a secluded room that used to be a storage place.
Meanwhile, Shen Yu Nie occupies a beautiful and luxurious bungalow. The place where Shen Fei Ning's mother used to live which should have belonged to Shen Fei Ning, but was kicked out by Mrs. Chen and Shen Yu Nie.
Concubine Chen did not want to occupy the bungalow. She had already built her own residence when Madam Wu was still alive, which was no less luxurious and beautiful than Madam Wu's bungalow.
The clothes, jewelry and all the items worn by Shen Yu Nie were the no. 1 quality in the capital, also followed by the many servants who served her.
As for Shen Fei Ning, it was truly pitiful. Let alone jewelry, even her clothes were all Shen Yu Nie's old clothes that were no longer fit to wear and seemed to have been intentionally torn or damaged before being given to her. There was not a single servant to serve her.
Shen Yu Nie often came to bother him with her servants to see him suffer.
The food he ate was even worse than the waiter at the ministry office residence.
Even if there was a gift of good food, Shen Fei Ning didn't dare to eat it. She knew that nothing was free and easy for her in this house.
Shen Fei Ning could endure everything, but the conversation she had heard earlier had made her panic. She was scared. Had her time to die finally come?
With poor food conditions, his body became weaker and more fragile. Added to that, his paranoia throughout the day made it difficult for him to sleep, which made his health worse and he fell ill.
On the other hand, the Lie family was still busy with wedding preparations. The wedding of the granddaughter of the former Old Chancellor Lie had to be watched closely, so the entire household was busy.
The Lie family did not know that their prospective bride had changed back to the beginning according to the decision of a secret meeting between Mrs. Chen and her husband Shen Ping Xiu, who was none other than Shen Fei Ning's biological father.
The wedding day arrived, the procession to pick up the bride had left the residence of Regent Lie.
On the other hand, Madam Chen and her servants followed by Shen Yu Nie and her servants rushed to Shen Fei Ning's room at the end of the corridor.
"Unlock the door," Mrs. Chen ordered her servant.
The servant immediately went forward and unlocked Shen Fei Ning's room door.
Mrs. Chen covered her nose with a handkerchief and walked in followed by her servants. Shen Yu Nie waited outside the door. She felt disgusted to have to come into this shabby room.
"Fei Ning, wake up. It's your wedding day. Quickly change your clothes. The bridal procession will arrive soon," said Mrs. Chen without paying any attention to Shen Fei Ning who was lying limply on her bed.
Madam Chen signaled to her servants. They went to Shen Fei Ning's bed, lifted the blanket and were shocked to find that Shen Fei Ning's body was soaked in sweat.
"Madam... She seems sick," said one of the maids.
"Don't worry! Take off all her clothes and change into that wedding dress. You do it quickly!"
"Good."
Shen Fei Ning who was in a semi-conscious state heard everything but she couldn't do anything as the maids took off her clothes, wiped her body roughly before changing her into the wedding dress.
Originally, Shen Fei Ning was not this bad, but for the past three days, she had been locked in her room without any food on Madam Chen's orders. There was only water in a small jar in her room that happened to be still full.
This is what makes his physical condition even worse.
He was pulled, pushed as they pleased in his sick condition.
Shen Yun Nie sneered when she saw Shen Fei Ning's condition and said, "What's wrong Fei Ning? Shouldn't you be happy? I've kindly returned your fiancé. Good luck to you!"
The servants also chuckled when they heard their master's taunts.
"Alright, take him into the palanquin," Mrs. Chen ordered again.
"Good."
After everything was done he was carried and put on a stretcher to the main room.
As soon as the palanquin arrived in the main room, news of the procession to pick up the bride was heard from outside the room.
But what made them wonder, why didn't the groom come to pick her up? Shouldn't the groom come to pick up his bride?
"Father, why didn't Lie Pei Nan come to pick up the bride? Does she look down on our family?" Shen Hou Fu asked his father.
Shen Ping Xiu was silent.
Mrs. Chen also said, "Did the rumor happen today?"
"Shut up. Don't discuss it. Remember the wall has ears." Shen Ping Xiu said.
Madam Chen, Shen Hou Fu and Shen Yu Nie nodded and covered their mouths, not daring to say any more.
"Please let the bride enter the palanquin," came another voice from outside the room.
Seeing Shen Fei Ning being carried in a stretcher, Shen Ping Xiu was a little surprised and asked, "Why is Shen Fei Ning being transported by a stretcher?"
Mrs. Chen hurriedly replied, "He's tired, sir. He probably couldn't sleep last night because he was too excited about his wedding."
"Hmm...." Mr. Shen replied slowly.
The bride got into the bride's palanquin and left the residence of Shen Ping Xiu's ministry office.
Madam Chen, Shen Hou Fu and Shen Yu Nie immediately went back into the residence. Only Master Shen was left standing in front of the gate of his residence.
He wondered, Will everything happen today? Is the news true? Fei Ning, I wish you good luck!