Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

The next day, Yuan Feng went with her father to Jingling Mountain to pay respects to her mother. Yuan Feng chatted with her mother about interesting things that happened in the army, finding joy even in hardship.

Sitting before the grave, Yuan Feng's father looked lost for the first time. There are so few things one can truly grasp in this life; he had tried his best to be a good father, but two sentences had shattered his hopes.

Does marriage guarantee security? What's the point of liking someone?

His daughter, who had always looked up to him, began to examine him from a woman's perspective. He became a role model and example of failure.

He was aware of the rumors about Yin Jing and Yuan Fengniang. He had never spoken of them, firstly because he trusted Yuan Fengniang's character, and secondly because he felt it was good for her to have someone in the army to take care of her.

Yuan Feng was captured in the northern desert and was rescued by Nan Fei, Yin Jing, and Le Chunqiu at the cost of their lives. He was always very grateful.

Nanfei is a good boy, lively and intelligent. He is from a wealthy family but not spoiled. He is very handsome with red lips and white teeth, and even the emperor has taken a liking to him.

Nanfei rescued her, was captured, and then returned safely. Yuan Feng told him the whole story. Yuan Feng said Nanfei was clever and could solve anything perfectly. He even managed to trick Duoyi into coming back with him.

Yuan Feng's view of Nan Fei was too ambitious, naturally overlooking many illogical points. Yuan Feng's father understood immediately upon hearing this.

Yuan Feng's eyes lit up when she spoke of Nan Fei. Her father understood her feelings even before she did. From the grand engagement ceremony, he hadn't intended to leave any future for the Nan family or Nan Fei.

If Yin Jing said Ouyang and Yuan Feng were a good match, then they truly were. Besides, Ouyang should have feelings for Yuan Feng.

He couldn't see through Nan Fei's words, and Yuan Feng couldn't see through them either.

A forced marriage won't be happy. From a father's perspective, he'd rather his daughter marry someone who loves her.

After the two returned from Jingling Mountain, Yuan Feng's father said, "Feng'er, I'll bring up the matter of annulling the engagement with the Nan family."

Wasn't it said that as long as she thought it through and wouldn't regret it, it would be fine? She's still thinking about it, she hasn't made up her mind yet! How come Dad has already decided?

Yuan Feng thought it over and over again: "Father, breaking off the engagement is a big deal. We are young, so there's no rush."

Nanfei isn't very old, so the Nan family isn't in a hurry. Yuan Feng is a girl; in ordinary families, an eighteen-year-old girl would already be a mother.

On their way back, passing by the Nan residence, Yuan Feng suddenly asked, "Father, why do we have to get married? Can't I just be alone?"

Yuan Feng's father was surprised and didn't know how to answer for a moment. He hurriedly replied, "Everyone gets married! Only after getting married can you have your own home."

Yuan Feng stubbornly insisted, "Monks and nuns don't marry. After you marry your mother, will you have a home? Your mother is on the border, and you're at Chongyang Temple. You have no one at home..."

Yuan Feng's father felt a tightness in his chest: "We have you. How can we have children if we don't get married?"

Yuan Feng said, "Why have children? If we don't have children, we don't need to get married? You can choose not to have me..."

Yuan Feng's father fell completely silent. Yuan Feng was as steady as him, and as stubborn and unwavering as her mother.

Yuan Feng's father didn't sleep a wink all night. He had suffered from heart pain for many years, which had worsened in recent years. In recent years, he had cut off contact with relatives and friends and lived a quiet life. Yuan Feng was not the type to flatter or fawn.

If he were alive, he could always come up with ideas and solutions for Yuan Feng if she needed anything. If he weren't there, Yuan Feng would truly be all alone… Yuan Feng was his only concern; he simply couldn't let her go…

If Yuan Feng doesn't want to marry anyone but Nan Fei, then she should marry Nan Fei. She'll take it one step at a time. He needs to take his medication regularly and try to live a longer life.

The next morning, Yuan Feng's father went to the Nan residence. Yuan Feng was restless in her room, so she simply waited at the door.

When Yuan Feng saw her father returning from afar, she suddenly felt a little resentful: If you're not in a hurry to get married, why rush to break off the engagement?

Seeing that she was not very happy, Yuan Feng's father smiled and patted her head: "Feng'er, ask for permission to get married tomorrow. Let's set the wedding date for Nanfei's birthday."

Yuan Feng held her breath, speechless as she looked at her father. Her father seemed somewhat regretful: "If you insist that Ouyang is suitable..."

Yuan Feng quickly said, "No, no, no... Ouyang isn't suitable... Ouyang doesn't talk much, and neither do I. We have nothing to say to each other..."

Yuan Feng's father hummed in agreement, his tone ordinary and unremarkable: "Your Uncle Nan said that since you've been engaged for three years and Duoyi isn't around, you should get married as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications."

Nanfei is now Fu Yutian's disciple. If he masters his skills, he might become the commander of the Imperial Guard in the future, working in the same line of duty as you. If you don't want to be a general in the future, you can apply to the Emperor to have him succeed you.”

Yuan Feng was utterly shocked. Yet, Yuan Feng's father, from his expression to his tone, seemed to think that this was perfectly normal and commonplace.

Seeing that she didn't understand, Yuan Feng's father added, "Your Uncle Nan said that Nan Fei changed his ambition from becoming a prime minister to becoming a general. He probably saw that you were working too hard and wanted to share the burden with you."

Yuan Feng never doubted her father, but this was truly unbelievable. After a long pause, she finally managed to ask, "What about Nan Fei? What's his opinion?"

Yuan Feng's father said, "I didn't see Nanfei. But marriage is a major event, and it's a matter of parental consent and matchmaker's words. Besides, Feng'er is a general at such a young age, and she's handsome and dashing. No matter how famous Nanfei is, he has no rank or status. If you don't mind, that's fine. It's not his place to have any objections."

Overjoyed and shocked, Yuan Feng completely forgot that her father had resigned from his official post many years ago and was now without rank or title. Obedient to her father, Yuan Feng requested permission to marry him the very next day.

Despite his illness, Yuan Feng's father oversaw the wedding arrangements, personally writing the wedding invitation and then showing it off to Yuan Feng. Yuan Feng, unusually shy, placed the groom's attire in the wedding basket.

Butler Su rushed over in a flustered manner, seeing Yuan Feng hesitant to speak. Yuan Feng's face lit up with joy: "Uncle Su, is something the matter?"

Steward Su whispered to Yuan Feng's father, "Nan Fei has disappeared. The Nan family has sent people everywhere to look for him."

Yuan Feng, being a martial artist, had excellent hearing and heard everything clearly. She accidentally knocked over the ceremonial basket, and her face turned deathly pale.

Yuan Feng's father, supporting himself on the table, suddenly suffered a heart attack. Hearing her father's rapid breathing, Yuan Feng was so frightened she almost cried. She quickly sent Steward Su to fetch a doctor.

The doctor joked that Yuan Feng was probably too excited to see her daughter getting married. He also specifically advised her that, given her heart condition, she should remember to keep a calm mind and avoid extreme emotional fluctuations.

After the doctor left, Yuan Feng sat by the bedside, her expression more pained than if she were crying, yet she didn't shed a single tear. Yuan Feng softly said, "Father, let's call off the marriage."

A marriage that no one was optimistic about ended with the groom running away, which turned out to be a fitting outcome.

Her father's words were so obviously fake, yet she didn't realize it. Her father was in poor health and wanted to find her someone to rely on, hoping that Nanfei would marry into the family and they could gradually develop feelings for each other. She understood and didn't resent her father.

Yuan Feng's father regained his senses and sat up in bed. He asked Yuan Feng to help him to the garden, where several peach and plum trees were in full bloom.

The tree was planted by Yuan Fengniang herself. The peach and plum trees do not speak, yet a path forms beneath them. You admire the flowers, I admire you. The flowers are the scenery in your eyes, you are the flower in mine. A glance that lasts a lifetime—that's roughly it.

There are no paths beneath the peach and plum trees in Yuan Family Garden; the dense weeds thrive. The peach and plum trees bloom every year, but he remains at Chongyang Temple, practicing asceticism and rarely returning home, even when he is there occasionally. How many springtimes and beautiful scenes of blooming and fading flowers have he missed?

The justice of Heaven is clear, the ways of the world are cyclical, and retribution is inevitable.