Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Yuan Feng sighed deeply: "Later, Princess Duoyi returned to the northern desert. My husband never found a suitable wife, and since I was getting old, I requested permission to get married. That's how it happened."

Eighth Sister listened attentively and spoke earnestly: "General, once married, people are husband and wife, and husband and wife are each other's wives and children. No outsider has the right to interfere. Regardless of what happened before, Princess Duoyi is now an outsider."

Yuan Feng thought for a while and felt that it made sense: "Eighth Sister, have you been to school?"

Eighth Sister shook her head: "There are ten brothers and sisters in my family, and my parents didn't have the money to send me to school. But after I finished my work, I would hide by the window of the private school and eavesdrop, so I learned a few words..."

Yuan Feng said, "I'm going to the army in a few days. Please take good care of your son-in-law at home."

Eighth Sister said, "General, rest assured, I will serve you faithfully."

Yuan Feng smiled and said, "Let's go."

As Yuan Feng was descending the mountain, it suddenly occurred to her that since her father and mother were unwilling to get married and their relationship was not good after marriage, why did her father still insist on forcing her to fly south? Wasn't he afraid that she would follow in her mother's footsteps?

Yuan Feng was unaware that her eyes had been sparkling with excitement when she talked to her father about the Empress's suggestion that day. For the next few days, she would often wander around the front yard, waiting for an imperial edict or someone from the palace.

Later, upon hearing that the Emperor had rejected the Empress's suggestion, Yuan Feng became listless and lost her appetite. Yuan Feng's father decided to talk to her. Looking into the study window, he saw Yuan Feng reading documents while shedding tears.

No one had mentioned it before, and Yuan Feng hadn't thought about it that way. Now that the delusion had arisen, it grew like vines, entwining her heart and soul, bringing tears to her eyes.

After Yuan Fengdi got married, he cut off contact with relatives and friends, and the mansion was very lonely. Later, he practiced seclusion at Chongyang Temple. If it was not deliberately mentioned, people would almost forget that Yuan Fengdi was once a handsome and talented man.

Yuan Feng's father doted on his daughter, treating her like his precious jewel. Seeing her distress, he analyzed the pros and cons with her, concluding that her request for the arranged marriage was to redeem the fine young man Nan Fei, to save the Nan family from dire straits, and to maintain stability in the northern border of Dongyang…

Yuan Feng trusted and relied on her father. After listening to his analysis, she was naturally filled with righteous indignation and felt duty-bound to help. The next day at court, she was the first to submit her memorial. With the late emperor's decree in place, how could the emperor refuse?

Yuan Feng hadn't expected the engagement to be so grand. She thought it would just be a simple meal between the two families. Yuan Feng's father said that if the engagement, conducted by imperial decree, were to be shabby, wouldn't that be a disrespect to the emperor?

Following the proper wedding ceremony, Yuan Feng's father personally handled everything, from writing the betrothal letter to the formal engagement, including asking the bride's name, and presenting auspicious gifts... The schedule was tight, but the etiquette was impeccable.

A man who hadn't entered the imperial court for over a decade managed to get the Empress to act as matchmaker, giving the Nan family considerable face. When asking for their names, it was calculated that Yuan Feng and Nan Fei's birth charts were perfectly matched in terms of their day stems.

Before Yuan Feng and the Nan family could recover, they were overwhelmed by one event after another, leaving them no time to think.

On the day of the engagement, Yuan Feng's father made a grand entrance for the first time in over a decade, booking the largest restaurant in the capital, Zui Xiao Lou. The emperor officiated, the empress acted as matchmaker, and all the civil and military officials were present, even the Grand Tutor, who had been bedridden for many years, was helped over to join in the festivities.

The event was so grand that Bianjing discussed it enthusiastically for a whole month. The rumors about the Nan family's treason naturally disappeared, and Nanshan was subsequently transferred to be the magistrate of Yongqiu County. Yongqiu County was near Bianjing, so he could go home every day.

Master Nan and Madam Nan were very satisfied with the engagement between Yuan Feng and Nan Fei.

Throughout the entire engagement incident, if there were any clear-headed individuals in the Nan family, they were probably Nan Fei and Jun Xinyue.

On the day of the engagement, to prevent Duoyi from causing trouble, the Nan family locked Duoyi in a room and had Jun Xinyue stay with her. Duoyi didn't eat, drink, cry, or make a fuss all day, just lying there staring blankly at the top of the tent.

Jun Xinyue was deeply saddened. The young girl came from the northern desert, destitute and counting on flying south. Now she was engaged in the south, and could no longer return to the northern desert.

Nanfei returned very late, and came to see her without even taking off his bright red wedding robe.

Nanfei brought over the cooked radish porridge: "Duoyi, eat something first, we can discuss the rest later."

Tears welled up in Duoyi's eyes and rolled onto the blanket. She was angry and desperate, powerless and pitiful: "You lied to me, you lied to me again, you always lied to me... You're a big liar... I'll never trust you again..."

Nan Fei helped her sit up and comforted her, "Duoyi, there are too many rumors. The Emperor and the Empress have opinions about the Nan family, and there's nothing I can do about it. Once the rumors die down, and you stay in Bianjing for a while, everyone will naturally accept you. The marriage is just a temporary measure. The Yuan family has agreed that the engagement can be annulled later."

Duo Yi murmured, "No, they won't break off the engagement..."

Nanfei said, "Yes, I will. I'll ask the Emperor then... Duoyi, you eat first... Be good..."

Nanfei was still a child, yet he spoke to her like an adult, telling her to be obedient. Obedient… those two simple words soothed Duoyi.

Duo Yi said, "If you lie to me again, I'll tell you everything you did in the Northern Desert..."

Nanfei was blowing on the porridge when he heard this, so he blew a little more forcefully and blew the porridge onto Duoyi's face.

Duo Yi wiped the porridge off her face onto the back of her hand, then sucked it clean from her mouth, saying resolutely, "You're heartless, so I'll be ruthless too..."

Nanfei could only nod: "Okay."

Time flies, and the second year has passed in the blink of an eye. Duoyi and Nanfei have grown into even more beautiful young women.

Nanfei was engaged, so going to the academy to fetch Duoyi would be improper. The strict separation of men and women became a reason for gossip. New rumors circulated that Nanfei and Duoyi had an ambiguous relationship. Yuan Feng and Nanhua were close, and her request for an engagement was to cover for Nanfei.

When Master Nan returned from court, he unexpectedly encountered Yuan Feng's father on the street. Before Yuan Feng and Nan Fei got married, they had never met once.

As nominal in-laws, they had to exchange a few words, and Master Nan lamented that Nanfei and Duoyi were a source of worry.

Yuan Fengdie said casually, "What's so difficult about that? You can just recognize Duoyi as your daughter."

Master Nan thought this was a good idea and invited relatives, friends and family to hold a family recognition ceremony.

Under pressure from relatives and rumors surrounding Duoyi and Nanfei, they had no choice but to compromise. Duoyi recognized her older brother and sister, Nanfei as her third brother, and Nanfei recognized her as his fourth sister. The household officially honored Duoyi as the fourth young lady.

Siblings who have formally acknowledged their kinship are considered blood siblings. As time goes by, people take it for granted, and the rumors gradually disappear.

Yuan Feng was getting busier and busier, only returning to Bianjing for holidays. She would send wedding gifts to the Nan family according to etiquette and not stay long, and she missed Nan Fei and Duo Yi several times.

Before she turned fourteen, an envoy from the northern desert came to Dongyang, requesting that Duoyi be brought back to the northern desert. Batu arranged a marriage for her.

Master Nan and his wife were naturally more than happy to accept this.

Nanfei pleaded with the Crown Prince: "Is Dongyang afraid of the Northern Desert? Why should we listen to them?"

An Liangchen told him clearly, "Of course you're not afraid, but there's no need for it for now. Duoyi must go back. You should persuade her to stay in Dongyang and make sure nothing happens to her."

An Liangchen was a man of his word. Fearing they would elope, he sent troops to surround the Nan Mansion, so that not even a bird could fly out.

Duo Yi clutched his clothes, her words tumbling out in a panic: "Nan Fei, you can't send me back. You know Batu... If you send me back, I'll tell everyone what happened to you in the northern desert... Then the whole world will know that the young master of the Nan family was humiliated by Batu, forced into the lowest level of camp prostitute, and played with by countless men..."