I went to visit my close friend Yin Xianglan in her boudoir and asked her for some news about Xue Erliang.

Xianglan's father is also a man of the military, and there are many military officials coming and going in the mansion. With much listening and seeing, Yin Xianglan also has a good understanding of military matters.

According to her, Xue Huaiyi, as a illegitimate child in the Xue family, had always had conflicts with the mansion. He changed his name and joined the army at a young age.

He achieved great feats on the battlefield, and quickly rose from a common soldier to a general. When summoned to the palace, the emperor noticed his resemblance to the old general Xue Changyi, and only after asking did Xue Huaiyi reveal the truth.

The emperor not only did not punish him for deceiving the emperor, but also hosted a feast and invited the Xue family. During the banquet, they reconciled as father and son, resolving their misunderstandings.

Furthermore, in order to repair their relationship, the emperor decreed to recall Xue Huaiyi as the General of the Cavalry and bestowed him with land and a mansion.

Now he is practicing with the Imperial Guard outside the city, returning to the city every five days to have meals and chat with the old general, and the father and son are harmonious as before.

From this, it can be seen that not only has Xue Erliang achieved great military merit and received the emperor's favor, but he also won the respect of the old general Xue Changyi.

Such a talented and favored son-in-law is probably hard to find in the capital. It is undoubtedly the top choice for the ladies in each household and mansion, no wonder An Rong's efforts have been in vain.

After hearing about Xue Huaiyi's deeds, I couldn't help but feel ashamed of my own mediocrity.

As a daughter of lowly birth, without any talent or exceptional beauty, how can I surpass the other women?

Upon returning to the Shen Mansion, I plan to go to my father again and ask him to cancel the engagement with the Tao Mansion.

But unexpectedly, I heard that he and the main wife and sister An Rong were secretly plotting:

"Our daughter is willing to marry Xue Erliang. But meeting another man outside the city would compromise her purity, which is absolutely not allowed."

Upon hearing his usually spoiled daughter refuse, he sighed and regretted:

"I have expressed my intention to reconcile with General Xue multiple times, but this Xue Erliang is a seasoned battlefield warrior, and he has his own ideas. His marriage matters cannot be decided by the old general himself, he has to agree. Your mother and I have come up with this plan for your own good!"

The main wife also advised kindly:

"Rong'er, Xue Erliang is not just anyone. Which girl in the capital doesn't want to marry into his mansion? But he even dared to ignore the princess's favor. How can we hold onto Xue Huaiyi without using some extraordinary means? Your talent in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting is ordinary, and you have no special skills in embroidery or horse riding. You can hardly win at polo or archery. Only your pretty face still counts. But if he doesn't get to see it, why should he choose you?"

An Rong seemed convinced, but she still had some reservations:

"What if I fall off the carriage? It would be dangerous!"

"You are your father's darling, how can we let you be in danger? By that time, let Uncle Fu drive the carriage, and say that he is taking you back to your hometown to visit relatives. On the way, if you encounter bandits, just let Xue Huaiyi save you like a hero. When the time comes, seize the opportunity to throw yourself into his arms, and this matter will be settled, won't it?"

I never expected that the honorable Minister of Rites could utter such words and stoop to such trickery. It is clear to me now why the marriage between An Rong and the Xue Mansion in my previous life did not happen.

However, my father's plan actually pointed me in a direction. If I want to change my fate, I might as well give this method a try.