The horse farms outside the capital were where the horses used by the imperial guards of the capital were raised on a daily basis, and even many war horses were used here during battles.

Lu Zijun followed Song Lan all the way up to the city wall and saw many soldiers pulling their war horses walking in the horse farm. Looking from the top of the building, the horse farm seemed grand and lively, but Lu Zijun didn't know what Song Lan's intention was.

Song Lan looked at them for a moment before turning back to look at Lu Zijun and said calmly, "Back when my father and I were at the border, we dealt with these horses every day. Now that I think about it, I've been there for ten years now. Enemy countries were constantly invading, making it difficult to defend against them. I watched my brothers die one after another, but I was truly powerless to do anything."

After hearing what Song Lan said, Lu Zijun's eyes were very complicated. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.

Lu Zijun stood beside Song Lan, listening to him continue. "When I was little, my father was always away from home, and my mother took care of me and my sister alone. I still remember that time, my mother would sit in the pavilion at home for the whole day. Later, we won a great victory at the border, and my father returned. Unfortunately, my mother became ill from constant worry and fear, and passed away not long after. Zijun, have you heard of this poem?"

Lu Zijun listened to Song Lan's words and asked blankly, "What poem?"

"A clay pot will break if it's kept out of the well, and a great general will inevitably die on the battlefield." Song Lan said this with a touch of melancholy, but he looked at Lu Zijun and said softly, "When I was a child, I made a vow that if I couldn't make my wife happy in the future, I would rather never marry. I don't want to see my wife follow in my mother's footsteps."

Lu Zijun murmured, "The world is peaceful now, why would we need to fight a war?"

"Who can guarantee that the world will always be peaceful?" Song Lan looked at Lu Zijun and smiled faintly, "Nowadays, the ladies in the capital should find a civil servant to have a future."

"If everyone becomes a civil servant, how can we have soldiers to defend our country?" Lu Zijun stood beside Song Lan and said in a loud voice, "I, Lu Zijun, will marry a man who is upright and indomitable. If I were a man who could fight in the battlefield, I would definitely not cower and hide behind others. What's more, I am only marrying a husband who is a general. I think... I will be proud of my husband."

"Besides, being a civil servant isn't necessarily that great. You risk losing your head at any time. Wan Ning married the most powerful civil servant in the world, but weren't you reluctant to let her marry him in the first place? This doesn't work, that doesn't work. What kind of person is the right one for her to marry?"

Lu Zijun's passionate speech made him laugh, and he couldn't help but reach out and touch her hair.

What Lu Zijun said now was very direct. After she finished speaking, a blush appeared on her face belatedly, and she couldn't help feeling that it was really shameful that she was so eager to get married.

Song Lan asked softly, "So what you mean is... are you willing to marry me?"

Song Lan's voice was brisk, causing Lu Zijun's heart to tremble. Although she was a little shy now, she took two steps forward and grabbed Song Lan's hand directly, saying firmly, "I like you and I am willing to marry you."

Song Lan took Lu Zijun's hand and pulled her to his side, and the two hugged each other on the city wall.

The two of them stayed together for a while before going down the city wall and taking a carriage back to the capital.

When Lu Zijun returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion, her face was filled with shyness. Who would have thought that as soon as she entered the house, she would run into the whole family waiting for her at the door. Lu Zijun stood up a little straighter and coughed twice, "Father, Mother, it's getting late now, why are you still in the yard?"

Madam Lu couldn't wait any longer. She stepped forward, grabbed Lu Zijun's hand, and asked in a low voice, "How is it? Have you confronted General Xiaolan? Did you confront General Lan just as your mother taught you? If you don't tell him now, it might be too late."

Lu Zijun coughed twice more before slowly nodding his head. "I said it."

"Then what did he say?" Mrs. Lu was now anxious and angry, and Mr. Lu beside her was almost the same. Although he did not ask any questions, he kept his ears close to the two of them to listen.

"He said..." Lu Zijun was rarely so shy, and said in a low voice, "He said he would come to our house in three days to propose marriage..."

"Really?" Upon hearing this, Madam Lu happily grasped Lu Zijun's hand and laughed. "I was saying that our daughter couldn't find a suitable marriage because she was waiting for the right match. Now she has found one, hasn't she? Now, those ladies who laughed at me must be envious of me now! My daughter's husband is from such a high-ranking family, such a powerful family, and a promising and handsome man."

Mr. Lu, who was standing by, also stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Good, good, you are really promising. It's worth it that your father and mother have been planning for you for so long."

Lu Zijun curled her lips, looking at the two people who had completely forgotten what kind of expressions they had when they didn't let her go to Bishuitang.

-

Ever since Guan Surong failed in her attempt to send the love wine, Mrs. Guan has been thinking about planning the next time.

Guan Surong was now completely exhausted. She looked at Madam Guan and said, "Mother, I feel like my cousin seems to have discovered something. He's been really cold to me these past few days. My uncle is also indifferent to me. I feel really guilty now, and it's not good to make any more love wine. Why don't we look for someone else's?"

"Silly child, if you don't catch Song Lan now, how can other men catch up with him?" Madam Guan was now particularly satisfied with Song Lan. "If you don't want this boy, you will have no choice but to go to the Yan family, who have money but no power. Although the Yan family is a wealthy family, it is ultimately not as good as the general's mansion."

Mrs. Guan was talking about these two families, but she didn't expect that with their own family's official positions and status, they couldn't even reach a family like the Yan family.

Guan Surong pursed her lips, knowing she couldn't persuade him, so she said in a low voice, "Since mother is determined, please think of another way for Rong'er."

Mrs. Guan is now trying to think of a solution.

Who would have thought that as soon as she left the house, she would see the servants of the General's Mansion moving things inside. The whole courtyard was already filled with things inside and outside. There were all kinds of eight-treasure colored glass, gold and silver utensils on it. Mrs. Guan was dazzled by the sight and asked the little maid guarding the door directly, "What are you doing?"

The maidservant beside her bowed to Madam Guan and responded hurriedly, "Madam, the Second Master will go to the Lu family to propose marriage in two days. These are the dowry."

The maid's words were like a bolt of lightning. She stood there in a daze, "Propose marriage?"