"Help! Help!"
Shen Yuan screamed for help in the water.
Just as she was about to give up, a splash was heard from the riverbank, and a figure quickly swam to her side and pulled her out of the water.
Shen Yuan got ashore and sat on the ground, coughing incessantly. Her throat was burning from the river water, making her unable to speak for a moment.
Shen Yuan pounded her chest until she coughed up all the water from her chest cavity before she looked up at the person who had saved her.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered; standing in front of her, he could completely block out the moon in the sky.
The darkness of the night outlined the rugged contours of his face, and a menacing aura seemed to linger around him, exuding an imposing and fearsome presence.
The person who saved her was... General Shen Wei, the Great General of the Northern Garrison!
What a coincidence!
When Shen Yuan's gaze fell on Shen Wei's face, Shen Wei also saw Shen Yuan's face clearly at that moment.
Her hair was wet and stuck to her face, obscuring her cheeks, but her delicate features, like a lotus emerging from clear water, revealed a mixture of fragility and determination.
Shen Wei stood frozen in place, his eyes widening as he stared at Shen Yuan in disbelief.
It seemed as if a raging tsunami was surging in his eyes.
Shen Yuan lowered her head. Shen Wei was Shen Yunjin's father. She had a face that looked seven or eight parts similar to Shen Yunjin's. Could it be that Shen Wei also thought she was Shen Yunjin?
Just then, the attendant following behind Shen Wei called out, "Miss...Miss, what are you doing here?"
Shen Yuan raised her head, about to explain that she was not Shen Yunjin.
But Shen Wei spoke first: "If you're not Jin'er, then who are you?"
Shen Yuan was taken aback. She looked up and met Shen Wei's gaze, only to see his lower lip trembling slightly, as if he was trying his best to suppress it and barely maintaining his composure.
Is it just my imagination? It seems like Shen Wei was very excited when he saw her.
After all, they are her biological parents. Even though outsiders see that she and Shen Yunjin have completely similar faces, Shen Wei can still tell them apart at a glance.
Shen Yuan tidied her long hair that was sticking to her face, stood up and bowed to Shen Wei, "This humble woman, Shen Yuan, thanks General Shen for saving me!"
"You said your name is Shen Yuan?"
Shen Wei suddenly stepped forward and approached Shen Yuan, his dark, eagle-like eyes fixed on her, and asked, "Is it the 'Yuan' in 'Yuanhua' (a type of peony)?"
How did General Shen know that Yuanhua was her name?
Shen Yuan frowned in confusion, but still nodded and said, "Yes."
“My wife loved daphne flowers when she was still young and transplanted many of them from the mountains to plant in the courtyard. The first time I saw her, she was watering the daphne flowers in the courtyard. The courtyard was full of purple clouds, and the beautiful woman stood alone.”
Shen Wei seemed to suddenly recall some unpleasant memories. His thick eyebrows furrowed, and when he closed his eyes and opened them again, his eyes were bloodshot.
Shen Yuan didn't know what Shen Wei meant by mentioning his wife in front of her, but considering that the other party was her savior, she didn't want to interrupt.
Shen Wei remained silent for a long time before letting out a long sigh. "My wife once said that if we have a daughter in the future, we will name her with the character 'Yuan'. She thinks that the 'Yuan' flower is not only beautiful, hardy, and resilient, but it can also be used in medicine, so it has a very auspicious meaning."
"..." Although Shen Yuan did not know why her name was Shen Yuan, she thought that she and General Shen should have no connection.
Because she had lived in Jian'an City, south of the Yan River, since childhood, which was thousands of miles away from the capital.
Moreover, General Shen and Madam Shen were a loving couple and had two sons and one daughter, whose daughter was named Shen Yunjin.
Yunjin, meaning "clouds and moon, brocade and flowers," is a beautiful name that shows her parents have high hopes for her.
Shen Yuan thought for a moment and said, "General Shen, this should just be a coincidence. Besides, I heard that Miss Shen's given name is Yun Jin, not a flower or plant."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing her words, Shen Wei let out another long sigh: "Yes, her name is not Shen Yuan."
This left Shen Yuan completely bewildered.
But she didn't want to delve into it. The early spring night breeze was still a bit chilly, and she was soaked to the bone. The wind made her shiver.
Shen Yuan rubbed her shoulders and was about to take her leave when Shen Wei seemed to notice that she was afraid of the cold. He quickly had his attendant bring a cloak and draped it over Shen Yuan's shoulders.
The red fox collar cloak draped over Shen Yuan, instantly dispelling the chill around her.
Shen Yuan felt the cloak was too valuable and wanted to refuse it, but she couldn't go back with her body soaked. So after hesitating for a moment, Shen Yuan curtsied.
"Thank you, General Shen. I will return the cloak to the General's residence tomorrow after I have washed and dried it."
"No need!"
Shen Wei waved his hand and then led his horse to Shen Yuan.
"You can go faster on horseback. Go home early and change into clean clothes so you don't catch a cold."
Shen Yuan declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, General, but it's not necessary..."
But Shen Wei seemed not to hear her refusal and turned away.
Shen Yuan looked at the reins in her hand, thought for a moment, and finally turned and mounted the horse.
"drive--"
Shen Yuan kicked the horse's belly and spurred it to gallop away.
Shen Wei stood there, silently staring at Shen Yuan's back until she completely disappeared into the night. Only then did he turn his gaze away and instruct his attendants, "Go and find out where she lives and what her background is."
——
As soon as Shen Yuan entered the city, she encountered Xiao Ling, who was carrying a bamboo basket and had come to find her.
Seeing Shen Yuan soaking wet, Xiao Ling frowned and rushed forward to ask, "What happened to you? How did you fall into the water?"
"It's a long story." Shen Yuan sat on the horse, glanced down at the bamboo basket on Xiao Ling's back and the silver hairpin in his hand, and smiled at him, "I'm fine, don't worry."
Xiao Ling: "Let's go back first, we'll talk about it when we get back!"
The two returned home as quickly as possible.
After arriving home, Xiao Ling moved the brazier to Shen Yuan's room and then boiled two pots of water for Shen Yuan to bathe in.
Shen Yuan took off her cloak and clothes and lay down in the bathtub.
The warm water enveloped my whole body, instantly dispelling the chill.
Shen Yuan lay in the bathtub for a long time until the water gradually cooled down. Then she got up, dried her hair and body, changed into a clean set of clothes, and walked out of the room.
A fire was burning in the main room, probably because Xiao Ling had guessed she would come out and made preparations in advance.
Shen Yuan sat down by the stove, spread her long hair behind her back, and warmed her hair by the fire.
When Xiao Ling saw her come out, he took the small clay pot off the stove. The pot contained ginger and brown sugar tea, and Xiao Ling poured a bowl for Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan took the teacup, held it in her hands, and blew on it.
"On my way back, I was kidnapped with my mouth and nose covered. The people who kidnapped me wanted to throw me into the moat to drown me, but General Shen happened to be passing by and saved me."
Shen Yuan succinctly recounted everything that had happened that night to Xiao Ling.
Xiao Ling nodded slightly: "I noticed you hadn't returned, so I came out to look for you and found your basket. I guessed you must have encountered danger. But I didn't know which way the people who captured you went. Later, I found your hairpin, so I guessed you must have gone outside the city."
After saying that, he paused for a moment, then asked, "Did General Shen give you this horse and cloak?"
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