Over the years, the two families have only occasionally interacted due to their relationship with the Ye family, but their friendship can hardly be considered deep.
The Lu family disliked the Shen family for being "unrespectable" military officers, lacking dignity; Shen Mingjiang also disliked the many rules and formalities of these aristocratic families.
If Lu Minghe hadn't taken a liking to his precious daughter and relentlessly pursued her for so many years, repeatedly making promises and guarantees, Shen Mingjiang would never have agreed to this marriage.
"Is Father in such a hurry to marry me off?" Shen Youying smiled, pursing her lips. She hugged his arm like she did when she was a child, and gently leaned her head against it, acting coquettishly. "But I still want to stay at home and take care of Father for a few more years."
Shen Mingjiang laughed loudly, gently stroking his daughter's hair with his large hand: "If you don't want to get married, then don't. It's not like we can't afford to support you."
Shen Youying's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she softly hummed in agreement.
.
The carriage stopped at the gate.
Shen Mingjiang got off the carriage and saw Madam Fang waiting at the door with her eldest daughter and a group of servants.
"You've had a hard time these past few days," he said, looking at Madam Fang. "Is everything alright at home?"
Fang felt a pang of heartache whenever she spoke of this. She clenched her handkerchief and wiped away her tears, saying, "Yesterday, the Imperial Guards came to ransack the house and took all the valuables, including Mu Yu's dowry!"
Shen Mingjiang didn't care about these material possessions, but when he saw his eldest daughter with red, aggrieved eyes, he still sighed and said, "I'm sorry you had to suffer. I'll make it up to you later."
Shen Muyu had no way to express her bitterness. Many of the good things in her dowry had been saved up for more than ten years. It was not so easy to make up for them!
Moreover, now that her father has been stripped of his title and dismissed from his post, where can she find a good family to marry into?!
Shen Muyu felt increasingly aggrieved and couldn't help but complain, "Father didn't see how terrifying the Imperial Guards were yesterday. They even plowed up the garden, and now there's nothing left in the house. If it weren't for those Imperial Guards leaving some for Second Sister's sake, we probably wouldn't even have any rice to cook."
The moment she said those words, everyone's expression changed.
Fang glanced at Shen Mingjiang's face, then secretly tugged at her daughter's sleeve, pulling her back; Shen Huaizhou, on the other hand, shrank back like a quail and hid to the side.
Shen Mingjiang glanced at the obviously guilty mother and her two children, then at his youngest daughter who remained silent with her eyes downcast, and the smile on his face vanished: "What do you mean by that? Why should the Imperial Guards give Zhaozhao face?"
Shen Muyu was still unaware of what was happening. She turned around and looked at her mother, who was tugging at her sleeve, and asked in confusion, "Mother, why are you pulling me?"
Seeing her father staring at her almost sternly, she glanced at Shen Youying with some confusion: "Didn't Second Sister tell Father?"
"The Emperor has bestowed a marriage upon my second sister and the King of Qin. The 20th of this month will be the day of their wedding."
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