The Handsome Maiden and the Heirless General

[Taciturn general x naturally fragrant beauty | Twins]

“Zhizhi, your mother found you a good match through the Daniu family. It’s the Shen family in Fengwei Village, south of town. Your future mother-in-law is the younger sister of Fengwei Village’s headman, and the family is fairly well-off. Even during the famine, they haven’t had a hard time. After I’m gone, you can go to the Shen family…”

Nanzhi was a child the elderly Nan couple had found by the river. They had no children of their own and no siblings to help them. As they lay dying, their only worry was Nanzhi, who had a naturally unusual fragrance.

Nanzhi was a sensible girl. To let her parents pass in peace, she nodded through her tears. With the help of the headman of Nanwan Village, she arranged the old couple’s funeral, packed a small bundle, and set off for Fengwei Village.

Before arriving, she knew little about the Shen family. She had only heard that they had two sons, an adopted eldest son and a biological younger son.

Her adoptive mother had not said which son Nanzhi was to marry before she died. When Nanzhi arrived at the Shen family home, she clutched her bundle and stood nervously at the bamboo fence gate, gazing at the blue-brick house. Voices inside suggested that the family was arguing.

“Every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they can marry into our family. I don’t even know whether this Nansomethingzhi girl is round or flat. I’m not marrying her.”

“But… Fei, the girl was introduced through the in-laws of the headman’s eldest daughter. Your father can’t exactly turn them down.”

“I don’t care. The headman is my maternal uncle, and he’ll take my side. Once Mother wakes up, tell her to handle it.”

…

After hearing them, Nanzhi understood that the Shen family saw her as a shameless nuisance who had forced her way into their lives. Embarrassment crossed her pretty face. She clenched her bundle and was about to turn and leave when another voice rang out from inside, low and cold. “I’ll marry her.”