I, Wen Yanchu, am the granddaughter of General Wen Zhenfeng of the Zhu Kingdom.
Both men and women of the Wen family are military generals and have been stationed at the northern border for generations. Grandfather and grandmother Liu Lingshu have five sons in total. Father Wen Chengshuo is the youngest son of his grandfather.
After the five sons got married, my father was the only one who got a daughter. The four uncles all gave birth to sons.
My mother, Shen Jingyu, was born in Jiangnan. When I was three years old, my mother died in the battle. My father sent me to Jiangnan together with my fourth uncle's cousin Wen Yanxun, and we were raised by my maternal grandfather and grandmother. In fact, my fourth aunt was afraid that I would be lonely, so she asked my fourth brother to accompany me to grow up. Since then, I and my fourth brother Wen Yanxun have lived in Jiangnan.
My father, fourth uncle Wen Chengxiao, and fourth aunt Lu Rongshu would travel from the border to Jiangnan every year to visit my fourth brother and me.
When I was still young, sitting on my grandfather's lap with my short legs dangling, I had already made an engagement with Xiao Yuzhen, the sixth son of the current emperor.
The scenery in the south of the Yangtze River is unique and beautiful, with a gentle and poetic nature. Small bridges, flowing water, white walls and black tiles, the scenery in the hazy mist and rain is the most moving.
There are pink peaches and green willows in spring, moonlight over lotus ponds in summer, osmanthus rain filling the alleys in autumn, and cold snow reflecting the pavilions in winter.
The awning boat rowed gently across the river, and every step of the way, the scenery was full of softness and elegance.
Grandfather Shen Qinghe was a private school teacher. His family was not well off and he only had a small second-class courtyard.
My father repeatedly asked people to bring him a lot of money, hoping that my grandfather would buy another spacious house, but my grandfather, who was stubborn and nostalgic, always refused to agree.
My fourth brother, Wen Yanxun, is only half a year older than me. In my childhood, my little figure and my fourth brother were always traveling through the criss-crossing alleys of Jiangnan.
