She Became a General's Wife After Breaking Off the Engagement

Proud, clever young lady * crazed, calculating general

Lin Wan is the legitimate youngest daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites. With raven-black hair and snow-white skin, she is renowned throughout the capital for her beauty.

She has been skilled in all kinds of arts since childhood, blessed with both talent and beauty, and has an enviable engagement. The noble young ladies of the capital all say she was born lucky.

At the time, Lin Wan thought so too.

Until one day, she saw her fiance walking hand in hand with a woman, acting intimately with her.

That woman was none other than the distant cousin his household had taken in just a few days earlier. He had even brought her to visit Lin Wan, where they had shared tea and pastries...

What a vile man!

That very night, Lin Wan went to her father's study to call off the engagement.

But to her utter shock, her parents, who had always doted on her, suddenly changed their tune. They insisted she endure the humiliation and preserve the engagement, all because her wastrel legitimate older brother needed this marriage alliance to advance his career.

They said:

"The Gu family is a century-old clan. You're already lucky to marry into such a good family. How can you demand that your future husband love only you?"

"You need to think not only of your own future, but of your brother's prospects too. We raised you all these years. You can't be so selfish."

"Little sister, what's wrong with a man wanting to try something new? No matter how lovable that woman is, can she really take your place as his proper wife?"

Hearing such filthy words, Lin Wan was dumbfounded.

By a twist of fate, she discovered that she was an orphan her parents had picked up by the roadside. All these years, they had taught her poetry, etiquette, music, and painting only to use her as a stepping stone into the nobility.

But Lin Wan was not the sort to sit back and await her fate.

After enduring one insult and threat after another, she turned the Vice Minister Lin's household upside down, then coolly left behind a letter severing ties and walked away.

Everyone thought she could never survive outside the Lin household. But just a few months later...

Her adoptive parents, wastrel older brother, fiance, and his distant cousin had all been driven to ruin. They no longer even had the right to look up to her.

*

Grand Tutor Xie lost his legitimate son and daughter-in-law in his sixtieth year. His only remaining wish was to find his legitimate granddaughter, who had been missing for many years.

After finding Lin Wan, Grand Tutor Xie treasured her beyond measure. He had everyone in the Xie household dote on her, and even asked his favorite student, General Lu Cheng, to protect her like an older brother.

At first, Lu Cheng kept his mentor's instructions in mind. He took careful care of Lin Wan, while maintaining his distance out of respect for the boundaries between men and women.

But as he continued to protect her, every smile and frown of hers took up residence in his heart.

Lu Cheng had always been a cool and restrained man who planned everything with composure. Yet when he met the lovely, clever young woman, he lost all sense of propriety and could only say, "What are you afraid of? Even if the sky falls, I'll be here."

[Bonus Scene]

Ever since Lin Wan was reunited with the Xie family, life had become more and more comfortable.

One day, her aunt brought over portraits of eligible young men from prominent families in the capital, hoping to find her a husband.

Lin Wan was just about to accept, blushing shyly, when Lu Cheng intercepted her halfway there.

His tall figure loomed over her. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze fell on the young woman's fair neck. "Young lady, you seem to have a lot of free time these days. How would you like to take on the position of General's wife?"

Lin Wan was shocked. "But you... you're my older brother."

Lu Cheng was silent for a moment, then bent down to look into her misty almond eyes with an amused smile. "Oh? Then tell me, exactly what kind of brother am I to you?"

Theme: Even in adversity, be brave and strong, and move toward a better future.