In the backyard of Sikong Mansion, the afternoon sun cast a golden light, illuminating the entire garden warmly.
In a quiet garden, Mrs. Bian stood alone on the small bridge in the center of the flower-filled courtyard, her gauze skirt blowing in the wind, exuding a delicate fragrance.
The flowers blooming all around exude charming fragrance under the breeze, swaying gently like countless enchanting women dancing.
Mrs. Bian stood on the small bridge and stared at the sea of blooming flowers around her.
The sea of flowers was colorful and fragrant, but it could not release the suppressed emotions in her heart.
The wind gently blew her dress, and the cool touch made her feel the loneliness in her heart even more. She closed her eyes and tried to suppress the tears welling up in her heart, but her mood became increasingly depressed.
She gently touched a blooming flower, with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
She came from a humble background and was originally a prostitute. Fortunately, she was favored by Cao Cao and was taken as his concubine. Because of his handsome appearance, gentleness and sensibleness, he was deeply loved by Cao Cao. When the two first got together, they were very much in love and had happy memories.
In recent years, Cao Cao began to fight continuously, and after settling in Xudu, he was busy with government affairs. The two of them spent less and less time together. This sudden loss and loneliness made Mrs. Bian feel a little lonely.
After Cao Ang died in the battle at Wancheng, his adoptive mother, Mrs. Ding, Cao Cao's first wife, was angry with Cao Cao and kept quarreling with Cao Cao, making the family uneasy.
Cao Cao felt that he was in the wrong and could only try his best to coax her, but Mrs. Ding still refused to give up. Cao Cao could only send her back to her parents' home, hoping that she would calm down before coming back.
Mrs. Bian knew that Cao Cao was in a bad mood, so she tried her best to make Cao Cao happy. But Cao Cao didn't seem to appreciate it. When the two of them got together occasionally, they were much more indifferent than in the past.
This feeling made Mrs. Bian even more uncomfortable, and she often went to the garden alone to meditate.
Whenever she saw the flowers swaying in the breeze, she seemed to see the past years between herself and Cao Cao, and it seemed that she could never go back.
What made Mrs. Bian depressed was not only the cold relationship between her and Cao Cao, but also the fact that she began to worry about her sons.
Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Zhi have all grown up. Originally, in Mrs. Bian's mind, the three of them each had their own strengths, and there were Cao Ang and Cao Shuo above them. The fight for the heir apparent was not about her son at all. She just hoped that they could all have their own stable lives.
But as Cao Ang and Cao Shuo died one after another, the throne of the Crown Prince would naturally be born from her own son. Mrs. Bian did not feel happy at all. Instead, she felt a dark cloud weighing on her heart.
Cao Shuo's death almost caused Cao Zhang to be buried with him, which makes Mrs. Bian still frightened when she thinks about it.
A few days ago, Cao Cao accidentally said the words of approval for Cao Zhang, which made her understand that her sons would definitely compete for the position of the heir in the future. This was the last result that she, a mother, did not want to see.
But she also knew that with her own abilities, she couldn't stop all of this from happening, so she could only worry here alone.
Mrs. Bian's heart was ups and downs like turbulent waves. She was worried about her relationship with Cao Cao and hoped that the two could return to the warmth of the past. But she also hoped that her lover could achieve his great ambitions.
He hoped that his sons would be safe and happy, but she also understood that the dispute between the sons was their fate that they could no longer escape.
"Mom is so happy, admiring the flowers here alone..." A man's voice sounded from behind Mrs. Bian, and it was Cao Pi who spoke.
Mrs. Bian heard Cao Pi's voice, quickly calmed down her panic, restored her usual dignified image, and slowly turned around.
Cao Pi stood under the bridge holding a small fruit basket and respectfully saluted Mrs. Bian: "Greetings to mother."
Mrs. Bian nodded slightly: "Zihuan, why do you have time to see me today?"
"I saw the newly released plums at the market, so I bought some for my mother to taste." Cao Pi said, holding up the small fruit basket in front of him to show Mrs. Bian.
Mrs. Bian nodded happily: "Now that you are interested, let's go and sit down in the back hall to talk."
Cao Pi stepped forward, stretched out his hand to help Mrs. Bian walk down the bridge, and the mother and son walked toward the back hall together.
The two sat down in the back hall, and Cao Pi placed the fruit basket filled with plums in front of Mrs. Bian.
Mrs. Bian looked at Cao Pi with relief, but suddenly found that the seam of his sleeves was open, and a hole was exposed.
"Zihuan, what happened to your clothes?" Mrs. Bian grabbed Cao Pi and asked, pointing to the holes in his sleeves.
Cao Pi lowered his head and saw the hole, and hurriedly explained: "It may have been broken accidentally. It was disrespectful in front of my mother. Please forgive me."
"You are my son. I raised you with my own hands. Is there anything wrong with your etiquette?" Mrs. Bian responded with a smile, and then called to the servant, "Come here, get some needle and thread."
A maid came in, placed the sewing basket in front of Mrs. Bian and stepped back.
"Come on, take it off and let me sew it up for you." Mrs. Bian greeted Cao Pi.
Cao Pi avoided it with some embarrassment: "No, mother, I'll just go back and let my servants sew it up."
"I'm your mother, why are you so polite to me? Take it off quickly." Mrs. Bian urged.
Cao Pi then took off his coat and brought it to Mrs. Bian. He then lowered his head to help Mrs. Bian identify the needle and thread and handed it to her hand.
Mrs. Bian picked up her needle and thread and began to help Cao Pi mend his clothes, and then said with admiration: "Since you brothers have moved out to live on your own, I, as a mother, have taken less care of you."
"It's because I have fewer opportunities to fulfill my filial piety in front of my mother, so I should ask my mother to forgive me." Cao Pi responded with a humble look.
"Okay, Zihuan, don't do this in front of mother. You three brothers, mother knows your temper best. You always hold back what's on your mind and refuse to speak out. When you come to me today, you must not just give me a gift. Meizi is so simple, do you need your mother's help with something?" Mrs. Bian asked directly.
"There is no better way to know a son than a mother. Sure enough, the mother can see through the son's thoughts at a glance. In fact, I came here today to tell my mother that I have fallen in love with a girl and want to marry her. From now on, I will have someone to take care of me, so I don't have to wear anything out. If you wear clothes out, it will embarrass your mother, but you can also show filial piety to your mother with multiple people." Seeing Mrs. Bian asking, Cao Pi stopped evading and directly stated his purpose.
Mrs. Bian nodded suddenly: "Want to get a wife? Speaking of which, you are also seventeen, so you have reached the age to get a wife and have children."
At this point, Mrs. Bian thought of herself again, and sighed sadly: "You are seventeen, and my mother is getting old too."
"Mom, you are not old at all. You are truly in your prime now." Cao Pi said hurriedly with compliments.
"Okay, stop saying nice things and tell me, which girl do you like?" Mrs. Bian asked.
Cao Pi quickly told Mrs. Bian truthfully about Guo Zhao's situation.
After hearing this, Mrs. Bian frowned slightly: "This girl's parents are gone. How can she be worthy of you with such a status? Don't forget that you are Sikong's eldest son now. When you marry a wife, you must be well-matched. .”
"Mom, I really like her. Besides, her father was also the governor of Nanjun in the past, so his status is not too low." Cao Pi defended anxiously.
Seeing Cao Pi's anxious look, Mrs. Bian couldn't help but laugh: "It seems that you really like this girl. You don't hide it at all in front of mother."
Mrs. Bian pondered for a moment and said, "But this girl's parents are gone, how can she propose marriage?"
"She is currently staying at Sima Fang's house in Jingzhao. If her father sends someone to propose marriage, Sima Fang will definitely not refuse." Cao Pi suggested to Mrs. Bian.
"If you want your father to come forward to help you propose marriage, I'm afraid..." Mrs. Bian hesitated.
She knew that Cao Cao had disliked the feminine Cao Pi since he was a child, and Cao Shuo had not been dead for a long time. If she mentioned the matter to Cao Cao at this time, there was a high possibility that he would reject her.
When Cao Pi saw Mrs. Bian's hesitation, he knelt down in front of her anxiously and begged: "Mother, I really like Guo Zhao and want to marry her. I beg my mother to help me and make my child happy."
Seeing Cao Pi in front of her, Mrs. Bian softened her heart and nodded gently: "Okay, let me think of a way and try to talk to your father..."
