My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

After the agreement was reached, Pei Hongwen went to the inner courtyard to explain the details to his wife.

Madam Pei was always sensible and had a good grasp of the big picture. Upon hearing that Li Xuancang was a rising young hero in the army, and seeing that her husband and the clan elders all approved of him, she immediately agreed.

"I will have to trouble you, Madam, to make a trip to the Li family."

Pei Hongwen decided that Madam Pei would personally lead the delegation, accompanied by the head steward of the manor, and prepare generous gifts to personally visit the Li residence and formally propose the marriage alliance.

"Rest assured, my lord, I will certainly do my best to ensure Yuan'er's safety."

Madam Pei only has this one precious daughter, so naturally she has to keep a close eye on her to prevent her from suffering any mistreatment in the future.

Before long, the Pei family's carriages and ceremonial guards were ready.

The exquisite carriage, laden with precious gifts and accompanied by a large retinue of servants, slowly drove out of the Pei residence and headed straight for the Li residence.

At this time, the Li residence was quiet and ordinary, and the neighbors lived in peace.

Suddenly, a servant came to report from outside the door: "Master, Madam, Madam Pei has arrived in person, accompanied by the Pei family's head steward. Their carriages and horses have arrived at the gate."

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Li were greatly surprised.

Having lived in Anzhou City for some time, they also gained some understanding of the powerful and influential people there.

The Pei family is a top-tier family in Anzhou, and the Prefect holds a high position, which is extremely prestigious.

The presence of Madam Pei is an immense honor.

"Quickly open the main gate wide, everyone follow me to greet them."

Although they didn't know why Madam Pei had come, the two dared not be negligent. They quickly straightened their clothes and hurried out to greet her.

"Madam Pei, your presence is an honor. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."

Mr. Li told himself to calm down as much as possible.

"We apologize for our intrusion and hope that Mr. Li will forgive us."

The head steward of the Pei family responded with a smile.

Madam Pei possessed a gentle and dignified demeanor, dressed in a luxurious yet elegant long dress, and her manners were graceful and courteous, without a trace of the arrogance or haughtiness often associated with the wives of high-ranking officials.

Seeing the Pei family's kind faces, Mr. and Mrs. Li finally felt relieved.

"Please come in, everyone."

After the group entered the residence and exchanged pleasantries while being served tea, they were greeted with a pleasantries.

Madam Pei smiled gently and explained the purpose of her visit.

"Mr. Li, Mrs. Li."

"I have come to your door today on the behalf of my husband and the entire Pei family, specifically to discuss the marriage of our children."

These words seemed inexplicable, and Mr. and Mrs. Li were slightly taken aback, feeling surprised.

Madam Pei continued slowly, "My husband and I have a daughter named Qingyuan, who is seventeen years old and of marriageable age."

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Li immediately understood Madam Pei's intentions and were so excited that their bodies trembled.

During this time, they were also busy with their son's marriage, trying to find a suitable family.

Unexpectedly, the Pei family would take a liking to Li Xuancang, and Madam Pei personally came to visit. For the Li family, this was a huge honor.

Madam Pei noticed the agitation of Mr. and Mrs. Li. She knew that Mr. and Mrs. Li had just been ordinary people before, and even though they lost their composure in front of her, she did not blame them.

"In recent days, our Pei clan has been discussing and looking at all the young men in the prefecture, but we have found no one we like. We only admire your son's bravery and martial prowess. He is a rare hero and talent in these chaotic times."

"Our Pei family is of one mind and wishes to betroth our eldest daughter, Qingyuan, to your son, thus establishing a marriage alliance between our two families."

Madam Pei spoke sincerely, without a trace of arrogance, as if she were discussing something with Mr. and Mrs. Li.

"From now on, the Pei family will rely on its connections in officialdom and the resources of the entire prefecture to support your son's career path."

"In times of chaos, we share weal and woe; in times of prosperity, we share fortune and misfortune; let us be friends forever. What do you two think?"

His words of marriage proposal were dignified, sincere, courteous, and showed great vision.

The hall of the Li residence fell silent instantly.

Mr. and Mrs. Li stared blankly at the dignified and humble Madam Pei before them, their hearts pounding with a mixture of shock and delight.

They were just ordinary people, and never dreamed of marrying into the families of the highest-ranking officials in the state.

Now that a windfall has fallen into their laps, they are overwhelmed with excitement and don't know how to respond.

A tremendous wave of emotion surged within them, a mixture of ecstasy and disbelief.

The Pei family is in charge of civil affairs in the entire prefecture, deeply rooted, and with connections throughout the prefecture and counties, making them a truly top-tier powerful family in the region.

As the eldest daughter of the Pei family, born into a prestigious clan, she must be of dignified appearance and well-educated.

Regardless of family background, character, vision, or future prospects, they are an exceptionally good match, one in a million.

If the two families were to unite in marriage, it would not only be a good match for their children, but also pave a smooth and successful path for Li Xuancang, who had fought his way up through countless battles.

In the future, he will have someone to support and back him up in the military and in his official career.

For the Li family, this marriage is an immense blessing, a chance that would take generations to cultivate.

Li's mother was overjoyed, her eyes brimming with undisguised delight, and she almost agreed on the spot.

Li's father also had a burning sensation in his chest and a ruddy complexion.

The two were extremely satisfied with the marriage and couldn't wait to agree on the spot.

But amidst the ecstasy, a deep sense of concern instantly suppressed the restless joy in his heart.

They knew that their son was very opinionated, knew his limits, and didn't like others making decisions for him without his consent.

Especially marriage, a major life event, is one's final destination in life.

What if he has other ideas, or doesn't want to get married early, or doesn't like the constraints of a high-class family?

If they act rashly and agree to it today, it will only upset their son and create a rift between them.

Upon realizing this, the couple instantly calmed down.

No matter how good the marriage is, it is ultimately the son's life.

Even the greatest blessing requires the son's willingness.

Li's father composed himself, suppressed his overwhelming joy, and bowed deeply to Madam Pei with a sincere attitude.

"Madam Pei's kindness and the Pei family's generosity are deeply appreciated by my husband and me."

"Your family is of noble birth, and your daughter is virtuous and kind. It is a great honor for my Li family to be favored by the Pei family and to seek a marriage alliance with them. It is an immense blessing for my son."

Li's father used all the knowledge he had acquired during this period, which surprised Madam Pei, who seemed to find it hard to believe that an ordinary person could say such a thing.

These words, acknowledging the other party's distinguished family background and approving of the marriage, pleased Madam Pei.

Then, Li's father changed the subject.

"But my son bears heavy responsibilities in the army and has been fighting on the battlefield year after year."

"Marriage is the most important event in one's life. Today, our son is away on military duty and has not yet returned home. Although we are his parents, we cannot make decisions for him or arrange his marriage privately."

Li's mother responded at the right moment, her tone gentle and sincere.

"I hope you will forgive and understand, Madam."

"All matters concerning the marriage must be decided by my son himself after he returns home."

"If he agrees, my Li family will have no objections whatsoever and will be overjoyed to have this marriage."

"If he has other ideas, my Li family will never hinder the future of the Pei family's daughter."

This polite refusal was neither humble nor arrogant, and was well-reasoned and justified.

He neither directly rejected the marriage proposal and completely ruined the opportunity, nor did he agree to it or make any rash promises.

All decision-making power was left to Li Xuancang.

Upon hearing this, Madam Pei's eyes flashed with admiration, and she nodded slightly.

She had assumed that an ordinary family would be overjoyed and eager to accept a marriage proposal from such a prestigious family.

Unexpectedly, Mr. and Mrs. Li were simple, honest, polite, and composed.

Madam Pei smiled gently: "That's only right. Marriage is a serious matter, and it should be based on the mutual affection and willingness of both parties."

"Then I will return to my residence and await good news."

Having said that, Madam Pei did not linger any longer, rose to say goodbye, and calmly departed with her steward.

The Pei family's carriages slowly drove away from the Li family's gate. Once the distinguished guests had gone far away, the Li family's gate was closed.

The long-suppressed ecstasy finally erupted.

Li's mother clasped her hands together, her eyes reddening with emotion, and sighed repeatedly.

"Thank God, this is such a wonderful thing! The Pei family, such a prestigious family, has taken the initiative to betroth its eldest daughter to my son."

"The eldest daughter of the Pei family is well-educated, comes from a top-tier family, and is of excellent character and appearance. This marriage could be perfect."

Mr. Li was also all smiles, nodding repeatedly, unable to hide his excitement.

"Yes! This is a marriage I never dared to dream of in my life. With the Pei family's support, my son will have a powerful backer in the future."

The couple was overjoyed and full of anticipation, extremely satisfied with the marriage and thinking about it constantly.

She only hoped that her son would agree and that this marriage would be settled.