A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go

Mei Wanying pleaded for Mrs. Xue, but Empress Gu neither agreed nor refused.

"Ah Yan has just become the Crown Prince, and Mei Wanying is already presenting him with a difficult problem. Everyone knows of her relationship with the Xue Family’s young lady. If Ah Yan shows the Xue Family leniency for her, won’t he just look like a fool to everyone else? How will he command respect in the future?"

A nation has its laws, and a family has its rules.

Asking Ah Yan to go easy on the Xue Family—as long as he hadn’t lost his mind, he would never agree to such an unreasonable request.

Some precedents cannot be set, or a greater price will have to be paid down the line!

But Mei Wanying also said in her letter that if there was no room for negotiation, she hoped Mrs. Xue could be granted a divorce from Duke Xue.

At such a critical juncture, Duke Xue was corresponding with the enemy, which was how the Useless Crown Prince used him to pass on a secret, treasonous letter.

Regardless of whether he intentionally committed treason, his mistake led to even greater losses on the Border. His imprisonment is not the least bit undeserved!

His foolishness alone had nailed the entire Xue Family to the pillar of shame for treason.

If Mrs. Xue could divorce him, she could at least maintain her innocence.

Empress Gu said, "And to think I once thought so highly of the Xue Family, and nearly made Miss Xue Ah Yan’s principal wife! With a muddle-headed father-in-law like that, Ah Yan would have been dragged to his doom!"

’If that had really happened, with Duke Xue being used by the Useless Crown Prince, it’s hard to say who would hold the title of Crown Prince today.’

’That was... a close call!’

Mrs. Feng said, "That Duke Xue is really something else. I thought he was just partial to that daughter of his from a questionable background, but I didn’t expect him to be so muddle-headed when faced with matters of great importance."

In comparison, the Mei family was far superior to the Xue Family.

The former had raised His Highness so well, helping him secure his footing in the army.

They had even taken him to war, where he earned glorious military achievements, building the prestige he held today.

The latter only held him back.

The contrast starkly reminded Mrs. Feng of just how exceptional the Mei family was.

As the only daughter of the Mei family, besides her poor eyesight, there seemed to be no other faults to find in Mei Wanying.

Empress Gu thought of this as well.

She sighed and said, "The Mei family has been impeccable to Ah Yan. I just didn’t want Mei Wanying to be Ah Yan’s principal wife; it’s not that I see her as an enemy."

"She’s carrying Ah Yan’s child, yet she hasn’t complained once, nor has she tried to use it to demand favors. Maybe I’ve misunderstood her."

"She rarely asks me for anything, and this time it’s to plead for a friend. I suppose that shows she’s loyal and righteous."

Mrs. Feng nodded silently.

’When His Highness was in a coma, the thought that Mei Wanying carried His Highness’s flesh and blood in her womb was what got them through it.’

’Now that the crisis has passed, they can’t just kick Mei Wanying aside.’

’Otherwise, if a similar situation were to happen again, it would be their karmic retribution!’

She tentatively suggested, "Empress, why don’t you help her this once and grant Mrs. Xue a divorce?"

’This request isn’t excessive. Mei Wanying isn’t making things difficult.’

’Even if she hasn’t made a great contribution, she has endured hardship. Consider it a reward for bearing the child.’

Empress Gu looked thoughtful. "Let’s delay it for now."

Her gaze swept toward Qinzheng Hall, her eyes filled with coldness.

’Once he dies and Ah Yan ascends the throne, we can rightfully pardon some of the innocent people.’

’We can use the opportunity to grant favors and earn a good reputation.’

「In the Empress Dowager’s Palace.」

Upon receiving the news, the Empress Dowager’s eyes widened in shock.

"Is it true? Is Mei Wanying really pregnant with Pei Yan’s child?"

"It’s absolutely true! Our spy in the Empress’s palace heard it with her own ears!"

"No wonder... He would rather offend me than not force his way into the Royal Villa, and even severely injured my precious grandson. So it was because he’d had a dalliance with Mei Wanying!"

"Men are all the same. Whether he loves the woman or not, once she’s been marked as his, he won’t let anyone else touch her."

"No man is willing to be cuckolded!"

A glint sparked in the Empress Dowager’s murky eyes, mixed with a trace of hatred.

Her eldest son had been assassinated by the Emperor.

The Crown Prince had also been severely injured by Pei Yan, not only losing his position as Crown Prince but also being imprisoned, his fate unknown.

’The day he wakes up might be the day he dies...’

Even her most precious great-grandson was intercepted and killed by people sent by the Empress.

Three lives... how could she not feel hatred!

The Empress Dowager was so devastated that her hair turned completely white overnight, and she became so weak she could only rest in bed.

It seemed she was not long for this world.

Hearing this news, the Empress Dowager finally grasped a sliver of hope to continue living.

She said through gritted teeth, "It’s time they had a taste of heart-wrenching pain!"

Her trusted Palace Maid advised, "Both are your own flesh and blood, Empress. You should try to look past it."

The Empress Dowager sneered, "People have their favorites. So what if he is of my blood? He hurt the child I dote on most, so he is my enemy!"

The Palace Maid asked, "Then what do you plan to do? Now that Pei... His Highness has been named Crown Prince and has the full support of the Court, there’s nothing we can do to him."

The Empress Dowager said indifferently, "If we can’t do anything to him, then we’ll carve a piece of flesh from his body, so that he’ll be in so much pain day and night he can’t find a moment’s peace."

A smile flashed in the Palace Maid’s eyes as she said, seemingly unintentionally, "Are you suggesting we get rid of the child in Mei Wanying’s womb? Isn’t it a bit too cruel to harm a baby?"

"They didn’t think about that when they targeted a young child! I am merely giving them a taste of their own medicine!"

’No wonder the Empress didn’t break down when Pei Yan’s life was hanging in the balance.’

’It turns out she had an ace up her sleeve.’

Power struggles had always been cruel, but the Empress Dowager’s heart was filled with nothing but hatred.

She had lost her son, her grandson, and even her great-grandson had not escaped their vicious hands.

Each and every incident was like a knife twisting in her heart.

If she didn’t get her revenge, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even in death!

Her aged eyes glinted sharply. Not only would she get her revenge, but she would also make Pei Yan personally draw the knife and kill his own bastard child!

"Go, send a message to Pei Yan. I wish to see him..."

"If he doesn’t come, tell him it’s about Mei Wanying, and that something happened that night at the Royal Villa that he doesn’t know about."

The Palace Maid asked, "Will His Highness really come? He used to be so indifferent to Mei Wanying."

"He will definitely come," the Empress Dowager said with conviction.

...

Pei Yan was very busy.

The Useless Crown Prince’s faction had fallen, and new people needed to be promoted to fill the vacancies.

Who to promote and how to balance the situation in the Court all required careful consideration.

The Emperor was gravely ill, and all state affairs had been handed over to Pei Yan. In order to see Mei Wanying sooner, he worked on official duties late into the night.

He rested for two hours at most each day.

At a time like this, court officials were still submitting memorials, urging him to choose a Crown Princess Consort. Pei Yan was furious whenever he saw them.

’He was raised by the Mei family; he was their child husband. Did these people not know that?’

’They were clearly playing dumb, deliberately trying to annoy him!’

Pei Yan ignored all of those memorials.

’Once he brought Mei Wanying back, he would announce to the world that Mei Wanying was his Crown Princess Consort.’

’Secrecy is the key to success. He couldn’t get away to retrieve Mei Wanying just yet.’

’If word of this got out, Pei Yan was afraid someone would take advantage of the situation and go to Jiangnan to cause trouble for Mei Wanying.’

’Although he had arranged for people to protect her, he still didn’t dare to take the risk.’

’There was only one Mei Wanying in the entire world.’

’He didn’t want to experience what had happened in his dream.’

’To lose her forever... the very thought was terrifying!’