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

Mei Wanying was unwilling to return to the capital, unwilling to marry Pei Yan.

Empress Gu found it unbelievable.

’Isn’t this what she wanted most?’

’She shamelessly chased Ah Yan for years. Wasn’t it all just to marry him and become his official wife?’

’Now the opportunity was right in front of her, yet she failed to appreciate it.’

Empress Gu truly had no idea what Mei Wanying was thinking.

"She’s so set on throwing her own tantrums, but can’t she consider the child? Is she going to ruin her child’s future?"

Empress Gu had already received the news that Mei Wanying gave birth to a daughter.

But that didn’t matter. As long as the baby hadn’t been shown in public, there was still room to maneuver.

They could just bring in a baby boy and pass them off as boy-girl twins.

That way, Mei Wanying wouldn’t have to be separated from her own flesh and blood.

And she herself could see her little granddaughter every day.

Empress Gu thought to herself that she had gone to such lengths for Mei Wanying, yet the girl was still ungrateful.

"So willful. No wonder Ah Yan couldn’t stand her temper. Even though he clearly cares for her, he had to push her away. She has no regard for the bigger picture. It would be torture for any man to marry her!"

The messenger glanced cautiously at Empress Gu’s expression.

With his head lowered, he said, "Empress, Mr. Gu sent a letter from Jiangnan. He says he’s getting married."

Empress Gu’s eyelid twitched. She had a bad feeling.

"Who is he marrying?"

The messenger lowered his head even further. "Mr. Gu... is marrying into the Mei family. He says he’s going to be a live-in son-in-law."

Though she was mentally prepared for the fact that Gu Xun wanted to marry Mei Wanying,

the news that he was marrying *into* the Mei family was a clap of thunder, exploding in Empress Gu’s ears.

’The Gu family would never allow one of their sons to marry into another family. He was acting on his own authority, striking first and reporting later!’

Empress Gu’s face turned black with rage. "Was it his idea, or Mei Wanying’s?"

"It... It was Mr. Gu who went to the Mei family on his own initiative and said he wanted to marry in..."

Empress Gu didn’t believe it.

’What normal man would ever consider marrying into his wife’s family?’

’Mei Wanying must have bewitched Ah Xun.’

"It wasn’t enough for her to bring ruin to Ah Yan, and now she wants to drag Ah Xun down with her and pit him against me? Her intentions are truly venomous!"

’Ah Xun is a Gu, her own nephew. No matter how furious she was, she couldn’t truly move against him.’

’Mei Wanying must have counted on this when she seduced Ah Xun.’

’And Ah Xun, of all people, fell right into her trap, actually wanting to marry into the Mei family.’

’He must be possessed. He’s lost his mind!’

Empress Gu paced on the spot. "Ah Xun cannot become a live-in son-in-law. He’s the legitimate heir of the Gu Family! His status is so distinguished. If he really marries into their family, won’t he become a complete laughingstock?"

Her words had barely faded when a voice came from behind her. "Whose son-in-law is he going to be?"

Empress Gu turned to see that her son had woken up at some point. He was struggling to sit up.

His face was drained of color, and he had grown thinner, making his eyes and brows appear even sharper.

He exuded an icy aura and seemed even more imposing than before.

Even for Empress Gu, who had long been in a position of power, her heart skipped a beat. A chill ran down her spine.

She didn’t dwell on it and quickly sent for the Imperial Physician. "Ah Yan, you’re finally awake!"

Empress Gu cried tears of joy.

’Heaven never bars one’s path. Mei Wanying refused to cooperate with her, but Ah Yan had woken up.’

’When the news reaches Mei Wanying, we’ll see if she regrets her decision.’

’She missed her chance for the throne of the Crown Princess Consort!’

Pei Yan’s eyes were as placid as an ancient well—deep and bottomless, making his emotions impossible to read.

He asked the question again, "Whose son-in-law is Gu Xun going to be?"

Empress Gu wanted to use this opportunity to make her son give up any thought of marrying Mei Wanying.

’She had given Mei Wanying a chance. It was the girl who failed to appreciate it.’

’So Mei Wanying couldn’t blame her for taking that chance away!’

"Who else could it be? He’s been completely bewitched by Mei Wanying! He made this foolish decision without even consulting the family!"

"If we send someone to stop him now, I don’t know if they’ll make it in time..."

The frail man struggled to his feet and tried to walk out as soon as he was off the bed.

Empress Gu rushed to stop him. "Ah Yan, where are you going? You haven’t recovered yet, you can’t go out..."

Pei Yan turned back, his face devoid of emotion.

His expressionless face was all the more frightening, like the calm before a storm.

Empress Gu’s heart pounded in her chest. For some reason, she found she didn’t dare to meet her son’s eyes.

Pei Yan, his face a blank mask, suddenly asked an unrelated question. "Did Mei Wanying write to me?"

The hand beneath Empress Gu’s wide sleeve tightened. "She must have learned of your condition. Fearing she’d be dragged down with you, she rushed to coax Ah Xun into marriage."

A flash of mockery crossed Pei Yan’s eyes. "I know best what kind of person she is. I don’t need outsiders to embellish the facts."

Empress Gu cried, "Ah Yan, I’m your mother! How could I be an outsider?"

The aura around Pei Yan grew even more frigid.

"I’d advise you not to interfere in my affairs again. Otherwise, I can renounce my place in the Pei Family."

Empress Gu’s eyes widened. "Ah Yan, what do you mean?"

’What did he mean, renounce the Pei Family?’

’Does he not want his position as Crown Prince?’

’Does he not want the empire that is within his grasp?’

Empress Gu suspected something was wrong with her hearing. Otherwise, how could her son say such a thing?

’If he didn’t want the empire, then what was all their past suffering for?’

Pei Yan made it even clearer. "As far as I’m concerned, Mei Wanying will always come first."

’Power, wealth, and these so-called blood relatives—none of them could ever compare to Mei Wanying.’

’All of it put together wasn’t worth Mei Wanying’s little finger.’

’He had missed too much, and he had only just, with great difficulty, gotten a chance to start over.’

’He would never give Mei Wanying the chance to leave him again.’

’He couldn’t bear that consequence!’

Looking into Empress Gu’s eyes, Pei Yan said without a hint of hesitation, "Anyone who causes trouble for Mei Wanying becomes my enemy. When that time comes, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

The old Pei Yan had also been cold, but he would never have said such things.

Empress Gu was utterly shocked. For a moment, her mind went blank, and by the time it cleared, Pei Yan’s figure was already gone.

She hurried forward a few steps. "Ah Yan, let the Imperial Physician take your pulse!"

But he was already gone, leaving her without a single word in reply.

Empress Gu’s mind was in turmoil. "What does Ah Yan mean? Why do I feel like he’s become a completely different person?"

Mrs. Feng felt the same way.

His Highness was never an easy person to get along with, but now that he was awake, he was even colder.

It was a coldness that radiated from his very bones, as if there were nothing left in the world that he cared about.

’No, that’s not right. He cared about Mei Wanying.’

’For Mei Wanying’s sake, he had cast aside all filial piety and said things that stabbed right at the Empress’s heart.’

"Mei Wanying is truly a curse. His Highness has just woken up, and now she’s going to marry Xun? Isn’t she trying to turn the brothers against each other?"

This only irritated Empress Gu further. "Not a single one of them gives me any peace!"

’Her son’s gaze had been so cold, as if he had seen right through everything she’d done.’

’If she went after Mei Wanying again, would Ah Yan really disown her?’

The child she had carried for ten months actually valued a woman more than her. A bitter, sour feeling filled Empress Gu’s heart.

Then she thought of the true culprit.

"If it weren’t for him, my son and I wouldn’t have been separated for so many years, and Ah Yan wouldn’t have grown so distant from me."

The light of hatred burned in her eyes.

Now that Ah Yan is awake, it’s time for *that man* to abdicate his throne to Ah Yan...