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

Just as Pei Yan had predicted, the rumors that he and Ling were jinxes grew more and more intense.

Everyone connected to him was implicated.

People were spotted lurking near the Mei family’s old house, looking like they were trying to start trouble.

Pei Yan was not an impatient man, but with his wife and daughter involved, he wanted to resolve the trouble as quickly as possible.

So, he decided to add fuel to the fire.

The first people who fell ill didn’t get better after taking medicine; instead, deaths began to be reported one after another.

Even previously healthy people began to suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

It really looked like a plague!

The common folk couldn’t get near Pei Yan, so they gathered in droves at the entrances of the Government Office and the Mei family’s old house, demanding that Pei Yan take his daughter and leave.

They also said that by keeping Pei Yan and his daughter, the Mei family was harboring jinxes.

This was a grave crime!

The rumors claimed that Pei Yan’s position as Crown Prince was illegitimately obtained, and this was a punishment from the heavens.

Only when Pei Yan and his wicked spawn were dead would the divine punishment end.

But he was the Crown Prince; no one dared to assassinate him. Their only option was to gather everyone together and drive Pei Yan and his child away.

As long as they left, the divine punishment would have nothing to do with them, right?

The Mei Mansion was surrounded so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through. The Governor couldn’t even enter the residence to discuss matters with Pei Yan.

He cursed under his breath, "This traitor is too good at stirring up trouble. He’s a dog in the water now, yet he still won’t tuck his tail between his legs and behave!"

"Look at the commotion he’s caused! It’s a good thing he’s just a grasshopper after autumn, or he’d tear a hole in the sky!"

The Governor truly couldn’t understand how a fugitive traitor could have the guts to stir up such a huge mess.

’Does he have a death wish?’

The military advisor said calmly, "The bigger the commotion, the better. It makes the whole thing look real. Forget the traitor; even I’m starting to believe it."

The Lord Governor sighed. "What if His Highness holds a grudge against us when this is all over? Those people are about to start throwing stones at the Mei Mansion!"

"And there are a few hotheads who’ve even threatened to burn down the Mei Mansion to force His Highness out."

"That lady of the Mei family is the apple of His Highness’s eye. If she’s wronged, there’s no guarantee His Highness won’t take his anger out on us."

The military advisor still looked completely unconcerned. "This is the effect His Highness wanted. He should be crediting us with a great achievement!"

’Once the truth comes out and the people understand His Highness’s difficult but well-intentioned plan, they will support him even more.’

’If His Highness hadn’t been so clever and prepared in advance, that traitor really would have succeeded in poisoning everyone.’

’The consequences would have been unimaginable.’

’Once this is over, His Highness will have won the hearts of the people. What would he have to complain about?’

The military advisor said, "A man who is not ruthless is no man at all. You shouldn’t underestimate His Highness."

The Lord Governor plopped back into his chair. "True. His Highness even went as far as to snatch the bride, and he tries every trick in the book to please Miss Mei. Even when she gives him the cold shoulder, he doesn’t get angry. His magnanimity is certainly not ordinary."

Pei Yan, as the Crown Prince of a nation, had caused so much trouble over a woman.

Who knows how many people were mocking him behind his back.

The military advisor smiled. "After this, we’ll be in the same boat as His Highness. That can be considered a good thing."

Pei Yan was the current Holy Emperor’s only son. Now, he had successfully secured the position of Crown Prince.

If nothing unexpected happened, he would be the next ruler of the world.

As long as one had no treasonous intentions, wasn’t getting on this boat a good thing?

As more and more people surrounded the Mei family’s old house, Mrs. Mei’s heart pounded with fear.

She didn’t want her daughter and granddaughter to be in danger and had thought that if Pei Yan just left, everything would return to peace and quiet.

She never expected that the people outside wouldn’t even spare a little baby like Ling.

They insisted that Ling was also a jinx and that she had to leave with Pei Yan.

Mrs. Mei hated the Useless Crown Prince to death. "It’s all because he relentlessly pursued her that Ah Yin has suffered so much! Now even Ling has to suffer. He really deserves to die!"

Nanny Liu’s heart ached as well. "Once that traitor is caught, His Highness will surely have him torn to pieces!"

’How could such a vicious person exist in this world?’

’If he wants to fight for power, he should do it openly against Pei Yan. Why drag innocent people into it?’

’Our Ying hasn’t done anything to provoke anyone.’

’She even came back to Jiangnan just to avoid them.’

Nanny Liu thought, grinding her teeth, ’It’s a good thing the Useless Crown Prince lost. Otherwise, the people of this world would probably be living in deep misery!’

...

The townspeople were demanding that Pei Yan and Ling leave, but Mei Wanying would not let her daughter take that risk.

She entrusted her sleeping daughter to her mother, arranged for guards, and prepared to leave with Pei Yan under the cover of night. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Recently, Mei Wanying had been sleeping with Ling.

Suddenly moved to a different place to sleep, without her mother’s familiar scent, the little one woke up with a start.

Mei Wanying had no sooner left than the sound of a baby’s cries came from Mrs. Mei’s courtyard.

Ling couldn’t speak yet, but she could already roll over. She lay on her stomach on the daybed, wailing inconsolably toward the doorway.

Her small hands reached forward with all her might, as if searching for someone.

Mrs. Mei’s heart was breaking.

While comforting her little granddaughter, she cursed that good-for-nothing Pei Yu.

’Running into a madman like him, Ah Yin has had the worst luck!’

Mei Wanying clutched a lifelike doll, turning back again and again. When she faintly heard her daughter’s cries, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Her eyesight was poor to begin with, and now, with a film of tears blurring her vision, she couldn’t see the path at her feet at all.

"Careful."

Seeing Mei Wanying stumble, Pei Yan’s quick reflexes kicked in, and he grabbed her arm.

He didn’t let go. Instead, he took Mei Wanying’s hand, holding it tightly.

Night had fallen. He would be Ah Yin’s walking stick; he couldn’t let her fall.

Mei Wanying tried to pull her hand back, but the man only held it tighter.

Her voice was thick with tears. "The people outside are right. You are a jinx."

’Because of the trouble Pei Yan had brought, Ling was crying so heartbrokenly.’

’We don’t know when we’ll be able to return. In the days to come, Ling will surely be miserable.’

’Will she drink her milk properly?’

’Will she cry when she sleeps?’

’Mother will have to suffer, too...’

As all these thoughts flooded her mind, it was hard for Mei Wanying not to take her anger out on Pei Yan.

The man let her vent her emotions. He knew he hadn’t handled this matter well.

Hearing his daughter’s cries saddened him, too.

He tightened his grip, enveloping Mei Wanying’s hand in his own.

Pei Yan promised Mei Wanying, "Once this is resolved, I will never let you and Lingling be separated again."

’Ah Yin loves their daughter so much; she’s the center of her world.’

No matter what happened in the future, he would never let mother and daughter be torn apart.

In the dark of night, Mei Wanying left the mansion, crying, with the doll in one arm and her other hand held by Pei Yan.

The crowd gathered at the mansion gates had not yet dispersed. Hearing the commotion, they immediately swarmed forward.

They had intended to shout a few curses at the jinxes, but when they met the man’s gaze, as placid as an old well, they were suddenly unable to utter a single word.

Mei Wanying wore a cloak, protecting the "child" in her arms, holding it tightly.

Pei Yan gently patted her back, signaling for her to get into the carriage first.

Fearing she would give the ruse away, Mei Wanying didn’t linger for a moment.

Pei Yan stood beside the carriage. "I’ve heard the master at the temple outside the city is very skilled. I shall go and ask him who the real jinx is!"

Before boarding the carriage, he offered a piece of well-intentioned advice: "Don’t believe everything you hear. Be careful you aren’t being used."