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

Pei Yan left Jiangnan, but he left behind plenty of men.

First, to protect Mei Wanying and Ling.

Second, to stay informed about their daily lives.

The imperial edict officially enfeoffing Ling as a Princess was also sent to Jiangnan.

Pei Yan had personally chosen her title.

Zhao Chen.

The character "Zhao" implies light and brilliance.

And "Chen" was the title Pei Yan held when he was a Prince.

The name Zhao Chen alone was enough to prove how highly Pei Yan valued this child.

He had also established a Princess Mansion for Ling in the Capital, complete with a full retinue and staff.

Her fiefdom was located in Jiangnan.

In addition, she was generously awarded a thousand taels of gold, ten thousand silver taels, and countless rare treasures and jewels.

Anyone who wasn’t blind could see that this was a Princess the Emperor cherished dearly.

Although she had not taken the imperial surname, nor had she been brought back to the Imperial Palace, there was no doubt that the Emperor doted on Princess Zhao Chen.

Everyone at court, from the highest to the lowest, couldn’t help but think the same thing. ’If the Mei family’s daughter had given birth to a boy, with how much the Emperor values her, her child... would probably have been made the Crown Prince!’

General Mei held considerable prestige in the military. The Emperor’s high regard for Mei Wanying and her child was something General Mei’s former subordinates were happy to see.

They even hoped that Mei Wanying would have another child, a son, so that they could wholeheartedly follow the Mei family’s bloodline!

Pei Yan had made their daughter a Princess, but he hadn’t brought Mei Wanying into the palace. Yet, judging by his attitude, it wasn’t as if he didn’t care about Mei Wanying.

Some guessed that the reason the Emperor hadn’t brought the Mei family’s daughter into the palace was because it had been less than a year since the late Emperor’s passing.

Previously, the Emperor had used this very reason to reject the memorials requesting he install an Empress and take concubines.

In the eyes of others, no one could resist the lure of power.

And Mei Wanying was no exception.

Therefore, no one considered the possibility that it was Mei Wanying who was unwilling to enter the palace.

The outside world was rife with all sorts of speculation, and everyone was watching to see what would happen.

The moment the Emperor showed any intention of bringing Mei Wanying into the palace, they would submit memorials urging him to fill his Harem.

’The position of Empress absolutely cannot be snatched away by that woman from the Mei family!’

Besides the position of the Central Palace, the other concubine positions in the Harem couldn’t be let go either.

They had already chosen their daughters, waiting only for the right moment to send them into the palace to fight for their families’ glory.

Pei Yan was well aware of what outsiders were thinking. He had no intention of letting anyone into his Harem.

He couldn’t stand the thought of other men getting close to Ah Yin. By the same token, Ah Yin would surely not accept him having other women by his side.

From the very beginning, Pei Yan had never considered being apart from Mei Wanying.

If Ah Yin didn’t want to see him, if seeing him reminded her of unpleasant things, then he would wait in the shadows until she was willing to see him again.

For him to let go completely—that was impossible.

He would never let go, not even in death!

Mei Wanying got her monthly period, and a report of this matter was sent to Pei Yan.

Gazing at the letter, the anticipation in Pei Yan’s eyes faded.

He admitted he was being shameless. ’If we have another child,’ he thought, ’I’ll have an excuse to appear before Ah Yin again.’

’One Lingling isn’t enough to soften Ah Yin’s heart, so let’s have two, or three!’

Unfortunately, the heavens did not favor him this time; Ah Yin had not become pregnant.

’Those few days, Ah Yin and I were together countless times. Why isn’t she pregnant?’

’When she was pregnant with Ling, it only took one time.’

Pei Yan was dejected, suspecting there was something wrong with his own body.

’I’ve been injured several times. Maybe it affected my fertility.’

But on second thought, it was probably for the best that Ah Yin wasn’t pregnant.

’I was once severely poisoned. Although it won’t flare up again, if Ah Yin got pregnant now, she and the child might suffer.’

A wave of fear washed over Pei Yan.

’Thank goodness she isn’t pregnant!’

Pei Yan stared blankly at the letter for a long time before a eunuch serving in the imperial presence announced, "Your Majesty, Lord Gu has arrived."

The dazed man regained his usual cold severity. His expression was faint, his eyes devoid of warmth.

"Admit him."

Gu Xun had almost become the Mei family’s son-in-law, a fact that drove Pei Yan mad with jealousy.

He had arranged for Gu Xun to take a post at the Ministry of War, but this was the first time he had summoned him.

Gu Xun felt uneasy, suspecting that Pei Yan was going to make things difficult for him.

But the other man was the ruler, and he was a subject. Even if he were given a hard time, what could he do?

This feeling of powerlessness made Gu Xun feel small and timid. ’With me like this, how could I have the face to see Mei Wanying?’

’She is the moon in the sky; she deserves to have the very best of everything...’

As these thoughts churned in his mind, Gu Xun entered the Imperial Study Room.

Behind the Imperial Desk sat a figure in bright yellow robes. His handsome face possessed a natural authority that commanded respect and made it difficult to look at him directly.

Gu Xun performed his salutations and then stood waiting, looking as if he were ready to accept whatever came.

’Let him make things difficult, then,’ he thought. His love for Mei Wanying was an unchangeable fact.

Even now, the thought of Mei Wanying made his heart stir, and he still longed to see her.

As a "rival in love," he supposed he deserved to be given a hard time.

As long as Pei Yan didn’t speak, Gu Xun wouldn’t take the initiative to ask anything.

It takes a man to know a man. Pei Yan could tell with a single glance that this person hadn’t gotten over Ah Yin.

’How... infuriating!’

Taking a deep breath, Pei Yan told himself to be more magnanimous. Otherwise, Ah Yin would only find him more annoying.

Ah Yin was a soft-hearted girl. Gu Xun had helped her in the past, and she was the type to repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring.

Pei Yan didn’t want Mei Wanying to see Gu Xun again. He didn’t want them to have any further contact.

Not even to meet once, not even to exchange a single word.

He told himself again: as long as he was magnanimous enough, Gu Xun would have no reason to appear before Ah Yin.

’I absolutely cannot give my rival in love a chance to play the victim!’

The man’s long, slender fingers tapped on the armrest. He spoke calmly, "Cousin, Zhen has an important matter to entrust to you."

Being called "cousin," Gu Xun was taken aback, completely baffled.

Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought they had a warm and respectful brotherly relationship...

The more Pei Yan acted like this, the more Gu Xun felt he had ill intentions, that he had probably dug a pit and was just waiting for him to jump in.

Gu Xun’s face didn’t show it. Like Pei Yan, his expression was perfectly calm.

He bowed and said, "This subject awaits Your Majesty’s command."

"Zhen wants you to personally oversee the selection and strict training of women from good families. Choose the best five thousand to form a unit of female guards, who will be at Zhao Chen’s disposal in the future."

Pei Yan intended to make his daughter the Crown Princess, but there were no female officials at court, and women were rarely seen in any profession.

If he didn’t give women the opportunity to realize their ambitions, could Lingling truly secure her position as Crown Princess?

When that time came, he feared there would be a sea of opposition, and some might even get other ideas.

Pei Yan had to pave a golden path for his daughter, ensuring she had people to support her and people she could command.

Selecting the female guards was the first step.

Five thousand was far from enough, but the journey had to be taken one step at a time. He couldn’t rush it.

Lingling was still just a little sapling; he couldn’t subject her to a raging storm.

Before Lingling grew up, he had to remain patient.

Outsiders only needed to believe that he was doting on his first child, and that because the child’s mother was Mei Wanying, he was giving his daughter all these things.

Gu Xun was stunned for a moment. Though he didn’t understand the Emperor’s intentions, he still accepted the decree.

The fact that he didn’t spout any nonsense pleased Pei Yan greatly.

He had given Gu Xun this task after careful consideration.

’If Gu Xun genuinely wishes for Ah Yin’s and Lingling’s well-being, he will put his heart and soul into this task.’

’If not, it will prove he’s nothing more than a hypocritical scoundrel.’

’When that happens, I’ll go complain to Ah Yin and see if she still thinks Gu Xun is a good person!’

Pei Yan wasn’t a man of many words to begin with, and he had even less to say to a rival in love. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

He waved his hand, dismissing Gu Xun from the Imperial Study Room.

Gu Xun was completely bewildered. He had been fully prepared to be given a hard time.

But in the end... this was it?

No sooner had Gu Xun’s front foot stepped out than an urgent letter arrived from Jiangnan.

Pei Yan scanned it, ten lines at a glance, his face growing darker and darker the more he read.

He had just dealt with Gu Xun, and now here was a Shen Mingji.

’Do these people think I’m dead?’

He gave a cold order, "Transfer him to the Northern Land. He is forbidden from ever setting foot in Jiangnan again!"