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

The Mei family received rewards, but Shen Mingji received orders for a transfer to the Northern Land.

Although he couldn’t figure out why his superior was paying him such special attention, going to the Northern Land was a good opportunity for him nonetheless.

He could climb the ranks faster.

Only with enough power could he uncover the truth and avenge his mother and sister.

Shen Mingji wasn’t afraid of danger, nor of bloodshed and sacrifice. He was just reluctant to leave the people in Jiangnan.

He had promised to achieve great things with Little Brother Xue and protect the people they cared about. By leaving now, he wondered if he was breaking that promise.

He couldn’t stop worrying about Little Brother Xue.

And he couldn’t stop worrying about... Xue Xingyao.

The thought startled Shen Mingji, and he felt his feelings were something to be ashamed of.

As his mind was racing, he heard his superior say sternly, "Without a direct order, you are not to set foot in Jiangnan again!"

Shen Mingji was truly stunned now.

"I’m not a criminal. As long as I don’t desert my post, why can’t I come to Jiangnan?"

"This is an order!"

Shen Mingji: "..."

The order was too unreasonable. He suspected he must have offended someone.

The first person Shen Mingji thought of was Chen Shujing.

But as soon as the thought arose, he dismissed it.

Chen Shujing wouldn’t want him showing up at the Xue Family’s home, but he wouldn’t send him all the way to the Northern Land, either.

A few years ago, when the battles in the Northern Land were incessant, he had wanted to join the army and earn merit. But Chen Shujing had forbidden it and sent him to Jiangnan instead.

This wasn’t Chen Shujing’s style.

’Who on earth doesn’t want me in Jiangnan?’

All of a sudden, Shen Mingji recalled the incident with the Little Princess mistaking him for someone else.

A chill ran down his spine.

’Could it be? Have I been targeted by *that person* in the Capital City?!’

If so, everything would make sense.

Only that personage would have the power to both dispatch him to the Northern Land and issue an order forbidding him from setting foot in Jiangnan.

To be noticed by the supreme King was something many people could only dream of.

For a moment, Shen Mingji didn’t know whether to consider himself lucky or unlucky.

He was willing to go to the Northern Land, but being forbidden from ever returning to Jiangnan left him feeling deeply dejected.

Shen Mingji felt he had been grievously wronged. The Little Prince was the one who made the mistake, so why was he the one being punished?

The sovereign’s wrath and favor are both his grace. No matter how wronged he felt, he could not defy an imperial edict.

Before leaving for the Northern Land, Shen Mingji paid another visit to the Xue Family.

Xue Xingyao was not there. She had gone to the Xu Family to teach and was rarely home these days.

Knowing that Xue Xingyao felt uncomfortable around him, Shen Mingji didn’t go looking for her. He simply spoke with Mrs. Xue about Little Brother Xue’s situation in the barracks.

He hadn’t been in the army for long, but he had his own connections and had already asked someone to look after Little Brother Xue.

Shen Mingji looked apologetic. "There’s not much more I can do to help. From here on, he’ll have to rely on himself."

Mrs. Xue was a reasonable woman. She didn’t blame Shen Mingji for anything. On the contrary, she was grateful for what he had done for their family.

Back then, they had truly been at their wits’ end, which was why she had considered letting her son go into business.

How could Mrs. Xue not know in her heart whether the path of a merchant was suitable for her own son?

"This is the path he chose for himself. Whatever the outcome, he must bear it himself. Mr. Shen, you have helped him more than enough. When you go to the Northern Land, please take care of yourself. You don’t need to worry about him any longer."

As a man, taking responsibility for one’s own choices is the most basic requirement.

You can’t just blame others when you fail to walk your path well.

Seeing the guilt on Shen Mingji’s face, Mrs. Xue thought he was still dwelling on the matter between Chen Shujing and her daughter.

She tried to console him, "They walked their own paths. What happened had nothing to do with you or Miss Shen. You should put your mind at ease and not carry this burden."

The Shen siblings were already in the picture. What good would it do to hold a grudge against them now?

The only one to blame was Chen Shujing for being so foolish as to deceive Ah Yao.

Her eyes were filled with the kindness of an elder. Growing up, Shen Mingji had never felt such understanding or affection from the elders of the Shen family.

His father favored his concubine over his wife. As the head of the Shen family, whoever he favored or despised, the rest of the household would follow suit from top to bottom.

Shen Mingji didn’t dare to meet Mrs. Xue’s gaze. His eyes began to sting, and the tip of his nose prickled sharply.

In truth, he was also very lucky. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

His sister was gone, but Chen Shujing had protected him, allowing him to live safely to this day.

The Xue Family hadn’t directed their anger at him either...

The people around him were too good to him, always understanding and accommodating him. This made Shen Mingji’s desire to make a name for himself all the more urgent.

He had to put his mother’s and sister’s spirits at ease.

He also had to repay his debt of gratitude to Chen Shujing.

If he became capable enough, he also wanted to help the Xue Family. That way, the burden on Xue Xingyao’s shoulders would be a little lighter.

The old Shen Mingji had just muddled through life, causing all sorts of trouble just to get his father’s attention.

Looking back now, he realized just how childish he had been.

The foolish things he had done would only hurt those who cared for him and delight his enemies.

’Seeing me like a lost cause, like mud too weak to plaster a wall, those people in the manor must have been ecstatic!’

Shen Mingji let out a heavy sigh, stood up, and bowed to Mrs. Xue. "I will take my leave now."

Guessing that her daughter would be back soon, Mrs. Xue didn’t press him to stay.

Ah Yao never said it out loud, but she was always uncomfortable around Shen Mingji.

As a mother, she felt it was best they met less often if her daughter was uncomfortable.

The Xue family’s residence was small. The household had only one gatekeeper, one groom, an errand boy, and two cleaning women. The remaining staff were old retainers who had served Xue Xingyao for years: a personal attendant, two maids, and two cooks.

All the others had been dismissed by Xue Xingyao.

The first reason was to save money.

The second was to keep a low profile.

The Xue Family of today could not withstand any storms. Keeping a low profile was only to their benefit.

With such a small staff, Mrs. Xue had no choice but to see her guest out personally.

Unexpectedly, Xue Xingyao returned home early and ran right into them at the entrance.

Xue Xingyao was very busy. She had to teach the young ladies of the Xu Family to read and write, and also had to deal with Chen Shujing’s pestering. She hadn’t seen Shen Mingji in a long time.

Seeing him appear so suddenly, Xue Xingyao could only think of one possibility. "Did something happen to my little brother?"

A look of anxiety appeared in her eyes.

Her instinctive reaction made Mrs. Xue feel both helpless and pained for her. ’Ah Yao shouldn’t have to worry about so many things.’

In her heart, she hated the late Duke Xue with a passion. He had brought about his own demise and dragged his children down to suffer with him.

’He should have died much sooner!’

Suppressing her emotions, Mrs. Xue said with a gentle rebuke, "Your little brother is fine. Mr. Shen is leaving Jiangnan to guard the frontier in the Northern Land, and he came specifically to bid us farewell."

The climate in the Northern Land was harsh, and war often broke out. Shen Mingji would surely face even greater hardships by going there.

Xue Xingyao found it a bit sudden, but it was Shen Mingji’s business, and she had nothing to say about it.

She just nodded. "In that case, I wish you a safe journey and a boundless future."

She knew what was on Shen Mingji’s mind. He was joining the army to earn military honors and seek justice for the people he cared about.

Just like her little brother, who also wanted to make a name for himself and protect them.

She had only said a polite, conventional phrase, but Shen Mingji was overjoyed.

He smiled. "Wait for me to earn my military honors. I’ll come back to see you all..."

Then he remembered something, and the smile fell from his face. He couldn’t come to Jiangnan anymore...

’If I achieve great merit, I wonder if the Emperor will change his mind?’

’He probably will.’

Shen Mingji thought to himself.

He changed his tune. "Miss Xue, I also wish you every success, and may your students be found all over the world."

Xue Xingyao was skilled in the four arts—qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even after experiencing the ruin of her family, she had not fallen into despair.

Her temperament was so resilient; being trapped in the rear courtyards was too great a waste of her talents.

Shen Mingji wished her well.

He hoped she could be free to do whatever she wanted.