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

There were still matters to handle at the residence, but Mrs. Mei felt uneasy with Mei Wanying remaining in the Capital City.

Especially after Empress Gu sent someone with a list of candidates, insisting Mei Wanying choose one and finalize her engagement, Mrs. Mei’s anxiety flared.

She had a nagging feeling that if they stayed in the Capital City, something unexpected would happen. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

After much deliberation, she decided to have her daughter leave first.

"Take Nanny Liu, Ding Xiang, and the others and go on ahead. Once I’ve handled things in the Capital City, I’ll come find you."

After General Mei passed away, the heavy burden of the family fell upon Mrs. Mei.

Beset by troubles from within and without, Mrs. Mei constantly had to guard against others trying to seize the family fortune, all while protecting her daughter, who was as beautiful as a flower.

The constant worry not only caused her to age prematurely, but it also left her with a body full of ailments.

Mrs. Mei didn’t know how many years she had left and was desperate to find a reliable protector for her daughter.

The person she trusted most was Pei Yan, but unfortunately... Pei Yan was completely unyielding, refusing to compromise no matter what.

This was her only remaining family in the world. Even though they had their conflicts, Mei Wanying couldn’t just leave her mother to deal with this mess alone.

She was just as anxious and wanted to leave as soon as possible, but only on the condition that her mother left with her.

Mei Wanying said, "You have to let go of what you can. The most important matters are nearly settled, so let the stewards handle the rest. After we return to our ancestral home, you can select a few trustworthy people and send them secretly back to the Capital City to inspect our assets. If anyone tries to pull a fast one while we’re gone, it will be the perfect opportunity to clean out the parasites."

The Mei family had a vast estate and many enterprises, and they only promoted people who were both highly capable and reliable.

But human nature is weak to temptation. With so many assets, it was impossible for there not to be a single parasite among them.

Now that they were planning to return to their ancestral home, some people were likely already hatching their own little schemes.

Sending people for regular inspections was necessary.

They would also need to employ other methods to prevent the stewards from colluding with one another.

Managing the family’s enterprises was never an easy task.

Seeing Mei Wanying speak with such logic and clarity, Mrs. Mei felt both gratified and a little heartbroken.

If she could, she would have wished for her daughter to remain innocent and carefree, living her entire life without a single worry.

But that was impossible.

Rely on a mountain, and it will crumble; rely on a person, and they will run.

She used to always think about finding someone for Ah Yin to rely on, but now Mrs. Mei felt that the right thing to do was to raise her daughter to be capable in her own right.

If her daughter was ignorant of worldly affairs and unskilled in social interactions, then even if she married, only countless tribulations would await her.

Since Mei Wanying had proposed this arrangement, Mrs. Mei decided to step back and let her try.

"We’ll do as you say. Let’s pack our things and prepare to leave."

Mei Wanying quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

She went to the study to write a letter, which she had sent to the Duke Mansion to inform Xue Xingyao of her departure.

Things had not been peaceful in the Duke Mansion recently. Mrs. Xue wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Chen Family, but the old madam insisted on having her granddaughter marry into a family of higher status.

The two were locked in a stalemate.

As for Duke Xue, he remained aloof, taking the attitude that it had nothing to do with him.

He had two daughters, anyway. If the younger one was unwilling to marry into the Royal Family, then he would just have the older one go.

The only question was, would Prince Chen look down on Yunshu’s background?

As he pondered this, Duke Xue came up with an idea involving Mrs. Xue.

He wanted her to officially adopt Xue Yunshu as her own daughter and take her back to her maiden home to be formally introduced to the relatives.

With all their interests tied together, no one would be able to look down on Yunshu.

Duke Xue’s favoritism was chilling, but Mrs. Xue didn’t refuse him outright.

’If I don’t dangle some bait, how will Xue Yunshu take the hook?’

’Xue Yunshu wants to marry up and become a phoenix. I have to give her hope, make her feel her dream is within reach. Only then will she stir up even more trouble.’

’That way, Ah Yao will be able to escape this whole affair unscathed.’

’If the Empress is displeased and needs someone to take her anger out on, she’ll pick an easy target like Xue Yunshu.’

’Who told her to be so unaware of her own limitations?’

’Serves her right!’

Mrs. Xue went to the old madam’s courtyard once again. The topic was still the marriage alliance with the Chen Family.

"As Prince Chen’s principal wife, her future would be immeasurably noble. You refuse to fight for this for Ah Yao, insisting the Chen Family is better. Are you even her birth mother?" the old madam demanded.

Mrs. Xue replied, "She is my own flesh and blood. How could I possibly harm her? The Chen Family and the Xue Family are a good match in social status. That is the best choice."

The corners of the old madam’s eyes lifted in a caustic expression. "By ruining her prospects, you *are* harming her!"

Mrs. Xue suppressed the urge to sneer.

She murmured to herself, "Whose prospects are truly being ruined? Ah Yao’s, or the Xue Family’s?"

The old madam did not like hearing that.

A woman is to obey her father before marriage and her husband after. They are all members of the Xue Family. Shouldn’t they sacrifice their own interests for the family’s prosperity?

"She is a daughter of the Xue Family, raised in the lap of luxury. Is it not her duty to repay the family?"

"She is the apple of my eye! I will never agree to send her to that man-eating place!"

Mrs. Xue’s tone was firm, with no room for compromise. "Marriage is a matter for parents to decide with the help of a matchmaker. I am discussing this with you out of respect. If you continue to disagree, then I will have no choice but to take it up with the Duke."

Duke Xue favored Xue Yunshu; he would be thrilled if she were the one chosen.

Duke Xue would have no objection to marrying Xue Xingyao into the Chen Family.

After all, the Chen Family was also an illustrious noble family, with generations of high officials. Their roots and influence ran even deeper than those of the Duke Mansion.

There was nothing to complain about in an alliance with such a family.

But Pei Yan was the current Holy Emperor’s only son, and he had proven his own worth, commanding considerable prestige within the military.

His chances of success were high.

If a Miss Xue were chosen to enter the Prince Chen Mansion, she would very likely sit on the throne as Empress one day.

To have an Empress emerge from their family—what an immense honor!

Comparing the two options, entering the Prince Chen Mansion was far more attractive to the Xue Family.

It didn’t matter who was ultimately chosen, as long as it was a daughter of the Xue Family.

Sending another daughter to be considered for selection would only increase their chances.

The old madam would not allow anyone to back out!

She slammed her hand on the table. "You’ve gone completely rogue! As long as I am alive, it is not your place to make decisions for this family!"

Mrs. Xue was stunned.

She was the mistress of the house. She managed the household, bore children to continue the family line—she had done everything that was expected of her.

’How could it not be her place to make decisions!’

A mocking smile touched her lips. "Whether or not I can make the decisions is something you can wait and see, Mother-in-law!"

She was the one who ran this household; every matter, great or small, passed through her hands.

She had only discussed it with the old madam out of filial piety.

’Does she really think I’m some new bride who can be easily intimidated?’

"Fine. So your wings have grown strong," the old madam said, her face darkening.

Just as she was about to order someone to be punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, Xue Yunshu came running in recklessly.

"Grandmother, I have wonderful news for you!"

Xue Yunshu’s face was ecstatic.

’She had actually been chosen by Prince Chen!’

’It must have been from that day she saved someone on the street. She must have caught Prince Chen’s attention then.’

’She had really succeeded!’

’Everything her mother taught her was true. Men really fall for this kind of act.’

’Men of high status have seen too many dull and uninteresting noblewomen. Only a special girl like her could truly capture their hearts!’

If the imperial edict hadn’t yet been issued, making it impossible to announce the news, Xue Yunshu would have wanted to spread it everywhere.

’I must be patient,’ she told herself.

’So many people were coveting the position of Princess Consort Chen. If anyone found out she was the one Prince Chen had his eye on, they would surely come to cause her trouble.’

’They might even try to kill her!’

’I must be patient!’

The old madam’s expression was thunderous. "Have all your lessons on etiquette gone to the dogs?"

Xue Yunshu shot a glance at Mrs. Xue, a triumphant glint in her eyes, then went to take the old madam’s hand with a beaming smile.

"Grandmother, you should find a good husband for my younger sister and marry her off. That way, she won’t burst into tears again when she fails to be chosen."