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

Empress Gu had long suspected her son had just pointed to a portrait at random.

And it turned out to be true!

She couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

"That Xue Yunshu’s station is far too low. Her medical skills are nothing special, either. If you liked her, she might have just scraped by and entered the mansion as a Concubine. But since you don’t, she doesn’t even have the right to enter the Prince Chen Mansion."

If not for the need to show deference to the Duke Mansion, Ah Yan would never have even seen Xue Yunshu’s portrait.

She had no family standing, nor any beauty. What use would she be in the Prince Chen Mansion?

And it wasn’t as if they needed her medical skills.

If Ah Yan needed medical care, there were plenty of highly skilled physicians to attend to him.

Unable to win Ah Yan’s affection and unable to offer him any support, this Xue Yunshu was utterly useless.

Unlike Mei Wanying. Though her family had fallen from grace, she was breathtakingly beautiful. At least one could appreciate her looks; she was pleasing to the eye.

A pity Ah Yan disliked Mei Wanying—he even seemed to loathe her.

She didn’t even have a chance to be a Concubine.

Collecting her thoughts, Empress Gu asked again, "Then which young lady do you find suitable? I will handle it for you. We’ll arrange the engagement first, and you can have the grand wedding ceremony when you return to the Capital City in triumph."

Before Pei Yan could answer, Empress Gu continued, "What about the daughter from the Grand Tutor’s family? She just came of age this year. It wouldn’t hurt for her to wait a few years for you; she won’t become an old maid."

"Let her mature for a few more years, and she’ll be at the perfect age for childbearing. If she can give you a legitimate son, your Father Emperor would certainly be delighted."

"If you don’t want any of the noblewomen in the Capital City, there are still the daughters of aristocratic families from other regions..."

The more Empress Gu spoke, the more excited she became. Her son’s status was so exalted; he could have as many women in his household as he wanted.

There were countless noble ladies who would be fighting tooth and nail to enter the Prince Chen Mansion, even just as a Concubine!

Pei Yan had never been interested in marrying. And now that he had given the Jade Pendant to Mei Wanying, marrying someone else was even more out of the question.

He had to avoid another one of Mei Wanying’s scenes.

At her most possessive, she had laid down the law: he wasn’t allowed to so much as glance at another woman.

She said that if he dared, she would make him regret it!

To this day, Pei Yan still had no idea how she would actually punish him.

’Placating someone is exhausting. It’s better to avoid trouble altogether.’

Pei Yan: "I won’t marry."

Empress Gu was completely taken aback.

After all the trouble it took to get this brat to finally agree to marry, and she’d already started the preparations... how could he suddenly change his mind?

Empress Gu’s tone turned severe. "You have no heirs. How do you expect to win the support of the Imperial Family? Have you seen how many women are in the Eastern Palace? They’re churning out children one after another! If you’re not worried, I am!"

’Children... ’

Pei Yan rubbed his fingers together.

’If the situation at the Border weren’t so perilous, he could just take Mei Wanying with him. With some diligent effort, wouldn’t the problem of heirs be solved?’

The thought startled Pei Yan.

’He actually wanted to have children with Mei Wanying!’

’Has Mei Wanying bewitched him? Why are his thoughts growing more and more ridiculous?’

’Ah, whatever. He’d already given her the Jade Pendant. Mei Wanying would be his, sooner or later.’

’What’s the harm in thinking about having children ahead of time?’

Pei Yan convinced himself.

His mood brightened. "There will be children."

’Mei Wanying was shameless enough to have said she wanted to bear his children before.’

’Let her give birth, then.’

’He could afford to raise however many she had.’

Empress Gu suggested, "Take a couple of Concubines with you to the Border first. Have them return once they are with child."

Pei Yan frowned. "I don’t want children from other women."

’Mei Wanying is so possessive. Her child would surely be a chip off the old block, only worse.’

’If he had other children, wouldn’t he be tormented to death by Mei Wanying and her child?’

Realizing he was already biased toward Mei Wanying, Pei Yan felt a pang of embarrassment.

’If Mei Wanying ever found out, she’d really walk all over him!’

’To reclaim his masculine pride,’ Pei Yan secretly told himself, ’it wasn’t that he couldn’t live without Mei Wanying; he just didn’t want to waste energy on trivial matters.’

’He wasn’t afraid of Mei Wanying. She was just a young girl, and he was merely indulging her!’

Empress Gu eyed him suspiciously. "Then whose child do you want?"

’Pei Yan knew that his mother would never allow Mei Wanying to be his principal wife.’

’If he told the truth, it would only bring trouble for Mei Wanying.’

’And being so far away, he wouldn’t be able to resolve things immediately.’

Pei Yan said, "You will know when I return to the Capital City."

Empress Gu’s look grew even more peculiar. ’Could Ah Yan have someone hidden away at the Border?’

"No matter who she is, as long as she bears you an heir, I will make the arrangements for her to enter the Prince Chen Mansion as a Concubine."

’Concubine?’

’Mei Wanying would look down on that.’

’And he wouldn’t let Mei Wanying become a concubine, either. She couldn’t bear such a slight.’

’Her child, too. Their child was destined to be treasured above all else!’

Muttering a noncommittal "mm," Pei Yan prepared to leave the palace.

Empress Gu said quickly, "If you won’t choose, then I will make the decision for you."

Pei Yan’s steps halted. "Then whoever makes the choice can marry her."

With that, he strode away.

’What was the point of her deciding, anyway? As long as he refused to acknowledge it, who could possibly force him to marry?’

His words made Empress Gu’s chest ache with anger. "Look at this brat, as stubborn as a mule! If he’s willing to marry, why does he look down on everyone I arrange for him?"

Mrs. Feng said uncertainly, "Could it be that His Highness already has a young lady he fancies?"

’If the one he fancies were on the list of candidates, he would have simply chosen her.’

’From the looks of it, I’m afraid His Highness’s beloved is of a status the Empress would find unacceptable.’

Empress Gu naturally came to the same conclusion as Mrs. Feng.

"If he has someone he fancies, he can simply bring her into his household. As long as she can bear children for Ah Yan and continue his line, I would accept her, even if her status is low. But Ah Yan refuses to yield. Don’t tell me... he wants this beloved of his to be his principal wife?"

As she spoke, her heart sank with a dreadful premonition.

She looked at Mrs. Feng. "Does he truly think that way?"

Mrs. Feng wore a troubled expression, her silence saying everything.

Empress Gu’s face fell. She wouldn’t stop her son from pursuing women, but he could not place a woman before the throne.

"Go and investigate. I want to see just which family’s ’fine daughter’ has him so utterly bewitched!"

The first person Empress Gu ruled out was Mei Wanying.

After all, everyone had seen with their own eyes how Pei Yan treated Mei Wanying.

But other than Mei Wanying, what other young ladies had he even interacted with?

It was a mystery.

If such a person truly existed, Ah Yan had hidden her remarkably well.

She must be the apple of his eye.

Empress Gu felt a pang of jealousy, as if her own son had been stolen away.

Ah Yan was never this considerate with her.

’Is this what they mean by "a son with a wife forgets his mother"?’

After leaving the palace, Pei Yan returned directly to his mansion.

He remembered the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone in his study, all gifts from Mei Wanying. In his bedroom wardrobe were several sets of clothes, also made for him by her.

The most recent set was for winter.

He had been too busy since the start of spring, so Mei Wanying hadn’t had a chance to make his spring attire yet.

’He would take all of it with him.’

’And that handkerchief with the singed corner—he had to take that, too.’

’If he died, these things would be buried with him.’

’If he lived, he would go find Mei Wanying and permit her to make him new clothes.’

’If Mei Wanying wanted to embroider his name on a handkerchief, he wouldn’t object to that either.’

’At that point, Mei Wanying would be mad with joy!’