After Pei Yan left the palace, he ordered someone to send the fresh fish to the Mei residence.
He wanted to expose the truth that Mei Wanying was only pretending to be ill, but he was also afraid that once they met, she would cling to him again.
From the central palace to the palace gates, Pei Yan walked for a long time and finally made a decision.
Unless there was an urgent situation, he would not go to the Mei residence again.
Whether Mei Wanying was pretending to be sick or not, he would let her perform alone.
Once she realized this trick was useless, she would naturally stop making trouble.
As for what trick she would use next, Pei Yan did not know.
It was not as if he feared Mei Wanying.
He would simply deal with whatever came.
Or ignore her completely.
Once he left the capital, everything would be peaceful.
Just as Pei Yan sat inside the carriage, his subordinate reported that the Crown Prince had gone to the Mei family.
“The Crown Prince visited once before. Today is the second time,” Wei Jue added.
According to the Mei residence’s people, the first time, Miss Mei used illness as an excuse and did not receive guests.
If she refused again this time, she would certainly offend the Crown Prince.
A young lady without a father or brothers to protect her—how could she possibly oppose the heir of an empire?
No wonder Miss Mei clung to their master so desperately.
She must have felt unsafe and wanted to find someone to protect her.
Miss Mei and His Highness had grown up together as childhood companions.
Naturally, the person she trusted most was His Highness.
There was no response from inside the carriage.
Just as Wei Jue thought Mei Wanying would have to rely on herself, a cold and emotionless voice sounded.
“To the General’s Manor.”
Wei Jue thought to himself:
As expected.
Miss Mei had been able to pester His Highness for so many years because His Highness was clearly giving her opportunities.
Otherwise, His Highness spent all day either at the military camp, training soldiers, leading troops, or handling official duties.
Where would Miss Mei even find the chance to pester him?
He was the one delivering himself to her door.
The carriage changed direction and headed toward the Mei family.
As they drove through the long street, the steady carriage suddenly lost control.
The coachman shouted,
“You blind fool! How dare you charge into a noble’s carriage!”
The carriage bore the insignia of Prince Chen’s residence.
Though simple and understated, everyone knew Prince Chen was the Emperor’s only biological son.
He was indeed a noble.
A noble no one could afford to offend.
Xue Yunshu shielded a child and said righteously,
“Even if he is a noble, he cannot gallop horses through the street! There are so many children by the roadside. If you drive so carelessly, are you trying to take their lives?”
The coachman spat.
“Stop talking nonsense!”
The carriage had been moving perfectly fine.
This woman and child had suddenly rushed out, yet now she was blaming them and accusing them of injuring others.
Was there something wrong with her head?
“Get lost! Don’t block the road!”
Xue Yunshu’s expression remained stubborn.
“You nearly hurt someone. Shouldn’t you apologize?”
The coachman scoffed.
“Where did this madwoman come from? If you delay our master’s important business, even ten heads won’t be enough for you to lose!”
Xue Yunshu refused to move and raised her voice.
“Prince Chen, is this how you indulge wicked servants who harm people?”
The carriage window was slightly open.
Through the narrow gap, Xue Yunshu saw the man’s astonishingly handsome profile.
Sharp brows.
Straight nose.
Clearly defined features.
He was truly a handsome gentleman.
Xue Yunshu’s heart pounded wildly.
She was so nervous she nearly fainted.
She was the daughter of Duke Ding, but her position in the residence was awkward.
When Duke Ding was young, he had been rebellious and insisted on marrying a low-born female physician.
His elders refused, so he eloped with the physician.
They had even bowed to heaven and earth in a small mountain village and become husband and wife.
That physician was Xue Yunshu’s biological mother.
Poor couples suffered endless hardships.
Before two years had passed, Duke Ding returned to the capital in disgrace.
He accepted his family’s arrangement and married a noble young lady.
After he left, the physician became pregnant.
She did not go to the capital to find Duke Ding.
Instead, she gave birth to the child herself.
When Xue Yunshu was ten years old, her mother fell seriously ill and told her to take a token to the capital to seek her relatives.
Duke Ding felt guilty toward the physician.
He had always believed she was his original wife.
When he heard the physician had died in sorrow because of him, his guilt reached its peak.
He kept Xue Yunshu in the residence.
He even endured pressure and had her recorded under the name of the household’s principal wife, granting Xue Yunshu the status of a legitimate daughter.
After marrying Duke Ding, Madam Xue gave birth to two sons and one daughter.
They were the legitimate sons and daughter recognized by everyone.
Their position was completely different from Xue Yunshu’s awkward one.
This time, when the Empress selected candidates for Prince Chen’s wife, the old madam of the residence made the decision to send both her and her legitimate younger sister’s portraits into the palace.
Her younger sister’s name was Xue Xingyao.
She was one year younger than Xue Yunshu, seventeen years old, and just at the age for marriage discussions.
In Xue Yunshu’s eyes, this younger sister was dull and boring.
Just an ordinary noble girl who only knew music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Unfortunately, Xue Xingyao’s maternal family was powerful.
Even though she was plain and unremarkable, the family still supported her wholeheartedly.
The families interacting with Duke Ding’s residence all wanted to marry Xue Xingyao.
Her own mother had lost to Xue Xingyao’s mother.
Xue Yunshu thought that she must win this round back.
She would slap the faces of everyone who looked down on her.
After thinking it over, Xue Yunshu decided to create a chance encounter with Prince Chen and seize the advantage first.
She knew it was risky.
But wealth and honor were found within danger.
Just like her biological mother.
Though born in the countryside, hadn’t she still managed to attach herself to the heir of a duke’s residence?
Xue Yunshu stared fixedly at the carriage, her heart nearly leaping into her throat.
She hoped to meet Pei Yan.
To speak even one word to him.
As long as she left even a slight impression, her chances of winning would increase.
As she wished, Pei Yan’s gaze swept toward her.
Those deep eyes contained frozen ice.
Cold enough to pierce the bone.
They carried a distant indifference that rejected everyone thousands of miles away.
With just one glance from him, Xue Yunshu’s heartbeat nearly stopped.
That was the majesty of someone in power.
Her feet instinctively retreated, and she no longer blocked the road.
From beginning to end, the man did not say a single word.
The carriage carried him away.
Only after the oppressive aura vanished did Xue Yunshu finally recover her breath.
She covered her face.
It was burning hot.
If she could marry Prince Chen, she would willingly shorten her life by ten years.
“Mother, she was the one who pushed me just now!”
The child’s complaint pulled Xue Yunshu back to her senses.
She saw a fierce-looking woman roll up her sleeves and walk toward her viciously.
“You dare push my son…”
Before she could finish her threat, a few pieces of silver were tossed into her arms.
Xue Yunshu looked disdainful.
“Don’t you just want to extort money? Take it and get lost.”
With silver in hand, the woman immediately beamed.
This money was truly easy to earn.
She said to Xue Yunshu,
“Why don’t you push him a few more times? I definitely won’t stop you!”
Xue Yunshu’s expression was full of contempt.
For money, this woman had even thrown away her dignity.
Her determination to marry into Prince Chen’s residence became even stronger.
She had to grasp wealth and glory in her own hands.
Only then could she live with dignity and respect.
Ignoring them, Xue Yunshu turned and entered a jewelry shop.
The next time they met, she would dress herself carefully and leave Prince Chen with a good impression.
The woman left behind pulled her son away while muttering,
“Next time you see a carriage, just lie down on the ground and say the carriage hit you. Make them pay money.”
“Mother, if we offend a noble, we’ll be beaten to death!” the boy said, pouting.
This was the capital.
If someone threw a brick, it could hit several officials.
Trying to extort them was choosing money over life.
The woman jabbed his forehead hard.
“You fool. Choose the kind-looking ones to extort!”