After getting off the carriage, Mei Wanying walked away without looking back.
Her steps were hurried, carrying an urgency she couldn’t hide.
Only after her slender figure disappeared behind the gates of the Mei residence did Pei Yan finally withdraw his gaze.
Clicking his tongue, he thought:
What’s so good about the man she chose?
He’s nothing more than a weak scholar.
Can’t carry anything. Can’t lift anything.
Not a trace of masculinity.
The men further down the list were far better.
What kind of taste did Mei Wanying have to choose the worst one?
When Mei Wanying refused to marry, Pei Yan found her troublesome.
Now that she actually wanted to marry, he wasn’t happy either.
A blockage formed in his chest.
He felt uncomfortable all over, yet had no way to vent it.
Pressing his fingers against his brow, he admitted that this really wasn’t like him.
No wonder Mei Wanying kept giving him the cold shoulder.
Even he thought there was something wrong with himself.
No matter what she did, he found fault with it.
He always wanted to criticize her.
Fortunately, she had run away quickly.
Otherwise, he would have found another reason to needle her.
Things would get better after some time.
Mei Wanying couldn’t stay unmarried forever.
If General Mei hadn’t passed away and she hadn’t spent three years in mourning, she might even have children by now.
Children…
The thought made Pei Yan’s face darken even further.
Any child of Mei Wanying’s would surely be just as foolish and troublesome as she was.
Knocking twice on the carriage wall, he ordered,
“Back to the manor.”
He should have returned long ago.
He had only turned back because he was worried Mei Wanying might say something wrong and be punished by his mother.
Yet she didn’t appreciate it at all.
Not only did she fail to thank him, she even showed him attitude.
When Mei Wanying was unhappy, she loved giving people the cold shoulder.
Pei Yan was used to it.
Let her calm down on her own.
Once she thought things through, she’d go back to being her usual self.
As the carriage rolled away from the Mei residence, a sudden jolt sent a bloodstained handkerchief fluttering into view.
The cloth was simple and elegant, embroidered with several lifelike orchids.
It had fallen from the seat where Mei Wanying had been sitting.
A flicker crossed Pei Yan’s eyes.
His slender fingers pinched one corner of the handkerchief.
Then he noticed a tiny embroidered character stitched with silver thread in the corner.
Yan.
His name.
He couldn’t help but scoff.
What respectable young lady would be so bold?
She really had no sense of shame.
Crushing the handkerchief into a ball in his palm, a look of realization appeared in his eyes.
No wonder she’d randomly chosen a man from the list.
She was simply getting back at him.
Considering Mei Wanying’s age, Pei Yan decided not to hold it against her.
Marriage was a major matter.
It determined a woman’s entire future.
Marry the wrong man, and her whole life could be ruined.
She needed to think carefully.
He wouldn’t rush her anymore.
She could take her time.
Choose slowly.
Otherwise, in her haste, she might end up jumping into a pit of fire.
Before leaving the capital, he would ask his mother to look after Mei Wanying and ensure the Crown Prince couldn’t approach her.
When Mei Wanying returned home, her mother was already waiting in the main hall.
There was a guest seated inside.
The slender figure was instantly recognizable.
The lingering anger in Mei Wanying’s eyes brightened.
She hurried into the hall.
Hearing footsteps, Xue Xingyao turned around and immediately approached her with concern.
“I went out of town with my mother to visit relatives. The moment I returned, I heard you’d fallen ill. How are you feeling now?”
The sight of her close friend instantly extinguished the frustration Pei Yan had stirred up.
A genuine smile appeared on Mei Wanying’s face.
In her previous life, after she married Pei Yan, Xue Xingyao soon married and moved far away.
They hadn’t seen each other in a very, very long time.
She had missed her dearly.
Opening her arms slightly, Mei Wanying spun in place before her friend.
Blinking playfully, she said,
“These past few days all I’ve done is eat and sleep. I might’ve even gained weight.”
“Nonsense. You’ve obviously lost weight.”
Mei Wanying naturally had a round, auspicious-looking face.
Yet now her chin had become noticeably sharper.
She had truly suffered these past few days.
Holding onto Mei Wanying’s arm, Xue Xingyao had countless things she wanted to discuss.
Turning to Madam Mei, she smiled.
“Aunt Su, I’d like to take Ah Ying for a walk in the garden and chat for a while.”
Madam Mei couldn’t have been happier that someone was helping her daughter relax.
Still, she was preoccupied with the matter of the palace audience and wanted to know the outcome.
Mother and daughter understood each other perfectly.
Mei Wanying immediately reassured her.
“Her Majesty said she’ll keep the Crown Prince under control and told us not to worry anymore. I also mentioned our plan to return to Jiangnan, and Her Majesty didn’t object.”
If she hadn’t shown enough tact, the Empress would never have helped her solve this problem.
She might even have made things harder for her as a lesson.
Mei Wanying understood that clearly.
“What? You’re returning to Jiangnan?”
Xue Xingyao’s face filled with alarm.
She desperately wanted an explanation.
Madam Mei waved her hand.
“Go have your private conversation.”
Returning home wasn’t a bad thing.
Trouble existed wherever people gathered, but the Mei family still had connections in Jiangnan.
If problems arose, she and her daughter wouldn’t be helpless.
As long as they stayed away from the royal family and political struggles, she could protect Ah Ying even if the Mei family declined.
Going home was good.
After easing her mother’s concerns, Mei Wanying led Xue Xingyao into the garden.
The servants followed at a distance, far enough away that they couldn’t hear their conversation.
The moment they were alone, Xue Xingyao asked,
“Did you find out about that matter?”
“The Empress is arranging a marriage for Pei Yan. Is that why you’re returning to Jiangnan?”
Only after returning to the capital had Xue Xingyao learned that her portrait—and Xue Yunshu’s—had already been submitted to the palace by her grandmother.
Every noble family with daughters of marriageable age had done the same.
The matter wasn’t within her control.
Still, she felt guilty.
As though she’d somehow betrayed Mei Wanying.
After all, she knew better than anyone how much Mei Wanying liked Pei Yan.
The truth was, Xue Xingyao didn’t like him at all.
A grown man who constantly wore a dark expression wasn’t appealing in the slightest.
Someone like that was difficult enough as a friend.
As a husband?
She wouldn’t even dare imagine it.
More than once, she had questioned Mei Wanying’s taste.
How could she possibly fall for an iceberg like Pei Yan?
Immediately, she clarified her position.
“This trip wasn’t really about visiting relatives. It was actually an opportunity to meet a potential match.”
“The Chen family is one of the most prestigious families in the region. Their eldest son is exceptionally talented and treats people with warmth and kindness.”
Her face reddened slightly.
“I think he’s wonderful.”
“So there’s no way I’d ever like Pei Yan.”
“Even if I were selected, my mother would find a way to avoid it.”
“My mother says Pei Yan is a prince. There will never be a shortage of women around him.”
“Families like theirs don’t just have many women—they’re dangerous.”
“My mother says she’s spent most of her life swallowing bitterness. She’ll never let me do the same.”
“And she certainly won’t put me somewhere others could threaten my life.”
The Xue family was already wealthy and influential.
Madam Xue had no need to sacrifice her daughter’s future for additional glory.
Marrying into the royal family looked glamorous on the surface.
Behind the scenes, the price was far greater.
It was better to marry into a respectable family of equal standing.
Mei Wanying squeezed Xue Xingyao’s hand.
She was genuinely happy for her.
In her previous life, Xue Xingyao had indeed married the Chen family’s eldest son.
Their marriage had been harmonious and loving.
“You don’t need to feel guilty.”
“You didn’t steal anything from me.”
Xue Xingyao blinked.
“Wasn’t he your child husband?”
“You wouldn’t even let other women look at him.”
Mei Wanying nearly choked.
Embarrassment flooded her.
“That was just a joke.”
“It wasn’t meant seriously.”
Xue Xingyao had been worried this matter might affect their friendship.
Hearing those words, the weight on her heart finally disappeared.
It was only then that she noticed something unusual.
“You really aren’t upset about Pei Yan getting married?”
Mei Wanying shook her head.
“His affairs have nothing to do with me.”
“How could they have nothing to do with you?”
Xue Xingyao asked cautiously,
“Did he do something that hurt you?”