At the mention of Mei Wanying, the atmosphere once again became tense.
Pei Yan lifted his eyelids, his deep eyes carrying a cold, sharp edge.
“There is no need for the Crown Prince to trouble himself. I will send her the things she likes.”
“Oh?”
The Crown Prince’s expression turned playful.
“Why have I heard that you look down on Mei Wanying? She chased after you for years, yet you never agreed to marry her.”
“Rumors cannot be taken seriously.”
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow.
Was this Pei Yan protecting Mei Wanying?
The blood in the Crown Prince’s body seemed to boil, igniting a fierce fighting spirit.
A voice inside him roared that he must fight Pei Yan to the death.
The more Pei Yan protected Mei Wanying, the more he wanted to snatch her away.
Mei Wanying—he was determined to have her.
If he won, she would be his trophy.
If he lost, then Mei Wanying should not live either.
Everything Pei Yan cared about, he would seize one by one.
Even if he had to destroy them, he would never leave them to Pei Yan.
The Crown Prince’s gaze turned sinister.
No matter how well he restrained himself, the gloom still leaked through.
Empress Gu forced a smile and said,
“She is only a young woman. She is hardly worth both of you brothers paying so much attention to. Don’t quarrel over her.”
The Crown Prince curved his lips.
“Miss Mei is a graceful and virtuous lady. I am quite fond of her. Since Second Brother is unwilling to marry her, why not fulfill my wish? For your sake, I certainly won’t mistreat her.”
The word mistreat carried a different meaning.
Their gazes collided across the air.
Not a single soldier moved, yet the tension felt like a storm was about to break.
Pei Yan spoke a few words through his thin lips.
“My people—whoever touches them will bear the consequences.”
Pei Yan only said it once.
But everyone could hear that he was serious.
Mei Wanying had been placed under his protection.
No one was allowed to touch her.
The smile on the Crown Prince’s lips disappeared.
“In that case, we can only rely on our own abilities. After all, matters between men and women depend on mutual affection. You cannot speak for Miss Mei. Perhaps she would be very willing to enter the Eastern Palace.”
As though hearing a ridiculous joke, Pei Yan let out a cold laugh.
“Then let us wait and see.”
Mei Wanying loved him desperately.
How could she possibly want to enter the Eastern Palace?
If such a day ever came, she would certainly have been forced.
Though Mei Wanying had countless flaws, she was devoted and persistent.
She was not someone who changed her affections easily.
On this point, Pei Yan was certain.
Seeing Pei Yan’s confident expression ignited a furious fire in the Crown Prince’s heart.
He wished he could kill the man before him with a single strike.
Suppressing his anger, the Crown Prince calmly stood.
Adjusting his sleeves, he said,
“I suddenly remembered that I still have official duties. I will take my leave.”
After bowing to Empress Gu, the Crown Prince left the table and exited the hall with a dark expression.
Only after he had gone far away did Empress Gu complain,
“The Crown Prince has always acted absurdly. In the past, I didn’t argue with him and often spoke well of him before the Emperor. Yet now, he dares to come to the central palace and throw his weight around!”
When one disliked someone, whatever that person said or did would always be wrong.
That was exactly how Empress Gu felt toward the Crown Prince.
She tentatively asked Pei Yan,
“What exactly are your thoughts toward Mei Wanying?”
If her son liked Mei Wanying, then she would ask the Emperor to decide.
Once Prince Chen’s residence had a proper mistress, Mei Wanying could be brought into the residence as a secondary consort.
If A-Yan did not like Mei Wanying, then she would no longer care.
Whether Mei Wanying lived or died would be her own fate.
Pei Yan’s tone was indifferent.
“What thoughts?”
Empress Gu scolded him lightly,
“You child, are you still pretending to be clueless with me? Tell Mother the truth. Do you want to take Mei Wanying as a concubine?”
Pei Yan frowned and corrected her.
“She will not be a concubine.”
Empress Gu replied,
“The Mei family has declined. She cannot be your principal wife.”
A faint feeling of suffocation passed through Pei Yan’s heart.
It came quickly.
So quickly he did not have time to grasp it.
“I never said I would marry her.”
“Then… what did your words just now mean?”
Pei Yan said,
“General Mei raised me and showed me great kindness. I cannot allow anything to happen to Mei Wanying.”
“If you take her in, she will become yours. Then your protection of her would be perfectly justified.”
“Those old foxes in court are all trying to send their daughters into your residence. Once they see the Mei family benefiting, they will certainly do everything they can to support you.”
At first, Pei Yan had no intention of fighting for the position of Crown Prince.
But the Crown Prince had pressed him step by step, insisting on a battle to the death.
When faced with battle, Pei Yan never retreated.
Since the other side wanted to fight and would not stop until one of them died, he would answer the challenge.
But Pei Yan did not want to use political power struggles on Mei Wanying.
Nor would he.
He wanted Empress Gu to abandon the idea.
“Find Mei Wanying a husband who loves her wholeheartedly, whose inner courtyard is clean, and who will not let her suffer grievances. That was General Mei’s wish.”
Because of this, General Mei had never interfered in the matter between him and Mei Wanying.
He had never used the Mei family’s kindness to demand that Pei Yan marry her.
“If there is a suitable candidate, I will arrange for Mei Wanying to marry.”
Empress Gu said,
“Among families with even the slightest ability, which man doesn’t have multiple wives and concubines? No matter whom she marries, she will suffer grievances. If you take her in, it would benefit everyone.”
Those words made Pei Yan uncomfortable.
Mei Wanying was so delicate, and her possessiveness was terrifyingly strong.
If she had to share a husband with other women, wouldn’t she turn the inner courtyard upside down?
He had said it before.
Mei Wanying was someone under his protection.
Whoever married Mei Wanying should be prepared not to take concubines or keep mistresses.
“Whoever dares to make her suffer grievances is going against me.”
Empress Gu suddenly felt as though she were playing music to a cow.
This boy—why was he so completely clueless when it came to matters between men and women?
“If you protect her like this, who would dare marry her?”
Pei Yan frowned.
“Why wouldn’t they dare? Unless they harbor ulterior motives.”
Empress Gu thought to herself:
Others would also fear that you harbor ulterior motives!
Mei Wanying was not his biological sister.
He hated her enough to grit his teeth, yet protected her so thoroughly.
It was difficult not to overthink.
Leaving aside the Crown Prince’s interest in Mei Wanying, Pei Yan’s attitude alone would make many people hesitate.
Marrying a wife was not the same as inviting an ancestor home.
If someone truly married Mei Wanying, the entire family would have to live according to her mood.
Who would be willing?
Those who did not know better might even think A-Yan and Mei Wanying had an unclear relationship, and that marrying her off was only a temporary measure.
Empress Gu sighed.
“If you don’t want to bring her into your residence, then stay farther away from her. If anything happens, order your subordinates to handle it.”
Pei Yan was puzzled.
Hadn’t he always done that?
From beginning to end, he had never taken the initiative to provoke Mei Wanying.
She was the one who kept clinging to him.
Unwilling to argue further on this topic, Pei Yan already had his own plans for how to settle Mei Wanying.
Soon, he would be going to the border.
Once he was no longer in the capital, it would be easy for others to take advantage of the situation.
The image of Mei Wanying crying appeared in his mind.
Pei Yan thought that before he left, he had to arrange things properly for her.
Otherwise, she would be afraid.
And he would have no way to answer to General Mei.
After thinking for a moment, Pei Yan said,
“After I leave for the border, summon Mei Wanying into the palace.”
Empress Gu understood his intention after a brief thought.
He wanted her to help look after Mei Wanying.
“Why don’t I simply accept her as my adopted daughter and ask your father to grant her the title of princess? That way, she will be your and the Crown Prince’s nominal younger sister. It would solve everything once and for all.”