Mei Wanying was resolute.
Mrs. Mei burst into tears. "It's come to this. What good would refusing to marry him do now? You have no other choice!"
"I know Pei Yan. He will certainly take you as his official wife. He won't let you suffer."
Mrs. Mei had another reason for taking this drastic step.
Pei Yan had been acknowledged by the Royal Family.
He was the eldest son of the Empress of the Central Palace. At birth, he had been swapped with a stillborn infant. All children born in the palace thereafter were princesses; there were no more princes.
Under pressure, the Emperor had adopted an Imperial Prince and installed him as Crown Prince.
Now that Pei Yan was back, he had become a thorn in the Crown Prince's side.
After all, the heart is partial. Between one's own son and a nephew, anyone would naturally choose the former.
The Crown Prince's position was no longer secure!
The Crown Prince's insistence on pursuing Ah Yin was partly a way to contend with Pei Yan.
He saw Ah Yin as a prize to be won and would stop at nothing to have her.
The families who understood the situation were unwilling to align with the Mei family through marriage, fearing they would get caught in the crossfire.
Even if some spirited young gentleman were willing to take the risk, he wouldn't be able to protect Ah Yin.
Other than Pei Yan, there was no second candidate.
Mrs. Mei had approached the Empress to beg a favor for her daughter, but the Empress had put her off with excuses.
As things stood, the Mei family was of no help to Pei Yan, so the Empress looked down on them.
Mrs. Mei had also voiced her concerns to Pei Yan. He had assured her that he would protect Mei Wanying, but he would not marry her.
He saw Mei Wanying as a sister and held no romantic feelings for her.
Pei Yan was naturally aloof; once his mind was made up, he rarely changed it. Mrs. Mei was at her wit's end with him.
She had intended to find a way, slowly but surely, to make Pei Yan agree to the marriage.
But the Crown Prince was closing in, having already petitioned the Emperor for an imperial edict to grant the marriage.
The Emperor had neither agreed nor refused.
At this critical juncture, she heard that the Empress was planning to select a wife for Pei Yan.
Mrs. Mei only had one daughter. She couldn't wait until they were truly desperate to take a final, drastic measure.
So she decided to go all in and force Pei Yan's hand.
He might be furious, but in time, even the greatest anger would dissipate.
After all, the Mei family had shown him great kindness, and he and Ah Yin were childhood friends who had known each other for over ten years.
Now that her plan had succeeded, for some unknown reason, her daughter was no longer willing to marry Pei Yan.
'What a tragedy!'
Overcome with anxiety, Mrs. Mei pressed, "A woman's virtue is paramount! If you don't marry him, who else can you marry?"
Mei Wanying averted her gaze, her slender fingers wiping away a tear. "Then I won't marry. I'll remain a spinster my entire life."
"Nonsense!"
Her emotions in turmoil, Mrs. Mei's chest heaved. "The Crown Prince is a tyrant. Do you think you can fend him off just by saying no?"
Having just been reborn, the memories of her past life were tangled with the events of the present day, leaving Mei Wanying's mind in chaos.
She couldn't calm down enough to think clearly.
"Pei Yan won't just stand by and watch. I... I don't want to trap him. You can't force happiness."
Mrs. Mei's heart ached so much she wanted to cry. 'Our Ah Yin is too kind, too naive.'
'She was just one step away from getting everything she wanted, yet she's still considering Pei Yan's feelings.'
Mei Wanying felt her mother's arms wrap around her slender shoulders and heard her mutter, "It was I who was foolish. I've ruined you."
Mother and daughter cried heartbrokenly. Nanny Liu's heart clenched in sympathy; she was Mei Wanying's wet nurse and shared a deep bond with her.
"We can hide this from outsiders, but not from *him*. Otherwise, our Ying will be the one to suffer. He..."
Mei Wanying cut her off before she could finish.
Grasping her mother's hand, Mei Wanying pleaded, "Mother, don't let him find out. Let's just pretend none of this ever happened."
'In my past life, Pei Yan married me, but he also despised me utterly.'
'On the second day of our marriage, he left for the Border, leaving me to languish alone in that vast residence.'
'That cold war was like death by a thousand cuts. It can kill you just the same!'
Mei Wanying didn't want to experience that a second time.
And she certainly didn't want to compete with other women for his affection.
She didn't want to be despised and die in that treacherous, man-eating inner court!
Mei Wanying was the family's only daughter and had been doted on since childhood. She was innocent and endearingly silly, almost always seen with a smile.
Only two people had ever made her cry this heartbrokenly.
One was her late father.
The other was Pei Yan.
Mrs. Mei's heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife. She had panicked and made a reckless move, and now there wasn't even a chance for regret.
She closed her eyes. "I can't protect you forever. You must marry Pei Yan."
Pei Yan's status was noble and his abilities were extraordinary. He was the best possible match for Ah Yin.
Mei Wanying pulled out a hairpin and, just as she had in her dreams, pressed it against her neck.
"Either way, there is no good ending for me. I might as well end it now!"
Mrs. Mei's face went pale with shock. She snatched the hairpin from her daughter's hand and threw it to the ground.
She only had one daughter.
This was her lifeblood!
She hugged Mei Wanying tightly. "We won't get married, we won't. I won't force you anymore..."
A long while later, Mei Wanying was finally sent back to her own courtyard.
She had an eye condition that made it difficult for her to see at night, so her courtyard was lit with more lanterns than others.
The small courtyard was brightly lit, and Mei Wanying finally felt a sense of peace.
Seeing Mei Wanying's red-rimmed eyes, the servants didn't dare ask any questions.
Today was the anniversary of the General's death. Every year on this day, their mistress would have a long cry.
After preparing the hot water, Ding Xiang helped Mei Wanying to the bath, reminding her to watch her step.
When they reached the bath chamber, Ding Xiang moved to help Mei Wanying undress.
But Mei Wanying stopped her. "Go wait outside. I want to be alone for a while."
Ding Xiang didn't dare argue, afraid of upsetting her further.
Today was a difficult day.
She laid out the bathing supplies and then withdrew.
Ding Xiang didn't go far. She stood just behind the curtain so she could hear the slightest sound.
Mei Wanying slipped out of her clothes. Below her collarbones, her skin was dotted with marks like tiny red plum blossoms.
Her skin was so fair that it couldn't hide the slightest mark.
In the worst spots, the faint marks of fingers remained.
'He really was forceful.'
In her past life, looking at these marks had made Mei Wanying feel cherished.
Anything from Pei Yan, no matter how painful, she had accepted with pleasure.
Now, however, the sight of them was horrifying.
'That beast,' she cursed inwardly. 'Pei Yan pretends to be so aloof and ascetic, but in truth, he's a wild animal who wanted to devour me whole.'
Mei Wanying suddenly recalled their wedding night in her past life. Pei Yan had slept in his study, causing her immense humiliation.
But just before leaving, he had suddenly appeared in the bridal chamber.
Within the red silk bed-curtains, Pei Yan had been silent, his actions rough enough to tear her apart.
Afterward, he had left her with a few ice-cold words and walked away without a backward glance.
A sour, aching feeling swelled in Mei Wanying's chest.
'If I hadn't been so foolishly persistent, would Pei Yan have been a good older brother to me?'
She let out a long breath, trying to dispel the gloom in her heart.
'Heaven hasn't been cruel to me. It's given me a second chance.'
'If I keep chasing after Pei Yan, I'd be an absolute fool!'
As she sank into the tub, the water made certain spots sting with pain.
Mei Wanying's expression tensed. She remembered something and hurriedly called for Ding Xiang. "Get me a brush and paper. I need you to fill a prescription for me."
Mei Wanying had picked up some basic medical knowledge from the physician who treated her eye condition.
Ding Xiang asked with concern, "Miss, are you feeling unwell? Shall I call for a physician?"
Mei Wanying shook her head. "I probably just caught a chill. I have a slight stomachache."
Ding Xiang mentally counted the days; it was still a few days before her mistress's monthly courses.
'Could her emotional distress have affected her cycle?'