「Imperial Palace.」
A wide smile spread across Empress Gu's face the moment she saw Pei Yan.
The normally dignified and stern mistress of the Harem was, at this moment, no different from any ordinary mother.
Her gaze swept over Pei Yan from head to toe. "You've gotten thinner," Empress Gu said. "Have you been too tired lately?"
Such straightforward concern, coming from his own birth mother, was something Pei Yan still found unaccustomed to.
He brought a fist to his lips. "Why did you send for me?"
Knowing his cold nature, Empress Gu didn't feel slighted. With a smile still on her face, she asked, "Must I have a reason to see you?"
Pei Yan pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Empress Gu gestured at him with a finger, her tone teasing. "Oh, you. You're so stoic. Once you marry, you'll have to change that temper of yours. Otherwise, the mansion will be freezing. What girl could stand that?"
Pei Yan thought to himself, 'Mei Wanying could stand it.'
'Even if I didn't say a word, she could entertain herself, chattering on and on.'
'So... noisy!'
Realizing he was actually thinking about Mei Wanying, Pei Yan's expression darkened.
'She's spoiled, willful, can't endure hardship, and can't stand being wronged—a whole mountain of flaws.'
'What's there to even think about?'
He tried to force Mei Wanying from his mind, but failed. The man's expression grew even colder.
Empress Gu fell silent, thinking her words had upset Pei Yan.
Normally, she wouldn't have to watch anyone's mood, but this was the son she had found again after untold hardships. It was difficult for Empress Gu not to dote on him.
She had wanted to bring up the matter of choosing a daughter-in-law, but now she didn't dare.
It was a rare chance to meet, and Empress Gu didn't want it to end on a sour note.
This matter could wait.
'Ah Yan is handsome, his status is noble, and he's driven. There isn't an unmarried noble lady who doesn't want to marry him.'
'Who to choose... that requires careful consideration.'
'Whether the girl is beautiful or not is secondary. She must be able to help Ah Yan.'
'Help him take down the Crown Prince's faction.'
'Ah Yan is the true, legitimate heir.'
'The position of Crown Prince should be his, and the one to ultimately ascend the throne should also be him!'
'After he takes a wife, I'll select a few beautiful concubines for Ah Yan.'
'Mei Wanying is certainly beautiful—a fairy-like figure with a face of jade, an absolute stunner. She could be a Concubine for Ah Yan.'
'It would also count as repaying the Mei family for their kindness in raising Ah Yan.'
'That way, the Mei family won't be able to play the victim and cause outsiders to misunderstand Ah Yan, which would be detrimental to his reputation.'
This was also the reason Empress Gu had whispered in the Emperor's ear and dissuaded him from agreeing to the Crown Prince's request.
'This Mei Wanying must be kept in reserve, to be used to build a good reputation for Ah Yan.'
'Let the world know that those who have helped Ah Yan will not be without their rewards.'
'Of course, Mei Wanying can only enter the Prince Chen Mansion if Ah Yan agrees.'
'For years, Mei Wanying has been chasing after Ah Yan shamelessly. Where is the dignity and poise of a noble lady?'
'I hear she also has an eye ailment, rendering her blind at night. They've searched for famous doctors, but there is no cure.'
'Heaven knows if any child she bears will inherit her affliction.'
'If it weren't for giving face to General Mei, no matter how beautiful Mei Wanying was, she wouldn't even catch my eye.'
Empress Gu thought, 'If that day truly comes, I might as well give Mei Wanying a bowl of barrenness potion and eliminate any possibility of her bearing children.'
'Although her child wouldn't be of the main lineage, for a frail child, being born into the Royal Family is a torment.'
'If they were born into a common family, it would be one thing to raise them, but the Royal Family is different.'
'The weaker he is, the more cruelly he will be bullied.'
'The Royal Family is merciless. Others will not show him mercy just because he is weak.'
'The Mei family is in decline, and Mei Wanying herself already has a difficult life. If she had a frail child on top of that, could she even take care of it?'
'It would be better if she didn't give birth at all.'
'Lest she drag Ah Yan down!'
Knowing her son was still clueless and had no thoughts whatsoever about matters between men and women, Empress Gu didn't bring up Mei Wanying.
Everything could wait until after her son married his primary wife.
'But if that Mei Wanying gets too greedy, fails to see the bigger picture, and insists on marrying Ah Yan as his primary wife, then she shouldn't blame me for being ruthless and granting the Crown Prince's wish!'
Reining in her thoughts, Empress Gu ordered the meal to be served. A full table was laden with exquisite delicacies.
Empress Gu didn't know what Pei Yan liked to eat, so she could only have the servants prepare a wide variety of dishes, wanting to lavish him with all the best things.
She said with a smile, "You've grown so thin from exhaustion these past few days. You must eat more in a bit."
Pei Yan lowered his eyes and glanced at himself.
'When did I get thinner?'
'In the past, Mei Wanying would often say things like this. One moment she'd say I'd gotten thinner, the next she'd say I'd gotten darker.'
'She loves to tell bald-faced lies!'
But the person before him was his own mother. It was understandable for a parent to dote on their child.
Just like General Mei and Mrs. Mei, who treated Mei Wanying as the apple of their eye—doting on her so much they feared she would melt in their mouths or break if held in their hands.
They were afraid she would get cold, and afraid she would go hungry.
'But with so many people waiting on her, how could she possibly suffer from hunger or cold?'
Before they could even sit down, someone arrived uninvited.
The Crown Prince and Pei Yan were paternal cousins, connected by blood, and bore a slight resemblance to one another.
Unlike Pei Yan, who had fought on battlefields, the Crown Prince had grown up in the lap of luxury.
Both men had forceful personalities, but their auras were completely different.
Upon closer inspection, the Crown Prince's charming, almond-shaped eyes held a hint of gloom that was hard to conceal.
Pei Yan's gaze, however, was calm and still, like an ancient well, betraying none of his inner thoughts.
It was precisely because Pei Yan was so hard to read and commanded such prestige in the military that the moment his identity was revealed, the Crown Prince felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
The throne of the supreme ruler, the pinnacle of power—what an alluring position it was.
The Crown Prince refused to believe that Pei Yan had no intention of seizing the throne.
He had thought the position of Crown Prince was already in the bag, but he never expected a wrench to be thrown into the works.
'If this stumbling block isn't removed, how can I ever sleep soundly?'
Their gazes met in mid-air, neither man backing down.
Pei Yan wasn't thinking about court disputes; he only wanted to warn the Crown Prince not to even think about touching Mei Wanying.
'So what if he's the Crown Prince?'
'If anyone dares lay a hand on the person I protect, they shouldn't blame me for being merciless.'
Pei Yan didn't yield an inch. Sparks seemed to fly in the air. If he were to back down, it would be seen as a sign of weakness in his opponent's eyes.
If he couldn't be firm, Mei Wanying's situation would only become worse.
Pei Yan had no romantic feelings for Mei Wanying, but he was still willing to protect her.
'Just consider it repaying a debt of gratitude.'
Empress Gu stepped forward to play peacemaker. Now was not the time to openly turn against each other.
She said with a smile, "It's so rare for you both to come see me. Let the three of us—mother and sons—enjoy a nice meal together."
The Crown Prince offered a half-smile. "I heard Second Brother was coming to the palace, so I knew I'd be in for a feast. Mother Empress, you can't hold it against me for coming uninvited."
Empress Gu feigned a slight admonishment. "Seeing you both, I couldn't be happier."
She took Pei Yan's hand with her left and the Crown Prince's with her right, leading them to be seated for the meal.
The Crown Prince lowered his gaze to the hand holding his, a flicker of mockery in his eyes.
'I was adopted by Empress Gu. On the surface, we are a loving mother and a filial son, but I can feel just how much she hates me.'
'Now that Pei Yan has been found, I've become an even bigger thorn in her side—one she's desperate to remove.'
The Crown Prince's expression was grim.
'When they needed me to stabilize the dynasty, they forced me into the Imperial Palace.'
'Now that her real son has been found, she doesn't need me anymore and wants to kick me to the curb.'
'Where in the world could there be such a convenient arrangement?'
'This position of Crown Prince—I'm taking it, no matter what!'
'Unless I die, Pei Yan can forget about ever ascending the throne!'
Hidden tensions simmered in the air.
Empress Gu was displeased. 'It's a rare chance for me to see my own son, and this blind fool just has to show up and ruin everything!'
She personally placed a piece of fish on Pei Yan's plate. "This is fresh fish from Jiangnan. The meat is tender and delicious. You should try it."
Jiangnan...
That was Mei Wanying's hometown. When they were young, she had returned to visit her family and had pestered him to go with her.
Back then, she had said the fish in Jiangnan was so delicious she could never get tired of it.
When it was time to return to the capital, she had even hidden in the carriage and cried, saying she couldn't bear to leave the fish of Jiangnan behind.
A flicker of movement in Pei Yan's eyes. He asked Empress Gu, "Is there any more of this fresh fish?"
"Yes, yes, of course! I'll have someone send all of it to your mansion later." This was the first time her son had ever asked her for something, and Empress Gu was overjoyed.
'If it's something Ah Yan likes, I would pluck the stars and moon from the sky for him, to say nothing of a few fresh fish!'
Pei Yan grunted in acknowledgment and said no more. He tasted the fish; it was very similar to the flavor he remembered.
Watching this scene, a wave of hostility surged in the Crown Prince's eyes.
The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk as he said to Pei Yan, "Miss Mei's ancestral home is in Jiangnan. She must also love fish from there. Why don't you give the fish to me? It would be a good way to win the beautiful lady's favor."