Chapter 227: Ah Jing, Who Have You Done Right By?
A few years ago in the Capital City, Pei Yan was just a dense block of wood.
Back then, he was cold and unfeeling. Anyone who got close to him would only end up covered in wounds.
Looking back on it now, Xue Xingyao felt like Pei Yan had become a completely different person.
She whispered to Mei Wanying, "Is there some kind of secret between you two? His transformation is just too drastic. I always figured he’d never wise up and would just end up a lonely bachelor for life."
Given his temperament back then, even after ascending the throne, he probably would’ve become a tyrant.
And yet, the truth was that he was a wise and brilliant ruler, and his reign benefited the common people.
And he was exceptionally good to Ah Yin and Ling.
If she hadn’t seen with her own eyes that the man was truly Pei Yan, Xue Xingyao would have suspected he’d been replaced by an imposter.
There were some things Mei Wanying didn’t know how to explain to Xue Xingyao.
She teased, "He’s getting on in years. If he didn’t wise up soon, he’d have wasted his life."
Xue Xingyao burst out laughing.
Hiding in the shadows, Wei Jue wiped the sweat from his brow. ’Miss Mei thinks the Emperor is old,’ he thought. ’If His Majesty heard that, he’d be heartbroken for ages.’
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t noticed—every time the Emperor was about to see Miss Mei, he would meticulously groom himself.
The Emperor cared a great deal about his image in Miss Mei’s eyes.
’I’d better make sure His Majesty never learns of this. Otherwise, if he becomes unhappy, there’s no telling who will suffer the consequences.’
Such were Wei Jue’s thoughts.
Mei Wanying glanced in Wei Jue’s direction. ’He won’t go snitching to Pei Yan, will he?’
Knowing that Pei Yan had arranged for people to protect Mei Wanying, Xue Xingyao whispered, "Next time we gossip about him, we’ll have to be more discreet..."
Mei Wanying nodded in complete agreement.
It wasn’t that she was afraid of Pei Yan finding out what she’d said; she was afraid that the scoundrel would abandon all decorum, pestering her to prove that he wasn’t old yet...
Mei Wanying knew Pei Yan all too well. He was absolutely capable of doing something like that!
She gave a little cough, clearing her throat. "Is Shen Mingji still writing to you?"
At the mention of this, Xue Xingyao grew uncomfortable.
She was no naive girl, ignorant of the ways of the world. Even if she hadn’t picked up on Shen Mingji’s intentions at first, after so many letters, she’d have to be a complete fool not to see it.
She nodded. "It’s nothing important. He just says he’s safe and sound."
Safe and sound...
Normally, you only contact people who are important to you.
Mei Wanying had long suspected that Shen Mingji had feelings for Ah Yao, and this all but confirmed it.
She asked Xue Xingyao, "Did you write back to him?"
"No." Xue Xingyao shook her head. "There’s no possibility between us."
She didn’t intend to die alone. If she met the right person, she would consider remarrying.
But Shen Mingji was not an option.
She wanted nothing more to do with Chen Shujing, and that meant she wouldn’t consider anyone in his circle.
Mei Wanying asked, "If he weren’t Miss Shen’s brother, would you consider him?"
"No."
Miss Shen and Chen Shujing knew each other long before I came into the picture. How petty would I have to be to hold that against Miss Shen?
What angered her was Chen Shujing’s attitude and his actions; it had nothing to do with Miss Shen.
The only one who ever hurt her, from start to finish, was Chen Shujing.
Xue Xingyao let out a breath. "The Border is fraught with danger. In time, he’ll naturally give up."
An image of Shen Mingji’s proud, unruly face surfaced in her mind. Though they hadn’t known each other long, Xue Xingyao was certain that he wouldn’t return until he had achieved military glory.
He wasn’t the type to get lost in matters of the heart.
Feelings have to be mutual. A one-sided crush can’t last for long.
As long as she gave him no response and no hope, even the most stubborn person’s passion would eventually fade.
There were no real ties between her and Shen Mingji. Before long, he would move on.
Seeing her dear friend so unmoved, Mei Wanying knew that for Shen Mingji to get what he wanted would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
If he gave up halfway, he would have no chance at all.
Remembering what Pei Yan had mentioned in his letter, Mei Wanying hesitated for a long moment before finally telling Xue Xingyao.
"The Chen Family is forcing Chen Shujing to marry. At first, they chose a daughter from a cadet branch of the Shen family, but Chen Shujing refused and flew into a rage. So, the Chen Family picked someone else. By the looks of it, the Chen family elders won’t give up until he agrees to take a wife."
Chen Shujing and Pei Yan were good friends and still corresponded privately.
Upon learning that Pei Yan had won the girl of his dreams, Chen Shujing grew exceedingly morose and wrote to him about his own recent situation.
They had both made mistakes, so Chen Shujing couldn’t understand how Pei Yan could be forgiven.
While he, on the other hand, was being pressured by everyone.
Xue Xingyao wouldn’t forgive him, and she refused to turn back and reconcile with him.
The elders of his family were even threatening suicide to force him to marry and produce an heir.
Frustrated, Chen Shujing could only write to Pei Yan and ask for his advice: How does one win back the girl they like?
Of course, Pei Yan had no intention of giving Chen Shujing any tips.
He had even passed the news on to Mei Wanying, fearing that her dear friend would be deceived once more.
If Xue Xingyao was suffering, his Ah Yin would be worried sick.
Xue Xingyao knew nothing of these events in the Chen Family.
She had no intention of going back to him anyway, so whether Chen Shujing married someone else had no effect on her.
She said with a calm expression, "He’s the family heir. Whether he marries or not isn’t up to him. The Chen family elders have plenty of ways to make him agree."
Their marriage arrangement back then was likely also the result of pressure from the elders.
Chen Shujing was no longer young, yet he had no female confidantes, and his household was empty of other women. He was probably trying to remain faithful to Miss Shen.
She had been so foolish back then, thinking Chen Shujing was simply a man of integrity. She thought that, combined with the Chen Family’s upstanding reputation, was why he had no other women around.
She’d never imagined it was because he was hiding someone else in his heart.
"He compromised once for the sake of an heir; compromising a second time won’t be difficult."
Those involved are blind, but bystanders see clearly.
Now that she was free from her marriage to Chen Shujing, it wasn’t hard for Xue Xingyao to look back and understand that he had only agreed to marry for the sake of producing an heir.
The kindness he showed her later was probably just because she was basking in Miss Shen’s glow.
Thinking back on that short marriage, it felt as distant as a past life. Xue Xingyao’s heart was completely still, without a single ripple of emotion.
She linked her arm with Mei Wanying’s and leaned against her shoulder. "Don’t worry. I won’t give him a second chance to hurt me."
Xue Xingyao knew perfectly well why Ah Yin was telling her all this.
Ah Yin was afraid she’d be fooled by Chen Shujing all over again.
「The Chen Residence」
Chen Shujing still refused to marry another woman.
The Chen family elders had tried everything, using both soft and hard tactics, but he simply wouldn’t relent.
"Do you want the Chen family line to end with you?" Madam Chen’s head throbbed, furious with her son.
"The Chen Family has more sons than just me," Chen Shujing said mildly. "How could the family line possibly end?"
Madam Chen cried, "That’s different!"
Ah Jing was the eldest legitimate son. He had been raised as the heir from a young age, which set him apart from the other boys in the family.
"It is your duty to marry and have children! To shirk your responsibility at a time like this—how can you possibly face the ancestors of the Chen family?"
"Even Shen Mingji knows enough to go strive for military glory. You are the heir in whom we have placed such high hopes. How can you be so completely consumed by love and romance?"
"Ah Jing, who, exactly, are you not letting down?"
Chen Shujing gave a bitter smile. "I have Ah Yao in my heart. Unlike with Xiaoxiao, she’s still alive and well in this world. If I marry someone else, any chance I have with her will be gone forever."
"I’ve already lost Xiaoxiao. I don’t want to miss my chance with a girl I like a second time."
"Mother, I don’t want to live my whole life with that regret."