A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go Chapter 87: Pei Yan Cannot Die

Pei Yan had grown up in the i family, so Mrs. i was stunned when she heard that sothing had happened to him.

Like i Wanying, Mrs. i had also believed Pei Yan was capable of anything, certain that he would eventually ascend to that position.

Pei Yan had just won a major battle. It should have been a mont of boundless glory, a ti to use his victory to gain an upper hand on the Crown Prince. No one expected sothing like this to happen.

With him severely injured, there was no telling how the political landscape would shift.

But no matter how it changed, it was bound to stir up a bloodbath.

The General’s old subordinates were in Pei Yan’s camp. If he fell, they would all be dood.

Even Ah Yin might be captured and dragged back by the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince would never allow Ah Yin to have another man’s child, especially when that child’s father was Pei Yan!

The mont Mrs. i considered what he might do, she felt as if her world was about to collapse.

One was her daughter, the other her grandchild. She couldn’t bear the thought of either of them getting hurt.

Nothing could be allowed to happen to Pei Yan!

Only if he lived would they have a chance at a peaceful life.

Pei Yan’s ties to the i family ran too deep. Even though the i family no longer had any kin serving in the imperial court, in the eyes of outsiders, they were all in the sa boat.

To say nothing of distant threats, their own relatives were already eyeing them covetously, eager to seize the family’s assets now that there was no male heir.

They only held back out of fear of Pei Yan.

If Pei Yan died, those people would lose all restraint. There was no telling what shaless acts they would be capable of then.

No matter how she looked at it, they were in the sa boat as Pei Yan.

They would prosper or perish together!

Since she couldn’t help Pei Yan directly, Mrs. i decided to go to the temple to pray for him.

Sincere prayers are answered. With the General watching over him from the heavens, she hoped Pei Yan could turn this misfortune into a blessing.

Mrs. i was about to leave to pray for Pei Yan, but her old illness flared up, leaving her bedridden.

Two days passed with little improvent. The physician said she needed quiet rest and should not overthink or worry.

i Wanying was personally helping her mother take her dicine when she finally said, "I’ll go."

’She just didn’t want to see Pei Yan again; she didn’t actually want him to die.’

’In their past life, they were both at fault, which was how they ended up in that hopeless situation.’

’She didn’t want to resent Pei Yan anymore.’

’Since heaven had given her a second chance at life, it was a new beginning.’

’I can’t let myself be trapped in the past,’ i Wanying thought.

’If Pei Yan died, her life would be even more difficult.’

She understood her priorities clearly.

Praying might not actually work, but at least it would offer so peace of mind.

’If Pei Yan really dies... well, that’s just fate,’ i Wanying thought.

’Birth, aging, sickness, and death are beyond anyone’s control.’

’Just like in her past life, she never imagined that a trip to the Border would cost her her life.’

’In her mind, the worst possible outco had been a complete break with Pei Yan.’

’She hadn’t wanted to die.’

’But she’d had no choice. Could she really have let the enemy tie her up and display her on the front lines to force Pei Yan to surrender?’

’She would rather die than tarnish the i family’s honor!’

From the mont she decided to leave the capital, i Wanying had prepared herself to walk the road ahead alone.

Without Pei Yan as her Amulet, the path forward might be rough, but that too was her fate.

’You can’t rely on others forever. Depending on yourself is the only long-term plan.’

Mrs. i stared at her daughter for a long ti. Seeing her calm expression, devoid of panic or worry, she couldn’t quite grasp what Wanying was thinking.

"If you’re worried about Ah Yan, you can write a letter and ask about his condition. You two grew up together, with a bond of nearly twenty years. People aren’t made of stone. It’s understandable for you to be worried about him at a ti like this, and Mother understands."

Their entanglent ran too deep. For as long as i Wanying could rember, Pei Yan had been a part of her life.

Letting go of the past was incredibly difficult!

i Wanying shook her head. "A letter won’t change anything. He has physicians and trusted aides with him; there are people to arrange everything for him."

Mrs. i asked, "Then why are you going to pray for him?"

’Isn’t that just a sign that you’re worried about Ah Yan?’

i Wanying lowered her gaze, her raven-like lashes hiding the emotion in her eyes.

"I’m going to pray for my own sake."

’Pei Yan being alive is more beneficial to than not.’ i Wanying told herself this was the reason she wanted him to live.

Ding Xiang subconsciously glanced at i Wanying’s fingers.

Unless you looked very closely, you wouldn’t see the tiny needle prick.

’Does Miss really not care if Pei Yan lives or dies?’

Ding Xiang didn’t think so.

’Otherwise, why would she have zoned out and pricked her own finger?’

...

Mrs. Gu was relieved to hear that i Wanying was going to the temple to pray.

She very much approved.

’If sothing happens to His Highness, the child in i Wanying’s womb will be his only flesh and blood.’

Realizing this, Mrs. Gu stopped making things difficult for i Wanying. She no longer even felt that the unmarried pregnancy was a disgrace.

Strangely, she even felt a little grateful to her.

’Grateful that i Wanying was carrying His Highness’s bloodline. Whether he pulled through or not, as long as his lineage continued, there was hope!’

’The Empress in the palace wouldn’t be so devastated that she could never recover.’

’This child is too important. It must be protected at all costs!’

Mrs. Gu watched i Wanying’s expression and suggested carefully, "Miss i, how about letting Xun accompany you? He and His Highness are cousins. Now that His Highness’s life is hanging by a thread, I’m sure Xun also wants to do sothing to help him wake up."

’With Xun accompanying them, Miss i and the child would have an extra layer of security.’

’How perfect!’

i Wanying despised people who acted presumptuously.

She also hated it when people did things against her will under the guise of acting "for her own good."

The last ti Gu Xun helped her, she had already repaid him with a lavish gift.

Unless it was a matter of extre urgency, she had no intention of troubling Gu Xun again.

’What kind of person seeks help from others at the drop of a hat?’

’She wasn’t a child anymore. She could walk her own path!’

i Wanying shot Mrs. Gu a cool glance. "Mind your own business."

Mrs. Gu fell silent, feeling wronged.

’And just who was she doing all this for?’

’How could Miss i be so ungrateful!’

Ever since their last falling-out, Miss i’s words were always barbed, showing her no respect at all.

Mrs. Gu had the distinct impression she was being treated like a punching bag.

’That girl Ding Xiang was plenty talkative and did foolish things from ti to ti, so why didn’t Miss i ever scold her?’

’It was pure favoritism!’

She shot a glare at Ding Xiang. "You are to follow Miss at all tis. If anything happens to her or the child, not even a hundred of your lives would be enough to pay for it, you little wench!"

Ding Xiang was speechless.

’She was the Miss’s personal attendant. What right did that old crone Gu have to lecture her?’

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Old hag!"

Mrs. Gu was about to retort, but she looked up and t i Wanying’s icy gaze, and silently swallowed her words.

’When you’re under soone else’s roof, you have to bow your head.’

’She didn’t dare provoke i Wanying any longer.’

The temple was located in the mountains. The carriage could only go as far as the main gate, from which one had to climb several thousand stone steps to reach the summit to pray and make a wish.

Fortunately, there were pavilions and small shrines along the path where one could stop and rest.

Otherwise, in her pregnant state, i Wanying’s body would never have been able to handle the strain.

The mountains were cold, so Mrs. i had people prepare thick clothing for her.

Just in case, the Household Doctor was to be brought along as well.

After half a day of packing, i Wanying left the city by carriage at the crack of dawn the next day.

At the city gate, her carriage passed a man on horseback traveling in the opposite direction.