"THE CROWN PRINCE is also destined to be the emperor. Leaving aside the fact that he would take a lot of concubines if I marry him, I will have to enter the palace and become part of the imperial family. Grandpa, I'm your only descendant. What we need is a clean man who is willing to enter our family and take our surname, not marry me off," Lily didn't mind stabbing her grandfather's heart again.
Her grandfather only remembered the mantra when she was already married in her previous lives. She, on the other hand, had known it all along but was too lazy to do anything about it. After all, she was going to die sooner or later. However, she never let the dirty scumbag touch her at all. She despised him, so why should she let him have his way with her?
Now, the mere thought of being married to him disgusted her as well. So, she decided on breaking off the engagement.
"Are you certain that the crown prince sleeping around isn't just a rumour?" Duke Pei inquired solemnly. Duke Pei and the previous emperor made the decision on the couple's engagement. This was the only thing that reminded him of his best friend, so how could he not be heartbroken?
Lily intuitively understood what was going on in her grandfather's mind.
Is he blinded by that freaking friendship?
Lily was sad knowing that her grandfather loved his best friend more than her. But more than that, she wanted to thrash him to death. Her grandfather wasn't listening to her at all.
She previously stated that if she marries the crown prince, she will be forced to marry into the imperial family. The Pei family had to cease to exist once she did.
"Am I that cheap that you are willing to risk me?" Lily asked coldly.
The temperature in the room immediately dropped.
Duke Pei's heart shook when he saw his granddaughter's emotionless face. Before he could utter a word, Lily left the room.
Hugo let out a sigh. "I admire and thank Uncle Pei for cherishing your friendship with my father, but I don't think it's healthy to hurt your family for it. Young Miss Pei is the only relative you have in this world, and you've brought her up to this point. Are you really willing to marry off your granddaughter to someone incapable?" he looked at the old man, not bothered by criticising his own nephew, before continuing, "I remember that Uncle Pei and his wife married out of love. Even your son married the woman he loved. Won't you let Young Miss Pei experience this?"
When Duke Pei heard those words, he smiled bitterly. "I was muddle-headed earlier."
Of course, he wasn't going to make his granddaughter suffer. He was only temporarily blinded.
Duke Pei wiped the tears that were forming in his eyes. He hurt his granddaughter's feelings. He's a complete imbecile!
---
Meanwhile, the 'hurt' granddaughter has just left the Pei Estate. She wasn't completely hurt. She only used such a tactic to make her grandfather feel guilty.
Nonetheless, Lily wouldn't be able to sleep well at night if she couldn't solve the problem at hand, so she ordered her maidservant to get her a horse and left to enter the palace.
If her grandfather refused to break the engagement, she would break it herself. The Pei family had already been given to her when her grandfather retired, so she had the authority to make the decision.
Informing her grandfather was merely a formality and a show of respect. Regardless of whether he agrees or not, she will break the engagement.
She and the two maidservants arrived at their destinations half an hour later. When the imperial guards stationed at the gate recognized her, they let them in.
When the emperor learned of Lily's arrival, he directed his head eunuch to meet her and lead her to the hall. He also told the other eunuch to summon the crown prince.
"Why is Lily here?" inquired Crown Prince Ace. When the eunuch arrived, he had just finished fooling around with a new maidservant. He was prepared to have another round when he remembered that Lily was his fiancée and the head of the Pei family.
Then, after grooming himself, his mother empress suddenly barged in.
"What are you doing here, Mother?" Crown Prince Ace inquired, surprised.
Empress Yen cast a cold glance at her son before ordering her servants to take the maid who was still lying on the crown prince's bed.
The maid sensed something was wrong and began howling, pleading with the crown prince to save her.
Crown Prince Ace was obviously displeased, but he didn't dare lose his temper with his mother.
"Mother, what's the meaning of this?" He just had fun with that maid, then the latter was suddenly ordered to be killed by his mother. This was slapping him on the face.
Empress Yen sneered. "Fool!" she angrily exclaimed when only the two of them were left. "You are engaged with the Pei family, yet you dared do such a thing! They are known for valuing their own chastity, as well as their other halves! If they have known about your action, are you expecting them to let it be? Don't cry if they suddenly break off the engagement!"
It was no secret that the Pei family demands their other halves to be chaste. It was the reason that many women desired to marry into this family. They were not only powerful, but they also refused to take concubines. This was the kind of family every woman wished for.
Crown Prince Ace frowned. "Lily's not a man," he said, implying that because Lily wasn't a man, such a rule didn't apply to her. Plus, he had been holding his desire for the past two decades. It was already a miracle that he was able to keep it at bay for so long.
He was a man with wants and needs. He was also considering taking a concubine. The prime minister's daughter was to his liking, and the two of them had already done the deed. Although he knew that that woman deserved to be the legal wife, he couldn't let go of the Pei family. So, the woman could only be his concubine. Obviously, the Pei family was a thousand times more valuable than the prime minister.
Empress Yen was disappointed by her son's response. She wanted to say more, but the head eunuch was already urging the crown prince to enter the imperial hall right away.
With no other option, she went and accompanied her son.