A packet forwarding method, a device, and a system, where a first provider edge (PE) device separately sends request packets to a second PE device and a third PE device. The second PE device receives the two request packets separately using a primary pseudo wire (PW) and using a secondary PW, the third PE device, and a bypass PW, switches preferential forwarding statuses relative to the primary PW and the bypass PW to a balance state, and then, notifies the first PE device and the third PE device using a response packet. The first PE device switches preferential forwarding statuses relative to the primary PW and the secondary PW to the balance state based on the response packet. The third PE device switches a preferential forwarding status relative to the bypass PW to the balance state based on the response packet.