The Grand Secretary has no heir? His concubine gives birth to triplets.

Pei Yan stared at the little woman sleeping soundly on the bed. The urge to crush her in his arms turned into a fierce anger that wanted to shake her awake and question her.

He gripped the bedpost with his large hands, veins bulging on the back of his hands, and managed to resist the urge to lift the man up and interrogate him.

He hastily pulled the brocade quilt over her slender shoulders and then suddenly stood up.

He turned and strode out of the side room. The night wind blew, but instead of extinguishing the fire in his chest, it burned even brighter.

"Xiao San!"

A dark shadow fell silently.

"Go investigate." Pei Yan lowered his voice, each word squeezed out from between his teeth.

"What exactly did Xie Qing say to Guo'er that day at Wenyanzhai?"

"Go ask the guard who was with me that day. I want to hear back within half an hour."

Xiao San, observing his master's expression, saw that the master's mood was extremely low. Without asking any further questions, he accepted the order and left.

Half an hour later, in the study.

Xiao San knelt on one knee, his voice very low.

"That day, Xie Qing was at Wenyanzhai, and he insisted that he knew Miss Jiang and called her... Shunshun."

"Miss Jiang turned pale and vehemently denied it. Later, the madam intervened and scolded Xie Qing away."

Pei Yan leaned back in his official's chair, his finger bones tapping the rosewood tabletop, producing a dull, resonant sound.

...Shun Shun?

As far as he knew, the only woman in the capital named Shunshun was Murong Shunshun, the legitimate daughter of the former Marquis of Dingyuan.

Is it...

No, that's impossible.

Murong Shunshun was executed along with the entire Dingyuan Marquis's family more than a year ago.

Xiao Yuzhen had already sent someone to verify this matter.

That means they have the same name, or their pronunciation is similar?

Xie Qin was, after all, the second son of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. If he was merely lustful, he could have been questioned privately, or even kidnapped or tied up. Why did he become so distraught and lose his composure on the street?

This matter is suspicious in many ways.

Pei Yan felt a surge of indescribable irritation.

He didn't want to think about the worst, but an ominous premonition grew wildly in his heart.

Could it all be an act, with Jiang Guo'er always acting shy and admiring towards him?

No, it won't!

He had never mentioned to anyone that he could hear her thoughts, not even his closest bodyguards, so Jiang Guo'er could never possibly know.

One cannot even lie about the thoughts in one's heart.

"Xiao San, investigate whether Xie Qing was truly engaged to the Marquis of Dingyuan's family a few years ago, and when that engagement was dissolved. The more detailed the investigation, the better!"

"yes!"

The next morning.

Outside the Forbidden City.

Pei Yan went to the cabinet to perform his duties as usual, but he only stayed for less than an hour before claiming illness and resigning.

He specifically ordered someone to send a stack of unread memorials to the Qianqing Palace, a move that clearly expressed his stance to the emperor.

He, Pei, had absolutely no intention of monopolizing power.

But no sooner had he stepped out of the palace gates and into his carriage than a familiar-looking servant stopped him and whispered a message:

"Lord Xiao is waiting for you in Tongtiao Hutong in the East City."

Pei Yan frowned slightly.

My mentor, Lord Xiao, was the former Grand Secretary and also Xiao Yuzhen's father.

Upon arriving at the secluded house, they pushed open the door and found no servants inside.

Lord Xiao, with a full head of white hair, sat upright at the head of the table.

Pei Yan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and was about to speak when Lord Xiao suddenly stood up, bent his knees, and knelt upright in front of Pei Yan.

Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded desperately:

"Yan-ge'er! I'm begging you! Yu-zhen may have made a thousand mistakes, but she is still your cousin. How can you just stand by and watch her be banished to the cold palace?"

"I've kowtowed to you, begging you to show mercy and spare the Xiao family's lives!"

This dramatic kneeling left Pei Yan utterly astonished, his face turning ashen.

He quickly lifted the hem of his robe, knelt down, and went to help the old man on the ground.

"What are you doing, teacher! You're making me feel so bad."

Pei Yan was inwardly resentful and displeased, but outwardly remained calm.

"The Emperor witnessed Your Highness practicing witchcraft and was banished to the Cold Palace. What does this have to do with me?"

Lord Xiao flung his hand away, his eyes bloodshot and revealing a hint of obsession.

"Yan-ge'er, Yu-zhen told me your secret long ago! You've been impersonating your elder brother for four years, and you still have to rely on your destined woman to survive!"

"Since you were able to set a trap and force her into the cold palace, you certainly have the ability to rescue her!"

Pei Yan's breath hitched.

Xiao Yuzhen has truly gone mad, actually revealing such a deadly secret to her mentor!

"Does the teacher think I framed the Empress?"

Pei Yan's voice turned deep, carrying a chilling undertone.

"She used witchcraft to frame the Crown Prince, and she also tried to harm my unborn child with poisonous insects. Which of these things did I force her to do?"

Lord Xiao slammed his hand on the floor tile.

"She's just a young girl being jealous! You're annoyed by her nagging, so you're going to kill her like this?"

"I promoted you back then, and this is how you repay me with such ingratitude?"

"If your older brother were still alive, you'd still be that kid hiding in the attic, and you wouldn't have the success you have today!"

Looking at his once highly respected mentor, Pei Yan felt his heart grow colder and colder.

He finally saw clearly that the old man's stubbornness and selfishness were exactly the same as Xiao Yuzhen's.

Overwhelmed by an indescribable disappointment, Pei Yan didn't want to say anything more.

He stood up, brushed the dust off his knees, and spoke in a perfunctory yet impeccable tone:

"Teacher, please don't be anxious. This matter is of utmost importance. Allow him to go back and plan it out. He will surely give you an explanation."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Pei Yan quickly slipped away and left.

As the carriage traveled through the streets, Pei Yan rubbed his throbbing temples.

His mentor's betrayal chilled him to the bone.

At this moment, he desperately wanted to return to the manor and hold Jiang Guo'er in his arms.

"Prime Minister," came Xiao San's voice from outside the carriage, "as you have arranged, I have invited Lord Xie Qing to the private room of Tianxiang Tower."

Pei Yan's spirits lifted instantly. "To Tianxiang Tower!"

The private room reeked of alcohol.

Xie Qingting had just recovered from his cane injury and looked haggard. He was drinking one cup of wine after another in his depression.

The door opened, and Pei Yan, dressed in an inconspicuous dark-patterned robe and wearing a mask that partially concealed his face, walked in.

"Thank you for your excellent drinking capacity, Brother Xie."

Pei Yan lowered his voice, shedding his imposing aura as the Grand Secretary, picked up the wine pot, and filled Xie Qing's cup.

"I admire Brother Xie for his fearlessness in the face of power and for submitting a petition to reopen the old case of Marquis Dingyuan. I have come here specifically to make friends."

Xie Qing, his eyes glazed over from drinking, gave a bitter laugh, raised his cup, and downed it in one gulp.

"Friends? I'm a joke now. I can't even protect the woman I love..."

Pei Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he sat down opposite him.

After fiddling with the white porcelain wine cup for a while, he spoke casually:

"I heard that Brother Xie risked his life to submit this memorial, all for the sake of his deceased beloved? Such deep affection is truly rare."

These words struck a nerve with Xie Qing.

He slumped over the table, his eyes red-rimmed, and his voice choked with emotion.

"Shunshun... my Shunshun. You have no idea how wonderful she is."

"She especially loves red bean paste glutinous rice balls. When eating them, she always sucks the sweet filling clean first, and then slowly chews the outer glutinous rice skin."

"She was afraid of the cold, and every winter she would always put a hot water bottle under her feet, and she would insist on putting two layers of fleece underneath, saying that she was afraid of burning the soles of her feet."

"When she embroiders, she has a habit of using her little finger to manipulate the silk thread..."

Xie Qing kept talking incessantly, completely unaware that the person opposite him had a face so dark it could drip water.

Pei Yan abruptly stopped pouring the wine, which spilled and soaked the tablecloth.

He lowered his eyes, staring at the water stain, and fragmented images from the past three months flashed through his mind.

The things Xie Qing mentioned were exactly the same as Jiang Guo'er's little habits.

It felt as if something inside his chest had shattered with a loud crash, and Pei Yan felt that even his breath carried the taste of blood.

Great, excellent!

His concubine was actually the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan!

She went to great lengths to get to his side, flattering and charming him with her sweet and innocent demeanor.

Was it to survive, or for some other... purpose?

So how much sincerity did she have for him?

Or was Pei Yan merely a stepping stone on her path to revenge from the very beginning?

Soon after, Xie Qing became completely drunk and unconscious, and Pei Yan stood up.

I noticed a warm-colored jade pendant hanging from his waist, the sash of which had been washed until it was white, indicating that it was quite old.

Pei Yan, with a cold face, ripped off the jade pendant and stuffed it into his sleeve.