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

Pei Yan's eyes turned bloodshot, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

She was with me, had my baby, was it just for revenge, and nothing else?

The infatuation that began when she entered the manor was so intense that, in order to pray to the heavens to be with him, she secretly cut off her hair, put it in a sachet along with his hair, and buried it under a tree... Could it all be a lie?

Pei Yan wanted to ask but didn't dare. If this thin veil were to be broken, he was afraid he would really go crazy.

His pent-up frustration was building up, threatening to overwhelm his reason at any moment.

Unable to swallow his anger, Pei Yan lowered his head and fiercely kissed her delicate lower lip.

It was accompanied by lewd plunder and shameless arrogance.

He pried open her teeth, conquered her territory, leaving her no way out, wishing he could devour her whole, skin and bones.

Just then, the voice of a maid suddenly came from outside the latticed window.

"Grandma, slow down."

Then came the thud of a cane hitting the ground.

The old lady's puzzled voice then rang out.

"I just went to the washroom to wash my hands, and in the blink of an eye, Yan'er and that girl have both disappeared?"

Jiang Guo'er was so frightened that her whole body stiffened, her palms sweated, and she subconsciously tried to push the man's chest.

Pei Yan didn't stop; instead, taking advantage of the cover of darkness, he tightened his grip on her with his iron arms.

The kisses grew increasingly fierce and lingering, carrying a hidden provocation.

Even in such a chaotic moment, his large, warm hand instinctively placed itself on her lower back, as if afraid that the hard wall might hurt her in the slightest.

The footsteps outside gradually faded away, and after an unknown amount of time, he finally released his grip, panting heavily.

Looking at her glistening eyes and her swollen, ravaged lips, Pei Yan silently berated himself.

With so many concubines in the mansion, why should he insist on hanging himself on one tree?

Even if he only has feelings for her because of his destined woman's fate, what difference would it make if he indulged in some casual sex elsewhere?

He straightened up, his face cold as he straightened his disheveled clothes, deliberately looking away from her, and said defiantly:

"You're pregnant and suffering from severe morning sickness, so naturally I should be considerate."

"In the days to come, I will follow the old lady's instructions and have the concubines in the back courtyard take turns serving you in bed. You can stay in the side room and rest well during your pregnancy; you no longer need to serve me personally."

Jiang Guo'er was stunned for a moment.

A sudden emptiness filled my heart, as if I had stepped into a staircase that had missed its mark.

It turns out that the Prime Minister's affection for her was nothing more than a thin veil.

It was just a chance encounter with Xie Pan that planted a seed of suspicion in his heart, allowing him to turn around and ruthlessly seek out other women.

Indeed, he was the youngest chief minister in the history of the Great Chu.

Even if he fell in love with her at first sight four years ago and has been thinking about her for four years, so what?

For men, a woman they can't have is like a white moonlight or a cinnabar mole, forever unattainable; but once they have her...

The slightest flaw can instantly turn it into a mosquito stain on the wall.

Jiang Guo'er suppressed the inexplicable bitterness and curtsied.

"Yes, ma'am."

That night, in the main room.

More than a month later, Xue Lingyi once again arranged for Yangzhou's "thin horse fairy" to serve Pei Yan in bed, instructing her to take a bath and then go to the inner room.

To everyone's surprise, less than half an hour later, Xianxian was kicked out looking dejected.

Pei Yan rubbed his temples, hastily put on his inner robe, kicked aside the incense burner at his feet, grabbed the "Lotus Picking Picture," and strode out of the inner room with a cold face, arriving at the side room.

Jiang Guo'er was sitting under the lamp, her eyes crinkling as she sewed tiger-head shoes for her unborn child.

When Pei Yan suddenly pushed the door open and came in, she was surprised at first, then quickly put down her needlework and went to greet him.

"Is the Prime Minister arriving at this hour because Miss Xianxian hasn't served him well enough?"

The question was asked in a very calm and even manner, without a trace of jealousy.

Pei Yan's expression grew colder. He sat down on the couch, not saying a word, and simply spread the "Lotus Picking Picture" in his hand on the table.

The painting depicts a young girl standing at the bow of a boat, picking lotus pods.

"This is a woman that my good friend, General Sima Di of Zhenbian, asked me to find."

Pei Yan's slender fingers traced the scroll, his brows furrowed slightly, revealing a hint of melancholy that was hard to suppress.

"Four years ago at the Lantern Festival, Brother Sima caught a glimpse of this girl painting and fell deeply in love. Unfortunately, he was far away at the border and couldn't get away, so the task of finding her fell to me."

He's lying.

Wasn't this what he said a few days ago when he was testing Xue Lingyi?

Jiang Guo'er stared at the painting, her right eyelid twitching uncontrollably.

She had previously thought that Pei Yan had hidden the documents related to the case of his father and brothers being framed for treason in the scroll of this painting, and that he and Ling Yi had set a trap in an attempt to obtain the evidence.

Suddenly, Pei Yan took the painting away, and no one knows where he put it.

Why did I suddenly put it in front of her today? What am I planning to do with it?

"If only that girl were still alive, Brother Sima wouldn't have to worry about her for so many years, even losing his appetite and repeatedly refusing the marriage arranged by his parents..."

His distraught appearance didn't seem like he was feeling sorry for his brother at all; he was clearly pitying himself.

Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer and wanted to confess that he had a crush on Murong Shunshun for four years.

Pei Yan's face was ashen, he sighed softly, and his gaze gradually lost focus, seemingly fixed on nothing in particular.

Jiang Guo'er clenched her embroidered handkerchief tightly. The words "I am Shun Shun" had just reached her lips when the blood feud of hundreds of members of the Murong family transformed into an invisible hand, covering her mouth.

No, the great revenge has not yet been avenged; one wrong step and we'll be plunged into an abyss.

She dug her fingertips into her palms, but her face remained calm, and she even echoed her sentiment.

"This general is deeply loyal and righteous, which is truly admirable."

Even so, the joy in her heart was like boiling water, bubbling and bubbling out.

[Prime Minister, please don't blame Shunshun for keeping this from you... I must conceal my identity and exercise extreme caution until I find the evidence.]

The Prime Minister is upright and honest, decisive in his actions, and always very protective of me... Actually, Shunshun also has some feelings for you.

How much do you like?

Compared to Xie Pan, do you like him more, or do you like me more?

Pei Yan questioned himself inwardly, and the corners of his lips began to turn up uncontrollably.

The savage beast within him was finally tamed, and he found a moment of satisfaction.

"Yes, he's such a romantic."

Pei Yan muttered something and pulled Jiang Guo'er into his arms from behind.

His large hand landed precisely on her chest, pinching the silk doll hidden inside her clothes.

There was still a drop of blood on the doll's brow, a drop she had accidentally spilled while doing needlework last time.

Pei Yan's voice was deep as he lifted a lock of her long hair, deliberately drawing out his words:

"When you saw me favoring Xianxian just now, were you jealous?"

Jiang Guo'er obediently shook her head.

"This servant dares not. Your Excellency has few children. You should visit your other sisters' rooms more often. It is the proper way to have more children and more blessings. This servant is happy for Your Excellency."

Pei Yan snorted coldly, waiting with great interest for her to express her inner thoughts in a fit of rage.

The message arrived as promised, but it almost made him faint from anger.

[What's there to be so sour about? They kicked him out in less than half an hour. It seems the Prime Minister has been working non-stop on state affairs these past few days, and his health is probably depleted.]

[When he was tormenting me in bed before, he would make a fuss for most of the night and wouldn't even let me drink water.]

He can't even last half an hour now. Oh well, I'll have to make him a good nourishing soup with deer antler and ox penis tomorrow...

Pei Yan's smile instantly froze.

I felt a surge of blood and qi in my chest, and even my ribs ached.

Who only has half an hour? Who's exhausted?!

If it weren't for the fact that she was pregnant, Pei Yan would have wanted to pin her down on the bed right now and let her see just how long he could last!

He had originally thought that if she was upset, he would take pity on her and tell her that he had only asked Xianxian to sing a song and had not touched her at all.

Now? Ha, no need.

Pei Yan stood up through gritted teeth. "Xianxian is not bad. I'll have her serve me again tomorrow!"

He wanted to see just how long this heartless little liar could keep up his stubbornness!