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

The next day, as soon as breakfast was served, Jiang Guo'er sat cross-legged on the daybed, holding a silver needle in her hand, and slowly threaded the needle through its eye.

Salera was not used to wearing Han Chinese clothes. The other day, she walked too fast and tore a short tear in her horse-face skirt.

Jiang Guo'er specially took on this job.

The real purpose of mending the skirt was to legitimately invite the person to the side room.

On the octagonal table was a painted red lacquered plate, on which sat freshly baked flatbreads, their edges slightly charred, their aroma wafting straight into one's nose.

There was also a small dish of raisins on the side, each one plump and full.

Milk was warming on a small red clay stove, and the lid of the kettle made a soft creaking sound as the steam pushed against it.

These were all prepared according to the tastes of the Hu people.

A series of light footsteps came from outside.

Shalera pushed open the door and walked in.

Today she was wearing a light green vest, and below it was a peach-colored horse-face skirt.

As soon as she entered, her gaze swept over Jiang Guo'er, and then settled on the flatbread on the table.

A pair of glass-like eyes suddenly lit up.

"Did you prepare this for me?"

Jiang Guo'er didn't even look up. "Sit down, the milk is still warm."

Salera didn't stand on ceremony. She pulled out a chair, sat down, grabbed a flatbread, and took a big bite.

The outer layer is crispy, the inside is soft, and it's sprinkled with a little sesame.

Her brows relaxed, and she took two sips of the milk before asking in a muffled voice, "You... you've agreed to my conditions?"

"What's the rush?"

Jiang Guo'er spread out the tear in her skirt to show her.

"Take a look. Should we add a flowering branch following the original pattern, or just add a leaf?"

Salera glanced down at the flowers: "The flowers must be red."

"A light green dress with big red flowers, aren't you afraid of being an eyesore?"

"I like!"

She answered confidently, then tore off a piece of flatbread and dipped it in milk to eat.

Jiang Guo'er couldn't help but glance at her.

This girl is usually very sparing with her words when she speaks the Central Plains dialect; those who don't know her might think she's naturally aloof.

But in her presence, he was so vibrant and bold.

"I've been thinking about what you're talking about all night."

Jiang Guo'er lowered her head and put down her needle, her tone calm, "The Crown Prince can be dealt with, but we can't act recklessly."

Salera chewed a little slower.

"Do you have a solution?"

"Yes. But before we talk, I need to know exactly what you want."

Jiang Guo'er cut the silk thread and turned the half-patched skirt inside out.

"Even if the Crown Prince dies, you still want to seek justice for your people?"

Salera fell silent.

She looked down at the flatbread in her hand, and the satisfaction she had felt earlier gradually faded.

I want them all.

After a moment, she raised her head and said, word by word:

"I want him to lose all his power, everything he has now. I want everyone to know what he's done, to make him worse off than a beggar."

"Then I'll tell him who I am and kill him with my own hands!"

Jiang Guo'er squeezed the silver needle tightly, then slowly loosened it.

Fortunately.

Although Salera harbored deep hatred, she was not a reckless person who only thought about fighting with a knife.

"In that case, the two of us women alone cannot succeed."

Jiang Guo'er patiently persuaded, "The Eastern Palace has the Imperial Guard, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and officials in the court who are loyal to the Crown Prince. Let alone killing him, we might not even be able to get close to him."

"So?" Salera frowned.

"Therefore, this matter requires a third person."

Jiang Guo'er added half a cup of milk to her cup: "Someone who can investigate cases, has manpower to run, and can also present evidence to the emperor in court."

Salera listened attentively, but when she reached for the raisins, she accidentally knocked over the small dish.

A few raisins rolled across the table, one of them landing near the screen.

With the last bite of sesame cake in her mouth, she bent down to pick it up.

As soon as her fingertips touched the dried fruit, she stopped moving.

Half of a black boot was visible beneath the screen.

There was a moment of silence in the room.

Salera slowly straightened up, the relief on her face completely gone.

"You betrayed me!"

She reached for her waist with her hand, and with a flash of cold light, the Western Region short dagger was already drawn.

Jiang Guo'er squinted as the blade gleamed, and the silver needle in her hand nearly pierced her fingertip.

The next moment, the screen was kicked open.

Pei Yan rushed out like a whirlwind, his tall figure blocking Jiang Guo'er's way and completely obscuring the cold light emanating from him.

"If you don't even dare to see me in person," he looked down at Salera, "then what ability do you have to kill the Crown Prince?"

Salera gripped the dagger tightly.

She had heard of the methods of the Grand Chancellor of the Great Chu, and she also knew that although Pei Yan was a civil official, he had a lot of blood on his hands.

The side room, which had just been filled with the aroma of sesame cakes, suddenly became so cold that it was hard to breathe.

Jiang Guo'er leaned half her body out from behind Pei Yan, reached out and touched his forearm, and patted it gently twice.

"Don't scare her, I'll explain."

A warm, soft palm fell through the fabric.

Pei Yan's shoulders and back remained tense, but the murderous intent in his eyes had faded somewhat, and he ultimately did not press the matter further.

Jiang Guo'er walked around to his side.

"If I really wanted to betray you, it wouldn't be the Prime Minister who came today, but someone from the Crown Prince's palace."

She looked at Salera: "What you want to do involves the Crown Prince. With just the two of us, it's like throwing eggs against a rock. Only with the Prime Minister around can we have room to plan."

Salera's gaze swept back and forth between the two of them several times.

"Does he know about me?"

"Know."

"I know you're pregnant—"

Jiang Guo'er coughed.

Salera paused, looked at her, and then at Pei Yan.

Pei Yan said expressionlessly, "Put the knife away."

After a moment's hesitation, Salera finally sheathed the dagger.

Jiang Guo'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Tell me, what was your original plan? To storm the Eastern Palace with a knife, or to poison the food?"

"I'm not that stupid," Salera scoffed. "I told you, I'd ruin his reputation first."

"That makes things easier."

Jiang Guo'er looked directly into her eyes and sprinkled the bait out little by little.

"Do you want to expose your clan's injustice to the world? Do you want to witness him being deposed as crown prince and scorned by the people?"

Salera's eyes widened.

"right!"

She answered too hastily, then hesitated, "But...can this really be done?"

Jiang Guo'er turned her head and gave Pei Yan a wink.

Pei Yan saw her taking advantage of the situation as if it were perfectly natural, and felt both frustrated and strangely satisfied.

He waited for so long last night, but she didn't say a word.

Now, they're actually quite good at ordering him around.

Pei Yan suppressed his emotions and stood with his hands behind his back by the table.

"As long as you have evidence, I can investigate."

He didn't make any empty promises, but simply added: "Overturning the verdict, holding a public trial, and deposing the heir apparent are not wishful thinking."

Salera stared at him for a long time.

"Will you spare the Crown Prince's life?"

"That depends on how much you can afford to pay, and also on how His Majesty ultimately sentences you."

Pei Yan said in a serious tone: "I can only promise you that if the truth is found, your people's grievances will be redressed."

The wariness in Salera's eyes slowly eased.

She put the remaining half of the flatbread back on the plate, stood up, took a step back, knelt on one knee, and placed her right hand on her chest.

"As long as Prime Minister Pei keeps his word, Salera's life is in your hands."