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

Since the last time Tan Yu slandered Jiang Guo'er and Xie Pan for having an affair at the Taoist temple, and was exposed by Pei Yan and received thirty lashes, he has been very well-behaved these days.

In the past few days, Lüyi had mentioned to her that Tanyu was restless and kept running to the side gate, as if she was waiting for news from home.

Jiang Guo'er walked quickly to the door and instructed Lü Yi, "Go and call Tan Yu here."

Before long, Tan Yu was brought to Qingyi Garden.

Upon entering the room and seeing Pei Yan sitting in the main seat, Tan Yu was so frightened that her legs went weak and she knelt on the ground.

Jiang Guo'er's gaze was like lightning.

"Tanyu, is your mother ill?"

Tan Yu trembled like a leaf, stammering and not daring to utter a sound.

"If you don't tell the truth, I'll have the elite guards investigate. And if they find out, it won't be as simple as just kicking you out of the manor."

Jiang Guo'er raised her eyebrows, looking quite dignified.

Tan Yu was still terrified after being beaten by Pei Yan last time, and the wound on her buttocks has not yet healed.

Moreover, after observing for a period of time, she deeply felt that she was no match for Jiang Guo'er, and immediately knelt down on the ground.

"Please spare me, Madam! Please spare me, Your Excellency! My mother isn't ill. It's...it's my brother who's in trouble."

"Originally, he was working for his second uncle in Suzhou, but last month, his second uncle ordered the demolition of a village in order to seize a piece of auspicious land in the area."

"The villagers were dissatisfied and went to the government office to cause trouble. My second uncle ordered his servants to attack... resulting in more than a dozen deaths!"

"My brother was stabbed twice in that brawl, the wounds penetrating his lungs..."

"After being sent home and enduring more than twenty days of hardship, it finally...waaaaah...gone!"

Tan Yu kowtowed while crying.

"The matter has blown up, and my second uncle is afraid of being investigated by higher authorities, so he's trying every possible way to cover it up."

"My second uncle was afraid my parents would gossip, so he kept them under house arrest at the Tan family's residence, not letting them leave! My poor brother, he still hasn't been laid to rest!"

Jiang Guo'er waved her hand, signaling Lüyi to take the person away and keep a close watch on them.

The room fell silent again.

Jiang Guo'er turned to look at Pei Yan, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Forcibly seizing farmland and disregarding human life. Your Excellency, there's much to be done about this."

Looking at her lively and spirited appearance, Pei Yan's heart beat faster for no apparent reason.

So lovely.

Her radiant appearance when scheming against others is just like that of a slick little fox.

"Then how do you think this matter should be used?" Pei Yan asked patiently, like a teacher patiently instructing a student.

Jiang Guo'er took two steps inside the room.

"The Second Master of the Tan family caused such a huge commotion in Suzhou, resulting in more than a dozen deaths. It's impossible for the local authorities to suppress it."

"Unless Prefect Zhao helps cover it up! Since Prefect Zhao knew about this, he must have colluded with the Tan family before and benefited greatly from it!"

Her eyes grew brighter as she spoke.

"Doesn't Your Excellency still have the 100,000 taels of embezzled silver that Prefect Zhao sent earlier in your possession?"

Pei Yan raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Guo'er walked up to Pei Yan in a few steps, a sly glint in her eyes.

"The Tan family urgently needs to manage relationships with various parties and requires money everywhere, but they cannot openly withdraw money from banks."

"We'll send someone to impersonate Prefect Zhao's confidant, pack the 100,000 taels of silver into a large box, cover it with ancient books and paintings, and deliver it to the Tan family!"

She became more and more excited as she talked.

"It's like someone has delivered a pillow when you're sleepy; the second master of the Tan family will surely be overjoyed to receive this money."

"He needs to silence them, bribe them, or even kill them to cover it up. Whatever he does with the money, as long as the Owl Guard keeps a close eye on him..."

"That will allow us to find out exactly how many officials the Tan family is involved with," Pei Yan continued her sentence.

Jiang Guo'er nodded hurriedly.

She walked to the dressing table, opened the bottom drawer, and took out the silk cloth she had received from Granny Li.

She spread the silk cloth on the table next to Pei Yan.

"The list left behind by Consort Yu records the shady dealings of many officials. Once the Imperial Guards have uncovered the officials the Tan family bribed, we can compare and contrast the information..."

Jiang Guo'er's breathing became somewhat rapid.

"Then we can completely seize on these people's weaknesses!"

After she finished speaking, she unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

This scheme was truly insidious, with each step linked to the next, effectively pushing the Tan family to their doom.

Would he think that she, a woman, was too malicious?

"Is this plan... feasible?" she asked tentatively.

The room was so quiet that you could hear the dripping of water from the water clock.

Pei Yan sat in his official hat chair, and Jiang Guo'er stood in front of him.

He slowly raised his face, his gaze sweeping over her eyebrows and eyes inch by inch.

There was no aversion, no defensiveness.

Only pure, intense, and unyielding obsession.

"Of course."

Pei Yan's voice was hoarse as he stretched out his arms and wrapped them around Jiang Guo'er's waist, pressing his face against her lower abdomen.

"That's great."

Jiang Guo'er was so shocked that she froze.

After a long while, Pei Yan raised his head and looked up at her.

The usually aloof and authoritative Grand Secretary was now gazing at her with an intensely longing look.

"Shun Shun".

He called her by her real name.

"This plan is extremely damaging..."

Jiang Guo'er gasped and was about to struggle when the arm around her waist gently stroked her back, landing on her shoulder and then caressing her temples.

"I love so much."

He murmured in a low, hoarse voice, his eyes wet and hot.

Most men in this world hope that their women are pure and kind.

But Pei Yan disagreed. He preferred her cunning, adorable, and vibrant appearance, and his heart couldn't help but tremble and his whole body felt hot.

The magma that has been accumulating for half a month could erupt at any moment.

Jiang Guo'er blushed.

He not only didn't find her ruthless in scheming against the Empress Dowager's family, but also...

What on earth is going on in this guy's head?!

"Since Your Excellency thinks it's feasible, then let the elite guards handle it." Jiang Guo'er was eager to get away.

"Wait a minute."

Pei Yan grabbed her hand and instructed Xiao San to place an exquisite sandalwood box on the table.

"In the palace, the Empress Dowager deliberately tested me, but I didn't fall for it. In fact, I accidentally managed to get your dowry back. How do you plan to thank me?"

Jiang Guo'er's gaze fell on the half-open box in an instant.

Inside, a set of damaged headdresses lay quietly.

The damaged kingfisher feather ornaments and the scattered pearls that had been pried off instantly stung her eyes.

Pei Yan promised her, and he really did it!

Pei Yan gently grasped her wrist, and with a slight pull, drew her into his arms, embracing her from behind.

He pecked her earlobe several times, his breath hot.

"During the two weeks I was away, did you think of me while looking at the doll at night?"