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

Jiang Guo'er was so frightened that her hand trembled and the doll almost slipped from her grasp.

She strained her ears and heard the clatter of a wooden frame falling over next door, along with the rustling of fabric.

Is someone next door?

Jiang Guo'er's heart tightened, then she breathed a sigh of relief.

This is the women's private room. Perhaps some distinguished guest accidentally knocked something over while changing clothes next door.

She has just escaped death, and the most important thing is to clean herself up quickly so as not to offend the living devil when she goes to serve Pei Yan later.

Then he stretched out his fingertip and gently pinched the doll's face to wipe away the water droplets.

"My dear, please continue to bless me!"

She lowered her voice, leaned closer, and kissed those two thin lips twice more.

Only then did I put it back in its original place, wring out a hot towel to wipe it, revealing a section of smooth, fair neck.

The clean room next door.

Pei Yan leaned against the wall with one hand, his body slightly hunched, his chest heaving violently.

Just now, two incredibly soft and warm things unexpectedly pressed against his lips!

It even made a loud "pop" sound!

The texture was so fresh, with a refreshing scent of soapberry.

He could even feel the fullness and elasticity of the other person's lips.

Pei Yan closed his eyes, his ears burning, but his face was frighteningly cold.

Enraged, he kicked over the mahogany clothes rack beside him.

The inner garment was mostly open.

Before I could recover from that moment, my cheek felt like it was being pinched by a wet finger.

It was both itchy and numb, and the sensation spread from my cheekbone to the base of my ear.

Pei Yan gripped the crack in the wall with his fingertips, forcefully suppressing the throbbing in his heart.

This woman is practically asking for it!

I wanted to rush over and snap her neck right then and there.

But he forcibly suppressed the thought as soon as it arose.

No.

He was over twenty-nine years old and had never left any children, causing his grandmother great worry.

Having finally found this person with whom we share a destiny, killing him like this would likely cause my grandmother to collapse and vomit blood.

Moreover, she clearly didn't know the doll's secret.

She only dared to rub it so casually because she considered it a warming device.

Pei Yan slowly exhaled, forcing himself to calm down.

check.

Investigate her background and origins; if she is clean...

We can wait until she gets pregnant and gives birth before we decide what to do!

The sound of rushing water came from next door.

Pei Yan should have left immediately, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground.

The sound of water came and went, occasionally punctuated by her very soft humming, indistinct yet like a feather brushing against her ear.

Pei Yan's earlobes turned slightly red, and he unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

The next moment, he suddenly took half a step back.

He, the Grand Secretary, was actually listening to a maid washing up in a clean room.

Pei Yan, with a cold face, quickly adjusted his inner garment and tightened his belt.

My fingers wouldn't obey me, and it took two tries to finally button the button up.

Just then, a few more kisses landed on his lips.

Light yet rapid, like unreasonable raindrops, pelting people with nowhere to hide.

Pei Yan's hand remained on the door latch for a full two breaths before he roughly pulled open the door and strode out.

Songhe Garden, Warm Pavilion.

Roasted mutton, steamed sea bass, braised duck with dried bamboo shoots, honey-roasted ham, and several appetizers were laid out on the table, making it quite a feast.

Jiang Guo'er stood properly at the end of the table, waiting with several other maids.

Her light blue vest fit her well and made her complexion look much better.

She was still thin, and her collarbone was sunken, like a thin bamboo that might break at any moment.

Xue Lingyi sat to the left of the old lady, and Pei Yan sat to the right of the old lady.

One is elegant and serene, the other is aloof and noble; they are a perfect match.

The old lady looked left and right, her smile never fading.

"Lingyi, try this roasted mutton! Yan'er usually loves it the most."

Xue Lingyi thanked her gently, and just as she picked up her chopsticks, she suddenly exclaimed, "Ouch!"

I accidentally knocked over a teacup, spilling tea onto my sleeve, soaking a large area of ​​my light-colored clothes.

"Your Excellency has been impolite."

The old lady waved her hand and laughed, "It's no big deal, just go to the washroom and tidy up."

Xue Lingyi's gaze swept across the room and landed on Jiang Guo'er.

"You, take me to the purification room."

Jiang Guo'er immediately lowered her head: "Miss Xue, please come with me."

The two left the warm pavilion one after the other, walked along the corridor for a dozen steps, and turned into a secluded side room.

As soon as the door closed, Xue Lingyi turned around and grabbed Jiang Guo'er's wrist.

"Shunshun, is that really you?"

Jiang Guo'er's nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened.

"Lingyi...it's me!"

Xue Lingyi forcefully pulled her into her arms, wrapped her arms around her back, and slapped her hard a few times.

His chin rested on her shoulder, his voice trembling.

"It's been a year, and every day I think about it: if I hadn't gone to Jiangnan back then, could I have saved your life...?"

Jiang Guo'er buried her face in her shoulder, desperately trying to hold back her tears.

"It's all in the past."

Fortunately, Lingyi did not forget her.

Fortunately, there is still one person in this world who remembers her real name, Murong Shunshun.

The two hugged for a while before Xue Lingyi finally let go and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Just now in the woodshed, I smelled the medicine that had seeped from your lips."

"It contains datura, jujube seed, polygala... all of which are sedatives and sleep aids. Although the dosage is high, it is by no means fatal."

Jiang Guo'er was stunned. "Could it be...?"

"I suspect Pei Yan never intended to kill you from the beginning."

Xue Lingyi patted the back of her hand, her face full of relief.

"He publicly condemned you, locked you in the woodshed, and then had Cuiping administer medicine to you. He was most likely testing Cuiping through you."

"As for why he tested Cuiping, I don't know."

"But if that bowl of medicine hadn't been non-lethal, I might not have been able to save you by the time I arrived."

A layer of cold sweat broke out on Jiang Guo'er's back.

"Now I'm relieved. But I'm also very grateful for your arrival; otherwise, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

"By the way, Lingyi, the Old Madam invited you to dine with her today. Did you discern her intentions?"

Xue Lingyi remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Prime Minister Pei has remained unmarried for many years, and the old lady is getting anxious."

Jiang Guo'er's heart skipped a beat.

"You...are you willing to marry him?"

Xue Lingyi looked at her and gave a bitter smile.

"Shunshun, people like you and me don't really have a say in our marriages."

She paused deliberately at this point, looking directly at Jiang Guo'er.

"But what if I really want to marry him? What will you do then?"

"Will it make you feel uncomfortable and resentful? Or will it help me secure my position as the Prime Minister's wife?"

Jiang Guo'er opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.

If Lingyi becomes Pei Yan's legal wife and is able to tolerate her and allow him to conceive the Prime Minister's legitimate son, that would certainly be a good thing.

If Lingyi cannot tolerate her, then their friendship of so many years will come to an end.

"Lingyi, Prime Minister Pei's thoughts are unfathomable, and he changes his mind faster than turning the pages of a book."

Jiang Guo'er held her hand, feeling no jealousy, only deep worry.

"You are the eldest daughter of the Minister of Revenue, you should marry a husband from a simple family, gentle and considerate, and live a harmonious life together!"

Hearing her say that, Xue Lingyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her fingertips.

"How could I not know that the Pei residence is a den of dragons and tigers?"

"You might not believe it, but Pei Yan is my best choice right now."

Jiang Guo'er frowned.

Xue Lingyi didn't elaborate, but a hint of melancholy was revealed between her brows.

"If I don't get engaged soon, I'm afraid I won't even be able to keep my life at home."