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

Jiang Guo'er was speechless for a moment.

This young lady's heart is much broader than she imagined.

Xue Lingyi paused for a moment before asking softly, "Miss Wang...you don't blame him?"

"Strange, how can it not be strange?"

Wang Yan blew her nose, but her eyes brightened.

"He made me wait all these years for nothing, of course I'll hold him accountable!"

"However, I will explain this marriage to my grandfather and parents. I will ensure that the Wang and Lu families can dissolve the engagement in a dignified manner."

She looked down at the portrait of Xie Yuan in her hand, then deliberately cleared her throat.

"As for Xie Yuan, I need to think about it some more. I can't just go on a date right after breaking off the engagement; that would make me seem too unreserved."

His words instantly eased the tension in the pavilion.

Seeing her open-mindedness, Xue Lingyi liked her more and more, and couldn't help but smile:

"That's only right. In the future, whenever you have free time, you are welcome to come and visit us."

Wang Yan carefully put away the portrait, and a smile finally appeared on her face.

"Then I'll take it seriously."

She pulled Jiang Guo'er and Xue Lingyi to play a game of cards for a while.

Her card skills were mediocre, but she was incredibly stubborn and refused to admit defeat, muttering to herself:

"My luck is terrible today; it must be Lu Yunzheng's fault!"

Jiang Guo'er laughed so hard her shoulders trembled.

As dusk approached, Wang Yan finally took her leave, completely satisfied.

Xue Lingyi specially asked Lüyi to personally escort the person to the second gate.

Night falls.

Lights were lit in Qingyi Garden.

After Pei Yan finished reviewing the last official document, he washed his hands before stepping into the inner room.

Jiang Guo'er was sitting on the canopy bed, holding a silk doll in her arms and a piece of light blue cotton cloth in her hand, measuring the size and wanting to make him a summer outfit.

"You're back."

Jiang Guo'er placed the doll beside her pillow and shuffled forward in her slippers.

She skillfully removed his outer robe and then gave him a light and soft everyday robe to change into.

As she tied his sash, she vividly recounted what had happened at the pavilion during the day.

When Wang Yan cried with tears streaming down her face, Jiang Guo'er even imitated her sniffling motion for a moment.

"I was really afraid she would turn on me on the spot, but who knew that as she cried, she would start to feel sad for Brother Lu first."

Jiang Guo'er smiled, her eyes crinkling, and casually squeezed Pei Yan's strong arm.

"Finally, they said they could annul the engagement and were willing to consider Xie Yuan."

Pei Yan let her do as she pleased.

After listening, he raised his long eyebrows slightly, grabbed Jiang Guo'er's small hand, and played with it in his palm.

"Minister Wang is a man who cares a great deal about his reputation. Wang Yan has been spoiled since childhood, and although she has a straightforward personality, she shouldn't have reacted so calmly to something that would cause her to lose face..."

"She agreed too quickly today; I feel like something's not right."

"Does Your Excellency mean there's a trap?" Jiang Guo'er looked up.

"Not necessarily. It's just that things are unusual, so we should always be a little more careful."

After saying that, Pei Yan lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

"It's alright, I'll have someone send a message to Lu Yunzheng tomorrow."

"No matter how the Wang family tries to break off the engagement, at least he won't be forced to get married anymore."

Jiang Guo'er nodded.

She straightened his collar, but didn't immediately pull her hand away.

Instead, she gently touched Pei Yan's Adam's apple.

Then she tiptoed, gently pressed her lips to his, sucked on his lips for a moment, and then looked up at him.

"Prime Minister."

"Hmm?" Pei Yan's breathing was already unsteady.

"Last night, Lu Bingde was stuffed in a sack, his bones were broken, and he was thrown into a swill bucket..."

She tied the last ribbon for him, her voice soft and gentle.

"Was this your doing?"

Pei Yan subconsciously took a deep breath.

She was too close.

He was so close that he could smell the faint scent of jasmine hair oil in her hair, and he could see that her collar had loosened slightly as she lowered her head, revealing a sliver of her snow-white shoulders and neck.

The soft touch on his Adam's apple still lingered, making his heart race.

"Did you know that a man's Adam's apple... shouldn't be touched casually?"

"...Is that so?" Jiang Guo'er didn't take it seriously, blinked innocently, and looked up at him for an answer.

Pei Yan raised his hand to adjust her collar, his cool fingertips brushing across the hollow of her collarbone, pausing there for a moment.

"Let the new emperor perform the grand show. Lu Bingde's crimes are heinous... We... should at least collect some interest first."

"I knew it."

Jiang Guo'er's eyes shone brightly, her eyes filled with joy.

"well done!"

Her praise was like a spark falling into dry tinder.

Pei Yan's eyes darkened, and he cupped her waist with his palm, pulling her firmly into his embrace.

"Is this all you're thanking me for?"

Jiang Guo'er's ears burned, and she wanted to back away, but he wouldn't let go.

"Prime Minister, you—"

"Shunshun provoked me first."

He lowered his head and kissed her lips.

At first, he only touched her gently, but seeing that she didn't flinch, he gradually deepened the contact.

Jiang Guo'er gripped his shirt, her breathing erratic, but she didn't let go.

Pei Yan carried her to the bed, not daring to make any big movements, and could only massage her through her soft nightgown.

From the aching lower back from sitting for long periods, move to the forearm, elbow, shoulder, and even... the hair.

A warm, wet kiss fell from her brow to behind her ear, three parts restraint, two parts trembling, and five parts a persistent, lingering affection.

The silk doll beside the pillow was bent askew by the thin blanket, and its small clothes were creased.

Outside the tent, the candlelight flickered gently. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea... Pei Yan's sleeves were torn to shreds by Jiang Guo'er.

Jiang Guo'er's eyes reddened, and she complained softly, "A gentleman by day, but a dissolute and reckless one by night."

Pei Yan brushed a stray hair from her cheek and said in a low voice, "I had official business during the day."

"At night, it's just you."

Jiang Guo'er blushed even more, wanting to scold him for being shameless, but he kissed her instead.

When she was so sleepy that her eyelashes were trembling, Pei Yan tucked her clothes in, pulled the thin blanket over her, and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Sweetie, go to sleep."

a few days later.

On the eve of the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, under the grape trellis in the back garden of the Prime Minister's residence.

Jiang Guo'er and Xue Lingyi were sitting in the shade enjoying the cool air.

Green Ripple carried a plate of freshly washed loquats and placed it on the stone table.

Jiang Guo'er ate two pieces, and felt a slight inhale from the sourness, yet she also found them very appetizing.

Just as he was about to reach for the third one, an old woman came over carrying a red lacquered and gold-painted box.

"Madam, Concubine Jiang."

The old woman gave a curtsy.

"The Wang family's daughter sent someone to deliver a box, saying it was a thank-you gift for the two of you."

Jiang Guo'er curiously opened the box lid.

There were no pearls or jade, nor silks inside.

There was only one thread-bound book placed neatly.

The cover reads "The Passionate Tale of the Imperial Guard".

Xue Lingyi picked it up and flipped through two pages, her expression gradually becoming strange.

Jiang Guo'er leaned closer and looked at her head together.

The book lists a member of the Imperial Guard.

This man was short and stocky, with a fleshy face, a crooked nose, and slanted eyes. He could scare young children to tears if he walked down the street.

But he was deeply infatuated, his heart filled with thoughts of a handsome young swordsman who had died young.

To remain chaste for the young hero, he vowed to never be near a woman for the rest of his life.

His colleagues in the capital wanted to arrange a marriage between him and his wife, but he didn't even lift an eyelid. In the end, he declined the marriage proposal and often cried at night while holding the memorial tablet of the young hero.

The words describing the disgraceful behavior of the leader of the imperial guards were all incredibly scathing.

Jiang Guo'er only read half of it before she burst into laughter, unable to stand up straight.

"Ouch……"

She quickly covered her lower abdomen, laughing through her tears.

"Miss Wang may be magnanimous, but when she picks up a pen, she's sharper than a knife."

Xue Lingyi covered her lips with a handkerchief, trying to hold back her laughter, but in the end she couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

She flipped through a few more pages, finding herself increasingly amused.

"This imperial guard is clearly alluding to Lu Yunzheng. If he sees this, he'll probably be so angry he'll tear the roof off."

"I told her just a few days ago that she's broad-minded and doesn't hold grudges."

Jiang Guo'er rubbed her face, which had stiffened from smiling.

"So, this is what they were waiting for!"