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

The lake water was colder than Jiang Guo'er had imagined in winter.

The moment he crashed in, the biting cold felt like a thousand sharp blades stabbing into his chest at the same time.

I almost forgot she can actually swim!

When she was little, her older brother Murong Sheng would take her swimming at the manor every summer.

He said that girls must know how to swim, otherwise if they fall into the water and a man has to rescue them, their reputation will be ruined.

She used to think her older brother was old-fashioned, but now she realizes how lucky she was that he learned.

The ice water went over my head and into my nose and ears.

The doll, pressed against my heart, still held a faint warmth, like the last embers of a winter stove.

Fueled by that last bit of warmth, Jiang Guo'er gritted her teeth and paddled to the shore.

His fingers gripped the stone slab, splitting his fingernails in two.

He braced himself with his arms three times, his knees hitting the rocky edge, and finally managed to climb ashore in a disheveled state.

Water trickled down her hair and clothes, quickly soaking into a large patch of water under her body.

Her embroidered shoes and lower garment fell into the water.

Looking around, there was no one there; the murderer had obviously run far away.

A gust of north wind blew, and the cold made her kneel down again with a thud.

If you can't walk, then crawl!

The doll was still on her chest, as if it knew she was cold, and its temperature gradually rose, warming her heart.

Her lips were frozen purple, but thankfully it was a comfort.

"Please, please... don't let it die."

Passing through a moon gate and around a clump of withered banana trees, you'll find yourself on a winding bridge with several turns ahead.

After crossing the bridge, you'll reach the study.

Jiang Guo'er used both her hands and feet, but her vision kept going black. The skin on her palms was already worn raw, and every time she tried to push herself up, it was excruciatingly painful.

But she dared not stop.

I'm afraid that if I stop, I'll never be able to move again.

With great difficulty, she managed to grab the railing and climb up with all her might, barely managing to stand up before staggering over the first bend, the second bend...

Just one more discount left.

"Miss Jiang!"

Jiang Guo'er stood frozen in place.

Hongzhu's voice came from behind, like a messenger from hell.

"Miss Jiang, what happened to you? Good heavens, you're soaked from head to toe! Your clothes are torn! What lecherous devil dared to bully you!"

"Help! Help! Miss Jiang has been humiliated!"

Jiang Guo'er steadied herself and continued walking forward, but was tripped and fell to the ground by a light hook from Hongzhu's toe.

Then, her right hand was stepped on the stone slab.

A sharp pain shot from her fingertips all the way up her forearm, causing her fingers to spasm and curl up instantly, and cold sweat mingled with the lake water.

"No, don't..."

These are her embroidery hands!

She tried to struggle, but she barely had the strength to breathe.

Hongzhu glanced at her indifferently, a smile playing on her lips: "Miss Jiang, don't be afraid, I've already called for help!"

But he ground his foot down on her even harder.

Jiang Guo'er closed her eyes in despair.

If she were given another chance, would she still approach Pei Yan?

Perhaps she should have died along with her parents and brothers back then.

Having family by your side on the road to the underworld is always better than walking on thin ice every day and suffering endless humiliation...

Just as the last bit of clarity faded, a pair of familiar black official boots suddenly appeared in her sight.

Jiang Guo'er's heart skipped a beat, and in an instant, it was completely plunged into darkness.

When she opened her eyes again, she felt a sharp pain in her throat; her tongue was stuck to her palate, and it hurt to breathe.

After a long pause, I slowly realized where I was.

Side room, a side room next to the main room.

The thick quilt felt warm and cozy against my skin.

My body was dry, and my hair, which had been dried, lay half-dry on the pillow.

Who changed her clothes?!

Ignoring the pain, Jiang Guo'er sat up abruptly and touched her chest with both hands, but found nothing.

She lifted the covers and searched for a long time before finding the silk doll lying quietly beside her pillow.

There was a handkerchief under him, his little head was tilted to the side, his two cloth arms were outstretched, and he was sleeping on his back.

Jiang Guo'er hugged it tightly in her arms, as if she had survived a disaster.

After calming down, I realized that the back of my hand was covered in bruises, and my knuckles were red, swollen, and shiny, and it hurt terribly.

But when I tried to bend it, I could still move it; the bone wasn't broken.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"You're awake!"

Lotus was so excited she almost lifted the roof off, spilling a little of the medicine from her bowl.

"Thank God, if you don't wake up soon, I'm going to call the royal physician!"

She rushed to the bedside and stuffed the porcelain bowl into Jiang Guo'er's hands.

Jiang Guo'er hissed in pain.

"This is medicine to ward off the cold. Drink it while it's hot, don't leave a single drop!"

Jiang Guo'er lowered her head and took a big gulp. The ginger flavor was strong and spicy, making her frown.

But as the hot, warm current spread through my stomach, I felt like I had truly come back to life.

"How long did I sleep?"

"It's been almost an hour." Lianhua sat down on the edge of the bed, patting her chest with lingering fear. "Do you know who carried you back?"

She lowered her voice mysteriously and paused deliberately for a few moments.

"It's the Prime Minister! How about that? Surprised? Unexpected?!"

Jiang Guo'er's heart tightened.

Could her clothes also be...?

Lotus excitedly pounded the bed, spitting as she spoke:

"When the Prime Minister saw you faint on the bridge, his face turned ashen. He was frantic with worry and carried you to the side room!"

"The tension was so intense, everyone was stunned!"

Jiang Guo'er's eyelashes trembled; she couldn't believe it.

Isn't this an exaggeration?

Seeing that she was in a daze, Lianhua affectionately took her arm.

"Guo'er, I've figured it out now, you're the one the Prime Minister cherishes most."

"Even if the Prime Minister marries Miss Xue, he will still spoil you. You won't have to worry about wealth and luxury for the rest of your life!"

Jiang Guo'er put down the bowl, but her lips and tongue were filled with bitterness.

Wealth and glory?

With Hongzhu making such a fuss, it's uncertain whether she'll still be able to serve the Prime Minister in bed in the future.

But a sliver of hope still lingered in my heart.

"Since... it was the Prime Minister who carried me back, does he know... why I fell into the water? And why my right hand is injured?"

Lotus blinked in confusion.

"I don't know about that. When I heard the news and rushed over, you were already lying here, and the physician was taking your pulse."

"However, I did hear some old women gossiping, saying you were... ptooey ptooey ptooey!"

"Guo'er, you accidentally fell into the water, didn't you?"

Looking into her innocent and clear eyes, Jiang Guo'er fell silent.

An even stronger bitterness and sourness emanated from the back of the tongue.

Hongzhu truly possesses remarkable skills.

If she does not admit to accidentally falling into the water and being harassed and pushed by an unknown man, the rumors will surely spread throughout the inner courtyard.

But does that make her afraid?!

She had no intention of climbing over anyone to get ahead, but as the sage said: repay kindness with kindness and repay injustice with justice!

If she doesn't avenge this, she will be unworthy of being a descendant of the Murong clan!

"Lotus, do me a favor..." Jiang Guo'er whispered a few words to her.

Lotus looked surprised, but thinking of the benefits she would receive in the future, she nodded without hesitation.

"You get some rest, I'll take care of this little thing!"

Lianhua tucked the blanket around her, and before leaving, she heated up a bowl of herbal medicine and placed it on the table.

Jiang Guo'er closed her eyes for a short while and then felt a chill and heat in her back, and her breath was hotter than usual.

I reached up and touched my forehead; sure enough, I had a fever.

I felt a little better after drinking three cups of hot water in a row.

In a daze, a dark shadow appeared beside the bed.

A dark figure, so tall it almost touched the low roof beams, remained silent, staring at her with a sinister gaze.

Is it a ghost?

Was it her father who sent her to pick her up?

Overwhelming grievances, like water bursting its banks, instantly engulfed her.

Jiang Guo'er revealed a long-lost, charmingly naive look, a quality usually reserved for daughters of the Murong family. With red eyes and a tearful voice, she unconsciously began to complain:

"Father...Mother...Brother...Why did it take you so long to arrive?"

"It's so cold... my hands hurt so much... I almost got bullied to death..."

She sobbed, pouring out all the fright and grievances she had suffered during the day.

"It's all the Prime Minister's fault... He insisted I make ten sets of clothes in three days, it's all his fault..."

The shadowy figure suddenly froze.

Looking at her flushed cheeks and her tightly furrowed, tear-stained eyebrows.

It felt like an invisible hand was gripping my heart tightly, causing a strange pain.

During the day, the sudden, intense pressure on his body made him feel uneasy, so he immediately left the cabinet.

Unexpectedly, they ran into the Minister of Personnel, Xue Lingyi's father, on the way.

The other person warmly greeted him, which delayed him for a moment, causing him to return late.

This woman actually dared to complain about me.

Pei Yan slowly bent down and stretched out his arms.

He brushed aside her sweaty bangs and pulled her, blanket and all, into his arms.

The movements were as light as if they were holding a rare piece of porcelain.

Jiang Guo'er cried herself to sleep, and like a cat soaked in the rain, she unconsciously rubbed against him, seeking warmth.

Pei Yan, still in that position, steadily lifted her up and walked back to the inner room in a few steps.

Instead of putting her on the bed, he sat on the edge of the bed himself first.

Then he adjusted his position, holding her sideways in his arms, so that her back was pressed tightly against his chest.

Through his inner garment, the heat from his entire body gradually seeped through him.

Pei Yan lowered his head, his nose unconsciously brushing against the back of her exposed neck.

The faint, sweet fragrance of soapberry mixed with her body lingered in the air.

He couldn't resist and placed a very light kiss on her forehead, which was damp with a thin layer of sweat.