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

Jiang Guo'er was pressed against the side of the bathtub, her back aching from the pressure, but she dared not struggle. She could only admit her mistake in a trembling voice:

"Your Excellency, please forgive me... This servant only went to the side gate to deliver something, I didn't expect..."

"Didn't expect anything?"

Pei Yan leaned closer, his voice deep and cold, "Didn't expect to run into a random man who tried to grope you?"

He raised his hand and pinched her chin with frightening force.

Jiang Guo'er was forced to look up and meet the dark fire in his eyes.

"Your Excellency... that's Lianhua's younger brother, I don't know him..."

"Don't you recognize me?" Pei Yan smirked, his fingers sliding down her jawline and stopping at her delicate neck.

How did he know the pattern on your undergarment?

Jiang Guo'er's face suddenly turned pale.

Sure enough, he heard it all.

Pei Yan touched the back of her hand through the soaked fabric.

"He touched this place?"

"No!" Jiang Guo'er shook her head violently, water droplets flying from her hair and splashing onto his shoulder.

"I dodged it, I really didn't—"

Before she could finish speaking, Pei Yan suddenly released her and stood up straight.

His wet, dark hair was disheveled, and water droplets rolled down his lean back.

Jiang Guo'er knelt in the bathtub, her heart pounding in her chest.

A moment later, Pei Yan turned around, holding a piece of soap in his hand.

"Prime Minister..."

"It's dirty."

Pei Yan quickly tore open her soaked jacket and skirt.

His undergarment was thin and clinging tightly to his body, and he rubbed it directly with warm water to create foam.

The actions weren't exactly rough, but they certainly weren't gentle either.

The calloused fingertips brushed against her skin, sending shivers down Jiang Guo'er's spine.

She bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself not to utter a sound.

The bitter taste of soapberry dissipates in the steam.

"From now on, you are not allowed to see any men outside the family."

Pei Yan's voice crashed down from above, carrying an irresistible chill.

Jiang Guo'er looked at her disheveled reflection on the water and mumbled a soft "hmm".

The washing continued, and Pei Yan's large hand even slipped inside the collar of his inner garment, his fingertips stroking his collarbone.

Jiang Guo'er finally couldn't help but shrink back.

"What are you hiding from?"

Jiang Guo'er remained silent.

The strength he had been putting on at the side gate suddenly vanished completely.

He's about to marry Lingyi as his legal wife, so why is he getting angry with her?

Pei Yan seemed to notice her silence and stopped what he was doing.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

She forced a smile, her eyes reddened, but no tears came.

"Your Excellency is right to reprimand me. I was careless and offended Your Excellency."

In the misty air, her face was somewhat blurry, her eyes were bright and piercing, yet empty inside, devoid of anything.

Pei Yan suddenly felt a little irritated.

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up: "Jiang Guo'er, look at me carefully!"

Jiang Guo'er raised her eyes as instructed.

Her eyes were submissive and dull, like those of a submissive maidservant, with none of her former liveliness.

Pei Yan felt as if something was blocking his chest.

He strode out of the bathtub, grabbed a robe and draped it over himself, saying coldly, "Get out."

Jiang Guo'er stood up, supporting herself on the wooden tub. Before she could even grab a cloth, Pei Yan had already ripped off the large dry cloth from the screen.

He wrapped her up completely from head to toe, then picked her up horizontally, cloth and all!

Jiang Guo'er was startled and instinctively shrank into his arms.

Pei Yan strode through the beaded curtain and carried her all the way to the canopy bed.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted his side: "Come here."

Jiang Guo'er didn't move.

Pei Yan's eyes sharpened, and he reached out and pulled the person and the cloth into his arms.

"Hiding? You were hiding in the bathtub just now, and you're still hiding now! Jiang Guo'er, do you really think that Baozhu is better than me?"

"My lord! This servant had absolutely no such intention—"

"Jiang Guo'er, you're really something. A mere concubine, and you still dare to give me such a hard time?"

Pei Yan pinched her earlobe, his tone dangerous.

"Are you deliberately avoiding me because you want to elope with him and leave the Prime Minister's residence?"

That's incredibly hurtful.

Jiang Guo'er's eyes instantly stung with tears.

"The Prime Minister is getting married soon." She turned her face away, her voice wooden.

"Miss Xue is the future mistress of the house. I am of lowly status and do not wish to offend her."

Pei Yan paused, his breath catching in his throat.

So this is why I've been distancing myself from him these past two days?

"Lingyi replied." He softened his voice and patted her back a few times as if stroking her fur.

"She is a magnanimous woman and is willing to take you as her concubine."

Jiang Guo'er bit her lower lip.

What could she possibly say?

She doesn't blame anyone; she's just... a little reluctant to let go.

But what's the point of saying all this?

Jiang Guo'er lay motionless on his shoulder.

Pei Yan thought she was so happy she was silly, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

Just as I was about to say something more, I suddenly felt a warmth on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

He looked down to see her face, but she grabbed his collar tightly.

"Prime Minister...don't look..." Jiang Guo'er's voice was hoarse and incoherent, her cries were desperate, "This servant is scared..."

The usually decisive and ruthless prime minister was completely thrown into disarray.

He, who was known for killing without shedding blood in the imperial court, was surprisingly at a loss when faced with this flood of tears.

He awkwardly pulled her closer, his large hands stroking her long hair.

"Alright, alright, it's not your fault, stop crying."

Jiang Guo'er's nose was red, and she looked up at him with wet eyes, looking pitiful and adoring, completely attached to him.

After her father and brothers were falsely accused and her entire family was executed, losing all her relatives, the grievances and pain that had been building up in her heart suddenly surged forth like a waterfall.

"Alright," Pei Yan finally spoke after a long pause, his voice a little dry, "Don't cry anymore."

Jiang Guo'er shook her head and cried even harder.

"I was... a bit harsh just now," Pei Yan said helplessly, softening his tone. "This isn't your fault."

Jiang Guo'er's sobs gradually subsided, but they were still intermittent.

She loosened her grip on his sleeve and instead clutched his shirt collar, as if afraid of being thrown away.

Her eyes were red from crying, her nose was also red, her face was streaked with tears, and her hair was messy and stuck to her face.

Unbeknownst to Pei Yan, a corner of the iceberg in his heart, which had never melted for years, had collapsed.

"If you keep crying, you won't be able to face anyone tomorrow."

He gently wiped away her tears, sighed a few times, pulled the blanket over her, and lay down beside her.

Jiang Guo'er pressed against his chest, feeling the vibrations of his heartbeat.

"Go to sleep."

Jiang Guo'er hummed in agreement and closed her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, the person in my arms finally stopped breathing and fell into a deep sleep.

Pei Yan opened his cold, sharp eyes again, where was the tenderness from before?

His eyes were filled with darkness.

After a moment, he gently withdrew his arm, got out of bed, put on his clothes, and walked to the window to open a crack.

"Xiao San," he called softly.

A dark figure silently landed on the snow outside the window and knelt on one knee.

"Deal with that family." Pei Yan's tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

"Make it clean; I don't want to see them in the capital again."

Xiao San accepted the order and instantly disappeared into the snowstorm.