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

A strong wind swept over them.

An iron arm came across, grabbed her waist, and forcefully pulled her back from the edge of the well.

Jiang Guo'er's feet left the ground, and as the world spun around her, she caught a glimpse of the figure at the courtyard gate out of the corner of her eye.

Pei Yan, dressed in a scarlet court robe and still wearing his black gauze hat, strode towards this direction.

The hem of the python robe fluttered in the cold wind, and the metal buckle of the jade belt at the waist jingled loudly.

His cold face revealed no emotion, like a frozen lake, beneath which lurked a murderous aura.

Xiao San placed Jiang Guo'er on the ground, and her knees buckled, causing her to fall forward...

A pair of hands caught her steadily.

She fell into Pei Yan's arms, her hands trembling as she weakly grasped the patch on his chest embroidered with cranes.

The blood on his forehead smeared onto his official robe, spreading into a glaring red stain.

"Prime Minister..."

His voice was broken into tiny fragments, but at that moment, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

As if on his deathbed he had finally seen the person he had been longing for, and he gave a wistful, satisfied smile.

"Your Excellency, I did not... I am sorry."

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyelids drooped, and she went limp in his arms.

The sound of wind rustling through dry branches echoed in the courtyard.

Pei Yan held Jiang Guo'er, who was covered in blood and disheveled, in his arms, his thin lips pressed tightly together.

His dark eyes slowly swept over everyone present.

From the terrified Liu Shi, to the ashen-faced Pei Zhang, and then to the old matriarch leaning on her cane with a face full of anxiety.

Finally, the image returned to Jiang Guo'er's swollen face.

"Summon the imperial physician."

After saying that, he bent down and picked Jiang Guo'er up in his arms.

Everyone gasped in shock.

The prime minister, who was extremely fastidious about cleanliness, actually picked up this maidservant covered in blood!

"Yan'er!" The old lady frowned slightly. "She's just a concubine, and you're telling the servant to..."

Before she could finish speaking, she met Pei Yan's eyes.

There was no emotion in his eyes, but the corners of his mouth turned up very slightly.

Having lived most of her life, the old lady knew better than anyone that Pei Yan was truly enraged and had murderous intent at this moment!

She swallowed the rest of her words.

"Yan-ge'er! Yan-ge'er! Let me explain!"

Pei Zhang caught up, sweating profusely, "It's not what you think! It was her own fault..."

Pei Yan didn't even turn his head.

"Third brother, take your wife back to your courtyard."

"I really didn't...you have to believe me!"

Pei Yan suddenly stopped and turned his face to the side.

The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened a little.

"She's just a concubine. Even if Third Brother favors her, it's still her good fortune."

Pei Zhang's heart was pounding.

"I will investigate the truth myself," Pei Yan added, "and I will never wrong anyone."

The words sounded ordinary.

But Pei Zhang's blood instantly chilled him from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.

He looked at the old lady as if pleading for help.

The old lady tapped the ground with her cane, glared at him, her face full of disappointment and exasperation:

"What are you still standing there for? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough? Go back!"

Pei Zhang swayed, and under everyone's scrutinizing gazes, he grabbed Liu Shi and slunk away.

Pei Yan placed Jiang Guo'er on his canopy bed.

Soon, the physician arrived in a hurry, carrying his medicine box.

He took the pulse through the light gauze curtain, and stopped after a while.

"Your Excellency, although the young lady's wound on her forehead is deep, fortunately it didn't break the bone; she just lost a lot of blood."

"The injury on your face looks scary, but it's just a superficial wound. Apply some ointment to reduce swelling and bruising, and it will heal in a few days."

The frown lines between Pei Yan's brows did not loosen.

The physician hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice.

"But... but this young lady's pulse is weak and shallow, and she is deficient in both qi and blood. It seems that she is overwhelmed by worries and has accumulated resentment in her heart."

"If this mental affliction is not resolved, I fear... my lifespan will not be long."

Pei Yan closed his eyes, his chest aching with a tightness.

It must be Pei Zhang's beastly behavior today that has left an indelible shadow on Guo'er!

His voice was cold and stern in front of the old lady.

"Grandmother, my third brother is the Left Councilor of the Court of Judicial Review, receiving a salary from the imperial court, yet he commits such beastly acts in his own household. With such virtue, he is no longer fit to be an official."

"For your sake, I won't touch him."

This is going to ruin Pei Zhang's path to success!

The old lady's heart sank, and she advised, "Yan'er, A-Zhang has truly misbehaved this time! I will definitely discipline him properly and keep him in strict control!"

"Don't let a servant ruin the bond between your brothers."

Pei Yan lowered his eyes and said softly, "Grandmother, I'm tired."

He personally escorted the old lady to the door, watched as Granny Qin helped her walk away, and then waved everyone away.

Green Ripple and Lotus accompanied the physician to get the medicine and prepare it.

Only he and Jiang Guo'er remained in the room.

Pei Yan walked to the bedside, intending to help her change her dirty clothes.

The moment his fingertips touched her collar, she trembled violently and let out a broken sob.

Jiang Guo'er slowly woke up, and the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Pei Yan's enlarged face.

Like a startled rabbit, she clung tightly to Pei Yan's arm with both hands, desperately trying to burrow into his embrace.

"Prime Minister... Has Third Master left? Has he left?"

She cried incoherently, her whole body trembling violently.

Pei Yan felt as if a gash had been ripped open in his heart, and then salt had been poured into it.

That bastard Pei Zhang, I hope he gets syphilis tonight and can't get it for the rest of his life!

"Guo'er, don't be afraid." He patiently patted her back again and again.

"I'll issue a grounding order, so he can never set foot in this yard again, is that alright?"

But she seemed not to hear him at all, sobbing and convulsing, clinging to his arm, refusing to let go no matter what.

Pei Yan had no choice but to let her cling to him, repeatedly coaxing, "It's alright, it's alright..."

I don't know how much time passed, but the person in my arms gradually stopped crying and fell asleep with sobs.

Pei Yan tried to pull his arm away, but she gripped it even tighter.

He sighed, decided to stay in that position, and called Ah Fu over.

"Explain everything that happened today to me clearly!"

Afu knelt on the ground and recounted how Pei Zhang led his men into the study and how he tied him up...

She recounted everything, from how she ransacked the place to how Jiang Guo'er rushed in and how the incident occurred.

Pei Yan keenly sensed something was amiss.

"You saw Third Master lay a hand on her with your own eyes?"

Afu was taken aback and shook his head.

"I was pinned to the ground and didn't see anything."

"But... I heard the commotion clearly, the sound of the slap. She was crying like that, what else could it be but being forced?"

Pei Yan felt inexplicably displeased looking at Afu's indignant expression.

"You're protecting her...you like her?"

Afu's face flushed red, and he kowtowed repeatedly.

"Your Excellency is wise! This servant has absolutely no improper thoughts towards Miss Jiang!"

"But we used to have a younger sister, about the same age as Miss Jiang, who passed away from a sudden illness a couple of years ago..."

"Miss Jiang is usually diligent, and she never bullies us after she became favored. We servants... she treats us like her own younger sister."

The slight unease in Pei Yan's heart instantly dissipated.

He dismissed Afu and went to the study alone.

The study was indeed a mess, with books, scrolls, and boxes scattered all over the floor.

As Guo'er said, Pei Zhang was indeed looking for something.

What are you looking for?

Pei Yan frowned and picked up the fallen books one by one.

When I picked up a crooked ancient book from the third shelf, a yellowed Xue Tao letter floated out from between the pages.

He picked it up and glanced at it, and his blood ran cold.

"Xiao Yuzhen".

On that piece of paper was a love poem.

The book was a gift from the empress when he was still a young girl, but he left it on the bookshelf and never opened it.

Who would have thought that such a deadly thing was hidden inside!

If Pei Zhang sees this, and it gets back to the emperor's ears, he won't be able to explain himself no matter how hard he tries!

Pei Yan broke out in a cold sweat, feeling both lingering fear and relief.

He quickly burned the Xue Tao letter paper, and only after watching it turn to ashes did he let out a long sigh of relief.

Back in the inner room, he looked at Jiang Guo'er's pitiful and innocent face on the bed, and felt a mix of emotions.

But things just happened too coincidentally.

Could it be... that she really did it on purpose?