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

The next morning, in the flower hall.

Xue Lingyi sat upright at the head of the table, wearing a light autumn-colored brocade jacket with lotus patterns, which made her skin look as white as snow and her temperament dignified.

She held the teacup with her left hand and the lid with her right, gracefully skimming the foam off the surface of the tea.

Jiang Guo'er lowered her head and knelt respectfully before her.

"This servant was drunk and behaved inappropriately yesterday. Please punish me, Madam."

Xue Lingyi raised her eyes, her voice neither too loud nor too soft: "You know you were wrong?"

"As a concubine of the Prime Minister, she is arrogant and presumptuous, stealing wine from her master. What kind of behavior is this? She truly deserves punishment."

The words were reprimanding, but there was no anger in them.

Pei Yan, who was sitting to the side watching the show, couldn't sit still and coughed lightly.

"Ahem... Madam, Guo'er, she..."

"Prime Minister," Xue Lingyi raised her eyes, her beautiful eyes seemingly smiling but not smiling, "this concubine is teaching the servants manners."

Pei Yan's next words caught in his throat.

It is only natural for the mistress to discipline her concubines.

But looking at Jiang Guo'er's slender figure, and with his gaze falling on the exposed, delicate white nape of her neck, his knuckles still unconsciously tightened.

Xue Lingyi took in his anxious and distressed expression, yet dared not interfere.

She wanted to laugh inside, but maintained the demeanor of a mistress on the surface.

"Considering this is your first offense and that you have served the Prime Minister well, I will not punish you severely this time."

"From this day forward, you shall come to me every morning and evening to learn the proper conduct."

She put down her teacup, making a crisp, soft sound.

"But you must learn these rules. If you don't even know this basic etiquette, how will you serve the Prime Minister in the future?"

Jiang Guo'er quickly kowtowed, "Madam's teachings are correct."

"From this day forward, you shall pay your respects to the Lord morning and evening. I will personally teach you the rules. You will be finished when you have mastered them."

Pei Yan: "..."

What's the difference between this and a severe punishment?

Doesn't that mean that Jiang Guo'er has to kneel here and listen to lectures for two hours a day?

Jiang Guo'er secretly raised the corners of her lips and exchanged a glance with Xue Lingyi.

"Madam Xie is magnanimous."

He accepted the "punishment" and left the flower hall dejectedly.

Just as I returned to the side room, before I even had a chance to rub my numb knees, Afu followed me in carrying a package.

He looked around suspiciously, like a thief.

"This is...this is what the Prime Minister used when he was young...maybe it will be useful when the young lady is learning the rules."

Jiang Guo'er was stunned for a moment. When she opened it, she found an old knee pad with curled edges inside.

The soft lambskin is stuffed with cotton and feels very soft to the touch.

But... this size is far too big.

Yesterday, Pei Yan abandoned her behind the artificial hill, and then, fearing that Lingyi would misunderstand, threw her into the mud.

It hurt her knees and wrists, causing them to scrape and bruise.

Is that why he sent someone to deliver the knee pads?

Okay, at least he still has some conscience!

Her devoted service during this period was well worth it.

Jiang Guo'er picked up her sewing basket and, using the daylight streaming in from the window, carefully unraveled the edges of her knee pads.

Remove some of the cotton from inside and carefully reduce the size.

I tried it on my leg, and it fit perfectly.

The Prime Minister's possessions were all exquisite and valuable, yet now they were worn on her lap.

This feeling made Jiang Guo'er feel strange, but she figured she might as well take advantage of the cheap deal, so she wore it without any guilt.

The days passed uneventfully.

Jiang Guo'er went to Xue Lingyi's place every day on time.

On the surface, it was about "learning the rules," but in reality, it was an opportunity for Xue Lingyi to get a good grasp of the complex interpersonal relationships within the household.

As planned, Lüyi complained seemingly unintentionally while eating in the servants' quarters.

It is said that ever since the lady was bitten by a poisonous insect on her wedding day, the red rash on her body has never disappeared.

The royal physician came to see her and repeatedly warned her that her constitution was special; she not only could not be bitten by poisonous insects, but she also absolutely could not come into contact with musk.

Even a tiny bit of it can be life-threatening!

Within two days, the news had spread throughout the entire Prime Minister's residence.

It was late at night.

The moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the entire Prime Minister's residence was shrouded in deep darkness.

Suddenly, flames burst forth from the storage room outside the study for some unknown reason.

"Fire! Help! Someone, please put out the fire!"

In an instant, footsteps, shouts, and the clattering of buckets filled the air.

Afu, who was in charge of guarding the study, was afraid that the fire would spread into the study, so he ran over with two buckets of water.

In a corner unnoticed by anyone, a small, thin figure emerged from the shadows like a ghost and slipped into the study.

This person is none other than Cuiping.

She was extremely familiar with the furnishings of the study, and without a moment's hesitation, she went straight to Pei Yan's curio cabinet.

Pulling open a drawer on the second row of the display cabinet, an exquisite brocade box lies quietly inside.

Cuiping was overjoyed and reached out to put the brocade box into her sleeve.

If this ink is secretly applied to Xue Lingyi's clothes, it will kill her!

She grinned smugly, about to turn and leave, when a sinister female voice drifted from the doorway.

"Cuiping, what treasure are you trying to steal by coming to the Prime Minister's study in the middle of the night?"

Cuiping froze, as if struck by lightning!

She turned around abruptly and saw Xue Lingyi, wearing a peacock blue cloak, standing in the moonlight with the help of Lüyi.

On the other side, Jiang Guo'er crossed her arms, leaned against the door frame, and glared coldly at her.

"Madam...?"

Cuiping instantly realized she had been tricked; her face drained of color, and her hands and feet turned ice-cold.

"I...I saw the study door wasn't closed and was afraid a thief might have gotten in, so I came in to check!"

"Is that so?" Xue Lingyi's smile was gentle, but her eyes were sharp as knives.

"What are you hiding in your sleeve? Take it out and let me see."

Cuiping instinctively clutched her sleeve and backed away repeatedly.

"No...it's nothing! It's just a handkerchief of mine!"

"A handkerchief?" Jiang Guo'er sneered.

"What kind of handkerchief is it that would make you risk being mistaken for a thief and sneak into the Prime Minister's study in the dead of night?!"

He darted forward and, before Cuiping could react, grabbed her wrist and twisted it forcefully!

The brocade box slipped from Cuiping's sleeve and fell to the ground.

The lid was opened, and an ink stick with an exquisite engraving rolled out.

The rich scent of ink, mixed with a very unique fragrance, instantly filled the study.

"This smell...it's musk! It's musk, Master!" Green Ripple immediately tugged at Xue Lingyi, her face full of shock.

"You audacious, lowly servant girl, how dare you plot against your mistress!"

Cuiping knew it was all over, and she knelt down with a thud, her face ashen.

"This servant...this servant was just confused for a moment. I thought this inkstick was pretty and wanted to...want to sell it for some money..."

Jiang Guo'er picked up the inkstone, held it in her hand, and her eyes were sharp.

"Of all things to steal, why did you have to steal this medicinal ink containing musk? Don't tell me you didn't know the lady can't touch musk!"

Cuiping trembled violently, never expecting that she would fall into their hands again.

"This servant doesn't know!" she insisted, refusing to admit it.

"I empty the chamber pot every day and have no idea what the servants have been gossiping about lately!"

Xue Lingyi looked down at her with an air of unquestionable authority befitting a mistress of the house.

"On our wedding day, wasn't it you who hid the centipede under the carpet?"

"Now, you've come to steal this musk ink again. Cuiping, I ask myself, I have no grudge against you, why do you repeatedly try to harm me?"

"Speak! Who ordered you to do this?!"

Cuiping was so frightened by her stern shout that her legs trembled, but she still gritted her teeth and dared not utter a single word.

If she reveals the Empress's identity, not only will she die, but also...

Seeing that Jiang Guo'er remained obstinate, Xue Lingyi asked her with her eyes.

Jiang Guo'er nodded to her.

"Looks like you won't confess unless I use some tricks on you, Lüyi!"

"This servant is here."

"Go to Songhe Garden and invite the Prime Minister here!"