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

Just after 9 PM, the lights in the main room were already out.

As soon as the side room door opened, the chilly early spring night wind swept in.

Pei Yan took off his black silk cloak and casually draped it over the screen.

During the day, he appeared aloof and unfathomable in the cabinet, but now, as the door closed, much of that aura had been removed by the night.

Jiang Guo'er sat on the edge of the bed in her nightgown, holding a silk doll in her hand.

Today she dropped her eyebrow pencil and smudged the doll's face, so she used hot water to wipe its face and then used a wooden comb to re-tied its hair.

Hearing footsteps, she unconsciously tightened her grip and gently scratched the back of the doll's neck twice.

Pei Yan felt a familiar tingling sensation on the back of his neck, and his hands hanging at his sides tightened slightly.

Jiang Guo'er noticed his tense jaw and couldn't help but smile.

During the day, he acted like a jade Buddha enshrined in a temple, but behind the scenes, he wrote on Xue Tao's note that she had stolen ice cream.

Really...

I'm so bored.

She placed the doll back beside her pillow, got up, walked to the incense table, took a tinderbox, and lit a thin stick of sandalwood incense.

Because sandalwood is harmful to pregnant women, Pei Yan had already found an excuse to have it replaced.

The wisps of smoke rising indicate that the detoxification process can begin.

Before Jiang Guo'er could turn around, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into Pei Yan's arms.

She had been deliberately avoiding him these past few days, but now that their breaths were close, Pei Yan's movements carried a hint of impatient eagerness.

Jiang Guo'er did not dodge.

After ignoring him for a few days, it's time to give him something in return.

She tiptoed and wrapped her arms around his neck, the action seemingly the same as usual, but with a subtle increase in dependence than before.

"I need to take the initiative to detoxify, has Your Majesty forgotten again?"

"Oh dear... don't move around..."

Pei Yan's shoulders tensed for a moment.

This sudden, coquettish remark stirred up all the restlessness that had been building up in his chest for days.

Jiang Guo'er was breathless from the kiss, so she turned her head away and poked him hard on the chest with her fingertips a few times.

"Your Excellency!"

Pei Yan frowned, then lowered his head to continue the chase.

Jiang Guo'er blushed and blocked his way, her eyes glistening with moisture.

"The Prime Minister bit me too hard yesterday."

Pei Yan stopped moving.

Jiang Guo'er pursed her lips, touched his lips with her fingertip, and complained softly:

"It's not like you're a three-year-old eating a candied hawthorn."

As soon as she said it, she froze.

That tone is too sweet.

She didn't seem like a maidservant, but rather like a pampered young lady from a wealthy family who needed to be coaxed when she was wronged.

Jiang Guo'er's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyelashes, trying to hide the delicate charm that shouldn't have been revealed.

Pei Yan had already noticed it; his eyes darkened slightly, and he raised his eyebrows.

She was clearly blushing with embarrassment, but she still forced herself to scold him.

Tsk, spoiled rotten?

Jiang Guo'er took his hand and gently placed it on her waist.

"And here... there are bruises from pinching."

Her voice grew softer and softer, but her face burned redder and redder.

"I'm not being dramatic, but... it hurts when I bend over, how can I work like this?"

"Now, who would dare to order you around?"

Still saying it's not being dramatic?

Bold.

absurd.

These four words flashed through Pei Yan's mind, but unconsciously, he tightened his grip on her palm as she had instructed.

Is this teaching him?

This little thing is completely upside down!

Pei Yan lowered his head, his forehead close to her heart, and vaguely caught a few fragmented words of her heart.

[I neglect him... I like him... I'll make it up to him...]

Pei Yan's eyes flickered slightly.

It turned out to be the case.

She had been deliberately avoiding him these past few days, but today she was being so enthusiastic and proactive, as if she felt she had neglected him and wanted to make it up to him.

Pei Yan's pent-up frustration dissipated considerably, and he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

"Too verbose."

His voice had not yet returned; he merely moved his lips silently.

He then picked up Jiang Guo'er and turned to walk towards the canopy bed.

The brocade quilt was very soft and smelled of sunshine.

This time, his kiss was much lighter, still somewhat rapid, but no longer impulsive.

How did he learn so fast?

Jiang Guo'er's heart pounded wildly, and the last vestiges of reason in her mind were instantly shattered.

original……

This is what it feels like to be in love with someone.

Like a ray of sunshine after a blizzard, like a drop of sweet syrup after a flood.

Once Pei Yan was satisfied, it was her turn to take the initiative.

As the incense burned out, Jiang Guo'er buried her face in his neck to calm her breathing, tilted her head to let her hair fall down, covering her burning ear tips.

Unconsciously, I curled the tip of my tongue.

Ouch, that hurts a little.

Pei Yan felt a pricking, itchy sensation in his throat.

He tried to swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing, and his low, husky voice whispered in her ear.

"These past few days..."

Jiang Guo'er opened her eyes wide, so shocked she almost sat up.

"Prime Minister, can you speak now?"

Pei Yan didn't answer her. His long fingers traced her crimson lips, his voice terribly hoarse.

Why are you avoiding me?

He kept track of this debt for several days.

Jiang Guo'er's heart skipped a beat.

You can't very well say that you consulted a fortune teller and got a very bad omen, and then you're too ashamed to reveal your true identity.

She lowered her eyelashes, her eyes slowly welling up with tears, and reached out to grab the corner of his undergarment.

"This servant dares not speak."

Pei Yan looked at her like this, and his voice became even deeper.

"explain."

Jiang Guo'er sniffed, her fingertips clenching the small piece of fabric, her voice trembling.

"I am just a concubine. The more I like the Prime Minister, the more afraid I am."

Pei Yan reached out and grasped her wrist.

"In my hometown, when men and women marry, they are committed to being together for life."

"But in the Pei household, I can only regard the Prime Minister as my master, and I dare not truly regard you as my husband."

"The Prime Minister treats me well, so I can't help but be greedy..."

"I want the Prime Minister to only look at me."

"I'm afraid I'll get too caught up in this and forget my place, which will annoy the Prime Minister. So I have to constantly remind myself to restrain myself and be patient."

After saying that, she turned her face to the side, her eyes red-rimmed.

These statements are false.

But the bitterness and fear were real.

Pei Yan was stunned for a long time.

Only one sentence remained in his mind.

She wanted him to only look at her.

The anger that had been suppressed for so many days dissipated completely, and my chest was filled with something else.

She was of lowly status, and seeing Xue Lingyi enter the family, she inevitably felt a great sense of loss. She was also reluctant to leave him, so she could only hide away and suffer alone.

Pei Yan raised his hand and clumsily wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"When I hold you and kiss you, do you like it?"

Jiang Guo'er bit her lower lip, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"……like."

Pei Yan raised the corners of his lips slightly and lowered his head to place a light kiss on her forehead.

"If you like it, you don't need to restrain yourself in the future."

He paused for a moment, then added another sentence.

"You can do whatever you want in front of me."

Jiang Guo'er stared blankly at him, the bitterness in her chest slowly melting away with this tenderness.

Unable to resist, a smile crept across her face. She buried her face in his chest, hugged his waist, and gave a resounding "Yes!"

"Um!"

On the first day of the third lunar month, freshly brewed pre-rain tea and various sweets were placed in the warm pavilion of Songhe Garden.

The bronze incense burner under the window was burning brightly, filling the room with a festive atmosphere.

The old lady sat upright at the head of the table, her prayer beads spinning faster than usual, her face glowing with an irrepressible rosy light.

"I have called you all here today to announce some very joyous news."

The ladies below quickly sat up straight.

The old lady glanced at Xue Lingyi, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy.

"Lingyi is pregnant!!!"

After these words were spoken, the warm pavilion fell silent for a moment, and then congratulatory voices rang out from all sides.

"This is truly an incredible blessing."

"Congratulations, Madam! Congratulations, Prime Minister!"

Once the eldest grandson of the main branch is born, the Pei family's legacy and future prestige will be even less likely to be taken by others.

Xue Lingyi sat on the chair, her eyes slightly lowered, displaying a shy and gentle demeanor.

Jiang Guo'er stood behind her, her head bowed and eyes lowered, but her gaze slid over the handkerchiefs and teacups in the hands of the ladies.

They were all all sweet talk, but their hands were practically twisting the handkerchief to shreds.

Xue Lingyi stood up at the right moment and curtsied to the old lady.

"Grandma, my father's sixtieth birthday is on the third day of next month. Lingyi would like to take Lüyi and Guo'er back to the Xue residence for three days in advance."

She gently placed her palm on her lower abdomen, her voice soft.

"Firstly, I came to celebrate her birthday, and secondly, I wanted to share in the blessings of my maternal family and pray for the protection of our ancestors."

"We should go, we should go."

The old lady turned and instructed Granny Qin.

"Go to the storeroom and pick out a few decent birthday gifts, and also prepare some tonics for the pregnancy to help with pregnancy. Have Lingyi take them back."

Granny Qin smiled and agreed.

The second and third wives exchanged a glance, their smiles becoming increasingly forced.

Jiang Guo'er took in that glance and silently snorted to herself.

It's urgent, isn't it?

The more urgent the better.

They only show their true colors when they're desperate.

Inside the study, Pei Yan stared coldly at the map of the secret guards' deployment on the desk.

March 15th, Baiyun Mountain.

Since Xiao Yuzhen dared to threaten him with a fake doll, he would take this opportunity to return the favor with a big gift!

Xue Lingyi took Jiang Guo'er back to her parents' home for a short stay, which was a good way to avoid the open and covert attacks in the mansion and also to save him from being distracted.

"Xiao Qi".

The dark figure on the beam flipped over and landed on one knee in front of the table.

"Go to the Xue residence and secretly protect the safety of Madam and Jiang Guo'er."

Xiao Qi bowed his head and accepted the order: "Yes!"

Pei Yan's voice was still hoarse, but his eyes were sharper than a blade.

"If they need anything, you shall do as they ask!"

"If anyone dares to harm them, just kill them without asking for permission!"