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

On the second day of the third lunar month, the streets were still chilly.

A large carriage with a golden roof and ceremonial canopy, pulled by six tall horses, came to a steady stop in front of the Xue family mansion.

The tiny "Pei" character on the car wall made pedestrians on the entire street stop and look.

Two rows of guards with swords at their sides, their faces taut, stood on either side.

Behind them, more than thirty servants carried ten pallbearers carrying precious birthday gifts wrapped in red silk through the gate, making the steps creak slightly.

At the entrance of the Xue residence, Minister Xue of the Ministry of Revenue and his entire family were already waiting.

Zhao was dressed in a red Hangzhou silk jacket, her handkerchief almost twisted into a rope, but her face was covered with a smile sweeter than honey.

Green Ripple lifted the carriage curtain, and Jiang Guo'er got out of the carriage first, then turned around to help Xue Lingyi.

Today, Xue Lingyi wore her hair in a peony bun, adorned with a pure gold filigree nine-phoenix hairpin, and a light pink brocade jacket with gold floral patterns.

He exudes an air of grandeur and is no longer the jinx who was once cursed as a mother-killer.

She raised her chin slightly, her gaze sweeping lightly over the crowd below, finally settling on a young man dressed in a light blue brocade robe.

Zhao Yuanzhe.

That beast who almost ruined her reputation!

He actually dared to stand at the very front, holding a folding fan, his clothes fluttering – what a dashing and handsome young man!

Xue Lingyi dug her nails into her palms, wishing she could rush down and tear his hypocritical face apart on the spot.

"Madam, watch your step." Jiang Guo'er secretly squeezed her wrist.

Xue Lingyi snapped out of her daze and forcibly suppressed the hatred in her chest.

His expression was dignified and gentle, showing no sign of anything amiss.

"My dear lady!" Lord Xue stepped forward, his old face full of eager wrinkles.

"Your Excellency is busy with official duties, it's kind of you to still think about your family."

Zhao quickly came over and affectionately took Xue Lingyi's arm.

"Indeed, look at this scene, the Prime Minister dotes on you to the core! Come inside quickly, it's windy."

Xue Lingyi subtly avoided Zhao's hand.

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. I should have returned with the Prime Minister, but there are simply too many affairs in the cabinet, and the Prime Minister is unable to attend to them all."

Zhao's hand froze, and she nodded repeatedly with a dry laugh.

"Yes, yes, Your Excellency naturally prioritizes matters of state."

The family banquet was held in the main hall.

Roast goose, pickled duck, honey-roasted ham, steamed shad, and various kinds of pastries... as well as steaming bowls of chicken marrow and bamboo shoot soup.

The table was laden with gold and jade, yet concealed filth.

Halfway through the meal, several of my maternal grandparents' cousins ​​took turns coming up to pay their respects.

Zhao Yuanzhe held a white porcelain wine cup, his peach blossom eyes only glancing at Xue Lingyi before immediately lowering them.

"My cousin is now the wife of the Grand Secretary. Her bearing surpasses that of even the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan."

It seems to be the most polite thing ever, but it actually contains a flirtatious remark.

Jiang Guo'er immediately frowned, stepped forward a little, and shielded Xue Lingyi from some of her gaze.

Xue Lingyi didn't even lift her eyelids, she just slightly raised her chin.

"Lvyi, give the gifts I prepared to my cousins."

Green Ripple stepped forward with a tray and distributed several pairs of mutton-fat jade pendants and gold filigree hairpins.

The gift is a generous one.

Their attitude was perfectly clear.

This is a gesture of respect from the Prime Minister's wife to her maternal relatives, and also a reward from those in power.

Zhao Yuanzhe was rebuffed and sheepishly returned to his seat, his gaze secretly glancing at Zhao Shi beside him.

The two exchanged a quick glance and then lowered their heads.

However, this tiny interaction was also noticed by Jiang Guo'er.

After the banquet, Madam Zhao personally led Xue Lingyi to the backyard.

"Lingyi, this is the Tingyu Pavilion where you lived before you got married. Your mother specially ordered it to be renovated, and all the bedding and utensils were replaced with new ones. Even the incense balls in the washroom were bought from the Western Regions."

She spoke so affectionately, as if she truly had the heart of a loving mother.

Xue Lingyi looked slightly tired and took Lüyi's hand.

"I'm a little tired and want to rest first. My mother has also been busy all day, so she doesn't need to stay with me."

Madam Zhao quickly smiled and said, "Alright, alright, you're pregnant now, so you should naturally rest well."

She gave a few more instructions before leaving with her people.

The moment the latch was pulled down, the air inside the room instantly turned cold and austere.

Without Xue Lingyi's instructions, Lüyi quickly checked the gaps in the bed and the cabinets, while Jiang Guo'er went to the washroom.

The incense burner was burning brightly, and next to it was a box of delicate bath beans for washing.

Jiang Guo'er picked up a pinch of powder, brought it to her nose, and smelled it. She felt that the smell was wrong.

He immediately took the box of bath beans out and handed it to her.

"Lingyi, you know medicine, take a look at this."

Xue Lingyi dipped a little into the soap and brought it to her nose, then peeled it open to examine it closely, her face immediately darkening.

"It contains extremely fine saffron powder."

Lu Yi gasped.

"That wicked woman! How dare she!"

Xue Lingyi immediately pulled Jiang Guo'er in front of her, "You absolutely mustn't use this! Don't even touch it!"

He then gritted his teeth.

"Zhao isn't stupid; she didn't expect me to have an abortion right here. The amount of saffron is small; even if I bathe every day, I'll only have spotting at most."

Jiang Guo'er clenched her fingers, her expression grave.

"But once you start bleeding, you can't move and you'll have to stay here in Tingyuxuan to recover."

"The Zhao family can use the pretense of taking care of people to send doctors, old women, and medicines here."

"By then, it will be much easier for her to do anything."

Green Ripple stomped her feet in anger: "She's dreaming!"

"That's not all."

Jiang Guo'er walked to the window and glanced out of the courtyard through the thin gauze.

"During the meal, I noticed that Madam Zhao and Zhao Yuanzhe were exchanging glances."

"These two have probably been in cahoots for a long time. She made you bleed, likely to create an opportunity for that beast to take advantage of you!"

A burning hatred instantly ignited in Xue Lingyi's eyes. She swayed slightly, her fingertips gripping the edge of the table tightly.

"Lingyi, don't rush."

Jiang Guo'er grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Since they want to play dirty tricks, let's play along. It doesn't conflict with our original plan."

Jiang Guo'er's voice was extremely low, and every word was chilling.

Xue Lingyi looked up: "How?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Jiang Guo'er's eyes. She lowered her voice and told her the elaborate plan she had just come up with.

As Xue Lingyi listened, her tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

He nodded emphatically at the end.

"Fine, let them be utterly disgraced and reap what they sow!"

In the stillness of the night, in a side room.

After a long day, Jiang Guo'er finished washing up and lay back on the couch. She reached out and touched her chest, scratching the hand of the silk doll.

"It's a pity you can't speak, otherwise you would have helped me curse a few times."

She felt a surge of anger whenever she thought about what Zhao Yuanzhe had done, and she muttered through gritted teeth.

"You filthy bastard, how dare you bully Lingyi! You're dead! I'll skin you alive!"

"Wait until you experience what it means to be in ecstasy, then let's see how you pretend to be a gentleman!"

After she finished cursing, the resentment in her chest finally dissipated a bit.

He rubbed his eyes, which he could barely open, and unconsciously rolled over, pinning the doll beneath him, which ended up squeezing against his chest.

At the same time, in the Pei family study.

Pei Yan sat behind his rosewood desk, holding a vermilion pen, reviewing a memorial concerning salt administration in Jiangnan.

Suddenly, his breathing stopped.

It felt like something was covering his mouth and nose.

Immediately afterwards, a familiar feeling exploded through my body.

Pei Yan's breathing suddenly became heavy, and he leaned forward uncontrollably, forced to put down his vermilion pen.

Immediately afterwards, several indistinct thoughts entered his mind.

[My cousin... stripped me... I felt like I was dying of pleasure...]

Pei Yan was stunned for a moment.

He quickly clenched his fist, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and slammed it heavily on the edge of the table.

You little rascal, Jiang Guo'er! You've only been away from the Pei residence for a day, and you dare to go behind my back and find another man!