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

Pei Yan tensed up instantly, embraced Jiang Guo'er's soft body, and stepped out of the dark room in a few steps.

"Prepare the car, let's go home!"

His voice was tinged with coldness, and upon closer listening, one could detect a barely perceptible hint of impatience.

The person in his arms was pale, with fine beads of sweat on their forehead, and was humming softly in his chest.

Pei Yan's heart tightened, and he instinctively wanted to call for the imperial physician.

But then I thought about it again and forced myself to hold back.

No.

Once the imperial physician arrived, the fact that Guo'er was pregnant could no longer be kept secret.

He could only tighten his arms around her, using his own body heat to warm her cold hands and feet.

Minister Xue had already pried open Prefect Zhao's fingers and escaped from the flower hall, with several glaring red marks still on his neck.

Seeing that Pei Yan was about to leave, he rushed over as fast as he could.

"Prime Minister! Prime Minister, please wait!" He blocked Pei Yan's path, his old face contorted in a bitter expression. "Prime Minister, what... what should I do? What about the Zhao family..."

Zhao Yuanzhe died at the Xue residence.

This feud is now irreconcilable.

Pei Yan stopped and glanced at him coldly.

"The child in Lingyi's womb is Benxiang's first child."

He only said that one sentence.

Minister Xue was startled and instantly understood.

Pei Yan was giving him a warning, making him distinguish between what was important and what was not. How could a crippled Zhao Yuanzhe be compared to the eldest son of the Grand Secretary?

Pei Yan tilted his head slightly, his voice very low:

"Whoever is the culprit, you shall deal with them. If Prefect Zhao is still not satisfied, then come and see me again."

Minister Xue was startled.

Yup!

Zhao Yuanzhe is dead, but it was Xue Lingfang who cut off his lineage, and it was Zhao who put saffron in Lingyi's bath.

Just send them out and give the Zhao family an explanation, and the matter will be settled, right?

Anyway, the Xue family is large and prosperous, with daughters everywhere, so what does it matter if one is missing!

He's still in good health; tomorrow he'll marry a young and beautiful second wife and have another big, healthy son!

"Thank you for your guidance, Prime Minister! I understand now!" Minister Xue bowed repeatedly, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon.

Pei Yan ignored him, picked up Jiang Guo'er, and went straight to the carriage.

Upon receiving the news, Xue Lingyi and Lüyi quickly packed their things and followed closely behind.

The carriage curtain fell, shutting out the chaotic scene at the Xue residence.

The carriage wheels turned slowly.

Jiang Guo'er leaned against Pei Yan's chest, her breathing gradually becoming calm.

Actually, she was just stimulated by the bloody scene, and with that little spark of anger that shouldn't have been there, her blood and qi flowed backward, which made her feel short of breath and have chest tightness.

Being held in the Prime Minister's arms and smelling his cool, refreshing fragrance made her feel reassured, and everything seemed fine.

She secretly lifted her eyelids and glanced at Pei Yan's tense jaw.

It's over, it seems she's really done for.

Facing such a decisive and ruthless man, she was filled with shameless thoughts.

She dared not look any longer, and quietly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look out the window.

The long-absent streets were bustling with activity.

The peddler carrying his load, the chasing children, and the aroma of freshly steamed meat buns all mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

This is the vibrant, everyday life of ordinary people.

She hadn't seen him in so long.

From the Marquis's residence to the Pei residence, she was like a bird trapped in a gilded cage, with only the sky in four corners visible to her.

Jiang Guo'er was mesmerized, her eyes shining brighter than the glass lamps in the shops along the street.

Pei Yan lowered his eyes and happened to see her looking at the street scene with great interest.

A thought struck him.

Yes, ever since she entered the Prime Minister's residence, she has been trapped in that small courtyard.

These past few days, I've been following Lingyi back to her parents' home, and all I see are vulgar schemes and plots. I guess she's been holding back for too long.

"Want to go downstairs for a stroll?" he suddenly asked.

Jiang Guo'er was startled and quickly lowered the carriage curtain, shaking her head.

What a joke! Who does she think she is now? How dare she make such a request?

Pei Yan ignored her refusal and directly gave instructions to the guards outside the carriage.

"I'm going to the cabinet to draft proposals. Madam and... Jiang Guo'er are going to stroll around the market. You all need to keep a lot of people around to protect them."

He paused, then glanced back at them: "Buy whatever you want, but you must return to the manor in an hour."

After saying that, he straightened his sleeves and prepared to get off the bus.

Jiang Guo'er and Xue Lingyi were both stunned.

"Aren't you going yet?" Pei Yan saw her standing there dumbfounded, so he stretched out his long finger and flicked the tip of her nose.

"Go! Go!" Xue Lingyi grabbed Jiang Guo'er's hand, her face beaming with joy. "Thank you, Prime Minister!"

Even after Pei Yan left, Jiang Guo'er was still in a state of unreal dizziness.

"Guo'er, are you crazy?" Xue Lingyi pinched her cheek. "The Prime Minister has spoken, so hurry up and go! Let's go and relax!"

"Oh... okay!"

Jiang Guo'er was pulled off the carriage by Xue Lingyi. Her feet touched the solid bluestone pavement, and she was still a little dazed.

She took a deep breath, the mixed smells of the market filling her nostrils, pungent yet incredibly refreshing.

"Come on! There's a place over there selling roasted chestnuts! Let's go buy some!"

Xue Lingyi was even more excited than her, and pulled her into the crowd.

Lüyi, accompanied by guards, stood at a safe distance, protecting the two of them closely.

From roasted sweet potatoes on the street to osmanthus cakes at the end of the alley, Jiang Guo'er held a handful of various snacks.

Xue Lingyi was even more extravagant. Seeing that Jiang Guo'er had lingered in front of a jewelry shop for a couple of seconds, she went straight in, picked out an extremely exquisite red plum blossom gilded hairpin, and inserted it into her hair without saying a word.

"Don't move, it looks good on you!" Xue Lingyi looked you up and down, nodded with satisfaction and smiled.

"Thanks for your merit in returning to the manor to rid the evil, the Prime Minister will surely make you a concubine. You should agree without hesitation, understand?!"

Jiang Guo'er touched the hair ornament on her head, her heart warming.

This scene felt like a return to eight years ago, when she and Lingyi held hands and played wildly in Jinling City.

She sighed softly.

As they strolled around, the two came to a bookstore.

"Wenyanzhai?" Xue Lingyi looked at the plaque and smiled. "This bookstore has a rich collection of books. Many scholars and talented women in the capital love to come here. Let's go in and have a look."

Jiang Guo'er nodded, lifted her skirt, and stepped over the threshold.

The bookstore was quiet, filled with a faint scent of pine soot and ink.

Jiang Guo'er walked to the bookshelf and casually pulled out a collection of poems to browse through. Suddenly, her gaze swept across the doorway, and a figure instantly fixed her eyes on it.

He was a young man dressed in a moon-white robe.

He was slender and tall, with gentle and warm eyes, and was standing in front of the book stall, looking down at calligraphy copybooks.

Jiang Guo'er's mind went blank.

Xie Qing?!

When they came of age, their parents arranged a marriage between them.

However, her father suddenly changed his mind, not only breaking off the engagement but also hiring a governess to teach her in preparation for entering the palace.

She and Xie Qing had met four times back then, and they had developed mutual feelings for each other and knew each other well.

Back then, when the Marquis of Dingyuan's family was falsely accused of treason, Jiang Guo'er remembered that Xie Pan had even pleaded with his father, Lord Xie, to intercede with the emperor.

Although Lord Xie did not succeed, she would never forget this kindness for the rest of her life.

How did I end up running into him here?!

Jiang Guo'er instinctively tried to dodge, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, and she couldn't move.

four years ago.

He seemed unchanged, still the same gentleman.

However, a deep, unyielding sorrow seemed to shroud his brow.

Just as Jiang Guo'er was lost in thought, Xie Qing seemed to sense something and raised his head.