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

Pei Yan put down his soup bowl and glanced at her expressionlessly.

"The key to the warehouse where the cloth is stored is in the hands of the Old Madam. Why don't you ask her for permission instead of coming to me?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water.

Jiang Guo'er felt a chill run down her spine, and unconsciously picked at the rim of the bowl with her fingertips.

She understood that, according to the rules, this little matter shouldn't bother Pei Yan at all.

However, if she went to see the old lady, she would inevitably be publicly humiliated by Zhou Xiuniang.

If the old lady were to punish Zhou Xiu Niang, wouldn't she become the target of everyone's criticism?

Leave a way out for others.

She didn't want to offend people to death unless absolutely necessary.

Jiang Guo'er composed herself, got up from the stool, took half a step forward, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

"Your Excellency, please calm down. It was really because you were in such a hurry that I thought it would be disrespectful to disturb the Old Madam's peace and quiet over such a trivial matter, especially since it is so late."

She lowered her eyes and secretly wiped the cold sweat from her palms.

"But if I delay the Prime Minister's duties, I will gladly die a thousand deaths."

"After much thought, I have no choice but to swallow my pride and ask you for help. You are the head of the Pei family, and this small matter can be resolved with just a word from you."

After saying that, she gently hooked her fingertips around his sleeve and shook it.

I silently counted to three in my mind.

If the Prime Minister shakes off her hand, then we'll have to find another way.

Pei Yan didn't speak, nor did he raise his sleeves.

He simply picked up a piece of roasted mutton with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly.

It would be strange if no one made things difficult for a maid who had suddenly been given such an important task.

He saw through it, but didn't say it.

"Useless thing, go back to sleep!"

Jiang Guo'er gave a blank curtsy and nervously left the study.

My mind was buzzing.

Did he agree or not?

The next morning, at the end of the Mao hour (5-7 AM).

After Jiang Guo'er finished cleaning the inner room, her servant A Ping ran over and stuffed a brass key into her hand.

"Miss Jiang, the Prime Minister went to pay his respects to the Old Madam this morning and also retrieved the keys."

Jiang Guo'er was overjoyed. She took the still-warm key and headed straight for the fabric storeroom in the back of the mansion.

This place is secluded and is guarded year-round by a steward surnamed Ma.

When Jiang Guo'er arrived, Steward Ma was squatting on the threshold eating a sesame seed cake.

This man was in his forties, short and stout, with small eyes sunken into his flesh.

He looks honest and simple at first glance, but his eyes are not very well-behaved; when he looks people up and down, they tend to dart down to the chest.

Jiang Guo'er explained her purpose and showed the brass key, at which point Steward Ma made way for her.

Pushing open the door, a scent of aged camphor wood mixed with fabric wafted out.

The warehouse was filled with rows of tall wooden shelves, neatly stacked with fabrics of all colors, a dazzling array.

Based on the colors Pei Yan had approved last night, she quickly found the corresponding silk satin and fine ramie, both of which were of the highest quality.

Thinking of Pei Yan's status, she then found a piece of brocade wrapped tightly in oil paper on the top shelf.

This kind of material is not something ordinary people can use, but it is not considered excessive for the Grand Secretary to use it to trim his undergarments.

She picked out half a bolt of cloth, and together with other fabrics, she carried five or six rolls.

There are so many materials, she can't possibly carry them all back by herself.

Jiang Guo'er walked out of the storeroom and saw two servants sweeping the floor, so she casually ordered them around:

"Could you two gentlemen please help me deliver these fabrics to the embroidery room?"

Seeing that she was holding the storeroom key and was also the prime minister's concubine, the servants stepped forward and each took two scrolls.

The group returned to the embroidery room courtyard in a grand procession, but before they could even go upstairs, they were stopped by a sharp voice.

Zhou Xiuniang stood with her hands on her hips, blocking the entrance to the stairs.

She saw the brightly colored, obviously expensive fabrics being carried by the servants and her brows furrowed in anger.

"Jiang Guo'er, how dare you!"

"You think you can just walk into the manor's storeroom like that? Do you think you can touch these silk fabrics, or that piece of gold-embroidered satin?"

Zhou Xiuniang simply did not believe that Pei Yan would issue such an order.

In her opinion, this little vixen must be infatuated and wants to use the opportunity of making clothes to curry favor.

I don't know what kind of seductive tricks she used, but she deceived the lecherous Steward Zhang into opening the storeroom without her permission!

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that this was the case, and she was heartbroken.

"I told you long ago to behave yourself!"

"You're willing to risk your life to seduce your master! Stealing fabric from the storeroom is a capital offense!"

Jiang Guo'er was getting a headache from her nagging, so she took out a brass key from her sleeve and waved it in front of her.

"Sister Zhou, look carefully, this is the key to the warehouse."

Zhou Xiuniang was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

"I really underestimated you!"

She raised her voice an octave and analyzed the situation with an air of self-importance.

"Not only did you seduce Manager Zhang of the storeroom, but you also had the audacity to encourage him to steal the key from your own daughter, Hongzhu, the head maid of Songhe Garden!"

"Jiang Guo'er, you're finished! You're dead!"

Jiang Guo'er was almost laughing in exasperation at her.

This brain of his must have been slammed in a door.

"What evidence do you have to prove that I stole this key?"

"I'm going to find Hongzhu right now to confront her!" Zhou Xiuniang said, and rushed out of the courtyard like a gust of wind.

"Wait until Hongzhu arrives, then let's see how you try to deny it!"

Jiang Guo'er watched her retreating figure and felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.

It's a waste of breath to talk to this kind of person.

All she wanted to do now was finish the work quickly so that Pei Yan wouldn't find another excuse to harass her.

She instructed the two servants: "Ignore her, move everything up to the second floor."

He then instructed another woman, "Go to the sewing room next door and ask two quick-handed seamstresses to come and help."

The servants carried the fabric up to the second floor and then left.

Jiang Guo'er sat down at the large wooden table by the window, spread out a sheet of coarse paper, and began to draw a paper pattern.

The fabrics we obtained today are all very valuable, especially the gold-embroidered satin, which was a gift from the Emperor.

If she messes it up, even ten of her heads wouldn't be enough to chop her off.

Therefore, you must first cut out the shape using the cheapest coarse cloth, and only after confirming that the size and style are correct, do you start cutting on the real fabric.

Before long, footsteps came from the stairs; it was two women who often worked in the sewing room.

As soon as they entered, they saw the various silks on the table and gasped in shock.

"Miss Jiang... this is..."

Jiang Guo'er put down the charcoal pencil, pointed to the fabric, and gave the instructions:

"The Prime Minister has ordered that ten sets of undergarments be made within three days. I would appreciate it if you two sisters-in-law could help me with the cutting and sewing."

Upon hearing this, the two seamstresses not only refrained from attacking, but were so frightened that they retreated repeatedly, their faces as white as paper.

One of the older ones stammered:

"My God...this lake silk satin, and this gold-embroidered fabric...these are all imperial gifts!"

"Without the Old Madam's personal orders, who would dare to move? Girl, are you out of your mind!"

Another chimed in, "Yes, Miss Jiang, this is no joke. Even if we had the guts of a million, we wouldn't dare touch these kinds of materials!"

Jiang Guo'er sighed silently in her heart.

She finally understood.

A maidservant who shares a room with a concubine has a very low status.

Not to mention Zhou Xiuniang questioning her, even these few needlework women dared to refute her to her face.

He had boasted to the old lady that he would not ask for a concubine.

In retrospect, it turned out to be a pit he dug for himself.

Without official status, one will never have a voice.

The days to come will likely be filled with difficulties.

But once the words are spoken, there's no going back.

She had no choice but to steel herself, reveal the brass key again, and say in a deep voice:

"This was personally approved by the Prime Minister, and the key was also obtained by the Prime Minister from the Dowager Lady."

"Just do your work with confidence. I will take full responsibility for anything that goes wrong."

The two seamstresses looked at each other, still hesitant.

Just then, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps came from the stairwell.

Zhou Xiuniang's shrill voice rang out again, followed by Hongzhu, the head maid of Songheyuan.

"Stop it, all of you!"

Zhou Xiuniang grabbed Hongzhu's arm and pointed impatiently at Jiang Guo'er.

"Hongzhu, look! That's the vixen who seduced Manager Zhang!"