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

After an unknown amount of time, the noise outside finally stopped.

Pei Yan walked in, carrying a menacing aura.

"I'm going back."

He bent down, as if to hug her again.

Jiang Guo'er, however, shrank back instinctively like a startled rabbit.

She then realized what was happening and hurriedly grabbed his wide sleeve.

In this grand mansion, a mere concubine is truly no different from an ant.

Today, he broke Hongzhu's leg for her, which was certainly due to his favoritism, but it also planted a new hidden danger for her.

Hongzhu was, after all, Li Mama's own daughter, and Li Mama was an old servant of the Old Madam.

Will Granny Li hold this grudge against the Prime Minister or against her?

The answer is beyond doubt.

She already has a hard time establishing herself in the household; if she were to become pregnant, how would she protect herself?

Lingyi, come quickly!

Only if Lingyi becomes the mistress of the house, in charge of the household affairs, and manages all personnel and keys, can she be truly protected.

"Prime Minister..."

She tilted her head back, her burning red eyes brimming with tears.

Timid and weak, with just the right amount of bewilderment and unease.

"Has your marriage to Miss Xue been arranged?"

Pei Yan looked down at her.

Her little face flushed red, and her fingertips carefully clung to his sleeve, refusing to let go for a long time.

What is she afraid of?

He feared that once his first wife entered the household, she would fall out of favor and be forgotten by him.

He softened his tone, a rare occurrence, with a hint of reassurance that he himself didn't even realize.

"Once the new wife marries into the family, you will be made a concubine. Don't worry, no one will bully you anymore."

He paused, as if afraid she wouldn't believe him, and added:

"The wedding has already gone through the steps of Najib and betrothal, it will be soon."

"Furthermore, I have already mentioned you to Xue Lingyi in my letter."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Guo'er was surprised for a moment, and her eyes flashed with a dazzling light.

She struggled to slide off the chair and bowed to him.

"Thank you, Your Excellency!"

"...This servant will certainly be obedient and dutiful, serve the new lady well, and ensure the continuation of the Prime Minister's family line."

Pei Yan reached out and helped her up, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

A concubine, upon learning that her master was going to marry a principal wife, should not feel jealous and act petty.

Why is she so happy?

That's true, too.

Jiang Guo'er was orphaned, had to leave her hometown, and came from a humble background. She had no choice but to rely on herself.

The position of a concubine was an immense blessing for her.

Such joy... is quite reasonable.

Pei Yan picked her up again and carried her horizontally, and this time Jiang Guo'er did not struggle.

She nestled obediently against his chest, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

As they passed the main courtyard, Jiang Guo'er stopped and respectfully kowtowed in the direction of the Old Madam.

Back in the inner room, Pei Yan gently placed her on the bed and covered her with the blanket.

Jiang Guo'er huddled under the covers like a curled-up kitten.

She was still holding the doll tightly, her fingertips unconsciously stroking its empty little feet.

On the other side, Songhe Garden.

The servants have already cleaned the courtyard.

The bloodstains were washed away, the benches were moved away, and a new layer of fine sand was laid on the ground.

It was as if nothing had happened.

The old lady sat on a rosewood chair, slowly and deliberately turning the prayer beads.

When Pei Yan entered, he brought with him a damp night breeze.

"grandmother."

"Please sit down." The old lady raised her eyelids slightly, her voice revealing neither joy nor anger. "Has that girl been settled in?"

"He's taken his medicine and is already asleep."

Pei Yan sat down on the official's hat chair opposite her, took the blue and white porcelain covered bowl handed to him by the maid, lifted the lid, and slowly stirred the tea foam.

The warm room was very quiet, with only the soft clinking of prayer beads.

The old matriarch suddenly spoke, her voice not loud, but every word sharp:

"Last night's rumor said that when Jiang Guo'er fell into the water, she tore something off the person who pushed her. Who do you think leaked that rumor?"

Pei Yan slowly sipped his tea.

"How deep could her thoughts be, being just a maidservant?"

She knew nothing of the doll's secret.

His gaze fell on the rising steam of the tea, his voice was calm, but a very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Even if they have some cunning, it's nothing more than... wanting to survive."

The old lady paused for a moment while turning the beads.

He looked at his eldest grandson with surprise.

Normally, when he talked about the servants in the mansion, he always acted indifferently, letting her do whatever she wanted with them.

It was as cold as a jade Buddha statue in a temple.

The destined woman truly lives up to her name; she is indeed different from others.

"It's not a bad thing that a young girl, all alone and without anyone to rely on, has some means of survival."

But soon, she changed the subject:

"However, let it go."

"Today, in front of all the servants in the courtyard, you stood up for her like this—"

"Have you ever considered whether her life in this mansion will be easier or more difficult from now on?"

Pei Yan's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.

Before he could answer, the old lady continued speaking:

"You broke Hongzhu's leg. Although Granny Li didn't dare to say anything, a thorn has been planted in her heart."

"She is...my confidante, you...sigh..."

"And those gossipy wives from the second and third wives, it won't be long before tomorrow morning that they're spreading the word that you're completely infatuated with a concubine!"

"This girl originally had no connections or backing. Your outburst may have vented your anger, but it has also made her a target of public criticism."

"And that one in the palace... have you figured out how to appease her?"

"Although Cuiping has been more sensible lately, that person probably has more than one informant."

Pei Yan's back was tense.

When the teacup was placed back on the table, it made a very soft tapping sound.

In just a few breaths, a thin layer of sweat had already seeped out on my back.

"...So, what does Grandmother mean?"

The old lady wrapped the prayer beads back around her wrist, leaned on her cane, and slowly stood up.

"The marriage with the Xue family needs to be arranged as soon as possible, lest things get complicated."

"The sooner the new bride enters the house, the sooner these monsters and demons will have a chance to stop."

"After all, Lady Lingyi comes from the Xue family. No matter how domineering that lady in the palace is, she'll have to think twice before acting."

She turned to the side, her gaze falling on Pei Yan's face, carrying the insight of someone who had been through it all.

"If you want to protect that girl, Grandmother won't stop you. But whether she can gain a foothold in this mansion doesn't depend on how many people you kill."

"And whether she can... gain Xue Lingyi's approval."

Pei Yan remained silent for a long time.

But the old lady knew he had taken it to heart.

The struggles among the women in the inner quarters are sometimes no easier to deal with than the unpredictable events in the imperial court.

"The Xue family has already sent word that they will send the trial marriage maid over in a few days."

"Even if you don't like it, you still have to go through the motions, and..."

The old lady hesitated for a moment, rubbing her fingers on the prayer beads twice, as if considering her words.

"That girl was so frightened, she'd be seriously ill at best. You should take it easy these next few days."

"Don't exhaust people and harm their offspring."

Pei Yan's expression showed no change.

The fingers holding the teacup tightened slightly, almost unconsciously.

"Grandson understands."