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

Is someone willing to trade Master Longchuan's future for their son's?

That's quite a clever scheme!

However, Pei Yan's throat is still not healed, so he does need a more skilled doctor.

If Granny Li could really invite that Taoist priest from Longchuan, at least she could delve deeper into the matter of the "destined woman" and the doll.

As for whether Granny Li wanted to take this opportunity to turn her life around?

It's not too late to deal with this after Pei Yan is cured of the poison.

Jiang Guo'er lowered her eyelashes, suppressing all the coldness in her heart.

"Okay, I promise you."

She personally accompanied Granny Li to Steward Zhao's place.

Explain the reason and request a carriage.

Upon hearing that the Taoist priest's medical skills were extraordinary, Manager Zhao dared not delay.

They immediately ordered the fastest carriage in the manor, along with a reliable driver, and sent Granny Li out of the city to search for the person.

He then lifted the corner of his robe and jogged all the way to Songhe Garden to report.

After finishing her business, Jiang Guo'er slowly returned to the main room.

Xue Lingyi was sitting by the window reading a book when she saw her return, and immediately put down her book.

"You're back? The Prime Minister went to his study."

Jiang Guo'er nodded, walked to the small table, and rummaged through the sewing basket.

Xue Lingyi asked curiously, "What are you looking for?"

"Find some silk thread."

Jiang Guo'er picked out a bright pomegranate red one from a bunch of colorful yarn balls.

"I'd like to embroider a small sachet."

She gestured with her hands as she spoke.

"It can be attached to the bottom of a bodice or the back of the elbow. When walking or... in the room, it will emit a pleasant fragrance."

Xue Lingyi understood instantly; it turned out to be a sachet to enhance the intimacy between men and women. She immediately rubbed her ears.

Luyi stood aside, looking down at herself, as if she were a pillar.

Jiang Guo'er, however, remained calm.

These past few days, she's felt that Pei Yan's gaze towards her is strange.

It was neither the restraint of suppressing one's anger that existed before, nor the shameless demands made at night.

It was not a cold, menacing scrutiny, but a chilling gaze that sent shivers down her spine.

We need to think of a way, something new, to win him back.

Perfect timing! I can also try touching the doll during my time with him and see if he reacts at the same time.

Granny Li's words were like a thorn, pricking her heart and causing her pain.

She couldn't eat or sleep until she got to the bottom of it.

Xue Lingyi looked at her quietly, but her delicate eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

Although Jiang Guo'er's complexion was better than a few days ago, her lips were pale and her cheeks were somewhat swollen.

"Guo'er, how's your appetite these past few days? Are you still feeling as unwell as before?"

"Hmm?" Jiang Guo'er was concentrating on threading a needle when she heard this, and rubbed her lower abdomen.

"I don't feel as bad as I did the past two days, except I threw up once last night."

"I still feel a bit nauseous and can't stand the smell of fish or smell."

"You threw up?" Xue Lingyi's expression changed instantly.

Fei Kuai and Lü Yi exchanged a glance.

Without a word, he grabbed her wrist and gently placed two fingers on her radial artery pulse.

"Lingyi, what are you doing...?"

The room was so quiet that only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard.

Xue Lingyi's expression shifted from confusion to shock, and then to a complex mix of ecstasy and disbelief.

Her eyes widened, and her lips trembled.

"Guo'er, you, you..."

"What's wrong with me?" Jiang Guo'er's palms turned cold with fright. "Don't scare me. Do I... have some incurable disease?"

"no!"

Xue Lingyi took a deep breath, just about to reveal the earth-shattering news.

"Madam! Madam!"

Ah Fu's voice rang out from outside the door, urgent and fast.

"The Prime Minister requests your presence in his study; he says he has important matters to discuss!"

After speaking, he glanced at Jiang Guo'er very subtly, then quickly lowered his head.

"The Prime Minister specifically instructed that you...you can go by yourself, there's no need to bring Miss Jiang with you."

Xue Lingyi's heart sank suddenly.

What happened?

Pei Yan specifically called her over, but didn't let Shunshun come along. Could this matter be related to Shunshun?

Having weathered many storms, Xue Lingyi quickly regained her composure.

She patted Jiang Guo'er's hand gently, soothing her in a soft voice:

"Perhaps there's been progress in the poisoning matter. You stay here and do your embroidery in peace; I'll be right back."

After saying that, he took Lüyi and quickly walked towards the study.

As soon as Xue Lingyi stepped into the study, she felt an unusual chill.

Even though the sun was still high in the sky, the courtyard felt three degrees colder than other places.

Pushing open the study door, a chill immediately hit you.

There wasn't even a brazier burning inside the house.

Pei Yan, dressed in a black casual robe, sat upright behind his desk.

He seemed to be shrouded in an impenetrable dark cloud, with an alarmingly low air pressure around him.

Xue Lingyi's heart sank.

She curtsied cautiously: "Prime Minister, did you summon me?"

Pei Yan did not respond, but merely raised his eyelids slightly.

Those deep gazes were even colder than usual.

He moved his chin and glanced to the side.

Xiao San immediately stepped aside, his face expressionless.

Only then did Xue Lingyi and Lüyi notice that a woman was lying on the floor of the study.

She was dressed as a maid, covered in blood, her skin torn and bleeding.

His hair was disheveled and stuck to his face, and his shoulders and back were twitching slightly.

Green Ripple let out a short, startled cry, immediately covered her mouth, and hid behind Xue Lingyi.

Xue Lingyi felt a churning in her stomach.

But I forced myself to step forward and look closely...

lotus?!

Xue Lingyi's heart tightened, and she took several deep breaths before she could barely calm down.

My mind raced.

"Prime Minister...could it be...that she was the one who poisoned you?"

Pei Yan's handsome face became even more gloomy.

He raised his fingers, which were hanging on the table, and tapped the surface lightly.

Xiao San immediately frowned and walked to Xue Lingyi's side.

"That day, she was hiding furtively in the crowd, clearly showing her guilty conscience, so the servant seized her and brought her back for severe interrogation."

"In the end... she said she would never betray Jiang Guo'er."

Xue Lingyi's heart skipped a beat.

"She said that Jiang Guo'er was her best friend, and she would accept whatever the Prime Minister wanted her to do, whether he wanted to kill her or torture her."

She also said that when Miss Jiang was falsely accused of poisoning Su Yue, the Prime Minister sided with Cui Ping…

"She agreed to go to the Xue residence to deliver a message, begging you, Madam, to save Miss Jiang, because she couldn't bear to see her die in vain."

With each sentence Xiao San spoke, Xue Lingyi's face paled a little more.

By the end, my limbs were ice-cold, and I almost couldn't stand up.

What a beautiful lotus flower!

What a deep sisterly bond!

While seemingly risking his life to protect Jiang Guo'er, every word he uttered was actually pushing Jiang Guo'er toward her death!

If she says Lianhua is lying, she must provide evidence to prove her innocence.

If she admits to sending messages, Pei Yan will know that she and Jiang Guo'er have been in private contact for some time.

That was a really sneaky move!

Xue Lingyi pinched her thigh hard, and the intense pain brought her to her senses instantly.

"Your Excellency, what Lotus said about... sending a message is true."

The study felt even colder.

Pei Yan's gaze was like two unsheathed swords, piercing straight into Xue Lingyi's heart.

He picked up his pen and quickly wrote a few words on the paper, his strokes penetrating the paper.

Xiao San lowered his head and read aloud, "Why did you hide it?"

Xue Lingyi raised her head and met Pei Yan's gaze without flinching.

"At the time, I was not confident that I could find out the truth about Su Yue's death; I was just trying my best."

"Before the matter is settled, I don't want to disturb the Prime Minister's peace and quiet with the words of a mere maidservant."

Pei Yan wrote a few more words.

Why wasn't it reported afterwards?

Xue Lingyi's eyes slowly reddened.

His voice carried an obvious bitterness.

"Because I am selfish."

Pei Yan paused, his pen poised.

Xue Lingyi whispered:

"Your Excellency may not know my situation in my maiden home. My stepmother is kind and gentle in public, but she schemes against me and oppresses me in private."

My father thought I was in his way, and my maternal grandmother saw me as a thorn in her side...

She picked and chose some of the tragic experiences she had had over the years and recounted them.

"My purpose in using the investigation to establish my authority wasn't solely to save a concubine I'd never met before, but rather to..."

"I will prove to the Prime Minister that I, Xue Lingyi, am worthy of the position of mistress of the house! I am not merely a poet!"

These words were spoken frankly, clearly dissecting the scheming of women from aristocratic families.

Pei Yan's eyes grew increasingly deep, and he did not pick up his pen for a long time.

Xue Lingyi seized the opportunity and straightened her back.

"I concealed the truth because I had ulterior motives. But Jiang Guo'er had absolutely no intention of harming you!"

"On the contrary, her affection for the Prime Minister has far exceeded my imagination!"

"Think about it carefully, as the mistress of the house, why did I show her so much favor after she entered the family?"

"Why am I not jealous at all of her favor, but instead protect her in every way?"

Xue Lingyi took a breath, her eyes welling up with tears, but she didn't let them fall.

"That's because—I am ashamed of my own inferiority!"