The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 14

The shadows of the moon slanted westward. Ming Yi sat alone in the room before a cup of tea that had long since grown cold.

She had been sitting for a long time. The small gifts Gu Jinse had given her were laid out beside the teacup. The pearls glowed softly and the gemstones were incomparably brilliant. She glanced at them, then rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the bright moon outside the window.

“Sister, what are you looking at?” A head suddenly popped up from outside the window.

In the Imperial Villa, Ming Yi had not been the only abandoned child. There were many, more than she could count. Very few people ever visited the villa, so the Head Eunuch of the villa was the highest official there.

He raised many children, not out of kindness, but because they could be sold once they reached their teens.

A teenage girl was worth a lot; one could be sold for dozens of taels of silver. Ten girls meant hundreds of taels. He used the palace’s food to seek his own private gain.

When Ming Yi left the villa, she brought four children with her. The Emperor knew but turned a blind eye.

When they left, the youngest was still being carried in arms. That was the person before her now, named Tutu.

Tutu peered at the brocade box on the table and instinctively reached out. Ming Yi said, “What are you doing here?”

Tutu had excellent lightness skills, coming and going without a trace. She said with a grin, “The person who was just here encountered assassins. They hit their head, and it seems the injury is not light.”

“Scholar Gu?” Ming Yi stood up. Without waiting for Tutu to speak further, she hurriedly left the bedroom.

“Sister, is he my brother-in-law?” Tutu wondered. If he was not the brother-in-law, why was she so panicked?

Tutu had been secretly following Gu Jinse, but she did not intervene. she only watched from the sidelines, waiting until the opponents were almost successful before rushing out. After all, after fighting for so long, the opponents were tired, making it the perfect time to capture them.

After catching the assassins, Tutu brought the unconscious person back. Ming Yi turned pale with rage. She ordered someone to call a doctor while instructing others to carry Gu Jinse into her own room and send word to Madam Gu.

Gu Jinse’s forehead was cut, wrapped in gauze, and her small face had lost all color. Ming Yi questioned Tutu, “Why did you not save her?”

“You did not tell me to save her,” Tutu said aggrievedly, repeating Ming Yi’s words. “Follow her and see if she does anything bad.”

Ming Yi was so angry she rubbed her forehead. “Get out.”

Tutu snorted, patted her backside, and left. At the same time, the manor’s physician arrived to examine and save the patient.

The physician was over thirty. Upon entering and checking the pulse, he was so startled that he withdrew his hand. Ming Yi urged, “Check the pulse and save the person. Why have you stopped?”

“Chancellor, she is a woman.”

“What about a woman? Is a woman not worthy of living?” Ming Yi was impatient.

The physician was helpless. He checked the pulse, performed acupuncture, and prescribed medicine. When he turned around, Ming Yi was gone.

The Interrogation

There were five assassins. Three had been killed, and two were locked in the Chancellor’s manor.

Ming Yi pushed open the door. Inside, Tutu jumped up. “Sister, their mouths are too tight. I cannot pry them open.”

“No matter. Find charcoal, an iron pot, and hot oil,” Ming Yi said with a smile—proud and cold.

Tutu shuddered. She was afraid when her sister smiled, especially at a time like this; it was terrifying.

The assassins bore marks of interrogation, but only from whips, smelling faintly of blood. Ming Yi did not step forward but waited.

Soon, the iron pot was set up. Tutu was puzzled. Ming Yi said, “In ancient times, there was a punishment called ‘boiling.’ A person was placed in a tripod with firewood lit beneath it, and the water would slowly grow hot until it reached a boil. Sitting inside, one could slowly feel oneself being cooked.”

“Today, I cannot find a tripod, so I will replace water with hot oil. I will cut a piece of flesh from your body and let you watch your own meat slowly being deep fried. Then, I will feed it to the dogs.”

“Tutu, do it.”

Tutu was frightened, but she swallowed her nerves, took a dagger, and looked the assassin up and down. Finally, her gaze fixed on his leg. “There is plenty of meat here. Let us start here.”

As the cold dagger touched his skin, the man panicked. “We were paid to do this!”

Ming Yi stared at him. “Which family?”

“I do not know. We do not ask about the buyer’s business.”

Ming Yi said, “Tutu.”

Tutu’s hand rose and the blade fell, rawly slicing off a piece of flesh. The man screamed in agony. Ming Yi’s expression did not change. She looked at the other person. “Do you want to speak?”

“We do not ask about the buyer, but we made an appointment to collect the silver after the job was done,” the other man stammered in fear.

Ming Yi instructed Tutu, “Follow him.”

Tutu released him and followed to find the buyer.

The Awakening

Ming Yi returned to the bedroom. The physician had already left. Gu Jinse’s face was pale, even her lips were white, and the gauze on her forehead was soaked with blood.

Gu Jinse kept a low profile and reportedly got along well with her colleagues. Having just arrived in the capital, whom could she have offended?

Even Ming Yi, who was familiar with everyone’s relationships, could not think of who the girl might have crossed.

Gu Jinhuan? The only person Gu Jinse might have offended was likely Gu Jinhuan. However, Gu Jinhuan had been sent back to Yuhang and had no time to arrange such a plot.

That left the house of Marquis Yongping. Years ago, when treacherous officials held power and the elder Master Gu resigned, the Marquis’s house was at its peak and the Empress Dowager controlled the government. Could it be that after all these years, they still held a grudge?

Or perhaps she did not fully understand Gu Jinse’s social circle. However, Gu Jinse had a good personality; no matter how great a grudge she had with a colleague, it would not reach the point of attempted murder.

Ming Yi kept watch for half the night. At dawn, Madam Gu arrived. Ming Yi withdrew from the bedroom and sent word to Zhang Mingqian that Gu Jinhuan was taking a leave of absence.

After the servant left, Madam Gu nervously asked her for the reason. Ming Yi explained everything, the assassination attempt and that they were still investigating the buyer.

Tutu had not yet returned.

Madam Gu’s face turned deathly pale. She stared at Ming Yi for a moment, her heart in her throat. She had no mind to admire a beauty now. “Ashi would not proactively provoke anyone.”

“Ask her once she wakes up. The physician said she might suffer from headaches in the future, so she must be well cared for.” Ming Yi’s voice was calm, but her body felt as if all strength had been drained from it. She said softly, “Madam, rest assured. I will invite famous doctors to continue the treatment.”

“I understand,” Madam Gu said, weeping with anxiety.

Ming Yi did not know how to offer comfort, only adding, “Madam, please stay here. I will continue to investigate. There is also the matter of Gu Jinhuan.”

Madam Gu froze and hurriedly explained for her son, “He… he would not. He does not have the courage.”

“Yet I have heard the Gu family raises sons strictly. Now that he has lost his future, I do not believe he feels no resentment,” Ming Yi said plainly. The fact that Gu Jinhuan dared to run away after the provincial exams, leaving a mess for Gu Jinse, proved he had no sibling affection.

Madam Gu was nearly incensed. “If he dared to do such a thing, I would chop him to pieces first. Chancellor, it was not him. He wouldn’t dare. Please look elsewhere.”

“If you say it was not him, I will not investigate him. But if it were him, I would not trouble you to act; I would discipline him on your behalf.” Ming Yi offered courtesy before force.

Madam Gu sighed. She looked up and saw Ming Yi’s serious expression. Does she like her? she wondered. She did not understand the relationship between these two, but if Ming Yi was so concerned about Ashi, she must have feelings.

Suddenly, she felt a sense of relief. A person as powerful as Ming Yi could surely protect Ashi.

Ming Yi sent someone to report the case to the Ministry of Justice while writing a letter to the Minister of Justice, asking him to investigate thoroughly.

By the time she finished her tasks, it was noon. She was so tired she fell asleep on a small couch in the outer room.

As she drifted off, she vaguely heard some movement outside. She wanted to get up, but her limbs were weak. After a brief struggle, she fell back asleep.

Having experienced a life and death event, her sleep was restless. After an unknown amount of time, a figure appeared before her. She opened her eyes and tried to look. It was her mother. She sat up abruptly.

Her mother looked at her with pity, took her hand, and told her, “A-Yi, your brother has been sent away. He will live a good life. Forget him.”

“You are you, and he is he. When you meet again, he will no longer be your brother.”

Hate rose in Ming Yi’s heart. She pushed her mother away and, looking closely, realized it was Madam Gu. Her heart trembled. “Madam Gu.”

“Ashi is awake. She is crying of a headache,” Madam Gu said softly, her eyes full of pity. Ming Yi had been calling for her mother in her sleep with such deep sincerity.

Ming Yi sat up, holding her head. Her face was pale, and sweat slid down her cheeks. Madam Gu handed her a handkerchief and asked affectionately, “Did you have a nightmare?”

Ming Yi did not answer. She took the handkerchief, wiped herself, and went to see Gu Jinse.

The patient was awake, lying on her side, curled up and covered by the quilt, unwilling to speak.

Ming Yi found it strange. “Your head hurts, so why are you hiding under the quilt?”

Gu Jinse did not move. Ming Yi smiled, thinking she was like a child. She sat down and tugged at the quilt. “You are seventeen. Why act like you are seven?”

“My head hurts,” Gu Jinse said, throwing back the quilt and gasping for air. She looked up and caught sight of Ming Yi’s clean, fair face.

They were very close. Ming Yi also looked weak, her eyes showing fatigue and a rare fragility. But she did not leave; she met Gu Jinse’s gaze and asked, “Do you like girls?”

Gu Jinse pressed her lips together. Ming Yi leaned closer and poked her brow with a slender finger. “I am telling you, I like girls.”

“Huh?” Gu Jinse was suddenly surprised.

Ming Yi pursed her lips but said no more. “I know some cooking. What do you want to eat?”

She was very gentle, like a spring breeze. Gu Jinse stared at her, her heart racing like a drum. In that instant, Gu Jinse looked at her and felt a strange sensation. Ming Yi was also a very gentle woman. She thought for a moment and said, “I will eat whatever you make.”

“Then have some porridge. I will make some snacks.” Ming Yi decided. She stood up and smiled slightly. “I am busy, but you cannot just rest. Think about who you might have offended.”

Gu Jinse shook her head, an unease rising from the depths of her heart. Her hands unconsciously gripped the quilt, veins popping on the back of her hands. Seeing this, Ming Yi remembered herself many years ago—plotted against, terrified, constantly wondering what she had done wrong and why she couldn’t make everyone like her.

Later, she understood: it was about interests.

Interests can never satisfy everyone. Once you touch someone’s interests, no matter how excellent you are, you will be targeted.

She sighed. Gu Jinse suddenly asked, “What about the Third Princess?”

“The Third Princess likes you; she would not move against you. She would only move against me to kill me.” Ming Yi dismissed the idea.

The Third Princess had been raised by the Empress Dowager—spoiled and arrogant. Two years after Ming Yi entered the palace, the Empress had exhausted herself to give birth to a daughter, the third in line. It had damaged her health, and she could not conceive again. At that time, she already had the eldest prince, who was made Crown Prince a few years later.

The Crown Prince doted on his sister, but the Third Princess looked down on her half brother. Because of his indulgence, she often ordered him around.

As Ming Yi walked out of the bedroom, she thought of the Crown Prince. Her steps faltered, her eyes deep and inscrutable. Her heart sank into a deep sea of disappointment.

She summoned Tuntun and told her, “Go to the Eastern Palace. Tell the Crown Prince that Scholar Gu has been assassinated.”

Tuntun was puzzled and asked, “Why tell the Crown Prince?”

“Tell him that if it was him, he should wait for me to expose all his dirty secrets. If it was not him, then forget it.” Ming Yi’s tone was cold.

Anyone who moved against her person needed to look at their own past to see if it was clean. She did not mind destroying the Eastern Palace.