The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 24

The Ministry of Revenue on fire, it was a first since the founding of the dynasty.

Gu Jinse had escaped by a hair’s breadth. As the towering flames reduced her office to ruins, dust and ash swirled in the night air.

Ming Yi withdrew her hand from Gu Jinse’s face and clasped it behind her back, her fingertips rubbing together slightly. She looked at Tu-Tu and commanded, “Go and seize Tang Sui. Once you have him, hang him by the palace gates. Let the officials have a good look at him tomorrow morning before they enter the court.”

Tu-Tu’s clothes were scorched and the ends of her hair singed. She tugged at her ruined tunic and nodded, “Yes, I’ll go at once.”

Exhausted and pale, Gu Jinse sat on the wooden chest, her gaze vacant and dazed. Ming Yi brushed her cheek gently. “I’m sending you home. But first, go to the Prime Minister’s manor to change your clothes. We don’t want Madam Gu to worry.”

A child traveling a thousand miles is a mother’s constant concern.

Gu Jinse nodded. Ming Yi unfastened her cloak and draped it over her. “You go back to the manor. I have business to attend to. If you are tired, rest there; I will send word to the Gu residence.”

“Alright,” Gu Jinse wheezed, standing up with Ming Yi’s help. She managed a weak smile. “Prime Minister, I may be new to the court, but I know where tonight’s disaster started. The Zhao family sold their lands and received tens of thousands of taels of silver from my mother.”

“Is that so? I’ll have someone get the sales records from Madam Gu. Supervisor Gu, it seems you’re due for another promotion.” Ming Yi’s smile was thin.

She admired Gu Jinse’s clarity. The girl looked soft, but she worked with precision and didn’t let a grievance cloud her judgment, even when she was the one suffering.

As the fire was being fought, Ming Yi sat down and began leafing through the ledgers in the chest. Gu Jinse had been handling routine accounts, many of which hadn’t even been audited yet.

Despite not having found “the” smoking gun yet, Gu Jinse had risked her life to drag this heavy chest out of the inferno. Ming Yi flipped through the pages, her face expressionless as men hurried past with buckets of water. The fire had gutted the neighboring rooms, leaving only blackened skeletal frames.

Ming Yi looked up at the dying fire, a cold smile touching her lips. She set the ledger down and stood up. “Load this chest onto my carriage. I shall review it in the palace.”

Minister of Revenue Cheng Song arrived in a panic, his robes disheveled. Seeing the Prime Minister, his knees buckled. “Prime Minister… why are you here?”

“I was wondering why such vital ledgers were given to a mere Supervisor. By all rights, they should have been in your hands,” Ming Yi said, looking at the dim, dawn clouds.

Cheng Song paled. “I… I was unaware of any ‘vital’ ledgers.”

“No matter. We shall find them together.” Ming Yi gestured to the chest being loaded. “They are all in there. Cheng Song, you deflected responsibility and endangered a subordinate. Think carefully on how to make amends. I am not a merciful woman. This time, I have a grand gift for you.”

Cheng Song gasped and collapsed to his knees, but Ming Yi had already walked away.

At the palace gates, the first light of dawn was breaking—time for the morning court. Tu-Tu had stripped Tang Sui to his inner garments and hung him from the gates. She held the rope, tugging it so he rose and fell, his screams echoing through the square.

The passing officials stopped in their tracks, horrified. Shaming an official in such a manner was unheard of.

Ming Yi sat by the gates, the scorched chest beside her. Tang Sui, out of his mind with fear, screamed toward her, “Prime Minister! I am innocent! The fire had nothing to do with me!”

Ming Yi ignored him, her eyes fixed on the ledger in her lap.

Soon, the Crown Prince arrived. He slowed down, then approached Ming Yi with a bow. “Elder Sister, what is the meaning of this?”

“This man tried to burn my husband alive,” Ming Yi said without looking up.

The Prince’s lip twitched. “Is… is Supervisor Gu alright?”

“I arrived just in time. Otherwise, he would be a corpse. And I would not be sitting here—I would be leveling the Ministry of Revenue to the ground.” Her voice was soft, devoid of bluster, which made it all the more terrifying.

The Prince swallowed his plea for mercy.

The Second and Third Princes arrived next. Seeing the scene, they exchanged a look and tried to slink around the other side.

“Second Brother! Third Brother! Over here!” the Crown Prince called out.

The escape failed.

The two brothers walked over, their faces grim. The Second Prince looked at the dangling man. “Who is this?”

“Tang Sui, a clerk from the Ministry of Revenue.” Ming Yi stood up and looked at the Third Prince. “Third Prince, do you recognize him?” She gestured to Tu-Tu. “Lower him so the Prince can get a good look.”

The other two brothers breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t targeting them.

Tu-Tu yanked Tang Sui up by his collar in front of the Third Prince. “Your Highness, he tried to burn Supervisor Gu.”

The Second Prince’s brow cleared completely. He smiled at the Crown Prince. “Looks like a good show. Let’s stay and watch how he ruins himself.”

“Indeed,” the Crown Prince sighed.

The Third Prince frowned. “Why would he burn Gu Jinhuan?”

“The ledgers,” Ming Yi said.

The Third Prince’s face changed as he looked at the chest. “It has nothing to do with me. Elder Sister, do not cast blame where it doesn’t belong.”

“Court is starting. Go in, Your Highnesses. Prince, please apologize to the Emperor on my behalf. I will explain myself once I have handled this.”

The Third Prince wasn’t about to let it go. He sneered, “Is Gu Jinhuan even dead?”

“No,” Ming Yi replied.

“Then why the theatrics? If he’s alive, what is the problem?”

“The problem is that he survived and saved this chest. Once I audit these, it won’t be hard to find where the rot is.”

“Prime Minister, you are nearly thirty; be smarter about these ‘affairs of the heart.’ Perhaps Gu Jinhuan simply offended the wrong person. The assassination attempt was only recently, after all.” The Third Prince glanced at the Crown Prince. “Right, Brother?”

The Crown Prince, who had wanted to stay neutral, snapped. “Do not speak nonsense! The previous matter was settled. Do not drag it back up.”

“The killer escaped, it was just a whitewash for the Central Palace,” the Third Prince shot back.

The Second Prince tactfully stepped back. Ming Yi glanced at him. “Second Prince, are you not going to court?”

“Going! Right now!” He turned and bolted.

Inside the court, several civil officials immediately moved to impeach Ming Yi for her “outrageous” behavior at the gates. The Emperor, who usually favored her, asked her to explain.

“Your Majesty, it is true. Last night, Supervisor Gu was nearly burned alive while working. Someone used knockout incense and sealed the doors. The culprit is Tang Sui. I am merely encouraging him to speak the name of his master. But I wonder… why are the rest of you so nervous?”

She looked at the assembly. “The fire started because a vital ledger was placed in the hands of a new Supervisor. Why was that particular ledger there?”

She walked toward Cheng Song. “Gu Jinhuan just joined your department. Why did you ‘favor’ him with such an important task? If he had died, Minister Cheng, would your conscience be clear?”

She turned to the Emperor. “It seems Minister Cheng was afraid to hold the ledger himself, knowing it carried a death warrant. So, he passed that danger to the Gu boy. I ask Your Majesty to investigate.”

The Emperor smiled. “Cheng Song, what kind of ledger has my Prime Minister so incensed? Speak up.”

Cheng Song broke into a cold sweat and kowtowed. “I know nothing of this! Supervisor Gu being there at night is suspicious in itself. The Prime Minister is twisting the truth out of favoritism!”

“Favoritism? That is rare for her. If she wants to play favorites, I shall give her the chance. Zhang Mingqian, you are famously impartial. I entrust this to you. By the way… was the boy burned? The Gu family is trying to cancel the wedding, yet she protects him so fiercely.”

Zhang Mingqian accepted the order. Ming Yi added, “The facts are in the chest. A simple audit will reveal the truth.”

“Then audit it,” the Emperor waved his sleeve. “A fire in my Ministry? Hateful. Cheng Song, go home and rest. We shall talk once the audit is done.”

Cheng Song collapsed. The Third Prince bit his lip, glaring at the composed Ming Yi. She met his gaze. “Third Prince, silencing witnesses seems to be a skill you’ve mastered. After all, you had an excellent teacher in Consort De.”

“Ming Yi! How dare you!” the Prince screamed. “You are but a subject, yet you constantly provoke the Imperial family.”

“Be quiet, Number Three,” the Emperor barked. “Where does all this rage come from so early in the morning?”

After court, Ming Yi returned to the gates. Tang Sui was barely conscious.

Zhang Mingqian followed her. Looking at the blackened, ruined chest, she remarked, “One look at this box tells me exactly how angry you are.”

“Wouldn’t you be?” Ming Yi asked quietly.

“I would. Can you give me a lead? What’s in these books?”

Ming Yi had only skimmed a few, but recalling Gu Jinse’s words, she said, “The Zhao family sold their land. The Third Prince embezzled funds and was likely trying to fill the hole. I thought he had succeeded, but last night’s fire and the attempted murder suggest there are too many gaps left to hide.”

The Emperor usually turned a blind eye to the princes’ greed as long as it wasn’t excessive. If the Third Prince had managed to cover the deficit, nothing would have been said. But now…

“The Zhao family,” Zhang Mingqian sneered. “Understood. I’ll have my people start the investigation. But what about him?” She gestured to the dangling Tang Sui.

“Just leave him hanging. No food, no water. He comes down when he speaks the truth. I have all the time in the world,” Ming Yi stated, settling in for the long haul.

Zhang Mingqian frowned, her anxiety visible. “The pressure is killing me. I knew this wouldn’t be easy. The Emperor screwed me over again. Look, why don’t you just go find the Zhao family, give them a good thrashing to settle your private grudge, then go home and wait for news? How am I supposed to investigate if you’re just standing here looming?”

“I have no hard evidence yet,” Ming Yi refused. Right now, she held the moral high ground. If she went out and started beating people, she’d become the aggressor, and she wouldn’t be able to justify it to the Emperor.

“My dear ancestor, what exactly do you want?” Zhang Mingqian sighed. “I wasn’t the one who offended you. Just go home. I promise I’ll find the evidence as quickly as possible.”

“No need. I’ve found it.” Ming Yi handed a ledger to Zhang Mingqian and stood up. “The Third Prince embezzled a fortune. I’m going to see the Emperor.”

Zhang Mingqian was left baffled. As Ming Yi walked away with the books, she looked at Tang Sui and wondered: Is there anything left for me to actually do?

Ming Yi returned to the palace, but the Emperor had “disappeared.” The Chief Eunuch, seeing the “living ancestor” return, bowed sycophantically. “His Majesty has a headache and has retired to rest.”

“His Majesty is tired? Fine, then I’ll head to the Ministry of Justice,” Ming Yi said, casually waving the ledger in her hand.

The Chief Eunuch’s face turned pale instantly. “Prime Minister, please, don’t be hasty! Let me go ask again.”

Ming Yi nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”

The Eunuch, nursing a headache of his own, hurried inside. The Emperor was sprawled on a soft divan, snacking on fruit. When he heard the news, he bolted upright, cursing under his breath, “That idiot Number Three no brains at all, resorting to arson and murder.”

He tossed his fruit back to the eunuch and stood up. “Bring her in.”

A moment later, Ming Yi stepped inside. The Emperor forced a smile. “A-Yi, have you had breakfast yet?”

“I am not hungry, Your Majesty,” Ming Yi replied, not buying his friendly act for a second.

The Emperor pushed on. “Even if you aren’t hungry, have a little something.”

“I am full, Your Majesty,” she continued to refuse.

The Emperor looked defeated. “You should learn from your mother and be a bit more gentle.” He wondered what on earth Gu Jinhuan saw in Ming Yi she was cold, ruthless, and lacked even a shred of typical feminine charm.

He grumbled internally while continuing to play nice. Ming Yi raised an eyelid slightly. “Your Majesty, should I learn from my mother and die young as well?”

The Emperor choked, slamming his hand on the table in frustration. “Just, be gentler!”

“Your Majesty, you are merely my foster father. My gentleness is reserved for my husband; for you, I have only filial duty,” Ming Yi said, unmoved.

The Emperor’s attempts at “fatherly bonding” were met with a wall. After failing several times, he threw up his hands. “Fine! What do you want?”

“I want Your Majesty to handle this matter impartially. Nothing more,” Ming Yi said. “The Third Prince committed a crime, and the Zhao family covered for it. Years ago, my mother was blamed, and the Zhao family drove her to her death. I do not accept it.”

“You… you should be more broad-minded.” The Emperor rubbed his forehead, a twinge of guilt in his heart. “The Zhao family is your mother’s family, after all.”

“Your Majesty, the Zhao family is the culprit, and the Third Prince is equally guilty.” Ming Yi wasn’t listening to his excuses. She wasn’t her mother; she wouldn’t be swayed by sweet words.

The Emperor’s heart was aching with conflict. He looked at her and asked, “Do you have any sense of ‘affection’ in your heart at all?”

“Your Majesty, I am a ‘lonely soul.’ Where would I get affection?” she countered.

The Emperor was utterly speechless. He had spent years telling her this was her home and that he would always back her up. Years ago, he had offered her any title, even that of a Princess. But Ming Yi didn’t want a title; she wanted to be an official. At the time, there were no female officials—only the Empress Dowager’s maids were allowed in court. He had refused her then, unwilling to break ancestral laws.

Later, when female officials finally entered the court, she had gone over his head to the Empress Dowager to secure her position.

“What do you intend to do about this?” the Emperor finally asked.

“The Third Prince must be held accountable, and the mastermind must be punished,” Ming Yi stated.

“You have no proof that the Zhao’s and the Third Prince are behind it,” the Emperor reminded his impulsive foster daughter. “You cannot use your power to bully the Zhao family.”

“I have the evidence. You don’t need to bait me, Your Majesty. After you pass away, I will slowly do all the things I wish to do.” Ming Yi’s face was a mask of coldness.

The Emperor spat in frustration. “Your mother was gentle and refined; how did she give birth to such a cold, heartless thing like you? How can you be so callous toward your own uncles and grandfather?”

“Your Majesty was ‘passionate’ enough to have an improper affair with my mother. Why then did the Zhao family still feel the need to drive her to her death?” Ming Yi looked up, her eyes meeting the Emperor’s.

The Emperor was silenced. Once again, he had lost the exchange. He waved her away. “Give me half a day. I will give you a result that satisfies you.”

Ming Yi took the ledger with her anyway. The Emperor’s beard twitched with rage. He pointed at her retreating back and cursed, “Ming Yi! You’d better never slip up and fall into my hands. I’ll show you no mercy, I’ll have you beaten to death!”

The Chief Eunuch stood by in silence. Over the years, every time the Emperor was thoroughly rebuked, he said something like this. And as usual, the Prime Minister didn’t care at all.

After her bath, Gu Jinse headed back to the Gu residence in her old clothes. Madam Gu had stayed up all night waiting for her daughter. Seeing her return safely, she breathed a sigh of relief, but when she noticed a section of Gu Jinse’s hair was singed, she grabbed her hand. “What happened to you?”

“I was setting off fireworks yesterday and accidentally singed myself,” Gu Jinse lied with a goofy smile, though she was incredibly pale. She let out a weary huff. “Mother, chasing girls is so exhausting. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

Madam Gu laughed. “Go and get some rest. By the way, the carriage you wanted is ready. It cost me a fortune—I’m deducting it from your dowry. No, wait, from the groom’s gifts.”

Gu Jinse gave a lazy smile, slipped away from her mother, and headed to her room to sleep.

The sun was high, and the Gu residence was quiet. Even the family dog was curled up on the porch with its eyes closed, exhausted.

When Ming Yi arrived, the dog woke up. The snowy-white dog lunged at her feet. Ming Yi looked down at it. “Are you coming home with me?”

The dog tugged at her skirt. Ming Yi leaned down, picked it up, and headed straight to find Gu Jinse.

The girl was still sound asleep.

Ming Yi was also exhausted. She leaned her head on the table for a nap, but the dog hopped onto the bed and—thwack—patted Gu Jinse awake with a paw. Gu Jinse felt a sting on her face. Seeing it was the dog, she grabbed it by the neck and tried to drag it under the covers with her.

The dog refused, biting her sleeve and tugging her toward the outer room.

Gu Jinse resignedly climbed out of bed, letting the dog lead her. The late May weather was getting hot, but the room still held a lingering chill. Standing barefoot on the floor, she didn’t feel cold. Then she spotted the figure by the table and froze in surprise.

The dog curled up at Gu Jinse’s feet. Gu Jinse instinctively walked over. “Prime Minister, do you want to sleep on the bed for a while?”

Sleeping at a table was the most uncomfortable thing.

Ming Yi woke up. Gu Jinse gave her a soft smile. “If you’re tired, just lie down. Don’t be a stranger.”

Ming Yi’s face flushed instantly. She looked away, rubbing her neck, and started talking about politics.

“I know who did it. When Tang Sui came to find me, I knew something was off, but I didn’t think he’d be so deranged.” Gu Jinse took her hand and led her toward the bed, promising repeatedly: “I’m tired too. I won’t try anything, I swear.”

Ming Yi was hesitant. The first time they met, she had also said she’d be gentle, and in the end, Ming Yi’s bones were nearly bitten through.

“Really! That time, you were the one clinging to me because of the drugs. Like that time in the palace when I kissed you, I felt like I wanted to swallow you whole.” Gu Jinse leaned in close, whispering into her ear, “Trust me just this once.”

Trust? Ming Yi didn’t trust her. She told her, “One act of infidelity, and you’re never used again.”

“That’s not how you use that idiom,” Gu Jinse said, her grip on Ming Yi’s hand tightening. The warmth of their skin changed the atmosphere between them. “Think about it after we marry, aren’t we going to sleep together anyway?”

“Are we still getting married?” Ming Yi asked, startled.

“Mother says we can. The date remains the same. I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you weren’t there.” Gu Jinse smiled. “Go to sleep.”

Ming Yi frowned, but in the next second, Gu Jinse swept her up in a princess carry. “You’ve gotten thinner,” she remarked in surprise.

Ming Yi’s face went stiff as she hung in the air, her heart pounding like a drum. “You’re… quite strong,” she managed to say.

“I’m telling you to sleep; why bring up my strength? Prime Minister, you’re twenty-seven; you should be more reserved.” Gu Jinse chuckled. Ming Yi radiated a mix of intellectual beauty and a total innocence regarding romance.

It was a charming combination.

Placing her on the bed, Gu Jinse pointed to the inner side. “Scoot over. I’ll go find another quilt. Don’t worry, I won’t take advantage of you.”

Actually, I’ve already done that once.

Gu Jinse went to find a blanket, smiling to herself. Ming Yi frowned; Gu Jinse’s smile looked decidedly mischievous.

Gu Jinse possessed a youthful, bright energy and a host of little schemes that Ming Yi couldn’t quite decipher. It reminded her of when she was a child and couldn’t understand her mother’s thoughts. Her mother clearly had a way out, yet she chose a path no one understood.

Wasn’t living. better?

Gu Jinse came back with the quilt, plopped it on the outer edge, and was about to climb in when the dog leaped up and settled itself right between the two of them.