The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 28

The disappearance of a young woman from within the government office was the ultimate provocation against the imperial court. Since the dignity of the state was at stake, Ming Yi had no choice but to intervene personally.

Gu Jinse did not possess a strong sense of collective honor or shame; to her, life was paramount. Watching the woman eat the jelly, she asked softly, “Is this targeted at you? Think about it, such a ghostly mess happens the moment the Emperor is away. When His Majesty returns, he will certainly blame you for incompetence. Will you suffer any losses?”

The jelly was sweet. Ming Yi took two bites before answering, “I have no leads on this matter; I truly do not know.”

The phrase “no leads” emphasized the mysterious nature of the case. Gu Jinse rested her chin on her hand, scanning the room. “I suspect there is an insider. Otherwise, people wouldn’t just vanish into thin air. I’ve read many strange mystery novels; let me try something for you.”

Having said that, she stood up and began tapping on the walls and furniture. A bedroom was divided into an inner and outer chamber with a screen as a partition. The inner area contained a bed and a wardrobe, while the outer area was for receiving guests, furnished with tables and chairs.

It was a very ordinary guest room.

“Were there people guarding the outside?”

“Yes, maidservants guarded the door day and night.”

“Are there hidden compartments or secret passages?”

“No.”

“Are you sure there aren’t any, or is it just that you haven’t found them?”

Ming Yi fell silent. The government guest house had been built long ago; if there were a secret room… Gu Jinse ran to the wardrobe, tapping it here and there. She opened it and pulled out all the clothes. “Tell me exactly how she disappeared. Are those maidservants reliable? Also, did she come here voluntarily, or did you require her to?”

“You have so many questions; which one should I answer first?” Ming Yi looked up just as Gu Jinse crawled into the wardrobe and slammed the door shut with a loud thud.

Feeling something was off, Ming Yi summoned the maidservants who were present at the time to recount the scene.

Once a person was brought in, the imperial court was responsible for their three meals. The maidservants in the office worked in two shifts, ready to be summoned at any time. When fruit was delivered in the morning, the girl was still there. By noon, she had vanished from the room.

Several maidservants had been standing guard outside the door. Had there been any sounds of a struggle inside, they surely would have heard it.

Ming Yi asked, “Who brought the fruit in, and who brought the lunch?”

Two maidservants took a step forward. Gu Jinse stepped out from behind a bookcase and said, “You two stay. Everyone else, leave.”

The two were startled. Ming Yi nodded and said, “Do as Official Gu says.”

Gu Jinse paced over to them and asked the maidservant who delivered the lunch, “How long was the other one inside when she delivered the fruit?”

“About fifteen minutes,” the maidservant replied.

Gu Jinse asked, “And you were right outside the door?”

The girl nodded.

Gu Jinse walked over to Ming Yi and leaned into her ear. “Isn’t fifteen minutes a bit long?”

Ming Yi nodded slightly. Gu Jinse’s hand brushed against Ming Yi’s soft hair. Ming Yi frowned. “Behave yourself.”

Gu Jinse: “…” How fierce.

Gu Jinse gave a soft huff, turned away, and asked the fruit-delivering maidservant, “When you entered just now, how many people did you see in the room?”

“One. I only saw the Chancellor.”

“If no one was in the room, did you all search for her?”

“We did. We saw no one on the bed and immediately raised the alarm.”

“Did you check the wardrobe?”

“No.”

Gu Jinse blinked and waved her hand. “Go on, you’re dismissed. It’s fine.”

The two maidservants retreated immediately, leaving only the two of them. Gu Jinse tilted her head. “I think that maidservant is suspicious. Why would it take so long just to deliver fruit? Just now, you saw it yourself—only you were in this room.”

Following her logic, Ming Yi looked toward the wardrobe. It could indeed hide a person. She immediately ordered someone to follow the maidservant. After giving the instructions, Gu Jinse looked up at the ceiling and said to Ming Yi, “Have someone check the roof to see if there are any traces of someone being up there.”

There were no mysterious disappearances, only hidden methods.

Ming Yi was puzzled but had it done anyway. Gu Jinse watched her while rambling on, “I once read a story where the killer hid behind the door after the murder, waited for everyone to arrive, and then snuck into the crowd. But that method only works for someone leaving voluntarily. What if someone hid in the wardrobe and was carried away after dark?”

“Chancellor, this is a ‘locked-room escape’ case. They call it a locked room, but in reality, it isn’t one at all. It’s just human manipulation.”

“To put it bluntly, it’s impossible without an insider. Especially with so many people around, vanishing so brazenly is even more improbable. That is why I suspect this is targeted at you.”

Hearing this, Ming Yi half-raised her eyelids. “Where did you read such a story?”

“In Yuhang,” Gu Jinse lied. In truth, she was thinking of suspense TV shows. They had terrified her as a child; she hadn’t dared to go to the bathroom alone at night. Especially waking up in the middle of the night and seeing a small lamp, she always felt someone was behind her. The memories were vivid.

Ming Yi didn’t believe her, saying flatly, “Where would such a brilliant book come from? Authors are usually frustrated people. If they had such talent, the Ministry of Justice would have recruited them long ago; they wouldn’t be writing novels. The Emperor employs people based on merit. Find this person, and I will invite them to serve.”

Gu Jinse’s heart skipped a beat. This woman was far too literal. She thought for a moment and said, “I forgot where I saw it.”

“Chancellor!” Someone burst into the room in a frantic rush. “Several tiles on the roof are broken. Someone has been up there.”

Gu Jinse was curious. “Can someone actually leap onto the roof?”

“Yes. For someone with good martial arts, it is not difficult to leap up in one bound,” Ming Yi answered.

“Chancellor, what are we having for dinner?” Gu Jinse felt that since she had finished her work, she should reap some rewards—like another candlelit dinner. The last one had been a total waste; who gets drunk after only two glasses of wine?

She looked up at Ming Yi, and Ming Yi looked back. Their eyes met. “We are not eating. I am already full from your jelly.”

Gu Jinse was dissatisfied. “I offered you counsel and strategy; shouldn’t you thank me?”

Ming Yi half-raised her eyelids. “Do you want money?”

Gu Jinse: “…” Do you even know how to date?

She grumbled, “What is our relationship exactly?”

Ming Yi answered calmly, “Allies.”

“No, we are lovers, not allies.” Gu Jinse’s expression betrayed her displeasure. Ripples of annoyance stirred in her angry eyes; she felt quite dejected.

Ming Yi fell silent, looking down at the jelly. She tapped it with the wooden spoon, and the jelly bounced. The smile returned to Gu Jinse’s face. She leaned over Ming Yi’s shoulder and whispered a private comment.

In an instant, a flash of anger crossed Ming Yi’s eyes. Gu Jinse lifted her chin proudly, her mood much improved. “I’ll make it for you again next time.”

“I won’t eat it,” Ming Yi said, her voice laced with suppressed rage.

Gu Jinse insisted, “If you don’t eat it, I’ll give it to someone else.”

Ming Yi closed her eyes, her teeth pressing against her lip. An inexplicable sense of shame from being teased surged within her. She looked up at Gu Jinse, but Gu Jinse had already walked away, beaming.

In the quiet environment, Ming Yi could clearly perceive her own hurried breathing. Just like that night, she was unable to control herself, and shame occupied her heart.

Gu Jinse had said: The way you tap that jelly reminds me of that night. Your skin was so smooth; the feel was wonderful.

For the next few days, Gu Jinse remained at home. Madam Gu didn’t go out either. Every time she stepped out, she heard unsettling news that terrified her.

However, the Vice Minister’s wife visited the estate to discuss the matter of the birthdates on the eighth day of the sixth month, specifically asking about Gu Jinse. The person in question sat to one side, her heart thumping. Madam Gu said curiously, “A-Se is in Yuhang, far away.”

“I heard that person is extraordinary; they can even take someone from within the government office. If they track her to Yuhang, wouldn’t that be a disaster?” The Vice Minister’s wife patted her chest. “You should send word home to warn the family to be careful. The capital is in a state of panic lately. The Emperor issued a decree reprimanding the Chancellor. I hear officials everywhere are finding things very difficult.”

Ming Yi had been scolded.

Gu Jinse wondered to herself: Should I go comfort her?

Being scolded by a superior—especially one with the power of life and death—sounded like a terrifying thing no matter how you looked at it.

The Vice Minister’s wife continued to ramble about how much fear the case had caused. Madam Gu’s face grew paler and paler. By the time the woman left, Madam Gu hadn’t even managed to see her out before she nearly collapsed.

Gu Jinse comforted her mother, “Auntie was just trying to scare you. I think this is targeted at the Chancellor, a plot to frame her. She’s already been reprimanded; next time she might even be dismissed. Do you think I should go comfort her?”

Madam Gu didn’t say a word. Looking at her daughter’s beautiful face, her heart was full of trepidation. “You are not allowed to go anywhere. Just stay in the house.”

“Mother, I think things are even worse in Yuhang,” Gu Jinse said with a coaxing smile.

To her surprise, Madam Gu said, “It would be best if they took Gu Jinhuan and swapped his life instead.”

“Mother, you are so cold-hearted!” Gu Jinse trembled. It truly was best not to provoke a woman—especially a woman as “clear-headed” as her mother. How terrifying.

Madam Gu muttered to herself, “Do you think they might catch the wrong person? If they caught your elder sister…”

“Mother, have you been too idle lately? How about we go look at the shops another day? I have to take them over eventually.”

“Take over what? Survival is the priority. You aren’t going anywhere.” Madam Gu slammed the table, nearly exploding with anxiety.

Gu Jinse didn’t dare touch that raw nerve and obediently agreed. She turned to find Tuntun, who was a master of gossip and knew more about the capital’s happenings than anyone.

Tuntun was busy taking over the Gu estate’s affairs, preparing to be a competent diplomatic manager. Upon hearing the news, she said, “Every household is behaving themselves lately. Even the number of people taking concubines has decreased significantly. This time, the ones disappearing are all unmarried girls. Men’s visits to the brothels remain unchanged, however.”

“The Third Prince is recovering in the palace, and Consort De is also there nursing her illness. As for other matters…” Tuntun paused, thinking hard. “The wife of the Marquis of Yongping’s heir is also ill. She fell sick right after the Crown Prince left.”

“Stop. What exactly is the deal with the Crown Prince and his cousin-in-law?”

“They were originally a couple. Back then, before the Empress Dowager passed, the Marquis of Yongping’s estate was still powerful. The Eastern Palace was weak and relied on the Marquis’s house, so the Crown Prince had no choice but to let her go. As for the Marquis’s heir…” Tuntun paused, her tone difficult as she lowered her voice. “He has many… tricks in bed.”

The topic came to an abrupt halt. Gu Jinse was confused. “Didn’t the Crown Prince try to fight for her?”

“He didn’t. Chancellor Ming wasn’t Chancellor back then, but she said that if the Crown Prince went before the throne to ask for the marriage, she would help. But the Crown Prince said Ming Yi’s rank was too low and that a reckless proposal would harm him. The Chancellor was very angry at the time.”

Angry at his lack of ambition, saddened by his misfortune.

A “useless A-Dou” who couldn’t be helped.

Gu Jinse reflected on this. The Crown Prince was just like his father. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The father hooks up with a married woman; when the city is in an uproar, he hides behind the woman and lets her take all the insults. The son is even more impressive; to avoid offending his foster mother’s family, he doesn’t dare claim his own woman, then plays at secret affairs after she’s married.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. It was a bit messy, but also a bit exciting.

Tuntun continued, “In the end, everyone is behaving. Except for you—you are restless. Many people were waiting for you to break the engagement, speculating whether Old Master Gu would come to the capital to do it for you. Right now, people are still placing bets on whether you will break the engagement, saying the Old Master will choose a lady from a prestigious family for you instead.”

“I’m eating popcorn at my own drama.” Gu Jinse didn’t quite understand. Had she become a celebrity? Her face wasn’t actually that special—just pale skin. If she wore a dress, she wouldn’t even be that stunning.

After hearing so much gossip, none was as shocking as the Crown Prince’s. Gu Jinse asked about the Zhao family incident from years ago.

Tuntun didn’t know Ming Yi’s true identity, so she answered truthfully, “After the eldest Miss Zhao committed suicide…”

“She committed suicide? She wasn’t forced to her death?” Gu Jinse pressed. As expected, the ancients were fanatical about a woman’s chastity; a human life wasn’t even worth as much as a “reputation.”

And they were family. From the Third Prince’s perspective, his aunt had an affair, his mother forced his aunt to die, and yet years later when he meets his cousin, he can still say, “My mother did nothing wrong.”

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Her values were shattered.

Gu Jinse asked, “Is the Third Prince recovered from his injuries?”

“He is. He left the palace yesterday.”

“Can you get his itinerary?”

“I can. What do you plan to do?”

“Take a few people and go do some ‘good deeds’.” Gu Jinse waved her hand. Those with foul mouths could only be dealt with by a beating. Reasoning was useless; making him cry for his parents was the better strategy.

Tuntun went to arrange it. Gu Jinse went back to tinkering with her food. To comfort the Chancellor, she sent food over for several days in a row.

Jelly today, double-skin milk tomorrow. There were always plenty of cooling summer desserts like the watermelon juice she sent the day before.

After three days of deliveries, Ming Yi came in person, bringing many sweets. Madam Gu purposefully stayed away to avoid being an eyesore. Gu Jinse invited her into her courtyard, and the table was covered with tea, fruit, and snacks.

Ming Yi handed her a small gift she had brought. “This is my personal seal. You can use it to mobilize my troops.”

“Do you have troops?” Gu Jinse was curious. The Gu family had no troops, at most a few dozen guards who were useless in a crisis.

“I do. Only five hundred. It was a grace bestowed upon me by the Emperor. Over the years, I have replaced some of the men; they are all experts. Fighting isn’t an issue.” Ming Yi chuckled, intentionally emphasizing the word “fighting.”

Gu Jinse’s heart skipped a beat. It felt as if her secret had been discovered and laid out in the open.

Ming Yi was smiling, though it was an eerie smile that had nothing to do with gentleness. Gu Jinse felt a bit afraid. When the Ming Yi opposite her didn’t speak, she had a serene beauty—a calm temperament refined by years, her reserve and coldness giving her a perfect intellectual beauty. Such a woman was like a whirlpool, constantly pulling Gu Jinse in.

The main issue was that this “whirlpool” had a habit of provoking her at every turn.

She was so beautiful, so elegant, yet she kept provoking her. They were supposed to be allies, so why send a seal today?

This would be the death of her.

Gu Jinse’s brow furrowed. She said with certainty, “You are flirting with me. We agreed to be allies; is this what an ally does?”

“I am merely thanking you. Where have your thoughts wandered?” Ming Yi’s expression shifted slightly, her lips pursing. “I am a person of integrity.”

“Integrity?” Gu Jinse didn’t believe her, poking her own cheek. “A person of integrity wouldn’t poke my face.”

Ming Yi had a bit of a headache and tried to find an excuse. “What is wrong with an older sister poking her younger sister’s face?”

“There is no problem if your sexual orientation were toward men; it would be a simple, ordinary gesture. But you like girls. Randomly poking my face is the same as poking a boy’s face. Tell me, is that normal?” Gu Jinse blinked. “You are saying one thing but meaning another.”

Ming Yi’s smile stiffened slightly. Gu Jinse’s aggressive manner had grown a bit cold; everyone has a ruthless side. She nodded. “I won’t poke it next time.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” Gu Jinse had shot herself in the foot; now even the last bit of intimacy was gone. She gave a dissatisfied huff, opened her mouth to speak, but saw Ming Yi look down.

Oh boy. The dog was back, crouching at Ming Yi’s feet and nibbling on her skirt.

Ming Yi wasn’t annoyed. She lifted the dog onto the table, regaining her plain and indifferent public persona. “The matter at the government office has been cleared up. The maidservant used fruit to drug the girls and hid them in the wardrobe, controlling the dosage carefully. At noon, when others came in and couldn’t see anyone, they thought they had vanished and went to search. Amidst the chaos in the office, someone came out and carried the unconscious girls away.”

“Someone who can pull off such a feat is certainly no commoner. That maidservant said they kidnapped her parents, so she had no choice. I’ve already sent men to go house to house. It’s a needle in a haystack, quite difficult. It’s either targeted at me, or it truly is someone insane trying to ‘swap lives’.”

“It isn’t hard. We’ll ‘lead the tiger into the pit’.” Gu Jinse waved the seal in her hand. Her heart felt a bit stifled. After they spoke, she wondered: Between the two of us, who exactly is provoking whom?

It seemed neither was. Had she simply left back then, perhaps none of today’s events would be happening.

As Gu Jinse’s thoughts wandered, Ming Yi’s eyes lit up. Her cold, elegant features immediately curved into a smile. “I understand what you mean. Thank you, Gu Jinse. It seems transferring you to the Ministry of Revenue was a mistake; you should have gone to the Ministry of Justice.”

“Dealing with dead people as a young girl? Would you have the heart for that?” Gu Jinse grumbled.

Ming Yi arched an eyebrow, her cold, abstinent air diminishing slightly. “I would.”

Gu Jinse wanted to kick her out but couldn’t bear to. She grabbed a handful of dried raisins and put them in her mouth. Ming Yi smiled faintly. “If you are interested, I will have you transferred. You have a headache every day at the Ministry of Revenue anyway.”

“I’m not going.” Gu Jinse refused. She had only watched a few mystery shows; she had no real talent.

“You hate it that much?” Ming Yi felt it was a pity. Looking at the other’s dejected expression, she found it quite amusing. This ally seemed rather dissatisfied with her status.

Gu Jinse remained silent, handing her a raisin to eat. “It’s very sweet. Dried ones are easy to store.”

There were not only raisins but various dried fruits of different colors. Ming Yi picked a few to eat and continued, “When you plan to go ‘fighting’, remember to weigh your actions. Don’t hit the face.”

“Is that a rule?” Gu Jinse was confused.

Ming Yi said with conviction, “Yes. Hit the body all you want, but the face must remain untouched.” She had fought many times. She hadn’t known at first, but later she realized that when people check for injuries, they look at the face first. Injuries on the body are unseen, so others won’t know.

Gu Jinse had been a straight-A student since childhood. Forget fighting; she had never even laid a finger on anyone. Ming Yi was different; she had grown up in the streets, so to speak, and was quite savvy about fighting. Back at the summer palace, she used to lead a pack of children around, acting all high and mighty.

“Do you fight often?”

“When I was little. Later, I stopped.”

“Where did you fight?”

“The summer palace. After my mother died, the Emperor sent me there for safety. People from the Zhao family doubted my identity and threatened to strangle me.”

“What about that general?”

“He never came back. By my count, he hasn’t returned for over twenty years. Later I heard the Emperor say he had married and had children.”

Gu Jinse nodded and continued eating dried fruit. Ming Yi fell silent, her gaze heavy.

After staying for a while, Ming Yi left. Gu Jinse saw her to the door. As Ming Yi was about to board the carriage, Gu Jinse grabbed her hand. “I don’t want to be allies.”

Ming Yi withdrew her hand, ignored her completely, and left.

Gu Jinse nearly pointed at the carriage to curse. This woman was cold and heartless. They had already kissed, yet she still called them allies.

She was saying one thing but meaning another.

Furious, Gu Jinse didn’t prepare any sweets the next day, nor did she even send a drop of water. But by nightfall, she felt a bit guilty. Ming Yi was a heartless woman by nature, a block of ice that couldn’t be warmed. Why bother arguing with a block of ice?

She got up in the middle of the night to make breakfast and had someone send it to the government office.

When dawn broke, she lay down to sleep.

She slept until noon, feeling quite refreshed. After eating, she went to make afternoon sweets.

In the kitchen, Tuntun arrived. Another girl had gone missing. Tuntun was swearing in anger. Gu Jinse asked, “Was there an insider again?”

“Last time it was a ‘locked room’; this time she was sick and had a fever all night. The maidservants grew lax, and she vanished.”

“If they are this capable, it means the opponent has significant resources. It likely has nothing to do with commoners; you can start investigating from the upper echelons.” Gu Jinse’s eyelids lowered as she focused on her task. There was too much scheming going on; her brain didn’t have enough capacity. She might as well stay home and make sweets.

” I also think it’s unusual. By the way, the Third Prince is attending a banquet tonight. Do you want to take action?” Tuntun gave a mock-evil smile. “I’ll tell you a secret: the Chancellor is a very good fighter. Why not ask her? She once beat the Crown Prince so badly he couldn’t get up for half a month, yet the imperial doctors said there were no major injuries.”

Gu Jinse stopped. “Why did she beat the Crown Prince?”

“That day was the anniversary of the Chancellor’s mother’s death. No one knows what was said, but the Chancellor was so angry she lunged forward and hit the Crown Prince. She beat him so savagely she was almost banished from the palace. It was only because the Emperor pleaded with the Empress on her behalf that she was spared.” Tuntun gave a sigh. When the Chancellor was young, she had quite a temper. When she fought, she would bite, pull hair…

“That fierce?” Gu Jinse didn’t quite believe it. The Chancellor was so cold and ethereal, like she was above mortal concerns; she couldn’t believe she could fight.

Seeing her words doubted, Tuntun’s face turned red. She argued earnestly, “It’s true! Next time you can ask the princes; who among them hasn’t been beaten by the Chancellor? The Emperor used to mock them for not being able to beat a little girl. The Chancellor is tall, so she had the advantage.”

“No wonder…” Gu Jinse was completely stunned. She remembered the first time they met—Ming Yi had bitten her without a word. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How overbearing.

Cold on the outside, but in reality, she was a fierce fighter. This character trope was quite captivating; Gu Jinse found she liked it very much.

She believed it now. “The first time we met, she bit me. A woman in her twenties, yet she still bites people.”

Tuntun felt a bit embarrassed. “You should bite her back.”

“Good idea. I’ll bite her back the next time we meet. After I finish these, we’ll head out. Find some experts, have them wear black clothes and black face masks.” Gu Jinse’s mood improved significantly. After hearing some jokes, she felt much better.

Tuntun went to see to the arrangements.

Gu Jinse finished her work, went to her room to change, and packed a set of black clothes to take with her.

Fighting? Everyone has a first time. But this time, it was a group effort.