The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 4

That woman, that woman is here!

After half a month apart, seeing her again, Gu Jinse felt inexplicably awkward and greeted her with a forced smile and a bow. “Hello.”

The two were strangers; even after a brief night together, they still didn’t know each other’s names, so “hello” was the only way to break the awkwardness.

Ming Yi approached, clad in a purple official robe. Before Gu Jinse could get a closer look, she was startled purple robes were reserved for officials of the third rank or higher.

This woman was a powerful minister.

The awkward smile on Gu Jinse’s lips froze, and she blurted out, “That day was my fault.”

“Scholar Gu, do you know me?” Ming Yi smiled.

“Ah?” Gu Jinse’s heart tightened abruptly, and she instinctively took half a step back, putting distance between herself and the woman.

She doesn’t know me? Did I mistake her for someone else?

Gu Jinse was once again overcome with embarrassment. Ming Yi reached out and touched her own cheek, revealing slender, long fingers with distinct joints more striking than her facial features.

“It seems my face is so ordinary it could get lost in a crowd. Otherwise, how could Scholar Gu mistake me for someone else?”

She smiled gently, with the soft beauty unique to women. Having tasted her allure, Gu Jinse felt inexplicably shy at the sight of her smile. By modern reasoning, this would be like sleeping with her boss’s boss’s boss, an endless loop.

Ming Yi’s features were exquisite: distant-mountain brows, narrow, long eyes, thin lips curved in a faint, almost wanton smile. Gu Jinse was startled by her own thoughts but quickly dismissed them, speaking earnestly, “This student mistook you for someone else. I hope Your Excellency is not offended.”

“Scholar Gu, this way.” Ming Yi led the way.

The few people accompanying her looked astonished. Was the Prime Minister personally guiding a candidate? Was it raining red from the sky?

Even Gu Jinse felt bewildered. Who exactly was she?

Among the two thousand officials in the capital, there were only a few dozen female officials, and no more than three to five held the third rank or higher.

Zhang Mingqian from the Ministry of Personnel came from a humble background, never married, and was around thirty.

Du Yan from the Secretariat hailed from the Du family in the capital and seemed no older than twenty-five.

Calculating by age, Gu Jinse shuddered and instinctively asked, “Are you Secretariat Official Du?”

The examination hall was eerily silent; even footsteps made no sound, the atmosphere thick with tension.

Ming Yi didn’t answer but informed her, “Before the exam, you must undress, undergo a search, and be inspected.”

Gu Jinse halted, her face turning pale, lips trembling slightly. “How can there be such a rule?”

No one had mentioned this before she came not her grandfather, nor her parents. She found it strange and looked at the woman ahead. “Official Du, are you teasing me?”

‘Du Yan’ walked with an elegant posture, her back straight and graceful, like a lady stepping out of an ancient painting.

“Scholar Gu, did you not review the examination rules before coming? It lasts three to five days. Can someone like you endure it?” Ming Yi stopped and turned, gazing at her slender frame. “In my view, you wouldn’t pass the inspection.”

“Official Du, is this personal revenge?” Gu Jinse lifted her head, meeting the other’s gaze with stubborn defiance. “That day, I saved you, too.”

The young woman’s eyes blazed like torches, but her voice was cold, she was clearly angry.

Ming Yi wasn’t angered; after all, they had shared intimacy. She had no intention of expelling her but remarked, “Saved me? Weren’t you captivated by my beauty?”

“You, you’re so narcissistic,” Gu Jinse retorted, flushed with embarrassment.

Ming Yi said, “I heard you say with my own ears, ‘You’re so beautiful.'”

“I…” Gu Jinse felt intensely guilty.

The two stood facing each other, while the officials following them instinctively halted their steps, maintaining a distance of six or seven paces, unable to hear their conversation.

Ming Yi exuded an imposing aura, while Gu Jinse was merely an ordinary young woman from a boudoir. At most, she had learned some etiquette, but compared to Ming Yi, who had been immersed in court politics for years, she was far outmatched.

Gu Jinse turned and walked away. “I’m not taking the exam.”

With that, she left directly. Ming Yi watched her and smiled faintly. “I won’t see you off.”

Gu Jinse: “…” This person was truly detestable, using her position for personal revenge. If she had known Ming Yi was this wicked, she should have bitten her a few more times that night instead of showing mercy.

As soon as Gu Jinse stepped out of the examination hall, she ran into Gu Jinhuan.

Gu Jinse froze. The siblings bore an eighty percent resemblance, and those who had only seen them once or twice could hardly tell them apart. Only those close to them could distinguish one from the other.

She stood there stunned, but Gu Jinhuan didn’t even glance at her and walked straight inside.

“What kind of attitude is that?” Gu Jinse was furious. Unable to curse at that moment, she suppressed her anger and returned to the carriage to vent to Chunyue. “He showed up, didn’t say a word, and just went inside. What does he mean by that? He’s the one fooling around with women, and now he’s blaming me?”

“If he weren’t my brother, I’d really take a knife to him. Our grandfather worked so hard to raise him, and he ran away from home over a woman. If he has the guts, he shouldn’t come back. Why is he giving me that look? Do I owe him something?”

” I’m done for because of him.”

Gu Jinse was tormented by unspoken grievances. Du Yan, the Secretariat Director, had a notorious reputation, it was said that he never forgot a slight and was ruthless and unfeeling.

It’s over, it’s all over.

Gu Jinse covered her eyes, sighing inwardly. Her life was as good as ruined.

Chunyue was puzzled. “Aren’t you happy that the young master has returned?”

“Happy? I’m overjoyed. I’ve offended a demon. Let’s pack our bags and return to Yuhang immediately.” Gu Jinse slammed the table in decision, not wanting to stay a moment longer. “Go back, pack our things, and leave right away.”

She had been kind enough to give Du Yan the travel pass to Yuhang and even handed over several hundred taels of silver. What a nightmare.

Gu Jinse grew even angrier. Meanwhile, inside the examination hall, Ming Yi caught sight of Gu Jinhuan and scrutinized him carefully. He walked with remarkable speed, his steps full of energy. She had intended to stop him, but he brushed past her and continued on his way.

“Top Candidate Gu.” Ming Yi called out to him.

Gu Jinhuan stopped and turned to look at her. Recognizing her official robes, he quickly bowed in apology. “I was walking in haste and failed to notice you, Your Excellency. I beg your forgiveness.”

Ming Yi took two steps closer, her gaze lingering on him before finally settling on his ears.

He had no ear piercings.

Was this Gu Jinhuan?

Ming Yi found it strange but waved her hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. You may go.”

Gu Jinhuan thanked her and left without looking back.

After he departed, she went to the examiners’ office to look up Gu Jinhuan’s records.

Once the exam began, she summoned the official in charge of inspecting the candidates and asked, “Did you inspect Gu Jinhuan, the top candidate from Zhejiang?”

“I did. Is there something wrong?”

“Was he, a man?” Ming Yi hesitated.

The official laughed. “Of course he’s a man, though he is rather delicate-looking.”

Ming Yi flipped through Gu Jinhuan’s file and saw the words “twin siblings.” Suddenly, she understood, the one who had saved her was the eldest daughter of the Gu family, Gu Jinse.

Strangers couldn’t tell the siblings apart.

Ming Yi set down the file, her mind made up, and called for her trusted aide. “Go to Vice Minister Gu’s residence and inquire about Gu Jinhuan’s whereabouts.”

The Gu family had deep roots and would not be staying at Vice Minister Gu’s residence. They must have acquired their own property.

The trusted aide immediately went to handle the matter without needing further instructions. Gu Jinhuan’s residence was of considerable value, having cost a fortune, and was located not far from the Prime Minister’s residence.

After obtaining the address, Ming Yi smiled and ordered, “Have someone keep an eye on it.”

Gu Jinse, feeling guilty as if she had committed a crime, returned home and began packing her belongings to leave.

The steward who had accompanied her quickly intervened, “No matter how urgent you are, miss, you should at least wait until the exam results are announced before leaving. By then, you can bring the news of the young master’s success back to Yuhang, which will surely delight the master and madam.”

“I can’t wait. Gu Jinhuan would gladly devour me if he could,” Gu Jinse retorted, refusing to listen. She and Gu Jinhuan had never gotten along, and this time, their conflict had escalated beyond repair. After taking a sip of tea, she suddenly remembered ‘Du Yan’ and asked the steward, “Look into Minister Du of the Secretariat.”

The steward was puzzled, “Do you mean the female minister?”

“Yes, yes, that’s her,” Gu Jinse urged impatiently. “Is she a beautiful woman? And was she one of the exam supervisors this time?”

The steward replied, “The young master’s three rounds of exams will take six days. During that time, please wait, and I’ll have someone investigate. However, this Minister Du is known for her intolerance of evil and is often referred to as one of the ‘Twin Terrors’ alongside Minister Li of the Ministry of Justice. Though both are formidable, they pale in comparison to Prime Minister Ming, who was newly appointed this year.”

“Prime Minister Ming?” Gu Jinse asked, confused. “Who is she?” It seemed there were quite a few high-ranking female officials in the court.

“The former Prime Minister was executed, and his family was exterminated. She is the new Prime Minister. It was she who brought down the former Prime Minister. Rumor has it that she and the Emperor.” The steward chuckled softly, refraining from elaborating further since the young lady was still innocent in such matters.

Gu Jinse waved her hand dismissively, “She’s a woman too. Is she even more fearsome than Du Yan?”

“If anything, she surpasses her,” the steward replied with a low laugh.

Gu Jinse patted her chest to comfort herself, “Thank goodness, thank goodness I haven’t crossed paths with Prime Minister Ming.”

Somehow reassured, she decided not to rush her departure and resolved to wait another six days.

The maids unpacked the luggage they had just prepared, but there were no dresses in the trunks, so Gu Jinse had no choice but to continue wearing her scholar’s robe. She had ordered a few sets from the embroidery workshop earlier in the spring, but they wouldn’t be ready for at least three more days.

Too anxious to venture outside, Gu Jinse stayed indoors, enduring the agony of waiting. To pass the time, she sent someone to the bookstore to fetch a few volumes of fictional stories.

The steward eventually returned with the information and reported to the young lady, “Minister Du of the Secretariat was indeed one of the exam supervisors.”

Gu Jinse wasn’t surprised. After a few days to process the news, her initial fear had subsided. She instructed the steward, “Remember, I was never in the capital.”

Unaware of the details, the steward smiled and said, “Of course, miss. You were never here. It was the young master who came to the capital to take the exams.”

Gu Jinse placed a hand over her heart and reassured herself, “It’s fine. Du Yan would never take an interest in someone as despicable as Gu Jinhuan.”

After six agonizing days, the exams finally concluded. Overjoyed, Gu Jinse went to the entrance of the examination hall to pick up her unlucky younger brother.

Everything was packed and ready for their departure from the capital.

Dressed in her scholar’s robe, Gu Jinse stood beside the carriage. From a distance, Ming Yi spotted her immediately. As Ming Yi watched Gu Jinse, Du Yan, whom she had dragged along to serve as an examiner, followed her gaze.

The entrance to the examination hall was too crowded, and Du Yan couldn’t make out Gu Jinse amid the dense throng of people.

Puzzled, she asked, “Who are you looking at?”

“It’s nothing,” Ming Yi replied with a smile, glancing subtly at her unsuspecting friend. “Do you have someone you care for?”

“No, do you?” Du Yan frowned and looked back toward the crowd, where a young man in vibrant robes stood out among the masses.

Du Yan sneered, “An old cow eating young grass, huh? How old is she, and how old are you?”

Ming Yi was twenty-seven this year. Becoming a chancellor at twenty-seven would be considered young by most. However, compared to Gu Jinse, who was seventeen and resembled a peony bud just beginning to bloom, she did seem a bit older.

Yet, that night, Gu Jinse had praised her beauty relentlessly.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“Your skin is so lovely soft, smooth, and so pleasant to touch.”

“Your waist is so slender.”