The Prime Minister Claims She's Pregnant - Chapter 44

Hearing that last sentence, Ming Yi felt the strength in the arms around her waist tighten. Gu Jinse’s palms were pressed firmly against her lower abdomen; the thin summer fabric seemed unable to block the heat radiating from her skin.

“Zhang Mingqian’s judgment has always been unique. This time, by getting involved in this case, she has truly made herself a target for everyone.”

“I don’t think she did anything wrong.” The corners of Gu Jinse’s thin lips curled up as she leaned close to Ming Yi’s ear. “Is that person, Qin Zhao, reliable?”

“Why do you ask?” Ming Yi’s heart skipped a beat. Unable to stay still, she chose to cover Gu Jinse’s hands with her own, trying to steady her own breathing.

Gu Jinse let go of her. “I looked at Director Zhang, and she seemed deeply troubled. Logically, as the recommender, she shouldn’t bear too much responsibility, yet she looked completely drained. I suspect this matter poses a massive threat to her. Of course, that’s just my guess. Everything has two sides; if Qin Zhao is framing someone, Zhang Mingqian won’t be able to extricate herself. If this is a trap set specifically for Zhang Mingqian, then things have truly escalated. When that happens, the progress you female officials worked so hard to gain might be stripped away.”

Standing face to face, Ming Yi looked at the young woman’s pure face, her heart sinking. Gu Jinse added, “You have too many enemies.”

Ming Yi nodded; it was a cold, hard truth. “Let’s sleep.”

A moment later, they lay side by side, shoulders touching. Ming Yi couldn’t sleep, her eyes open and fixed on the roof beams. Gu Jinse noticed. “You still can’t rest?”

“I’m going to see Qin Zhao.” Ming Yi sat up, her mind elsewhere.

“I’ll go. If you go, it will only make things harder to talk about. My ideas are just guesses, but perhaps Zhang Mingqian has realized there’s a problem too.” Gu Jinse scrambled up, leaned over with lightning speed to peck Ming Yi on the lips, and then jumped off the bed and ran out.

Young people truly have too much energy.

Ming Yi suddenly smiled, her fingers touching her lips. The ripples in her eyes deepened into a thoughtful gaze.

Qin Zhao had been placed under house arrest, with guards surrounding her home. Her movements were restricted; she had lost all her freedom.

On the way, Tuntun filled Gu Jinse in on the details: “Qin Zhao is from Jinling. Director Zhang recommended her and, because she is a woman, felt a great deal of pity for her. After she arrived in the capital, Director Zhang handled everything for her. Qin Zhao is an orphan; as for how they met, I don’t know.”

“Her superior is the second master of the Encheng伯 (Count) residence. That man missed out on a Marquis title by just a few years and was recommended for a post in the Ministry of Rites. His wife is a famous ‘tigress.’ Do you understand what I mean by tigress?”

Gu Jinse listened, chin in hand, and replied flatly, “In a few more days, people will probably be calling your Chancellor a tigress too.”

Tuntun giggled. “That second master is kept on a very tight leash by his wife; he doesn’t even dare to take a concubine. Now that this scandal has broken, there are two rumors: the first says Qin Zhao is making things up, and the second says he was suppressed so much at home that he became desperate and committed a crime.”

“What kind of person is Qin Zhao?” Gu Jinse asked, her voice sounding a bit distant.

“Upright and formal, very similar in temperament to Director Zhang.”

The carriage stopped in front of Qin Zhao’s home. It was a standard civilian residence, nothing remarkable. As Gu Jinse stepped down, guards immediately moved to stop her. Tuntun produced the Chancellor’s jade token, and their faces instantly shifted to smiles.

“Is she inside?” Gu Jinse asked.

“Yes, she hasn’t come out at all.”

“Has anyone visited?”

“Director Zhang visited yesterday.”

Gu Jinse nodded and led Tuntun inside. In the courtyard stood a tall tree that seemed quite old. The ground was covered in fallen leaves. Gu Jinse looked at them and asked the guards, “Are there no maids or servants here?”

“Qin Zhao lives alone.”

The courtyard was small; one could see the entire boundary from the entrance. The house was even smaller, consisting of just three rooms. It was unnervingly quiet, devoid of any sign of life.

Gu Jinse looked at the leaves, then back at the house. Her heart skipped a beat. She barked at the guards, “Quick! Go check if she’s inside!”

A guard hurried to push the door. “It’s locked from the inside.”

“Kick it down!” Gu Jinse shouted.

The guard took a few steps back, then lunged forward, slamming his foot into the door. With a loud crash, the door flew open, and the guard rushed in.

Gu Jinse felt a wave of fear. She nudged Tuntun. “You go look.”

Tuntun, unfazed, teased her, “How can you be so timid? It’s just a woman.”

But then, the guard’s voice echoed from inside: “Master! Master! Official Qin has hanged herself!”

Gu Jinse’s suspicion had been correct. She clutched her head, looking back at the leaves on the ground. As Tuntun rushed in, Gu Jinse crouched down, tracing the fallen leaves with her fingers.

Qin Zhao lived alone; she would have to sweep her own yard. At this hour, how could the leaves not be swept?

She felt a profound shock. In this place, human life seemed so fragile. First the twenty girls, now Qin Zhao hanging herself. Whenever something happened, someone died. This was worlds away from the peace of Yuhang. Zhang Mingqian’s words echoed in her mind: returning to the countryside.

A while later, Tuntun came out and stood beside her. “She hanged herself.”

“Find a coroner to perform an autopsy. Check carefully if it was really suicide. Also, it’s noon now—did she not come out for breakfast?” Gu Jinse’s voice was low. Would a girl who had the courage to report workplace sexual harassment suddenly kill herself?

If she wanted to die, why bother reporting it in the first place?

Furthermore, the leaves proved she hadn’t come out all morning. Did she die last night or in the middle of the night? Or perhaps shortly after Zhang Mingqian left? Only an autopsy would tell.

Gu Jinse crouched there for a long time until a middle-aged man carrying a box hurried over—the coroner. She stood up, rubbing her numb legs, and crept toward the door to peek inside. Tuntun asked curiously, “Are you scared?”

“Aren’t you?” Gu Jinse admitted her weakness. She was a modern person, after all; seeing a human corpse, or even a dead cat or dog, would give her nightmares. As a progressive modern woman, fearing the sight of death was only natural.

She peeked in, inching forward, but before she could enter, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

Ming Yi hauled the restless girl back to the tree. “Is a corpse something worth looking at?”

“Chancellor! I finally worked up the courage to see, why did you pull me away? I need to see clearly to know what happened.” Gu Jinse sighed. She was practically becoming Kogoro Mouri—wherever she went, a crime scene followed.

Ming Yi stood under the tree, hands behind her back, her expression unreadable. “You aren’t a coroner. Why do you need to see so clearly? She’s dead; regret is useless now.”

“Chancellor, if she died right after Zhang Mingqian left, Director Zhang is in danger. Even if she didn’t kill her, she’ll be blamed for driving her to it. Do you think she can stay in the capital? She’ll either be transferred or dismissed. Which do you think it will be?” Gu Jinse asked blankly.

Ming Yi’s face grew even darker.

Gu Jinse continued her analysis: “The guard said the door was locked from the inside—a classic ‘locked room’ death. If Qin Zhao couldn’t take it, why did she report him? It doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“There are many things in this world that don’t make sense. You should go home.” Ming Yi showed her no pity, pulling her by the sleeve. “If you look at too many dead people, you’ll have nightmares tonight.”

“Chancellor, you should think carefully as well. If you lose an ally like Zhang Mingqian, what will you do?” Gu Jinse clung to the tree, refusing to move, her round eyes looking at Ming Yi with an uncharacteristic hint of vulnerability.

Ming Yi covered her eyes, thinking she must be seeing things. How could Gu Jinse be “vulnerable”? This youngster ate two bowls of rice a meal, far more than she did.

In a momentary lapse of Ming Yi’s grip, Gu Jinse slipped into the room. First came a sharp scream, then she ran out, crouched by the porch, and began to retch.

She was terrified.

Ming Yi stood under the tree, watching her helplessly. “I told you, a person who hangs themselves doesn’t look pretty in death.”

Gu Jinse tried to argue, but her stomach churned. Her face turned pale. Ming Yi produced a water flask from somewhere and handed it to her. “Did you see anything ‘noteworthy’?”

“I… I can’t tell the difference between hanging and being strangled,” Gu Jinse said miserably. She felt horrified; despite being a materialist, she was terrified that a ghost would come for her tonight. Her mental fortitude had always been a bit shaky.

“Just ask the coroner,” Ming Yi replied in her most even tone.

Gu Jinse stood up, took a sip of water, handed the flask back to Ming Yi, and went back inside.

Ming Yi sighed. A moment later, Gu Jinse’s timid voice drifted out: “Was she strangled?”

The coroner didn’t answer.

Gu Jinse wouldn’t give up. “It wasn’t suicide, was it?”

Ming Yi let out a soft laugh. Standing with her back to the door, she looked up at the floating clouds. For some reason, the smile on her lips wouldn’t fade.

“Tell me, how exactly did she die?”

“How do you distinguish between being strangled and hanging yourself?”

“Don’t just stay quiet!”

“You little brat, why do you have so many questions? You want to do the autopsy yourself? Go ahead!” The coroner was getting annoyed and tried to shoo her away.

Ming Yi’s smile deepened. She turned to see Gu Jinse being kicked out, head hanging low and looking indignant. “I am a court official, after all! How can he call me a ‘little brat’? I’m seventeen!”

“Seventeen… that is quite small,” Ming Yi added a finishing blow.

Gu Jinse glared at her and prepared to charge back in, but Ming Yi stopped her. “Tuntun has studied corpses too. You can just ask her. She’s probably seen more bodies than that coroner. Just wait here quietly. Are you hungry? I’ll have someone buy you some pancakes.”

“Eating pancakes in front of a dead person? My, you have a strong stomach. I’m not eating,” Gu Jinse said flatly.

Ming Yi laughed again, reaching out to pinch Gu Jinse’s soft cheek. “If you don’t eat, I will.”

“I’m not eating.” Gu Jinse looked somber, her brow furrowed. She asked Ming Yi, “Isn’t it good to be alive? Why die? Chancellor, she already reported it; she should have waited for the verdict. Why give up now?”

Ming Yi turned to look at the leaves under the tree, lost in thought. “I told you, justice does not belong to people like us.”

Gu Jinse sighed. “We have to fight for it. You go eat your pancakes, and I’ll go look again. If I have nightmares tonight, I have you. If you hold me while we sleep, I won’t be afraid.”

Ming Yi, caught in her own thoughts, was momentarily stunned. Wait, did I just get taken advantage of again?

Half an hour later, Ming Yi was standing under the tree eating a pancake, while Gu Jinse was looking through the coroner’s autopsy report, constantly asking him to explain the terminology.

The coroner grew impatient, but she just widened her eyes and gave him a silly, flattering smile to win him over.

Suddenly, Ming Yi felt a wave of inexplicable irritation. Since when was Gu Jinse so subservient to others?

In an instant, Ming Yi threw the remains of her pancake at the coroner. She walked up to him, stopping a few paces away. “When she asks you a question, you answer. What’s with this attitude?”

The coroner, seeing it was a woman, raised his voice. “And who are you? How dare you throw things!”

Tuntun stepped in. “This is the Chancellor.”

The coroner’s face went pale. He quickly bowed. “This lowly one had eyes but could not see. I beg the Chancellor’s forgiveness!”

“If you value your tongue, stop wasting it. It’s a shame to leave it in your mouth,” Ming Yi said indifferently.

Gu Jinse watched as Ming Yi exuded her characteristic aura of absolute authority. Her heart fluttered with a mix of anxiety and admiration. The summer sunlight spilled over Ming Yi’s cyan dress, making her look as though she had been gilded in gold leaf.

Just then, Zhang Mingqian arrived in a hurry. Ming Yi stepped back a few paces as Zhang Mingqian rushed to the door. Sensing the heavy atmosphere inside, Zhang first asked the coroner, “Was it suicide?”

Confronted with yet another high-ranking woman, the coroner dared not be arrogant. He replied, “It was suicide.”

Ming Yi returned to the shade of the tree and continued eating her pancake. She tore off a piece, popped it into her mouth, and looked up at the youth. Gu Jinse stood by the door, her profile illuminated by the sun until her skin looked almost translucent.

After a long silence, Gu Jinse walked over to her, her voice low. “The coroner says it was suicide, but I feel something is wrong.”

“What is wrong?” Ming Yi tore off a piece of the pancake and held it to Gu Jinse’s crimson lips. “Want some?”

Gu Jinse’s heart skipped a beat. A tangle of emotions she couldn’t quite name welled up, but her heart softened instantly. She opened her mouth, took the piece of pancake, and chewed slowly.

Zhang Mingqian turned and saw them—smiling, intimate, and trusting. She stood frozen for a moment; it was as if she were seeing a different Ming Yi—one who was tender and happy.

Under the tree, the two began to analyze the details of the case. After a brief discussion, Gu Jinse called over the guard who had kicked the door in earlier. “When you went in just now, was the door truly locked?”

The guard froze. The hand resting on his waist gave a slight tremor. Ming Yi watched that hand and said testingly, “You pretended the door was locked from the inside, but in reality, you were just acting, weren’t you?”

“Chancellor! The door was indeed locked from the inside!” the guard exclaimed in shock.

Gu Jinse remained silent, unsure if her hunch was wrong. She decided to rely on the details.

She had Tuntun go inside and lock the door from the within, then called the guard over to kick it again. She instructed him, “Just act natural. Do it again.”

Everyone watched the guard intently. Even Zhang Mingqian fell silent. More than a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on him.

The guard swallowed hard, walked to the door, and swung his foot.

The door didn’t budge.

He kicked it again. It still didn’t open.

Gu Jinse raised an eyebrow with a faint smile. “How could the door of a woman living alone fly open with just one kick?”

The guard’s face turned white. He immediately dropped to his knees. “Chancellor, I have been wronged! I truly don’t know what happened!”

Gu Jinse tapped on the door and said, “I’ll give you one more chance. Kick it open, and you’re cleared.”

The guard scrambled up, unbuckled his saber, and delivered a powerful kick. The door flew open.

He started to smile with relief, but Tuntun spoke from inside: “Before that last kick, I unlocked the door.”

The guard looked like he was about to cry. Ming Yi let out a soft laugh, then immediately reined it in. She commanded, “Seize him. Send him to the Ministry of Justice for strict interrogation. I don’t care if he lives or dies.”

The guard panicked, wailing and shouting that he was innocent, but no one listened. Instead, Tuntun began examining the lock while Gu Jinse paced the room. She said to Ming Yi, “If she was strangled, why are there no signs of a struggle?”

She went back to examine the body, checking the fingernails. They were clean.

Zhang Mingqian chimed in, “Could she have been drugged with a sedative first? They could have moved against her while she was asleep.”

“How do we test for sedatives?” Gu Jinse looked at the coroner.

The coroner looked troubled. “This lowly one will check again.”

The four of them nodded in unison. Gu Jinse said boldly, “Check. We’ll wait for you.”

Since it was a rest day and they didn’t have to go to the office, they had plenty of time.

Noon had long passed, and the sun was beginning its western descent. The four of them stood under the tree, gnawing on pancakes. Zhang Mingqian, feeling disgruntled, began to lecture Gu Jinse: “The Gu family is supposed to be wealthy and powerful. How can you let three girls like us just stand here eating dry pancakes?”

Gu Jinse wrinkled her nose at her playfully. “I didn’t buy them; the Chancellor did. Besides, we’re only here because of you. You should be the one asking why we’re eating pancakes.”

She spoke with such mock sincerity that Zhang Mingqian didn’t fall for it. “You’re only here because you’re afraid Ming Yi will be implicated. Because of me? What a joke. Careful, if you keep talking like that, the Chancellor will get jealous.”

Ming Yi, acting like an outsider, chewed her pancake. “If you don’t want it, give it back. I’ll throw it to the dogs.”

Tuntun, meanwhile, had wolfed down her portion and looked at Gu Jinse. “Should I go buy some actual food?”

Ming Yi looked at her coldly. “Are you paying?”

Tuntun shrunk back and didn’t dare mention it again.

Zhang Mingqian was about to lose her temper. “Chancellor! How can you be so stingy? It’s one thing if you won’t buy it, but why won’t you let your subordinate go buy some?”

“It’s my family’s money. Why should I spend it on you?” Ming Yi tore off another piece of pancake and stuffed it into her mouth. “Why don’t you buy something?”

“I’m poor, don’t you know?” Zhang Mingqian relied on her friend with shameless confidence.

Gu Jinse nodded. “Chancellor, let Tuntun go buy something. If we don’t feed her now, there might not be another chance later. Treat it as a farewell meal for her.”

“Damn you, Gu Jinhuan! You’ve been with Ming Yi too long—your tongue has turned poisonous too!” Zhang Mingqian glared at the youth, utterly dissatisfied.

Tuntun scrambled away to get food.

The coroner emerged from the house. The three of them walked over. Gu Jinse stuffed her remaining pancake into Ming Yi’s mouth and said, “I’m afraid I’ll vomit.”

Ming Yi was forced to swallow half a pancake. Zhang Mingqian’s eyes flickered with an unreadable expression.

The coroner reported, “As the young master suspected, she was indeed drugged with a sedative before she died.”

Gu Jinse sighed. “Director Zhang, you’re in for it this time. Good luck. We’ll leave all the food Tuntun buys for you; we’re going home.”

For a moment, she lamented being meddlesome. If she hadn’t interfered, Qin Zhao would have just been recorded as a suicide… but her conscience wouldn’t have allowed it. She felt conflicted and instinctively looked at Ming Yi.

The pancake was dry and hard to swallow. Ming Yi chewed slowly, her mouth too full to speak, so she just nodded in agreement with her eyes and took Gu Jinse’s hand to lead her away.

Left behind, Zhang Mingqian watched them go, her face a picture of indignation.

Once they boarded the carriage, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Ming Yi grabbed the water flask and drank greedily. Gu Jinse muttered to herself, “How do you think this will end?”

“We wait and see.” Ming Yi was quite calm. She watched the girl’s mouth moving non-stop, realizing that every word circled back to Zhang Mingqian. She made her stance clear: “Zhang Mingqian and I haven’t reached the point where our lives are tied together.”

In other words, you don’t need to worry so much.

Gu Jinse stopped abruptly. She processed Ming Yi’s words and her eyes lit up. “Are you, jealous?”

“Jealous of what? She’s several years older than me,” Ming Yi reminded the silly girl.