The Eldest Daughter Returns: Imperial Uncle, I'm Pregnant!

Gu Qingwan and Wang Ruyan walked out of Fuluyuan. Wang Ruyan said, "Miss, you haven't been home for many years. Are you unfamiliar with many places in the house? Tomorrow I'll have Jiao'er take some time to show you around."

Gu Qingwan just smiled and didn't say anything, walking forward with firm steps. When she reached a fork in the road, Wang Ruyan saw that Gu Qingwan was walking in the wrong direction and quickly said, "Miss, you've gone to the wrong place. Please follow me."

This time, Gu Qingwan spoke up: "Madam, where do you plan to place me?"

"Of course, it's a beautifully prepared courtyard," Wang Ruyan replied guiltily.

"Although Qingwan has been away from home for many years, she still remembers her mother's courtyard. I have lived with my mother since I was a child, so I won't trouble you, Madam. I will stay in my mother's courtyard." Gu Qingwan instructed, "Baoqin, pack your things. You haven't been there before, so I'll take you to see it. There's a swing in that courtyard, it's very beautiful."

"Young Miss, Young Miss!" Wang Ruyan stopped her from going over: "Well, Madam's courtyard has been uninhabited for a long time, and it's been dusty since no one has cleaned it... Why don't you wait until I send someone to clean it before you move in?"

"It's alright, it's better that it wasn't cleaned. At least I can still see traces of my mother's presence. Let's go."

"Oh dear, Miss, you shouldn't disappoint Madam's kindness, should you?" Xue Niang quickly stepped forward and grabbed Gu Qingwan's arm to persuade her to stay. "Knowing that you were coming back, Madam cleaned and arranged a courtyard for you overnight. Miss must be tired, you should rest now."

“A servant…such good manners.” Gu Qingwan fixed her cold gaze on the hand holding her arm.

Xue Niang immediately felt the coldness in her hands and quickly withdrew them, kneeling on the ground: "Young Miss, this servant...this servant has offended you, please forgive me, Young Miss."

Gu Qingwan ignored the two women and led the three maids toward her mother's Youlan Courtyard. She was intimately familiar with every plant, every path, and every pebble there. When she was little, her mother would come to find her when she played in the garden. When she was naughty, she would play hide-and-seek with her mother in the garden. Those happy times seemed to be right before her eyes, but they could never be returned to.

Upon arriving at Youlan Courtyard, the gate was wide open, contrary to Wang Ruyan's description of it being deserted for a long time. Soon after, Gu Qingwan saw Gu Hanjiao leading people out from inside.

"Sister? Why are you visiting my courtyard, sister? Have you been to Grandmother's?"

Gu Qingwan's lips curled into a cold smile: "Your courtyard?"

Wang Ruyan's legs were naturally not as fast as Gu Qingwan's. She hurried along, her forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat, before finally catching up, just in time to meet Gu Qingwan's questioning gaze.

"This……"

"Yes, this is my yard."

"Madam, it seems you need to give a proper explanation."

Gu Hanjiao was displeased upon hearing this: "What's there to explain? This courtyard was arranged for me by Father. If you want to move in, it might not be possible. Besides, Mother has also prepared a courtyard for you. You can't treat people like this, can you?"

"Jiao'er, say less." Wang Ruyan comforted Gu Hanjiao and said to Gu Qingwan, "This matter cannot be explained in a few words. Miss, you should go to the courtyard that has been arranged for you to stay in first. When your father returns, he will explain to you. This courtyard has indeed been given to Jiao'er."

After hearing this, Gu Qingwan smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble Miss Gu to move out. I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait in the front hall. Father will be back from court soon, and I can ask him what happened."

"You want me to move out? That's ridiculous! Why should I move out the moment you come home? Gu Qingwan, you're going too far! This is my courtyard. I've lived here since I was a child. I'm not moving out!" Gu Hanjiao stopped pretending this time, which made Gu Qingwan find her somewhat agreeable.

“A younger sister like this is more likable,” Gu Qingwan said. “Madam, you must know what’s going on in this courtyard. If you don’t, it’s not impossible to wait for Father to come back and handle it.”

"Sister! You're bullying me too much!" Gu Hanjiao saw her father's servant come over first, and knew that her father must be coming in soon. So she said with tears in her eyes, "Sister, I'll give you whatever you want, but sister, I'm getting married soon and won't be staying at home for more than a few days. Are you going to take the courtyard I've lived in since I was a child from me?"

"What's wrong! What's all this noise about?" Gu Ziming was annoyed to hear his daughter's crying before he even arrived.

Seeing Gu Ziming arrive, Gu Hanjiao hurriedly ran over: "Father, Father, you must do me a favor! My sister wants my courtyard, but... but... I'll give my sister whatever she wants, but this is the place I've lived in since I was little. I don't want to give it up, and besides, I'm getting married soon and won't be able to stay here for long..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Ziming frowned and scolded, "You cause chaos as soon as you get home! Are you only happy when you have to take your sister's things? Madam! Didn't you prepare a courtyard for the eldest young lady?"

Wang Ruyan said somewhat awkwardly, "I've prepared, but it seems the young lady doesn't like it and doesn't want to go..."

"Since you've made preparations, go and take a look over there first. How will you know you don't like it if you don't go and see it?" Gu Ziming's original intention was still for peace and tranquility at home. As long as his family members didn't cause any trouble, that was good enough.

“Hehe, Father, since Madam has tidied up that courtyard so well, let my sister move there. It shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

"Sister..." Gu Hanjiao cursed inwardly, wondering what had gotten into Gu Qingwan. Why was the first thing she did upon returning home to argue over who got the courtyard to live in? Gu Hanjiao knew Gu Qingwan's courtyard; it was secluded and deserted, seemingly clean and tidy, but filled with useless, defective items—a deliberate attempt by Gu Hanjiao to annoy her. An unloved daughter, she figured her father wouldn't bother visiting her anyway.

"Qingwan, how can you be so domineering? If word gets out, how will you ever get married?" Gu Ziming earnestly advised.

"Father has probably forgotten who this courtyard belongs to? Whose name is it registered under?" Gu Qingwan showed no fear, her tone still gentle, but her words left Gu Ziming speechless.

Gu Ziming certainly knew whose courtyard it was. From the perspective of the Prime Minister's residence as a whole, the Prime Minister's residence was not actually as big as it looked. This place was bought by Ning Jingxian with money and the Empress's connections. She also sent people to carve a gate in the wall to connect the two courtyards.

Part of the house was converted into a garden, and the other part was used as a place for her and her daughter to live. After their relationship gradually deteriorated, Ning Jingxian sent people to clean up the place and quickly moved in with Gu Qingwan. So what Gu Qingwan said was true: Ning Jingxian bought this place with her dowry and registered it in Gu Qingwan's name.

Gu Ziming's face darkened as he asked, "Then what do you want?"

"Father?" Gu Hanjiao was unaware of what was going on. Seeing that her father seemed to be backing down, she became anxious.

In fact, very few people know that half of the Prime Minister's residence, which covers such a large area, was bought by Gu Qingwan's mother, who then combined the two parts and had them managed to create a courtyard.

"It's very simple. Either return it to its rightful owner, or I'll find someone to restore this place to its original state. Father can weigh the pros and cons." Gu Qingwan's two solutions were essentially the same.

“Oh, of course, if Father has money, I can sell this place to you,” Gu Qingwan said, offering another solution.

This made Gu Ziming feel even more depressed. He hadn't returned the dowry money to the Ning family yet, and this brat wanted him to pay for land again. What a rebellious daughter!

"Miss, please don't say that. We're all family. Can't we sit down and discuss things properly?" Wang Ruyan stood virtuously between the father and daughter, mediating between them.

“Sister, Father has been so good to you, how can you talk to him like that? If you insist, then Jiao’er…” Gu Hanjiao couldn’t help but throw herself into her mother’s arms and cry, “Mother, this is where Jiao’er has lived since she was little, sob sob sob.”

A number of servants had already gathered around, secretly watching. They were all thinking how powerful the eldest young lady was, snatching the second young lady's things as soon as she got home and even making her cry.

"What does Father think?" Gu Qingwan didn't care about anything else, she just wanted to see Gu Ziming's attitude.

Looking at his daughter, Gu Ziming suddenly felt that he saw his own youthful spirit in her, so persistent and unwilling to compromise. Gu Ziming closed his eyes and said.

"Let's move."

Gu Hanjiao thought her father would definitely side with her, but upon hearing this answer, she was incredulous and couldn't help but scream, "What!"

"Watch your words and actions! It's improper! The palace will be sending a governess to the manor in a few days. Don't embarrass your father then! Move out now!" Gu Ziming said and turned to leave. He had originally wanted to come back to see how things were at home, but it would have been better not to come back at all. Coming back would only make him angry. It would have been better to go to Rou'er's place, where he felt at home.

Seeing Gu Ziming leave again, Wang Ruyan hurriedly called out, "Master, Master, where are you going? Aren't you going to eat at home?"