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

Wang Ruyan originally planned to keep Gu Ziming here. She would take extra care of Xiaoyi and be affectionate with her, and Gu Ziming would eventually change his mind as before. At worst, she would cry and complain again to calm Gu Ziming down and let bygones be bygones.

But to her surprise, the master turned and left without giving her any chance. Wang Ruyan wanted to chase after him, but her daughter needed her. After weighing the two options, Wang Ruyan decided to deal with her daughter's matter first.

Gu Hanjiao's eyes were red and swollen, like a wounded little white rabbit. The servants in the mansion felt sorry for her and were just short of going out to help the second young lady seek justice.

"Sister, you're bullying me like this! Look how much Father favors you! Are you satisfied now?" Gu Hanjiao gripped her handkerchief tightly, watching the servants gather around her, all laughing at her. She felt even more resentful. She had only just started managing the household and hadn't even sorted things out yet. Now, with Gu Qingwan stirring things up like this, it seemed to others that she couldn't even protect her own courtyard. How could the servants possibly respect her?

“Sister, after all, it’s your own home. Besides, the place Madam prepared is excellent, and you’re very satisfied with it. Moving there won’t be any trouble.”

"But sister, Jiao'er has lived here for so long, and there are many things that can't be moved just like that. You have to give me some time, right?" Gu Hanjiao thought that if Gu Qingwan agreed to go to another courtyard, she would try to stall for time, at least until the palace nanny came or after she got married. After all, this courtyard was the most respectable and beautiful courtyard in the entire Prime Minister's mansion.

"Madam, could you please take a look at the Second Miss? It would be best not to touch anything that's already in the courtyard."

“Miss, it will take time to distinguish which items are the original ones and which belong to Jiao’er. It won’t be sorted out in less than a day or two,” Wang Ruyan said.

"It's alright. Baoqin Ruhua, you two take the booklet in and check it. If there are any extras, help the Second Miss count them out. If there aren't many... just consider them as gifts for the Second Miss," Gu Qingwan instructed.

Upon receiving the order, Baoqin took out an exquisite square wooden box from her personal bundle. Inside the box were many papers and booklets, one of which was titled "Youlan Courtyard." Baoqin packed her things, took the booklet, called Ruhua, and went into the courtyard. She handed the rest to Siqi for safekeeping.

Gu Hanjiao gave Chunlu and Qiushuang a look, and they understood, following Baoqin and Ruhua back into the courtyard. There were some things that Gu Qingwan couldn't know.

Looking at the bundle on Siqi's body, Wang Ruyan wondered if Ning Jingxian's dowry list was inside. She then asked, "Miss, you've prepared everything so thoroughly. What's in that bundle...?"

"Bags? Of course, there are also some indentures. My mother bought a lot of servants back then, but so many years have passed, those servants have probably forgotten who their real masters are." Gu Qingwan glanced around lightly, and the people around her immediately scattered like startled birds.

Gu Hanjiao said, "Sister, Mother is right. Even if we have to move, it won't be done in a short time. Besides, you only have three maids with you, so you don't have enough manpower."

"That's hard to say. I also have indentures. If my sister really can't finish, I'll have Siqi gather all the people on the indentures together and give my sister a hand."

Wang Ruyan thought, "How could that be allowed?" If Gu Qingwan used this as an excuse to find some of the old men from back then, it would be troublesome. You see, she had already dealt with most of them over the years. They were either betrothed, sent to estates outside, or made to do the dirtiest and most tiring work.

"Fine, let's go inside and get ready, Jiao'er." Wang Ruyan was also quite annoyed and impatient with Gu Qingwan, so she pulled Gu Hanjiao, who still wanted to argue with Gu Qingwan, into the courtyard.

As Gu Hanjiao walked into the courtyard, she saw Baoqin and the others bustling around and became furious: "Mother! Are you just going to let Gu Qingwan bully her daughter like this? Why should I move out? I don't want to! If word gets out, I'll be laughed at!"

Wang Ruyan looked at her childish daughter with a sense of helplessness. She comforted her, "Jiao'er, I know you're unhappy, but... this courtyard did indeed belong to the first man. I don't know the specifics. After I entered the manor with your brother in my pregnancy, that man moved in here with Gu Qingwan. Gu Qingwan hasn't been home for so many years, and since you like your father, he let you live here. Who knew Gu Qingwan would be so difficult?"

Gu Hanjiao regretted bringing Gu Qingwan back. They hadn't even done anything yet, but Gu Qingwan had already caused them so much trouble. She really didn't know how Gu Qingwan could be so cunning at such a young age. If only the Third Prince were in the capital, at least he could support her.

"Mother, can't you think of a way? Even if it's just to let me stay in the palace until the governess leaves, that would be fine. If the people in the palace see that I'm not living well, they'll definitely talk about it when I go back. When I become the Third Prince's consort, who knows how they'll laugh at me."

"I'd like to try to help you, but your father isn't even home. How can I possibly help?"

"Then go find your grandmother."

"You... alright, you pack up first, I'll ask your grandmother if she can help with this when I have the chance."

"What are you waiting for, Mother? Go now! I'll have someone pack slowly and wait for you, Mother."

Wang Ruyan looked at her willful daughter but had no way to deal with her. She could only go to Fuluyuan to find the old lady and see if she could calm her down. Halfway there, Wang Ruyan called Xue Niang to her side.

"Xue Niang, send someone to follow the master and see where he went."

“Madam, we sent people there last time and we were almost discovered. Master really was just on official business. What if he finds out this time…” Xue Niang said with some concern.

“What are you afraid of? I won’t feel at ease if I don’t have someone check on him. That brat might have done it on purpose, but, but Xue Niang, I’m still worried. You know how Master has been these past few days…” Wang Ruyan said somewhat impatiently.

"Then rest assured, Madam, this servant will make the arrangements immediately. But what about the Old Madam?"

"Go ahead, just come find me in a bit."

Wang Ruyan watched Xue Niang leave, feeling uneasy. She didn't know if Gu Qingwan was telling the truth or not. What if the master really had a mistress outside? If he did, that would be fine; she could bring her back. But what if they had a child? She could control things within the manor, but if they had a child outside, that would be troublesome.

Wang Ruyan went to Fulu Courtyard, while Gu Qingwan led Siqi around the mansion.

"Miss, nobody's paying attention to us anymore, where are we going?"

"Where to go? Let's just wander around and see where we end up. We'll come back later. Judging by the way things are going, we won't be done anytime soon. We can't just stand outside in the cold wind like idiots."

“Miss is right.” Siqi nodded and followed behind Gu Qingwan, admiring the scenery of the Prime Minister’s residence with Gu Qingwan’s unhurried pace.