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

Early the next morning, Gu Qingwan gave the order to prepare to take Siqi out. Because she had received the old lady's approval, the old lady had also thoughtfully arranged a coachman and carriage for Gu Qingwan. Therefore, Gu Qingwan was to walk out through the main gate. She usually wouldn't go through the side gate. Just as she reached the main gate of Youlan Courtyard, she encountered Gu Changfeng, whose face was flushed and who smelled of alcohol and rouge.

To be honest, Gu Changfeng is quite something. He used to be afraid of his father. Whenever Gu Ziming was home, Gu Changfeng would hide as far away as possible and was basically never home. Now that Gu Ziming is rarely home, he is like a wild horse that has broken free of its reins, and is even more difficult to manage. He is rarely home, and even when he is, he will go straight into his own yard and not come out, or he will go to the old lady's yard to beg for money.

The old lady doted on her only grandson, Gu Changfeng, so she would try her best to fulfill his every wish. However, since Gu Changfeng was no longer coming back, Gu Qingwan often took Qing'er to the old lady's courtyard. Over time, although Qing'er was a girl, the old lady grew fond of her and often kept her by her side to keep her company.

So Gu Qingwan had hardly seen Gu Changfeng since returning to the manor, and she never expected to run into him at the entrance of Youlan Courtyard today.

Gu Changfeng was very unhappy that someone had blocked his way. Before he could even see who it was, he shouted, "What the hell! How dare you block my path! Quick! Come and kowtow to admit your mistake! No! Crawl between my legs, and I might spare your life!"

Upon hearing such filthy words, Siqi was about to slap him twice, but Qingwan stopped her.

Seeing that Miss He's face was very pale, and hearing her young master say such reckless words, the servant trembled and repeatedly advised, "My young master, please don't speak so carelessly. This is Miss He, Miss He!"

"Pah! What young lady!" Gu Changfeng shook off the servant's hand and yelled, "You mean Gu Qingwan? That brat Gu Qingwan isn't even as good as my sister's toes! I wouldn't even bother having her warm my bed! Hahaha."

Gu Qingwan wasn't angry. She stepped forward and slapped him across the face. But to receive a slap from Gu Qingwan was truly a case of not checking the almanac before going out. Gu Changfeng, who was already unsteady on his feet, was hit so hard that he spun around on the ground several times before crashing headfirst into the stone mine. He lost two teeth and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

"Master!"

"You! How dare you hit me..." Gu Changfeng wiped his hand with blood and immediately fainted.

Gu Qingwan said nonchalantly, "Help your young master back to rest. Oh, and don't forget to have someone clean this place up."

The servant was so frightened that he quickly reached out his sleeve to wipe the bloodstains off the stone door. This young lady was too terrifying. He heard that she had driven away the second young lady on her first day back at the manor, and now she had beaten the eldest young master. Moreover, how could someone who looked so weak be so violent? Seeing Gu Changfeng lying on the ground with his face covered in blood, the servant finally came to his senses and hurriedly called for someone to carry him away to find a doctor and report to the madam.

"What? You mean Gu Qingwan beat up Gu Changfeng?" Gu Hanjiao was quite surprised to hear the servant say such a thing.

"Yes, Miss. I heard from the people in the courtyard that there's been bloodshed. Dongrong, who serves the eldest young master, has already gone to fetch a doctor."

"As expected, Gu Changfeng made some outrageous remarks to Gu Qingwan, didn't he?" Gu Hanjiao said, continuing to pick at the silk threads in her hands.

"How did you know, Miss? I heard that after the eldest young master returned, he flirted with that person in the courtyard at the entrance of Youlan Courtyard..."

"What's so hard to guess? Gu Changfeng is a dog that can't change its nature, he deserved to be beaten up." Gu Hanjiao was furious just thinking about that bastard Gu Changfeng. How could they be siblings? This beast even flirted with his own sister when he was drunk, what a piece of trash!

"Young master, where have you ever been beaten like this since you were a child? Miss really went too far. But the old lady, the madam, and the master will definitely not let Miss off the hook."

Gu Hanjiao sneered slightly. She was just an orphan. What good was having a father if she didn't have a mother? If something happened, no one would stand up for her, and she would only be bullied.

Thinking of this, Gu Hanjiao's eyes showed a little sadness. She knew all too well what it was like to have a stepmother. She was bullied everywhere and had no way to express her suffering. It seemed that God was fair after all. She finally had loving parents and finally saw others suffer the same hardships she had endured. There was a time when she cried and asked God why she had suffered so much while others lived such happy lives.

Finally, she married someone else, and soon she would be getting married. During this time, her shop gradually improved, and she thought that once she was financially independent, a man as outstanding as Xiao Yuheng would only belong to her.

"Miss, shall we go and see the young master again?" Qiu Shuang asked.

Gu Hanjiao said without even looking up, "I'm not going."

"But madam..."

"Let's not go now, let's wait until Father comes back. It's good for him to suffer a bit." Although Gu Hanjiao looked down on her brother, she knew in her heart that if things continued like this, the Gu family would eventually belong to her brother, and it would also be her family's support. So even though Gu Changfeng had offended her, she never turned against him. She endured it for the sake of the future. Besides, Gu Changfeng still needed to rely on the Third Prince to live. In the future, he would only be polite and respectful to her. How could he dare to offend her?

As Gu Qingwan and her entourage exited the mansion, they saw Ning Chenglin waiting at the gate.

“Miss, look, it’s the eldest young master!” Siqi said.

"Why is Big Brother here?" Gu Qingwan stepped forward and asked.

“I heard from the manor that you were going back today. I just happened to be coming from the military camp, and since I had nothing else to do, I thought I'd pick you up and we could go back together,” Ning Chenglin said.

Ning Chenglin originally had something to do today, but when he passed by the gatehouse yesterday, he heard the housekeeper say that Qingwan would be going home to visit. He hadn't seen his cousin for a long time, so he deliberately didn't go out. He went out early this morning, took a walk, bought some snacks, and waited at the Gu family's gate.

Sure enough, when Gu Qingwan got into the carriage, she saw two exquisite food boxes inside.

"Qingwan, you eat this. I bought it from Jufangzhai. It's fresh out of the oven and should still be warm," Ning Chenglin said from outside.

Gu Qingwan stared at the food box, pursed her lips, and replied with a smile, "Siqi, look how filial your eldest son is. He knows that his grandmother likes pastries from Jufangzhai. I was thinking of going to buy some later, but now it's perfect. We don't have to go through a detour. Brother, you've been so thoughtful. I don't even know what to give my grandmother."

Ning Chenglin understood Gu Qingwan's tone, but with so many people around, he couldn't say anything. So he could only nod with a wry smile and say, "It's alright, it doesn't matter who sells it, Grandmother will be happy."

"It's getting late, let's go."

Originally, Gu Qingwan's return to the Duke of Ningguo was just a formality; her real purpose was not there. Upon arriving home, Gu Qingwan went straight to the courtyard of Old Madam Ning. Old Madam Ning had already sent people to prepare a table full of Gu Qingwan's favorite dishes. The whole family gathered together happily, except for the Duke of Ningguo, who had been left outside by Prince Chu and was still struggling to handle military affairs while also figuring out how to properly send Miss Wen back.

Yesterday's discussion went well, and Duke Ningguo even thought that King Chu was a reliable and responsible person. But who would have thought that King Chu would leave without saying goodbye that very night? If Miss Wen hadn't gone to deliver food and discovered that King Chu wasn't there, he wouldn't have known either. Miss Wen returned to her tent in tears that day. Duke Ningguo wouldn't actually call Qingwan all the way here; he could only think of finishing things here as soon as possible and personally escorting her back.

Wen Ling'er was also secretly regretting her decision. She shouldn't have gambled everything and sent the troop that brought her back. At the very least, she should have left the carriage and the coachman behind. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in such a passive position, with the prince leaving without even saying goodbye. Moreover, the military camp was full of men, which was definitely inconvenient for a young woman like her. The food was also unpalatable and difficult to swallow. She hadn't eaten for several meals. If it weren't for the Duke of Ningguo's promise to personally escort her back in the next couple of days, she would have definitely sent her maid back to deliver a message and send someone to pick her up.

After Gu Qingwan finished eating, she called Shishu over to ask if she had encountered any trouble. Shishu said, "There's no trouble at all. Besides, the Second Young Master is helping to manage things, so there shouldn't be any difficulties."

"Yes, Second Brother is indeed a master at business. If I can't find him for anything, I can just go to him. Second Brother is a talented person; he can make a living anywhere. It's just a bit of a pity for him."

"Is Miss doing well at the Gu family?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

"By the way, Miss, a new cosmetics shop called Cai Zhuang has opened across from Duobao Pavilion. They're having a big sale lately, with low prices, lucky draws, and gifts. Quite a few customers are going there," Shi Shu said.

Gu Qingwan asked with some interest, "Did you go check it out? What are their specialties?"

"Of course I went. The shop's interior decoration is very different from ours. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's very unique. It must be the only one of its kind in the capital. They also have free makeup artists, and they let customers try out any new products. If a customer likes a product, they'll give them a new one to buy. It's very popular."

"There shouldn't be any ladies or noblewomen here."

“Miss is right. In my opinion, although this business model may attract many people, most of them are those who like to take advantage of others. How could a real noble lady sit in a crowded place and let others touch her face and remove her makeup first? That would be too impolite.”

"But we can't underestimate someone with such a unique mind. Besides, we also have a rouge shop, which will open soon. Has Boss Yin's wife finished talking to you?"

"Mrs. Yin is very straightforward. She said she would agree to anything and that she would wait for Miss's message."

The boss lady, Mrs. Yin, is the prince's woman, so the prince must have spoken to her on her behalf. The reason why Shishu was able to get things done so smoothly is because she was so accommodating out of respect for the prince.

"Yes, no matter what, we must be polite to the proprietress and never offend her. Also, you should keep a close eye on that rouge shop. It won't hurt us to learn from it."

Shi Shu readily agreed, keeping her mistress's instructions firmly in mind. Not long after, Si Qi returned from the storeroom with the Ganoderma lucidum. Gu Qingwan checked the time and, seeing that it was almost time, got up and left.

The carriage was moving very slowly. Just as they turned out of the street in front of the Duke of Ningguo's mansion, Gu Qingwan and her companions encountered a broken-down carriage that was blocking the main road.

"Whose carriage is that up ahead? Siqi, go and ask."

Siqi stepped forward and asked, then returned and said, "Miss, it's the carriage of Grand Tutor Xu. They said the axle is broken, and they've already sent someone back to the manor to look for someone."

Grand Tutor Xu? That's the Crown Prince's tutor. The person sitting in that carriage must be either Grand Tutor Xu or his family. Gu Qingwan got out of the carriage and helped Siqi over.

"I wonder if Madam Xu is sitting in the carriage?"

The carriage curtain was half-lifted, and Gu Qingwan saw that it was indeed Madam Xu. Madam Xu asked with some confusion, "Who are you?"

"Greetings to Madam Xu. My daughter is Gu Qingwan, the daughter of the Gu family."

After a moment's thought, Madam Xu suddenly realized, "Oh! It's Miss Gu! What a coincidence to meet you here."

"Yes, madam, what a coincidence! Is your carriage frame broken?"

"Don't even mention it. I don't know what happened, but the carriage shaft broke. This place is still quite far from your residence. I've already sent someone home to fetch another carriage."

Gu Qingwan thought to herself, this place is very close to the Duke's mansion, but it is indeed far from the Xu family's house. Looking at the sky, it seems to be getting dark. She wondered if it would rain later.

“Madam, Qingwan thinks the weather isn’t very good. If you don’t mind, please take my car back.”

"That won't do. You're a young lady, what will you do if I ride in your car? Do you expect me to make you walk home by yourself?"

Grand Tutor Xu was a stubborn and inflexible man, but his wife was quite interesting.

Gu Qingwan smiled and said, "Madam, there's no need to worry. I just came from the Ning family. I have a carriage following me. The weather isn't very good, so it might not be appropriate for you to wait here. Please take my carriage first."

"This..." Madam Xu hesitated. The weather in June is as changeable as a child's face. When she went out, the sky was clear and blue, but now it was gloomy. Waiting like this was not a solution. She looked at Gu Qingwan's carriage and saw that there was indeed another carriage following behind. She guessed that it must be a gift from Old Madam Ning, who was worried about her granddaughter.

“Good child, then I will accept your kindness,” Madam Xu suggested.

Gu Qingwan said with a smile, "Madam, you don't need to be so polite."

"What a good girl. I always hear people say that you are arrogant and don't know any manners. I think those people are blind. You can't find such a good girl even with a lantern." Madam Xu helped her maid down from the carriage and prepared to get into Gu Qingwan's carriage.

Madam Xu opened the carriage curtain and asked, "Is there anything valuable in this carriage?"

"It's nothing, Madam. Please feel free to use it if you need it."

Madam Xu nodded and said, "I will definitely send some gifts of thanks to your family when I get back."

"No need, Madam. You've already said so many nice things to Qingwan, and she's very happy. Madam, please go home quickly, don't let the heavy rain stop you on the way."

After Madam Xu entered the carriage, Gu Qingwan instructed the driver, "Please take Madam Xu home, and then drive the carriage back to the manor."

The coachman hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What about the young lady..."

"Ning Er will take me back. We can't go any further ahead, we'll have to take a detour. Be careful on the road, and take it easy," Gu Qingwan instructed.

"Yes, Miss. I know the way. I will make sure to get Madam Xu to safety."

After Gu Qingwan watched Madam Xu leave, Ning Er drove the carriage with Gu Qingwan and Si Qi, taking a detour.

They circled around to the vicinity of Ronghua Lane when suddenly a woman clutching her stomach and with disheveled hair rushed out of the alley to Gu Qingwan's car, shouting, "Help! Help! Please save me, benefactor!"

The coachman quickly pulled the carriage back, and Siqi got out to check on the woman lying on the ground in front of the carriage: "Are you alright?"

The woman, her face filled with panic, grabbed Siqi and said, "Please, miss, save me! Someone behind me is trying to kill me."

People on the street noticed the person lying there, and more and more people gathered. Soon, two men dressed in gray shorts emerged from the crowd and tried to grab the person upon seeing the scene.

Gu Qingwan said from inside the carriage, "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Let Siqi come up."

As the woman was led away by the people in the carriage, the two men stood in front of the carriage and shouted, "We hope you won't meddle in our business and will hand the woman over to us!"

"How dare you! In broad daylight, you dare to commit violence!" Siqi shouted angrily.

“Young lady, that woman is a concubine bought by our master. She has been unfaithful and had an affair, which has been discovered by the master. We hope you will not get involved,” one of the servants said.

"No! I didn't! Don't listen to their nonsense, young lady. They want to kill me because I'm pregnant. The madam can't tolerate me and wants to kill me. Please save me, young lady. If you save me, the Prime Minister will definitely reward you." The woman cried and begged.

Gu Qingwan frowned and said, "Prime Minister?"

Gu Qingwan then took the woman away in the carriage. Upon seeing this, the two servants hurriedly ran back to report the news.

Inside the carriage, Gu Qingwan looked at the woman protecting her pregnant belly; it was Rou Niang: "Are you alright?"

"Don't worry, Miss. Look." Rou Niang lifted her clothes to reveal a soft pillow. "I've protected it well."

As she was about to take out the pillow, Gu Qingwan reached out and stopped her.

"Don't take it yet. It can protect your belly, and who knows, it might even become a good way for you to gain a foothold in the mansion." Gu Qingwan smiled meaningfully.