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

Seeing Gu Qingwan's unsophisticated, country-dwelling appearance, Gu Hanjiao felt a surge of superiority.

"Of course, it's full of good stuff. Oh, even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. Just look at my skin and you'll know. This is good stuff. Look, when you apply it to your skin, it instantly turns into water. Even in the summer, you won't feel any stickiness."

Seeing that Gu Hanjiao had personally applied some to her hand, and just as she had said, it disappeared after a little rubbing, leaving the area very moisturized, she exclaimed, "Oh? Where can I buy such a good product? I'll have my maid go and buy a bottle to try."

"Sister, I'm not trying to discourage you, but this is a very sought-after item. Even if you pre-order, you might not be able to get it. You shouldn't bother with that."

This stuff is called snow cream. It's definitely unique in this era. Only Gu Hanjiao knows how to make it. Even if she has it, Gu Hanjiao will tell the shop not to sell such a good thing to Gu Qingwan. When Gu Qingwan can't sell it anymore, she will naturally beg Gu Hanjiao to give her a little bit.

"This is so rare! I have to try it. It smells amazing. Where can I buy this?"

"Replying to Miss, this is the cosmetics shop across from Duobao Pavilion, the one called Caizhuang," Chunlu said from the side.

"Cosmetics? Isn't that the shop Father gave to my sister?"

Gu Hanjiao glared at the talkative Chunlu, then turned to Gu Qingwan and said, "Yes, that's why I said that I definitely wouldn't be able to buy it if I went to sell it. We're sisters, so I'll just give you a box. It's really something that made you get up early and queue up late."

Gu Qingwan accepted the small jar that Gu Hanjiao gave her. It was so small that it was smaller than a baby's fist, but Gu Qingwan did not find it offensive.

"Then thank you very much for your generous gift, sister."

Gu Qingwan held it in her hand and played with it for a while. Then she saw that there were four ice basins around Gu Hanjiao's room. Even Gu Hanjiao was using four ice basins here.

"It's rare to find such a good thing. It's so cool here, little sister, I don't want to leave. You mentioned you wanted to see some flower patterns, what kind of flower patterns?"

Gu Hanjiao was at a loss for words. The excuse she made up was just a last-minute excuse: "Hehe, I apologize for bothering you last night, but I really wanted you to give me some advice. You know I've been thinking of making a dress for the Third Prince myself. I've been looking at so many patterns that I'm dizzy, but I still can't decide. In the mansion, you're the only one who's about my age. If I don't ask you, I really don't know who else to ask."

"Of course," Gu Qingwan agreed.

"However, the flower pattern has been delivered to Mother's room and is not here, so I'm afraid my sister will have made a wasted trip."

"That's alright, I can talk to my sister." Gu Qingwan said to Gu Hanjiao expressionlessly.

Gu Hanjiao didn't want to be with Gu Qingwan for even a moment longer. Who wanted to have a private conversation with her? But then she thought for a moment and stepped forward to hug Gu Qingwan affectionately, saying, "Sister, speaking of which, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Please speak freely, sister."

“Sister, I heard from Father that before my wedding, palace maids will come to the manor to teach me some palace etiquette. Right now, I’m living in Mother’s courtyard, and Father rarely comes here anymore. If the palace maids see this, they will look down on our family. So, I was wondering if I could borrow your courtyard for a while?”

Gu Qingwan smiled and tapped the table lightly with her finger: "Well..."

Gu Hanjiao noticed Gu Qingwan's gaze falling on the bottles and jars. With a determined look and a determined bite, she said to Gu Qingwan, "These things look rare, but they're all from our own family. If you like them, take them home and try them out. If you need more, just have Baoqin and the others come and get some."

"Such a rare item, isn't it supposed to be reserved?" Gu Qingwan asked.

"Why would we need to order from family? I'll let them know when it's time, and they'll definitely send a set to my sister if they get any new ones. That's all I have here for now, so I hope my sister won't mind."

"With such generosity from my younger sister, how could I possibly mind? Thank you for your kindness." Gu Qingwan gestured for Baoqin to put everything away.

Baoqin was very sensible; she immediately stepped forward and placed all the bottles and jars scattered on the table onto a tray, waiting to take them away together later.

Gu Hanjiao watched Baoqin tidy up so decisively and efficiently with a forced smile, but she couldn't help feeling a pang of heartache.

"Sister, you're too kind, hehehe."

"Since you've treated me so well, I'll naturally reciprocate. You mentioned earlier that palace maids are coming to our residence. Now that you're a prince's consort, you can't let them look down on you. You can move into the Youlan Courtyard then, but the main house..."

"Youlan Courtyard has many large rooms, so I can stay somewhere else. Thank you, sister."

"This is a small matter, sister can just send someone to let me know. You don't need to be shy, sister. I'll be staying at my grandmother's house for a few days. You can use Youlan Courtyard for now. I just heard that they have some nice cosmetics and such in the shop..."

"Yes, yes, I'll have Chunlu deliver these to you in a bit. They're some of the hot-selling items from my shop. Please take a good look and point out any mistakes."

Hearing that Gu Qingwan was willing to let her live in Youlan Courtyard and even offered to stay at the Ningguo Duke's Mansion for a while, it was already a great honor for Gu Qingwan. Even if she didn't live in the main house, she wouldn't lose her status in the other rooms. To outsiders, she would still be the owner of Youlan Courtyard.

What's wrong with giving her some cosmetics? This is a complete bargain! If I had known that these things would have been enough to get rid of Gu Qingwan, why would I have bothered thinking about it for so long?

Gu Qingwan was quite satisfied with her trip; she hadn't come without a reason. Baoqin packed her things and left the main courtyard. On the way, Gu Qingwan said to Siqi, "Take these things to Shishu, and also give her what Chunlu sent later."

"By the way, tell Shishu that I just smelled it and I think there's something wrong with it, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's best to have a professional take a look. Also, have her find someone to investigate how so much ice is being transported into the Prime Minister's residence. It's not cheap stuff."

Siqi left after hearing this, leaving Baoqin to stay by Gu Qingwan's side and ask, "Why did you give the courtyard to the Second Miss? We worked so hard to get it... What if the Second Miss tries to renege on her promise later?"

“It’s alright. We still have things to do, and it’s not very convenient to stay in the manor. Judging from the days, my aunt will also be coming here to ask Prime Minister Gu for my mother’s dowry money. This is just right. Come on, come with me to Aunt Rou’s place for a visit.”

Baoqin nodded repeatedly: "Miss is right. If we're not at the manor, Master won't come to try to win Miss over with his emotions."

When Gu Qingwan and the others arrived at Aunt Rou's courtyard, they arrived just as Aunt Rou was about to have lunch.

"Young Miss has arrived? Come in quickly. I'm just starting to set out lunch. If you haven't eaten yet, please eat here." Aunt Rou never imagined she could get to this point. If it weren't for the young lady's help, she'd probably be struggling to make a living in some filthy alley right now.

Judging from Aunt Rou's rosy and radiant complexion, it was clear that Aunt Rou had been doing quite well lately. Gu Qingwan sat down next to Aunt Rou and said, "Qingwan hasn't come to visit you recently, Aunt. You seem to be enjoying yourself very much; you've even gained some weight."

Aunt Rou blushed and touched her cheeks, saying, "Thanks to Miss, I am doing quite well. I am with the old lady every day and with the master by my side at night. I am very content."

"How are you feeling? Have you had the doctor come to check your pulse regularly?" Gu Qingwan looked around the room's interior, making sure there were no unpleasant items.

"I am perfectly fine, Miss, please rest assured. The doctor has been coming on time and said the baby is growing well." Aunt Rou watched Gu Qingwan helping her look after the room and followed behind her, saying, "Miss, please take a look at this room. Is there anything inappropriate? Following your advice, I haven't even put any fresh flowers in the room."

Gu Qingwan nodded: "You're a cautious person, the simpler the better."

After Baoqin finished serving her mistress and helped her wash her hands, Gu Qingwan looked at the food on the table. It was all good stuff, with plenty of fish and meat, and the meal was extremely lavish. There were even more spicy and sour dishes in front of Aunt Rou.

"Miss, please don't be shy, enjoy your meal. And this pickled cucumber, although it's not anything special, I find it very delicious."

Gu Qingwan smiled and nodded, then drank the bowl of sweet soup that Baoqin had brought her. Seeing that Aunt Rou had a good appetite, Gu Qingwan was initially happy for her, but then she slowly sensed something was wrong and frowned as she stared at Aunt Rou's stomach.

Seeing that Gu Qingwan hadn't touched her chopsticks and was instead staring at her own food, Aunt Rou put down her chopsticks and said, "Why isn't Miss eating? Is it not to your liking?"

Gu Qingwan asked Aunt Rou, "Has Madam been giving you any trouble lately?"

Aunt Rou shook her head, looking confused, and said, "No, Madam is very good. She sends me tonics every day, and the doctor recommends medicine for preventing miscarriage. Madam has people buy and send it over as soon as she says so. Even Master praises Madam for being generous and proper."

Gu Qingwan said, "Aunt Rou, could you please show me your usual pregnancy care records?"

Although Aunt Rou had some doubts, she still asked Xiao Cui to go in and bring out the doctor's prescriptions for Gu Qingwan: "I have carefully kept every prescription the doctor wrote, and I also asked Xiao Cui to have a doctor check them outside. There are no problems."

Gu Qingwan glanced at it a few times and found that, as the doctor had said, there was nothing wrong. However, there were several herbs in the medicine that were good for the spleen, digestion, and appetite, and the amount was a bit too much, which made Gu Qingwan feel uneasy.

"What else do you usually like to eat?"

"What do you like to eat?" Aunt Rou frowned and thought for a while, then glanced at Xiao Cui. Xiao Cui also thought for a while and said, "That's right, Miss, our aunt eats hawthorn every day."

"Hawthorn is a fruit, and its sourness is exactly what makes it delicious, so it should be fine, right?"

"Hawthorn can improve one's appetite," Gu Qingwan explained.

"Indeed, my appetite has been very good lately. I feel like I can eat for two people. After finishing a meal, I still feel like it's not enough. I can even have a bowl of milk or a cup of bird's nest soup. Miss, do you think I've gained a little weight recently? Even the master said I've become much rounder."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingwan said to her, "You need to be careful about your diet. Although these things are all good, you should know that if you eat too much, the baby will grow bigger."

Aunt Rou was a little confused. Touching her round belly, she asked, "A big baby means the child will grow strong and healthy. Isn't that a good thing?"

"What would you think if I told you that the baby was too big for a proper delivery?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Rou dropped her chopsticks to the ground.

"Aunt Rou probably doesn't know that the old lady once gave Father a maid. That maid was very lucky and got pregnant with a boy. The old lady treated that concubine the same way. But in the end, the concubine was too petite and the baby was too big. In the end, the baby died in her womb."

Aunt Rou broke out in a cold sweat. Looking at the table full of delicious food in front of her, she felt as if she had seen poison. Clutching her stomach, Aunt Rou leaned against Xiao Cui and asked, "Then... what happened to that concubine in the end?"

"My aunt died from postpartum hemorrhage because she was exhausted from being unable to give birth. It is said that her belly was still very swollen when her body was carried out."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Rou's face turned deathly pale, even her lips lost their color, and her hands became icy cold. She quickly regained her composure and said, "Xiao Cui! Quickly, quickly remove these things! Don't bring me these again! I never imagined that Madam, who seemed so kind on the surface, harbored such malicious intentions!"

"Actually, there's no need to be so careful. You can just control your appetite."

"I will not accept any tonics sent by Madam from now on."

Gu Qingwan disagreed, saying, "Aunt Rou, you should still accept the things Madam sends as usual. You don't have to eat them, but remember to have Xiao Cui secretly dispose of them, because there must be Madam's people in this courtyard. Rather than letting her realize that you've noticed her intentions and she'll try to harm you in another way, it's better to play along until the child is safely delivered."

Aunt Rou nodded. The young lady was right. There's no such thing as a thief who can be guarded against for a thousand years. If Wang Ruyan knew that she had seen through her intentions, her methods might not be so gentle. But if she pretended not to know anything, Aunt Rou found it a bit difficult.

Gu Qingwan smiled and said, "Otherwise, if you really can't avoid it, then just pretend to have morning sickness. You can decide the degree yourself."

"That's a good idea. Thank you for reminding me, Miss. Otherwise, Rou Niang's life would probably be in grave danger." Aunt Rou suddenly felt like she had escaped a disaster.

"And the doctor too. You can't always rely on the same doctor. You have to have a backup plan. Xiao Cui also needs to learn how to deliver babies, so that when things get chaotic, someone with ulterior motives won't take advantage of you."

Aunt Rou and Xiao Cui kept everything in mind. "Miss, is there anything else I should be careful about?"

"The rest..." Gu Qingwan was not surprised to see that there was also ice in Aunt Rou's room. Gu Qingwan said, "Ice is a good thing. It can make you comfortable during the summer. But don't be greedy for cold. Otherwise, if cold enters the body, the blood and qi will stagnate, which will be very bad for your future childbirth. The doctor should tell you this."

"No, the doctor just told me to do whatever makes me comfortable." At this point, Aunt Rou covered her mouth. Could it really be as the young lady said, that the doctor might have been bribed by the madam? That would be terrifying.

Seeing Aunt Rou's anxious expression, Gu Qingwan comforted her, "Aunt, don't be so nervous. It's not good for the baby. Just remember what I told you today and be careful in the future."

Outside, maids kept peeking into the room. Baoqin noticed this and said softly to Gu Qingwan, "Miss, we've been out for a while. You should go back for your afternoon nap."

Aunt Rou snapped out of her daze and saw Baoqin quietly pointing outside. Sure enough, there was a little maidservant acting suspiciously there. Aunt Rou said in a low voice, "Little maidservant outside, come in!"

The little maid thought that Aunt Rou had discovered her, so she ran in tremblingly to await instructions.

"It's getting hot outside, go find a parasol for the young lady."

"It's my aunt."

After watching the little girl leave, Aunt Rou knew this wasn't the place to talk much. She needed to tidy up her courtyard before she could feel more confident, since even the young lady couldn't protect her forever.

"Miss, please take good care of yourself. If you need Rou Niang, please feel free to give the order. Whether it is me or the child in my womb, I will go through fire and water for you."

Gu Qingwan gently placed her hand on Rou Niang's high, protruding belly and said, "If you two are well, I will be well."

Baoqin took the umbrella from the maid, held it up for Gu Qingwan, and left.

Wang Ruyan received news that Gu Qingwan had gone to Rou Niang's place, and asked with some doubt, "What did she go there for? Do you know what she said?"

Xue Niang said, "According to our people's report, they said they were just passing by and took a look. It was lunchtime, but I heard that the eldest young lady didn't stay long. She asked Aunt Rou for an umbrella and went back to Youlan Courtyard for a nap."

Wang Ruyan nodded, thinking to herself, what could a little girl like her possibly know?

Xue Niang massaged Wang Ruyan's legs and said, "Don't worry, Madam, no one will find out what we've done."

"Hmm, she's been eating delicacies every day. I've been pretty good to her, ouch..." Wang Ruyan rubbed her aching knees and muttered, "This old woman, I don't know what's wrong with her lately. Today she actually made me kneel in front of the Buddha statue to pick up Buddha beans for her. Why doesn't she just die!"

"Madam, let me massage your hands, please keep your voice down."