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

"It's Father." Gu Changfeng lowered his head and hurried to the side room. Xue Niang followed and helped Gu Changfeng tidy up quickly, without keeping everyone waiting for long.

Although the Gu family, a prestigious family, rose to prominence during Gu Ziming's generation, Gu Ziming was very strict about the rules in his family. They did not speak while eating or sleeping, and there was very little sound from chopsticks touching plates and bowls during a meal.

Gu Changfeng was the most uncomfortable. He had long been used to that unrestrained state, drinking from a bowl if he wanted, and using a wine jar if he wasn't satisfied with the bowl.

Eating like this, taking tiny bites without making a sound, and paying attention to one's eating manners, means that even if there are delicacies laid out in front of you, you won't be able to taste them.

And so the tasteless dinner came to an end. Everyone saw the master begin to wipe his mouth and rinse his mouth, and they all put down their chopsticks. The servants came up and cleared the food off the table one by one.

"Xue Niang, go to the small kitchen and bring some plum juice. Drinking some plum juice after a meal is the best way to aid digestion and relieve the heat."

"My mother is so thoughtful. Remember to chill my bowl before serving it to me."

"Why would a young girl like you drink so much cold food?" Wang Ruyan said disapprovingly.

“Father…” Gu Hanjiao called out coquettishly.

"Oh dear, since the child likes it, let her drink it, but only one bowl is enough, she can't have too much."

"Father is the best."

Seeing the family enjoying themselves, Gu Changfeng was still a little reserved. Gu Ziming glanced at him and coughed lightly, which startled Gu Changfeng, causing him to shrink back. Gu Ziming was annoyed by Gu Changfeng's helpless appearance.

How did you do on the test today?

What's coming will come, Gu Changfeng replied resignedly, "It's...it's alright, I guess."

"What do you mean by 'okay'? Don't you know in your heart whether you're even confident?"

Gu Ziming's imposing presence, though not angry, intimidated Gu Changfeng into silence. Seeing this, Wang Ruyan quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

"Feng'er just finished the exam. Besides, the master tested the child's studies before. Back then, it was said that taking the imperial examination was no problem. The small entrance exam should be no problem either."

Gu Hanjiao chimed in, "Brother, don't be so nervous. You were so confident yesterday, why are you so nervous today..."

Gu Changfeng glared at Gu Hanjiao. He was so confident yesterday because he was sure about his arrangements, but today something unexpected happened. He couldn't recognize what was on the test paper, but he couldn't openly tell his family. All he got was a beating and to kneel in the ancestral hall.

"Why are you glaring at your sister when I'm asking you a question?"

"Father, I felt the exam went fairly well today, but there were some parts I didn't understand. The questions from the academy were quite novel..."

"That's only right. Even His Majesty praises the questions in the academy, which is why the academy places great importance on its students. Are there any you can't answer?"

"I..." Gu Changfeng didn't know how to answer, but seeing his father's unrefined face, he quickly blurted out, "I've answered everything, but I don't know if it suits the examiner's taste."

"It's hard to say whether we're compatible or not, but you have to tell your father the truth: if you can pass the exam, you pass; if you can't, you can't."

"I will pass the exam, I will pass the exam, Father, please rest assured, I will definitely pass the exam. With Father here, I will definitely be fine." Gu Changfeng repeatedly assured himself. He dared not tell his father how badly he had done on the exam. Anyway, he would live as long as he could.

"Hmph, sweet talk."

Wang Ruyan's eyes darted around, and she quickly changed the subject: "Feng'er is tired too, Master, let him go and rest. As for what to do, we can make plans for tomorrow."

Hearing this, Gu Ziming also stood up and said, "Your mother is right, go back and rest, but you're not allowed to go out and fool around until the results are out!"

"Yes..." Gu Changfeng replied hesitantly.

"Oh! Where are you going so late, sir!" Wang Ruyan was surprised to see Gu Ziming packing up and about to leave. Could it be that the master was not planning to stay here tonight?

"It's still early. I'll go check on Rou Niang. She's been suffering from summer heat and hasn't been able to eat much lately. I found the plum juice in your room quite good, so I'll bring her a bowl to help her digest. I'll be back afterward."

"There's no need for you to make the trip yourself, Master. Just have Xue Niang and the others deliver it..."

"I'm just taking a walk to digest my food. I'm not not coming back tonight."

"Then I will accompany you, sir..."

Gu Ziming glanced at her without saying a word, then left with his men. Wang Ruyan, furious, wrung out her handkerchief and hurriedly ordered someone to pack up the plum juice and follow behind with Xue Niang, ignoring her two children who were still in her courtyard.

If I let the master go alone, that vixen will definitely leave him there. It's better for me to go with her. At least the master will not embarrass me because Feng'er just finished her exam today.

Wang Ruyan couldn't care less about her two children who were still in her courtyard. Gu Hanjiao was used to her mother only having eyes for her father and only competing for favor. She didn't say anything and went back with her maid. Gu Changfeng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hurriedly went back to think of a solution.

Back in his courtyard, Gu Changfeng smashed all the books on the table to vent his anger, and his attendant quickly tidied them up.

"Young Master, please don't be angry. If the Master finds out you're getting angry like this..."

"So what if he knows! Does he intend to kill me? If he kills me, his lineage will be cut off!"

"Oh my young master, you can't say that! If someone with ulterior motives hears this and spreads it around, you'll be in for a beating!" The servant was so frightened he didn't know what to say. He knew that if his master was in trouble, he wouldn't get any benefit either.

"Changchun, why is everything so strange today? I told you to go find Scholar Sun, but where did you go?"

"Young master, I did go to look for it, but I've been searching all day and haven't found a trace."

"What about his family? He only has a blind old mother. He's a very filial son, how could he abandon his mother and run away?"

“I went there too. Only Sun Xiucai’s mother was there. When I went there, I specifically asked Sun Xiucai where he had gone. The old woman said that he had gone out early in the morning and had not returned yet, so I left without lingering.”

"That's strange. Ugh, this is so annoying. What if we get caught this time?" Gu Changfeng was getting anxious.

He had asked the Third Prince to buy the exam questions early on, and had Sun Xiucai prepare them for him at home. He and Sun Xiucai agreed to meet on the mountain behind the academy. The exam would last for two hours. He would then excuse himself to go to the toilet and have Sun Xiucai bring him the exam questions.

Originally, it would have been enough for Sun Xiucai to give him the answers on the first day, but Sun Xiucai said that was not safe and that he should bring the answers with him. If the questions changed, he could solve them on the spot.

Gu Changfeng felt that his money had not been wasted because of such kindness, so he immediately agreed. Not only that, he also sent someone to prepare a fine banquet and deliver it to his home.

But the exam had already started, and the questions were the ones he had bought, so there were no problems. Just when he thought everything was foolproof and he was waiting to copy down the answers, Sun Xiucai was nowhere to be seen. Even if he had bribed the academy student who was supervising him in the toilet, he couldn't be delayed for too long.

He spent a lot of money to have the man wait there, and to find a way to go in and notify him if anyone came.

Finally, with no other option, he could only go back and sit anxiously at his desk.

The exams were all held in a large hall, with each person at a table, and each table was a meter apart. He knew quite a few of the people taking the exams, so he didn't dare to make any big movements lest someone notice something amiss.

With only an incense stick's worth of time left, Gu Changfeng gritted his teeth and started writing on the test paper himself, even though he had no idea what it meant.

He recognized all the characters, but he didn't recognize them when they were put together. However, he absolutely couldn't hand in a blank paper, because if the other students saw it, the news would spread that the prime minister's son had handed in a blank paper as soon as he left the house.

Then he'll definitely be in big trouble when he gets back.

After the exam, he sent Changchun to find Sun Xiucai, saying that since Sun dared to deceive him, he should make him pay dearly! But the man disappeared as if he had evaporated into thin air, which left Gu Changfeng furious with nowhere to vent his anger.

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"

In Youlan Courtyard, Gu Qingwan had just finished bathing and was sitting on the edge of the bed, letting Baoqin wring her hair dry.

"I heard it's quite a lively scene over at the young master's place."

"That's all he's capable of. How's it going with Scholar Sun?"

"Don't worry, Miss, we've made arrangements. His mother is also being protected secretly."

Gu Qingwan nodded and said, "Let's wait a few more days. When the results come out, let's have someone go and tell Aunt Sun to go to the yamen and ask our local officials to help her find her son."

"Oh, I remember everything. By the way, today my maternal aunt sent someone to say that she misses you very much, and asked when you will be returning."

"Let's wait a few more days."

"Then I will send someone back to inform your maternal uncle tomorrow. It's getting late, so you should get some rest."

Gu Qingwan touched her hair, still not sleepy. She looked at Baoqin, who was tidying her clothes, and asked, "How's Shishu doing lately? She's never been talkative before, and now she's so busy she's practically mute?"

Baoqin chuckled: "Shishu has indeed been quite busy lately. Even I haven't seen her in a long time. But I heard that our Shishu is quite impressive now, and she speaks with the air of a housekeeper."

"She's a promising talent. If it weren't for the changes in her family, she would probably be a top performer in the business world."

Baoqin, holding the clothes, said, "That's for sure. But meeting Miss is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. All of us are blessed by God."

"You're making me sound like a savior."

“That’s right.”

Gu Qingwan shook her head. In her past life, it was because of her that the four of them suffered terrible deaths and had no good endings. Now that she had a second chance, she was willing to risk everything to ensure that they would not suffer bad consequences again.

"I think Shishu should be back in the next few days. Tell Ruhua to prepare some good food, and then have her and Siqi go out and call Shishu home for dinner."

Gu Qingwan tidied up the books in her hands. Even though she wasn't very sleepy, she should prepare to go to sleep. Only with a good night's sleep would she have the energy to face those wolves and tigers.

"That's great! Ruhua is so happy she'll jump for joy."