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

Gu Ziming originally intended to use Gu Changqing to suppress Gu Changfeng's matter, but unfortunately, the people just wouldn't buy it. The matter of Gu Changfeng buying exam questions and cheating hadn't even been forgotten yet, and now there's another homosexual, and he's even been caught in the act with his own cousin. This is going to be quite a show.

The next day, when Gu Ziming went to court, his colleagues looked at him strangely, and those who disagreed with him on political issues hesitated to speak. The emperor somehow found out about the matter and reprimanded Gu Ziming for not even being able to manage his own children.

Gu Ziming was a pragmatic man. He immediately apologized and asked for leave to go back and reflect on his mistakes and discipline his children properly. Now he didn't even dare to go out of the mansion, as he could hear the foul language from outside even through several high walls.

"What a terrible son! What terrible son I did in my past life to deserve such a son!"

Gu Ziming angrily gulped down several bowls of plum juice. He heard that the old lady was also so upset about this that she couldn't get out of bed. Aunt Rou sat beside him, trying to soothe Gu Ziming's anger.

"Cousin, you need to take care of your health. There's no need to get so angry. Aunt is already so angry that she can't get up. If you collapse too, what will Rou'er do?"

Gu Ziming patted Aunt Rou's hand and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you these past few days, having to take care of things at home while carrying such a big belly."

"Oh, cousin, what are you saying? It's just that my abilities are limited, and this is all I can do. Madam has already come out, so why don't you let Madam take charge?"

“No, her business isn’t over yet, and she also has to take care of Jiao’er and Feng’er. She can’t be in two places at once. You and Aunt Li can assist Mother from the side.”

"Actually, there's also the eldest young lady. I think she's a steady and sensible person. Cousin, why don't you let her give it a try?"

Gu Ziming had also considered Gu Qingwan, but he always felt that the child wasn't on his side. "Forget it, I'll think about it. Right now, I just have a headache. It's only here that I can have some peace and quiet. Feng'er is such a troublemaker. The matter with the Third Prince hasn't been resolved yet, and now..."

"It's not that I'm being nosy, but the master only has four children. Although the eldest young lady doesn't look like you, she is indeed seven-tenths like you in her steady and reliable manner. The second young lady inherited your talent, and even the second young master looks exactly like his cousin when he was a child."

Gu Ziming touched Aunt Rou's face and said, "Do you still remember what I looked like when I was a child?"

"Of course I remember. My cousin has always been on my mind. But now I feel a little indignant on your behalf. How does your beloved eldest son resemble you in any way? Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a country boy you adopted. Please don't be angry with me for saying this, cousin."

After saying that, Aunt Rou nestled against Gu Ziming's chest.

But Gu Ziming really took it to heart. Gu Changfeng had never looked like him at all since he was a child. Wang Ruyan used to say that the child looked like her, but when Gu Changfeng grew up, he didn't look much like his mother. This made Gu Ziming's doubts grow even stronger.

After returning to the academy, Dean Zheng swiftly located the teacher and student who had assisted in leaking the questions and expelled them from the academy. An investigation revealed that they had indeed been bribed by the Third Prince.

Dean Zheng immediately took his badge and went into the palace to report the matter to the Emperor. The Emperor was furious upon hearing this, and Prince Chu happened to be there as well.

"What a fine son of mine! His influence has grown so great! He even interferes with the academy's exams. What about the imperial examinations? Are his handiwork involved in every one of them?"

"What does Your Majesty think?"

"What do you think? Look at the list of people in the memorial the Crown Prince sent—isn't that enough proof? You're really going to infuriate me to death!"

"Brother, don't be angry. You have more than one son. You have many good sons."

"Only the Crown Prince can save me some trouble. By the way, you should hurry up and marry a princess. You need to settle things before the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, otherwise the Empress Dowager will arrange a marriage for you at the banquet."

"Your Majesty, I already have someone in mind."

"Who is it?"

"Gu Qingwan."

"Who is Gu Qingwan?" The Emperor didn't react at first, but the chief eunuch next to him stepped forward to remind him.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's lips twitched slightly. "Why is it another daughter of the Gu family? Look at all the troubles that have happened to them. Is Gu Qingwan unworthy of her position?"

"I originally planned to propose at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, but I didn't expect that her family would suffer such a fate and implicate her. Your Majesty, why don't you issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage? Qingwan grew up in the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, and she has only been back for a few days before being implicated. I really can't bear it."

The Emperor's lips twitched involuntarily: "So, what brings you to my study today?"

"In order to ask His Majesty to grant us a marriage."

The emperor said he needed to calm down; his younger brother, who had been single for over twenty years, was getting married, and he was having some trouble adjusting.

"Has Miss Gu agreed?"

"She should agree."

"should?"

“If she doesn’t agree, I won’t let her marry someone else. It’s just a matter of time. Besides, I’ve already consulted the old Duke, and he didn’t object.”

So the other party has already met all the parents, and now coming to see him is just a formality. Although he was happy that his younger brother had found the woman he liked and could finally rest easy, the emperor couldn't help but frown when he thought of his mother.

“Jingchen, it would have been fine if we had brought up marriage before, but now it seems that Mother prefers Miss Wen, as you know.”

"Your Majesty knows, but if I am unwilling, even if it is the Empress Dowager, it is not a concern. Over the years, the Wen family... Your Majesty need not take it to heart. If it is really difficult, you can leave it to me to handle."

At this point, the emperor couldn't help but sigh. Back then, it was already quite remarkable that his mother had survived in the harem. Her other abilities were simply not worth mentioning. It was only because his mother was lucky enough to give birth to two princes in a row that she was able to secure her position.

However, the Empress Dowager was indeed very easily influenced and was completely controlled by her maternal family, the Wen family.

He narrowly escaped countless swords and spears in the past. After his younger brother was born, he kept him by his side at all times and never dared to relax his guard. Even so, his brother suffered many assassination attempts and poisonings because of him. Every time, his brother stood in front of him, which is why he is the person he is today.

"You can decide what to do. As long as you think it's good, I will draft the decree. You don't need to worry too much about the Empress Dowager. I will take care of everything for you. Just have a good wedding."

"elder brother……"

Xiao Jingchen didn't say anything more. The Emperor felt a sweet warmth in his heart when he heard his younger brother's soft call. For so many years, Jingchen had always been mindful of the proper etiquette between the emperor and his subject, but now he was finally fortunate to have Miss Gu.

"You can fill out this imperial edict yourself when you get back. You can discuss the date and let me know when it's ready so I can have the Ministry of Rites prepare it. However, there's one thing: we should wait until this storm has passed, otherwise it will affect your future reputation as a princess."

"Your Majesty has your own plans, but I am informing you first so as not to trouble you with my marriage."

Not long after, the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree went to the Third Prince's residence again, and once again reprimanded him and fined him. In addition, Consort Yu was demoted and stripped of her title of Consort, retaining only the title of Consort Yu. She was also punished by copying Buddhist scriptures one hundred times and sending them to the Empress Dowager.

Consort Yu was so angry that she smashed several tea sets in the palace.

"That Gu Hanjiao is a jinx! Ever since the prince got engaged to her, nothing good has happened! Look at all this mess, the Gu family is a complete scumbag. If she becomes the prince's principal wife, will there ever be a peaceful time in the harem?"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This is not the time to be angry. At this moment, you should not do anything. The most important thing is to quickly copy Buddhist scriptures."

"I finally made it to the rank of Imperial Concubine, and now, after only a few days, I'm being confined and stripped of my rank. It's infuriating!"

"Your Highness, the current situation is not favorable for the Third Prince. It would be good for us to remain silent for a while. The Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet is just around the corner, and the Crown Prince will also be returning then. You can write a letter to your husband to ask him to put in some effort to help the Crown Prince. At that time, the Yu family will also have made a contribution, and your rank can still be restored."

Upon hearing this, Consort Yu stopped arguing and asked, "Was this Gu Ziming's idea?"

"Yes, the Prime Minister sent someone over early this morning with a message, asking you to write a letter to the Master to help the Crown Prince on the way. Anyway, this matter is already settled. Even if you help the Crown Prince, it will only be spending money to curry favor with the Yu family and you can get rid of suspicion."

"Help the Crown Prince? I'm already being merciful by not sending anyone to kill him. Father, really, why didn't you just pay an assassination organization on the way and have him killed? Why go through all this trouble?"

"Your Majesty, if we really do that, His Majesty will suspect us first, and it will be even more dangerous for the Third Prince. His leg is still not healed. Your Majesty, please think it over."

"Alright, alright, let's do it this way. How could someone as smart as Gu Ziming have given birth to such a pair of idiots? If my son had listened to me and chosen Gu Qingwan, none of this would have happened!"

The disaster relief efforts on the Crown Prince's side were progressing smoothly and in full swing. Of course, the Crown Princess was not idle in the capital either. She discussed with the Empress and prepared to hold a flower viewing party so that all the women could contribute and raise funds for the disaster area.

After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law discussed all the details, the Empress presented them to the Emperor. The Emperor was overjoyed. The national treasury was already somewhat strained, and now that someone was willing to step forward, whether it was to donate silver or goods, it was all good. Moreover, the household items in the capital were all of good quality, and even if they were pawned, they would be worth a considerable amount of silver.

"Your Majesty is truly thoughtful; you are simply my wise and capable wife."