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

The first day of distributing porridge went smoothly, though there were a few minor hiccups. However, the hot weather was a bit too much for the two young ladies who had never experienced hardship.

When she got back, Gu Hanjiao didn't want to eat dinner. She had two large basins of ice placed there, and Chunlu fanned her with ice and Qiushuang massaged her shoulders.

"You two have worked hard today, go and rest. Let the others come in and serve you."

Indeed, even though Chunlu and Qiushuang were servants, they had grown up with their mistress and hadn't suffered any hardship. They had been standing all day without their mistress asking for a break, so their servants certainly wouldn't dare to ask for one either.

Just then, a maid brought up water. Qiu Shuang said, "Thank you for your understanding, Miss. But please wait until we have finished washing your feet before you leave. You have been standing all day and your feet are swollen. If you don't get a proper massage today, you won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow."

Gu Hanjiao did not refuse. Indeed, her feet were very painful and would definitely swell up by tomorrow morning.

The moment her feet were submerged in the warm water, Gu Hanjiao let out a sigh of contentment and comfort.

"Sigh, it's really not an easy thing to do good deeds and leave a good reputation."

"Miss doesn't know, but today everyone outside is saying that you are beautiful, gentle and kind. You're like a fairy descended from heaven, a living bodhisattva." Chunlu, being a sweet talker, quickly told Gu Hanjiao the beautiful words she had heard that day.

Gu Hanjiao found it very applicable after hearing it. She laughed and said, "They're just a bunch of country bumpkins who've never seen the world. They're from those poor, remote places. How would they know what a fairy looks like? They'll get all excited if you give them a little sunshine."

"Yes, yes, Miss is right. They are all ignorant fellows who have no manners and have even soiled Miss's dress."

"It's just a dress. You can pack it up and throw it away later. You've worn it all day and the sweaty smell is still there. And the stains on the hem have been dry all day."

"But Miss, it's such a pity..."

"What a pity? You're so easily swayed. If you like it, wash it clean and take it."

Chunlu smiled and thanked her, saying, "Then this servant thanks you for your kindness, Miss."

After the master and servants talked for a while, Wang Ruyan came over.

“My darling, look how tired you are today. Let’s not go tomorrow. You’re not eating well and it’s so hot. Your father and I have always doted on you since you were little. You’ve never suffered like this before.”

Qiu Shuang wiped Gu Hanjiao's feet clean, then knelt down to apply ointment to Gu Hanjiao's legs and massage them to reduce the swelling. Gu Hanjiao remained lying there without getting up.

“Mother, it’s not as terrible as you say. It’s only the first day. If I don’t go for the next two days, all the suffering I’ve endured today will have been for nothing.”

“Mother is just feeling sorry for you.” Wang Ruyan sat on the small couch, massaging her arm, while Xue Niang also helped massage her other leg.

"If Mother feels sorry for me, she should stay in the manor obediently for the next two days and not come to see me."

"What are you talking about?"

"What are you saying? Look at what you're wearing today. Would you dress like that to go to a place like that? And you even brought me lunch today. Don't you see what everyone else is eating? Am I the only one getting special treatment? Luckily I didn't eat it, otherwise, everyone would just think that our Prime Minister's Mansion is just trying to gain fame, and the Third Prince's good deed would be ruined as well."

Wang Ruyan was stunned by what Gu Hanjiao said. She had never thought that she got up before dawn just so that Gu Hanjiao could have an easier time.

Her clothes and appearance were all designed to make her daughter look good. Even her food—she didn't eat lunch herself but only wanted to send some to her. And there wasn't any fancy food. How did she offend her daughter?

Thinking of this, even if Wang Ruyan loved her daughter very much, she would still have some temper, so she turned around and stopped looking at Gu Hanjiao.

“I…I didn’t expect you to be so ungrateful. I am still your mother. Even if I have made a thousand mistakes, I still have your father and your grandmother.”

“Mother did something wrong, and you don’t even allow others to talk about it? If Father and Grandmother find out, it won’t just be a matter of talking about you anymore; you might go to the little Buddhist hall to change your mind again.”

"you!"

Wang Ruyan was really angry. Xue Niang quickly stood up, helped Wang Ruyan up, and helped her to sit down in a chair some distance away.

“Miss, Madam is indeed doing this for your own good. Even if she didn’t do it perfectly, you shouldn’t hurt her feelings like this.”

Gu Hanjiao realized that she had gone too far with her words, and after thinking about it, she didn't want to fall out with her mother.

"Mother, I'm sorry, I was also angered by Yu Xinqiu."

"What's wrong with her now? She was so well-behaved when she came to our house to see you before."

"Mother, don't be deceived by her appearance. On the surface, she cooperates with me to discuss the distribution of porridge, but behind the scenes, she actually had the Yu family prepare large white steamed buns and even personally delivered them."

"How can someone so young have such cunning? Mother was right before; we should have been more vigilant earlier."

"Most importantly, look at her clothes and appearance. She is just like an ordinary person. Even the hairpin in her hair is just a plain silver hairpin."

Wang Ruyan curled her lip in response and said, "How petty. They even say the Yu family is richer than a country. They're not worthy of being mentioned."

Gu Hanjiao was speechless for a moment. She sat up and kicked away Qiu Shuang's hand, saying, "Mother is foolish. This is called taking the people-friendly approach. Her clothes and appearance are the same as everyone else's, which will make people feel good about her. Moreover, she ate the same lunch as everyone else, which will only make people think that she is really doing good deeds and is really approachable. If the common people saw what you did at noon, they would only compare me with her and think that I am hypocritical and kind. How am I supposed to stand in the Third Prince's residence in the future!"

Wang Ruyan then realized what Gu Hanjiao was angry about and the seriousness of the matter. She moved her lips.

"Mother knows now. That Yu Xinqiu is indeed no ordinary woman. My dear child, in the future..."

Gu Hanjiao sighed, stepped forward and took Wang Ruyan's arm, resting her head on her shoulder and saying, "Mother is the best to me, but in my heart, Mother has always been a wise and resourceful woman. How come now... is it because of my brother's affairs that Mother is a little overwhelmed?"

Mentioning Gu Changfeng, Wang Ruyan couldn't help but sigh repeatedly, feeling as if she had aged considerably.

“Your brother has been devastated ever since that incident. He’s never home and I don’t know where he’s off gallivanting. And your aunt is driving me crazy with all the nagging. She’s asking for money every single day.”

"What money? That Wang Deng ruined my brother, and she still has the nerve to come here asking for money? Where does she get the audacity! I won't give her any!"

"Your aunt's side is alright, after all, I am the Prime Minister's wife and can completely ignore her. It's your brother's side that's more worrying."

"Did your brother ask you for money too?"

Wang Ruyan nodded awkwardly, and seeing this, Xue Niang, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but complain.

"I don't know what the young master has been doing outside. When asked, he says he's doing business. If you ask him any more questions, he gets angry. Today he asked the madam for fifty taels, tomorrow he asked for a hundred taels, and now he's even more demanding. If he doesn't get it, he'll take all of the madam's jewelry."

"Then you didn't tell your father?" Gu Hanjiao found it somewhat unbelievable.

“You can’t tell your father!” Wang Ruyan immediately refused. “Your father is currently very fond of that illegitimate son. If he knew that your brother was like this, he would be even more disappointed. He might even punish him according to family rules. Then your brother would suffer again.”

"Oh, Mother, is this love for my brother? You're harming him! Don't you even think about why he suddenly wants so much money?"

"Perhaps... I'm feeling down and need to relax outside..."

"Just for fun? You must feel guilty saying that, right? Your brother is probably out drinking and gambling. If we don't keep an eye on him, he'll be finished."

"Impossible! In short, Feng'er has always been a good boy and would never go looking for women." Wang Ruyan's doting on her son was deeply ingrained over the years. The reason she was able to raise Gu Hanjiao to be so shrewd was not only because Gu Hanjiao was a time traveler, but also because of her patriarchal mindset, which led her to give all her love to her son.

"Sigh, something bad was bound to happen sooner or later." Gu Hanjiao thought for a moment and quickly got up. "Qiushuang, hurry up and put my embroidered shoes on."

"It's getting dark, where are you going?"

"I'm going to find my father and tell him to keep a close eye on my brother, otherwise someone in the court will definitely use my brother's actions to impeach my father and the Third Prince."

"no!"

"Why not, Mother? You don't know that last time I went to the palace to meet the Imperial Concubine, she was angry with me for buying exam questions and made me set rules for a long time. It was all because of my brother!"

“That’s your future mother-in-law. It’s only right that she sets rules for you. Don’t push everything onto your brother!”

Gu Hanjiao laughed in anger, "Mother, you're just siding with your good-for-nothing son. Sooner or later, something bad is going to happen. And you'd better cut ties with that Wang family, otherwise they'll be a menace too!"

Wang Ruyan was also angry. She didn't expect that her own daughter would not only not help her own brother, but also kick him when he was down. She knew that once this matter was exposed, Feng'er's position in the mansion would be in jeopardy.

The reason she firmly believed that her son would not go out to philander was because after the last incident, Doctor Zheng said that his genitals were somewhat damaged, and it seemed that he would not be able to have children in the future... The longer he delayed, the harder it would be to have children. Thinking of this, Wang Ruyan was so angry that she could only wait for the treatment to take its course.

This is why she tolerated the Wang family. She urgently needed Wang Xiu to marry into the family, firstly to silence public opinion, and secondly to find a way for Gu Changfeng to have a son or daughter.

Her daughter couldn't understand any of her good intentions and was only thinking about her third prince. It's true that once a daughter is married, she's like water spilled from a cup.

Wang Ruyan was so angry that she didn't want to say anything more, and left with Xue Niang.

Watching Wang Ruyan's angry departure, Gu Hanjiao felt a tightness in her chest, but what made her even more uneasy was the vague feeling that something was waiting for her ahead.