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

Gu Hanjiao came and opened the door to the study. Aunt Rou had been waiting since she heard Gu Ziming inside telling her to come in.

She naturally heard what Gu Hanjiao said next. She saw Gu Ziming looking at her through the open door. She smiled but did not go in. Instead, she took out the food box in her hand.

"This is the master's medicinal meal for today. Please trouble the second young lady to deliver it to him."

"Auntie is so skillful. What delicious food did you bring for Father today?" Gu Hanjiao said, opening the lid of the porcelain bowl.

The aroma immediately filled the air.

Aunt Rou explained with a smile, "The crucian carp was sent by the eldest young master today. Sister Li had it delivered, and I thought it looked fresh, so I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Hanjiao frowned and turned pale.

"What happened to the Second Miss?"

"I'm fine... Ugh..." Gu Hanjiao couldn't help but run to the nearest flowerpot and vomit.

"Jiao'er, what's wrong?" Xiao Yuheng, who was drinking tea in the study, rushed out upon seeing this and patted Gu Hanjiao's back.

"You wretched woman, what have you brought to make Jiao'er so sad!"

When Aunt Rou saw this, her eyes sparkled with a hint of light. When she saw that Gu Ziming had also come out, she was somewhat at a loss, carrying the food basket.

"Master, I didn't, this really is just crucian carp soup." As she spoke, Concubine Rou picked up the soup spoon and took two sips in front of everyone.

Gu Ziming sighed. He naturally believed his cousin, but with the Third Prince still around, he couldn't say anything. He could only quietly pat the back of his hand to comfort him.

“You’re pregnant now, Batu, hurry and go and invite Doctor Feng over.” Ever since Doctor Feng’s treatment had been effective, he had trusted Doctor Feng even more.

"Jiao'er, are you alright?"

"Brother Heng, it's nothing. Jiao'er just feels a little nauseous."

Since Gu Hanjiao had not yet been diagnosed, Aunt Rou could not leave and followed her to Gu Hanjiao's boudoir. As instructed by the Third Prince, the crucian carp soup was placed on the table and no one dared to touch it.

The doctor stroked his beard as he took the pulse. After a while, he opened his eyes and glanced around. He was certain this was the boudoir of an unmarried young lady, but…

Doctor Feng was a man of the world; he could tell this was some sordid affair within the household. He hesitated, wondering whether to speak up, and if so, how.

Gu Hanjiao was getting anxious seeing that the other person was not speaking. How come they couldn't even diagnose a pregnancy pulse? She had already had someone check and confirmed that it was a pregnancy pulse.

"Doctor, what's wrong with me?" Gu Hanjiao asked softly.

Xiao Yuheng, who was standing to the side, watched the old doctor take the pulse without saying a word, and then became anxious: "Is this quack doctor any good? If not, don't delay the treatment. I will send someone to fetch the imperial physician!"

Dr. Feng was so angry that his beard bristled, and he didn't care about the sordid things that happened in the mansion.

"It's not that I can't diagnose it, but I see that this is a young lady, and logically speaking, she shouldn't have this kind of pulse. So I'm confirming it again and again, so as not to tarnish the young lady's reputation."

Gu Ziming's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Dr. Feng, shall we go outside to talk?"

Considering the substantial consultation fee Gu Ziming had previously paid, Dr. Feng agreed.

"No need, let's talk here." Xiao Yuheng's face was gloomy. Could it be that Gu Hanjiao had contracted some incurable disease? If so, wouldn't all his planning and efforts over the years have been in vain?

Doctor Feng looked at Gu Ziming, who had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"Then I will speak frankly, Miss is pregnant, about a month into her pregnancy."

Like a thunderbolt, it struck everyone in the room with a bang, leaving them utterly stunned. Aunt Rou, standing at the back of the crowd, was so astonished she couldn't close her mouth.

Everyone was shocked; no one saw Gu Hanjiao's triumphant expression.

Gu Ziming realized what was happening and angrily rebuked, "You worthless brat, you've disgraced the family! You, you, you..."

If the Third Prince hadn't been standing by the bedside, Gu Ziming would have slapped him. Gu Hanjiao's behavior reminded him of the humiliation Wang Ruyan had inflicted on him, and his internal organs suddenly began to ache.

When Xiao Yuheng saw that Gu Ziming was about to hit Gu Hanjiao, he quickly stood in front of the bed to block him and gave orders with a stern face.

"Somebody come!"

Gu Ziming's body trembled.

Laiwang, who was waiting outside, heard his master calling and quickly ran in, "Third Prince."

"Go and give this old doctor a big red envelope. After all, it is a merit to have diagnosed the Third Prince's wife as pregnant."

"Yes, doctor, I'll take you back."

Gu Ziming could tell from the tone that he didn't blame Gu Hanjiao for getting pregnant out of wedlock. What man in the world could be so generous, unless... unless!

Gu Ziming suddenly realized that there was only one possibility: Gu Hanjiao was carrying the Third Prince's child!

Thinking of this point, the veins on Gu Ziming's forehead throbbed involuntarily. Although he was the third prince, he had still tarnished the family's reputation. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt someone tugging at his sleeve.

Gu Ziming turned around and saw that Aunt Rou's face was pale. He calmed himself down and said to Aunt Rou in a low voice, "There's nothing for you to do here. You can go back now. I'll come to see you when I'm done."

Aunt Rou glanced nervously at the Third Prince, and seeing that he did not object, she quickly withdrew.

At this moment, there were only the three of them in the room, and apart from the sound of breathing, nothing else could be heard.

Gu Hanjiao originally thought that revealing this matter would definitely allow her to enter the prince's residence sooner, but now the reactions of her father and the third prince have made her somewhat uncertain.

It was Gu Ziming who broke the atmosphere, sighing as he asked.

"Third Prince, what are your plans regarding this matter?"

“The child in Jiao’er’s belly is indeed my son’s, and I will definitely take responsibility. So what I said before still stands. I will go to the palace to plead with my father.”

"No... Brother Heng, Father didn't say that would put you in danger." Gu Hanjiao gently tugged at Xiao Yuheng's sleeve.

"You wretched child, how dare you speak! If it weren't for you, how could the Third Prince have put himself in such a dangerous situation!"

“Lord Gu!” Xiao Yuheng grabbed Gu Hanjiao’s hand and said, “This matter is not Jiao’er’s fault. We are in love with each other.”

Gu Ziming remained silent for a while.

"Alright, alright, then the Third Prince can just pick a day to bring Jiao'er over."

"No."

"What! Are you going to let Jiao'er be pregnant outside like this, without any status or recognition? It's too early to tell, but if we take Jiao'er there after the Third Prince's wedding, her belly won't be big enough to show. Anyone with eyes can see it. How will Jiao'er face anyone then!"

"Lord Gu, please calm down." Xiao Yuheng felt even more heartbroken when he saw Gu Hanjiao's teary-eyed appearance, and he completely forgot about Gu Qingwan.

"I will not make things difficult for Lord Gu and Jiao'er. Give me a few days, Jiao'er, so you can rest well."

"Jiao'er believes in Brother Heng."

That evening, a letter appeared on Gu Qingwan's desk. It read simply: "Second Miss is pregnant, about a month along."

Gu Qingwan burned the note expressionlessly, watching the flames engulf the letter.

Gu Hanjiao is really good at making trouble. She cherishes her chastity the most. She remembers that in her previous life, she only held hands with Xiao Yuheng. Even when she was about to become empress, there was no news of any inappropriate behavior between her and Xiao Yuheng. Why can't she have that this time?

This is getting more and more interesting.

In order to get Gu Ziming back into the court, Xiao Yuheng has been spending the last few days with his advisors discussing how to proceed. Before long, voices in the court began to speak up for Gu Ziming.

Gu Ziming's years as prime minister were not for nothing; he was also the chief examiner for many years, so it can be said that he had students everywhere.

Whether it was petitions from ordinary students or officials in the imperial court, the voices opposing the emperor's dismissal of Gu Ziming grew increasingly strong.

"My esteemed ministers, take a look. This is a petition written by ten thousand students for Gu Ziming. I truly did not expect that Lord Gu's reputation would be so good. Now, speak yourselves."

Everyone looked at each other, and for a moment no one dared to step forward, because they were all unsure of what the emperor meant.

Seeing this situation, the Third Prince Xiao Yuheng knew that he needed to set an example, otherwise, his people would not dare to suddenly step forward and become the first to stick their necks out.

"Your Majesty, I do not know whether Lord Gu's reputation is good or bad, but Lord Gu once gave me guidance in my studies, and I felt that I benefited greatly. I suppose that all these students must have received guidance from Lord Gu."

Once someone starts, things become much easier. Ministers who were loyal to the Third Prince naturally followed his lead.

"Your Majesty, Gu Ziming was the top scholar in our dynasty. His talent was evident to all at the time."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Minister Gu is very diligent in court, cultivating outstanding officials for the court. Sometimes he is so busy that he doesn't go home for days and nights. It is understandable that he might neglect his family affairs. Your Majesty can punish him lightly as a warning. Please return to your residence and remove Minister Gu's official position."

"Oh? Do the other ministers feel the same way?"

The ministers who were on Xiao Yuheng's side glanced at him discreetly. Seeing him nod, they quickly stepped forward to speak on Gu Ziming's behalf.

"Your Majesty, as Lord Zhang said, Gu Ziming has already been punished and has been reflecting on his mistakes in seclusion for many days. He must have realized his error. Now is the time when we need capable people, so I hope Your Majesty will reconsider."

Xiao Yuheng continued, "Lord Gu has always kept his head down and worked quietly. Although his wife and son have moral shortcomings, it is because of their inherent bad nature. Now that it has been found that they are not Lord Gu's bloodline, their moral shortcomings are not due to Lord Gu's poor upbringing."

"On the other hand, all of Lord Gu's students are upright and wholeheartedly devoted to the court. And Lord Gu's eldest daughter, Miss Gu, is praised by everyone for her character and appearance. Such family education cannot be achieved overnight. It is all due to Lord Gu's teaching by example. From this perspective, Lord Gu is not without fault and is a true victim. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth."

Xiao Yuheng didn't mention Gu Hanjiao's name at all; he only used Gu Qingwan as a benchmark and attributed Gu Qingwan's good upbringing to Gu Ziming.

The Duke of Ningguo noticed that the teeth were a bit uneven, so he couldn't help but lick his back teeth, which prevented him from tearing the new clothes that the Third Prince had made for Gu Ziming.

Remembering her father's previous advice: "Even a centipede dies but does not fall down," Gu Ziming's matter would not end there. He would do everything he could to come back. At that time, the best thing the Ning family could do was to stand by and watch, neither helping nor kicking him when he was down.

The person sitting above may seem like a gentle breeze now, but in reality, the Emperor is determined to implement reforms. The next steps, such as the imperial examinations, the selection of officials, and the military, are likely to see a shift in the political climate.

If the Ning family wants to stand firm amidst this storm, the only option is to remain neutral and loyal to the Emperor.

The Duke of Ningguo secretly eased his chest and continued to stand there with his head down, looking at his toes.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Gu Ziming's eldest daughter, Miss Gu, is engaged to Prince Chu and will be married soon. His second daughter has also been betrothed to the Third Prince as a concubine. Both of his children are members of the royal family. If their maternal families are not of high standing, they will surely be criticized by the world."

No one could see the emperor's expression clearly as he sat there; all that could be heard was his nonchalant voice.

"In that case, in order to give the Princess a respectable family background, I also need to think this over carefully, otherwise my younger brother will definitely be unhappy."

"Your Majesty is wise."

"The Ministry of Rites has already made its stance clear, but what about the Ministry of Revenue? Why haven't they made a statement yet?"

Lord Li of the Ministry of Revenue is the father of Li Qianyu, the future consort of the Third Prince, and thus the father-in-law of the Third Prince. Many people in the court were there to watch the spectacle.

Not long ago, the Third Prince's father-in-law was Gu Ziming, but in the blink of an eye, it has changed. Should Lord Li help him or not? If he helps his future son-in-law, it would be disgusting; if he doesn't help, he will have to worry about his daughter's life in the prince's residence.

He stepped forward with neither arrogance nor servility.

"Your Majesty, I believe that, as the ancients said, 'One should manage one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.' Gu Ziming cannot even manage his own family, so how can he lead the civil and military officials to share the burdens of the people? Therefore, I hope Your Majesty will carefully consider his reinstatement. As for the so-called family of the Princess Consort..."

He paused, seemingly considering what wording would be most appropriate.

"If I remember correctly, the Princess's family is the Duke of Ningguo, isn't it?"

"Haha, Lord Li is right. The Princess Consort's family is my Ningguo Duke's Mansion. Although the Prince is a member of the royal family, if he treats our daughter badly, Your Majesty, as her family member, I will not stand for it."

"Hahaha, everyone, look at how protective the Duke of Ning is of his own, just like the old Duke. Don't worry, if the King of Chu treats the Princess badly, he'll have to think twice before wielding the old Duke's spear."

The Emperor made a joke based on the Duke of Ningguo's words, and the court was filled with laughter. It seemed that everyone had unanimously accepted the matter of Gu Ziming's reinstatement and stopped mentioning it.

"What does the Crown Prince think?"