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

Gu Qingwan placed the pair of gold necklaces she had brought on the swaddling clothes.

"Alright, it's getting late, I should be going now. No need to see me off. If you need anything, just have Xiao Cui go to the Prince's Mansion to find Si Qi."

After leaving Aunt Rou's courtyard, they soon arrived at the second gate, where they ran into Aunt Li, who was returning after finishing her business.

Aunt Li quickly said, "Is Your Highness leaving already? Would you like to stay for lunch before you go? I'll have someone make arrangements right away."

"No need, the prince is still waiting for me at his residence."

"Then I will see the Princess off."

When they went out, Aunt Li sensed that something was off, but she didn't dare to say anything and could only follow closely behind the princess.

Clearly, Aunt Li still had something to say, and she only spoke when Gu Qingwan was about to reach the gate.

"Your Highness, do you know when the Master will return?"

"I really don't know. I suppose he'll come back once things are done. Why do you need to see him?"

"Ah? It's nothing. I was just thinking that there isn't a proper master in the manor. Although I'm in charge now, some things have happened that my status is not suitable."

"Identity?" Gu Qingwan stopped in her tracks, and after a moment of thought, she looked at Aunt Li who was following behind her and said, "Master is not home, but Qing'er is. She is the master. If you have anything to discuss, just talk to Qing'er."

"But Qing'er is a boy, and she is busy studying at the academy. Speaking of Qing'er, I feel sorry for her."

"What's wrong with Qing'er again?"

"It's nothing," Aunt Li said, fiddling with her handkerchief. "A while ago, I sent someone to the academy to deliver some clean clothes to Qing'er. The servants overheard people talking about him, saying that he was just a concubine's son born out of wedlock. I was heartbroken when I heard that. It's my lowly status that has brought shame to Qing'er. He's so diligent, and he always reports good news and never bad. He must have suffered a lot of bullying at the academy..."

"The students in the academy are all well-read and learned. They would be ashamed to gossip about others behind their backs. It's probably just servants gossiping. Aunt Li, you don't need to take it to heart."

Seeing that Gu Qingwan was so uncooperative, Aunt Li was a little anxious, but she didn't know how to bring it up. Should she just make things clear?

Xiao Kui said from behind her, "If Auntie becomes Madam, then no one will gossip about the young master."

"How dare you!" Aunt Li immediately scolded Xiao Kui, but she was actually very happy inside. At least Xiao Kui had said what she wanted to say, hadn't she?

Gu Qingwan stared at Aunt Li and said, "Although Father is getting old, he is still in his prime, so he will marry a second wife sooner or later. Therefore, Aunt Li need not worry about the lack of leadership in the household."

Aunt Li's feet seemed nailed to the ground; the master wanted to take a second wife...

In Aunt Li's mind, she clearly already considered herself the mistress of the house. She always thought that the only son in the household was born to her, and that she was in charge of all the household affairs.

She's now managing everything in the Gu family, which is clearly the same approach she took as a mother, just like Wang Ruyan.

She always thought that the master would eventually elevate her to the rank of madam, and even if he didn't elevate her now, he would eventually do so out of respect for Qing'er when she passed the imperial examinations.

After all, the master wouldn't want his only son, such an outstanding son, to have the identity of being merely the birth mother of a concubine.

"It's good to have a new wife in charge, and I'm very happy about it. But when that time comes, won't Qing'er's life become a little more difficult?" Aunt Li carefully expressed her concerns.

“Yes, a stepmother is never as good as a biological mother, or…” Xiao Kui continued, but Bao Qin stepped forward and slapped her.

"How dare you interrupt in front of the Princess! A mere maidservant, you don't even know your place and are so arrogant. Madam, you should spend your time managing your servants properly!"

Baoqin's words were tantamount to slapping her in the face. This wasn't referring to Xiaokui, but rather to giving her a warning.

"Yes, yes, Sister Baoqin, it's Xiaokui's fault, it's Xiaokui's fault. Please forgive me, Your Highness, and don't blame Auntie."

Only then did Gu Qingwan speak.

"Regarding Qing'er, I will send someone to investigate whether there has been any gossip. Qing'er may have been born out of wedlock before, but now that he is registered under my mother's name, he is legitimate."

Gu Qingwan saw through her thoughts, but she was unwilling to point them out. Aunt Li had always been a very clever person, and someone who knew how to assess the situation, so there was no point in saying more.

Aunt Li stood there, seemingly lost in thought. Gu Qingwan had no interest in knowing what she was thinking and simply left with Baoqin and the others.

Siqi muttered to Baoqin from behind, "Why did you do it just now? I should have done that."

"You're so heavy-handed! How could anyone show their face after a slap like that?" Baoqin said.

"Sister Baoqin knows how to cherish and pity women."

“Baoqin doesn’t know how to cherish a beautiful woman,” Baoqin said with a serious expression, which amused Gu Qingwan and Siqi.

As the group reached the entrance, they ran into Gu Hanjiao, who was heavily pregnant, getting off the carriage and heading this way.

Gu Hanjiao was furious when she saw Gu Qingwan dressed in gorgeous clothes and looking so imposing. She was clearly a country bumpkin, so why was she allowed to stand here on equal footing with her and why was she dressed so well?

"Hmph, sister, are you forgetful? You're no longer a daughter of the Gu family, so why are you still running back to them? Oh, I see, sister, are you regretting it? You're probably thinking that you're not doing well in the Prince's mansion without a maternal family, and you'll be looked down upon. So you want to acknowledge your ancestors and return to the family?"

Gu Qingwan scoffed, a sound that felt like a slap across Gu Hanjiao's face, leaving Gu Hanjiao speechless.

Consort Gu.

This sound made the hairs on Gu Hanjiao's neck stand on end. You should know that when others call her Consort Gu, it's a compliment, after all, she is carrying the Emperor's first grandson.

But Gu Qingwan's way of calling him that was clearly sarcastic.

"It seems we need to have the Imperial Concubine in the palace set some rules for you. The saying goes, 'A nun follows her husband.' I wonder if the Third Prince will think you've disgraced him if he finds out?"

Gu Hanjiao was startled. Of course, she needed to pay attention when the Third Prince was mentioned.

Now that she is pregnant with the eldest grandson of the emperor, the third prince is paying extra attention to her pregnancy, providing her with the best food and drink. Even the princess does not dare to set rules for her, let alone Consort Yu.

However, if word got out that she had caused the Third Prince to lose face because of her bad behavior, then the Third Prince would be unhappy. If Consort Yu found out, it would give Consort Yu an even greater opportunity to find ways to torment her.