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

Seeing the out-of-control woman before him, Xiao Yuhuai felt slightly relieved. That was more like it; Gu Hanjiao, that fool, could never be the cunning and calculating woman she once was. This jumpy, agitated state was exactly how they knew her.

Xiao Yuheng didn't know what was wrong with Gu Hanjiao. Lately, she would become extremely irritable whenever Gu Qingwan was mentioned.

"Alright, Jiao'er, stop talking." Under Xiao Yuheng's warning, Gu Hanjiao dared not speak any more. She stood aside with her head down, her unwilling expression hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to see clearly.

Aside from Xiao Yuheng and Lu Yan being somewhat unhappy with this suggestion, only Xiao Yuhuai kept it in mind.

“Alright!” Xiao Yuhuai agreed wholeheartedly. “Just as the concubine said, I will take care of the Chu Prince’s residence. If I can keep the Chu Princess in my hands, I’m not afraid that the Empress Dowager and the Chu Prince will be in trouble. As for the person who will carry it out, Third Prince and Concubine Gu can rest assured. Let the Crown Prince Lu go in person.”

Lu Yan's face was grim. He looked at Xiao Yuhuai with complicated eyes, but when he thought of Gu Qingwan begging for mercy in front of him, Lu Yan couldn't help but lick his lips excitedly. As long as he handled it properly, hiding Gu Qingwan wouldn't be a problem.

After seeing Xiao Yuheng and Gu Hanjiao off, Xiao Yuhuai could no longer hide the tyranny on his face. He smashed the study to pieces.

"Investigate! Investigate! Who betrayed us!"

That night, a person covered in blood and barely clinging to life was carried to the open space in the backyard of the Second Prince's residence.

Xiao Yuhuai sat under the eaves of the courtyard, surrounded by trusted people and six drooling wolfhounds.

"Fine, fine, I never expected you to be the one who betrayed me. Zheng Yang, you were the one who pulled me aside and told me I was a descendant of the Xia Royal Family, handing over all the Xia Royal Family's connections to me. Now, for the sake of your daughter, you want me to pave the way for your daughter and son-in-law?"

"No...no, no..."

"Whether it is or not is not important. You said your mission was to find the young master, restore the glory of the Xia King's Mansion, and reclaim the land that belonged to the Xia King. So, having found me, your mission is complete. Go now and go to the underworld to hand over your duties to your old master."

Zheng Yang's face was covered in mud and blood. He wanted to open his eyes to negotiate with the Second Prince, but all he could see was blood and sand. He couldn't see clearly; everything was blurry and red. The scene before him was just like the one described in the book, like being surrounded by evil spirits in the eighteenth level of hell.

"No, you can't do this, you can't..."

"Tch, this is the first time someone's dared to tell me whether they can or not. Well then, you try and see if I can or not, unleash the dogs!"

That night, the barking of dogs and the pitiful screams echoed throughout the prince's residence, but no one dared to go forward to ask what had happened. Gu Hanjiao's last remaining family member, her last trump card, had completely fallen.

Zheng Yang never imagined that all of this was caused by his beloved daughter.

Gu Hanjiao was too eager for quick success and didn't listen to Zheng Yang's advice to proceed slowly. After learning about these things, she almost rushed to find Xiao Yuhuai with Xiao Yuheng. Afterwards, in order to find out more, she ignored Zheng Yang's advice not to take the initiative to contact him unless it was a matter of life and death, and went directly to Zheng Yang. This allowed Xiao Yuhuai's people to follow the clues and catch her red-handed.

Under severe torture, Zheng Yang couldn't hold back and blurted out everything he should and shouldn't have said. Unfortunately, he still couldn't get Xiao Yuhuai to show mercy. In the end, he was devoured alive by dogs. In his last moments, he suddenly felt resentment. Why didn't he just strangle Gu Hanjiao in her swaddling clothes? If it weren't for her, he, his wife Wang Ruyan, and their son would not have died. Gu Hanjiao was a jinx; whoever got involved with her would be doomed.

"Hahahaha, Xiao Yuhuai, you think...you'll succeed? No, no, no, with my precious daughter around, your fate won't be much better than mine, ah!"

Xiao Yuhuai naturally heard this, and the daughter Zheng Yang was referring to must be Gu Hanjiao.

"Second Prince, there's no need to listen to that person's dying words; they only disturb your peace of mind," Lu Yan said expressionlessly from the side.

“What he said makes some sense. That Gu Hanjiao is indeed a bit strange. If there’s a chance in the future, it would be better to get rid of her.” Xiao Yuhuai suddenly thought of something and asked, “By the way, cousin, you wouldn’t be interested in a woman like that and be soft-hearted, would you?”

"Ha, how could that be? A woman like that isn't even worthy of carrying my shoes."

"That's right. If you're interested in a woman like that, the Lady of the Marquis will be heartbroken again. After all, this is a crucial time, and we can't let the Lady of the Marquis's delicate body suffer even the slightest discomfort. Cousin, you should pay more attention to the matter of the Princess of Chu. I wish you a smooth journey tomorrow."

Lu Yan watched Xiao Yuhuai's departing figure, which gradually blended into the surrounding night, like a venomous snake lurking in the grass, waiting for its chance to strike.

Gu Qingwan's pregnancy is quite difficult. The first three months were fine, but now she has started experiencing morning sickness. No matter what she eats, she can vomit it up, and each time it contains blood, which makes those around her feel extremely distressed.

"Your Highness, what should we do? You vomit no matter what you eat. This can't go on forever." Baoqin was so worried that she was about to cry.

"It's alright, this is only temporary. It just means that the one in my belly isn't behaving properly. I'll definitely teach him a lesson when he comes out." Gu Qingwan rinsed her mouth and took a breath, then said, "Have Ruhua bring me some more food."

“Your Highness…” Baoqin didn’t want to see the princess vomiting so badly again, but she also knew that the princess couldn’t go on without eating.

"The princess is here! The princess is here!" Ruhua entered with a tray in her hands, her eyes fixed on the bowl, afraid that the contents might spill out.

What Ru Hua is holding in his hand is probably... a bowl of noodles, with bright red chili oil on top, filling the air with the pungent smell of spiciness and aged vinegar.

"Cough cough cough!" Baoqin covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief. "Ruhua, what are you doing with these things? The princess will definitely feel uncomfortable if she smells them."

"Huh?" Ru Hua looked at the food in her hand with a blank expression. She said, "The princess asked me to make this? Then I'll go and change it..."

"No need." Gu Qingwan smiled and waved to Ruhua, saying, "This tastes wonderful. Just leave it in the pavilion. By the way, have you prepared the plum juice I asked you to?"

"Your Highness, everything is ready, and we've brought it all."

"Let's go then. This smells amazing. After I finish eating, you guys should each have a bowl and try some too."

This time, no one said a word as they looked at the bowl of bright red noodles that smelled so sour it made their teeth ache. How could the princess's tastes have become... so strong? Who could stand such a sour and spicy flavor?

Gu Qingwan ate until she was sweating profusely. After finishing a bowl of sour plum soup, she felt incredibly blissful. As a doctor, she naturally knew that it was best to eat less spicy food. However, since these were natural foods, they must have their uses. The key was moderation.

In March, the peach blossoms in the Imperial Garden were in full bloom. Consort Xi specially chose this pavilion by the water to hold a banquet. Surrounded by flowering trees, a gentle breeze caused pink and white petals to flutter down, creating a scene of otherworldly beauty.

"Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived," the personal maidservant reported in a low voice.

Consort Xi's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile as she raised a hand to adjust the gold hairpin adorning her temple: "Please."

Today, she wore a light pink palace dress, with delicate floral embroidery on the hem, which was neither too formal nor lacking in the dignity of a favored concubine. The golden phoenix hairpin with pearls in her hair shone brightly in the sunlight, making her skin appear as smooth as jade and her features as exquisite as a painting.

"Greetings, Consort Xi." Crown Prince Xiao Jingyan, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a nine-dragon jade pendant hanging at his waist, bowed with impeccable posture, without a single flaw.

Consort Xi offered a gesture of support: "Your Highness, there's no need for such formality. Today is just an ordinary family banquet; why be so formal? His Majesty is unwell, so it's only right that Your Highness preside over the proceedings."

The Crown Prince straightened up, his gaze sweeping over the guests in the garden. The wife of the Minister of War, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, several female members of the imperial family... almost all the families of important officials in the court were present. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, then quickly relaxed.

“Consort Xi is overstepping her bounds; the Empress Dowager is still alive,” he said politely, his voice gentle and refined.

Consort Xi covered her mouth and chuckled, "The Crown Prince is quite eloquent. Her Majesty the Empress has to manage the harem and take care of the Emperor; she wouldn't have time to entertain these guests."

Maids filed in, carrying various exquisite pastries. Peach blossom pastries were shaped like flower petals, crystal dumplings had skins as thin as cicada wings, and even the most ordinary pea flour cakes were sculpted into adorable little rabbits. In the distance, musicians played "Spring River Flower Moon Night," the sounds of strings and bamboo instruments creating a peaceful atmosphere.

"I heard that Your Highness has been working hard on the floods in Jiangnan recently, so I specially ordered someone to stew some ginseng soup. Would Your Highness like to try some?" Consort Xi personally ladled a bowl of soup and handed it to Xiao Jingyan.

Just as the Crown Prince was about to accept it, a commotion broke out outside the garden. Immediately afterwards, a group of guards escorted several disheveled men into the garden, led by Liu An, the trusted eunuch of Consort Xi.

"Your Majesty!" Liu An cried out shrilly, "This servant caught these suspicious-looking people behind the Imperial Kitchen, and we found this on them!"

He held aloft what he held in his hands—a packet of medicine powder and a dagger.

The room erupted in uproar. Several ladies and young women were terrified, their faces pale, and some of the more timid ones were already sobbing.

Consort Xi stood up abruptly, her face deathly pale: "This is... someone is trying to harm me?"

The Crown Prince's eyes darkened, and he immediately realized this was a trap. Before he could speak, Liu An declared sternly, "An investigation has revealed that these people all belong to the Crown Prince's residence!"

"Impossible!" Zhao Yan, the commander of the Crown Prince's guards, shouted angrily, stepping forward with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Zheng——"

A flash of sword light, and before Zhao Yan could even draw his sword, his throat was slit, blood splattering onto the brocade carpet on the floor—a gruesome sight. The one who did it was an unassuming old eunuch beside Consort Xi, who was now leisurely wiping the blood-stained dagger.

"Ah—" Screams erupted throughout the garden, and several ladies nearly fainted.

Consort Xi seemed startled as well, staggering back two steps before being supported by a palace maid: "Your Highness...why did you..."

The Crown Prince, his face ashen, slowly rose to his feet: "What is the meaning of this, Consort Xi?"

"I...I merely held a banquet to enjoy the spring..." Consort Xi's voice trembled, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes, "Who knew the Crown Prince would harbor such intentions..."

Liu An waved his hand, and more guards surged in, surrounding the assembled guests: "By Her Majesty's decree, no one present is allowed to leave. A decision will be made after the truth is ascertained!"

The Crown Prince looked around and saw the trembling women and the servants of the Crown Prince's residence who had been forced to the ground with their faces covered in blood. He finally understood Consort Xi's scheme—she wanted to use these people as hostages to force him to submit.

"What does Consort Xi want?" he asked directly, his voice eerily calm.

Consort Xi's tears vanished instantly, a cold smile playing on her lips: "The Crown Prince is straightforward." She dismissed her attendants, leaving only a few trusted confidants. "I don't ask for much. As long as the Crown Prince drinks this cup of wine, I will pretend that today's events never happened and let these ladies and young ladies return home safely."

She took out an exquisite white jade cup from her sleeve and personally filled it with an amber liquid. In the sunlight, the liquid shimmered with an eerie golden-red luster.

The Crown Prince stared at the cup of wine, knowing it must be poisoned. But if he resisted, not only would he be doomed, but these innocent women would also be implicated. Consort Xi's move was to force him to willingly accept his death.

"Your Highness, no!" the old steward of the Crown Prince's residence, who was being held down on the ground, screamed hoarsely. "That wine must contain..."

"Slap!" A slap interrupted his words, and the old butler was slapped until his mouth and nose bled.

The Crown Prince closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his mind clear: "Does Consort Xi keep her word?"

Consort Xi chuckled lightly: "Of course."

"Very well." The crown prince reached out and took the wine cup, drinking it all in one gulp amidst the horrified gazes of everyone present.

The liquor initially tasted sweet, but then burned down his throat like fire. He forced himself not to vomit, but his face turned deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"The Crown Prince is indeed a man of great loyalty and righteousness." Consort Xi nodded in satisfaction, then turned to the crowd, "Anyone who utters a single word about what happened today will have their entire family executed!"

The women were terrified and several had already fainted.

The prince forced himself to stand, but his internal organs felt as if they were being pierced by a thousand needles. He felt a metallic taste rise in his throat, but he swallowed it back down.

"Now, can we let them go?" he asked through gritted teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

Consort Xi feigned surprise: "What's wrong with the Crown Prince? Why does he look so pale?" She approached with feigned concern, but lowered her voice as she got closer, "How does the 'Rouge Intoxication' taste? Don't worry, it won't kill you immediately; it will slowly make you die from your intestines rotting away."

The crown prince's pupils constricted slightly—"Crimson Beauty Intoxication" was a secret poison from the previous dynasty, with no antidote.

"You..." He had barely opened his mouth when he finally couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood. He quickly covered it with his sleeve, but a lot of it still splattered onto his robes.

Consort Xi took a step back, feigning panic: "The Crown Prince has suddenly fallen ill! Quickly, send him back to his residence!"

The guards rushed forward, grabbed the crown prince, and roughly dragged him away. As they passed the crown princess, the crown prince suddenly broke free, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his arms.