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

Just like his name Meng Jiyue, Young Master Meng is a handsome and refined young man. Even in the bustling city, his serene demeanor remains unaffected.

Gu Qingwan couldn't help but feel sorry for this young master when she thought about his experiences in his previous life.

However, since I've encountered this situation in this life, I should at least lend a hand. I think the time is almost here, and I need to think of a way to help the brother and sister get through this difficult time.

"elder brother!"

Hearing her younger sister's call, Meng Jiyue turned around and looked at the gatehouse. She saw a tall woman with a cool and refined appearance standing next to her sister on the steps of the gatehouse. This woman was different from all the women in the capital.

"What are you spacing out for, brother?"

"Oh, this must be Miss Gu?" Meng Jiyue snapped out of her daze, quickly put away her folding fan, and stepped forward to bow.

"Young Master Meng." Gu Qingwan folded her hands in front of her abdomen and responded to him politely.

"Brother, look, this is Qingwan, whom I told you about. What do you think? We're best friends now!" Meng Yanran happily pulled her brother along to introduce her best friend.

Seeing her younger sister so happy, Meng Jiyue was genuinely happy for her too. She knew that her sister had a very outgoing personality and few young ladies in the capital could befriend her.

"My younger sister has come to visit today. I hope she has not disturbed the peace and quiet of the old lady."

"Young Master Meng, you're too kind. My grandmother is very fond of Sister Yanran. There's no way I'm bothering you." Gu Qingwan's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, like a clear spring flowing over rocks, and her words were gentle and soothing.

"Brother, please don't always think of me as such a naughty person, okay?" Meng Yanran was very dissatisfied that her older brother always treated her like a naughty child.

"Good, good, good! You are the most well-mannered young lady!" Meng Jiyue tapped her younger sister's head twice with her folding fan.

Meng Yanran shrank her neck, stuck out her tongue, and climbed onto the carriage by herself without the help of a maid.

Baoqin and the others couldn't help but purse their lips as they watched.

"I am a junior and this is my first time visiting the Duke's Mansion. I should have paid a proper visit to the old lady and the madam, but it is already late and not appropriate to visit at this time. I can only come earlier on another day. I hope the old lady and the madam can understand."

"Young Master Meng, you are too kind. It was Qingwan who was not thinking things through today and invited Sister Yanran to our home ahead of time, forgetting about your family's arrangements. Here are some return gifts from my maternal grandmother to Old Madam Meng. I hope you can take them back with you."

Meng Jiyue saw that there was indeed an inconspicuous carriage following behind them, which seemed to be preparing to go with them to get there. Since it was given by the old lady, Meng Jiyue did not refuse again and again.

"Miss Gu, please rest assured."

"Qingwan!" Meng Yanran pushed open the carriage window and called out to Gu Qingwan, "The fifteenth is in a few days. If you're not busy, I'd like to invite you to Qingquan Temple. The scenery there is really beautiful!"

Gu Qingwan thought about it and realized that the fifteenth of the month was approaching. Every month on the fifteenth, Qingquan Temple would prepare a ritual for worshippers to pray for blessings.

Moreover, Master Huang's ability to tell fortunes and predict destiny was something that nobles in the capital aspired to. Master Huang generally did not make a move easily, only appearing once a month on the first and fifteenth of the month.

Gu Qingwan smiled and nodded: "I'm fine. You're my only friend in the capital. I'll tell my grandmother and aunt, and you can come and pick me up."

"Okay, it's settled then! Wait for me at home!" Meng Yanran was overjoyed after making an appointment with Gu Qingwan to meet again.

After exchanging pleasantries, Meng Jiyue clasped her hands in farewell and rode off on her tall horse, leading her younger sister home.

Gu Qingwan stood at the door watching them leave. She thought to herself that she absolutely couldn't let such a brother and sister be tainted by those sordid things.

"Miss, the person has already left. Shall we go back too?" Baoqin whispered to Gu Qingwan, who was deep in thought.

"Well, let's go back and rest too." Gu Qingwan snapped out of her daze, lifted her skirt, and started walking back.

I could hear her talking to her maids on the way.

"Miss, are you going to Qingquan Temple with Miss Meng on the fifteenth?" Ruhua asked. "Could I bring my maid along?"

"Whether I take her or not, you don't know, but Miss will definitely take me with her!" Siqi said with some pride. Because Siqi was good at martial arts, Gu Qingwan would take Siqi with her whenever she went out.

"Tch, who knows, maybe Miss will take all of us with her this time!" Ruhua pouted.

Gu Qingwan said with a smile, "Then let's bring them all. Who will cook delicious food for us if we don't bring Ruhua?"

"Ha ha ha ha ha"

The laughter of the five people, master and servants, echoed slowly in the garden, and the Ning family had long been used to it.

The Ning family was small, and apart from the young master who didn't go to school and caused chaos at home, only Miss Qingwan moved around the house more often, making the Duke's mansion less lifeless.

As Gu Qingwan walked, she pondered things. She thought that Wang Ruyan and her daughter would definitely go to pray to the Taoist priest on the fifteenth to get rid of bad luck. Moreover, Taoist priest Huang was a rare person to meet, so how could they miss it?

"Siqi".

When Siqi heard Gu Qingwan call her, she immediately stepped forward and walked to Gu Qingwan's side, listening attentively to her instructions.

Gu Qingwan said in a low voice, "Go and tell Ning Yi to tell Master Huang that the event he asked him to prepare will begin on the 15th. If anyone tries to bribe him these days, tell him not to be polite."

"Yes, miss. Is there anything else?"

"That's all. No need to say more. He was a smart man."

Siqi accepted the order and left. Back in the courtyard, Gu Qingwan told them to go about their own business, while she stood in front of her desk, rolled up her sleeves, and began practicing calligraphy with her left hand.

She wrote the words over and over again until she was satisfied. Only then did Gu Qingwan put down her pen, pick up a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and look outside as the sky gradually darkened.

"Bring your zither!"

"Oh, they're here." Baoqin and the others would sit together embroidering and making knots whenever they had free time, waiting outside so that no one would go if the young lady wanted water.

Upon hearing someone calling from inside, Baoqin quickly put down what she was holding and hurried inside.

"Let's pack up and go to Grandma's."

"Yes," Baoqin replied and went out to call Shishu and the others in.

As was customary, the servant carefully burned each sheet of calligraphy that Gu Qingwan had practiced with her left hand, one by one, in a brazier.

The young lady once said that the characters she practiced with her left hand should not be known to others, as this might be a life-saving skill.

Seeing that there was indeed no food left on the table, Shi Shu and Si Qi continued tidying up the desk while Si Qi carried the brazier out.

Gu Qingwan sat down and drank tea to rest for a while. Seeing that the others had finished their work, she prepared to take Baoqin to the old lady's place.

The remaining few sat in a circle in the courtyard to watch over the house. Because Gu Qingwan and her group had eaten grilled fish that morning, Gu Qingwan had also instructed Ruhua to save some for them to enjoy, and had also rewarded them with fruit wine.

"Let's wait for Sister Baoqin to come back so we can go together."

“You don’t need to wait for me. I’ll serve Miss first and then we’ll eat the same thing,” Baoqin said.

"It's alright, we'll wait for Sister Baoqin."

Just then, the old lady came to deliver a message, telling Gu Qingwan to rest early and not to go to pay her respects tonight. She could go early tomorrow morning, as she was tired after a long day.

"That's good, you don't have to wait for Baoqin anymore, just eat together." Gu Qingwan clapped her hands and looked at the girls, then slowly went back.

"Miss, would you like to have some more with your maids?"

"You guys have a little get-together, I need to rest."

Ru Hua quickly followed, saying, "Then shall this maid bring Miss a bowl of wontons?"

Gu Qingwan thought it over and agreed. The four maids were busy serving Gu Qingwan dinner, and then she washed up and changed.

"I'm not sleepy right now. I'll read a book by the bed for a while, and then I'll go to sleep when I get sleepy. You all don't need to do anything, go and eat together."

Gu Qingwan, with her hair down and wearing a white nightgown, was holding a book as she spoke.

The girls looked at each other and didn't seem too awkward.

"If you need anything, Miss, just call for someone. The maids outside will instruct us to keep a little maidservant here."

Gu Qingwan nodded to Baoqin, indicating that she understood and that they could go without worry.