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

Gu Qingwan looked closely and realized it was the person she had been longing for.

"When did the prince come back?"

Xiao Jingchen naturally wouldn't mention that he had just arrived and that the first thing he did upon returning to the capital was to visit her. Seeing that she was still the same as before he left, he felt somewhat relieved.

"Just arrived, just came to see you."

Gu Qingwan put down the book in her hand and poured Xiao Jingchen a cup of tea with a smile.

"I'm fine. Did Your Highness gain anything from this trip?"

"The situation on the western mountain is far more complicated than I imagined, and I have also discovered the presence of Northern Rong people."

"The Northern Rong?"

"Yes, my royal brother sent someone to say that the Northern Rong are willing to reconcile with our dynasty through marriage. The delegation is already on its way. My royal brother asked me to come back and temporarily put aside the matter in Xishan. However, it's not like we've gained nothing."

"It's all arranged now, take your time. I just haven't heard that the Northern Rong are coming for a marriage alliance. But do they even dare to come? I wonder if Your Highness is in the capital now? Is it a prince or a princess who's coming?"

"Hehe, they've always been very bold. The spies over there said that a prince has come to escort a princess, intending to marry her into the royal family."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingwan began to recall that in her previous life, there had also been a marriage alliance delegation that came here, but it was later than earlier. Could it be that she had caused some changes to things earlier?

Gu Qingwan remembers that only one prince came at that time. He asked the emperor to marry the eldest princess, but the emperor scolded him for being delusional. He was sent back after his marriage proposal failed. He did not bring any princess with him.

Of course, it was this delusional Northern Rong who later married the eldest princess after Xiao Yuheng ascended to the throne, and it went very smoothly. It would be hard to believe that Xiao Yuheng and they didn't reach an agreement.

Wait a minute, Xiao Yuheng? Bei Rong? Gu Qingwan seemed to have thought of something, but it was only for a moment and she couldn't quite grasp it.

Currently, besides the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince, the Emperor has other princes, but only these three are of legal age. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince both have principal wives, but the Third Prince does not yet have one.

It would be understandable if a princess sent for a political marriage married the crown prince as a concubine, since he was the heir apparent. Others, besides the principal wife and concubines, would look down on a princess sent for a political marriage. But how could the emperor allow a prince's wife to be a princess from another country?

Of course, there is another possibility: that she would be taken directly into the harem by the emperor to eliminate any future troubles.

"Does Your Majesty have anyone in mind?"

Xiao Jingchen shook his head: "I don't know yet. Perhaps I'll know something after I see my brother tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Highness hasn't seen the Emperor yet." Gu Qingwan felt a sweet warmth in her heart at the thought of the Prince coming to see her as soon as he returned. "Your Highness, did you encounter any problems in Xishan?"

"It's not easy to go in and investigate from there."

Gu Qingwan thought for a moment, then, remembering that the rainy season was approaching in her previous life, she said, "Your Highness, please be patient. Right now, the matter of the Northern Rong delegation's marriage alliance is more important. Once this matter is over, things will naturally fall into place."

Xiao Jingchen twirled the thumb ring on his thumb, squinting his eyes. He knew that the little woman in front of him was very clever. There were some things he couldn't understand, but she had other strategies. However, Xishan was as solid as a rock, so what could she do?

"tell me the story."

"In my earlier letter to Your Highness, I told you to be patient. Since there are people forging weapons there, there must be a large number of people. Their every need for food, drink, and shelter needs to be managed. Your Highness can focus on procurement and perhaps even plant someone inside."

"You wrote me a letter?" Xiao Jingchen hadn't paid attention to anything else, but he heard that the person he cared about had written him a letter, which he hadn't received yet.

"Yes, I gave it to Guard Xiao Yi. Didn't Your Highness receive it?"

Xiao Jingchen's eyes were icy cold. He would have to go back and question Xiao Yi about that thing.

Xiao Yi, who was squatting outside keeping watch, shivered, hugged his shoulders for no apparent reason, and felt like he was about to have some bad luck.

"It's alright. Your method is good, but we missed it. It's okay, I'll have the guards left over there find a breakthrough here."

"There's no need to be discouraged. I was just saying there might be a chance to infiltrate, but the chances are slim. But Your Highness, if we can't get in secretly, then we should just go in openly and honestly."

"How can we go openly and honestly?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingchen suddenly became interested.

"After the delegation leaves, it will be almost the rainy season. The area around Xishan has been suffering from drought for two years in a row. Whether it rains this year or not, His Majesty will have a reason to send a prince there."

Xiao Jingchen nodded. Yes, if it doesn't rain, then it will be another year of drought, and we need to go there to distribute grain and appease the people. If it rains, then there will definitely be floods. There is a reason why a long drought will inevitably lead to floods.

"I didn't notice."

"Your Highness is busy with countless affairs of state; how could you possibly care about such things?"

Xiao Jingchen didn't reply, but took a bite of the pastry on Gu Qingwan's table. Gu Qingwan noticed that he ate several pieces in a row.

"Does Your Highness like sweets?"

"Cough cough cough." Xiao Jingchen quickly drank two sips of tea: "No, I'm a little hungry."

Gu Qingwan also took this opportunity to take a closer look at Xiao Jingchen, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. He had lost some weight, his facial features were more defined, his beard had grown longer, and he looked somewhat haggard.

"Your Highness, you should go back and rest early."

Xiao Jingchen also felt a little tired, but he still had things to take care of when he got back, so he nodded and got up to leave.

Just then, Siqi returned from outside after finishing her business and saw Baoqin and the others at the door. Their expressions were a bit strange. Just as Siqi was about to ask what was wrong, the door to the young lady's room opened from the inside.

When Siqi saw that it was the King of Chu, she was at a loss for what to do. If Baoqin hadn't pulled her back, she would have almost forgotten to pay her respects.

"Your Highness, Your Highness." The men immediately bowed in greeting.

Xiao Jingchen nodded and disappeared in a flash. Baoqin looked up and quickly glanced around. Luckily, she had sent all the servants away, otherwise her young lady's reputation would have been ruined, and the old lady would have punished them severely.

The group breathed a sigh of relief, just as they heard Gu Qingwan calling from inside, "Is Siqi back?"

"Yes, Miss, I'm back."

Siqi quickly pushed open the door and went in to report what she and Ning Er had arranged: "Miss, please rest assured, everything has already been explained over there, and I only left after seeing that things were done."

Gu Qingwan nodded. It's all about human effort. To make this move, Gu Qingwan had already sent someone to talk to Boss Yin. She had finally managed to train someone who looked clean and virtuous, with a more pitiful look than Wang Ruyan, and who was even more cunning than Wang Ruyan. Wasn't that what her father liked?

It was quite a coincidence that Gu Qingwan had rescued this person by chance on her way back to the capital from the border. She felt sorry for the man, who was being beaten and scolded while shouting that he was going to be sold to a brothel.

After rescuing him and making inquiries, we learned that this person was actually the one the Prime Minister had been longing for but could not find. Is there anything in this world more meaningful than the affection between cousins?

Having not seen each other for so many years, we must be feeling very much in love.

"Miss, when did the Prince return? He wasn't here when I left, but when I came back..." Siqi asked curiously.

Yes, the prince has returned as well.

"Don't worry, I'll just tell you something and then I'll leave." Gu Qingwan saw the jade hairpin on the dressing table and wondered if she should reciprocate by giving the prince something in return.

Hmm, I should pick some time to go and take a look at Duobaoge.