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

Gu Qingwan led Siqi slowly back to their proper place from the crowd. When Madam Ning heard the servant's report, she quickly ordered someone to fetch Ning Chenghao.

Just then, she turned her head and saw Gu Qingwan, so she grabbed her hand and said, "Why is Miss Gu so...so unlucky?"

Gu Qingwan nodded. Today's events were unexpected. She hadn't planned to do anything in this setting, given the large number of people and their suspicious nature. Last time, even Prince Chu was able to see through her, and this time, there might be other spies she didn't know about who might notice. Therefore, Gu Qingwan didn't want to give anyone any leverage over her.

I never expected that this Northern Rong princess would be so powerful. She grabbed the delicate Gu Hanjiao by her belt, lifted her up, and threw her away. I heard that she is the most favored princess of Northern Rong. Such boldness and willfulness are truly the result of being spoiled by the Northern Rong king.

"My God, it's so high, will Miss Gu Er die?" People around started talking.

"This princess is terrifying."

"Shh, you still dare to talk nonsense? Be careful, or you'll be thrown out too."

The man quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

The Northern Rong prince quickly received the news and hurriedly sent people to take the princess away. He stayed by the crown prince's side, thinking about how to handle the aftermath. However, after hearing the servants' description, the Northern Rong prince relaxed a little, knowing that there was still a chance for things to turn around and that it wasn't necessarily all their fault.

Madam Ning also sighed repeatedly: "After all, it was your sister who had the accident. You should go and see her, lest someone with ulterior motives seize on this and say that you have no sisterly affection."

Gu Qingwan nodded; she actually wanted to go and see what was happening down there.

"I don't know if the dragon boat race can continue this year."

"Don't worry, Aunt. With the Crown Prince here, I think the dragon boats have already been returned, but they'll probably continue later."

Madam Ning nodded and sat back down in her seat with a sense of relief.

"Mother, why did you call me here? I haven't had enough fun yet!" Ning Chenghao was brought to Madam Ning's side by the maid, and he was quite unhappy and sulking.

"You stay here and watch quietly. If you don't want to watch, come to my house." Madam Ning tapped her son's forehead.

Even though Madam Gu and Xue Niang rushed as fast as they could, they couldn't catch up with the speed at which Gu Han Jiao's clothes were exposed. People around, whether they were of high status or not, all gathered around to watch the spectacle.

Although it was the Third Prince who carried Gu Hanjiao away and had already draped clothes over her, it wasn't him who rescued her; some of the people who rescued her had already reached the shore, while others were still struggling in the water.

Some people who touched Gu Hanjiao's body couldn't forget the delicate feeling in their hands, and they felt they could brag about it for a long time when they got back.

Moreover, there was a scholar-like man who, after Gu Hanjiao was pushed ashore, said he had to press on her chest to help her vomit water in order to save her life.

Gu Qingwan nodded to Si Qi, who immediately understood and lowered her head, silently leaving the crowd with Gu Qingwan.

Gu Hanjiao was rescued, and the onlookers on the shore, finding it uninteresting, dispersed. The scholar, looking at his own hands, walked away somewhat forlornly, wandering aimlessly, not knowing where to go.

He was a poor scholar with no connections. He had taken the imperial examinations for many years but remained a mere scholar. He had hoped that the capital city would be a place of noble people, and that he would abandon his family and career in the hope of meeting a benefactor there to help him. However, he gained nothing.

Just as I was thinking this, I walked to the base of a wall and heard someone talking on the other side of the wall.

"Miss Gu is so pitiful, she was thrown into the water."

"Actually, it's alright. I was lucky to be rescued," another person said.

"So what? Her body has been seen naked and her reputation is ruined. Even if Miss Gu is saved, she'll only be destined to be a nun."

"Probably not. Even if she can't become a wife of a high-ranking family, she is the Prime Minister's most beloved daughter. Marrying down and having the Prime Minister's support should be a good thing."

"Now that you mention it, it makes sense. Ah, it's so nice to be rich. Unlike us, we can only do menial jobs."

"Let's go quickly, or we'll get punished if someone hears us talking like this."

"Let's go."

After hearing the departing footsteps fade into the distance, the scholar thoughtfully stroked his chin. So the person he had saved was Miss Gu the Second. He had always heard that Miss Gu the Second was very beautiful, and seeing her today confirmed it.

Moreover, if this life-saving grace could also be rewarded with the Prime Minister's support, wouldn't I be on a meteoric rise to power in the future?

Upon realizing this, the scholar's eyes lit up, as if he had found a goal, and he left quickly with firm steps.

On the other side, Gu Hanjiao was carried to a side room by the Third Prince.

"Jiao'er, Jiao'er, how are you?" Wang Ruyan sat by Gu Hanjiao's bedside, wrapped the shivering Gu Hanjiao in a thick quilt, and cried her heart out.

"Don't worry, Madam, the imperial physician has been sent to fetch him and will be here soon," the Third Prince said from the side.

At this moment, the Prime Minister also arrived. He looked at the situation inside, turned around and clasped his hands in thanks to the Third Prince, saying, "I am grateful for the Third Prince's righteous help today. I will come to thank you in person another day. However, the Third Prince's robes are dirty now, so it would be best if you quickly changed them."

The Third Prince saw that there was indeed a watermark on the front of his clothes, and he knew that Prime Minister Gu did not want him to see his daughter in such a disheveled state. Although the marriage was almost settled, the proper etiquette still had to be observed.

"You're too kind, Lord Gu. I'll change my clothes and come back later."

Gu Ziming was initially worried that the Third Prince might dislike his daughter because of this, since the two had not yet issued an official decree. However, seeing that the Third Prince not only did not dislike his daughter but also cared about her, he thought that perhaps the Third Prince truly cherished his daughter.

After examining Gu Hanjiao's pulse, the imperial physician gave her an acupuncture needle, instructed someone to fetch the medicine, and then left.

At this moment, the Third Prince, who had changed his clothes next door, also rushed over.

Gu Hanjiao slowly woke up. She was a little scared when she saw the unfamiliar environment, but when she saw her parents, she burst into tears.

"mother!"

"My darling child, Mother is here, Mother is here! What happened to you? What happened to you...?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Hanjiao snapped out of her daze: "Dad, it was Princess Nazha. She threw me off the stands, waaaaaah!"

"My poor daughter, is this how the princess of the Northern Rong treats my son?"

"What! A princess sent for a political marriage dares to be so insolent! She has no respect for the Gu family at all! Don't worry, my daughter, with your father here, I will definitely get justice for you!"

"This is outrageous! Princess Nazha is so rude! When we get back, I will definitely tell my father and beg him to do justice for the Second Miss!"

It was only then that Gu Hanjiao realized that the Third Prince was also there. She hadn't yet taken her change of clothes from the carriage, so she was wrapped in a blanket, which made her look quite unsightly.

However, in the Third Prince's eyes, Gu Hanjiao's small face, no bigger than a palm, appeared even more delicate and charming.

"Ugh! Waaah!" Gu Hanjiao cried heartbrokenly.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan was at the door with Siqi when a maid came in to report.

"Master and Madam, it's...it's Miss who has come to visit."

The people in the room paused. Gu Hanjiao wondered if she was here to see her make a fool of herself. Wang Ruyan probably had the same thought, while Gu Ziming felt a bit conflicted. He hadn't expected to meet her under such circumstances after so many years.

Gu Ziming was already in a bad mood and wanted to have Gu Qingwan kicked out, but he couldn't do so because the Third Prince was present.

"Yes, come in." Gu Ziming could only let Gu Qingwan in, because to outsiders they were just a family.

After entering the room, Gu Qingwan saw the location of the people inside and was surprised to learn that the Third Prince was present. After a moment, she greeted him, "Greetings to the Third Prince and to my father. I was unaware that the Third Prince was also there. I apologize for disturbing you."

"It's alright, it's alright. Miss Gu is concerned about her younger sister, and it's understandable that she acted out of concern," the Third Prince comforted her.

"What are you doing here?" Gu Ziming asked stiffly. Although he would send some things to the Duke's mansion every year during festivals, he hadn't seen his daughter for a long time. He didn't expect her to have grown up so much and to look more and more like her deceased mother.

"Father, I came here with my aunt to watch the dragon boat races. I heard that my sister was injured, so I came to see if there was anything I could do for her," Gu Qingwan replied politely.

Gu Hanjiao already disliked Gu Qingwan, but she couldn't lash out at this moment. She just frowned and said tearfully, "Sister, you didn't help your younger sister back then. If only..."

"Were you there at the time?" Gu Ziming frowned as he looked at Gu Qingwan.

Gu Qingwan shook her head: "My daughter was on the Ning family's viewing platform at the time, which was quite a distance from the Prime Minister's residence. I only found out from other people."

Gu Ziming's expression shifted between light and dark, his thoughts unreadable. Meanwhile, the Third Prince, in an effort to gain favor with Gu Qingwan, spoke up for her.

"Yes, I remember that the Duke's Mansion and the Prime Minister's Mansion are located in the east and west respectively, so they are not together. Moreover, the Second Miss was on my side at the time, so it was my fault, Lord Gu."

"No, no, Your Highness, please don't blame yourself. It's all because the Northern Rong look down on me. I will definitely go to the Emperor to seek justice!"

"Father, I have brought a set of clothes with me. Perhaps my sister can use them."

After hearing this, Siqi came forward from behind, carrying a set of clothes.

With the Third Prince and the Master present, Wang Ruyan, as Madam Gu, had to put on the act of a virtuous stepmother, regardless of whether she was happy or not: "Qingwan is so thoughtful. If Qingwan and Jiao'er were together today, with her sister there, Jiao'er would definitely not have been bullied like this."

As she spoke, Wang Ruyan seemed overcome with grief, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief and embracing her daughter.

Siqi couldn't help but purse her lips. Even at a time like this, she was still thinking about how to drag her young lady down with her. She was really shameless.

“Madam overestimates Qingwan. Qingwan is now completely useless, unable to lift a finger. Even if my sister and I were together, we still couldn’t beat Princess Nazha. It would just mean that I would be thrown down with my sister,” Gu Qingwan said.

"It's none of your business." Gu Ziming was getting impatient and wanted to take his family back as soon as possible because his eyes kept twitching, which he felt was not good.

"Since Qingwan has brought the clothes, Jiao'er, please put them on and let's go back."

When Gu Hanjiao saw Gu Qingwan standing next to the Third Prince, she felt a tightness in her chest. She felt that Gu Qingwan was deliberately standing next to the Third Prince to steal him away, so she blurted out, "I don't want to wear her clothes!"

The Third Prince was somewhat displeased. Why was his beloved daughter so willful? Did she really have to wait for his own clothes? In the Third Prince's opinion, it was better to go back early than to be caught off guard, since today's events had made Gu Hanjiao's already bad reputation even worse.

Sure enough, trouble doesn't just come if you don't want it to.

Someone else came to deliver a message, saying that the Crown Prince had brought Prince Hulun and Princess Nazha to apologize and to check on Miss Gu's well-being.

When Gu Hanjiao heard that Princess Nazha was coming, she was so frightened that she hugged the quilt and burrowed into the bed. Luckily, there was a screen, otherwise the Third Prince would have seen Gu Hanjiao's disheveled appearance.

Left with no other choice, Prime Minister Gu instructed, "Since His Highness the Crown Prince is coming, we cannot refuse to see him. Madam, please come with me. Jiao'er... Qingwan, you stay here and keep your sister company for now."

"Yes."

After everyone left, Siqi considerately closed the door, and Gu Qingwan let out a cold laugh.

"why are you laughing!"

"I laugh at my sister for having the courage to confront the Northern Rong princess head-on. I laugh at my sister for being so lucky to be alive and well after all this. I just wonder if the Third Prince still wants a Third Prince's wife with no reputation?" Gu Qingwan's every word was laced with sarcasm.

Gu Hanjiao clenched her fingers tightly, clearly angered by the scene.

"Get out! Get out of here!"

The group of people who were apologizing and exchanging pleasantries outside the door suddenly heard Gu Hanjiao's voice coming from inside the private room.

Princess Nazha pouted and said, "I told you she was fine. Listen to her strong voice. She was just as good when she made sarcastic remarks about our Northern Rong, and she even hit me!"

“How dare you be so presumptuous! Hehehe, Lord Gu, it was indeed wrong of Nazha to throw your young lady out. I will send someone to your residence later to offer gifts to comfort her. I hope the Prime Minister will be lenient.” Prince Hulun bowed, which was quite a rare gesture for a subject.

At this moment, the crown prince remained silent, as breaking up a fight was a difficult task that could offend people.

"Hmph, Your Highness need not say more. Let's go before His Majesty and settle this matter. No matter how bad my Gu family is, we cannot allow some insignificant people to bully us."

"Lord Gu..." the Crown Prince quickly stopped him.

"Hehe, Your Highness, there's no need for further words. Since the Prime Minister wishes to enter the palace, then let him in. I, the Prince, would also like to ask His Majesty: we are here for a marriage alliance, not to be bullied! Does His Majesty allow a daughter of an official to slap the face of my most esteemed princess of the Northern Rong, or is he trying to use this opportunity to slap the face of the Northern Rong? Although the Northern Rong is small, it will never allow itself to be humiliated like this!" Prince Hulun immediately turned hostile and pulled the princess away.

"Hey, Your Highness, please calm down. Lord Gu didn't mean that," the Third Prince quickly stepped forward and pulled the prince aside.

"This is not the place to talk. There are so many people around. Don't let yourselves become a laughing stock. Everyone, please calm down."

"Third Prince, I was hit by the Second Miss! This is the first time I've ever been hit in my life. You're in charge of receiving us, so you have to take responsibility for me!" At this moment, Princess Nazha stepped forward and hugged the Third Prince's arm.

Indeed, quite a few people gradually arrived, many of whom used the excuse of coming to see Miss Gu Er to actually just want to watch the spectacle, and none of them left.

"My daughter accidentally hit the princess, and the princess could have hit back, but you threw my daughter into the river and ruined her reputation. Do you know how my daughter will behave and conduct herself in the future?" Madam Gu rebuked.

"I'll take responsibility! I'll take responsibility!" came a different voice from the crowd.