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

"My beloved subjects, please rise. It is a rare occasion for us to gather together today, so please do not be so reserved."

"Your Majesty's grace is boundless, thank you Your Majesty."

The emperor and empress took their seats. The emperor and empress naturally sat in the main seats. To the empress's left were Consort Yu and other concubines of high rank, as well as princesses. The first person to the emperor's left was the Prince of Chu, followed by the crown prince and other princes. Directly opposite the Prince of Chu were the seats arranged for the Northern Rong delegation.

Whether it was intentional or not, not only the Northern Rong, who were terrified of the King of Chu, but even the people of the capital would feel uneasy if the King of Chu glanced at them.

"I have been busy with state affairs lately, and it has been a while since I hosted a welcome dinner for the Northern Rong delegation. I hope Prince Hulun will not be dissatisfied."

"How could we dare? Our Northern Rong delegation received the best hospitality upon arriving in the capital. Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince took care of everything personally, making us feel right at home. We are very grateful."

"Where is Princess Nazha?"

"Oh, my sister is preparing a gift for the Great Qing Dynasty. I hope Your Majesty will not find it offensive later."

"No way, no way! I've heard that Princess Nazha is the most beautiful and talented woman in the Northern Rong. With such a princess presenting a gift to our dynasty, I am truly blessed. We must all support Princess Nazha and make sure no one is left out."

"Yes!"

"Please sit down, everyone. I've been quite busy lately. Just a few days ago was the Dragon Boat Festival, and recently the border has been sending good news one after another. Just yesterday, the Duke of Ning and his son, General Ning, sent an urgent message saying that border trade has stabilized and that the Nanning people, who were always making trouble, have been dealt with and quieted down by General Ning."

The Emperor was clearly delighted. He made these remarks on this occasion for two reasons: first, he wanted to share the joy with his ministers, and second, he wanted to demonstrate the power and prestige of the Great Qing Dynasty in front of the Northern Rong delegation.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" the crowd congratulated once again.

"Please sit, please sit. Has the Duke of Ningguo arrived?"

Madam Ning quickly stood up and led Gu Qingwan forward to kneel in the center of the hall: "This humble woman greets Your Majesty."

"It's Madam Ning. Why isn't the Old Madam here?"

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. My mother is old and not feeling well. I was afraid that her presence would disturb Your Excellency, so I sent this concubine to represent my family."

The Emperor nodded, then suddenly remembered receiving the good news yesterday and asking the Prince of Chu what would be appropriate to reward the Ning family. The Prince of Chu mentioned that it seemed the old lady of the Ning family's birthday was approaching. With this in mind, the Emperor had an idea.

"Madam Ning, please get up quickly. I know that the old lady is getting on in years and should be enjoying her remaining years at home. I heard that the old lady's birthday is approaching?"

“Indeed, Your Majesty remembers it very clearly,” the Empress replied from the side.

"It is because the Empress has a better memory than I do. If it weren't for the Empress constantly reminding me, I'm afraid my ministers would all think that I have forgotten about them."

"I dare not wait."

"Her Majesty the Empress is a model of virtue for the nation, a wise and capable assistant to the Emperor, and a blessing to us all," said the people below.

Consort Yu couldn't stand the Empress's virtuous attitude. She was clearly poor but insisted on being frugal, and she managed to steal all the good reputation.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that Madam Ning is about to celebrate her birthday. I happen to have a red coral, which I will give to her as a birthday gift. I hope she will not find it offensive."

Everyone had their heads down, not daring to look up at the Emperor's majesty, and of course, they hadn't noticed the presence of Consort Yu. But when Consort Yu suddenly spoke up and presented a gift—a rare red coral—it immediately drew everyone's attention.

This sight was astounding; Consort Yu seemed to be a celestial being descended to earth. Her clothes, illuminated by the candlelight in the hall, resembled a flowing, colorful silver river, as if they were alive. The radiance made Consort Yu's face glow. Consort Yu was already beautiful, and this made every smile and gesture of hers seem both hazy and captivating.

Gu Qingwan lowered her head and thought to herself, "As expected, how could Consort Yu possibly let go of such a beautiful and expensive dress?"

Gu Hanjiao wasn't very happy. She was originally the prettiest one, but now that the Imperial Concubine was there, who could see her, this little girl? But she was still the Imperial Concubine. Now that she was dressed up very beautifully, the Imperial Concubine would probably like her even more, right?

Seeing the infatuated gazes directed at her below, Consort Yu suddenly became even more confident. The Emperor was initially taken aback by the sight of such a beautiful consort, but upon seeing the infatuation of his ministers with her, especially Prime Minister Gu sitting in front, whose eyes seemed glued to her, he immediately became displeased.

"Your Highness is very kind. Since Your Highness knows to send gifts, I will not be too stingy."

"Your Majesty is too kind. Your kindness to the Ning family is something we can never repay," Madam Ning said hurriedly, expressing her gratitude.

"Madam, you needn't be so polite. You've been with the old lady for so many years, and your demeanor and speech are so dignified that you are worthy of being the Duchess of the State."

His Majesty's words brought everyone back to their senses, making them wonder what he meant. The old Duke hadn't abdicated in favor of the heir apparent, so General Ning was still only the heir apparent, and Lady Ning before them was merely the heir apparent's wife. Could it be that His Majesty meant...?

Gu Qingwan understood that it wouldn't be long before His Majesty would summon her maternal grandfather back.

"The old Duke has dedicated his life to the country. He is getting old and has old injuries. He suffers greatly in the winter. I think of him very much." The Emperor seemed somewhat sentimental.

Gu Ziming stroked his beard, wondering if this was an attempt to seize power from the Duke of Ningguo. But the Duke of Ningguo had clearly rendered meritorious service; wouldn't this discourage him? Indeed, the Emperor was the Emperor; one could never truly guess what he intended to do.

"I will have the old Duke and Prince Ning return to the capital in a few days to celebrate the old lady's birthday."

Madam Ning pulled Gu Qingwan down to kneel again: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. This is truly a blessing from heaven. On behalf of my mother, I thank Your Majesty once again."

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at Gu Qingwan kneeling beside Madam Ning. His eyes narrowed and a hint of amusement appeared in his expression: "Miss Gu, it has been a long time since we last met."

Sure enough, upon hearing this, his younger brother, the King of Chu, could no longer sit there calmly drinking tea. In previous years, the King of Chu would never have come to such a palace banquet, no matter what his elder brother, the emperor, said to him. But this year was different. He came obediently without his brother's persuasion, and surprisingly, he wasn't late. He even arrived earlier than his brother, presumably for this girl.

"Your subject, Gu Qingwan, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

His Majesty the Emperor felt an inexplicable sense of pleasure when he saw the Prince of Chu threatening him with his eyes. He picked up his wine cup and drank a cup himself: "Madam Ning and Miss Gu, please take your seats."

"Your Majesty, I have ordered a song and dance performance to be prepared. Shall we begin?" the Empress asked.

"The Empress is right. Let the singing and dancing begin to liven things up. Everyone, please don't be shy and enjoy a few drinks!"

After several rounds of drinks, the banquet was in a harmonious atmosphere, but only Gu Hanjiao was somewhat anxious. She didn't know when the Emperor would issue an edict to make her a prince's consort, nor did she know what these people were doing. Although the food and wine at the banquet looked exquisite, they had long since gone cold and didn't taste very good, yet they were drinking and making merry.

Upon seeing this, Gu Hanjiao couldn't help but scoff, but her mother noticed her unusual behavior and pressed her hand down, saying, "You better behave yourself, your father is still here." Wang Ruyan then instructed her maid to remind Gu Changfeng to drink less, lest he get drunk and embarrass himself in such a situation.

Upon hearing the maid's words, Gu Changfeng became displeased. He frowned and looked at his mother, listlessly putting down his wine cup. Seeing that he was obedient, Wang Ruyan was relieved.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that Princess Nazha is ready."

"Oh? Then please come in quickly."

Upon hearing the Emperor's words, everyone put down their cups and stared at the entrance of the hall, eagerly anticipating Princess Nazha's gift.

Music from the Northern Rong began to play, and first appeared outside the door a girl with red nail polish and a pair of bells hanging from her ankles. Then a girl wearing a fur skirt and fur bodice entered, revealing her long legs and graceful figure.

Her hair was only half tied up with a tree branch, making her look like a little fairy who had just transformed into human form, which amazed everyone present.

Although Daqing is a civilized city, it is still somewhat conservative. Such a bold act is not something that a country known for its etiquette would do.

Princess Nazha's performance this time was also an animal dance, which imitated many animal movements, charming yet wild, making people want to conquer her.

Gu Qingwan looked at His Majesty the Emperor, who was drinking fine wine and watching, showing no displeasure whatsoever, and seemed to quite appreciate such a bold move.

The King of Chu didn't even look at her. When Gu Qingwan looked over, he was staring at her, which made Gu Qingwan glare at him.

Xiao Jingchen couldn't help but smile when he saw her like that.

"Oh, Your Majesty, I just saw you smile. Are you satisfied with Princess Nazha's performance?"

The King of Chu immediately composed himself and said, "Your Majesty, I have no such intention."

"What does the King of Chu mean by this? Does he look down on my Northern Rong?"

"Yeah, I don't like it."

Those who were close enough to hear clearly laughed. This King Chu was still the same as always; he either didn't speak at all, or when he did, he could infuriate you. And what their king said was right: the Northern Rong hadn't gotten a single benefit from the king, so why should the king look up to them?

"Hehe, Your Highness's reputation is known to everyone in Beirong. Even on my way here, the people of Daqing were talking about Your Highness's deeds. Your Highness truly loves his people like his own children."

Gu Qingwan was displeased upon hearing this. Was this such an obvious attempt to sow discord? However, she noticed that neither the King of Chu nor His Majesty reacted in the slightest.

The Crown Prince stepped forward and said, "Uncle Wang has been fighting on the frontier for many years, wholeheartedly for the sake of Daqing and relieving the Emperor's worries. It is only natural that the people remember him."

The Third Prince, Xiao Yuheng, said, "Your Highness, Prince Hulun didn't say anything else, so why do you need to explain so much?"

In Xiao Yuheng's view, this imperial uncle only listens to his father. If he cannot get his support, then there is only... Although it is a pity, such a deal is not a loss for the sake of his throne.

The emperor pretended not to hear it, and just then Princess Nazha finished her dance.

"Nazha pays her respects to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Your Highness, you've worked hard. Please take a seat and rest," the Emperor said.

"I had long heard of the princess's dance, and seeing it now is truly an eye-opener for us all," the Empress praised.

"Nazha thanks Your Majesty and the Empress for your praise."

"Among the most important women in the harem, Consort Yu is the most outstanding in dance. There are very few women in our palace who can compare with Consort Yu. What does Consort Yu think?" the Empress asked Consort Yu, who was dressed the most beautifully tonight.

When Consort Yu heard the Empress call her name, she showed a hint of pride and disdain, and touched the hairpin in her hair.

"How could I possibly deserve such praise from Your Majesty? I am but a plain and unworthy person. It is all thanks to His Majesty's boundless favor and grace that I am unable to repay. This is all I have to offer in terms of talent. I am truly grateful that His Majesty does not despise me."

"The Empress is right. Princess Nazha, look at my Consort Yu. She looks delicate, but her dance is in no way inferior to yours."

“If I have the chance, I’ll definitely ask the Imperial Concubine for some advice. Also, I think the Imperial Concubine looks very beautiful today. I wonder where she got her clothes made? I’ll ask my brother to get me one too tomorrow,” Princess Nazha asked.

Consort Yu's smile seemed somewhat forced; this dress was something her Yu family had acquired at great expense.

"Ahem, the princess looks good in anything when she's young. Those of us who put effort into our clothes are trying to make up for the passing years. This dress looks good on me, but it will obscure the princess's beauty when she climbs," Consort Yu explained.

Wang Ruyan also spoke up at the opportune moment, saying, "Your Majesty's dress is probably the only one of its kind in the entire capital."

"Madam Gu has excellent taste," Consort Yu agreed.

Having received praise from the Imperial Concubine, Wang Ruyan felt that she was a little better than everyone else.

"Is there anything that money can't buy?" Princess Nazha asked curiously.

"Whatever the princess likes, go shopping tomorrow. If you see anything, just buy it and pay for it all," Consort Yu replied generously.

Prince Hulun was somewhat displeased. Was this implying that the Northern Rong were poor?

"Haha, alright, it's rare for the Imperial Concubine to be so generous, Princess, please don't stand on ceremony."

"Your Majesty, when have I ever been stingy?" Consort Yu said in a coquettish voice, which gave Gu Qingwan goosebumps.

"Father, rest assured, I will make sure the princess has a great time." Xiao Yuheng took on this task, and the emperor nodded in satisfaction.

Princess Nazha was even happier when she heard that the Third Prince was going shopping with her.

"Princess Nazha's gift is truly ingenious," the Emperor said, bringing the topic back to the present.

"Your Majesty, this is just a token of Nazha's appreciation, and there are also gifts from our Northern Rong." Princess Nazha replied playfully.

"Oh? I find this banquet increasingly interesting."

Prince Hulun clapped his hands, and several people carried in something covered up that looked like a large box.