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

The Third Prince turned around and saw that Old Madam Ning had come out of the mansion at some point, leaning on a cane and surrounded by maids and servants.

"Madam," the coachman quickly greeted.

"Now that your maternal grandmother is here, Qingwan, we don't need to be afraid anymore." Madam Ning reassured Gu Qingwan, and in fact, she was also reassuring herself. This Third Prince had just been betrothed by the Emperor today, but he came to propose to Qingwan today. She really didn't know what had gotten into him.

Gu Qingwan nodded and got off the carriage with Madam Ning, standing behind Old Madam Ning.

"Mother."

"Grandma."

"Hmm, you're back and you're not going home? What are you doing at the door in the middle of the night?" Old Madam Ning scolded the person behind her.

"Yes, Mother is right." Madam Ning knew what her mother-in-law meant. The two of them were playing along, making the Third Prince seem somewhat ill-mannered, blocking the door and preventing people from going home.

"We will not escort Miss back."

As Gu Qingwan followed her maids and servants into the gates of the Ningguo Duke's mansion, the Third Prince grew anxious.

"Qingwan, I am speaking from the heart. Are you really not going to reconsider?"

Gu Qingwan didn't even stop, and walked straight back. She was afraid that if she stopped, she would turn around and kill that bastard herself to vent her anger.

"Third Prince!" Old Madam Ning blocked the Third Prince's view: "I respect Your Highness's character. If His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine knew of your behavior at the gate of a subject at this time, they would probably be displeased. Third Prince, please leave."

"Madam, Yuheng greets you." Xiao Yuheng clasped his hands in greeting.

"I cannot accept this courtesy." Old Madam Ning slightly turned aside to avoid the gesture.

"Madam, does Yuheng really have feelings for Qingwan..."

"Your Highness!" The old lady knew what the Third Prince was going to say, but this scoundrel, did he not only ruin Gu Hanjiao's reputation, but also Qingwan's reputation before he would stop?

“Your Highness, I overheard a few words just now. Congratulations on your marriage to the Prime Minister’s family. You should be at the Prime Minister’s residence to see your future fiancée or have tea with your future father-in-law to discuss the wedding arrangements, instead of waiting outside the Ning family’s gate for the bride’s sister. Even if you want to please the bride, you should go to the Gu family’s residence.”

The old lady's words essentially defined the nature of the Third Prince's behavior: he was trying to please his future in-laws, starting with the bride's sister.

The Third Prince's face darkened: "As expected of the Old Madam, it seems you understand what I mean. However, Miss Gu is ultimately surnamed Gu. Even if you don't ask Miss Gu's opinion, you should at least consider the Gu family's opinion. I'm afraid you can't make the decision yourself."

"Good lad!" Old Madam Ning stepped forward with a sneer, her cane striking the ground with a resounding thud. "You can see for yourself whether I can make this decision, whether it's before His Majesty or before the Prime Minister. You might as well give it a try!"

"You!" The Third Prince was furious. He hadn't expected that Old Madam Ning would be so disrespectful to him. Xiao Yuheng knew that he couldn't afford to clash with the Ning family at this time, so he calmed himself down and said, "I was being presumptuous tonight and disturbed the Old Madam and Madam. Farewell."

"No delivery."

Old Madam Ning led Madam Ning and her maids and servants back to the mansion, leaving only the Third Prince Xiao Yuheng standing there, glaring at the Ning family's gate with a sinister look, as dark and disgusting as a venomous snake that had been spitting poison.

"Gu Qingwan, you just wait! The more I can't have you, the more I want you! Just you wait and see!"

After returning home, Gu Qingwan did not go directly to her own courtyard, but went to her maternal grandmother's courtyard to wait. Sure enough, her maternal grandmother and aunt returned from outside shortly afterward.

"Grandmother." Gu Qingwan stepped forward to help the old lady.

"Good child, don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, those bastards won't dare to do anything to you." Old Madam Ning was also very angry. This Third Prince was nothing but a pretty face, yet he thought he was a hot commodity that everyone wanted to cherish? He even dared to covet her granddaughter.

"Grandmother, please calm down. Qingwan is not afraid. Qingwan knows you are here."

"Fortunately, Mother came to the rescue today. Otherwise, it seems that the Third Prince was going to make trouble for Qingwan. If someone had seen this, who knows what would have happened to Qingwan."

"I don't know what he's thinking. He'll wait until the Duke comes back, then take his spear and beat him up, and he won't dare come back," the old lady said angrily.

"Speaking of maternal grandfather, Auntie, hurry up and tell Grandma the good news!" Gu Qingwan didn't want her maternal grandmother to worry about her anymore. She was confident that she could handle these matters herself, so she changed the subject and urged her aunt.

"Yes, yes, look at my brain! Mother, something good is coming for our family!"

"What's the good thing?"

"Mom, what good news? Did you buy candied hawthorns for Hao'er?" Ning Chenghao sauntered out from the inner room, rubbing his eyes and slipping on his shoes.

"My little darling, your grandfather and father are coming back!"

"what?"

"What? Really?" Old Madam Ning was quite surprised and delighted to hear this. She had been missing them a lot these past few days. Although they had been exchanging letters, they hadn't come back for the New Year, and it had been almost a year since she had seen them.

"Mother, please be careful. This is absolutely true. At the banquet, the Emperor praised our Ning family for their military achievements. And since your birthday is approaching, he asked the old Duke to bring his son and children back so that we can have a reunion."

"This...this is truly an act of imperial grace!" The old lady burst into tears. "Tomorrow, Shulan, you must accompany me to the palace to express our gratitude."

"It's mother."

Gu Qingwan was also deeply moved when she saw this. This mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had been staying in the capital to protect their husbands' home, worrying day and night, hoping for news of their safety. They couldn't eat if the news was delayed even by a day. They said they weren't worried, but they knew best in their hearts when they were sleepless at night.

"Alright, alright, this is good news, let's not cry anymore." The old lady wiped away her tears and said, "I just heard you say that the Third Prince and Miss Gu were betrothed tonight?"

"Yes, Mother. His Majesty's word is law; he will probably issue the decree tomorrow."

After thinking for a moment, the old lady said to Gu Qingwan, "Qingwan, no matter how much you don't want to go back to the Gu family, you have to go back this time."

Gu Qingwan nodded; she did indeed need to go back: "Grandmother, there's no rush."

"How can I not be worried about you, child? Don't you understand what your maternal grandmother means?" Madam Ning knew her mother's plan and was worried for her.

"Qingwan knows, but if we go back now, they'll definitely try to fob us off. Wouldn't it be more convenient if we wait a few more days until they've prepared all the dowry items, then go back and retrieve my mother's dowry list one by one?" Gu Qingwan smiled slyly.

"This...this is a good idea. Everything will be out in the open, so we won't have to worry about the Gu family acting like scoundrels."

"I'll have to trouble my aunt to make a trip then."

"Even if you don't call me, I'll still go. Your brothers will be back then, so we can go together and prevent them from bullying you!"

"My aunt still cares about me the most."

"Haha, you clever little devil." Old Madam Ning embraced Gu Qingwan in her arms. "You've always been a worry-free child, and you've become even more so as you've grown up. Now that your younger sister is engaged, you should hurry up and find someone to marry."

“Grandmother, Qingwan, there’s no rush. Your brothers haven’t settled down yet. I think it would be better for you and your aunt to take this opportunity to help your brothers get married.”

“Qingwan is right, but…” Madam Ning looked at Qingwan, hesitant to speak. She hadn’t discussed this matter with her mother-in-law yet, so it wasn’t appropriate to tell the child directly. She would have to find some time to ask her.

Madam Ning raised Gu Qingwan as her own daughter, and she wouldn't feel at ease no matter who she married. But if she could marry into her family, she would be relieved. Nothing would have changed, and she could still be by Gu Qingwan's side at all times. How wonderful that would be!

"Qingwan is right. Shulan, you should spend some time these days looking for someone suitable to tell me. But our little Qingwan can't escape either, so let's wait a little longer."

The old lady lovingly stroked Gu Qingwan's hair. Ning Chenghao, the little guy, was still immersed in the joy of his father and brother's return. He kept rolling around on the couch behind the old lady, which frightened the maids. They were afraid that the little darling would fall.

"You little rascal, get down here right now!" Madam Ning quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"Mother, Hao'er is happy! I won't fall."

"Who's worried about you? I'm afraid you'll hit your grandmother, what should I do then?"

"It's alright, it's alright. Grandmother is even happier that Hao'er is happy."

"Hao'er, you seem so happy. Why don't we go into the courtyard and I'll practice a few moves with you?" Gu Qingwan suggested.

"Great, great, sister! Master said my kung fu has improved a lot lately. Look how amazing I am!" With that, she put on her shoes, grabbed Gu Qingwan's hand, and ran outside.

"This child..."

"It's alright, let them go. If they don't expend some energy, Hao'er might tear the roof off tonight."

“Mother…” Madam Ning knelt before Old Madam Ning’s knees with tears in her eyes, gently resting her head on Old Madam Ning’s knees: “You’ve worked so hard, but thankfully we’ve finally made it through.”

"Yes, your father wrote to me a few days ago to tell me that he plans to let your husband inherit the title."

"what?"

"You don't need to be alarmed." The old lady patted her hand and said, "We'll only know the specifics when your father comes back. He's getting old and his health is declining day by day. In the future, the burden of the family will fall on the shoulders of the two of you."

"Mother..." Madam Ning felt incredibly warm inside. She was probably three times lucky to have married into such a kind family. Her parents-in-law treated her like their own daughter, her husband was very considerate, and her sons were all successful and didn't cause her any worry. If there was any regret, it was that she didn't have a daughter. Qingwan was a very thoughtful child who made up for her regret. She had been cared for for so many years, and it was time for her to stand up and protect this family from the wind and rain!