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

Chapter 240 The Third Prince Visits Prime Minister Gu

Princess Huiyang was unusually happy today, and even her husband, who was standing to the side, couldn't stop smiling when he saw his beloved wife like this.

"Really? Come, come, Grand Princess, let's go take a look."

Madam Ning was very accommodating; whenever the Grand Princess mentioned it, she would immediately chime in, and even Madam Ning herself joined in.

It's not that I'm trying to please the Grand Princess; it's just that the atmosphere today makes me want to discuss and explore things together.

The common people outside were also attracted by the loud calls of the wild geese inside, and they all started discussing it. Some mischievous ones even climbed up the trees or the walls of the Ningguo Duke's mansion to watch the excitement.

Today is an auspicious day for the Ningguo Duke's mansion, so the Ningguo Duke specifically instructed that the common people on the wall should not be driven away.

"Why prepare so much stuff? Did you empty your entire palace?" Gu Qingwan asked in a low voice.

Xiao Jingchen raised an eyebrow. Did his little princess have some misunderstanding about him? Was this much? If he hadn't thought that such a large gathering would cause her controversy, he would have definitely added several more percent.

"How much? It's alright."

Gu Qingwan was speechless. Look at him, he's a prince with immense wealth. Just from the brothel, you can tell how much wealth a prince has.

"I was narrow-minded, please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Yeah, no problem."

The little interaction between the two didn't attract much attention, because everyone's focus was on the betrothal gifts. These were things that ordinary people would never see even if they lived several lifetimes.

The entrance to the Duke of Ningguo's mansion was bustling with activity, attracting many onlookers. Among them, a carriage was parked not far away.

Sitting in the carriage, Xiao Yuheng's sinister and jealous eyes made him look repulsive. His attendants, seeing him like this, naturally dared not approach him, not even daring to breathe loudly.

When Xiao Yuheng saw Gu Qingwan and Xiao Jingchen standing together from afar, looking like a perfect couple, he couldn't help but clench his fists.

He should have been the one standing next to Gu Qingwan. If it weren't for Gu Hanjiao, then he would have married Gu Qingwan after listening to Consort Yu's advice.

Gu Hanjiao also came along. Gu Hanjiao was naturally impressed by the betrothal gifts. She felt more jealous than envious, as the gifts were even more impressive than when the Third Prince presented his betrothal gifts.

Gu Qingwan is now quite fortunate, but what about her? She has become the laughing stock of the entire capital. Despite having already exchanged betrothal gifts, the bride changed before the wedding, the betrothal gifts were taken back, and she, a prince's consort, was reduced to a concubine.

"Three princes..."

Xiao Yuheng shot a glare at Gu Hanjiao, startling her.

Seeing his own unsightly reflection in Gu Hanjiao's eyes, Xiao Yuheng snapped out of his daze, put on a gentle expression, and pulled Gu Hanjiao into his arms.

Gu Hanjiao is a person with extremely good fortune, and she is his chosen one. In addition, there is a prophecy that Gu Hanjiao has the destiny of a phoenix, so if he wants to succeed, he must marry Gu Hanjiao.

"I'm sorry, Jiao'er. I was just reminded of the scene when I went to your house to propose marriage. Now I feel so sorry for you because of my incompetence."

"Brother Heng, don't say that. As long as I can be with you, I'll do anything. Besides, Brother Heng, don't be discouraged. There are still plenty of opportunities."

"How so?" Xiao Yuheng's eyes lit up, feeling that the woman in his arms might really bring him good luck.

"Now that Brother Heng can enter and leave the court again, it means that the Emperor has not given up on you. Since ancient times, emperors have been suspicious. Even if someone is willing to succeed you, they cannot easily relinquish power. Therefore, the art of emperorship is all about balance."

"Makes sense."

"Since His Majesty does not want the Crown Prince to become too powerful, he must support someone else. At present, the only one who is most capable of challenging the Crown Prince is you, so His Majesty will definitely give you a chance."

“Give me a chance? If I had really given you a chance, your father wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Gu Hanjiao shook her head and held Xiao Yuheng's hand to comfort him, "I asked my father before, and he told me to be calm. I guess my father still has a backup plan. After all, the emperor only said that he would temporarily dismiss my father from his post. Since it is only temporary, it is possible that he will be reinstated."

"You mean your father, Lord Gu, might come back?"

“Brother Heng, even my father hasn’t given up. You should have faith in him. The saying goes, ‘When you’re put in a desperate situation, you might survive.’ Perhaps this isn’t such a bad thing.”

"What good plan does your father have?" Xiao Yuheng's eyes suddenly lit up with hope. Yes, Gu Ziming was an old fox. Even if the emperor wanted to take back the power, whether Gu Ziming was willing to do so was another matter.

Gu Hanjiao shook her head and said, "I don't know Father's specific plans. Perhaps Brother Heng will have to ask him himself to find out. After all, I am a woman, and there are some things Father won't tell me directly."

"It's been a long time since I've visited Lord Gu. As his prospective son-in-law, I really shouldn't have done that. Come on, Jiao'er, I'll take you home."

Xiao Yuheng couldn't care less about staring at Gu Qingwan and having wild thoughts at this moment, because in his mind, as long as he had power in his hands, Gu Qingwan would be his for the taking, it was just a matter of time.

However, after Xiao Yuheng's carriage left, Xiao Jingchen's gaze shot over like an arrow.

As someone who lives on the edge of a knife, it's impossible to ignore that blatant gaze from just now.

According to custom, after the betrothal, the bride's family can go to the bride's house to display the dowry. However, because there were so many betrothal items this time, and there were also rewards from the emperor, empress, and empress dowager, it took a long time.

The morning passed just like that. After the master of ceremonies finished singing, all the formalities were completed, and the wedding date was set, the timing for the bride's family to display her dowry became a little awkward.

To put it bluntly, there's no time. No matter how big the celebration, no one would rush to do it at noon.

However, there are also customs. If the bride's side is delayed and there is no time to display her dowry, then this part will be moved to the wedding day.

Therefore, many brides choose to have their dowry made on the wedding day so that it will be more attractive and substantial, giving them more time to prepare.

Gu Qingwan maintained a dignified demeanor on the surface, but the complicated procedures still made her feel a little dizzy. It seemed that there were more rules and etiquette for a princess than for a prince's consort.

She obediently followed the Ning family members to receive the imperial edict and then followed her elders to the ancestral hall to enshrine it. The late emperor's last edict was especially enshrined in a higher position.

Looking at the memorial tablets enshrined in the ancestral hall, including one for her mother, Gu Qingwan was filled with mixed emotions and silently said to her mother, "Mother, Xiao Jingchen is a very good person, and you will definitely like him. Your daughter will definitely be happy."

After leaving the ancestral hall, guests came one after another to offer their congratulations, but Gu Qingwan did not need to receive them anymore. Madam Ning sent someone to tell her to go back to her courtyard and rest well, and to leave the matters in front of her to them.

On her way back, Gu Qingwan unsurprisingly encountered someone: her older cousin, Ning Chenglin.

Gu Qingwan was not an ignorant girl. She knew her older cousin's feelings for her, and she also understood her maternal grandmother and grandfather's plans.

If it weren't for Xiao Jingchen, it would have been good to fulfill her maternal grandmother's wishes. However, she had always treated her cousin as an older brother. She came with a heart full of hatred and did not want to drag the young man in front of her into that dark and treacherous vortex.

"What are you doing here, cousin? Is Uncle done with his work?"

Ning Chenglin didn't speak, but stared at Gu Qingwan for a long time, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Seeing that the young master and his mistress had something to say to each other, the people around them wisely took a few steps back, maintaining a very appropriate distance. This ensured that it wouldn't seem like a lone man and woman were alone together, while also preventing them from hearing the conversation between the masters.

Ning Chenglin had always loved his aunt since he was little, finding her gentle and beautiful. After his aunt got married, she rarely came back, but she had a very cute daughter. Whenever his aunt brought the little girl back, his grandmother would hold her in her arms with adoration. At that time, he was just a little kid himself, only thinking that his little sister was too small. Later, he went to live with his grandfather and father at the border.

It wasn't until his grandfather led a beautifully sculpted little girl to stand before him that he realized this girl was his little sister from years ago, the one who always loved to laugh. But why did her eyes hold sadness and unreadable emotions, a mixture of anger and resentment?

They grew up together on the frontier. Qingwan was more hardworking than any of them, but her health wasn't very good, and she had to leave every now and then to go see her master to recuperate.

My grandmother once tested whether she would be willing to marry my cousin.

He was naturally willing to take care of such a beautiful cousin for the rest of his life. From then on, he treated her as his future wife, silently protecting her and waiting for her to grow up.

In the Ning family, everyone tacitly agreed, even the mother and father were very supportive. Their Ning family was already of high status and power, and they didn't need to find a woman from a prominent family to be the matriarch. Someone like Qingwan could protect both the Ning family and herself, so she was the best choice.

They were childhood sweethearts, practicing martial arts and riding horses together. In Ning Chenglin's heart, Gu Qingwan should have feelings for him, until the appearance of Prince Chu, Xiao Jingchen, made him suddenly realize the truth.

"What's wrong, cousin?"

Gu Qingwan's voice pulled him back to reality, and Ning Chenglin paused for a moment.

"Are you... really going to marry the King of Chu? He is a member of the royal family. It may make your status seem lowly but also very high. However, you will have to bear great responsibilities. Also... the King of Chu will not only have you by his side."

"I believe in him."

"But……"

“Cousin should also trust Qingwan.” Gu Qingwan sighed.

"Qingwan knows that her cousin is worried about her little sister, but little sisters grow up one day. I know her cousin's feelings, so I cherish it all the more. But cousin, you know that marrying the Prince of Chu is the best choice for both the Ning family and me, isn't it?"

"You're doing this for the Ning family?" Ning Chenglin's eyes suddenly lit up with hope. "You don't need to. My Ning family doesn't need to sacrifice women to save ourselves. I'll go find my grandfather right now and ask him to cancel this marriage for you."

"No, cousin, I love Xiao Jingchen and want to grow old with him." Gu Qingwan knew that rather than letting him deceive himself, it was better for her to lay everything out in the open and avoid future troubles.

As expected, Ning Chenglin looked as if he had been struck by lightning; his face turned pale, and his lips trembled slightly.

"I understand."

After saying this, Ning Chenglin turned and left.

Looking at that figure, Gu Qingwan couldn't help but sigh.

"Miss..." Baoqin called out softly with some concern.

Gu Qingwan shook her head and instructed, "Baoqin, go to the front and help Shishu. Shishu is probably too busy with so many things. In a little while, let Siqi come back with me. When you two are done, give the things to your aunt. If there are no other instructions, come back."

"It's Miss."

The business outside has been arranged almost completely. All the shops that Wang Ruyan embezzled have been recovered, and all the staff have been recruited. Shishu has returned to Gu Qingwan's side. In addition, since Gu Qingwan is getting married, none of the four maids can be missing as part of her dowry. So the four maids have all gathered together.

Although Shishu no longer goes out, she still has to manage Gu Qingwan's businesses.

The palace had already sent someone to give instructions regarding the betrothal gifts. Madam Ning had also discussed it privately with Gu Qingwan, suggesting that she find a trustworthy person to handle the betrothal gifts, and that she could just follow along and offer guidance, since these things would be taken with her when she got married.

Yes, they'll be following me sooner or later. It's better to figure things out from the start than to hand them over later. She knew her aunt's intentions, so she didn't refuse and just sent Shishu. When Madam Ning saw that Shishu had returned, she felt relieved and let her take care of things.

Gu Qingwan brought Siqi back to her courtyard, only to find an unexpected person waiting for her.

"Didn't you leave? Why are you back?"

The person who arrived was none other than Prince Xiao Jingchen of Chu, who had been sent away by the old Duke and his wife.

At this moment, he was standing under an osmanthus tree in Gu Qingwan's courtyard, lost in thought.

When Siqi saw that it was the King of Chu who came to see the young lady alone, she knew that there must be something important, so she tactfully walked away to a short distance away to wait for instructions.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?" Gu Qingwan asked, walking up to Xiao Jingchen with a puzzled look.

"You two have a good relationship?"

As soon as he said this, Xiao Jingchen regretted it. Why did he sound like a complaining woman? He unconsciously rubbed his fingers together.

Gu Qingwan laughed when she heard this, "Yes, that's my cousin. We grew up together, so naturally we have a good relationship."

Although he knew Wanwan was teasing him on purpose, Xiao Jingchen was still very unhappy.

My cousin, who I grew up with since childhood.