Meng Qingqian snorted coldly: "So what if the South Pearl is pretty? It's none of your business anyway."
He Yunxiao laughed and said, "That's hard to say. Marrying the Princess will depend on real ability."
Meng Qingqian knew that the young man in front of her who called himself "Xiao Yun" was He Yunxiao himself. So she deliberately said to "Xiao Yun": "I heard that the South Pearl has already been betrothed to someone else by the Empress Dowager, so you can give up on that idea."
Hearing Li Qingmeng's words, He Yunxiao became somewhat suspicious. The matter of Nan Zhu promising him was only mentioned by the Empress Dowager yesterday, and it was just a verbal statement; there wasn't even an imperial decree. Who was this Li Qingmeng, and how did she become so well-informed?
She was from the Li family in Jiangnan. Could she not be an ordinary member of the clan, but rather Li Jin's sister? Or perhaps another relative? In any case, she was a close confidante of the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess?
In this way, He Yunxiao suddenly understood.
No wonder this girl's opinion of me dropped when I spoke ill of Meng Qingqian earlier. Turns out she's Meng Qingqian's lackey.
Oh no, will she go and complain to Meng Qingqian?
Oh no, I used the name "Xiao Yun" to say bad things about her!
Once this woman complains, Meng Qingqian will have a very bad impression of "Xiao Yun". When Nan Zhu's wife says she wants to marry Xiao Yun, Meng Qingqian will definitely stop her.
Meng Qingqian isn't Nan Zhu's wife. With her power, if she investigates Xiao Yun's identity, she'll definitely find her way back to me. With my trickery like this, wouldn't the identity of "He Yunxiao" also be out of Nan Zhu's reach?
He Yunxiao realized that the situation was not good, so he quickly began to try to please Li Qingmeng.
He looked around to make sure no one was around.
He took a couple of steps and moved closer to Li Qingmeng.
At this moment, Meng Qingqian, who was disguised as a man and identified by the system as "Li Qingmeng", was very vigilant.
Seeing He Yunxiao approach her, she subconsciously took a step back and said, "What are you doing?"
He Yunxiao quickly said, "Don't be afraid, young lady. I'm not Xiao Yun. I'm actually He Yunxiao."
Meng Qingqian asked in surprise, "You know I'm a woman?"
He Yunxiao, needing her help, quickly smiled obsequiously and said, "Miss, you are naturally beautiful. No ordinary man has such exquisite features. Of course you are a woman."
Li Qingmeng's favorability rating has increased from 20 to 25.
Complimenting someone's looks is a foolproof trick that works on any woman.
Seeing He Yunxiao's demeanor, Meng Qingqian finally regained her princess-like composure and said, "Young Master He, what are you trying to do by using the alias 'Xiao Yun'? And why are you trying to curry favor with me like this?"
He Yunxiao did not rush to answer, but instead smiled and said, "Miss, your surname is Li, and you are so beautiful, smart and capable. You must be a confidante of Princess Xiaoyue."
Meng Qingqian, however, began to look at He Yunxiao with new respect.
He actually managed to deduce that "Li Qingmeng" was my confidante just because "Li Qingmeng" was surnamed Li.
It seems that He Yunxiao is much stronger than Li Jin.
The drool-soaked handkerchief was still in He Yunxiao's arms. Meng Qingqian would rather die than admit that she was Princess Xiaoyue. The choking, the drooling, the calling her "Father Emperor"... after all that, if she were to admit that it was her, she'd rather just die.
Just then, He Yunxiao, through his own imagination, deduced a plausible identity for her, so she simply granted He Yunxiao's wish and became "Meng Qingqian's confidante".
Meng Qingqian said, "You guessed right. Princess Xiaoyue is my cousin."
He Yunxiao was overjoyed. He said, "I have a favor to ask of you, young lady!"
Meng Qingqian had never seen He Yunxiao act so obsequiously before, and she immediately became very interested, saying, "Tell me about it."
"Please don't tell her about my discussion of Princess Xiaoyue."
Why?
He Yunxiao gritted his teeth and said, "Please agree to my request first, young lady."
Meng Qingqian grew to like this feeling of impersonating "Li Qingmeng" more and more.
When she was "Meng Qingqian," everyone—from high-ranking officials to guards, and even her own mother—spoke with utmost caution. She herself had to carefully analyze how much of what those powerful ministers said was true and how much was false.
But now, as "Li Qingmeng," she has none of those concerns. Even He Yunxiao can speak to her as an equal. She can say whatever she wants. There's no need to fathom people's intentions, no need to worry about the truth or falsehood.
With a smile, Meng Qingqian agreed to He Yunxiao's request.
"Alright, I won't tell Princess Xiaoyue."
He Yunxiao felt relieved and said, "Actually, I really want to marry Nanzhu, but I'm afraid that if I say 'Xiaoyue is not as good as Nanzhu,' it will fall into Xiaoyue's ears, and she will do something bad to try to stop Nanzhu and me."
Meng Qingqian said, "How could my cousin be so bored? Just because of one comment you made, she forced the cancellation of a marriage?"
He Yunxiao didn't know how to explain the complicated relationship between him and "Xiao Yun" to her. He simply said, "Nan Zhu always listens to her sister Xiao Yue. If Xiao Yue doesn't have a good impression of me, then it will be difficult for me to marry Nan Zhu."
Meng Qingqian blinked. She had thought He Yunxiao was a womanizer, but now, listening to his words, he seemed to be deeply in love with Nanzhu and determined to marry her.
"Do you really want to marry Nanzhu?"
He Yunxiao was unusually determined.
"That's natural."
Meng Qingqian said, "What if my cousin really does something bad and then forbids it?"
He Yunxiao said firmly, "Then I will marry her too."
Meng Qingqian continued, "What if you can't marry him?"
She had expected He Yunxiao to say things like "waiting patiently," "staying together forever," and "wanting no one but her." But to her utter surprise, He Yunxiao didn't play those games at all.
He Yunxiao said, "Of course I can marry her. At worst, I'll just go to the palace and snatch her out."
Meng Qingqian thought He Yunxiao was very naive.
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