What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You - Chapter 46

After He Yunxiao had said “I want to marry the Princess”, the real owner, the Princess Meng Qingqian, was always in thought.

As she bit into the piece of candied fruit, the sweet juice filled her mouth and her thoughts were opened a little.

Jian Ling stood watching in silence. In this world, she was the only one who had ever seen the Eldest Princess become gluttonous. It also seemed that only at this time did this powerful Eldest Princess look like a young girl of eighteen or nineteen.

At this moment, Meng Qingqian’s mind was racing as she pondered something that everyone thought was impossible.

What would happen if I married He Yunxiao?

Of the six ministries of the court, three would go to me and three to Han. Half of the six temples, including Dali and Honglu, would be mine.

I could call on most of the civil officials in the Qi court, but almost none of the military officials would be available. Within Yinjing, I can still call upon the generals of the Li and Yang clans in Jiangnan and Hexi, but outside Yinjing, there is no general available.

In three years’ time, when His Majesty is fourteen, it will be time to hand over power to His Majesty, as the late emperor said. If I hand over power, how sure am I that I can do so? If I were to seize the power of the Han family for His Majesty, how secure would I be?

Most of the military generals are in the hands of the Han family, so if he rises up to rebel, what should I do?

The Meng family may seem to be on top of the world, but in fact, our fate is not our own.

If I say yes to the He family’s marriage proposal today, will I be able to win the support of He family? If he is willing to support the Meng family, then we will have no worries. If he does not, then all will be lost.

Suppose He family is willing to support me, but if I marry He Yunxiao, I will be a member of the He family and cannot touch the Dragon Seal. Can my mother hold the city for three years until His Majesty 14 regains power?

This all seems unresolved until the word “Nanzhu” rings out from inside the front hall.

If Nanzhu is willing to marry He Yunxiao for her, then there is a chance to win Wu Qingxiu over while she stabilizes Meng’s situation.

As long as He Yuanhao supports the Meng clan, there will be no danger of mutiny when power is returned to His Majesty in three years.

Meng Qingqian stood up clearly and said to Jian Ling, “Go to Linxuan Palace.”

……

The Linxuan Palace was a distant palace within the imperial palace, which was extremely different from the palace where the Empress Dowager lived, not only remote but also cold. Even the vegetation and grass around the palace lacked maintenance and looked disorganized.

The palace is not small, but not many people live in it.

There were only five people in total, including Meng Qingrou, the Princess of Nanzhu. Three palace maids and a eunuch.

The time came at the end of Shen Shi, a little after four o’clock in the afternoon.

The sun is not bright at this time, and the slanting sunlight casts long shadows, making the whole afternoon picture even warmer and softer.

Meng Qingrou stood at the entrance to Linxuan Palace, her eyes closed, enjoying the rare time of the day when she could come out. She is worthy of being the daughter of the “most beautiful woman in the world”, and even in the simple clothes of a palace maid, it is hard to hide her natural beauty.

A pretty goose egg-shaped face, from her eyebrows to the bridge of her nose, to her mouth, and finally to her chin. Every part of it is perfectly formed, flawless, with perfect curves.

Even the most subtle designers could not have designed such a face. This woman seemed to be the only remaining genie among humans.

When Meng Qingrou had had enough of the sun, she softly called out, “Xing’er. Is it okay if I want to go and water?”

Although she was speaking with great force, her voice was still soft and gentle, and she sounded very comfortable.

“Xing’er?”

No one responded.

It was normal for no one to respond; three palace maids were not enough manpower to clean up a palace, and for the most part, they were very busy.

Meng Qingrou knew this, so after she called out twice, she blinked her big pretty eyes, then found the wooden bucket and ladle for watering, carried them quietly, and went to the water tank outside the palace courtyard wall.

In the palace, a large water tank was placed at regular intervals to prevent water from going away.

Medicinal herbs are not beings and do not need to use clean well water; it is the same to use the rainwater renewed in this tank.

Carrying the bucket, Meng Qingrou stepped onto the small steps made from a few stones beside the tank and walked up to reach the water in the tank.

With the bucket in one hand and the ladle in the other, she placed her slender waist against the rim of the tank and bent downwards, pressing the ladle under the surface of the water and scooping up a ladle full of water.

The clear surface of the water reflects her clean, beautiful face, and every now and then a few beads of sweat slip down her cheeks and drip into the water, sending ripples in circles.

Along with this, it made the beautiful face in the water look lovely.

Meng Qingrou fetched the water, and went to water, her herb garden.

It was originally a decorative meadow, but now this fairy has reclaimed it to grow medicine.

There were common plants such as peony, anise, and ginseng, but there were also some strange plants, which were Meng Qingrou’s treasures.

“My Miss Meng! Dear Princess Nanzhu!”

The palace maid, Xing’er, came rushing over, grabbed the ladle from Meng Qingrouu’s hand, and said viciously, “Your Highness! Look at this branch and this stone! If you get hurt again, you won’t be able to heal for a long time. That’s what happened last time, don’t you remember? Don’t work yourself anymore, stand over there.”

Meng Qingrou bowed her head and was silently admonished, her small hands hooked together.

She listened to Xing’er’s words and stepped aside, saying curtly, “Xing’er, I was wrong.”

Xing ‘er poured water over her and stood up straight, saying, “It’s good that you know you’re wrong. You must take good care of your body and never do that again.”

“How dare you!”

Meng Qingqian, dressed in a long skirt, walked quickly, not caring that the hem of her skirt trailing on the ground was soiled by the mud of the herb garden.

This most powerful woman in the Qi Kingdom had come to this cold palace-like place at some point.

She walked straight over and barked at the palace maid Xing’er, “How dare a subordinate lecture your master!”

When Xing’er saw the Eldest Princess Meng Qingqian, she was so frightened that she fell to her knees and bowed to the ground.

“Your Highness spare my life!”

Meng Qingqian showed no mercy, “Drag her off and send her to the Prison.”

Jian Ling at the side did not move. It was not her turn to take action on such a trivial matter.

It was Meng Qingqian’s personal guards who acted. Usually, they followed the Princess when she went out, and came to her as soon as they were called upon.

The two female attendants grabbed Xing’er’s arms and tried to drag her away.

Meng Qingrou hastily pulled Meng Qingqian’s hand and said, “Sister! Xing’er is doing me a favour, she didn’t mean it.”

Meng Qingqian’s face was expressionless, “Nanzhu, this person has violated the etiquette and law in such a way, if you don’t punish her, how can you establish your authority? Take her away.”

“Sister!”

Meng Qingzhao considered Xing’er as her sister, and seeing her in distress, her heart was burning with anxiety. But she knew the character of her half-sister, Meng Qingqian, the Princess, who was so strong and domineering that it would be extremely difficult to get Meng Qingqian to withdraw her order.

Seeing that Xing’er was about to be taken away, Meng Qingrou simply reached out and drew the sword from the maid’s waist, and placed it across her neck with her hand.

In the deserted garden, the women’s figures were silent as stone pillars.

The breeze blew, and Meng Qingrou’s long hair and gauzy skirt were gently swayed.

At this moment, with the sword across her neck, she could be described as absolutely magnificent.

“Sister, Xing’er is mine, you are not allowed to move.”