"The Sima Clan dotes on her son, Xiao Jinghong the most. Strike at the snake's vital point."
Yi Qing was scheming. Since Xiao Jinghong was about the same age as Xiao Jinghan, he should be married with children by now.
"No," Xiao Tian said. "He's good-for-nothing. He married two wives in Jinling, but they both died, and none of his concubines have given birth to any children."
Yi Qing clapped her hands and laughed heartily. "The Sima Clan has done so many evil deeds. So this is their retribution. It serves her right to have no descendants."
Hearing that Xiao Jinghong was a dissipated playboy who indulged in all kinds of vices, Yi Qing felt even more confident.
The next day, she went to the Deng Mansion as promised to visit the Elder Lady He.
The Elder Lady He was very delighted to see her. She greeted her to have some snacks and fruits and said, "Why didn't your husband come today?"
Yi Qing thought to herself that he must have been stopped outside the second gate and couldn't get in. However, she said, "He went to the yamen today."
The Elder Lady He rambled on and on, expressing her admiration for Xiao Tian's good looks.
Yi Qing laughed and echoed a few words. She couldn't help feeling proud. Such a man who was popular among both the young and the old was now hers.
When she asked about the Elder Lady He's health, the Elder Lady He supported her head and said, "I don't know what's wrong. I've been feeling weak lately. Xiao Qing, do you think I should take more medicine?"
Yi Qing smiled and said, "Medicine is three parts poison. Only when you gradually get rid of taking medicine can your body truly get better."
The Elder Lady He was easy to persuade. After thinking for a while, she said, "You're right. I can't be a medicine jar forever."
Finally, this topic was over. Yi Qing silently heaved a sigh of relief.
She had to coax the Elder Lady He well so that she could ask Deng Xiao for help confidently. She still needed his help!
Unexpectedly, the Elder Lady He started to worry about Deng Xiao's marriage again, expressing her strong desire to have grandchildren.
Yi Qing silently wiped the sweat off her forehead. How about we still talk about your health problem?
Compared with making Deng Xiao have children, the Elder Lady He's condition didn't seem so difficult to deal with.
"I don't know what kind of girl he's looking for. He's so picky," the Elder Lady He said worriedly. "I met a girl when I went out these days. I think she's nice. Why don't you help me take a look?"
Yi Qing thought to herself that this poor girl! She was really afraid that Deng Xiao would act on impulse and forcefully take the girl to please his mother.
Afterwards, he might even fake a child. Deng Xiao was definitely capable of doing such things.
Yi Qing pretended to say, "Really? The girls you like must be excellent. But Lord Deng is so arrogant that he may not take a fancy to her."
Please don't take a fancy to this poor girl and ruin her.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" the Elder Lady He slapped her thigh and sighed. "I've shown him so many girls. Which one of them isn't top-notch? But he told me that he only took a fancy to you. It's a pity that you're already married."
Yi Qing: "..."
The Elder Lady He said, "That girl is really nice. She's good-looking, speaks softly, and takes good care of me. It would be great if she could accompany me."
Yi Qing swallowed a mouthful of saliva and asked, "Does that girl know your identity?"
Takes good care of her? Did she approach her on purpose?
Yi Qing now suspected that this girl was arranged by Deng Xiao.
"Of course she does!" the Elder Lady He said righteously. "I know you're worried that the girl is approaching me because I'm Gou'er's mother. I'm not that stupid. I can judge people."
Yi Qing: Hehe.
Then she heard the Elder Lady He say, "Moreover, that girl comes from a famous family. She's much better than our Gou'er, a country bumpkin. Although her family has fallen into decline now, the former family background can't be faked."
Yi Qing suddenly had a bad feeling and asked, "What famous family?"
"Let me think..." the Elder Lady He thought hard. "Oh, I remember. It's the Marquis Huai'en's Mansion!"
Yi Qing almost dropped the teacup in her hand.
Yi Weiwei?
Has she now fallen to the point of trying to rely on Deng Xiao to turn things around?
Tsk tsk. It seems that she's really at the end of her rope and thinks she can never turn things around.
The problem is, Deng Xiao isn't a trash collector!
"Yi Weiwei won't do," Yi Qing said firmly.
"Ah? You know her!" The Elder Lady He showed a surprised look on her face. "She won't do? I think that girl is very nice."
Who do you think isn't nice? Yi Qing wanted to roll her eyes.
She simply told the Elder Lady He about the good deeds Yi Weiwei had done in the past, which made the Elder Lady He stunned.
"So, you'd better consider someone else," Yi Qing concluded.
The Elder Lady He murmured, "Why didn't I see it? She's so young, but how can her heart be so evil?"
As she was speaking, Deng Xiao came back.
He was wearing a flying fish robe and carrying a xiu chun dao today. His eyebrows were cold and his momentum was awe-inspiring.
This was the terrifying Imperial Guard Commander that people outside were afraid of. Yi Qing sighed in her heart.
But when he came in and saw the Elder Lady He and Yi Qing, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
"You're here?"
Yi Qing talked to him for a few words and then said, "I have something to ask you for help. Can I talk to you alone?"
Seeing this, the Elder Lady He said that she was tired and went into the room to rest.
"Go ahead," Deng Xiao said, tapping the xiu chun dao on the table with his finger. He lifted one leg and put it on the chair, leaned back comfortably on the chair, and put the other hand behind his head. He looked very relaxed and comfortable.
Yi Qing: "..." "I heard that you're going to marry Yi Weiwei?"
"Cough cough..." Deng Xiao almost choked on his own saliva. "Did my mother tell you?"
Yi Qing rolled her eyes and slapped the table. "What were you thinking! How could you let Yi Weiwei approach the Elder Lady? If she really takes a fancy to Yi Weiwei and insists on having her as her daughter-in-law, I'd like to see what you'll do?"
"What will I do?" Deng Xiao returned to his arrogant state. "You should ask Yi Weiwei this question. What do I have to be afraid of? Do you think she can still stir up any trouble under my nose?"
He was right.
"However," Deng Xiao squinted his eyes and looked at Yi Qing playfully. "Since you object, I won't consider her anymore."
Yi Qing: "..."
"Go ahead. What do you want me to do for you?" Deng Xiao's face seemed to say, Come and beg me. I can't wait.
"I want you to help me find a woman," Yi Qing said seriously. "She should be tough, come from a wealthy family, and know the rules. I need her to help me."
"You're really strange. Others look for servants with gentle personalities, but you specifically look for tough ones. Aren't you afraid that you can't control her?"
"Do you think I can't control people?" Yi Qing said.
"Is it because the people from the Yianbo Mansion are back in the capital?" Deng Xiao said knowingly.
Seeing Yi Qing nod, he said again, "Beg me! I'll help you. As long as you abandon that Xiao Tian and choose me, I can guarantee that you can do whatever you want. The people from the Yianbo Mansion won't even dare to breathe loudly in front of you."
Yi Qing: "Thank you, but I don't want to be a crab yet."