Chu Qianli subconsciously took half a step back and shook her head, "Never thought of it."
"The first time you saw me, you faked a faint, and then, using your poor health, you stayed in the Empress Dowager's palace."
Chu Jiangnan smiled faintly, but the smile was filled with disdain.
"I've seen countless tricks from young ladies, but this is the first time I've encountered someone so shamelessly persistent."
"Does Your Majesty overestimate his own charm?" Chu Qianli's eyes also deepened.
Although she didn't dislike the Emperor of Nanming at all, his gaze and the disdain in his eyes inexplicably hurt her.
She didn't know why she cared.
Chu Jiangnan returned to his desk and sat down, his gaze falling on Chu Qianli again.
But this time, there was no more sarcasm in his eyes; he simply watched her quietly.
He even narrowed his eyes slightly.
He looked so focused, so attentive, so absorbed, that anyone who didn't know better would think he was truly captivated by Chu Qianli's beauty.
But Chu Qianli clearly felt that his gaze was too distant, so far away that it was impossible to touch.
Who was he looking at?
Because he wasn't looking at her at all!
"Do I resemble the person Your Majesty has in mind?" This was the only possibility.
Chu Jiangnan closed his eyes, as if to hide some emotion.
When he opened them again, his eyes had returned to their usual coldness.
"Who sent you to bewitch me?" he asked indifferently, without any hint of displeasure in his tone.
Chu Qianli said coldly, "I have no intention of bewitching Your Majesty. However, if Your Majesty falls for a honey trap so easily, then it can only be blamed on your lack of self-control, and it has nothing to do with me."
Chu Jiangnan remained silent, still watching her.
"Your Majesty, if you are willing to investigate, you will know that I am merely a so-called prince with no real power. In fact, as long as the Empress of Longteng dislikes me one day, she can kill me at any time..."
"So, you plan to come to my Nanming to find a backer?"
Chu Qianli blinked her eyes. So, her words could be understood in that way.
Thinking about it again, it seemed that people could indeed think that way, after all, she herself had said that she could be killed at any time.
Unsure how to explain, after a long silence, she finally said softly, "I've heard that Your Majesty is already thirty-six. I'm not interested in men of your age, who are practically uncles."
Uncles?
This address was quite novel.
"Is this also a tactic they taught you to bewitch me?" Chu Jiangnan was surprisingly not angry.
He picked up his brush and continued to review the memorials.
Chu Qianli found herself feeling very helpless. Whatever she said, he could misunderstand it as something else.
She muttered, unable to resist complaining, "Doesn't Your Majesty think that at your age, you could be my father?"
"Do you want to be a princess?"
Chu Jiangnan actually considered it before saying, "They won't acknowledge your status if you are not my biological daughter."
"..." Chu Qianli almost rolled her eyes at him.
How could this person be so unreasonable!
It was a shame that he had such a devastatingly handsome face, looking at most like a twenty-something beauty.
However, speaking of which, she was also very curious, "Your Majesty, do you think I resemble someone you know? A very important young lady?"
The way he looked at her was not simple; it was clearly as if he were looking at someone else through her.
Do I really resemble her that much?
"No."
Chu Jiangnan didn't even lift his eyelids, "Not at all. You're just good-looking, but in my eyes, it's all superficial. You're still too young to try a honey trap on me!"