The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat-Chapter 112: I’ll Never Dare Again

Hua Manman knew Prince Zhao was often ruthless, but she never expected him to be so shameless.

To avoid developing a receding hairline at such a young age, Hua Manman ultimately chose to compromise.

She obediently confessed, "That thing is called a Truth Elixir. Anyone who takes it will be forced to speak their truest thoughts for a short time."

Li Ji looked her in the eye and asked, "Did you give Li Zhaoyuan a Truth Elixir?"

Hua Manman nodded. "Mhm."

Li Ji had never seen such a miraculous elixir.

In the past, he certainly wouldn’t have believed it.

But now that he possessed the Mind Reading Technique, he knew Hua Manman wasn’t lying.

Besides, in a way, the Truth Elixir and his Mind Reading Technique achieved the same effect through different means.

Since he could acquire the Mind Reading Technique, what was so strange about someone else getting a Truth Elixir?

Li Ji asked again, "Where did you get the Truth Elixir?"

Hua Manman hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I got it from a reclusive master. As for who, specifically, I cannot say."

’She wasn’t really lying. To her, the system was practically a reclusive master.’

Li Ji heard her thoughts and assumed the reclusive master’s name was "System."

’Although the name sounded a bit strange.’

’But in a world as vast as this, anything was possible.’

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Li Ji finally stopped pressing her and moved on to another matter.

"Before I went out today, I told you to do your homework. Where is it? Bring it out for me to check."

Hua Manman: "..." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

’W-Well, that came out of nowhere.’

Li Ji watched her quietly.

Seeing her ashamed and awkward expression, as if she wanted to disappear on the spot, he said knowingly.

"You didn’t do it?"

Hua Manman scrambled to defend herself. "I was in the middle of my homework.

But then Li Zhaoyuan suddenly burst in with a huge group of people and startled me.

Then the whole incident with the Fake Jade Seal happened.

I was completely consumed with worry for you, Your Highness, terrified that something might happen to you. How could I possibly have been in the mood to do homework?"

Li Ji drawled, "So, it’s all Li Zhaoyuan’s fault, then?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hua Manman eagerly passed the buck.

"Yes! It’s all her fault!"

Li Ji asked, half-joking, "Should I have my men give her another beating for you to blow off some steam?"

’Hua Manman really did want to give Li Zhaoyuan a beating. After all, one of the people Li Zhaoyuan brought had pushed her today, making her fall in front of everyone. She wasn’t really hurt, but it was terribly humiliating.’

’But Li Zhaoyuan was the Emperor’s concubine, after all. They had to show the Emperor some deference. Beating her once was enough. Doing it again would be going overboard.’

So Hua Manman could only mumble under her breath.

"There’s no need for another beating. Just... don’t blame me for not doing my homework. That’s all I ask."

It was only from hearing her inner thoughts that Li Ji learned she had been pushed over today.

He frowned, displeased. "Haven’t I been teaching you swordplay? Why didn’t you know how to fight back when it mattered?"

Hua Manman froze.

’Weren’t we talking about homework? How did we suddenly jump to sword practice?’

’That’s a massive leap in topic!’

Li Ji ignored her confusion and continued, "It seems I’ll have to find you a sparring partner."

Hua Manman thought a sparring partner was simply someone to practice the sword alongside her.

She blushed and said flirtatiously.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness, but I don’t want a sparring partner. I just want to be with you."

Li Ji knew she had misunderstood. He gave a slight smile. "As you wish."

And just like that, the matter of checking her homework was forgotten.

’Hua Manman was secretly overjoyed. No catching up on homework tonight; she could finally get a good night’s sleep.’

However, many people were destined to have a sleepless night.

Li Zhaoyuan, for instance.

She had originally just wanted to find evidence of Lady Hua using curses to harm people, but she never expected to unearth a Fake Jade Seal.

This was both a shock and a delight to her.

If she could just use this opportunity to pin the crime on Prince Zhao, he would surely die without a grave to his name!

But who would have thought Jin Zhi would appear out of nowhere?

Jin Zhi confessed to her crimes without reservation, and Prince Zhao was instantly transformed from a suspect into a victim.

At that moment, panic seized Li Zhaoyuan.

Knowing Prince Zhao’s vengeful nature—seeking retribution for the smallest slight—she knew he would never let her go.

The moment she returned to her residence, she ordered the doors and windows to be tightly shut, holing up in her bedroom, too scared to go out.

And just as she expected.

Soon enough, Chen Wangbei arrived, leading a group of trusted aides to storm her doors.

They stormed into the room, smashing everything inside to smithereens.

The palace maids and eunuchs who served Li Zhaoyuan were all dragged out by the trusted aides, tied to trees, and brutally whipped.

The courtyard echoed with incessant, blood-curdling screams.

Li Zhaoyuan hid in a corner of the room, trembling uncontrollably.

Chen Wangbei drew his sword, his aura overwhelming. "Li Zhaoyuan, when you led your people to storm the Prince’s residence, did you ever imagine this would be the outcome?"

The sight of the sharp, gleaming blade scared Li Zhaoyuan out of her wits, and tears began to stream down her face.

She begged through her tears.

"Don’t kill me! I was wrong! I’ll never do it again!"

The commotion they were making was not small; everyone nearby must have heard it.

Yet, even after so much time had passed, still no one came to help her, which made their stance perfectly clear.

No one was willing to offend Prince Zhao for her sake.

And as for the Emperor, he was feeling distressed over Prince Zhao being framed and would be even less inclined to protect her.

Li Zhaoyuan had accepted the reality of her situation; no one was coming to save her.

She truly regretted it now.

Had she known things would escalate to this point, she would never have gone to Prince Zhao’s residence to rummage through his belongings today.

Chen Wangbei said coldly, "If you want to live, answer me honestly. Why did you suddenly go to the Prince’s residence today and start rummaging through everything?"

Li Zhaoyuan frantically recounted the entire course of events from beginning to end.

After she finished, Chen Wangbei ordered his men to bring Zilan over.

At this point, Zilan had been whipped until her skin was split and her flesh was exposed. Her face was ashen, and her body trembled ceaselessly from the excruciating pain.

The moment Li Zhaoyuan saw her condition, she grew even more terrified.

Chen Wangbei had Zilan repeat the conversation she had overheard that day.

Desperate to save herself, Zilan naturally held nothing back, recounting everything without omitting a single word.

Having obtained the information he wanted, Chen Wangbei wasted no more time.

With one swift movement, his sword fell and severed Li Zhaoyuan’s long hair.

Strands of long black hair fluttered to the ground.

Li Zhaoyuan froze in place, her face ashen.

Chen Wangbei sheathed his sword. "Though you weren’t the mastermind behind framing the Prince, you were still an accomplice.

You should have atoned for your crime with your life, but out of respect for the Saint, I will not kill you.

As the saying goes, one’s body, down to the last hair and bit of skin, is a gift from one’s parents. You will therefore atone with your hair in place of your head."

With that, he turned and strode away.

He left Li Zhaoyuan sitting dazedly on the floor.

She stared at the black locks scattered across the floor, then reached up to touch her own now ear-length hair.

Her numb mind finally began to slowly process what had happened.

She clutched her head and let out a scream of utter, soul-crushing despair.