The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat-Chapter 114: An Irreconcilable Feud for a Slain Kin

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: An Irreconcilable Feud for a Slain Kin

Even a slacker has to have some pride.

To avoid being looked down upon by that damn man, Hua Manman fought and failed, time and time again.

It wasn’t until the sun was about to set that Li Ji spoke.

"That’s all for today."

Only then could Hua Manman stop to catch her breath.

She collapsed onto the ground, panting from exhaustion. A fine layer of sweat beaded on her forehead, and her cheeks and the tip of her nose were flushed red.

Li Ji sat in his wheelchair, watching her at his leisure.

"I’ve been teaching you for so long. It can’t have been for nothing. Tell me, what do you think you’ve learned?"

Hua Manman wiped the sweat from her forehead and answered in all seriousness.

"After such long and diligent study, I have carefully compared my literature and swordsmanship lessons and discovered that I am better suited for farming."

Li Ji: "..."

Her words made Li Ji laugh in exasperation.

"Heh, with those scrawny arms and legs of yours, you think you can farm?"

Hua Manman was quite indignant. "Farming is an innate talent of us Chinese! Just give me a plot of land, Your Highness, and I guarantee I’ll grow something for you!"

She wasn’t the least bit afraid of her bluff being called.

’Anyway, this is Yuqing Palace, the Emperor’s territory. There’s no way Prince Zhao would let me farm here.’

Li Ji heard her thoughts, and the smile on his face deepened.

"Very well. When we return to the Prince Mansion, I will set aside a plot of land for you. We’ll see what you can manage to grow."

Hua Manman: "..."

’Wait, why doesn’t this man play by the rules?’

’I was just bluffing, but he actually took it seriously!’

Li Ji leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming heavier. "If you dare to lie to me, I’ll double your lessons."

Hua Manman’s vision went dark, and she wanted to cry but had no tears.

’That damn man is going to work me to death!’

Right now, she really wanted to sing a song to him—

*You’re so cruel, you’re so cruel, you’re so cru-el-el-el-el!*

Hearing the song in her mind, Li Ji could no longer hold back and laughed out loud.

’This woman really is amusing.’

The two returned to their quarters.

Li Ji had just finished washing his hands when Chen Wangbei strode in.

"Your Highness, I just received news. Jin Zhi has committed suicide in her cell."

Li Ji looked up at him, his gaze sharp and cold. "She was so badly injured. How could she have committed suicide?"

Chen Wangbei replied, "I heard that when no one was around, she smashed her medicine bowl and used a shard of porcelain to cut her own throat."

Li Ji asked, "Who left her the medicine bowl?"

Chen Wangbei answered, "I do not know. The prison is managed by the Flying Dragon Cavalry. Our men can’t get involved."

The Flying Dragon Cavalry were under the Emperor’s direct command; only the Emperor could mobilize them.

Now, Jin Zhi was dead in her cell. Officially, it was a suicide, but everyone knew in their hearts that for her to die at such a critical moment, she must have been silenced.

To dare kill someone right under the noses of the Flying Dragon Cavalry—the mastermind behind this was truly audacious.

Chen Wangbei asked cautiously.

"What should we do next?"

If it were an ordinary person who learned that their only lead had been cut off, they would probably have no choice but to give up the investigation.

But Li Ji was different. He had already identified his suspects. Even without Jin Zhi, he could uncover the truth.

He had originally planned to throw out some bait to lure the mastermind into his trap.

But now, he had a better option.

Li Ji had Hua Manman summoned and asked if she had any more Truth Elixirs.

Hua Manman answered obediently, "I have one left."

Li Ji knew from his Mind Reading Technique that she wasn’t lying.

He was very pleased with her honesty.

Li Ji continued.

"I suspect the mastermind is either Wen Zhaorong or Yichongyuan."

Hua Manman immediately understood. "You want to use the Truth Elixir to make them tell the truth?"

Li Ji nodded. "Mm."

Compared to all the roundabout methods, making the mastermind confess in their own words was clearly faster and more effective.

Hua Manman said with difficulty, "But I only have one Truth Elixir left. I can’t use it on two people."

Li Ji said, "Then choose one of them to use the Truth Elixir on."

Hua Manman was very curious. "Who do you plan to choose?"

Instead of answering, Li Ji asked, "Who do you think is more suspicious?"

Hua Manman’s face fell. "Your Highness, that question is too difficult. I’ve only met them twice. I don’t know them at all. How could I guess which one is the mastermind?"

Li Ji smiled faintly and said slowly.

"Just take a guess. It doesn’t matter if you’re wrong."

’There’s only one chance,’ Hua Manman thought. ’If I guess wrong, not only will I waste a precious Truth Elixir, but I might also alert the enemy.’

’We have to get it right on the first try.’

Hua Manman began to think seriously.

There were only two suspects before her now.

There were no useful clues.

In that case, she could only deduce from their motives.

Hua Manman asked, "Do Wen Zhaorong and Yichongyuan have any grudges against you?"

At this moment, Li Ji was like a homeroom teacher, showing great patience in the face of his student’s question.

"Wen Zhaorong’s younger brother was once a junior general under my command. He was later executed on my orders for violating military discipline."

Hua Manman sucked in a sharp breath.

’The grudge from having a relative killed is irreconcilable!’

She pressed, "And Yichongyuan?"

Li Ji said slowly, "She has no grudge against me."

In her mind, Hua Manman immediately raised her suspicion of Wen Zhaorong.

Her motive was much stronger.

The next moment, however, she heard Prince Zhao say slowly.

"But Yichongyuan has a son, the current Sixth Prince, Li Yi."

Hua Manman was confused. "What does that have to do with you?"

Li Ji looked at her with a half-smile as he slowly explained the full story.

"The current Emperor has a total of five sons.

Although the Third Prince, Li Cheng, has already been established as the Crown Prince, the Emperor is still in his prime. It will be a long time before the Crown Prince inherits the throne.

The other four Princes are surely unwilling to be mere background players.

For her son’s sake, Yichongyuan would definitely want to make a play for the throne."

The imperial Concubines had given birth to more than five Princes, but only these five had successfully grown to adulthood.

The others all died prematurely for various reasons.

A one-in-five chance of success. It wasn’t high, but it wasn’t low either.

It was enough to tempt many people.

Hua Manman grew even more confused.

"Even so, that has nothing to do with you. You’re Prince Zhao. You’re not in competition with those Princes..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she stopped abruptly.

She remembered what Li Zhaoyuan had said that day.

Rumor had it that Prince Zhao was the Emperor’s illegitimate son.

And the Emperor doted on Prince Zhao.

If the rumor was true, it meant that Prince Zhao was also qualified to inherit the throne.

There was only one throne. To ensure her son could ascend, Yichongyuan would naturally try every means to eliminate all the competitors in her path.

Li Ji heard every one of her thoughts clearly.

The smile on his face slowly faded, his dark eyes like a bottomless abyss.

Hua Manman longed to ask if those rumors were true.

But meeting Li Ji’s dark, heavy gaze, her throat felt as if it were blocked by something, and she couldn’t get a single word out.