The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

Li Cheng’s plan was actually very simple.

He just needed Lin Qingzhi to find a way to lure Hua Manman to him. Then, he would force himself on Hua Manman, thereby ruining her chastity.

What was the fate of a woman who had lost her chastity? Without anyone needing to spell it out, Hua Manman herself would surely understand.

She would definitely be devastated.

And in her moment of greatest despair and helplessness, Li Cheng would offer her a glimmer of hope—for instance, by making a promise that once he ascended the throne, he would make her an Imperial Concubine.

Women, after all, tended to develop some sort of reliance on a man with whom they had been intimate.

Besides, she would have no other, better options.

Her only way out would be to submit at his feet, be controlled by him, and become his pawn planted by Prince Zhao’s side.

Now, Li Cheng had everything prepared.

The stage was set; all that was missing was the final piece.

However, he waited and waited. The appointed time had long passed, but that final piece had yet to arrive.

Just as Li Cheng was growing too impatient and about to send someone to check, the two eunuchs who had gone out with Lin Qingzhi suddenly ran back.

They were carrying a food box, their faces were bruised and swollen, and their clothes were covered in dust. They looked utterly wretched.

Li Cheng frowned the moment he saw their state.

"What happened to you? How did you end up like this? And where is Lin Liangyuan? Where is she?"

When the two eunuchs saw the Crown Prince, it was as if they had seen their savior. With a THUD, they fell to their knees before him.

The two of them, weeping with snot and tears streaming down their faces, began to list Lady Hua’s many wicked deeds.

"It was Lady Hua who beat us servants into this state!"

"She’s an out-and-out devil! She’s vicious, cruel, and utterly inhuman! She resorts to violence at the slightest disagreement and shows no mercy when she hits people!"

"Not only did she beat us, but she also forced us servants to cook. These are the dishes she made us cook, saying they were specially prepared for the Crown Prince."

Li Cheng’s brow was tightly furrowed at first, but upon hearing the last part, he couldn’t help but relax it.

’Lady Hua knew to have food prepared for me. It seems she isn’t completely without feelings for me after all.’

’If that’s the case, my plan will be even easier to pull off.’

This lasted until he personally watched the two eunuchs open the food box and present the two culinary abominations from within. At that point, his expression simply cracked.

He asked in disbelief.

"What is this stuff?"

One of the eunuchs wiped away his tears and said cautiously.

"This is pickled vegetable fish."

Li Cheng looked at it from the left, then from the right. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t see how this disgusting slop could possibly be a plate of pickled vegetable fish!

He then looked at the other pitch-black dish.

"And what is this?"

"It’s braised chicken, Crown Prince."

Li Cheng really couldn’t understand why Lady Hua would have someone prepare these two dishes for him.

He voiced his confusion.

The two eunuchs didn’t dare to hide anything and answered truthfully.

"Because Lady Hua said that these two dishes are a perfect match for the Crown Prince."

Li Cheng didn’t understand the meaning. "What do you mean?"

The two looked at each other, hesitating to speak.

Li Cheng said in a low voice, "Don’t just stand there stammering. If you have something to say, spit it out!"

The two eunuchs had no choice but to repeat Lady Hua’s words verbatim to the Crown Prince.

"The meaning of the pickled vegetable fish... is that you’re sour, you suck, and you’re superfluous."

Li Cheng: "..."

Li Cheng suppressed his rage and continued to ask, "And the braised chicken?"

"The braised chicken means... you’re lewd, you’re boring, and you’re trash."

Li Cheng couldn’t hold back any longer. He kicked over the two kneeling eunuchs in front of him, then smashed the two nauseating culinary abominations.

He gritted his teeth in hatred. "Well done, Lady Hua. How dare you slander me like this? Do you really think I wouldn’t dare kill you?!"

The two eunuchs didn’t dare cry out in pain after being kicked. They immediately scrambled back to a kneeling position.

It was a good while before Li Cheng’s anger subsided slightly.

"Where is Lin Liangyuan? Why didn’t she come back with you?"

One eunuch said in a trembling voice.

"Just now, Lin Liangyuan suddenly vomited. Lady Hua said it was morning sickness and that the Crown Prince was about to become a father, so she urged us to hurry back and report the good news."

The other eunuch continued.

"Lady Hua said the road was slippery from the rain, and it was pitch black outside. With Lin Liangyuan being pregnant, she was afraid something might happen to her on the way, so she pulled Lin Liangyuan over to her residence. She said she would bring Lin Liangyuan back tomorrow at daybreak."

Li Cheng frowned. "Lin Liangyuan is pregnant? When did this happen? How come I knew nothing about it?"

The two eunuchs suspected Lin Liangyuan had likely thrown up from disgust, not from morning sickness.

But Lady Hua had spoken with such conviction at the time, as if it were definitely true.

For a moment, the two of them became uncertain again.

’What if Lin Liangyuan really is pregnant?’

This matter concerned the Royal Family’s lineage. They didn’t dare to speak carelessly, so they could only relay Lady Hua’s words to the Crown Prince without omitting a single word.

Even if it was discovered later that Lin Liangyuan wasn’t pregnant, the blame would fall on Lady Hua, having nothing to do with them.

So, the two eunuchs shook their heads, indicating they didn’t know either.

Li Cheng was incredibly frustrated.

According to his plan, Lin Qingzhi was supposed to bring Lady Hua to him.

But now, not only had he failed to get Lady Hua, Lady Hua had taken Lin Qingzhi away instead.

He had truly suffered a double loss!

The most infuriating part was still those two dishes.

’How could Lady Hua possibly have feelings for me? She was clearly using this as an opportunity to mock me!’

Li Cheng desperately wanted to rush over and slaughter Lady Hua right now.

In the end, however, reason prevailed.

Li Cheng looked at the two dishes smashed to smithereens on the floor and said with a cold smile.

"Originally, I only wanted to use you. Now, it seems I absolutely must have you!"

The more she toyed with him, the more he wanted to conquer her.

’In the future, when she’s completely submitted at my feet, seeing her as humble as an ant—wouldn’t that be far more satisfying than simply killing her with a single strike?!’

「Meanwhile, on Hua Manman’s side.」

She brought Lin Qingzhi back to her own residence.

Lin Qingzhi hadn’t wanted to go with her, but alas, the little bastard’s fighting prowess was too high. Lin Qingzhi simply couldn’t win against her. So even though she was incredibly unwilling in her heart, she could only obey on the surface.

To put it bluntly, she had essentially been kidnapped by Lady Hua.

Hua Manman had someone arrange a room for her and said with a beaming smile.

"If I had known you were pregnant, I wouldn’t have made you do so many things.

You really worked hard tonight. Go get some rest. I’ll come get you for breakfast tomorrow morning."

Lin Qingzhi argued weakly.

"I’ve already explained. I am not pregnant."

’It’s my own body. Wouldn’t I know if I’m pregnant or not?’

Hua Manman was skeptical. "You were throwing up like that. How could you not be pregnant?"

Lin Qingzhi was speechless. "Who says throwing up definitely means you’re pregnant?"

Hua Manman retorted, "If you’re not pregnant, then why were you throwing up?"

Lin Qingzhi: "..."

’Fuck, this little bastard is such a contrarian!’

Lin Qingzhi said through gritted teeth, "My period just ended two days ago! How could I possibly be pregnant?!"