The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

When Hua Manman learned that Li Ji was going to Fengyi Palace to stir up trouble, she grew very worried.

"She’s the Empress, after all. If you go looking for trouble so brazenly, you’ll surely give people something to gossip about."

Li Ji retorted.

"Do you think I’m the type of person who cares what others say?"

Hua Manman was at a loss for words.

Prince Zhao had always done as he pleased, never caring what others thought or said.

Hadn’t the memorials from the Imperial Censorate impeaching him already piled up like a mountain? Yet he showed not the slightest hint of fear, carrying on just as before.

Hua Manman asked, "Aren’t you afraid of angering the Saint?"

Li Ji replied, "I’m riddled with deadly poison and about to die anyway. Even if the Saint gets angry, there’s nothing he can do to me."

Hua Manman muttered under her breath, "But your poison was cured long ago."

Li Ji said, "As long as you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, no one will ever know."

’I really don’t get it,’ Hua Manman thought. ’Prince Zhao has obviously recovered, so why is he still pretending to be sick to fool people? What on earth is he trying to do?’

Li Ji heard her thoughts and reached out to pinch her cheek.

"Just wait a little longer. You’ll find out soon enough."

Hua Manman grew even more confused.

’I was just grumbling to myself; I didn’t say a word. How could Prince Zhao guess what I was thinking?’

’Is he a mind reader or something?’

Li Ji personally led his men to Fengyi Palace.

They ignored the guards blocking the entrance and forced their way inside.

When the Empress learned of this, she was greatly alarmed.

She never imagined Prince Zhao would be so audacious as to force his way into Fengyi Palace!

Yin Meiren was so frightened she nearly burst into tears.

She tugged on the Empress’s sleeve and asked anxiously.

"Aunt, what should I do? What should I do?"

The Empress shook off her hand and snapped, "What are you panicking for? With me here, do you really think he can kill you?"

With that, she strode outside.

After much hesitation, Yin Meiren mustered her courage and followed.

In the courtyard, Li Ji sat in his wheelchair. His face was excessively pale, his lips were colorless, and he looked extremely weak.

Watching the Empress and her entourage hurry out of the building, he gave a slight bow.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, the Empress."

The Empress sneered, "I am not worthy of your respects."

Li Ji sat up straight. "If you’re not worthy, then forget it. I can’t be bothered to greet you again anyway."

The Empress was left speechless, her expression growing even darker.

"Is that any way to speak to me? Have you no respect for propriety?"

Li Ji scoffed, "I have only one rule: I do as I please."

The Empress did not want to trade barbs with him and said coldly.

"For the Saint’s sake, I will overlook your trespassing in Fengyi Palace. Now take your men and get out."

But Li Ji said, "Now that I’m here, I won’t be leaving so easily."

The Empress glared at him. "Don’t push your luck!"

Li Ji said languidly.

"My face is my own; I don’t need you to give me any.

On the contrary, the daughters raised by your Yin Family are all sinister and vicious. Aren’t the members of the Yin Family the most shameless of all?"

The Empress shouted sharply, "Insolent!"

Li Ji ignored her fury and spoke to Chen Wangbei as if to himself.

"Go bring Yin Meiren over here."

"Yes, my lord."

Terrified, Yin Meiren hastily retreated.

Seeing Chen Wangbei actually dare to seize someone in her presence, the Empress flew into a rage. Her cold, harsh gaze swept over the people behind her.

"Are you all fools? Hurry up and seize these uninvited guests for me!

How dare you run wild in my presence! If I don’t teach you a proper lesson, how will I maintain my authority in the rear palace?!"

The people of Fengyi Palace immediately sprang into action.

Chen Wangbei did not back down.

The two sides immediately began to fight.

Although the staff of Fengyi Palace outnumbered them, the trusted aides Chen Wangbei had brought were all experts, each a match for a hundred men.

In just a few moments, the people of Fengyi Palace were defeated, beaten to the ground and unable to resist any longer.

Seeing that the situation was dire, Yin Meiren tried to flee, but Chen Wangbei grabbed her by the back of her collar.

At that moment, she had none of her usual delicate and charming demeanor, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Li Ji frowned. "Too noisy."

Chen Wangbei took a handkerchief from someone nearby and stuffed it into Yin Meiren’s mouth.

Yin Meiren could no longer shout, only able to make muffled whimpers.

She looked at the Empress with tear-filled eyes, her gaze pleading for help.

’Aunt, save me!’

The Empress’s face was ashen with anger. "How dare you act so recklessly in Fengyi Palace? Aren’t you afraid of being punished for this crime?!"

Li Ji smiled calmly. "I have the Iron Certificate bestowed by the Saint. Who among you can convict me of a crime?"

The Empress’s finger trembled as she pointed at him.

"You... you..."

Li Ji said, "Yin Meiren deliberately plotted to murder Lady Hua, almost causing her death. As Lady Hua’s husband, I naturally cannot stand by and do nothing."

The Empress said angrily, "Do you have any proof? You want to convict someone on your word alone?!"

Li Ji retorted, "You didn’t have any proof back then either, but didn’t you clamor that I was the one who killed the Crown Prince?"

The Empress was speechless once again.

Li Ji continued, "For Her Majesty the Empress’s sake, I won’t take Yin Meiren’s life. Thirty strokes of the rod will suffice."

Upon hearing this, Yin Meiren nearly fainted.

’With her delicate constitution, even if thirty strikes didn’t kill her, she would be paralyzed.’

’It would be better to just kill her outright!’

The Empress stared daggers at Li Ji and threatened through gritted teeth.

"You dare lay a single finger on Yin Meiren!"

Without a change in expression, Li Ji ordered, "Begin."

Chen Wangbei had the trusted aides pin Yin Meiren to the ground. He took the long rod himself and began to strike her back, one blow at a time.

Someone nearby was responsible for counting.

"One, two, three..."

Yin Meiren was in so much pain she wished for death. But with her mouth gagged, she couldn’t make a sound and could only cry ceaselessly.

’She regretted it.’

’She truly regretted it.’

’She shouldn’t have acted on impulse and tried to poison Lady Hua.’

The Empress stood frozen, watching helplessly as the rod fell on Yin Meiren again and again, feeling both furious and humiliated.

Yin Meiren was her own niece, yet she was being beaten right in front of her.

And she could do nothing but stand by and watch.

’On the surface, Prince Zhao was punishing Yin Meiren, but in reality, he was slapping her, the Empress, in the face!’

The Empress’s hands were clenched into tight fists, her nails nearly digging into her palms.

’In truth, she also felt regret.’

’She regretted being so cautious.’

’If she had known it would come to this, she would have had someone increase the dose of the poison and send him to his grave long ago!’

’But it wasn’t too late now.’

’In any case, Prince Zhao was already afflicted with a deadly poison. He wouldn’t last much longer.’

’He was going to die very soon.’

At this thought, a twisted smile couldn’t help but appear on the Empress’s face.

Li Ji heard her thoughts. He froze for a moment, then it dawned on him.

’So she was the real culprit!’

...

(Sorry for the late update! QAQ)