The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat

Once the injured had their wounds bandaged, it was time for the group to set off again.

This time, they had to split into two parties.

Hua Manman, Yue Niang, and twenty trusted aides would continue toward Tianjing, while Li Ji and Li Liao would change course and head for Lingnan.

Li Ji helped Manman into the carriage and reminded her.

"Be careful on the road. Picking people up is secondary. The most important thing is to ensure your own safety."

Hua Manman nodded in agreement.

With their parting imminent, both were filled with reluctance.

Li Ji lowered his head and kissed her lips.

A long moment passed before they finally separated.

He looked at her, so close to him, and suddenly wanted to ask her not to go.

But reason told him that even if he asked, it would be pointless. Manman would not change her mind.

In the end, he could only harden his heart and turn to leave.

But Hua Manman suddenly reached out and grabbed him.

"Wait, there’s something else I want to ask you."

Li Ji: "What is it?"

Hua Manman: "Where did you hide my original body?"

Li Ji hadn’t expected her to ask about this. He was stunned for a moment before answering.

"It’s hidden in the secret underground chamber of the Regent Prince Mansion."

He took a pouch from his waist and pulled out a key.

"This is the key to the secret chamber."

Hua Manman: "Can I borrow it? I want to see the body."

Li Ji placed the key in her hand without hesitation.

Hua Manman put the key away, leaned in, and hugged him tightly.

"Take care."

Li Ji wrapped his arms around her. "I have a question for you too."

Hua Manman: "Go ahead."

Li Ji: "Do you really want me to take the throne?"

He originally thought that as long as he held the position of Regent King, he could protect the people he wanted to protect.

But the outcome proved that was wishful thinking.

Even though he had become the Regent King with power over the entire court, the Emperor was still above him.

A single casual word from the Emperor could turn him from the Regent King into a wanted criminal.

And all he could do was flee from place to place with the woman he loved.

He could tolerate being wronged himself, but he couldn’t bear to see Manman suffer with him.

Ultimately, all of this was because his power was not great enough, his status not high enough.

Since there was no path of retreat, why not take another step forward and seize the supreme throne?!

Once he became the supreme ruler, he could keep Manman securely by his side, and no one would ever be able to harm her again.

But these were just his own thoughts.

He cared more about what Manman thought.

Manman had never liked to get involved in such conflicts. He didn’t know if she could accept this change in him.

Hua Manman looked up at him and said earnestly.

"That depends on what you want. I can’t make the decision for you.

The only thing I can tell you is—

"Whether you become an emperor or a commoner, I’ll be with you for the rest of my life."

The light in Li Ji’s eyes softened.

This was all he had wanted to hear from Manman.

As long as Manman was willing to support him, he could go all out and do what he wanted to do.

Li Ji said in a low voice, "If I fail in my uprising in the future, you..."

Hua Manman finished his sentence.

"Then I’ll wander the ends of the earth with you."

Li Ji: "I might not even get the chance to wander the ends of the earth."

Hua Manman: "Then I’ll raise Gou Dan first, and then join you in the underworld."

The fact that the woman he loved was willing to die with him made Li Ji’s heart melt completely.

He couldn’t help but smile.

"Silly girl, you know nothing after you die. There’s no need for you to throw your life away for me.

"If something really happens to me, you only need to mourn me for three years.

"After three years, you can remarry."

Hua Manman stared at him, stunned.

From what she knew of him, he was an extremely possessive man. Even in death, he would never allow his woman to remarry.

But now, he was actually saying he was willing to let her remarry.

She murmured, "Why?"

But Li Ji just smiled without answering the question.

"It’s getting late. You should go."

He jumped down from the carriage and spoke to the trusted aide driving it.

"Let’s go."

Hua Manman pulled open the carriage window and leaned on the sill, calling out to him.

"You have to take care of yourself! Gou Dan and I will come find you soon."

The reluctance in Li Ji’s heart grew stronger and stronger.

He stood by the side of the road, watching helplessly as the carriage moved farther and farther away.

It felt as if a piece of his heart had been carved out, leaving an empty ache.

Seeing his dejected look, Li Liao took the initiative to comfort him.

"Try to look on the bright side. Don’t worry too much.

"It’s actually safer for Manman not to travel with us.

"After all, both of our identities can’t see the light of day.

"But it’s different for Manman. The government isn’t on guard against her.

"She won’t have to live in constant fear anymore."

Li Ji naturally knew this as well.

In fact, it was precisely for this reason that he had agreed to let Manman leave him temporarily.

But knowing it was one thing; his heart still ached with reluctance.

Things were indeed as Li Liao had predicted.

Without Li Ji and Li Liao in the group, Hua Manman no longer had to worry about being discovered by the government. She could lead everyone openly on the main roads and remain calm during inspections.

As a result, their travel speed increased significantly.

Inside the carriage.

Hua Manman rested her chin on one hand, a distant look on her face.

Yue Niang couldn’t help but ask.

"Ever since you parted from the Prince, you’ve been spacing out a lot. Are you missing him?"

Hua Manman’s gaze fell on her as she said wistfully.

"I was thinking about something. When I parted with the Prince, he told me that if anything were to happen to him in the future, I should remarry."

Yue Niang was confused. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Hua Manman: "If you truly love someone, how could you bear to let them remarry? Unless... he doesn’t really love me."

Yue Niang looked at her helplessly.

"Quite the opposite. It’s precisely because the Prince loves you to the bone that he would rather suffer himself just so you can be happy."

Hua Manman froze.

Her heart felt as if it had been pricked, and a sour, swelling sensation spread through her chest.

She bit her lip and retorted in a small voice.

"Remarrying doesn’t necessarily guarantee happiness, does it?"

Yue Niang sighed and said slowly.

"Life is difficult for most women in this world. If they don’t have someone to rely on, their days will surely be incredibly hard.

"The Prince probably doesn’t want you to marry someone else either, but he wants to see you suffer even less.

"He cares more about your feelings than his own."

Hua Manman opened her mouth, but she didn’t know what to say.

After holding it in for a long time, she finally managed to squeeze out a single sentence.

"It’s just a hypothetical."

Yue Niang covered her mouth and chuckled. "Exactly. It’s just a hypothetical. Why are you losing sleep over it all day?"

Hua Manman reached out to tickle her.

"Oh, so you dare to make fun of me now?!"

Yue Niang quickly dodged backward, retorting, "I wasn’t making fun of you."