The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat-Chapter 19: Going Too Far

Princess Rouwan was unwell and would rather have her nephew keep her company than see her own son. This further confirmed Hua Manman’s earlier suspicion—the mother-son relationship between Li Ji and Princess Rouwan was indeed strained.

Li Lou, as if oblivious to the other’s coldness, still wore a radiant, sunny smile.

"I’ve been staying at the State Duke Mansion all this time, right in Haiyan Residence, where you used to live.

And these clothes I have on? You used to wear them too. They were a little big, so I had an embroideress alter them, and now they fit just right.

What do you think? I look pretty good, don’t I?"

Li Ji watched him with cold eyes, expressionlessly spitting out a single word.

"Ugly."

The smile on Li Lou’s face instantly faltered.

He let out a long sigh, as if utterly helpless.

"I’ve been busy taking care of Aunt, so I couldn’t make time for your wedding yesterday. Are you angry? I’m sorry, I didn’t intentionally skip your wedding feast. I was just too worried about Aunt. You know how it is. Ever since Uncle passed away, she’s been despondent, and her health has only gotten worse. You’re so busy you have no time to be with her, so I had no choice but to take your place and attend to her. If you’re upset about it, I’ll go and bid Aunt farewell right now. I can’t let anything come between you and your mother."

Hua Manman took a light breath.

’No one here is drinking tea,’ she mused, ’so why does the air reek of melodrama?’

Li Ji looked at him as if watching a buffoon and let out a scornful, unapologetic laugh.

"Do you think that just by wearing my clothes and living in my residence, you can take my place and inherit the title of Duke Zhen?"

His words were like a blade, tearing away the last shred of decency cloaking Li Lou and exposing all the dark ambitions hidden in his heart.

And indeed, that was exactly what Li Lou thought.

Ever since Duke Zhen had fallen in battle, the relationship between Li Ji and his mother, Princess Rouwan, had reached a freezing point.

Princess Rouwan had repeatedly delayed petitioning for an imperial edict to have Li Ji inherit the dukedom, making it obvious she did not want him to have the title.

If Li Ji couldn’t inherit it, then why couldn’t he, Li Lou?

They were both descendants of the Li family; he had a claim to the inheritance as well. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

As long as he could curry favor with Princess Rouwan and win her support, he might just be able to snatch the title of Duke Zhen for himself.

When Li Lou had heard that Prince Zhao had arrived, he had rushed over specifically to provoke him, hoping to make him so angry he would never want to return to the Duke Zhen Country Mansion again.

He never imagined Prince Zhao would expose his true intentions with a single sentence.

Li Lou couldn’t help but feel a surge of panic.

He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms, using the stinging pain to force himself to stay calm.

He squeezed out a helpless, bitter smile. "If that’s what you insist on thinking, Cousin, there’s nothing I can do. At any rate, my conscience is clear."

Li Ji couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath on such a buffoon. "Guards," he said coldly. "Strip those clothes off him. They’re an eyesore."

Li Lou was stunned.

Seeing the Royal Guards lunging at him, he scrambled back in terror, blustering as he went.

"You dare lay a finger on me! I’ll make sure you face the consequences!"

However, Chen Wangbei paid his threats no mind. He moved first, subduing him with ease.

The other two Royal Guards immediately moved in to strip off his clothes.

In a matter of moments, Li Lou was stripped down to his undershorts.

He had never suffered such a colossal humiliation. His face turned purple with fury, his teeth chattering.

"You’ve gone too far! You’ve gone too far!"