The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat-Chapter 95: Attentive for No Reason, a Villain or a Thief
Having her innocence stolen in a setup, Hua Qingqing was surely filled with hatred.
But she was very clear-headed. She didn’t have the right to defy the Emperor.
She could only lower her head and kowtow in thanks.
The Emperor wasn’t in a good mood, either.
He had planned to be alone tonight, but upon entering his room, he found a young Beauty with her clothes half-undone lying on his bed.
The Emperor had encountered this sort of thing plenty of times.
He was the monarch of a nation, so countless women hoped to ride his coattails. Women were always racking their brains for ways to climb into his bed, and he had grown accustomed to it.
Thus, the Emperor had little reaction when he saw Hua Qingqing.
On top of that, he had had a bit too much to drink tonight, and his reflexes were slower than usual. He didn’t overthink it, simply assuming Hua Qingqing was there to seduce him intentionally.
The Emperor was no Liu Xia Hui. Faced with such a pretty young girl, how could he possibly refuse?
Hua Qingqing cried the entire time.
But due to the drug, her limbs were weak, making her struggles look more like a coy attempt to play hard to get.
The Emperor thought she was just trying to set the mood and didn’t take her resistance seriously.
Only after they were finished, when he saw Hua Qingqing crying harder and her face turning deathly pale, did he realize something was wrong.
He summoned an Imperial Physician to examine Hua Qingqing. Upon learning she had been drugged, he finally understood that he had fallen into a trap.
His first suspect was Hua Qingqing herself.
From the perspective of who stood to gain, Hua Qingqing was the biggest beneficiary.
But the Emperor had no proof and couldn’t be certain if his suspicion was correct.
The truth would have to be thoroughly investigated.
Hua Qingqing was sent back to her quarters. The specific details of her new title would have to wait until their return to the Imperial Palace.
By the time Hua Manman pushed Prince Zhao back to their quarters, it was the middle of the night.
Hua Manman asked cautiously.
"Your Highness, you barely ate anything at the banquet. You must be hungry by now, right? Should I make you something to eat?"
Li Ji sat in his wheelchair, watching her with an enigmatic smile.
"You’re not buttering me up for nothing. Spit it out, what do you want?"
Hua Manman seemed to have been waiting for those exact words.
She immediately scooted closer, pleading with wide, expectant eyes.
"I do have a favor to ask, actually.
My sister was set up tonight. I was hoping you could help me find out the truth of what happened.
You do still owe me a favor. Can I cash it in now?"
Li Ji deliberately teased her. "Didn’t you say you and your sister don’t get along? Seeing her get pushed around like this, you should be happy. Why do you want to help her?"
Hua Manman huffed.
"I’m allowed to dislike her and bully her. No one else is!"
Li Ji chuckled. "How domineering of you. Go make me a late-night snack, and I’ll figure out a way to investigate this for you."
Hua Manman cheered. "Thank you, Your Highness! You’re the best, Your Highness! Mwah, love you!"
She blew a kiss at Prince Zhao, then skipped out happily.
Li Ji raised his right hand and made a phantom grab at the air.
As if catching the kiss she had just blown.
He looked at his loosely clenched fist and smiled to himself.
The quarters were equipped with a small, well-stocked kitchen, so making a late-night snack was no problem at all.
Ever since her maternal grandparents took her to the countryside, Hua Manman had lived with them. Her grandmother was an excellent cook who often made all sorts of delicious food for her, and Hua Manman had learned many recipes from her.
She rolled up her sleeves and deftly went to work washing rice for congee, then rinsing and chopping vegetables.
Soon, the enticing aroma of food began to drift from the small kitchen.
Li Ji had been instructing Chen Wangbei to investigate the night’s events, but he trailed off mid-sentence when he caught the scent.
He followed the aroma with his gaze, looking toward the small kitchen. A strange sense of anticipation bloomed in his heart.
’It smells good, but I wonder how it’ll taste?’
Chen Wangbei didn’t dare make a sound, standing quietly by his side.
After a long moment, Li Ji snapped out of it and continued.
"The Saint will likely have his own people investigating this. You don’t need to deliberately avoid them during your investigation, but don’t do anything extra either. Just proceed as you normally would."
Chen Wangbei replied respectfully, "Understood."
Li Ji waved his hand dismissively.
Chen Wangbei took the hint and silently withdrew.
Once outside the room, he couldn’t help but glance toward the small kitchen. ’This Lady Hua is really something,’ he thought. ’Not only has she gotten the Prince to go to all this trouble to help her investigate, but she’s also managed to have him waiting eagerly for a late-night snack she’s cooking.’
’Looks like her favor with him is going to last for a long, long time.’
Hua Manman had cooked a pot of lean pork congee, which she served with two home-style stir-fries and two cold side dishes. It was a light and refreshing meal, perfect for a summer night.
She ladled out two bowls of congee, giving one to Prince Zhao and keeping one for herself.
"Your Highness, try it! Let me know what you think of my cooking."
Li Ji took a spoonful of congee and offered his objective critique. "It’s alright. Not as good as the Imperial Chef’s."
Hua Manman didn’t get angry. She just kept smiling.
"Of course my cooking can’t compare to the Imperial Chef’s."
Li Ji took another bite and said nonchalantly, "The flavor may be average, but it suits my palate."
Hua Manman’s smile instantly grew wider.
"If you like it, then please have some more. I can cook for you often from now on."
After her grandparents passed away, she had rarely cooked. On weekdays, she usually ate in the company cafeteria, and on holidays, she’d just get by with takeout.
It wasn’t that she’d stopped enjoying cooking, but because she lived alone, no matter how much she made, she was the only one there to eat it.
It was just... no fun.
Now that she had someone to share her food with, it felt like she was back in the days when her grandparents were still alive. She felt relaxed and happy.
The four dishes and the entire pot of congee were eaten clean.
Hua Manman felt a great sense of accomplishment, having her cooking skills validated.
Li Ji hadn’t eaten so much in a long time; the feeling of being this full was a little unfamiliar.
He thought he might be too full to sleep.
But to his surprise, he fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down.
Hua Manman, however, was still wide awake.
She quietly opened the lucky bag the system had rewarded her with.
Inside were three small, milky-white pills that looked a bit like white chocolate.
She asked the system in her mind.
’What is this?’
System: "That is a Truth Elixir. Anyone who ingests it will be forced to speak their innermost thoughts for the next minute."
Hua Manman was surprised. ’This stuff is amazing!’
’Too bad there are only three of them.’
She carefully put the Truth Elixirs away and closed her eyes to sleep.
The next day, news that Hua Qingqing had been named a Concubine spread throughout Yuqing Palace.
The various princes, princesses, and court officials didn’t much care for the news. Only the few Concubines the Emperor had brought with him were inwardly resentful.
They sent people to ask about what happened the previous night. Upon learning that Hua Qingqing had served the Emperor, they unanimously concluded that she must have used some vixen’s trick to trap and seduce him.
