The Side Character Wants to Lie Flat-Chapter 22: Stab Wound

"You have no right to mention the Lord Duke. If it hadn’t been for you, he wouldn’t have died on the battlefield!

You’re a menace! A jinx!

Everyone who gets close to you will die a terrible death!"

As she spat out that last sentence, Princess Rouwan was practically screaming herself hoarse, her eyes filled with loathing and resentment, completely devoid of her usual grace as a commandery princess.

This was the main reason Princess Rouwan had been so reluctant to petition for Li Ji to inherit the ducal title.

She believed Li Ji had killed the man she loved most in this world.

It was Li Ji who had separated her from her beloved by life and death.

Li Ji deserved to die!

Everyone present lowered their heads, not daring to even breathe.

Even Li Lou, who was the most resentful of all, silently hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself as small as possible.

He wanted to compete for the title of Duke Zhen, but he didn’t want to be dragged into the vortex surrounding the duke’s death.

The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive.

Hua Manman subconsciously looked at Prince Zhao.

His expression hadn’t changed at all, as if he were completely unaffected by Princess Rouwan’s words. But a closer look revealed that his hands were gripping the armrests of his wheelchair.

He was squeezing so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

After a long silence, Li Ji finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse.

"Father died in an enemy ambush. It had nothing to do with me."

Princess Rouwan didn’t believe him at all, continuing to stare at him with a venomous gaze.

"Don’t even think about tricking me! If you hadn’t held him back, how could the Lord Duke have died?

He fought on the battlefield for years and faced countless ambushes and traps, but none of them ever claimed his life.

So why was it that the very first time he took you to the battlefield, he ended up losing his own life there?!"

Li Ji had no answer to this question.

So he could only remain silent.

In Princess Rouwan’s eyes, his silence was an admission of guilt.

Hatred surged in Princess Rouwan’s chest. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like a madwoman.

"You’re a harbinger of death and solitude! Why wasn’t it you who died back then? How dare you have the face to escape and come back? You’re the one who should be dead! You are!!"

Overwhelmed by her emotions, she completely lost control.

She threw off Nanny Zhang’s hand, pulled the golden hairpin from her hair, and lunged recklessly at Li Ji!

Li Ji was in his wheelchair, his legs incapacitated, making it look as though it would be impossible for him to dodge.

Countless panicked shouts erupted from the crowd.

"Commandery Princess, no!"

Chen Wangbei’s expression changed drastically. He immediately dropped the antique calligraphy and paintings he was holding and sprinted toward Prince Zhao as fast as he could!

But someone was faster.

Hua Manman gripped the handles on the back of the wheelchair and forcefully spun it half a circle, helping Prince Zhao evade the golden hairpin in Princess Rouwan’s hand.

In the process, however, her right arm was grazed by the hairpin.

Blood slowly seeped from the wound, staining a small patch of her sleeve red.

Seeing that she had failed to stab Li Ji, Princess Rouwan’s hatred intensified. She raised the golden hairpin to strike again, but the crowd, having come to their senses, surrounded her, giving her no further chance to attack.

While directing everyone to escort Princess Rouwan back, Nanny Zhang repeatedly apologized to Prince Zhao.

"I’m so sorry, Your Highness. Her Highness the Commandery Princess was just acting on impulse. She didn’t truly mean to harm you. I beg you, for the sake of the life she gave you, please do not escalate this matter."

To openly assassinate a prince—even if the assailant was a commandery princess, she could not expect to escape unscathed.

Given the Emperor’s favoritism toward Prince Zhao, if he learned of this, he would surely investigate it to the end. At that point, Princess Rouwan would inevitably face punishment.

...