Check out this new novel ? about a wronged hero who breaks all shackles – an intriguing story awaiting exploration. It symbolizes various aspects such as vulnerability, resilience, or even societal outcast status. While facing great injustices, despite his many hardships, this character is poised to rise above all adversity.
Sick Dog
Chapter 3: I Want All Four!
If she didn’t choose Pei Wenxuan, what other options did she have?
A fool, a madman, a playboy – in comparison, even if Pei Wenxuan fed her a bowl of delicious beauty, she strangely felt… not that difficult to accept?
After all, Pei Wenxuan had a fatal advantage—he looked good.
A person who looks good, regardless of gender, is pleasing to the eye, and no matter what they do, they can be forgiven for many things.
However, in the previous life living with Pei Wenxuan, it can’t be said that there were many frustrations, but there wasn’t much happiness either. There were too many intrigues and schemes, and just thinking about it felt exhausting. Living another lifetime and following the same path as the previous one seems a bit dull.
She hasn’t known the other three people, so why not… see them with her own eyes this time?
While pondering this, Li Rong walked into the Taiqing Hall. At this moment, Li Ming was already seated, changed into casual attire, chatting with the chief eunuch Desong, and wiping his freshly washed hands with a handkerchief.
Li Ming, who is not yet forty years old this year, is in his prime, looking quite energetic. He exudes a sense of dignity distinct from the elderly, coupled with the boldness of youth. It is indeed the most glorious time in a man’s life.
Naturally handsome, he deliberately grew a beard to appear more dignified, giving him a unique mature temperament. When Li Rong entered the room and glanced at Li Ming, she didn’t show it on her face, but her heart was a bit confused.
After all, she hasn’t seen Li Ming in nearly thirty years. Suddenly meeting her biological father, no matter what happened in the previous life, couldn’t help but evoke some emotions.
Recalling her actions when she was young, she respectfully saluted. Li Ming smiled and asked her to sit beside him. Li Rong took the chopsticks, blinked, and coquettishly said, “Father, why are you in the mood to have a meal with your daughter today?”
Hearing Li Rong’s charming tone, even if discussing serious matters, Li Ming softened his tone. Looking at the eunuch testing the food for poison first, he leisurely said, “Today in the court, your marriage was brought up. I thought you were not young anymore, so I called you over to discuss.”
“Marriage?”
Pretending to be surprised, Li Rong lowered her head, seeming a bit embarrassed, “Shouldn’t this matter be discussed with mother consort?”
“You are my daughter,” Li Ming complained on the surface but admired his daughter’s obedience in his eyes, “Your marriage is, of course, your own decision. You should choose someone you like.”
Saying that, Li Ming turned to Desong, “Bring the portraits.”
Desong responded, and someone brought up four portraits. Then the portraits were opened, revealing the faces of four men.
Li Rong instinctively glanced at them but then felt it was inappropriate. As an eighteen-year-old young girl, she should avoid looking at portraits of men. So, she tried to make a shy expression, turned her head, and coughed lightly, “Who are these four?”
“It’s your father who selected these suitors for you. Take a look and choose one.”
“Yes.”
Li Rong replied softly, then turned to look at the four portraits.
She didn’t remember the appearances of the candidates from back then very clearly. After all, so many years had passed, and she only remembered Pei Wenxuan, who caused a sensation. At that time, she was too embarrassed to look closely, just glanced hastily, and chose Pei Wenxuan at a glance. Now she had no reservations, staring at the portraits of these four young men and examining them seriously.
It must be said that her father didn’t treat her unfairly. Although these four individuals represented the options of a fool, a madman, a playboy, and a destitute noble, they all had decent looks. Perhaps Li Ming had considered the issue of appearance, fearing that if they were too ugly, she might protest. So, although there was a slight difference in looks among the four, each had its own charm.
The eldest son of the Marquis of Ningguo, Lu Yusheng, had a gentle and clean appearance, like a boy next door, with an air of romance and innocence.
The second son of General Yang, Yang Quan, had sharp eyebrows and a heroic look, bearing the marks of the battlefield. Aside from being a crazy killer, he could be described as handsome.
The newly appointed top scholar, Cui Yulang, smiled with peach blossoms and the charm of spring. He looked like a charming young gentleman, someone who could attract women.
As for Pei Wenxuan, the portrait hardly captured a tenth of his charm. With phoenix eyes and thin lips, he looked ethereal and extraordinarily handsome. His eyes in the portrait were already extremely beautiful, but in reality, he was soul-stirringly captivating, displaying the enchanting posture of an otherworldly being that ordinary people found hard to resist.
Of course, it would be better if he could truly be an otherworldly being. Unfortunately, deep down, he was a blind-eyed jackal, ultimately losing some artistic conception.
She lazily swept her gaze over the four men, propping her chin and contemplating. Li Ming, seeing her looking for a while, fiddling with the teacup, couldn’t help but laugh, “Why did you look for so long? Haven’t you found someone you like? I’ve checked the background of these young gentlemen for you. Just choose someone you have a good feeling about, and I’ll take care of the rest for you.”
“I’m not without preferences,” Li Rong lazily stood up, with a hint of worry in her tone, “Rong’er just feels that they are all good-looking and wants them all.”
Upon hearing this, Li Ming, who was drinking tea, choked on his sip, and Li Rong quickly stood up to help him, saying hastily, “Daughter understands the mistake, daughter was just joking!”
Li Ming gradually recovered, and upon hearing that Li Rong was joking, he calmed down a bit. He shook his head with a hint of helplessness and smiled, saying, “You are just being bored, scaring the emperor like this.”
“Mainly because I really don’t know how to choose. They all look good,” Li Rong said, thinking for a moment. She approached and massaged Li Ming’s shoulders, suggesting, “Father, how about giving me a chance to meet them? Just a casual meeting?”
Li Ming, looking somewhat deep in thought, responded to her words. Li Rong pretended not to know anything on her face, as if she had spoken innocently.
Saying this was a bit risky for her. Her marriage was a test for Li Ming, testing whether the daughter he had personally cultivated had become the person he desired. Back then, she had no doubts and faced this father without any suspicion. It was only then that Li Ming completely let go of his worries or, one could say, softened his heart.
Within the royal family, it was not just a game of tactics but also a confrontation of emotions. Beneath the power and authority, there still hid a few traces of pitiable true feelings. This was why her mother had nurtured her to be clever and adaptable in dealing with matters, while never delving too much into the power struggle in the court.
As long as she remained the naive and romantic princess, her father would show her some leniency. Just like when she married Pei Wenxuan, according to Pei Wenxuan’s conditions, princess Rong could not be considered, and there was no promising future. However, living a stable life was still considered secure.
Now that she hadn’t made a direct choice and had offered a counterargument, Li Ming would naturally be suspicious. However, if she married Pei Wenxuan directly in this lifetime, she would still have some regrets.
After all, both young men were so handsome. Getting to know them a bit, just in case a miracle happened, was not a bad idea.
Rumors were still rumors, after all. What if there were inaccuracies?
Li Rong tried to understand Li Ming’s thoughts, massaging his shoulders and murmuring, “Daughter has been waiting for so many years. The most important thing in marriage is not appearance, but character. Daughter thinks it’s better to disguise myself as an ordinary girl, let someone introduce me, meet them, chat a bit, cultivate some feelings first. It would be great if I could go out of the palace with them for a while. I’ve heard that the roast duck from Linglong Pavilion is the best, and the peach blossoms at Huguo Temple are beautiful, and also…”
“Alright, alright,” Li Ming chuckled at her words, “Are you really going to see your future husband or just wanting to leave the palace for fun?”
“Of course, I’m seriously going to see my future husband,” Li Rong blinked, reaching out to hug Li Ming, acting coquettish. She shook Li Ming and said, “Father emperor, father emperor, please, I am your most beloved little daughter, you love me the most.”
“Fine, fine, fine.”
Li Ming, being persuaded and shaken by Li Rong, smiled helplessly, “Then let’s meet them. It’s also time for the spring banquet. Didn’t I give you a house in the suburbs recently?”
Li Rong blinked her eyes, and after a moment, she pretended to react and exclaimed, “Father emperor wants me to host the spring banquet?”
“Your aunt hosts banquets in the royal gardens every year, and you are also a princess. How about hosting a spring banquet?” Li Ming laughed and patted Li Rong’s hand, saying, “I’ll assign some people to help you. When the spring banquet is held, invite these four people. You can meet them privately behind the curtain and have a chat. However,” Li Ming became serious, advising, “be reserved and don’t disgrace the royal family.”
“I know!” Li Rong became happy and said, “I knew father emperor is the best to me! I love father emperor the most!”
“And what about your mother empress?” Li Ming smirked, and Li Rong, with a serious expression, replied, “I will definitely praise her when I see her, but she is too stern. How can she compare to father emperor’s kindness to me?”
Hearing this, Li Ming burst into laughter, gently teasing her nose and scolding, “Little sweet-talker.”
They enjoyed a delightful meal together, and when it was time to leave, Li Rong had someone take away the four portraits and walked out with great pride, looking like a proud little peacock. However, as soon as she entered the sedan chair, Li Rong’s smile disappeared, and her whole person slumped down.
After all, she was not truly eighteen. Acting cute and lovable, she was careful not to overdo it, afraid of letting Li Ming notice.
Between Li Ming and her, it wasn’t just about royal power struggles. She was his first child, and a daughter at that. His affection for her was genuine, but amidst the intricate web of power, her mother’s family was too influential, and as Li Ming aged, his desire for control over power increased.
Moreover, her younger brother, crown prince Li Chuan, was now sixteen years old.
Li Ming was a stern and warlike monarch, while Li Chuan advocated for benevolent rule. He had significant support in the court. A son who was reputable, capable, held opposing political views, and was approaching adulthood, coupled with a powerful maternal family member holding military power – it destroyed the trust of the majority in this court.
However, she was oblivious to these complexities until the age of eighteen, when she suddenly realized. Thus, at the age of eighteen, it became the most difficult year of her life.
Yet, for the current Li Rong, the difficulties of the past seemed relatively easy to handle. She paused for a moment and called out softly, “Jinglan.”
Jinglan approached the sedan chair, responding in a low voice, “Princess.”
“His Majesty will send someone to oversee the hosting of the spring banquet later. You will handle the reception,” Li Rong said.
Jinglan hesitated for a moment, then realized and whispered, “Understood.”
The so-called assistance was nothing more than surveillance. If Li Ming was monitoring her, she would let Jinglan keep an eye on those people. She knew Jinglan was intelligent; there was no need to explain things explicitly. After a while, Li Rong thought for a moment, used a golden fan to lift the curtain, and beckoned to Jinglan.
Jinglan leaned in, looking puzzled, “Princess?”
“Find a few people,” Li Rong lowered her voice and continued, “go to the homes of these people separately, observe all their actions, and report everything to me in detail.” Pausing, she emphasized again, “Especially Pei Wenxuan.”
Author’s message: [Small Theater 1]
Li Rong: “From the looks of it, I’ve gathered four potential husbands, each representing a different style. There’s the boy-next-door first style, Lu Yusheng, the warrior style, Yang Quan, the mature style, Cui Yulang, and the daydreamer style, Pei Wenxuan. I think the lineup is quite impressive.”
Pei Wenxuan raises a banner: “I want to emphasize that my nickname on this site is ‘chaste and virtuous husband.’ Only 1v1 relationships are allowed, and descriptions below the neck are not permitted. Detailed descriptions above the neck are also prohibited. Any explicit content, whether physiological or psychological, is not allowed. I am a very generous person, and there is no such thing as jealousy or envy on my part. The title of ‘envy king’ has nothing to do with me. If you have any issues, please contact the official responsible for the authorship. Thank you.”
Li Rong: “I don’t believe you at all, you old scoundrel!”
Reviewer: “Lock the chapter.”
[Small Theater 2]
Pei Wenxuan: “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be with me? Don’t care about me? Don’t want me? Now, aren’t you focusing on monitoring me? Heh, a woman who says one thing but means another. I’m indeed different from those three scumbags.”
Li Rong: “Choosing superiority among scumbags? Monitoring you is just because you stand out too much among the four scumbags, and I’m afraid you’ll do something tricky!”
Pei Wenxuan: “Anyway, you’re going to marry me, so stop making trouble.”
Li Rong: “Why should I marry you?”
Pei Wenxuan: “I’m just asking, among this group of people, who can you order around?”
Li Rong: “Indeed, good dog!”
Pei Wenxuan: “…”
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