freenovelworld Chapter 547: Universal Love
Chapter 547: Universal Love
Everyone nodded in agreement with Fang Xiaoxiao's suggestion. Long Jinyan and Murong Changqing also stopped arguing. Although they still had a hint of resentment on their faces, they had to admit that this method was indeed more appropriate.
A special plan to select a husband for Li Wan'er was thus initially finalized amidst debate and compromise among the participants.
Inside the Marquis of Jing'an's residence, the gloomy sky seemed to foreshadow an approaching storm.
The atmosphere inside the ancestral hall was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Marquis Jing'an's face was full of anger, the veins on his forehead bulged, and his eyes were wide like copper bells as he stared intently at Li Renyi, who was kneeling on the ground.
Marquis Jing'an clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his chest heaving violently as he roared, "You unfilial son! How could I have given birth to such a worthless wretch!"
Instead of marrying a dignified princess, he insists on philandering and lingering over lowly courtesans!
Do you even realize that because of you, the Jing'an Marquis's mansion has utterly lost face!
Li Renyi knelt on the ground, slightly raising his head. There was no fear on his face, but rather a cynical smile.
His eyes held a hint of untamed spirit, as if he didn't care at all about his father's scolding.
He shrugged slightly and said casually, "Father, why are you so angry? A man's ambition lies in all directions, and my ambition is not bound by a marriage. What I yearn for is freedom and the vast world."
Upon hearing Li Renyi's words, Marquis Jing'an was so enraged he nearly fainted. He took a step forward, pointed at Li Renyi, and said in a trembling voice, "You...you still have the nerve to say that! What kind of ambition is that? It's nothing but an excuse for your dissolute behavior!"
Look at you! You idle away your days, doing nothing productive. What kind of behavior is this?!
Li Renyi, however, disagreed. He slightly raised his chin, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, and retorted, "Father, you don't understand."
My ambition is to extend love to all under heaven; how can I be bound by romantic entanglements? How could those vulgar women possibly understand my heart?
These words completely enraged Marquis Jing'an.
He whirled around, grabbed a rattan cane from the wall, and charged at Li Renyi, roaring, "I'll beat you to death today, you unfilial son! I'll teach you what rules and responsibility are!"
Li Renyi watched his father charge towards him, brandishing a rattan cane. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm, showing no intention of dodging.
Just as the cane was about to strike him, a figure suddenly rushed in and blocked his way.
"Master, stop!" Li Renyi's mother was filled with anxiety. She grabbed the Marquis of Jing'an's arm tightly with both hands and tried her best to stop him.
Marquis Jing'an's arm froze in mid-air. He was panting heavily as he glared angrily at Li Renyi's mother and said, "Madam, step aside! If I don't teach this unfilial son a lesson today, he'll never know his place!"
Tears welled in Li Renyi's mother's eyes. She shook her head and pleaded, "Master, he is still our son. Please forgive him this time. He is young and doesn't know any better. Please don't hold it against him."
As the Marquis of Jing'an looked at Li Renyi's mother, the anger on his face gradually subsided, but his eyes were still filled with disappointment and heartache.
He glared at Li Renyi, threw the rattan cane on the ground, and turned to walk out of the ancestral hall.
Li Renyi's mother turned around and looked at Li Renyi kneeling on the ground, her eyes filled with heartache and helplessness.
She sighed softly and said, "My son, when will you grow up and stop worrying your father?"
Li Renyi looked at his mother, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his nonchalant demeanor. He stood up, dusted himself off, and said, "Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing." With that, he walked out of the ancestral hall without looking back, leaving his mother standing there, sighing alone.
Li Renyi was half-supported and half-carried by his maid Xiaolian, and finally managed to get back to his room.
As soon as he entered the room, he collapsed onto the bed like a lump of mud, groaning and moaning incessantly, the sounds drawn out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Xiao Lian, you have to be gentle! It hurts so much! If you hit me any harder, I'll die!"
Xiao Lian's eyes were red-rimmed, tears welling up in them. She held the ointment in her hand, her movements incredibly gentle. Even so, Li Renyi still gasped every now and then, muttering to himself.
Xiao Lian looked at the bruises all over the prince's body and felt heartbroken. Tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string, one after another falling onto the bedsheets.
Li Renyi noticed Xiaolian's deep heartache and sadness, and was somewhat moved.
He turned his head and looked at Xiaolian's tearful face, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh dear, my little Lian, please stop crying. If you keep crying, you'll become a little tearful mess, and I'll feel so sorry for you. Look at your tears, they're almost flooding my bed."
Xiao Lian gave him a reproachful look, then choked up and said, "Your Highness is still teasing me. You're injured like this, and you still have the mind to be sarcastic."
Li Renyi chuckled and gently pinched Xiaolian's cheek. "It's just that seeing you cry makes me feel bad. Don't cry, don't cry."
As he spoke, he became restless again, starting to tease Xiaolian by touching her in various ways, tugging at her sleeve one moment and poking her waist the next. Xiaolian was amused by him and stopped crying while playfully dodging him, saying, "Young Master, please stop fooling around and take good care of your injuries."
Just as the two were joking around, the door to the room creaked open.
Madam Li walked in with a stern face and furrowed brows.
Upon seeing the madam, Li Renyi and Xiaolian stopped instantly, as if they had been struck by a magic acupuncture point.
Xiaolian blushed and hurriedly retreated to the side, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, her head almost touching the ground.
Li Renyi quickly straightened his posture, pretending to be obedient and well-behaved.
Madam Li glanced at the two of them, coughed lightly, and then handed a flyer in her hand to Li Renyi.
"Take a look, this is the message that just arrived, take a good look."
Li Renyi took the flyer with a puzzled look in his eyes. Upon closer inspection, the words "Lingxi Pavilion's First Literary and Martial Arts Marriage Competition" were written in a bold and flamboyant style, which was very eye-catching.
Scrolling down, a line of specially marked small print comes into view: "This is the daughter of Prince Rong of the Dayu Dynasty seeking a husband."
Li Renyi's eyes widened instantly, and his expression froze, as if he had been frozen in place.
Of course he knew that the daughter of Prince Rong was Princess Li Wan'er, whom he was supposed to marry but whose marriage he had ruined.