Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

After a long while, Li Chengze slowly released the beauty from his arms.

Lin Wan'er was now completely limp in Li Chengze's arms, her breathing a little rapid. The blush on her cheeks hadn't faded; instead, it made her look even more alluring and delicate from the deep kiss, like ripe water. .

She subconsciously straightened her slightly disheveled skirt, her fingers trembling slightly. Her watery eyes were fixed on Li Chengze, filled with a hint of reproach, a touch of embarrassment, but mostly an overwhelming tenderness.

"Cousin, how can you be so domineering?" Lin Wan'er complained softly, her voice gentle but sounding like a cat scratching at your heart.

Seeing this, Li Chengze's smile deepened. He didn't let go; instead, he pulled Lin Wan'er even closer into his arms, resting his chin gently on the top of her head, greedily inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair.

"If I'm not a little domineering, how can I protect you?" Li Chengze's voice was deep and gentle.

Hearing the heaviness in his words, Lin Wan'er's embarrassment and anger vanished instantly, and she leaned her head against Li Chengze's chest.

……

Meanwhile, deep within the palace, in the imperial study.

The atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Emperor Qing remained seated on his large dragon throne, the chess pieces twirling between his fingers, making a soft grinding sound. Eunuch Hou stood silently to the side, holding his breath.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of a wheelchair rolling across the ground.

Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair into the imperial study alone. He did not bow respectfully as usual, but stopped directly in front of the imperial desk. His wrinkled face now carried an unprecedented sense of grief, indignation, and dejection.

"Your Majesty," Chen Pingping's voice was hoarse, carrying a deep sense of powerlessness, "this old minister... is a little tired."

Emperor Qing's fingers, which were turning the chess pieces, suddenly paused. His deep, ancient eyes narrowed slightly, shooting out a sharp glint. He didn't speak immediately, but quietly looked at Chen Pingping, as if scrutinizing a fox that had suddenly revealed its belly.

"Oh?" Emperor Qing's voice was flat and emotionless, revealing neither joy nor anger. "What does Dean Chen mean by this? The Censorate is my eyes and ears, a sword hanging over the heads of all officials. The situation in the capital is turbulent now, Fan Xian has been assassinated, this is precisely the time when we need capable people, yet you want to resign?"

Chen Pingping lowered his head, his withered hands gripping the armrests of his wheelchair tightly, his knuckles white. When he raised his head, tears seemed to glisten in his eyes, and his voice was filled with sorrow: "Your Majesty, it is not that this old minister is unwilling to share Your Majesty's burdens, but truly... I am powerless. The 'Net of Heaven' is vast in power, its infiltration far exceeding this old minister's imagination. This old minister is old and frail, and my eyesight is gradually failing. I fear I can no longer see through the fog of the capital for Your Majesty. If I continue to occupy this position, I will only hinder Your Majesty's great undertakings."

Emperor Qing, seeing Chen Pingping's appearance, didn't believe him. He knew this old cripple too well. Chen Pingping had followed him for many years, from Dongyi City to the capital, from humble beginnings to his ascension to the throne. This man had always been patient and deep, with a heart of stone. Even when he suffered torture, he had never flinched. How could this little setback possibly make him want to retreat?

"Is the pressure from the Luo Wang too great?" Emperor Qing sneered inwardly. "I'm afraid that old fox is up to something again."

Emperor Qing narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. Chen Pingping's resignation at this moment could be due to a few possibilities: first, a strategic retreat to force him to grant him more power and resources; second, a desire to extricate himself from his predicament while secretly plotting a larger scheme; or third, a genuine feeling of threat and a desire to preserve the foundation of the Censorate.

But Emperor Qing could not easily agree to either option.

Only someone as prestigious and ruthless as Chen Pingping could keep those unruly shadows and assassins in the Detective Council in check.

Remember this name: . Remember this domain name: . Good books won't lead you astray.

If it were someone else in this situation, they might not have been able to control it.

If a newcomer lacks ability or is too ambitious, causing the Censorate to lose control, that would be a real problem.

Moreover, there are undercurrents of various forces in the imperial court. If Chen Pingping is taken down at this time, it will inevitably cause a shock in the court and give those with ulterior motives an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Emperor Qing spoke slowly, his tone tinged with a hint of probing, "Do you have a successor in mind? If you leave, who will fill the position of Director of the Censorate in a way that would put my mind at ease?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping's body trembled slightly, and he lowered his head even further. His eyes flickered, as if he was struggling to think about something.

"The candidate..." Chen Pingping pondered for a moment, his voice low, "This old minister is foolish and cannot think of a suitable candidate for the time being. The Censorate is special; only those with sufficient ability, prestige, and absolute loyalty to His Majesty can be competent. Currently, those in the court are either too inexperienced or have differing intentions. Based solely on His Majesty's instructions, this old minister dares not make any recommendations, lest we bury talent or invite trouble into the fold."

Emperor Qing sneered inwardly, "What a cunning old fox, throwing all the problems at me."

He stood up, walked to the window, his back to Chen Pingping, and looked at the gloomy sky outside. He slowly said, "Dean Chen, we have been ruler and subject for many years, and I know the bitterness in your heart. The 'Net of Justice' is indeed troublesome, but no matter how powerful they are, they are nothing more than rats that cannot see the light of day. The Censorate is an eagle in the sunlight; how can it be intimidated by a few rats?"

Emperor Qing turned around, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Pingping: "You said you want to resign, is it because you feel tired, or because you feel I no longer trust you?"

Chen Pingping hurriedly shook his head, his expression filled with fear: "Your Majesty, please understand! This old minister's loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day! But..."

"No, not just." Emperor Qing interrupted him, his tone becoming firm and forceful. "In this Bureau of Investigation, no one but you can hold their position securely. If you leave, this blade will dull, and might even turn around and cut my hand. As for the 'Net of Justice,' I will provide you with support. If you need manpower, I will provide the Imperial Guards; if you need authority, I will grant you the privilege of acting first and reporting later. As long as you can find the mastermind behind this, even if you turn this entire capital upside down, I will allow it!"

Emperor Qing walked up to Chen Pingping, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly, "Old friend, you still have to shoulder this responsibility. I trust you as much as I trust my own hands. At this time, you cannot retreat, nor dare you retreat."

Chen Pingping lowered his head, obscuring the expression in his eyes, but from an angle where no one could see, a very subtle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

It became.

That's exactly what he wanted to hear from Emperor Qing.

"Your Majesty..." Chen Pingping raised his head, his face showing a mixture of gratitude and reluctance. "Since Your Majesty trusts this old minister so much, if I were to refuse again, I would be failing Your Majesty's high expectations and letting down the brothers who have died over the years. So be it, this old minister will give one last chance for Your Majesty. But... I beg Your Majesty to keep your promise and provide the Censorate with some substantial assistance."

"That's natural." Emperor Qing nodded in satisfaction, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "Tomorrow morning at court, I will issue an edict granting the Bureau of Investigation greater investigative and mobilization powers. In addition, I will have Dian Qing personally lead a team to assist you in investigating the 'Net of Deception's' strongholds."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty." Chen Pingping bowed.

"Go," Emperor Qing waved his hand. "Do a good job and don't let me down."

"Your humble servant obeys the imperial decree."

Chen Pingping pushed the wheelchair and slowly left the Imperial Study.

As the wheelchair rolled out of the Imperial Study, into the Imperial Censorate, and back into his own room, the grief and fear on Chen Pingping's face vanished without a trace.

Instead, there is a cold and wise calm.

"Shadow," he whispered.

"Proceed to the next step of the plan."