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

"Your Highness, what is this?"

Zhao Gao asked, puzzled. His gaze swept over the pile of metal parts that gleamed with a cold light, and a chill inexplicably rose in his heart.

He was quite knowledgeable, having seen the ingenious mechanisms produced by the Imperial Treasury and the top-secret repeating crossbows in the Ministry of War's armory, but the items in this black box were completely beyond his comprehension.

There was no bowstring, no sharp blade, only a cold tube and a complex structure, yet it exuded a murderous aura that seemed capable of devouring lives.

Upon hearing Zhao Gao's question, Li Chengze calmly replied, "A long-range weapon that poses a threat to you even if you are a Grandmaster."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao was jolted, his eyes widened instantly, and his expression of great horror was evident.

"Is...is it a threat to us?" Zhao Gao's voice trembled.

Could these oddly shaped lumps of iron really threaten the lives of even a ninth-rank or grandmaster-level expert? And they're "ranged" at that?

In this world, masters of the ninth rank and above have reached inhuman levels in terms of perception and reaction speed. Even if a crossbow fires thousands of arrows, as long as the distance is maintained, a master of the ninth rank can easily dodge or withstand the attack with their powerful true energy.

In Zhao Gao's mind, a weapon capable of sniping a ninth-rank master from a distance simply did not exist.

Unless a grandmaster personally intervenes and kills someone from a distance.

But seeing the genuine seriousness in Li Chengze's eyes, Zhao Gao knew that His Highness was not joking.

The contents of this black box are likely a terrifying artifact capable of overturning the world's understanding of martial arts.

"Alright, you can go now. Guard the area around the study; no one is allowed to approach," Li Chengze coldly ordered.

"Yes!" Zhao Gao bowed and accepted the order, carefully leaving the study and gently closing the door behind him.

The study returned to a deathly silence, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight in the night wind.

Li Chengze closed the black box again, held it in his arms, and walked to the antique shelf in the corner of the study. He turned several antiques in a specific order, and with a low, grinding sound, a hidden door cracked open in the wall.

He carefully placed the black box deep inside a hidden compartment.

After closing the hidden door again, Li Chengze returned to his chair and began to recover from his injuries.

……

at the same time.

Fan Xian sat by the stone table, staring at the empty surface, his face so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it. A faint scent of purple smoke still lingered in the courtyard, along with the wood chips scattered everywhere where Wu Zhu had smashed the gate.

"Uncle, can you confirm that person's identity?" Fan Xian took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, and turned to look at Wu Zhu standing in the shadows.

Wu Zhu, still covered by the black cloth, spoke in a completely flat voice: "No. He wore a mask, altered his form, and even deliberately concealed his martial arts style. But his internal strength is very strong, and... that movement technique seems familiar."

"Familiar?" Fan Xian frowned. "Besides the night you rescued Lin Gong, where else have you seen this movement technique?"

Wu Zhu remained silent for a long time, seemingly trying to search through the fragmented memories in his mind.

"That's all." Wu Zhu gave a frustrating answer.

Fan Xian rubbed his throbbing temples. He knew Wu Zhu had memory problems and couldn't expect him to provide more precise clues.

"His internal energy is extremely yang and strong, his movements are unpredictable, and he can even steal things from you and escape unscathed..." Fan Xian muttered to himself, his brain starting to work at high speed.

The scope of those who could mobilize such a high-level expert in Kyoto is actually quite small.

Emperor Qing?

Not too possible.

If the old emperor wanted that box, he could have openly sent the Imperial Guards to demand it, or had Chen Pingping do it himself; there was no need for this underhanded sneak attack.

The Eldest Princess? That madwoman Li Yunrui is capable of such a thing, but her ninth-rank expert Yan Xiaoyi is skilled with a bow and arrow. That person was clearly using a sword, and his internal energy technique was also wrong.

The Crown Prince? Although the Crown Prince also has skilled men under his command, their style of doing things is usually not so ruthless and decisive, and they have a bit of a desperado feel to them.

Then...the second prince?

Fan Xian's mind flashed to Li Chengze's face, which always wore a cynical smile.

"Whoever it is, if they dare to steal what my mother left behind, they should be prepared to pay the price." Fan Xian slammed his hand on the stone table, and several fine cracks immediately appeared on its surface.

But he quickly calmed down.

Impulsiveness is the devil. Right now, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. We haven't even fully confirmed who the other side is. Taking rash action will only alert them.

Moreover, his situation in Kyoto is still precarious, with various forces watching him closely. He cannot afford to lose his composure over a mere box.

"The stuff is gone, but we don't have any bullets, so the gun is just a stick to burn," Fan Xian consoled himself.

He had checked beforehand and found that although there were Barrett parts in the box, he hadn't put all the bullets in it; he carried them with him.

He had checked beforehand and found that although there were Barrett parts in the box, he hadn't put all the bullets in it; he carried them with him.

Without the matching sniper ammunition, even if the person who stole the box assembled the gun, he wouldn't be able to use it effectively.

Thinking of this, Fan Xian's mood calmed down a little.

"Uncle, please work hard these next few days and secretly investigate the movements of various forces in the capital, especially the Second Prince's side. See if there are any unusual experts coming and going, or if anyone is secretly searching for craftsmen," Fan Xian said to Wu Zhu.

Wu Zhu nodded, and with a flicker, he disappeared into the night, as if he had never been there.

Fan Xian stood up and dusted himself off. He looked up at the night sky, where thick clouds obscured the stars and moon, foreshadowing an even greater storm brewing in the capital.

"Life goes on, and things still need to be done." Fan Xian let out a long sigh, forcibly suppressing his frustration at losing the box.

He knew he couldn't stop now.

The next morning, Fan Xian finished washing up as usual, changed into a proper official robe, and went to the residence of the eldest prince, Li Chengru.

In the past few days, the eldest prince, Li Chengru, has been secretly investigating matters concerning the "Western Barbarians".

The Western Barbarians were a nomadic tribal alliance located in a vast wilderness beyond the western border of the Qing Kingdom.

These tribes are known for their fierce and warlike nature, and their skill in riding and archery have historically been a major threat to the western border of the Qing Kingdom.

Although the Qing Kingdom stationed a large force in the west, guarded by several veteran generals, the light cavalry of the Western Barbarians could always come and go like the wind, frequently crossing the border to plunder, causing headaches for the border guards.

When Fan Xian arrived at the study in the First Prince's residence, Li Chengru was frowning, staring blankly at a huge map of the western border of the Qing Kingdom hanging on the wall.

His eyes were bloodshot, clearly from staying up all night again.

"Your Highness, are you still looking at this map?" Fan Xian stepped forward and greeted him casually.

"Hmm, who in the capital do you think is colluding with them and managing to shift the blame onto the Crown Prince?"