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

"I have a way that might be able to find out who is colluding with the Western Barbarians," Fan Xian said in a low voice, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

"Oh? What method? Tell me quickly!" Li Chengru perked up and asked hurriedly.

"The Censorate," Fan Xian uttered.

Li Chengru frowned: "The Censorate? Didn't Father Emperor already hand this matter over to the Censorate for investigation?"

"This time, when we submit the evidence, we'll use the methods of the investigation office to conduct the investigation."

……

Forensic Service.

In a dimly lit, enclosed room, no lights were on, only a few faint rays of light filtering in from a very high skylight, barely illuminating a wheelchair in the center of the room.

"Dean, the news is confirmed." Shadow's voice was hoarse and cold, like two rusty pieces of iron rubbing against each other. "Last night, it was probably one of the Second Prince's men who went to that courtyard, but he was accompanied by a powerful expert. That expert was very strong and seriously injured the man. But the man also stole the box. Fan Xian is safe and sound."

Chen Pingping paused slightly as she stroked the blanket.

A brief, deathly silence fell over the dimly lit room.

A moment later, a strange and chilling smile slowly spread across Chen Pingping's wrinkled face.

There was no surprise in that smile; instead, it carried a sense of triumphant satisfaction at having everything under control.

"Heh... Second Prince, in the end, he couldn't resist." Chen Pingping's voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself. "He thought he was a dormant eagle, but he didn't know that he was just a sparrow tied with a rope. He craved power too much, so much so that he lost his mind and dared to touch even that kind of thing."

The shadow listened quietly without interrupting.

He knew that the dean didn't need to answer at that moment, he just needed to listen.

"That box..." A complex emotion flashed in Chen Pingping's eyes—nostalgia, awe, and a deep sense of dread. "When Miss left it behind, I knew it would become a menace sooner or later. His Majesty feared it and wanted to destroy it; that brat Fan Xian used it as a talisman. And now, it's in the hands of the Second Prince..."

Chen Pingping gently shook his head, his smile growing wider: "What a show! The waters of Kyoto are finally about to boil over."

Shadow bowed slightly: "Dean, the Second Prince has stolen the box. Is the young master in danger? Should I take the Black Riders to retrieve it?"

"No need," Chen Pingping refused decisively. "Since he's already taken the box, let him keep it. That thing isn't something just anyone can use."

Chen Pingping raised his head, his gaze piercing through the dimly lit secret room, as if looking towards the direction of the palace, or perhaps towards the Second Prince's residence.

"His Majesty has been watching coldly as his sons tear each other apart. He wants to sharpen his knives, to see which one is the sharpest. But a knife that is too sharp will hurt its master."

Chen Pingping's fingers tapped lightly on the armrests of her wheelchair, making a rhythmic "tap, tap, tap" sound.

"Dean, the Crown Prince has arrived."

The eldest prince, Li Chengru, dressed in a dark red military uniform, strode into the gate of the Imperial Censorate with an imposing presence.

He carried an aura of steely ruthlessness honed from years of battles, and wherever he went, even the usually cold-blooded spies of the Investigation Bureau would involuntarily lower their heads and avoid his sharp edge.

Led by the registrar, Li Chengru went straight to the spacious but somewhat gloomy room where Chen Pingping was.

"This old minister is unable to walk properly and has failed to greet Your Highness from afar. I hope Your Highness will forgive me." Chen Pingping sat in a wheelchair, his face plastered with his signature gentle smile, his voice hoarse yet respectful.

Li Chengru was a straightforward man who hated all the formalities of officialdom. He strode to the desk, pulled out a chair without ceremony, and sat down, saying in a deep voice, "Dean Chen, there's no need for such formalities. I'm not here today for tea and pleasantries; I have important matters to discuss."

After saying this, Li Chengru placed the secret letter he had been holding onto the table.

"Your Highness, what is this...?" Chen Pingping's gaze swept over the secret letter, a look of doubt on his face.

"The clues to the assassination attempt on me lie in the Western Barbarians."

Chen Pingping stretched out his withered hand, picked up the secret letter, and examined it for a moment. His expression gradually became solemn, and his gentle smile disappeared, replaced by the coldness and sternness befitting the head of the Observation Bureau.

"This matter is of utmost importance. Your Highness's entrusting this evidence to the Forensic Bureau demonstrates your trust in this old minister." Chen Pingping placed the secret letter down and solemnly said, "Your Highness, rest assured, this old minister has accepted the evidence. The First Division will immediately intervene and investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Upon receiving Chen Pingping's promise, Li Chengru's expression softened considerably. He stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Then I will trouble Dean Chen. If this matter can be resolved, I will personally petition the Emperor for your reward!"

"Your Highness is too kind. This is simply my duty," Chen Pingping said with a slight bow.

After seeing the eldest prince off, the solemnity on Chen Pingping's face vanished instantly, and he regained his unfathomable calm.

Chen Pingping took out a black wooden plaque from his bosom and handed it to Shadow, his voice so soft it seemed only the two of them could hear: "Go, activate the 'secret network.' Report everything that happened last night to the palace without missing a single word. Say that... the black box that Miss left behind has been secretly taken into the residence of the Second Prince, Li Chengze."

Chen Pingping took out a black wooden plaque from his bosom and handed it to Shadow, his voice so soft it seemed only the two of them could hear: "Go, activate the 'secret network.' Report everything that happened last night to the palace without missing a single word. Say that... the black box that Miss left behind has been secretly taken into the residence of the Second Prince, Li Chengze."

"yes!"

The shadow nodded.

…………

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the place was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Emperor Qing, dressed in a loose white robe with his hair casually draped, sat behind his desk, holding a piece of fine silk in his hand, slowly and meticulously polishing a finely crafted composite bow. His movements were extremely focused, as if the bow in his hand was the only thing in the world.

Eunuch Hou bowed deeply, barely daring to breathe, and slipped into the Imperial Study like a ghost, holding a small bamboo tube in his hands.

"Your Majesty, a top-secret urgent dispatch from the Censorate." Eunuch Hou's voice was kept to a minimum.

Emperor Qing paused slightly as he wiped the bowstring. Without looking up, he simply uttered a single word: "Read."

With trembling hands, Eunuch Hou unscrewed the bamboo tube and took out a tightly rolled parchment. As he unfolded the parchment and his gaze swept over the single line of writing on it, his pupils suddenly contracted, his legs buckled, and he knelt on the ground with a thud.

"Read it!" Emperor Qing's voice remained calm, but beneath that calmness seemed to lie a volcano about to erupt.

"Reporting...Reporting to Your Majesty..." Eunuch Hou's teeth chattered, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. "The secret report said...that the black box left behind by Miss Ye was...stolen by the Second Prince's men last night and is now hidden in the Second Prince's residence."