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

"Bowing to Heaven and Earth—"

"Bowing to the parents twice—"

"Husband and wife bow to each other—"

"Send them to the bridal chamber—"

As the ceremony progressed, the atmosphere in the hall finally became lively again.

The officials seemed to have tacitly forgotten the two thrilling scenes from just now, and began to toast each other, talk loudly, and laugh and chatter.

Li Chengze sat alone at a table in a corner, holding a glass of wine, a tribute from the Western Regions, and gently swirling it in his hand.

The scarlet liquid swirls in the luminous glass, releasing an intoxicating aroma.

He coldly watched the hypocritical smiling faces in the center of the hall, and saw Fan Xian weaving through the crowd like a comical penguin, a cold smile curving his lips.

……

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

"Squeak—"

The door to the Imperial Study was gently pushed open, and Hou Daban tiptoed in, like a weightless ghost.

He walked three steps away from the desk, knelt down respectfully, and buried his head deeply in the ground.

"You're back." Emperor Qing didn't look up, still intently examining the carving knife in his hand, his voice so calm that it revealed no emotion.

"Your Majesty, this old servant has returned," Hou Daban replied softly.

"Has the package been delivered?"

"It has been delivered. His Highness is deeply grateful and kowtows in thanks for His Majesty's grace."

Emperor Qing gave a faint "hmm," put down the carving knife in his hand, and picked up a clean white silk handkerchief to wipe his hands.

"Tell me, what interesting things have happened at the Crown Prince's residence?" Emperor Qing leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed intently on the flickering candlelight.

Hou Daban dared not conceal anything and reported everything that had happened at the Crown Prince's residence in great detail.

From the reactions of the officials, to Fan Xian's comical attire, to the sudden appearance of the Second Prince Li Chengze, and the peerless sword named "Gan Jiang".

"Young Master Fan seems unusually sensitive to the cold today. His wedding robes are so bulky, it looks like he's wearing heavy armor," Hou Daban said with a barely perceptible smile in his voice when he mentioned Fan Xian.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing's lips curled into a slight, mocking smile: "Wearing heavy armor to a banquet?"

"Did the second brother give you a sword?"

"Yes. His Highness the Second Prince presented me with an ancient sword called 'Gan Jiang.' The sword exudes an extremely strong aura of killing intent. When it was drawn from its sheath, its sword energy was so overwhelming that even this old servant felt a chill run down my spine. His Highness seemed to like it very much and accepted it on the spot."

"Gan Jiang..." Emperor Qing murmured the name, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

He didn't care where the second brother got such a thing. What he cared about was the second brother's purpose in giving him the sword.

"Where are they now?" Emperor Qing suddenly asked, posing a seemingly nonsensical question.

But Hou Daban immediately understood what Emperor Qing was asking.

Hou Daban took a deep breath and lowered his voice to the lowest possible level, as if afraid of disturbing the ghosts and spirits lurking in the shadows.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Qi's... Master Kuhe, has already quietly entered the territory. According to our spies, his last appearance was in Cangzhou, less than three hundred miles from the capital. He disguised himself as a wandering ascetic monk, without any attendants, and his movements were extremely secretive."

Upon hearing the name "Ku He," a ripple finally appeared in Emperor Qing's eyes.

Ku He, the Grand Master and National Preceptor of the Northern Qi Dynasty.

This is a name that would give any monarch in the world a headache.

He was not only unfathomably skilled in martial arts, but also a pillar of the Northern Qi dynasty.

Emperor Qing continued, "Where is Gu Sijian?"

"Your Majesty, news from Dongyi City indicates that Si Gu Jian... is still hesitating," Hou Daban replied.

"Hesitate?" Emperor Qing frowned slightly. "That madman of his actually hesitates?"

"Yes. The scouts report that Si Gu Jian has been in seclusion in the Sword Pavilion for the past few days and has not stepped out. The sword energy around the Sword Pavilion is extremely chaotic, as if his state of mind is not at peace. Several disciples have tried to see him, but he has driven them away with his sword energy."

Emperor Qing turned around and slowly paced around the imperial study.

"Si Gu Jian is an idiot, a madman, but he's not a fool," Emperor Qing analyzed as they walked. "He knows very well that once he leaves Dongyi City, it will become a piece of fat meat, which could be trampled flat by the iron cavalry of my Great Qing at any time. He only cares about two things in his life: his sword and his city. Without absolute certainty or absolute temptation, he will never easily leave that turtle shell."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Although Si Gu Jian is mad, his obsession with Dongyi City runs deep," Hou Daban echoed.

"Bonds are weaknesses." Emperor Qing stopped in his tracks, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

So what if he's a grandmaster?

Faced with absolute power and intrigue, even a Grandmaster is merely a slightly larger pawn on the chessboard.

Emperor Qing closed his eyes, and a grand map of the world's power unfolded in his mind. The troop movements of various forces—Northern Qi, Dongyi City, Qing Kingdom, Nanzhao—and the covert infiltration of various masters were all clearly imprinted in his mind.

This is a trap.

Now that Kuhe has entered the game, Sigujian is indispensable.

"This play can't be performed well without a leading actor."

Emperor Qing looked at Hou Daban, who was kneeling on the ground, and spoke in a calm tone.

"Spread that message."

Upon hearing this, Hou Daban trembled violently. He knew, of course, what "that news" referred to.

That's a bombshell that could cause chaos throughout the world!

"Your Majesty...this..." Hou Daban's voice trembled slightly, "If this news gets out, not only Si Gu Jian, but probably all the ambitious people in the world will be stirred up by it, and the capital...the capital may be thrown into chaos!"

"What I want is chaos," Emperor Qing said coldly. "Without chaos, how will those demons and monsters hiding in the shadows reveal themselves? Without chaos, how will that coward Si Gu Jian dare to crawl out of his sword hut?"

Emperor Qing walked up to Hou Daban and looked down at him.

"Send an order to Chen Pingping, instructing him to utilize all the spies of the Overwatch Council to spread the news throughout the streets and alleys of Dongyi City as quickly as possible, ensuring that every disciple of Si Gu Jian hears it."

"Tell me... you, you suffered a qi deviation during your cultivation, your meridians are all severed, and you are at your last gasp. The Qing Kingdom's royal family is about to erupt into civil war in the struggle for the throne. The capital's defenses are weak, and I have secretly dispatched Ye Liuyun to the Northern Qi border to guard against Ku He."

"And, most importantly..." Emperor Qing leaned down slightly, his voice like a chilling wind from the deepest hell, "Tell Si Gu Jian that the secret of the 'Temple Envoy' left behind by Ye Qingmei is hidden in the Taiping Villa in the Imperial Palace. As long as he can storm into the capital, that secret will be his."

Hearing these words, Hou Daban felt as if the blood in his body was about to freeze.

What an insane plan this is!

He risked his own life, the safety of the Qing Kingdom, and even that taboo name to orchestrate this scheme!

"Your Majesty... please reconsider!" Hou Daban kowtowed heavily, his forehead hitting the blue bricks, from which a trace of blood seeped out.

"Go and do it." Emperor Qing straightened up and stopped looking at him.

"This old servant... obeys the decree!"