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

The grating scraping sound echoed in the silent imperial study, making the eunuch Hou, who was serving nearby, tremble with fear and dare not even breathe.

"Old Hou," Emperor Qing suddenly stopped what he was doing, blew away the iron filings on the arrowhead, and spoke casually, "Those few who jumped out to support the Second Prince in court today, were they all from the Ministry of Rites?"

Eunuch Hou lowered his body even further, and answered cautiously with a fawning smile, "Your Majesty is wise. Those officials do indeed have a closer relationship with Her Highness the Princess on a regular basis."

"Heh..." Emperor Qing chuckled, holding the gleaming arrowhead up to his eyes, peering through its sharp tip into the void. "Yun Rui's reach is getting longer and longer. Just a few days ago he was flirting with the Crown Prince, and now that the Second Prince has risen to prominence, he's betting everything on him."

He casually tossed the arrowhead back into the plate, making a crisp "clink" sound.

"However... it's alright."

"Whether it's a puppet or a chess piece, as long as it works, that's fine."

Emperor Qing stood up, his bare feet stepping onto the soft carpet as he slowly paced back and forth. "Since the Second Prince is willing to be this whetstone, and with Yun Rui supporting him from behind, I am even more reassured about the hardness of this stone."

In Emperor Qing's eyes, whether Li Chengze was being used was irrelevant. What mattered was that the harder and sharper this "whetstone" was, the more the crown prince would suit his taste. As for whether the stone would shatter during the friction or turn against the person wielding it, this grandmaster-level emperor had absolute confidence in controlling everything.

"Reveal my imperial edict."

Emperor Qing walked to the window, looking at the bright spring sunshine outside. His tone was calm but unquestionable. "The Second Prince has rendered meritorious service in court today. He cares deeply for the people and has won my heart. Consort Shu has done a good job in educating her son. I will reward her with a pair of luminous pearls from the South China Sea, ten bolts of Shu brocade, and also bestow upon her... a rare copy of the Zhuangzi."

Eunuch Hou quickly replied, "This old servant obeys the decree."

……

Consort Shu's palace remained as quiet and secluded as ever, seemingly isolated from the world.

The room was filled with the fragrance of books. Consort Shu sat by the window, holding a yellowed ancient book in her hands, her expression focused. Until Eunuch Hou's high-pitched voice broke the silence.

"His Majesty's decree—Consort Shu has excelled in raising her son; she is hereby rewarded…"

As a series of rewards were announced, especially when the name of the rare copy of the Zhuangzi was mentioned, Consort Shu's fingers trembled slightly as she held the book, her knuckles turning white from the force.

After Eunuch Hou, all smiles, put down the reward and said auspicious words like "Congratulations, Your Highness! Your Highness, the Second Prince has really made something of himself. His Majesty values ​​him highly," the palace returned to a deathly silence.

Consort Shu slowly stood up, her gaze not lingering on the priceless luminous pearls for even a moment, but instead falling on the copy of the "Zhuangzi".

That's a Taoist book, which emphasizes carefree wandering and non-action.

Is Your Majesty praising Chengze by bestowing this book upon him?

No.

Consort Shu was an extremely intelligent woman, even more insightful than most women in the palace.

She knew that man too well.

This is no reward; it's clearly a death warrant.

"Effective parenting style..."

Consort Shu muttered to herself, a bitter smile playing on her lips.

His Majesty was telling her that since she had raised her son to be so sharp and ambitious, and since she had put him in such a prominent position, she should be prepared to bear the consequences.

A whetstone is meant to draw blood.

She slowly reached out her hand, her fingertips gently tracing the cold brocade. Her eyes instantly dimmed, as if even the sunlight outside the window couldn't penetrate the abyss in her eyes.

"Chengze..."

A faint sigh echoed in the empty hall, carrying endless worry and helplessness.

"You've finally... fallen into the trap."

She turned around and looked at the densely packed books on the bookshelf. She felt that these words, which had once brought her peace of mind, had now become menacing cages, trapping her son in the meat grinder of imperial power.

The night was as dark as ink, and the Second Prince's residence was completely silent, save for the occasional chirping of insects.

Inside the bedroom, the gauze curtains hung low. Li Chengze had already dismissed his attendants and was lying sprawled out on the soft brocade quilt. He was a terrible sleeper, with one leg on the quilt and the other dangling over the edge of the bed, swaying gently with his breathing, showing no signs of a prince's demeanor.

Suddenly, the tightly closed window made a very slight "click" sound, and then a night wind, which was not cold but carried a bit of a chilling and murderous aura, swept into the room, causing the bed curtains to flutter.

Li Chengze suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, a glint of light flashing in them, but it quickly dimmed again, and he returned to his lazy demeanor.

He was too lazy to even get up. He simply rolled over in bed like a lazy cat, turning to a side-lying position. He propped his head up with one hand and casually placed the other on his knee. His gaze passed through the thin gauze curtains and fell on the tall figure that had somehow appeared in the shadows.

"General, why are you here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping, acting as a thief?"

Li Chengze yawned, his voice slightly hoarse and teasing, as if he had just woken up. "I've given you a great deal of autonomy. If it were a trivial matter, you wouldn't have shown yourself at this hour. Tell me, has the sky fallen, or has the earth caved in?"

In the shadows, the figure wearing a bamboo hat and mask slowly stepped forward. Moonlight streamed through the window cracks, illuminating a corner of the狰狞 mask—it was none other than the Bad Commander, Yuan Tiangang.

Yuan Tiangang did not rush to answer. His eyes, like two ghostly flames, swept over Li Chengze before he bowed slightly. His voice was low and hoarse, exuding a reassuring composure.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on your further advancement in cultivation. The energy flow within the palace is now perfectly smooth and harmonious, and you are likely only one step away from reaching the ninth rank."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze waved his hand dismissively: "Alright, alright, stop flattering me. My rapid advancement in cultivation level is due to my exceptional talent, plus... cough, some special opportunities. Let's get down to business."

Yuan Tiangang straightened up, his tone becoming solemn: "Your Highness has recently displayed your prowess in court and has already entered the game. I have come here today to ask Your Highness, now that you have decided to enter the game, is it necessary for the Bad People and the Net to secretly help you?"

Whether it's eliminating dissidents or creating chaos, Your Highness only needs to give the order, and after tonight, Kyoto will be a completely different place.

His tone was calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, but the bloodthirstiness contained in his words was enough to make the entire capital tremble.

Li Chengze listened and gently shook his head.

He reached out and twirled a strand of hair that had fallen down his back, casually winding it around his fingertips, a playful smile playing on his lips: "No need."

"Why?" Yuan Tiangang paused slightly.

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 31 Yuan Tiangang visits late at night, looking forward to your visit.