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

Inside the main hall of Yishi Residence.

"Snapped!"

With a sharp crack, a tattered book was slammed to the ground, its pages scattered, the dense writing on them covered in dust.

"Where did this poor, pedantic scholar come from? He dares to read *The Story of the Stone*?"

Guo Baokun, dressed in fine clothes, held a folding fan in his hand and looked at the young scholar who had fallen to the ground with disgust. The group of servants and guards behind him also looked fierce and surrounded the scholar.

The scholar's clothes were faded from washing, his face was flushed, and his eyes were filled with tears. He tried to pick up the books on the ground, but Guo Baokun stepped on the back of his hand.

"Ah!" the scholar cried out in pain.

"This *Story of the Stone* is a masterpiece that circulated in the palace, every word a gem. How could a lowly wretch like you possibly understand it?" Guo Baokun stomped his foot, grinding the stone, and sneered, "Holding such a inferior handwritten copy is an insult to my eyes! Beat him! Teach him a lesson he won't forget. From now on, such refined things are not for someone like him to touch!"

Although the surrounding diners looked reluctant, none of them dared to step forward to stop Guo Baokun because of his status as the son of the Minister of Rites.

Just as the servants rolled up their sleeves, ready to take action, a clear voice suddenly rang out.

"Isn't the point of writing books to be read? If it's only for the powerful and wealthy, then wouldn't all the wisdom in the book be wasted?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man sitting by the window. He was dressed plainly, holding a pair of chopsticks, with several delicate dishes in front of him, and he was looking at them calmly.

It was Fan Xian.

Guo Baokun paused, turned to look at Fan Xian, his brows furrowed: "And who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?"

Fan Xian shrugged and pointed at the scholar on the ground: "When you see injustice, you draw your sword... oh no, you just lend a hand. Young master, books contain the wisdom of sages, but they also reflect the realities of life. What distinction is there between high and low, noble and base? Your behavior has disgraced even the author of those books."

"presumptuous!"

Guo Baokun flew into a rage. He hated being accused of pretending to know everything, and now, being publicly lectured by a country bumpkin, he felt utterly humiliated. He slammed his folding fan shut, pointed at Fan Xian's nose, and yelled, "Where did this wild brat come from? He has no manners at all! Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your master..."

"Shh-"

Fan Xian suddenly raised a finger and put it to his lips, making a shushing gesture.

His eyes were clear and focused, as if he were staring at a point in the void, completely ignoring the furious Guo Baokun.

Guo Baokun was taken aback and subconsciously shut his mouth, somewhat bewildered by the sudden and strange atmosphere.

In the brief silence, a faint buzzing sound reached everyone's ears.

It was a fly.

This oblivious fly hovered in the sweltering early summer air, sometimes landing on the corner of the table, sometimes circling around Guo Baokun's nose, making an annoying noise.

Guo Baokun frowned and was about to wave his hand to drive them away.

In that very instant!

Fan Xian made a move.

His movements were not fast, one could even say somewhat casual. He simply raised his hand slightly, and the chopsticks in his hand, like two nimble dragons, left a trail of afterimages in the air.

There was no sound of wind, no murderous intent.

There was only one extremely faint, yet clearly audible sound—

"Smack."

The world seemed to stand still at that moment.

Guo Baokun's hand, which was halfway through its swing, froze in mid-air, his eyes wide with disbelief.

The tips of Fan Xian's chopsticks were firmly holding a fly. The fly's wings were still trembling slightly, but it couldn't break free from the two bamboo chopsticks no matter what it did.

Fan Xian looked at the fly on his chopsticks, sighed, and said with a look of disgust, "Flies in my food are really disgusting. Just like... some people who only buzz around."

With that, he flicked his wrist, and the fly was sent flying to the ground, where it lay still.

"this……"

Guo Baokun felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He was from a powerful and wealthy family. Although his own martial arts skills were mediocre, he had at least seen how to fight. To catch a flying fly with chopsticks—what kind of eyesight, what kind of hand strength, what kind of control would that require?

This is definitely not something an ordinary country boy could do!

This is clearly a hidden master!

The guards behind Guo Baokun also changed their expressions drastically, subconsciously gripping the hilts of their swords at their waists, staring at the still smiling young man as if facing a formidable enemy.

Private room on the second floor.

Through the half-open window, Li Chengze could see everything downstairs.

"Brilliant." He clapped his hands lightly, a playful smile playing on his lips. "That 'fly-catching' move, seemingly effortless, is actually overflowing with domineering power. Bi'an, could you do that?"

Xie Bi'an, holding his longsword, glanced expressionlessly at the scene below: "Yes. But I'll cut the fly in half."

"Too bloody, no good, no good." Li Chengze shook his head, jumped off the chair, his bare feet stepping onto the soft carpet. He casually straightened his slightly disheveled robes. "Let's go, we've seen enough of the show, it's our turn. Otherwise, Guo Baokun might wet his pants in fear. This pawn is still useful."

The lobby downstairs.

Guo Baokun was indeed in a dilemma. If he fought, judging from the opponent's display of skill, his men might not be a match for them; if he didn't fight, he had already made his threats, and if he slunk away like this, how would he ever be able to face anyone in Kyoto again?

Just as he was caught in a dilemma, a lazy yet magnetic voice came from the stairwell.

"Hey, isn't this Editor Guo? Why are you so angry in the middle of the day?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

A young man dressed in a black robe with gold patterns slowly descended the stairs. His long hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and his face was handsome yet otherworldly. Most strikingly, he was barefoot, his clean white feet making a soft "thump-thump" sound as they stepped on the cool wooden stairs.

Behind him followed a swordsman with a cold and stern face, carrying a long sword.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Guo Baokun's previously panicked face instantly lit up with ecstatic joy, as if a drowning man had grasped at the last straw.

Although he was on the Crown Prince's side and usually followed the Crown Prince's lead, he did not get along with the Second Prince.

But in this critical moment when he was being bullied by "outsiders" and the other party's strength was unknown, the Second Prince, who was also a member of the royal family and had immense power in Kyoto, was undoubtedly his only support at the moment.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, you've come at the perfect time!"

Guo Baokun practically scrambled to Li Chengze's feet, bowed deeply, and pointed at Fan Xian, complaining, "Your Highness, this man... this man has no regard for the law, publicly humiliating a court official, and... and even attempted murder!"

You must do me justice!

Li Chengze stopped and looked down at Guo Baokun, whose face was a mixture of flattery and fear, and chuckled inwardly.

Although Guo Baokun is a fool, he is foolish in a lovable way and with a tenacious spirit. In the original novel, he initially provides Fan Xian with experience points, but later becomes a "righteous man" in Northern Qi who endures humiliation to save his father, and even inexplicably becomes the "King of Spies" who commands the secret agents of Northern Qi.

Since he was going to play chess with Emperor Qing and the Crown Prince, the more pieces on the chessboard, the better. Keeping someone like Guo Baokun around as a troublemaker, or throwing him into Northern Qi later to annoy Zhan Doudou, would be perfectly fine.

Thinking of this, Li Chengze reached out and actually helped Guo Baokun up himself.

"Editor Guo, you flatter me." Li Chengze smiled warmly, his tone so friendly that Guo Baokun felt flattered. "We are all respectable people from Kyoto, why bother arguing with a young man who has just arrived? If word gets out, wouldn't it be said that we Kyoto people are bullying outsiders?"

Guo Baokun was stunned.

He had thought the Second Prince would take the opportunity to ridicule him, or simply stand by and do nothing. Unexpectedly, the Second Prince was so "wise" that he even gave him a way out!

"Your Highness is right! It was I...I was presumptuous." Guo Baokun's eyes reddened with emotion, and his loyalty to the Crown Prince wavered for a moment—the Crown Prince usually bossed him around, never speaking to him so gently as the Second Prince.

Li Chengze patted Guo Baokun on the shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Lord Guo, Fan Xian is, after all, Minister Fan's illegitimate son, and the man His Majesty has betrothed to Princess Chen. If you really harm him today, it will be difficult to explain to your father... Take my advice, there's plenty of time in the future."

Upon hearing this, Guo Baokun broke out in a cold sweat.

Yes, Fan Xian has an imperial decree behind him! I was really blinded by greed just now, only thinking about showing off! If I had really hurt Fan Xian and ruined His Majesty's arranged marriage, that would be a crime punishable by the confiscation of my family's property and the extermination of my clan!

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness! Thank you for saving my life, Your Highness!" Guo Baokun said in a low voice, his voice filled with gratitude and tears streaming down his face, his body trembling slightly.

"Alright, you may leave now. Come to my residence for tea another day when you have time." Li Chengze waved his hand, appearing nonchalant.

"Yes! This humble subject takes his leave!"

Guo Baokun felt as if he had been granted a pardon and dared not linger any longer. He led his servants and slunk away, not forgetting to glare fiercely at Fan Xian before leaving, but his eyes seemed somewhat fierce but actually weak.

After dealing with Guo Baokun, Li Chengze turned around and finally looked at the boy who was still sitting at the table, motionless.

Fan Xian was also looking at him.

Their eyes met in mid-air, as if invisible sparks were flashing between them.

Fan Xian's pupils contracted slightly.

Although he had just arrived in the capital, he had done his homework. The barefoot, masculine and heroic young man before him must be none other than the Second Prince, Li Chengze, who had been rivals to the Crown Prince for many years.

But what alarmed Fan Xian was not Li Chengze's identity, but the cold-faced man with a sword behind him.

Just as Li Chengze approached, Fan Xian felt an extremely sharp aura lock onto him. It felt like being stared at by a venomous snake, or like an invisible sword pressed against his throat.

"Such swift sword intent..." Fan Xian thought to himself with a chill. "Is this the legendary Xie Bi'an, who 'shatters time with a single sword'?"

Although he was wary, Fan Xian showed no fear on his face. He put down his chopsticks, stood up, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Li Chengze, and revealed a bright smile.

"This humble commoner, Fan Xian, greets Your Highness, Second Prince."

Li Chengze looked Fan Xian up and down with an unbridled gaze, as if he were looking at a rare treasure or an interesting toy.

"You're Fan Xian?"

Li Chengze walked barefoot to Fan Xian's table, and without any ceremony, pulled out a chair and sat down, casually picking up a peanut from the table and popping it into his mouth. "I heard you're going to marry Wan'er?"

Fan Xian raised an eyebrow, not expecting the Second Prince to get straight to the point right away.

"Your Majesty's decree is my duty, and I dare not disobey." Fan Xian replied flawlessly.

"Dare not disobey?" Li Chengze scoffed, leaning forward and staring into Fan Xian's eyes. "I see you're quite bold. That fly-catching move you just made scared Guo Baokun half to death. What, did you kill someone in Danzhou?"

Fan Xian's heart skipped a beat. This Second Prince's eyes were too sharp; it was as if he could see right through people's hearts.

"Your Highness is too kind. The people of Danzhou are simple and honest. I usually just kill chickens and slaughter fish," Fan Xian said with a laugh.

"Killing chickens and slaughtering fish?" Li Chengze's lips curled into a mocking smile. "That's true. In some people's eyes, there's no difference between them and chickens and fish."

He pointed to the direction Guo Baokun had left outside the door, making a pointed remark.

Then, Li Chengze suddenly sighed, his tone becoming somewhat resentful: "Do you know how much I hate you?"

Fan Xian was taken aback, not expecting the other party to be so blunt: "Uh... This humble subject is terrified, I don't know where I have offended Your Highness?"

"Wan'er is someone I watched grow up; she's my most beloved younger sister." Li Chengze looked at Fan Xian with complicated emotions. "To cure her illness, I searched through ancient books and consulted countless renowned doctors. I finally managed to raise her to be healthy and plump, but then Father Emperor issued a decree to marry her off to you, a complete illegitimate son I've never even met. Tell me, should I hate you?"

Fan Xian fell silent. He could sense that there was some sincerity in Li Chengze's words.

"However..." Li Chengze changed the subject, the gloom on his face instantly disappearing, and he returned to his lazy demeanor. "I just saw your skills and your courage. Not bad. But, Wan'er is mine. You are not worthy to covet her."

He stood up and patted the peanut skins off his hands.

"Fan Xian, the waters of Kyoto run deep, and there are plenty of scoundrels. Guo Baokun is just a small fry; the real big fish are still lurking in the shadows."

Li Chengze walked to Fan Xian's side, turned his head, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear:

"The Crown Prince wants to kill you, the Eldest Princess wants to kill you, I want to kill you, and even... many others want to kill you. If you don't sharpen your blade enough, it will break."

Fan Xian's eyes narrowed, and he said in a low voice, "Is Your Highness reminding me?"

"No, I'm just watching the show." Li Chengze straightened up, laughed heartily, and said in a clear voice, "This capital is too boring. It's not long since an interesting person has arrived, and I don't want you to die too soon. Otherwise, this show won't be interesting."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to walk out the door.

Xie Bi'an gave Fan Xian a cold look, then turned and followed.

As Li Chengze reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Fan Xian, and pointed to his feet:

"By the way, next time we meet, remember to treat me to grapes."

Watching Li Chengze and his servant disappear through the door, Fan Xian stood there, motionless for a long time.

"To openly admit to wanting to kill someone, this second prince..."