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

The spring breeze in Kyoto always carries a touch of chill and a touch of intoxication.

Ever since Emperor Qing issued his decree appointing Fan Xian as the Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the officialdom of the capital has been like a lake with a pebble thrown in, creating ripples.

The position of Eighth-Rank Assistant Musician is not high, but it is a prestigious and leisurely post. More importantly, it is an imperial decree personally issued by His Majesty.

Everyone expected that this illegitimate son of the Fan family, who shone brightly at the poetry gathering and was hailed as the "Poet Immortal," should strike while the iron was hot, move more among powerful and influential families, or visit those great scholars in the literary world, to pave the way for his future rise to prominence.

Inside the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Li Chengqian was brooding over a painting, racking his brains for a solution, and even preparing for a verbal battle with Fan Xian in court.

However, the news came as a huge surprise to those who had high hopes for Fan Xian.

Fan Xian did not go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to report for duty, nor did he visit any high-ranking officials.

This newly minted music master is currently reclining on the lap of a beautiful woman, lingering in the most famous den of iniquity in Kyoto—Zui Xian Ju.

I heard that he not only drinks and makes merry every day, but also gets very close to the new courtesan there, and spends his days looking like a good-for-nothing playboy with no ambition.

"What exactly is Fan Xian up to?" The Crown Prince rubbed his temples, utterly perplexed. "He's clearly incredibly talented, yet he's willingly wallowing in depravity? Is he really just a pleasure-seeking individual?"

No, the second brother is the most cunning. This Fan Xian is definitely not simple. Otherwise, he would have died quietly on the day the imperial decree was issued to grant the marriage, and there's no way he would still be alive now.

……

The Second Prince's Mansion.

As Li Chengze listened to his subordinates' report, the playful smile on his lips deepened.

He walked barefoot on the soft Persian carpet, toying with a warm, smooth jade pendant in his hand.

"Want to be a rich man? Want to be a leisurely person?"

Li Chengze chuckled softly, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of courtyard walls, finally seeing the boy feigning madness in Zuixianju.

"Fan Xian, Fan Xian, your 'retreating to advance' tactic might actually have allowed you to get away with it if you were dealing with that fool, the Crown Prince. You want everyone to think you're no threat, to withdraw from this vortex of power, so you can secretly accumulate strength..."

"Unfortunately, you've run into me."

Li Chengze gripped the jade pendant tightly in his hand, a glint of hunter's excitement flashing in his eyes.

"You want to back down? I won't let you. You want to stay out of it? I'll throw another boulder into this calm lake, stirring up towering waves and forcing you to fight!"

"Prepare the car." Li Chengze casually draped an outer robe over his shoulders and ordered indifferently, "Go to Tianxianju."

……

Kyoto is bustling and prosperous, a city of flowing gold and silver.

If Zuixianju is a haven of gentle pleasures for literati and romantic scholars, then its equally famous Tianxianju is more like a secluded palace in the moon.

Tianxianju does not receive ordinary guests; only high-ranking officials and dignitaries are allowed to enter.

The girls here do not rely on their looks to attract men, but rather on their unparalleled talents and skills, which are unmatched in the capital.

However, few people know that Tianxianju, a place that makes a fortune every day and has a powerful background, is actually one of the largest strongholds of the "Bad People" in Kyoto.

This place gathers intelligence from all corners of the country; every cup of wine and every melody may contain a secret that could shake the imperial court.

Li Chengze's carriage discreetly stopped at the back gate of Tianxianju.

Led by his attendant, he walked through winding, quiet corridors and arrived at a private room on the top floor.

As you push open the door, a cool and delicate fragrance wafts towards you. Unlike the usual perfumed scent of brothels, this fragrance is like a snow lotus atop a snow-capped mountain, cold and noble.

The private room was decorated with extreme luxury yet elegance, with beaded curtains hanging low and a zither stand built high.

As Li Chengze entered, a woman slowly emerged from behind the screen.

She was dressed in a snow-white gown, the hem of which trailed on the ground, her figure tall and slender.

Her face was exquisitely beautiful, like the most perfect masterpiece of heaven, but her expression revealed a coldness and majesty that kept people at a distance, as if she were a queen high above the world, rather than the manager of this place of dust and grime.

She is none other than the peerless master of the Yihua Palace, Yaoyue, whom Li Chengze summoned from the system.

In this world, she is the behind-the-scenes boss of Tianxianju and also a top assassin among the Thirty-Six Captains of the Bad Guys.

"This servant, Yaoyue, greets Your Highness."

Upon seeing Li Chengze, Yaoyue's eyes, which had been as cold as ice, instantly softened into a pool of spring water, filled with awe and tenderness.

She concealed all her sharpness, gracefully bowed, and knelt directly in front of Li Chengze, her forehead lightly touching the ground, her posture extremely humble.

Li Chengze walked to the soft couch and sat down, his gaze sweeping freely over Yaoyue.

Get up.

Li Chengze waved his hand, his voice lazy.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Yaoyue slowly rose, still standing with her head bowed, not daring to look directly at Li Chengze's face.

Li Chengze reached out and gently patted the bed beside him.

Yaoyue's delicate body trembled slightly, and then a charming blush appeared on her face.

Without the slightest hesitation, she moved gracefully to the bedside and obediently sat down.

Li Chengze stretched out his long arm and pulled the stunningly beautiful woman into his embrace.

His fingertips traced the smooth, delicate skin of Yaoyue's face, feeling the slight trembling of the beauty in his arms from nervousness and anticipation. Li Chengze leaned close to her ear, inhaling her cool, alluring fragrance, and whispered:

"Kyoto has been so quiet lately, it's making me a little bored."

Yue nestled in Li Chengze's arms, her voice soft and alluring: "What does Your Highness desire?"

Li Chengze's fingers gently twirled a strand of her hair, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Using the undercover agents of the Bad Guys, we leaked the information that Fan Xian was Ye Qingmei's son to two different people."

Li Chengze's voice was very soft, yet it resounded like thunder in Yaoyue's ears.

"One is Chen Pingping from the Observation Bureau. The other is Princess Li Yunrui."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Yaoyue's beautiful eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

As a staunch supporter of Li Chengze, she didn't need to ask why; she only needed to carry out his orders.

"Remember, be discreet. Give Chen Pingping something ambiguous, so he thinks someone is using this matter against him. Give Li Yunrui something definitive, so she understands why her father treats Fan Xian differently."

"Yes, this servant understands." Yaoyue nodded obediently.

After finishing their business, Li Chengze revealed a wicked smile.

"Now that everything has been explained, what's next..."

He lifted Yaoyue's chin, looked at her stunning face, and smiled: "It's time for you to serve this prince."

Yaoyue's eyes sparkled, her gaze alluring and seductive.

She reached out her slender hand and gently untied Li Chengze's belt, then began to undress.

The white robe slipped down, revealing large expanses of snow-white skin.

"It is Yaoyue's blessing to serve Your Highness..."

The red curtains fell, obscuring the enchanting scenery that filled the room.

Outside the window, the wind rises and the clouds surge; inside, the clouds and rain shroud the Wushan Mountains.

After the storm, Li Chengze was refreshed and dressed neatly.

Yaoyue, draped in a thin veil, with a face like a peach blossom and eyes glazed over, knelt by the bedside and personally fastened the jade pendant for Li Chengze.

"The message will be sent out tonight." Yaoyue's voice was slightly hoarse, but it made her even more charming.

Li Chengze reached out and pinched her cheek, then smiled and said, "Well done, you'll be richly rewarded."

After saying that, he strode out of the private room, leaving behind only the lingering fragrance and a stunningly beautiful woman gazing at him with longing.

……

Late at night.

The Forensic Center, that eerie and terrifying black building, resembled a lurking beast in the night.

Chen Pingping sat in a wheelchair, her knees covered with the same wool blanket that never changed.

Before him lay a secret letter that had just been delivered.

The envelope was unsigned, and the letter was written on the most common paper available on the market.

But the contents of the letter plunged this "King of the Night," who held sway over all criminal law and inspired fear in countless people, into a long silence.

"Fan Xian...the young lady's son..."

Chen Pingping's thin fingers gently traced the edge of the letter, and his usually gloomy and calculating old eyes revealed an extremely complex emotion at this moment.

There is nostalgia, sadness, relief, and a deep sense of worry.

"Shadow," Chen Pingping called out in a hoarse voice.

In the darkness, a figure completely shrouded in black appeared silently.

"Where did this letter come from?"

"We can't find anything." Shadow's voice was flat. "The other party's methods were extremely sophisticated, as if they appeared out of thin air in the courtyard."

Chen Pingping frowned deeply, and those deep wrinkles concealed endless worries.

He naturally knew that Fan Xian was Ye Qingmei's son.

This was a secret that he, Fan Jian, Wu Zhu, and even Emperor Qing kept to themselves.

But the question is, who sent this letter?

This means that besides those few old guys, there are others who know this secret!

Moreover, what exactly is the other party's intention in choosing this moment to break the ice?

Is it a threat? Or a warning?

"Miss..."

Looking out at the dark night sky, Chen Pingping seemed to see the woman who once smiled brightly and walked out of the temple carrying a box.

"The waters of the capital have finally been stirred up. Some people don't want Fan Xian to live a peaceful life; some... want to push him into the limelight."

Chen Pingping gripped the secret letter tightly in his hand, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"Whoever dares to harm Miss's child... I, Chen Pingping, this old man, will tear them to pieces!"

But he also knew in his heart that the appearance of this letter meant that Fan Xian's background would probably no longer be a secret soon.

……

Guangxin Palace.

This is the residence of Princess Li Yunrui, usually filled with laughter and music, but tonight, it is eerily quiet.

"Splash!"

A priceless blue and white porcelain vase was smashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Li Yunrui stood in the center of the hall, his hair disheveled and looking like a madman, clutching a letter tightly in his hand.

Her chest heaved violently, and her stunningly beautiful face was now filled with shock, jealousy, resentment, and a kind of madness that followed a sudden realization.

Her chest heaved violently, and her stunningly beautiful face was now filled with shock, jealousy, resentment, and a kind of madness that followed a sudden realization.

"I see... I see!"

Li Yunrui burst into shrill laughter, the sound so chilling it echoed through the empty hall, sending shivers down one's spine.

"I knew it! I knew why my brother favored that country bumpkin so much! Why did he arrange a marriage between him and Wan'er, wanting him to take over the Imperial Treasury?"

"So... he's that bitch's son!"

Li Yunrui's fingernails dug deeply into her palms, drawing blood, but she was completely unaware.

Ye Qingmei.

This name is like a nightmare for Li Yunrui throughout his life.

Even though that woman has been dead for so many years, even though her bones have rotted away, her lingering spirit still hangs over Li Yunrui's head.

Back then, Emperor Qing only had eyes for Ye Qingmei.

Now, Emperor Qing only has eyes for Ye Qingmei's son!

"Why? Why?!"

Li Yunrui suddenly turned around, looked at her distorted face in the mirror, and the hatred in her eyes burst forth as if it were a tangible thing.

"The Imperial Treasury is mine! It's the culmination of all my hard work over the years! My royal brother, you actually want to take it back and give it to that slut's child?"

"Don't even think about it! Dream on!"

Li Yunrui took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, but the madness in his eyes did not subside, but instead became deeper and more sinister.

She originally only disliked Fan Xian because he came to steal the Imperial Treasury.

But now, the nature of the situation has changed.

If Fan Xian is Ye Qingmei's son, then he is Li Yunrui's mortal enemy!

"Since you are that woman's son, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Li Yunrui walked to the candlestick and lit the letter in her hand.

The firelight illuminated her beautiful yet distorted face, making her look like a demon crawling out of hell.

"Brother, since you care so much about this illegitimate child, then I'll destroy him right before your eyes! I'll show you how the person you've chosen will gradually head towards destruction!"

She looked at the letter that had turned to ashes, a cruel smile curling at the corner of her lips.

Although she didn't know who sent the letter, she believed it to be genuine. Only this reason could explain all of Emperor Qing's unusual behavior.

"Someone come here!"

Li Yunrui gave a cold shout.

A trusted palace maid entered tremblingly: "Your Highness."

"Go, find Lin Gong and bring him here." Li Yunrui's voice was as cold as ice.

……

The Second Prince's Mansion.

Li Chengze stood on the top floor of Tingchao Pavilion, facing the night breeze, overlooking the lights of the entire capital city.

He knew that after tonight, this peaceful Kyoto would never have a peaceful day again.

Fan Xian's dream of becoming a "leisurely person" has been completely shattered.

"The wind has risen."

Li Chengze reached out his hand, as if trying to grasp the ethereal wind.

"Fan Xian, don't blame me. Blame it on the fact that you are the protagonist, the illegitimate son of Emperor Qing, and the son of Ye Qingmei. Your identity destined you to never live a peaceful life. Moreover, without you, the stage I specially prepared for you would be without a protagonist, and the story would be so boring."

"Grow up quickly, Fan Xian. Only by growing up fast can you survive, otherwise you really will die."

"Your Highness, the news has been spread."