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

Back at the Second Prince's residence, the two vermilion gates slowly closed, shutting out all the noise and disturbances from the outside world.

The setting sun cast its golden rays upon the courtyard, bathing the newly built mansion in a soft, reddish-gold hue, while also lengthening the shadowy indistinct dappled light along the corridors.

Inside the study, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Xie Bi'an stood quietly beside the desk like a sharp sword sheathed, holding the sword he never parted with in his arms. His face was stern, and only when he looked at Li Chengze did a trace of respect appear in his eyes.

"Your Highness."

With a low call, the air in the previously empty shadowy corner of the study rippled slightly, and then Zhao Gao's figure, dressed in a dark red netted robe, silently appeared. He knelt on one knee, head bowed, his voice soft and submissive:

"The eldest princess is trying to erase all traces of her connection with a Zhuge from the Censorate through some extremely secretive channels."

Zhao Gao raised his head, revealing a pair of gleaming eyes, and tentatively asked, "Your Highness, should I step in and help the Princess clean up her mess?"

"No need."

Li Chengze sat in the armchair, casually picked up an ancient book, flipped through a couple of pages without even lifting his eyelids, and spoke in a flat tone as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Just let things take their natural course."

"I know Li Yunrui too well. On the surface, she appears gentle and dignified, but deep down she is full of madness and obsession. She is like a wild and untamed horse. If you can't make her fall hard and break a few bones, she will never learn to bow her head and will never learn what true obedience is."

At this point, the smile in Li Chengze's eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by a chilling indifference and a desire for control.

"When I went to Guangxin Palace that day, it seemed like I was giving her a reminder, but in reality, I was putting her in a difficult position. My words were meant to provoke her rebellious spirit. The more unwilling she was to be manipulated by me, the more eager she would be to prove herself, thus revealing more flaws."

"My father is a man who cannot tolerate any injustice, especially betrayal. This time, I will use my father to teach this arrogant princess a lesson. Only when she is driven to the brink and realizes that she has no choice but to depend on me will she truly become a pawn in my hands, rather than a potential threat that could turn against me at any time."

"I don't like things that I don't have control over."

Li Chengze's voice was very soft, yet it echoed in the quiet study.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao's body trembled slightly, and he immediately prostrated himself on the ground, his tone filled with awe: "Your Highness's foresight is admirable. I will withdraw the men monitoring Zhu Ge and let things develop as they will."

"Go ahead." Li Chengze waved his hand.

Zhao Gao's figure once again blended into the darkness and disappeared without a sound.

Only Li Chengze and Xie Bi'an remained in the study.

Xie Bi'an, who had been silent all along, suddenly took a step forward, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect with his sword in hand, and broke the silence.

"Your Highness."

Li Chengze turned around, looked at the swordsman who had followed him for many years, and smiled gently: "Bi'an, what's wrong?"

Xie Bi'an raised his head, and his eyes, which usually only reflected the light of swords, were now burning with a blazing flame.

"Your Highness, I would like to request permission to enter the 'Net' for some training."

Li Chengze raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised, but then a look of understanding appeared on his face: "Oh? Why did you suddenly have this idea? The comfortable days in this mansion..."

Tired of it?

"It's not that I'm tired of it." Xie Bi'an shook his head, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. "These past few days, I've witnessed Jing Ni's actions and sensed Lord Yan Ri's aura. The swords of the Luo Wang are all swords of death, their sharpness fully revealed. And my sword..."

He paused, a hint of resentment and longing flashing in his eyes. "A swordsman who doesn't shed blood won't have a sharp sword. I feel that my swordsmanship has reached a bottleneck. If I stay in this comfortable place, I'm afraid I'll never be able to make any further progress in this life, let alone protect Your Highness in times of danger."

"I want to kill people, I want to sharpen my sword."

Xie Bi'an's voice was strong and resolute.

Li Chengze nodded, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

"it is good."

"Since you have such ambition, how could I not grant it?" Li Chengze walked up to Xie Bi'an, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Now, this mansion is surrounded by people from both the light and the dark, so you are safe. You no longer need to pretend to be by my side all day."

"Go, go to the Net, go and let all the martial artists in the world see what it means to 'break through time with a single sword'."

A bright light shone in Xie Bi'an's eyes as he knelt heavily on one knee: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness! I will certainly live up to your expectations! When I return with the sword, I will once again be the sword in Your Highness's hand."

"Go."

With Xie Bi'an gone, the large study felt even more empty.

Li Chengze sat back down on the couch, gazing at the flickering candlelight, a faint smile playing on his lips.

……

The Fan residence.

The night was deep, but the lights in the study were still on.

Fan Jian sat behind his desk, his face serious, holding a secret edict that had just been sent from the palace.

Fan Xian stood opposite him, his face still bearing that carefree smile, but a hint of seriousness lurked in his eyes.

"Father, don't worry," Fan Xian shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "It's just a mission to Northern Qi. I'll go and bring Yan Bingyun back. Besides, I have the Imperial Guard badge bestowed by His Majesty, and a bunch of poisons from Teacher Fei Jie. Who can do anything to me?"

Fan Jian looked up at his son, who made him both proud and troubled, and sighed deeply.

"What do you know?"

Fan Jian put down the secret decree, his tone grave, "Northern Qi is not like Southern Qing; it's a den of dragons and tigers. Shen Zhong has been in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for many years, and his methods are ruthless and vicious. He is not someone to be trifled with. Moreover..."

He paused, his gaze deepening. "The fact that Yan Bingyun's identity was exposed this time clearly indicates that someone in the court is colluding with the enemy. His Majesty sent you not only to rescue him, but also to use you to find out who the mole is. This is a mission where you risk your life."

"I know." Fan Xian's smile faded, and he said seriously, "But since this matter has fallen on my shoulders, there's no way to avoid it. Besides, I also want to meet Zhuang Mohan, the great literary figure of Northern Qi, and that legendary young emperor."

Seeing the determination in his son's eyes, Fan Jian knew that further words would be of no use. He stood up, walked to Fan Xian, and straightened his clothes.

"Remember, be careful in everything you do when you get to Northern Qi. If you encounter something impossible, prioritize your life. It doesn't matter if you fail to complete the mission; all I want is for you to come back alive."

These words lacked the usual sternness, revealing only the deep concern of an elderly father.

Fan Xian felt a warmth in his heart and nodded heavily: "Father, don't worry, I'm terrified of dying. I will definitely come back safe and sound."

……

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