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

"Auntie, what are you hesitating about?"

Li Chengze's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of mischievous amusement, like a cat playing with a mouse.

He didn't rush to urge them; instead, he seemed to enjoy being in control of the situation. .

He reached out and gently traced his fingertips across Li Yunrui's collar, which was embroidered with a golden phoenix. The movement was gentle, yet it made the hairs on Li Yunrui's body stand on end.

Li Yunrui's eyes were flashing intensely, and an internal struggle was raging within him.

Are you going to stay at the Second Prince's residence for a while?

This is utterly absurd!

Not to mention that this is against etiquette, once the news gets out, she will be overwhelmed by rumors and gossip throughout the court and the country.

More importantly, this is tantamount to completely exposing one's weaknesses to Li Chengze.

Once on his turf, she was at his mercy, like a fish on a chopping board. She had no power to resist whatever he wanted to do.

But if they don't agree...

That deficit of one million taels was like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads.

What terrified her even more was Li Chengze's attitude.

He was too certain, too confident.

This confidence was not solely due to the one million taels of silver.

"Does he know anything else?"

This thought flashed through Li Yunrui's mind.

If Li Chengze thought he could control her based solely on a deficit of one million, she didn't think he was that stupid. Since he dared to say that, he must have his own reasons.

What gives them that confidence?

Or perhaps Li Chengze was just bluffing her, thinking that the one million yuan deficit would give him leverage over her.

If that's the case, then she absolutely cannot agree!

Once you agree, it's tantamount to admitting that he has leverage over you, and you'll be at his mercy from then on, with no chance of ever turning the tables.

She wanted to test the waters!

Thinking of this, Li Yunrui's initially flustered gaze gradually hardened.

She took a deep breath, trying to regain her usual aura of superiority and command. She tilted her head slightly, looked directly into Li Chengze's eyes, and parted her red lips, preparing to use the authority of an elder to reject this absurd suggestion.

"Chengze, if you continue to act so recklessly..."

However, before she could finish speaking, Li Chengze interrupted her.

Li Chengze seemed to have seen through her thoughts long ago.

The smile on his lips vanished instantly, and his previous lazy and cynical demeanor disappeared, replaced by a chilling sharpness and coldness.

He suddenly leaned in, their noses almost touching.

"Auntie, you're not thinking about taking a gamble, are you?"

Li Chengze's voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it, but every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Li Yunrui's heart hard.

"You're betting on whether I have any other leverage over you. You're betting on whether I'm bluffing. You're betting on how much I actually know about the truth behind that million taels of silver."

Li Yunrui's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart seemed to skip a beat.

Seeing her momentarily frozen expression, Li Chengze's smile widened once more.

"Auntie can try to guess and take a gamble."

He paused, his warm breath brushing against her ear again, his voice gentle: "For example... that young emperor of Northern Qi? Or that old man Zhuang Mohan? Or... those secret letters sealed with wax?"

boom!

It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in Li Yunrui's mind, making her dizzy and almost unable to stand.

he knows!

He actually knew!

Northern Qi, Zhuang Mohan, secret letters... these are her most core and most hidden secrets! They are irrefutable evidence of her treason and collusion with the enemy!

These matters were handled with utmost secrecy, and no outsider could possibly know about them except for her confidants. Even Chen Pingping of the Forensic Science Institute, after investigating for so many years, only had suspicions and never found any substantial evidence against her.

How did Li Chengze find out?

In an instant, countless thoughts surged wildly through Li Yunrui's mind. Fear, an unprecedented fear, overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

If Li Chengze truly possessed this evidence and presented it to Emperor Qing...

She couldn't imagine the consequences.

That's a heinous crime involving the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan!

Even though she was the eldest princess, Emperor Qing would never tolerate betrayal.

Faced with such immense fear, so-called dignity, so-called propriety, and so-called gossip all become insignificant.

This was a high-stakes gamble, and she had already lost her hand.

Li Chengze watched as Li Yunrui's face turned deathly pale, and as the pride and scheming in her eyes crumbled little by little, leaving only fear and despair.

He knew the time was right.

He didn't say anything more, just watched her quietly, waiting for the inevitable outcome.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The sandalwood incense in Guangxin Palace was still rising gently, but Li Yunrui felt that the fragrance was filled with the smell of blood.

a long time.

Li Yunrui slowly loosened her tightly clenched fist, her nails leaving deep bloody marks on her palm. She closed her eyes, and as if using all her strength, squeezed out a single word from deep within her throat.

"it is good."

His voice was hoarse and trembling.

Upon hearing this word, Li Chengze's face lit up with a bright smile.

"That's right."

He reached out and gently patted Li Yunrui's stiff shoulder.

Li Yunrui trembled slightly, but dared not dodge, and could only let his hand stay on her shoulder.

"Since Aunt has agreed, then I will go back and have someone tidy up the house."

Li Chengze withdrew his hand, put it behind his back, and hummed an unknown tune in a very good mood. He turned around, stepped barefoot on the soft carpet, and strode towards the outside of the hall.

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Li Yunrui, who was still standing frozen in place, and said with a smile, "Aunt, remember to pack a few pretty clothes. The scenery in my residence is beautiful, but it needs a beautiful woman to complement it. I'll be waiting for your arrival."

After saying that, he didn't linger and walked away laughing.

The laughter echoed in the empty Guangxin Palace, sounding particularly jarring, full of irony and arrogance.

Only after Li Chengze's figure completely disappeared from sight did Li Yunrui feel as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped down on the phoenix couch behind her.

Her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath, her once exquisite makeup now appearing somewhat ferocious.

"Li Chengze..."

She uttered the name through gritted teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, carrying a deep-seated hatred.

The feeling of being humiliated, threatened, and controlled drove her to the brink of madness.

"You think you've won? You think you can ride roughshod over me just because you've got something on me?"

A frenzied killing intent flashed in Li Yunrui's eyes, the kind of look only a wild beast would have when cornered.

"Fine, very well. Since you want to play, I'll play along to the end! So what if I go to your manor? As long as I live, one day I'll make you regret ever being born!"

She had no intention of killing Li Chengze right now.

Because Li Chengze died here, Emperor Qing will not let her go.

We must endure it!

Endure until the storm passes.

At that time...

Li Yunrui suddenly stood up, grabbed the priceless jade ruyi from the table, and slammed it to the ground.

"Snapped!"

A crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out in the silent hall, and the jade ruyi shattered into pieces, scattering fragments everywhere.

But that wasn't enough to vent my anger.

Like a madwoman, she swept all the teacups, vases, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones off the table.

"Crackling and popping—"

A series of ear-piercing shattering sounds rang out continuously, as if venting the owner's boundless rage.

Hearing the commotion inside, the palace maids and eunuchs outside the hall turned ashen-faced, knelt on the ground, trembling, and dared not utter a sound. The Princess's wrath could be deadly!

……

Outside Guangxin Palace.

Hearing the sounds of jade shattering behind him, Li Chengze paused slightly.

He didn't turn around, but just tilted his head slightly, his smile growing even wider.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it seems Auntie still has quite a temper."

He pulled a grape from his sleeve, casually tossed it into his mouth, and with a gentle bite, the sweet and sour juice burst in his mouth.

He knew, of course, that Li Yunrui wanted to kill him.

But he doesn't care.

"Your Highness."

Just then, a dark figure silently appeared in the shadows behind Li Chengze; it was Tian Kui Xing.

"Is everything arranged?" Li Chengze asked without turning his head, his tone returning to its usual indifference.

"Your Highness, as you instructed, the 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' on the west side of the mansion has been prepared."

"very good."

Li Chengze nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Tingyu Pavilion... is surrounded by water on all sides, with only one bridge connecting it to the outside world. It couldn't be more suitable."

…………

Inside the imperial study, the light was dim, and the air was filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.

Emperor Qing wore a loose white robe, his hair casually draped over his shoulders, appearing unkempt. However, his deep, abyss-like eyes constantly flashed with a chilling glint. In his hand, he held an arrowhead forged from fine iron, which he was slowly and meticulously sharpening with a whetstone.

"Shh...shh...shh..."

The monotonous and grating friction sound echoed in the silent hall, each sound like grinding against one's heart.

The eunuch Hou, carrying a stack of secret memorials, bent over so low that he almost buried his head in the ground. He carefully walked to the table, gently placed the memorials down, afraid of making a sound that might disturb the capricious emperor.

"Your Majesty, this is a document that was just sent by the Censorate."

Emperor Qing did not stop what he was doing, nor did he even lift his eyelids; he simply gave a faint "hmm".

After a long while, he blew on the iron filings on the arrowhead, casually put it aside, and reached for the secret document.

The first document is about Guangxin Palace last night.

"The Second Prince entered Guangxin Palace, dismissed his attendants, and half an hour later, the sound of smashing and breaking came from inside the palace. The Eldest Princess was furious... Afterwards, the Second Prince left laughing."

As Emperor Qing looked at this line of text, a slightly amused smile appeared on his lips.

"The second son angered Yun Rui to the point of smashing things? That's quite strange." Emperor Qing chuckled, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "Yun Rui's temperament seems gentle, but she's actually quite eccentric. What exactly did the second son say to make her lose her composure like this?"

He didn't care too much; after all, a little squabble between aunt and niece was nothing more than a pastime to him.

However, when he opened the second secret document, his previously nonchalant expression suddenly hardened.

The secret report reads: At noon today, Princess Li Yunrui dismissed her entourage, did not ride in the imperial carriage, but instead rode in an ordinary blue-curtained carriage, dressed in plain clothes and wearing a veiled hat, and left the palace discreetly, going straight to... the Second Prince's residence.

Emperor Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, the rhythm becoming somewhat rapid.

"Leaving the palace discreetly? Went to the second prince's residence?"

Emperor Qing frowned slightly. Who was Li Yunrui? She was the eldest princess of the Great Qing Dynasty, extremely particular about pomp and circumstance, and always wanted the whole city to know about her whereabouts. Why was she acting so furtively today, practically in disguise?

"Didn't win the argument last night, so he's going to go over there and continue arguing today?" Emperor Qing muttered to himself, but then shook his head. Li Yunrui wasn't a vulgar shrew; she wouldn't do something so degrading.

Unless... there's something shady going on, or they were forced into it?

Time passed slowly, and the sky outside the Imperial Study gradually darkened.

Emperor Qing stopped sharpening the arrowheads and instead stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the dark night outside with a deep, unfathomable look. He was waiting, waiting for the latest news.

Finally, a dark figure appeared like a ghost in the corner of the imperial study.

"His Majesty."

The newcomer's voice was hoarse and devoid of any emotion.

"Speak," Emperor Qing said without turning around.

"Your Majesty, Her Highness the Eldest Princess... has not yet left the Second Prince's residence."

In that instant, Emperor Qing's hands, which had been behind his back, clenched tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"Didn't she come out?" Emperor Qing's voice suddenly turned low and deep, carrying a chilling undertone. "You mean, she stayed overnight?"

"Yes. The spies in the Second Prince's residence reported that after the Eldest Princess entered the residence, she was welcomed into the 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' on the west side by the Second Prince. Afterwards, the Second Prince also went in, and neither of them has come out since. The Listening to the Rain Pavilion is now heavily guarded by the Second Prince's personal guards, and no one is allowed to approach."

"Listening to the Rain Pavilion..."

Emperor Qing slowly turned around. His face, which usually carried a lazy smile, was now so gloomy that it seemed as if it could drip water.

At that moment, his sensitive nerve, known as "suspicion," was sharply touched.

Although Li Yunrui is not his biological sister, she is nominally the second son's aunt!

Late at night, a lone man and a lone woman are alone in a room, and may even want to stay overnight?

This is outrageous! This is simply...absurd!

Countless thoughts flashed through Emperor Qing's mind in an instant, growing wildly and taking over his reason like weeds.

He wondered what those two were doing.

Are they plotting a rebellion?

The idea was immediately dismissed by Emperor Qing.

Or……

Emperor Qing's gaze became somewhat strange, even revealing a hint of indescribable malice.

He thought of Li Yunrui's stunningly beautiful and alluring face, her usual wildness, and Li Chengze's unrestrained and unconventional personality.

"Yunrui, Yunrui, what exactly are you trying to do?"