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

A reading feast: a vast collection of books and an unparalleled reading experience.

Emperor Qing's voice suddenly rang out in the tranquil palace, shattering the ink-scented atmosphere and serenity. His tone was unreadable, as if he were stating an extremely ordinary fact, or as if he were chewing on some kind of exciting poison.

Consort Jing remained reclining on the soft couch, her eyelashes not even fluttering. In her hands she held a rare copy of "Essential Techniques for the Common People," her gaze fixed on the page concerning water conservancy and irrigation.

It was as if the one who had just spoken was not the most powerful emperor in the world, but merely a gentle breeze passing through the hall.

Emperor Qing was already used to her ignoring him; in fact, deep down he secretly enjoyed the real feeling of not being fawned over. In this vast palace, everyone was acting, everyone was trying to figure out his thoughts, but this woman before him had a world where only books mattered. Even he, the emperor, and even her own son were relegated to the backs of those yellowed pages.

"Thirty-six people," Emperor Qing continued, tapping his long, slender fingers lightly on the small sandalwood table beside him, producing a dull "tap, tap" sound. "The thirty-six pairs of eyes I placed in his residence went blind overnight. Including the spies from the Censorate, not a single one was left alive. The Second Prince's methods are truly clean and efficient; even I can't help but applaud him."

Consort Jing did not raise her head, but simply extended her slender white finger, touched her lips, and gently turned a page of the book. The subtle sound of the paper rubbing together was particularly clear during the pause in Emperor Qing's hand.

"Do you know what surprised me the most?" Emperor Qing leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Consort Jing's cool and aloof profile. "It's those waist tokens that were returned. Thirty-six tokens, each one sliced ​​in half with a single sword stroke. The cuts were as smooth as a mirror, without the slightest hesitation. I had Hong Siyang examine them; it was extremely skillful sword energy, and... there wasn't just one type."

"The Second Prince's residence actually harbors a group of top-tier assassins who went unnoticed even by the Imperial Observatory. His previous lazy, carefree, and unambitious demeanor before me was all an act. He's not only vying for power, but he's also secretly honing a blade sharp enough to cut my finger!"

"If it weren't for his young age and the fact that he had always lived under my watchful eye, I would even suspect that he was the one who set up the Net."

Consort Jing finally shifted her gaze a fraction of an inch from the book, but she was still not looking at Emperor Qing; instead, she was looking at a green bamboo swaying in the wind outside the window.

"If Your Majesty finds him an eyesore, then kill him. If you find his knife useful, then keep him. I am but a woman and do not understand these matters of fighting and killing. I only know that if you miss even one word in this book, the meaning will be completely changed."

Her voice was cold and calm, without the slightest panic or worry a mother would feel upon hearing that her son was in a life-or-death situation.

It was as if the Second Prince Li Chengze, who had just slaughtered thirty-six of the emperor's spies and was in the eye of the storm, was just a complete stranger to her.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing not only did not get angry, but instead chuckled softly.

"Kill him? What a pity." Emperor Qing stood up, placing his hands behind his back again, looking down at Consort Jing. "The Crown Prince is too weak, like a clay idol; the eldest son's bloodline dictates he's not qualified, and the third son is still too young. Now that the second son is willing to jump out and muddy the waters, I'm overjoyed. I want to see just how sharp his blade is, and whether he can force all those demons and monsters hiding in the shadows to come out!"

After saying this, Emperor Qing gave Consort Jing a deep look, as if trying to find a flaw in her expressionless face, but he ultimately failed.

"Keep reading your book. I'll tell you when the second son really makes a mess of things."

Emperor Qing flicked his wide sleeves, turned around, and strode out of the palace.

Only after Emperor Qing's footsteps had completely disappeared outside the palace did Consort Jing slowly withdraw her gaze and return it to the pages of her book.

This time, however, her gaze lingered for a long time, but she didn't turn a single page. Her hands, holding the book, had knuckles that were slightly white, which looked particularly glaring in the dim light.

……

Forensic Service.

Dean Chen Pingping sat in his signature black wheelchair, his legs covered with a thick wool blanket. Although it was springtime, his crippled legs still felt no warmth.

The large desk was piled high with countless files.

Chen Pingping's aged fingers gently traced across the case files, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Northern Qi, the Cui family, smuggling..." Chen Pingping murmured to himself, his voice hoarse as if he were rubbing sandpaper.

He was investigating evidence of Princess Li Yunrui's treason. Although he had uncovered some clues, they were insufficient to convict the princess. However, the more he investigated, the more alarmed he became.

"This crazy woman really dares to do anything." Chen Pingping's lips curled into a cold smile.

Just then, the study door was gently pushed open, and the new host walked in with a solemn expression.

"Dean, news from the palace." The new headmaster strode to the desk and handed over a confidential report with both hands.

Chen Pingping took the secret report, unfolded it and scanned it. His eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly opened, and a glint of light flashed in them.

"Thirty-six secret agents, all wiped out? Their waist tokens were cut off and sent to the palace gate?" Although Chen Pingping's voice remained calm, those who knew him well knew that this was his expression when he was extremely shocked.

"Yes. Not only that, His Majesty was furious and ordered the Second Prince to reflect on his actions behind closed doors for half a month and to have his salary reduced by one year. At the same time, His Majesty issued an edict ordering our Censorate to thoroughly investigate this matter and to uncover the Second Prince's true colors."

Chen Pingping did not speak. He put down the secret report in his hand and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the wheelchair.

"Tap...tap...tap..."

The sound echoed in the empty study. Cheng Feng didn't dare to breathe loudly, quietly waiting for the dean's instructions.

In Chen Pingping's mind, countless clues were intertwined like a tangled mess, but soon, his terrifying analytical ability sorted out a clear thread from these clues.

"The timing is too coincidental." Chen Pingping stopped knocking and slowly spoke, "Li Yunrui had just gone to the Second Prince's residence, and the Second Prince went on a killing spree, gouging out the eyes of His Majesty and our Censorate. Why do you think that is?"

Cheng Feng pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Could it be that the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince have formed some kind of alliance? Is the Second Prince's move to demonstrate his strength to the Eldest Princess, or perhaps to offer her a 'pledge of allegiance'?"

"A pledge of allegiance?" Chen Pingping sneered. "If the second son were this stupid, he would have been devoured by the Crown Prince long ago. He's establishing his authority, not only before His Majesty, but also before Li Yunrui!"

A glint of wisdom flashed in Chen Pingping's cloudy eyes: "No, perhaps it's not about establishing authority. A young tiger, having accumulated enough power, faces pressure from the tiger king. What do you think he will do?"

"What the dean means is..."

Chen Pingping did not answer directly, but turned to look at the heavy shadow in the corner of the study.

"shadow."

As Chen Pingping called out, the shadow seemed to come alive, and a figure shrouded in a black robe, with only a pair of cold eyes visible, silently appeared.

"Go to the Second Prince's residence." Chen Pingping took out a blank visiting card from the drawer, wrote a few words on it in a flowing, elegant style, and then held it up into the air. "Give this to His Highness personally."

With a flash of movement, the invitation card was already in his hands.

He glanced down, a hint of doubt flashing in his emotionless eyes.

"A visiting card?" Cheng Feng was also stunned. "Dean, the Second Prince is currently in seclusion reflecting on his mistakes. His residence is surrounded by Imperial Guards and our men. You're sending Shadow to deliver a visiting card at this time..."

"It is precisely because he is reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors that we must go openly and honestly," Chen Pingping said calmly. "Since the second brother dared to go to such extremes, it means he is not afraid of being investigated at all. If we send in secret agents as we did before, we will only repeat last night's mistakes. Shadow, your mission is not to kill, nor to spy, but only to deliver a message."

Chen Pingping looked at the shadow, his tone becoming serious: "Remember, sense the atmosphere of that mansion. To be able to silently kill thirty-six elites overnight, the Second Prince's mansion must have top-notch experts. Safety is the priority."

The shadow didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly, and its form, like a wisp of smoke, once again disappeared into the darkness.

Chen Pingping turned his gaze back to the files on the table, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Li Yunrui, Li Chengze... what kind of show are you two, aunt and nephew, putting on? Since you want to play, then this old cripple will play along with you properly."

……

The Second Prince's Mansion.

Although Emperor Qing ordered him to "reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors," there was no sense of oppression or fear within the mansion. On the contrary, the air seemed much fresher after the annoying "flies" were eliminated.

Li Chengze was still wearing a loose robe, barefoot, and lying undignifiedly on a recliner outside the study. On a small table next to him were seasonal fruits and fine wine, and a beautiful maid with icy eyes was peeling grapes for him.

"Your Highness, the number of Imperial Guards outside the mansion has doubled, and the Imperial Censorate has also been replaced with a more elite batch." Zhao Gao appeared silently behind Li Chengze, bowed slightly, and reported in a soft, effeminate voice.

Li Chengze opened his mouth and took the grapes Jingni offered, chewing them whole, seeds and skin, and swallowed them. He mumbled, "It was expected. I offended the Emperor, so I have to put on a show for the officials. As long as they don't come in, they can stay outside. Consider them guarding our house."

Zhao Gao smiled slightly: "Your Highness is wise. However, this servant is worried that the Censorate will not let this go so easily. That old dog Chen Pingping has a keener sense of smell than anyone else; he must have already guessed some of what happened last night."

"So what if I guessed?" Li Chengze stretched nonchalantly. "If he dares to send someone in, I'll just kill them."

Just then, Zhao Gao's lowered eyelids suddenly lifted, and two terrifying beams of light shot out from his narrow eyes.

He abruptly turned his head towards the direction of the mansion gate, his dark red robe fluttering without wind, and an extremely cold and bloody aura instantly spread out.

At the same time, the maid who was peeling grapes stopped what she was doing, and a long sword, dark red in color and emitting a cold, eerie light, had appeared in her hand.

"Interesting." Li Chengze sat up straight, a smile of interest curving his lips. "It seems an uninvited guest has arrived."

Outside the mansion gate.

The shadow stood silently before the tightly closed vermilion gate.

He didn't try to hide his aura, but he seemed to blend into the surrounding air.

However, the moment he stood still, he keenly sensed that several extremely terrifying killing intents, like tangible blades, were locking onto him from all sides of the mansion.

These deadly threats are sometimes as insidious as snakes, sometimes as ferocious as tigers, and sometimes elusive yet omnipresent.

"Very strong," Shadow silently assessed in his mind.

He even had a hunch that if he dared to step through this door now, even if he were a top-tier ninth-rank expert, he would be torn to shreds by this killing intent in an instant.

The shadow didn't force his way in. He slowly took out the visiting card from his robes, took a deep breath, and channeled his ninth-grade true energy into his voice, proclaiming:

"The Censorate, acting on the orders of Director Chen, has come to deliver a formal letter of introduction to His Highness the Second Prince!"

The sound pierced through the heavy gate and echoed in the air above the Second Prince's residence.

After a moment of deathly silence.

"Squeak—"

The heavy door was slowly pulled open a crack.

A servant dressed in blue peeked out, his eyes dull, seemingly oblivious to the suffocating pressure emanating from the shadow.

"Your Highness invites you in." The servant stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.

Shadow's gaze sharpened slightly. He knew that this seemingly ordinary servant was probably not as simple as he appeared.

Without hesitation, he stepped through the gate.

As soon as I entered, the feeling of being targeted by a venomous snake became even stronger.

Shadow could even sense that in the shadows, pairs of eyes, gleaming with bloodlust, were watching him.

He followed the servant all the way to the courtyard in front of the study.

When Shadow saw the Second Prince, barefoot and lounging lazily on the recliner, his pupils contracted slightly.

Because behind Li Chengze stood a middle-aged man wearing a dark red robe.

Zhao Gao.

The moment their eyes met, it was as if an invisible spark burst forth in the air.

Shadow felt an unprecedented pressure, a tremor from the depths of his soul, a monster formed from pure slaughter and darkness.

"Lord Shadow, it's an honor to have you here. I'm so sorry for not welcoming you sooner." Li Chengze smiled at Shadow, breaking the suffocating standoff.

Shadow withdrew his gaze, took two steps forward, and presented the visiting card with both hands: "Dean Chen instructed me to deliver this card to His Highness."

Zhao Gao stepped forward, took the visiting card, and after checking that it was correct, presented it to Li Chengze with both hands.