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

"After leaving the palace, Chen Pingping returned directly to the Imperial Censorate. He did not meet with anyone along the way, nor did he issue any secret orders. The entire Imperial Censorate was as quiet as a stagnant pool, with no unusual activity whatsoever."

Zhao Gao's voice was cold and calm.

"Smack."

Li Chengze gently placed the white piece he had been playing with for a long time onto the chessboard, producing a crisp sound like jade striking jade.

The white stones, which had been torn apart by the black stones, suddenly seemed to have a strange vitality of life after being put down.

"Nothing unusual? That's the biggest anomaly."

Li Chengze's bare feet swayed gently on the edge of the daybed, a lazy yet cold smile playing on his lips. "A barking dog doesn't bite. The calmer the Censorate is, the stronger the murderous intent in its heart. He's not moving now because he's waiting, waiting for the opportunity to wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Zhao Gao bowed slightly, his pale and effeminate face devoid of any emotion: "Your Highness is absolutely right. Although the spies of the Censorate are spread throughout the land, they are nothing but chickens and dogs before the assassins of the Net. With just one order from Your Highness, I can ensure that the heads of the eight departments of the Censorate will not see the sun tomorrow."

"Why kill them?" Li Chengze chuckled and waved his hand. "Without them, this game of chess wouldn't be interesting."

……

The next day, early morning.

As dawn broke, the back garden of the Second Prince's residence still carried a chill of late autumn.

Li Chengze had just finished washing up and was standing barefoot under the eaves, wearing a loose, moon-white robe. He was casually pruning a pot of precious Cymbidium orchids with a pair of scissors in his hand.

"Your Highness."

A trusted attendant hurried forward, his expression a mixture of strangeness and fear, and reported in a low voice, "Her Highness the Princess... has arrived. The carriage has reached the front courtyard."

"Click."

With a slight tilt of the scissors, a perfectly intact orchid leaf was cut off.

Li Chengze paused in his movements, his brows twitching almost imperceptibly. He turned to look at the servant, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"Auntie's here?"

He casually tossed the scissors onto the tray beside him and took the hot towel handed to him by the maid to wipe his hands.

Just a few days ago, he had taken a huge sum of one million taels of silver from him. Logically speaking, given Li Yunrui's arrogant nature, after experiencing those three days of humiliating "serving," he should never want to set foot in this mansion again for a while.

She should even smash several sets of valuable porcelain in Guangxin Palace, secretly plotting how to get revenge on him.

Why are you coming to my door again after only a few days?

"Interesting." Li Chengze smiled knowingly, tossing the towel back into the basin. "Let's go, let's greet my dear aunt. Let's see what she's really up to."

Inside the main hall, the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

Today, Li Yunrui did not wear the elaborate and luxurious palace attire of yesterday. Instead, she changed into a relatively simple light blue long dress, and her hair was styled in a simpler updo, with only a jade hairpin dangling from the side. However, this simple attire did not diminish her beauty; on the contrary, it added a touch of charming grace to her. She shed the majesty of a princess and looked more like a gentle and graceful woman from Jiangnan.

"Auntie, what brings you to my little temple today?"

Li Chengze strode into the main hall, still with that boneless, lazy demeanor. He wasn't even wearing shoes; his clean white feet trod on the expensive carpet as he walked straight to the main seat opposite Li Yunrui and sat down.

He dismissed the maids in the hall, picked up the copper kettle on the red clay stove, and poured Li Yunrui a cup of freshly brewed Wuyi Da Hong Pao tea with fluid movements.

The boiling hot tea was poured into the white jade teacup, releasing a rich aroma.

"Auntie, please try this. It's a top-quality delicacy that just came up as tribute from the servants. I specially saved it for you to taste." Li Chengze smiled and gestured for her to try it.

Looking at her nephew, who had a bright smile and seemed harmless, Li Yunrui knew she wouldn't be fooled by his appearance again.

"Chengze, the tea here is always a bit more fragrant than the tea in the palace."

Li Yunrui did not pick up her teacup. Instead, she stared intently at Li Chengze with her clear, autumn-water-like eyes. Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice was so soft it seemed to drip water, "Auntie has come today to discuss a deal with you."

"trade?"

Li Chengze paused slightly in his teacup, his gaze darkening briefly in the rising steam, but his smile only grew brighter. "Auntie, you jest. Besides a few tattered books, all I have in my household is the loose change you took a few days ago. Is there anything else on me that would make you come all this way to trade?"

Seeing his feigned ignorance, Li Yunrui wasn't annoyed. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.

A faint fragrance of orchids, mixed with her unique scent, drifted into Li Chengze's nostrils.

"Chengze, let's not beat around the bush," Li Yunrui said in a low voice, "I'm going to use 'The Net'."

Upon hearing this, the air in the main hall seemed to freeze instantly.

Li Chengze's smile remained unchanged, but the temperature in his eyes gradually dropped to freezing. He slowly placed the teacup on the table, making a soft clinking sound.

"A web of deception?"

Li Chengze tilted his head, feigning confusion. "Auntie, you must be joking. Your nephew spends all his time studying behind closed doors. How could he possibly be involved with those江湖草莽 (jianghu caomang, meaning rough and unruly people)?"

"Chengze, you don't need to put on this act in front of your aunt, do you?"

Li Yunrui chuckled softly.

"Auntie is indeed exceptionally intelligent; nothing can escape your notice."

Li Chengze stopped denying it and instead put on a helpless expression, asking with a smile, "Nephew is very curious, Aunt, what do you want to do with this shady knife?"

"That's none of your concern."

A sharp glint flashed in Li Yunrui's eyes, and his tone hardened. "You just need to tell me, are you going to do this deal or not?"

"Since it's a transaction..."

Li Chengze leaned back, resuming his languid posture, his hands crossed over his abdomen, his gaze brazenly sweeping over Li Yunrui's alluring figure. "What can Auntie possibly offer in return? Assassins from the Luo Wang organization command high appearance fees. Auntie just took a million taels from me recently; she can't possibly expect to get something for nothing today, can she?"

Upon hearing this, the eldest princess was not angry at all; instead, she smiled faintly.

She slowly stood up, gracefully pushed the teacup aside, then walked around the large rosewood tea table and stepped in front of Li Chengze.

Her light blue skirt swayed gently as she walked, like a blue enchantress blooming in the morning.

She stopped beside Li Chengze's chair and bent down slightly. Her stunningly beautiful face was almost touching Li Chengze's, and they could clearly hear each other's breath.

She reached out her well-maintained hand, as white as mutton fat jade, and gently stroked Li Chengze's face.

The cool fingertips slid slowly down his jawline, sending chills down your spine.

Her eyes were dreamy and alluring, and her voice was incredibly soft and seductive.

"Whatever you want... it's up to you."

These four words seem to possess a certain magic, enough to make most men in the world instantly lose their minds and be willing to go through fire and water for her.

However, Li Chengze's eyes remained clear and bright, even carrying a hint of cold mockery.

He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed Li Yunrui's hand that was messing with his face.

He was very strong, squeezing Li Yunrui's wrist until it turned slightly red, causing her to frown slightly.

"Auntie, this stake is indeed very..." .

Li Chengze looked into her eyes, slowly shook his head, and a bitter smile full of regret appeared on his lips. "It's just a pity that I'm not fortunate enough to enjoy it. Moreover, Auntie has probably misunderstood something."

He released his grip, stood up, looked down at Li Yunrui, and lowered his voice: "The Net is not under my control."

"What?" Li Yunrui was taken aback, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

"Does Aunt really think that I, a prince who has never even left the capital, can train so many top-tier assassins who are at the ninth rank or even half a step into the Grandmaster realm?"

Li Chengze paced back and forth in the hall, then let out a long sigh. "My relationship with Luo Wang is nothing more than mutual benefit. It's a cooperative one, not a master-servant one."

He stopped, turned to look at Li Yunrui, and shrugged: "So, I can't make this deal with my aunt. I have no right to order them to kill for her."

Her smile widened. Her words were merely a test of Li Chengze. Like Emperor Qing and Chen Pingping, she did not believe that Li Chengze was the master of the Net.

She slowly stepped forward, getting closer to Li Chengze once again.

This time, she didn't touch his face with her hands. Instead, she slowly leaned down, stretched out her arms, and gently hugged Li Chengze's neck.

She rested her chin on Li Chengze's shoulder, her warm breath brushing against his ear, carrying a hint of seduction and dominance:

"Since you can't command them..."

Li Yunrui's voice was extremely soft, yet it seemed to carry a hook, "Then... could you... introduce me to your aunt?"

Li Chengze let her wrap her arms around his neck, feeling the warmth emanating from her soft, delicate body. However, his gaze went past her shoulder and looked towards the deep sky outside the main hall. The corners of his mouth slowly turned up, forming a chilling and eerie arc.

He tilted his head slightly, his lips almost touching Li Yunrui's crystal-clear earlobe.

"OK."

He smiled faintly and whispered those two words in Li Yunrui's ear.

Upon hearing this answer, an undisguised look of ecstasy flashed in Li Yunrui's eyes.

She released her grip, took a half step back, and looked at Li Chengze with delight in her eyes.

"Chengze, we're in this together. If you ever need anything in the future, just come to your aunt. Your aunt will never refuse."

Li Yunrui was very generous in making grand promises.

"Then thank you very much, Aunt." Li Chengze bowed respectfully, looking flattered. "However, the leader of the Luo Wang is elusive and has an eccentric temper. I need time to contact him. Tonight at midnight, at the Ten Mile Pavilion outside the city, I will arrange for you to meet."

Li Yunrui straightened her skirt. "I will be there promptly at midnight tonight."

"Auntie, I want to paint."

"it is good."

Li Yunrui nodded, and Li Chengze got up. The two went to the study. Li Yunrui walked to the desk and began to grind ink. Li Chengze looked at the docile Li Yunrui, and the smile in his eyes deepened. He walked over, sat down in the chair, picked up the brush, and began to paint on the rice paper.

After finishing the painting, he handed it to Li Yunrui, who glanced at it and then left with it.

"Your Highness."

At some point, Zhao Gao's ghost-like figure reappeared behind Li Chengze.

"It seems Her Highness the Princess intends to usurp the throne and seize control of the situation," Zhao Gao's voice held a chilling murderous intent. "Should I ambush her at Shili Pavilion tonight and take her out directly..."

As he spoke, Zhao Gao made a gesture of swiftly wielding a knife.

"Need not."

Li Chengze turned around, walked to the coffee table, picked up the cup of Da Hong Pao tea that had long since gone cold, and casually poured it on the ground.

"Let me see what she's planning to do with the Net," Li Chengze said coldly.

"Send the order to Yan Ri."

Li Chengze's voice became deep and authoritative, "Tonight at midnight, at Shili Pavilion. Let him go and meet my dear aunt."

"Your subordinate obeys." Zhao Gao accepted the order.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze couldn't help but laugh.

……

Night fell, and dark clouds obscured the moon.

Ten miles outside Kyoto, overgrown with weeds, the night wind blew, producing a mournful sound like the wailing of ghosts.

A black carriage without any insignia, surrounded by a dozen or so guards in black, quietly stopped outside the Shili Pavilion.

A jade-like hand lifted the carriage curtain, and Li Yunrui, wearing a black cloak, stepped down from the carriage with the help of a maid.

She looked around, her brow furrowed slightly. The eerie atmosphere of this desolate wilderness made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Your Highness, there's not a soul in sight here. Are you perhaps playing a trick on us?" A trusted guard leader stepped forward, gripping the hilt of his sword warily.

"He won't." Li Yunrui snorted coldly, pulled his cloak tighter around himself, and strode into the dilapidated Shili Pavilion. "The Luo Wang is a group of assassins; naturally, they wouldn't choose any elegant place to meet. Just wait."

Time slips away, bit by bit.

Just as Li Yunrui's patience was about to run out and he was about to storm off,

"rustle……"

A very faint sound of footsteps came from the darkness ahead.

The guard leader instantly drew his long sword and shouted sharply, "Who goes there! Halt!"

More than a dozen guards immediately surrounded Li Yunrui, drawing their swords and standing ready for battle.

However, only one person emerged from the darkness.

It was a tall man, his entire body shrouded in heavy black armor, his face wearing a ferocious bronze mask, revealing only a pair of blood-red eyes devoid of any human emotion.

In his hand, he held a dark red, broad-bladed greatsword upside down. The blade faintly shimmered with a dark red light that seemed capable of devouring light, emanating a suffocating aura of bloodshed and destruction.

The sun is obscured!

As the sun eclipse drew near, the surrounding air seemed to drop by more than ten degrees, and a palpable killing intent swept over like a raging storm.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The dozen or so guards, who were usually considered experts in the palace, were forced to retreat involuntarily under the pressure of this terrifying killing intent. Some of them even collapsed to their knees, unable to hold onto their swords.

The pressure from a half-step Grandmaster is far beyond what ordinary mortals can withstand!

Although Li Yunrui had no martial arts skills, she was still forced to breathe by this terrifying aura, and her face instantly turned ashen. She gripped the arm of the maid beside her tightly, forcing herself to remain calm as she looked at the demon before her who seemed to have stepped out of hell.

"You... are you the leader of the Net?" Li Yunrui forced down the trembling in his voice and asked loudly.

Yan Ri stopped three zhang away from Shili Pavilion.

He did not answer, but slowly raised the Sun-Covering Sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Li Yunrui.

"Zheng—"