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

The wooden wheels of the wheelchair rolled over the bluestone slabs in front of the Second Prince's residence, making a soft and regular "creaking" sound.

Chen Pingping's back remained hunched, as if the large, dark fox fur coat could swallow his withered body at any moment. Dozens of black riders, seemingly emerging from the underworld, silently gathered around and guarded the unmarked black carriage in the center.

Just as the mute servant was pushing Chen Pingping toward the carriage, a sedan chair slowly came from the other end of the street and came to a steady stop outside the side gate of the Second Prince's residence.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and a fair, jade-like, and delicate hand emerged. Then, a beautiful figure stepped out of the sedan chair.

The person who arrived was none other than Si Lili.

Today, she wore a pale purple pleated skirt with flowing clouds, over which was a layer of gossamer-thin gauze. Her jet-black hair was styled into a high bun, adorned with a white jade hairpin with a jingling bell. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her eyes were like autumn water. The captivating blend of allure and aloofness that emanated from her very being was enough to make countless self-proclaimed romantic and talented men and women in the capital fall for her.

As soon as Si Lili stepped out of the sedan chair, she keenly sensed the suffocating, chilling atmosphere that had not yet completely dissipated in the air.

She subconsciously looked up and met the cold, iron-like masks of the dozens of black riders, and the black carriage that seemed to devour all light.

Beside the carriage, the gaunt old man in the wheelchair turned his head slightly and gazed at her with an extremely calm yet seemingly piercing gaze that could see through all the pretenses of the world.

In that instant, Si Lili felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen.

What kind of eyes were those?

It has no human warmth, no emotional fluctuations, and is as deep as a bottomless abyss.

Under that gaze, Si Lili felt like a prisoner who had been stripped naked and thrown into the freezing cold.

Her breath hitched slightly, and her heart pounded in her chest, but thanks to the composure she had honed over years of working in the entertainment industry and as an undercover agent, she forcibly suppressed her instinct to back away.

Si Lili took a deep breath, lowered her head slightly, clasped her hands at her waist, and bowed gracefully in the direction of Chen Pingping, performing an impeccable junior's greeting. Her posture was respectful and without a single flaw.

Chen Pingping looked at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, who seemed to be walking on thin ice; her withered face remained completely expressionless.

He didn't speak, didn't nod, and didn't even blink.

He simply stared at Si Lili silently for a full three breaths before turning his gaze away indifferently.

"Let's go."

Chen Pingping's hoarse and weak voice rang out in the early winter morning breeze, as soft as a sigh.

The mute servant bowed slightly, pushed the wheelchair, and helped Chen Pingping into the black carriage.

Without any further instructions, the dozens of Black Riders turned their horses around simultaneously as if they were a single unit.

Accompanied by a dull yet rhythmic thud of hooves, they vanished silently at the end of the street, leaving behind only a patch of frost crushed by the horses' hooves.

Only after the oppressive feeling that made her heart palpitate completely dissipated did Si Lili slowly straighten up.

She felt a chill run down her back, and her clothes were soaked with cold sweat.

"Chen Pingping..."

Si Lili silently murmured the name in her heart, her pearly teeth gently biting her red lips, a deep sense of apprehension flashing in her beautiful eyes. She glanced up at the plaque hanging high above the Second Prince's residence, steadied herself, and then stepped lightly into the mansion.

……

Kyoto, Inspectorate.

This massive and dark building is like a giant beast lurking beneath Kyoto, constantly consuming secrets and blood from all over the world.

Chen Pingping's carriage entered through the Imperial Observatory's private passage without alerting anyone.

The mute servant pushed him through a series of dark, winding corridors adorned with dim, ever-burning lamps, until they finally arrived at the spacious yet somewhat empty director's office at the deepest part of the Imperial Censorate.

The room was unusually cold and damp because there was no brazier.

The mute servant pushed the wheelchair behind the huge desk and then silently retreated into the shadows, as if becoming one with the darkness.

Chen Pingping sat quietly in her wheelchair, her hands folded inside her fox fur coat, her deep-set eyes flickering uncertainly.

He remained silent, like a weathered wooden statue, sitting in this deathly quiet room for an hour.

He kept replaying in his mind every detail of his conversation with Li Chengze in the Second Prince's residence, every expression, and even the way Li Chengze chewed the pastries.

"To attract more retainers, rats started running in the storeroom... My aunt sent a million taels of silver to help... and now she's asking to borrow more money..."

A cold and mocking smile slowly curved Chen Pingping's lips.

Borrow money? Pay it back?

Such a clumsy excuse, which wouldn't even fool a three-year-old, was delivered with such confidence and naturalness by the Second Prince, who was always known for his exceptional intelligence. He even perfectly captured that impoverished and helpless expression.

"What a carefree and dissolute prince!"

Chen Pingping muttered to himself in a low voice, a chilling undertone in it, "You fooled everyone, even this old cripple like me!"

Chen Pingping sighed softly, raised his withered fingers, and tapped them lightly twice on the armrest of his wheelchair.

The mute servant in the shadows immediately stepped forward.

"Prepare the carriage, let's go to the palace."

……

Imperial Palace of Qing Kingdom, Imperial Study.

Unlike the gloomy atmosphere of the Imperial Censorate, the interior of the Imperial Study was warm and cozy, with the fire burning brightly.

A faint scent of ambergris lingers in the air, showcasing the unique majesty and luxury of royalty.

Emperor Qing was dressed in a loose-fitting casual robe, his hair loosely draped over his shoulders, and he was not wearing a crown.

He was sitting behind a large desk, holding a fine file in his hand, intently polishing a steel arrowhead.

"Sizzle—sizzle—"

The sound of metal scraping together was particularly jarring in the quiet Imperial Study.

Chen Pingping's wheelchair was pushed in by a eunuch and stopped a few feet away from the imperial desk.

"This old minister greets Your Majesty." Chen Pingping bowed slightly and respectfully greeted His Majesty.

Emperor Qing did not look up, continuing to focus on polishing the arrowhead in his hand, only giving a faint "hmm".

"Did you go see the second brother?"

After a long while, Emperor Qing stopped what he was doing, blew on the iron filings on the arrowhead, and asked casually.

"Your Majesty, this old minister just came from the Second Prince's residence," Chen Pingping replied truthfully.

"How did he fare during his confinement? Has he made any progress?" Emperor Qing picked up a white cloth and carefully wiped the arrowheads, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

This isn't a no-go, it's a recommendation for the treasure book "Joy of Life: I'm the Second Prince? Summoning Yuan Tiangang!"

Chen Pingping smiled slightly and recounted the conversation he had just had at the Second Prince's residence, word for word. This included how Li Chengze greeted him barefoot, how he complained about rats running in the storeroom, how he explained the Eldest Princess's late-night visit as "borrowing money," and his final, seemingly defiant but actually firm statement.

Emperor Qing listened quietly, his expression unchanged, but the way he wiped the arrowheads seemed to grow slower and slower.

When Chen Pingping mentioned Li Chengze's line, "My mansion is poor, but I'm doing this to prove myself to the Crown Prince...", Emperor Qing's hand suddenly paused.

He slowly raised his head, and a complex light flashed in his eyes, which were as deep as an ancient well. There was scrutiny, coldness, and a hint of barely perceptible admiration.

"Borrow money..."

Emperor Qing casually tossed the arrow in his hand onto the table, making a crisp metallic clang. He stood up, walked to the huge French window of the imperial study, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked out at the sky above the high walls that enclosed the area.

"I know Yunrui's character better than anyone. She's so greedy, she'd squeeze every last penny out of the imperial treasury. Would she really go to the Second Prince's residence in the middle of the night to borrow money?"

Emperor Qing sneered, "That Second Prince, he lies so blatantly, even deliberately using the Crown Prince as a shield, making himself look like a greedy man who would do anything to seize the throne. He's telling me that all his thoughts are on how to deal with the Crown Prince, and he has no time to care about any assassins or the Luo Net."

Chen Pingping lowered his head slightly: "Your Highness is quick-witted and your response was flawless."

"Not a single trace?" Emperor Qing turned around, looked at Chen Pingping, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "No trace is the biggest trace."

"The second brother's wings have really hardened now."

Chen Pingping lowered her head, looking at her legs that had lost all feeling, and did not reply.

"Pass down the order."

Emperor Qing composed himself, regaining his unfathomable imperial majesty. "Take down all of Luo Wang's visible strongholds in the capital!"

"Your humble servant obeys the imperial decree."

……

Meanwhile, at the Princess's residence.

Li Yunrui leaned lazily against a soft couch covered with snow-white fox fur, toying with a crystal-clear luminous cup in her hand. Her exquisite face was now covered with a layer of frost that could not be melted away.

"You're saying that old cripple Chen Pingping went to Li Chengze's residence early this morning?"

Li Yunrui's voice was soft and charming, but to the secret agent kneeling below, it sounded like a death knell.

"Your Highness, it is absolutely true. Dean Chen personally traveled there by carriage and stayed at the Second Prince's residence for about half an hour before leaving. Afterwards, Dean Chen went directly to the palace," the spy replied tremblingly.

"Click."

Li Yunrui squeezed the luminous cup in her hand until it cracked.

She sat up abruptly, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, flashing with a mad and dangerous light.

"Chen Pingping... what does this old cripple mean? And what does His Majesty mean?"

Li Yunrui was rapidly calculating in his mind.

Just a few days ago, she hired Luo Wang to assassinate Lin Gong, and today Chen Pingping stepped into the gates of the Second Prince's residence.

This could not possibly be a coincidence!

Could it be that Chen Pingping went to test him?

Or perhaps His Majesty has already sensed something and deliberately sent Chen Pingping to reprimand Li Chengze as a warning?

"Li Chengze, my dear nephew, what tricks are you playing behind your aunt's back this time?"

Li Yunrui stood up and walked barefoot on the soft carpet, her chest heaving violently.

"Someone come here!"

Li Yunrui suddenly stopped.

"Go, send someone to bring Wan'er to me."

The personal maid nodded. "Yes! I'll go right away!"

Watching the maid's departing figure, Li Yunrui's lips curled into a cold, sneer.

"Then send someone to secretly spread the word that I am in a good mood today and have specially invited Wan'er to my residence for a small gathering. Remember, this news must be 'inadvertently' delivered to the ears of my good nephew."

Li Yunrui walked back to the soft couch and sat down, picked up the cracked luminous cup, and drank the scarlet Western Region wine in one gulp.

……

The Second Prince's residence, study.

Sunlight streamed through the window, dappling the large rosewood desk, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ink and a strange, subtle fragrance.

Li Chengze remained as boneless as ever, barefoot, sitting cross-legged on the grand chair. A sheet of fine Xuan paper was spread out in front of him, and he held a purple-tipped brush in his hand, yet hesitated to put it down.

The study door was gently pushed open, and Si Lili walked in with light steps, carrying a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest with rock sugar.

"Your Highness, you've just been released from confinement and dealt with Dean Chen for so long, you must be tired. I've stewed some bird's nest soup for you to soothe your throat."

Si Lili's voice was gentle as water. She gently placed the bird's nest on the desk, but her beautiful eyes were observing Li Chengze's expression without making a sound.

Li Chengze casually placed the purple-tipped brush on the brush holder, turned his head, looked at the woman in front of him with unparalleled beauty and gentle temperament, and a smile that was not quite a smile appeared on his lips.

"Lili, you've come at the perfect time."

Li Chengze didn't touch the bird's nest soup. Instead, he beckoned to Si Lili and pointed to the Duan inkstone on the desk. "I was just about to write a piece of calligraphy. This ink is a bit dry. Come and grind some ink for me."

"Yes."

Si Lili obediently responded and walked to the desk. She rolled up a section of her light purple sleeve, revealing a fair and delicate wrist as white as frost and snow.

She stretched out her slender fingers, picked up a piece of fine Huizhou ink, poured a little water into the inkstone, and then began to grind it slowly and steadily.

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

The ink stick rubbed against the inkstone, producing a subtle and rhythmic sound. With her movements, a rich and pure fragrance of ink gradually filled the study, mingling with her faint, elegant scent, creating an extremely pleasant aroma.

The two were extremely close, and Li Chengze could even see the shadows cast by Si Lili's long eyelashes in the sunlight, as well as the faint blue veins showing through her fair skin.

"Lili's ink-grinding technique is becoming more and more skillful." Li Chengze rested his chin on his hand, admiring the beautiful scenery before him without any hesitation, and praised her in a lazy tone.

Si Lili paused slightly in her movements, then resumed as usual. She lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Your Highness is too kind. It is my honor to serve Your Highness with your writing tools."

She paused, then asked casually, "Just now, I happened to see Dean Chen leaving outside the manor gate. Dean Chen is in charge of the Censorate, and his reputation is formidable. I only caught a glimpse of him from afar, and I felt my heart tremble with fear. Your Highness has just been released from confinement today, and Dean Chen has come to visit you personally. Has something major happened in the court? Your Highness... will you be in some trouble?"