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

"This old minister, Fan Jian, greets Your Highness the Second Prince."

Fan Jian's face was pale, his eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and his usually meticulously groomed beard looked disheveled. He exuded an unconcealable weariness and anxiety, as if he had aged ten years overnight. He bowed deeply to Li Chengze and performed a perfect salute.

His voice was terribly hoarse, like two rough pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other, carrying a deep sense of sorrow.

"Lord Fan, you may rise." Li Chengze stood in the rain, letting the huge oil-paper umbrella held by his guards shroud him in shadow. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking down at the Minister of Revenue, who was known for his composure and experience in the court, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"It is truly not my intention to disturb Lord Fan so late at night. However, upon hearing that Lord Fan had suffered a sudden misfortune and was seriously injured, I was deeply concerned and thus came to visit him." Li Chengze's tone was indifferent.

Fan Jian maintained his bowed posture, his tone respectful yet tinged with distance and refusal: "Your Highness's kindness is appreciated, and this old minister thanks Your Highness on behalf of my son. However… my son's injuries are extremely severe at the moment. The imperial physician says his meridians are severed, and the poison has reached his heart; he is hanging by a thread. The inner courtyard is currently filled with the stench of blood and filth, and it is truly inappropriate to disturb Your Highness's precious daughter. I implore Your Highness to return to your residence, and once my son's condition stabilizes, this old minister will personally visit you to express my deepest gratitude."

Li Chengze listened without changing his expression.

He sighed softly, took a step forward, and shortened the distance between himself and Fan Jian.

"Lord Fan, you are mistaken," Li Chengze said slowly, looking up at Fan Jian's head. "Fan Xian is not only your son, but also a meritorious official who has made great contributions to our Great Qing. Moreover, his wedding to Wan'er is approaching, so he can be considered my cousin-in-law. For both public and private reasons, I have absolutely no reason to linger outside the door."

At this point, Li Chengze paused slightly, his originally gentle gaze instantly turning sharp, and his tone becoming more serious.

"Or perhaps... Lord Fan's residence is hiding some unspeakable secret, one that he fears I might discover?"

The moment those words were spoken, the surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly.

The two guards who had already retreated placed their hands on their sword hilts again, their eyes flashing with a dangerous light. The followers behind Fan Jian were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe.

Fan Jian's body stiffened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He slowly raised his head, meeting Li Chengze's sharp gaze without backing down.

"Your Highness is too kind. The entire Fan family is utterly loyal to His Majesty, as clear as day and night, and there is absolutely nothing to hide. The reason this old minister stopped Your Highness was purely out of concern for Your Highness's safety. The poison my son has been afflicted with is an extremely rare and deadly poison. The imperial physician says it may be transmitted through blood and respiration. Your Highness is of noble birth; if anything were to happen to you in the Fan family, this old minister would be held accountable even if he were to die a thousand deaths!"

Fan Jian's words deftly deflected Li Chengze's probing.

However, since Li Chengze had come, he had no intention of going back.

"Lord Fan, you've truly gone to great lengths," Li Chengze said, his smile fading as he coldly added, "However, I've never believed in superstitions. Today, I'm determined to enter the inner courtyard of the Fan residence!"

After saying that, he ignored Fan Jian, flicked his sleeves, and strode into the gate.

"Your Highness!"

Upon seeing this, Fan Jian's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively reached out to stop him.

"What? Does Lord Fan intend to stop me?" Li Chengze suddenly stopped and turned around to look coldly at Fan Jian.

Fan Jian's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his expression shifting unpredictably, his eyes flashing with complex light.

He knew he couldn't stop them anymore.

"This old minister... dares not."

Fan Jian took a deep breath, slowly withdrew his hand, and dejectedly lowered his head.

"Please be careful, Your Highness, as the inner courtyard is slippery."

"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Fan."

Li Chengze chuckled lightly, turned around, and continued walking inside.

Watching Li Chengze's retreating figure, Fan Jian straightened his rain-soaked official robes, took a deep breath, put on a grief-stricken expression, and quickly followed Li Chengze's steps.

……

The inner courtyard of the Fan residence was even more chaotic and oppressive than the outer courtyard.

Basins of water, stained crimson with blood, were frantically carried out of various rooms by maids and poured into a corner of the courtyard, emitting a nauseating stench of blood. The air was thick with the strong smell of herbs and burning mugwort, making one's eyes sting.

The corridor was filled with imperial physicians and doctors hurrying about, whispering among themselves, their brows furrowed, and occasionally letting out a helpless sigh.

Li Chengze walked along the long corridor leading to Fan Xian's bedroom, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's as he surveyed everything around him.

He noticed the fear and tears on the faces of the maids, the despair and helplessness in the eyes of the imperial physicians, and the lingering aura of death in the air.

All of this seems so real.

It's so realistic that you can't find any flaws.

However, Li Chengze trusted his own eyes more.

"Your Highness, my son's bedroom is just ahead."

Fan Jian's voice came from behind, interrupting Li Chengze's thoughts.

Li Chengze stopped and looked up.

Not far ahead, outside the door of a side room, stood a large group of guards from the Fan family.

The doors and windows of the room were tightly closed, but bright light still shone through the cracks.

"Open the door," Li Chengze ordered calmly.

The guards standing outside the door exchanged glances, none daring to move. Only after Fan Jian nodded slightly did the two guards cautiously push open the heavy, carved wooden door.

As soon as the door opened, an even stronger, almost suffocating smell of blood and medicine wafted out.

Li Chengze frowned slightly, covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, and stepped into the room.

The room was dimly lit, with a few oil lamps casting a yellowish glow that made the atmosphere even more eerie and terrifying.

In the very center of the room stood a large canopy bed. Around the bed were numerous imperial physicians and doctors, some taking pulses, some administering acupuncture, and some discussing prescriptions in hushed tones, all extremely busy.

At the edge of the bed, a slender figure knelt.

It was Fan Ruoruo, who had just left the Second Prince's residence not long ago.

She had already changed out of her soaking wet clothes, but her hair was still a bit messy.

She gripped the man's hand tightly, buried her face in the edge of the bed, her shoulders heaving violently as she let out suppressed sobs.

Hearing the door open, everyone in the room turned around.

When they saw that it was the Second Prince who had entered, the imperial physicians and doctors were so frightened that they immediately knelt down and shouted, "Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!"

Fan Ruoruo also raised her head.

When she saw the tall figure standing in the doorway, all the color drained from her already pale face.

I highly recommend "Joy of Life: I'm the Second Prince? Summoning Yuan Tiangang!" Click to enter the story world.