Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

No sooner had He Zongwei finished hurling his foul language than a calm yet stern voice pierced through the crowd:

"A client? Interesting! This is the first time someone has used that word to describe me!"

Zhou Cheng slowly walked out from the crowd, his folding fan opening with a "whoosh" and then closing with a "snap".

"Young Master!"

When Sang Wen saw the person who came, she was like a bullied child seeing her parent. She immediately lifted the hem of her skirt and ran to Zhou Cheng with small, quick steps.

Zhou Cheng nodded slightly to her, his gentle gaze lingering on her face for a moment, signaling her to rest assured.

"Who are you? Words are just for use, aren't they?" He Zongwei looked Zhou Cheng up and down, noticing that his clothes were not luxurious and that he was holding a folding fan even though it wasn't hot. He scoffed inwardly, "Pretentious."

With Guo Baokun right beside him, he had absolutely nothing to fear in the entire capital, except for a few people in the palace.

His face immediately showed disdain, and he slightly raised his chin:

"The moment I mentioned 'patron,' you understood immediately. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. With a courtesan who loves reading 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' 'patron' is the perfect word to describe you!"

After saying that, he felt that what he said made more sense, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Many onlookers chuckled in agreement, but some discerning individuals frowned and remained silent. Although Zhou Cheng was dressed casually, the folding fan in his hand was of extraordinary value, clearly not something an ordinary person could possess.

Fan Xian crossed his arms, tapping his arms thoughtfully with his fingertips as he looked Zhou Cheng up and down.

From the moment Guo Baokun appeared, he had a vague feeling that the other party was deliberately trying to lure him into a fight.

Now that Zhou Cheng has appeared, he is unsure whether Zhou Cheng was involved or played some kind of role.

So he remained silent, reached out and pressed down on Fan Sizhe's shoulder, who was itching to act, and decided to observe from the sidelines for the time being.

He Zongwei smiled, and the surrounding crowd also laughed, but he suddenly realized that something was wrong.

Upon closer reflection, I realized that there was no response from behind.

He hurriedly turned around and saw that Guo Baokun's eyes were wide open, his lips were trembling, and his face was as pale as paper, as if he had seen a ghost.

He Zongwei's heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough, the next second, Guo Baokun's legs trembled, and he abruptly pushed aside He Zongwei, who was blocking his way. He staggered forward, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, his voice trembling:

"Your Highness...why did you go out into the streets yourself?"

temple? Your Highness?

As soon as Guo Baokun spoke, He Zongwei's vision went black, and he swayed, barely managing to stand.

The crowd that was laughing and joking just a second ago fell silent in an instant. Some people hurriedly lowered their heads, while many others quietly moved back.

"If I don't go out on the streets myself, do you expect Lord Guo to go in my place?" Zhou Cheng sneered, tapping his folding fan lightly against his palm. "To be honest, if I don't go out for a stroll, I really won't witness the official power of the people compiled in my palace!"

Guo Baokun was sweating profusely, bowing deeply as he repeatedly cried out, "It's a misunderstanding! Your Highness, it's all a misunderstanding!"

Zhou Cheng used his folding fan to push Guo Baokun's lowered head, forcing him to look at him:

"Misunderstanding? Do you mean to say that I am young and have a hearing problem, and that I misheard?"

Was it you, Guo, the editor, who just introduced yourself and shouted that you wanted banned books?

The Ministry of Rites was in charge of etiquette and education, and could examine whether books were "against the established moral principles," thus having the power to ban books.

"It's one thing for your father, Guo Youzhi, to ban books, but for a lowly writer like you to dare make a scene in the street? What, has young Master Guo already taken over old Master Guo's position?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Baokun's legs went weak, and he immediately knelt down:

"Your Highness, please calm down! Your humble servant, how dare I overstep my bounds? I only... I only..."

His mind raced, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Finally, a lightbulb went off in his head: "Speaking out for justice! Yes, Your Highness, I was just being outspoken and speaking out for what's right!"

"Speaking out for justice?" Zhou Cheng's lips curled into a mocking smile as he leaned closer to Guo Baokun.

"You've read 'Dream of the Red Chamber'? And you dare to say you're 'speaking out for justice'?"

Snatching a woman's personal belongings in the street, shoving the weak, using foul language, and insulting someone's reputation—is this what you call "being outspoken"?

Is this how your family, the Ministry of Rites, taught you about 'righteousness' and 'speech'?

After saying that, he didn't listen to Guo Baokun's sophistry. With a flick of his wrist, he slapped Guo Baokun across the face with his folding fan!

Guo Baokun let out a scream and rolled over on the ground.

When he got up, one side of his cheek was visibly swollen. He grimaced in pain, but dared not cry out any more. He could only press the back of his hand against the wound, cover his face, and quickly kneel down, no longer daring to utter a word.

The people around were surprised that this "prince" was so "approachable," actually taking action in public without warning.

Fan Xian saw it clearly. He raised an eyebrow slightly and, seeing the expression on Guo Baokun's face, knew that this was not a show.

That fan may not have struck with much force, but it definitely hit his face hard. The injury wasn't serious, but the pain was real!

Zhou Cheng turned his gaze to He Zongwei.

He Zongwei's face was also pale, but in the short time that Guo Baokun was being beaten, he managed to calm himself down.

Seeing Zhou Cheng looking at him, he took a deep breath and immediately bowed respectfully.

"I was unaware that Your Highness was present; I was blind and spoke rudely. I am guilty!"

Without waiting for Zhou Cheng's response, he raised his hands and slapped himself hard across the face several times with both hands and gritted his teeth!

With a series of sharp cracking sounds, blood quickly seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his cheeks swelled up, making him look several times more miserable than Guo Baokun.

The few remaining onlookers gasped in shock. Even Sang Wen, standing next to Zhou Cheng, covered his face with his sleeve, unable to bear watching any longer.

[Negative emotions from He Zongwei +666!]

Zhou Cheng remained unmoved, simply standing with his hands behind his back, watching his performance with indifferent eyes.

He had to admit that He Zongwei was indeed a ruthless character from the original work, a true villain.

Be ruthless to the enemy, but even more ruthless to yourself!

Intelligent, quick-witted, and ruthless, they know how to create opportunities in dire situations and make the most self-serving choices.

It's no wonder that someone like that could later drive Fan Xian to the brink of despair in the imperial court, leaving him with no choice but to use the most physical means to wipe out the entire He family...

Zhou Cheng snapped out of his thoughts and, seeing that He Zongwei was still secretly observing his reaction out of the corner of his eye, said:

"You echoed Guo's compilation of banned books. Have you read 'Dream of the Red Chamber'? Did you enjoy it?"

"This humble subject has seen it, and this humble subject enjoys it." He Zongwei bowed again, his voice muffled by the swelling of his cheeks, but his tone remained unusually steady.

He then added, "It is precisely because I, a commoner, enjoy reading this book that I am even more aware of its harm!"

The novel "Dream of the Red Chamber" is filled with decadent and frivolous language, which diminishes ambition and demoralizes people. It is of no benefit whatsoever to scholars who are pursuing their studies and cultivating their moral character.

It is precisely because of this that I, a humble citizen, stand up and earnestly request that this book be banned!

Upon hearing this, the surrounding crowd gave varying looks.

Fan Sizhe, standing next to Fan Xian, was also impressed. He pursed his lips, rolled his eyes, and almost gave him a thumbs up!

This person has the ability to speak with integrity about anything, good or bad; that's quite a skill!

Zhou Cheng scoffed, "I didn't realize you were so 'righteous'! Then let me ask you, is it also your 'righteousness' that you repeatedly insulted my concubines?"

He Zongwei took a deep breath, knowing that the most crucial moment had arrived. He bowed his head heavily and said:

"This humble subject was filled with enthusiasm and anger, and spoke without thinking, which was truly inappropriate. It is also because this humble subject did not expect that Your Highness would be so benevolent and righteous as to take pity on a woman of lowly status and save her from suffering... This humble subject was narrow-minded and did not understand Your Highness's magnanimity."

These words still did not acknowledge his own mistakes, and he still referred to Sang Wen as "of lowly status," but instead he was belittling Sang Wen to elevate Zhou Cheng.

In this era, those born into low social classes are rarely treated as human beings.

Chen Pingping of the Detective Council, second only to the emperor, was feared by enemy countries and known as the "Lord of the Night." Why would such a person, in order to avenge Ye Qingmei who had died many years ago, ultimately suffer the cruel punishment of being slowly sliced ​​to death without any remorse?

That's because Chen Pingping was a eunuch from a young age.

He had only ever felt genuine respect and experienced what it meant to be a 'human being' through Ye Qingmei...

If a concubine of lowly birth were insulted, an ordinary nobleman, being praised in public like that, would most likely have already shown "magnanimity" and let the matter drop.

But Zhou Cheng wouldn't have such a problem.

He gestured with the folding fan towards He Zongwei, then turned to Sang Wen: "Apologize."

"Huh?" He Zongwei looked up in surprise, a look of astonishment flashing across his swollen face.

Zhou Cheng's reaction was completely unexpected.

"Didn't you hear me? Do I have to say it again?" Zhou Cheng's eyes were sharp as knives.

He Zongwei followed his heart without hesitation, and when he turned to Sang Wen, he bowed deeply, his movements precise yet stiff.

"Miss, I was confused for a moment and spoke without thinking. I apologize for offending you."

Sang Wen responded softly, turning slightly to avoid the full bow.

When He Zongwei slapped himself so hard his face turned into a pig's head, her lingering anger subsided.

Born into a lowly family, she was already aware of being looked down upon. She was grateful to receive an apology from Zhou Cheng.

She instinctively reached out to return the greeting, but Zhou Cheng gestured for her to stop.

Zhou Cheng gently tapped her head with the rib of his fan, his brows furrowing slightly, his tone tinged with reproach: "Why did you return the courtesy? They know they were wrong, but what about you? Do you know you were wrong?"

Sang Wen blinked, looking at Zhou Cheng with a puzzled expression: "Huh?"

Before she could think further, Zhou Cheng said, "You bear at least half the responsibility for how ugly things turned out today."

You're still not used to your status! You are my woman, and have nothing to do with the lowly status of a courtesan.

In this respect, you should learn a thing or two from our editor Guo!

Zhou Cheng's words deeply moved Sang Wen, but she was somewhat confused by the last sentence.

At this moment, Guo Baokun, who was kneeling on the ground, also covered his cheek, raised his swollen face, and looked over in a daze.

He couldn't understand why he still had a role at this time.

Ignoring the stares of others, Zhou Cheng asked Sang Wen, "Do you still remember how Editor Guo made his entrance?"

Sang Wen stared blankly for a moment, then shook his head in bewilderment.

Zhou Cheng touched his forehead with his fan, shook his head, and sighed:

"When Guo, the compiler, stepped forward, he first called out 'My father is the Minister of Rites,' then introduced himself, and finally mentioned the banned books!"

And you? When you encounter trouble, you keep silent! In that situation, you should first declare yourself my woman!

If you don't shout, someone can easily excuse it by saying "it was a moment of anger and I spoke without thinking." But if you shout, who would dare to bark and howl at you?

I didn't step forward immediately because I wanted to see your resolve. In the end, I was very disappointed.

So, do you know you were wrong?

Sang Wen suddenly realized that this was not a blame, but rather a defense, so she obediently lowered her head and said, "This servant knows her mistake."

Zhou Cheng nodded in satisfaction, his gaze returning to He Zongwei.

He Zongwei lowered his head and remained silent, listening to Zhou Cheng's veiled criticism of him under the guise of instructing Sang Wen, but his face remained respectful and showed no sign of displeasure.

[Negative emotions from He Zongwei +233!]

Zhou Cheng sneered inwardly.

This guy is very active and a goldmine; it would be a loss to simply let him go.

Now only characters in the story can provide him with effective emotional points, so he has to find a way to squeeze this guy dry!

As Zhou Cheng was pondering how to sustainably develop the "rich mine," another person pushed through the crowd and squeezed in.

Li Hongcheng, who had been watching the show from the crowd for a while, now stepped forward with a smile and bowed respectfully.

"Oh dear, Third Brother, we've run into each other again! What happened?" He strolled over to Guo Baokun, bent down to examine him, and feigned surprise: "Isn't this Editor Guo? What happened to him?" He then looked at He Zongwei, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: "Young Master He's face... Did you two offend Third Brother?"

There are quite a few people around who know Li Hongcheng.

Hearing Guo Baokun call him "Your Highness," they could only guess that Zhou Cheng was a prince, but they couldn't be sure which one.

At this moment, when Li Hongcheng called out "Third Brother," they immediately realized that the person in front of them was the legendary "Prince Cheng"!

Fan Xian's eyes flickered slightly. Prince Cheng... wasn't that the prince who had "laid down," the prince least suspected of assassinating him...?

Judging from his behavior, he is indeed unconventional and quite interesting!

"Hongcheng is shopping too? What a coincidence." Zhou Cheng said casually, pointing to He Zongwei, "Do you know this young master He?"

Li Hongcheng nodded outwardly, but inwardly he was groaning.

Today, Guo Baokun banned books in the street, which was done on the orders of the Crown Prince, with the aim of testing Fan Xian.

He Zongwei was a retainer of Guo Baokun, which is why he spoke up for Guo Baokun.

Unexpectedly, Guo Baokun's careless act of snatching a book at the beginning of the story dragged Zhou Cheng's concubine into the mess.

When he recognized Sang Wen in the crowd, he immediately sensed something was wrong. He wanted to stop him, but it was too late, so he could only hide and watch from the sidelines.

Seeing that Zhou Cheng had almost finished dealing with the situation, she dared to step in and smooth things over, trying to clean up the mess.

Li Hongcheng carefully considered the words: "Young Master He is a distinguished student of Zeng Wenxiang, a Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall. His talent is widely known, and he has a wide circle of friends."

Third Brother knows that his younger brother often organizes poetry gatherings, and Young Master He is a frequent guest, producing many excellent works. He comes from a humble background but is diligent in his studies, possessing remarkable literary talent. His stay in the capital is precisely to prepare for next year's imperial examinations. If nothing unexpected happens, he will surely be among the successful candidates next year.

Zhou Cheng looked He Zongwei up and down, as if seeing him clearly for the first time, and seemed surprised that this pig-headed man had such a reputation for talent. Then he shook his head and smiled at Li Hongcheng, saying, "You really can't judge a book by its cover. To be praised so highly by Hongcheng, he must be a rare talent."

Having said that, he turned to He Zongwei, his smile warm: "I believe Hongcheng's words. It seems I have misunderstood you. Young Master He, you are of noble character and exceptionally talented in literature. If you pass the imperial examination with flying colors, where do you aspire to go?"

From Li Hongcheng's address, He Zongwei naturally knew that the person in front of him was the Third Prince, who had famously asked, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"

He breathed a sigh of relief, his inward contempt growing stronger while his outward deference increasing, striving to enunciate clearly:

"Your Highness flatters me. In matters of the imperial examinations, who dares to claim certain victory? Zongwei only wishes to do his utmost, and even if he fails, he will not hesitate to sacrifice himself, for he only desires to serve the country and be loyal to His Majesty!"

Zhou Cheng's eyes revealed admiration: "What ambition! Even if you fail the exam, you are willing to dedicate yourself to serving your country and remaining loyal to your father. Truly, you have the heart of a devoted son!"

The people around them looked at each other in disbelief; Zhou Cheng's change of attitude was so swift that they couldn't even react.

Even with Li Hongcheng's mediation, the change in attitude was far too swift!

Fan Xian's eyes flashed sharply as he keenly caught the fleeting coldness in Zhou Cheng's eyes. For some reason, he had a feeling that beneath the Third Prince's seemingly amiable demeanor, something sinister was brewing...

Sure enough, Zhou Cheng changed the subject the next second, saying to Li Hongcheng, "Hongcheng should be familiar with all parts of the palace, right?"

Li Hongcheng, not understanding why, nodded in agreement.

Zhou Cheng's smile returned, yet it inexplicably sent a chill down one's spine: "What a coincidence. Some time ago, when I entered the palace, I overheard a group of elderly eunuchs retiring from the Imperial Study. I see that Young Master He is renowned for his talent and commendable loyalty. If he does not serve the country and His Majesty for even a day, it will be a great loss to my Qing Kingdom."

There are still more than half a year until next year's imperial examination. How can I idly remain outside the palace? It is the perfect time to enter the palace to serve my father, the emperor, and contribute to the country and to my sovereign.

These words confirmed Fan Xian's suspicions, and he almost burst out laughing.

He Zongwei suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with fear, and exclaimed in horror, "Your Highness! This humble subject...this humble subject still needs to take the imperial examination to enter officialdom, I really cannot..."

Zhou Cheng's smile vanished instantly. He stepped forward, his imposing aura overwhelming: "What? You look down on eunuchs? Officials can be loyal to the Emperor, but eunuchs can't?"

You keep saying you'd risk your life, but is that just empty talk? We haven't even taken your life yet, and you're already making excuses. If you were truly required to sacrifice yourself, wouldn't you be betraying your country and defecting to the enemy?

The surrounding area erupted in uproar.

Some people secretly thought Zhou Cheng was ruthless; forcing someone to become a eunuch was worse than just taking their life!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, He Zongwei felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He could not speak out in protest, for to do so would be labeled as deceiving the emperor, yet he was absolutely unwilling to ruin his future.

At the critical moment, he suddenly burst into tears, pounding his chest as if he were going mad: "Your Highness! This humble subject has studied diligently for over a decade, hoping only to serve the court with his writings, to serve the emperor with his sincere heart, and to make greater use of his talents. It is by no means that I am reluctant to part with my family lineage..."

Before he could finish speaking, he seemed to be overcome by a sudden surge of anger, his eyes rolled back, and he fell straight backward!

Anyone with eyes could tell he was faking it. But He Zongwei had no other choice at that moment.

Li Hongcheng cried out "Ouch!" and hurriedly took two steps forward, but instead of offering a helping hand, he quickly winked at Guo Baokun: "What are you all standing there for! Help him! If anything happens to Young Master He, it will be a huge loss to the literary world of Qing Kingdom!"

Guo Baokun hurriedly got up to apologize, then summoned his servants to lift up the "fainted" He Zongwei, and fled in a sorry state.

Zhou Cheng did not stop him further, but looked at Li Hongcheng with a deep gaze: "Hongcheng's presence here today is probably not a coincidence, is it?"

Li Hongcheng cupped his hands and smiled apologetically: "Third Brother, you are wise! I was just about to organize a poetry gathering and came out to send out invitations to the talented men in the capital. I have remembered what you said last time, and the invitations will be delivered to your residence shortly."

Zhou Cheng remained silent, only nodding slightly.

Li Hongcheng breathed a sigh of relief, adjusted his expression, put on a warm smile, and turned to Fan Xian, who had been standing quietly to the side for a long time.

The play was originally prepared for him, but due to Zhou Cheng's intervention, he ended up being a spectator.

Li Hongcheng bowed respectfully, his attitude humble: "This must be Young Master Fan Xian? Your younger sister, Ruoruo, is the most talented woman in the capital; how could I not invite her to the poetry gathering? As her elder brother, Young Master Fan's literary talent must be even greater; I humbly request your presence!"

Fan Xian hesitated for a moment, then returned the greeting with a cupped hand and agreed.

He had long suspected that today's events were directed at him, and now he was basically certain that Zhou Cheng had been accidentally dragged into it.

Li Hongcheng and the people behind him clearly had ulterior motives towards him, and he wanted to find out what they wanted. Since Li Hongcheng invited him, he decided to play along.

Seeing that Fan Xian agreed, Li Hongcheng felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He quickly bowed to Zhou Cheng and prepared to leave.

Just as he turned to leave, Zhou Cheng's unquestionable voice rang out from behind him:

"Hongcheng, I never lie. I said I would let He Zongwei into the palace, and I will see him there. Feigning unconsciousness will only get you out of there for now. Since you are familiar with Young Master He, I will entrust this matter to you."

Li Hongcheng stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, and forced a smile, saying, "Such a trivial matter, how could I dare trouble you, Third Brother? Next time you see Young Master He, it will surely be in the palace, nowhere else."

Zhou Cheng then casually waved his hand. Li Hongcheng, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, hurriedly left.