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

In that instant, the Crown Prince cursed Zhou Cheng a thousand times in his heart.

"Father! Your son..."

He was about to refuse, but after uttering a few words, his voice trailed off because he couldn't find any excuse to refuse.

Just as the Crown Prince was sweating profusely with anxiety, the Second Prince also became anxious.

He was unaware that the Crown Prince had dealings with the Northern Qi. He only knew that once the Crown Prince volunteered to lead the expedition and the war went smoothly, the Crown Prince would gain prestige in the army and make up for the major shortcoming of "not having experienced military affairs".

At that time, the pressure he will face in the government will be unimaginable.

He would never allow the crown prince to gain the support of the military.

So when the crown prince opened his mouth, he spoke almost simultaneously, his voice even louder than the crown prince's:

"No! Absolutely not!"

The Crown Prince was stunned, staring blankly at the Second Prince who had suddenly become agitated.

Ignoring the stares of others, the second prince stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and spoke rapidly:

"Father, the Crown Prince is the foundation of the nation; he must not be sent into danger! The morale of our Qing army is high, and our military strength far surpasses that of Northern Qi. We can absolutely crush Northern Qi. At this critical moment, we must not allow the Crown Prince to personally lead the army, adding unpredictable changes to the war!"

Emperor Qing nodded slightly, his face revealing no emotion.

A noble son should not sit under a dangerous roof, and it is indeed not advisable for the Crown Prince to go to the front lines lightly. He has been planning for a long time and is confident of victory in the Battle of Qingqi. Rather than adding variables, he has no need for the Crown Prince to go to the front lines to boost morale.

"Second Brother's words make sense." Zhou Cheng clasped his hands in a fist salute to the Second Prince, then changed the subject:

"But now the rumors in the city are growing stronger, and public sentiment is wavering. Public sentiment is related to the morale of the army. If the Crown Prince does not do something to silence the public's voice, the consequences could be far-reaching!"

The second prince turned to Zhou Cheng and chuckled:

"In the end, it's just a mere rumor. How could it be as exaggerated as Third Brother claims? Besides, silencing them is easy enough!" He paused. "I suggest we hand this matter over directly to the Investigating Authority. They can send people to investigate whoever spread it! I'd like to see what kind of person's mouth is so hard to shut!"

He turned to Chen Pingping:

"Does the dean think what I said is feasible?"

Chen Pingping sat in her wheelchair, remaining calm and composed.

He merely cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Emperor Qing:

"Our Censorate obeys His Majesty's every command."

All eyes turned to him. Emperor Qing paced back and forth a couple of times, then stood still, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, he spoke:

"With the national war imminent, these rumors must be thoroughly investigated and dealt with, and we must not allow them to shake the morale of the army and the people."

He looked at Chen Pingping:

"Chen Pingping, the task of investigating and dealing with the rumors circulating in the capital is now entrusted to you."

Chen Pingping bowed and accepted the order.

Emperor Qing then turned to Zhou Cheng, his tone indifferent:

"The Crown Prince is not fit to lead an expedition personally. Third brother, what you said earlier made sense. With a national war imminent, confining the Crown Prince would harm the morale of the army and the people. So let's waive this punishment for now."

The crown prince never expected that he would escape so easily.

He was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed, and quickly bowed to express his gratitude:

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your mercy! I thank you for your wise judgment!"

As he straightened up, he looked at Zhou Cheng with a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.

Zhou Cheng remained silent at this point.

He simply lowered his eyes, his face expressionless, as if he hadn't seen the Crown Prince's gaze.

Soon, Emperor Qing waved his hand, dismissing the group.

After leaving the Imperial Study, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and Zhou Cheng, a rare occurrence, came together.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince had intended to exchange a few sarcastic remarks with Zhou Cheng, but Zhou Cheng ignored them completely and strode away. The two exchanged a glance, realizing they had made a fool of themselves.

Fan Xian and Lin Ruofu walked behind, keeping a distance from the princes, talking as they walked, and finally leaving the palace together.

.......

Back at Prince Cheng's residence, Zhou Cheng summoned Chen Bao and whispered a few instructions to him.

Chen Bao nodded repeatedly and left to carry out the order.

Several hours later.

In the back garden, the moonlight was as white as frost.

The artificial hill in the pond cast jagged silhouettes under the moonlight, and the water shimmered with tiny silvery lights. Several tuberoses were in full bloom, and a gentle night breeze carried their delicate fragrance, mingling with the dampness of the pond water, a truly refreshing scent.

Tranquil and beautiful.

Zhou Cheng led Sang Wen and Si Lili, one on each side, for a walk along the pond.

Sang Wen was dressed in a light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair loosely tied up, a relaxed and languid smile in her eyes. Si Lili, on the other hand, wore a dark gold long dress and stood by the stone railing of the pool. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her face, making her already beautiful features even more stunning.

As the three chatted and laughed, a figure appeared at the garden entrance.

Chen Bao.

He didn't approach; he just stood quietly at a distance of about ten feet.

Zhou Cheng naturally noticed. He withdrew his gaze, gently patted the slender waists of the two beauties beside him, whispered "Wait for me a moment," and then turned and walked towards a secluded spot to the side.

Chen Bao quickly followed.

"Your Highness, the matter has been taken care of." His voice was low. "Notices have been posted at all the major intersections in the capital, and leaflets have been distributed to teahouses and taverns. However, it is already late, so I doubt many people will have seen them. Moreover, the Censorate is cracking down hard, and by tomorrow, most of them will probably have been cleared away."

Zhou Cheng waved his hand casually:

"It's alright. This is fine."

Chen Bao paused, a hint of hesitation on his face:

"Your Highness, shall we deliver this secret message to His Majesty now?"

Zhou Cheng nodded: "Just report the facts."

Chen Bao said "Yes," but didn't leave immediately. He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but speak:

"Your Highness, you are a Grandmaster, there is absolutely no need for you to fear the Crown Prince. As long as you demonstrate your strength, you are the true heir apparent, why bother..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Zhou Cheng's gaze.

Zhou Cheng looked at him, his gaze calm:

"You're oversimplifying things. You need to understand that there's a Grandmaster in the palace."

Chen Bao was stunned.

"You think that if I display my strength, the throne will be mine? Have you considered what that Grandmaster would think?"

Chen Bao frowned, his face full of confusion:

"Could it be that the Grandmaster in the palace... would not want you to inherit the throne?"

Zhou Cheng chuckled softly.

The laughter drifted away on the night breeze, carrying a somewhat ambiguous emotion.

"Of course, I don't want to." He turned around, his back to Chen Bao. "It's normal that you don't understand the Grandmaster's thoughts."

He paused.

"Grandmasters embody immense personal power, transcending the ordinary, and their thoughts are different from those of ordinary people. Do you know what my first thought was after breaking through to Grandmaster level?"

Chen Bao shook his head: "This subordinate does not know."

"My first thought at the time was—" Zhou Cheng's voice was calm, "There are too many grandmasters in this world."

He stood with his hands behind his back, the moonlight casting a solitary silhouette on him.

"Grandmaster Ye Liuyun hails from the Ye family of Kyoto, yet he has never set foot in Kyoto in decades. Why?"

Without waiting for Chen Bao's answer, he gave his own:

"Because Kyoto already has a Grandmaster. Kyoto is too small to accommodate two Supremes."

He spoke with a double meaning, then turned around and looked at Chen Bao.

"I would feel the same way. If I were to reveal my strength, not only would I not inherit the throne, but I would also inevitably be drawn into the power struggle. As a result, there would still only be one supreme ruler in this capital."

He glanced at Chen Bao:

"Now, do you understand?"

Chen Bao felt a chill run down his spine.

Almost instinctively, his knees buckled and he collapsed to his knees.

"Your Highness, I misspoke! Please forgive me!"

Zhou Cheng looked at him, and after a moment, waved his hand.

"The fact that I can tell you this means I don't care." His tone softened. "You work so hard all the time. If you have any doubts, you can talk to Chen Quan. He's been with me for a long time, so he knows more and thinks things through more clearly."

He turned and walked deeper into the garden.

"Alright, you may leave."

Chen Bao remained prostrate on the ground until the figure had disappeared into the distance before daring to rise and quietly retreat.

When Zhou Cheng returned to the poolside, Sang Wen was still leaning against the stone railing with Si Lili, whispering to each other.

Hearing footsteps, Sang Wen turned around and winked playfully at him, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. As for Si Lili… having heard something, a faint blush rose to her fair face, making her exceptionally beautiful in the moonlight.

Zhou Cheng walked over and naturally put his hand on Si Lili's waist.

The surface is warm and soft to the touch.

.......

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, spreading a patch of golden light across the floor.

Si Lili, who had been tormented all night, was still fast asleep, her black hair scattered on the pillow, her breathing long and even.

When the imperial decree summoning him arrived, Zhou Cheng was already dressed in full formal attire.

He didn't disturb her; he simply pushed the door open and went out.

After meeting Sang Wen and giving him a few words of advice, he got into the carriage and headed towards the palace.

The Imperial Study.

As soon as Zhou Cheng stepped through the door, he felt the heavy atmosphere seemed to freeze.

Emperor Qing sat behind his desk, his face grim.

Upon seeing him enter, without saying a word, she threw a secret letter over.

The letter spun in the air and landed at Zhou Cheng's feet.

Zhou Cheng bent down, picked it up, and unfolded it to take a look.

The letter contained exactly what he had arranged for Chen Bao to do last night—posting notices, distributing leaflets, and spreading rumors.

Emperor Qing stared at him, his gaze sharp.

"Li Chengcheng, you're amazing!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, oppressive quality.

"You granted my permission yesterday, but you did? Qingqi launched a war, and the Crown Prince volunteered! You spread these things, thinking I wouldn't be able to find you?!"

He suddenly stood up.

"Last time in the capital, you slapped your elder brother. I saw that the matter didn't escalate, so I considered it a minor disagreement between brothers and didn't punish you!"

He stopped in front of Zhou Cheng, his voice growing colder and harsher:

"Two days ago, you took Si Lili, a spy from the Northern Qi, away from the Imperial Censorate, indirectly causing Lin Gong's death. I tolerated it because you also provided an excuse to start a national war!"

He paused, his chest heaving, clearly enraged.

"Fine, fine! I tolerated you twice, and instead of repenting, you've only gotten worse!"

He slammed his hand on the table next to him, making a dull thud.

"Posting notices, distributing leaflets, spreading rumors—all in an attempt to manipulate public opinion and coerce the crown prince! How dare you!"

He stared at Zhou Cheng, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"What do you want to do? Are you planning a rebellion?"

Zhou Cheng quickly cupped his hands in greeting, bowing deeply:

"Your subject wouldn't dare! Your subject would never have such an intention!"

Emperor Qing was even more furious when he saw that the man still wouldn't kneel down.

"Dare not? I see you haven't dared to show the slightest bit of fear!"

He paced back and forth in front of Zhou Cheng, his boots clicking rapidly on the gold bricks.

"Why did you go to such lengths to send the Crown Prince to the front lines? Do you think that if the Crown Prince leaves the capital, something might happen to him, and then you'll have an opportunity?"

He abruptly stopped and stared at Zhou Cheng:

"You want to rise to the throne? Do you think I forbid you from competing? Instead of competing openly and fairly, you princes lack any dignity and instead resort to underhanded and crooked methods!"

His voice grew louder and louder:

"That's it? What else do you want to argue about? I'm so disappointed in you!"

Zhou Cheng kept his head down and remained silent.

The imperial study was quiet for a few moments, with only Emperor Qing's heavy breathing remaining.

A moment later, Emperor Qing seemed to have vented his anger enough:

"Tell me, you're the one who started this mess, how do you plan to clean it up?"

Zhou Cheng spoke in a muffled voice:

"Your subject will request the Censorate to intervene and suppress the news, controlling the spread of rumors. Your subject acted rashly this time, and requests to be confined to your residence for a month to reflect on your mistakes."

"Bang!"

Emperor Qing slammed his hand on the table again, making the inkstone almost jump.

"Locked down?!"

His voice rose even higher:

"You think the matter is over after the Censorate cleans up your mess and you've confined yourself to your residence?!"

He stood up and pointed at Zhou Cheng's nose:

"What do you think rumors are? So easy to control?! Do you know that those few fabricated sentences of yours have probably already been relayed back to Northern Qi by spies and have reached the border troops!"

He paced back and forth in the study, his speech becoming increasingly rapid:

"With the national war about to begin, the Crown Prince's volunteering to personally lead the expedition will certainly boost morale. But do you know how devastating it is to the soldiers' morale if rumors spread and he doesn't show up afterwards?!"

He suddenly stopped in front of Zhou Cheng:

"The morale of the army is wavering. We could have easily won this battle, but we almost lost! If we lose this battle, you will be the greatest sinner of the Qing Kingdom!"

Zhou Cheng seemed to be frightened; his voice was trembling.

"The consequences...are so severe? Then why not let the Crown Prince continue to volunteer? At most...we'll just need to send more experts to protect him!"

Emperor Qing was so angry he almost laughed.

He raised his hand and pointed at Zhou Cheng:

"Use your pig brain! Think about it properly! With the Crown Prince on the battlefield, can the primary strategic objective of Northern Qi still be to remain in place and defend?!"

He withdrew his hand:

"Their primary objective will likely be to capture or assassinate the Crown Prince! That's why I refused yesterday!"

He stared at Zhou Cheng:

"You bastard—you thought you were so clever!"

Zhou Cheng lowered his head:

"Your subject is guilty."

"Of course you are guilty! A grave crime!" Emperor Qing's voice was icy. "If anything goes wrong in this national war, you will be held accountable even with ten thousand deaths!"

Zhou Cheng's face showed a hint of panic, and his voice carried just the right amount of fear:

"Father, I am guilty, I did not understand your profound meaning. Now that things have come to this... how can I make amends?"

Emperor Qing frowned, lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes and stared intently at Zhou Cheng.

"When the rumors reach the front lines, the soldiers will surely have high hopes." His voice was deep. "The Crown Prince cannot go. However—"

He paused.

"The prince is certainly capable. His presence will also help stabilize morale within the army."

Zhou Cheng paused for a moment, then feigned sudden realization:

"Father is wise! Your son understands! Your son will immediately inform your second brother and have him volunteer for the expedition!"

Emperor Qing was so angry he laughed!

He suppressed the urge to kick him, and instead reached out, his fingers repeatedly poking and prodding Zhou Cheng.

"Third Prince! Your skill in feigning ignorance surpasses even that of the Crown Prince! Sometimes, even I can't tell if you're faking it or you're being genuine!"

He withdrew his hand, turned his back, and his voice carried a hint of weariness:

"I don't want to say anything more to you. Tomorrow morning at court, you can submit your own petition to volunteer for the mission."

After he finished speaking, not hearing any footsteps behind him, he turned around with a furrowed brow:

"Now, get back to the manor and prepare. While you're at it, think about how you can come back alive!"

Zhou Cheng has not yet reacted.

Emperor Qing waved his hand impatiently.

Eunuch Hou stepped forward and made a "please" gesture.

Zhou Cheng was half-invited and half-forced out of the Imperial Study.

As they rode back to Prince Cheng's residence in a carriage, Zhou Cheng's face remained etched with a dejected expression.

Only after he stepped into the palace and closed the door did his expression suddenly change.

"Although the marks are still a bit heavy," he said, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the bright sky outside the window, "the goal has been achieved."

He smiled.

The initial goal of leaving Kyoto has been achieved.

If he remembers correctly, the war between Qing and Northern Qi lasted only a short time, no more than two months.

Now, he needs to consider how to move freely after leaving Kyoto.

......

Day two.

early morning.

Zhou Cheng made a rare appearance in the Celebration Hall.

Amidst the astonished gazes of his civil and military officials, he submitted a memorial requesting permission to lead the expedition.

Emperor Qing sat on his throne and praised him highly.

He praised him for his "commendable loyalty and bravery," for "sharing the nation's burdens," and for "pleasing the Emperor"—and then publicly approved his request.

The officials looked at each other, feeling utterly bewildered.

After the court session, Zhou Cheng took the initiative to go to the Observatory.

Soon, a secret letter was placed on Emperor Qing's desk.

Emperor Qing unfolded it and looked at it, his brows relaxing slightly.

"This third brother," he murmured, a hint of surprise in his voice, "is quite quick-witted. He knew to have the Forensic Service arrange body doubles and send out in multiple groups to prevent assassination attempts."

He put down the secret letter, leaned back in his chair, and looked out the window.

"He's just the third son; it's not enough for Northern Qi to make a big move. With Ye Wan, a ninth-rank commander, on the border, the army should be more than capable."

Ye Wan, a ninth-rank martial artist, serves as the border army governor. He is the son of Ye Zhong, the garrison commander of the capital, and also Ye Ling'er's elder brother.

He then thought about the men on Zhou Cheng's person.

"With two eighth-rank officials by my side, plus the assistance of the Censorate, as long as I'm smart, I can handle most dangers."

He looked away, his voice so low that only he could hear it:

"Third brother, aren't you satisfied with the Ye family's support in Kyoto in the future?"

"Alright, since you want more, then I'll give you the chance, but it depends on whether you can hold onto it..."