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

The war between Qing and Qi shook the world.

The news that Zhou Cheng had volunteered also caused quite a stir in Kyoto.

Upon receiving the news, Ye Ling'er could no longer stay at the royal villa. She secretly slipped out and quietly returned to the Prince Cheng's residence.

Ye Ling'er still harbored resentment towards Zhou Cheng for not inquiring about her during the past few days of her absence.

However, he was, after all, her fiancé, and they had already consummated their marriage. No matter how much she complained, she was still somewhat worried.

She had planned to say a few private words to him when they met, and to tell him to be careful on his journey and come back safely.

But the moment he saw Zhou Cheng's face and opened his mouth, his words took a different turn:

"Are you really going to your death? Arrows and swords have no eyes on the battlefield. You're so wicked and so annoying; be careful you don't get shot dead the moment you show your face!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Ye Ling'er regretted them.

She pursed her lips, glanced quickly at Zhou Cheng, and felt a mix of emotions.

Her words were so vicious. He must be very angry at a time like this, right?

She thought Zhou Cheng would definitely get angry, would fly into a rage, would point his finger at her and yell back, or even tell her to get out...

Unexpectedly, Zhou Cheng simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

He had one arm around her waist and the other hand gently pinching her cheek, a casual gesture as if he were teasing a mischievous kitten.

"I love your little mouth, Ling'er," he said with a smile. "It's like your mouth is covered in glycerin, it's naturally lubricated."

Ye Ling'er's cheeks were distorted from his pinching, and she made a muffled "uh" sound.

"Thank you for your kind words," Zhou Cheng continued, "on the battlefield, I definitely won't show my face. I can't bear to see you, Ling'er, become a widow before you've even married into the family."

Ye Ling'er pouted and slapped his hand away:

"You're the widow!" She rubbed her cheek, which had been pinched red, then suddenly remembered something. "What do you mean my mouth feels like it's been smeared with glycerin? What's glycerin?"

Although she didn't know what glycerin suppositories were, she instinctively felt that they weren't good things.

Zhou Cheng explained with a smile:

"That's a kind of medicine. It's effective and works quickly."

"Medicine? What's it for?"

"It's for treating constipation."

"..."

Ye Ling'er was stunned for a moment.

Then his face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Li Chengcheng—!"

She gritted her teeth and shouted his name, then turned to punch him, but her hand was grabbed the moment she moved.

She tried to break free from his grasp and run away, but Zhou Cheng tightened his grip slightly, pulling her into his arms so she couldn't move an inch.

"Since you're already here," he lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "why are you running away?"

Ye Ling'er stiffened; she was all too familiar with and sensitive to this scoundrel's tone!

"...What do you want to do?"

"think."

"..."

Ye Ling'er's face turned even redder.

"You...you shameless person!" she struggled. "It's daytime!"

"Daytime is perfect," Zhou Cheng said matter-of-factly. "I'm about to set off, so I'm in a bit of a rush. There are people queuing up at night."

"You bastard!" Ye Ling'er angrily pounded his chest. "Go to hell!"

......

He indulged in debauchery all afternoon.

As the sun began to set, Zhou Cheng held Ye Ling'er, who had slumped into a puddle in his arms, and asked her to use her last bit of strength to write a letter to her elder brother, Ye Wan.

The letter will be sent in Ye Ling'er's name, but the contents inside are all messages from Zhou Cheng.

In his letter, he directly told Ye Wan that he would inevitably face assassination attempts and ambushes from various parties on his journey. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, if he failed to reach the border army within the expected time, Ye Wan was permitted to act as he saw fit, and could arrange for a puppet to impersonate him to boost morale and maintain the situation.

After affixing the seal of Prince Cheng, he handed the letter to Chen Quan and ordered him to send it out secretly.

In the war between Qing and Qi, the State of Qing is destined to win.

Zhou Cheng had absolutely no interest in the empty platitudes and encouragement given to the border troops.

The border troops only needed the title of "the Third Prince's personal presence," and it didn't matter what the Third Prince looked like or who he was.

The letter he wrote to Ye Wan was meant to reassure him and tell him not to worry about anything at this crucial moment, and to go for it without hesitation.

Moreover, sending it in Ye Ling'er's handwriting and name would be more likely to gain Ye Wan's trust.

After comforting Ye Ling'er, just as he had said, he comforted Si Lili and Sang Wen one by one that night.

As for Si Lili, he inquired about some information about the Northern Qi royal family, but did not delve into the matter of Emperor Zhan Doudou of Northern Qi.

Zhan Doudou is Si Lili's best friend. She has always disguised herself as a man to deceive the world and ascend to the throne of Northern Qi.

Si Lili had just been taken into the room, and although she had some feelings for him, they were by no means deep, and she was far less affectionate than Zhan Doudou.

In order not to put Si Lili in a difficult position, and because he already knew Zhan Doudou quite well, he didn't ask any more questions.

Si Lili, however, was unaware of these things.

She was touched by Zhou Cheng's tolerance and trust, so she served him with extra care, making him quite happy.

Finally, Zhou Cheng stayed overnight at Sang Wen's place.

Sang Wen had genuine feelings for him, entrusting him with her whole heart, and was also the one most worried about him going to the front lines.

She cried several times throughout the night, but she tried her best to persevere and kept shouting that she had to have a child for him.

Zhou Cheng was both amused and exasperated.

He wasn't thinking about children right now. Of the four women he had intimate relationships with, apart from Li Yunrui, they were all too young. The three in the manor were barely past the age where it wasn't considered a crime.

As for Li Yunrui... she can still have children. However, there's no need to let her.

Before dawn, Zhou Cheng quietly greeted the three women, and then left Kyoto alone.

The censorate will arrange for more than a dozen fake identities for him within three days to confuse the public, and the Prince Cheng's mansion will also release several fake identities.

Even Chen Quan and Chen Bao would each protect a fake person on their journey at different times.

Whether these avatars can ultimately reach the border troops, or how many routes they can take, is irrelevant.

As long as Ye Ling'er's letter goes smoothly, a "Li Chengcheng" will definitely appear on the border at the most opportune moment.

After leaving Kyoto, Zhou Cheng didn't even ride a horse, but instead used his light-footed skills to travel.

Although those at the Grandmaster level do not possess true flight capabilities, they can glide over long distances using leverage, and even remain airborne for short periods, achieving a similar effect to riding the wind.

He kept moving, skimming over mountains, crossing rivers, stepping over cliffs, and wading through deep valleys, as if walking on flat ground.

The world is so vast, it seems nothing can stop him.

This feeling filled him with immense pleasure, and he felt increasingly at peace with the mindset of a Grandmaster. The true energy within his body became more active and harmonious, circulating as smoothly as his own limbs.

He did not rush, but stopped frequently to enjoy the scenery and rest.

Even so, it took them less than seven days to travel a thousand miles to reach the capital of Northern Qi.

At this time, the news of the Qing Kingdom's declaration of war had only just spread via carrier pigeon. The official decree was still en route.

.......

The Northern Qi dynasty originated from the Northern Wei dynasty.

The Northern Wei Dynasty was once a powerful state with a formidable military strength, even surpassing the Qing Dynasty in power.

In the Battle of Qingwei back then, Emperor Qing, who was still the crown prince, was defeated by Zhan Qingfeng, a famous general of Northern Wei.

After that battle, Zhan Qingfeng's prestige reached its peak in Northern Wei.

Afterwards, he replaced the old master by "donning the yellow robe", changed the country's name to "Northern Qi", and became the founding emperor of Northern Qi.

Later, due to Ye Qingmei's influence and the rise of Emperor Qing, Northern Qi suffered repeated heavy blows.

As a result, the Qing Kingdom surpassed the Northern Qi Kingdom and became the strongest country on this continent.

Although the military strength of Northern Qi is not as strong as that of Southern Qing, it still surpasses Qing in many aspects.

For example, the literary world.

The literary scene of the Qing Kingdom was truly utterly defeated by the Northern Qi. Whether it was literary masters, works, or the accumulation of cultural heritage, the Qing Kingdom was completely inferior to the Northern Qi.

The rapid rise of the Qing Kingdom's national strength was primarily due to Ye Qingmei. She brought numerous inventions and created immense wealth; otherwise, the Qing Kingdom could not have undergone such a near-transformation in just one or two decades.

Wealth can grow explosively, but culture requires generations of inheritance and accumulation.

Unfortunately, Ye Qingmei was mentally ill and had poor taste in men. She died before she could spread more advanced culture, so the current Qing Kingdom, whether in the eyes of Northern Qi or in its own eyes, is like a barbaric "nouveau riche".

This is why Fan Xian was able to rise rapidly in the literary world of Qing Kingdom with just a seven-character poem.

A country is more concerned about what it lacks.

The Qing Kingdom has always desperately needed a leading figure in the literary world to step forward and support it.

......

After entering Northern Qi, Zhou Cheng stayed briefly in several places.

He could clearly sense that the literary style of the Northern Qi Dynasty was superior.

Along the way, I saw far more refined scholars in flowing robes than warriors with swords and knives.

In teahouses and taverns, the sounds of discussing poetry and essays drowned out the shouts of drinking games; in street-side bookstores, various classics, histories, philosophical works, and contemporary literary collections were displayed.

This atmosphere is completely different from the pragmatic and martial spirit of the Qing Kingdom.

"Go to the capital."

Zhou Cheng, dressed as a scholar, stood with his hands behind his back and looked up at the three ancient and profound characters on the city gate tower.

Shangjing City was the capital of the Northern Qi Dynasty, and its prosperity was in no way inferior to that of the capital of the Qing Dynasty. It was the political, economic and cultural center of the Northern Qi Dynasty.

Without proof of identity from Northern Qi, one cannot enter the capital, but this is not a problem for Zhou Cheng at all.

Even before entering the city, he had "accidentally" picked up a complete set of identity documents and travel permits from someone else.

At this moment, he stood before the magnificent city wall, gazing at the great city that seemed to be crouching like a giant beast.

I couldn't help but marvel at how worthy it was of being the capital of a nation; every brick and every tile here exuded a profound sense of history.

The mottled city walls tell of the vicissitudes of time, while the majestic city towers display the majesty of the empire, truly a magnificent sight.

He handed the travel permit he had "found" to the soldier guarding the city. The soldier took it, glanced at it briefly, waved his hand, and let him in.

Zhou Cheng retrieved the official document, put his hands behind his back, and walked slowly into the capital.

Riding horses was prohibited within the capital city. Along the way, he saw many people walking with horses.

Not long after entering the city, Zhou Cheng was followed by several "little tails".

This made him nod in approval. The security in the capital was indeed loose on the outside but tight on the inside.

Although he had a travel permit when he entered the city, he neither rode a horse nor carried any luggage. As a scholar, he was traveling too lightly, without even a book basket or trunk, which seemed strange.

So as soon as he entered the city, the city guards reported it to the authorities.

Zhou Cheng ignored the identity of the little tail following him. He simply circled around a few streets and easily shook them off with a few leaps.

Then, he made his way to the inner city and found a fine inn to stay in.

After resting for a while, he left the inn and strolled around the inner city.

The commercial prosperity of Shangjing was comparable to that of Qingguo's capital.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their signs and banners fluttering, selling everything from silk and satin to jewelry and jade, from general merchandise to fresh fruits and vegetables.

In particular, there were many items with distinctive Northern Qi characteristics, which Zhou Cheng found quite novel.

He rested for a day in the capital, sampled many local delicacies, and also found out the location of the imperial palace.

His main purpose in coming to Northern Qi was to meet Ku He.

However, all he knew was that Ku He was practicing asceticism at a waterfall somewhere in Northern Qi.

As for the exact location, he didn't know and was too lazy to bother looking for it.

He understood that while outsiders might not know where Ku He was, the Northern Qi royal family certainly did.

Even if the Northern Qi royal family didn't know, then the Northern Qi saintess Haitang Duoduo certainly did.

He planned to go directly to the palace to inquire.

If you can't find the answer, then you'll attract a profusion of crabapple blossoms.

Night was just beginning to fall, and the city lights were just coming on.

As the capital of a country, the imperial palace is naturally the most heavily guarded place in the entire nation.

Even at night, the palace was brightly lit by various lights, and patrol teams came one after another, leaving almost no blind spots.

In such an environment, unless one possesses extraordinary abilities, infiltrating the palace is absolutely a pipe dream.

And coincidentally, Zhou Cheng did indeed have some skill.

No matter how heavily guarded it is, that's only for ordinary people and normal experts.

For a Grandmaster, unless there is another Grandmaster hidden in the imperial palace, it's all the same...

Zhou Cheng put on a mask and silently slipped into the Northern Qi palace, following the shadows.

He bypassed several patrol teams, his figure moving like a ghost among the palace walls and pillars.

Soon, he inexplicably felt that the layout of the palace looked somewhat familiar.

This reminded him of a rumor—that the Qing Kingdom's palace was built in imitation of the Northern Qi palace.

Looking at the increasingly familiar building complex, Zhou Cheng suddenly realized.

He didn't find anything wrong with it; he just thought it was convenient for him.

Following the map, he made his way through the Northern Qi palace, tracing the location of Emperor Qing's bedroom.

Before long, he saw a magnificent palace.

"Where did I get this for?"

Zhou Cheng frowned slightly.

The location he found couldn't be wrong; according to the layout of the Qing Kingdom's palace, this should be Zhan Doudou's sleeping quarters.

However, the style of the palace in front of them was incorrect. It was smaller than Emperor Qing's bedroom and its decorations were more delicate.

Furthermore, the density of the patrol teams was problematic; they were too lax, unlike the level of security one would expect in the emperor's palace.

After a moment's thought, Zhou Cheng understood.

Clearly, although the Qing Kingdom's palace was modeled after the Northern Qi palace, its core area had been altered. This was obviously a precaution taken in response to his situation.

"Oh well, we're already here..."

Zhou Cheng muttered to himself.

The owner of this palace may not be Zhan Doudou, but he should at least be a member of the royal family.

Since we're already here, let's ask for directions.

With a swift movement, he landed silently on the eaves of the palace pavilion, as if he were a weightless shadow.

After observing for a moment, he descended into the attic.

He hadn't walked far when, thanks to his masterful hearing, he could clearly hear a voice even through several layers of obstacles.

It was the voice of a young woman, soft and sweet with a touch of naivety, and a hint of boredom and restlessness.

"I'm so bored at night... I really want to go out and have some fun!"

"If only I could sneak out... Sigh~ If all else fails, a thief could just kidnap me!"