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

Chapter 45 Two Beauties

Zhou Cheng's bow was not a return of the title of Grandmaster, but rather a recognition of Ku He's royal status.

Ku He's real name is Zhan Mingyue. He is the younger brother of Zhan Qingfeng, the founding emperor of Northern Qi, and the great-uncle of Zhan Doudou and Zhan Yuanyuan.

His respect was purely based on this elder-sister relationship.

As for the hint of killing intent that Ku He had shown during the fight, he didn't take it to heart.

There was no other way; as fellow Grandmasters, he would not let go of any opportunity to cripple or even kill another Grandmaster, putting himself in their shoes.

Moreover, he came to find Kuhe with ill intentions.

Just as he said in his previous battles against DouDou and HaiTang DuoDuo, he hates being unable to control his own destiny.

In today's world, only other Grandmasters have the power to make this Grandmaster powerless.

Ye Liuyun, with unparalleled talent, is the only one among the four grandmasters who forcibly broke through to the grandmaster level by relying on his own comprehension.

Even such a person was still controlled by Emperor Qing because of the Ye family.

Not only did he become Emperor Qing's weapon, but he was also severely injured in the battle of Da Dongshan, which Emperor Qing planned, causing him to fall from his cultivation level and eventually have no choice but to "retire to the mountains and forests".

He now has seventeen years of memories of living in this world, and the number of people he cares about is increasing.

He cannot tolerate being threatened, nor can he bear being controlled by others like Ye Liuyun.

Aside from the system tasks he had to complete, what he wanted most in this world was to eliminate all other grandmasters and attain true freedom.

One Grandmaster is enough for the whole world!

From the moment he killed Lin Gong, his idea was to recreate the Battle of Da Dongshan and, by taking advantage of Emperor Qing's more than twenty years of planning, directly cripple or kill the three Grandmasters.

As for defeating Emperor Qing and seizing the throne—

With his foresight and his profound understanding of Emperor Qing, completing the mission wouldn't be difficult, and he'd have plenty of opportunities.

The only chance to cripple three grandmasters in one fell swoop was probably during the Great Eastern Mountain.

The Battle of Mount Dadong is the climax of the original novel "Joy of Life".

Using the illicit affair between the Crown Prince and Li Yunrui as a pretext, Emperor Qing spread rumors that he would depose the Crown Prince. He then decided to go to the Da Dongshan Temple to offer prayers to Heaven, thereby inciting Si Gu Jian, Ku He, and the spy Ye Liuyun to assassinate him.

He disguised Hong Sixiang as a grandmaster, using this as bait to create an opportunity.

Finally, he unleashed his Grandmaster-level strength, bursting the bitter lotus with three fingers and crippling Si Gu Jian, who was already injured in a fight with Ye Liuyun, with a single punch.

From then on, he became the only Grandmaster in the world.

However, because of his interference, although Li Yunrui still supports the Crown Prince, no further relationship has taken place.

Without the illicit affair between the Crown Prince and Li Yunrui, it became much more difficult for Emperor Qing to find a suitable excuse to leave the capital.

Having endured for twenty years, Emperor Qing will certainly not give up his plan for Da Dongshan. He will inevitably create other troubles and find other excuses.

In his view, rather than letting Emperor Qing go to great lengths to plan and cause unforeseen changes, it would be better for him to personally deliver the excuse.

Deposing the crown prince is indeed a good excuse.

No matter how many reasons are given for deposing the crown prince, even if there are ethical taboos involved, none of them are as straightforward and reasonable as treason.

Zhou Cheng's plan was to use Northern Qi and Li Yunrui to help the Crown Prince stage a grand rebellion.

At that time, it wouldn't matter whether the Crown Prince was truly rebelling or not, because everyone would need the Crown Prince to plot a rebellion.

Even Emperor Qing did not allow the Crown Prince not to rebel.

With this pretext, Emperor Qing will surely plan the Battle of Mount Dong.

On Mount Dadong, it would be best if Emperor Qing could be injured; even if not, crippling three Grandmasters would be excellent.

When Emperor Qing returns to the capital from Mount Dadong in high spirits, he will be greeted with a huge surprise that he has carefully prepared.

Kuhe, he harbored malice from the start.

Therefore, he readily accepted Ku He's murderous intent towards him.

He has double standards, but he's not that much of a double standard.

Sunlight filters through the waterfall's mist, refracting into a dazzling halo on the cliff face. The colorful halos sway and dance with the mist, creating a dreamlike scene.

Zhou Cheng and Ku He walked side by side ahead, their figures blurred and distant by the mist, like deities walking between the mortal world and a fairyland.

Haitang Duoduo followed behind with Zhan Yuanyuan and Zhan Doudou, her gaze fixed on the two figures ahead, unconsciously holding her breath.

The group of five slowly descended along the path on the cliff face, their feet on slippery rocks and their ears filled with the roar of water.

Before long, they returned to the simple pavilion.

"Please wait here." Ku He stopped and looked at Haitang Duoduo. "I have something to discuss with Prince Cheng."

Haitang Duoduo nodded, plopped down on the stone bench in the pavilion, and casually took off the two short axes and placed them on the stone table.

Her own light continued to follow the two figures, her mind replaying the earth-shattering battle just now, savoring the immense power of heaven and earth that was enough to destroy everything.

Zhan Yuanyuan subconsciously looked at Zhou Cheng, her eyes filled with admiration.

Zhou Cheng met her gaze and nodded slightly.

Zhan Doudou remained calm and sat down next to Haitang Duoduo.

However, the way she looked at Zhou Cheng was completely different now. There was a kind of admiration similar to Zhan Yuanyuan's, but more than that, there was an urgent desire.

Ku He turned around and looked at Zhou Cheng: "Come with me."

He walked towards the waterfall.

Zhou Cheng followed.

The two of them, one in front of the other, stepped on the slippery rocks and arrived at the rushing waterfall.

The sound of the water was deafening.

The sound was so loud that it was no longer a sound, but a tangible impact that slammed into the eardrums.

A mist of water rushed towards me, carrying a bone-chilling coolness.

The enormous torrent of water cascaded down from the hundred-foot cliff, crashing into the deep pool and creating a sky full of white waves, its momentum as magnificent as a celestial river pouring down.

Kuhe did not stop.

His inner energy surged, forming an invisible barrier in front of him.

The barrier was transparent yet solid, like a giant hand that forcefully parted the towering torrent of water overhead.

The waterfall splits open in the middle, and the curtain of water recedes to both sides, revealing the wet cliff behind it.

Kuhe stepped in.

Zhou Cheng followed closely behind.

He also released his true energy, forming a thin protective shield around his body.

The raging water crashed against the protective shield with a muffled boom, yet it couldn't touch him at all. Looking through the shield, the water outside twisted and distorted, like a flowing abstract painting.

After passing through the waterfall, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before us.

This is a naturally formed cave, about three zhang square.

The cave walls were smooth and damp, covered with glossy green moss, like a thick emerald velvet blanket.

There are gaps overhead, and sunlight shines through the water curtain, casting dappled and mesmerizing light and shadow inside the cave. As the water ripples, it creates a dreamlike and ethereal scene.

Deep inside the cave, there was a stone couch covered with hay and animal hides. Beside it was a rough stone table with several yellowed scriptures, an oil lamp, and a set of coarse pottery teaware, bearing the patina of time.

This is the true place where Kuhe secluded himself.

Ku He walked to the stone couch and sat down cross-legged. He raised his hand to gesture to the stone bench opposite him, the movement so natural, as if he had repeated it a thousand times.

Zhou Cheng didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the stone bench.

An hour later, Zhou Cheng and Ku He emerged from behind the waterfall.

Haitang Duoduo was lying listlessly on the stone table, drawing circles on the surface with her finger. When she saw them come out, her eyes lit up and she jumped up from the stone bench.

Zhan Yuanyuan quickly went to Zhou Cheng, grabbed his hand, and whispered, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Zhou Cheng gently stroked her hair; it felt soft to the touch.

"fine."

Zhan Doudou stood in the pavilion, her gaze shifting back and forth between Zhou Cheng and Ku He, her clear, cold eyes filled with a deep curiosity.

Kuhe walked up to her.

"Your Majesty," his voice was calm and resolute, "from now on, the affairs of Prince Cheng will be the affairs of our Great Qi. We will fully cooperate with him."

Zhan Doudou was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

She didn't know what the two had talked about that made Kuhe trust her so much.

She looked at Zhou Cheng, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.

Then she nodded.

"I understand..."

"

In the days that followed, Zhou Cheng did not rush to return to Qing Kingdom.

He checked out of the inn and settled in the Northern Qi palace, openly moving into Zhan Yuanyuan's bedroom.

It's so easy to coax a girl, especially a naive and innocent girl like Zhan Yuanyuan who only has eyes for him.

On his first day in the palace, while Zhan Yuanyuan was in a daze, he carried her to the bed.

The candlelight flickered, and the red curtains swayed gently...

At first, Zhan Yuanyuan was a little shy, blushing and lowering her head every time they were intimate.

But after only two days, the girl got the hang of it and, thinking about her sacred mission, completely let go and became a clingy person.

During the day, I would take him for walks around the Imperial Garden, pointing out every plant and tree and telling him stories from my childhood.

At night, she would toss and turn until she fell into a deep sleep, as if she wanted to give everything she had without reservation.

"Your Highness, look at that tree!" One afternoon, Zhan Yuanyuan tugged at Zhou Cheng's sleeve, pointing to a tall cypress tree in the corner of the Imperial Garden, her eyes sparkling. "When I was little, I often secretly climbed up it and hid in the tree to watch people walk by below. It was so much fun!"

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face.

Her little face was filled with pure joy, without the slightest impurity.

Zhou Cheng looked at the tree, then at the bright-eyed girl beside him.

"Climbing trees? You, a princess, would do something like that?"

Zhan Yuanyuan chuckled, a hint of pride in her voice: "I was really brave when I was little, and I was great at climbing trees."

They were up there in a few swift movements, completely invisible to those below.

"And then?"

Zhan Yuanyuan's expression fell, and her little mouth twitched.

"Then one time I climbed too high and couldn't get down," she pouted. "Then the guards found me and carried me down. But they got punished because of me, and I haven't climbed it since. It's been almost ten years, and the tree has grown a lot."

Zhou Cheng ruffled her hair.

"Climb if you want."

Zhan Yuanyuan's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"real."

"Then carry me upstairs!"

Without saying a word, Zhou Cheng put his arm around her waist, and with a light touch of his toes, he leaped up to the treetop.

Zhan Yuanyuan stood on the tree branch, holding Zhou Cheng's arm with both hands, her face flushed with excitement.

"Wow—I'm up here again! It's so high!"

Looking down at the Imperial Garden, at the miniature pavilions and towers, she smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. Her silvery laughter echoed among the branches and leaves, carefree and without a care in the world, as if she had returned to ten years ago.

Zhou Cheng leaned against the tree trunk next to her, looking at her profile.

Sunlight filtered through the thin branches overhead, casting dappled shadows on her face.

This girl is quite easily satisfied.

After frolicking for a while, Zhan Yuanyuan turned around and saw Zhou Cheng's doting gaze. Her heart warmed, and she couldn't help but lean over and give him a sweet kiss.

She had intended to stop immediately, but Zhou Cheng wasn't about to let her end things so easily.

Then she accidentally opened Pandora's box.

"No, it's daytime!"

"It's so high up here, won't someone see us?"

On a distant rooftop, Haitang Duoduo, who had cleared out the area around the Imperial Garden long ago, was resting her chin on her hand, looking at this side with a bored expression.

She immediately noticed the commotion of the adulterous couple at the top of the tree.

She immediately spat.

"Non-stop at night, and still during the day! Doesn't he know when he's in the mood? Shameless man!"

She covered her eyes with her hands, but her fingers were wide open, and her eyes peeked out through the gaps.

As the sun began to set and the sky turned a deep orange-red hue, Zhou Cheng gracefully landed from the tree, carrying Zhan Yuanyuan, whose clothes were disheveled and whose hair was in disarray.

Zhan Yuanyuan had no strength left and could only be held in his arms, the blush of satisfaction on her cheeks spreading all the way to her ears.

At that moment, a figure in moon-white slowly walked over from a distance.

Zhan Doudou.

She was still dressed in men's clothing, holding a folding fan, and walking with ease.

The afterglow of the setting sun gilded her with a golden edge, making her handsome face appear even more ethereal.

She frowned as she looked at Zhan Yuanyuan, who was unable to move in Zhou Cheng's arms, but quickly concealed her emotions.

Hearing footsteps, Zhan Yuanyuan caught a glimpse of the person approaching out of the corner of her eye, and was instantly mortified. She could only muster her last bit of strength to bury her head in Zhou Cheng's chest, burying her head in the sand like an ostrich.

Zhou Cheng looked at Zhan Doudou, his expression unchanged.

"Is there something you need, Your Majesty?"

Zhan Doudou nodded, her gaze sweeping across his face before settling on the distance.

"It's nothing serious. If you have time, sir, you might as well come to the Imperial Study for a chat."

After saying that, she turned and left, her moon-white robes fluttering gently in the evening breeze.

Zhou Cheng carried Zhan Yuanyuan back to her palace.

Just as he casually closed the door, he saw Haitang Duoduo squatting on the wall, staring at him with a disdainful look.

Others might not know what Zhou Cheng was doing in the Imperial Study, but she knew very well.

In just a few days, her pure inner world has been polluted by some kind of voice.

The problem is, she can't just ignore me; she has to guard the door...

Zhou Cheng walked past the gaze of the crabapple blossoms.

He couldn't be bothered with a kid who wasn't even sixteen years old.

The Imperial Study.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the room. The delicate fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air.

After dismissing everyone else, Haitang Duoduo took on the role of guarding the gate from the outside.

Zhan Doudou looked at Zhou Cheng and got straight to the point.

"I feel that one attempt is not enough." Her voice was cold, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Zhou Cheng has no problem with it.

According to the agreement with Kuhe, the first boy born to Zhan Doudou and Zhan Yuanyuan will be the future crown prince of Qi.

Zhan Doudou had been holding back her energy for this.

Zhan Doudou looked at Zhou Cheng and took a deep breath.

She raised her hand and untied her hair.

Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. Then she took off her outermost men's clothing, revealing the woman's figure underneath.

A shyness she had never felt before welled up in those clear, cool eyes.

"I want more than Yuanyuan does," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Zhou Cheng looked at her.

By candlelight, Zhan Doudou, having shed her men's attire, possessed a beauty no less striking than Zhan Yuanyuan's. Of course, it was a different kind of beauty, distinct from Zhan Yuanyuan's innocent and carefree charm.

Zhou Cheng, on the other hand, has a particular talent for appreciating beauty!

He reached out and pulled her close.

"Then so be it, Your Majesty."

This time, he stayed in the Imperial Study until very late.

Zhan Doudou is very greedy...

As for whether or not she can conceive—

Anyway, he didn't deliberately control Zhan Doudou, and it's impossible to be sure about this in a short time.

Just let things take their course.

In the days that followed, Zhan Doudou summoned Zhou Cheng almost every day.

Every time, I always dismiss the left and right sides, and every time I get straight to the point.

This empress clearly treated "having children" as a major national event.

Zhou Cheng cooperated.

After all, the taste of the Northern Qi emperor was different from that of his other women. The contrast between the emperor's unique restraint and release made him happy to enjoy it.

Time flew by, and half a month later, battle reports came from the front.

In the Battle of Qingqi, the State of Qi suffered a setback on the front lines, losing nearly a province.

Normally, such news would have been enough to cause Zhan Doudou a great deal of trouble, prompting her to summon all the civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures, and she might even have a sleepless night.

This time, however, she simply tossed the report onto the table without even flinching.

Knowing of Zhou Cheng's existence as the fifth Grandmaster, and knowing that the fate of Northern Qi rests on the Grandmaster's will, she even gave herself away. What does the gain or loss of a mere state matter now?

That sense of crisis of national subjugation is far from what one would expect.

Now that the battle had turned against her, she was only slightly annoyed for a moment before instructing the eunuch, "Go and invite the Holy Maiden over."

.

Zhou Cheng's existence was a top secret within the palace.

She also contacted Zhou Cheng through Haitang Duoduo.

As for the people who were keeping watch on Zhou Cheng when he first entered Northern Qi, they were all dealt with cleanly when they returned from their seclusion in Kuhe.

Before long, Haitang Duoduo led Zhou Cheng into the palace.

Amidst Haitang's resentful expression, Zhan Doudou dismissed everyone around her and took the initiative to greet her.

After another in-depth conversation, having vented all her frustrations, Zhan Doudou leaned against Zhou Cheng's chest, her fingers gently stroking his chest.

The candlelight flickered, casting soft shadows on her face.

Her breathing gradually calmed down, and her face showed post-coital languor and satisfaction.

"Sir," her voice softened slightly, "the war at the front is going badly, and there are already calls for peace talks in the court. I am prepared to send someone to Qing Kingdom to negotiate peace with Southern Qing."

Zhou Cheng, with his eyes closed, simply hummed in response.

While the Northern Qi sent people to negotiate, many things must have also happened in the Qing Kingdom.

It seems that he doesn't have much time left to stay in Northern Qi.

Zhan Doudou looked up at him and asked, "Sir, is there anything you need to tell me?"

Zhou Cheng opened his eyes and thought for a moment.

"Speaking of which, there is indeed one," he said. "Your commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is named Shen Zhong, right? Have Haitang ask him to get me something."

"Okay!" Zhan Doudou agreed without asking any questions.

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