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

The carriage rumbled forward, its wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs, making a soft, rhythmic sound.

Zhou Cheng leaned against the car wall, closing his eyes to rest.

The conversation with Ye Zhong just now was still echoing in my ears.

"Have Ye Wan act as a go-between, using the border market to organize trade with the Western Hu..."

Zhou Cheng smirked, revealing a mocking expression.

Trade passing through customs and markets is considered legitimate trade permitted by the imperial court.

Ye Zhong's suggestions sounded like a father-in-law's private advice to his son-in-law, but Zhou Cheng knew perfectly well that they were all at the behest of Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing has granted him the power to participate in central government affairs and to discuss politics in the Imperial Study. This is a legitimate way for him to develop his career in the court.

However, he had no money and could not cultivate his own faction. He was no match for the Second Prince, who had cultivated his influence for many years. So, he simply used the Ye family to directly provide him with a source of income.

What does that mean?

The point is to give him power and money, so he can take the initiative and grow stronger as quickly as possible.

At the same time, it's also about inflating his ambition so that he can't help but court disaster.

Emperor Qing supported him, but he didn't really want him to become emperor.

Like the Second Prince, he was a whetstone, used to sharpen the Crown Prince's blade from different angles.

But even sharpening a knife requires care, and Emperor Qing was afraid that he might accidentally break the knife!

Therefore, Emperor Qing also needed to keep a firm grip on him so that he could control the intensity of the training and tempering of the crown prince at any time.

The trade with the Xihu was a poisoned bait that Emperor Qing devised to control him.

Even if he only engages in legitimate transactions, the Ye family's involvement means that legitimate trade can be turned into smuggling at any time.

Add a few batches of embargoed ironware and a few suits of armor, and you can make him fall into a deep hole.

When Emperor Qing no longer needs him, he can use this as a crime and issue an imperial edict to strip him of everything in a grand manner.

Emperor Qing wanted absolute control over everyone.

Today he can elevate someone to the heavens with a single imperial edict, and tomorrow he can just as easily drag someone down into the mud with the same edict.

As for the Ye family...

Zhou Cheng gently shook his head.

The Ye family played a double role in this, acting as Emperor Qing's spies.

Don't be fooled by his upcoming marriage to Ye Ling'er, which seems to bind him to the Ye family. It's all for naught!

The Ye family's loyalty to Emperor Qing was an absolute loyalty beneath the surface of apparent turmoil.

Ye Liuyun knew very well that Emperor Qing was a Grandmaster.

He knew very well that the life and death of the entire Ye family rested entirely on Emperor Qing's decision.

If the Ye family wants to continue its lineage, it has no choice but to be loyal to Emperor Qing.

Perhaps even the Ye family doesn't understand why they, with their own Grandmaster level, would still be loyal to Emperor Qing, yet Ye Liuyun insists that they offer their loyalty to the Emperor.

Regardless of how things were at the beginning, after decades of consistent effort, they had long since lost any disloyalty towards Emperor Qing.

Both the Imperial Guards stationed in the capital and the Dingzhou Army stationed far away in Dingzhou were loyal to Emperor Qing.

Don't be fooled by Ye Zhong's public mentions of Ye Ling'er and Ye Wan, which seem to genuinely value the Ye family's reputation and demonstrate his full support for Zhou Cheng.

But all of this could be accomplished with just a word from Emperor Qing.

When the crucial moment comes, let alone Ye Ling'er marrying into the family, even if Ye Ling'er gives birth to his child, the Ye family will not hesitate to stab him in the back.

As for enduring stigma and bearing infamy, isn't that also a sign of loyalty to Emperor Qing?

The Ye family is beyond Zhou Chengxin's capabilities.

Of course, he didn't care.

Whether the Emperor wanted to give or the Ye family wanted to send gifts, he accepted them all.

At least for now, it's all good for him.

And then there's Li Yunrui. Hearing Ye Zhong's conversation with him, given that woman's pursuit of power and wealth, she'll definitely come to his door in person and won't easily let this opportunity slip by...

That's perfect for him...

……

Guangxin Palace.

Li Yunrui leaned against the soft couch, holding a grape between her fingers.

The personal maidservant bowed and entered, relaying Zhou Cheng's words verbatim.

After hearing this, Li Yunrui was not angry at all; instead, she chuckled softly.

She put the grapes back on the plate and slowly wiped her fingers with a handkerchief.

"Looks like his trip to Kyoto hasn't made any progress at all." She shook her head. "He's still throwing a childish tantrum at me."

The female official kept her head down and remained silent.

Li Yunrui stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the flowers and trees outside.

"It's fine if he doesn't come to see me." She turned around. "Then I'll go to Prince Cheng's residence myself. Speaking of which, I've never been to Prince Cheng's residence before."

The female official kept her head down, but her eyelashes trembled slightly.

She had been by Li Yunrui's side since childhood, her loyalty to him was impeccable, and she knew too many of his secrets.

She was the one who kept watch over Zhou Cheng and Li Yunrui's affair, and she was also the one who cleaned up the mess afterwards.

Having seen and heard so much about Zhou Cheng, she inevitably gained some understanding of him.

They were treated like that at Guangxin Palace before...

Now, going to Prince Cheng's residence, she inexplicably felt that her own prince was about to be led astray.

Furthermore, Li Yunrui referred to Zhou Cheng as a "child."

Various images flashed through her mind.

child?

But there are no children like that...

……

The next day.

The Prince Cheng's Mansion was bustling with activity.

Early in the morning, visitors came in an endless stream, with carriages and horses lining two streets from the gate of the mansion.

The hundred personal guards that Emperor Qing had recently assigned to Zhou Cheng were all brought out to maintain order, standing ramrod straight with their eyes fixed straight ahead.

The hundred personal guards that Emperor Qing had recently assigned to Zhou Cheng were all brought out to maintain order, standing ramrod straight with their eyes fixed straight ahead.

Zhou Cheng stood at the entrance of the main hall, a standard smile on his face, dealing with wave after wave of guests who came to offer their congratulations.

Although she secretly wished she could kick all of them out, she still had to put on a smile, exchange pleasantries, clasp hands, thank them, and see them off—a repetitive cycle.

At noon, a banquet was held at the Prince Cheng's residence.

The atmosphere was lively, with toasts and laughter filling the air, just like Chinese New Year.

It was only in the afternoon that the crowds gradually thinned out.

While Zhou Cheng was busy, the women in the manor were not idle either.

Sang Wen stood on the porch in the backyard, looking at the mountain of gifts in front of him, looking listless and with a bitter face.

Various brocade boxes, silks, porcelains, antiques... piled up from one end of the corridor to the other, taller than a person.

Si Lili was helping out, holding an account book in her hands, which was filled with names, positions and gift records.

"Who sent this?" Sang Wen pointed to an inconspicuous box in the corner.

Si Lili flipped through the account book: "It was Zhang Qian, the Censor-in-Chief, who sent the Duan inkstone."

Sang Wen nodded, put a label on the box, and moved it to its corresponding location.

She straightened up, rubbed her aching lower back, and just as she let out a sigh of relief—

"The Princess has arrived!"

The announcement came from the front yard, the high-pitched voice piercing through the entire mansion.

Sang Wen was taken aback.

Si Lili's hand also stopped.

The two exchanged a glance, both sensing each other's curiosity, and quickly put down what they were holding, hurrying towards the front yard.

……

Outside the mansion gate, a magnificent sedan chair slowly came to a stop.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and a white figure gracefully descended.

Li Yunrui was dressed in a simple white palace gown, the skirt trailing on the ground, her hair styled in a high bun, her skin as white as snow, and her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting.

She stood at the entrance of Prince Cheng's mansion, glanced at the plaque, and smiled faintly.

Everyone in the mansion, whether guests or servants, quickly stopped and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Princess."

Li Yunrui nodded with a smile, her gaze sweeping across the crowd.

Sang Wen and Si Lili stood at the front of the crowd and finally met the princess, whom their prince often visited.

With just one glance, the same thought simultaneously arose in their minds—

She truly deserves to be called the most beautiful woman in the Qing Kingdom.

That face, that figure, that demeanor, that charm—they are truly incomparable to what they are now.

Li Yunrui's gaze swept over them briefly before turning away without lingering, and he stepped into the mansion.

……

Zhou Cheng was not surprised to learn that Li Yunrui had come in person.

He set aside the other guests and personally came out to greet them, a friendly smile on his face.

"My aunt's presence is an honor to our humble abode."

Li Yunrui glanced at him, a half-smile playing on her lips.

Zhou Cheng stepped aside and led the way, taking her into the inner study.

As they passed the main hall, the guests watched this scene, whispering and gossiping among themselves.

"The eldest princess personally came to visit; this shows she has high hopes for Prince Cheng."

"That's right. With the support of the Eldest Princess, Prince Cheng's momentum is incredible."

"This trip to Prince Cheng's residence has truly been worthwhile..."

Zhou Cheng's trusted men had already positioned themselves around the study, isolating the area.

Li Yunrui's personal maid stood at the door without moving, acting as if she was perfectly conscious of her position.

She couldn't say what would happen next.

However, once it happens...

Compared to Zhou Cheng's subordinates, she had far more experience guarding the goal.

……

The study door was closed.

With a soft "creak," all external sounds were shut out.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor. A faint scent of ink and sandalwood mingled in the air, creating a unique aroma.

To Li Yunrui's surprise, Zhou Cheng did not come up and touch her inappropriately as usual.

He simply walked to the tea table and sat down by himself.

Li Yunrui was slightly taken aback, and then a strange sense of...disappointment arose in her heart?

Has she lost her appeal to him?

No, it's impossible.

Her charm is irresistible to young people, and Zhou Cheng is even less so.

The only possibility is that there were many people in the mansion today, and he knew to be careful.

She nodded to herself.

She then glanced around the study a few times, and without waiting for Zhou Cheng to greet her, she sat down in the chair opposite him with an elegant posture.

Get straight to the point.

"I overheard Ye Zhong say yesterday that he wanted Ye Wan to help you establish trade relations with the Xihu after returning to Dingzhou." She stared at Zhou Cheng. "Is this true?"

Zhou Cheng picked up the teacup and poured her tea, slowly and deliberately.

"Didn't Aunt hear it all? It really happened."

He put down his teacup and looked at Li Yunrui.

"My Prince Cheng's manor has almost no income except for the meager revenue from the fiefdom. Others may not know, but surely you, Aunt, are aware? Ling'er's marriage to me means the Ye family is now tied to me. It's only natural that Ye Chong would want to help me out."

Li Yunrui nodded, his eyes flickering.

"I did hear some of it, but not all of it. I don't know if you agreed later."

She paused, her tone slightly tentative.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to compete before? What, now that His Majesty has given you a chance, you want to compete again?"

Zhou Cheng looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"It's not that I suddenly want to fight for it," Zhou Cheng said slowly, "but rather, there's no reason not to accept something given away for free."

Li Yunrui's hand, which was about to touch the teacup, froze slightly, and an unnatural blush rose on her cheeks.

She rolled her eyes at him, annoyed, and didn't want to get entangled in the topic.

"Let's get down to business." She withdrew her hand, leaned back, and created some distance. "The Xihu people don't have abundant resources, and their output is low, but they do have warhorses and furs, which are extremely important. You have neither caravans nor goods under your command. Even if you painstakingly build a team, you won't be able to trade for these precious resources. At most, you can get some nags and won't make much profit."

She paused, then looked directly at Zhou Cheng.

"I've been in charge of the Imperial Treasury for over a decade, dealing with various forces and possessing a fairly extensive network of resources. If you help me make connections, I can easily sell my goods and share the profits with you—it's far better than you working yourself to the bone."

A smile played on her lips.

"So your aunt came here for two reasons: first, to help you, and second, to cooperate."

Zhou Cheng smiled, neither confirming nor denying, but simply asked her:

"Auntie, you've mentioned such high profits; I wonder what kind of deal you intend to make with Xihu?"

Li Yunrui didn't hide anything.

"The Western Hu have warhorses, furs, and medicinal herbs. If you want to trade for the best of those, ordinary items won't do."

She paused, then lowered her voice.

"The western grasslands are lacking in salt and iron. The most profitable resources are naturally salt and iron."

Zhou Cheng nodded.

Salt, of course.

And the iron that Li Yunrui was talking about wasn't some kind of iron ore.

Metallurgy in Xihu is difficult, and all that is needed are finished ironware.

The "iron" that Li Yunrui referred to probably included not only weapons, but also armor and other military equipment that were strictly prohibited from leaving the country.

Zhou Cheng looked at her, his tone calm.

"Aunt, isn't this smuggling? It violates the prohibitions of my Qing Kingdom. I'm a lazy person, so naturally I like to get paid without doing any work. But this is too risky. If we're caught, I'm afraid Cheng'er can't bear the consequences."

He paused.

"Working with the Ye family might mean earning less, but at least I can sleep peacefully."

"Safe?"

Li Yunrui chuckled, leaned forward, and glanced at Zhou Cheng.

She slowly reached out and picked up the teacup, bringing it close to her lips. After taking only one sip, her brows furrowed.

"puff."

She spat the tea back into the cup and threw it on the table in disgust.

She looked at Zhou Cheng, her gaze losing its patience:

"Chengcheng, I don't care if you sleep or not, or if you're at peace. I just want you to get in touch with the Xihu people through Ye Wan."

She stood up and looked down at Zhou Cheng.

"I'm not asking for your opinion. I'm just telling you what to do."

She walked around the table and went to Zhou Cheng's side.

"Don't think that just because you've received His Majesty's generous reward, you've got the chance to stand up to Chengqian and Chengze."

She leaned slightly forward, staring into Zhou Cheng's eyes.

"You are far inferior to Chengqian and Chengze. What you know and see is only the tip of the iceberg of their power."

She straightened up and pointed to the door.

"You have quite a few people at your residence today, but who are they? A bunch of good-for-nothings! Marginalized individuals! Losers! The only family around you worth a look is the Ye family."

She withdrew her hand and straightened her sleeves.

"You'd better set up this connection with Ye Wan for me honestly, and I'll give you 20% of the profits from the smuggling. 20% may not sound like much, but it'll be more than enough to cover the expenses of your palace."

She glanced at the teacup on the table, her tone full of disdain.

"Now that you have money, the first thing you need to do is replace the tea in my residence. What kind of rubbish is this?!"

Zhou Cheng remained silent.

He is Prince Cheng, so the tea in his residence is naturally top-grade, comparable to the finest teas that would be priceless outside.

But Li Yunrui completely disregarded this fine tea.

But that's normal.

Li Yunrui held the power of the Imperial Treasury, controlling most of the wealth of the Qing Kingdom. What she used and enjoyed was unimaginable not only to ordinary people, but even to most officials.

Li Yunrui's extravagant lifestyle surpasses even that of Emperor Qing.

It wasn't that Emperor Qing didn't have access to good things, but rather that he needed to project an image of frugality to the outside world from time to time, so he used many things rather simply.

Zhou Cheng paused for a moment, then spoke.

"The profit is too low, and the risk is too high. If I really needed the money for household expenses, I could just go to my aunt's house and ask for some pocket money. Why go through all this trouble?"

Li Yunrui paused for a moment, then smiled.

She walked up to Zhou Cheng, sat down on his lap, and reached out to stroke his face.

"I really don't know whether to say Cheng'er is shameless or has a big face."

She leaned close to his ear, her breath sweet as orchids.

"Pocket money is pocket money. But I'm not asking you to haggle over this."

She paused, then changed the subject, her voice carrying a hint of threat.

"I know everything about your dealings with the border troops. You used a body double the whole time to deceive the soldiers. Tell me, if I expose you, how will His Majesty punish you?"

What's left of your current glory? Will the Ye family still support you? I'm afraid Ye Zhong will be the first to go to the palace to request an annulment of the engagement.

Zhou Cheng also leaned close to her ear,

"Is my aunt threatening me?"

Li Yunrui smiled and put her hand on his shoulder.

"If you think so, then it is."

The next second, Zhou Cheng moved.

With a sweep of his arm, he swept all the clutter on the table aside, and they fell to the ground with a "clatter".

He suddenly stood up and shoved Li Yunrui onto the table.

Li Yunrui exclaimed in surprise, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes. But quickly, that panic was replaced by composure.

She lay on her back, looking at Zhou Cheng with a smile on her lips.

"You think you can change anything by forcing yourself on me?" She reached out and touched his face. "Our relationship is only good for mutual destruction. Would you die with me for that little deal with Xihu?"

She laughed even more freely.

"I have leverage over you, so you'd better just do as I say. It's your own fault for not being discreet."

Zhou Cheng looked down at her and suddenly smiled.

That smile made Li Yunrui's heart inexplicably tighten.

Zhou Cheng's hand traced her curves gently.

"Auntie doesn't think that His Majesty wouldn't know something that even you could find out, does she?"

Li Yunrui's smile froze on her face.

She frowned.

"Does His Majesty know?"

Zhou Cheng nodded.

"Of course Your Majesty knows."

Li Yunrui was stunned.

"Then why...?"

"Because I won, Qingguo."

Zhou Cheng interrupted her, his voice as calm as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"No matter what I did in the middle, as long as the outcome was correct, Father will not pursue it. It was a perfect ending, boosting the morale of the Qing Kingdom's army and people. Would he tarnish this resounding victory for some trivial matter?"

He looked down at her, his eyes filled with pity.

"Aunt, oh Aunt, people say you're crazy, but I think you're just stupid! After all these years, you still don't understand Father Emperor as well as I do."

Li Yunrui's expression changed instantly.

She can accept people saying she's crazy, she can accept people saying she's ugly.

But what she can't stand the most is when people say she's stupid!

Because in this world, there is only one woman who would call her stupid, and dare to call her stupid.

It's that Ye Qingmei who died many years ago!

Li Yunrui immediately turned hostile.

She shoved Zhou Cheng away abruptly, broke free from under him, and staggered a couple of steps to regain her balance.

She figured it out.

As long as Qingguo wins, Zhou Cheng will be innocent.

If she were to expose evidence that Zhou Cheng had used a body double, it would tarnish this nationally celebrated victory. Zhou Cheng would suffer the consequences, and she would gain nothing in return.

Li Yunrui knew that she had lost her leverage to threaten Zhou Cheng.

She may love power and money, but she won't bow down and submit to Zhou Cheng for a small deal with Xihu.

She lost all interest in staying any longer.

Zhou Cheng's evaluation of her made her feel extremely bad.

Li Yunrui, his face dark, pushed Zhou Cheng aside and started to walk out.

After taking a few steps, to her surprise, that bastard didn't stop her this time.

Without thinking too much, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickened her pace toward the door.

The moment his hand touched the latch—

"Auntie, don't rush off. Why don't you take a look at this first?"

Zhou Cheng's voice drifted out from behind.

Li Yunrui paused for a moment.

She turned around and saw Zhou Cheng holding an account book, waving it around, and then throwing it at her.

She didn't answer.

The ledger landed with a "thud" at her feet, opening perfectly to reveal its contents.

After all, there was a distance between her and Zhou Cheng, so Li Yunrui wasn't afraid that he might change his mind and leave her behind.

Her hand was still on the door, but her gaze was lowered to look at the account book.

At first glance, she only felt that a few records looked somewhat familiar.

Then, upon closer inspection, she suddenly felt a chill.

She didn't care about anything else and squatted down to pick up the ledger.

She flipped through a few pages abruptly, her face growing increasingly grim. Her fingers gripped the ledger so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Where did you get this?"

Her voice was trembling.

Zhou Cheng's smile became unrestrained:

"It seems Auntie recognized me. She should be able to guess where I got it."

He paused.

"I have all of these things. Auntie thinks she can threaten Cheng'er just because she has something on him, but little does she know, Cheng'er is waiting for you to come to his door!"

Li Yunrui trembled all over.

I don't believe it.

Zhou Cheng shook his head

When he turned around and his back was to her, he took out an account book from the system space and casually tossed it over.

Li Yunrui reached out and caught it.

She quickly flipped through a few pages.

it is true!

Those were records of her secret transactions with Shen Zhong, the commander of the Northern Qi Imperial Guard. Every transaction was meticulously documented, including the time, location, amount, and goods. In addition, there were exchanges of intelligence...

She was filled with hatred.

I hate Zhou Cheng, and I hate Shen Zhong too!

[Negative emotions from Li Yunrui +666!]

Zhou Cheng listened to the system notification in his ear and felt very satisfied.

He ignored Li Yunrui's thoughts and simply returned to the main seat, then waved to Li Yunrui.

"come over!"

Read the full text of Chapter 49, "The Eldest Princess Visits," for free. Link: