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

The news reached Kyoto several days later.

When Crown Prince Li Chengqian saw the news, he was stunned for a long time. He read the secret report over and over again three times, then suddenly stood up, straightened his robes, and strode out the door, while instructing his maid to immediately go to the Empress's palace to inform her.

Before long, the Crown Prince entered the Empress's palace.

Here, it looks the same all year round.

As the palace doors opened, a faint wave of heat rushed out. Although it was daytime, the palace was filled with candles, hundreds of which burned simultaneously, making the air inside the entire hall somewhat stuffy.

In addition, the hall was filled with a lingering smell of alcohol, mixed with the scents of sandalwood and cosmetics—strange and pungent.

If he could, the Crown Prince would really dislike coming to this place, even though it is the Empress's, his birth mother's, palace.

The Empress, with her eyes half-closed, leaned against the soft couch and didn't react much when the Crown Prince entered.

She wore a dark red palace dress, her hair was slightly loose, and a few strands of hair fell beside her cheeks. On the low table beside her were several wine jugs, some overturned and some still standing, the amber-colored wine gleaming with a bright orange light under the intermingling sunlight and candlelight.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty." The Crown Prince bowed.

The Empress did not open her eyes, but simply gave a lazy "hmm".

The Crown Prince straightened up, considered his words carefully, and said, "Mother, there are rumors circulating on the streets that Fan Xian was ambushed and killed by Grandmaster Ye Liuyun on his way to Northern Qi."

The Empress's eyelids twitched.

"Ye Liuyun?" She sat up slightly, her voice hoarse from a hangover. "This Grandmaster Ye Liuyun is always away from home, living a carefree life, refusing to obey orders or summons, appearing and disappearing like a dragon. The last time I heard news of him was many years ago."

She opened her eyes, her cloudy pupils clearing somewhat, and then turned to the Crown Prince's face.

"Ye Liuyun stopped someone on the road and killed them? Interesting! I wonder who has such power to mobilize a Grandmaster!" She paused, "But what does this have to do with us? Why did my godfather bring this up?"

"What I really want to talk about is that Fan Xian."

"Fan Xian? What? He was ambushed by a Grandmaster, and he's still alive?"

The crown prince shook his head: "He's not dead."

The Empress sat up slightly, and the smell of alcohol wafted out with her movement.

"Strange. A Grandmaster made a move, yet Fan Xian didn't die?"

"It's normal that he's not dead." The Crown Prince carefully chose his words. "The Empress Dowager has lived in the deep palace for a long time, and her information is not readily available. The Empress Dowager is unaware that Fan Xian's identity is quite extraordinary."

The Empress narrowed her eyes: "Not ordinary? Isn't that Fan Xian, the illegitimate son Fan Jian raised in Danzhou? What could be so special about an illegitimate son?"

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, suppressing the smell of alcohol, and leaned close to the Empress, lowering his voice: "Mother, I heard that Ye Liuyun stopped because Fan Xian is Ye Qingmei's son. Rumor has it that Xiao En of Northern Qi revealed that Fan Xian is Father Emperor's illegitimate son."

"Snapped!"

The wine glass in the queen's hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Amber liquid splashed onto her skirt, spreading into dark stains, but she was completely unaware.

"What!" She jumped to her feet, slamming her hand on the table, her voice rising abruptly, "Fan Xian is Ye Qingmei's son?"

The crown prince was startled by her reaction and instinctively took a half step back.

"That's right. I had someone investigate, and it's indeed the case." He paused, "but I'm not sure if Fan Xian is Father Emperor's illegitimate son. So, I've come specifically to ask Mother for clarification."

As the empress listened to his words, a mixture of emotions flashed across her face.

Hatred, fear, and pain twisted and distorted that once well-maintained face.

Her lips were trembling, her hands, which were resting on the table, were shaking, and she was like a string stretched to its limit.

"Mother?" the Crown Prince called out tentatively.

No response.

"Mother!" he called again, his voice louder.

The Queen snapped back to her senses, gasping for breath. Her eyes grew clearer with each breath, until there was no trace of the hangover haze left.

The Crown Prince stared at her face, noticing the change in her expression, and asked again, "Fan Xian's mother is Ye Qingmei, so is he actually Father Emperor's son?"

The Empress closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her expression had returned to calm. She looked at the Crown Prince, her eyes filled with an icy chill.

"His mother is Ye Qingmei." Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "Then his father is naturally your father, the Emperor."

The prince's eyes lit up, and his face showed obvious excitement.

"So that means Fan Xian really is my brother!"

"Snapped!"

The Empress slammed her hand on the low table, making the wine pot rattle loudly.

"What kind of brother is he to you!" Her voice was shrill and piercing. "He's your enemy! Your mortal enemy! You must kill him!"

The crown prince lowered his head in fear, utterly bewildered by the empress's strong reaction.

"Mother, why is this?"

Seeing the timid Crown Prince, the Empress calmed herself and explained, "Because my clansmen all died because of Ye Qingmei!"

The crown prince frowned.

Of course he knew about this; Chen Pingping's massacre of the Empress's entire clan was no secret in the capital.

But that happened so many years ago?

Would members of the royal family care?

"Mother, what exactly happened back then?" He stepped forward and grasped one of the Empress's sleeves. "I have secretly investigated some matters, but I still don't know the details. Please enlighten me, Mother!"

The Queen glanced at him, then looked away.

"I don't want to talk about what happened back then." Her tone was resolute. "You only need to know that Ye Qingmei died because of me, and my people were wiped out because of her. That's enough."

The Crown Prince exclaimed "Ah!", his expression changing, and then asked, "Then, the killing of Ye Qingmei wasn't an order you personally gave, was it?"

The Queen stared at him: "Does that matter?"

"Of course it's important!" The Crown Prince's voice rose a few decibels. "Ye Qingmei is dead. If the perpetrator from back then is also dead, then everything in the past can vanish like smoke, and everything will be over! Then I can completely cooperate with Fan Xian to deal with my second and third brothers!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, and his speech became faster and faster.

"Mother, you don't know, but I was wondering before why Father valued Fan Xian so much. He arranged a marriage for him to marry Wan'er, said he would hand over the money to the Imperial Treasury, and even put him in charge of the Imperial Censorate."

Now I understand why! It turns out Fan Xian really is our brother!

Given the Emperor's favor towards him, if Fan Xian successfully gains control of the Imperial Treasury and the Censorate, his power and prestige will likely surpass even that of his second and third brothers. If I were to gain his assistance, wouldn't my position as Crown Prince be secure?

The empress looked at him, her eyes filled with suppressed anger.

Didn't you hear what I said?

"And are you truly stupid or just pretending?" Her voice held a hint of exasperation. "If Fan Xian gains that power, how can your position be secure?"

The Crown Prince hurriedly explained, "Mother, of course I heard what you said, but this is a rare opportunity for me!"

Your concerns are understood, but Fan Xian is merely Father Emperor's illegitimate son! Whether Father Emperor's actions are out of compensation or out of genuine affection for him, he still bears the surname Fan, not Li!

As long as his surname is Fan, he will never threaten my position. On the contrary, the second and third sons are my biggest threats!

The Empress was speechless for a moment.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a long while, she finally managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth:

"No. He is Ye Qingmei's son. If you still acknowledge me as your mother, you must kill him!"

The crown prince looked troubled, his brows furrowed.

"Mother, why bother? The person is dead, and the matter is over. Why hold onto it?"

The queen pointed a trembling finger at him, her facial muscles twitching.

"The past? How can you say the past?" Her voice was frighteningly hoarse. "Those who died were my family, and your family too!"

"I'm sorry, Mother, I was wrong."

The crown prince appeared fearful, but inwardly he was unconvinced.

What kind of family is a group of dead people he's never met, who can't help him and only hold him back?

Of course, he could only think these things; he would never dare to tell the person in front of him what was on his mind.

The queen angrily lowered her finger. She turned around, her eyes becoming vacant, and her voice becoming faint.

"Chengqian, I am the Empress, and you are the Crown Prince. If it weren't for Ye Qingmei, would our situation in this palace be so difficult?"

She slowly sat back on the couch, her hand resting on the edge of the low table.

"You don't know. Overnight, our entire clan was wiped out. That night, the Black Riders searched the whole city. They knocked over lanterns in front of me, had palace maids cover my eyes, and let the dying cries of my loved ones echo in my ears."

Her voice grew softer and softer, until it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"All these years, I have never forgotten that day. Day and night, I have kept the palace filled with candles."

She glanced at the candlelight filling the hall, then at the wine vessels beside her.

"You've always thought your mother was a heavy drinker, but you don't know that for so many years, she couldn't sleep peacefully without drinking. Every time I close my eyes, I see the blood of my loved ones, and their eyes that never close in death."

Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she didn't shed a tear.

"Some things, as long as you're alive, you can't get over them."

The prince stood there, motionless.

His face was full of conflict, as if he wanted to empathize but didn't know how to express it.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice carrying a mixture of pleading and helplessness:

"Mother, I understand your difficulties. But I really need Fan Xian's help."

His voice began to tremble.

"If I kill Fan Xian, let alone whether it can appease your anger, I suspect Father Emperor will be the first to not let me off! So many family members have died, and I am also deeply grieved. But my position as Crown Prince is teetering on the brink of collapse. If I don't seek out Fan Xian and let him lend me a hand—"

His eyes reddened, and his voice choked with emotion.

"Your Majesty, I have truly reached a dead end!"

As he spoke, tears began to fall from his eyes.

He originally intended to feign grief, but once he started crying, he was genuinely overcome with sorrow!

Miserable!

He's really miserable.

As the crown prince, he had no important ministers to support him in the court.

He used to think that Li Yunrui, whom he loved wholeheartedly, supported him, but little did he know that the woman was secretly supporting Li Chengze.

His men, who had been sent to investigate Shijia Town, had already sent back news.

With solid evidence right in front of him, he can't bury his head in the sand anymore!

He was extremely unwilling to admit it, but the reality was that Li Yunrui had been lying to him all these years.

His biggest supporter right now is his mother, who is standing right in front of him.

His mother was all alone in the palace, and he was all alone in the court.

Despite being the crown prince, he was surprisingly weak and powerless.

He had even fallen so low that he dared not openly plead his case, fearing that opportunists would abandon him and join the ranks of the second and third brothers.

"Mother, please understand your son!" He wiped away his tears, his voice filled with sorrow.

"Father first supported Second Brother, and now he's helping Third Brother up. The Ye family and the Censorate have both sided with Third Brother. In the court, all those who could take sides have already done so."

"Your Majesty, I am outnumbered and powerless in the court, surrounded by enemies, and utterly isolated!"

"Regardless of Fan Xian's future, as long as he bears the surname Fan, he will still be Fan Jian's son and can represent the Ministry of Revenue's stance. He is far too important to me! Didn't you teach me from a young age that those who achieve great things must first and foremost be patient? I can be patient, so please be patient too!"

The Empress's hands clenched into fists on the low table, unable to utter a single word.

The crown prince stepped forward again and knelt directly before her, his voice carrying a hint of probing and a touch of expectation:

"Why don't you apologize to Fan Xian first, Mother? Let him see my sincerity, what do you think?"

The Empress's fingers clenched tightly again; she stared at Li Chengqian in disbelief.

"What did you say?" Her eyes looked at him as if she were seeing her son for the first time. "You want me to apologize to Ye Qingmei's son?"

"Mother, I truly have no other choice!"

The Crown Prince lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "I know you hate Ye Qingmei and Fan Xian, but if you'll have to endure this once, when I ascend the throne, I will personally kill Fan Xian to avenge you!"

The empress was too weak to close her eyes; she didn't want to look at him.

After a long while, she finally opened her eyes, trembling, and looked at the crown prince who was still kneeling with his head bowed.

"You," she murmured, "it turns out you're the one who's most like him."

The crown prince remained motionless, listening to the empress's words.

He knew that "he" referred to Emperor Qing.

He dared not speak.

Get up.

The Empress sighed.

"Admitting my mistake is impossible. Even if I die, I will never admit my mistake to that woman's son."

She paused.

"But as for other things, I won't ask you to do anything, nor will I stop you. Do whatever you want."

The crown prince raised his head, carefully observed the empress's expression, and then quickly wiped his face.

He quickly stood up and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Mother!"

……

The Eastern Palace.

The crown prince sat in his study, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk, one tap after another, rhythmically.

He was making plans in his mind.

He told the Empress that he was trying to win over Fan Xian in order to deal with Li Chengze and Zhou Cheng, but in reality, he was mainly targeting the latter.

He had already begun collecting evidence of Li Chengze's smuggling dealings with Northern Qi. Once he obtained those accounts, correspondence, and shady transaction records, he could easily counter Li Chengze at a crucial moment.

For him now, the most troublesome person is Zhou Cheng.

Normally speaking, with so much of Zhou Cheng's dark history, any one of his assets could be used to make a fuss.

But it's no use.

That guy has a bad reputation and acts absurdly, but there's no fatal flaw to be found.

If he were to confront Zhou Cheng head-on, he would be like a dog trying to bite a hedgehog, unable to find a way to attack.

The other party has no weaknesses; on the contrary, he is the one who could easily be caught off guard.

Fortunately, he had already experienced enough setbacks this year, and his resilience, patience, and courage far exceeded those of the past.

So what if you're a brother? If I can't find any dirt on you, can't I still take your life?

He knew that Zhou Cheng had taken the women from his household on a trip to the outskirts of Beijing.

He only found out too late. If that guy still dares to lead people out of the city, he wouldn't mind arranging for someone to ambush him.

Just as he was thinking, there was a knock on the door.

A figure pushed open the door and entered. The person was dressed in ordinary gray cloth clothes, with his head down and his steps were very light, like a silent cat.

This is the crown prince's confidant, his secret agent. Many shady dealings are done through him.

After the man entered, he closed the door behind him, took a few steps forward, and lowered his voice:

"Your Highness, the assassins promised by Northern Qi have arrived outside the city. There are four eighth-rank officials and ten seventh-rank officials among them, who are at your disposal at any time."

The prince's eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth...