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

The Censorate oversees the entire realm, but its oversight extends far beyond the realm of the Qing Kingdom.

Over the decades, countless conspiracies, open schemes, open struggles, and covert battles, both past and present, have occurred and are currently occurring among various forces in the Southern Qing, Northern Qi, Eastern Yi, Western Hu, and even overseas, and have all been recorded in the dossier.

The pile of papers, filling several warehouses, was soaked in countless drops of blood and schemes.

Chen Pingping, who is in charge of the Detective Agency, has the most discerning eyes and ears in the world. Coupled with his meticulous mind and keen sense of conspiracy, he has reached an unbelievable level.

He couldn't find any flaws in Zhou Cheng, but he had a feeling that this seemingly outsider, the biggest beneficiary, was the mastermind behind this divine scheme.

Of course, his intuition was meaningless.

He was a subject, not a ruler.

He must be grounded in evidence for everything he says and does.

Chen Pingping didn't say much more to Fan Xian.

In his view, Fan Xian's most important task now is to recover from his injuries.

Chen Pingping left the Fan residence, but the investigation by the Forensic Bureau continued.

It must be said that Yan Bingyun, the former head of the spy ring, is truly exceptional in his ability to investigate cases.

Not long after, the inside story of Zhuang Mohan's secret meeting with the Crown Prince was exposed.

Soon, the Forensic Bureau followed the clues and found evidence of the Crown Prince's secret dealings with Northern Qi.

Having found a breakthrough, the Investigation Bureau continued its investigation. Before long, Yan Bingyun led a team of secret agents and successfully captured the black glove who was acting as a middleman between the Crown Prince and Northern Qi.

This process was certainly not smooth sailing.

In fact, the Crown Prince realized something was wrong when the investigation was halfway through.

Only then did he belatedly realize with horror that the assassin in hemp clothing who had tried to kill Emperor Qing at the Hanging Temple that day was actually one of his men!

It was only then that he realized why the assassin had suddenly stopped and was then killed by him.

Then, the Crown Prince felt like his world was collapsing!

He found himself unknowingly burdened with a huge, unavoidable accusation, with no way to escape or avoid it, and it was firmly pinned on his head.

Many people noticed the assassin's unusual behavior back then.

He couldn't explain it.

Honestly, if it were him, even if someone explained it, he wouldn't believe it. He might even want to stir up more trouble!

There was no other way; the only thing he could do was to silence them! Silence them! Silence them!

Everyone involved in his dealings with Northern Qi, whether they knew about it or not, must be silenced!

The crown prince was pushed to the limit. He knew that this burden was too heavy for him, the crown prince, to bear.

He absolutely could not allow anyone to confirm that the assassin was one of his men.

But his madness in silencing witnesses also drove another group of people to desperation.

Even ants try to survive, so when the Crown Prince ruthlessly raised his butcher's knife, some people began to cooperate with the Censorate in order to live.

Then, some letters, including records of the Crown Prince ordering Northern Qi experts to lie in wait outside the capital and act as they saw fit, were confessed or presented.

........

The Imperial Study.

The cool midday light, lacking its usual scorching power, cast a pale white hue over the imperial desk as it shone through the window.

Emperor Qing sat behind his desk, with the dossier presented to him by Chen Pingping spread out in front of him.

The densely packed handwriting cast dappled shadows. He finished reading the last page and remained silent for a long time.

He had long been mentally prepared for anyone to be involved in this seemingly impossible assassination attempt at the Hanging Temple.

But when the crown prince was pushed to the front, he was still somewhat caught off guard.

Emperor Qing closed his eyes, his face ashen, showing no sign of thunderous rage, yet a hidden undercurrent of emotion was stirring within him.

After a long while, he finally opened his eyes:

"Does anyone know about this now?"

Chen Pingping lowered his eyes: "Currently, only some members of the Forensic Academy involved in the investigation and evidence collection know about this. The news has not yet spread, so I came to report to Your Majesty as soon as possible."

Emperor Qing nodded slightly.

He didn't think the Crown Prince had that much courage, but the evidence presented by Chen Pingping was enough to prove it.

The Crown Prince's recent frenzied efforts to silence witnesses were also recorded in the memorial.

His first thought after reading the memorial was to silence all the personnel of the Forensic Science Bureau who were involved in the investigation.

But he held back.

He raised his head and his gaze fell on Chen Pingping's face.

"Chen Pingping, do you think... the Crown Prince is really behind those assassins?"

Chen Pingping remained expressionless: "All the evidence points to the Crown Prince. And the Crown Prince's reaction confirms the accuracy of my investigation."

Emperor Qing tapped his knuckles on the imperial desk, narrowing his eyes: "You say the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, so what's the point of doing this?"

"Your subject dares not speak presumptuously."

"Just say it!"

"Since Your Majesty has instructed me to speak, then I shall speak." Chen Pingping raised his head and met Emperor Qing's gaze for a moment.

Emperor Qing hummed in response.

Chen Pingping paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, and then slowly said:

"If we only consider the motive, the Crown Prince's actions are not surprising. It's because the Crown Prince was under too much pressure. As we all know, once the pressure exceeds a person's limit, it's inevitable that they will have risky thoughts."

Emperor Qing frowned slightly: "Too much pressure? You mean, I'm too harsh on the Crown Prince and too lenient on Cheng Cheng, making the Crown Prince wary and thus taking risks?"

Emperor Qing frowned slightly: "Too much pressure? You mean, I'm too harsh on the Crown Prince and too lenient on Cheng Cheng, making the Crown Prince wary and thus taking risks?"

Chen Pingping cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "Your Majesty, I dare not! I was merely making a normal deduction. Whether it is true or not, only the Crown Prince himself probably knows."

"Dare not? I think you dare quite a bit!" Emperor Qing snorted.

After speaking, he paused for a moment, then asked, "Then let's continue with your reasoning. Tell me, how did the Crown Prince get the ability to set up such a scheme? The flower viewing at the Hanging Temple was a spur-of-the-moment decision by me. How could he be so capable as to arrange assassins in advance?"

Chen Pingping pondered and said, "Before His Majesty issued the decree, naturally no one else would know about this flower appreciation event. However, logically speaking, the Crown Prince may not have been preparing for this event at all, but rather for two years later. In that case, it can only be said that it happened by chance."

Emperor Qing sneered: "So, according to you, you're convinced that the Crown Prince was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on me?"

Chen Pingping remained composed and respectful: "Your Majesty, I am merely reasoning based on evidence and logic. If the Crown Prince is the mastermind, I can find countless reasons. If he is not, I can also find countless reasons. It all depends on what Your Majesty desires."

Emperor Qing stared at him for a long time, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Your actions are not those of a loyal minister. If Fan Xian had investigated and had this evidence, he would probably have already forced me to make a decision in court."

Chen Pingping lowered his head: "My loyalty is only for Your Majesty. To share Your Majesty's burdens, to think what Your Majesty thinks, and to be anxious about what Your Majesty is anxious about is my duty. Fan Xian is still young and too childish. In the future, he will surely be just like me!"

Emperor Qing gave a soft hum: "Him? Forget about it! Among all the people around me, you are the one who makes me feel the least worried."

It's good that you came early this time! Here's what we'll do: until I make a decision, you keep your mouth shut. And those personnel involved in the investigation at the Forensic Bureau, you should also tell them to keep their mouths shut.

Chen Pingping didn't say much: "Yes."

Emperor Qing paused, then suddenly said, "It's not that I'm biased towards the Crown Prince, it's just that I have a gut feeling..."

He didn't continue. Instead, he asked, "What other discoveries did you make during your investigation?"

Chen Pingping said, "During my investigation, I also discovered that when Zhuang Mohan came to the capital, he not only secretly met with the Crown Prince, but also with the Eldest Princess."

"Li Yunrui?"

"That's right. Not only was the Eldest Princess involved in the Crown Prince's smuggling with Northern Qi, but she was also involved in the Second Prince's dealings with Northern Qi. Although the Second Prince took all the blame, some evidence at the time showed that the Eldest Princess was not without culpability."

Emperor Qing was well aware that Li Chengze's dealings with Northern Qi were inseparable from Li Yunrui.

However, at the time, he didn't want to make things too ugly for the sake of the royal family's reputation. In addition, Li Chengze had already been confined to his quarters, and Li Chengze later took all the blame, so he didn't go looking for trouble with Li Yunrui.

Unexpectedly, not only Li Chengze, but also the Crown Prince's case now involve Li Yunrui.

For a moment, he was completely baffled as to what his sister was up to!

Thinking of the imperial physician who had been silenced a few days ago, he felt it was necessary to meet with Li Yunrui and see what kind of trouble she had been up to all this time!

But before that...

Emperor Qing waved his hand. Chen Pingping took his leave.

Before long, the crown prince was summoned.

The prince entered and knelt down to pay his respects, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles.

Emperor Qing didn't say anything, and just kept him kneeling.

Time passed second by second until the prince's lower limbs went numb from kneeling, and he couldn't help but move his knees slightly.

Emperor Qing then snorted coldly and threw the dossier that Chen Pingping had presented in front of him.

The scroll landed with a "thud" on the ground in front of the prince, the papers scattered, revealing lines of shocking handwriting.

The crown prince trembled, quickly picked up the dossier, and his face turned deathly pale.

"Father, I am innocent!" The Crown Prince suddenly raised his head, his voice filled with grief.

"Don't give me that!" Emperor Qing glanced at him coldly and said angrily, "The evidence is conclusive, and you still have the nerve to cry foul? You're quite something, arranging for assassins from Northern Qi to kill me. I'm right here; are you going to personally send me on my way?"

The prince was so frightened that his head slammed against the floor tiles, and his forehead visibly swelled up.

"How could I possibly have such a thing! This is purely a frame-up!"

"Framed? Then tell me, what's this evidence?"

The crown prince's lips trembled. Now that things had come to this, he dared not hide anything: "Your Majesty, I did have some dealings with Northern Qi, but the actions of those assassins have absolutely nothing to do with me! It must be Northern Qi trying to frame me and sow discord!"

"Then explain yourself clearly: what's your relationship with Zhuang Mohan? And what about those assassins?!"

The crown prince dared not hesitate any longer and quickly explained everything he had done, without daring to hide anything.

Looking at the files on the ground, he knew that there was no point in trying to justify what he had done.

The most urgent task is to prevent the charge of assassination and treason from being substantiated.

Although he was terrified, he was not so stupid as to have completely lost his mind.

He knew that Emperor Qing had not publicly punished him, but had summoned him privately, which was giving him a chance.

Emperor Qing frowned the whole time until the Crown Prince finished giving his instructions.

"Is that really true?"

"Father, you are wise enough to know! Even if I had the greatest courage in the world, I would never dare to murder you!"

"Whether you have guts or not isn't a question! Getting involved with Northern Qi, I think you've got quite the nerve!"

Emperor Qing snorted coldly, his tone icy: "Get out! Go back to the Eastern Palace! Stay put! Without my permission, you are not to step out of the Eastern Palace even once!"

"What?!" The crown prince's eyes widened, his face drained of color. "Father, Father, please investigate! Everything I said is true! I am truly innocent! This is a frame-up! A frame-up!"

The prince became more and more excited as he spoke!

Emperor Qing placed him under house arrest, and the Crown Prince subconsciously assumed that he was being treated the same as the Second Prince, Li Chengze, and that Emperor Qing had completely abandoned him.

He was trembling all over and was on the verge of collapse.

The Crown Prince was unaware of this, but Emperor Qing certainly wouldn't allow him to end up like Li Chengze.

Emperor Qing never intended to harm the Crown Prince, even though all the evidence pointed to the Crown Prince's rebellion.

He is the ruler!

He is the ruler of the Qing Kingdom!

evidence?

He doesn't need that kind of thing; he only needs what he feels!

He had high hopes for the Crown Prince since childhood; otherwise, he would not have privately taught the Crown Prince the domineering true qi, nor would he have supported the Second Prince, Zhou Cheng, and Fan Xian to hone his skills.

However, the crown prince could not understand his good intentions.

"Get out of here! Don't make me say it a third time!"

The Crown Prince's cowardly and timid appearance only fueled Emperor Qing's anger.

This crown prince is truly more trouble than he's worth.

Not only was he outmaneuvered, but he also failed to fully grasp his meaning; he's utterly useless! All his years of hard work have been wasted!

The crown prince gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably. He trembled all over, unable to utter a word. He could only stand up listlessly, staggering out like a walking corpse.

Emperor Qing was even more furious as he watched his retreating figure.

As soon as the Crown Prince left the Imperial Study, Emperor Qing suddenly stood up and smashed the imperial cup beside him to the ground.

He let out a long breath and glanced at the files on the ground.

"They're quite well-prepared!"

Emperor Qing muttered to himself,

"Someone is trying to force me to depose the heir... Who is it?"

Of course, he would never abolish the position of Crown Prince.

Unless the Crown Prince is truly plotting a rebellion, even if ten Lin Ruofu were to die, it would not change his will.

However, in this round, amidst his fury, he also saw an opportunity.

Waste storage...

If he uses the pretext of abolishing the crown prince, his plan, which he has been preparing for many years, can be implemented.

Now that the Ye family has been demoted back to Dingzhou by him, the outside world will inevitably think that he has a grudge against the Ye family. In this way, he can reasonably "break ties" with Ye Liuyun and give other grandmasters an opportunity.

He had been waiting for this opportunity for far too many years.

So much so that when the opportunity suddenly presented itself, he was momentarily filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

However, Emperor Qing quickly regained his composure.

After careful consideration, he was determined not to miss this opportunity.

Because once he misses the opportunity, he will never find such a perfect excuse again.

The crown prince plotted a rebellion, the prime minister was killed, the evidence was conclusive, and even the Northern Qi was implicated.

"Forcing me to depose the heir apparent? Ha, I wonder who did me a great favor!"

Several figures flashed through Emperor Qing's mind. In terms of who benefited, Li Chengcheng was naturally the most suspicious.

But he also felt that his son probably didn't have that much ability. As for the others, the connection to their interests was less significant.

After thinking about it, Emperor Qing stopped thinking about it.

He chuckled softly a few times, the laughter echoing in the empty imperial study, carrying a hint of coldness.

"Who cares whose scheme it is, it's all just a ploy to benefit me! They think they're on the second level, but little do they know I'm on the third!"

No one can outwit me; in the end, only I can achieve my goal!

After calming himself down, Emperor Qing summoned people to clean up the floor.

After the eunuchs had taken care of everything, he decided to go to Guangxin Palace.

The death of a royal physician is hardly a big deal in the midst of the turmoil of the past few days.

Now that all the chess games in the Hanging Temple are laid out on the table, he can finally free up some time.

He wanted to see what his sister had done to dare kill even the imperial physician who was acting on his orders!

......

Guangxin Palace.

A shrill announcement shattered the palace's tranquility.

Soon, all the palace maids in Guangxin Palace, including Li Yunrui's personal maid, rushed over and knelt down in front of the hall to pay their respects.

Emperor Qing glanced over but did not see Li Yunrui.

He recognized the female official; he knew she was Li Yunrui's confidante.

He looked around and sneered, "The Princess has quite the airs. I've come in person, and she doesn't even come out to greet me."

The lady-in-waiting pressed her head to the ground, her voice trembling: "Your Majesty, the Princess is unwell and truly finds it difficult to rise. Please, Your Majesty, come inside to see her."

"You want me to move? Very well! Of course!"

Having said that, Emperor Qing didn't even look at the group of trembling palace maids. He flicked his sleeves and strode towards his bedchamber.

The others remained kneeling, but the female official quickly rose and walked ahead to help Emperor Qing open the door to Li Yunrui's bedchamber.

The door creaked open, and Emperor Qing stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, he spotted Li Yunrui through several layers of semi-transparent gauze curtains.

She sat with her back to the soft couch, the afternoon sun shining from behind her, casting a pale golden halo over her silhouette.

Perhaps it was because it had been so long since they last met, but compared to the figure he remembered, Li Yunrui seemed to have gained some weight.

The female official closed the palace door, and her footsteps faded away quietly.

Emperor Qing continued walking forward, his boots making a dull, soft sound as they stepped on the sandalwood floor.

He reached out and parted a layer of gauze curtain, his voice laced with sarcasm and suppressed anger: "Yun Rui, you're getting more and more arrogant. Do you expect me to pay my respects to you?"

The layers of gauze curtains were lifted one by one, and only then did Li Yunrui finally move.

She seemed to sigh, slowly stood up, and then turned around.

Sunlight fell on her face, revealing a face that was fuller than before, yet still stunningly beautiful.

Then, Emperor Qing saw her holding her belly with both hands.

Her belly was swollen high, clearly indicating that she was six months pregnant.

Emperor Qing froze on the spot.

He swallowed back the questions he had prepared.

His eyes were fixed on Li Yunrui's abdomen, his pupils trembled violently, and his eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.