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

With someone taking the lead, it's as if we have a direction now.

Suddenly, a large number of officials from various departments and bureaus appeared in the imperial court, all submitting petitions calling for the abolition of the heir apparent and the replacement of the legitimate heir.

Emperor Qing sat on the dragon throne, his face ashen, and finished reading the memorial in his hand.

Then, he slowly rose, seemingly struggling to suppress a roar, his voice trembling slightly.

"The Crown Prince murdered the emperor? Who is guilty, the Crown Prince or me? Is it because I forced him too much, lacked virtue, and failed to properly educate my son?"

His gaze was sharp and piercing, sweeping over the many officials kneeling in the hall.

"What is this so-called conclusive evidence? Do you really think you can convict the Crown Prince based solely on a few testimonies from the assassin? Is that enough? It's not enough!"

Having said that, Emperor Qing snorted coldly, his gaze falling on the censor who had submitted the first memorial: "Considering you are a censor and dared to speak frankly, I will not severely punish you, but will deduct three months' salary to let you calm down. The rest who submitted memorials will all be deducted one month's salary!"

Emperor Qing turned and left, and the court was silent; for a moment, no one dared to speak.

Zhou Cheng's first day of confinement passed just like that.

However, as time has passed, some things remain unresolved.

Emperor Qing's punishment of simply deducting salaries was not really frightening to anyone.

Everyone remained silent, pondering Emperor Qing's attitude.

On the second day of Zhou Cheng's confinement, this time, no one directly suggested that Emperor Qing should depose the crown prince and replace him with the heir apparent.

Only Lin Ruofu's former students and friends jointly wrote a letter, using strong language, demanding that the Censorate and the Inspectorate thoroughly investigate the assassins at the Hanging Temple, and that the death of a dignified prime minister should not be left unexplained.

Emperor Qing sighed and agreed.

The sixth day of the week.

The Inspectorate's investigation into the Lin Ruofu case has yielded results.

The Censorate submitted a memorial, and the investigation results pointed directly at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince colluded with assassins from Northern Qi, using letters to command them to carry out the assassination at the Hanging Temple. In the chaos, Prime Minister Lin, eager to protect the Crown Prince, unfortunately perished.

Further witness testimonies and physical evidence are in the hands of the Forensic Bureau. Emperor Qing needs to order the Forensic Bureau to cooperate and assist.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing frowned. He did not agree immediately, but instead summoned Chen Pingping to court.

Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair himself to the main hall.

Emperor Qing directly asked Chen Pingping about the results of his investigation.

Chen Pingping hesitated, but finally seemed to have no choice but to present the investigation file from the Forensic Science Institute.

Emperor Qing did not have the eunuch bring the documents over, but instead ordered Chen Pingping to read them aloud on the spot.

Chen Pingping pursed her lips, sighed, and read out the investigation file page by page, word by word, line by line.

The final conclusion was the same as that of the Censorate.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing was heartbroken and gripped the dragon throne with both hands, as if he had been deeply shocked and could not stand steadily.

He closed his eyes, remained silent for a long time, and then, without uttering a word, turned and left the court in front of all the civil and military officials.

The seventh day of the week.

On this day, Emperor Qing did not attend court. Instead, an imperial edict was issued from the palace, ordering the eldest prince, Li Chengru, to return to the capital immediately.

The news caused a stir in both the government and the public.

The eldest prince has been stationed at the border for many years and commands a large army. What is the purpose of recalling him now?

Some speculated that Emperor Qing missed the eldest prince, while others guessed that he wanted the eldest prince to return to the capital to stabilize the situation. Opinions varied and no consensus was reached.

The ninth day of the week.

The court officials submitted another memorial, their words even more vehement than before. They enumerated the Crown Prince's crimes, from smuggling and amassing wealth to hiring assassins, from colluding with Northern Qi to attempting to assassinate the emperor and his father—each and every one unforgivable. They implored Emperor Qing to depose the Crown Prince and replace him with a legitimate heir to restore order to the court.

Emperor Qing still did not give in.

After the court assembly, Emperor Qing went to the Eastern Palace.

No one knows exactly what happened.

Only the eunuchs guarding the door could vaguely hear the sounds of things being smashed and broken coming from inside, along with Emperor Qing's angry rebukes and the suppressed sobs of the Crown Prince.

When Emperor Qing left the Eastern Palace, his face was ashen and his steps were unsteady.

Upon returning to the palace, he suddenly fell ill and never recovered.

The officials were extremely busy for the next week.

Some people petitioned Emperor Qing to depose the crown prince and replace him with the heir apparent; some petitioned Emperor Qing to take care of his health; and some petitioned both.

Several voices intertwined, like chaotic tides, repeatedly colliding in the court.

The thirteenth day of the week.

When Emperor Qing resumed his duties, his complexion remained poor, with dark circles under his eyes. He lacked the aura of an emperor, displaying only deep weariness.

He sat on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping across the hall. After a long while, he spoke, his voice hoarse:

"I have already made a decision regarding the Crown Prince."

He did not specify what decision he made, but from his behavior, the officials had a vague idea of ​​what to do.

After the court assembly, rumors began to circulate within the palace.

Emperor Qing prepared to offer sacrifices at the Qing Temple, depose the heir apparent and replace him with the legitimate heir, and then offer sacrifices to Heaven.

The week ends on the 15th day.

Emperor Qing officially issued an edict, planning to hold a sacrificial ceremony at the temple in the second month of the new calendar, around the time of the Beginning of Spring.

It was only a little over a month since February.

On the third day after Emperor Qing issued the decree to offer sacrifices at the temple, which was also the eighteenth day that Zhou Cheng was confined to his quarters, an unexpected event occurred.

The high priest of Keimyo Shrine in Kyoto, over eighty years old, is highly respected and holds the highest position among the priests in the Keimyo Shrine system.

In the dead of winter, he was ordered to prepare sacrificial rites at the temple. Due to his old age and frail health, he caught a cold and died after only three days, despite all medical treatment.

When the news reached the palace, Emperor Qing was furious, believing it to be an ominous sign, a warning from the spirit of the High Priest in heaven.

He summoned the two priests of the temple, Master Sanshi, to inquire about good or bad fortune.

Master Sanshi stammered, not daring to speak frankly.

Soon, news spread from the palace that Emperor Qing was preparing to cancel the temple sacrifice.

The court officials discussed the matter extensively, and some submitted a memorial arguing that the temple sacrifice was a major national event, and since His Majesty had already issued the decree, canceling it would be inauspicious.

Although the high priest of Kyoto has passed away, the Daitoyama Shrine can still be used for worshipping the heavens.

The majestic Da Dong Shan Temple, believed to be imbued with divine power, is the perfect place to offer sacrifices to Heaven.

Emperor Qing hesitated for several days before summoning Master Sanshi again for consultation, and finally reluctantly accepted the courtiers' suggestion.

Soon after, an imperial decree was issued from the palace, ordering Emperor Qing to go to Mount Dadong to offer sacrifices at the temple and announce his intention to Heaven.

The imperial edict still did not mention the removal of the crown prince and the replacement of the emperor, but many people believe that since Emperor Qing was announcing to Heaven, it must be about replacing the heir and removing the crown prince.

No one dared to ask about such matters; all that could be done was speculation.

Mount Daito is a long and arduous journey, and the harsh weather during the dead of winter means that it normally takes a month to travel from Kyoto to Mount Daito.

At this time of year, snow or wind may block the road, making the journey even more time-consuming.

Emperor Qing planned to set off ahead of schedule and arrive at Dadong Mountain before the beginning of spring in February to perform the sacrificial ceremony at the temple as scheduled.

The week ends on the 26th day.

The eldest prince, Li Chengru, returned to the capital.

He was dressed in full armor, covered in dust, and had traveled thousands of miles from the border to return.

His face bore the marks of time and hardship, revealing his weariness, but his gaze remained as steady as a rock.

The Imperial Study prepared a family banquet, but only invited Li Chengru and Fan Xian. The three who were under house arrest remained under house arrest.

The week ends on the 27th day.

Emperor Qing issued an edict appointing the eldest prince, Li Chengru, to temporarily assume command of the imperial guards in the capital.

The news sent shockwaves through the court and the public once again. Everyone understood the implications of handing over command of the Imperial Guards, the core force protecting the capital, to the First Prince.

The week ends on the 28th day.

Emperor Qing began fasting.

He bathed and changed his clothes, lived alone in a side hall, ate only one meal a day, and abstained from meat and women.

He had to purify himself and his mind before offering sacrifices at the temple to show his devotion to the gods.

Zhou Cheng has been in confinement for 30 days.

Emperor Qing issued an edict that the Empress Dowager would temporarily preside over state affairs and supervise the court.

Then, the departure ceremony began. The grand procession was filled with banners that blotted out the sun, and carriages and horses moved like a dragon.

Emperor Qing, accompanied by Grandmaster Hong Sixiang, Minister of Rites Guo Youzhi and other civil officials and priests, Fan Xian, more than a hundred Tiger Guards and three thousand Imperial Guards, marched in a grand procession toward Mount Dadong.

This lineup is elite and powerful, comparable in strength to the hundreds of thousands of border troops during the Battle of Qingqi.

The three thousand Imperial Guards were all handpicked from among the best, and the hundred Tiger Guards were elites of the seventh and eighth ranks, selected from among the best of the best. With the "Grandmaster" Hong Sixiang in charge, such a force was enough to sweep across half the world.

Until Emperor Qing left the capital, he did not issue any further decrees, nor did he lift the ban on any of Zhou Cheng, Li Yunrui, the Second Prince, or the Crown Prince, nor did he allow them to participate in the departure ceremony.

Prince Cheng's Mansion.

"Your Highness, His Majesty's troops have already left the city."

After issuing the notification, Chen Quan strode into the study, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and reported the news.

Zhou Cheng leaned back in his chair, holding an intelligence document in his hand, without looking up.

Although he was confined to his quarters, his subordinates were not restricted in any way.

During this period, Chen Quan and Chen Bao acted on his behalf, moving around the capital.

For example, the censors of the Censorate and officials of various departments were all contacted and maintained by them.

Chen Quan and Chen Bao were his loyal followers and knew his background.

While others might be anxious about being confined to their homes, the two of them were perfectly at ease.

In their view, even the Grandmaster in the palace had followed Emperor Qing to Mount Dadong, and now, in the capital, their prince was the only one who could truly rule everything.

Zhou Cheng is willing to play with others, and only then can the others sit down and play together.

Zhou Cheng had his fill of playing around and flipped the table, leaving the others with no choice but to kneel down.

Speaking of this, Chen Quan and Chen Bao often secretly rejoice.

If they hadn't been assigned to Zhou Cheng's side by Emperor Qing, and hadn't served him since he broke through to the Grandmaster level, they would all be nothing more than ignorant pawns, their lives hanging in the balance, no matter where they were on duty or whose confidants they were. How could they be as carefree and secure as they are now? "The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life" is currently being serialized and is not to be missed! Do they even have the leisure to calmly watch the turmoil unfold in the capital?

"Okay, I understand," Zhou Cheng replied, turning to a page of the document.

Although Emperor Qing's trip to Mount Dadong was somewhat rushed, it was not without major mistakes overall.

From being relentlessly pressured by court officials, to falling ill and recuperating at the Eastern Palace, spreading rumors of deposing the heir and replacing him with a successor, to reluctantly issuing an edict to offer sacrifices at the Keimyō Temple, and then to the "death" of the high priest of the Keimyō Temple in Kyoto...

All of this was, of course, a meticulous arrangement by Emperor Qing.

The process went smoothly overall, but there were still some flaws.

For example, the timing of the death of the high priest of the Kyoto Temple was too coincidental, and Emperor Qing never actually issued an edict to depose the crown prince.

If you really want to scrutinize the details, there are actually many aspects worth examining.

But no matter how many strange things happened, nothing could compare to the reality that Emperor Qing had left the capital.

Emperor Qing's departure from the capital and the heavily guarded imperial palace presented a golden opportunity for all ambitious forces both within and outside Qing.

No one wanted to let this opportunity slip by, and no one wanted to believe it was a trap.

Because setting up this trap would be too costly.

From Lin Ruofu to the Crown Prince, the price of their sacrifice was too high, too high for any monarch to bear.

These two men, one a powerful minister at the pinnacle of his career and the other the crown prince, would be a major event that shakes the very foundation of the nation if either of them were to fall into trouble, let alone if both of them were to fall into trouble at the same time!

Such an upheaval could easily shake the foundations of the Qing Kingdom, and if not handled carefully, the consequences could be devastating to the Qing Kingdom's court and even the entire kingdom.

Therefore, from an outsider's perspective, it is reasonable for Emperor Qing to worship at the temple.

At least, it's much more reasonable than the original storyline.

The entourage accompanying Emperor Qing was also quite appropriate. Officials from the Ministry of Rites, along with temple priests, were all part of the proper entourage for temple worship.

As for Fan Xian, he holds the position of Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, which is considered an official in charge of rites. In addition, everyone knows that he is the illegitimate son of Emperor Qing. Everyone else felt that bringing him along on this trip was an honor for Fan Xian.

Only Zhou Cheng knew that without Fan Xian, Emperor Qing would never have left the capital.

Emperor Qing put on so many charades in the court, and even after the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate presented evidence that the Crown Prince had colluded with Northern Qi to plot the assassination and kill Prime Minister Lin, Emperor Qing dragged his feet for so many days, and even pretended to be sick, all to wait for Fan Xian to recover from his injuries.

When Fan Xian was injured at the Hanging Temple, Emperor Qing mistook Zhou Cheng for Wu Zhu, but by sheer accident, he confirmed that Wu Zhu was right beside Fan Xian.

Now that Fan Xian has lost all his true energy, he still keeps Fan Xian by his side, in order to use Fan Xian to lure Wu Zhu here.

As long as Fan Xian is by his side, Wu Zhu will not stand idly by if they encounter danger.

He was plotting against three grandmasters on this trip, and if things went wrong, he could easily be defeated. Therefore, he had to bring Wu Zhu along as his last line of defense.

When all else failed, he used Fan Xian as a shield to force Wu Zhu to come out and save his life.

In any case, given Fan Xian's personality, he certainly wouldn't stand by and watch him be killed by other grandmasters, much less stand by and watch Wu Zhu kill him.

......

With Emperor Qing gone, the capital city was plunged into an undercurrent of turmoil.

On the surface, things remain calm.

After all, Emperor Qing's prestige, which he had ruled the Qing Kingdom for many years, could not be easily dissipated in just a few days.

With Emperor Qing's departure, Zhou Cheng's month-long confinement period came to an end.

However, he did not leave the residence immediately.

Although leaving the palace now to win over court officials could greatly boost the confidence of his supporters in the court, he didn't care.

Just like the past month, he spent another day indulging in debauchery.

It wasn't until the next day that he left Prince Cheng's residence in a carriage.

He went to Hanguang Hall to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. Now that the Empress Dowager was overseeing the country, he had to go and pay his respects no matter what.

The Empress Dowager, his grandmother, was no less shrewd or cunning than Emperor Qing.

Even when she was still the Princess Consort of Cheng, she displayed talents that even Ye Qingmei took notice of.

She was one of the key figures behind Ye Qingmei's death.

Emperor Qing's decision to let her temporarily assume power naturally stemmed from his complete confidence in her abilities.

The Empress Dowager did not show much affection for her grandson.

After all, his performance in his childhood was really mediocre, and he had a reputation for being "uncouth" and "uncouth." In her eyes, he had disgraced the royal family.

The Empress Dowager valued the Crown Prince the most.

The Crown Prince is most similar to Emperor Qing; both his personality and his forbearance make her very optimistic about him.

In addition, the Empress's maternal clan was almost completely slaughtered, so the Crown Prince's connections were also clean and pure.

Among the Crown Prince's supporters, the Empress Dowager has always been the most steadfast.

He didn't have many pleasantries with the Empress Dowager. After paying his respects and going through the motions, Zhou Cheng left Hanguang Hall and went to Guangxin Palace.

Although they exchanged letters, he still wanted to know the madwoman's latest moves.

Although Li Yunrui was confined to his home, he did not behave himself.

As Emperor Qing went to Dadong Mountain, Li Yunrui also made the most of the Junshan Society.

Her affair with Zhou Cheng was exposed, and Emperor Qing would never pass the throne to Zhou Cheng under any circumstances.

If Zhou Cheng cannot take over, her investment will naturally go down the drain, so she cannot allow it.

So, just as Emperor Qing confirmed the decree and went to Dadong Mountain to offer sacrifices at the temple, she contacted Ye Liuyun, Northern Qi, and Dongyi City through the Junshan Association.

Li Yunrui was unaware that Emperor Qing had calculated every move she made.

Emperor Qing knew his younger sister all too well; he knew exactly who her pawns were and how she would play them.

Zhou Cheng simply watched as Li Yunrui did what he did.

Emperor Qing uses Li Yunrui, and Li Yunrui uses Emperor Qing in return; it's nothing more than that.

Li Yunrui is already eight months pregnant, and it is estimated that she will give birth in about two months.

Zhou Cheng calculated the time; the child's birth would likely coincide with the time when everything had settled down.

Li Yunrui made many arrangements to help Zhou Cheng seize power. When she asked Zhou Cheng about his plans, he simply told her that his people were already in place.

Li Yunrui wanted to ask more questions, but Zhou Cheng wouldn't give her the chance.

The two adulterers were entangled together, and by the time Zhou Cheng left, Li Yunrui had long forgotten what she had wanted to ask earlier.

The Guangxin Palace was heavily guarded by imperial guards, as Emperor Qing had decreed that entry was permitted but exit was not.

But Emperor Qing wasn't there, and no one dared to stop him.

At most, someone would report it to the Empress Dowager.

At this time, the Empress Dowager naturally prioritized stability and would not pursue the matter too much, avoiding any trouble if possible.

For the next month, Zhou Cheng stayed obediently at the Prince Cheng's residence and rarely went out.

It was already deep winter. Although winter in Qing Kingdom was not considered cold, it was still more comfortable indoors than outdoors.

In the warm room, Zhou Cheng played with the women in various ways.

After the assassination at the Hanging Temple, the Ye family was expelled from the capital, with only Ye Ling'er remaining.

Ye Ling'er was depressed for a while, but Zhou Cheng's affection for her remained undiminished, and she gradually settled down.

Even in the capital of a country, the cold winter weather inevitably brings a sense of desolation.

The Empress Dowager has been overseeing the country for a month without any mishaps.

At least walking on the streets of Kyoto, one cannot feel any difference between whether Emperor Qing is present or not.

This day was like any other, almost no different.

If there's any difference from yesterday, it's probably that the sky is a little darker, the clouds are a little thicker, and the temperature has dropped a little.

Until a thunderclap exploded and rolled past.

Many people were startled by the sudden thunder in winter, as thunder in winter is indeed quite rare.

Is this a sign of heavy rain or heavy snow?

An elderly man in Kyoto looked up at the thick, dark clouds on the horizon and murmured to himself.

Their years of experience allowed them to make a quick judgment.

With the clouds growing thicker on the horizon and a strange warmth rising from the ground, they had a vague feeling that Kyoto was likely about to welcome its first snowfall of the winter, and a heavy one at that!

Just as the people in Kyoto were whispering among themselves, another voice, which had been drowned out by the thunder, finally arrived belatedly.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered, breaking through the long street, each step urgent and rapid.

Looking closely, one could see a single, magnificent horse galloping rapidly towards the city gate.

The people had seen this kind of thing many times before, and they knew which direction the urgent news had entered the city from, so they didn't care. In any case, it was a matter for the nobles, and rarely concerned them, the common people of the capital.

Of course, a few people noticed something was wrong.

The horse showed no sign of slowing down as it entered the city, even though it was foaming at the mouth as it ran. The rider, whose face was covered in dust and filled with fear, showed no mercy and continued to whip the horse relentlessly.

"That's a bit strange..."

Some pedestrians had seen many knights rushing into the city with urgent messages, but they rarely saw one this anxious. In particular, at first glance, one couldn't help but feel that something was different from usual.

Until an elderly man from Kyoto exclaimed in a trembling voice, "Yes, it's a white cloth! It's a white cloth!"

The travelers who had been discussing the matter along the roadside suddenly fell silent.

White handkerchief.......

The younger generation certainly has no recollection of this.

Those who went back several decades, experiencing the Northern Qi or Northern Wei dynasties, and those who witnessed the Qing Kingdom's three northern expeditions with all its might, understood the meaning all too well!

"Something terrible has happened!"

Some voices trembled, but they only dared to say, "Something terrible has happened." As for what terrible thing had happened, they dared not say, and they didn't even dare to guess!

The knight, with a white cloth tied around his arm and holding a token-like object aloft, charged through obstacles, galloping down the long street towards the palace.

Until evening, the bell in the corner tower of the imperial city rang out, slowly and powerfully.

The people of Kyoto still didn't know what had happened, but the entire city was already gripped by immense fear and confusion.