Joy of Life: I, a man, became the Queen of Northern Qi?

Chapter 177: You come to the brothel not to look for women but for men?

As night falls, Kyoto city lights up brightly.

Without any warning from the government, the people of the city spontaneously lit up lanterns and went out, creating a lively atmosphere. Even the Liujing River was ablaze with red and green light, making the early spring breeze seem warm and enthusiastic.

These scenes were caused by the envoys from Northern Qi and Dongyi City entering the capital.

People wanted to show them the strong and prosperous side of Daqing, so that these foreign envoys who looked down on others would no longer call themselves barbarians.
On the river bank, there were several houseboats not far away. The girls on the boats were busy soliciting customers and from time to time they looked towards the shore. Their eyes were attracted by a young man with an imposing manner.

That person seemed to have some kind of magical power, which made it impossible for people to see his true face, but they were deeply attracted to him and couldn't extricate themselves.

The girls just felt that this young man was a little immature, and thought he was not very old. His every move was in line with the etiquette of a noble, but he was out of tune with the dignitaries around him. He had a jade hairpin in his hair and a jade pendant on his waist. Apart from that, he had no extra clothes. The whole person looked so cute that they wanted to sit down and watch.
If they could spend a night with this person, they would be happy to do so even if it meant paying for it!

On the boat.

An old man dressed as a commoner with deep wrinkles showed a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. He took the wine jug handed to him by his son without any disgust and took a few sips from the spout. Looking at the dancing graceful figures in the field, the things that seemed so fresh and interesting on weekdays now seemed a little boring.

He wanted to leave, but the people beside him forced him to stay.

"Doesn't Prince Jing normally love banquets and lively events? Why is he sighing at today's river cruise? Is it because Chengze's poor hospitality has made Uncle unhappy?" The Second Prince Li Chengze smiled elegantly, blinked at Fan Xian in the corner, and asked curiously.

Prince Jing turned his head unhappily and glanced at his son Li Hongcheng behind him, and said cheerfully: "I am indeed a little unhappy!"

"I was originally chatting with Mr. Fan about literature and flowers and plants, which was quite pleasant. The sudden arrival of the Second Prince broke the atmosphere. I am just not used to it."

It was almost as if he was ruining the fun.

Prince Jing is the Second Prince’s uncle, but at this point there is a distinction between monarch and subject.

One is an idle prince, the other is the son of His Majesty and a strong contender for the throne. Logically, any title is acceptable, but the former chose the least intimate title to honor the other, which made Li Hongcheng behind him evade his gaze.

The words were impolite, but Li Chengze nodded solemnly: "You have to choose the right person to talk about literature and pastoral pleasures. Uncle Wang has found the right person to talk to, Fan Xian."

"It's not my fault that I came here presumptuously and disturbed Uncle Wang's mood. It's because Master Xiao Fan is so difficult to invite, and I haven't been able to get him in the way many times. I heard that he was coming to Uncle Wang's banquet, so I came to Uncle Wang's place shamelessly to ask for a glass of wine. Uncle Wang won't be stingy and refuse, right?"

"Now that you are here, what can I do even if I don't allow you? Just stay here." Prince Jing sat at the head of the table. He couldn't vent his anger on the Second Prince, but his son couldn't escape. If I scolded my son, even the King of Heaven couldn't do anything about it!

He angrily yelled at Li Hongcheng, "You idiot, why do you hang out in these places every day? Are you dazzled by this place? Why are you so nervous today when I came here?"

Crown Prince Li Hongcheng knew that the word "idiot" was his father's catchphrase, so he was not angry in his heart. He just felt a little embarrassed in front of the Second Prince and Fan Xian.

Hearing the hidden meaning of his father's words, he gave a bitter smile and sat down next to Fan Xian in the empty seat on the side, seeming to be quite relaxed.

It's fine if he's angry. I brought the Second Prince here without telling him in advance. If my father doesn't get angry, I'll feel bad when I return home.
He raised his glass, gestured to Fan Xian beside him, and drank it all in one gulp.

Fan Xian smiled slightly and raised his glass in response.

"Second Prince, I wonder why you came here to look for me today?"

Fan Xian's words made Prince Jing frown. After all, he was a young boy with a bad temper. He was so rude when talking to the Second Prince. He was indeed Fan Jian's son!
Damn it!

With Fan Jian's appearance, how could he give birth to such an energetic son?

The more Prince Jing thought about it, the angrier he became. He was furious when he saw his son's timid appearance. Some things are terrible when there is comparison!
Unexpectedly, Li Chengze did not take the question seriously. Instead, he showed an interested look and said, "Now that the peace talks are over, Master Fan has completed his mission. I was feeling bored and was thinking about the poetry meeting that day, so I planned to find you, a talented man, to have some fun."

Yes, this Shamatte has thought himself funny more than once.

He is also a person who eats too much. Perhaps outsiders really cannot understand the fun in the prince's life?

"Your Majesty, thank you for your compliment. How important is my reputation? Everyone knows about it after the Northern Qi delegation arrived. It didn't play a big role in the negotiations!"

When Fan Xian finished speaking, before the Second Prince could say anything, Prince Jing spoke again, "Boy, those Xu Wenmings are really useless in the face of real battles! I guess His Majesty asked you to be the deputy envoy to negotiate with Northern Qi because you are beautiful, like a woman."

As he spoke, his voice became softer and softer.

But who were those present?
The Second Prince was close by, and Fan Xian had great cultivation, so he naturally heard it all clearly.

Fan Xian opened his mouth slightly in a daze. He was indeed outstanding in appearance, as he inherited his mother's looks. Even Wan'er had shown her inferiority complex in front of him more than once, saying that she was not as pretty as him. But, Prince Jing, you can't say in public that you look like a woman, right?
Li Chengze could still bear the teasing smile, but Li Hongcheng chuckled. Seeing his father looking at him with a snort, he quickly turned his head out of the boat, but he didn't expect that he could never take his eyes back after taking a look.
"Hongcheng, do you think I'm wrong?"

Seeing that his son did not respond, Prince Jing raised his eyebrows, revealing a bit of viciousness, and shouted: "Hongcheng? What are you looking at so intently!?"

"what?"

Li Hongcheng quickly turned his head to look at his somewhat annoyed father. His mind was still wandering in the sky, and he could not hear clearly for a moment. He hurriedly asked, "What did father ask just now?"

Seeing that Prince Jing had a bad look on his face, the servants behind him hurriedly whispered a few words of warning. Li Hongcheng then responded, "Didn't father just tease Master Fan about his appearance? I discovered another man with a more peculiar appearance, and I was surprised, so I didn't hear clearly."

Prince Jing snorted twice and followed his son's gaze. His anger disappeared completely as he looked at him. He muttered, "How is this possible? How can there be a man more handsome than Fan?"

Fan Xian and Li Chengze both looked over and soon found the figure of the young man on the shore. They were stunned for a moment and were filled with surprise.

However, Xie Bian, the Sword Breaker of Time, looked a little serious.

He sensed a hint of danger from this person. Seeing that he stood straight and could not be disturbed by the wind, he thought he must have some cultivation skills.
When did such a master appear in Kyoto?

Thinking of the news he had heard in the past two days, Xie Bian hurriedly leaned forward, lowered his center of gravity, and whispered a few words in the second prince's ear.

Li Chengze's expression recovered slightly from the shock. He frowned and thought in his heart that this person was weird. He said slowly: "It should not be that person. Rumor has it that the man has an iron mask on his head and no one has seen his true face. How could we see the flaw so easily? I think it must be the master who came to Kyoto to deal with that person." At this point, the idea of ​​stamp collecting in Li Chengze's mind became more and more intense. He made up his mind that after the matter here was over, he must contact the man on the shore!
"Wang Qinian!"

"grown ups!"

Wang Qinian and Fan Xian looked at each other, nodded slowly, and lowered his voice and said, "Judging from his figure and the size of the boots he's wearing, there's a 70% to 80% chance that he's the Iron Judge."

Seeing that Fan Xian did not show any sign of anxiety, Wang Qinian hastily reminded him, "Your Excellency should be careful. We do not know the other party's purpose, nor do we know why they chose this place. Perhaps they have identified a new target! Otherwise, I will contact the hospital right away."

"Don't act rashly, lest you anger the other party."

Seeing that the situation tonight was becoming more and more complicated, and the day for the banquet for the envoys of the two countries was tomorrow, the patrol soldiers and people from the Supervisory Council in the city were dispersed to ensure the safety of the delegation and prevent any trouble. The Iron Judge chose to appear here at such a time, which made people a little embarrassed!

He was not worried about his own safety. Not to mention that he had never done anything bad, even if the Iron Judge came for him, he would be safe with Uncle Wuzhu guarding somewhere.

Of course, unless he had no other choice, he didn't want to expose Uncle Wu Zhu's existence in public.

But I am fine, but what about the second prince?
Logically speaking, he is a bad guy and is well-known for being bad. If the Iron Judge were to kill him, would you help him or not?

Something had come to his door, and Fan Xian did not want to be too polite to Li Chengze. He coughed lightly to break the silence, drawing everyone's attention to himself, and said loudly: "Second Prince, there are always opportunities to write poems and drink. Tonight, you were supposed to attend the small banquet of His Royal Highness Prince Jing. Second Prince, you came here rashly, but is there anything important that you want to tell me?"

With something hidden in his mind, Li Chengze couldn't help but become anxious.

Staring at Fan Xian's inquiring eyes, the Second Prince said bluntly, "After this peace talk, Lord Fan and Lord Xin have done a great job in receiving the envoys! Let's be frank. Xin Qiwu is my brother's man. The Crown Prince and I are both princes of His Majesty. I can't just stand by and do nothing to help the country."

"When the peace talks are over, I will recommend Master Fan to be the chief envoy to Northern Qi. I will give you a share of the credit, and consider it a good relationship!"

“Although Kyoto is big, it is also a bit boring.”

"I don't ask Master Xiao Fan to join my sect right away, I just ask that you don't hide from me next time I invite you."

Fan Xian's heart tightened when he heard this. While he was surprised, he also felt that Li Chengze was unconventional.

Such an important matter is actually being talked about on this flower boat. Aren't you afraid that someone with ulterior motives might overhear it and let it reach the ears of Your Majesty?
Behind this flower boat is a brothel, not a restaurant. Don't underestimate the difference in just one word, the gap is huge.

Besides, is the Second Prince planning to show his hand? Previously, Fan Xian had guessed that after the peace talks, the people targeting him would arrange for him to go to Northern Qi. After that, no matter if they attacked him or Sean, it would always bring him bad luck. Unexpectedly, it was Li Chengze who stood up first!

Staring closely into Li Chengze's eyes, Fan Xian's smile remained unchanged. He raised his glass and saluted from afar, "Thank you very much for your kindness, Your Highness!"

"Thank you for nothing! You're my brother-in-law from now on, and we have plenty of time to spend together."

Li Chengze returned the toast and stood up. He knew that he was not welcome in this place, so he planned to leave. Seeing this, Li Hongcheng also stood up and bowed silently to Prince Jing.

"Uncle Wang, Master Fan, there will be a banquet in the imperial court tomorrow night. Let's have a good drink then!"

"Send it to the Second Prince."

"Stay!"

Li Chengze didn't know what Fan Xian was thinking. If he knew, he would just say, "That's right! This time they asked you to go to Northern Qi just to get you. Can you refuse?"

Fan Xian's successive great achievements are becoming more and more important in the eyes of his father. Needless to say, he is getting closer and closer to the financial power of the inner treasury.

Not to mention that the Second Prince couldn't bear it anymore, even his aunt the eldest princess couldn't hold back and planned to use force!
After Li Chengze left, Prince Jing drank and cursed: "My second son is getting more and more outrageous! And Hongcheng, he hangs around behind me all day long and doesn't do his job properly. When I return home, I will definitely teach him a lesson and make him return to the right path!"

Is it possible for them to interfere in this dispute between princes?
Don’t even mention whether you think this way or not. Even if you stand next to the Second Prince, others will only think that you are working for the Second Prince and are his man!
And that is indeed the case.
Most of the brothel industries in Kyoto are controlled by Li Hongcheng. He is the second prince's official money bag, and this cannot be concealed.

As Prince Jing, why should he let his son take the risk of participating in the fight for the throne among the princes?
He didn't even think about it. If he hadn't backed down quickly, the Emperor of Qing would have become a lonely man with no brothers or sisters!
This scolding contained a sincere feeling of disappointment, but it was mostly meant for Fan Xian to hear.
No matter what, as a father, he still has to help his son and not let Hongcheng leave a bad impression in Fan Xian's mind. He has a vague feeling that no one can imagine the heights that Fan Xian can reach in the future!

"Hahaha, why should Your Highness be angry? Prince Hongcheng's ability is obvious to everyone. He is also a leader among the younger generation. You should be happy!" Fan Xian smiled slightly, raised his glass and drank with Prince Jing again. In fact, most of his mind remained in the outside world, guarding against the Iron Judge.

Prince Jing also sighed. He turned a blind eye to his son's actions.

Things in this world, sometimes seem to be advantageous but are actually not, and sometimes seem to be disadvantages but are actually advantages. After all, the current Majesty is not the eldest prince of the late emperor.

Is that Lee Seung-taek?

There is some possibility
Tonight was supposed to be a time for viewing the scenery and chatting, and also for Fan Xian to relax. However, the peaceful atmosphere was completely destroyed by the Second Prince's comings and goings, so naturally he could no longer drink the wine.

The two were about to part ways, but unexpectedly, something unexpected happened:
On the bank of the river, a wheelchair slowly approached the handsome young man who had been waiting for a long time. Behind him was a figure wrapped in a black robe. The man pushed the wheelchair forward with nothing in his hands, and his movements showed both strength and sharpness.

The wheelchair moved as if on flat ground, but the figure was ready to go, full of fighting spirit!
After the wheelchair came to a stop, there was silence for a moment. Chen Pingping smiled and asked, "What is your purpose here?"

The Iron Judge shifted his gaze from Shadow's hands to Chen Pingping's smiling face and responded calmly, "Find a man."

"Oh?"

Chen Pingping squinted his eyes and smiled happily, but in the blink of an eye, his smile disappeared completely. He opened his eyes and a gleam of light flashed in them. Even his hands slowly touched the armrests on both sides of the wheelchair. He looked up and down at this beautiful, almost weird person, and then he murmured:

"Your Excellency came to this place of willows and smoke not to look for a woman, but to look for a man."

"man?"

(End of this chapter)