Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

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"Have you rested enough?" Li Chengze stood up and stretched. "Yes, I'm rested. Let's go to the next stop. I heard there's a clay sculptor in front of the teahouse who can sculpt lifelike figures. Let's get a pair made as souvenirs."

"good!"

Lin Wan'er felt full of energy and stood up happily, taking the initiative to grab Li Chengze's sleeve.

The effect of drinking that tea with the added "ingredients" was immediate.

Lin Wan'er, who used to be out of breath after just a few steps, now felt as if she had been relieved of a heavy burden.

The warm current flowed through my body, not only dispelling the chill but also seemingly injecting boundless vitality into this frail body.

Once outside the teahouse, Lin Wan'er's steps became noticeably lighter. She even jogged over to the dough figurine stall on the street corner.

"Second cousin, come quick! This Sun Wukong sculpture looks just like him!"

Li Chengze followed behind, fanning himself with a folding fan. He looked at the girl's cheeks, flushed with excitement, and her back, no longer hunched but straight, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Although this Marrow Cleansing Pill is only one percent of the recommended dosage, it still has some effect.

The two had a great time that night.

As night fell and the city lights came on, the two ate two bowls of steaming wontons at a roadside stall before Li Chengze led the still-wanting Lin Wan'er onto the carriage to return home.

……

The entrance to the Prime Minister's residence was brightly lit.

Lin Ruofu remained standing there, as if he hadn't moved an inch since the afternoon. His face was ashen, and his eyes, usually filled with scheming and calculation, were now fixed intently on the slowly coming to a stop carriage.

If looks could kill, Li Chengze would probably be riddled with arrows by now.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Li Chengze jumped down first, then very gracefully reached out to help Lin Wan'er out of the carriage.

"Father..." When Lin Wan'er saw her father's dark face, her excitement vanished instantly, and she lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.

"Prime Minister Lin, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Li Chengze, however, seemed completely oblivious to Lin Ruofu's expression, wearing his signature, slightly roguish, bright smile. He even patted Lin Ruofu's shoulder in a very familiar manner, which Lin Ruofu dodged to the side.

"Returned to its rightful owner, unharmed. In fact..." Li Chengze looked Lin Wan'er up and down, smiling as he said, "Her complexion is even rosier than before. Prime Minister Lin, there's no need to thank me."

Lin Ruofu looked at his daughter and indeed found that she showed no signs of a relapse; in fact, she seemed even more energetic than before he left. He swallowed the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue and could only let out a heavy snort: "Hmph! Your Highness, please see the guest out!"

After saying that, he grabbed Lin Wan'er and went into the mansion without looking back. With a "bang," the gate slammed shut, almost hitting Li Chengze's nose.

Li Chengze touched the tip of his nose, shrugged at the tightly closed gate, turned around, humming a little tune as he got into the carriage.

……

The following day, at the Taiji Hall.

Morning bells and evening drums, officials in their respective positions.

The main hall was resplendent in gold and jade, yet the atmosphere remained solemn and somber as always.

Emperor Qing sat high on the dragon throne, wearing a loose white robe, his hair casually draped over his shoulders. He was playing with a jade ruyi that he had acquired from who-knows-where, his eyes half-open, seemingly asleep.

However, this seemingly peaceful court was instantly shattered when an imperial censor stepped out of the ranks.

"Your Majesty! Your subject, Censor Guo Zheng, has a memorial to present!"

Guo Zheng, his face radiating righteous indignation, held his imperial tablet, his voice so powerful it seemed to shatter the glazed tiles of the hall, "Your subject must impeach His Highness the Second Prince for indulging in frivolous pursuits, behaving improperly, and failing to uphold royal decorum!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes of the court officials immediately turned to Li Chengze, who was standing in the front row.

Li Chengze, the person involved, seemed not to hear anything at the moment. He was wearing a purple and gold python robe today, but it was loosely worn. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and he was looking down, studying the patterns on the floor tiles of the main hall with great interest, as if some peerless martial arts manual was engraved on them.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian stood on the other side, his back ramrod straight, his eyes fixed straight ahead, but the barely suppressed schadenfreude on the corner of his mouth was impossible to hide.

Seeing that the Second Prince had no reaction, Guo Zheng became even more furious, raising his voice three octaves higher: "Yesterday, in broad daylight, Your Highness actually... paraded through the West Market with an unidentified woman! Eating at roadside stalls, watching street performances, and even lingering in front of a gambling den! A prince of such high standing, lacking ambition and moral character, actually mingling with peddlers and laborers—it's simply... utterly absurd!"

"Cough cough..."

Just as the Crown Prince's henchmen were preparing to launch a coordinated attack, several coughs suddenly came from the crowd.

A vice minister from the Ministry of Rites slowly stepped forward. This vice minister had just presented a jade Guanyin statue to the Second Prince's residence a few days ago, and now was the perfect time to show his loyalty.

"Imperial Censor Guo is mistaken," the Vice Minister retorted with a stern expression, bowing slightly. "His Highness has just entered the court, and this is precisely the time when he needs to understand the hardships of the people. What are the people's livelihood? Isn't it just the daily necessities, the myriad aspects of life in the marketplace? His Highness has gone deep into the countryside, personally tasting the people's food and witnessing their entertainment. This is clearly an act of understanding the people's sentiments and a benevolent deed. How did it become, in Imperial Censor Guo's mouth, a waste of time and energy?"

"Exactly!"

Immediately afterward, an official from the Ministry of Revenue also stepped forward, this time presenting a box of pearls. He said, "If princes only know the finery and luxury of the palace, and are unaware of the hardships of the common people, that would be a disaster for the Great Celebration! The Second Prince's actions are reminiscent of the wise princes of old. In my humble opinion, he should be rewarded, not punished!"

"Nonsense! Eating candied hawthorns is considered understanding the people's plight?" Guo Zheng was so angry that his beard trembled.

"Why not?" Another official who had given Li Chengze a "gift" stepped forward, saying matter-of-factly, "His Highness eating candied hawthorns...that shows he understands prices! Imperial Censor Guo, you don't even understand this? You're far too pedantic!"

For a time, the imperial court was in complete chaos.

The Crown Prince's faction's prepared long speech was completely shut down by these "unreasonable" officials.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian's face turned from white to green, then from green to black, his grip on the imperial tablet creaking loudly. He never expected that, after only a few days of the second prince establishing his own residence, so many people in the court would speak up for him.

And the reason is so... refreshing and unconventional?

Lin Ruofu, who had been silent all along, was now looking down at his nose, seemingly lost in meditation, like an old monk in deep thought. But his slightly narrowed eyes would occasionally glance at Emperor Qing on the dragon throne.

He knew perfectly well that the "unidentified woman" from yesterday was none other than his own daughter. But he couldn't say it, nor dared he. What he cared more about was His Majesty's attitude towards the matter.

Finally, Emperor Qing on the dragon throne moved.

He gently tapped the jade ruyi in his hand on the armrest.

"bite."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the noisy court.

Emperor Qing slowly sat up straight, his unfathomable eyes piercing through the steps and landing on Li Chengze.

"Chengze".