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

Those two boxes of imperial pastries and the pair of luminous cups were like boulders thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

Those neutral officials in the court who were originally observing and acting like weather vanes suddenly seemed to have seen the light overnight.

This isn't a reward from Your Majesty; it's clearly a sign of the way!

Now that the weathervane has turned, those who think they're so clever naturally know which way to lean.

As a result, the threshold of the Second Prince's residence was visibly lowered by three-tenths of an inch.

Every day, carriages carrying gifts lined up in a long queue at the gate of the mansion.

Rare antiques, calligraphy and paintings by famous people, and even spices and beautiful women from the Western Regions were delivered to the mansion like a flowing stream.

In response, Li Chengze acted...very "magnanimously".

"Why not accept it?"

He squatted barefoot on the armchair, flipping through the gift list while tossing grapes into his mouth. He mumbled to the steward, "They've given us such a kind gift; if we refuse, wouldn't it make me, the prince, seem heartless? Accept them all, register them. Tonight, hold a banquet and invite all the gift-givers. I want to properly 'thank' them."

As a result, the Second Prince's residence was filled with revelry and bright lights every night.

Li Chengze welcomed everyone, even putting his arm around officials at banquets, showing no airs of a prince, which greatly increased his "approachability" among the court officials.

In just a few days, the forces gathered around him expanded rapidly, forming a huge camp in the court that rivaled the Crown Prince.

In his spare time, Li Chengze's favorite thing to do was to go to the Prime Minister's residence and Guangxin Palace.

Inside the Lin family mansion, Prime Minister Lin Ruofu watched the Second Prince squatting on the artificial hill in his own garden, teasing his daughter Lin Wan'er with a chicken leg, and his beard twitched with anger.

If it were in the past, he would have already had someone "invite" this unruly prince out.

But now, seeing the almost obsessive doting on the Second Prince by the person in the Imperial Study, this old fox managed to hold back.

"Never mind, never mind..." Lin Ruofu stood with his hands behind his back in the corridor and sighed. He decided to avoid seeing it and would rather not be bothered by it, so he turned around and went back to his study.

……

The sky was clear and the air was crisp on this day.

Li Chengze strolled into the palace again, and arrived at Guangxin Palace as if he knew the way well.

Inside the palace, sheer curtains fluttered in the breeze, and incense smoke curled gently.

Princess Li Yunrui, dressed in a snow-white gauze palace dress, lay languidly on a cushioned chaise lounge.

The thin white veil subtly outlined her graceful figure, while her black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, giving her a breathtaking beauty that blended allure and sanctity.

When Li Chengze entered, he didn't ask anyone to announce his arrival. He went straight to the table in front of the couch, unceremoniously grabbed a peeled lychee and stuffed it into his mouth. Then, as was his habit, he kicked off his shoes and curled up in the large armchair next to him like a cat.

"You've been having quite the good time these past few days."

Li Yunrui didn't open her eyes, her slender fingers gently playing with a strand of her hair. Her voice was lazy and soft, like a feather brushing against the heart, "Half of the officials in the court are talking about your name now. Even I, a woman deep in the palace, am tired of hearing it."

"Auntie is joking," Li Chengze said, chewing on a lychee. "It's just that everyone is giving me face by coming over for a meal. My mansion is basically a big dining hall now."

Li Yunrui slowly opened her eyes, her eyes, which seemed to hold autumn water, fixed on Li Chengze, and a smile that was not quite a smile appeared on her lips.

"The cafeteria?"

She chuckled softly, propped herself up, and her white veil slipped down, revealing a section of her fair, snow-white wrist. "Chengze, you're a smart child. There are some things your aunt doesn't need to point out. Now that His Majesty has pushed you to the forefront, the fire has already been lit, and you can't back down even if you want to."

As Li Yunrui spoke, her eyes darted around, her tone carrying a hint of probing and seduction:

"To tell your aunt the truth, seeing the Crown Prince's furious state in the Eastern Palace, and seeing the officials' obsequious respect for you... don't you also want to sit on that position and truly challenge the Crown Prince?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze, who was still chewing lychees, suddenly stopped.

He slowly spat the fruit pit from his mouth into his palm and casually tossed it into the trash can beside him. That mask of cynicism and nonchalance seemed to be stripped away in that instant by some heavy emotion, revealing a face filled with sorrow and helplessness.

He lowered his eyes, no longer looking into Li Yunrui's eyes that seemed to see right through people. His voice was low and tinged with self-mockery: "Aunt, you watched Chengze grow up. Do you think I'm the kind of person who likes to fight for power and profit?"

He took a deep breath and leaned back. Sitting in the armchair, he stared blankly at the intricate coffered ceiling above him.

"That position... is too high, too cold, and too tiring. The Crown Prince is watching, the Emperor is on guard, and the entire court is scheming against me. If I were to sit there, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to get a good night's sleep."

Li Chengze turned his head to look at Li Yunrui, a longing in his eyes, an intense yearning for freedom: "Actually, what I really want is to be like those characters in the books, a free spirit. To read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles, to see the snow and wind of Northern Qi, to see the sea of ​​Eastern Yi... instead of being trapped in these four red walls, a pawn to be manipulated."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Li Yunrui watched him quietly, observing the genuine weariness and longing in the boy's eyes. After a long while, she sighed softly, her voice low and melancholic, like a bucket of ice water, mercilessly extinguishing the fantasy in Li Chengze's mouth.

"Silly child."

She slowly sat up straight, her tone carrying a cruel yet compassionate understanding of the world, "Do you think you still have a chance?"

Li Chengze froze.

Li Yunrui stretched out his finger and gently fiddled with the incense burner on the table, watching the wisps of smoke rise, and said casually, "You and I both know what kind of person my elder brother is. He gave you the honor of establishing your own government, the power to enter the court and listen to government affairs, and even rewards that rival those of the Crown Prince... These things were never given for free."

She turned her head, her gaze sharp as a needle, piercing straight into Li Chengze's heart: "This is the emperor's grace, but also his shackles. The moment you accepted the first imperial edict, you were already caught in the trap, with no way to retreat. You want to live a carefree life? Ha... I'm afraid you'll be reduced to ashes the moment you step out of the capital."

Li Chengze's face turned pale instantly, and the light in his eyes dimmed little by little, like a fledgling bird lost in a storm, filled with helplessness and fear.

"Then... what should I do?"

He sat up abruptly, leaning forward as if grasping at a last straw, his voice trembling slightly: "Aunt, I don't want to die, nor do I want to be used as a whetstone by Father... Please teach me, what should I do?"