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

Splash!

Dozens of palace guards rushed forward instantly, surrounding Fan Xian, their hands on their sword hilts, exuding murderous intent.

"Fan Xian has shown no respect for hierarchy and has offended me. Seize him! He will be given thirty strokes of the cane as a warning to others!"

The crown prince's face contorted in a ferocious expression.

Today, he intends to seize the opportunity to humiliate Fan Xian, which means to destroy the reputation that Emperor Qing has established, and more importantly, to show the Second Prince, who has not yet appeared!

Fan Xian's eyes narrowed, and his domineering true energy circulated secretly within his body.

He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to be so foolish as to resort to violence in a place like the Imperial Academy.

Just as tensions were running high and a conflict was about to erupt.

"Slap, slap, slap."

A crisp, languid clapping sound suddenly came from the roof of Minglun Hall.

Everyone was shocked and looked up.

Two figures suddenly appeared atop the high eaves of the Minglun Hall, one of whom was seated. The other stood behind him, holding a sword in his arms.

The person sitting down was dressed in a purple and gold robe, with his long hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin. He was squatting on the roof ridge without any regard for his image, holding a bunch of crystal-clear grapes in his hand.

He ate grapes while watching the farce below with a smile, his legs still dangling in mid-air.

What's most striking are his feet.

Fair-skinned, slender, and naked, without shoes.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

Li Chengze spat out a grape skin, which flew through the air in an arc and landed precisely on Guo Baokun's official hat.

"Second Brother?!" The Crown Prince's expression changed, and a hint of fear flashed in his eyes.

"Your Highness!"

The students and officials present bowed, their expressions even more respectful than when they had met the Crown Prince earlier, even showing a hint of fear.

Li Chengze ignored everyone's greetings and beckoned to Xie Bi'an behind him. Xie Bi'an squatted down slightly, and Li Chengze stood up and climbed onto Xie Bi'an's back.

call--

The purple robes fluttered in the air like a giant butterfly. Xie Bi'an carried Li Chengze and landed lightly between Fan Xian and the Crown Prince, landing silently without even stirring up a speck of dust.

"Your Highness is quite imposing."

Li Chengze casually tossed the remaining half of the grapes to Xie Bi'an behind him, then looked at the Crown Prince with a smile, "Today is the first day of school at the Imperial Academy. Father Emperor appointed me as the supervisor to prevent anyone from causing trouble. What, Your Highness, do you want to be the one causing trouble?"

The Crown Prince's face turned ashen: "Second Prince, stop with your sarcastic remarks. Fan Xian has no respect for hierarchy; I'm disciplining him to ease Father's burden!"

"Share the burden?" Li Chengze chuckled, walked to Fan Xian's side, and casually placed his hand on Fan Xian's shoulder, as if the two were old friends who had not seen each other for many years.

Fan Xian's body stiffened. He knew that this hand could turn into a sharp claw at any moment and crush his collarbone.

"Fan Xian was appointed as an academic instructor by my father, and he's also under my supervision." Li Chengze tilted his head, looking at the Crown Prince, his eyes gradually turning cold. "You wanted to hit him, did you even ask me?"

"You!" The Crown Prince trembled with rage. "Li Chengze, don't go too far! Didn't you want to kill him? Why are you protecting him now?"

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Although everyone knew that the Second Prince and Fan Xian didn't get along, the Crown Prince's bluntness in saying it still sent chills down people's spines.

Li Chengze's smile widened. He leaned closer to the Crown Prince and said in a voice only the three of them could hear, "I am going to kill him, but that's my business. My prey is mine to deal with. What... are you?"

The crown prince's pupils contracted sharply, and his face drained of color. He hadn't expected Li Chengze to be so arrogant, publicly humiliating the crown prince!

"You...you..." The Crown Prince pointed at Li Chengze, his finger trembling, but he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Li Chengze ignored the Crown Prince and turned to look at Fan Xian.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Fan Xian's eyes were wary, inquisitive, and held a hint of stubborn defiance.

Li Chengze's eyes were playful, profound, and held a knowing, mocking quality.

"Fan Xian," Li Chengze patted Fan Xian's shoulder, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, "I've heard you're a master poet. Today is the opening day of the Imperial Academy, why not compose a poem for me? If you do well, I'll guarantee your safety today. If you don't..."

Li Chengze's lips curled into a cruel smile as he pointed to the menacing guards of the Eastern Palace around him: "Then I'll help the Crown Prince out and break your legs, how about that?"

Fan Xian felt a chill run down his spine.

This is a trap.

Li Chengze wasn't there to help him at all; he was there to make things even more muddy.

He humiliated the Crown Prince and also forced himself into this predicament. And what was Emperor Qing scheming about? Knowing full well that he and the Second Prince were irreconcilable enemies because of the arranged marriage, why did he still place him under Li Chengze's command?

"What kind of poem would Your Highness like to hear?" Fan Xian took a deep breath, suppressed his thoughts, and asked with a smile.

"Whatever." Li Chengze shrugged, walked to the armchair next to him, took the seat that originally belonged to the Crown Prince, and then crossed his legs without any regard for appearances. "As long as it makes me happy."

Looking at the young man sitting in the high seat, barefoot, with a lazy expression yet in complete control of the room, Fan Xian suddenly felt a strong competitive spirit surge within him.

We're both time travelers, so why are you so arrogant?

Fan Xian looked around, at the mocking students, at the angry but daring Crown Prince, and at the aloof Li Chengze.

He laughed suddenly.

They laughed wildly and unrestrainedly.

"Very well! Since Your Highness wishes to hear it, then I, Fan, will make a fool of myself!"

Fan Xian abruptly flicked his sleeve, took a step forward, and his clear voice resounded throughout the entire Minglun Hall:

"Have you not seen the Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return!"

This sentence is powerful and majestic, like a thunderclap!

The previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent, everyone staring wide-eyed, awestruck by the bold spirit in the poem.

Li Chengze's previously nonchalant expression faltered slightly, and the fingers holding the grapes stopped in mid-air.

"Have you not seen the sorrow reflected in the bright mirror of the high hall, where white hair grieves, once black as silk in the morning, now turned to snow by evening!"

Fan Xian took another step, his gaze fixed on Li Chengze, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

"Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful; don't let your golden goblet stand empty before the moon!"

"Everyone has their own unique talents, and even if I spend all my money, it will come back again!"

With each sentence Fan Xian uttered, the atmosphere at the Imperial Academy reached a climax.

Those students who had previously looked down on Fan Xian were now blushing and filled with excitement.

The crown prince was stunned by the poem and stood there, momentarily forgetting to be angry.

"Drinking Song..." Li Chengze murmured to himself, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "It's been so long since I've heard it."

When Fan Xian recited the last line, "A dappled horse, a thousand pieces of gold, call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, to dispel with you the sorrows of ages past," the entire audience fell silent.

After a long while, a thunderous applause and cheers erupted!

Even the guards of the Eastern Palace couldn't help but show their admiration.

Fan Xian stood in the center of the arena, his robes fluttering, like a banished immortal. He looked at Li Chengze and raised an eyebrow: "Second Prince, does this poem please your ears?"

Li Chengze slowly stood up from his chair.

He neither clapped nor spoke; he simply watched Fan Xian quietly.

After a long while, he suddenly laughed.

"A beautiful poem."

Li Chengze walked barefoot to Fan Xian step by step.

The two were so close that they could hear each other breathing.

"Fan Xian, you certainly didn't disappoint me." Li Chengze leaned close to Fan Xian's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I really like this poem, 'Bring in the Wine.' However... I have a few things I want to remind you of."

Li Chengze's voice suddenly turned chilling:

"Everyone has their own unique talents? In this world, the most useful people often die the fastest. The sharper your blade, the more eager someone will be to break you."

After speaking, Li Chengze straightened up and resumed his lazy demeanor.

"Your Highness," Li Chengze turned to the stunned Crown Prince, "you've heard the poetry, you've seen the play. Shouldn't the Imperial Academy continue now that classes have started? Or perhaps you'd like to stay for lunch?"

The Crown Prince's face turned pale and then red; he knew he couldn't save face today. Fan Xian's poem stunned everyone, while Li Chengze watched intently from the sidelines.

"Hmph! Let's go!"

The crown prince flicked his sleeves and led Guo Baokun and his guards away in a sorry state.

With the departure of the crown prince, this farce finally came to an end.

Li Chengze stretched and yawned: "Boring, really boring. Xie Bi'an, let's go back to the manor."

"Yes."

Li Chengze turned to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped.

He didn't turn around, but simply said with his back to Fan Xian:

"Fan Xian, the scenery at the villa is lovely. Wan'er really likes the pills I gave her. When you have time, go visit her more often. After all... you might not have the chance again."

After saying that, Li Chengze laughed three times, then walked barefoot along the bluestone path of the Imperial Academy and strode away.

Watching Li Chengze's departing figure, Fan Xian clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh.

"Li Chengze..." Fan Xian gritted his teeth, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Wang Qinian, who was standing nearby, came over and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "My lord, this Second Prince... he's simply insane. Just now, I really thought he was going to kill someone on the spot."

"He's more terrifying than a madman." Fan Xian took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Because he's a sane madman."

Fan Xian turned around and looked at the majestic Imperial Academy before him, but there was no sense of ease in his heart.

He knew that today's confrontation was just the beginning.

Li Chengze, the Crown Prince, Emperor Qing...

Even if he has memories of his previous life, domineering true energy, Uncle Wuzhu, and...

He found that he felt no sense of security at all, but instead felt a chill running through him all the time.

He had a gut feeling that Li Chengze was definitely the one hiding the deepest secret.

Fan Xian stared in the direction Li Chengze had disappeared, silently vowing, "I'm determined to finish this game!"

……

Fan Xian returned to his residence and, without even exchanging a few words with Ruoruo, rushed into his bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it with a bolt.

He sat at his desk, his hand trembling slightly as he ground ink, not from fear, but from the excitement and trepidation brought on by his brain working at breakneck speed.

He sat at his desk, his hand trembling slightly as he ground ink, not from fear, but from the excitement and trepidation brought on by his brain working at breakneck speed.

Fan Xian spread out a sheet of Xuan paper, picked up his brush, dipped it in thick ink, and wrote several names heavily on the paper:

The Crown Prince, Li Chengze, Emperor Qing, Lin Wan'er, and the Eldest Princess.

The flickering candlelight cast his shadow long and short, much like the ever-changing situation in Kyoto.

Fan Xian stared at the names, his pen tip hovering in mid-air, ink dripping down and spreading into a black flower on the paper.

"This is more than just a marriage..." Fan Xian murmured to himself, his pen beginning to underline the names.

First, he linked Lin Wan'er and the Eldest Princess together, and wrote two words next to them: Inner Treasury.

"Marrying Lin Wan'er will allow me to take over the Imperial Treasury. This is the lifeblood of the Eldest Princess and also Li Chengze's biggest source of wealth."

Then, he connected the eldest princess with Li Chengze, put a big question mark on it, and then drew an X.

"The Eldest Princess supports the Second Prince, Li Chengze, allowing him to rival the Crown Prince and even subtly gain the upper hand. But why doesn't the Eldest Princess support the more legitimate Crown Prince, instead supporting Li Chengze? Besides Lin Wan'er, there must be some unknown close connection between him and the Eldest Princess."

Fan Xian's gaze moved upwards and finally landed on the name at the very top—Emperor Qing.

The pen tip pressed heavily on the name, its force penetrating the paper.

"Old fox..." Fan Xian gritted his teeth, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

"This was all a scheme you orchestrated."

Fan Xian took a deep breath, and the fog in his mind gradually dissipated.

"His Majesty knows perfectly well that Li Chengze and Lin Wan'er are childhood sweethearts with a deep bond, yet he still insists on betrothing Wan'er to him. This is not an act of favor; it's a knife! A knife used to sever the connection between Li Chengze and the Princess!"

"Once I marry Wan'er and take over the Imperial Treasury, the Eldest Princess's control over finances will fall into other hands. Li Chengze will be crippled without the Eldest Princess's support from the Imperial Treasury. And the Crown Prince..."

Fan Xian moved the tip of his pen toward the Crown Prince.

"The Crown Prince has been suppressed too much by Li Chengze over the years. He's eager to prove himself and regain the initiative. That's why he's targeting me like this—because I'm the variable, and in his eyes, an 'opportunity'? An opportunity for him to show off?"

but……

Fan Xian frowned, his pen unconsciously drawing circles on the paper.

"Why me?"

This is what he can't understand the most.

"My father, Fan Jian, although he is the Minister of Revenue, in charge of the nation's finances and wields great power, is still merely a subject before the Emperor's authority and before these princes and the eldest princess. To balance the court and to keep his son in check, Emperor Qing could have easily chosen a son of a more powerful and influential family?"

"Or perhaps... Emperor Qing is plotting something against the Fan family?"

Fan Xian thought of Uncle Wu Zhu, and even of his mother Ye Qingmei, whom he had never met.

This pool of water is too deep.

Finally, Fan Xian's gaze returned to Li Chengze's name.

"What are you still hiding? And what do you want me to do?"