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

In late autumn in Kyoto, the wind already carried a biting chill.

However, even colder than the autumn wind was the suffocatingly low pressure in the Taiji Hall.

A confidential report from the Bureau of Investigation, sent urgently from all directions, stirred up huge waves like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

"Snapped!"

On his desk, Emperor Qing, who usually kept his emotions hidden, suddenly slammed the memorial in his hand onto the gold-brick floor. The crisp sound echoed in the empty hall, making the hearts of the assembled officials tremble.

"Great! Excellent!"

Emperor Qing's voice didn't reveal much emotion, but anyone could hear the turbulent undercurrents beneath the calm surface. "Lin Gong, as the son of the prime minister, instead of serving his country, he actually dared to collude with foreign enemies and defect to Northern Qi!"

Below the main hall, civil and military officials remained silent, trembling with fear.

The evidence presented by the Forensic Bureau was irrefutable—spies from the Northern Qi Imperial Guard were on the border to provide cover, people in the capital city witnessed someone resembling Lin Gong entering and leaving brothels, and there was even a jade pendant belonging to Lin Gong that had been circulating in the Northern Qi black market. Each and every one of these facts nailed the fact that "Lin Gong defected" to the spot.

Standing at the forefront of the officials, Lin Ruofu seemed to have aged twenty years in an instant. He stepped forward again, trembling, removed his official hat, and slowly knelt down, his forehead hitting the cold ground with a heavy thud.

"This old minister... has failed in his duty to educate his son, causing him to commit heinous crimes, bringing shame upon the family and disgracing Your Majesty! This old minister... deserves to die!"

Lin Ruofu's voice was shrill and hoarse, and his whole body trembled. His heartbroken and ashamed appearance was so moving that it would break the hearts of anyone who heard it and bring tears to their eyes.

If Li Chengze hadn't already known the inside story, he probably would have been impressed by the acting skills of the current prime minister.

Li Chengze stood in the line of princes, his eyes lowered, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

Your acting was superb, Your Excellency. If there were an Oscar in Daqing, the golden statuette would undoubtedly belong to you.

He applauded inwardly. Lin Ruofu was not only putting on an act for His Majesty, but also for the entire court, and especially for the Eldest Princess.

At this moment, Princess Li Yunrui, standing behind the beaded curtain on the other side, had a look of surprise and uncertainty on her beautiful face.

She stared intently at Lin Ruofu kneeling on the ground, the silk handkerchief in her hand almost torn to shreds.

How is that possible?

A storm raged in Li Yunrui's heart.

She was the one colluding with Northern Qi; Lin Gong was merely the operator and had no real connection with Northern Qi. How did she end up in Northern Qi?!

Who is it? Who exactly is helping him?

Li Yunrui's gaze swept across the court like a venomous snake.

The Censorate? Impossible. That old dog Chen Pingping would skin Lin Gong alive. Fan Xian? He doesn't have that ability.

Finally, her gaze fell on Lin Ruofu.

Could it be you? Lin Ruofu...you old fox, you've actually been colluding with the Northern Qi royal family behind my back?

The more Li Yunrui thought about it, the more alarmed she became.

If Lin Ruofu also had channels to collude with the enemy, then sending his son to Northern Qi was not only to save his own life, but also to keep a trump card to counterbalance Li Yunrui!

Well, Lin Ruofu, you always pretend to be a loyal and filial son, but you're actually even more cunning than I am!

Li Yunrui felt an unprecedented sense of loss of control.

She prided herself on being in control of everything, manipulating men at will, but now she felt like a blind woman, completely unable to see how the game was going.

Lin Ruofu, kneeling on the ground, could keenly feel the piercing gaze from the Princess, even with his head bowed.

He sneered inwardly, but on the surface he still wore a look of utter grief.

Guess, Li Yunrui, just keep guessing.

You'd never guess that the real chess player is standing in your dear nephew's line.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Qing watched this grand drama of "filial piety and mutual distrust between ruler and subject," a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

He slowly stood up, walked to the edge of the steps, and looked down at Lin Ruofu.

"Prime Minister Lin, get up."

Emperor Qing's voice softened somewhat.

Lin Ruofu remained kneeling, refusing to rise: "This old minister is willing to resign from the position of prime minister, and retreat into seclusion to reflect on my mistakes, in order to atone for the sins of my rebellious son!"

"There's no need for resignation." Seeing Lin Ruofu mention resignation again, Emperor Qing's eyes flashed with a thoughtful expression, wondering whether this was the work of the Eldest Princess or the old fox Lin Ruofu. However, as the saying goes, Lin Ruofu still held some influence in court. His tone was indifferent. "This intelligence merely confirms what happened last time. Rise."

But then, Emperor Qing abruptly changed his tone, his eyes instantly becoming as sharp as a hawk's, piercing straight to the heart.

"Now the evidence is conclusive. Lin Gong was able to escape because someone was helping him. The Northern Qi's reach has gone too far; it's even right under my nose!"

Emperor Qing suddenly turned his head and looked at Fan Xian, who was standing in the corner.

"Fan Xian!"

"Your subject is here." Fan Xian stepped forward.

"As the Director of the Censorate and the Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, you bear a responsibility for the security of the capital." Emperor Qing's voice was as cold as iron. "I grant you special privileges, appointing you to head one division of the Censorate. From this day forward, turn the capital upside down! I don't care if he's a spy from Northern Qi or a swordsman from Dongyi City; as long as he's a rat lurking in the shadows, drag him out!"

"Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!"

These last eight words, carrying a strong stench of blood, sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

Fan Xian felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that His Majesty was using this as an excuse to purge the forces in the capital.

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Fan Xian answered loudly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

This is exactly what he wanted! With this imperial sword, he could legitimately use the pretext of an investigation to directly target the Princess!

Upon hearing this imperial decree, Li Yunrui's face turned deathly pale.

To have Fan Xian investigate Northern Qi spies?

This is practically handing a knife to your enemy!

She had been operating in Daqing for many years, and although her secret dealings with Northern Qi were clandestine, anything done by a human would leave traces.

If Fan Xian starts biting wildly, there's no guarantee he won't bite something out of nowhere.

Brother... are you giving me a warning?

Li Yunrui looked at Emperor Qing, but only saw an unfathomable imperial face.

……

After the court session ended, the situation changed drastically.

On the streets of Kyoto, the Black Riders of the Censorate and secret agents from one branch began to move out frequently, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the entire city.

The Second Prince's Mansion.

Li Chengze returned to his residence, took off his heavy court robes, and put on a loose and comfortable blue shirt.

He was in a great mood, even humming an unknown tune, and walked barefoot on the soft carpet, swaying leisurely all the way to the backyard.

"Your Highness seems to be in a good mood today?"

A soft, melodious voice came from the end of the corridor.

Li Chengze stopped and looked up.

Hidden among the flowers, a woman in a pale pink dress stood gracefully. Her skin was as white as snow, her features exquisite, especially her eyes, which seemed to hold a pool of spring water; a single glance could make one's bones melt.

"Oh, it's Riri."

Li Chengze broke into a bright smile, his usually half-closed eyes now appearing exceptionally clear. "I watched a good show in court today, so I'm naturally in a good mood. Lili, were you waiting for me?"

Si Lili gave a slight curtsy, her posture extremely elegant: "Your Highness has not returned to the residence for meals for many days, so I have specially prepared a few dishes from my hometown. I wonder if Your Highness would do me the honor of dining here?"

In the past few days, Si Lili has been trying to get close to Li Chengze. However, although this second prince seems unrestrained and unruly, he is actually very cunning.

She tried several times to get information out of him, but he skillfully deflected her every time, and she even ended up getting the upper hand verbally.

As for sacrificing herself, she still couldn't bring herself to do it.

Li Chengze looked at the delicious "bait" in front of him, stroked his chin, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

"How could I refuse an invitation from a beautiful woman?"

He strode forward, unabashedly reaching out to embrace Si Lili's slender waist, and leaned close to her ear, inhaling the faint scent of her perfume. "Perfect timing, I'm hungry too."

Si Lili stiffened slightly, then nestled into Li Chengze's arms, a hint of shyness flashing in her eyes, but her heart was ice-cold.

……

Inside the flower hall, the table was laden with delicacies.

Si Lili had clearly put her heart into it; most of the dishes on the table were exquisite yet light.

Li Chengze didn't stand on ceremony and sat down with an air of authority, enjoying the food while being served wine by a beautiful woman.

"Your Highness, please try this 'Crystal Stewed Meat.' Although it cannot compare to the imperial cuisine in the palace, it has its own unique flavor." Si Lili held the pot in her delicate hand and poured a cup of amber-colored wine for Li Chengze.

Li Chengze picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully, and nodded in praise: "Not bad, the meat is tender and translucent. Miss Lili is not only beautiful, but her cooking skills are also superb."

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Seeing that the time was right, Si Lili asked casually, "Your Highness said today that there was a good show in court. I wonder what it is? Although I am just a woman, I am very curious."

Li Chengze paused slightly in the hand holding the wine glass, then glanced at Si Lili with a half-smile.

That one glance sent a jolt through Si Lili's heart, as if all her secrets were laid bare before those eyes.

But the next moment, Li Chengze returned to his lazy demeanor and casually said, "It's nothing, it's just that the Prime Minister's son, Lin Gong, has been confirmed to have fled to Northern Qi."

"Ah?" Si Lili feigned surprise, covering her mouth. "Young Master Lin? He... why would he go to Northern Qi?"

In fact, she had already received the news, even before the imperial court. But she had to pretend to know nothing.

"Who knows?" Li Chengze shrugged and downed his drink in one gulp. "Maybe they just don't like the food in Daqing and want to try the cornbread from Northern Qi."

Si Lili covered her mouth and chuckled, "Your Highness is joking. However... with Young Master Lin leaving, I'm afraid the Prime Minister will be heartbroken."

"Heartbroken?" Li Chengze scoffed, pouring himself a glass of wine. "The Prime Minister is an old fox; his sadness is just for show, for the Emperor's benefit. It's some people who are suffering."

"Some people?" Si Lili keenly caught the key phrase, leaning forward slightly as she tentatively asked, "Your Highness means...?"

Li Chengze put down his wine glass, leaned forward, and brought his handsome face close to Si Lili's, so close that they could hear each other breathing.

Looking into those deep eyes, Si Lili's heart involuntarily quickened.

"Lili."

Li Chengze's voice was soft, tinged with the smell of alcohol, yet it was like a cold knife slowly slicing across Si Lili's skin. "Father was furious today. He gave Fan Xian an imperial sword, ordering him to turn the entire capital upside down to catch... spies from Northern Qi."

boom!

A sudden thought struck Si Lili, and her hand holding the wine pot trembled violently, spilling a few drops of wine onto the table.

Fan Xian! Catch the spy!

She suppressed her fear and forced a smile: "Your Highness... what does this mean? What does arresting a spy have to do with Lili?"

"I didn't say it was related to you." Li Chengze blinked innocently, then reached out and gently wiped away the wine stains on the table. "I just wanted to remind Miss Lili that it's been windy in Kyoto lately, so be careful when you go out. Those dogs from the Censorate have very sensitive noses. If they smell something they shouldn't... tsk tsk, the consequences will be dire."

After saying that, he gave Si Lili a meaningful look, then laughed heartily and got up to leave his seat.

"The wine is good, the food is good, it's just that the people... have too many thoughts on their minds."

Li Chengze's voice drifted from afar, leaving Si Lili alone in the flower hall, her body ice-cold, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

She watched Li Chengze's departing figure, her eyes filled with fear.

He knows! He must know something!

What I just said wasn't casual conversation at all; it was a warning! Or even... a cat-and-mouse game!

"No, we must get the message back as soon as possible... Second Prince, it's too dangerous!"

...

Meanwhile, at Guangxin Palace.

The night was deep, and the palace lanterns swayed.

Li Yunrui dismissed all the servants and sat alone in front of the dressing table.

The beauty in the mirror was still stunning, but her beautiful eyes were bloodshot.

Since returning from court, she has been in a state of extreme anxiety.

The matter of Lin Gong shrouded her in a fog, while Fan Xian's impending purge was like a sword hanging over her head.

"We cannot sit idly by and wait to die."

Li Yunrui suddenly stood up and took out a special piece of paper from a hidden compartment in the dressing table.

She picked up her pen, the nib hovering over the paper, hesitated for a moment, and finally put it down.

She didn't use flowery language in her letter; instead, she stated her request directly:

"Use all available resources to find out if Lin Gong is really in the capital! If he is, whose man is he? If he isn't, who is creating this illusion?"

"Furthermore, investigate the 'Net of Heaven'; I suspect they are involved in Lin Gong's affair."

After finishing the letter, Li Yunrui took out a seal with strange patterns from his sleeve and stamped it heavily at the end of the letter.

After doing all this, she rolled up the letter and put it into a small wax ball.

"Someone come here."

A trusted palace maid appeared silently behind her.

"Send this out, through 'that' line." Li Yunrui's voice was icy cold. "Tell them over there that I want to see results. Otherwise, all previous deals are null and void!"

"Yes!" The palace maid took the wax pill and disappeared into the darkness in an instant.

Li Yunrui walked to the window, pushed it open, and let the cold wind blow against her face.

She gazed at the dark night sky, her eyes flashing with a mad light.

"No matter who's behind this, once I find them... I'll make them wish they were dead!"