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

With the publication and sale of the first few chapters of "Dream of the Red Chamber", a whirlwind called "Dream of the Red Chamber" swept through the entire capital city with unstoppable force.

At first, it was only the concubines and ladies-in-waiting in the palace who eagerly circulated the book, shedding tears for the love between Bao and Dai, and marveling at the extravagance of the Jia family. Soon after, this trend spread beyond the high walls, into the mansions of princes and nobles, and finally even reached the teahouses and marketplaces.

"Full of absurd words, a handful of bitter tears."

These two lines of poetry have almost become a common saying among Kyoto literati.

Li Chengze lay on a rocking chair in Consort Shu's palace, listening to the system notifications flooding his mind like a waterfall, his mouth almost stretched to his ears in a wide grin.

[Ding! A compliment from a talented woman in Kyoto, reputation points +50!]

[Ding! Shock from the Hanlin Academy editors! Reputation points +200!]

[Ding! Discussion from the common people, reputation points +10!]

……

Although the individual transaction amounts vary, the sheer volume of transactions is staggering! It's practically like making money while lying down—no, it's like becoming a god while lying down!

In order to maintain this momentum and further lull Emperor Qing into a false sense of security, Li Chengze completely changed his strategy.

He no longer made those shocking remarks in the palace academy, nor did he offer any sharp opinions on current affairs. Whenever the Grand Tutor asked him a question, he would give a few perfunctory answers, and then pull out a half-written manuscript from his sleeve and begin "creating" as if no one else was around.

To outsiders, the second prince seemed to have completely gone "mad".

He seemed to have poured all his intelligence into this extraordinary book, showing a kind of indifference toward the struggle for the throne and the situation in the court, as if he were "losing his ambition by indulging in frivolous pursuits."

The Eastern Palace.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian stared at the copy of "Dream of the Red Chamber" that was all the rage in the capital, his eyes bloodshot.

He hated the book, and even more so the author. But he had to admit that it was an excellent book, so excellent that even he, the crown prince, felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

"How could he write something like this... How dare he..."

Li Chengqian gritted his teeth and slammed the book down on the table. But he dared not slacken his efforts, for he knew his father was watching. The more talented the Second Prince was, the less he, as the Crown Prince, could afford to appear mediocre.

Thus, the lights in the Eastern Palace remained lit all night. The Crown Prince studied late into the night, researching strategies for governing the country, desperately trying to surpass his "neglecting his duties" elder brother in both politics and scholarship.

Inside the Imperial Study.

Emperor Qing listened to Eunuch Hou's report and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Chengqian has been working very hard lately, which pleases me greatly."

Emperor Qing picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said, "As for the second son... it's good that he's engrossed in writing. It's much easier to control a literary master in the royal family than an ambitious and powerful minister."

In Emperor Qing's eyes, Li Chengze's current state was simply perfect.

He possessed enough talent and reputation to put pressure on the crown prince, forcing him to grow up; yet, because he was engrossed in books, he seemed to have lost interest in power and would not pose a substantial threat to the imperial authority.

This whetstone is becoming more and more convenient to use.

However, no matter how much Emperor Qing planned, he could never have imagined this.

The pen in Li Chengze's hand was writing "Dream of the Red Chamber," but his heart was cultivating the "Tiangang Manual."

Consort Shu's study became Li Chengze's best cover.

He often dismissed his attendants, claiming he was going into seclusion to write, but in reality he was practicing self-cultivation.

With the cover of the "Turtle Breathing Technique" and the true qi seed left by Yuan Tiangang, Li Chengze's martial arts cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds.

On this day, Li Chengze had just finished "writing" a chapter and was resting with his eyes closed while checking the system panel.

After accumulating this much time, his reputation points have reached a terrifying number—100,000!

Looking at the neat rows of "100,000" reputation points on the panel, Li Chengze felt a surge of nouveau riche pleasure.

"Finally, I don't have to live frugally anymore."

His original plan was to exchange some modern technology for cash, which Yuan Tiangang would then convert into cash outside the palace to provide financial support for the expansion of the Bad People.

After all, raising assassins and building an intelligence network is a bottomless pit, and his meager princely salary and share of the profits from "Dream of the Red Chamber" are simply a drop in the ocean.

However, as he enthusiastically searched for "soap," "sugar," and "glass"—the three essential items for time travelers—in the mall, he suddenly remembered that there was another time traveler before him who had already invented all of these.

"It seems that the conventional ways of making money are not working, so we have to try some unconventional methods."

Li Chengze's gaze shifted to the [Lucky Draw Wheel] flashing with neon lights on the right side of the system interface.

"The myriad phenomena of the world... Since the items in the mall are too expensive or restricted, let's see what surprises this lottery can bring me."

The beginner level draws for 1,000 yuan per draw, the intermediate level for 10,000 yuan, and the advanced level for 100,000 yuan.

Although he had a huge sum of 100,000 yuan, Li Chengze's inherent caution prevented him from going all in on the high-level lottery. If he spent 100,000 points and got a "Thank you for your patronage" or a pack of "premium spicy strips," he was afraid he would go crazy with anger on the spot.

"System, start with a beginner ten-pull! Let's test the waters!"

With Li Chengze's command, 10,000 reputation points were instantly deducted.

The virtual roulette wheel spun rapidly, flashing with light, and finally transformed into ten orbs of light that exploded one after another in front of him.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 1 case of Iced Cola]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 2 boxes of powerful painkillers]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 100 taels of gold.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 100 taels of gold.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have received: Thank you for your patronage.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: 1 fine steel dagger.]

Li Chengze's lips twitched as he looked at the thing that jumped out in front of him.

"As expected, it's a beginner's prize pool, mostly miscellaneous items... Hmm? The gold is not bad, though. Two hundred taels of gold is quite a sum when converted to silver, perfect for the commander's expenses."

Just when he thought this ten-pull would end in a "supermarket shopping spree", the last three orbs of light suddenly flashed with a different kind of light.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: Special Skill Book - Ventriloquism (Proficiency Level)]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: Special Recipe - The Method of Soap Making]

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained: Special item - [True Word Pill] x1 (For 15 minutes after consumption, you will be able to answer any question without reservation, but it is ineffective against experts of rank 9 or above)]

Li Chengze's eyes lit up instantly.

"nice one!"

These last three items are practically tailor-made for him right now!

Ventriloquism may seem like a trick of the trade, but for him, who needed to conceal his identity, it was an incredible skill. Combined with the Turtle Breathing Technique, he could appear in the open while his voice emanated from the shadows, and even impersonate another person to converse with others, greatly increasing the security of his "alias."

"The Method of Soap Making" is exactly the source of wealth he desperately needs! Although the Imperial Treasury monopolizes soap production, at most it can only blockade the Qing Kingdom. He can give this method to Yuan Tiangang and let him sell it in the Great Qi Kingdom.

As for that [True Word Pill]...

Li Chengze toyed with the fragrant pill that had appeared out of thin air in his hand, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"This is a powerful interrogation tool. Although it's ineffective against ninth-rank officials, it's enough to deal with those stubborn spies, or... certain disobedient officials."

Ten thousand reputation points can be exchanged for two hundred taels of gold as start-up capital, a long-term path to wealth, a life-saving skill, and a trump card.

"This move was a win-win situation, you could even say it was a huge profit!"

Li Chengze was in a great mood. Looking at the remaining 90,000 reputation points, he turned his gaze back to the lottery wheel, his eyes becoming somewhat fiery.

"If the beginner jackpot can offer such good items, what about the intermediate jackpot?"

He licked his lips, a gambler's mentality stirring within him, but reason prevented him from continuing his gamble.

"No rush, let's digest this first."

Li Chengze's mind raced, and he immediately began learning the art of ventriloquism. Instantly, his throat muscles twitched, and countless vocal techniques flooded his mind. He tried closing his mouth, his abdomen moved slightly, and a hoarse, aged voice suddenly rang out from the corner of the room:

"Your Highness, what a brilliant move."

Li Chengze smiled with satisfaction; the voice was almost seven-tenths similar to Yuan Tiangang's.

Next, the gold and soap formula were sent out of the palace and given to Yuan Tiangang.

"Looks like we'll have to wait until the end of the year."