《Daqing Reborn Prince, Intercepting Si Lili at the Beginning》 Chapter 1 - Sealed as a County King from the Start! Rewarded with the Miao Yin Pavilion! Chapter 1: Sealed as a County King from the Start! Rewarded with the Miao Yin Pavilion! Southern Qing, the imperial palace. Eunuch Hou publicly read the imperial edict. ¡°By the grace of the Emperor, it is decreed: The third prince, Li Chengyuan, is virtuous and capable, skilled in both literature and martial arts. He is hereby conferred the title of County King of Li and granted a County King¡¯s Mansion in the capital, and the title ceremony shall be held immediately. This is a command from Heaven!¡± ¡°Your son accepts the decree and thanks His Majesty!¡± Li Chengyuan knelt on the ground, loudly expressing his gratitude. Afterward, he slipped several taels of silver to Eunuch Hou. Following some flattery from Eunuch Hou, Li Chengyuan sent him out of his chamber. Once Eunuch Hou left, Li Chengyuan dismissed all the palace servants. Alone, he walked to the window, his face filled with contemplation. Li Chengyuan never expected that merely watching a TV drama would lead him to transmigrate into the world of its plot! He had become a prince of Qing during Emperor Qing¡¯s reign! As everyone knows, being a prince in the Qing is a high-risk occupation. What made his situation even more unique was that Li Chengyuan had transmigrated as a baby. Therefore, he experienced the Taiping Villa incident firsthand. Although he couldn¡¯t speak then, he had seen and heard everything. Because in this life, he wasn¡¯t an ordinary prince. He was the twin brother of the protagonist, Fan Xian! However, they were fraternal twins, so he and Fan Xian looked very different, with their differences already apparent in infancy. During the Taiping Villa incident, Fan Xian was switched out by Fan Jian with his eldest son and sent to Danzhou by Wuzhu. As for Li Chengyuan, he was being taken to be fed and was later hidden by his wet nurse, allowing him to survive by sheer luck and be discovered afterward. What happened next was a mystery to Li Chengyuan. He only knew that he had been sent to the palace and was named the third prince. It was publicly declared that his mother had died in childbirth, and the Empress raised him! The Empress! When Li Chengyuan first heard of this arrangement, he truly felt the cold ruthlessness of Emperor Qing for the first time! Everyone knew that Li Chengyuan¡¯s birth mother, Ye Qingmei, had been killed by the Empress¡¯s family! In other words, the Empress was Li Chengyuan¡¯s enemy who had murdered his mother! Yet Emperor Qing had made the Empress his foster mother. This move was truly a psychological blow¡ªto both Ye Qingmei¡¯s remaining supporters and to the Empress herself! Although Li Chengyuan had no emotional attachment to Ye Qingmei, she was still his biological mother in this life. So, emotionally and logically, he had to remember this grudge! But with no power and no influence, he was too weak to do anything, so he had to bide his time. To avoid disgusting himself, he disguised himself as a ¡°troublemaker prince¡±! For the past fifteen years since transmigrating, he had only met the Empress a handful of times. Fortunately, after the Empress became disheartened, she started drinking heavily and showed no care for Li Chengyuan. Li Chengyuan was raised by his wet nurse from a young age. The Empress had never cared for him. Thus, when he didn¡¯t go to the Empress to pay his respects, it was considered ¡°only natural¡±! Li Chengyuan had originally planned to be a profligate prince, showing no ambition, hoping that Emperor Qing wouldn¡¯t notice him. Then, when Fan Xian came to the capital, they could secretly plan their revenge together. However, Li Chengyuan never expected that despite his attempts to act unruly, Emperor Qing still wouldn¡¯t let him go. This year, at just eighteen, he had been conferred the title of County King. Moreover, the Emperor said he was virtuous and capable, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and even granted him a residence outside the palace to facilitate his connections with ministers! But right now, he was officially the Crown Prince¡¯s brother, a natural supporter of the Crown Prince. By conferring him this title, Li Chengyuan felt a headache coming on. He really couldn¡¯t figure out Emperor Qing¡¯s intentions! Although he deeply hated Emperor Qing as a person, he couldn¡¯t deny that Emperor Qing was an absolute master in terms of scheming. Every word carried hidden meanings. Thus, since his birth, Li Chengyuan had been learning to conceal himself, keeping as low a profile as possible. But in the end, he still fell into Emperor Qing¡¯s calculations. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of this, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. What worried him even more was that perhaps due to his presence, Fan Xian, who should have come to the capital two years ago, was still in Danzhou. As a result, it was unclear if the original plot events would still unfold. However, since he transmigrated into the TV series, where the protagonist¡¯s age was vague, Fan Xian¡¯s entry into the capital might not be delayed much longer. Hearing the mechanical voice suddenly ringing in his mind, Li Chengyuan almost lost his composure! Eighteen years! Damn it, the lousy system is only awakening now! Where was it all this time? Did it know how he had struggled through these eighteen years? Living cautiously, with every step filled with danger, hardly ever having a moment of peace. Now that he had finally made it through his growth period, the system was only now awakening. Li Chengyuan felt exhausted! However, the system¡¯s awakening was still a good thing. After venting his frustration for a moment, Li Chengyuan eagerly checked out the system. An Interception Task System! Li Chengyuan was very familiar with such systems and knew how to operate them. After briefly looking through the instructions, he eagerly opened the novice gift pack. A Marrow Cleansing Pill? The Azure Dragon Art? The novice rewards were this generous? Li Chengyuan was instantly delighted. He hurriedly checked the detailed information about his rewards. One glance at the Marrow Cleansing Pill was enough for Li Chengyuan to understand its significance. This thing was tailor-made for him. Typically, one must start practicing martial arts from a young age. But he was already eighteen, and his bones were fully grown. It was too late to start training now. But with the Marrow Cleansing Pill, he could skip the foundational training of hardening his bones and directly begin cultivating his inner energy. This meant that even an elderly person in their seventies or eighties could start cultivating martial arts with the Marrow Cleansing Pill! This showed just how valuable the pill was. As for the Azure Dragon Art, there was even less to say. Once this technique was cultivated to the highest level, one could transform into an azure dragon and achieve immortality! This cultivation technique was insane. However, after checking the detailed information on the Azure Dragon Art, Li Chengyuan¡¯s excitement quickly cooled. The Azure Dragon Art was divided into two phases: the Nine Changes of the Wandering Dragon and the Nine Changes of the Azure Dragon. The Nine Changes of the Wandering Dragon corresponded to the mortal realm. Once mastered, it would bring one to the realm of a land immortal. The Nine Changes of the Azure Dragon corresponded to the legendary realm of immortality, where cultivating the Nine Changes to completion would grant eternal life. But in a world with scarce spiritual energy like this, even mastering the Nine Changes of the Wandering Dragon would be difficult. As for the Nine Changes of the Azure Dragon, that was likely just a dream. Yet, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t disappointed. He had never been greedy for immortality in the first place. As long as he could master the Nine Changes of the Wandering Dragon and become a land immortal, living freely for hundreds or even thousands of years, he would already be satisfied! Satisfied, he closed the system interface. Just as Li Chengyuan was about to extract the Marrow Cleansing Pill for consumption, the system prompt rang again. ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 2 - Slacking Off in Front of Emperor Qing? Chapter 2: Slacking Off in Front of Emperor Qing? Li Chengyuan was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected that being the third prince would come with intercepted rewards! This was truly a surprise. Li Chengyuan hurriedly opened the system again to check the reward. [Myoyinfang: From the world of , it is an intelligence organization established by Mei Changsu. It specializes in discerning voices for nobles, earning money, and collecting intelligence! (Note: Newly rewarded forces from the system have a six-month protection period, during which they won¡¯t face crises!)] Li Chengyuan was once again overjoyed! This was like being handed a pillow when drowsiness struck! Now that he was forced to open a residence and establish his forces, he had to start from scratch. What he needed most at this moment was intelligence and money! And now, with Myoyinfang, all his needs were met. At least for the short term, there was no need to worry about intelligence or financial needs. Especially since Myoyinfang was just a place for singing and selling songs ¡ª an entertainment venue that sold art, not bodies, and wasn¡¯t considered a brothel! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This made Li Chengyuan feel even more comfortable using it. Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t a saint! But he had his own conscience and bottom line. At the very least, he wouldn¡¯t do anything wicked! If Myoyinfang were a brother forcing good people into prostitution, no matter how useful it was, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted it! This wasn¡¯t about being pretentious; it was just basic human decency. What made Li Chengyuan happiest was that the system¡¯s newly rewarded forces even had a six-month protection period. This was incredibly important! Places like Myoyinfang were the easiest to attract the attention of the powerful. To survive in the capital, such a venue needed a sufficiently strong backer. Of course, with Li Chengyuan¡¯s identity, if he publicly declared Myoyinfang as his force, no one in the capital would dare to provoke it. But right now, Li Chengyuan needed to lie low and develop quietly. Especially when it came to cultivating power ¡ª he couldn¡¯t expose himself lightly. If Emperor Qing knew he was secretly developing his forces, the emperor would never let him off! So, under no circumstances could he let Emperor Qing know about the connection between him and Myoyinfang. If there were no protection period, Li Chengyuan would indeed be caught off guard. But with a six-month protection period, he could make his arrangements more calmly. In the next six months, he could find a public backer for Myoyinfang ¡ª something he was confident he could achieve! ¡­ After a long while, Li Chengyuan finally snapped out of his chaotic thoughts. Just as he was about to carefully inspect the Myoyinfang organization, a eunuch outside suddenly called for him. ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty is no longer busy. You may go to express your gratitude now!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Li Chengyuan responded and reluctantly stood up, signaling to a palace maid to help him change in the sleeping quarters. He had nearly forgotten. After being rewarded by Emperor Qing, he had to go and give thanks! ¡¯ In the depths of the palace, Emperor Qing¡¯s bedchamber. Led by the Eunuch Hou, Li Chengyuan arrived before Emperor Qing and respectfully saluted. ¡°Your son Li Chengyuan greets Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Rise.¡± On the bed, Emperor Qing¡¯s voice was low and deep, filled with countless hidden thoughts, making it impossible to decipher. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Li Chengyuan stood up and glanced at Emperor Qing. Emperor Qing, not in court, was dressed casually. He wore a white robe with a green silk dragon belt around his waist, and amidst his jet-black hair were a few strands of gray. He lounged casually on the bed, yet he still exuded the aura of a hidden dragon, lofty and unfathomable. Emperor Qing sized up Li Chengyuan for a long time before finally speaking. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve conferred this title upon you?¡± ¡°Your son does not know!¡± Li Chengyuan replied honestly. He truly had no idea what Emperor Qing was thinking. Emperor Qing stared at Li Chengyuan for a moment, his gaze heavy, and then asked, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, your son truly doesn¡¯t know!¡± Li Chengyuan answered sincerely. Perhaps surprised by Li Chengyuan¡¯s sincerity, Emperor Qing remained silent for a moment before continuing, ¡°Let me ask you this ¡ª do you want to vie for the position of crown prince?¡± Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore! Li Chengyuan hesitated for a moment, then responded with utmost sincerity: ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, your son does not want to!¡± ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t want to, or you don¡¯t dare to?¡± ¡°Your son truly doesn¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, because being crown prince is too exhausting!¡± ¡°???¡± This time, Emperor Qing was genuinely stunned. He had imagined many possible answers from Li Chengyuan, but never had he thought Li Chengyuan would respond like this. This left Emperor Qing momentarily speechless. ¡°Too exhausting?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Li Chengyuan replied earnestly, ¡°You know me, Your Majesty. Since I was young, I¡¯ve been mischievous, only interested in eating, drinking, and having fun. I don¡¯t like socializing, and I hate handling political matters. Although I believe I have some talent, that talent is only good for talking. If I were made to handle affairs, it would be pure torture for me!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Emperor Qing was so speechless, that he couldn¡¯t even find words to respond. Emperor Qing even began to doubt ¡ª Emperor Qing¡¯s feelings towards Li Chengyuan were complicated. Emotionally, as the son of Ye Qingmei, Li Chengyuan undoubtedly held a special place in Emperor Qing¡¯s heart. But rationally, Emperor Qing never considered making Li Chengyuan his heir. After all, Ye Qingmei had been indirectly killed by him. If that ever came to light and Li Chengyuan succeeded to the throne, he would undoubtedly seek ¡°revenge.¡± Even if Emperor Qing was dead by then, historians would surely label him a tyrant. For this reason alone, he could never allow Li Chengyuan to ascend the throne. The reason he had conferred Li Chengyuan the title of king was, on the surface, to have him participate in the struggle for succession, adding pressure to the crown prince and the second prince, serving as a whetstone for them. It would also help disrupt the power dynamics in the capital, allowing Emperor Qing to act more freely. Of course, Emperor Qing had his own deeper calculations. But all of that assumed that Li Chengyuan had the ambition to fight for the throne. Emperor Qing knew that Li Chengyuan enjoyed indulging in pleasures. After all, Li Chengyuan had grown up at his side. But he hadn¡¯t expected that this kid would be so unmotivated. An imperial prince who was afraid of hard work? This lazy attitude left Emperor Qing unsure of how to reprimand him! Naturally, Li Chengyuan might have been playing dumb. But seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Emperor Qing found it hard to believe the kid had such deep cunning. After holding back for a long time, Emperor Qing could only angrily scold him. ¡°You useless thing with no ambition!¡± Upon hearing this, Li Chengyuan immediately admitted fault. ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your son knows his mistake!¡± Seeing Li Chengyuan¡¯s shameless expression, Emperor Qing almost laughed from anger. But after some thought, he simply waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Forget it, you may go now.¡± He couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anymore. After all, the edict had already been issued. Whether Li Chengyuan wanted to vie for the throne or not was no longer up to him. Once he left the palace, he was already in the game. Emperor Qing had wanted to give him some guidance. But this slacking Li Chengyuan had made Emperor Qing lose interest. ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 3 - Rapid Progress! The Second Prince Pays a Visit! Chapter 3: Rapid Progress! The Second Prince Pays a Visit! After leaving Emperor Qing¡¯s sleeping quarters, Li Chengyuan quickly became busy. Being bestowed a title of nobility wasn¡¯t a simple matter! It required the Hanlin Academy, Directorate of Rituals, Six Ministries, the Chamber of Protocol, and officials of fifth rank or higher from the Ministry of Rites as main envoys. Moreover, assistant envoys from ministries, the Palace Secretariat, and lower-ranking officials were also needed to oversee the enfeoffment. At the same time, they had to prepare Li Chengyuan¡¯s official robes and crown for the Prince of the County title. Additionally, there were maidservants and bodyguards to be assigned to his estate. Every one of these tasks was a troublesome affair. Ever since Li Chengyuan had expressed his gratitude, he had been whisked away by the officials of the Ministry of Rites to teach him the rules for the enfeoffment ceremony. Then came all kinds of other tedious matters. It took Li Chengyuan over ten days before this matter finally came to an end. ¡¯ S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the capital city, at the County Prince¡¯s residence. After receiving the gold-plated silver book and the silver seal, the enfeoffment ceremony for Li Chengyuan was finally complete. Three days earlier, he had already moved into the County Prince¡¯s residence. The residence that Emperor Qing had bestowed upon him was exceptionally grand. It consisted of three large courtyards¡ªfront, middle, and rear¡ªin addition to a garden, a strolling area, and other amenities. Altogether, the estate covered nearly 10,000 square meters. It could be said to be extremely luxurious. But that wasn¡¯t all. Over the past few days, officials from various factions within the court had been flocking to offer Li Chengyuan gifts. Altogether, these gifts amounted to tens of thousands of taels of silver! Additionally, both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince also presented him with gifts, each worth tens of thousands of taels. Together with the rewards from Emperor Qing, it could be said that Li Chengyuan, despite just opening his residence, already had assets totaling nearly a million! Of course, the majority of these were rare treasures. As long as they weren¡¯t sold, it was impossible to calculate their actual value. Among these, the amount that could be directly converted into silver was only around 200,000 taels. For a newly established County Prince, this was indeed too little. In the original plot, when Fan Xian got married, Li Chengze¡¯s wedding gift alone was worth 500,000 taels! Although that was to win Fan Xian over, it still showed how deep Li Chengze¡¯s pockets were. In comparison, Li Chengyuan was nothing more than a ¡°poor man¡± right now! Of course, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He didn¡¯t need to form alliances with powerful nobles, nor did he need to raise private soldiers, nor did he have to bribe officials to cultivate his power! All he had to do was maintain the daily expenses of his estate. With these 200,000 taels, plus the income from Miaoyin Pavilion, his finances would be sufficient for the short term. ¡¯ In the middle courtyard of the prince¡¯s estate, within the ¡°Tranquil Abode.¡± Li Chengyuan sat cross-legged on a low couch, dressed in loose, casual robes, his eyes closed as he cultivated. On the night he met with Emperor Qing, just before bed, Li Chengyuan had found time to take the Body Refining Pill. Then, without hesitation, he had begun practicing the ! Perhaps due to the lingering effects of the pill, Li Chengyuan¡¯s progress was swift. In just over ten days, he had already reached the second stage of the , equivalent to a third-rank expert in this world! In the world of , the upper limits of martial arts weren¡¯t particularly high. The second stage of the was comparable to a third-rank expert! The third stage was equivalent to a fifth-rank expert. The fourth stage was comparable to a seventh-rank expert. The fifth stage was comparable to a ninth-rank expert. However, the sixth stage of the only corresponded to the peak of the ninth rank! It was only at the seventh stage that one could be considered at the Grandmaster level! The eighth stage surpassed the Grandmaster level! The ninth stage meant becoming an Earthly Immortal! From the sixth stage onward, each step was like climbing to the heavens! Currently, Li Chengyuan is just getting started. In terms of martial arts, he probably couldn¡¯t even defeat the bodyguards in his estate. After all, while he had internal energy, he didn¡¯t know any martial arts techniques! But he wasn¡¯t anxious. The allowed for much faster cultivation than any technique in this world. As long as Li Chengyuan cultivated steadily, his progress would be rapid. Becoming a Grandmaster was only a matter of time! ¡¯ Time flew by during cultivation. Li Chengyuan had been practicing indoors until noon when a servant suddenly came to report. The Second Prince, Li Chengze, had arrived! Li Chengyuan opened his eyes and slowly ended his cultivation. Then, feigning a recently awakened demeanor, he allowed the servant to enter. Li Chengyuan still had to keep up his act. Though this was his residence, many of the servants, maids, and guards were Emperor Qing¡¯s spies. Every move he made was being monitored by the emperor. Li Chengyuan was well aware of Emperor Qing¡¯s intelligence network. In the original plot, when Fan Jian played cards with Fan Sizhe at home, the emperor knew about it that very evening! One could say that the homes of all the officials, civil and military alike, were filled with the spies of the Overwatch Council. The County Prince¡¯s estate was no exception, and it was likely under even stricter scrutiny. So, until he had thoroughly purged his estate, Li Chengyuan had to practice his martial arts covertly. Such was the life of a prince in the Kingdom of Qing. Every day, he had to live cautiously. One wrong step, and he could fall into a bottomless abyss. ¡¯ After tidying up his clothes, Li Chengyuan went out to receive his guest. Upon arriving in the main hall, he saw the nonchalant Li Chengze, with his bodyguard¡ªswift sword-wielding Xie Bi¡¯an¡ªstanding behind him. ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯re here!¡± Li Chengyuan yawned and casually clasped his hands, his demeanor equally nonchalant. Seeing Li Chengyuan¡¯s drowsy appearance, Li Chengze teased, ¡°Just woke up?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Li Chengyuan complained, ¡°Second Brother, you know how exhausting the enfeoffment ceremony is. I haven¡¯t had a good rest in half a month!¡± Li Chengze chuckled, ¡°I understand. I went through the same thing. But don¡¯t worry, once the ceremony¡¯s over, you can start enjoying yourself!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Li Chengyuan responded enthusiastically. ¡°Speaking of which, Second Brother, I¡¯d like to ask for your advice. What fun places are there in the capital? Now that I¡¯m out of the palace, I¡¯m eager to explore!¡± Li Chengze was momentarily taken aback by the question, then he laughed, ¡°You¡¯re quite the hedonist. The capital has plenty of entertainment: by the Flowing Crystal River, on Tingyun Street, and on Xisi Street¡­ These are all interesting places!¡± Hmm? When he heard , Li Chengyuan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. It seemed the system was powerful. According to the system¡¯s explanation, had only appeared in this world half a year ago. It was a very mysterious place, with no one knowing who the owner was, yet it was quite influential. Some unruly young masters had once caused trouble there, only to be dealt with silently. Since then, has become an enigmatic spot in the capital, drawing the city¡¯s refined elite. While it didn¡¯t engage in prostitution, it featured the most elegant and captivating music in the world. Just this alone was enough to make the city¡¯s sophisticated circles obsessed. ¡°Second Brother, you have all the experience. I¡¯ll make sure to visit these places one by one!¡± Hearing this, Li Chengze shook his head, ¡°These are minor things. If you want to go, I¡¯ll take you when there¡¯s time. But beyond entertainment, have you thought about anything else?¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s heart stirred, but he feigned ignorance and said, ¡°What else is there? My biggest concern is eating, drinking, and having fun!¡± Li Chengze gave him a deep look and smiled meaningfully, ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re a County Prince now. You have your residence, and before long, you¡¯ll likely be allowed to attend court. Do you know what that means?¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± Li Chengyuan pouted, ¡°It means more hardship, right? I¡¯m just an unlearned prince, so why bother making me attend court? I wouldn¡¯t even understand what¡¯s going on.!¡± Li Chengze: ¡°¡­¡± ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:(×íÏɾÓ, Zu¨¬xi¨¡nj¨±): A renowned tavern by the Flowing Crystal River, frequented by the elite. Drunken Immortal is a poetic term that signifies the luxurious lifestyle of indulging in fine wine and pleasures.(ÃîÒô·», Mi¨¤oy¨©nf¨¡ng): A mysterious, elegant music house known for its refined performances that attract the upper class. Chapter 4 - Refusing Li Chengze! The Crown Prince is Not Happy! Chapter 4: Refusing Li Chengze! The Crown Prince is Not Happy! Li Chengze took a deep look at Li Chengyuan. At this moment, he truly felt like he couldn¡¯t fully understand his third brother anymore. The brothers had always been well aware of Li Chengyuan¡¯s personality. Since childhood, Li Chengyuan had been the ¡°troublemaker¡± of the palace, indulging in eating, drinking, and enjoying himself. To call him a ¡°playboy prince¡± wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. But while he was reckless, Li Chengze knew very well that this third brother was no fool. He was quite intelligent. Although Li Chengyuan was fond of fun and games, his academic performance had always been the best. Even the Grand Scholars had praised him more than once for his strong learning abilities. This made Li Chengze unsure of what his brother was thinking. Even if he couldn¡¯t figure out Li Chengyuan¡¯s thoughts, there was one thing Li Chengze was certain of: Now that Li Chengyuan had been granted a princely title, he had already entered the game for succession! Whether he wanted to or not was irrelevant; soon, there would be people pushing him forward. Li Chengze was all too familiar with this, as he had gone through the same thing back in the day. This was precisely why he had come today, to win Li Chengyuan over. Looking at his carefree brother, Li Chengze smiled meaningfully and said: ¡°Third brother, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. But I can tell you honestly, some things are not within your control to avoid. So, it¡¯s better to start preparing early. Also, I know you¡¯re close with the Crown Prince, but you should be aware that in matters like these, no relationship is truly reliable.¡± He continued, ¡°So, I think if you¡¯re willing, we can keep in touch more often. At least for now, we¡¯re not enemies. There¡¯s a saying: if you want the meat, you have to deal with the owner first. Otherwise, all our efforts will only benefit the one holding the meat. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Hearing Li Chengze¡¯s words, Li Chengyuan sighed and said helplessly, ¡°Second brother, do you know why I don¡¯t want to get involved in all this?¡± Li Chengze was taken aback, and he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s exhausting! Dealing with all of you is just too tiring!¡± Li Chengyuan sighed. ¡°You people¡­ you could say something in a few simple words, but instead, you beat around the bush and say a whole lot of unnecessary things! Honestly, I hate this kind of scheming the most. Can¡¯t we all just be straightforward and sincere?¡± Li Chengyuan added, So, I¡¯ll be clear. I understand everything you¡¯re saying, but I still want to try my best to just be a playboy prince! I don¡¯t want to get involved in whatever you all are doing; I just want to live my own little life in peace!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ hahahahaha¡­¡± Li Chengze laughed, but the laughter was filled with bitterness. ¡°Third brother, to be honest, if we were born into an ordinary family, we could have been close friends! Your thoughts are exactly what I once believed. But, as I said, some things are not within your control to avoid.¡± Li Chengyuan shrugged, ¡°I want to try.¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Li Chengze didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, he smiled and said encouragingly, ¡°Second brother wishes you success! I promise you this: if you succeed one day, I¡¯ll never bother you again!¡± Li Chengyuan looked at Li Chengze seriously, then nodded, ¡°Thank you, second brother.¡± ¡°Come on, we¡¯re brothers. No need to be so polite!¡± Li Chengze glanced at the box in Xie Bian¡¯s hands and said, ¡°I had prepared a gift of fifty thousand taels of silver for you, but I guess you won¡¯t be taking it, right?¡± Li Chengyuan nodded, ¡°You know me well, second brother. It¡¯s too much money; I can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Very well! If you ever change your mind, feel free to come find me. My doors are always open for you!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The two brothers exchanged a few more words, and Li Chengze took his leave. Li Chengyuan escorted him to the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Residence. As soon as Li Chengze left, the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian, arrived. One after the other, just like clockwork. Li Chengyuan even suspected that the Crown Prince had been hiding nearby, waiting for Li Chengze to leave. ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re here too?¡± Because Li Chengyuan¡¯s foster mother was the Empress, he was considered a full brother to the Crown Prince, so it wasn¡¯t inappropriate for him to call Li Chengqian ¡°big brother.¡± Li Chengyuan greeted the Crown Prince casually, not even bothering to bow. And the Crown Prince didn¡¯t mind his relaxed attitude at all, having grown up together and gotten used to it. ¡°Third brother, was that your second brother just now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Li Chengyuan replied as they walked into the residence. ¡°He came to visit for a bit.¡± ¡°What did he want?¡± the Crown Prince asked bluntly. ¡°What else? To win me over, of course. He even brought fifty thousand taels of silver!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t take it, did you?¡± the Crown Prince asked, a little nervously. ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± The Crown Prince smiled in relief. But then, Li Chengyuan remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t smile just yet, big brother. You brought silver too, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Nothing gets past you!¡± The Crown Prince laughed. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve been granted a title, of course, I had to prepare a gift for you. But I¡¯m not as wealthy as our second brother; I only brought twenty thousand taels. Besides that, I¡¯ve also brought some shops and land deeds¡ªall of them profitable businesses. You¡¯ve just established your residence, so you¡¯ll need some income. You can¡¯t live off your reserves forever!¡± Hearing this, Li Chengyuan sighed inwardly. No wonder he¡¯s the Crown Prince. His thinking was indeed more thorough than Li Chengze¡¯s. While he only brought twenty thousand taels, the value of those shops and land deeds likely far exceeded that amount. Especially for someone like Li Chengyuan, who had no foundation, these assets were invaluable. After all, money would eventually run out, but as long as he had the shops and land deeds, the residence would never go hungry. But unfortunately, Li Chengyuan still didn¡¯t plan to accept these gifts. He knew his two brothers all too well. On the surface, they were cordial, but behind the scenes, their methods were as ruthless as could be. Taking lives was no more than a trivial matter for them. So despite being blood-related, Li Chengyuan had no desire to get involved with them. After hearing the Crown Prince¡¯s offer, Li Chengyuan flatly refused, ¡°Big brother, I appreciate the gesture, but I can¡¯t accept this gift either.¡± The Crown Prince was taken aback. He had assumed that as his full-blooded brother, Li Chengyuan would surely support him. But to his surprise, Li Chengyuan had refused. A chill crept into the Crown Prince¡¯s heart. Li Chengyuan ignored the Crown Prince¡¯s thoughts and simply repeated what he had told Li Chengze. The main point is that he just wanted to be a carefree prince and not get involved in their schemes. After a long pause, the Crown Prince suddenly smiled. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s good that you have your ideas, third brother. Very well, I¡¯ll take the gift back for now. If you ever want it, come to me anytime.¡± sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With that, the Crown Prince patted Li Chengyuan on the shoulder, then left with a forced smile. ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:: Directly means ¡°do whatever is left every day¡± but is used in a context to Chapter 5 - Visiting Miaoyin Pavilion! Meeting Gong Yu for the First Time! Chapter 5: Visiting Miaoyin Pavilion! Meeting Gong Yu for the First Time! That evening, in the emperor¡¯s chambers at the palace. ¡°Your Majesty, this has just been delivered from the Overwatch Council.¡± Eunuch Hou bowed, holding the secret report in both hands as he presented it to the emperor. Hearing this, the emperor put down the memorial in his hands and took the secret report to read. The content detailed the events that transpired at the Li Junwang Estate earlier that day. Every word that Li Chengyuan and his two brothers had exchanged was recorded in full detail, nearly verbatim. After reading it, the emperor¡¯s expression did not change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. This was the second time Li Chengyuan had explicitly stated that he didn¡¯t want to involve himself in the fight for the throne! Of course, whether or not Li Chengyuan was willing didn¡¯t matter. However, this behavior of his made the emperor think more deeply. After pondering for a while, the emperor suddenly asked, ¡°What is Li Chengyuan doing right now?¡± ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty, the third prince has already left his residence. From the looks of it, he seems to be heading toward¡­¡± Eunuch Hou¡¯s expression was conflicted as he hesitated to continue. Impatient, the emperor urged, ¡°Speak! Where is he headed?¡± Eunuch Hou shut his eyes nervously and answered guiltily, ¡°Miaoyin Pavilion!¡± ¡°!!!¡± The emperor was momentarily stunned, then immediately looked at the secret report again. There it was¡ªclear as day¡ªmention of the second prince recommending it to Li Chengyuan. Drunken Immortal Inn by the Liu Jing River, Miaoyin Pavilion on Tingyun Street, and Qingyun Tower on West Fourth Street¡­ The emperor was silent for a while before he suddenly chuckled. ¡°You rascal, you¡¯ve surprised me this time.¡± ¡¯ Miaoyin Pavilion was quite a unique place in the capital. The city had countless brothels and pleasure houses. Along the Liu Jing River alone, there were countless flower boats. However, Miaoyin Pavilion was different from all of them¡ªit only sold art and never sold flesh. It was the only place of its kind in the entire capital. In the past, some didn¡¯t believe this and attempted to stir up trouble by forcing the girls at Miaoyin Pavilion to sell themselves. But those troublemakers didn¡¯t get far. Not only were they thrown out of Miaoyin Pavilion, but that very night, they were beaten until their bodies were covered in bruises. Strangely, the local authorities made no move to investigate the incident afterward, which led many to speculate that someone very powerful was backing Miaoyin Pavilion. Since that incident, Miaoyin Pahas become one of the most mysterious and respected entertainment venues in the city, and no one dared to cause trouble there again. ¡¯ Miaoyin Pavilion wasn¡¯t located in a particularly bustling area, just an ordinary street. However, the pavilion itself covered a large space, with three stories of simple yet luxurious decor, elegant but not extravagant. Although Li Chengyuan was quite familiar with the capital, he had never visited this place before. As soon as he stepped inside, the sound of captivating music reached his ears. Upon entering the main gate, the first thing he saw was a spacious hall. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the center of the hall was a large stage where a dancer was performing. Around the dancer, a group of female musicians played various instruments, filling the room with melodious tunes. Surrounding the stage were round tables, where officials and nobles of the capital sat. There were elderly men in their seventies and eighties, as well as youths barely in their teens, all lost in the beauty of the music. Of course, many didn¡¯t come here just for the music. Some simply wanted to feast their eyes on the beautiful women performing on stage. In addition, Miaoyin Pavilion was also a favored place for discussing poetry and philosophy. The girls here were not only skilled in music but also versed in other arts, such as chess, calligraphy, painting, and poetry. Many talented scholars had gathered here, composing poems to the accompaniment of the music, enjoying themselves immensely. For this reason, Miaoyin Pahasion has become known as the most elegant entertainment venue in the capital, especially popular among the literati. ¡¯ As soon as Li Chengyuan entered, a steward came over to greet him. After a brief exchange, Li Chengyuan followed her upstairs. Along the way, many people noticed Li Chengyuan. Most didn¡¯t recognize him, but a few did. Their jaws dropped in astonishment, though none dared to reveal his identity. The princes of the Da Qing dynasty were known for upholding their dignity. Even Li Chengze, when going out in public, would have the streets cleared in advance. This wasn¡¯t just to ensure his safety but also to maintain the dignity of the royal family. Most importantly, Li Chengze had grown accustomed to a high-and-mighty status, disliking mingling with commoners. In short, he wanted to experience life outside the palace but still maintain his royal air. But for Li Chengyuan to openly go out like this, well, he was the first prince in recent times to do so. No wonder many were so shocked. Li Chengyuan, however, didn¡¯t care in the slightest. He followed the steward up to the third floor and was led to the most luxurious private room. Miaoyin Pavilion¡¯s private rooms offered one-on-one service, though, as always, they only sold art, not the performers¡¯ bodies. Many people like to come here, call for a girl to perform music for them, and then host private gatherings with friends, eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves in a refined, tasteful manner. ¡¯ The room Li Chengyuan entered was labeled ¡°Gong.¡± This was the most prestigious room in Miaoyin Pavilion. The name corresponds to one of the five notes of traditional Chinese music: Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu. It also represented the pavilion¡¯s top performer, Miss Gong Yu. Everyone who frequented Miaoyin Pavilion knew that Miss Gong Yu rarely entertained guests. Those who entered this room were generally the most powerful figures in the capital. After entering, Li Chengyuan casually removed his shoes and sat comfortably on the couch as if he were at home. This place like home to him. According to the system¡¯s description, the head steward of Miaoyin Pavilion was someone known as Master Thirteen. Not only was Master Thirteen a rare master composer, but he was also the leader of Miaoyin Pavilion¡¯s intelligence network. Together with Miss Gong Yu, they were the true core of Miaoyin Pavilion. Neither of them had memories of a past life, only of this one. According to their memories, they had both received favors from Li Chengyuan in the past and thus, they were completely loyal to him. The system had specifically mentioned that any forces or subordinates it rewarded would be loyal to the host for life, never betraying them. So, there was no need for Li Chengyuan to be cautious or probe around here. Was safer here than at the Li Junwang Estate. ¡¯ The door quietly opened. Li Chengyuan looked up to see an elderly man and a young woman entering the room. The elder had silver hair, but his spirits were high, and his eyes shone with a sharp gleam. He looked calm and reliable. This was none other than Master Thirteen, the backbone of Miaoyin Pavilion. The young woman wore a blue palace gown, her hair adorned with delicate hairpins. She was both alluring and enchanting, with a striking beauty. This was the pavilion¡¯s top performer, Miss Gong Yu. As soon as they entered and saw Li Chengyuan, they immediately knelt before him, their voices soft as they greeted, ¡°This old servant (this humble servant) greets Your Highness!¡± Li Chengyuan quickly helped them to their feet and said, ¡°Alright, alright, how many times have I told you? No need for such formalities when you see me. You know I¡¯m not fond of all this pomp and ceremony!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Master Thirteen, his face full of joy, stood up and looked at Li Chengyuan with a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s been half a year since we last saw Your Highness. This old servant has missed you dearly. But now, finally, Your Highness has left the palace!¡± After Master Thirteen finished speaking, Miss Gong Yu, her eyes filled with tenderness, said softly, ¡°Gong Yu has missed Your Highness very much as well.¡± Looking at Gong Yu, Li Chengyuan felt a strange emotion stir within him. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was just his imagination, but it seemed like there was more than just loyalty in her gaze¡ªthere was also a hint of longing¡­ and affection. ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 6 - Affectionate Gong Yu! Sang Wen is Actually at Miaoyin Fang? Chapter 6: Affectionate Gong Yu! Sang Wen is Actually at Miaoyin Fang? ¡°One hundred and fifty thousand taels a month in revenue? That much?¡± Inside the Gong Suite at Miaoyin Fang, Li Chengyuan was listening to the financial report from Mr. Thirteen with great surprise. Mr. Thirteen smiled and said, ¡°Your Highness, the performing arts business has always been highly profitable. However, because we only sell performances and not other services, we earn much less than the flower boats on the Liu Jing River. If we were to operate like Zui Xian Ju on Liu Jing River, our income would at least triple each month.¡± ¡°This is fine!¡± Li Chengyuan waved his hand and said, ¡°Miaoyin Fang¡¯s rule of not selling bodies is the bottom line. Remember, I¡¯d rather not make money than make immoral money. Understand?¡± ¡°I understand, I understand!¡± Mr. Thirteen sighed and said, ¡°Your Highness is truly kind-hearted. It is our fortune to serve under you.¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head and said, ¡°We aren¡¯t that virtuous; we just don¡¯t want to earn dirty money and seek peace of mind.¡± Standing nearby, Gong Yu looked at Li Chengyuan with eyes full of warmth and said softly, ¡°Your Highness, that very thought is the greatest kindness.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, stop flattering me. Let¡¯s get to business. Is the money you¡¯re making enough for daily expenses?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough!¡± Mr. Thirteen quickly responded, ¡°Because Your Highness advised us to expand the intelligence network cautiously, our expenses are not that high, and we still have a surplus of fifty to sixty thousand taels of silver every month.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Li Chengyuan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Remember, as I¡¯ve said before, the development of the intelligence network must be careful and discreet. The power of the Qing Empire¡¯s Supervision Bureau is immense; we cannot afford to be careless. I¡¯d rather you not develop at all than risk exposure. Understand?¡± ¡°Understood, understood! Your Highness, rest assured,¡± Mr. Thirteen said. ¡°We have always been extremely cautious in our operations, and there will never be any mistakes.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Li Chengyuan nodded in satisfaction. He had full confidence in Mr. Thirteen¡¯s abilities. ¡°By the way, has there been any trouble lately?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mr. Thirteen replied. ¡°In recent times, we¡¯ve befriended many powerful and influential people, so Miaoyin Fang has been safe and sound.¡± ¡°Very well. If there¡¯s any trouble, notify me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mr. Thirteen nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve discussed everything that needs discussing. Now, let¡¯s get down to the real reason I¡¯m here!¡± Li Chengyuan said, ¡°I came to enjoy music. Call a few girls up here. Mr. Thirteen, you should leave now, so no one notices anything unusual.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Mr. Thirteen knew that Li Chengyuan¡¯s visit was a deliberate display for others to see, so he nodded knowingly and left to arrange the musicians. Gong Yu, however, did not leave. Instead, she moved closer to Li Chengyuan with a face full of grievance and said, ¡°Your Highness, wouldn¡¯t it be fine for me to perform for you?¡± Li Chengyuan looked at Gong Yu¡¯s delicate face so close to him and, after a pause, gently pinched her cheek. He said warmly, ¡°You stay by my side and keep me company. That¡¯s enough.¡± Gong Yu¡¯s face immediately blushed at Li Chengyuan¡¯s ¡°sneak attack,¡± but her heart was filled with joy. She obediently nodded and snuggled up to him. Soon, several female musicians carrying various instruments entered the room. Li Chengyuan glanced at them and casually said, ¡°Begin.¡± The musicians immediately began to play after receiving the order. Once the music started, Li Chengyuan curiously observed the musicians. Moments later, his gaze suddenly sharpened. He spotted a ¡°familiar face.¡± Quickly pointing at one of the musicians, Li Chengyuan leaned close to Gong Yu and whispered, ¡°Who is that girl?¡± Gong Yu followed his gaze and, after a moment, replied, ¡°Your Highness, that girl is called Sang Wen. I recruited her three months ago. She¡¯s new to the profession and used to sing on the Liu Jing River. She¡¯s a pitiful girl who doesn¡¯t know her parents and has suffered a lot. After hearing that we at Miaoyin Fang only sell performances and not our bodies, she sought us out.¡± Li Chengyuan pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Is she trustworthy?¡± Gong Yu nodded and said, ¡°As of now, she hasn¡¯t shown any issues. Mr. Thirteen thinks highly of her. He¡¯s been investigating her background and, after confirming there were no problems, has been grooming her as one of Miaoyin Fang¡¯s core informants.¡± Li Chengyuan nodded in understanding and said, ¡°Ask her if she¡¯s willing to return to my residence with me. Currently, all the people in my residence are spies sent by His Majesty, and I don¡¯t have anyone I can fully trust. If she¡¯s willing, she can stay by my side.¡± Gong Yu pursed her lips and said, ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t I return with you?¡± Li Chengyuan was taken aback but then laughed softly. ¡°I¡¯d love for you to come with me, but if you leave, what will happen to Miaoyin Fang? Besides you and Mr. Thirteen, I don¡¯t trust anyone else here.¡± Hearing this, Gong Yu felt both sweet and helpless. What Li Chengyuan said was true; Miaoyin Fang indeed couldn¡¯t do without her. But before she could sigh, she heard Li Chengyuan continue, ¡°However, I¡¯ll talk to Mr. Thirteen later. You won¡¯t need to receive guests anymore. From now on, your task is to help me train skilled musicians. You won¡¯t need to make personal appearances anymore.¡± Upon hearing this, Gong Yu was immediately overjoyed. ¡°Your Highness, are you feeling sorry for me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Li Chengyuan said without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re so wonderful¡ªif I don¡¯t care for you, who will?¡± Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t a sickly, fragile man like Mei Changsu. Since the beauty was fond of him, how could he push her away? Gong Yu¡¯s heart was instantly filled with sweetness, and all the disappointment vanished without a trace. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll teach her well so she can serve you properly!¡± Li Chengyuan said softly, ¡°Remember, no coercion or temptation. Let her come willingly. If she doesn¡¯t want to, don¡¯t force her. After all, I¡¯m looking for someone close to me. If she¡¯s unwilling, I won¡¯t feel comfortable around her.¡± Gong Yu responded, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. We were all trained by you, so we know how to handle this properly.¡± Li Chengyuan was finally at ease and said no more. ¡¯ For the rest of the evening, Li Chengyuan stayed at Miaoyin Fang, enjoying the performances. He listened to the music while Gong Yu fed him fine wine and delicacies. It wasn¡¯t until Xu Shi (around 9¨C11 p.m.) that Li Chengyuan decided to leave. Since Miaoyin Fang only operated during the day and closed at night, and to avoid arousing suspicion, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t stay overnight. Despite Gong Yu¡¯s repeated pleas to stay, Li Chengyuan, with some reluctance, left Miaoyin Fang. As he left, he took Sang Wen with him. Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t sure how Gong Yu had persuaded her, but judging by Sang Wen¡¯s nervous yet slightly eager expression, it was clear that she had agreed willingly. This was understandable. Sang Wen, though insistent on only selling her art, was now favored by a prince. How could she not feel delighted? Why would she refuse? Sang Wen cherished her virtue, but she wasn¡¯t overly proud. If she were truly proud, she wouldn¡¯t have chosen this profession! And just as Sang Wen followed Li Chengyuan out of Miaoyin Fang, a notification from the system rang out in Li Chengyuan¡¯s mind, announcing his reward! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Xu Shi (Ðçʱ): The time between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in ancient Chinese timekeeping. This system divides the day into twelve two-hour periods. Chapter 7 - Rewards of Journey to the West, Su Shi’s Poetry, and the Servant Jian Jiu Huang! Chapter 7: Rewards of Journey to the West, Su Shi¡¯s Poetry, and the Servant Jian Jiu Huang! Outside the Miaoyin Pavilion, Li Chengyuan had just boarded the carriage with Sang Wen. Suddenly, he heard the system¡¯s notification sound. It wasn¡¯t surprising to Li Chengyuan that the system had a reward for him. His intention in having Sang Wen follow him was to trigger the system¡¯s reward. But he hadn¡¯t expected the reward to be this good! The skill of the ¡°Slender Gold¡± calligraphy by Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty was impressive enough. Though the script didn¡¯t hold the highest rank in the calligraphy world, it was still an imperial style that founded its school. Moreover, was extremely elegant and pleasing to the eye. Li Chengyuan had liked it in his previous life, and in this one, he had also practiced . But previously, his skills were not proficient enough. Now, with the system directly upgrading his calligraphy to the level of Emperor Huizong, he had stepped into the level of a grandmaster. It wasn¡¯t far-fetched to say that if Li Chengyuan could popularize in this world, he could become a legendary calligraphy master, remembered throughout history! That reward was already explosive! Who would have thought there¡¯d be even more¡ªlike the full text of and all of Su Shi¡¯s poetry? What was even more important was that to prevent him from exposing his transmigrator identity, the system erased these works from Fan Xian¡¯s memory as well! This meant that although Fan Xian remembered he was a transmigrator, he no longer retained any memory of , , or Su Shi¡¯s poetry! He wouldn¡¯t even recall any myths related to . With that, all these works would be considered Li Chengyuan¡¯s original creations! This was awesome! In the past, Li Chengyuan had refrained from writing poetry because he feared Fan Xian would discover him once he arrived in the capital. Though both were transmigrators, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t want Fan Xian to uncover his identity. Forget everything else¡ªjust the idea of two transmigrators copying works from their past lives while knowing about each other seemed incredibly awkward. Though strictly speaking, Fan Xian wasn¡¯t a transmigrator but rather an experimental subject, the difference was negligible. Thus, Li Chengyuan had always kept a low profile. But now, with the system resolving his worries, this was amazing! Who wouldn¡¯t want to be a ¡°literary copycat¡± if they had the chance to relive life? Li Chengyuan had long been itching to do it. Unlike Fan Xian, who had principles and needed to claim it was a dream-world talent, Li Chengyuan was shameless! As long as no one knew, then these works were his original creations. He was the author! End of story! With this thought, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but smile. He raised his head to look at Sang Wen, and his gaze softened even more. Just as Li Chengyuan was about to chat with Sang Wen, the system notification sounded once again. ¡° Congratulations to the host for intercepting Fan Sizhe¡¯s dream of opening the first and most elegant entertainment venue in the capital. Reward: a loyal servant¡ªHuang Zhentu!¡± ¡°Huang Zhentu: A character from the world, also known as Jian Jiu Huang. A grandmaster-level fighter, formerly a blacksmith, he is greedy for food, drink, and lust but is also simple, loyal, and honest. Due to the host saving his life, he is determined to serve the host faithfully.¡± Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but exclaim internally. He had merely come to the Miaoyin Pavilion, and the surprises just kept coming! First, there were literary works. Then, the system granted him a grandmaster-level servant¡ªand not just any servant but Jian Jiu Huang, a character he particularly liked! However, the completion of this interception mission was quite unexpected. Who would have thought that by owning the Miaoyin Pavilion, Li Chengyuan would inadvertently intercept Fan Sizhe¡¯s dream? Of course, that didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that Lao Huang (Jian Jiu Huang) was a grandmaster! If Lao Huang fought with all his strength, his combat ability could even surpass that of a typical grandmaster. After all, in the plot of , Lao Huang had forced Wang Xianzhi to fight with everything he had. This meant Lao Huang¡¯s combat power might surpass even that of Emperor Qing! At the very least, Lao Huang wouldn¡¯t lose to him. If he added Wuzhu (another powerful character), wouldn¡¯t that mean they could bring down Emperor Qing ahead of time? At this thought, Li Chengyuan was indeed a little tempted. But soon, he calmed down. This plan wouldn¡¯t work. Even if Lao Huang¡¯s combat prowess was overwhelming and everything seemed sure, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t recklessly act. Now wasn¡¯t the right time for Emperor Qing to die. Neither he nor Fan Xian had seized power yet. If Emperor Qing were to die now, the one who would benefit would be the Crown Prince. Even if Li Chengyuan were to seize the throne by force, the resulting turmoil could be immense, possibly leading to chaos in the empire¡ªespecially with Northern Qi looming as a threat in the north! So, patience was necessary. He had to bide his time. At least until he and Fan Xian were sure they could control the situation. Then it wouldn¡¯t be too late to take action. More importantly, his system was an interception system. If he wanted more rewards, the storyline couldn¡¯t veer off course too much. If certain events didn¡¯t happen, how could he intercept them? Thus, even with Lao Huang¡¯s help, his short-term plans couldn¡¯t be hastily altered. He needed to develop cautiously for a while! No recklessness! ¡¯ After waiting for a while longer, realizing the system wasn¡¯t giving any more rewards, Li Chengyuan quietly closed the system interface. When he looked up again, he saw the lovely and delicate Sang Wen gazing at him nervously. Li Chengyuan looked at the girl holding the pipa, whose face seemed to have frozen in a smile. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Are you¡­ nervous?¡± Sang Wen stiffly nodded and replied honestly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, a little.¡± Li Chengyuan, in a gentle tone, reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I don¡¯t bite. Hmm, though I trust Gong Yu, I still want to ask you out of respect¡ªare you truly willing to follow me? Don¡¯t worry, if you¡¯d rather go back, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll even give you a good excuse, ensuring that Gong Yu won¡¯t hold it against you. She¡¯ll still nurture you well.¡± ¡°No need, no need!¡± Sang Wen quickly responded. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not being forced. I¡¯m truly willing!¡± After speaking, Sang Wen glanced shyly at Li Chengyuan and lowered her head, saying softly, ¡°Your Highness, for someone like me, being able to follow you is a blessing I couldn¡¯t even dream of.¡± Hearing this, Li Chengyuan understood. Without asking further, he smiled. He wasn¡¯t like Fan Xian, who was overly concerned with principles. He simply didn¡¯t want to do something against his conscience. But this was a mutually agreeable situation, and there was no reason for him to refuse! ¡°By the way!¡± Li Chengyuan suddenly remembered something. He looked up at Sang Wen and asked, ¡°Sang Wen, can you write?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¯ ¡°What did you say? Li Chengyuan brought a girl back from the Miaoyin Pavilion?¡± In the palace, Emperor Qing looked at Eunuch Hou, utterly astonished. ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 8 - Sang Wen Enters the Prince’s Mansion! Preparing to Write Journey to the West! Chapter 8: Sang Wen Enters the Prince¡¯s Mansion! Preparing to Write Journey to the West! ¡°Your Majesty, it is indeed true!¡± Eunuch Hou carefully reported, afraid that the emperor would be angered. The emperor was indeed a bit annoyed, but in the end, he laughed in exasperation and scolded, ¡°That rascal!¡± Eunuch Hou quickly responded, ¡°Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The Third Prince has just left the palace; he¡¯s still in his playful years. It¡¯ll pass in a few days.¡± The emperor shook his head, then suddenly asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the Miaoyin Pavilion supposed to focus on performances without selling themselves? How did Li Chengyuan manage to take someone away from there?¡± Eunuch Hou thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Your Majesty, with the Third Prince¡¯s status, even if the Miaoyin Pavilion were more mysterious, I doubt they would dare refuse him once he spoke up.¡± The emperor nodded noncommittally and asked again, ¡°I remember instructing the Inspection Bureau to investigate this Miaoyin Pavilion. Has there been no result?¡± Eunuch Hou quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, Director Chen reported that on the surface, the background of the Miaoyin Pavilion seems simple, but its true owner is extremely mysterious and has yet to show any trace.¡± ¡°Hmm. Tell Chen Pingping not to slack off. I want to know all the details about this Miaoyin Pavilion.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eunuch Hou responded immediately. After a brief hesitation, he cautiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, should we remind the Third Prince? His visit to the Miaoyin Pavilion tonight might spread throughout the city by tomorrow.¡± Without looking up, the emperor replied, ¡°No rush! Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± Eunuch Hou, hearing this, immediately shut his mouth and dared not speak further. ¡¯ Night, just after the second watch (around 9 PM). Li Chengyuan finally returned to the Prince of Li¡¯s Mansion. He led Sang Wen out of the carriage, and under the guidance of the guards holding lanterns, they made their way to the rear courtyard. Even though it was evening, the mansion remained brightly lit. The maids and servants were still on duty for the night watch. Such was the hierarchical nature of ancient society¡ªthose at the top enjoyed the finest luxuries. Meanwhile, in the homes of ordinary citizens, they probably couldn¡¯t even afford to light an oil lamp at this hour. Sang Wen followed Li Chengyuan closely, her heart both nervous and excited as she gazed at the opulent mansion. She was just an ordinary girl from the lower class. Her greatest dream in this life had been to marry a decent man and live a peaceful life. But never had she imagined that one day she would be brought into the prince¡¯s mansion. Although, even if she entered the mansion, she could only be a personal maid by the prince¡¯s side. However, Sang Wen was already very content with this! Being the personal maid of a prince could not compare to working at Liujinghe or Miaoyin Pavilion. Especially at Liujinghe, where she had always feared being forced into compromising situations. She had managed to remain safe all these years, which had not been easy. But now, finally, she no longer had to worry. From this day on, she belonged solely to the Third Prince. As long as she served him well, she could at least live without want for the rest of her life. Such a life was already more than she had ever dared to dream of. ¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ll live here from now on. This room is yours, and yours alone.¡± Sang Wen was deep in thought when suddenly, the prince assigned her a luxurious room. She peeked inside, then hastily exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness, this isn¡¯t right. I¡¯m just a maid, it¡¯s inappropriate for me to live here.¡± Li Chengyuan waved her off and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it. You¡¯re my maid, different from the others. In this mansion, I have the final say. This room is yours from now on.¡± Sang Wen, feeling both grateful and touched, immediately thanked him, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness!¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head, ¡°Alright, settle yourself in first. I¡¯ve already instructed the other maids in the courtyard to follow your orders. If you need anything, just ask them. Take care of yourself first, and we¡¯ll talk about the rest later.¡± Without waiting for Sang Wen¡¯s response, he turned and went back to his chambers. ¡¯ After returning to his bedroom, Li Chengyuan called for hot water to be brought in, and then he sank into the bath, thoroughly enjoying the warmth. While soaking, he also found time to practice his cultivation. However, before long, he heard Sang Wen¡¯s voice from outside. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Sang Wen? Come in.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes!¡± Sang Wen entered, holding a towel. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Li Chengyuan asked. Blushing shyly, Sang Wen hesitated, then timidly said, ¡°I heard that Your Highness is bathing, so I came to attend to you.¡± Li Chengyuan initially wanted to refuse. But seeing Sang Wen, with the steam making her appear even more alluring, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit moved. He had been in this world for eighteen years. Until now, he had always lived cautiously, so much so that he was still inexperienced in such matters. But now, he no longer had to restrain himself. Gazing at the delicate Sang Wen, Li Chengyuan smiled softly, ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Sang Wen, hearing his consent, was overjoyed. She hurried over, wetting the towel before starting to scrub his back. However, the towel moved lower and lower, and the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly heated. Finally, Li Chengyuan extended his hand¡­ And then, the nightingale sang, and the night turned seductive. ¡¯ The next morning, Li Chengyuan woke up early. Ever since he began cultivating, he rarely slept in. His energy was so abundant that he couldn¡¯t sleep even if he wanted to. Sang Wen, on the other hand, woke up a bit late. She was exhausted from the night before, and as it was her first time, her body still felt a little sore when she woke up. At first, she was anxious about waking up late, thinking that as a maid, it was a grave mistake to rise later than her master. She was worried that the prince would be displeased. But to her surprise, when Li Chengyuan noticed she was awake, the first thing he asked was how she was feeling. He even had the other maids bring her breakfast, told her to eat it in bed, and gave her the day off to rest. Sang Wen was both anxious and deeply moved. Such a kind and gentle nobleman¡ªthis was the first time she had ever met one. She felt incredibly lucky. However, even though the prince was so considerate, Sang Wen didn¡¯t dare to be complacent. She quickly got out of bed, went back to her room, washed up, and ate breakfast. Then she immediately returned to Li Chengyuan¡¯s side. Sang Wen¡¯s health was quite good. After breakfast, her body had already recovered. At that moment, Li Chengyuan was in his study. Seeing that she looked well, he didn¡¯t insist that she rest any longer. Instead, he called her over, gave her his seat, and said, ¡°I want to write a book, but I don¡¯t feel like doing it myself. I don¡¯t trust anyone else, so I¡¯ll have to rely on you to write for me.¡± ¡°You want to write a book?¡± Sang Wen was not only unbothered but delighted. For someone of her status, being asked to write a book for the prince was the highest honor. She immediately picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and asked, ¡°What book would you like to write Your Highness?¡± Sitting beside her, sipping tea, Li Chengyuan smiled faintly and said, ¡°.¡± ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 9 - Sang Wen Copies Journey to the West! Swordmaster Jian Jiu Huang Arrives! Chapter 9: Sang Wen Copies Journey to the West! Swordmaster Jian Jiu Huang Arrives! ¡°In the primordial chaos, before heaven and earth were divided, it was all confusion, unseen by anyone. Since Pangu broke open the , from then on, the clear and the turbid were separated. The heavens sustained all life, while the earth nurtured every being, Bringing forth all things, turning them to goodness. If you wish to understand the creation of the world, You must read The ¡­¡± As Li Chengyuan slowly recited word by word, Sang Wen¡¯s brush danced swiftly across the paper, Recording every word without missing a beat. Sang Wen wrote very fast, Managing to keep pace with Li Chengyuan¡¯s dictation. Although there were many characters she didn¡¯t know how to write, Sang Wen didn¡¯t interrupt Li Chengyuan But instead used incorrect characters as placeholders. She thought In this way, Li Chengyuan read for more than an hour, And Sang Wen wrote for more than an hour. The progress wasn¡¯t slow either, In a little more than an hour, Sang Wen had written about three thousand characters! On average, a thousand characters per hour, And she was writing with a brush. As a scribe, this speed was insufficient. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now, take a break first,¡± Li Chengyuan said to stop Sang Wen. Sang Wen raised her head excitedly and said, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not that tired yet; I can keep writing!¡± Sang Wen¡¯s hand was nearly cramping from writing, But the more she wrote, the more she enjoyed it. The main reason was that, while she was writing, She was also listening to Li Chengyuan¡¯s story, And the more she listened, the more fascinated she became. So, even though she was tired, She was eager to know what would happen next. However, Li Chengyuan smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m already tired even if you¡¯re not! Let me take a look first and correct the mistakes for you.¡± ¡°Oh, okay!¡± Sang Wen blushed slightly, quickly standing up and handing over the draft she had written to Li Chengyuan. Li Chengyuan glanced over it and was slightly surprised in his heart. Sang Wen¡¯s handwriting was delicate and neat, Though not quite refined, It still looked clean. Especially since she was writing at such a fast pace, It was remarkable that the writing remained clear and not messy. Feeling a bit shy, Sang Wen said, ¡°Your Highness, my writing is a bit sloppy. Rest assured, I¡¯ll copy it neatly later.¡± ¡°This is already very good,¡± Li Chengyuan praised as he stood up and walked over to the desk. He picked up a brush and began correcting Sang Wen¡¯s mistakes. However, the moment Li Chengyuan picked up the brush, His mind was suddenly filled with countless insights about the script. Simultaneously, his hand, holding the brush, Seemed to possess muscle memory that hadn¡¯t been there before. Li Chengyuan felt as if writing the script was now as effortless as eating or drinking water. With that thought, He immediately started writing. He replaced Sang Wen¡¯s erroneous ¡°Hongmeng¡± with the correct ¡°ºèÃÉ.¡± As soon as he started writing, Li Chengyuan felt what it meant to be ¡°divinely inspired.¡± His first stroke was a little stiff, But the more he wrote, The smoother it became. By the end, it felt as if Emperor Huizong of Song himself had taken possession of his hand. Looking at the elegant and fluid characters on the paper, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction. He could hardly believe that the writing was his own. Not just him¡ªSang Wen, standing beside him, was also stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected that her prince could write so beautifully! Especially since she had never seen this script before! Knowing that her prince had a good temper, Sang When asked directly, ¡°Your Highness, what kind of script is this? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± ¡°This is a new script I developed myself. I call it the script. What do you think? Does it look good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± Sang Wen immediately praised them, feeling that she hadn¡¯t expressed enough admiration. She continued, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not just flattering you because you¡¯re the prince. I genuinely love this script. It looks as if it was carved with a blade, so precise and elegant, yet full of beauty. Your Highness, if this script were to be widely known, You would undoubtedly become a master of calligraphy! You are truly amazing!¡± ¡°You know how to talk!¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Chengyuan, pleased with her praise, Turned and kissed Sang Wen, Making her blush with embarrassment. After that, Li Chengyuan took some time to correct all of Sang Wen¡¯s spelling errors. Then, looking outside, He realized it was already midday. So he ordered the servants to prepare wine and meat, And head to the garden for a barbecue! ¡¯ Sometimes, Li Chengyuan truly felt grateful to Ye Qingmei. Not just because she was his mother in this life, But also because her existence brought many conveniences to this world. Glass, soap, and sugar were just a few examples. What amazed Li Chengyuan even more was the fact that this world had cumin and chili peppers! It was quite remarkable. On Earth, chili peppers didn¡¯t exist in ancient times until the Ming and Qing dynasties. Although he wasn¡¯t sure which era of civilization this world was in, Having both cumin and chili peppers seemed somewhat incredible. Li Chengyuan had no idea where Ye Qingmei had gotten the seeds, But they did exist here. Li Chengzhe ate hotpot at home every day, Using chili peppers. Li Chengyuan had eaten a lot of spicy food when he was young in the palace. And even now, in his mansion, These ingredients were plentiful. With Li Chengyuan¡¯s command, The servants in the mansion immediately got to work. Even though the Prince of Li Prefecture¡¯s mansion had just been established, It was fully equipped. There were all kinds of servants¡ªmaids, cooks, gardeners¡ªeverything one could need. Though the Emperor was cold and indifferent, He was quite generous in these matters. Soon, when Li Chengyuan brought Sang Wen to the garden, The servants had already prepared the wine, meat, barbecue grill, and spices. Even the charcoal was ready. Li Chengyuan dismissed the servants, Deciding to roast the meat himself. In his previous life, Li Chengyuan was quite a capable homemaker, Cooking was one of his basic skills. Soon, as he calmly turned the skewers, The meat began to sizzle, Releasing a tantalizing aroma, Which made Sang Wen, standing nearby, swallow her saliva with anticipation. But just then, A servant came to report that an unexpected guest had arrived. ¡°What¡¯s the visitor¡¯s name?¡± Li Chengyuan asked, somewhat annoyed. He hated it when guests arrived while he was eating. It ruined his appetite and forced him to entertain them¡ªa real nuisance. ¡°Your Highness, he said his name is Huang Zhentu!¡± ¡°Old Huang???¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s irritation instantly turned into delight. ¡°Quick, bring him in!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the servant responded and left. Li Chengyuan¡¯s heart filled with anticipation. He had been waiting for Swordmaster Jian Jiu Huang all morning. The servant, who was part of the system reward, Would arrive at his side within three days in a reasonable manner. Thus, Li Chengyuan could only wait passively. Fortunately, Old Huang arrived quickly, Not making him wait the full three days. He showed up in just one morning. Soon, an old man with a combination of a sly and honest appearance Was brought to the garden by a servant. The old man had a sword case strapped to his back¡ª He was the Grandmaster Jian Jiu Huang! When Jian Jiu Huang saw Li Chengyuan, He immediately knelt with a thud. ¡°Your humble servant, Jian Jiu Huang, pays respects to Your Highness!¡± ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:Hongmeng(ºèÃÉ): This refers to the primordial chaos before the creation of the universe, often associated with Chinese mythology. Chapter 10 - Li Hongcheng’s Visit? Going to Zui Xian Ju? Chapter 10: Li Hongcheng¡¯s Visit? Going to Zui Xian Ju? ¡°Ah, come on, Old Huang, it¡¯s been so long, why are you being so formal now? Come over here, let¡¯s be like before!¡± Seeing Old Huang suddenly kneeling, Li Chengyuan hurriedly stopped him. According to the system¡¯s arrangement, Old Huang was someone he met when he sneaked out of the palace as a child. At the time, Old Huang was severely injured, penniless, and suffering from both hunger and pain. Li Chengyuan gave him a meal and some money, helping him get through that difficult time. So, according to the memory, the two were not exactly in this life. Hearing this, Old Huang revealed a simple smile but still hesitated a little while looking at the royal robes Li Chengyuan was wearing. After all, there was now a difference in their statuses. Although Old Huang was a great master, deep down, he was still just a blacksmith. Seeing this, Li Chengyuan smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re not coming? In that case, I might just eat all this meat myself!¡± ¡°Meat?¡± Hearing Li Chengyuan¡¯s words, and the smell of cumin-grilled meat wafting through the air, Old Huang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He ran over immediately. ¡°Coming, coming, Your Highness, save some for me!¡± As he spoke, Old Huang was already reaching for the meat. Li Chengyuan, far from being angry, started playfully competing with Old Huang for the meat. Old Huang let go completely, engaging in a friendly tussle with Li Chengyuan. The two competed, grabbing meat and stuffing it into their mouths. In no time at all, the dozen or so skewers that Li Chengyuan had grilled were all snatched up. Their ravenous eating left Sangwen staring in disbelief. Fortunately, Li Chengyuan had saved one skewer for Sang Wen. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had a single bite. After handing the skewer to Sang Wen, Li Chengyuan turned to look at Old Huang and sighed, ¡°Old Huang, you¡¯re impressive! After all these years, I still can¡¯t out-eat you when it comes to grabbing meat!¡± Old Huang chuckled, ¡°Your Highness is too kind. This is the only skill I¡¯ve got!¡± Seeing Old Huang fully relax, Li Chengyuan smiled, picking up another handful of skewers and splitting them in half with Old Huang. The two ate and chatted, mostly about trivial matters. As for Old Huang¡¯s martial prowess, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t bring it up at all. Old Huang, being someone skilled at [1], naturally didn¡¯t mention it either. Since Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t bring it up, he wasn¡¯t about to say a word. ¡¯ Old Huang¡¯s arrival finally gave Li Chengyuan a sense of confidence, making even the meat taste better. Old Huang was also delighted. He had originally thought that after Li Chengyuan regained his royal status, he would become distant. But now he found that Li Chengyuan was still as genuine and warm as before, and this realization filled Old Huang with comfort, making him relax even more. The two drank a jar of wine each. Afterward, both were a little tipsy. After eating, Li Chengyuan arranged a room for Old Huang and then took Sang Wen for a nap. ¡¯ In the afternoon, Li Chengyuan had Sang Wen copy more of , finishing over four thousand characters and completing the first chapter entirely! At this rate, in half a month, they could finish 20 chapters, and then it could be published as the first volume! After Sang Wen finished copying, Li Chengyuan took the manuscript and corrected the mistakes. Just as they were busy working, a servant reported that the son of King Jing had come to visit. Li Chengyuan narrowed his eyes. Li Hongcheng, the son of King Jing? He was one of Li Chengze¡¯s people! In the plot, this son was quite capable. If he could be drawn over to his side, he¡¯d be a significant asset. However, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t too interested in him. Playing around with him was fine, but recruiting him? No, that wasn¡¯t necessary. ¡°Invite him to the main hall.¡± Li Chengyuan gave an order and then had Sang Wen help him tidy up his clothes. Once everything was ready, Li Chengyuan headed to the main hall. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Li Hongcheng, who looked a bit foolish. Seeing Li Chengyuan, Li Hongcheng hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting. ¡°Hongcheng greets His Highness, the Third Prince!¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯re brothers, no need for formalities,¡± Li Chengyuan waved his hand and then directly asked, ¡°You came to see me for something?¡± Li Hongcheng straightforwardly replied, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s like this¡ªSecond Prince knows that you enjoy having fun. Coincidentally, I¡¯m quite familiar with Zui Xian Ju, so the Second Prince asked me to invite you there tonight.¡± ¡°The Second Brother asked you to invite me to Zui Xian Ju?¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, then he smiled without giving anything away and asked, ¡°Hongcheng, there were quite a few rumors about me in court today, weren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Li Hongcheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded, ¡°There were indeed a few gossips, but not many!¡± ¡°Hmm! So, Second Brother wants me to go to Zui Xian Ju and fan the flames a bit more?¡± Li Hongcheng gave an awkward smile and this time didn¡¯t respond. Even though Li Hongcheng didn¡¯t say anything, Li Chengyuan had already pieced everything together. Previously, he had turned down Li Chengze¡¯s invitation, claiming he wanted to indulge in leisure. So now, Li Chengze wanted to give him a push, stirring the pot so that Li Chengyuan would end up in the spotlight even more. At that point, whether or not Li Chengyuan could continue to would soon become evident. Now that Old Huang had arrived, Li Chengyuan no longer needed to ¡°play.¡± Earlier, he had wanted to ¡°play¡± because he had no foundation, no confidence. And considering his unique position, blindly involving himself in the fight for the throne would have been a death wish. But now that Old Huang was here, Li Chengyuan felt more secure. As long as he could build his power within the court, he could start preparing to kill the emperor. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Technically, he should now be actively participating in the battle for the throne. But after a moment of reflection, Li Chengyuan dismissed that thought. Because Fan Xian hadn¡¯t yet arrived in the capital! He and Fan Xian were brothers. The Emperor would never allow both of them to be in the court at the same time. Li Chengyuan feared that if he rose to prominence too soon, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t let Fan Xian come to the capital. If that happened, and he was left fighting alone in the capital, it would be too difficult. Especially since many of the opportunities to intercept key moments relied on Fan Xian being present. So, for now, he still needed to eat, drink, and play. Only then would the Emperor feel at ease. That way, the Emperor would allow Fan Xian to come to the capital, as a third whetstone for the Crown Prince. And once Fan Xian arrived, that would be the best time for Li Chengyuan to make his move. After thinking it over, Li Chengyuan looked up at Li Hongcheng and smiled, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll join you tonight and have some fun. To be honest, I¡¯ve been curious about Zui Xian Ju for a while!¡± Seeing that Li Chengyuan agreed, Li Hongcheng¡¯s face lit up with joy. ¡°That¡¯s great! Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness, I know Zui Xian Ju like the back of my hand. Tonight, I¡¯ll make sure you have a great time!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you then!¡± ¡°You honor me, Your Highness!¡± After the two agreed on the time and place for the evening, Li Hongcheng took his leave. ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: [1] : A Chinese idiom meaning to hide one¡¯s true strength or ability, pretending to be weak or foolish to deceive others and gain an advantage. Chapter 11 - Night Tour at Zuixian Residence! Die, Lian Hua! The Birth of the Chapter 11: Night Tour at Zuixian Residence! Die, Lian Hua! The Birth of the ¡°Slender Gold¡± Script! By evening, the sun had set behind the western mountains. The streets of the capital were less crowded. In ancient times, there was no nightlife; when night fell, the streets would be cleared. However, this rule only applied to common folk. For the noble and wealthy, the later it got, the more they enjoyed themselves. Li Chengyuan was not alone. He had brought Old Huang with him. Although Old Huang appeared aged, his heart was still youthful. Moreover, with his profound cultivation, he was in excellent health. So when he heard that Li Chengyuan was going on a night cruise to the pleasure boats, he insisted on coming along. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve heard about this Zuixian Residence countless times. Thanks to you, I can finally see it in person, hahaha¡­¡± Old Huang laughed mischievously. Li Chengyuan, wearing a look of disdain, said, ¡°Can¡¯t you show a bit more dignity? Your master is a prince, after all, don¡¯t embarrass me!¡± ¡°Got it, got it!¡± Old Huang grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness, I¡¯ll behave myself later!¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head, unwilling to engage further with Old Huang. He glanced up at the signboard of Zuixian Residence, then strode in. After walking through the front building of Zuixian Residence, they arrived at the banks of the Liujing River. Li Hongcheng was already waiting there. Seeing Li Chengyuan arrive, Li Hongcheng quickly came forward to greet him. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Li Chengyuan nodded, ¡°Alright since we¡¯re all here, tell me¡ªwhat¡¯s so special about this Zuixian Residence?¡± Li Hongcheng smiled as he explained, ¡°Your Highness, there are many amusements in Zuixian Residence. But if we talk about the most unique aspect, it¡¯s the flower boats on the Liujing River. Among all these flower boats, the most famous one right now is undoubtedly that one!¡± Standing on the bridge, Li Chengyuan followed Li Hongcheng¡¯s gaze to see a beautifully adorned red pleasure boat anchored in the distance. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Li Chengyuan already had a guess but still asked knowingly. Li Hongcheng lowered his voice and explained, ¡°Your Highness, that¡¯s the new top courtesan on the Liujing River, Miss Sili Li. She¡¯s gaining quite a reputation, but she never meets anyone. Countless people have spent fortunes trying to see her, but they all leave disappointed.¡± ¡°I see, marketing herself by keeping out of reach to drive up her value!¡± Li Chengyuan was very familiar with this trick and directly asked, ¡°So, how does one meet her?¡± Li Hongcheng, hearing this, asked softly, ¡°Your Highness, can you write poetry? This courtesan is fond of poems and odes, and she claims only excellent poetry can win her favor.¡± After listening, Li Chengyuan sighed, ¡°Pretending to be cultured, packaging herself¡ªwhat a mature business chain!¡± ¡°What did you say, Your Highness?¡± Li Hongcheng didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Li Chengyuan changed the topic, ¡°Writing poetry is no problem. Do you have pen and paper?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness, would you like to write now?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Please follow me.¡± ¡¯ Soon, Li Hongcheng led Li Chengyuan to a private room where fine brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were prepared. Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t hesitate; he walked directly to the desk, picked up the brush, dipped it generously in ink, and after a brief moment of thought, began to write! Li Hongcheng curiously walked over and, seeing the words, softly recited them aloud. After reading the title, Li Hongcheng understood that Li Chengyuan was composing a ci poem. In this world, after the Ice Age on Earth, many pioneers passed down knowledge. Therefore, much of the cultural inheritance here was very similar to the pre-Ice Age Earth. For instance, this world also had poetry, and many (fixed-rhythm patterns) names were strikingly similar to the cultural tradition of pre-Ice Age Earth. So, Li Hongcheng fully understood the title of the poem Li Chengyuan was writing. However, as he continued to watch Li Chengyuan¡¯s writing, Li Hongcheng suddenly froze. As a prince, Li Hongcheng had a certain level of talent. He often organized poetry gatherings at his home with scholars and literati. So, at the very least, Li Hongcheng had some discernment in matters of art and culture. Because of this, he was instantly captivated by the new style of calligraphy that Li Chengyuan was writing! The mainstream calligraphy styles of this world were similar¡ªrunning script, regular script, cursive script, and so on¡ªall with established rules. But Li Chengyuan¡¯s (Slender Gold Script) broke through these conventions and became a unique style of its own! What shocked Li Hongcheng the most was that he had seen this script before. Li Chengyuan¡¯s handwriting had always resembled this style since he was young. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, back then, it was still immature and unrefined. But now, seeing this mature version, Li Chengyuan¡¯s new script was undeniably sophisticated. The unique charm and flavor of this writing reflected the expertise of a master calligrapher! So¡­ does this mean that the Third Prince not only created a new script but also honed it to perfection? This was astonishing! It was well known that creating a new style of calligraphy was far more difficult than composing an immortal poem. The two achievements were not even comparable. Because of this, Li Hongcheng kept staring at Li Chengyuan¡¯s script, completely focused on its strokes and forms, and didn¡¯t even pay attention to the poem¡¯s content. Unfortunately, before long, Li Chengyuan had already finished writing. Li Chengyuan picked up the completed poem, gently blew on the ink to dry it, and handed it over to Li Hongcheng once it was dry. Li Hongcheng, still somewhat dazed, received it absentmindedly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Stunned by my poem?¡± ¡°Huh? No!¡± Li Hongcheng snapped out of it and quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, the script you just wrote, is it something you created?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Li Chengyuan nodded, ¡°You could say that. It¡¯s something I tinkered with myself.¡± ¡°Does it have a name?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called .¡± Li Hongcheng savored the name for a moment, then exclaimed, ¡°That name is perfect!¡± As he spoke, Li Hongcheng cupped his hands in admiration and said, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve not only created a script but also refined it to such maturity! I¡¯m truly impressed. Just this script alone is enough to ensure your name is remembered in history!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a blessing from you. Alright, go ahead and send the poem over now.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll have it delivered right away!¡± Li Hongcheng chuckled. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry. Even without mentioning the poem, just this calligraphy alone will be enough to move Miss Sili Li. If she¡¯s not moved, I¡¯ll personally go and destroy her pleasure boat. A woman who can¡¯t appreciate such talent doesn¡¯t deserve to be the top courtesan of the Liujing River!¡± Li Chengyuan, hearing this, smiled faintly and said nothing in response. That Miss Sili Li was no ordinary person. Li Chengyuan was truly curious to see if she would choose him. ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:Zuixian Residence(×íÏɾÓ, ): A high-class entertainment venue, likely offering luxury and indulgence, often associated with wine and companionship.Liujing River(Á÷¾§ºÓ, ): A fictional river, possibly referring to a place known for its beauty or pleasure boats.Flower boat(»¨´¬, ): A traditional form of entertainment where guests are entertained by courtesans on lavishly decorated boats, often seen as a symbol of high society and romance.Die Lian Hua(µûÁµ»¨, ): A classic (tune pattern) used in traditional Chinese poetry, associated with expressing emotions through nature, particularly butterflies and flowers.Shou Jin Ti(ÊݽðÌå, ): Literally ¡°Slender Gold Script,¡± a famous calligraphy style characterized by thin, elegant strokes, famously associated with Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Here, it¡¯s portrayed as a new style created by Li Chengyuan. Chapter 12 - Si Lilis Boat Moved! A Surprise Reward for Preempting Her! Chapter 12: Si Lili¡¯s Boat Moved! A Surprise Reward for Preempting Her! After Li Hongcheng delivered Li Chengyuan¡¯s poem, he led him back into the Zui Xian Ju. This place indeed had its unique features. Aside from the various flower boats, there were also women skilled in all kinds of arts. For example, Fan Yin Rao¡ªa woman known as Wen Ruohan¡ªexcelled in ancient zither music. It was said that even the Ministry of Rites would consult her for sacrificial rituals. Then there was Yu Jiang Weixun¡ªDu Ernian¡ªwho specialized in ancient methods of brewing wine, producing a remarkably exquisite taste. Old Huang loved drinking the most, so Li Chengyuan stopped here for a while to taste the brewed wine. The flavor was indeed exceptional, and Old Huang drank with great enjoyment. After that, they encountered Qiu Yi Dangyang¡ªMeng Xiaoyun¡ªa woman skilled in (pitch-pot), a game of throwing arrows into a pot. She was even more skilled at captivating people, though her looks were somewhat lacking, so Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t interested. As they strolled for a while longer, someone suddenly shouted, ¡°Si Lili¡¯s boat is moving!¡± Li Chengyuan and Li Hongcheng exchanged glances and immediately understood. With a shared sense of purpose, they walked toward the riverbank, with Old Huang following closely behind. Upon reaching the riverside, Li Chengyuan witnessed a scene that made him click his tongue in wonder. All around the riverbank, people were crowded, cheering loudly at Si Lili¡¯s flower boat. The frenzy reminded Li Chengyuan of modern-day obsessive fans (). One had to admit, that Zui Xian Ju had its methods. To cultivate such a large fanbase in ancient times, there was surely a sophisticated marketing strategy in place. Noticing Li Chengyuan¡¯s slight daze, Li Hongcheng explained, ¡°Your Highness, Si Lili¡¯s flower boat has never moved before, and she has never entertained a guest. She¡¯s said to still be pure!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Li Chengyuan smiled faintly. In truth, Li Chengyuan¡¯s primary reason for coming here was to preempt the reward. The secondary reason was to personally assess Si Lili¡¯s capabilities, as she was a spy from Northern Qi and had close ties to the young emperor of that country. Gaining control over her could offer great benefits to Li Chengyuan. As for anything else, he didn¡¯t feel the need to force it¡ªhe would let things take their course. ¡¯ Soon, Si Lili¡¯s flower boat approached the shore. Dressed in a black gauzy dress, Si Lili, under the guidance of two maids holding lanterns, gracefully disembarked. After crossing the bridge, she walked elegantly toward Li Chengyuan and the others. At first glance, Si Lili¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to Li Chengyuan, and she couldn¡¯t seem to look away. It couldn¡¯t be helped¡ªamong the crowd, Li Chengyuan¡¯s appearance and aura were the most outstanding. After all, he was the child of Emperor Qing and the beautiful Ye Qingmei, so his looks were similar to Fan Xian¡¯s, though even more handsome. Growing up in the palace had provided him with superior living conditions, further refining his appearance and bearing. Especially his skin¡ªit was flawless, fair, and smooth. Combined with the noble temperament cultivated over the years as a prince, he couldn¡¯t go unnoticed in a crowd. Si Lili instantly recognized Li Chengyuan, so she walked directly toward him, asking, ¡°Might I ask if that poem was written by you, sir?¡± Li Chengyuan nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± With the confirmation, Si Lili marveled, reciting the poem aloud: ¡°¡®The flowers fall, the green apricots are small. When the swallows fly, green waters surround homes. The willow catkins on the branch blow thin and few. Where on earth is there not fragrant grass? Inside the walls, swings fly. Outside the walls, people pass. Outside, travelers; inside, a woman smiles. The laughter fades, and the voice turns silent. The affectionate one is troubled by the indifferent.¡¯ What a brilliant ! Your talent, sir, is truly astonishing. Not only is the poem excellent, but the calligraphy¡­ and the man¡­ are even better!¡± Si Lili¡¯s voice was not low, so the people nearby all heard her recitation. As soon as her words fell, the crowd erupted. ¡°What a phrase, ¡®Where on earth is there not fragrant grass!¡¯ That one line alone makes this poem worthy of passing down through the ages!¡± ¡°I think the line, ¡®The affectionate one is troubled by the indifferent,¡¯ is even more moving!¡± ¡°Who is this young man? Not only is he so handsome, but he also has such extraordinary talent. My God, isn¡¯t this the very image of the elegant gentleman in my dreams?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to converse with him! Such talent¡ªhow have I never heard of him before?¡± ¡¯ The area instantly became lively, with people even starting to push forward toward them. With her rich experience, Si Lili knew the situation was about to get out of hand. She quickly said to Li Chengyuan, ¡°Sir, please follow me!¡± After speaking, she grabbed Li Chengyuan and hurriedly led him away. Li Chengyuan quickly turned back and instructed Li Hongcheng, ¡°Hongcheng, take care of Old Huang for me. Make sure he eats and enjoys himself!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your High¡­ Brother Three!¡± Li Hongcheng nearly misspoke in his haste. Meanwhile, Jian Jiu Huang was deeply moved, smiling widely. The fact that Li Chengyuan still remembered him in such a moment showed how highly valued he was in the prince¡¯s heart. His Highness was truly kind to others. Old Huang sighed with emotion and then, in an instant, excitedly asked Li Hongcheng, ¡°Young Master, shall we go too?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! Sure!¡± Li Hongcheng smiled slightly and led Old Huang back to Zui Xian Ju. Li Hongcheng was a frequent visitor here, and arranging for Jian Jiu Huang was a simple task. With just a word from him, Old Huang would be guaranteed a night of unparalleled enjoyment. ¡¯ On the other side, Li Chengyuan and Si Lili were returning to their boat. At the same time, a notification sounded in Li Chengyuan¡¯s mind. [ Congratulations to the host for preempting Si Lili¡¯s ¡°Flower Boat¡¯s First Movement¡± achievement. Reward: Special Constitution¡ªImmunity to All Poisons, Immunity to All Diseases!] Hmm? Li Chengyuan paused for a moment in surprise. Moreover, the reward was incredibly generous! These two were incredibly important in the world of (Celebrating the Years). Fan Xian, for instance, was a master of poisons and always carried a variety of toxic substances with him, capable of poisoning even ninth-rank experts. Without these buffs, Li Chengyuan would have to be extremely cautious with everything he ate in the future, constantly fearing someone might poison him. But now, there was no need for that! With these two buffs, no poison in this world could harm him. From now on, the only thing he needed to care about when eating was whether the food was clean; nothing else mattered. If he wasn¡¯t a clean freak, he wouldn¡¯t even need to worry about cleanliness, thanks to the immunity to all diseases. No matter how dirty the food was, it wouldn¡¯t make him sick! This reward truly alleviated a major concern of his! With his spirits lifted, Li Chengyuan even found Si Lili more pleasing to the eye. Although she was a spy, he had to admit she was stunningly beautiful. Especially with that aura of seductive allure¡ªdesire seemed to emanate from her very bones. Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel some anticipation for the events of the night. ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. (ÄԲзÛ): Internet slang referring to overly obsessive or irrational fTou(Ͷºø): An ancient Chinese game where players try to throw arrows into a narrow-necked pot. Chapter 13 - Drugged by Si Lili? Exposing Si Lilis Identity! Chapter 13: Drugged by Si Lili? Exposing Si Lili¡¯s Identity! On the Flowing Crystal River, aboard Si Lili¡¯s flower boat. Si Lili and Li Chengyuan sat facing each other. The table was filled with fine wine and delicacies. Si Lili poured wine for Li Chengyuan, her eyes filled with a coquettish and seductive glint. ¡°I toast you, young master. Tonight, I belong to you. Please, treat me kindly!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled lightly, clinking his glass with Si Lili¡¯s, and downed the wine in one gulp. Si Lili also drank, then looked at Li Chengyuan and asked, ¡°Speaking of which, I still don¡¯t know your identity, young master!¡± Upon hearing this, Li Chengyuan looked at Si Lili with a smirk. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Si Lili feigned confusion, ¡°What does young master mean by that? It¡¯s my first time meeting you, of course, I don¡¯t know your identity!¡± ¡°Heh, Lili, you¡¯re not being very sincere!¡± Li Chengyuan poured himself another glass of wine and continued: ¡°The person who brought me here is Li Hongcheng, the heir to Prince Jing. He¡¯s a regular here and didn¡¯t hide his identity. I don¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know him!¡± ¡°Well¡­ of course, I know the heir!¡± ¡°If you know him, then here¡¯s the problem!¡± Li Chengyuan drank another glass, then looked at Si Lili and asked, ¡°Earlier, Li Hongcheng called me ¡®third brother¡¯ in front of everyone. He¡¯s the heir to Prince Jing, and there¡¯s only one person in the entire Qing Kingdom who can be his ¡®third brother.¡¯ And now you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t know who I am? Lili, aren¡¯t you underestimating my intelligence?¡± Si Lili¡¯s entire body trembled. She hadn¡¯t expected Li Chengyuan to be so sharp, catching such details even at that moment. She had miscalculated. However, Si Lili didn¡¯t panic. After being exposed, she immediately stood up, performed a respectful bow, and spoke in a soft, coquettish voice: ¡°Your Highness is truly wise. It was foolish of me to try to show off. I admit, I did know your identity beforehand, but I just wanted to tease you. Please forgive me, Your Highness!¡± Si Lili¡¯s face bore an expression of fragile charm, a seductive and beguiling look that could easily melt the heart. At this moment, any other man might have been reluctant to blame Si Lili. But Li Chengyuan remained unmoved. He poured himself another glass of wine and then looked at Si Lili with amusement, saying, ¡°Heh, just a joke? You¡¯re bold, aren¡¯t you? So you¡¯re telling me that, knowing full well I¡¯m the third prince of Qing, you still dared to drug my wine? Do you know what kind of crime that is?¡± !!! Si Lili, who had been calm just moments ago, suddenly changed her expression drastically. Si Lili was utterly baffled. She had indeed drugged Li Chengyuan, using a special poison made by the royal family¡ªcolorless, odorless, and extremely hard to detect. Si Lili was utterly bewildered. But now wasn¡¯t the time to focus on these questions. She had to figure out how to get through this moment first. Glancing at Li Chengyuan¡¯s calm expression, Si Lili took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain composed. She smiled, trying to sound casual, ¡°What are you talking about, Your Highness? I wouldn¡¯t dare drug you. I¡¯m not that brave. Please don¡¯t scare me.¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Li Chengyuan chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re brave or not, but I do know your acting skills aren¡¯t very good. Lili, I¡¯ve been upfront with you, so don¡¯t pretend to be confused anymore. Otherwise, I¡¯ll get upset.¡± With Li Chengyuan¡¯s words, Si Lili realized he wasn¡¯t bluffing¡ªhe genuinely knew the wine was drugged. Si Lili made a decisive move. She knelt with a thud and confessed, ¡°Please forgive me, Your Highness! I realize my mistake!¡± ¡°Get up,¡± Li Chengyuan said softly as he glanced at her, ¡°Tonight¡¯s a beautiful night, and I don¡¯t want to ruin the mood. Besides, I promised earlier to treat you kindly, so¡­ sit down, and we¡¯ll have a good conversation. If it goes well, we can forget about this.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Si Lili knew Li Chengyuan had conditions to negotiate, which gave her a sense of relief. She obediently stood up, sat back down, and with a sincere expression, said, ¡°Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness. I promise, from now on, I won¡¯t tell any more lies!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your promise!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled again, then asked, ¡°Now tell me, what did you put in the wine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ,¡± Si Lili admitted shyly. ¡°It¡¯s just a harmless aphrodisiac. After taking it, Your Highness would pass out and, in a dream¡­ have an intimate moment with me.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Li Chengyuan understood. He couldn¡¯t help but feel lucky. The system¡¯s timely reward had saved him from what could have been a humiliating night. Although there would have been no lasting harm, the thought of being drugged and left dreaming of an intimate night was highly embarrassing. If word got out, it would be incredibly humiliating. Thinking of this, Li Chengyuan looked at Si Lili, both angry and amused. ¡°So, you want to be a courtesan queen while still preserving your virginity?¡± Si Lili lowered her head in guilt. Li Chengyuan shook his head and said, ¡°Do you know that drugging me like this is a capital offense?¡± Si Lili looked up, her face filled with pitiful pleading. ¡°Would Your Highness bear to punish me? Didn¡¯t you just promise to treat me kindly?¡± ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t bear to,¡± Li Chengyuan said, staring deeply into her eyes, before continuing meaningfully, ¡°But¡­ are you just a normal woman?¡± ¡°Wha¡­ what do you mean?¡± Si Lili stammered, panicking once again under Li Chengyuan¡¯s intense gaze. Swirling the wine in his glass, Li Chengyuan spoke in a calm tone: ¡°First of all, if you were just a normal courtesan, upon knowing my identity, you wouldn¡¯t dare drug me, even if you didn¡¯t offer yourself up willingly. ¡°Second, the drug you used, , shouldn¡¯t be something a regular courtesan could acquire, at least not one of ordinary means. ¡°Third, the way you¡¯ve risen to fame so quickly in the capital, attracting such a large following, isn¡¯t something an ordinary courtesan could achieve either. ¡°So, your identity is not ordinary. ¡°And I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a hidden power behind you, supporting you. ¡°A courtesan hiding her true strength while being so protective of her purity¡­ There¡¯s only one explanation for all of this¡ªyou must be a spy. And not a spy of Qing, because Qing¡¯s spies aren¡¯t as high-profile and modest as you are. ¡°So, based on all of this, you¡¯re a spy for Northern Qi, aren¡¯t you?¡± Si Lili¡¯s face went pale, and she jumped to her feet in shock! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:(ÈƹÇÈá): A fictional aphrodisiac in the story, translated as ¡°Bone-Twisting Softness.¡± In many wuxia and xianxia novels, such drugs or poisons are often depicted as having powerful effects but are rarely fatal. Chapter 14 - Sili Lis Bold Move! The Emperors Shock! Chapter 14: Sili Li¡¯s Bold Move! The Emperor¡¯s Shock! ¡°Your Highness¡­ you¡­ you¡­¡± Sili Li stared at Li Chengyuan with an expression of disbelief, utterly shocked beyond words. At that moment, she was truly scared! Afraid of this man, Li Chengyuan! The main reason was that Li Chengyuan was too terrifying. Sili Li had said almost nothing. Yet Li Chengyuan, solely based on the fact that there was something in the wine, deduced her identity as a spy from Northern Qi. This ability was simply uncanny. What a pity that Sili Li didn¡¯t know that Li Chengyuan was reverse engineering the answer he already knew. In truth, Li Chengyuan¡¯s reasoning had many gaps that could have been explained away. But an utterly panicked Sili Li lost in her fear, didn¡¯t have the clarity of mind to think about those loopholes. Looking at Sili Li, who was trembling all over, Li Chengyuan smiled and said, ¡°Judging by your reaction, I guessed correctly?¡± Sili Li stayed silent for a while, then suddenly, as if resigned to her fate, she sat back down. ¡°Your Highness, since you already know my identity, then do as you will, whether it¡¯s killing me or punishing me.¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t act all righteous in front of me. If you truly had the resolve to die, you wouldn¡¯t be wasting time talking to me. You would have committed suicide the moment your cover was blown!¡± Sili Li: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done teasing you,¡± Li Chengyuan stretched lazily, his demeanor relaxed. ¡°Rest assured, I have no intention of exposing you. Right now, I¡¯m just a prince with no power or influence. Exposing you doesn¡¯t benefit me in any way.¡± Upon hearing this, Sili Li¡¯s spirits lifted once again. She caught the subtext in Li Chengyuan¡¯s words. ¡°Your Highness, are you suggesting you wish to cooperate with me?¡± Li Chengyuan neither confirmed nor denied it but nodded slightly, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m considering. However, I hesitate because I don¡¯t need unreliable allies. In other words, for now, you hold no credibility with me.¡± Sili Li paused, gazing directly at Li Chengyuan for a moment before standing up. She walked over to him, sat directly in his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath warm and sweet. ¡°Your Highness, how about this?¡± Feeling the soft body in his embrace, Li Chengyuan was genuinely caught off guard. Now it was his turn to feel a little uncomfortable. ¡°Is Miss Sili Li offering herself?¡± Sili Li smiled charmingly, ¡°Indeed! Your Highness doubts me and doesn¡¯t trust me, so if I give myself entirely to you, would that earn your trust?¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. To me, this and trust are two separate matters. Even if you gave yourself to me, I would still not trust you if I didn¡¯t before.¡± Sili Li was truly irritated now. ¡°Your Highness is so heartless?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m heartless,¡± Li Chengyuan replied seriously. ¡°Miss Sili Li, you¡¯re mistaken about one thing. For me, trust is mutual and pure. If trust could be bought with a physical exchange, wouldn¡¯t trust be a little too cheap?¡± Sili Li was stunned once again. She had thought Li Chengyuan was just toying with her. But she never expected him to say something like this. This side of Li Chengyuan suddenly felt unfamiliar to her. It was the first time she¡¯d encountered someone from the upper echelons of power like him. After a moment of silence, Sili Li gazed at Li Chengyuan and, for the first time, sincerely asked, ¡°Then, Your Highness, how can I earn your trust?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head. ¡°Trust isn¡¯t built from a single conversation or encounter. As they say, Without long-term interaction, how can trust develop?¡± Upon hearing this, Sili Li looked at Li Chengyuan¡¯s earnest expression and suddenly smiled brightly. ¡°Your Highness, now I understand. Then for now, please feel my sincerity!¡± Before Li Chengyuan could respond, Sili Li lowered her head and kissed him on the lips! Enveloped by Sili Li¡¯s embrace, Li Chengyuan instantly lost all resistance. Negotiations ended, and the night aboard the flower boat officially began. ¡¯ At the same time, in the Imperial Palace, inside the emperor¡¯s chambers. The emperor of Qing was dressed in a deep V-neck sleeping robe, sitting on his bed reviewing memorials. Eunuch Hou hurried in, taking careful steps. When he reached the emperor, he didn¡¯t waste any time and reported directly. ¡°Your Majesty, news has just arrived: the Third Prince went to Zui Xian House tonight, escorted by the heir of the Duke of Jing!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The emperor looked up, surprised. ¡°Li Chengyuan went to Zui Xian House? And it was Li Hongcheng who took him there?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, and¡­¡± Eunuch Hou lowered his head and continued, ¡°It is said that the heir brought a poem written by the Third Prince to Sili Li, the courtesan of Zui Xian House, and she was so moved by it that she invited the Third Prince onto her boat!¡± ¡°Sili Li? She invited Li Chengyuan aboard?¡± The emperor¡¯s gaze sharpened. He then asked, ¡°What poem did Li Chengyuan write?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Third Prince wrote a poem and even used a new type of calligraphy. Please take a look!¡± With that, Eunuch Hou presented a piece of paper from his sleeve to the emperor. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the original draft written by Li Chengyuan himself. The emperor took the paper, unfolded it, and was immediately captivated by the calligraphy that met his eyes. This style of writing was something the emperor had never seen before! He was instantly drawn to its novelty. The structure of the characters was lively, the strokes slender yet firm, thin but without losing substance. The larger characters were especially graceful and poised. Truly, it was an exceptional style! The emperor was inwardly astonished¡ªhis son had this level of skill? After marveling at it for a while, the emperor shifted his attention to the poem itself. Reading the verses, the emperor was once again taken aback, particularly by the lines ¡°Where under the heavens are there no fragrant grasses?¡± and ¡°The passionate are troubled by the heartless.¡± They made him want to applaud on the spot! However, after admiring the work, the emperor looked up and asked in surprise, ¡°Are you sure that this poem and calligraphy were truly written by Li Chengyuan?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Our people saw the Third Prince write it with their own eyes! Moreover, the Third Prince claimed that this style of calligraphy was his invention. He calls it ¡®Slender Gold Script¡¯!¡± ¡°Slender Gold Script? What a fitting name! An excellent name!¡± The emperor sighed. ¡°This Third Son of mine truly surprises me!¡± Eunuch Hou, seeing this, cautiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, the Third Prince¡¯s visit to the brothel will likely lead to some officials impeaching him tomorrow. Do you think we should give the Third Prince a warning?¡± Upon hearing this, the emperor thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Eunuch Hou, tomorrow go to the Li Jun Prince¡¯s residence and convey my decree. Then, have this poem and the Slender Gold Script published in the newspaper exactly as it is!¡± Eunuch Hou hurriedly accepted the order. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 15 - A Conflicted Sili Li! A Calm Li Chengyuan! Chapter 15: A Conflicted Sili Li! A Calm Li Chengyuan! Early the next morning, Li Chengyuan had just woken up when a delicate fragrance wafted into his nose. Turning his head, he saw the lovely Sili Li sleeping soundly. Recalling the passionate night before, a smile unconsciously appeared on Li Chengyuan¡¯s face. He had to admit, as a courtesan, Sili Li was definitely up to par¡ªshe was incredibly gentle. Yawning, just as Li Chengyuan was about to get out of bed, he suddenly remembered that he seemed to have heard the system¡¯s notification sound last night. At that time, he was too engrossed to check. Now, it finally came to mind, and Li Chengyuan quickly summoned the system. Immediately, a series of notifications popped up. ¡° Congratulations to the host for intercepting Sili Li¡¯s first night! Reward: Personal maid ¡®Qingniao¡¯, one ¡®Longhu Pill¡¯, five ¡®Huiyuan Pills¡¯, and one confidential intelligence report!¡± ¡°Qingniao: From the world of ¡®Xue Zhong¡¯, a peak-level master of the ninth rank, a stunning maidservant from King Bei¡¯s estate¡¯s Wutong Courtyard. Quiet, doesn¡¯t speak much, with a cold temperament and unwavering loyalty. Specializes in the weapon: Momentary Spear.¡± ¡°Longhu Pill: Increases one¡¯s cultivation by one level without any side effects (effective for three days).¡± ¡°Huiyuan Pill: A sacred healing medicine that can treat any internal or external injuries!¡± ¡°Confidential Intelligence: Information about Zhao Wencheng, Deputy Minister of Personnel in Qing State!¡± Hmm? Seeing this string of prompts, Li Chengyuan, who had been a bit groggy, suddenly widened his eyes! Yesterday, the system gave him two invincible physiques; today, he received many rewards! At first, Li Chengyuan was confused, but after thinking for a moment, it did make sense. Now that he had intercepted Sili Li, many future events would change. Especially since Fan Xian would later go on a diplomatic mission to Northern Qi because Northern Qi wanted to exchange Yan Bingyun for Sili Li. Now that he had intercepted Sili Li, the events that would happen later would be entirely under his control. Of course, controlling Sili Li would not be easy. This woman had been undercover in Qing State for so long and had even almost played Fan Xian. Her cunning and scheming were extraordinary. Even though she had given herself to Li Chengyuan, he wouldn¡¯t fully trust her. Moreover, Li Chengyuan was, after all, a prince, while Sili Li was a spy for the empire. On the surface, the two of them couldn¡¯t be seen getting too close; otherwise, it would leave behind evidence that could be used against him. So, unless something unexpected happened, he wouldn¡¯t meet Sili Li again anytime soon. Thinking of this, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of reluctance. Turning his head, he gently stroked Sili Li¡¯s cheek. Unexpectedly, this movement woke her up. Sili Li opened her eyes and, seeing Li Chengyuan¡¯s face so close, a blush appeared on her delicate face. Li Chengyuan, seeing Sili Li¡¯s shy expression, felt his heart soften, and before he could resist, he leaned in again. Sili Li could only manage a surprised gasp. ¡¯ After quite some time, the two finally bathed and dressed. At the dining table, Li Chengyuan held Sili Li in his arms, eating breakfast affectionately with her. Lying in his embrace, Sili Li, with her enchanting charm, said softly, ¡°Your Highness, have you ever thought about¡­¡± ¡°About what?¡± Li Chengyuan lowered his head and looked at Sili Li. ¡°I mean, what if one day my identity is exposed? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being implicated?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Li Chengyuan responded without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about any special identity of yours. I only know you¡¯re the courtesan of Liu Jing River, and that Li Hongcheng brought me here to meet you. If any trouble arises, it¡¯s his fault, not mine!¡± Hearing this, Sili Li¡¯s expression was complicated. ¡°Your Highness is truly clever.¡± Li Chengyuan instantly picked up on the bitterness in her voice. However, he wasn¡¯t moved. Stroking her smooth cheek, he calmly said, ¡°I know you have resentment in your heart, but you must understand, That we both have complicated identities. Getting too close to each other wouldn¡¯t be wise.¡± He continued, ¡°Unless you¡¯re willing to abandon your identity as a Northern Qi spy and completely cut ties with Northern Qi. If you can do that, I promise to redeem your freedom immediately and bring you back to the palace. But the question is, are you willing to give up your status as a spy?¡± Sili Li fell silent. Northern Qi had been good to her, and no matter what, she didn¡¯t want to betray them. So Li Chengyuan¡¯s proposal was one she couldn¡¯t accept. However, she still felt unwilling. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Looking at Li Chengyuan, Sili Li¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°Is Your Highness simply planning to leave after having gained your benefits?¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, there¡¯s no enmity between us. Besides, I do like you. But the important question is whether you want to be with me or with Northern Qi. That¡¯s crucial. Of course, I know this isn¡¯t an easy decision, and I won¡¯t force you. You can take your time and think it over.¡± He continued, ¡°When you¡¯ve made up your mind, you can send someone to inform me. And since you¡¯re my woman now, if you ever run into trouble, you can always come to me. I¡¯ll help you as best I can.¡± He added, ¡°But there¡¯s one condition¡ªyou¡¯re not allowed to let any other man on this boat from now on, even if it¡¯s drug-related. This is my bottom line. I hope we can have a good outcome, but sometimes good things take time. It all depends on whether or not we¡¯re fated to be together in the future.¡± Listening to Li Chengyuan¡¯s calm yet ¡°heartless¡± words, Sili Li was filled with conflicting emotions. In truth, she wasn¡¯t sure what she felt for Li Chengyuan. She admired his talent, his intelligence, his striking appearance, and his status. Coupled with the unforgettable experience of their first night together, Sili Li was undoubtedly falling for him. However, when compared to Northern Qi, she found it difficult to weigh her feelings. Seeing Sili Li fall silent once again, Li Chengyuan said no more and continued eating on his own. The matter between him and Sili Li had only just begun¡ªthere would be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there was no rush. ¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until the sun was high in the sky that Li Chengyuan finally managed to ¡°escape¡± Sili Li¡¯s clinginess and leave her boat, returning to shore. At the bank, Li Hongcheng and Jian Jiu Huang had been waiting for him for quite some time. As soon as they saw Li Chengyuan disembark, they hurried over to greet him. ¡°Your Highness, did you enjoy yourself last night?¡± ¡°Not bad!¡± Li Chengyuan chuckled, throwing an arm around Li Hongcheng¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This time, I have to thank you, Hongcheng. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have known who Sili Li was!¡± Li Hongcheng laughed in response, ¡°Your Highness is too kind. With your talent, women will flock to you wherever you go!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled but said nothing. His words were merely to shift all responsibility for meeting Sili Li onto Li Hongcheng. In the future, if Sili Li¡¯s identity were to be exposed and someone accused him of colluding with foreign nations, he would only need to implicate Li Hongcheng, which would naturally drag Li Chengze into the mess. At that point, things would become so muddled that no one would dare to speak against him! ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 16 - Li Chengyuan Punished with House Arrest! Chapter 16: Qingniao Fainted on the Street? Li Chengyuan Punished with House Arrest! After leaving Zuixianju, everyone parted ways and headed home. Since the Jing Prince¡¯s Mansion and the Prince of Li¡¯s Mansion weren¡¯t far apart, Li Hongcheng and Li Chengyuan shared a carriage on their way back. On the road, Li Chengyuan asked Lao Huang how he had enjoyed his night. Li Huang grinned sheepishly, baring his teeth but didn¡¯t reply. His expression, however, revealed everything. It seemed that he had a great time last night. Had Li Chengyuan not known from Li Hongcheng that Li Huang spent the whole night drinking without doing anything else, from Li Huang¡¯s lecherous appearance, Li Chengyuan would¡¯ve thought he had performed some mighty feats! ¡¯ On the way home, they chatted casually. Suddenly, Li Chengyuan heard a commotion ahead. He peeked out from the carriage and found someone had collapsed. He immediately ordered the carriage to stop and got out to check. A crowd had gathered, but no one stepped forward, likely to avoid getting involved. Li Chengyuan squeezed through and took a look, immediately freezing in surprise. Lying on the ground was a frail figure, seemingly a young girl. What shocked him was that she was holding a long spear in her arms! Startled, Li Chengyuan hurriedly squatted down, flipping the girl over. Her face was a bit dirty, but Li Chengyuan recognized her immediately¡ªit was indeed Qingniao. Cursing inwardly, he quickly stopped thinking about it. Without further ado, he lifted her in his arms and rushed back to the carriage. ¡°Quick, back to the mansion!¡± Ignoring the murmurs of the onlookers, Li Chengyuan, once in the carriage, ordered the driver to hurry. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your Highness, what is this¡­?¡± Li Hongcheng, seeing the unconscious Qingniao in Li Chengyuan¡¯s arms, was baffled. Li Chengyuan casually explained, ¡°Nothing, just a young girl I¡¯ve met before. Not sure why she fainted.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Li Hongcheng didn¡¯t ask further, seeing that Li Chengyuan was reluctant to elaborate. After all, it was just a young girl, not worth worrying over. ¡¯ Soon, they arrived near Shixin Gate, an area where the wealthy and powerful lived. The Jing Prince¡¯s Mansion, Prince of Li¡¯s Mansion, and the Second Prince¡¯s Qin Prince¡¯s Mansion were all nearby. The carriage stopped at Shixin Gate. Li Hongcheng got off and bid farewell to Li Chengyuan. Not long after, Li Chengyuan returned to the Prince of Li¡¯s Mansion. The moment the carriage stopped, Li Chengyuan carried Qingniao down and sprinted towards the mansion. ¡°Li Huang, go get the imperial physician to the rear courtyard, quick!¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± Li Huang replied instantly, vanishing in a blink, likely using his qinggong. Li Chengyuan was also swift, and before long, he reached the rear courtyard. Finding an empty room, he placed Qingniao on the bed. Just then, Sang Wen arrived, having heard the commotion. ¡°Your Highness, what happened?¡± ¡°Nothing, I found an old friend injured on the way and brought her back. By the way, where¡¯s the imperial physician?¡± ¡°The physician will be here shortly. Also, Young Master, there¡¯s a eunuch from the palace, here to deliver an edict from His Majesty. He¡¯s been waiting for a while!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Chengyuan was taken aback for a moment before quickly asking, ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°In the main hall,¡± Sang Wen quickly replied. Li Chengyuan was about to say something when Li Huang returned with the imperial physician on his back. Li Chengyuan immediately instructed, ¡°Li Huang, Sang Wen, you two stay here and take care of Qingniao. I¡¯ll go to the front to receive the decree.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Highness, we¡¯ll handle things here,¡± Li Huang promptly responded. Li Chengyuan glanced at Qingniao lying on the bed, then quickly left without further delay. ¡¯ Li Chengyuan hurried back to the main hall, where he saw Eunuch Hou leisurely sipping tea. Hearing the sound of footsteps, Eunuch Hou quickly stood up as soon as he saw Li Chengyuan. ¡°Oh dear, Your Highness, you¡¯ve finally returned!¡± ¡°My apologies for keeping you waiting,¡± Li Chengyuan said courteously. Eunuch Hou immediately replied, ¡°Oh no, Your Highness, please, there¡¯s no need to be so polite with an old servant like me. I¡¯m not worthy of such courtesy!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled faintly. He knew full well that Eunuch Hou held quite some sway with Emperor Qing, so it wasn¡¯t wise to offend him. A single careless word from Eunuch Hou could lead to much trouble. Although it was unlikely Eunuch Hou would dare speak ill of a prince, maintaining good relations was still prudent. After some small talk, Li Chengyuan directly asked, ¡°What brings you here, Eunuch Hou?¡± ¡°Oh my, I almost forgot the important task. Your Highness, I bring an imperial decree from His Majesty. Please prepare to receive it.¡± Li Chengyuan nodded and knelt, saying, ¡°I, your son, am ready to receive the decree.¡± Eunuch Hou assumed an official posture and solemnly declared, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s decree: The third prince, Li Chengyuan, has been indulging in debauchery at brothels, neglecting propriety and royal dignity. As punishment, you are hereby ordered to remain under house arrest for half a month and to transcribe ten thousand characters as a means of self-reflection. May you reflect on your actions and cultivate yourself!¡± ¡°I accept the decree,¡± Li Chengyuan said, bowing once more before standing up. ¡°Eunuch Hou!¡± Li Chengyuan discreetly took out fifty taels of silver and attempted to hand them to Eunuch Hou. Eunuch Hou immediately panicked, waving his hands. ¡°Oh no, Your Highness, I cannot accept this. If you have any orders, just say the word, but I dare not take your money!¡± Seeing Eunuch Hou genuinely decline, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t insist. Instead, he asked directly, ¡°Eunuch Hou, I understand the house arrest, but this matter of transcribing ten thousand characters seems unclear. May I ask what exactly His Majesty wishes me to transcribe?¡± Eunuch Hou chuckled. ¡°His Majesty didn¡¯t specify a particular text, only that you transcribe ten thousand characters. If you ask me, His Majesty likely wants to admire your ¡®slender gold script.¡¯ So, the content doesn¡¯t matter as much as the quality of your handwriting. It would be best if you used your slender gold script!¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Li Chengyuan suddenly realized. It seemed that Emperor Qing had taken a liking to his calligraphy and seized this opportunity to have him transcribe something for his enjoyment. With that clarified, Li Chengyuan continued to probe, ¡°Eunuch Hou, was this punishment because someone in court impeached me?¡± ¡°There were indeed a few memorials to the throne,¡± Eunuch Hou replied. ¡°You know how those censors at the Censorate are¡ªalways quick to submit reports whenever something happens. But rest assured, His Majesty didn¡¯t seem angry. This house arrest is likely just to give you some rest. After all, Your Highness, you have been quite¡­ ¡®busy¡¯ lately.¡± Li Chengyuan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Also, His Majesty has already ordered for your poetry and your creation of the slender gold script to be published in the newspaper. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll be known as one of the capital¡¯s great scholars!¡± Hmm? Li Chengyuan was stunned. ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 17 - The Emperors Methods! Foolish Bluebird! Chapter 17: The Emperor¡¯s Methods! Foolish Bluebird! Upon hearing the word ¡°newspaper,¡± Li Chengyuan was momentarily stunned. But he quickly snapped out of it. Indeed, the Qing Nation had newspapers, which the Qing Emperor had personally ordered to be established two years ago. At that time, Li Chengyuan was a bit surprised, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it afterward and gradually forgot about it. Now that he thought about it, it seemed like this happened in the middle of the story of (Qing Yu Nian), but that was in the novel, not a TV series. Knowing that he would soon be featured in the newspaper, Li Chengyuan was quite pleased. He wrote poetry and novels not only to make money but also to intercept the title of ¡°talented scholar¡± before Fan Xian entered the capital. What Li Chengyuan wanted were the interception rewards! He originally thought that he would have to finish writing and attend a few poetry gatherings before he would be admired. But he didn¡¯t expect the Qing Emperor to help him promote his name. This was indeed a good thing! However, Li Chengyuan understood that the real reason the Qing Emperor was helping him become famous was to involve him in the fight for the throne, using him as a whetstone for the Crown Prince. Whether it was talent or connections, as long as he was outstanding enough, even if he wanted to play the fool, the situation would force him to move forward. But this was exactly what Li Chengyuan wanted. He never intended to stay idle for long. He just needed to hold on until Fan Xian arrived in the capital. Once that happened, he wouldn¡¯t need to pretend anymore! No matter what, Fan Xian had to enter the capital. If Fan Xian didn¡¯t, there would be no one to take over the Supervision Bureau and the Inner Treasury. As a prince, Li Chengyuan had no way of interfering in these matters. Only when Fan Xian entered the capital could Li Chengyuan lay out his plans. Li Chengyuan¡¯s only worry now was that if the Qing Emperor pushed too hard, he might not be able to hide his sharpness until Fan Xian¡¯s arrival. If that happened, he¡¯d have to come up with a different plan. ¡¯ After sending off Eunuch Hou, Li Chengyuan returned to the backyard. Upon entering, he smelled the aroma of meat, which came from the kitchen. Seeing this, Li Chengyuan hurried into Bluebird¡¯s room. As soon as he reached the door, he saw Li Huang waiting outside. Li Chengyuan rushed forward and asked, ¡°Li Huang, how is Bluebird?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Sword Nine Huang quickly responded, ¡°The imperial physician examined her. The young lady Bluebird is not in serious condition. She just hadn¡¯t eaten in a while and fainted from exhaustion after fighting someone. The physician prescribed medicine, and I¡¯ve already ordered the kitchen to prepare some food for her. Once she eats, she¡¯ll be fine!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Li Chengyuan instructed, ¡°But someone who hasn¡¯t eaten for a while shouldn¡¯t have greasy food. Prepare some light porridge and a bowl of steamed egg custard. Have them send it over quickly!¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ll get on it!¡± Li Huang immediately rushed to the kitchen. After Li Huang left, Li Chengyuan was about to enter the room but paused at the door and knocked. Moments later, the door opened, and it was Sang Wen who greeted him. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Mhm, how¡¯s Bluebird? Is it convenient for me to go in and see her?¡± ¡°Please come in, Your Highness,¡± Sang Wen said, ¡°I¡¯ve just had someone clean her up, and the imperial physician gave her some sugar water. She¡¯s already awake.¡± As she spoke, Sang Wen invited Li Chengyuan into the room. Once inside, Li Chengyuan saw Bluebird lying on the bed, looking weak in her white nightgown. Seeing him, Bluebird struggled to sit up. Li Chengyuan hurriedly stepped forward and pressed her down gently. ¡°All right, you¡¯re weak. No need for formalities.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life,¡± Bluebird said weakly. ¡°No need for thanks with me. How do you feel now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better now, just hungry.¡± ¡°Mhm, I¡¯ve already asked them to make some porridge for you. You¡¯re too weak to eat oily food now, so have some porridge and egg custard first. Once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll have them make you something more delicious.¡± ¡°This is already wonderful, Your Highness,¡± Bluebird said, her eyes filled with gratitude. ¡°By the way, how did you end up fainting from exhaustion?¡± Li Chengyuan asked, puzzled. Bluebird blushed with embarrassment and explained, ¡°Your Highness might not know, but I¡¯ve been around the capital. When I heard last night that you had been granted a title, I wanted to come see you. But I had lost my money pouch earlier, so I hadn¡¯t eaten all day. I originally planned to get some money first, but I was in such a hurry to see you that I thought I could bear it. After all, as a martial artist, I thought I could go without food for two or three days. But then, on my way, I encountered more than a dozen bandits and fought them. I used up too much energy, and after hurrying all the way here, I fainted from exhaustion upon reaching the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing this, Li Chengyuan was almost amused out of anger. He had thought Bluebird had been injured by some expert. He never expected that she fainted simply because she had lost her money pouch and had no money for food, leading to her fainting from hunger. Li Chengyuan remembered her being much more clever. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how dangerous it had been. If he had left Drunken Immortal Residence a bit earlier or later, he might have missed her entirely. The thought of Bluebird almost being picked up by someone else made Li Chengyuan furious. He pointed at her and scolded: ¡°You silly girl, how could you be so stubborn? If you lost your money pouch, why didn¡¯t you try to get some money first?¡± He continued, ¡°Even if you were in a hurry to see me, once you reached the capital, you could¡¯ve found something to eat by the roadside. You could have told them to put it on a tab, and when you came to me, I could¡¯ve paid however much you owed! It¡¯s far better than fainting on the street! If I hadn¡¯t happened to pass by, do you know you might¡¯ve been picked up by someone else?¡± Bluebird felt deeply ashamed by his scolding. She knew she had made a foolish mistake. Even Bluebird didn¡¯t understand why she had acted that way! At the time, she just felt an overwhelming urge to see Li Chengyuan, to the point that she forgot about eating and hurried the whole way. It was only after seeing him that her mind cleared up! ¡°Your Highness!¡± At that moment, Sang Wen entered, carrying a bowl of porridge and egg custard. ¡°Your Highness, let Bluebird have something to eat first.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± After scolding her for a while, Li Chengyuan had calmed down. He knew that Bluebird might not be to blame entirely this time. Maybe she was already famished and a bit disoriented, and on top of that, the system had prompted her to come to find him. As a result, by some strange coincidence, she ended up acting foolishly. Of course, Li Chengyuan¡¯s worry was unnecessary. Since it was a system reward, Bluebird would undoubtedly reach Li Chengyuan safely. So, this morning¡¯s encounter wasn¡¯t a coincidence. It was just that the way system-rewarded retainers appeared varied, and this time, Bluebird was just unlucky. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°All right, hand me the porridge. I¡¯ll feed her.¡± With that, Li Chengyuan took the egg custard and began feeding Bluebird bit by bit. Bluebird ate slowly, her heart filled with contentment. She had wandered outside for so long, and now she finally had a ¡°home.¡± What made her happiest of all was that Li Chengyuan treated her as kindly as before. Though Li Chengyuan had scolded her earlier, Bluebird wasn¡¯t upset at all. She was happy. Because she knew that Li Chengyuan cared enough about her to scold her. ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Qing Yu Nian (ÇìÓàÄê): A popular Chinese novel that was later adapted into a TV series. The name can be translated as or . Chapter 18 - Unlimited Newspaper Distribution! Fan Xians Surprise! Chapter 18: Unlimited Newspaper Distribution! Fan Xian¡¯s Surprise! The newspaper in the Qing Kingdom was similar to the d¨« b¨¤o (imperial bulletin) from Li Chengyuan¡¯s previous life. It was an official newspaper, and only high-ranking officials and nobles were eligible to purchase it. For example, in Danzhou, where Fan Xian resided, there were only two copies of the newspaper in the entire Danzhou Port, one of which was exclusively for the Fan family. This demonstrated just how limited the newspaper¡¯s circulation was. However, despite its rarity, the newspaper in the Qing Kingdom wasn¡¯t particularly precious, because it mainly contained trivial information. For instance, it covered famous scenic spots across the country, curious anecdotes about ancient figures from the previous dynasties, and gossip about grandmasters or court officials. The entire newspaper hardly contained any useful political information. Some officials were even embarrassed when the newspaper revealed their private lives. But since the newspaper was personally supervised by the Emperor, none of these officials dared to express their displeasure openly. Of course, some enjoyed this kind of tabloid content! Because they could spy on the private lives of high-ranking figures, which greatly satisfied their voyeuristic desires. This led to the daily purchase of the latest issue of the newspaper becoming a routine for many of them. ¡¯ That day, the servants from many noble households, as usual, went to the inner court office to purchase the newspaper. However, many noticed that the number of printed newspapers today was much higher than usual, to the point that they couldn¡¯t even count them all. As the crowd of servants was left puzzled, a young eunuch walked out of the office. The young eunuch scanned the surroundings, flicked his dust whisk, and declared loudly: ¡°By imperial decree, today¡¯s newspaper has no restrictions and is available in unlimited supply!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the area erupted into astonishment. ¡¯ ¡°Unlimited supply?¡± Inside the Prince Qin¡¯s mansion, Li Chengze was holding a newspaper. Upon hearing Xie Bi¡¯an¡¯s report, his expression was one of extreme surprise. This was the first time since the newspaper¡¯s inception that it was being supplied without limitations! Xie Bi¡¯an analyzed, ¡°Your Highness, this order from the Emperor is likely related to the Third Prince.¡± Li Chengze withdrew his gaze and looked again at the poem in the newspaper, along with the striking calligraphy, saying quietly, ¡°That¡¯s inevitable. It seems the Emperor wants to make the Third Prince famous!¡± ¡°I heard the Third Prince has been placed under house arrest?¡± Li Chengze shook his head, ¡°The Third Prince currently has neither power nor influence. House arrest means little to him. On the contrary, the widespread circulation of the newspaper will dilute the impact of his romantic scandals. After all, ¡®talented romantic poet¡¯ sounds much better than ¡®frivolous libertine,¡¯ doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Does Your Highness mean that the Third Prince is on the rise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen!¡± Li Chengze seemed to think of something, and suddenly laughed, ¡°¡®The horizon holds endless green leaves of grass; The sentimental one is vexed by the heartless.¡¯* what an excellent line! Ah, Third Brother, didn¡¯t I tell you that you were too na?ve back then? How do you feel now? Have you realized the Emperor¡¯s methods?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious to see how you¡¯ll respond this time.¡± ¡¯ ¡°How to respond? Just wait and see.¡± In the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Li Chengqian was holding the newspaper as he absentmindedly responded. Before him, a palace maid respectfully reported, ¡°But the Princess Royal said that now that the Third Prince is under house arrest, this is the best opportunity for Your Highness to win him over.¡± ¡°What opportunity?¡± The Crown Prince raised his head and replied, ¡°The Third Prince is just under house arrest, and it hardly affects him. What kind of opportunity is that? Going to him now would neither be offering help in times of need nor adding to his glory. What use would it be to find him now? Go back and tell my aunt that the Third Prince hasn¡¯t given up yet. There¡¯s no rush on our end. Let¡¯s wait until the Emperor pushes him too hard. By then, even if we don¡¯t go looking for him, he¡¯ll come knocking on our door.¡± ¡°But¡­ what if the Third Prince sides with the Second Prince?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes. Things haven¡¯t developed that far yet, have they?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Alright, you can leave now. I need to learn this myself. To think my Third Brother had such talent and kept it hidden all this time. He¡¯s too disloyal to his brother!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡¯ ¡°What do you mean ¡®but¡¯?¡± At the Supervisory Council, Chen Pingping was also holding a newspaper, and he turned to Fan Jian, the Deputy Minister of Revenue, speechless. ¡°He¡¯s only just starting to make his mark. What¡¯s the point of you going to see him now?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to subtly remind him not to get involved in the succession battle¡ªthat¡¯s a pit of fire!¡± ¡°You think that¡¯s something he can decide? Besides, that child has nothing to do with us now. What position or reason would you have to remind him? Would he even believe you?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re just going to let him fend for himself?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a rush? The Emperor has his plans for him. He¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s son, after all. His affairs aren¡¯t for us to manage right now! All we can do is observe and wait.¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s all my fault. I should have taken him away back then!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying that now? Alright, stop worrying about him. Just focus on Fan Xian!¡± Fan Jian grumpily turned his head, no longer speaking. ¡¯ A few days later, in Danzhou Port, at the Fan Mansion. ¡°Huh? Why are there so many newspapers today?¡± Eighteen-year-old Fan Xian stared at the large stack of newspapers brought by the servant, looking quite surprised. ¡°Young Master, the person who delivered the newspapers said this issue is an exception. By imperial decree, this issue is being supplied without limits!¡± ¡°Something like that? Seems like the content of this issue must be extraordinary!¡± Fan Xian hurriedly pulled out a newspaper and began reading eagerly. After reading for a while, most of the content seemed similar to before. Only in the center of the newspaper was there a small section that stood out. The content was simple: a single poem. But the author of the poem was extraordinary¡ªit was the Third Prince of the Qing Kingdom! And what was even more remarkable was the writing style displayed in the newspaper. Fan Xian had never seen such a script before! Below the poem, there was a note explaining that this new script was created by the Third Prince himself and had been named ! ¡°?¡± Fan Xian¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion. For some reason, the name felt oddly familiar, yet he couldn¡¯t recall it from his memory. But he had to admit, the was truly beautiful! As a scholar, Fan Xian was immediately captivated by the script. He never expected that in this culturally barren Qing Kingdom, there could be such a talented person who could create their unique calligraphy style! After thoroughly appreciating the script, Fan Xian finally turned his attention to the poem¡¯s content. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, with just one glance, Fan Xian was once again amazed! Just these two lines left Fan Xian in awe! For some inexplicable reason, Fan Xian became deeply curious about this Third Prince in the capital. He truly wanted to see what such a brilliantly talented individual looked like. But he wondered¡ªwhen would he ever have the chance to enter the capital? ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes:d¨« b¨¤o (Û¡±¨): In ancient China, these were official bulletins or reports issued by the imperial court to inform local officials of important political matters. Chapter 19 - Fame Spreads Through the Capital! Its Time to Make a Decision! Chapter 19: Fame Spreads Through the Capital! It¡¯s Time to Make a Decision! The power of newspapers far exceeded Li Chengyuan¡¯s expectations. Mainly because the literary world of the Qing Kingdom had been weakened for a long time. For years, it had been suppressed by the literary circles of Northern Qi. Countless scholars of the Qing Kingdom harbored a pent-up desire to turn the tide. However, despite numerous attempts over the years, the results have been minimal! Until today¡­ The (Slender Gold Script) made a stunning debut! The poem (Butterfly Loves Flower) shocked the capital! That light, graceful, yet powerful enchanted countless calligraphy masters who praised it to no end! The line ¡°Where in the world is there no fragrant grass?¡± [1] helped countless broken-hearted souls escape the shackles of love! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And the line ¡°Affection is troubled by heartlessness¡± [2] became the motto of countless romantic scholars, frequently hanging on their lips! In no time, the Third Prince of the Qing Kingdom, Li Chengyuan, became the most celebrated figure in the capital city. Many people rushed to the and just to catch a glimpse of Li Chengyuan¡¯s ¡°flourishing beauty¡±! However, these people searched for half a month without even seeing a trace of Li Chengyuan! Some persistent ones even sought out Sili Li to inquire about Li Chengyuan. But little did they know, since that night, Sili Li had closed her doors to visitors and had not seen anyone since. Suddenly, Li Chengyuan¡¯s whereabouts became a mystery. But this did not affect his standing in the eyes of the people in the capital. Everyone understood. After all, Li Chengyuan was a prince! It was perfectly normal for his whereabouts to be a bit mysterious. This only heightened his status in the hearts of the scholars of the capital. Some ¡°audacious¡± scholars even privately discussed why the Crown Prince of the Qing Kingdom was not the Third Prince! ¡¯ ¡°Why isn¡¯t His Highness the Crown Prince? Who said that? They must be quite bold!¡± In the rear courtyard study of Prince Li¡¯s mansion, Old Huang was reporting the rumors he had gathered from the streets. Sang Wen, upon hearing this, exclaimed in surprise! Behind the desk, Li Chengyuan was diligently and meticulously writing. Hearing Old Huang¡¯s words, he felt no emotional stirrings and replied casually without looking up, ¡°In the entire capital, besides His Majesty, who else would dare discuss the succession of the throne?¡± Because Old Huang¡¯s martial arts were advanced, he could monitor the surroundings and ensure no spies of the Emperor were nearby. Therefore, Li Chengyuan spoke without any reservations. ¡°His Majesty had people spread this?¡± Sang Wen stuck out her tongue, not daring to say more. ¡°Why would His Majesty do this?¡± Qingniao, who was also busy copying books, asked in confusion. Qingniao, like Sang Wen, was now one of Li Chengyuan¡¯s maids, responsible for his daily life. ¡°What other reason? To push me into the fight for the throne, to make me a whetstone for the Crown Prince!¡± As Li Chengyuan spoke, he also finished writing the last character. After carefully checking for any mistakes, he finally put down the brush, stretched lazily, and stood up. Sang Wen hurried forward, gently picked up the paper Li Chengyuan had written, and cautiously blew it dry. Once the paper was dry, Qingniao would copy its contents, and then the original would be carefully stored away. Li Chengyuan stood up, walked over to the couch by the window, and plopped down on it. It was already late autumn, and the weather was gradually turning cold. ¡°Old Huang, have many people been visiting the mansion recently?¡± Li Chengyuan asked while sipping tea. ¡°Many!¡± Jian Jiu Huang replied, ¡°Every day, countless scholars and students come to visit, but I¡¯ve turned them all away. Your Highness, you need to think of a way. This can¡¯t go on!¡± ¡°Yes, it seems the time has come to make a decision!¡± Li Chengyuan was troubled. Now, he finally understood Li Chengze¡¯s helplessness from childhood. One could say that in a feudal society, the Emperor was like heaven! Whatever he wanted you to do, you couldn¡¯t escape! Li Chengyuan had originally wanted to keep a low profile for a while longer. He had thought that a single poem and a new script that hadn¡¯t been promoted wouldn¡¯t stir up much of a commotion. But he had forgotten that sometimes, the promotion of work was more important than the work itself! Li Chengyuan should have known better ¡ª in many cases, it didn¡¯t matter how mediocre your work was; as long as it was promoted well, even a dung beetle could be packaged into gold! Not to mention that Li Chengyuan¡¯s work was already outstanding! Qingdi only needed to give it a slight push to make Li Chengyuan¡¯s name instantly resound throughout the capital! If an ordinary person gained fame in the capital, it would naturally be a good thing! But Li Chengyuan was a prince! His fame in the capital meant becoming entangled in countless power struggles. Now, he had already been thrust into the limelight and urgently needed to make a choice. Either he could give up entirely, or do something outrageous to destroy his reputation, which would mean giving up any hope of vying for the throne ¡ª but this would also anger Qingdi, and no one could predict the consequences. Or, he could open his doors wide, accept followers and supporters, and follow Qingdi¡¯s wishes, becoming a whetstone for the Crown Prince. But once he started, there would be no turning back, just like Li Chengze, and his fate would also be uncertain. There was no third option, and Qingdi would never give him a third option! Now that Li Chengyuan had revealed his talents, even if he wanted to be a carefree prince, Qingdi would no longer agree. And Li Chengyuan himself had ambitions for the throne. Since he was a prince, he had no intention of letting the throne fall into someone else¡¯s hands. The only reason he had been holding back before was that he had wanted to wait until Fan Xian entered the capital before making a move. But now, it seemed that Qingdi wouldn¡¯t give him that time. Qingdi likely wanted to fully control Li Chengyuan before considering the issue of Fan Xian! Therefore, Li Chengyuan had no choice but to open his doors and face the challenge head-on. But if he became too prominent and was able to rival the Crown Prince and Li Chengze, Li Chengyuan was sure that Qingdi would not allow Fan Xian to enter the capital, nor would he allow Fan Xian to take control of the Internal Treasury! After all, once Li Chengyuan and Fan Xian learned of their true identities, one being a prince and the other controlling the Jiancha Yuan and the Internal Treasury ¡ª if they joined forces, how could the Emperor sleep peacefully? So, Li Chengyuan needed to think of a plan. A plan that would allow him to enter the game, yet also allow him to rein in his influence, creating an opportunity for Fan Xian to enter the capital. But that was going to be very difficult. Li Chengyuan sat there with his teacup, deep in thought. After a long time, Li Chengyuan suddenly looked up and asked Jian Jiu Huang , ¡°Old Huang, how long have I been under house arrest?¡± ¡°Your Highness, today marks exactly fifteen days!¡± ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Li Chengyuan turned to Sang Wen and said, ¡°Sang Wen, organize the writings I¡¯ve been working on for the past half-month. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to the palace to seek an audience with His Majesty!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: [1] (ÌìÑĺδ¦ÎÞ·¼²Ý) ¡ª Pinyin: . Meaning: ¡°Where in the world is there no fragrant grass?¡± This idiom metaphorically expresses that there are plenty of other fish in the sea, used to console people after a breakup.[2] (¶àÇéÈ´±»ÎÞÇéÄÕ) ¡ª Pinyin: . Meaning: ¡°Affection is troubled by heartlessness.¡± This phrase captures the sorrow of someone who is emotionally invested while the other person remains indifferent or cold. Chapter 20 - A Fifth-Ranked Martial Artist! The Assistant Minister of Personnel! The Emperors Shock! Chapter 20: A Fifth-Ranked Martial Artist! The Assistant Minister of Personnel! The Emperor¡¯s Shock! The next day, Li Chengyuan got up early from beside Sang Wen. During this period, it was still Sang Wen who kept Li Chengyuan company every night. Li Chengyuan could sense that Qingniao also had feelings for him. It wasn¡¯t that Li Chengyuan was being conceited, but as a personal maid, Qingniao didn¡¯t have any other options. Moreover, with Li Chengyuan¡¯s appearance, personality, and integrity, all being impeccable, and adding to that his talent, it was hard for Qingniao not to like him! The reason Li Chengyuan hadn¡¯t made a move on Qingniao yet had nothing to do with any grand reason. It was just that he had been busy copying books recently, and Qingniao had just recovered her health, so he wasn¡¯t in a rush. Once he finished his current work, he certainly wouldn¡¯t disappoint her. As soon as Li Chengyuan woke up, Sang Wen also woke up. Sang Wen skillfully helped Li Chengyuan dress and wash up before grooming herself. Today, Li Chengyuan wore the ceremonial robes of a prince. The robe was a deep red, with golden dragon patterns embroidered on it, appearing both luxurious and imposing. Today, he had an audience with the Emperor, so he dressed more formally. Breakfast consisted of steamed buns, rice porridge, and pickled vegetables. Li Chengyuan only took a few bites before leading his guards towards the palace. Whenever Li Chengyuan went out, he always traveled by carriage, and naturally, the one driving the carriage was Old Huang. Sitting in the carriage, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t waste any time and summoned the system to check his status. [Host: Li Chengyuan Age: 18 Identity: Third Prince of Qing Nation Physique: Immune to all poisons, immune to all diseases Cultivation: Fifth-ranked Martial Artist Cultivation Technique: Azure Dragon Technique (Third Transformation of the Swimming Dragon) Martial Skills: Dragon Claw Hand, Swimming Dragon Movement, Azure Dragon Fist, Dragon Suppressing Palm, Dragon Shaking Blade Items: Revitalizing Pill ¡Á5 Controlled Force: Miaoyin Pavilion Servants: Swordmaster Jiu Huang, Qingniao] Compared to when the system had just awakened, Li Chengyuan had gained quite a lot! Among these, the biggest gain undoubtedly came from intercepting Sili Li. Twice, he had intercepted Sili Li; the first time, he had gained two unique physiques. The second time, he had obtained Qingniao, along with two bottles of elixirs and a piece of intelligence. The Dragon Tiger Elixir, which he had obtained, had been consumed the very next day. As a result, the Azure Dragon Technique had smoothly broken through to the Third Transformation of the Swimming Dragon, and his cultivation had reached the fifth rank. Of course, in this world, martial strength could not be determined solely by cultivation rank; martial skills were equally important. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All the martial skills on Li Chengyuan¡¯s status panel came from the Azure Dragon Technique. Among them, he had only practiced the Dragon Claw Hand and Swimming Dragon Movement so far, but with little success due to his lack of foundation. However, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry; after all, such things couldn¡¯t be rushed and depended on talent! As for the Revitalizing Pills, Li Chengyuan hadn¡¯t used them yet. But he had already devised a preliminary distribution plan for the five pills! The first one was reserved for the son of the Assistant Minister of Personnel! The classified intelligence from the system contained detailed information about Zhao Wencheng, the Left Assistant Minister of Personnel. Zhao Wencheng, now over fifty years old, had been serving in the court for more than thirty years. For more than three decades, he had been diligent in his duties, earning an excellent reputation. Even the Emperor had praised him many times for being straightforward, loyal, and upright, a man who never abused his authority! Because of this, he did not align himself with the Crown Prince or the Second Prince. Of course, with his temperament, he couldn¡¯t be a confidant of the Emperor either. One could only say that he was a man in the court that the Emperor trusted. Moreover, Zhao Wencheng was not only of excellent character but also highly capable. In his more than twenty years of government service, he had never made a mistake. One could say that a man with Zhao Wencheng¡¯s personality would never form factions or engage in corruption. But everyone has their weaknesses, and Zhao Wencheng was no exception. His greatest weakness was his son! Zhao Wencheng had only one son, Zhao Yunting, who had broken his leg three years ago in an accident, leaving him crippled. Zhao Wencheng was particularly indulgent towards his only son, as he was the last heir of the family. Zhao Yunting was a very promising young man, excelling in both academics and martial arts, with an upright character. Yet, one unfortunate accident ruined Zhao Yunting¡¯s entire future. And nearly destroyed the hope of the Zhao family! After all, even if a cripple could marry and have children, by the time his son grew up and became talented, who knows how many years would have passed. By then, who knew if Zhao Wencheng would still be alive? Of course, even if Zhao Wencheng had retired from the court, he would still have his connections. But by that time, the Zhao family would have fallen far from its current status. Once a family falls into decline, it¡¯s incredibly difficult to rise again. Thus, if Li Chengyuan could cure Zhao Yunting¡¯s leg at this time¡­ Even if Zhao Wencheng were as iron-willed as he was, he would most likely submit to Li Chengyuan, wouldn¡¯t he? Therefore, this intelligence was essentially a gift to Li Chengyuan, giving him control over an Assistant Minister of Personnel! And the Ministry of Personnel was the head of the Six Ministries! Having control of the Ministry of Personnel was equivalent to establishing a solid foothold in the court. This step was crucial! However, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Zhao Wencheng¡¯s son had been crippled for such a long time; waiting a little longer wouldn¡¯t matter. Li Chengyuan was simply waiting for the right moment to approach Zhao Wencheng. After all, he had to proceed cautiously to ensure the Emperor didn¡¯t catch on. ¡¯ After traveling for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the carriage arrived at the gates of the palace. Li Chengyuan got out of the carriage and entered the palace alone. After being announced, Eunuch Hou led Li Chengyuan to the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber. There was no morning court today, so the Emperor was quite free. He was wearing informal clothes, tinkering with his little ¡°mechanical inventions¡± inside the hall! When the Emperor saw Li Chengyuan, he looked pleased. ¡°Your son greets Your Majesty!¡± ¡°You may rise,¡± the Emperor said after a glance at Li Chengyuan. ¡°You¡¯ve just been released from house arrest; why aren¡¯t you out enjoying yourself? Why have you come to see me instead?¡± ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, your son is here to submit the task you assigned! During my house arrest, I was ordered to copy ten thousand characters, and I wouldn¡¯t dare slack off. I¡¯ve come to submit it to you!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Emperor¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°So you¡¯ve written ten thousand characters?¡± ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, your son didn¡¯t just write ten thousand characters but twelve thousand!¡± ¡°What?¡± Both the Emperor and Eunuch Hou were startled. The Emperor thought he had misheard and asked again, ¡°How many did you say?¡± ¡°Twelve thousand characters!¡± ¡°Twelve thousand characters? What book did you copy to write so much?¡± the Emperor asked, shocked. ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, at first I intended to copy a book, but later I felt that copying was meaningless, so I used the time to write a novel myself!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor was dumbfounded. As someone who prided himself on being shrewd and calculating, capable of predicting events to some extent, this was the first time he had encountered such an unusual situation¡ªpunishing someone by having them copy a book, only for them to write a book instead. Why does this brat always do things so unpredictably? The Emperor was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed. This third son of his, being the son of Ye Qingmei, always managed to surprise him with new tricks! * ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Ye Qingmei: Li Chengyuan¡¯s mother, a significant character known for her intelligence and wisdom, adding depth to Li Chengyuan¡¯s talents and abilities. Chapter 21 - Li Chengyuan Prepares to Host a Poetry Banquet! Chapter 21: Emperor Qing¡¯s First Reading of ! Li Chengyuan Prepares to Host a Poetry Banquet! ¡°You wrote a book? Hand it over for me to see!¡± Emperor Qing was now brimming with curiosity. Li Chengyuan had already prepared. He immediately handed the box he had brought with him to Eunuch Hou. Eunuch Hou took the box, bowed slightly, and shuffled with small steps to the emperor. He first opened the box himself to ensure there was no danger, then presented it to Emperor Qing. When Emperor Qing took the box and looked inside, the first thing that caught his eye was a sheet of white paper with three large characters¡ª! The book that was handed to Emperor Qing was personally written by Li Chengyuan, character by character, while the copies made by Sang Wen and Qingniao were meant for publication and distribution. Emperor Qing was immediately drawn to the title , but it wasn¡¯t the name that captivated him¡ªit was the calligraphy! Although he had seen this style of writing many times before, each time he looked at Li Chengyuan¡¯s slim gold script, Emperor Qing was left in awe. After a moment of admiration, Emperor Qing took out the entire stack of paper. To make copying easier, Li Chengyuan hadn¡¯t bound the pages, but he had numbered them. When Emperor Qing opened the second page, he was met with the opening poem of : ¡°Before chaos split, heaven and earth were void, Vast and unseen by man or gods. Since Pangu broke the primordial mist, From then on, light and darkness were distinct. The sky sheltered all beneath with mercy, Revealing the essence of goodness within. If you wish to understand creation¡¯s origin, You must read the tale of .¡± After reading the poem, a flicker of surprise crossed Emperor Qing¡¯s eyes. This world also had its myths. Although it was the world after the Ice Age, nobody¡ªexcept for Ye Qingmei¡ªknew this secret. Even Emperor Qing was unaware of the true mysteries of the world. All he knew was that this world was quite mysterious. There was the Temple, and there were many pioneers from ancient times. The myths of this world were stories passed down by those pioneers, and one of them was the legend of Pangu splitting heaven and earth! Emperor Qing had always been curious about the Temple. So, when he saw that Li Chengyuan¡¯s novel touched upon mythology, his interest was immediately piqued. However, after a quick skim of a few chapters, Emperor Qing was taken aback. He realized that Li Chengyuan¡¯s novel had nothing to do with the Temple, nor did it have anything to do with this world. was a completely fictional tale in this world. After all, there was no Tang Dynasty here. Li Chengyuan had deliberately noted that this was a story set in an imaginary world. In other words, the entire novel was a creation of his imagination and had no connection to the real world. After realizing he had overthought it, Emperor Qing wasn¡¯t disappointed. Instead, he became more interested in the story itself. From the brief glimpse he had, he already saw many elements that intrigued him: the art of immortality, the Heavenly Court and Underworld, the rebellion in Heaven, and the Great Tang Dynasty¡­ All of it captivated Emperor Qing. So, he decided to start from the beginning and read carefully. However, when he came back to his senses, he realized that Li Chengyuan was still standing there! Glancing at Li Chengyuan, Emperor Qing, now slightly impatient, asked, ¡°Why are you still here? Do you have more to say?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Li Chengyuan was taken aback but didn¡¯t dare say much. ¡°Your Majesty, no, your son has nothing else to report!¡± ¡°Oh, good. Since you have nothing else, you can leave now,¡± Emperor Qing waved his hand, clearly eager to continue reading. Li Chengyuan also didn¡¯t wish to linger and immediately said, ¡°Yes, your son takes his leave!¡± But just as Li Chengyuan was about to leave, Emperor Qing suddenly spoke. ¡°Wait!¡± Li Chengyuan immediately stopped, turning back to listen attentively. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that quite a few scholars and literati have come to visit your residence recently, but you turned them all away?¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. he thought. ¡°Your Majesty, I was under house arrest during that time and didn¡¯t dare meet any guests.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Emperor Qing nodded in understanding but then asked, ¡°Now that your house arrest is over, what do you plan to do?¡± The emperor¡¯s question was subtle, but the meaning was clear. He was asking if Li Chengyuan was planning to recruit supporters. If he didn¡¯t, it would show that he still wished to remain detached. If he did, it would mean he was ready to compete for the throne. Li Chengyuan had already made up his mind before coming, so he answered without hesitation, ¡°Your Majesty, I plan to host a poetry banquet in my residence three days from now and invite all the scholars and literati of the capital!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Emperor Qing, seeing that Li Chengyuan had finally ¡°given in,¡± beamed with approval. Looking at him with great admiration, he said, ¡°Very well! This is exactly what a prince of the Qing Kingdom should be doing. Don¡¯t worry about the banquet. I will fully support you!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Hmm, alright then. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave.¡± ¡°Yes! Your son takes his leave!¡± Li Chengyuan bowed and left. Watching Li Chengyuan¡¯s departing figure, Emperor Qing fell into deep thought. After a while, Emperor Qing suddenly spoke, ¡°Eunuch Hou!¡± ¡°At your service!¡± ¡°I seem to recall that the Fan family once circulated a novel. Investigate it for me. If it exists, bring me a copy to read.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡¯ After leaving the palace, Li Chengyuan ordered his guards to return to the Duke¡¯s residence while he and Old Huang headed directly to the Miaoyin Pavilion. After half a month of absence, nothing had changed at the Miaoyin Pavilion. It was still the same as ever. Since the pavilion only offered performances and not other services, unlike Drunken Immortal House, it was most lively during the day. As soon as Li Chengyuan entered the Miaoyin Pavilion, he was hit by a wave of noise and excitement. On stage, a dozen dancers were performing an exotic dance, and the surrounding dignitaries were all watching with flushed faces, clearly excited. The scene made Li Chengyuan feel like he was back in a bar. However, the ancient people¡¯s reserved nature kept them from joining in the dancing. They merely applauded loudly, lacking the level of interaction found in a modern bar. As soon as Li Chengyuan entered the Miaoyin Pavilion, the attendants noticed him. They all recognized him, so one of them immediately came over and bowed, saying, ¡°Your Highness, please follow me!¡± Li Chengyuan nodded without saying anything, following the attendant to the third floor. Once again, it was the Palace Room! Shortly after Li Chengyuan entered, Gong Yu and Mr. Thirteen arrived one after the other. Mr. Thirteen remained calm upon seeing Li Chengyuan again, but Gong Yu¡¯s emotions were clear¡ªher eyes filled with excitement and longing. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Li Chengyuan beckoned to her. Gong Yu¡¯s face lit up with joy as she immediately walked over, sat behind Li Chengyuan, and skillfully began to massage his shoulders. Mr. Thirteen sat opposite Li Chengyuan in a kneeling position. As for Old Huang¡­he stayed downstairs to watch the dancers! ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 22 - Preparing to Establish a Publishing House! The Emperors Reward! Chapter 22: Preparing to Establish a Publishing House! The Emperor¡¯s Reward! ¡°Your Highness, did you come this time with something to instruct us?¡± Mr. Thirteen was always swift and efficient. Just as Li Chengyuan had sat down, he immediately inquired. ¡°Yes!¡± Li Chengyuan nodded and replied, ¡°I recently wrote a book. The first volume is complete, and I want to publish it. Please find some reliable, business-savvy fresh faces and bring them to the Prince¡¯s Mansion tomorrow. I intend to establish a publishing house in the name of the mansion, specifically for selling books.¡± Mr. Thirteen responded at once, ¡°I understand, Your Highness. I will take care of it immediately.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Li Chengyuan continued, ¡°This matter requires your utmost attention. I plan to make the publishing house big and strong, with branches across every major state in the Qing Nation. You don¡¯t need to worry about the content; I¡¯ll handle that. Your task is to ensure the smooth operation of the publishing house. It will be one of our foundations in the future. While the Miaoyin Workshop is excellent, it attracts too much attention. Should any trouble arise, and I can¡¯t resolve it from the shadows, the publishing house will be your new shelter. So, treat this seriously.¡± Hearing this, Mr. Thirteen¡¯s expression turned solemn. After a brief moment of thought, he replied seriously, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve said this, I understand fully, Your Highness. Rest assured, all the girls in Miaoyin Workshop are literate. With some training in basic business skills, they can help run the publishing house. So, we won¡¯t be short of hands. As long as you can provide enough manuscripts, I guarantee we¡¯ll make the publishing house a success!¡± ¡°Alright, then please get started. The sooner, the better!¡± ¡°Understood! I will go prepare immediately,¡± Mr. Thirteen acknowledged, then turned and left. ¡¯ After Mr. Thirteen left, Gong Yu finally asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you going to close down Miaoyin Workshop?¡± ¡°Just planning!¡± Li Chengyuan patiently explained, You know, Miaoyin Workshop has been established in the capital for more than half a year, but I was only conferred the title of prince half a month ago. On the surface, I can¡¯t have any connections to the Miaoyin Workshop; otherwise, people might suspect I was planning, which could imply ulterior motives. Therefore, I can¡¯t openly protect the Miaoyin Workshop. And right now, Miaoyin Workshop lacks a legitimate protector. If trouble arises, and I can¡¯t solve it from behind the scenes, Miaoyin Workshop will have to temporarily shut down. That¡¯s why I¡¯m planning now. As long as the publishing house is well-established, even if something unexpected happens in the future, the girls in the workshop will have a place to go and won¡¯t be left to fend for themselves. The workshop itself isn¡¯t what matters¡ªwhat matters is you all. As long as you¡¯re still here, even if Miaoyin Workshop is shut down, our losses will be minimal, and we might even use the opportunity to go underground, which will be more advantageous for hiding.¡± After hearing Li Chengyuan¡¯s explanation, Gong Yu instantly understood. A weight seemed to lift from her heart. She wasn¡¯t worried about Miaoyin Workshop closing¡ªher only fear was that Li Chengyuan would abandon them. Seeing her concern, Li Chengyuan smiled knowingly and pulled Gong Yu into his arms. As she gazed up at him, both shy and expectant, he softly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Stop overthinking. In all of Miaoyin Workshop, besides Mr. Thirteen, you are the most important to me. Rest assured, even if something does happen to the workshop and the publishing house doesn¡¯t work out, I will bring you to the mansion. I would never abandon you!¡± Hearing this, Gong Yu¡¯s eyes instantly turned dreamy. She raised her hand, gently stroking Li Chengyuan¡¯s cheek, and softly murmured, ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Li Chengyuan, feeling his emotions stir, could no longer resist. He lowered his head, finding Gong Yu¡¯s red lips and gently pressing his own against them. ¡¯ Li Chengyuan stayed at Miaoyin Workshop for lunch and even took an afternoon nap. It wasn¡¯t until the early afternoon that he and Lao Huang returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. As soon as he arrived at the mansion, Li Chengyuan called for Sang Wen and Qingniao, instructing them to help him write invitations. He also ordered all the servants to spread the news that three days later, the Prince¡¯s Mansion would host a poetry banquet, ensuring preparations were in full swing. Knowing that a large number of people would attend in three days, Li Chengyuan wanted to make sure everything was well-prepared, avoiding any potential mishaps that could lead to embarrassment. However, this task proved to be a headache for him. The main issue was that the mansion still lacked a proper housekeeper. The people around him¡ªSang Wen was most skilled in music and entertainment, with serving as her secondary skill. Qingniao, while obedient, lacked experience in managing affairs. She was fine with killing people but would be overwhelmed trying to manage the mansion. As for Li Huang¡ªlet¡¯s not even go there. He could cheat and swindle without a problem, but managing people? That would be like asking him to embroider! And as for the other servants in the mansion, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t trust them. It was a pity that Miaoyin Workshop couldn¡¯t be openly connected to him. Otherwise, Mr. Thirteen would have been the perfect candidate for the role of housekeeper. Left with no choice, Li Chengyuan decided to handle things personally. He issued orders to Li Huang, Qingniao, and Sang Wen for them to execute. However, before Li Chengyuan could finalize his plans, someone from the palace arrived. It was none other than Eunuch Hou, bearing a decree from the emperor. Li Chengyuan hurried out to receive it. Seeing Li Chengyuan, Eunuch Hou didn¡¯t waste any time and directly announced the decree. ¡°By the emperor¡¯s decree: His Third Highness, Li Chengyuan, is talented and learned, having invented the calligraphy style ¡®Slim Gold Script.¡¯ This pleases Us greatly. As a reward, We bestow upon him ten thousand taels of silver, ten sets of the finest stationery, one hundred reams of premium Xuan paper, ten piculs of pearls, one hundred bolts of brocade, and various jewels and treasures. Thus, We decree.¡± ¡°Your subject humbly accepts the decree and offers gratitude for the emperor¡¯s kindness!¡± Li Chengyuan was both surprised and delighted. He hadn¡¯t expected the emperor to be so generous with his support. This was a substantial reward! However, Li Chengyuan knew full well that the emperor¡¯s reward wasn¡¯t for his ¡°Slim Gold Script.¡± It was for organizing the poetry banquet¡ªmore precisely, for his acknowledgment of Li Chengyuan¡¯s participation in the fight for the throne. At the same time, it was both encouragement and a warning: now that he¡¯d taken this step, there was no turning back. ¡°Your Highness, the emperor has further instructions.¡± Just as Li Chengyuan finished expressing his gratitude, Eunuch Hou came forward with a smile. ¡°Please, Eunuch, do tell,¡± Li Chengyuan responded politely. ¡°The emperor knows that you lack experience in hosting poetry banquets, so he has specially ordered this humble servant to remain here and assist you. Whatever you need, just tell me, and I will make all the arrangements before returning to the palace to report back.¡± Li Chengyuan was once again overjoyed. This was a great relief for him. But it also made Li Chengyuan reflect on how much he now understood Li Chengze. The emperor¡¯s methods were subtle like rain nourishing all things quietly. One move after another, making it impossible to refuse. By sending Eunuch Hou, the emperor wasn¡¯t just offering help; he was also ensuring supervision. With Eunuch Hou around, there was no way for Li Chengyuan to cut corners or shirk responsibilities. In other words, from the moment he left the palace, this matter was no longer under his control. Fortunately, Li Chengyuan had already made his plans. Just as the emperor was plotting against him, he was also calculating the emperor¡¯s moves. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, the grand drama of the battle for the throne had truly begun! ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 23 - Confessing His Intent to Participate in the Struggle for the Throne! Chapter 23: Secretly Forming an Alliance with the Crown Prince? Confessing His Intent to Participate in the Struggle for the Throne! With the assistance of Eunuch Hou, the prince¡¯s mansion became orderly at once. Each servant and maid received proper tasks, and they began preparing for the banquet methodically. There was nothing more for Li Chengyuan to worry about in the mansion. He took the invitations written by Sang Wen and Qingniao, and, accompanied by Qingniao and Old Huang, left the mansion together. ¡¯ Li Chengyuan first went to the Crown Prince¡¯s residence. Upon hearing that Li Chengyuan had arrived, the Crown Prince was delighted and personally came out to greet him. ¡°Hahaha, Third Brother, you¡¯ve finally come!¡± ¡°Greetings to Your Highness, the Crown Prince!¡± Li Chengyuan bowed and saluted. Li Chengyuan rarely showed such formal respect to the Crown Prince, but this time, he was serious. The Crown Prince was momentarily taken aback and then hurriedly helped him up, complaining, ¡°Third Brother, what are you doing? We are truly family; there¡¯s no need to be so formal with me!¡± Li Chengyuan sighed and said, ¡°I have no choice, Eldest Brother. From now on, I must attend court sessions, so I need to start learning the rules.¡± Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince¡¯s expression instantly became serious. After glancing around, he pulled Li Chengyuan into his study. Then, the Crown Prince dismissed all the attendants, leaving just the two of them sitting face to face. ¡°Third Brother, from your words, it seems you¡¯ve already made up your mind?¡± Li Chengyuan feigned helplessness and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but there¡¯s no choice. His Majesty has already made my reputation known; I can no longer stay hidden!¡± Hearing this, the Crown Prince grabbed Li Chengyuan¡¯s hand and laughed heartily, saying, ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re just too playful. If you ask me, you should¡¯ve come out to assist me long ago. You don¡¯t even know how much pressure your elder brother is under right now. Without you, I¡¯m not certain I can hold my own against the Second Brother. But as long as you are willing to help me, with our combined strength, the Second Brother is no match for us!¡± Li Chengyuan narrowed his eyes slightly and then shook his head, saying, ¡°Eldest Brother, I can¡¯t help you openly.¡± The Crown Prince paused, furrowing his brows. ¡°What do you mean? Do you want to help the Second Brother? Third Brother, you must think this through. We are brothers born of the same mother!¡± Li Chengyuan laughed and said, ¡°Eldest Brother, you¡¯re overthinking it. Rest assured, no matter what, I will never help Second Brother! What I mean is that we cannot ally openly. After all, you understand His Majesty¡¯s intentions better than I do. He wants me to be your whetstone. If I support you openly, it would be tantamount to openly opposing His Majesty. Therefore, I¡¯m thinking of not supporting anyone on the surface, while secretly, we can ally. If you need help, you can tell me. If I need anything, I won¡¯t hesitate to ask you. What do you think, Eldest Brother?¡± After thinking it over for a moment, the Crown Prince nodded in sudden realization. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re always so thorough in your considerations. Fine, let¡¯s do it your way. Don¡¯t worry; in public, we will behave as usual. Our agreement will remain private.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding, Eldest Brother. Don¡¯t worry, with me here, the Second Brother won¡¯t be able to cause trouble!¡± ¡°Hahaha, naturally! With us brothers working together, who could stand against us?¡± The Crown Prince seemed quite happy, and he chatted with Li Chengyuan for quite a while. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only when Li Chengyuan mentioned the poetry banquet did the Crown Prince promised that he would personally attend to support him. Then, Li Chengyuan took his leave, and the Crown Prince, without trying to keep him, personally saw him off. After Li Chengyuan left, the smile on the Crown Prince¡¯s face disappeared immediately. Watching as Li Chengyuan¡¯s carriage drove away, the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes became deep and contemplative, his thoughts unreadable. ¡¯ After leaving the Crown Prince¡¯s residence, Li Chengyuan headed to the Qin Prince¡¯s mansion. Like the Crown Prince, Li Chengze also came out personally to greet him with great enthusiasm. They chatted casually for a while, with Li Chengze even teasing Li Chengyuan, saying that he must now understand the feeling of being powerless. Li Chengyuan expressed a sense of shared fate and empathized with him. Seizing the opportunity, Li Chengze directly proposed an alliance with Li Chengyuan. However, Li Chengyuan explained that his foundation was still weak and that he couldn¡¯t afford to be dragged into the fray just yet. He wanted to develop slowly for a while before considering an alliance. Li Chengze understood and didn¡¯t push further. Instead, he enthusiastically assured Li Chengyuan that he could seek his help at any time. Li Chengyuan agreed without hesitation. Afterward, Li Chengyuan mentioned the poetry banquet and asked for Li Hongcheng¡¯s assistance. Li Chengze agreed without a second thought, promising to send Li Hongcheng to the prince¡¯s mansion that evening. Li Chengyuan expressed his thanks and then took his leave. Like the Crown Prince, Li Chengze warmly escorted him out of the residence. ¡¯ After leaving the Qin Prince¡¯s mansion, Li Chengyuan, along with Old Huang and Qingniao, returned to the Miaoyin Pavilion. Seeing that Li Chengyuan had returned, everyone at Miaoyin Pavilion thought something had gone wrong and hurriedly led him to the best private room. Soon, Gong Yu and Mr. Thirteen were summoned. After they arrived, Li Chengyuan dismissed everyone, even having Old Huang ensure that no one was eavesdropping outside. Only then did he call them to his side. Looking at Old Huang, Qingniao, Mr. Thirteen, and Go guy, Li Chengyuan felt a surge of confidence. ¡°Let me introduce you to each other first. You all know Old Huang. This is Qingniao, my maid. She can be completely trusted. Qingniao, these two are the managers of Miaoyin Pavilion. This is Mr. Thirteen, and this is Going Yu. They are my right-hand people and can also be completely trusted.¡± Upon hearing this, Qingniao nodded to Mr. Thirteen and Gong Yu in greeting. The two smiled warmly in return. After everyone had been introduced, Li Chengyuan continued, ¡°The reason I returned today is that I suddenly felt it¡¯s time to tell you something.¡± Everyone immediately tensed up, listening intently. Looking at the four of them, Li Chengyuan paused for a moment and then solemnly declared, ¡°After careful consideration, I have decided that starting today, I will formally participate in the struggle for the throne and seek the position of Crown Prince!¡± As soon as these words left his mouth, all four of them were filled with shock and delight. Although they were all attendants gifted by the system, they were still living, breathing people. Each of them had a full life experience in this world. So, aside from their unwavering loyalty and guarantee never to betray Li Chengyuan, they were no different from normal people. Like Old Huang¡¯s love for alcohol and women or Gong Yu¡¯s infatuation with him. As normal people, they naturally wished for Li Chengyuan to rise higher, especially in the struggle for the throne. If Li Chengyuan were to ascend to the throne one day, they would all share in his glory! Therefore, after Li Chengyuan announced this, they felt no fear. Instead, their eyes were filled with excitement and passion. It seemed as though they had been waiting for this day all along! ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 24 - Li Chengyuans Plan! The Capital is Boiling! Chapter 24: Li Chengyuan¡¯s Plan! The Capital is Boiling! ¡°Your Highness, we will all follow your lead. Whatever you say, we¡¯ll do!¡± Mr. Thirteen, steady and prudent as always, was the first to express his stance. The other three quickly followed suit with agreement. Li Chengyuan waved his hand, ¡°I appreciate your loyalty, no need for more words. The reason I¡¯m telling you all this is, first, so you can help me identify any oversights. As the saying goes, ¡®Two heads are better than one.¡¯ If I rely solely on myself, I¡¯ll inevitably miss things. Secondly, by understanding the situation, you can assist me more effectively.¡± Everyone nodded in understanding. ¡°Good. Now, let me brief you on the current situation.¡± Everyone already had a general grasp of Li Chengyuan¡¯s circumstances. What they didn¡¯t know was his true heritage and the existence of Fan Xian. This time, Li Chengyuan intended to reveal a bit more to them to prevent confusion when Fan Xian entered the capital. He didn¡¯t want anyone mistaking friend for foe, causing unnecessary misunderstandings. However, he wouldn¡¯t tell them everything, worried that they might accidentally let something slip. Secrets, after all, are more likely to be exposed the more people know about them. Even with absolute loyalty, it¡¯s impossible to guarantee total security. Hence, Li Chengyuan only revealed part of the truth. ¡°Besides what I¡¯ve just said, there¡¯s another important detail: I have a twin brother.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone was stunned. ¡°Wait, Your Highness, aren¡¯t you the son of the Empress?¡± Mr. Thirteen asked in confusion. Li Chengyuan shook his head, ¡°The Empress is not my birth mother; she¡¯s merely my adoptive mother. The Crown Prince and I are not born of the same mother. My real brother is someone else.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Gong Yu asked curiously. ¡°His name is Fan Xian, and he¡¯s currently in Danzhou, officially known as the illegitimate son of the Minister of Revenue, Fan Jian.¡± The group exchanged surprised looks. Li Chengyuan ignored their reactions and continued, ¡°What I want to say is, that my brother¡¯s identity is far from simple. If he enters the capital, he will undoubtedly rise to power quickly. When the time comes, if I join forces with him, our chances of success will be significantly greater! But right now, the problem is that the Emperor doesn¡¯t truly intend for me to succeed him. He only sees me as a sharpening stone for the Crown Prince. So if I act too aggressively, the Emperor will surely block Fan Xian from entering the capital. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been holding back, waiting for Fan Xian to arrive before making my move. But as the saying goes, ¡®plans cannot keep up with changes.¡¯ I can¡¯t hide anymore now.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± Everyone finally understood. ¡°What does Your Highness plan to do?¡± Mr. Thirteen asked. Li Chengyuan said, ¡°My idea is to temporarily stabilize things with the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Second Prince. Then, at a later stage, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to ally with the Crown Prince. As long as we ally, the one who will be most anxious won¡¯t be the Second Prince but the Emperor. The Emperor wants to temper the Crown Prince, but he would never allow the Crown Prince¡¯s power to grow too strong! So once I ally with the Crown Prince, the Emperor will try to weaken him. That will be the perfect opportunity for Fan Xian to enter the capital!¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s thoughts were clear. The opportunity for Fan Xian to enter the capital would come when he became engaged to Lin Wan¡¯er and seized control of the inner treasury from the Crown Prince. What Li Chengyuan was doing now was forcing the Emperor into a position where he would have to weaken the Crown Prince. Only then could Fan Xian enter the capital. This was the two-birds-with-one-stone plan that Li Chengyuan had devised. Li Chengyuan¡¯s plan was well thought out, but Mr. Thirteen had some concerns, ¡°But, Your Highness, if you do this, people will think you¡¯ve thrown your lot in with the Crown Prince. If the Second Prince falls, the Crown Prince¡¯s position will be solidified, and by then, you may no longer have a chance to compete with him. After all, everyone will believe you are one of the Crown Prince¡¯s men. If you turn against him then, you might be seen as treacherous.¡± However, Li Chengyuan casually waved his hand, unconcerned, ¡°Mr. Thirteen, you¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m only allying with the Crown Prince, not pledging allegiance to him. Even if there¡¯s a misunderstanding, it doesn¡¯t matter. By then, I have a way to make the Crown Prince willingly give up his position.¡± Hearing this, Mr. Thirteen immediately responded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I have no objections!¡± Li Chengyuan glanced at the others. They all shook their heads, indicating they had no issues. If even Mr. Thirteen had no concerns, they certainly wouldn¡¯t either. ¡°Since that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll say no more. You now know what you need to know. Your task remains the same: focus on low-profile development. There isn¡¯t much happening in the capital at the moment, which is the perfect time for us to expand. Once Fan Xian arrives, the conflicts will intensify, and we won¡¯t have the luxury of steady growth. So, take advantage of this period. Mr. Thirteen, I¡¯ll leave the matters of the bookstore and Miaoyin Pavilion in your capable hands.¡± Mr. Thirteen immediately replied, ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, I will give my all!¡± ¡¯ After chatting with his trusted aides, Li Chengyuan left Miaoyin Pavilion. Before leaving, he even took several of the pavilion¡¯s women with him. After all, since he had returned, he needed a reason. Besides, with the poetry banquet in three days, he was short of entertainment. He could take the women back to rehearse, ensuring they would be ready for the event. ¡¯ That evening, Li Hongcheng came to see Li Chengyuan. Li Chengyuan gave him a few instructions, to which Li Hongcheng readily agreed. Among those in the capital who enjoyed hosting poetry gatherings, Li Hongcheng and Li Chengze were the most prominent in both status and position. It was no wonder they got along so well, as both loved discussing poetry and literature with scholars. Their residences held poetry banquets almost every month, without fail. That¡¯s why Li Chengyuan sought out Li Hongcheng¡¯s help¡ªwhen it came to poetry banquets, he was the man to turn to. And Li Hongcheng did not disappoint. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His network among scholars and poets was extensive, and in just one night, word of the poetry banquet at the Li Junwang Manor had spread throughout the capital! But that wasn¡¯t all. By the next morning, the latest edition of the newspaper had also reported on the event! Now, everyone in the capital knew that the Third Prince, Li Chengyuan, was hosting a poetry banquet at Li Junwang Manor. In no time, the entire city was abuzz. Every scholar in the capital was eager, scrambling to find connections to secure an invitation to the event! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: : Junwang is a title for a prince of the second rank, lower than a Qinwang (first-rank prince) but still a member of the royal family.: A high-class establishment in the capital known for entertainment, possibly a brothel or musical house where influential people gather. Chapter 25 - Fan Ruoruo Attends the Poetry Banquet? He Zongwei? Yang Wanli! Chapter 25: Fan Ruoruo Attends the Poetry Banquet? He Zongwei? Yang Wanli! Two days later, at dawn, the Fan residence. The Fan family was enjoying breakfast together in a harmonious atmosphere. As they were almost done with their meal, Fan Ruoruo, daughter of Fan Jian, suddenly spoke up: ¡°Father, tomorrow the Third Prince is hosting a poetry banquet at the manor. Do you think I should attend?¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Fan Sizhe, who sat across from Fan Ruoruo, asked in confusion, ¡°Sis, didn¡¯t they say you need to pass an approval process to attend the poetry banquet? But from the way you talk, it sounds like you¡¯re definitely going.¡± Fan Ruoruo raised her head proudly and said, ¡°Hmph, do you know who your sister is? I¡¯m a famous talented woman in the capital. Do I need approval to attend a poetry banquet?¡± Fan Sizhe immediately fell silent. And to be fair, Fan Ruoruo really did have the qualifications to attend. Beside Fan Sizhe, Liu Ruyu glanced at Fan Jian, opened her mouth as if to speak but then thought better of it. Although she was the mistress of the house, she was merely Fan Jian¡¯s concubine, not the official wife. Thus, her status in the family was actually lower than Fan Ruoruo¡¯s. After all, Fan Ruoruo was the legitimate daughter of Fan Jian¡¯s official wife, the true daughter of the household! Fan Jian, still eating, sighed inwardly when he heard Fan Ruoruo mention the poetry banquet organized by the Third Prince. As Vice Minister of Revenue, Fan Jian was well aware of the implications. He had previously sought out Chen Pingping, asking him to secretly advise Li Chengyuan against getting involved in the battle for the throne, calling it a dangerous pit. But unfortunately, Chen Pingping did not listen to him, and Fan Jian had no way to stop the situation. He could only watch as Li Chengyuan jumped into the ¡°fire pit.¡± Fan Jian had been keeping a close eye on Li Chengyuan. After all, Li Chengyuan and Fan Xian were both the sons of Ye Qingmei. Although Li Chengyuan was now a prince and not particularly close to him, Fan Jian didn¡¯t care about that. In his heart, he still cared about Li Chengyuan. Fan Jian always hoped that both Fan Xian and Li Chengyuan could live peaceful lives without taking unnecessary risks. But now, Li Chengyuan had already jumped into the fire. There was nothing Fan Jian could do to save him. Now, the only thing he could do was maintain a good relationship with Li Chengyuan and try to help him as much as possible. If Li Chengyuan truly made it to the end, Fan Jian wouldn¡¯t hesitate to throw the full weight of his family behind him. So after thinking it over, Fan Jian said, ¡°Ruoruo, if you want to go, then go. And when you¡¯re there, make sure to chat with the Third Prince. You young people should get closer; it would be a good thing.¡± Fan Ruoruo was stunned. ¡°Father, didn¡¯t you say before that I shouldn¡¯t get too close to the royal family? Why are you suddenly changing your mind?¡± ¡°The Third Prince is different. Just listen to your father.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand!¡± Fan Ruoruo didn¡¯t ask further. In truth, she was also quite curious about this Third Prince. More importantly, Fan Xian was curious. In his most recent letter, Fan Xian had specifically asked Fan Ruoruo about the Third Prince. And as a devoted sister, Fan Ruoruo felt that since her brother was interested, she must help him gather information. So even if Fan Jian had refused, she would have snuck out to attend. Now that Fan Jian had given his approval, she had no reservations at all. Beside her, Fan Sizhe couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sis, can you take me with you? I want to attend the poetry banquet too!¡± Fan Ruoruo rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Why would you go? Can you even compose poetry?¡± Fan Sizhe froze for a moment, then stubbornly replied, ¡°Do I have to write poetry? Can¡¯t I just be good at arithmetic?¡± Fan Ruoruo: ¡°(*£þ¦ä£þ)¡± Liu Ruyu: ¡°(lll©V¦Ø©V)¡± Fan Jian: ¡°£þ¤Ø£þ¡± ¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just the Fan family; almost the entire city was buzzing about the Duke of Li Manor¡¯s poetry banquet. The reason was that the literary scene in the Qing Kingdom had been weak for too long. The entire nation was eagerly awaiting the emergence of a great literary figure. And now, one had finally appeared¡ªnone other than a prince. How could this not drive the scholars of the capital wild? Whether it was for ¡°paying homage¡± or climbing the social ladder, no one wanted to miss this opportunity. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What¡¯s more, there were rumors that those who performed well at the poetry banquet wouldn¡¯t just receive gold and silver rewards, but might even get a poem personally written by the Third Prince! Just for that alone, not only scholars but also the noble young ladies from various households were desperate to attend. They clamored to participate in the poetry banquet. Due to the overwhelming interest, the Duke of Li Manor could no longer accommodate everyone. In the end, the Third Prince decided to implement a selection process for the banquet¡¯s guests. Anyone who wanted to attend the poetry banquet had to submit their work¡ªpoetry, essays, or even stories were acceptable. As long as the writing was good, they would be granted entry to the banquet. With time running short, Li Hongcheng invited several friends to help with the selection process. Even Li Chengyuan himself wasn¡¯t idle. He personally helped review the stories. After all, poetry and essays weren¡¯t really his forte. He was merely a plagiarist, not a true literary master. ¡¯ That morning, just after breakfast, Li Chengyuan gathered Qingniao and Sangwen to help him sift through the story submissions. Since Qingniao and Sangwen had copied out before, they had developed some basic literary judgment. This was already their third day of reviewing submissions. It turned out that although the literary world of Qing was weak, there were still quite a few talented storytellers. And while novels weren¡¯t considered mainstream literature, many scholars, in order to increase their chances of ¡°winning,¡± had submitted poems, essays, and stories. As a result, the workload for Li Chengyuan¡¯s team wasn¡¯t any lighter than that of Li Hongcheng¡¯s. ¡¯ In the study, Li Chengyuan, Qingniao, and Sangwen all sat behind his large desk, with Li Chengyuan in the middle and the two women on either side. On the other side, Old Huang lounged in a chair, drifting off into a sweet dream. ¡°Look at this story, Your Highness!¡± Suddenly, Qingniao handed a piece of paper to Li Chengyuan. Li Chengyuan took it and read through it, finding that the writing was indeed decent. It didn¡¯t reach the ideal level he had in mind, but compared to the other ¡°submissions,¡± it was definitely above average. He was about to pass it through without much thought when he glanced at the author¡¯s name, and his brow furrowed. He Zongwei? It was him? Li Chengyuan had a deep impression of this man. In the original story, He Zongwei was someone who would do anything to climb the ranks. He even tried to become Fan Xian¡¯s godson just to enter the officialdom. However, Fan Xian refused. Later in the novel, He Zongwei caused Fan Xian no end of trouble. When it came to being a nuisance, this man had a special talent. He was like a mad dog. Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t stand people like him. His first thought was to immediately reject He Zongwei. But after a moment of reflection, Li Chengyuan decided to keep He Zongwei¡¯s entry. After all, having a mad dog on your side wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. If He Zongwei wasn¡¯t in his hands, he might end up in someone else¡¯s. And if that were the case, it could become a problem later. So instead of being bitten by a mad dog in the future, it would be better to hold the leash himself and have He Zongwei annoy someone else. After all, as a prince, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t afraid of He Zongwei turning on him. No matter how crazy He Zongwei was, he wouldn¡¯t dare bite a prince¡ªnot if he valued his life. After some thought, Li Chengyuan decided to keep He Zongwei in the running. Setting He Zongwei¡¯s story aside, Li Chengyuan moved on to the next submission. However, when he read this one, he was immediately captivated. The story, the writing, the style¡ªit was all brilliant! Li Chengyuan, intrigued, looked at the author¡¯s name. And once again, he was stunned. It was¡­ Yang Wanli! ¡¯ Footnotes: : A slang term used to describe someone (typically a sister) who is deeply devoted or overly protective of her brother.: A slang term meaning ¡°plagiarist,¡± used humorously or derogatorily to describe someone who copies others¡¯ literary work instead of creating original content. Chapter 26 - Li Chengyuan’s Invitation! Yang Wanli’s Anticipation! Chapter 26: Li Chengyuan¡¯s Invitation! Yang Wanli¡¯s Anticipation! Yang Wanli! Li Chengyuan was too familiar with this name! In the story, Yang Wanli¡¯s two lines, ¡°If I can endure the world¡¯s injustices, then what¡¯s the point of reading the classics?¡± and ¡°In this world, someone has to face the dangers head-on. If I win the top honors in the imperial exam, will the blood not splash higher?¡± left a deep impression on Li Chengyuan! In the original plot, Yang Wanli was a pure and proud scholar from a poor background. He was also a straightforward and loyal disciple, and eventually a clean and just official! Although he could be na?ve at times, It was precisely this innocence that made his qualities all the more precious. Moreover, he was quite talented, hardworking, and reliable¡ªa subordinate worth trusting. Li Chengyuan had great admiration for Yang Wanli. The only thing he couldn¡¯t figure out was: shouldn¡¯t Yang Wanli have arrived in the capital the year after Fan Xian came to host the spring imperial exam? S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Why was he here now? But of course, that didn¡¯t matter right now. What mattered was that since Yang Wanli was already in the capital, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t let this opportunity pass. ¡°Old Huang!¡± Li Chengyuan suddenly looked up and called out to Swordmaster Huang, who had been napping! Old Huang was startled awake, looked at Li Chengyuan, and immediately stood up. ¡°Your Highness, you called for me!¡± Li Chengyuan nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I need you to personally deliver an invitation to this Yang Wanli. Here¡¯s the address. Find him, give him the invitation, and make sure to hand it to him directly. Be discreet, and also remind Yang Wanli to keep a low profile to avoid any accidents!¡± Li Chengyuan understood just how enticing this poetry banquet was. Some people, desperate for an opportunity to rise in the ranks, might do anything to get their hands on an invitation. Yang Wanli was currently just a poor scholar. If someone targeted him and stole his invitation, Yang Wanli wouldn¡¯t be able to resist at all. Of course, Li Chengyuan could send the invitation with great fanfare, But that would be akin to giving Yang Wanli a public pedestal, which wasn¡¯t a good thing for him! Old Huang, being sharp-minded, quickly grasped Li Chengyuan¡¯s intent and nodded, saying, ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness. I will handle it!¡± With that, Old Huang took Yang Wanli¡¯s essay and left. ¡°Your Highness, is this person very important?¡± Sangwen asked curiously. ¡°Yes!¡± Li Chengyuan nodded. ¡°He is extremely talented. If he is properly nurtured, he might become one of my most valuable aides in the future!¡± Sangwen nodded in understanding. ¡°By the way, Sangwen, Qingniao, once Yang Wanli arrives, keep an eye on him. No need to offer special treatment, but if anyone causes him trouble, help him out.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Highness. We¡¯ll keep watch!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t say anything more and returned to reading the essays. ¡¯ In the southern part of the capital, in the slums. Most of the people living here were ordinary citizens who had long resided in the capital. Among them were locals as well as many from other provinces, all of whom came to the capital hoping to make a name for themselves. The one thing they all had in common was¡ªpoverty. Following the address, Old Huang found Yang Wanli¡¯s home, only to discover that no one was there. After asking around, he learned that Yang Wanli spent his days working at a street stall to make a living! With this information, Old Huang immediately headed to the stall. Soon, he spotted a simple booth on the street corner. It was just an ordinary table, not much different from those used by fortune-tellers. As Old Huang got closer, he noticed that Yang Wanli was quite busy with a variety of tasks. From writing letters to copying books, composing stories, and selling calligraphy and paintings¡ªhe took on any decent job to earn a living. It was clear that while Yang Wanli was proud, he wasn¡¯t rigid. He was also adaptable, Which was a crucial trait. Otherwise, if he were a stubborn idealist who only cared about his principles, no matter how talented he was, Li Chengyuan wouldn¡¯t invest much in him. People like that didn¡¯t just fail to contribute¡ªthey often ended up backstabbing you. ¡¯ Old Huang approached the stall and sat down without any expression on his face. Yang Wanli, seeing a potential customer, immediately smiled warmly. He glanced at Old Huang¡¯s plain yellow-gray robes and didn¡¯t think much of it. After all, robes like Old Huang¡¯s were common all over the city, though he was notably cleaner. ¡°Hello, elder! How can I help you today?¡± Yang Wanli asked politely. Old Huang looked Yang Wanli up and down before finally speaking: ¡°You are Yang Wanli?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yang Wanli was taken aback, then asked in confusion, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. How do you know me, elder?¡± ¡°Did you write this?¡± Old Huang pulled out Yang Wanli¡¯s essay. Yang Wanli glanced at it, and his expression changed. ¡°This¡­ This is indeed mine. But how did it end up in your hands?¡± Seeing the change in Yang Wanli¡¯s expression, Old Huang chuckled and decided not to tease him further. He reached into his robes again and pulled out an invitation, handing it to Yang Wanli. ¡°Congratulations! Your essay has been selected by His Highness. Here is your invitation. Bring this with you tomorrow to attend the poetry banquet. Be sure to arrive on time¡ªdon¡¯t be late!¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Wanli was stunned. Then, he was overwhelmed with both surprise and joy. ¡°My¡­ His Highness rreceivedmy essay?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Old Huang laughed. ¡°His Highness personally read it and was quite impressed. He specifically asked me to deliver this invitation to you. He also instructed me to remind you to keep a low profile and avoid any unnecessary attention. We¡¯ll talk more after the banquet!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Yang Wanli was utterly dumbfounded. When he had submitted his essay, he had done so with no real expectations. He had completely forgotten about it. He knew that in this world, talent alone didn¡¯t guarantee opportunity. Even the most impartial imperial exam could be riddled with corruption, let alone a poetry banquet hosted by a prince! Banquets like this¡ªwho among the attendees wasn¡¯t from a noble family? It was nearly impossible for a common scholar to attend. Yang Wanli hadn¡¯t held out any hope. He had submitted his essay purely out of admiration for the Third Prince¡¯s poetry and his unique (ÊݽðÌå) calligraphy style, intending to pay his respects. But to his shock, he had been selected. Not only that¡ªhis work had been personally chosen by His Highness, who even sent someone to deliver the invitation and thoughtfully reminded him to be cautious! This level of humility and open-mindedness in a prince was beyond Yang Wanli¡¯s expectations, and it filled him with immense delight! Though Yang Wanli was proud, he was also pragmatic. In the original story, he stated that he took the imperial exam to become an official, and he wanted to become an official to uphold justice for the people. So, as long as it allowed him to serve, he didn¡¯t mind becoming a royal disciple. Especially now, when his impression of the Third Prince was incredibly favorable. To Yang Wanli, any prince who showed such consideration to a struggling scholar like himself was a ruler who sought talent and recognized ability. Following such a prince would undoubtedly be a blessing for Yang Wanli! For reasons he couldn¡¯t quite explain, Yang Wanli suddenly felt a great deal of excitement and anticipation for tomorrow¡¯s poetry banquet! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: : A unique and elegant style of calligraphy characterized by its thin and angular strokes. It was created by Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty. Chapter 27 - The Poetry Gathering Begins! The Farce Outside Shixin Gate! Chapter 27: The Poetry Gathering Begins! The Farce Outside Shixin Gate! As the capital of the Qing Kingdom, the cultural atmosphere in the city of Kyoto was naturally exceptional. Almost every day, there were poetry or literary gatherings held in the city. The scholars and literati in Kyoto had long since become indifferent to such events. However, today¡¯s poetry gathering was different! This poetry gathering was hosted by the Third Prince, Li Chengyuan. Ever since the last newspaper publicized Li Chengyuan¡¯s poem and his slender gold script, Li Chengyuan had become one of the hottest talents in Kyoto. Some people even said he was the future of the kingdom¡¯s literary destiny. However, due to his few works, his reputation lacked substantial support. Despite this, all the city¡¯s literati and scholars flocked to him, eager to determine whether Li Chengyuan was truly talented or simply plagiarizing others¡¯ works, creating a false image of himself. Thus, this poetry gathering at the Li County King¡¯s residence had an unprecedentedly large scale. It could be said to be the largest poetry gathering in the Qing Kingdom in recent years in terms of participation. ¡¯ Early in the morning, the area outside Shixin Gate was packed with people and carriages. These people were mostly commoners of Kyoto who did not receive invitations to the poetry gathering. Although they had no qualification to enter, they still came to join in the excitement. Initially, they wanted to gather outside the Li County King¡¯s residence, but they all ended up outside Shixin Gate. Beyond Shixin Gate was where the residences of the city¡¯s high-ranking officials and nobles were located. Many princes and dukes lived there! In other words, to live inside Shixin Gate, one had to be at least a titled earl. The guards at Shixin Gate dared not let commoners inside for fear that a few assassins might slip in, potentially disturbing the nobility inside, which could lead to serious consequences. Fortunately, the area outside Shixin Gate was large enough to accommodate the crowd. Many clever vendors had even come early to set up their stalls, making the usually quiet area unusually lively today. Before long, the first person with a poetry gathering invitation arrived. After showing his invitation to the guards, he proudly walked through the gate under the envious and jealous gazes of the onlookers. After the first, the second soon followed. Gradually, more and more people arrived to attend the gathering, and the crowd outside Shixin Gate grew larger. To maintain order, officials from the Censorate, the Metropolitan Court, and Kyoto¡¯s city government all rushed to the scene. There were even secret guards from the imperial army watching over the situation. This had truly become a grand occasion. As a result, more and more people looked toward the Li County King¡¯s residence inside Shixin Gate with longing and envy. ¡°Sigh¡­ too bad we don¡¯t have the status!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Everyone attending this poetry gathering is either high-ranking or noble!¡± ¡°Look at those who have passed through: the son of the Minister of Rites, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Revenue, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Personnel, and the daughter of the Kyoto City Prefect. Every single one of them comes from an important family!¡± ¡°You all should stop talking. With our status, no matter how good our writing is, it¡¯s useless. Let me tell you, my cousin¡¯s husband¡¯s brother¡¯s son works at the Jing Wang residence. According to him, the poems and articles we submitted weren¡¯t even looked at. They first look at your status and address! If your status and address don¡¯t qualify, no matter how well your poem is written, they won¡¯t even glance at it!¡± ¡°Really? Is that true? But isn¡¯t it said that the Third Prince values talent?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re too naive. He¡¯s a prince, after all. Even if he loves talent, it¡¯s the talent of noble scions that he values. What does that have to do with us common folk?¡± ¡°Brother, you¡¯re wrong to say that!¡± Suddenly, someone interrupted the man¡¯s words. The speaker glanced at the one who interrupted him and saw a poor scholar. He scoffed, ¡°Oh? And what¡¯s your take?¡± ¡°You said just now that the Third Prince only shows humility to the nobility. What proof do you have?¡± ¡°Proof? Haha, the proof is that none of the people attending the poetry gathering are commoners!¡± ¡°Then what is this?¡± The poor scholar suddenly pulled out an invitation from his sleeve. The man was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected this poor scholar to actually produce an invitation. Feeling embarrassed, the man tried to save face, ¡°Hmph, who knows where you got that fake invitation. Do you think I¡¯d believe it?¡± ¡°Then take a closer look!¡± The poor scholar said nothing more and headed toward Shixin Gate. Immediately, all eyes in the vicinity turned toward him. Everyone was curious to see if this man could actually get in. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he could, it would mean that this poetry gathering wasn¡¯t just for the nobility, and that commoners truly had a chance! It would also prove that the Third Prince genuinely promoted talent without regard to status. In full view of the crowd, the poor scholar walked confidently to the gate and handed his invitation to the guards. After inspecting the invitation, the guard asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The poor scholar respectfully cupped his hands and said, ¡°Student¡­ Yang Wanli!¡± ¡°Yang Wanli?¡± The guard looked over at the register. The registrar nodded, ¡°He¡¯s on the list!¡± The guard nodded as well and gestured, ¡°You may enter.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Yang Wanli let out a long breath. He had been worried that his invitation might be fake, but now he was relieved to be let in. Yang Wanli thought, growing even more excited about the poetry gathering. ¡¯ Watching Yang Wanli walk through the gate, the man who had spoken earlier suddenly felt all eyes on him. He was deeply embarrassed, but he still refused to give up, arguing, ¡°What are you all looking at? So what if he got in? Who knows if he¡¯s just some noble¡¯s son in disguise? And even if he really is a poor scholar, it¡¯s just dumb luck. That doesn¡¯t prove me wrong!¡± However, before his words could settle, more poor scholars arrived at Shixin Gate, holding invitations and entering one after another. In fact, these people had been here for a while. They were just intimidated by the large crowd and worried that their invitations might be fake, so none of them dared to go in first. After seeing Yang Wanli enter, they finally gained confidence and followed suit. In no time, five or six more poor scholars walked into Shixin Gate, holding invitations. Now, with the truth laid bare, the man could no longer argue. He could only cover his face with his sleeve and slink away in shame. As he left, the atmosphere outside became even more lively. In fact, no one had paid much attention to this issue before he raised it. But because of his antics, everyone now realized just how broad-minded and humble the Third Prince truly was! Many people began saying that the Third Prince was indeed the future of the kingdom¡¯s literary destiny. Just based on his respect for talent, he was someone worth admiring. Thus, without him even knowing, Li Chengyuan¡¯s prestige among the scholars and literati was raised yet another level! ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 28 - Fan Xian Needs Evidence for Revenge, but Li Chengyuan Doesnt! Chapter 28: Fan Xian Needs Evidence for Revenge, but Li Chengyuan Doesn¡¯t! In the back courtyard of the Li County King¡¯s residence, Sang Wen was helping Li Chengyuan change his clothes. In ancient times, the everyday attire of high-ranking officials was already quite intricate, let alone that of a prince. Each step had its own set of rules, requiring maids to assist. After a while, Qingniao arrived, reporting to Li Chengyuan about the events that had just unfolded outside the Shixin Gate. Once Qingniao finished, Sang Wen was shocked and said, ¡°Who dares to speak ill of His Highness in public?¡± Li Chengyuan playfully pinched Sang Wen¡¯s delicate face and teased, ¡°If even our little Sang Wen can sense how bold that person was, then it¡¯s clear they were sent by someone to stir up trouble.¡± Sang Wen pouted, embarrassed. ¡°Your Highness is making fun of me again!¡± Qingniao asked, ¡°Does Your Highness suspect that someone orchestrated this?¡± ¡°Mm, without a doubt,¡± Li Chengyuan said confidently. There wasn¡¯t even a need to overthink this. Who would dare to spread rumors about a prince in front of the Shixin Gate, especially on such an important occasion? If things went wrong, it could lead to the extermination of their entire family. No commoner, no matter how bold, would dare to do such a thing. It was one hundred percent orchestrated by someone. ¡°Who does Your Highness suspect?¡± Qingniao asked again. ¡°There¡¯s no need to guess. It must be Li Chengze,¡± Li Chengyuan responded firmly. ¡°The Second Prince?¡± Qingniao asked, puzzled. ¡°Why him?¡± Li Chengyuan smiled as he explained, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Only the Crown Prince and Li Chengze would have the guts to cause trouble for me at such a time. But as for the Crown Prince, we just allied. He wouldn¡¯t sabotage me right now. Besides, this isn¡¯t his style. As for Li Chengze, however, he¡¯s known for using underhanded, bloodless tactics. On top of that, I refused to join forces with him before, and he¡¯s worried that if my power suddenly rises and surpasses his, I could become the Crown Prince¡¯s new sparring partner, and he might be abandoned by the Emperor. So, it¡¯s perfectly normal for him to try and suppress me in secret.¡± ¡°Second Prince is sinister!¡± Sang Wen huffed with indignation. Li Chengyuan playfully pinched Sang Wen¡¯s delicate face again and gently warned, ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that so casually. There are spies from other families all over our residence. Be careful, walls have ears!¡± Sang Wen stuck out her tongue and apologized, ¡°I understand Your Highness!¡± Li Chengyuan softly said, ¡°Bear with it a little longer. Once I have the time to clean house, you won¡¯t have to be so cautious anymore.¡± ¡°Mm, I understand, Your Highness!¡± Sang Wen replied obediently. Qingniao then asked again, ¡°Should I go and capture the person spreading the rumors?¡± ¡°No need! Why catch him?¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head. ¡°Anyone bold enough to be sent by Li Chengze for such a dangerous task is likely one of his trained death soldiers. Even if we catch him, he won¡¯t confess. And even if he did confess, the word of a dead soldier isn¡¯t enough to implicate a prince. On top of that, it might make me seem petty, unable to tolerate criticism, and in the end, I¡¯d lose more than I gain.¡± ¡°Huh? Then aren¡¯t we just letting them bully us?¡± Sang Wen fumed angrily. ¡°That¡¯s my second brother for you! He only makes a move when he can strike at the heart, leaving no traces, making you suffer losses without being able to seek revenge.¡± Li Chengyuan sighed. To be fair, Li Chengze was indeed formidable. In the story, Fan Xian suffered at his hands multiple times and couldn¡¯t find evidence. In the end, Fan Xian had to rely on the forces of the Censorate to make Li Chengze suffer. But he was not Fan Xian. Fan Xian needed evidence for revenge, but he didn¡¯t! Li Chengyuan pondered for a moment and then turned to ask Qingniao, ¡°Qingniao, do you have absolute confidence in defeating an eighth-ranked martial artist?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Qingniao replied without hesitation. Qingniao was a peak ninth-ranked expert, and even when facing Haitang Duoduo, she wouldn¡¯t necessarily be at a disadvantage. So naturally, she had confidence! Li Chengyuan nodded after hearing this. ¡°Then come with me. Help me beat someone up.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Qingniao agreed without a second thought. Li Chengyuan, looking at Qingniao¡¯s expressionless face, suddenly reached out and pinched her delicate face, softly saying, ¡°Be careful yourself. If the fight doesn¡¯t go well, retreat immediately. Don¡¯t worry about losing face for me. I care more about you than saving face, understood?¡± Caught off guard by Li Chengyuan¡¯s sudden pinch, Qingniao¡¯s usually calm face turned bright red, flustered. Her face, which was typically cold, now showed a hint of helplessness. But inside, she was overjoyed. She had long had feelings for Li Chengyuan. However, due to her cold personality, she didn¡¯t know how to express them and could only admire him in secret. Now, suddenly receiving his concern, Qingniao felt both flustered and sweet! ¡°I understand, Your Highness!¡± Qingniao replied shyly. ¡°Mm! Let¡¯s go then!¡± Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t tease Qingniao any further and left the bedchamber. Qingniao hurried back to her room to fetch her weapons before quickly catching up with Li Chengyuan. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯ Soon, the time came to the early hour of Si! All the guests had pretty much arrived. The only ones missing were the Crown Prince and Li Cheng. These two were punctual as always. Right when the event was supposed to start, they arrived together. ¡°Your subject greets the Crown Prince!¡± Li Chengyuan saluted with cupped fists. The Crown Prince quickly stepped forward, ¡°reprimanding¡± him, ¡°Chengyuan, I told you already, we¡¯re brothers. No need to stand in the ceremony. If you keep this up, I¡¯ll get upset!¡± Li Chengyuan smiled and replied, ¡°Rituals must not be neglected!¡± Then, turning to Li Chengze, he grinned and said, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯ve come too? Did you bring me a gift?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Li Chengze narrowed his eyes slightly but quickly returned to normal, warmly saying to Li Chengyuan, ¡°How could I attend your first poetry gathering without a gift? I¡¯ve brought you a set of rare four treasures of the study from the previous dynasty. Each piece is a priceless artifact. I hope you like them!¡± Li Chengyuan laughed and responded, ¡°Haha, how could I not like a gift from you, Second Brother? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m the kind of person who repays kindness with kindness and revenge with revenge. I¡¯ll remember this favor from you!¡± ¡°Good, good, as long as you remember!¡± Li Chengze replied with a beaming smile. The Crown Prince, watching this scene unfold, was secretly shocked. What was going on? He felt like their words were filled with hidden barbs. Did something happen recently that he didn¡¯t know about? If that were the case, then the third brother was something. They had just agreed to an alliance, and he was already targeting the second brother. He loved this swift, decisive style! This was true brotherhood¡ªalways stepping up when needed!* ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Ëı¦ (s¨¬b¨£o)¨C The Four Treasures of the Study: A term that refers to the essential tools for calligraphy and painting, specifically the ink brush, inkstone, inkstick, and paper. These were highly valued by scholars.ɱÈ˲»¼ûѪ (sh¨¡r¨¦n b¨´ji¨¤n xi¨§)¨C Literally ¡°killing without seeing blood,¡± this idiom means to harm someone without leaving any visible trace or evidence, often through underhanded or manipulative tactics. Chapter 29 - The Poetry Gathering Begins! A Surprising Reward! Revenge on Li Chengze! Chapter 29: The Poetry Gathering Begins! A Surprising Reward! Revenge on Li Chengze! After the arrival of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, the poetry gathering officially began. Since it was already early winter and the weather outside was cold, the event had to be held indoors. The reception hall of the Li County Prince¡¯s mansion could only accommodate about sixty people. So, they had no choice but to use the side halls as well. All the side doors were left open, and the gathering was arranged for a total of 120 guests. Most of those attending were young masters and ladies from prominent families, with high-ranking or wealthy backgrounds. In addition, there were scholars from these noble households, also of distinguished status. Only about a dozen people had ordinary backgrounds¡ªscholars who had fallen on hard times. These were handpicked by Li Chengyuan himself, all talented in writing stories. The one that Li Chengyuan paid the most attention to was undoubtedly Yang Wanli. He was currently sitting in the main hall, though in a corner. To avoid making him stand out too much, Li Chengyuan had intentionally seated two other talented yet impoverished scholars beside him. Aside from the three of them, the rest of the hall was filled with nobility. Li Chengyuan noticed quite a few familiar faces, but the most surprising ones were Fan Ruoruo and Lin Wan¡¯er. He hadn¡¯t expected either of them to attend. Especially Lin Wan¡¯er, who seldom left her home due to her tuberculosis. Yet, here she was, joining the gathering! ¡¯ Once everyone had arrived, Li Chengyuan gave a brief opening speech, then announced the start of the poetry gathering. Li Hongcheng, who was hosting the event, announced the rules. The gathering, as expected, revolved around poetry. Every participant could write as many poems as they wished, with no restrictions on topic. Even previously written poems could be submitted, as long as they hadn¡¯t been shown to anyone before; they would count as new works. Once a poem was written, the participant could recite it publicly. If the audience thought it was good, it would be kept temporarily. By the end of the gathering, the best ten poems would be selected. The authors of these top ten poems would receive the grand prize. The rewards were quite generous. With Emperor Qing¡¯s permission, Li Chengyuan had taken some of the treasures bestowed upon him by the emperor to use as prizes. These included writing tools, fine paper, pearls, jade, stamps, and folding fans¡ªall items beloved by scholars. Moreover, they were all imperial gifts, items most people had never even seen, let alone owned! This showed just how precious the rewards were! Additionally, the winners would have the chance to receive a personally written poem from the Third Prince! A series of astonishing rewards left the young masters, ladies, and scholars present in shock. They had known that the prizes would be substantial, but they hadn¡¯t expected them to be this magnificent! Imperial treasures! A poem written by the Third Prince himself! Each of these was enough to drive them wild with excitement! After the rules were explained, many attendees were visibly flushed with excitement and immediately began composing their poems. Some, however, were regretting their lack of preparation. They had been so overjoyed upon receiving the invitations that they had forgotten to prepare in advance and now had no poems ready. In the midst of such a charged atmosphere, finding inspiration and composing on the spot became exceedingly difficult. Nevertheless, they didn¡¯t give up. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if they had to force themselves, they would still write something. To give up entirely would leave them with lifelong regret. ¡¯ Soon, the first person to complete a poem stood up, sought permission, and then recited their work aloud. After the recitation, comments poured in¡ªsome praised the poem, while others offered criticism. In the end, Li Chengyuan decided whether the poem would be kept or not. The first poem was likely written too hastily; it was neither outstanding nor terrible. However, being the opening act, Li Chengyuan decided to keep it. Keeping the poem didn¡¯t guarantee it would make the final cut, but it was enough to make the author ecstatic. With the first participant stepping forward, others quickly followed. Soon, young masters and young ladies began presenting their work one after another, each showcasing their talents. The atmosphere grew lively and vibrant. ¡¯ By noon, the poetry gathering paused for lunch. The servants of the mansion brought in the dishes, and everyone ate, drank, and discussed the poems from the morning. Li Chengyuan, meanwhile, spent the meal conversing with the Crown Prince and Second Prince, exchanging pleasantries. Finally, lunch was over. The servants cleared the tables and brought out tea, fruit, and snacks. According to the original plan, the gathering was supposed to continue at this point. However, Li Chengyuan suddenly proposed, ¡°Now that everyone has finished eating, sitting here for too long might not be good for digestion. Why don¡¯t we go outside for a bit of exercise?¡± The Crown Prince, sitting beside him, chimed in, ¡°Third Brother, it¡¯s freezing outside. How do you plan on having us exercise?¡± Everyone looked at Li Chengyuan with curiosity. With a slight smile, Li Chengyuan responded, ¡°It¡¯s simple! Let¡¯s go outside and watch a duel.¡± As he spoke, he suddenly turned to Li Chengze, smiling broadly, ¡°Second Brother, I heard that your guard, Xie Bi¡¯an, is known as the fastest swordsman in the capital?¡± Li Chengze was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and laughed, ¡°You must be joking, Third Brother. That¡¯s just a rumor. Xie Bi¡¯an only knows some basic martial arts; he doesn¡¯t deserve the title of the fastest swordsman.¡± Li Chengyuan continued to smile, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯re always so modest. Xie Bi¡¯an serves as your personal guard, so even if he¡¯s not the fastest, he can¡¯t be far off, right?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Chengze¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He had already figured out that Li Chengyuan was deliberately targeting him. So, after a light laugh, Li Chengze replied, ¡°Third Brother, if you have something to say, just come out with it.¡± ¡°My thoughts are simple,¡± Li Chengyuan said. ¡°I have a maid who loves practicing martial arts, especially spear techniques. When she heard that Xie Bi¡¯an is the fastest swordsman in the capital, she wanted to challenge him. I thought it would be a good opportunity for everyone to enjoy a bit of entertainment.¡± Li Chengze was caught off guard once again. He had considered many possibilities, but he hadn¡¯t expected Li Chengyuan to propose a duel between Xie Bi¡¯an and a maid. And a maid at that? Li Chengze¡¯s first thought was that Li Chengyuan was underestimating Xie Bi¡¯an. Xie Bi¡¯an was one of his most skilled guards. Although only at the eighth rank, he was extremely close to reaching the ninth rank. There were very few people in the capital, or even in the entire kingdom, who could defeat him in a duel. Given the limited number of ninth-rank experts, all of them were well-known. Now, Li Chengyuan wanted to pit a maid against Xie Bi¡¯an? This was practically an insult! A duel with a maid¡ªwhether Xie Bi¡¯an won or lost¡ªwould be disgraceful. If he won, it wouldn¡¯t be an honorable victory, and if he lost, it would be utterly humiliating. Li Chengze¡¯s first instinct was to refuse. After all, agreeing to this wouldn¡¯t bring any benefit. But before he could decline, Li Chengyuan added, ¡°To make the duel more interesting, I¡¯m offering a prize. Whoever wins will receive a poem personally written by me. Additionally, if they agree to the duel, I¡¯ll compose a poem for each of the ten winners of the poetry gathering at the end of the event. What do you think?¡± ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 30 - Li Chengze Loses His Cool! Xie Bian Falls in One Move! Chapter 30: Li Chengze Loses His Cool! Xie Bian Falls in One Move! The backyard of the Wang Mansion. There is a garden here, with a pond in the corner. The water of the pond comes from Qing Lake outside the mansion! The royal and noble residences within the Shixin Gate were all built around Qing Lake. Qing Lake is a natural inner lake of the capital, with clear water, managed personally by the royal family, hence the name Qing Lake. At this moment, all the participants of the poetry gathering had temporarily left the mansion and gathered by the lakeside, as it was spacious and had beautiful scenery. Besides, since they were out for a stroll after a meal, it made sense to walk a bit more. However, the weather was not cooperating. Although winter had already set in, a fine drizzle suddenly started to fall from the sky. Luckily, the rain wasn¡¯t heavy, just a light mist, so no one paid much attention to it. At this moment, everyone was gathered in a half-circle. In the middle of the half-circle stood Qingniao and Xie Bian, facing each other. One held a spear, the other a sword! In the center of the half-circle, the three princes stood together. Li Chengze¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look good. This was Li Chengyuan trying to provoke him. If Xie Bian won, that would be fine. But if Xie Bian lost, not only would he lose face in front of Li Chengyuan, but he would also be utterly humiliated! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The most annoying part was that he couldn¡¯t refuse. What Li Chengyuan had said earlier in the room was nothing less than moral coercion. Writing poems for either Qingniao or Xie Bian would have been fine. But Li Chengyuan had promised that as long as Xie Bian fought, he would write a poem for each winner. In this way, if Li Chengze refused, not only would he offend people, but his reputation would also be ruined! When this matter spread, people would say that Li Chengze was afraid of Li Chengyuan. Moreover, since Xie Bian didn¡¯t fight, it would also mean that Li Chengyuan wouldn¡¯t write ten poems, making Li Chengze the ¡°criminal¡± of the literary world! Li Chengze couldn¡¯t bear the consequences of that! So, he had no choice but to let Xie Bian fight. But the issue remained: beating up a maid wasn¡¯t honorable, and losing to her would be even worse! No matter what, he would lose! The more Li Chengze thought about it, the angrier he got. Unable to hold it in, he walked past the Crown Prince and stood next to Li Chengyuan, lowering his voice as he said, ¡°Third brother, did I offend you?¡± The Crown Prince, upon seeing this, immediately pricked up his ears and started eavesdropping with a serious expression. Li Chengyuan, with one hand behind his back, casually replied, ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re joking. We¡¯re blood brothers; how could there be talk of offense?¡± Li Chengze coldly replied, ¡°Then what¡¯s the meaning of this? As you said, we¡¯re brothers, so if there¡¯s any disagreement, we should be open about it. If you¡¯re targeting me, at least let me understand why I¡¯m losing!¡± After a brief pause, Li Chengyuan said, ¡°Second brother, have you heard about what happened outside the Shixin Gate this morning?¡± Li Chengze¡¯s expression froze, and he said in confusion, ¡°Are you suspecting that I sent that person?¡± Li Chengyuan smirked, ¡°You know very well whether it was you or not.¡± Li Chengze hurriedly said, ¡°I know what? The third brother, that wasn¡¯t my doing! You¡¯re suspecting me, but what proof do you have?¡± Li Chengyuan shook his head and said, ¡°Second brother, it seems you don¡¯t quite understand me. I¡¯ve always been the type who doesn¡¯t wait to seek revenge. If I¡¯ve been wronged, I must retaliate; otherwise, I can¡¯t sleep at night. Whether or not you did it doesn¡¯t matter. Investigations need evidence; revenge only needs a suspect. Since I suspect it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll get back to you. If you feel wronged, it¡¯s simple¡ªyou help me get to the bottom of this. If you can prove it wasn¡¯t you, I¡¯ll personally visit you to apologize and make sure you¡¯re no longer upset. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The Crown Prince, who had been eavesdropping, couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter. Li Chengze¡¯s face twitched, and he ended up laughing out of frustration. This is just¡­ Li Chengze was genuinely at his wit¡¯s end. He had been fighting against the Crown Prince for so long and had grown accustomed to resolving matters with evidence. But now, Li Chengyuan was using a completely unreasonable approach! According to Li Chengyuan¡¯s logic, ¡°As long as I suffer a loss, it doesn¡¯t matter who did it. If I suspect you, I¡¯ll beat you up!¡± Forget evidence¡ªhe just needed to vent his anger first! This way of doing things left Li Chengze both angry and helpless! He had no idea what to do next. Should he retaliate later? That would only make it clear that he was behind it, which would provoke even fiercer revenge from Li Chengyuan! As they say, ¡°The fearless fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those with nothing to lose!¡± Against a madman like Li Chengyuan who didn¡¯t play by the rules, none of Li Chengze¡¯s usual tricks seemed to work! Sighing silently, Li Chengze stopped talking. He just hoped that after this battle, Li Chengyuan¡¯s anger would subside. As for the current situation¡­ he would let it go. After all, Li Chengyuan wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªhe was indeed the one who sent that person outside the Shixin Gate. He had wanted to give Li Chengyuan a ¡°welcome gift.¡± He just hadn¡¯t expected to shoot himself in the foot! And it hurt quite a bit! ¡¯ By the lakeside, Qingniao and Xie Bian had already been standing for a while. The onlookers were growing impatient. So, after exchanging some sharp words with Li Chengze, Li Chengyuan immediately asked, ¡°Are you both ready?¡± Both Qingniao and Xie Bian nodded in response. Seeing this, Li Chengyuan quickly said, ¡°Then¡­ begin!¡± The moment Li Chengyuan¡¯s voice fell, the two of them rushed at each other! Both practiced fast, decisive techniques¡ªone specialized in shana spear, the other in swift swordsmanship. They both aimed to end the fight quickly! But no one expected the battle to end so swiftly! One move! Just one move! As soon as they closed in, Qingniao unleashed her Shana spear. Although Xie Bian was fast, he was only an eighth-ranked warrior, far inferior to Qingniao, who was at the peak of the ninth rank! He only saw a flash of cold light. Before he could react, he felt an intense pain in his chest. In an instant, a tremendous force sent him flying into the air! Not letting him off, Qingniao swiftly followed up, leaping into the air above Xie Bian and stomping down on his chest! Thud! Qingniao, with Xie Bian underfoot, landed on the ground, raising a cloud of dust! It wasn¡¯t until this moment that everyone realized the battle was over! The result left the crowd in an uproar! This was Xie Bian! The fastest sword in the capital! Anyone with any standing among the aristocracy knew how strong Xie Bian, the second prince¡¯s right-hand man, was! Yet this powerful man had just been defeated by a maid in a single move! The outcome left many people in disbelief. Even the Crown Prince and the Second Prince were stunned. Especially Li Chengze. He had expected Xie Bian to suffer, considering Li Chengyuan wouldn¡¯t make such a move without confidence. He had guessed that the little maid might know some secret techniques. But he never imagined that this seemingly insignificant maid could defeat Xie Bian in a single move with pure strength! If that were the case, what would happen if Li Chengyuan sent this girl to assassinate him one day? Could Xie Bian protect him? At this thought, Li Chengze felt an overwhelming sense of insecurity! He was already beginning to regret provoking Li Chengyuan!* ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Shana (ɲÄÇ): Refers to a split-second, emphasizing speed and decisiveness. Chapter 31 - A Poem for Bluebird! Extreme Envy and Jealousy! Chapter 31: A Poem for Bluebird! Extreme Envy and Jealousy! The fight ended so quickly that the onlookers hadn¡¯t even reacted yet. Even Xie Bi¡¯an, who had lost, was in a daze! He didn¡¯t even know how he had lost! What made it even more humiliating was that he, who was known as the fastest sword in the capital, was defeated by Bluebird in a single move with speed! This was like a stab to the heart¡ªworse than being trampled underfoot, it made him collapse from within! What made Xie Bi¡¯an feel the most ashamed was that after losing, he realized Bluebird had been wielding her spear backward the whole time! In other words, he had been defeated by a spear without a tip! If Bluebird had used the spearhead, he might have died in that instant! The more Xie Bi¡¯an thought about it, the more humiliated he felt. But after the shame, all he could do was accept his fate. Because she hadn¡¯t used any tricks, she won fair and square. To avoid injuring him, she had deliberately concealed her edge¡ªhe had no grounds to complain about his loss! ¡¯ ¡°Clap, clap, clap!¡± The crisp sound of applause woke everyone up. Everyone turned their heads to see that it was none other than Li Chengyuan clapping. Li Chengyuan walked forward, crouched down, and looked at Xie Bi¡¯an. He asked, ¡°Do you admit defeat?¡± Xie Bi¡¯an, having a sword pointed at his face, didn¡¯t dare to be angry. He could only coldly reply, ¡°I lost.¡± ¡°Good that you admit it!¡± Li Chengyuan stood up and looked at Bluebird. Bluebird lifted her foot and a faint smile appeared on her lips. She couldn¡¯t bear to see anyone hurt Li Chengyuan. That kick just now had vented her anger. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Li Chengyuan asked with concern. Bluebird¡¯s eyes softened, and she shook her head gently. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Li Chengyuan said. Then, he looked around and announced, ¡°I declare the winner to be Bluebird!¡± ¡°Oh~!!!¡± ¡°Clap, clap, clap!¡± Everyone finally began to cheer and applaud. At the same time, they couldn¡¯t help but start discussing. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that this young girl is so powerful!¡± ¡°Yeah! I wonder where the Third Prince found such an expert, someone who could defeat Xie Bi¡¯an!¡± ¡°It seems the Third Prince has been hiding his strength all along! We thought his foundation was weak, but it turns out he can casually bring out a ninth-rank expert. No wonder he¡¯s a prince¡ªhe¡¯s really impressive!¡± Everyone was full of admiration. Many people began to change their opinion of the Third Prince because of this event. Even Fan Ruoruo and Lin Wan¡¯er wore expressions of surprise! They hadn¡¯t expected that this Third Prince, who always seemed so scholarly and unassuming, was also hiding such depth! ¡¯ The defeated Xie Bi¡¯an clutched his chest as he returned to Li Chengze¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, I was incompetent!¡± Li Chengze shook his head, his face cold, without saying a word. Nearby, the Crown Prince squinted his eyes as he gazed at Bluebird in the arena, lost in thought. ¡¯ After the applause died down, Li Chengyuan spoke again, ¡°Now that the duel is over, it¡¯s time for me to fulfill my promise! Bring paper and brush!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone realized that Li Chengyuan was about to write a poem for Bluebird. Everyone immediately gathered around with great interest. After all, this was a poetry gathering. Poetry was the main focus. Though the duel had been exciting, they were more interested in Li Chengyuan¡¯s poetry. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even the Crown Prince and Li Chengze approached. Li Chengze remained cold and silent, having lost his earlier fire. Bluebird¡¯s appearance made Li Chengze realize that he knew nothing about Li Chengyuan. It would be unwise to act rashly without understanding one¡¯s opponent. So Li Chengze planned to probe Li Chengyuan further. Now, Li Chengyuan writing a poem was a good opportunity! At least he could see whether Li Chengyuan had any literary talent, and also check if the famous slender gold script was truly his. ¡¯ Soon, two servants brought over a prepared writing desk. Bluebird skillfully stepped forward to grind ink for Li Chengyuan. At the same time, Bluebird felt full of anticipation, as this was a poem Li Chengyuan was writing just for her! On the other side, Sangwen quietly came over as well. But she was there to hold an umbrella, shielding the desk from the occasional raindrops that might wet the paper. Li Chengyuan stood behind the desk, picked up a wolf hair brush, dipped it in ink, and then closed his eyes in thought. To be honest, Li Chengyuan knew a lot of poetry, but he could only use Su Shi¡¯s poems now! After all, Su Shi¡¯s poetry was system-rewarded, and using other poems would reveal his identity as a time traveler to Fan Xian! However, most of Su Shi¡¯s poems were heroic and broad-minded, with only a few suitable for writing to a woman. Moreover, Li Chengyuan had to consider the location and historical references of this era, so it wasn¡¯t easy to choose a suitable one for Bluebird. Seeing Li Chengyuan think for a while, Li Chengze couldn¡¯t help himself. He spoke again, ¡°Third Brother, this poem was won by Miss Bluebird¡¯s hard-fought victory. You mustn¡¯t take it lightly!¡± Li Chengyuan glanced at Li Chengze, his eyes cold. Li Chengze¡¯s words seemed to be in support of Bluebird, but they were reminding Li Chengyuan that the poem had to match Bluebird¡¯s temperament and couldn¡¯t be done half-heartedly. This subtly increased the difficulty for Li Chengyuan. That¡¯s why Li Chengyuan was displeased! This second brother still needed a lesson! Others also picked up on the meaning behind Li Chengze¡¯s words but kept silent, amazed at the subtle challenge. Li Chengyuan temporarily ignored Li Chengze. He lifted his head, looking at the lake in front of him and the distant, faintly visible mountains to the west of the capital, and suddenly had an idea. He smoothed a piece of paper and quickly began to write. Soon, Li Chengyuan¡¯s slender gold script, as firm as iron hooks and silver strokes, revealed the first line: ¡°The water¡¯s gleaming surface is best on a sunny day!¡± The moment the first line appeared, someone couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°What a wonderful line!¡± Everyone knew that Li Chengyuan was describing the very lake in front of them¡ªQinghu Lake! Over the years, many people have written poems about Qinghu Lake, but nonehaved captured its beauty as perfectly as this! Many couldn¡¯t help but silently praise the Third Prince, who had composed the famous (Butterfly Love) verse. This single line vividly conveyed the stunning scenery of Qinghu Lake. However, before they could fully savor it, Li Chengyuan had already written the second line. Beside him, the Crown Prince couldn¡¯t resist reading it aloud: ¡°The mountains shrouded in misty rain are marvelous too! What a beautiful line!¡± Everyone turned to gaze at the faintly visible mountains outside the city. Under that drizzle, the scene was especially ethereal. This breathtaking description once again left everyone in awe. Then, Li Chengyuan wrote the third line. ¡°Shall I compare Qinghu Lake to Lady Qing?¡± Lady Qing was a legendary beauty in this world¡¯s ancient history. Since this world didn¡¯t have Xi Shi, Li Chengyuan used Lady Qing for comparison! After reading this, someone finally raised a question. ¡°Did His Highness write the wrong character? Shouldn¡¯t it be ¡®Qinghu Lake,¡¯ not ¡®Qinghu Lake¡¯?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Before Li Chengyuan could explain, someone else rebuked the questioner: ¡°Don¡¯t you know this lake used to be called Qinghu? And His Highness used the name Qinghu to make a comparison with Lady Qing. This is a normal poetic technique. How did you even get into this poetry gathering?¡± The person was too ashamed to speak. At this moment, Li Chengyuan also glanced at Bluebird and wrote the final line: ¡°Whether light or heavy makeup, it is always beautiful!¡± The moment this line appeared, gasps of astonishment erupted. This single line elevated the entire poem to new heights. If the previous lines were considered stunning, something an ordinary person might manage with great effort, this last line was a timeless masterpiece. Just this one line made everyone bow in admiration! It was simply too perfect! Especially when paired with the third line, it was a stroke of genius. Some had wondered earlier, But when the fourth line appeared, everything became clear. It turned out that His Highness was using scenery to describe a person. By comparing the maid, Bluebird, to Qinghu Lake, the poem praises her as naturally beautiful, whether with light or heavy makeup¡ªjust like the lake, which is stunning in all weather. The imagery praised both the person and the scenery, blending them in perfect harmony. But the true brilliance lay in the third line, where ¡°Lady Qing¡± could refer to both the ancient beauty and the maid, Bluebird. In other words, the poem wasn¡¯t just comparing a person to a landscape¡ªit was comparing a beauty across time! What an honor! In an instant, many noble young ladies began casting envious glances at Bluebird! ¡¯ This maid¡¯s fate is simply too good! With this poem by Li Chengyuan, Bluebird will surely be remembered in history alongside it! In the future, whenever people mention , they¡¯ll also think of Bluebird! This is no longer just a matter of being remembered in history; It¡¯s already become a story, a legend! At this moment, these noble young ladies wish they could drive Bluebird away and stay behind as Li Chengyuan¡¯s maid themselves! If they could receive such a poem, forget being a maid¡ªbeing a concubine wouldn¡¯t be out of the question either! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: (q¨©ng sh¨« li¨² m¨ªng): Means ¡°to leave one¡¯s name in the green history books,¡± meaning to be remembered in history for a good deed or accomplishment.(Q¨©ng n¨·): Refers to Lady Qing, a renowned beauty from ancient history in the context of the story, not a specific real figure. Chapter 32 - A Priceless Work! A Gifted Poem for Yang Wanli! Chapter 32: A Priceless Work! A Gifted Poem for Yang Wanli! ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Bluebird, surrounded by countless envious gazes, could hardly conceal her excitement at this moment. Although Bluebird had a cold temperament, she was born into a noble family and had read some books since childhood. Therefore, she understood very well how significant Li Chengyuan¡¯s poem was to her. But precisely because of this, Bluebird¡¯s emotions were slightly out of control. The main reason was that the surprise came too suddenly, so sudden that she was caught off guard. Li Chengyuan looked at Bluebird warmly and softly said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush!¡± After speaking, Li Chengyuan picked up the brush again and titled the poem, adding his signature. After writing, Li Chengyuan carefully removed the seal from his waist and stamped it on the signature. With that, this work was finished. Not only did it have the poem and signature, but it also had the seal. If it could be passed down to future generations, this would be a national treasure-level painting with a clear provenance! ¡¯ After all the procedures were completed, Li Chengyuan waited for the ink to dry, then wrapped it in a scroll he had prepared beforehand, rolling it up and handing it to Bluebird. ¡°Alright, keep it well. This is the first complete poem I¡¯ve written!¡± Indeed, this was the first! That last was just something Li Chengyuan casually wrote; there was no signature or seal, so it wasn¡¯t considered complete! This time was truly Li Chengyuan¡¯s first complete work. And the first time is often the most precious! So, upon hearing this, the people around looked at Bluebird with even more envy and jealousy! Someone couldn¡¯t help but speak out, ¡°Miss Bluebird, would you be willing to part with this poem? I¡¯ll offer one hundred taels of silver!¡± ¡°Only one hundred taels? Are you joking? That little amount, and you dare say it out loud? Miss Bluebird, I¡¯ll offer a thousand taels!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll offer two thousand taels!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll offer three thousand taels!¡± ¡¯ In a short moment, someone had raised the price to ten thousand taels. Even the Crown Prince was a little tempted, thinking of placing a bid himself. Bluebird, a bit panicked, hurriedly looked towards Li Chengyuan. Seeing this, Li Chengyuan warmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. We aren¡¯t short on money. Since I gave it to you, you decided to make it!¡± Upon hearing this, Bluebird nodded and finally said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this calligraphy is the most precious gift of my life, and no matter how much money, I won¡¯t sell it!¡± Hearing Bluebird¡¯s words, the crowd sighed inwardly, giving up. But many still looked at the calligraphy in Bluebird¡¯s arms with burning desire! This maid was truly blessed! Especially since Li Chengyuan had given up ten thousand taels of silver without hesitation for Bluebird. Such affection stirred envy in countless women! At this moment, Li Chengyuan had become the perfect dream lover in the eyes of all the women present! ¡¯ The martial contest could only be considered a brief interlude. After it ended, everyone had digested their food, so they returned to the reception hall to continue writing poetry! Before long, evening arrived, marking the end of the poetry gathering. This poetry event could be said to be a complete success. A total of one hundred and twenty people participated, producing over three hundred poems. Many had written five or six poems in a row. Some had even set a record, composing eleven poems in one day! Unfortunately, the quality of this person¡¯s poems was somewhat lacking. Out of the eleven poems, only one barely made it into the selection, and that was because Li Chengyuan took pity on the person who was almost in tears, giving them a chance. In the end, ninety-eight poems were selected for the final evaluation! From these ninety-eight poems, the best ten would be chosen as the final winners! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for the evaluators, they were naturally the three princes and Duke Jing¡¯s heir, Li Hongcheng! The evaluation process was quick. Some poems, although selected, showed an obvious gap in quality at a glance. So, the first round of evaluation quickly eliminated most, leaving only sixteen poems! After further discussion, the top ten winning poems were finally selected! After the results came out, Li Hongcheng announced the list of winners in public. Hearing their names, the winning scholars were all overjoyed, Each stepped to the center of the hall amidst envious gazes. They awaited the rewards from Li Chengyuan, along with his gifting of poems! ¡¯ On Li Chengyuan¡¯s side, a desk and writing tools had been prepared again. Bluebird and Sang Wen served by his side, one grinding ink and the other laying out paper. Before long, Li Chengyuan called upon the first ¡°winner.¡± This first person was a familiar face¡ªYang Wanli! Yang Wanli hadn¡¯t expected to win at all. When he stood before Li Chengyuan, he seemed a bit flustered. At this moment, Yang Wanli was still somewhat immature. Looking at the young man in his patched, shabby clothes, Li Chengyuan smiled slightly without saying much and began to write. Sang Wen, being perceptive, immediately recited the words aloud: ¡°Coarse hemp cloth wraps the scholar¡¯s life!¡± Upon hearing this line, several people¡¯s expressions changed. Some, lacking intelligence and good character, even laughed out loud. They thought Li Chengyuan was mocking Yang Wanli¡¯s poverty in the poem. Even Yang Wanli himself looked uncomfortable at this moment! However, as soon as Li Chengyuan wrote the second line, the entire room erupted in awe. ¡°A mind enriched with books brings an inner glow!¡± With just this line, the entire poem¡¯s meaning was elevated. Everyone¡¯s eyes revealed admiration. Some even clapped their hands in praise! This line was exquisite. It turned the image of a poor scholar into that of a cultured talent in humble clothing! Because of this line, many now looked at the shabby-clothed Yang Wanli with a newfound sense of refinement! As for Yang Wanli himself, his face flushed with excitement! Li Chengyuan continued to write, quickly completing the entire poem. ¡°Coarse hemp cloth wraps the scholar¡¯s life, A mind enriched with books brings an inner glow. Tired of old scholars boiling gourd leaves, Forced to follow exam candidates treading locust blossoms. An empty purse prevents me from riding to spring, Yet eyes gaze eagerly at carriages seeking sons-in-law. Still proud of worldly achievements, The fresh royal decree¡¯s ink is black as a crow.¡± The rest of the poem was not as brilliant, but that didn¡¯t matter. In a poem, one eternal line is enough! Moreover, Yang Wanli, the rest of the poem touched him deeply. The latter lines reflected Li Chengyuan¡¯s earnest hopes for Yang Wanli to achieve success in the imperial examinations! This was also Yang Wanli¡¯s lifelong dream! At this moment, looking at the kindly and teacher-like Li Chengyuan, Yang Wanli felt for the first time a sense of ! Due to the large crowd, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t say much to Yang Wanli. Just as before, he titled the poem and signed it. Then he stamped it, making it his second complete work. Yang Wanli carefully stored the scroll, solemnly bowing to Li Chengyuan, Before retreating to the side under everyone¡¯s envious gazes. Then, Li Chengyuan called upon the second ¡°winner¡±! This second person was also a familiar face. It was none other than the capital¡¯s top female talent, Fan Ruoruo! ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: (c¨± z¨¥ng d¨¤ b¨´ gu¨¯ sh¨¥ng y¨¢): ¡°Coarse hemp cloth wraps the scholar¡¯s life¡± refers to living a humble, impoverished life while pursuing learning.(f¨´ y¨¯u sh¨© sh¨± q¨¬ z¨¬ hu¨¢): ¡°A mind enriched with books brings an inner glow¡± means that knowledge and learning bring a natural grace and refinement that radiates from within.(sh¨¬ w¨¨i zh¨© j¨« zh¨§ s¨«): ¡°A scholar dies for the one who understands him¡± refers to a scholar¡¯s deep gratitude and loyalty toward someone who appreciates his true worth, even to the point of willing self-sacrifice. Chapter 33 - The Promise with Fan Ruoruo! Preparing for a Big Move! Chapter 33: The Promise with Fan Ruoruo! Preparing for a Big Move! As the most talented woman in the capital, Fan Ruoruo had countless admirers. Among them, even the heir apparent, Li Hongcheng, had long been enamored with her. However, in Fan Ruoruo¡¯s heart, the person she admired and revered the most was her illegitimate brother from Danzhou, Fan Xian. Fan Xian was the most knowledgeable and dependable person she had ever met. Before this, Fan Ruoruo had even thought that no one in this world could surpass Fan Xian in excellence. Until Li Chengyuan appeared out of nowhere! Fan Ruoruo had previously not paid much attention to Li Chengyuan. Before being titled as a prince, Li Chengyuan had lived inside the palace for most of his life. He rarely left the palace, and when he did, it was always in secret. Thus, Fan Ruoruo had never met the Third Prince before, nor had she heard much about him. Her first in-depth knowledge of Li Chengyuan came from a newspaper that published his (Butterfly Loves Flowers) and his calligraphy in the Shou Jin style. Fan Ruoruo had also read that newspaper. She appreciated his Shou Jin style, though she did not particularly love it. Instead, it was Li Chengyuan¡¯s that captivated her deeply. Especially the line, ¡°Affection is often troubled by indifference,¡± she copied it dozens of times by hand. No matter how many times she wrote it, she never grew tired of it! From that moment, Fan Ruoruo began to take notice of Li Chengyuan. She even had people deliberately gather gossip about him, but all she heard were stories of Li Chengyuan frequenting brothels. This caused Fan Ruoruo¡¯s favorable impression of him to plummet drastically for a time. Later, news came that Li Chengyuan was organizing a poetry gathering. Out of curiosity, and because Fan Xian was also interested in Li Chengyuan, she decided to attend. Upon seeing Li Chengyuan for the first time, Fan Ruoruo was pleasantly surprised. She noticed that Li Chengyuan bore some resemblance to her brother, Fan Xian, but he was even more ¡°beautiful¡± and had a better demeanor. No matter the era, women have always been creatures of visual appeal, easily swayed by good looks. So, upon seeing Li Chengyuan¡¯s handsome face, Fan Ruoruo once again felt a surge of fondness for him, temporarily forgetting the rumors she had heard. Then came the moment when Li Chengyuan wrote a poem for Qingniao. Truth be told, after reading that poem, Fan Ruoruo had to admit she felt a bit envious. After all, the idea of being immortalized in history by a praise-filled poem was incredibly appealing. So, when she found out she had ¡°won the lottery,¡± her spirits lifted instantly! Her eyes gleamed with anticipation. She wondered whether Li Chengyuan would praise her beauty or her talent. Either way, she would be thrilled! However, after Li Chengyuan finished writing the poem for her, Fan Ruoruo felt a sudden sense of loss. Li Chengyuan neither praised her beauty nor her talent. Instead, he offered her a ¡°lesson¡± of sorts! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The lotus has withered, no longer bearing the rain; The chrysanthemum endures, proud amidst the frost. Cherish the best of the year, The time when oranges turn green and yellow.¡± This little poem was simple! It encouraged her to stay optimistic in the face of adversity and not to give up easily. Fan Ruoruo liked this poem very much, especially the line, ¡°The time when oranges turn green and yellow.¡± The delicate and refined beauty of this sentiment was precisely the kind of imagery she loved. But what she wanted wasn¡¯t this! So, after receiving the poem, she didn¡¯t leave right away. Instead, she looked at Li Chengyuan, mustering up her courage to say, ¡°Your Highness, could you write me a poem that praises me?¡± Li Chengyuan was taken aback by her words. He looked up at Fan Ruoruo¡¯s eyes full of expectation and seemed to understand something. Smiling in response, he said, ¡°Alright! How about this: Let¡¯s make a promise. Once ¡®the dust has settled,¡¯ I will give you the best praise poem!¡± Hearing this, Fan Ruoruo beamed with joy. Although she didn¡¯t fully understand what Li Chengyuan meant by ¡°the dust has settled,¡± She could tell that he wasn¡¯t brushing her off but genuinely intended to write her a poem¡ªjust that the time wasn¡¯t right yet. This alone satisfied her greatly. After receiving his promise, she bid him farewell with a bow and left! Their exchange was brief, and no one else noticed anything unusual. Next came the third recipient. Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t recognize the rest of the ¡°winners,¡± so he didn¡¯t bother carefully selecting poems for them. He simply picked poems that didn¡¯t involve any place names or allusions and gave them away casually. Soon, Li Chengyuan was writing poem after poem. ¡°A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold pieces; flowers have their scent, and the moon casts its shadow¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Light the new fire, and try the new tea. Enjoy life while you can.¡± ¡°Life is but a dream, and how many autumns have passed¡­¡± Before long, Li Chengyuan had finished writing ten poems! Although he wrote them ¡°casually,¡± each poem contained at least one line that amazed the audience. Not a single one was mediocre! Such talent left everyone in awe. Even the frustrated Li Chengze, at that moment, felt both love and hate for Li Chengyuan! He hated Li Chengyuan¡¯s ¡°shamelessness,¡± but he loved his talent! Li Chengze, being a literary enthusiast himself, had a deep appreciation for talented individuals. Among all the talents in the Qing Kingdom, Li Chengyuan was the one he admired the most. Unfortunately, Li Chengyuan was not only his younger brother but also a major obstacle on his path to the throne. This ¡°unrequited admiration¡± left Li Chengze with a sense of helplessness. ¡¯ Logically, after giving out the prizes and composing the poems, today¡¯s poetry banquet should have come to an end. But Li Chengyuan felt that the banquet was still missing a crucial element! His original plan was to use this banquet to completely secure the titles of ¡°Qing Kingdom¡¯s foremost scholar¡± and ¡°Future of Qing Kingdom¡¯s literary fortune.¡± Li Chengyuan¡¯s system had a statistics page that listed all the achievements and titles he could steal but had not yet claimed. These two titles were among them, and they were the main objectives of this poetry gathering! Therefore, his promise to compose ten poems wasn¡¯t merely a matter of pride in response to Li Chengze¡ªit was premeditated. Even without Li Chengze¡¯s involvement, Li Chengyuan would have done the same! The ten poems he had written were already impressive enough. Not to mention the poem he had written for Qingniao, ¡°Light or heavy makeup, it¡¯s always appropriate,¡± was also enough to showcase his talent. However, Li Chengyuan felt that if he wanted his reputation to be truly unquestionable, He needed a piece of work that would silence all the critics! Originally, Li Chengyuan had planned to save Su Shi¡¯s masterpiece for later use. But given the current situation, he felt there was no need to hold back any longer! So, just as Li Hongcheng was about to announce the end of the banquet, Li Chengyuan suddenly spoke up. ¡°Everyone, wait a moment!¡± Upon hearing his voice, everyone turned to look at him. Li Chengyuan took a deep breath, drank a cup of wine, and pretended to be slightly drunk, saying, ¡°Today¡¯s poetry banquet was very successful, but I feel like it¡¯s still missing something. Last month, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I wrote what I consider the greatest work of my life, but I¡¯ve never shown it to anyone. Since the atmosphere today is just right, I won¡¯t keep it hidden anymore! I¡¯ll write it now for everyone to appreciate!¡± After speaking, Li Chengyuan picked up his brush. Everyone gathered closer out of curiosity. They had all realized something¡ª Was the Third Prince about to unveil his magnum opus? The crowd could hardly imagine it. After all, the works Li Chengyuan had written today were already astonishing. Was he still dissatisfied with those? So what kind of work would satisfy him? Amid the audience¡¯s expectant gazes, Li Chengyuan finally put down his brush. And the moment he finished writing the first line, everyone present gasped and widened their eyes in amazement! On the paper, the words stood proudly: ¡°When will the moon be bright? I lift my wine and ask the sky!¡± ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Die Lian Hua(µûÁµ»¨): A famous Chinese poem format, originating from the Song Dynasty. It is known for its lyrical and romantic qualities.Shou Jin style(ÊݽðÌå): A calligraphy style known for its thin, elegant, and angular strokes, created by the Song Dynasty Emperor Huizong.**Affection is often troubled by indifference**: A famous Chinese proverb suggesting that deep affection can sometimes be met with indifference, leading to frustration or sadness. Chapter 34 - The Emperors Astonishment! Li Chengyuans Plan for Ascension! Chapter 34: The Emperor¡¯s Astonishment! Li Chengyuan¡¯s Plan for Ascension! If nothing unexpected happens, today¡¯s poetry banquet at the Duke of Li¡¯s mansion should be the grandest event in the kingdom of Qing this year! Not only are the literati of the capital paying attention, but so are all the civil and military officials of the court! This poetry banquet is not just an ordinary gathering, it is also the first banquet hosted by the Third Prince, Li Chengyuan, since he was bestowed with the title of duke. Li Chengyuan¡¯s abilities, talents, and power will be fully displayed at this event. By the end of the day, the ministers of the court will know whether Li Chengyuan is a true hidden dragon or merely a pretender. That¡¯s why many young masters and ladies, who have no literary talent, were invited today. Because behind them stand the various officials of the court. If Li Chengyuan performs well, he can use this banquet to accumulate connections and draw the ministers to his side, greatly expanding his influence. This is why when Xie Bian lost today, Li Chengze was so furious. Because Li Chengyuan used this opportunity to step on his face and build his reputation! ¡¯ The events at the Duke of Li¡¯s mansion today are tugging at countless people¡¯s nerves. Even the Emperor of Qing is not an exception. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After having breakfast in the morning, Emperor Qing instructed Eunuch Hou to pay close attention to the events at the Duke of Li¡¯s mansion and to report any significant developments. The first report came in about the ¡°confrontation¡± outside the Shixin Gate. After hearing it, Emperor Qing¡¯s expression subtly changed, evidently surprised that Li Chengze and Li Chengyuan had clashed. This was somewhat unfavorable to his plans. However, the emperor didn¡¯t say much and simply told Eunuch Hou to continue monitoring. In the meantime, Eunuch Hou presented a few decent poems from the morning session for the emperor¡¯s perusal, but Emperor Qing merely glanced at them and tossed them aside, clearly disinterested. It wasn¡¯t until noon, when Li Chengyuan deliberately ¡°provoked¡± Li Chengze by having his maid challenge Xie Bian, that the emperor¡¯s interest was piqued. When he heard that Qingniao had defeated Xie Bian in one move, Emperor Qing¡¯s expression changed for the first time. ¡°Are you saying the maid beside Li Chengyuan is a ninth-ranked martial artist?¡± Emperor Qing asked Eunuch Hou, surprised. Eunuch Hou bowed and replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the secret report didn¡¯t state she was ninth-ranked!¡± ¡°Xie Bian is at the peak of the eighth rank, and if Qingniao could defeat him in one move, she must be a ninth-ranked expert! What¡¯s the story behind this maid?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, according to the intelligence from the Investigation Bureau, this Qingniao is also the daughter of a famous figure. Her father was Wang Xiu, the ¡®Spear Immortal,¡¯ who was killed years ago. After his death, Qingniao became an orphan. A few years ago, she encountered the Third Prince while he was sneaking out of the palace, and they became friends. She has been wandering near the capital ever since, and it wasn¡¯t until the Third Prince was bestowed the title of duke that she hurried back to the capital to join him.¡± ¡°The Spear Immortal, Wang Xiu?¡± Emperor Qing thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I remember him. No wonder this Qingniao is so skilled¡ªshe¡¯s his daughter. Ha, Li Chengyuan does have quite the luck!¡± Eunuch Hou chuckled, ¡°The Third Prince certainly knows how to win a girl¡¯s heart. He even wrote a poem for her. It¡¯s said that someone offered ten thousand taels for the original copy, but Qingniao refused.¡± Emperor Qing was surprised. ¡°Oh? Ten thousand taels? What poem is this?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please take a look!¡± Eunuch Hou handed over a transcribed copy of the poem to the emperor. This was a copy, not the original. After all, the original was in Qingniao¡¯s hands, and the Investigation Bureau couldn¡¯t get hold of it. ¡°¡®The lake shines bright on a sunny day; mountains are veiled in mist on rainy days. I wish to compare the lake to you, dear Qingniao¡ªboth light and heavy makeup suit you well.¡¯ Excellent poem!¡± Emperor Qing was praised loudly after reading it. ¡°Wonderful, truly wonderful! The lake has been named Qinghu for so many years, yet no poem has ever captured its beauty like this. That has always been my regret, but now it seems old Third has done it. Good! Eunuch Hou!¡± ¡°At your service!¡± ¡°Have a stone tablet erected by the lake, and inscribe this poem on it. Then have a Grand Scholar from the Wenyan Pavilion write a record of the poem¡¯s background to engrave on the back.¡± Eunuch Hou was astonished. ¡°Your Majesty, if we do that, Qingniao will likely be remembered throughout history!¡± ¡°Yes, her father once rendered meritorious service to Qing, so she¡¯s the daughter of a hero. Giving her some recognition is only right!¡± ¡°Your Majesty is truly generous! I will issue the order immediately!¡± Eunuch Hou hurriedly bowed and left. ¡¯ After this, the poetry competition continued into the afternoon, and once again, Emperor Qing found himself dozing off. It wasn¡¯t until Li Chengyuan composed ten more poems in a row that the emperor became interested again. Looking at the ten poems in front of him, Emperor Qing couldn¡¯t stop reading them. Despite his mixed feelings about Li Chengyuan, the emperor couldn¡¯t deny his third son¡¯s talent. If only he were the Crown Prince¡¯s brother by blood, Emperor Qing wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give him a chance. But unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t. ¡¯ The emperor read the ten poems several times over. Just when he thought the poetry banquet was about to end, Eunuch Hou brought him Li Chengyuan¡¯s crowning masterpiece. Upon hearing that this was Li Chengyuan¡¯s proudest work, the emperor immediately read it carefully. As he read, Emperor Qing became completely captivated. **¡±When will the moon be bright and clear? With a cup in hand, I ask the sky. I wonder what year it is tonight in the palaces on high. I long to fly home on the wind, but fear the crystal towers, the jade halls¡ªtoo high and cold for me. Dancing with my shadow, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad here in the world of men. The moon rounds the red mansion, stoops to silk-pad doors, and shines upon the sleepless. Bearing no grudge, why does it so often shine when people part? People have sorrow, joy, separation, and reunion; the moon may be dim or bright, round or thin. This has been going on since the beginning of time. May we all be blessed with longevity, though a thousand miles apart, we may share the beauty of the moon.¡±** After finishing the poem, Emperor Qing was so shaken that he remained silent for a long time. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally looked up, his gaze resolute as he instructed Eunuch Hou, ¡°Issue a decree: Publish all twelve of Li Chengyuan¡¯s poems in tomorrow¡¯s newspaper, and ensure unlimited copies are printed!¡± Eunuch Hou quickly bowed and accepted the order, hurrying out. After Eunuch Hou left, Emperor Qing once again looked at the poems in his hand. A long sigh echoed from the imperial chambers. ¡¯ Deep within the Investigation Bureau. Chen Pingping looked helplessly at Fan Jian, who was standing before him. ¡°I say, you¡¯ve been here all day. Now that the poetry banquet is over, isn¡¯t it time for you to leave?¡± Fan Jian snorted in response, ¡°Hmph if it weren¡¯t for the fast flow of information here, do you think I¡¯d willingly stay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re the esteemed Minister of Revenue, and I¡¯m just a humble director. You¡¯re the mighty one, okay?¡± ¡°Hmph! Enough with the nonsense. Let me ask you something. Do you think Chengyuan stands a chance?¡± Chen Pingping stared at Fan Jian for a moment before answering in a melancholic tone, ¡°What do you think? You¡¯ve studied history since childhood. Tell me, have you ever seen a talented and brilliant prince ascend the throne?¡± Hearing this, Fan Jian fell silent. Although Chen Pingping¡¯s question was somewhat biased, it pointed to an undeniable truth. Historically, brilliant and talented princes often met unfortunate ends. Because in the battle for the throne, political acumen and cunning strategy often mattered far more than talent. And those princes who were too focused on showcasing their talents often underestimated the importance of political maneuvering, making them vulnerable in the power struggle. Li Chengyuan was precisely this kind of talented prince. Yet, his competitors¡ªthe Crown Prince and the Second Prince¡ªwere both deeply calculating and scheming. For Li Chengyuan to seize the throne from them was an almost impossible task. Although Chen Pingping didn¡¯t explicitly say it, he had already conveyed his answer. Moreover, Chen Pingping knew Emperor Qing very well. So he was certain: as long as Emperor Qing remained alive, Li Chengyuan had no hope of ascending the throne! Conversely, if Li Chengyuan wished to become emperor, there was only one path left¡­ ¡¯¡¯ Chapter 35 - Li Chengzes Broken Defense and Helplessness! Qingniaos First Cry! Chapter 35: Li Chengze¡¯s Broken Defense and Helplessness! Qingniao¡¯s First Cry! Evening, in the Prince Li Jun¡¯s Mansion. The poetry gathering had concluded. However, many were reluctant to leave. On numerous faces, the shock from earlier couldn¡¯t be concealed. That song ¡°When Will the Bright Moon Appear¡± had left a profound impact, touching the hearts of the literati present! There¡¯s a saying: Only true scholars understand just how exceptional Li Chengyuan¡¯s poem was! Thus, everyone present held genuine respect for him. This included the Crown Prince and Li Chengze. At least in terms of talent, both were thoroughly convinced by Li Chengyuan. The Crown Prince even wanted to purchase Li Chengyuan¡¯s original manuscript of ¡°When Will the Bright Moon Appear.¡± However, before he could make an offer, Li Chengyuan declined, expressing that he intended to keep it for himself. The Crown Prince could only give up in resignation. ¡¯ Despite the reluctance, night had fallen, and all the guests began to leave one by one. The Crown Prince and Li Chengze were the first to depart. Before leaving, the Crown Prince said little, only advising Li Chengyuan to work hard and take advantage of the poetry gathering¡¯s influence to recruit more students. As for Li Chengze, before leaving, he called Li Chengyuan aside for a private conversation. ¡°Third Brother, I admit it¡ªtoday, I was wrong. I apologize!¡± Li Chengze was flexible. Although he had suffered today, he took the initiative to apologize to Li Chengyuan. Li Chengyuan looked at him and shook his head, saying, ¡°Second Brother, there¡¯s no need for this. I¡¯ve always believed in ¡®If people don¡¯t offend me, I won¡¯t offend them. But if they do, I will cut them down without mercy.¡¯ So as long as you don¡¯t target me in the future, I will also handle things objectively. Today¡¯s incident is forgotten.¡± Li Chengze¡¯s mouth twitched at these words. And he dares to say he holds no grudges? But Li Chengze didn¡¯t want to argue further. He had been muddled today. Originally, he and the Crown Prince were rivals. If he antagonized Li Chengyuan, wouldn¡¯t that push him into an alliance with the Crown Prince? However, Li Chengze had no choice. In the royal family, if you don¡¯t fight, you¡¯ll be eliminated. He couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Li Chengyuan surpass him! Moreover, he hadn¡¯t done much¡ªjust sent someone to stir up some trouble for Li Chengyuan, so he wouldn¡¯t rise too quickly. But he hadn¡¯t expected Li Chengyuan to act so out of line, not even bothering to collect evidence, just seizing the chance to beat him up! How was anyone supposed to play like this? It could only be said that he was unlucky today! Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Third Brother, rest assured. I still hold the same belief: you and I both want a share of the pie, but before we get it, we need to deal with those holding the pie. Otherwise, our fighting will only benefit them. So, I promise I won¡¯t target you in the future. You can come to me whenever, and we can exchange ideas. How does that sound?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that!¡± Li Chengyuan said nonchalantly, ¡°In any case, my stance is simple: you can fight as you like but don¡¯t involve me. Whoever provokes me, I¡¯ll deal with them. If I can¡¯t identify a suspect, I¡¯ll just attack indiscriminately. After all, the only ones who can target me are either you or the Crown Prince, no one else.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Chengze felt utterly defeated this time! ¡¯ After exchanging a few more words, Li Chengyuan sent Li Chengze off. Returning to the main hall, he found that some guests had already left. Li Chengyuan stepped forward to see each guest out personally. Particularly those he wanted to recruit as retainers; he invited them to the manor the next day to discuss matters. This included the ¡°mad dog¡± He Zongwei. Learning that he had caught the attention of the Third Prince, Zongwei was overjoyed, believing that his time to shine had finally arrived. Little did he know that in Li Chengyuan¡¯s eyes, he was merely a mad dog that could be discarded at any time! After all the guests had been seen off, only two people remained. One was Yang Wanli, and the other was Lin Wan¡¯er. As for Yang Wanli, Li Chengyuan had the steward Huang entertain him for the time being. Li Chengyuan himself privately dined with Lin Wan¡¯er. ¡¯ In the dining hall, Li Chengyuan and Lin Wan¡¯er sat opposite each other, each at a small table. The tables were laden with a variety of dishes and drinks. Sangwen and Lin Wan¡¯er¡¯s maid stood by to serve them. Since Li Chengyuan was Lin Wan¡¯er¡¯s cousin, he wasn¡¯t afraid of rumors for inviting her to dine. After all, they were close relatives! However, precisely because of this, there was no chance for him to win her over. There was no helping it. Although Li Chengyuan and Fan Xian were blood brothers, And Lin Wan¡¯er wasn¡¯t related to him by blood (since the Eldest Princess and the Emperor weren¡¯t true siblings), They were still, by title, cousins! There was no possibility of them being together! Besides, Lin Wan¡¯er¡¯s marriage involved control over the Imperial Treasury. No matter what, the Emperor would never give him control over that. So unless he were to kill the Emperor right now, successfully ascend the throne, exile the Eldest Princess from the royal family, and withstand the pressure from Prime Minister Lin¡ªonly then would there be a sliver of possibility! But to do all that just to intercept Lin Wan¡¯er? He¡¯d have to be crazy! It wasn¡¯t worth it, not by a long shot! Without Lin Wan¡¯er, Li Chengyuan felt no regret. She was good, but he wasn¡¯t the type to commit to one woman. If he married her, he¡¯d have to forsake an entire forest of women! Li Chengyuan was not a man of singular devotion. So, such a girl would be better suited for Fan Xian. Both he and Lin Wan¡¯er were lovebirds, so they were quite fitting! And once Fan Xian had Lin Wan¡¯er, Li Chengyuan wouldn¡¯t hesitate to claim other women for himself! ¡¯ Still, regardless, Lin Wan¡¯er was his cousin and soon to be his sister-in-law. So maintaining a good relationship with her was necessary. From childhood, Li Chengyuan would visit her occasionally. Thus, though they weren¡¯t close, they weren¡¯t strangers either. Especially after this meal, Lin Wan¡¯er felt even more comfortable around him. But it was purely sibling affection. As for her asthma, Li Chengyuan could cure it with the Hu¨ªyu¨¢nd¨¡n (Returning Essence Pill). But, as he¡¯d said before, he didn¡¯t want any complications until Fan Xian arrived in the capital. So, Lin Wan¡¯er¡¯s condition would have to wait. Fan Xian would be in the capital within the next couple of years; Lin Wan¡¯er could endure¡ªshe wasn¡¯t going to die! ¡¯ After dining with Lin Wan¡¯er, Li Chengyuan personally escorted her out of the manor. Looking up at the sky, he realized it was already night. Li Chengyuan thought of chatting with Yang Wanli but felt exhausted. After all, he¡¯d been reciting poetry all day¡ªit was mentally draining. So, he had the steward Huang entertain Yang Wanli for the night, deciding to talk business tomorrow. Li Chengyuan returned to his chambers to bathe and change clothes. Afterward, he summoned Qingniao into his room. ¡¯ Inside Li Chengyuan¡¯s bedroom, Qingniao, having just finished bathing, wore a thin, light robe. Her face was flushed with nervousness, making her look delicate and lovely. Seeing the beautiful and charming Qingniao, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t resist stepping forward and gently pulling her into his arms. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Qingniao murmured nervously. Li Chengyuan asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Not ready?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± Qingniao shook her head hastily. After taking a deep breath, she suddenly looked up at him, her voice nervous but firm. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve made up my mind. Qingniao belongs to you and you alone. Please, Your Highness, be gentle¡­¡± A beauty¡¯s confession! Li Chengyuan could no longer hold back. Gently holding her, he kissed Qingniao softly on her tender lips. ¡°Mmm!¡± Qingniao let out a soft gasp. The night was filled with music, as Qingniao¡¯s first cry echoed.* ¡¯¡¯ Footnotes: Chapter 36 - Rich Rewards from Intercepting! Fan Xian is Getting Plucked Bald! Chapter 36: Rich Rewards from Intercepting! Fan Xian is Getting Plucked Bald! Early the next morning, Li Chengyuan woke up from a deep sleep. Turning his head, he saw Qingniao was already awake, gazing at him with shining eyes. Li Chengyuan¡¯s heart softened. He leaned in for a kiss and whispered, ¡°Why not sleep a bit longer?¡± Qingniao pursed her lips, then turned over to lie on Li Chengyuan¡¯s chest, her voice small. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep. I wake up early every day!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Li Chengyuan responded. Feeling the warmth of her soft body in his arms, he couldn¡¯t resist anymore. He rolled over, pressing her beneath him, drawing a startled cry from Qingniao. Finally, when the sun was already high in the sky, Li Chengyuan got up with Qingniao¡¯s help. Qingniao then went back to wash and change her clothes. Sangwen brought in Li Chengyuan¡¯s breakfast. As he ate, Li Chengyuan opened the system. Yesterday¡¯s gains were plentiful! [Ding! Congratulations to the host for intercepting the title ¡°South Qing¡¯s Top Scholar,¡± rewarded with 100 classical Chinese poems and 5 Epiphany Pills!] [Ding! Congratulations to the host for intercepting the title ¡°The Future of South Qing¡¯s Literary Destiny,¡± rewarded with the special talent¡ªEidetic Memory, and 1 Dragon-Tiger Pill!] [Epiphany Pill: Upon consumption, it can enhance one martial art by one level (effective within three days)!] These two titles were finally his. It seemed that the events of yesterday¡¯s poetry gathering had already begun to spread throughout the capital! His fame had been thoroughly acknowledged by the literati of the capital! Looking at the system rewards, Li Chengyuan was quite satisfied. Although there weren¡¯t many rewards this time, each one was of significant value. There was no need to elaborate on the 100 classical Chinese poems. With these, Li Chengyuan wouldn¡¯t have to keep ¡°plucking¡± from Su Shi¡¯s works in the future. The system-rewarded poems were selected from all of Chinese history¡¯s poetry. Every single one was a masterpiece! And, just like before, all memories related to these poems would be erased from Fan Xian¡¯s mind! Thinking about this, Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sorry for Fan Xian. If he kept taking more, soon Fan Xian wouldn¡¯t have much poetry left in his mind! But Li Chengyuan showed no mercy. After all, these poems weren¡¯t originally written by Fan Xian. Whoever copies them, it¡¯s still copying, right? Aside from the poems, the Epiphany Pills excited Li Chengyuan the most. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At present, he had the cultivation but lacked martial skills! It wasn¡¯t that Li Chengyuan was lazy. But martial arts required a foundation built from childhood. Li Chengyuan had never even practiced basic stances like horse stances. To suddenly start learning martial arts now was indeed asking too much. Therefore, the martial arts techniques rewarded by the system were something he had only barely managed to get into the beginner stage. He had just scratched the surface of the Dragon Claw Hand and the Swimming Dragon Body Technique. To say he had ¡°begun¡± meant he had memorized the moves but hadn¡¯t internalized them. He could only perform a complete set of techniques without making mistakes under ideal conditions¡ªthat¡¯s considered entry-level. It was like a modern college student practicing military-style boxing: the mind remembers the moves, but the body hasn¡¯t caught up. In a real fight, it¡¯s all just flailing around! Yet even at this level, it counted as having reached the entry stage. For Li Chengyuan, this was great news because it meant he didn¡¯t need to waste the Epiphany Pills on reaching the beginner level! Besides the Epiphany Pills, the Eidetic Memory from the second intercept reward was incredibly useful for him! In ancient times, there were no smartphones or cameras¡ªeverything had to be memorized manually. With this ability, Li Chengyuan¡¯s efficiency would drastically improve! And it would explain his extraordinary talent¡ªhaving an eidetic memory would make him appear naturally gifted from a young age. As for the Dragon-Tiger Pill, Li Chengyuan had already taken one before, so he wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with it. After finishing breakfast, Li Chengyuan informed Sangwen before heading back to his quarters. He first consumed an Epiphany Pill. The moment the pill entered his stomach, he began practicing the Swimming Dragon Body Technique in his room. Soon, countless insights flooded his mind. Simultaneously, his muscles and body quickly formed memory patterns of the moves. Who knows how much time passed before Li Chengyuan snapped out of the epiphany state? Reflecting on the strange experience, he found himself almost addicted. The sensation of endless inspiration just by thinking was simply too marvelous. Unfortunately, this inspiration only applied to martial arts techniques. Li Chengyuan had once tried using it to write poetry, but it had no effect at all. Sighing, Li Chengyuan opened the system again. His Swimming Dragon Body Technique had already reached the ¡°proficient¡± or ¡°minor achievement¡± level! According to the system, every martial skill has five stages: entry, proficiency (minor achievement), mastery, great achievement, and perfection! If he wanted to perfect the Swimming Dragon Body Technique, he would need three more Epiphany Pills. Without hesitation, Li Chengyuan swallowed three more Epiphany Pills in succession. He continued refining the Swimming Dragon Body Technique. As the saying goes, Mastering one martial art was far more valuable than barely grasping several! The reason he chose the body technique was simple¡ªit would help him escape if needed. With countless experts around him, Li Chengyuan rarely needed to fight himself. If it ever came to him needing to fight, it would mean it was time to flee! So for him, maxing out his agility skills was the most important thing! After who knows how long, not only had Li Chengyuan perfected the Swimming Dragon Body Technique, but he had also raised his Dragon Claw Hand to the proficient level! Then, after consuming the Dragon-Tiger Pill, his cultivation increased by two full ranks! After this round of progress, Li Chengyuan took a deep breath and opened the system panel. [Host: Li Chengyuan Age: 18 Status: Third Prince of Qing Kingdom Physique: Immune to all poisons and diseases Talent: Eidetic Memory Cultivation: Seventh-rank Martial Artist Techniques: ¡°Azure Dragon Art¡± (Swimming Dragon Fourth Transformation) Martial Skills: Dragon Claw Hand (Proficient), Swimming Dragon Body Technique (Perfection), Azure Dragon Fist (Not started), Subduing Dragon Palm (Not started), Shocking Dragon Blade (Not started) Items: 5 Returning Essence Pills Forces: Miao Yin Pavilion Servants: Jian Jiuhuang, Qingniao] Satisfied after reviewing his stats, Li Chengyuan closed the system and left his chambers. Once outside, he realized it was nearly noon. Li Chengyuan made his way to the central courtyard, where he found Sangwen and Qingniao. Upon asking, he learned that the students he had arranged to meet the previous day had already been waiting for half the day in the front courtyard! Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t rush, however. Instead, he asked someone to bring Yang Wanli to him. All those people outside, when combined, couldn¡¯t match the value of one Yang Wanli. Without securing Yang Wanli, Li Chengyuan had no interest in dealing with anyone else! Footnotes: Chapter 37 - Reward for Snatching Yang Wanli! The Maids of Wutong Courtyard! Chapter 37: Reward for Snatching Yang Wanli! The Maids of Wutong Courtyard! ¡°¡± In the central courtyard hall, Yang Wanli, still dressed in coarse linen clothing, bowed to Li Chengyuan. ¡°No need for formalities, relax,¡± Li Chengyuan said, then turned to Old Huang beside him. Old Huang instantly understood and said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t taken care of him properly. I gave him new clothes, but he refused to wear them!¡± Yang Wanli quickly explained, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s not Uncle Huang¡¯s fault, I refused them myself!¡± ¡°Why did you refuse?¡± Li Chengyuan asked. ¡°I dare not accept rewards without merit!¡± Yang Wanli replied, bowing. , Li Chengyuan thought, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. ¡°Yang Wanli, I admire you greatly. Would you like to become one of my disciples?¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Wanli did not immediately agree. He pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°If I may be so bold, Your Highness, if I were to join you, how would you arrange for me?¡± Li Chengyuan replied directly, ¡°That depends on you. If you want to become an official quickly, I can recommend you straight into the government. But if you have confidence in yourself, you can wait, work under me for a while, and then take part in the imperial examination in two years.¡± After hearing this, Yang Wanli realized that Li Chengyuan genuinely intended to cultivate him, which made him feel at ease. Without further hesitation, he bowed deeply and said, ¡°¡± Li Chengyuan smiled with satisfaction at his response and said, ¡°Very well. From now on, you are my first retainer. Now, do you want to enter the government immediately, or do you prefer to participate in the imperial examination?¡± Yang Wanli, without hesitation, replied, ¡°I wish to take the imperial examination, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Good, very ambitious. In that case, for now, help me manage a bookstore.¡± ¡°A bookstore?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll explain it later,¡± Li Chengyuan said as he turned to Swordmaster Huang. ¡°Old Huang, help him change into new clothes and gather the other retainers and Shopkeeper Zhao.¡± ¡°Got it, come along, Wanli!¡± Swordmaster Huang cheerfully led Yang Wanli out. After they left, Li Chengyuan activated the system. He had just heard the system notification. ¡¾Ding! Congratulations to the host for snatching retainer Yang Wanli. You are rewarded with part of the maids and servants from Wutong Courtyard! (Note: This reward includes 81 people, which the host must publicly recruit to claim!)¡¿ !!! Li Chengyuan couldn¡¯t help but marvel. This was like someone handing him a pillow when he was just about to fall asleep! He had been thinking about cleaning up the Prince¡¯s Mansion! Right now, the maids and servants in his mansion were a disorganized mess, and their abilities were mediocre at best! Li Chengyuan even suspected that, apart from Old Huang, Bluebird, and Sang Wen, the rest were spies from other factions. His mansion was like a sieve, with no secrets to speak of, forcing him to practice martial arts in secret. But previously, there was nothing Li Chengyuan could do. He had no trusted subordinates of his own. Even if he expelled these people and replaced them, there was no guarantee that the new batch wouldn¡¯t also be spies from other factions. So rather than randomly making changes, he had decided to put up with it for the time being. Thankfully, this time the system had finally heard his plea and rewarded him with the thing he needed most¡ªmaids and servants. And more importantly, these maids and servants were from Wutong Courtyard. Wutong Courtyard was the exclusive residence of Xu Fengnian in . The maids and servants there were carefully selected. Each one had a particular skill, and none of them were slouches. Some of the maids were even more skilled than palace artisans. What excited Li Chengyuan the most was that among the maids rewarded, Hongshu (Sweet Potato), Luyi (Green Ant), and Huanggua (Cucumber) were all included. Especially Hongshu¡ªshe was not only a peak ninth-ranked expert, but also extremely adept at handling matters. She could get along with anyone and always knew how to gauge situations. She was undoubtedly the best candidate for a chief steward. It¡¯s worth mentioning that, originally in , many of the maids and servants in Wutong Courtyard were assassins or spies from various factions. However, since they were now rewarded to Li Chengyuan by the system, they would be absolutely loyal to him. There was no chance of betrayal, making them trustworthy to use. With them, from now on, the Prince¡¯s Mansion would no longer have to worry about leaks. In a great mood, Li Chengyuan called over Bluebird. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Post a notice saying that the Prince¡¯s Mansion is recruiting maids and servants.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Bluebird was shocked. ¡°Post a notice? Your Highness, that might stir up quite the commotion in the city!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m a prince, and it¡¯s no big deal if I make a fuss now and then,¡± Li Chengyuan said casually. ¡°Also, find an excuse to dismiss all the current maids, servants, and even the stewards, except for you, Sang Wen, and Old Huang. Give them a generous severance payment.¡± After hearing this, Bluebird realized what Li Chengyuan was up to and nodded knowingly, ¡°I understand, Your Highness!¡± With that, Bluebird left. Not long after Bluebird left, Old Huang returned with Yang Wanli, now dressed in new clothes, as well as the other retainers like He Zongwei. Li Chengyuan was direct with these retainers. He immediately accepted them. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. None of them refused, and they dared not refuse! Afterward, Li Chengyuan assigned all of these retainers to Yang Wanli, making him the steward of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Next, Li Chengyuan introduced Yang Wanli to Shopkeeper Zhao. Shopkeeper Zhao had been arranged by Sir Thirteen to oversee the bookstore for Li Chengyuan. The bookstore preparations had already been underway for two days, with the venue, facilities, and staff all being organized smoothly. Li Chengyuan introduced Yang Wanli to Shopkeeper Zhao, making Yang Wanli the deputy manager of Qian Kun Bookstore, assisting Shopkeeper Zhao in running it. Although Yang Wanli was talented, he was a novice when it came to business. Making him the deputy manager was perfect, allowing him to learn from Shopkeeper Zhao and apply the knowledge in the future. As for Qian Kun Bookstore, it was the name Li Chengyuan had given the bookstore. Yang Wanli gladly accepted this arrangement. He didn¡¯t reject it because of the low status of merchants, but instead showed great interest in running the bookstore. As for He Zongwei and the other retainers, Li Chengyuan temporarily assigned them to the bookstore as well. They would serve as editors, with their main responsibility being to write books. After all, a bookstore couldn¡¯t rely on Li Chengyuan alone to write books. Unlike Yang Wanli, it was evident that these people weren¡¯t as willing. But Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t care what they thought. They were just retainers. Whoever wasn¡¯t willing could leave. As a prince, Li Chengyuan didn¡¯t have to worry about finding new retainers. Regardless of their thoughts, Li Chengyuan assigned each of them a book to write. He provided them with outlines and asked them to flesh out the stories based on them. The outlines Li Chengyuan provided were ancient bestsellers from his previous life, such as and . To avoid revealing his true identity, Li Chengyuan only provided the story outlines, without including character names or specific details, leaving it to the retainers to fill in the gaps. In this way, the stories they wrote would be vastly different from the originals, ensuring that Fan Xian wouldn¡¯t detect anything suspicious! With so much to explain, Li Chengyuan spent a full hour talking to these people, ensuring that everything was clear. Afterward, everyone left the Prince¡¯s Mansion to head to Qian Kun Bookstore with Shopkeeper Zhao. Chapter 38 - Emperor Qing: This Li Chengyuan has a streak of cunning! Chapter 38: Emperor Qing: This Li Chengyuan has a streak of cunning! Qing Kingdom¡¯s Imperial Palace, in the emperor¡¯s sleeping quarters. Eunuch Hou entered with his usual quick, small steps. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ve just received a secret report from the Jiansha Institute about the Junwang¡¯s residence!¡± On the couch, Emperor Qing was leisurely lying on his side, engrossed in reading Li Chengyuan¡¯s . Next to him was a pirated version of . The book looked nearly new, clearly not having been read much. From this, it was evident that Emperor Qing preferred the rambunctiousness of over the romantic entanglements in . Upon hearing Eunuch Hou¡¯s report, Emperor Qing finally glanced up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s Li Chengyuan up to now?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Junwang has dismissed all the managers, maidservants, and servants in his residence.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emperor Qing was stunned. ¡°Dismissed them all? Didn¡¯t leave a single one?¡± ¡°Not entirely!¡± Eunuch Hou quickly responded, ¡°His Highness kept the ones closest to him, Qingniao, Sangwen, and that Jian Jiuhuang fellow. The rest were dismissed without exception.¡± ¡°Jian Jiuhuang¡­¡± Emperor Qing thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Did the Jiansha Institute investigate him?¡± Ever since Qingniao had revealed her strength as a ninth-grade martial artist, Emperor Qing had paid extra attention to the people around Li Chengyuan. Sangwen had already been investigated and found to be nothing more than a former courtesan with no significant background. But this Jian Jiuhuang, Emperor Qing knew little about him. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ve investigated him. The Jiansha Institute found that Jian Jiuhuang doesn¡¯t possess any true qi or special abilities. He¡¯s just an old local ruffian with a penchant for wine and women. Years ago, he and the Junwang met, hit it off due to their similar temperaments, and became unlikely friends. After His Highness was granted the title of Junwang, Jian Jiuhuang came to seek refuge, and the Junwang allowed him to stay by his side.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Emperor Qing nodded, no longer giving it much thought. Emperor Qing had merely asked in passing, without harboring suspicions about Jian Jiuhuang. After all, it was already extraordinary for a newly established Junwang residence to have a ninth-grade martial artist. If another one emerged so soon, Emperor Qing wouldn¡¯t merely be surprised¡ªit would shake him to his core. ¡°Why did Li Chengyuan dismiss all his servants?¡± ¡°They were allegedly dismissed for being lazy, the cooks for making bad food, and the maids for being incompetent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Emperor Qing was speechless for a moment. After thinking it over, he asked again, ¡°So what¡¯s to become of the Junwang residence now that everyone¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, His Highness has posted a notice on the streets, recruiting new staff.¡± ¡°Recruiting publicly?¡± Emperor Qing was momentarily taken aback and then muttered in disbelief, ¡°This little rascal, even after being named the top scholar, hasn¡¯t matured much!¡± Emperor Qing had assumed that this farce would end there, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. After all, replacing servants in a prince¡¯s residence was a trivial matter. If it weren¡¯t for Li Chengyuan¡¯s recent notoriety, Eunuch Hou wouldn¡¯t even have bothered reporting it. However, less than two hours later, Eunuch Hou returned with more news. This time, the news left Emperor Qing completely astonished! ¡°What did you say? None of the Jiansha Institute¡¯s spies managed to infiltrate?¡± ¡°Not just the Jiansha Institute, Your Majesty. Even our people from the palace didn¡¯t make it through.¡± Emperor Qing sat up, his expression filled with surprise. ¡°How did he manage that?¡± Eunuch Hou could only shake his head. ¡°Your Majesty, this old servant doesn¡¯t know either! This time, His Highness used a very strange recruitment method. There was no on-site hiring process. Instead, he had all the applicants register at the front gate of the residence, where they wrote down their names, addresses, and skills. Then, without even testing their abilities, they were sent away. The agents assumed the Junwang would evaluate them at a later time. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But strangely enough, only an hour later, Jian Jiuhuang came out with a list, personally visiting each applicant¡¯s home to inform them whether they had been hired. And none of our people made it onto that list.¡± Emperor Qing¡¯s expression was a mix of surprise and amusement. After a long pause, he sighed, ¡°Li Chengyuan does have a bit of cunning about him!¡± ¡°What should we do now, Your Majesty?¡± Eunuch Hou asked. Emperor Qing shot him a cold glance and said sharply, ¡°Do I need to teach you how to handle this?¡± Eunuch Hou trembled and hurriedly replied, ¡°This old servant understands. I¡¯ll take care of it immediately!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Emperor Qing suddenly called out, ¡°Tell Li Chengyuan to attend the court session tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Eunuch Hou responded and finally left. After his departure, Emperor Qing closed his eyes in contemplation for a while before returning to his book. Evening, Li Junwang¡¯s residence. The Junwang¡¯s residence was unusually lively tonight. Although there had always been many people in the residence, Li Chengyuan¡¯s lack of trust had made the servants so fearful that they didn¡¯t even dare speak loudly. Now, however, with only ¡°his people¡± in the residence, Li Chengyuan¡¯s smile was more frequent, and the atmosphere had become more festive. Thanks to the system¡¯s rewards, he had a complete staff for every task. After entering the residence, they quickly adjusted to their roles, and there were no major issues despite the sudden personnel change. Of course, some initial mistakes were inevitable due to the lack of proper handover, but Li Chengyuan had already instructed everyone that it was fine to be a little disorganized at the start and that things would get better over time. Altogether, there were eighty-four people in the Junwang residence, not counting Li Chengyuan. Among them, eighty-one were the maids and servants from Wutong Garden, whom he had recruited exactly according to the system¡¯s provided list and information. With the internal restructuring complete, Li Chengyuan proceeded with the appointments for various positions within the residence. The head steward was appointed to be Hongshu. Sangwen, Qingniao, L¨¹yi, and Huanggua were assigned as supervisors, each responsible for a different area of the household. Old Huang was given the title of advisor, though he held no real power, but no one dared to disrespect him. As for the remaining staff, Li Chengyuan handed over the appointments to Hongshu and the others for them to manage. There were some official posts in the Junwang residence, such as registrar and ceremonial officer. Emperor Qing had assigned these individuals when Li Chengyuan was first granted his title. However, these officials didn¡¯t live in the main residence but in a side courtyard nearby, along with the residence¡¯s guards. These people were all court officials, meaning Li Chengyuan had no authority to remove or appoint them without permission from Emperor Qing. Thus, he chose to simply leave them alone. After all, he wasn¡¯t responsible for their upkeep. They wouldn¡¯t come to the residence without orders, and their presence made no difference to Li Chengyuan as long as there were no spies in the main household. After the residence was reorganized, Li Chengyuan felt much more comfortable living there. Before, it had been a residence in name only, but now it finally felt like a home. In the study located in the back courtyard, Li Chengyuan was leisurely continuing his work on . As before, Qingniao and Sangwen were accompanying him, copying the manuscript. Initially, Li Chengyuan hadn¡¯t intended to finish writing the entire book by himself. However, since he had already completed one volume, he figured he might as well finish the rest. By writing the entire book in the meticulously elegant Shoujin script, he thought that, in the future, this could become a national treasure. After all, he had nothing else to do, so why not treat it as a way to cultivate his mind and spirit? As Li Chengyuan was enthusiastically copying the manuscript, the newly hired maid Huanggua walked in with a tray of pastries. Footnotes: Qingniao (ÇàÄñ) ¨C Lit. ¡°Blue Bird,¡± a traditional name symbolizing messengers or protectors in Chinese culture.Jian Jiuhuang (½£¾Å»Æ) ¨C A unique name combining ¡°Jian¡± (sword) and ¡°Jiuhuang¡± (Nine Yellows), which might hint at a powerful or mysterious background.