frightfiction Chapter 549 Joy of Life 105
Chapter 549 Joy of Life 105
Since being poisoned, Li Chengze has once again secluded himself to recuperate.
Even the officials who usually came and went dared not come to disturb him, except for one person.
That was his fiancée, Ye Ling'er.
Ye Ling'er didn't actually have much feeling about the marriage arranged for her by Emperor Qing, unlike Lin Wan'er who was so resistant.
Given the Ye family's illustrious lineage, the military power they wielded, and their political influence in the court, coupled with the existence of the Grandmaster Ye Liuyun, it was destined that she could only marry into the royal family in this lifetime.
She never even dreamed of becoming the Crown Princess. The Third Prince was too young and not a good match for her, and the First Prince already held military power. Emperor Qing would never give him another princess who commanded troops in his household.
Therefore, Ye Ling'er realized very early on that her future husband was likely to be Li Chengze.
Now that Emperor Qing has officially arranged the marriage, it has simply turned her suspicions into reality.
Having been mentally prepared, Ye Ling'er accepted the marriage quickly.
Although she didn't particularly like Li Chengze, she didn't dislike him either.
Anyway, her marriages were never her own choice; she was married to whomever she wanted.
Moreover, with the Ye family backing her up, the Second Prince wouldn't dare to make things difficult for her easily.
Ye Ling'er was unaware of Emperor Qing's and Ye family's schemes, and even less aware that she was merely a pawn in Emperor Qing's plot against Li Chengze.
Therefore, Ye Ling'er truly believed that she was going to marry Li Chengze.
Holding the belief that she would spend her life with Li Chengze, and now that he had been harmed, Ye Ling'er, as his fiancée, felt she should visit him. So, she brought some tonics to Li Chengze's residence.
"How is Your Highness's health?"
Ye Ling'er is straightforward and has been raised as a boy by Ye Zhong since childhood, so her style of doing things is quite simple and efficient.
A girl of about fifteen or sixteen stood confidently in front of him, with a pretty face and bright, lively eyes.
Her jet-black hair wasn't styled into a bun, but rather tied high in a ponytail, swaying gently behind her head with each movement.
Wearing a simple and refreshing light-colored outfit, he exuded a neat and efficient aura.
She stood there gracefully, like a refreshing breeze blowing in on a hot summer day, giving people a fresh and natural feeling.
In short, Li Chengze had a very good first impression of Ye Ling'er.
Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, but I have a strong liking for these energetic young people.
Yes, that's right!
In Li Chengze's eyes, Ye Ling'er was just a child.
You should know that Li Chengze has traveled through so many lifetimes, and his lifespan adds up to several hundred years.
At first, he was too heartbroken to think about love; later, after adapting to life in another world and growing older, and seeing so many people obsessed with romance, he became even less interested in matters of the heart.
For him, the only two goals were to go home and to fight for power; as for love, it was no longer within his consideration.
"The poison in my body has been removed, and I'm fine now. However, I have still suffered some damage to my vital energy, so I need to rest and recuperate for a while."
Li Chengze leaned against the screen couch, a weak smile on his pale face.
Having feelings for someone is one thing, but one must always be wary.
Even though he knew that neither Emperor Qing nor Ye Wan would reveal their plans to Ye Ling'er, he still cautiously concealed his true situation in front of her.
Li Chengze never underestimates anyone; on the contrary, he is even more wary of those seemingly simple and harmless "fools."
After all, even the most cunning clever people often have predictable patterns in their actions, because they are always constrained by established norms and logic.
But those "stupid people" are different; they each have their own way of being stupid, and their stupidity is varied, bizarre, and unpredictable.
No one can predict what outrageous "brilliant plan" these people will come up with in a flash of inspiration, indirectly stirring up a huge storm.
Just like Li Chengze still can't understand the "Bride's Ceremony" at the palace gate, he also doesn't understand why Wufeng fell for the trap.
And then there's Ye Dingzhi, who wanted to steal the bride. Why did he have to go on the wedding day of all times, blatantly trying to steal her away?
What was he thinking? Did he also like the auspicious date chosen by Qi Tianchen?
Not to mention that incredibly stupid Wu Qinghuan, who didn't even know how to control those demons in the sky, yet he shook people down. In the end, his attempt to steal a chicken backfired, leading to the downfall of his own kingdom.
And... well, there are too many, so many that Li Chengze didn't want to list them all.
He once tried to understand the logic behind these people's behavior, but the more he thought about it, the more his head ached, and he couldn't figure it out at all.
Fortunately, Li Chengze has now learned to make peace with himself and stop being too hard on himself.
Because some things are simply illogical.
Ye Ling'er clearly felt the Second Prince's gaze when he looked at her; although gentle, it carried a hint of distance.
Li Chengze had a handsome and refined appearance, and his demeanor exuded a natural elegance and nobility. Coupled with his awe-inspiring status, he became the ideal husband in the hearts of countless young ladies from prominent families in the capital.
Before Ye Ling'er arrived today, she was somewhat expectant.
But when she actually met Li Chengze, the goodwill that should have quietly grown was extinguished by the aloofness in his eyes.
I couldn't think of anything else at that moment.
Ye Ling'er patiently sat for a while longer before getting up to say goodbye.
Li Chengze didn't try to persuade her to stay, but simply ordered someone to escort her away properly.
After leaving the Second Prince's residence, Ye Ling'er thought for a moment, then turned around and went to Lin Wan'er to tell her the news of Fan Xian's return to the capital.
In fact, Lin Wan'er had already received this news, and her heart was filled with mixed feelings.
During his time in Jiangnan, Fan Xian not only worked tirelessly on matters concerning the Imperial Treasury, but also constantly adjusted his feelings for Lin Wan'er.
Deep down, Lin Wan'er also vaguely sensed Fan Xian's estrangement and realized that he might have already decided to give up on their relationship.
This caused her great pain, but at the same time, she felt a strange sense of relief, as if the other shoe that had been hanging in the air for a long time had finally landed.
There are too many people and events between her and Fan Xian, including Lin Ruofu, Fan Jian, Li Yunrui, Lin Gong, Fan Sizhe, and so on.
The feud between the two is irreconcilable. Continuing to entangle them will only cause pain to both of them. Rather than that, letting go is the wisest choice.
Perhaps for them, forgetting each other and living their own lives peacefully is the best relief.
“We’ve only met a few times, I’m sure I’ll be able to let him go soon.”
Lin Wan'er suppressed her heartache and uttered these words against her will with red eyes.
Before she could finish speaking, tears streamed down her face like a burst dam, making Ye Ling'er's heart ache. She stepped forward and pulled him into her arms, silently comforting him.
On one side, Lin Wan'er was trying her best to sever her feelings for Fan Xian, while on the other side, Fan Xian gradually calmed down.
Through Fan Jian and Chen Pingping's experiences, Fan Xian deeply understood Emperor Qing's selfishness and ruthlessness. The complex feelings he had for Emperor Qing because of knowing his true identity vanished instantly.
If he had some doubts about Ye Qingmei's death before, he is now almost certain that Emperor Qing was responsible.
The deaths of his birth mother (Ye Qingmei), adoptive father (Fan Jian), master (Fei Jie), and godfather (Chen Pingping) completely ignited Fan Xian's anger towards Emperor Qing.
Unfortunately, the Censorate has now been eliminated by Emperor Qing, the Fan family has fallen into decline, and he himself is powerless and powerless. With only the Imperial Treasury, he cannot pose an effective threat to Emperor Qing.
Let alone retaliating, he doesn't even dare to easily reveal his true thoughts now. He can only pretend to know nothing about his background and play the role of a loyal minister in front of Emperor Qing, burying his anger and hatred deep in his heart.
Although he is much more obedient than before, Emperor Qing's suspicion of him has not diminished at all.
Emperor Qing treated him as before on the surface, but the scrutinizing gaze he cast at him from time to time sent chills down Fan Xian's spine.
If Emperor Qing could ruthlessly eliminate the crown prince he had raised for over a decade, how could he possibly do the same to this illegitimate son who couldn't be brought into the light of day?
"No, this can't go on!" Fan Xian slammed his hand on the table and said through gritted teeth, "I have to think of a way, otherwise, if we continue, we'll only be heading towards death."
After saying this, a sense of sorrow rose in his heart.
He used to be the son of the Vice Minister of Revenue, the son-in-law of the current prime minister and the eldest princess, and a high-ranking official in the Censorate.
In the imperial court, he was protected by Fan Jian and Chen Pingping, while in the shadows, he was protected by Wu Zhu, a non-human whose strength far surpassed that of a Grandmaster.
He himself was a student of Fei Jie, a master of drug manufacturing, and had Wang Qinian, Teng Zijing and others serving him faithfully.
But how long has it been?
The people and forces around him were all eliminated one by one, leaving only the seven Tiger Guards that Fan Jian had given him.
What can such a small amount of power accomplish?
Fan Xian pondered anxiously for half a day and finally decided to send Fan Jian's remains back to his hometown in Danzhou first.
Firstly, it would allow my father to be laid to rest in peace, and secondly, it would provide an opportunity to temporarily leave Kyoto and secretly search for Uncle Wuzhu.
Uncle Wuzhu not only possesses extraordinary martial arts skills, but he may also know the whereabouts of sniper bullets. If the bullets can be found, then he will not only have Uncle Wuzhu's protection, but also gain control of this deadly weapon.
Tell me, who in the world can do anything to him?
Even if he were a grandmaster, he would not be afraid, and revenge would be a piece of cake for him.
Having made up his mind, Fan Xian began packing his luggage, preparing to escort the coffin back to his hometown.
When he arrived at the hiding place of the box, he was immediately terrified.
???
The box is gone!
Fan Xian's mind went blank for a moment, and he stood there stunned, unable to react for a long time.
"Where did the box go? Who took it? Could it be Uncle Wuzhu? Or... His Majesty?"
The thought of that last possibility sent a chill down Fan Xian's spine.
If that's really the case, wouldn't it mean that Emperor Qing has already started to take action against him?
Thinking of this, Fan Xian's heart sank uncontrollably.
……
Since Fan Jian's accident, Fan Ruoruo has been heartbroken and has been crying almost every day.
After forcing himself to finish his father's funeral, he immediately fell ill.
After Fan Xian returned to the capital, her mood improved slightly, and she felt that her support had returned.
However, before she could be happy for even a few days, she heard that Fan Xian was going to escort the spirit back to his hometown, and her mood plummeted once again.
The thought of being separated from her brother again made her lose her appetite and sleepless, and she was depressed all day long.
In just a few days, he lost a lot of weight, and his originally handsome face became even thinner, which made Li Hongcheng feel very distressed.
To please his beloved, Li Hongcheng immediately decided to return to Danzhou with Fan Xian.
Upon hearing this, Fan Ruoruo was overjoyed and burst into laughter through her tears.
Seeing his heartbroken wife finally smile, Li Hongcheng was greatly encouraged. He immediately took Fan Ruoruo back to the Fan family, intending to discuss the arrangements for their journey back to Danzhou with Fan Xian.
However, as soon as they entered, they saw Fan Xian looking distraught.
Fan Ruoruo's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward, asking with a worried expression, "Why does brother look like this? Has something happened again?"
Fan Xian didn't want his sister to worry, so he shook his head and forced a smile: "It's nothing. Why did you all come so suddenly?"
As he spoke, Fan Xian's gaze fell on Li Hongcheng.
Seeing the other person walk up to Fan Ruoruo and stand quietly talking to her and her brother, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
Fan Xian initially looked down on Li Hongcheng, believing him to be a womanizer, not steady enough, and unworthy of his sister.
But at this moment, he was somewhat relieved that his sister had married Li Hongcheng.
At least when I'm not around, Ruoruo will have someone who treats her wholeheartedly.
Fan Ruoruo noticed that Fan Xian had something on his mind, but seeing that he didn't want to talk about it, she didn't press him further. Instead, she told him that she and Li Hongcheng were going to accompany him back to Danzhou.
"no!"
Without hesitation, Fan Xian firmly rejected Fan Ruoruo and Li Hongcheng's suggestion.
Almost everyone connected to his mother back then was eliminated by Emperor Qing, and he was very likely to be Emperor Qing's next target.
If Ruoruo stays by his side, she will inevitably be implicated.
Only by staying in the capital and under the protection of Prince Jing's residence can one remain safe and sound.
Fan Ruoruo was surprised that her brother would reject her suggestion. It was as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water, and her high spirits vanished instantly.
A hint of disappointment was evident in his eyes, which, though once bright, now seemed to have lost their luster and become dull and lifeless.
Seeing this, Li Hongcheng couldn't help but feel a surge of pity.
He quickly reached out and pulled her into his arms, then turned to Fan Xian and said, "Brother-in-law, I know what you're worried about. You're concerned that Ruoruo's health is too weak to withstand the hardships of a long journey. But don't worry, I will stay by Ruoruo's side and take good care of her."
Fan Xian was in a difficult situation and wanted to offer further advice, but then he saw people from Prince Jing's mansion rushing over, their faces filled with panic.
Li Hongcheng frowned at the newcomer and scolded, "What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and in such a hurry? What will it look like if outsiders see this?"
The servant, scolded by him, became even more flustered. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he knelt down with a thud, choking out, "Young Master, please go back quickly. The Prince's men have returned with news... they say..."
"say what?"
"The prince has passed away!"