In the novel "Joy of Life," the protagonist wakes up at Li Chengze's residence.

"...Tao Jingyang, it was His Highness himself who stamped these official seals. Tell me, are they legitimate?"

Before he could finish speaking, Tao Jingyang nodded hastily:

"Mmm, mmm, perfect, perfect, perfect."

After a while, Tao Jingyang calculated the total value of these contracts and came up with a plan.

He pretended to frown and asked:

"Wait a minute, are all of you princes... this rich?"

[Tao Jingyang]: Where did the money come from? Did you take it secretly from the internal treasury? Tell us the truth.

The latter looked at her speechlessly, about to say something, but was silenced by Tao Jingyang's next sentence.

"Li Chengze, did you take money from the imperial treasury?"

......

The moon outside doesn't seem as bright anymore; it's all because we didn't light any candles inside.

Otherwise... Li Chengze could have seen a hint of amusement on Tao Jingyang's face.

Li Chengze neither admitted nor denied it.

His expression was a little stiff, but he listened quietly to Tao Jingyang speak.

If you truly realize my ambition, will you still stand with me?

Li Chengze's eyes flashed, conveying an ambiguous message.

Tao Jingyang didn't understand what Li Chengze was thinking.

He didn't respond, giving himself a moment to think.

Li Chengze, you absolutely mustn't hide anything from me.

Since everyone has their own little secrets... let's just reveal them all.

Let's see if this relationship can become stronger or if it should fall apart.

------------

"The inner treasury is not the national treasury of the Qing Kingdom, but the emperor's private treasury."

Li Chengze, you've really gone too far by embezzling money right under the Emperor's nose...

As Tao Jingyang spoke, he was also observing Li Chengze's expression.

Seeing his indifferent expression, she continued, "It's too risky. If we get caught, the consequences will be severe."

Upon hearing the word "adventure," Li Chengze's tense heart relaxed slightly.

Thankfully, it was an "adventure," not accusations of him being "outrageous."

But he still asked, knowing the answer already, "I'm willing to take this money, yet you're only worried about me paying a 'price'?"

Tao Jingyang knew what he was thinking and scoffed:

"Hehe, it would be best if you emptied all the silver from that treasury, leaving him not a single copper coin."

"That might be a bit difficult."

"What do you mean? Is the Eldest Princess very greedy?"

[Li Chengze]: ......

Tao Jingyang: (?◇?)?

"My aunt and I are about to sever ties."

Last time on Niulan Street, Aunt pinned the blame for the failed assassination attempt on "you and me".

Before tonight's banquet, my aunt approached me and asked me to join her in framing Fan Xian.

I refused, so she went to see the Crown Prince.

Li Chengze sipped his tea leisurely, talking about the recent events.

No wonder, this is why the crown prince was the first to stand up and make the recommendation.

Unfortunately, from beginning to end, Fan Xian was not someone who could be befriended simply by saying nice things.

To be honest, even if you spoke well of him to Emperor Qing a thousand times, he might not remember the good things about him.

"Just because of this? If we're going to sever ties because of this, that's just too..."

"That's too childish, playing house," Tao Jingyang swallowed the second half of the sentence.

Li Chengze raised his eyes, put down his teacup, and smiled innocently, but his words exploded like thunder:

"Mainly... I fabricated some evidence and pinned the crime of smuggling with Northern Qi on my aunt."

"Oh, you also have some business in Northern Qi..." Tao Jingyang muttered to himself, pretending to have just found out.

......

"Oh right~~ I also bribed some important officials in the imperial court~"

"Oh, so you've made some friends, right...?"

.......

"I also used this money to support some soldiers."

"Wow, that's quite childlike. This must be very expensive. If you need money, just let me know."

Tao Jingyang was teasing him for the first few sentences, but he only became a little more serious when he heard this sentence.

In just a few words, Li Chengze revealed everything he could and couldn't say, without holding anything back.

Sitting in front of Tao Jingyang at this moment, I felt a kind of calm madness, like "whatever happens, happens."

To Li Chengze's surprise, Tao Jingyang accepted everything he said with great "pleasure".