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

"Li Chengze, why do I only see Fan Wujiu by your side today? Where is Xie Bi'an?"

Normally, Xie Bi'an would accompany Li Chengze.

As for Fan Wujiu... he usually goes out to run business, and when he's not busy, he just stays at home and guards the house.

Perhaps this is why he sometimes fails to fully understand Li Chengze's meaning.

Of course, it's also possible that Li Chengze didn't allow him to accompany him on ordinary days because he wasn't suited for this line of work.

The reasons behind this are really hard to explain.

"You mean Xie Bi'an? Oh, I sent him out of the capital to take care of other business."

Li Chengze's answer was somewhat vague, and he did not explain things clearly.

Tao Jingyang didn't press him to ask what he had asked Xie Bi'an to do; his doubts were resolved. He simply said:

"I see."

No wonder he had Fan Wujiu following him closely; it turns out Xie Bi'an had another mission.

Thinking of Fan Wujiu's stunned reaction, she couldn't help but empathize with Li Chengze and comforted him:

"Just bear with it for a while."

Fan Wujiu is a good person, just a little slow-witted. It's okay, just bear with it and it'll pass.

"It's alright, we can train them a bit."

Li Chengze spoke to Tao Jingyang with apparent nonchalance, but inwardly he thought: [Oh well, we'll just have to make do with this. Things will get better when Xie Bi'an returns.]

"Aren't you worried about your aunt?" Tao Jingyang gestured toward the "evidence" on the table and looked at Li Chengze with interest.

"What am I worried about? Haven't I also found some evidence of her wrongdoing?"

Li Chengze shrugged indifferently, then walked over to Tao Jingyang and sat down lazily.

The moment Li Chengze sat down—or rather, the moment Li Chengze approached—a faint fragrance lingered around Tao Jingyang's nose.

[It smells so good. I really want to know what kind of incense it is.]

But instead of asking, she said something that wasn't pleasant to hear:

"Let me guess... Li Chengze, you're not thinking right now:"

"Why don't we find an opportunity to present the Emperor with all the evidence you've 'found' about the Princess's crimes?"

Li Chengze glanced sideways at Tao Jingyang, his gaze light and his words somewhat sinister:

"Oh, what's wrong? If I really thought that way, you think I..."

When he said this, Li Chengze paused for a moment, thinking about what words he should use to "describe" himself.

"Does it mean I'm... becoming somewhat 'heartless'?"

The phrase "disowning even one's own family" was something he came up with after much thought.

[After all... she's my aunt, and I'm her nephew, right?]

In Li Chengze's heart, the only people in this world who were related to him by blood and treated him fairly well, besides his mother, "Consort Shu," were...

Only this "aunt" was kind to him.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

(Even Emperor Qing had to rank after Si Lili.)

(Si Lili's ancestors were originally of the Southern Qing lineage, but they lost in the struggle for imperial power and fled to the Northern Qi with their entire family.)

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Regardless of whether there was any "familial affection" between him and the eldest princess, there was none between them.

Regardless of whether the princess's kindness towards Li Chengze was merely a hedge in the "battle for imperial power," it is still a matter of course.

At the very least, the eldest princess had genuinely helped him a great deal in the past.

From Li Chengze's personal perspective, unless it really came to the point where he "had no choice," he would not want to harm the eldest princess with his own hands.

For him, however, it was a choice between the princess and himself; only one could survive.

He would definitely choose to live.

Tao Jingyang was unaware of Li Chengze's inner thoughts at that moment, but her words still struck a nerve with him:

"I only said one sentence, why are you getting so worked up? First of all, none of the things written on this paper are unjust accusations against her, are they?"

Secondly, if you continue to "report," that's not what you call "disowning your own family"—that's too harsh a term.

This is called "uprightness and incorruptibility," "putting righteousness before family," and "eliminating harm for the country," understand?

After hearing this, Li Chengze suddenly smiled.

"Tao Jingyang, you're not going to scold me, are you? I didn't do what she did! And you're calling it 'doing a service to the country'?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Jingyang felt a wave of dizziness. He inwardly pounded his chest and stamped his feet, fiercely criticizing his "inappropriate words."

Good grief, I got scolded "with interest" as well.

She was muttering something, trying to explain what she had just said:

"Oh dear, that's not what I meant... I really didn't mean that... Believe me, it really wasn't."

Tao Jingyang hesitated for a long time but couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.

It repeats these two sentences back and forth like a machine.

Li Chengze was worn down by her, and in fact, he was the one who had to surrender.

"Okay, okay, I know, stop talking."

He gently covered the woman's mouth, physically silencing her.

Then say to her:

"I wouldn't stoop to kicking someone when they're down at this time."

Besides, the eldest princess is, after all, a member of the royal family and His Majesty's own sister. This little matter wouldn't affect her at all.

"The most important thing for the royal family..." Li Chengze pointed to his cheek with his finger and said, "It's their reputation."

Then, he chuckled lightly, his tone full of sarcasm, though it was unclear who he was laughing at.

His expression, of course, did not escape Tao Jingyang's "eagle eye".

"Your 'royal family' is really strange."

This is a sentence from the bottom of her heart.

It's strange, relatives don't seem like relatives, and enemies don't seem like enemies either.

He schemes against you, you scheme against him, and in the end there's only one "winner".

Did the "winner" really win? Perhaps only the winner himself knows.

Perhaps, it's all just a mirage, and in the end, it's all for naught.

"Is it strange?" Li Chengze didn't quite understand.

Yes, he grew up in such an environment from birth.

He has never experienced the life of a normal family.

“It’s strange that in your ‘royal family,’ the fathers don’t act like fathers, and the mothers don’t act like mothers.”

Everyone is scheming and plotting; even the air is thick with these things.

Deceit and treachery are far too prevalent in your "royal family."

Tao Jingyang's voice was crisp and clear, and his expression seemed to be recalling something.

"Oh? What are people who aren't 'royal' like?" Li Chengze looked at her, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Tao Jingyang thought for a moment and said according to his memory: "Parents love their children, brothers are friendly and respectful, the whole family is reunited, and there is the joy of family life."

Li Chengze laughed immediately after hearing this:

"It seems... there really aren't any."

Li Chengze had read similar things in the book.

But because he had never experienced anything like this before, he couldn't imagine it, which meant he didn't have any deep insights.