After finishing his official business, Li Yuheng felt refreshed and swaggered into the inner hall with an arrogant and domineering gait.

He leaped into his luxurious bed, big enough to fit eight ghosts, and sprawled out on his back.

He solemnly closed his eyes and began to perform the sacred ritual of "sleeping".

Do ghosts and spirits need to sleep?

Theoretically, it's not necessary.

But Li Yuheng insisted on "sleeping".

This is an attitude, a performance art.

After "sleeping" for half an hour as usual, he sat up with a jolt.

It's less like sleeping and more like holding a personal concert in your mind with your eyes closed.

"Tsk."

The young master decided to get something to eat.

Although ghosts and gods no longer need to rely on food to survive, the underworld is never short of all kinds of rare and exotic fruits and fine wines.

There are even various snacks made specifically to mimic the atmosphere of everyday life.

But for Li Yuheng, the things from the underworld always felt a little lacking.

It's either too oily or too bland, or it's so flavorful it could be used as a tonic, failing to stimulate any appetite at all.

His tongue is insured by heaven and earth; it must have an absolutely irresistible flavor, be refreshing and not greasy, and be worthy of his noble status.

Wandering along the way, they arrived at the Forget-Worry Pavilion, a place exclusively for high-ranking ghosts to enjoy. Here, pavilions and towers were surrounded by celestial energy, and the food sold was all the best of the underworld.

Li Yuheng, with his hands behind his back, inspected each stall with the gait of a leader on an inspection tour.

"Your Highness, would you like to try some of the newly arrived Netherworld Spirit Fruit? It's sweet and refreshing, and nourishes the soul!" A ghost servant eagerly offered a plate of fruit that shimmered with a ghostly blue light.

Li Yuheng glanced at it, without even twitching his nose: "It looks chilly, don't want it."

…

"Your Highness, this is Jade Dew Soup made from ice lotus from the Nine Nether Cold Pool. It's the best for clearing heat and relieving dryness..."

"It's sticky like glue, next." Li Yuheng walked away with a look of disgust.

…

"Your Highness, this is made in imitation of the roasted lamb leg from the Western Regions. It's roasted with spiritual flames, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender interior..."

"...Why don't you just switch careers and open a gas station? You'll save on raw material costs."

Li Yuheng kept walking and wandered around, but he couldn't find anything that could pique his interest.

It's either too cold or too hot, too sweet or too oily, or the presentation is so exaggerated that it makes him want to roll his eyes.

"A bunch of bumpkins who don't know anything about food!"

Li Yuheng loudly delivered his food review, feeling as if his aristocratic palate had been subjected to a massive attack.

Just as he was reminiscing about the delicious food with its smoky aroma from a wok, a fawning voice came from behind him: "Oh! Your Highness! What brings you to this humble place today?"

Li Yuheng turned around and became a junior manager in charge of purchasing for Wangyoufang. In his previous life, he was a restaurant owner and was very good at reading people.

He remembered this guy; I think his surname was Qian.

Li Yuheng lazily lifted his eyelids: "Old Qianzi, don't you have anything new here? This prince is getting so bored."

Manager Qian's eyes darted around, and he leaned closer, lowering his voice: "Your Highness, you've come to the right person! I've recently managed to get my hands on some really good stuff. It's not from the underworld, but came from a small, secret realm bordering the human world. It's extremely rare!"

"Oh?" Li Yuheng became interested. "What is it?"

"It's a kind of fruit, not very attractive in appearance, greenish-yellow, with thin skin and lots of juice. As for the taste... it's sweet and sour, refreshing and not greasy. The key is the texture, it's crisp and crunchy, completely different from the soft and mushy spiritual fruits in the underworld!" Manager Qian gestured. "It is said that in the human world, this is called 'green jujube'."

Green jujubes?

Li Yuheng thought back for a moment and realized that he seemed to have seen it in the human world, but had never tasted it.

A bunch of fruit grows on the tree, falls to the ground, and even dogs won't eat it.

"Let me try it." Li Yuheng raised his chin.

Okay, now he's eaten.

Manager Qian immediately scurried off to fetch a jade box, inside which were neatly arranged a dozen or so seemingly ordinary green dates.

Li Yuheng picked up one and took a bite.

A burst of refreshing, slightly sour juice explodes in your mouth, followed by a perfectly balanced sweet aftertaste—truly refreshing and pleasant.

"Hmm..." Li Yuheng narrowed his eyes, took another bite, "It's alright."

Seeing this, Lao Qian pressed his advantage: "These fruits are rare, shall we save them all for you?"

Li Yuheng slowly munched on a date, then suddenly changed the subject: "Old Qianzi, your connections... are pretty unconventional, aren't they?"

Old Qian's smile froze instantly.

"Your Highness, you jest. It was just... just a coincidence, a coincidence..."

"Just a coincidence?" Li Yuheng smiled, but it sent a chill down Manager Qian's spine. "Which of these secret realms bordering the human world isn't being closely watched by all sides? How could something that leaked out of them 'just happen' to fall into the hands of a purchasing agent from Forget-Worry Workshop? And 'unremarkable' green dates at that?"

With each word he spoke, Manager Qian bent his back a little more.

Li Yuheng casually tossed the date, now only pitted, into a trash can some distance away and clapped his hands.

"This prince is picky about food; he prefers something light and refreshing. The food itself is alright, but if its origins can't be clearly explained..."

Li Yuheng paused for a moment: "I hate trouble the most, and I hate it even more when people treat me like a fool. Do you think it's better to honestly tell me where you've gotten in, so that you can continue to find some snacks for this Crown Prince in the future?"

"Or shall I invite you to the Inspection Department for a chat right now? Let's see if there's any 'red line' you shouldn't have crossed behind this 'coincident'?"

Manager Qian broke out in a cold sweat and knelt down with a thud: "Your Highness, please see the truth! I... I dare not conceal anything! It's... it's a distant cousin of mine who works in the border patrol team. He occasionally finds some little things that leak out from the cracks... I absolutely did not steal anything! He just found them! He really did find them!"

Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow.

What do you mean by "found"? It's clearly something you secretly skimmed off to curry favor with him.

The quantity wasn't large, but it was just enough to satisfy a craving.

"Alright, get up." Li Yuheng waved his hand, reverting to his carefree demeanor. "Look at you, so pathetic. From now on, if you have any fresh, light, non-greasy snacks, just send them to me. As for your cousin..."

As soon as Manager Qian stood up, his legs went weak again.

Li Yuheng said slowly, "Tell him to keep his hands clean and not overstep his bounds. Next time he 'finds' something good, remember to get past me first. If I find out you've touched something you shouldn't have..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Manager Qian felt as if he had been granted a pardon and repeatedly thanked him, "Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Your Highness! I understand!"

Li Yuheng nodded in satisfaction.

He certainly didn't care about the food, nor did he really want to get involved in the border patrol's petty affairs.

He was just annoyed that someone was trying to outsmart him right under his nose and taking advantage of him.

He will take what he wants, fight for it, and make people willingly give it to him.

Just like now, he not only gained practical benefits, but also gave a warning to his unruly subordinates, and demonstrated the authority and magnanimity of the crown prince.

Killing three birds with one stone, that's truly his style.

"Alright, leave these green dates here, you can get lost." Li Yuheng picked up another green date, took a bite, and juice spilled out. "Remember what I said."

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll take my leave! Your Highness, please enjoy your meal!"

Li Yuheng, carrying a box of green dates, slowly strolled out of Wangyoufang.

It's time for our daily check-in with our subordinates again.

The case was adjudicated.

Judge Cui was struggling with a case file in the Book of Life and Death that had been entangled for decades, trying to unravel the complex web of cause and effect within it.

Li Yuheng slipped in quietly.

"Minister Cui, are you busy?" He leaned closer to the desk, his gaze falling on the open Book of Life and Death.

Judge Cui quickly rose and bowed: "Your Highness, yes, this case is entangled in cause and effect, and quite thorny..."

"Oh? Let me see." Without further ado, Li Yuheng picked up a vermilion pen and drew a simple, grinning little dog's head in the blank space of the file, adding a line of text next to it:

"This dog says it doesn't understand, rewrite it."

Judge Cui: "…………"

"Your Highness, this... the Book of Life and Death is a manifestation of the laws of heaven and earth, it cannot be..."

"I know. That's why I didn't draw it on the text. You see, this blank space is perfect for annotations. It makes things look lively and helps relieve work stress."

Li Yuheng patted Judge Cui on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Old Cui, you need to have a balance between work and rest. Don't always have such a tense face, or you'll get wrinkles. Look at me, I have such a youthful mindset."

Judge Cui stared at the still-wet ink on the dog's head, which was full of mockery. His lips twitched, and he was speechless for a long time.

…

The Reincarnation Bureau.

The Master is strictly following the rules of Heaven, assigning each soul in line a new life with their identity, family background, and talents.

Li Yuheng mingled at the back of the line, eavesdropping on the conversation of the ghosts in front.

A burly ghost was boasting to his companion:

"...If I could choose for myself, I would be born into a family of military generals on the frontier!"

At three years old, he could lift a tripod; at five, he could go up the mountain to fight a tiger; and at seven, he could lead troops to suppress bandits!

At the age of eighteen, he made unparalleled military achievements, which overshadowed the emperor and aroused his suspicion!

Hey, perfect timing!

I'll just rebel against the hell, storm the imperial palace, and become emperor myself!

That's what I call satisfying! A truly enjoyable read!

His companion was stunned.

Li Yuheng shook his head behind him, sighed, and said with a hint of regret, "Brother, you're still too conservative."

Upon hearing this, the ghost turned around, puzzled, and said, "Conservative? I'm the emperor now, why would I be conservative?"

"What's so great about being an emperor?" Li Yuheng said dismissively. "Your starting point is too cliché. A family of military generals, that's too ordinary. If you're going to play, play something more exciting."

The essence of a "feel-good" novel lies in contrast, in the unexpected turn of events, and in keeping readers guessing what will happen next.

Li Yuheng smiled slightly and continued, "How about this, you start as a pile of shit."

Big Han Ghost: "...Huh?"

"Yes, a fresh, hot, and just-cooked pile of shit. Born in a latrine, raised in a cesspool, and subjected to endless scorn. Other piles of shit laugh at you, saying you're destined to be flushed away and never be reborn."

"But you're different. You're a pile of shit with dreams. You're not content with your fate. You want to defy destiny and change your destiny!"

"So you worked hard, diligently absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. Don't ask me how you absorbed it, just know that hard work pays off. Finally, on a dark and windy night, you took human form!"

The giant ghost was dumbfounded: "...Transform into what?"

"It transformed into a stone. Or rather, a stepping stone by the latrine."

The burly ghost curled his lip in disapproval: "This isn't pleasant either, being trampled on every day..."

Li Yuheng shook his head in exasperation: "What's your hurry? So what if someone steps on you? Who would know it's you who's being stepped on? The point is, you're a stepping stone that can move, and whoever steps on you gets the credit."

Several ghosts in line nearby also came over and listened with great interest.

"And then what?" Ghost urged.

Li Yuheng cleared his throat and continued his inspirational story: "This stepping stone with dreams, after discovering this special function, was so excited that he turned over in bed overnight."

The ghosts: "???"

The burly man asked blankly, "Why are you turning over?"

Li Yuheng looked at him like he was an idiot: "Turn over, let the Earth step on you! How big is the Earth? If it steps on you, wouldn't you directly inherit the Earth's abilities? Instantly, you would evolve from a stepping stone by the latrine into a planet just like Earth! Wouldn't that broaden your horizons?"

The ghosts: "…………"

Li Yuheng patted the burly ghost on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of mockery and deeper meaning:

"Brother, being born into the right family does depend on luck, but you should dream bigger. Don't always fixate on those earthly emperors and generals, okay?"

Leaving behind the burly ghost lost in philosophical contemplation and a host of other ghosts whose worldviews were shaken, Li Yuheng strolled out of the Reincarnation Bureau in a cheerful mood.