(Joy of Life Season 2)
(Episode 1)
Professor Ye, I have revised my paper again.
I know you don't like reading electronic versions.
Leave it there, I'll take a look.
Professor Ye.
Is Fan Xian dead?
(Professor Ye, University Professor)
Professor Ye, you have to go to the academic exchange tomorrow.
You can't keep skipping it.
Got it, thank you.
By the way, Professor Ye, is Fan Xian truly dead?
How can I help you?
Professor Ye, is Fan Xian really dead?
Have you finished your paper?
Not yet, I'm still working on it.
- Professor Ye. - I don't know!
What do you not know?
Zhang Qing?
It's me.
You finally showed up.
What's with me?
Is Fan Xian dead or not?
Since you stopped updating, everyone keeps asking me the same question.
What happened to Fan Xian lying there?
Is he dead or not?
If he's not dead, what should he do next?
I've drafted it.
You're the first person I want to show.
I remember,
before you stopped updating,
Fan Xian was stabbed.
- Yan Bing Yun. - So, is he dead?
Professor Ye, the library is about to close.
(Joy of Life Season 2)
You've thought about it all night.
What's your choice?
It's not about what I choose.
It's your turn to choose.
Ask yourself.
Are you sure you can kill me here?
Lord Fan!
(Fan Xian)
This is my decision.
(So, is Fan Xian alive or dead?)
(How can the protagonist die here?)
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, something terrible happened!
Your Majesty, Fan Xian is dead!
Your Majesty!
Something terrible happened!
President!
- President! - Quick, don't bother about me.
Gather all members of the Overwatch Council.
- Hurry up. - Yes, sir.
Go quickly!
(Fan Xian has passed away.)
The envoy sent a message back.
Fan Xian fell ill and passed away on the way back to the capital.
His body has already been cremated.
Summon Chen Ping Ping!
What's happening?
- What's going on? - I have no idea.
What happened?
President, what happened?
(Chen Ping Ping, President of the Overwatch Council)
Fan Xian is dead.
(Yan Ruo Hai, Head of the Fourth Bureau of the Overwatch Council)
All hell is going to break loose.
Stay here.
Wait for my news.
(Fan Jian, Minister of Revenue)
Where is my son's body?
I don't know.
You don't know?
How dare you say you don't know!
You were the ones who made him take over the Overwatch Council!
You were the ones who forced him to go on a mission to Northern Qi!
You were also the ones
who withdrew the Black Cavalry
and made him risk his life!
Now he's dead,
and all you can say
is
You don't know?
You don't want him,
but I do!
I want to take my son home!
Give me back my son!
I've hidden him all his life.
I can't let him die for no apparent reason!
He was a human being,
not a chess piece.
I'll give my life for his.
Fine, then die now!
I can't.
What?
Are you afraid of death?
One life
is too little.
Before I die, I must
ensure justice is served.
Those who owe him their lives,
I'll take them all with me.
Sirs, please stop arguing here.
Where is His Majesty?
His Majesty will not see you.
Wasn't it His Majesty who summoned me?
Yes.
Upon hearing of Fan Xian's death, His Majesty was in extreme sorrow
and so he urgently summoned President Chen.
What about now?
Now,
after reading a second pigeon post,
His Majesty fell silent.
He refused to see anyone.
Second post?
(Second Prince's Residence)
(Li Cheng Ze, Second Prince)
Your Highness!
(Fan Wu Jiu, Prince Cheng Ze's Guard)
Top secret.
It's Xie Bi An's pigeon,
news about Fan Xian.
Read it for me.
- This... - It's okay.
I trust you.
His Majesty ordered me to pass this to you.
Yan Bing Yun?
(Yan Bing Yun stabbed Lord Fan from behind, causing his immediate death.)
He's from the Overwatch Council.
I didn't expect
Fan Xian to die like this.
Fan Xian opposed the prince.
It will surely cause chaos in Qing.
I had no personal grudge against him.
I killed him for the sake of the Qing Kingdom.
For the sake of the Qing Kingdom?
Then why cremate him?
Fei Jie is his master.
Mr. Fei's medical skills are as good as his poison skills.
Once Fan Xian dies, he will surely conduct an autopsy.
There's no way we can hide the fact that he died from a sword wound.
But without a body,
how will you explain it to the world?
Just say he died of severe illness
due to acclimatization.
Xie Bi An said Fan Xian was dead.
The body has been cremated.
Xie Bi An killed him?
No.
Yan Bing Yun stabbed him from behind and succeeded in the ambush.
Yan Bing Yun killed Fan Xian?
The body was indeed burned.
Why?
You don't trust me?
No.
I just wanted to
keep something as a memento.
How could it be Yan Bing Yun?
You think it doesn't make sense too?
Yan Bing Yun always puts the Qing Kingdom first.
He values the law above all.
Given Fan Xian's status,
no matter what happened,
Yan Bing Yun should have brought him back to the capital for trial.
How could he have killed him?
Even the Tiger Guards' message doesn't add up.
That's right.
The Tiger Guards were ordered by His Majesty to protect Fan Xian.
If Yan Bing Yun had really killed him, Gao Da would have apprehended him.
How could he possibly send back such news?
Is there something wrong with the news?
Could it be
a fake death?
That's possible.
Why would this kid fake his death?
Why do you think he did this?
The reason doesn't matter anymore.
At this moment, Fan Xian
is beyond redemption.
His Majesty?
This is treason.
No, Fan Xian would never die so easily.
But this is indeed Xie Bi An's handwriting.
What would I do if I were Fan Xian?
Fake my death and escape.
Where would he go?
Naturally, the capital.
He values relationships deeply.
He wants to deceive everyone and hide his tracks.
Unfortunately,
even if he turns to ashes, I could still recognize him.
What is this?
Fan Xian's ashes.
- Where are you going? - To see His Majesty and beg for mercy.
He refused to see us just now. Going again won't change anything.
What should I do then?
Suppress news of his death.
Don't let it spread.
Quite the opposite.
Make it big.
Fan Xian's death must have value.
Why is Your Highness so certain Fan Xian isn't dead?
Wu Jiu.
Have I ever misjudged someone?
But he was killed and cremated in front of them.
How did he escape?
I have no idea.
It's unpredictable.
That's why it's a surprise.
That's what makes Fan Xian remarkable.
Take it back.
Let me look at this sword.
(Wang Qi Nian, Overwatch Council's Clerk)
Where did the blood come from?
We can't let it die in vain.
Sir, try it.
- Chicken blood. - Chicken blood?
You foresaw this and anticipated this would happen?
- I have good connections. - What do you mean?
Before I left the capital,
my senior from the Third Bureau gave me a lot of goodies.
Wait up!
Wait up, Fan Xian!
Fan Xian, come with me.
Come on.
What's wrong?
You two, stay on guard here.
What were you thinking?
Here, take it. I have something important for you.
- This is... - Look.
Fun, isn't it?
This head goes in here, and exits here.
There's a blood bag inside.
You can control the amount of blood.
Interesting.
In enemy territory, danger is everywhere.
If necessary, you can fake your death.
Who would have thought that
what we didn't use in Northern Qi would be used on our own people?
You haven't cleaned your face yet.
He did it on purpose to look like he was working hard.
It wasn't hard at all.
I am more than willing to serve you.
I will risk my life for you.
Only you could come up with this.
You even prepared a fire.
We had to burn it.
Xie Bi An would definitely inspect it thoroughly.
It's all thanks to Qi Nian.
He had to dig a tunnel underneath and wait for me there.
I'm here to pick you up.
It's such an honor.
That ashes...
Where did it come from?
You may not know,
but our envoy carried two carts of food on this trip.
I found half a dried pork among them.
After burning this pork,
the size of the head matched yours.
My Lord, I was wrong.
I shouldn't compare you to a pig.
No, that's not what I meant.
My Lord, if you're angry, you can kick me.
- Here. - Enough.
You're not as good at acting as Young Master Yan.
How can I compare to Young Master Yan?
Young Master Yan's acting was so real.
As a matter of fact,
there are still flaws.
What flaw?
If we want to burn a body to ash,
we can't do it in such a short time at that temperature.
But I thought about it. Xie Bi An is a swordsman.
He probably isn't an expert in burning bodies.
He wouldn't think of it.
Are you an expert at burning people?
He is skilled at burning anything.
I learned to roast chicken from him.
He is talented and wise.
He's proficient in everything.
It rhymes.
What's next?
What's the plan?
If Teng Zi Jing's wife and kid, Fan Si Zhe,
and my teacher
are all controlled by Li Cheng Ze,
I'm worried about them.
You want to save them?
The convoy will move slowly.
I'll return to the capital first.
You're quite bold.
Can I ask you something?
What is it about?
Why did you choose to stand by me?
Aren't you afraid of causing chaos in the Qing Kingdom?
The Overwatch Council never bows to threats.
Our actions are always for the Qing Kingdom.
Li Cheng Ze is the prince of the Qing Kingdom.
As a prince,
he colludes with Northern Qi
and amasses wealth secretly.
His intentions are treacherous.
I am loyal to the Qing Kingdom
and His Majesty.
As for the prince...
- Wang Qi Nian. - Yes, My Lord.
Send a plaque to Young Master Yan.
What should it say on the plague?
Guardian of Qing.
Nice plaque.
- Master, have you heard about Fan Xian? - Yes.
Don't panic. It might just be a false rumor from far away.
We must remain calm.
I've already reprimanded them.
The news isn't confirmed, yet they wanted to prepare for the funeral.
Isn't this ridiculous?
Do not stop the preparations for the funeral.
What?
Do what's necessary.
Continue as if he truly died.
Master, you must not take it seriously.
Xian is so young.
I don't believe he would just pass away.
Do as I tell you.
There's something suspicious about his death?
Mourn deeply.
I understand.
Right,
go check on Ruo Ruo.
She cared for Fan Xian the most.
I'm afraid she'll be devastated and get sick again.
Ruo Ruo has always respected Fan Xian.
She must be crying terribly now.
(Fan Ruo Ruo, Fan Jian's Daughter)
Hello, Aunt.
The freshly stewed gelatin and longan soup is very nourishing.
Remember to drink it later.
Ruo Ruo, what are you doing?
I don't know what Fan Si Zhe is busy with every day.
He's not managing the bookstore, and the storeroom is damp and smelly.
I couldn't stand it, so I took the books out to air them.
Haven't you heard the news?
My brother's death? I've heard about it.
Then...
Don't worry, Aunt.
Don't be sad.
Don't grieve too much either.
How come you're comforting me instead?
Because my brother isn't dead.
Did your father just visit you?
No.
Why are you so certain your brother isn't dead?
Because my brother won't die.
Everyone dies eventually.
Yes, but my brother won't.
Why?
Because I believe in him.
Ruo Ruo, do you really think so?
Yes.
Then I'm relieved.
But Ruo Ruo, isn't your belief in your brother considered a blind faith?
(Capital of the Qing Kingdom)
Qi Nian.
We're back in your turf.
You have to look out for me.
You may not know,
but ever since I worked for you,
my turf has been taken over by newcomers.
I'm worried we'd encounter some acquaintance who would recognize us.
Someone is indeed copying my old business of selling maps.
There's market demand.
What market?
Four taels!
Now they're auctioning maps.
- Four taels! - Five taels!
- Five taels! - Five taels?
No, let me see it.
What does a five-tael map look like?
That's it?
It's too easy to cheat money now.
Don't cause trouble.
This is infuriating.
Go away!
What's happening? Everyone is praying here.
Let's pay our respects too.
Come on, get in line for incense.
Give me some incense too.
Take it.
Line up for incense and pray.
There is a funeral outside the city gate and no one cares about it.
And everyone is praying here.
This family has significant influence.
Indeed.
Though times change and events differ, my poetry has never been surpassed.
Throughout the ages,
the sorrowful have always been left with unfulfilled regrets.
These lines don't connect.
Indeed.
This is quite arrogant.
With you here, who dares claim their poetry is unsurpassable?
Don't speak ill of the dead.
The sorrowful have been left with unfulfilled regrets.
This is a sentimental scholar.
Do we have such a person in the capital?
I'll go over and have a look.
Though times change and events differ, my poetry has never been surpassed.
The memorial tablet of Fan An Zhi, the backbone of the Qing Kingdom?
Also surnamed Fan. Who is Fan An Zhi?
It's me.
My Lord, your courtesy name is An Zhi?
Could it be someone with the same name?
Come on. Line up and follow me.
Everyone, please take a look here.
There is something special here.
When Lord Fan Xian first arrived in the capital,
he got off his horse here and mourned the past by the roadside.
You came by carriage?
Later, he met his beloved and formed a beautiful story.
Everyone, with the spring exams approaching,
praying here can ensure academic success and bless marriages.
Hurry up!
If you don't pray, how will you get married?
This will bless marriages?
My Lord, calm down.
I'll tear it down.
Don't. It's your own memorial tablet.
Smashing it brings bad luck.
- What nonsense is this? - I don't know either.
(The memorial tablet of Fan An Zhi)
This is livelier than Lunar New Year.
As expected of me.
Take a look.
Gather around, please take a look.
Lord Fan Xian once drank wine and tea and recited poems here.
Come on, there are only 10 copies left.
- It's a limited offer. - Have you really been here?
It's a limited offer.
Lord Fan's handwritten fan, an out-of-print relic.
The handwriting is decent.
Hamburger.
Lord Fan's original hamburger.
Hamburger.
The man is full.
Guest, Lord Fan has the same sachet, would you like one?
It smells like a five-spice duck.
What's the matter with you?
Why would Lord Fan's sachet smell like a five-spice duck?
Sir, how about a collection of Lord Fan's poems?
If you don't want this, there's something better.
The final chapter of "Dream of the Red Chamber".
The ending is out?
What ending? The ending of "Dream of the Red Chamber" isn't written yet.
- Who are you fooling? - Unfinished? You...
It's unfinished.
You look so poor! I bet you can't afford it.
Lord Fan's personally crafted poison.
It can kill all snakes, insects, rats and ants.
Don't sell poison.
Don't sell Fan's poison.
Fresh yogurt!
It's delicious and flavorful, with many varieties.
Lord Fan Xian had often visited and praised it highly.
Come and take a look.
My Lord, when will you take me to try it?
Once I come back to life, you can have all the yogurt you want.
My Lord, you staged your death halfway through.
It was supposed to be a secret.
How did it spread?
Apart from us, only Li Cheng Ze knew best.
Prince Cheng Ze spread it?
What could he hope to gain from this?
I remember your house is nearby.
Whose courtyard is this?
It's also mine.
Can they trace it to your name?
No.
My Lord, please make yourself at home.
This courtyard originally belonged to a gardener.
He borrowed money from me,
but he couldn't repay it, so he used this courtyard as collateral.
Guess what this is.
Isn't this just a kiln?
This is the back door of my house.
I dug a tunnel that connects directly to my house.
Even if someone disturbs us, I can come and go freely.
The news of Fan Xian's death shook the world.
If we find this person in the capital now,
his crime of deceiving the emperor
will be confirmed.
(I have already assigned my men around Wang Qi Nian's house.)
(As long as Fan Xian appears, )
he can't escape from Your Highness.
Wang Qi Nian is Fan Xian's confidant
and he's been staying in the capital for years.
Other than him,
Fan Xian has no one else to rely on.
My Lord, look.
The roads outside
extend in all directions, all leading out of the city.
If something happens, it's easy for us to escape.
Impressive, it's a safe house.
A safe house?
It's a fitting name.
But there's the Overwatch Council.
Fan Xian is the Chief Inspector of the Overwatch Council.
If he returns to the Overwatch Council,
it's not just a matter of deceiving the emperor.
If that happens,
the outcome of this game
will be decided.
I don't recall the Overwatch Council having this custom.
It didn't.
But ever since I had the honor of meeting you,
you have brightened my life.
But my life
has become truly thrilling.
Here, My Lord.
Have a seat.
Since we have this Safe House, we don't have to go to your house.
We can stay here.
No, My Lord.
My wife helped settle the Teng family.
If we want to find them,
we still have to go back to my house
and find my wife.
Qi Nian.
Let's go at night.
We have to be careful.
Restrain yourself.
Lock the doors and windows,
prevent fire and theft.
Lock the doors and windows,
prevent fire and theft.
It's good to be home.
What's that noise? An assassin?
I set it up for my wife to guard against intruders.
But speaking of which, this exit in the well wall is quite unexpected.
My wife may be asleep.
Don't wake her, or she'll lose her temper.
Let's go to that room.
In that case, why don't we stay in the Safe House?
That's my daughter's room.
I've been away for so long.
I want to go over and see her now.
- Let's go. - Okay.
This place
has a knife tied to it.
Step over.
Also... Here,
here and there
are traps for deer.
Stepping here is safe.
My wife changed the trap.
My Lord, how about I carry you over?
Is your father Wang Qi Nian?
I'm your father's best friend. Just call me uncle.
Is it for me?
Thank you.
The porridge is ready.
My mother is calling you for lunch.
Okay.
Lord Fan.
I am Qi Nian's wife.
Please don't call me lord.
I had been in life and death situations with Qi Nian.
By rights, I should call you sister-in-law.
My Lord, please take a seat.
Qi Nian went out early to run errands for you.
We don't have to wait for him.
He's so thoughtless.
He only told me this morning that you were here.
I didn't prepare anything.
This porridge is homemade. Hope you don't find it too plain.
Please don't say that. I'm the one troubling you.
There is meat.
That's great.
- What's your name? - Ba Ba.
I didn't teach her that.
You misunderstand her, My Lord. It's her nickname.
Our daughter's name is simply "Ba".
Which character is it?
The character for "domineering".
Seriously.
Uncle, the egg fell.
Thank you.
I heard you have many romances in the capital.
I swear to God, I have none.
It's all false, just rumors.
- None at all? - None at all.
What about the princess?
The engagement with Wan Er is real, but everything else is false.
I believe you, My Lord.
My Lord, have some porridge.
Uncle, don't drop it again.
I'll try my best.
The kid's name is quite special.
Qi Nian chose it when I was first pregnant.
We didn't know it would be a girl.
Why not change it?
A strong name brings a strong life.
She'll grow up safely.
It's a good name, with good meaning.
I also think my name is good.
Mother, I'm sorry.
No talking while eating.
I shouldn't talk while eating.
If you know you're wrong, correct it.
I understand, Mother. I'll change.
Get up.
Please take your seat.
I was teaching my daughter.
Please make yourself comfortable.
President.
- Where is Yan Ruo Hai? - He locked himself up.
Go check on him.
- Leave it, My Lord. - Let me help you clean it up.
I heard from Qi Nian that you want to pay rent.
Is that what he said?
One tael a day, to cover household expenses.
- Is that true? - Yes, it's true.
I have to pay rent.
Then there's no reason to make you do chores.
Otherwise, it would break the rules.
My Lord, please take a seat.
Ba Ba, keep Uncle company.
Talk about what?
Anything is fine.
How old are you?
I'm five years old. How old are you?
I'm way older than you.
Are you an adult?
- Of course. - Then why do you sleep in my bed?
I'm just staying here for a while.
- Do you like eating meat? - I do.
Do you know what kind of meat is the most delicious?
- What kind of meat? - It's pork belly.
- Fair enough. - Do you want to eat pork belly?
- Yes. - Mother.
What's wrong?
Uncle wants to eat pork belly.
I'll make it for dinner.
No, I didn't...
All right, you've even managed to swindle meat.
Can you do me a favor?
Okay.
Do you have any paper at home?
Get me a piece of charred wood too.
Ba Ba is just like her father.
We found Wang Qi Nian's traces in the city.
It seems, as the President expected,
Fan Xian is not dead.
And he has come to the capital.
Are you
waiting for Fan Xian to come to the Overwatch Council to see you?
He can't come here.
The Overwatch Council stands above all officials
and is the most important place in the Qing Kingdom.
If he uses his authority as the Chief Inspector
for personal matters,
it's going to be a death sentence.
Didn't you say that His Majesty was furious?
Faking death is treason.
It's also a capital crime.
He will die either way.
Yet you're still drinking porridge here.
I've done everything I could.
Can you save him?
The only one who can save him is himself.
What will happen if Fan Xian can't overcome this hurdle?
If he can't overcome this,
I'm afraid you might never leave this place.
I'm not important.
What matters is you.
If Fan Xian dies,
what will you do?
If Fan Xian really dies,
many people will accompany him in death.