Resumen del episodio 10 de Joy of Life
> Resúmenes de Joy of Life
Eunuch Hou, the Emperor's personal servant, arrived at the Kyoto Magistrate's office and relayed Emperor Qing's decree. He announced that Teng Zijing's supposed death was a deliberate arrangement by the Investigator's Office, and the Emperor was aware of it, thus it was not an offense.
Eunuch Hou instructed the members of the royal family to return to their residences and refrain from interfering, as the trial fell under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Magistrate, Mei Zhili, who respectfully acknowledged the order. As Crown Prince Li Chengqian was about to leave, Fan Xian boldly stepped forward and publicly questioned whether the Crown Prince was involved in the assassination attempt on him in Danzhou.
The Crown Prince merely scoffed and offered no reply, while the Second Prince, Li Chengze, looked on, surprised by Fan Xian's audacity. With the matter seemingly concluded, Fan Xian offered to escort Si Lili home, but she gracefully declined, suggesting they might meet again at Joy Tsin House. With Teng Zijing's name now cleared, he was finally free to live openly. Meanwhile, Ye Ling’er, acting on Lin Wan’er's behalf, investigated Guo Baokun’s supposed page.
To her surprise, she learned that Guo Baokun had been beaten by Fan Xian and never employed a page. Even more infuriatingly, she discovered that Fan Xian had spent a night at the Joy Tsin House. Filled with anger and resentment, she vowed to help Lin Wan’er annul the marriage. Fan Xian, having sent Fan Sizhe to report back at home, made his way to Teng Zijing’s residence.
Along the path, he encountered a child happily eating candied haws on a swing. Losing his way slightly due to his previous nighttime visit, Fan Xian asked the child for directions. He noticed the candied haws seemed unusual and, upon closer inspection and a taste, realized they contained a mild laxative. The child cried out when Fan Xian took his snack, but unable to explain, Fan Xian simply offered him money as compensation.
Arriving at Teng Zijing’s home, Fan Xian suggested he cherish his newfound freedom, spend time with his wife and son, and leave the treacherous capital city. Teng Zijing seemed to consider it, though he didn't immediately agree. He introduced Fan Xian to his family, only for his son to loudly declare that Fan Xian was the "weird uncle" who stole his candied haws, much to Fan Xian's awkward amusement and the couple's surprise.
Mei Zhili arrived in the palace to meet Emperor Qing, feeling apprehensive. However, Emperor Qing was unexpectedly warm, offering him honeyed water and reminiscing about their early days. Emperor Qing recalled promoting Mei Zhili from a minor post when he was still the Crown Prince, calling it a prime example of a harmonious monarch-minister relationship. Just as Mei Zhili began to relax, Emperor Qing’s demeanor abruptly shifted.
He acknowledged that while judging Fan Xian was Mei Zhili's duty, he found it unacceptable that Mei Zhili had secretly ordered officials to assist the Eastern Palace in apprehending Teng Zijing. The Emperor emphasized that he could not tolerate divided loyalties among his subordinates. Realizing his deceit was exposed, Mei Zhili, trembling, knelt and offered to face punishment according to imperial law. Emperor Qing retorted that such a severe punishment for an old minister would make him seem heartless.
With no other recourse, Mei Zhili offered to "accidentally" fall into a well upon returning home, pleading for the safety of his family. Seeing Mei Zhili's despair, Emperor Qing then smiled, reassuring him that out of respect for his long service, he would be allowed to retire to his hometown and live a peaceful life. Mei Zhili, relieved and tearful, expressed his profound gratitude.
The Emperor’s intricate mind was fully revealed, as unbeknownst to Mei Zhili, Emperor Qing instructed Eunuch Hou to have the Investigator's Office monitor him and arrange for him to be ambushed and killed by "bandits" on his journey home. At home, Fan Jian questioned Fan Xian's decision to publicly confront the Crown Prince and create such a scandal.
Fan Xian candidly admitted his true intention was to break off his engagement with Lin Wan’er so he could marry his "Lady Drumstick." Elsewhere, Teng Zijing, reflecting on Fan Xian's recent kindness, felt no joy about his impending departure from the capital. Understanding her husband's reluctance, Teng Zijing's wife encouraged him to meet Fan Xian one more time, assuring him of her and their son's unwavering support regardless of his decision.
Ye Ling’er informed Lin Wan’er that Guo Baokun truly had no page, and she recounted Fan Xian’s beating of Guo Baokun and his overnight stay at the Joy Tsin House, pledging to help Lin Wan’er cancel the marriage. The Princess Royal, learning of Lin Wan’er’s attempts to break the engagement, sent a messenger to reassure her. The Princess Royal promised to help annul the marriage and ensure Lin Wan’er married someone she genuinely loved.
Delighted, Lin Wan’er accidentally mentioned a "page" to the messenger. Intrigued, the Princess Royal immediately ordered an investigation into this mysterious "page." Late that night, Teng Zijing visited Fan Xian. He playfully chided Fan Xian for his "stupid" acts, using it as a reason to explain his decision to stay and become Fan Xian's bodyguard, citing his concern for Fan Xian's well-being in the capital. He also presented a list of demands for his service.
Fan Xian knew his public confrontation had surely angered the Crown Prince, making the capital even more dangerous. He was deeply touched by Teng Zijing's loyalty, realizing his friend was willing to forsake the safety of his family to stay and protect him. The Empress Dowager, concerned by Fan Xian’s recent behavior, sent a message to Emperor Qing, urging him to reconsider the imperial marriage between Lin Wan’er and Fan Xian.
Eunuch Hou commented to the Emperor that the Second Prince’s presence at the public hearing was likely a calculated move to mislead the Crown Prince into believing Fan Xian had joined his faction. This, he suggested, would provoke the Crown Prince into making a hasty mistake, thereby allowing the Second Prince to gain an advantage. Emperor Qing, sighing, acknowledged the cunning nature of both his sons and decided to let their schemes continue, eager to see the outcome.
He then subtly warned Eunuch Hou to be careful with his words. The following morning, the Princess Royal dispatched a messenger to Crown Prince Li Chengqian. The messenger reported that Mei Zhili, who had retired the previous day, was killed by bandits on his journey home, implying Emperor Qing's direct involvement. The Princess Royal also suggested that Fan Xian had likely aligned with the Second Prince and would soon become a formidable threat to the Crown Prince.
While pained by Mei Zhili's fate, the Crown Prince doubted Fan Xian's true allegiance to the Second Prince. More importantly, he suspected Emperor Qing had brought Fan Xian to the capital as bait. He concluded that any future attempt on Fan Xian’s life must be decisive and executed without involving official government channels, requiring careful planning. Early that same morning, Fan Jian informed Fan Xian that the marriage arrangements remained unchanged.
Fan Xian was exasperated, questioning why Emperor Qing would still insist on marrying his own niece to a man whose reputation was now so tarnished. In a fit of frustration, he rounded up Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe and marched directly to Prince Jing’s mansion, determined to find and marry his Lady Drumstick immediately, hoping this would definitively end Emperor Qing’s plans for his arranged marriage.
Prince Jing’s son was perplexed by Fan Xian's request to see all the female attendants in his household but eventually complied. However, after thoroughly inspecting every maidservant, Fan Xian was dismayed to realize his Lady Drumstick was not among them.
