Joy of Life Season 2 Episode 18 Recap, Plot

> Joy of Life Season 2
> Joy of Life Season 2 Recap

Lin Ruofu handed the carefully selected list of examinees to Fan Xian, asking him to provide special treatment. Fan Xian strongly resisted, wanting to give all candidates a fair chance to succeed through merit. Lin Ruofu advised him not to stand out, lest he become a target. If he simply followed the usual unwritten rules of the Spring Examination and ensured the recommended candidates succeeded, his future would be boundless.

Knowing Fan Xian disdained Guo Zheng, Lin Ruofu urged him to learn from Guo Zheng. After former Minister Guo Youzhi was arrested, Guo Zheng emerged from among many censors to become the acting Minister of Rites. Lin Ruofu advised Fan Xian to assess the situation carefully and explained the hidden rules of officialdom. Though Fan Xian knew Lin Ruofu meant well, he was repulsed by the political games.

Li Chengze also had several loyal examinees, but he wasn’t ready to hand them over to Fan Xian. He planned to set a trap during the Spring Examination. If Fan Xian followed precedent and engaged in corruption, Li Chengze would impeach him, bringing about his downfall. Fan Xian was caught in a dilemma. He didn’t want to accept the lists from Li Chengqian or Lin Ruofu, but he had no choice. To defeat Li Chengze, he needed their support.

Moreover, he was to marry Lin Wan'er after the examination—Lin Ruofu was his future father-in-law, and he couldn’t let down his family. Fan Xian poured out his frustrations to Wang Qinian, who didn’t know how to comfort him. Fan Xian didn’t want to be complicit in corruption, but couldn’t offend Lin Ruofu and Li Chengqian. That night, he went to the inn to visit Shi Chanli and others.

He saw Yang Wanli eating cold buns at the restaurant entrance, studying under the dim light. Feeling deeply moved, Fan Xian bought him some meat and vegetables. Yang Wanli hadn’t eaten a proper meal in a long time, let alone meat. As he feasted, he opened up about his grand ambitions. Touched, Fan Xian rushed to the Imperial Inspectorate to reflect once more on the inscription left behind by his mother, Ye Qingmei.

Shi Chanli had run out of money and had to wash dishes at the restaurant to make ends meet. Carrying a lantern, Fan Xian read the inscription outside the Imperial Inspectorate again, thinking of the ambitious examinees participating in the Spring Examination. He wanted to fulfill his mother’s dream of changing the world, but knew he couldn’t do it alone. Chen Pingping arrived and encouraged Fan Xian to follow his heart, giving him a boost of confidence.

Fan Xian decided to visit Qing Di that night for support. Although ministers weren’t allowed into the palace at night, Chen Pingping, despite knowing Fan Xian was inviting trouble, supported him wholeheartedly. Even if Fan Xian made an irreparable mistake, Chen Pingping would still help him. Qing Di agreed to receive Fan Xian. Eunuch Hou escorted him into the palace but was stopped by Deputy Commander Gong Dian of the imperial guards.

Only after confirming that Qing Di had granted permission did Gong Dian let him through. Fan Xian had heard that Qing Di had been injured during a failed gunpowder experiment, so he brought burn medicine and a calming tonic. Qing Di knew he wouldn’t come so late just out of concern, so Fan Xian confessed everything—how officials had given him lists of names hoping he would cheat in the exams.

Fan Xian wanted to make the examination fair, but felt powerless, and came seeking Qing Di’s support. Qing Di agreed to shield him and even asked Fan Xian to apply the ointment. Gong Dian immediately reported Fan Xian’s late-night visit to Li Chengze. As they spoke privately, no one knew what was said. Unable to guess, Li Chengze told Xie Bian to instruct Gong Dian not to inquire further, lest their identities be exposed.

With Qing Di’s backing, Fan Xian returned the list to Li Chengqian, refusing to help his protégés. Li Chengqian had no choice but to tear up the list on the spot. Qin Heng approached Fan Xian with a list of examinees, also seeking special treatment, but was flatly rejected. Fan Xian returned Lin Ruofu’s list untouched.

Lin Ruofu warned him not to be too stubborn, as it could provoke widespread anger, and Qing Di wouldn’t protect him if he offended all the officials. But Fan Xian only wanted this Spring Examination to be fair and just—he wasn’t thinking about the consequences. Infuriated, Lin Ruofu scolded Fan Xian harshly and threatened not to let Lin Wan'er marry him.

Fan Xian hurried to appease him with a smile, insisting that he only wanted to give all examinees a fair chance to change their fate. Moved by Fan Xian’s sincerity, Lin Ruofu agreed to support him this time and suggested he consult Guo Zheng about the rules and taboos of the Spring Examination to avoid any oversight. Fan Xian visited Guo Zheng for guidance. Guo Zheng gave him a compiled manual of the exam regulations and shared some insider advice.

Fan Xian felt grateful. Meanwhile, Xie Bian, acting on Li Chengze’s orders, came to see Guo Zheng. He hid to eavesdrop on Guo Zheng and Fan Xian’s conversation. After Fan Xian left, he revealed himself. Li Chengze held evidence of Guo Zheng’s past misconduct in previous exams and promised to destroy it if Guo Zheng helped ruin Fan Xian in this year’s exam. Guo Zheng assured him that he would make Fan Xian commit an unforgivable error in the exam.

Only then did Xie Bian return, reassured. Fan Sizhe and Guo Baokun rushed back from Northern Qi to Southern Qing’s capital. As soon as Fan Sizhe saw Fan Xian, he eagerly recounted their journey evading spies. Wang Qinian pulled Fan Sizhe aside. Guo Baokun handed Fan Xian a diary of his time undercover in Northern Qi. Fan Xian, worried about discrepancies in Guo Zheng’s exam regulations, planned to consult former Minister Guo Youzhi, now imprisoned, about exam taboos.

Fearing Guo Youzhi wouldn’t trust him, he decided to bring Guo Baokun to the prison. Guo Baokun pleaded with Fan Xian to rescue his father quickly. However, since Guo Youzhi had committed serious crimes like factionalism and abuse of power, Fan Xian couldn’t free him directly. He planned to first transfer him to the Imperial Inspectorate prison and then find a way to secure his release.

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