Joy of Life Episode 1 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
University student Zhang Qing wanted to ask Professor Ye to be his advisor, but was met with a merciless refusal. Professor Ye thought his idea of analyzing ancient literary history using modern concepts was utterly absurd, so Zhang Qing had to find another way. He registered for the online science fiction literature competition held by Tencent, wanting to express his ideas through a novel.
The theme was "If Life Could Be Lived Again," exploring the clash between modern thought and ancient systems, guiding readers to cherish the present and live for a better life. Professor Ye was attracted by this novel idea. Zhang Qing was encouraged and said excitedly that he had already written the first few chapters, but was still missing a name.
While pondering intensely, he happened to see an excerpt from the second edition of Dream of the Red Chamber posted next to the bookshelf – the phrase 'liu yu qing' (留余庆) from the 'Twelve Songs of Red Mansions'. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he immediately named the novel "Joy of Life,"(余庆年) then vividly described the world within the book to Professor Ye. If life could be lived again, could you complete this journey without any regrets?
A modern young man suffering from severe myasthenia gravis woke up with his eyes open, only to find himself an infant in a bamboo basket. He retained all his memories from modern society, but was surrounded and pursued by ancient-costumed killers. Amidst his confusion, a brand new world came rushing towards him.
The infant in the bamboo basket was the protagonist of the novel, Fan Xian, and the black-clothed man who carried him to escape death was named Wuzhu, a servant of Fan Xian's deceased mother. Wuzhu carried Fan Xian to escape the pursuit and met up with Chen Pingping, the director of the Southern Qing Investigator's Office, who arrived with the black knights.
Chen Pingping heard the news of Fan Xian's mother's death and felt both grief and pain in his heart. He wanted to take Fan Xian back to the capital, but Wuzhu no longer trusted anyone. Seeing Wuzhu's insistence on taking Fan Xian away, Chen Pingping could only suggest he go to Danzhou and raise Fan Xian with the help of the Old Madam. - Thus, Fan Xian was fostered at his ancestral home in Danzhou.
In the blink of an eye, he had grown into a young boy. There was also a young girl in the manor, the same age as him, who was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Fan family, Fan Ruoruo. The two grew up together from childhood and had a very close relationship. Fan Xian was clever and intelligent from a young age, with red lips and white teeth, looking very sharp and bright.
However, because he was Lord Fan's illegitimate son, the Old Madam was indifferent to him, and Lord Fan completely ignored him, leading to him facing many difficulties openly and secretly. One day, he and Ruoruo returned from playing outside, only to see Steward Zhou strutting and teaching his maid a lesson. Fan Xian spoke up to stop him, but Steward Zhou completely ignored him and even brought up the Old Madam, saying this was his responsibility. Fan Xian was furious.
His eyes darted around, and he ran into the room to get a stool. He then climbed onto the stool and stood there, telling Steward Zhou to come closer. Steward Zhou approached in a daze, but was suddenly slapped hard by Fan Xian. He even lost a tooth, and a bloody red handprint was left on his face. As the difference between master and servant was distinct, Steward Zhou suffered a great loss.
He took the opportunity during dinner to complain to the Old Madam. Consequently, the Old Madam removed the maids from Fan Xian's courtyard and sent Ruoruo back to the capital. That night, it was dark and windy. A masked man in black snuck into Fan Xian's room, only to find Fan Xian, who should have been fast asleep, sitting on the bed, repeatedly saying that he had finally arrived.
The man in black was confused, but Fan Xian said emotionally that his father had finally come to see him. Only then did the man in black realize he had mistaken him. Fan Xian seized the opportunity while he lowered his guard, picked up the ceramic pillow from the bed, and slammed it hard onto the man in black's head.
After hitting him a few times to make sure he was unconscious, he frantically ran to find Wuzhu from the general store next door to clean up. It turned out that Wuzhu had not left after sending him into the Fan manor and had been secretly protecting him as he grew up healthily.
After examining him, Wuzhu coldly told Fan Xian that the person was not dead and was not a bad person, but rather the person in charge of the Third Division of the Kyoto Investigator's Office, one of their own. The next day, Fei Jie brought Lord Fan's letter to inform the Old Madam and formally became Fan Xian's teacher. Fei Jie looked lewd, and his behavior was also very puzzling.
He did not teach Fan Xian how to read or write, nor did he train him in martial arts or fitness. Instead, he took him to learn medicine and the use of poison. The first lesson in studying medicine was taking Fan Xian late at night to a mass grave to dig up graves and dissect bodies.
Any ordinary child would have been scared senseless, but for Fan Xian, who had the soul of a modern adult, this was child's play. Furthermore, the place he had spent the longest in his previous life was the hospital. After dissecting bodies all night, Fan Xian went to Wuzhu to complain and seized the opportunity to inquire about his mother's deeds.
Wuzhu only told him that his master's name was Ye Qingmei and was unwilling to say more about other matters. Seeing this, Fan Xian had no choice but to give up. He then asked about the qi cultivation manual he was practicing. Wuzhu did not know qi cultivation and naturally did not understand the method.
After thinking it over, he took young Fan Xian to a bamboo forest in the suburbs and decided to help Fan Xian train his skills through fighting. Just like that, under the devilish training of his two teachers, Fan Xian grew at an incredible pace. Being poisoned became a common occurrence, and getting beaten was something he got used to. Although Fei Jie's actions were absurd, he was sincerely teaching Fan Xian, while Wuzhu gave him wholehearted protection.
This care filled Fan Xian's mature yet empty heart. Time flew by. Finally, on this day, Fan Xian successfully used a tonic to catch Fei Jie, which meant he had finally completed his apprenticeship. After spending these years together, the relationship between the two was like father and son. For Fan Xian, besides Wuzhu, he now had one more person he could fully trust.
As they parted ways, Fan Xian gave Fei Jie the sheep intestine surgical gloves he had painstakingly developed. Fei Jie also handed him the waist token of the Prosecutor of the Investigator's Office that the director had entrusted to him. Returning to the Fan manor, the Old Madam saw Fan Xian looking downcast and comforted him, saying Fei Jie's departure was a good thing.
As long as he stayed in Danzhou, he would attract the attention of people in the capital. If the red-armored knights appeared on the streets of Danzhou, then true danger would arrive. After hearing this, Fan Xian sat at the main gate every day, waiting for the red-armored knights to appear. Time flowed like water, and the white steed flashed past the gap.
He waited and waited like this, until he grew from a babbling toddler into a refined young man. Finally, one day, a group of people wearing red armor appeared on the street.
