Joy of Life Episode 13 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
The Second Prince, Li Chengze, waited early at Joy Tsin House for Fan Xian, with Si Lili preparing tea beside him. When a teacup inexplicably cracked, he felt a jolt of unease, interpreting it as a bad omen. Meanwhile, Fan Xian and Teng Zijing conversed as their carriage made its way through the capital. Teng Zijing shared his joy, mentioning his son had called out to him the previous night.
Fan Xian revealed his intention to return to Danzhou for a peaceful life after marrying Lin Wan’er and invited Teng Zijing to join them as a neighbor. Teng Zijing jovially agreed, stating he cared little about the location as long as there was sufficient land and money. Their journey brought them to Niulan Street, a place Teng Zijing remarked was memorable for being where Fan Xian had previously assaulted Guo Baokun.
Teng Zijing light-heartedly reminded Fan Xian of an outstanding debt—an ox—to which Fan Xian promised to buy him one once they reached Danzhou. Teng Zijing then expressed profound gratitude, acknowledging that meeting Fan Xian had allowed him to reconcile with his family and overcome his long-held resentment. Fan Xian playfully warned him against further expressions of thanks, threatening to be sick. Suddenly, two white-clad women emerged from the rooftops, firing arrows at them.
Teng Zijing agilely dodged, swiftly dispatching one with a hidden weapon, while Fan Xian assisted in eliminating the other. Just as they relaxed, their carriage rounded a corner, its wheels triggering a hidden mechanism that launched crossbow bolts, instantly killing their horse. From an adjacent building, Cheng Jushu, an Eighth-Dan Martial Arts Master from Beiqi, burst through a wall, dragging Fan Xian into a courtyard and throwing him to the ground.
Teng Zijing recognized Cheng Jushu and immediately engaged him in combat. Cheng Jushu, however, fought with a frenzied power that Teng Zijing, skilled in hidden weapons, could not match. Their fierce struggle shattered the courtyard’s furniture, and a fallen candle soon set the room ablaze. Despite the dangerous situation, Fan Xian and Teng Zijing eventually managed to knock Cheng Jushu down. Yet, Cheng Jushu, an Eighth-Dan Martial Arts Master, was not easily defeated.
Teng Zijing was gravely wounded and unable to stand. Fan Xian urged him to flee, but Teng Zijing refused to abandon him, rushing forward to shield Fan Xian with his own body. Fan Xian watched in horror as Teng Zijing was brutally killed. Overwhelmed by grief and fury, Fan Xian’s inner Bawang zhenqi surged. With a powerful strike, he embedded Cheng Jushu two inches into the ground before delivering a final, crushing blow to his head.
Cheng Jushu finally fell, but Fan Xian, severely injured, collapsed unconscious. When he slowly awoke, Wang Qinian was by his side. Fan Xian’s immediate concern was for Teng Zijing, but Wang Qinian sorrowfully informed him that Teng Zijing would never wake up; he had died before Wang Qinian arrived, leaving no last words. Devastated by the news, Fan Xian, consumed by sorrow and rage, snatched a dagger, intending to kill Cheng Jushu.
Wang Qinian intervened, explaining that Cheng Jushu must remain alive to uncover the true mastermind and avenge Teng Zijing’s death. Accepting this grim logic, Fan Xian instructed Wang Qinian to transport Teng Zijing’s body back to the Fan mansion, vowing to demand answers from the Investigator's Office the following day. Fan Xian then limped away, covered in blood, walking defiantly through the streets. Fan Ruoruo rushed to him, distressed by his injuries.
Fan Xian, now composed, asked her to inform Li Chengze that an unforeseen accident would prevent him from attending their meeting and to also convey his decision to abandon their plans of returning to Danzhou. Upon hearing of the assassination attempt on Fan Xian, Li Chengze, the Second Prince, expressed concern.
Although he denied any involvement, he acknowledged that he would be considered the most likely suspect, since he was the one who had invited Fan Xian to Joy Tsin House and Niulan Street was on the way. He later remarked to Si Lili, who showed no surprise at the news, whether she had anticipated the events, but she remained evasive. Back at the Fan mansion, Fan Xian sat alone in his room, silent.
Fan Sizhe, secretly observing, noted that Fan Xian had reset his dislocated arm himself and appeared calm, believing him to be fine. However, Liu Ruyu understood that Fan Xian was merely suppressing his emotions and quickly dispatched Fan Sizhe to fetch Fan Jian, hoping he could offer guidance. Fan Xian ate dinner as if nothing had happened.
Fan Jian joined him, informing him that Cheng Jushu had been taken into custody by the Investigator's Office and that Fan Ruoruo was waiting outside for news. Fan Jian then inquired about Fan Xian’s suspicions regarding the mastermind. Fan Xian publicly suggested Li Chengze was the most likely suspect, reasoning that if he had died, everyone would point to the Second Prince.
Privately, however, Fan Xian suspected the Crown Prince and tried to inquire about his movements that day, but Fan Jian sternly reminded him that the Crown Prince’s whereabouts were not his concern. Fan Jian concluded by advising Fan Xian against any rash actions, as the true culprit remained unknown. Later, Lin Wan’er, having heard about the day’s events, waited for Fan Xian.
He finally released his pent-up emotions, railing at Teng Zijing for being a fool who broke his promise to live for his family and flee from danger. Lin Wan’er, after listening to Fan Xian recount his history with Teng Zijing, consoled him. She explained that Teng Zijing had long considered Fan Xian family, and his sacrifice was a testament to that bond.
She solemnly echoed Teng Zijing’s own earlier sentiment: “If there is nobody you would die for, living would be so dull.” He may have died, but he did so without regret. Emperor Qing summoned both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, demanding to know who was behind the assassination. Both princes denied responsibility.
The Crown Prince attempted to shift blame to Beiqi, while the Second Prince countered that Fan Xian’s only known grievances in the capital were with the Crown Prince, adding that "gossip is a fearful thing." Emperor Qing, growing weary of their bickering, delivered a chilling discourse on the ease with which problems could be solved by murder, even going so far as to include himself as a potential victim, though he clarified this was the delusion of the unpardonably wicked.
Both princes vehemently denied such intentions, prompting Emperor Qing to sternly warn them against testing each other with words and acting in a foolhardy manner, emphasizing that ruling the world required a generous heart, not defiance of national law. He then dismissed them. Shortly after, Eunuch Hou arrived with a secret report from the Investigator's Office, revealing their plan to release Cheng Jushu. Emperor Qing, surprised, immediately ordered Eunuch Hou to relay this information to Fan Xian.
Fan Xian spent the night with Lin Wan’er, and as morning broke, he prepared to leave, intending to inform Teng Zijing’s family of his death. Just then, Fan Ruoruo arrived at Lin Wan'er’s residence, bearing the alarming news that the Investigator's Office planned to release Cheng Jushu. Fan Xian immediately sought out Wang Qinian for verification.
Wang Qinian confirmed the report, explaining that with the Director-General absent from the capital, Zhu Ge, the Director of the First Division, was managing all affairs. Fan Xian, ignoring Wang Qinian’s detailed warnings about Zhu Ge's years of service, high position, and severe temperament, insisted on an immediate confrontation. He burst into Zhu Ge’s office, sternly demanding an explanation for Cheng Jushu’s release. Initially, Zhu Ge refused to engage, criticizing Fan Xian for acting rashly like his teacher Fei Jie.
However, after Fan Xian presented his Commissioner's token, Zhu Ge revealed a military urgent report: northern border armies were deploying, and a war with Beiqi was imminent. He explained that killing Cheng Jushu, a Beiqi master, would provide Beiqi with a pretext to launch an attack prematurely, disrupting Nanqing's long-planned war strategy. Furthermore, Cheng Jushu had a connection to a Beiqi general who promised valuable military intelligence in exchange for Cheng Jushu’s safety.
Fan Xian, growing increasingly incensed, questioned if a human life could simply be reduced to a transaction. Zhu Ge dismissively retorted that it was “just a guard” who died.
Fan Xian, his voice filled with emotion, pointed to the stone tablet at the Investigator's Office gate, inscribed with the principle that "men are born equal, with no distinction between noble and humble," reminding Zhu Ge that a guard was a person, a father, a husband, and the sole support of his family. He demanded to know where national law and justice stood if the killer of an unburied victim walked free.
Unmoved, Zhu Ge declared the decision final and ordered his subordinates to deny anyone, even with a Commissioner’s token, access to Cheng Jushu. Fan Xian, his eyes welling with tears, challenged Zhu Ge on whether he could truly live with such a decision before storming out of the Investigator’s Office. Later, the Prince of Jing’s son arrived to apologize to Fan Xian on behalf of the Second Prince, vehemently denying any involvement in the assassination.
Fan Xian requested his help in extracting Cheng Jushu from the Investigator's Office to execute him according to law. The Prince of Jing’s son, however, regretfully explained that the Investigator's Office operated independently, under Emperor Qing's direct command, and no member of the imperial family, not even the Crown Prince, was permitted to interfere. He then proposed compensating Teng Zijing’s family with a large sum of money.
Fan Xian sharply countered by asking how much money he would accept for the life of his own family member, leaving the prince's son speechless. Recognizing that no faction in the capital dared to openly defy the Investigator’s Office, Fan Xian gave Wang Qinian a substantial amount of money to ascertain the precise time and route of Cheng Jushu’s departure. Back at the Fan mansion, Fan Xian placed Teng Zijing's coffin in the courtyard, awaiting Wang Qinian's information.
Soon, Wang Qinian arrived, reporting that Cheng Jushu would be escorted from the Investigator’s Office, exit the North Gate, and leave the capital by water in half an hour. Wang Qinian suggested ambushing Cheng Jushu in a small forest outside the city to avoid detection. However, Fan Xian proceeded directly to the North Gate, determined to exact his revenge in broad daylight and see if justice still existed in the world.
As the guards escorted Cheng Jushu through the market, cautioning him against stopping or speaking, Fan Xian stepped forward. He announced that he was not there to interfere, but to kill him. He declared that while some had advised him to act in secret, he refused, choosing instead to deliver justice in full view of the public.
As the guards attempted to pull Cheng Jushu away, Fan Xian proclaimed that his own power had grown since their last battle and that this day would be Cheng Jushu's last.
