Joy of Life Episode 19 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
Following Lin Gong’s death, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Lin Ruofu both summoned Fan Xian. Fan Xian found himself in a difficult position, as choosing one would offend the other. Just then, imperial guards arrived with a verbal instruction from Emperor Qing, summoning Fan Xian to the palace. Before the summons, Fan Xian had spoken with his father, Fan Jian.
When Fan Jian informed him of Lin Gong's death and questioned if Wuzhu had returned, Fan Xian feigned ignorance about Wuzhu's whereabouts and his own involvement, claiming he only wished to visit his mother's old residence, Taiping Manor, to pay respects. Fan Jian, still suspicious, refused to disclose the manor’s location. Moments later, Fan Sizhe also approached Fan Xian about the bookstore venture, but Fan Xian, preoccupied, quickly brushed him off.
Eunuch Hou, the same eunuch who had driven Fan Xian to the divine temple previously, escorted him to the Imperial Palace. This made Fan Xian realize that his earlier visit to the temple was orchestrated by Emperor Qing. Along the way, Eunuch Hou advised Fan Xian to be cautious in the Emperor's presence and warned him against touching any bows and arrows, as they were the Emperor's cherished possessions.
Suddenly, Fan Xian spotted a masked figure leaping over a high wall. He was surprised by such a blatant assassin in broad daylight, but Eunuch Hou remained unfazed. He explained that Qing was now powerful, and Beiqi and Dongyi Town feared Emperor Qing deeply, making assassination attempts a common occurrence. Soon after, the assassin was swiftly apprehended by Gong Dian, the Deputy Director of the Imperial Guards.
Fan Xian immediately recognized Gong Dian as the martial arts master he had encountered at the divine temple, confirming his suspicion that Emperor Qing had likely been there that day. Fan Xian joked with Eunuch Hou, calling Gong Dian "Laogong," much to Eunuch Hou's dismay, who warned him against such disrespect. Emperor Qing received Fan Xian in the Imperial Study, initially observing him from behind a bookshelf.
After waiting for a while, Fan Xian called out loudly for the Emperor, prompting him to emerge. Eunuch Hou promptly instructed Fan Xian to kneel, but Emperor Qing asked if Fan Xian wished to do so. Fan Xian instinctively replied he did not, and Emperor Qing graciously permitted him to remain standing, surprising and unnerving Eunuch Hou. Emperor Qing then brought up the assassin Fan Xian had seen.
Eunuch Hou explained that the assassin was from Beiqi and had been under the Investigator's Office's surveillance since his arrival. Over several months, six of Qing’s secret agents had subtly encouraged his resolve to assassinate the Emperor. Emperor Qing then revealed that he himself had orchestrated this plot to provide a pretext for war against Beiqi.
He added that the recent Niulan Street assassination, where Fan Xian killed Cheng Jushu and interrogated Si Lili, offered an even better justification for the war, as it exposed a Beiqi secret agent lurking in the capital city. As a reward for eliminating the culprit and capturing the spy, Emperor Qing appointed Fan Xian as the Assistant Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, an eighth-rank official.
As Fan Xian prepared to express his gratitude, cleverly referencing Emperor Qing’s earlier instruction to stand, Emperor Qing abruptly asked if Fan Xian had killed Lin Gong. Fan Xian immediately denied it, claiming he had no reason to harm him. Emperor Qing then revealed that Lin Gong had masterminded the Niulan Street assassination. Fan Xian vehemently denied any prior knowledge of this.
Emperor Qing, unconcerned with the veracity of Fan Xian’s claims, merely informed him that the Crown Prince was aware of Lin Gong’s involvement. At that moment, the Crown Prince requested an audience. When Emperor Qing asked if Fan Xian wished to see him, Fan Xian indicated he preferred the Emperor to decide. Emperor Qing then instructed Eunuch Hou to dismiss the Crown Prince, stating he was busy with the newly appointed Assistant Minister, Fan Xian.
He also told Fan Xian that he would have to deal with the Crown Prince on his own later. Returning to the Imperial Study, Eunuch Hou was startled to see Fan Xian idly toying with the Emperor’s cherished bows and arrows. Emperor Qing then revealed that Prime Minister Lin Ruofu had changed his mind about Fan Xian’s marriage to Lin Wan’er and that Fan Xian would discover the reason upon visiting the Lin mansion.
Before Fan Xian left, Emperor Qing remarked that despite his seemingly sincere and forthright demeanor, every action and word from Fan Xian was a calculated pretense, a comment that chilled Fan Xian to the bone, though he maintained a calm exterior.
Outside the palace, Fan Xian tried to subtly extract information about the potential mole in the Investigator's Office from Eunuch Hou, but the eunuch, still reeling from Fan Xian's audacious behavior before the Emperor, refused to discuss such a sensitive topic. Meanwhile, Yuan Hongdao, an adviser to Prime Minister Lin Ruofu, arrived at the Investigator's Office seeking Zhu Ge. The guards became suspicious of the torture implements he carried.
When a guard initially refused to fetch Zhu Ge, Yuan Hongdao menacingly held a needle to the guard's throat, forcing him to comply. Separately, Ye Ling’er hastily met with Fan Xian, asking if he was Lin Gong’s killer. She was relieved when he denied it, confirming his alibi. Fan Xian then instructed Wang Qinian to convey his whereabouts to Fan Ruoruo, asking her to inform the Crown Prince that he was headed to the Prime Minister’s mansion.
Fan Xian reasoned that if the Crown Prince showed "over-concern" by confronting him at the Lin mansion, it would arouse suspicion in the astute Prime Minister. Fan Ruoruo followed Fan Xian’s instructions and went to the Eastern Palace to inform the Crown Prince of Fan Xian's location. The Crown Prince remained composed, stating he had already conveyed all his suspicions to the Prime Minister.
He chillingly predicted that Fan Xian was walking into a trap, as Prime Minister Lin Ruofu would undoubtedly investigate the true cause of Lin Gong’s death. Back at the Investigator's Office, Yuan Hongdao was granted access to Si Lili’s cell by Zhu Ge. Yuan Hongdao pressed Si Lili, asking if she had revealed Lin Gong's identity as the mastermind of the Niulan Street assassination to Fan Xian during her interrogation.
Despite Yuan Hongdao employing torture to test her veracity, Si Lili steadfastly maintained that she had not disclosed Lin Gong’s name. Yan Ruohai eventually intervened, pointing out that the imperial verbal instruction only allowed for questioning, not torture, and escorted Yuan Hongdao out. Yuan Hongdao left his torture tools behind, mockingly gifting them to Si Lili as a "souvenir." At the Lin mansion, Fan Xian was greeted by a guard who led him inside.
In the courtyard, he met Lin Dabao, Lin Gong’s elder brother, a man with the mental capacity of a child, and the two played together. Dabao innocently spoke of his younger brother "Erbao," whose real name was Lin Gong, and mentioned that he hadn't been home, a poignant moment that highlighted the family's loss. Prime Minister Lin Ruofu observed their interaction from afar, surprised and impressed by Fan Xian’s unexpected kindness and patience with Dabao.
Yuan Hongdao reported his findings to Prime Minister Lin Ruofu: Si Lili had not revealed Lin Gong's involvement in the assassination to Fan Xian, suggesting that Fan Xian had no motive to kill Lin Gong. Lin Ruofu then dispatched Yuan Hongdao back to the Eastern Palace to inform the Crown Prince of this development and to convey his intentions regarding Fan Xian. Later, Dabao led Fan Xian to Lin Ruofu’s study.
Lin Ruofu dismissed Dabao to speak privately with Fan Xian. He showed Fan Xian some childhood writings of Lin Gong, explaining that Dabao had suffered a debilitating illness as a child, leaving him with the mind of a toddler, and that Lin Wan’er suffered from tuberculosis, now recovering due to Fan Xian’s treatment. Lin Gong had been his only healthy child and the sole hope for the Lin family’s future, a hope now extinguished by his death.
Lin Ruofu then directly informed Fan Xian that Lin Gong was indeed the mastermind behind the Niulan Street assassination, carefully observing Fan Xian's reaction. Fan Xian feigned shock and confusion, asking why Lin Gong would want to kill him. Seeing Fan Xian’s seemingly genuine reaction, Lin Ruofu’s defenses lowered.
He expressed his desire for Fan Xian and Lin Wan’er to marry quickly, offering to support Fan Xian’s career, protect him from enemies like the Guo family, and eventually entrust him with all the Lin family’s wealth and connections. His sole condition was that Fan Xian must protect Lin Wan’er and Dabao, and ensure the Lin family’s survival from political adversaries after his own passing. Fan Xian firmly rejected this proposal as a transaction.
He declared that his love for Lin Wan’er was genuine and deeply heartfelt. If he married her, he would naturally love and protect her, and by extension, her family, including Dabao, not as a contractual obligation but as a duty born of love. Lin Ruofu was profoundly moved by Fan Xian’s words, though his concern immediately shifted, asking for details about when and how Fan Xian and Wan'er had met and talked repeatedly.
At the Eastern Palace, Yuan Hongdao arrived and informed the Crown Prince that Si Lili had confirmed she did not tell Fan Xian about Lin Gong's involvement. He then delivered Prime Minister Lin Ruofu’s message: Fan Xian was now considered the son-in-law of the Lin family, and the Prime Minister requested the Crown Prince to overlook Fan Xian's past transgressions for his sake. The Crown Prince, hearing this, questioned if the Prime Minister believed he was the one who wanted to harm Fan Xian.
