Joy of Life Episode 25 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
On this day, Fan Xian was planning to go to the Court of State Ceremonials when Shadow came to find him, informing him that someone intended to kill Director Chen and would make their move within half an hour. Most importantly, the Director had no one left by his side.
It turned out that because Zhuang Mohan had come to the capital, everyone knew he was key to resolving the matter, so Chen Pingping had dispatched the First Department to protect Zhuang Mohan. Now, within the Investigator's Office, the First Department had been completely dispatched, the Third Department was not in the capital, and the strong combat forces from other departments had also been separately reassigned by Yan Ruohai.
Even those on duty in the Investigator's Office today were his people. This was because no one had expected that the person he intended to kill was never Zhuang Mohan, but Chen Pingping. When Fan Xian and Wang Qinian rushed to the Investigator's Office, Chen Pingping was still leisurely playing chess. Soon, the rebels within the office surrounded them, and Fan Xian had no choice but to push him and hide in the dungeon.
Chen Pingping had Wang Qinian open the secret door leading to the deepest part of the dungeon. The people held inside were demons who had brought disaster upon the world, but for the current situation, they had no choice but to go in first. Unexpectedly, after entering, it turned out to be a dead end. Furthermore, quite a few people knew about this path.
Seeing that there was no escape route left, Wang Qinian sighed and said that he couldn't die because he hadn't reported to his wife yet. Fan Xian was worried that Si Lili, being locked outside, would be implicated. He had promised Si Lili that he would protect her life, so he unlocked her shackles and brought her in with them.
Just before Fan Xian was about to fight for his life, he heard Chen Pingping say that there was another demon still alive in the dungeon, so he jumped up to the ventilation opening and peeked inside for a while, considering it satisfying his curiosity before death. In the cell was a strange person with disheveled hair, bound all over by dozens of iron chains, looking very frightening.
Chen Pingping told him that this person was Xiao En, and his legs were crippled because of him. Soon, the rebels outside broke through the secret chamber's door. Just then, Shadow, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke. He told Fan Xian that there was actually another way to survive: kill Chen Pingping and exchange his head for their lives. Fan Xian gave Shadow a strange look and didn't even bother to reply to him.
Instead, he reminded Wang Qinian to prepare to fight with all his might. Seeing him act this way, Shadow suddenly snatched the dagger from Fan Xian's hand and rushed out alone. As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. Could Shadow alone withstand dozens or even hundreds of experts of seventh rank and above?
Fan Xian initially didn't believe it, but the sounds of fighting growing fainter outside made him have no choice but to believe it. At this moment, Chen Pingping spoke, saying that this wasn't his idea. Fan Xian didn't understand what he meant. Chen Pingping, suppressing a smile, explained that Shadow had just wanted to test Fan Xian.
The experts outside were real, and the rebellion was also real, but he wasn't worried at all because Shadow alone could resist a thousand black knights. Chen Pingping then asked Si Lili why she didn't make a move just now when Shadow had gone out and Fan Xian and Wang Qinian were guarding the exit, which was the best time for her to hijack him.
Si Lili honestly shook her head and said that she didn't dare because in Northern Qi, Chen Pingping's name was no different from a ghost or deity. Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping smiled slightly and had Fan Xian push him out. At this moment, Xiao En suddenly spoke. He told Chen Pingping to live well and wait for him to get out. Chen Pingping didn't even give him a look.
He had absolute confidence that with him there, Xiao En would definitely not be able to get out. Returning to the upper level of the dungeon, Si Lili voluntarily walked into her own cage and put on the shackles. She felt it was safest inside. Looking at the bodies lying scattered on the ground, Chen Pingping told Fan Xian that this was his scheme to lure the enemy. He also asked if Fan Xian thought he acted too ruthlessly.
Fan Xian replied calmly, "They intended to kill, so naturally they would also be killed." The three of them exited the dungeon and happened to see Shadow and the members of the First Department led by Zhu Ge confronting each other. When Zhu Ge saw Chen Pingping, he quickly said that when he returned to the office, he saw Shadow massacring his colleagues. Chen Pingping calmly stated that he had arranged it.
Zhu Ge was somewhat surprised but didn't ask further. He only reported to Chen Pingping that Zhuang Mohan was missing. It turned out that after Zhuang Mohan arrived in the capital, he had been staying in the residence arranged for him at the Court of State Ceremonials and had not been seeing anyone. Zhu Ge found this strange, so he sent his subordinates disguised as sweeping attendants, only to discover that Zhuang Mohan was not in the room at all.
Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping ordered Zhu Ge to list the visitors and investigate them one by one. Zhu Ge proposed a thorough investigation of the capital, but Chen Pingping did not agree. Instead, he told him to bring back all the heads of departments who were in the capital, as he had something to say. Seeing that the matter was resolved, Wang Qinian left immediately to report home that he was safe.
Fan Xian also wanted to leave, but Chen Pingping grabbed him and told him to go meet these people. Soon, everyone who was supposed to arrive had arrived.
Chen Pingping introduced them to Fan Xian one by one: Zhu Ge, Head of the First Department; Yan Ruohai, Head of the Fourth Department; the Head of the Second Department had business at the border and had not returned; the Head of the Fifth Department, the black knights, was not in the capital; the Head of the Sixth Department was Shadow; the Head of the Seventh Department was handling matters in Jiangnan; the Head of the Eighth Department was Xuan Jiu, who was responsible for printing books; Fei Jie, Head of the Third Department, was in Northern Qi, and temporarily managing the Third Department in his place was his senior disciple, Senior Brother Leng.
Senior Brother Leng was also a disciple of Elder Fei, making him a fellow student of Fan Xian, so he was particularly friendly towards Fan Xian. However, he had recently developed a new poison and tested a few doses on himself. The poison was effective, but his antidote failed, leading to increased toxicity. He could only lie on a stretcher and exchange pleasantries with Fan Xian. Everyone was present.
Chen Pingping told them that someone had set a trap in the office today to kill him, and Fan Xian had saved him. Therefore, he intended to let Fan Xian take over his position in the future. Zhu Ge was the first to stand up and express his opposition. Chen Pingping smiled and asked him if he was mistaken. He was not there to solicit their opinions but to inform them.
Anyone who was not convinced could come and kill him. After the others dispersed, Yan Ruohai and Zhu Ge left together. Yan Ruohai said nothing in front of Chen Pingping but secretly instigated Zhu Ge to contend for power behind his back. Zhu Ge told him that his opposition was not for the sake of seizing power. He felt he was not capable of sitting in that position, and everything he did was for the sake of Qing Kingdom.
Yan Ruohai said he was also doing the same. Zhu Ge recognized that several of the bodies today had been close to Yan Ruohai recently. He didn't understand what Yan Ruohai was really trying to do. Yan Ruohai stubbornly denied it, only saying that all his decisions were for Qing Kingdom. Fan Xian didn't understand why Chen Pingping wanted to hand over the Investigator's Office to him.
Chen Pingping, however, believed that the Investigator's Office was originally created by Ye Qingmei. He had been guarding it for her, but ultimately, it had to be returned to him. Fan Xian didn't expect him to be so sentimental about the past and could only advise him that what was past was past. Chen Pingping replied calmly, "Although time has passed, my initial intention has not changed." Fan Xian didn't know what to say for a moment.
Chen Pingping also didn't want to talk about these things anymore. Instead, he told Fan Xian to focus on the matters at the Court of State Ceremonials and to come to him if he encountered anything unpleasant; he would resolve it. It was late at night. Fan Xian looked at the palace map that Ruoruo had drawn and thought about his recent experiences, feeling somewhat unsettled.
Today, when Chen Pingping told him that he could come to him for any difficulties, he almost blurted out the name of the Eldest Princess. Wu Zhu heard this and said coldly, "When it comes to killing, I am stronger than him." But the Eldest Princess was, after all, Wan'er's mother. After much thought, Fan Xian decided not to kill her for the time being. Moreover, the Eldest Princess valued power more than life and death.
Overthrowing her and driving her out of the capital would make her suffer more than death. Wu Zhu wouldn't do this matter, so Fan Xian decided to handle it himself. Furthermore, the matter of finding the key needed to be delayed as well. He needed to find a better opportunity. The next day, Fan Xian changed into his official attire and, accompanied by Xin Qiwu, formally began negotiations with the Northern Qi delegation.
Experiencing such a thing for the first time, Fan Xian was inevitably a little nervous. Xin Qiwu comforted him, saying that as long as he was careful with his words during the negotiations and was polite and courteous to show the magnanimity of a great nation, he could leave the rest to him. Unexpectedly, after the negotiation began, Xin Qiwu completely changed his smiling demeanor, becoming both aggressive and rude in his words and actions, leaving Fan Xian dumbfounded.
In the afternoon, Xin Qiwu invited Fan Xian to dine with him. Fan Xian hesitantly asked Xin Qiwu if his actions just now had been too ostentatious. Xin Qiwu righteously claimed that the soldiers on the front lines had risked their lives to win the war, and if they weren't strong, how could they be worthy of these soldiers. Fan Xian couldn't argue with him and could only lower his head and drink tea. In the afternoon, the negotiation continued.
Xin Qiwu insisted that it was impossible to return the occupied territory and that Northern Qi also had to compensate for the military expenses. The Northern Qi delegation naturally refused. Seeing the situation enter a stalemate, someone hurriedly presented a note to the head of the Northern Qi delegation and whispered a few words to him. Upon seeing it, that person immediately broke into a joyful smile.
He told Xin Qiwu that their side's conditions would definitely not be conceded and even handed the note to Xin Qiwu, telling him to take it back and consider it and verify the authenticity of the message. Xin Qiwu took the note and looked at it, immediately saying, "This is bad." On the other side, Emperor Qing also received a secret memorial from Northern Qi.
It turned out that the identity of Yan Bingyun, a Northern Qi spy, had been exposed. He was personally arrested by Shen Zhong, the head of Northern Qi's Embroidered Uniform Guard. Northern Qi was using him as a bargaining chip, demanding not only that Qing Kingdom return the occupied territory and war captives but also that they issue pensions to the deceased Northern Qi soldiers. Most importantly, they wanted to exchange Xiao En and Si Lili for Yan Bingyun.
Xiao En could be said to be Northern Qi's Chen Pingping. He was once as famous as Chen Pingping. At that time, Chen Pingping led the black knights on a thousand-mile raid and captured him at the cost of his legs. However, in this battle, it was also thanks to Yan Bingyun for gathering military intelligence and transmitting secret reports. Furthermore, he was also Yan Ruohai's own son.
Chen Pingping knew that the other conditions were just pretexts; what Northern Qi truly wanted was Xiao En and Si Lili. Upon hearing the news, Yan Ruohai resolutely refused to exchange territory for his son. Chen Pingping, however, said that there was only one person who could make this decision, and that was Emperor Qing.
As expected, Emperor Qing agreed to have the Investigator's Office release the people, but the bottom line was that the captured territory would never be returned. Everything else was open for discussion, and Yan Bingyun must return alive. Upon hearing the imperial decree, Yan Ruohai was moved to tears of gratitude. The following negotiations were even more intense. The delegations from both sides rolled up their sleeves and engaged in a war of words, almost coming to blows.
Only Fan Xian, watching the spectacle from the side, was drowsy and completely at ease. Half a day later, the negotiation concluded. Emperor Qing was quite satisfied with the outcome and decided to hold a night banquet at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, celebrating with his ministers and having the Northern Qi and East Island delegations join them. Seeing that the matter had temporarily concluded, Zhu Ge, however, felt something particularly strange.
Ever since Zhuang Mohan disappeared once last time, he had been hiding in his room without coming out. Could it be that he had traveled thousands of miles just to attend a dinner banquet? Chen Pingping said mysteriously, "If anything is to happen at tomorrow night's banquet, it will be known throughout the land in an instant. If Zhuang Mohan has any intentions, it will definitely be tomorrow night.
However, we are completely unaware of his purpose now, so we can only let nature take its course." Afterward, Yan Ruohai also told Chen Pingping that news from Northern Qi indicated that Yan Bingyun was captured because his identity was revealed, meaning someone in the capital had betrayed him. Zhu Ge was greatly shocked. Yan Bingyun's undercover status in Northern Qi was top secret. Besides His Majesty, only people in the Investigator's Office knew about it.
Could it be that someone in the office had betrayed the country? Zhu Ge immediately requested Chen Pingping to thoroughly investigate the matter. Chen Pingping, however, forcefully said, "This matter ends here. There's no need to bring it up again." After the three dispersed, Yan Ruohai walked and said to Zhu Ge with double meaning, "The Investigator's Office has been established for so many years. Time flows, eroding day and night. It's time to replace some old things."
