Joy of Life Episode 3 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
The stern-faced guard allowed Fan Xian to enter the temple. Fan Xian worried it was a trap, so he casually asked a few more questions. The guard was very puzzled that he didn't even know why there was a temple. Fan Xian wasn't interested in these myths. After much hesitation, he still walked into the temple. As soon as he entered, Fan Xian saw a group of armed guards standing in the courtyard.
He had no choice but to enter the side hall. He looked around and found there was no ambush, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. There were no statues in the side hall, only murals on the wall depicting the temple people capturing a giant beast and transmitting culture. Fan Xian, who was from the modern era, naturally didn't believe in these so-called deities.
He casually picked up a piece of fruit from the offering table and took a bite, muttering that if there truly were deities, he wished they would send an envoy to tell him why he had to go through all this. As he was muttering, the offering table suddenly moved, scaring him so much that he dropped the pear in his hand.
When he hesitantly lifted the tablecloth of the offering table, he saw a beautiful young fairy looking at him in surprise while holding a chicken leg. Their eyes met. Fan Xian felt all the blood in his body rush to his heart, and even his brain's function slowed down. He foolishly asked the girl if she was sent by the deities. The girl was Lin Wan'er, the daughter of Prime Minister Lin Ruofu.
Seeing Fan Xian's appearance was very amusing and not like a bad person, she crawled out from under the table. When Fan Xian saw she wasn't a hallucination, he was so agitated that he actually vomited blood. Lin Wan'er stepped forward with concern to check on him. Fan Xian casually reassured her that he would get used to vomiting after doing it a few times. Lin Wan'er was amused by his playful words.
Just as the atmosphere between the two was getting good, an urgent call from a maid came from the courtyard. Lin Wan'er stuck out her tongue, gave the chicken leg to Fan Xian, and hurried away. As she was leaving, she also gave him the chicken leg she was holding and ran out cheerfully.
Fan Xian was stunned by the smile on Lin Wan'er's face as she looked back, and only then realized he had forgotten to ask for her name. He quickly went out to chase her, but unfortunately, Lin Wan'er had already gotten into a carriage and left. Lin Wan'er had been in poor health since childhood, and her family managed her very strictly. Every time she came out, she would sneak away to play.
She didn't expect to meet Fan Xian this time. The maid understood her feelings but was also worried about her health. Sure enough, Lin Wan'er coughed up blood again when she got excited, but remembering Fan Xian's words from earlier, she couldn't help but laugh again. Emperor Qing returned to the palace after visiting the temple.
After Gong Dian cleared the street with his men, he voluntarily brought up Fan Xian, stating that he believed there must be something strange about Fan Xian being able to pass through the numerous hidden sentinels beside the temple, and volunteered to conduct a thorough investigation of the imperial guards from top to bottom. Emperor Qing, however, said calmly that it was not necessary. Halfway there, a team of imperial guards wearing armor sped towards them.
Gong Dian immediately ordered them to stop. Emperor Qing asked the leader to report. The man did not approach closely but stepped forward two paces and knelt down, reporting that within the city entrance path, there were palace maids attempting to block the way, and they had all been executed. After the imperial guards left, Emperor Qing's carriage stopped by the side of the road.
He had Gong Dian scoop him a bowl of wontons from a streetside wonton stall and asked casually who the young man who had trespassed into the temple was. Gong Dian reported that he was Fan Xian, the illegitimate son of the Vice Minister of Revenue in Danzhou. Only then did he realize that Fan Xian being able to enter the temple was likely Emperor Qing's arrangement.
Emperor Qing then asked Gong Dian why he had let Fan Xian in, and who had arranged for maids to ruin Fan Xian's reputation on the city entrance path. Gong Dian answered one by one with hesitation. Finally, Emperor Qing asked calmly if he liked the painting the Crown Prince had given him very much. Gong Dian was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. The coachman took Fan Xian to the entrance of the Fan manor.
Fan Xian got off and knocked on the door but received no response. After a while, a maid opened the side door and ushered him in. The maid told him that the master had not yet returned to the manor, and this was all arranged by the Second Madam. Fan Xian did not cause trouble and followed the maid into the manor good-naturedly, but he found that everyone on the way acted with extreme caution.
Upon inquiring, he learned that the Second Madam was taking her afternoon nap. With the Second Madam napping in the back courtyard, no one in the entire manor dared to speak. The extent of her authority in the Fan manor was evident. At this moment, a young man dressed in silk robes ran out chasing the accountant with a stick. Seeing his swaggering appearance, Fan Xian guessed that this person must be the Second Madam's beloved son - Fan Sizhe.
Fan Sizhe saw Fan Xian but did not ask who he was. Instead, he rudely asked if he knew who he was and ordered him to open the box in his hand and let him see it. Fan Xian heard this and didn't get angry; instead, he laughed and told him to try it himself.
On the other side, the Second Madam learned that Fan Xian had entered the manor and specifically instructed her servants to take him to the courtyard to wait until she woke up. Fan Sizhe appeared arrogant and domineering but was actually simple-minded. He fiddled with Fan Xian's box for a long time but couldn't open it.
He angrily told Fan Xian that he was the most important person in the entire Fan manor and that people had to do whatever he told them to. Fan Xian found it amusing to tease him, asking if he told a servant to beat him to death, would the servant listen or not? Fan Sizhe thought about it foolishly for a long time and ended up being confused by him.
Fan Xian followed the maid all the way to the inner courtyard but was told that the Second Madam was napping and that he should just wait there. He knew this was the Second Madam trying to show him who was boss, but he did not object on the surface. Gong Dian brought several pieces of calligraphy and painting to pay respects to the Crown Prince Li Chengqian.
The Crown Prince was very friendly towards Gong Dian, but unexpectedly, Gong Dian tore up the calligraphy and paintings he had brought, which were his most favorite, right in front of him and requested that the Crown Prince take back the paintings he had given him. The Crown Prince's face gradually darkened. Gong Dian felt both heartache and fear.
He reported everything that had happened that day to the Crown Prince, stating that Emperor Qing might be unhappy about his private interactions with him, and also stating that he would no longer have personal preferences from now on. Although the Crown Prince was angry, he could do nothing but take back the calligraphy and paintings. The Second Madam woke up from her nap and inquired about Fan Xian's situation.
Unexpectedly, she learned that Fan Xian had also moved a chair into the courtyard and was sleeping. She angrily went out to wake him up, implicitly accusing Fan Xian of not knowing etiquette. Fan Xian also exchanged polite formalities with her. At this moment, Fan Sizhe, who had figured things out, came looking for Fan Xian with a stick to settle the score. The Second Madam deliberately avoided the scene.
If Fan Xian were to get into a fight with Fan Sizhe, he would fall into her trap. Fan Xian, however, was not surprised or flustered. He even sat down leisurely to watch him make a fuss. Just as Fan Sizhe was about to lose his temper and strike, Fan Ruoruo arrived in time to stop him. Fan Ruoruo was the eldest young lady of the manor and had managed Fan Sizhe since childhood.
Fan Sizhe saw her like a mouse seeing a cat and meekly apologized and admitted his mistake to Fan Xian. The Second Madam hadn't expected that despite all her calculations, her plan would be disrupted by Fan Ruoruo. Looking at her foolish son who only ever asked for money, she felt both angry and anxious. The brother and sister were overjoyed to be reunited. Arriving at Fan Ruoruo's room, Fan Xian saw it piled high with precious treasures.
Fan Ruoruo told him these were all gifts from others, all because of the "Red Mansions" that Fan Xian had once told her about. Fan Xian hadn't expected that the story he told his sister would become so widely known, but he didn't know how to explain, so he just let her misunderstand.
As the brother and sister were catching up, a servant came to report that Master Fan had returned to the manor and wanted Fan Xian to come to the study to see him. Fan Xian packed the chicken leg into a wooden box and asked Fan Ruoruo to keep it for him, then went to the study alone.
