Joy of Life Episode 32 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
Emperor Qing hosted a family meal for the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Fan Xian, claiming to be unwell and watching them eat. He observed the Crown Prince's rigid eating style, calling him a "piece of wood" since childhood, and criticized the Second Prince's voracious manner, stating he lacked table manners from a young age. Turning to Fan Xian, the Emperor asked who he thought was more promising.
Fan Xian, taken aback, cautiously replied that any answer would be a death sentence. Emperor Qing countered that loyal ministers don't fear death and questioned if Fan Xian was loyal or sinister. Fan Xian cleverly responded that he could be either, depending on the Emperor's needs. The Emperor then asked his sons for their opinions on Fan Xian. The Crown Prince praised Fan Xian's literary talent, calling him a vital minister.
The Second Prince remarked that while loyal and sinister ministers were common, "crafty loyal ministers" like Fan Xian were rare. Pleased with these high evaluations, Emperor Qing instructed his sons to protect Fan Xian, assuring them that he would be an important minister regardless of who ascended the throne. He then mentioned that many officials had recently impeached Fan Xian, linking him to Yan Bingyun's capture in Beiqi.
He urged the princes to restrain their followers and prevent further rumors from spreading, which they agreed to do. Emperor Qing then revealed the main purpose of the gathering: the upcoming mission to escort Xiao En back to Beiqi in exchange for Yan Bingyun. He proposed that Fan Xian lead the mission to dispel suspicions against him. Recalling Lin Ruofu's earlier advice to decline any unofficial requests, Fan Xian asked if this was an imperial edict.
Emperor Qing called it a "suggestion," but subtly pressured him by stating that refusing would mean changing his engagement with Lin Wan’er, as his current status made taking over the Neiku "inappropriate" amidst the court's doubts. Given the veiled threat to his marriage, Fan Xian promptly agreed to the mission. Emperor Qing then instructed him to coordinate the travel plans with Chen Pingping and promised to arrange his marriage to Lin Wan’er upon his safe return from Beiqi.
Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoyi, stripped of his position as commander and banished to the border due to Li Yunrui's actions, met her at the Xinyang border to bid farewell. Li Yunrui expressed regret over his demotion. A messenger arrived with news that Fan Xian would lead the mission to Beiqi. Yan Xiaoyi's new station was on Fan Xian's northern route.
Li Yunrui then hinted to Yan Xiaoyi, instructing him to eliminate Fan Xian in the desolate border region, where "accidents" would be inevitable. After leaving the palace, Fan Xian visited Chen Pingping at the Investigator's Office, finding him melancholic while tending to flowers planted by Ye Qingmei years ago. Chen Pingping confessed his worry that the withered flowers, Ye Qingmei's last remaining legacy, would not survive the winter.
Realizing Chen Pingping missed his mother, Fan Xian examined the plants, diagnosed a potassium deficiency, and promised to revive them, declaring himself their "destiny." Chen Pingping then imparted crucial advice for the Beiqi mission. He emphasized that it was both a test and an opportunity. Fan Xian's paramount task was to bring Yan Bingyun back safely.
He warned Fan Xian to be extremely cautious of Shen Zhong, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards in Beiqi, whom he described as very dangerous. Chen Pingping informed Fan Xian that all relevant intelligence on Beiqi's political situation had been placed in his carriage and urged him to study it thoroughly. He also assured Fan Xian that he had dispatched secret protectors to safeguard him from Li Yunrui.
Upon his return, Fan Xian would gradually take control of both the Neiku and the Investigator's Office. With Chen Pingping's covert assistance, Fan Xian would become Nanqing's most influential minister, immune to any threats. Prior to his departure, Fan Xian visited the Third Division, where Senior Fellow Apprentice Leng and other apprentices had prepared an extensive array of protective items.
These included a fire-resistant and weapon-resistant robe, a fire-resistant umbrella for controlled descent, durable escape ropes, a fan with hidden needles coated in a non-lethal poison, and a jade pendant containing piquant powder for creating a smokescreen. They also presented him with a newly developed sleeve crossbow, effective only when aimed at lethal points. Fan Xian, impressed, also requested specific poison ingredients, which the Third Division readily supplied, along with their latest knockout drug called chloroform.
On his way back to his mansion, Fan Xian's secret escorts, sent by Chen Pingping, were mysteriously incapacitated. His personal guard urged Fan Xian to proceed on foot while Wang Qinian drove the carriage. Shortly after, Fan Xian's last remaining guard also fell victim, only for Fan Xian to joyfully discover that the assailant was his teacher, Fei Jie, who had just returned to the capital.
Fei Jie explained that, unaware of the situation, he had mistaken Fan Xian's plainclothes protectors for assassins and had "dealt with" them, assuring Fan Xian that his poisons were non-lethal. Fei Jie led Fan Xian and Wang Qinian to the backyard of a rouge shop he owned, arranged with two recliners under a large parasol, reminiscent of the Fan mansion in Danzhou. Fei Jie revealed he opened the shop due to a past incident.
Years ago, during a mission in Beiqi to capture Xiao En, he attempted to poison Xiao En's daughter-in-law via tainted rouge to coerce Xiao En. However, his unfamiliarity with cosmetics led to an accidental fatal dosage, resulting in the deaths of Xiao En's son and daughter-in-law, and Chen Pingping losing his legs. Fei Jie, feeling immense guilt, opened the shop to prevent similar mistakes.
Concerned by Xiao En's formidable reputation, Fei Jie adamantly opposed Fan Xian's mission to Beiqi and even planned for their escape from the capital. However, as he went to make arrangements, he found Chen Pingping waiting outside the back door. Chen Pingping, having been alerted after Fan Xian's guards were incapacitated, knew Fei Jie's intentions and had anticipated his location. Fei Jie expressed surprise, but Chen Pingping simply stated he had always known about the shop.
Chen Pingping and Fei Jie then sent Fan Xian and Wang Qinian outside, engaging in a heated argument. Chen Pingping argued that the mission was Fan Xian's critical opportunity to consolidate power in the capital by overseeing both the Neiku and the Investigator's Office, securing a brilliant future. Fei Jie, however, viewed Fan Xian as a son and feared a repeat of past tragedies, not wanting to die without someone to bury him.
Overhearing their intense dispute, Fan Xian stepped in and told his teachers that he felt a personal responsibility to retrieve Yan Bingyun, whose capture was a direct consequence of Li Yunrui's schemes against him. Fei Jie, convinced by Fan Xian's conviction, had no further arguments. Later, Fan Xian met Lin Wan’er in the countryside to inform her of his impending journey to Beiqi, confiding that he was reluctantly undertaking it due to their engagement.
Lin Wan’er, in turn, offered to elope with him and live a simple life, assuring him she had saved enough money and cared little for societal judgment. Touched, Fan Xian gently refused, insisting he could not allow her reputation to be tarnished and that he had to go. Though worried, Lin Wan’er accepted his decision, making him promise to return alive and vowing to wait for him with cherry blossoms.
On his way back, Fan Xian encountered the Second Prince, who had erected a temporary pavilion by the roadside solely to meet him. The Second Prince, acknowledging his own "extravagant" nature, offered Fan Xian a drink. He then promised to recommend Fan Xian to preside over the upcoming imperial examinations upon his return, an appointment that would grant him immense influence over a new generation of officials.
The Second Prince explained his support stemmed from a personal liking for Fan Xian and a desire for engaging conversation, asserting that their friendship could endure even if Fan Xian ultimately aligned with the Crown Prince. He also offered the protection of his loyal guardian at Fengming Pass should Fan Xian's mission pass through there. Fan Xian, however, politely declined, stating his route would likely avoid Fengming.
Sensing Fan Xian's reluctance to draw closer, the Second Prince concluded their meeting and departed. Upon learning of Fan Xian's mission, Fan Jian immediately entered the palace late at night to implore Emperor Qing to revoke the order. The Emperor, however, deftly sidestepped the issue, instead announcing Fan Jian's promotion to Minister of Revenue following the previous minister's resignation. Despite Fan Jian's desperate pleas, the Emperor remained firm, declaring both decisions non-negotiable.
Left with no other recourse, Fan Jian requested that his personal guards be assigned to escort Fan Xian on his northern journey, to which Emperor Qing finally agreed. On the day of Fan Xian's departure, both Chen Pingping and Fei Jie came to see him off. Fei Jie presented Fan Xian with a newly formulated, non-lethal poison, capable of incapacitating even a Great Master for a short period. Fan Xian accepted the gift with a grateful smile.
