Joy of Life Episode 40 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
Shangshan Hu deduced that Fan Xian intended to use him to eliminate Shen Zhong. Despite this, he planned to proceed with the rescue of his adoptive father, Xiao En. However, Shangshan Hu secretly harbored a different strategy: once Xiao En was safe, he would kill Fan Xian and then swiftly ride to the border to rally his army for a rebellion, rather than heading towards Nanqing as Fan Xian assumed.
Fan Xian shared his elaborate plan with Yan Bingyun, describing how creating a conflict between Shangshan Hu and Shen Zhong would benefit Nanqing, as either of them dying was a favorable outcome. Yan Bingyun immediately objected, asserting that Shen Zhong could not be killed. He revealed that the account books from Shangjing's shops, which Fan Xian possessed, differed significantly from those reviewed by the Investigator's Office.
A substantial amount of money had been concealed, indicating a massive trafficking operation, which Yan Bingyun believed was orchestrated by Princess Royal Li Yunrui. This sum, delivered into Nanqing territory via Shen Zhong's Jinyiwei, was enough to fund a highly-equipped private army, potentially sparking civil strife. Yan Bingyun suspected the Crown Prince's faction might also be involved and insisted that only Shen Zhong could reveal the full truth. Fan Xian sarcastically suggested marrying Shen Zhong's sister to get information.
Frustrated, Fan Xian highlighted the immense effort he had put into securing this opportunity to kill Shen Zhong, only for Yan Bingyun to now demand that Shen Zhong be kept alive and interrogated for secrets. Yan Bingyun proposed capturing Shen Zhong alive for torture, but Fan Xian retorted that such a feat was impossible in Shangjing without risking his own life.
Yan Bingyun reminded Fan Xian of his duty as Director-General of the Investigator's Office to serve Nanqing and face death without fear. Fan Xian, defying him, declared his desire to live, leading Yan Bingyun to call him unworthy of his position. Despite Yan Bingyun's strong opposition, Fan Xian reaffirmed his decision to proceed with the plan to rescue Xiao En and kill Shen Zhong the following day, calling it an "unstoppable plan."
He advised Yan Bingyun, who was still recovering, to stay indoors. Fan Xian then instructed Wang Qinian to closely monitor Yan Bingyun's every move, anticipating potential interference. Meanwhile, Shen Zhong, having anticipated the rescue attempt, had already made his own preparations, including summoning He Daoren and Langtao. He revealed to a subordinate that he had detained Xiao En precisely to bait Shangshan Hu.
The next morning, Shangshan Hu, with his masked men, arrived at the designated courtyard provided by Fan Xian. Shen Zhong observed from a high vantage point on a nearby mountain, ordering his forces to commence the attack once Shangshan Hu's men infiltrated the compound using ropes from the rooftops. Inside, Tan Wu located and rescued Xiao En from a small wooden house. As they tried to escape, they realized it was a meticulously planned ambush, surrounded by Shen Zhong's Jinyiwei.
Shangshan Hu briefly wondered if Fan Xian was working with Shen Zhong. Finding themselves trapped, Shangshan Hu’s men were being cut down. His subordinates pleaded with him to escape, reminding him of his Ninth Dan martial arts skill, arguing that he was their only hope for revenge. Despite his reluctance to abandon his men, Shangshan Hu, under their urgent pleas, agreed and retreated under their desperate cover.
Shen Zhong arrived at the courtyard, confirmed Shangshan Hu's escape, and confronted Tan Wu. Tan Wu claimed full responsibility for the rescue attempt, denying Shangshan Hu's involvement. Shen Zhong dismissed this, stating that as Shangshan Hu's personal guard, Tan Wu's capture was sufficient to implicate the General. Tan Wu defiantly declared that border soldiers never surrender. Shen Zhong, uncaring of Tan Wu's desire for a warrior's death, said his corpse would still serve to convict Shangshan Hu.
In a final act of defiance, Tan Wu and his remaining men poured wine over themselves and ignited it, proclaiming that they would "burn up the traces" so no one could identify them, thus ensuring their gravestones would have no names. They also screamed that Fan Xian had set them up and Shen Zhong had killed them, ensuring Xiao En would not suffer another capture and humiliation. The courtyard was engulfed in flames.
After the fire subsided, Shen Zhong's men sifted through the charred, unrecognizable bodies. They identified the body Tan Wu was carrying as Xiao En based on body shape, a recent leg injury, and three missing teeth. A subordinate expressed doubt, finding Xiao En's quick death "a bit strange," but Shen Zhong insisted it was him, turning his attention to Fan Xian's whereabouts.
Unbeknownst to Shen Zhong, during the chaos, Shangshan Hu had orchestrated a secret swap, replacing Xiao En with another body. A Jinyiwei soldier counting the corpses later noticed an extra body but dismissed it, too intoxicated to care. Xiao En, having feigned death, crawled out from among the "dead" and stumbled towards Shangjing.
Fan Xian, who had been observing from a distance, intercepted Xiao En, warning him that all routes into the city, especially towards Shangshan Hu's residence, were heavily guarded. Xiao En quickly changed direction. Shen Zhong returned to Shangshan Hu's residence, where he found the General calmly reading. Shen Zhong reported Xiao En's death and hinted at Shangshan Hu's involvement, noting that the rebels used similar spears and that Shangshan Hu's own spear smelled of blood. Shangshan Hu remained unfazed.
Shen Zhong then revealed that the Empress Dowager had been indecisive about Xiao En's future, and his death conveniently eliminated a potential threat to Shen Zhong. He further disclosed that he had stationed Langtao and He Daoren nearby to thwart any "secret rescue" attempts, boasting that their intervention would "truly eliminate the hidden danger."
He concluded by suggesting that if Xiao En had escaped, he would now be dead, and provocatively asked Shangshan Hu who he thought had "victimized Xiao En." Shen Zhong later mused to his subordinate that Shangshan Hu was becoming a major threat to Beiqi, lamenting that Shangshan Hu had not attacked him, which would have provided a clear reason to convict and execute him.
Shen Zhong, who had been prepared to die for the safety of Beiqi, regretted that Shangshan Hu had not fallen for his provocation. Meanwhile, Xiao En, severely wounded, encountered He Daoren. He Daoren, following Shen Zhong's orders, attacked Xiao En, eventually stabbing him in the abdomen. Fan Xian arrived and pleaded with He Daoren to let Xiao En go. He Daoren refused, citing Shen Zhong's suspicions about him and revealing that Langtao was also lying in wait.
Xiao En, bleeding profusely, struggled onward but was quickly intercepted by Langtao. Fan Xian, masked, intervened to protect Xiao En. During the ensuing skirmish, Langtao inflicted another grievous wound on Xiao En, forcing Fan Xian to help Xiao En flee to the edge of a cliff. Langtao pursued them. He Daoren appeared, seemingly to assist Langtao, but then subtly pushed both Fan Xian and Xiao En off the cliff.
Langtao ordered a search for their bodies at the cliff bottom, which He Daoren reluctantly joined. They found no traces, leading He Daoren to surmise that despite their efforts, it was "in vain" and that Xiao En "can't be saved." Unbeknownst to them, Fan Xian and Xiao En had miraculously survived by landing on tree branches along the cliff face. Back in the capital city, Shadow delivered Fan Xian's last report before his entry into Shangjing to Chen Pingping.
Concerned by the subsequent lack of news, especially after Yan Bingyun's capture and the disruption of the agent network, Chen Pingping instructed Shadow to keep the report confidential from Fei Jie. However, Fei Jie, already suspicious that Chen Pingping was withholding information, secretly poisoned Shadow to retrieve the report. He was shocked when he unmasked Shadow, revealing a familiar face. Fei Jie furiously confronted Chen Pingping about withdrawing the black knights, which put Fan Xian in grave danger.
Chen Pingping urged him to keep Shadow's identity secret and insisted that Fan Xian was still alive. Fei Jie refused to let Fan Xian be a "puppet" and vowed to protect his last apprentice, even if it meant opposing Chen Pingping. Chen Pingping acknowledged Fei Jie's superior skills in toxicology but pointed out that he lacked subtlety in discerning motives, correctly deducing that Fan Jian was assisting him.
Fan Jian then emerged, confronting Chen Pingping about his promise to ensure Fan Xian's safety while sending him on a perilous mission to gain fame. Chen Pingping explained that his actions were designed to uncover "Xiao En's hidden secret," believing that Xiao En would ultimately reveal it to Fan Xian. When Chen Pingping offered to explain the full reasoning, he insisted that Fei Jie could not hear it.
Fei Jie threatened Chen Pingping, but Fan Jian intervened, offering to go with Chen Pingping instead. Fan Jian convinced Fei Jie that staying alive would be more beneficial to Fan Xian and promised that if anything happened to Fan Xian, he would join Fei Jie in "raising a ruckus in the capital." Fei Jie further swore that if Fan Xian died, he would make the entire world "pay for it."
Meanwhile, in the cave after their fall, Fan Xian attempted to treat Xiao En's wounds. However, Xiao En, recognizing the severity of his injuries, particularly a heart vessel severed by Langtao's blade, laughed, acknowledging his impending death. He remarked that he was happy Fan Xian had saved him, and declared his intention to finally reveal his long-kept secret before he died.
