Joy of Life Episode 6 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
As Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe were making their way back in their carriage, they were intercepted by Ye Ling’er and Lin Wan’er. Ye Ling’er, the daughter of the Chief Guard of the capital city, was persistent, believing Fan Xian to be inside and wanting him to meet Lin Wan’er. Lin Wan’er herself requested a meeting to clarify matters.
Ruoruo, though worried, maintained a composed demeanor and tried to decline, stating that her brother had a cold and should not be exposed to the wind. Fan Sizhe, however, quickly intervened, mimicking Fan Xian’s voice from within the carriage. He brazenly claimed to have a singing girl inside, making it inconvenient for him to meet Lady Lin Wan'er. This infuriated Ye Ling’er, who threatened to deal with Fan Xian. Lin Wan’er was so vexed that she coughed up blood.
Concerned for her health, Ye Ling’er hastily escorted her away. After the carriage departed, Lin Wan'er reflected that she would rather die than marry a man unworthy of her trust. Meanwhile, her servant informed her about a poetry gathering, and Lin Wan'er, intrigued, asked for more details. Unaware of the incident, Fan Xian leisurely strolled into the Investigator's Office, enjoying some candied hawthorns. Initially, no one paid him any attention as people bustled in and out.
It was only when he loudly announced himself as the Director of the Investigator's Office and Fei Jie’s student, displaying his official token, that a staff member approached and verified his identity. Fan Xian requested file D No. 534 and was directed to the clerk in charge of non-confidential files, who turned out to be Wang Qinian.
Upon learning of Fan Xian's new title, Wang Qinian dramatically knelt, weeping as he recounted a fabricated tale of woe: his wife died young, and his daughter succumbed to an incurable illness, forcing him to accumulate wealth for her burial. Fan Xian, listening with skepticism, was amused when a guard inadvertently exposed Wang Qinian’s lie, mentioning he had just met Wang Qinian’s healthy wife on the street, who asked him to buy vegetables and cold medicine for their daughter.
Wang Qinian, caught in his lie, comically suggested his wife and daughter had been resurrected. Fan Xian, finding Wang Qinian’s love for money akin to Fan Sizhe’s, decided not to pursue the matter of the two taels of silver Wang Qinian owed him, but instructed him to cease selling pirated copies of "The Story of the Stone". He then asked Wang Qinian to retrieve Teng Zijing’s file.
Wang Qinian agreed to personally deliver the document to the Fan mansion the following day. When asked about the mastermind behind the assassination attempt in Danzhou, Wang Qinian revealed that the person who forged the secret order, a scout named Xu Yunzhang, had already committed suicide. Before leaving, Fan Xian asked about a stele his teacher had mentioned, related to his mother.
Wang Qinian pointed him to the only stele on the premises, located outside the main gate, stating that its inscription represented the founding principles of the Investigator's Office. Fan Xian found the stele covered in dust, suggesting it had long been neglected. Reading the weathered words, he discovered his mother, Ye Qingmei’s, grand vision: a country where laws served the people, not the powerful, where justice prevailed, and where everyone lived with dignity, equality, freedom, and happiness.
She aspired to a world free from oppression and hierarchy. Realizing the immense and daunting nature of her dream, Fan Xian understood the perilous reasons behind her death. However, he felt he lacked the courage to inherit such a grand ambition and fight against the entire world, confessing his simple desire for a peaceful life. He quietly apologized to his mother for not being able to follow in her footsteps.
Meanwhile, Eunuch Hou informed Emperor Qing that Fan Xian had secretly visited the Investigator's Office, retrieved Teng Zijing's file, and inquired about the Danzhou assassination. Emperor Qing calmly revealed that he already knew Teng Zijing was alive and had returned to the capital with Fan Xian, dismissing it as a minor deception.
He expressed that he cared less about people lying and more about their ability to get things done, viewing Fan Xian as a lure to stir up Kyoto’s political waters. Eunuch Hou also reported on the Crown Prince’s faction, who were spreading rumors about Fan Xian’s misconduct at the Yishi House, hoping to damage his reputation.
The Crown Prince, along with Guo Baokun and the newly acquainted He Zongwei, viewed the upcoming poetry gathering as a prime opportunity to publicly expose Fan Xian’s perceived lack of talent and further discredit him, believing this would compel Prime Minister Lin to annul Lin Wan’er’s engagement. Soon after, Prime Minister Lin Ruofu, having heard about Fan Xian’s public altercation, sought an audience with Emperor Qing.
Emperor Qing, aware of Lin Ruofu’s intention to dissolve the engagement, deliberately ordered Eunuch Hou to stoke the palace fire, making the chamber uncomfortably warm. Lin Ruofu, a cunning statesman, subtly reminded Emperor Qing that the marriage was his decree and implicitly stated his unwavering faith in the Emperor’s judgment. He expressed confidence that Fan Xian would soon demonstrate his talents and become renowned in the capital, thereby avoiding directly requesting an annulment.
Emperor Qing, understanding Lin Ruofu's move to put him in a difficult position, allowed him to leave without comment. Back at the Fan mansion, Fan Xian found Ruoruo waiting for him. He confided that his reason for agreeing to the poetry gathering was to find his "Lady Drumstick"—the girl he met at the Qing Temple. He described their serendipitous encounter, his subsequent dreams of her, and his conviction that he must find her, despite forgetting her name.
Ruoruo, deeply touched by his romantic tale, promised to help him find her, even offering to search every mansion in the capital if she wasn’t at the poetry gathering. Fan Xian playfully noted her eagerness, which Ruoruo attributed to the "romantic" feeling he had introduced her to.
Fan Xian then wondered if Lady Drumstick might be Lin Wan’er, but Ruoruo immediately dismissed the idea, explaining that Lin Wan’er was chronically ill, forbidden from eating meat, and could not be exposed to the elements. Seeing Ruoruo’s wistful look, Fan Xian assured her that he would ensure her own marriage would be to a man she loved, regardless of parental expectations.
Ruoruo then remembered important news: their father had detained Teng Zijing in the backyard and had forced Fan Sizhe to kneel outside the study. Their father suspected Fan Sizhe of orchestrating the conflict with Guo Baokun to push Fan Xian into opposing the Crown Prince. Fan Xian dismissed this, knowing Fan Sizhe’s simplemindedness. He then went to the study to confront Fan Jian.
While Madam Liu Ruyu secretly listened from outside, Fan Xian argued that Fan Sizhe was incapable of such a complex plot and that Fan Jian was being overly harsh and prejudiced due to Sizhe’s perceived shortcomings. Fan Jian admitted his disappointment in Fan Sizhe’s lack of academic and martial prowess and his idle ways. However, Fan Xian countered that Fan Sizhe, despite his greed, indulged in no vices and possessed a natural talent for business and finance.
He posited that Sizhe’s obsession with money stemmed from his admiration for Fan Jian, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and his desire to emulate him and gain his approval. He reminded Fan Jian that Sizhe’s violent outburst at the Yishi House was a defense of his father’s honor. Fan Xian concluded by asserting that Fan Jian had wronged his son and owed him an apology.
Touched by Fan Xian's words, Fan Jian went outside and told Fan Sizhe to rise. Fan Sizhe, whose legs were numb from kneeling, assumed he had once again displeased his father. Unexpectedly, Fan Jian offered to grant him one wish. To everyone's amusement, Fan Sizhe, after much deliberation, asked to play Pai Gow with his father, for money. Fan Jian agreed and sent him to the hall to wait.
Before leaving, Fan Xian insisted that Teng Zijing, whom he considered a friend, also be released. Fan Jian, however, warned him that in the capital, the word "friend" was a luxury.
