Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

The inner courtyard of the Sinan Earl's residence.

"What? You really did it? And you hit me so hard?"

Aunt Liu felt a headache coming on when she heard Fan Xian's frank admission.

Ever since she realized that Fan Xian had no intention of competing with Fan Sizhe for the family fortune, and instead protected her son, Aunt Liu gradually began to regard Fan Xian as her own nephew.

Upon hearing that he had gotten himself into serious trouble, he immediately became extremely anxious.

"This is troublesome. If we don't put you in jail, the Minister of Rites won't be able to save face. And Guo Baokun is from the Crown Prince's faction, so they won't ignore it."

Her tone carried three parts reproach and seven parts helplessness: "You don't seem like someone who acts impulsively, so how... how could you not stop yourself!"

Fan Xian, however, seemed unconcerned and even shrugged: "Auntie, if I hadn't stopped myself, someone would have died long ago."

Aunt Liu stopped abruptly, speechless for a long while after hearing this. Finally, she let out a long sigh: "I'll arrange a carriage to send you back to Danzhou. If you're not here, this matter can't be investigated further."

Fan Xian felt a slight stirring in his heart, thinking that Aunt Liu was being a little too protective of him. He then asked her directly about his doubts.

Aunt Liu rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "Although my surname is Liu, I am a member of the Fan family. Shouldn't we protect our own family members instead of siding with outsiders?"

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These words were spoken crisply and decisively, and Fan Xian felt completely relieved after hearing them.

He had previously suspected that Liu was involved in the assassination in Danzhou. After talking deeply with Fan Jian that night, he had basically ruled out her suspicion, but some lingering doubts remained.

Even now, this unwavering protection warms his heart.

Fan Xian ultimately declined Aunt Liu's offer. Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, he bumped into Fan Sizhe, who was carrying a stick and shouting that he was going to drive away the yamen runners.

Seeing his "younger brother's" boisterous yet sincere demeanor, Fan Xian felt even warmer inside. After gently persuading him, he straightened his robes and walked calmly towards the front hall, confidently following the constables to the capital.

Kyoto Prefectural Government Office.

The area outside the yamen was already packed with people who had come after hearing the news, and the air was filled with the buzzing of conversation.

Fan Xian smiled and bowed to the crowd, saying "Excuse me, excuse me," as he calmly stepped over the high threshold. His leisurely demeanor made him seem less like someone being interrogated and more like someone visiting their own home.

Upon entering the courtroom, he immediately spotted Guo Baokun lying on a door stretcher, wrapped in gauze like a mummy.

He couldn't resist leaning over and teasing Guo Baokun a bit, but the latter, due to the severe injury on his face and the lisp in his mouth, stammered for a long time without being able to utter a clear word. He could only tremble with anger, as if he had come back from the dead.

Just then, Mei Zhili, the Prefect of Kyoto, slowly walked out from the second hall, dressed in an official robe, and sat down in the main seat with a solemn expression.

"Who is in the hall?"

After the standard opening, Mei Zhili proceeded with the trial according to procedure, allowing Guo Baokun's lawyer and Fan Xian to each give their statements.

Fan Xian vehemently denied it, with a valid reason: since Guo Baokun was beaten with a sack over his head, he didn't see the murderer's face. So why would he be accused of it without any evidence?

The lawyer immediately countered, saying that Guo Baokun recognized Fan Xian's voice and that Fan Xian had announced his family name when he committed the crime.

Fan Xian scoffed, "Who in the world commits a crime and then holds up their ID card, shouting 'I did it!' This lawyer, even making up a story has to be plausible, right?"

The two engaged in several more rounds of verbal sparring.

Fan Xian then presented crucial evidence: "That night I was drinking and carousing at Zuixianju in Liujing River, as evidenced by Miss Si Lili and Prince Jing's heir, Li Hongcheng. I had no opportunity to commit the crime."

Mei Zhili could disregard the testimony of a courtesan, but the moment the words "Prince Jing's heir" were uttered, his brows immediately furrowed.

Both the plaintiff and the defendant insisted on calling witnesses. Mei Zhili had no choice but to send someone to invite Li Hongcheng and bring Si Lili to court.

The two arrived. Guo Baokun's lawyer first respectfully inquired whether Li Hongcheng had seen Fan Xian during the time of the incident.

Li Hongcheng frankly stated, "At that time, Fan Xian had already entered Miss Si Lili's boudoir."

The lawyer turned to the manager for confirmation. The manager nodded in agreement.

The lawyer then asked Fan Xian if he had left along the way.

Si Lili covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling: "A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. If Young Master Fan leaves halfway through... wouldn't he not even be considered a man?" Although she did not answer directly, the meaning behind her words was understood by everyone in the hall.

Only Fan Xian's lips twitched slightly; he wanted to touch his nose but forcibly held back, feeling slightly embarrassed.

At this point, Fan Xian had clear witnesses, but Guo Baokun had no concrete evidence.

After listening to the verdict, Mei Zhili made up his mind, cleared his throat, and prepared to pronounce the sentence according to the law.

Just as he was about to get up, an even bigger commotion suddenly broke out outside the hall!

A squad of soldiers in gleaming silver armor roughly dispersed the onlookers outside the government office and surged into the office like a tide, standing solemnly on both sides.

A magnificent carriage, gilded and inlaid with jade, slowly drove up to a stop in front of the government office.

The attendant bowed and lifted the carriage curtain. Crown Prince Li Chengqian bent down and stepped out of the carriage, steadily crossing the high threshold and entering the courtroom.

When the Crown Prince arrived, in addition to Fan Xian bowing, Mei Zhili, Li Hongcheng, and even Si Lili all knelt down in obeisance.

The crown prince, with a gentle expression, raised his hand to help them up: "Please rise, all of you."

His gaze lingered briefly on Fan Xian before turning to Li Hongcheng. He exchanged a few pleasantries with a smile and then personally helped Mei Zhili up.

Mei Zhili was flattered and asked in a trembling voice, "What instructions does His Highness the Crown Prince have for my presence?"

The Crown Prince's smile remained unchanged: "Nothing important, I just wanted to see how Lord Mei handles cases."

Mei Zhili hurriedly invited the Crown Prince to sit in the main seat, but the Crown Prince waved his hand and simply brought over an ordinary square stool and sat down to the side of the main seat.

"Lord Mei, continue the trial. Don't forget your identity and responsibilities," the Crown Prince added calmly.

Mei Zhili felt a chill run down his spine and sat back down in the main seat with trepidation, the gavel in his hand trembling slightly.

The crown prince gestured for them to continue.

Fan Xian announced loudly, "Your Highness, this case has been concluded."

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and looked at Mei Zhili. Mei Zhili had no choice but to bite the bullet and quickly recount the interrogation process and the testimonies from both sides.

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince's lips curled into a cold smile: "The fact that a palace compiler was beaten is a disgrace to the royal family! I naturally believe Hongcheng's words. But a woman of the night... can she really convince the court with just her words?"

His voice rose higher and higher as he spoke, and at the end, he slammed his hand on the table next to him!

A loud "bang!" shook many people in the hall.

Mei Zhili remained silent, repeatedly saying, "Your Highness is absolutely right." Then, at the Crown Prince's signal, her attitude abruptly changed, and she said sternly, "Si Lili! Your testimony is vague and evasive, clearly an attempt to protect her! Guards, bring the torture! Let's see if she confesses!"

Fan Xian and Si Lili's expressions changed simultaneously.

Fan Xian hurriedly tried to stop him, but was rebuffed by Guo Baokun's lawyer.

Two bailiffs brought over the torture instruments, and the cold wooden clamps were roughly slipped onto Si Lili's ten fingers. The ropes were taut, and they were waiting for the order.

At this critical moment, another clear voice came from outside the courtroom:

"Wait a minute!"

The Second Prince, Li Chengze, walked in with unhurried steps.

Inside the hall, another chaotic scene of kneeling and worship ensued.

The crown prince called out "Second Brother," but didn't even lift his buttocks.

Li Chengze walked up to the Crown Prince and knelt down according to etiquette. Only then did the Crown Prince "suddenly" stand up and warmly help him up.

"What brings you to the capital city today, Second Brother?" the Crown Prince asked with a forced smile.

"Naturally, I've come to admire the Crown Prince's majesty," Li Chengze replied with the same insincere smile.

The crown prince chuckled and sat down again.

"With the Crown Prince in power, even the Prefect of the Capital has to defer to you. Your majesty is truly awe-inspiring and admirable," Li Chengze said sarcastically.

Mei Zhili hurriedly moved another square stool over and placed it on the other side of himself.

"Lord Mei is presiding over the trial; I am merely an observer," the Crown Prince said calmly.

Li Chengze sat down next to Mei Zhili, flanking the prefect with the crown prince on either side. He chuckled lightly, "What a coincidence, I'll just observe from the sidelines too."

Mei Zhili's forehead was drenched in cold sweat; he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He had no choice but to steel himself and give the order again: "Execute!"

Seeing this, Fan Xian knew that it was impossible to stop it.

He couldn't let Si Lili suffer the punishment in his place, so he gritted his teeth and stepped forward to confess.

Si Lili was extremely anxious and quickly stood up, claiming that he was willing to be tortured to prove his innocence. He also took the opportunity to stop Fan Xian and make the situation clear.

"If you plead guilty now, not only will your crime be compounded, but I will also be punished for perjury in court! Don't do anything foolish!"

Fan Xian froze, his fists clenched, and could only watch helplessly as the constables tightened the ropes.

"Ugh—!" The pain was excruciating, and Si Lili's face turned ashen instantly. She let out a suppressed groan, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

Mei Zhili pressed her for answers again, but Si Lili gritted her teeth and remained tight-lipped.

Seeing her defiance, the Crown Prince gradually lost patience. He raised his hand to signal a halt to the torture and called out to the outside of the hall, "Bring her up!"

Two bailiffs escorted a man into the courtroom and forced him to kneel on the ground.

Fan Xian recognized the person's face and his pupils contracted sharply—it was Teng Zijing!

The Crown Prince stood up and walked over to Teng Zijing: "Guo Baokun confessed that the murderer repeatedly asked about the whereabouts of Teng Zijing's family last night."

Teng Zijing, a member of the Detective Academy, was killed by Fan Xian after the assassination attempt in Danzhou, according to a report.

"I was puzzled. Who would care so much about the family member of a 'dead person'? Then I investigated, and hey, things got even more interesting! Look who I found! This 'completely dead' Teng Zijing!"

Below the hall, Teng Zijing closed his eyes and remained silent.

After Fan Xian was taken away, he secretly followed, but was spotted as soon as he left the Si Nan Marquis's residence. He didn't expect that he was the target, and he was ambushed without warning.

The second prince then stood up: "Now the truth is clear. This is the person who committed the murder last night."

The Crown Prince shook his head: "That's not the key point. Fan Xian reported that this man had already been executed. Do you know where I captured him? Outside the Marquis of Sinan's residence! As far as I know, this man had been constantly by Fan Xian's side ever since he entered the capital, parading around the city. Hongcheng, have you seen him?"

Li Hongcheng glanced at Teng Zijing and nodded: "I have indeed seen him before."

The second prince frowned even more deeply and fell silent.

The Crown Prince chuckled softly and paced slowly in the courtroom: "This is even more interesting. The Censorate is His Majesty's eyes and ears, a powerful tool of the state."

"Our young master Fan dared to lie about his death and even recruit members of the Censorate for his own use... What kind of behavior is this?" He walked back to his seat, sat down leisurely, and his gaze shot towards Fan Xian like lightning. "Putting everything else aside for now, Fan Xian, this is... deceiving the Emperor!"

The words "deceiving the emperor" were like a boulder thrown into a lake, creating ripples in the silent courtroom. Everyone instinctively held their breath. Fan Xian's heart sank.

Teng Zijing suddenly opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "I forced Fan Xian to comply with my demands using a knife. This matter has nothing to do with him!"

"Oh? It has nothing to do with him?" The Crown Prince sneered. "Then who does it have to do with? When I investigated your family, I discovered something strange. Your family members were actually taken into Prince Cheng's residence! If the matter of deceiving the emperor has nothing to do with Fan Xian, could it... possibly have something to do with Prince Cheng?"

Upon hearing this, the second prince slightly raised his eyelids, not expecting that Teng Zijing would involve the third prince.

Teng Zijing was also taken aback, not expecting the Crown Prince to direct his anger at Zhou Cheng.

He was willing to take the blame for Fan Xian, but what about Prince Cheng...?

"Not going to confess?" The Crown Prince glanced at Teng Zijing and then turned to Mei Zhili.

Mei Zhili understood and immediately shouted, "Guards! Execute him!"

Two constables stepped forward with their stern warning batons, just about to strike—

"stop!"

Another sharp shout came from the entrance of the courtroom.

Chen Quan appeared at the door carrying a small wine jar in one hand. After calling out, he stepped aside.

Zhou Cheng, dressed in ordinary indigo-blue casual clothes, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, strolled lazily into the courtroom.

Mei Zhili and the others felt their scalps tingle. It seemed that the threshold of the Kyoto Prefecture court would be worn down by several princes today, so they had no choice but to bow again.

Zhou Cheng's gaze swept casually over the crowd. Si Lili hurriedly turned her face away, using her loose hair to cover her face.

"Oh my! What wind has blown us brothers all to this capital city today? What a lively scene!" The Crown Prince rose, a smile spreading across his face. "May I ask what brings you here, Third Brother?"

Zhou Cheng smiled sheepishly and touched his nose: "To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that I heard that Si Lili from Zuixianju got into trouble and was brought here. That woman last night... sigh, she embarrassed me. I'm a petty person, so I thought I'd come and see her being punished, just to vent my anger and watch the show. I had just gotten outside when I vaguely heard someone mention my name inside, so I decided to come in and take a look."

"Si Lili? The courtesan who turned Third Brother away?" The Crown Prince feigned surprise, quickly walking to Si Lili's side and looking down at her pale yet still exquisite profile. "I was wondering why that name sounded familiar; it really is you!"

He turned to Zhou Cheng, his tone strange, "Third Brother has good taste! This girl is indeed pitiful to behold, with an exceptionally beautiful appearance. It's just a pity..."

At the end, he clicked his tongue, making a pointed remark.

Si Lili lowered her head, biting her lower lip tightly. The pain in her fingers and the humiliation she felt made her body tremble slightly.

Zhou Cheng smiled nonchalantly: "Si Lili is indeed quite beautiful, but she's still slightly inferior to the Crown Prince's 'woman in the painting.' It's a pity..."

He clicked his tongue in disapproval.

[Li Chengqian's negative emotions +233!]

The crown prince's face instantly darkened.

He considered it a secret that he painted Li Yunrui's portrait, and that only he and Li Yunrui knew about it.

Zhou Cheng had used this to provoke him before, and when he questioned Li Yunrui about it afterward, the latter denied it outright.

From that point on, he couldn't help but suspect that the two had a special relationship.

He couldn't stand Li Yunrui's closeness to Zhou Cheng, and he couldn't bear the thought that his devoted feelings might be treated as a game by the person he admired behind his back.

The Crown Prince's mood was clearly off, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately became tense. Although everyone was curious about who Zhou Cheng was referring to as the "person in the painting," no one dared to ask a single question.

At this moment, the Second Prince, Li Chengze, walked over, his gaze falling on the wine jar in Chen Quan's hand: "Third Brother, you came to watch the fun, but why did you have your men carrying a jar of wine? Is this... a bar?"

Zhou Cheng nodded: "On the way here, I saw some liniment for bruises being sold on the street. Thinking that someone might be suffering in this courtroom, I reluctantly spent three taels of silver to buy this jar."

Li Chengze looked at Zhou Cheng and blinked: "I didn't expect that Third Brother is actually a stubborn but soft-hearted person. This woman is obviously ungrateful and has tarnished Third Brother's reputation, yet Third Brother still feels sorry for her being tortured."

Si Lili, who had been turning her head away from Zhou Cheng's gaze, couldn't help but look at him upon hearing this, her eyes filled with a complex and unreadable expression.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Cheng waved his hand and said, "Second Brother, you misunderstand. This medicinal wine is not for Si Lili. She is not my woman, and I have no reason to pity her. I, the dignified Prince Cheng, would not stoop so low as to fawn over a woman. Someone else is using this medicinal wine."

Li Chengze asked curiously, "Is that for Teng Zijing? What is the relationship between Third Brother and this person? He is suspected of deceiving the emperor, a serious crime... I'm afraid he won't need this medicine?" He deliberately emphasized the words "deceiving the emperor".

Teng Zijing also raised her head and looked at Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng shook his head again: "It's not for him either."

Now, not only Li Chengze, but everyone in the hall looked puzzled.

Just as everyone was puzzled, another figure hurriedly entered the courtroom.

"Eunuch Hou?" The Crown Prince was greatly surprised when he saw who it was.

The visitor was none other than Eunuch Hou, a trusted eunuch of Emperor Qing.

As soon as he entered the courtroom, his face turned solemn. He waved his whisk, cleared his throat, and his high-pitched yet clear voice echoed throughout every corner:

"By order of His Majesty—"

Everyone in the hall felt a chill and immediately knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

"Teng Zijing is not dead; the Court of Judicial Review has made other arrangements. I was already aware of this, so it doesn't count as deceiving the Emperor. Judicial proceedings are the responsibility of the Capital Prefecture. You royal family members, return to your residences and mind your own business!"

The imperial edict was concise and to the point. After listening, everyone had different expressions, but they all responded in unison, "Your subjects will obey the imperial edict."

After delivering the message, Eunuch Hou turned to leave. Zhou Cheng, however, was one step ahead and reached out to stop him.

"Third Prince, what is the meaning of this?" Eunuch Hou paused in his steps.

Zhou Cheng bowed slightly to him: "Please wait a moment, Eunuch Hou. There is still some entertainment to come. You may wish to watch it and then return directly to the palace to report to the Emperor, saving you an extra trip."

Eunuch Hou looked surprised.

Zhou Cheng said no more, and turned to Chen Quan, instructing, "Close the main gate of the court. Have all the guards and yamen runners outside stand back ten feet and not approach."

Chen Quan put down the jar of medicinal wine and left as instructed.

Before long, the heavy doors of the court slammed shut, shutting out most of the outside light and sound, and the interior became dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering in from the high windows.

"Third Brother, what are you doing?" The Crown Prince frowned. The sudden enclosed space and dim light inexplicably filled him with a sense of panic.

Zhou Cheng acted as if he hadn't heard, and walked straight toward the Second Prince, Li Chengze.

All eyes followed his steps and focused on the two of them.

Li Chengze's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, and he forced a smile, saying, "Chengcheng, what's the matter with all this fuss?"

Zhou Cheng stopped in front of him, his face expressionless: "Second Brother, you had Hongcheng take Fan Xian to Zuixianju to deliver a poem to Si Lili... was it just to disgust me?"

Li Chengze wanted to laugh, but he couldn't because of Zhou Cheng's expression.

He frowned, his expression gradually darkening: "You made such a fuss just to ask me this?"

"You only need to answer yes or no." Zhou Cheng's tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable pressure.

Li Chengze's eyes turned extremely dangerous: "Li Chengcheng! I am your second brother, the second prince of the current dynasty, not your prisoner! What right do you have to question me like this? Has a woman really caused you to have a hysterical fit?"

Under Li Chengze's icy gaze, Zhou Cheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Second Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn't have asked so many questions."

Upon hearing Zhou Cheng "give in," Li Chengze's tense expression eased slightly, and a magnanimous smile was about to appear on his lips.

But then Zhou Cheng lowered his head and muttered to himself as if talking to himself:

"I was so stupid. Really. I just thought it was true, so why did I have to ask so many questions?"

As the muttering subsided, amidst the horrified gazes of the entire room, Zhou Cheng slowly raised his hand, seemingly slowly but actually swiftly, leaving a clear afterimage!

"Smack!!!"

A crisp, resounding slap landed squarely on Li Chengze's face!

Caught completely off guard, Li Chengze was spun halfway around by the force of the blow before crashing heavily to the ground with a thud. A clear red five-finger mark quickly appeared on his face, which was filled with disbelief.

This scene was too sudden! Too horrifying!

Inside the courtroom, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone, including Fan Xian, was stunned by the sudden slap and didn't even dare to breathe.

Zhou Cheng, however, acted as if he had merely swatted away a fly. He wiped his robe a couple of times with his hand, then bent down and picked up the jar of medicinal wine at his feet.

He walked up to Li Chengze, who was still in a daze and hadn't reacted yet, squatted down, and stuffed the medicinal wine into Li Chengze's arms.

"Come on, second brother," Zhou Cheng's voice was full of concern, "apply it now, it'll be most effective at reducing swelling and relieving pain. Luckily, I had the foresight to know you deserve a beating and prepared this for you early... These three taels of silver of mine are definitely worth it!"