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

Let's go back half an hour.

The carriage, pulled by two sturdy blue horses, moved slowly and deliberately along the smooth bluestone road in the south of the city, its steps light and clattering.

The wheels rolled over the stone surface, making a steady rumbling sound. Pedestrians ahead, hearing the bell, would automatically move aside.

There was still some time before his scheduled meeting with the Second Prince, so Fan Xian wasn't in a hurry to travel.

Instead of staying cooped up in the carriage, he and Teng Zijing rode horses side by side, with the empty carriage trailing behind them.

The two chatted casually, occasionally glancing at the various sights passing by on the street.

The carriage passed under a tall stone archway. Fan Xian looked up and then subconsciously glanced at Teng Zijing beside him.

"This street looks kind of familiar," he frowned, his gaze sweeping over the shop signs on both sides.

Teng Zijing smiled and said, "It's normal that it looks familiar. Isn't this the place where you beat up Guo Baokun?"

Fan Xian was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized: "No wonder, I didn't recognize you at first glance during the day."

He muttered something, then added, "But what do you mean I hit Guo Baokun? It should be us hitting Guo Baokun. I hit him for you."

Teng Zijing didn't even glance at him, but just smiled and said, "Yes, yes, you're right."

Fan Xian was somewhat surprised that he did not receive the expected rebuttal.

"You seem a bit strange today," Fan Xian pointed at him with his riding crop. "You usually don't show a second expression on your face. What's wrong, are you in a good mood today?"

Teng Zijing felt a little embarrassed by what he said, but her smile deepened.

He lowered his eyes, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

"Last night..." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "my son called me."

Fan Xian immediately understood, but still asked, "Your son called you? What did he call you?"

Teng Zijing didn't answer, but just rolled her eyes at him.

Seeing that he wouldn't fall for it, Fan Xian didn't take it to heart and just laughed along.

The two rode side by side, their horses' hooves making a light, quick sound.

After walking for a while, Teng Zijing suddenly spoke up: "I heard you say before that you were planning to go back to Danzhou?"

Fan Xian nodded, his gaze fixed ahead: "Yes. I plan to go back after I marry Wan'er."

"That's fine then." Teng Zijing's voice was calm. "You're incredibly audacious, and you've made too many enemies in the capital. You even dared to poison Prince Cheng; you're the first one to do so."

Fan Xian chuckled and scratched the back of his head: "He threatened me with Ruoruo, and I was furious."

He paused, his smile fading slightly. "It's a pity. I intended to teach him a lesson by poisoning him, but it seems... it didn't work. I wonder if Prince Cheng's martial arts skills are more formidable than we imagined, or if he has someone capable of antidoting him."

Teng Zijing's smile faded slightly. He turned his head to look at Fan Xian, his tone more serious than before:

"Yesterday, Prince Cheng told you to be careful, but I don't think it was a simple threat. You must be cautious before returning to Danzhou."

Fan Xian nodded, his gaze drifting to the gradually denser rooftops in the distance, and sighed softly:

"Before coming here, I only wanted to find the person who wanted to kill me, learn about my mother's past, and incidentally, find answers to some questions..."

He paused, a warm smile curving his lips, a smile that held both comfort and relief.

"Now, I have people I care about more. I'm also lazy and don't want to ask for more. I just want to live a good life."

Teng Zijing was silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice low and firm:

"Yes, it's good to be alive. A person lives not often for themselves." He gazed ahead, his eyes distant. "I live for my family, and I only want to live for my family."

Fan Xian nodded, then turned to look at him: "Do you want to come back to Danzhou with me? Our two families can be neighbors."

Teng Zijing did not answer immediately.

He thought for a moment and said, "As long as I have money and land, and can bring my family along, it doesn't matter where I go."

Fan Xian smiled confidently: "When I return to Danzhou, Prince Cheng will definitely not make things difficult for your family anymore. At that time, your whole family will come to Danzhou, and you can wholeheartedly serve as my bodyguard!"

Teng Zijing chuckled and glanced at him sideways: "My loyalty is only to my family. Being a bodyguard is just a job; if there's danger, I'll be the first to run. You, good luck."

Fan Xian looked helpless: "You're too blunt!" He shook his head and sneered, "A person who's too straightforward is easily broken. You'd better be careful."

Teng Zijing raised her chin dismissively: "You're even more stubborn and straightforward than me. With you in front of me, what do I have to be afraid of?"

He gave the reins a shake, and his green horse began to stride forward.

The carriage continued on its way, and the number of pedestrians ahead gradually decreased, while the shops on both sides of the street became less bustling.

Just as I was relaxing—

"Whoosh—!"

Two arrows suddenly shot in from the side, tearing through the air and emitting a sharp whistling sound!

Fan Xian and Teng Zijing reacted almost simultaneously! The two twisted their bodies and instantly leaped off their horses, tumbling in mid-air to barely avoid the first wave of attacks!

"Knock knock!"

The arrow pierced the carriage behind them, its tail feathers trembling violently!

On the high wall, two white figures suddenly appeared, holding longbows, nocking arrows, and the second wave of attacks followed immediately!

"An assassin—!"

Someone let out a heart-wrenching scream.

The crowd on the street erupted instantly! People scattered and screamed, vendors' baskets were knocked over, and hampers rolled all over the ground, but everyone was only concerned with escaping for their lives, and no one cared about these things.

Teng Zijing moved nimbly and quickly took out one of the assassins with a hidden weapon. Fan Xian quickly followed suit and dealt with the remaining one.

The two sturdy horses pulling the carriage were already frightened and galloped forward, neighing loudly! The heavy carriage jolted violently on the stone road, swaying left and right. Pedestrians fleeing in the middle of the street screamed and dodged, almost being knocked off their feet by the carriage!

"carriage!"

Fan Xian and Teng Zijing exchanged a glance and immediately took off after them!

The two exerted their strength almost simultaneously, their bodies moving like arrows, barely catching up to the back edge of the carriage, and leaping into the carriage at the same time!

Just as they passed through the carriage, a crossbow bolt suddenly appeared around the corner ahead!

A hail of crossbow bolts rang out, killing the horses instantly, before they even had a chance to neigh.

Just as the crossbow bolts were about to hit them, Fan Xian and Teng Zijing leaped into the air, tumbling and landing just in time!

Fan Xian had barely steadied himself and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when...

"boom--!!!"

The wall behind me suddenly exploded!

Broken bricks and dust flew like a torrential rain. A huge shadow rushed out from the hole. A large, fan-like hand grabbed Fan Xian, swung him up, and slammed him heavily onto a street stall!

"Bang!"

The stall was smashed to pieces, and sawdust flew everywhere!

The giant shadow struck successfully and pounced again before Fan Xian could catch his breath!

Teng Zijing's pupils contracted sharply as he recognized the figure—Cheng Jushu, a peak eighth-rank external martial arts master from Northern Qi!

......

"Bang--!!!"

Startled by the loud noise in the distance, Ye Ling'er turned to look out the window and saw a cloud of dust rising into the sky from the streets and alleys in the distance!

"Assassin! Murder!"

Screams erupted as the crowd scattered like startled ants. The entire Niulan Street descended into chaos in an instant.

Ye Ling'er frowned.

In Kyoto, it is truly rare for an assassination attempt to occur in broad daylight, causing a riot and creating such a commotion.

Judging from their formation, they must be extraordinary masters exchanging blows.

"I wonder who was assassinated..."

Ye Ling'er's heart raced involuntarily. As a martial artist, to encounter such a scene but not be able to witness it up close was simply torture.

She wanted to go see it! But then...

"Want to go see it?"

Suddenly a voice came to my ear, lazy and with a hint of knowing.

Ye Ling'er nodded subconsciously.

"Let's go join the fun!"

"what?"

Ye Ling'er suddenly realized what was happening and looked around, only to see Zhou Cheng already walking towards the door.

She paused for a moment, then quickly caught up, unable to resist reminding him:

"Your Highness, you'd better stay here. There are assassins outside; swords don't discriminate. If you get hurt, I can't bear the responsibility."

Zhou Cheng didn't pause for a moment. He pushed open the door, and Chen Quan, who was waiting outside, immediately followed.

"Unless I die, you have no reason to take responsibility."

He paused, looking at Ye Ling'er who was hesitant:

"Do you still want to watch the excitement? If so, hurry up and leave."

Ye Ling'er: "...Oh, oh, oh!"

She quickly followed, her hem billowing in a fiery red arc on the stairwell.

Zhou Cheng's pace was neither fast nor slow. He neither used martial arts nor deliberately sped up; he simply maintained a pace slightly faster than that of an ordinary person.

Ye Ling'er wanted to speed up and leap over the walls, but looking at the unhurried figure in front of her, she could only suppress the impulse, hold her breath, and obediently follow behind.

After navigating two alleys and navigating several bends, it took them several minutes to finally reach the heart of the commotion.

What came into view was a scene of utter devastation.

The bluestone pavement was mostly shattered, with gravel scattered everywhere.

A large section of the wall on the left side of the street had collapsed, with bricks and stones piled up into a small mountain. Cracks from the impact still remained on the broken walls.

Several shops along the road were damaged; their doors were askew, their windows were broken, and their signs hung precariously under the eaves.

This no longer resembles a simple assassination scene; it's more like a battlefield.

Ye Ling'er's gaze swept over them quickly.

A towering figure, more than a head taller than an average person, lay face up amidst a pile of rubble, his fate unknown.

On the other side, about ten steps away, lay a human figure lying on the ground.

Beside that person, another person knelt on the ground, head bowed, looking utterly lost and dejected.

"Yo!"

A lazy voice sounded from beside Ye Ling'er.

"Isn't that Fan Xian?"

Zhou Cheng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the kneeling figure, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"Why aren't you at Zuixianju keeping your appointment with the Second Prince? Instead, you're here...begging?"

"Fan Xian?"

Ye Ling'er's expression shifted slightly.

She immediately looked closely at the kneeling figure.

The man was pale, with bloodshot eyes, covered in dust, his robes stained with blood, and his hair disheveled, as if he had just crawled out of the ground.

To be honest, this was the first time she had ever seen Fan Xian in person. Before, she had only heard Lin Wan'er mention him, describing his appearance, his temperament, and how kind he was to her.

At this moment, he looks alright, but he's in a rather disheveled state.

"This assassination attempt... is it aimed at Fan Xian?"

Ye Ling'er felt a chill run down her spine.

.......

The moment Zhou Cheng appeared, Fan Xian's already bloodshot eyes seemed to burst forth with red light.

He staggered to his feet, his legs trembling slightly, but he held on with all his might. His voice was incredibly hoarse:

"It was you...it was the assassin you arranged, wasn't it?"

Zhou Cheng stood still, his expression unchanged.

Still with his hands behind his back, his gaze swept lightly over Fan Xian, his tone relaxed:

"Don't get me wrong. I just happened to hear the noise and came over to see what was going on."

Fan Xian stared intently at him.

The hatred in his eyes was almost tangible!

Did you happen to hear the noise? Why didn't you come and check it out?

Not you?

What a coincidence! What such a convenient coincidence!

Ye Ling'er stood beside Zhou Cheng, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two.

She noticed Fan Xian's gaze and saw Zhou Cheng's completely unsurprised expression, and her heart sank slightly.

She naturally knew something about the feud between Zhou Cheng and Fan Xian.

She also suspected that Zhou Cheng was behind everything she was seeing.

You should know that yesterday she asked Lin Wan'er to pass on a message that the agreed meeting place was not here at all.

It was Zhou Cheng himself who changed the location to Niulan Street.

And they come over immediately upon hearing a noise...

She didn't believe such a coincidence could happen.

Even if she suspected it, even if she was almost certain, she... couldn't say anything.

She had no evidence, and more importantly, she couldn't possibly accuse a prince for the sake of Fan Xian, whom she had never met.

Ye Ling'er secretly clenched her hand hidden in her sleeve. She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and tried to make her voice sound steady:

"You're Fan Xian? How are you? Are you alright?"

After all, he was Lin Wan'er's fiancé. As her best friend, she should at least ask him a question.

Fan Xian shifted his gaze from Zhou Cheng to her face.

It was an unfamiliar face. She wore a fiery red outfit, her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her eyes and brows held a heroic spirit that was not found in ordinary young ladies.

He doesn't know him.

He glanced at him only once before looking away and returning his gaze to Zhou Cheng.

Ye Ling'er felt a little embarrassed by his glance, but she didn't say anything more.

Zhou Cheng seemed completely oblivious to her embarrassment.

He lifted his foot and walked slowly to Fan Xian's side, looking down at the motionless figure on the ground.

"Isn't that Teng Zijing?" He then looked up, a hint of doubt in his voice, "Why does he look... a little dead?"

"..."

Fan Xian's breath hitched.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Just as he was about to make his move, a whooshing sound suddenly came from afar, and a figure flew over the rooftops and walls at high speed.

"Master Xiaofan——!"

Wang Qinian landed panting heavily. When he looked up, he first saw Fan Xian, and the tension on his face instantly eased.

Then, he saw the figure standing in front of Fan Xian.

Wang Qinian was instantly jolted, and quickly bowed and clasped his hands, bending so low that his waist almost broke in two:

"This humble servant, Wang Qinian, greets Your Highness, Prince Cheng!"

Zhou Cheng waved his hand casually.

Wang Qinian straightened up, cautiously approached, and put on his usual ingratiating smile:

"Your Highness, what...what happened?"

Zhou Cheng gestured with his chin toward Fan Xian:

Ask him.

Wang Qinian nodded repeatedly, bending down to get closer to Fan Xian. He reached out and subtly tugged at Fan Xian's sleeve, lowering his voice:

"Master Xiaofan..."

Fan Xian didn't move. Nor did he speak.

He was still staring intently at Zhou Cheng.

He was in terrible shape; just standing was a struggle. Zhou Cheng, on the other hand, was a hidden master even stronger than him…

The hatred in Fan Xian's eyes made even a seasoned veteran like Wang Qinian feel deeply uneasy.

Wang Qinian was helpless.

Since Fan Xian didn't speak, he had no choice but to squat down and check on the person on the ground.

He checked Teng Zijing's breath—

It's flat.

He then took Teng Zijing's hand, felt her pulse, and quietly sensed it for a moment.

Then, he released his grip and sighed softly.

Hearing Wang Qinian sigh, Fan Xian could no longer hold back his tears, which welled up in his eyes.

He hates.

He hated Zhou Cheng.

I also hate myself.

—If he had been more decisive and fought harder back then, Teng Zijing could have survived!

Cheng Jushu was a peak eighth-rank master of external martial arts, and coupled with his extraordinary talent and innate superhuman strength, his power far surpassed that of his peers. His and Teng Zijing's attacks could barely break through Cheng Jushu's true qi defense.

In just one encounter, he and Teng Zijing were both injured.

They both wanted the other to escape first, leaving themselves to buy time, but they had the same idea and neither of them would leave, which ultimately led to them being left to fight Cheng Jushu to the death.

He was a newly entered eighth-rank cultivator, but he cultivated domineering true qi, enough to challenge opponents of higher ranks. However, domineering true qi was too domineering, harming both himself and others.

If he had disregarded the backlash and fought with all his might back then...

If he hadn't been worried about the consequences, and his resolve had been even stronger...

There was absolutely no need for Teng Zijing to take the fatal blow for him...

Wang Qinian stood up, walked to the other side, and squatted down to examine Cheng Jushu.

After a moment, he shook his head and sighed:

"Cheng Jushu is dead." He paused. "If he were still alive, we could have used that opportunity to track down the real culprit. What a pity..."

Fan Xian remained silent, still staring at Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng met his gaze and raised an eyebrow slightly:

Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I'm a murderer?

He put his hands in his pockets and said, "I'm just wondering, Teng Zijing is my man. My subordinate just lost a guard, why are you so agitated?"

"Teng Zijing has never belonged to anyone; he is simply himself!"

Fan Xian's voice suddenly rose, hoarse and carrying an almost suppressed hysteria:

"He's more than just a bodyguard! He's a father! A husband! My friend! My brother!"

His eyes were red-rimmed and his whole body was trembling.

"You understand nothing! Cold-blooded creatures like you have no understanding of human emotions! You don't deserve to be called human!"

Zhou Cheng stood there, unperturbed by Fan Xian's insults, and instead smiled, saying, "You don't deserve it. You don't deserve to be a human being, do you?"

After speaking, he paused, his gaze falling on the lifeless figure on the ground:

"However, Teng Zijing is my man, and there's no use denying that." He slightly raised his chin. "Back then, I paid him to keep his life."

"Shameless!"

Fan Xian could only squeeze out two words through gritted teeth.

In Zhou Cheng's view, the so-called "money to buy life" meant holding Teng Zijing's wife and children's lives hostage.

"I'm always generous to my own people, and I never do anything that doesn't benefit me."

As he spoke, Zhou Cheng walked over to Teng Zijing and casually kicked him.

In an instant, Fan Xian felt the taut string in his mind snap completely!

"I kill you!"

He pulled Teng Zijing's dagger from the ground, rushed forward, and his killing intent soared to the sky!

"Young Master Fan! You mustn't! You mustn't—!"

Wang Qinian rushed forward and grabbed Fan Xian's waist tightly! Fan Xian struggled desperately, but was held firmly by him, and could only watch helplessly as Zhou Cheng defiled Teng Zijing's corpse.

Ye Ling'er couldn't help but frown.

unacceptable!

That's so vicious!

Is this the kind of person she'll be marrying soon?

Zhou Cheng ignored Fan Xian's outburst.

He stopped after kicking Teng Zijing.

"Fan Xian, my men were injured while saving you. I entrust their recovery to you."

He paused again.

"As for the murderer, I know, but I don't want to keep it from you. If you're so capable, go find out for yourself."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Fan Xian was still struggling desperately, but with his serious injuries, how could he possibly get rid of Wang Qinian?

He didn't hear what Zhou Cheng was saying at all.

All he knew was that Teng Zijing died protecting him, and that Zhou Cheng had insulted his body in front of him after his death!

"Well……"

A faint groan came from the ground.

Wang Qinian's hand suddenly froze.

Fan Xian's struggle abruptly stopped.

The two looked toward the source of the sound at the same time.

Teng Zijing then sat up from the ground, rubbing his chest.

Fan Xian: "...???"

Wang Qinian: "...!!!"