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

Zhou Cheng's simple words in the forensic institute were like a boulder crashing into the water.

The news that the assassination on Niulan Street was instigated by Lin Gong, the son of Lin Xiang, spread throughout the streets and alleys of Kyoto in less than half a day.

Outside the gates of the Imperial Censorate, Fan Xian stood rooted to the spot, completely bewildered.

At this stage, he has not yet experienced too much hardship, and since Teng Zijing survived the Niulan Street case, he still tends to be somewhat naive.

He thought that as long as he kept the truth hidden for the time being, he could find an opportunity to secretly have a frank talk with Lin Gong and make things clear later.

Lin Gong is the Crown Prince's man; this is an open secret in the capital.

Although Lin Gong was the son of Prime Minister Lin Ruofu, the father and son did not share the same political views.

Lin Ruofu, as the head of all officials, did not take the Crown Prince seriously at all. He was loyal to Emperor Qing, the court, and the position of prime minister that he had cultivated for decades.

But Lin Gong was different. He didn't want to live under his father's wing for the rest of his life. He wanted to forge his own path.

The Crown Prince was the path he chose.

In Fan Xian's view, Lin Gong wanted to kill him for nothing more than the Crown Prince and for control of the Imperial Treasury.

Since that's the case, he could simply tell Lin Gong face to face that he doesn't want the power of the inner treasury, he only wants to marry Lin Wan'er and then return to Danzhou to live his own quiet life.

Although he was assassinated, he didn't die, nor did Teng Zijing, so there was no irreconcilable hatred between them.

He had even just been thinking of going to the Lin residence to sit down with his brother-in-law, Lin Gong, have a cup of tea, clear up all the misunderstandings, and then let bygones be bygones, so that in the future, during festivals, everyone could get together to make dumplings...

But now...

Zhou Cheng called out Lin Gong's name in front of everyone.

His little scheme completely backfired.

"Is Prince Cheng using the assassination attempt to target the Crown Prince by using Lin Gong as a pretext?"

Fan Xian watched as Zhou Cheng helped Si Lili into the carriage, muttering to himself.

This is the most reasonable explanation he could find.

"That's what royalty is like. Brotherly love and respect, they never let go of any opportunity they can get their hands on..."

Fan Xian's expression was indescribable. He stared in the direction the carriage had disappeared, then at the empty gate of the Imperial Censorate, and suddenly a chill ran down his spine.

He jumped up immediately: "I haven't gotten on the bus yet! Give me a ride! I haven't gotten on the bus yet!"

He took two steps after it, but could only watch helplessly as the carriage completely disappeared.

Scratching his head, Fan Xian sighed helplessly, looked up at the sky, thought of Lin Wan'er, and then changed direction.

......

That night.

Royal Villa.

The moonlight, like water, quietly poured into this secluded garden.

The artificial hill made of Taihu stones casts jagged shadows under the moonlight, and a stream of water meanders around the corridor, making a soft, murmuring sound.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered.

Ye Ling'er sat on the edge of the couch with red eyes, looking pitiful, like a kitten that had just been abandoned by its owner.

Lin Wan'er pushed the door open and was startled at first. Then, when she saw who it was and her appearance, she was completely stunned.

"Ling'er? What happened to you?" She quickly walked over, sat down next to Ye Ling'er, and took her hand. "Where have you been these past few days? How did you end up like this?"

Before she could finish her question, Ye Ling'er's lips trembled, and tears streamed down her face.

She suddenly threw herself into Lin Wan'er's arms, burying her face in her shoulder, her voice muffled and choked with sobs:

"Waaah... Wan'er! I was tricked by that bastard Li Chengcheng!"

Lin Wan'er's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly hugged her, gently patting her back.

"He, he, he tricked me into coming to Prince Cheng's mansion," Ye Ling'er sobbed, "and then, then he forced me... Waaah..."

Lin Wan'er's expression changed drastically, and her voice tightened:

"Forced? What kind of forced? Is it the kind I'm thinking of...?"

Ye Ling'er buried her face in her arms and nodded vigorously.

Lin Wan'er's breath hitched, followed by a mixture of shock and anger.

Although Ye Ling'er has been betrothed to Zhou Cheng by Emperor Qing, it is still too much to lure her to the mansion before the wedding and force her into marriage!

"Ling'er, how are you feeling?" She looked Ye Ling'er up and down, her eyes full of worry. "Aside from that...aside from that, you're not injured, are you?"

She knew Ye Ling'er's martial arts prowess.

To force her, they would have to resort to violence. She was very worried about whether Ye Ling'er was injured.

Lin Wan'er's second half of her sentence made Ye Ling'er's face turn red instantly.

She was buried in Lin Wan'er's arms, so Lin Wan'er didn't see her.

"I'm not hurt..." Her voice was muffled, barely audible, "I just hate him... He treated me like that, I hate him so much..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan'er breathed a slight sigh of relief, and then felt a surge of immense pity.

A girl's marriage is a matter of lifelong happiness. If she entrusts herself to the wrong person, her remaining life will inevitably be full of hardship and pain.

Ye Ling'er has already been treated like this before even getting married; she simply can't imagine what it will be like after she gets married...

She bit her lip and hugged Ye Ling'er tightly.

Ye Ling'er's ordeal is something that cannot be discussed with outsiders, let alone sought any justice.

She was forced to endure it, and as her best friend, she was powerless to do anything about it.

She could only feel sorry for her best friend's plight while being thankful that she had met Fan Xian.

They are both men.

Fan Xian would often sneak over the wall at night to meet her, but Fan Xian was a true gentleman. He never forced her, nor did he ever make any inappropriate moves. Their closest contact now was holding hands and hugging...

Compared to this...

Lin Wan'er sighed inwardly.

As if hearing her inner sigh, Ye Ling'er suddenly raised her head, her eyes red as she looked at her: "Wan'er, you must keep this a secret. I can't let anyone else know; I can only tell you."

Lin Wan'er nodded repeatedly, raising her hand to wipe away the tears on her face: "I know, I know. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

She gently stroked Ye Ling'er's hair, one stroke at a time.

"Ling'er, these past few days... has Li Chengcheng kept you locked up in the Prince Cheng's mansion?"

Ye Ling'er's sobbing suddenly stopped.

The pause was so obvious that Lin Wan'er's hand involuntarily stopped.

"...No, no, that's not true." Ye Ling'er's voice was so low it was almost inaudible, as if she felt a little guilty.

Lin Wan'er slowly lowered her hand.

She had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"Prince Cheng didn't lock you up," she said, looking down at Ye Ling'er's ponytail. "Then where have you been these past few days? You haven't returned to the Ye residence, nor have you come here."

Ye Ling'er exclaimed "Ouch!" and buried her head in her arms, her ears turning bright red instantly, as if someone had exposed something shameful.

"I... I wasn't feeling well at the time... so I stayed at that bastard's house to recuperate..."

Lin Wan'er was stunned for a moment.

Then she reached out and forcefully cupped Ye Ling'er's face.

Ye Ling'er tried to dodge and turn her head away, but Lin Wan'er stared at her intently, and she couldn't escape.

"Ling'er," Lin Wan'er stared into her eyes, her brows furrowing slightly, "This isn't right. With your temperament, after being treated like that by Prince Cheng, why are you still staying with him?"

Ye Ling'er's gaze began to wander.

"Tell me the truth," Lin Wan'er's voice deepened, "What exactly happened to you?"

Ye Ling'er felt uneasy under her gaze, her eyes darted around twice, and she finally gave in.

"Wan'er, I didn't lie to you..." She lowered her head and muttered, "At first, he did trick me and force me. But later..."

She paused, seemingly considering her words.

"He takes good care of me and treats me very well... Since His Majesty has already bestowed the marriage upon me, I'll stay with him to recuperate for the time being, and also... to see what kind of person he really is..."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

She was too embarrassed to say that the experience during those few days had become somewhat addictive, and after that she just gave up and let herself go.

Lin Wan'er knows Ye Ling'er too well.

Looking at her best friend's evasive eyes, her bright red ears, and her guilty yet stubborn expression, how could she not understand?

This girl doesn't hate Zhou Cheng for forcing her at all!

She stared at Ye Ling'er with a stern face: "You've dared to stay at Prince Cheng's residence these past few days, so what's wrong with you today?"

Mentioning today immediately made Ye Ling'er puff up in anger again.

"It's that Li Chengcheng again!" She sat up abruptly, looking aggrieved. "Do you know what? He actually brought that courtesan Si Lili back to his mansion today!"

Lin Wan'er was taken aback.

"Who is Si Lili?! It's all over the place!" Ye Ling'er became increasingly angry as she spoke. "She's a Northern Qi spy using her identity as a courtesan as a cover! Li Chengcheng is amazing; he took a liking to her beauty and managed to bring her back from the Censorate!"

She clenched her fists, her small white teeth grinding together.

"I've only been with him for a few days, and he dares to openly bring women into the manor! One today, another tomorrow, he brings back all sorts of women. What am I to him?"

Lin Wan'er stared at her blankly, speechless.

Ye Ling'er became more and more aggrieved as she spoke.

People, whether men or women, are born with a possessive nature.

During her stay at Prince Cheng's residence over the past few days, Ye Ling'er had developed feelings for him and learned some basic information. She knew that Sang Wen was the only one in the residence who was currently serving the emperor.

She really couldn't say anything about Sang Wen.

When she was exhausted and on the first night, it was Sang Wen who brought her hot water to wipe her body and took good care of her.

Sang Wen saw her in her most disheveled and wretched state, and she was too ashamed to be angry with him.

But Si Lili is different.

Si Lili came later; she was not only a spy for Northern Qi, but she also offended Zhou Cheng.

However, Zhou Cheng brought Si Lili back from the Observatory. Not only did he not force her, but he was also very lenient. As soon as she entered the mansion, he sent people to take care of her and let her recover first.

Comparing her own experience to this, she instantly felt resentful.

In a fit of anger, she ran away.

What angered her even more was that Zhou Cheng didn't stop her!

Lin Wan'er listened quietly to Ye Ling'er's complaints, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Now she understood perfectly well. Her best friend didn't hate Zhou Cheng or Si Lili at all; she was clearly just... jealous.

He's extremely jealous.

She looked at Ye Ling'er, at that tear-streaked face, at those eyes that were both aggrieved and angry, and suddenly felt like laughing, but couldn't.

Just as she was pondering how to comfort him,

"Miss! Miss! Something terrible has happened!"

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside, followed by the panicked cries of a maid, which were particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Ye Ling'er stopped speaking, and Lin Wan'er frowned.

What news could make a maid so panicked at this hour?

She glanced at Ye Ling'er's appearance; her eyes were swollen, and her face was streaked with tears, making it inconvenient for others to see her.

So she didn't open the door, but instead asked towards the outside:

"What happened? Why are you so panicked?"

The maid's voice outside was still panting, trembling noticeably:

"Miss, everyone outside is saying... the person who colluded with Northern Qi spies to assassinate Young Master Fan on Niulan Street a few days ago... has been found!"

"Found it?"

Lin Wan'er's eyes lit up.

She worried for days after Fan Xian was stabbed, unable to sleep well night after night. Now that the murderer has been found, she can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But then she realized—

The maid seemed to have just shouted "Something terrible has happened!"

Finding the murderer, how can it be "bad news"?

For some reason, her voice tightened a bit:

"Who is the murderer?"

There was a moment of silence outside.

Then the maid's voice came, stammering:

"Yes...it's the Second Young Master."

Lin Wan'er was stunned for a moment.

Second son?

Her first reaction was that she almost thought it was the Second Prince, Li Chengze.

But in the next instant, the color drained from her face at a speed visible to the naked eye.

She suddenly stood up, almost startling Ye Ling'er.

"You mean... Second Brother?"

The maid's voice came cautiously from behind the door: "Yes, Miss. Rumors are circulating outside that the Second Young Master was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on Young Master Fan..."

Lin Wan'er's vision went black.

He swayed and almost fell over.

Ye Ling'er also listened intently. She had a bad feeling, but luckily she reacted quickly and caught Lin Wan'er.

"Wan'er! Wan'er!"

Lin Wan'er's hands were trembling violently, and her lips were quivering.

"How could it be my second brother... Why my second brother... Is there some misunderstanding...?"

She panicked and lost her composure; her mind went completely blank.

Seeing her like this, Ye Ling'er no longer cared about her own grievances.

She quickly wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, dried her hands, and then gripped Lin Wan'er's hand tightly, her voice becoming steady:

"Wan'er, don't panic! Maybe it's a misconception! Let's call the person in and ask them carefully, so we don't scare ourselves unnecessarily!"

Hearing this, Lin Wan'er felt as if she had grasped a lifeline and nodded repeatedly.

She staggered to her feet and ran to open the door for the maid.

The maid entered with her head down, glanced at Ye Ling'er, and then recounted everything she had heard.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan'er's face turned ashen.

She stood there, swaying precariously.

Ye Ling'er supported her, but even a slight touch of her voice made her feel choked with pain.

She knew that Lin Gong doted on Lin Wan'er the most. She also knew that Lin Wan'er was deeply in love with Fan Xian.

If Lin Gong is indeed the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on Fan Xian...

One is her older brother, and the other is her lover.

This was truly a death sentence for Lin Wan'er.

Looking at Lin Wan'er's bloodless face, she suddenly remembered the things she had said to her earlier that day, crying and pouring out her heart...

Compared to Lin Wan'er, her petty squabbles over love seem insignificant.

.......

Let's go back a few hours.

When news of Lin Gong first spread in Kyoto, the atmosphere in the Crown Prince's study was so heavy it seemed like water was about to drip from it.

The Crown Prince sat behind his desk, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. Lin Gong stood before him, eyes lowered, saying nothing.

"Leave Kyoto as soon as possible." The prince's voice was devoid of emotion. "If we're not in Kyoto... it'll be harder to investigate. Be careful on your journey."

Lin Gong nodded and turned to leave.

When he came out of the East Palace, his pace was noticeably faster than when he came.

That very night, just as Lin Wan'er heard the news, Lin Gong had already traveled light, accompanied only by a group of experts, and quietly left Kyoto through the South Gate.

Royal Villa.

Lin Wan'er was restless and paced back and forth in the room. She couldn't stay a moment longer and was preparing to go to the Lin residence that very night to ask him in person when the window suddenly made a soft sound.

A familiar figure flipped into the room.

Fan Xian.

Ye Ling'er and Fan Xian exchanged a glance, and then Ye Ling'er tactfully left the two of them alone.

As soon as Ye Ling'er closed the door, Lin Wan'er rushed forward, grabbed Fan Xian's arm, and said in a trembling voice:

"Fan Xian... is what's being said outside... true?"

Looking at her pale face and the tears welling up in her eyes, Fan Xian felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by a hand.

He remained silent for a moment.

Then he nodded.

Tears welled up in Lin Wan'er's eyes.

She wanted to say something, but her lips trembled so badly that she couldn't utter a single word.

Fan Xian reached out and gently pulled her into his arms.

"Wan'er," his voice was low as it whispered in her ear, "I know he's your second brother. But... for you, I can overlook that."

Lin Wan'er trembled all over.

He paused.

"As long as we can be okay, I can put everything else aside."

Lin Wan'er nestled in his arms and finally broke down in tears.

......

Under the same night sky.

Prince Cheng's Mansion.

The candlelight was burning brightly in the study.

Zhou Cheng sat behind his desk, with the spy who had just infiltrated standing in front of him.

"When did Lin Gong set off?" he asked.

"Your Highness, we left the city through the south gate after nightfall. We were accompanied by about twenty guards, all of whom were skilled fighters."

Zhou Cheng nodded and waved.

The spy slipped away silently.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the thick, impenetrable darkness outside the window.

Si Lili acted swiftly. She had only entered the manor today, but by evening she had already mobilized the Northern Qi spies in the capital to begin gathering intelligence.

The news had just arrived on Lin Gong's desk when his convoy set off from the Lin residence.

Not bad.

He stood up and went to the backyard first.

The light was still on in Sang Wen's room.

He pushed open the door and went in, giving the beauty a proper "compensation".

When she was completely limp and unable to lift even a finger, he got up, changed into a set of night clothes, and took out the Monkey King mask, which cost one yuan, from his system space and put it on.