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

The next morning.

The sun was shining brightly, its golden rays bathing the official road on the outskirts of Beijing.

In the midst of tranquility, the sound of rapid hoofbeats grew louder as it approached.

A large group of Imperial Censors galloped on horseback, kicking up clouds of dust along the way.

Led by Zhu Ge, the organizer of one section, and Yan Ruohai, the organizer of four sections, the group of people stopped in front of the gate of the three-courtyard house.

Zhu Ge dismounted and stood at the courtyard gate, his gaze sweeping over the open gate.

Yan Ruohai walked to his side, and the two stood side by side, watching their men file in and check the corpses lying haphazardly in the courtyard one by one.

The courtyard was a mess. Congealed blood was everywhere on the bluestone slabs, gleaming a dark red in the sunlight.

The corpses lay scattered, in various poses; some stared wide-eyed, their deaths unresolved, while others were curled up in grotesque contortions. The air was thick with the stench of blood, mixed with the last trace of dampness, like a sticky hand, making one want to vomit.

Jug frowned, his gaze sweeping over the corpses.

"Lin Gong's men are all highly skilled," he said in a deep voice, "and they're all dead. Who on earth did this?"

Yan Ruohai didn't look at him, but simply said, "Of course he's a master."

"How skilled is he?"

Yan Ruohai was silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice as calm as a stagnant pool:

"I wouldn't dare say it's high."

He took two steps forward and stopped next to a corpse.

It was a middle-aged man lying on his back on the ground with a bloody hole through his chest.

His eyes were wide open in anger, his face frozen with the resentment and disbelief of dying, as if he could not believe he would die like this until the very end.

Yan Ruohai knew this person.

The Observatory has detailed records of an eighth-rank master who was originally from the border army and later served the Crown Prince, becoming a powerful bodyguard under him.

An eighth-rank master.

He was killed like a chicken.

He could see clearly that the wound was clean and sharp, a fatal blow, without any unnecessary traces.

There aren't many people in the Qing Kingdom who can kill an eighth-rank expert.

There are very few who can kill so cleanly and efficiently.

Ninth rank? More than that.

At least the ninth rank.

even……

Yan Ruohai stood up, not wanting to think about it any further.

Zhu Ge walked to the other side and gestured with his chin toward the coroner who was examining Lin Gong's body:

"Was anything discovered regarding Lin Gong's body?"

The coroner was a thin, middle-aged man who was squatting beside the corpse. Hearing the question, he looked up and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Reporting to you, sir," his voice carried a professional calm, "our examination revealed that Lin Gong was not killed by a single blow like the other corpses."

He pointed a finger at Lin Gong's throat:

"Here, the throat was severed. The wound was smooth, as if made by a sharp blade."

He then pointed to various parts of Lin Gong's body:

"These are sword wounds; although there are many, they are not fatal."

Finally, it points to the long sword piercing the corpse through the chest:

"Here, the blow pierces the heart; it's fatal."

He paused, then concluded, "Lin Gong was tortured before his death, but not for interrogation. Because his throat was cut beforehand, he couldn't speak at all. It was more like... the murderer was worried that Lin Gong would shout something before he died."

He looked up at the two organizers:

"My deduction is that the murderer most likely knew Lin Gong and had a grudge against him."

Yan Ruohai walked over, frowning as he looked at Lin Gong's gruesome corpse.

"The sword wounds on Lin Gong's body," he asked, "can you tell where they came from?"

The coroner shook his head.

"I can't tell. Those sword wounds are completely haphazard, full of... randomness, without any discernible pattern."

Zhu Ge and Yan Ruohai exchanged a glance but neither spoke.

Zhu Ge's gaze shifted to the courtyard wall.

On that wall, a line of large characters was carved with a sword, which was particularly dazzling in the sunlight.

Zhu Ge stared at the line of text, his lips twitching.

"This murderer..." he carefully chose his words, "has a grudge against Fan Xian, right? This handwriting is similar to the handwriting in the letter that was sent to the Forensic Institute this morning, neat and orderly, which is quite rare."

Yan Ruohai also looked at the line of text and remained silent for a moment.

"The murderer is most likely not Fan Xian," he said slowly. "Then Fan Xian probably doesn't have that kind of ability."

He paused, then added:

"However, we cannot completely rule out Fan Xian's involvement. Was leaving these words a deliberate frame-up, or a deliberate attempt to create a smokescreen? Without a thorough investigation, no one can say for sure."

Zhu Ge nodded.

"After we get back," he asked, "should we investigate Fan Xian directly?"

Yan Ruohai withdrew his gaze and continued walking into the courtyard.

"Of course." His voice was calm and unhurried. "Whatever the killer's purpose, whether it's to disrupt or mislead, we will do what we should do."

......

After sneaking back from the royal villa, Fan Xian slept intermittently and restlessly all night.

In his dreams, he would always see Lin Wan'er with tears in her eyes, which made his heart ache.

His promise to forgive Lin Gong was purely out of affection for Lin Wan'er.

Letting go of someone who wants to kill you is never a pleasant experience.

When Fan Xian woke up, the sun was already high in the sky outside the window.

He rubbed his eyes, shook his still somewhat dazed head, lay on the bed for a couple of breaths, and then propped himself up to sit up.

After washing up briefly and changing into clean clothes, he pushed open the door and went out.

He knew that once the news of Lin Gong's assassination attempt spread, Lin Gong would be extremely uneasy.

Although he wanted to reconcile with Lin Gong, he also wanted to make him suffer for as long as possible, so he wasn't in a hurry.

Moreover, while this side is willing to reconcile, Lin Gong's attitude on the other side remains unknown.

If we rashly go to their door, what if Lin Gong remains determined to kill us and attacks us again without regard for the consequences?

So last night he discussed it with Lin Wan'er and arranged for her to return directly to the Prime Minister's residence after waking up.

He, on the other hand, went to the Lin family residence openly and openly, with great fanfare, under the pretext of "visiting his fiancée".

If we make a big scene, even if Lin Gong really wants to kill him, he'll have to consider the consequences.

Moreover, this would both demonstrate his satisfaction with the marriage and show the outside world his attitude towards Lin Gong's assassination attempt on him—I don't care, I'm magnanimous, I came here for Lin Wan'er.

Get more in one fell swoop.

After leaving the Fan residence, Fan Xian did not go directly to the Lin residence. He first went to a shop on the street, ordered two steamers of steamed buns and a bowl of soy milk, and ate and drank his fill.

Then he went to the music and percussion troupe in town that specialized in weddings and celebrations.

After paying a hefty sum, the troupe of more than twenty people, all dressed in bright red robes and carrying gongs, drums, and suonas, set off in a grand procession, much like a wedding party.

Fan Xian rode a large red horse adorned with bright red fireworks, leading the procession.

He rode his horse at a leisurely pace, bowing and greeting the crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle.

"I am Fan Xian! I have come to the Prime Minister's residence to visit the Princess! I thank His Majesty for bestowing this marriage upon us, making this a beautiful story! Fellow villagers, let us all join in this grand occasion!"

He shouted loudly and with great energy.

The crowd responded enthusiastically, with cheers, applause, and even some coming over to ask, "Are you the poet Fan Xian?"

Amidst cheers and applause, Fan Xian's smile grew even brighter.

To amplify the impact and ensure more people saw it, he deliberately took a detour.

The procession was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the suonas were played loudly. Many children ran after the procession, while adults stood by the roadside pointing and gesturing.

After walking for most of the day, the lively procession finally arrived at the gate of Prime Minister Lin's residence.

Fan Xian dismounted and raised his hands towards the group behind him:

"Keep blowing! Keep hitting! Get the atmosphere going, don't stop!"

The gongs and drums suddenly became even louder, and the suona was played so loudly it almost lifted the roof off.

Fan Xian straightened his robes and strode towards the gate of the Prime Minister's residence.

Then--

Before he could even knock, the door was suddenly yanked open from the inside with a loud bang.

Two rows of guards from the Prime Minister's residence filed out, gripping their sword hilts, and stood in neat rows on either side of the steps, staring at him fiercely.

Fan Xian was stunned.

Before he could react, a figure walked out of the mansion.

The man was dressed in plain clothes and had an extraordinary air about him, but he looked haggard, with bloodshot eyes, as if he had just suffered a huge blow.

He stood on the steps, looked up at Fan Xian, and then glanced at the lively band of musicians behind him...

His face trembled slightly, almost uncontrollably.

Seeing this scene, Fan Xian felt that something was wrong.

"Prime Minister Lin...?" he asked tentatively. Seeing that the other party did not deny it, he continued, "This junior, Fan Xian, has come here today—"

"Fan Xian".

Lin Ruofu interrupted him.

The voice was terribly hoarse:

"I've heard about your situation from Wan'er, but today... there's no need for reconciliation."

"what?"

Fan Xian was stunned.

"Gong'er," Lin Ruofu closed his eyes, his lips trembling, "you killed her last night."

Fan Xian: "...?"

What do you mean by "Lin Gong was killed by him last night"?

How could he not know!

The news of Lin Gong's death spread throughout the capital, causing a far greater uproar than the revelation that Lin Gong had assassinated Fan Xian!

The Eastern Palace.

"Lin Gong is dead?"

The crown prince stared blankly at the secret letter in his hand.

Lin Gong was his man, and before leaving the capital, he left through his residence. This could not be hidden from those who were interested.

While he may not be the first to be implicated in Lin Gong's death, he is certainly not immune to the consequences.

The crown prince couldn't help but stand up and crumple the letter into a ball in his hand.

He was both angry and furious about Lin Gong's death.

When Lin Gong used Cheng Jushu to assassinate Fan Xian, it was entirely his own decision, and he didn't consult with him beforehand.

After the incident, he summoned Lin Gong to the Eastern Palace, barely suppressing the urge to berate him, and urged him to leave the capital to avoid trouble.

He sent Lin Gong away from the capital, obviously because he couldn't bear to part with this important asset.

Although Lin Gong was impulsive, he was loyal. Among his many advisors, there were very few who held the same position as Lin Gong but were willing to do anything for him.

Therefore, when Lin Gong made a mistake, his first thought was not to push the person out, but to try every means to protect Lin Gong.

But this damn thing is so useless!

He had barely left his residence when he died outside the city.

Although the murderer left a note pointing to Fan Xian, anyone with discerning eyes could see that it was a frame-up.

What kind of murderer leaves their name after killing someone? Do they really think murder is something out of a story or a play?

"No! I can't get involved!"

Li Chengqian muttered to himself as he paced back and forth in his study.

He had been confined to his quarters for ten days because of the Mei Zhili incident. He had only been released this morning and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when Lin Gong died.

This is not only a blow to his power, but also a huge blow to his reputation.

If he doesn't react, the subsequent losses will likely be even greater.

He suddenly stopped.

"Fan Xian!"

He suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"That's right! Regardless of whether Fan Xian is the murderer or not, since the message is in Fan Xian's name, I'll assume it's him!"

The more he thought about it, the better he felt it was.

By taking the initiative and directly confronting Fan Xian as a friend of Lin Gong, he at least made his stance clear and stabilized people's hearts.

As for the truth?

He couldn't possibly care!

.........

The Second Prince's Mansion.

In the pavilion in the backyard, Li Chengze leaned against a low table, holding a white chess piece in his hand, hesitating to make a move.

"Did Fan Xian kill Lin Gong?"

He looked up at Xie Bi'an, who had come to deliver the message, his handsome face also showing confusion.

You see, he originally had a plan: if Fan Xian was eager for revenge, he would have his subordinate Xie Bi'an help him. He would offer timely assistance and take the opportunity to win him over.

Before she could even probe Fan Xian's thoughts, she received news that Fan Xian was making a grand trip to the Prime Minister's residence.

Fan Xian's demeanor and attitude made it clear that there was no need to test him, which also dispelled his idea of ​​intervening.

But before he could even lament the missed opportunity to strike at the Crown Prince's power, news of Lin Gong's death outside the city reached him.

"Who exactly killed Lin Gong?"

Li Chengze frowned and threw the chess piece back into the chess box.

He naturally didn't believe Fan Xian was the murderer.

Normally, whoever benefits the most from Lin Gong's death is the most likely to be the murderer.

Fan Xian.

Without a doubt, Fan Xian was the biggest beneficiary of Lin Gong's death.

Lin Gong's death not only avenged the assassination attempt but also left Lin Ruofu without a successor.

Lin Ruofu had only two sons. His eldest son, Lin Dabao, was born mentally challenged and could not be relied upon.

The second son, Lin Gong, had all the hopes placed on him since childhood.

Now that Lin Gong is dead, Lin Ruofu's hopes are dashed. What will happen to the political capital he has accumulated over the decades?

Having another son? That's unrealistic, and there's not enough time.

His only option, then, was naturally to hand it over to his son-in-law.

As long as Fan Xian marries Lin Wan'er, he will be able to take over Lin Ruofu's political connections.

The benefits are so great that they could tempt anyone.

The problem is, if Fan Xian were the murderer, there would be no need for him to leave a note identifying himself and create unnecessary trouble for himself!

Fan Xian isn't stupid; would he do something like that?

If Fan Xian wasn't the murderer, then who benefited second from Lin Gong's death?

Li Chengze frowned.

It's him, it's Li Chengze!

He didn't directly benefit, but since the Crown Prince suffered a loss, he benefited instead!

The Crown Prince losing Lin Gong was like losing an arm. Meanwhile, Li Chengze, without doing anything, saw his strength increase relatively.

He turned around and looked at Xie Bi'an with a slightly blank expression.

"I haven't done anything yet, will anyone suspect me?"

.......

Imperial Palace of Qing Kingdom, Imperial Study.

Today, Emperor Qing was unusually neither polishing arrowheads nor reviewing memorials.

He simply sat behind his desk, lost in thought.

When Lin Gong died, he naturally received the news as well as the Forensic Science Institute.

This morning at court, the matter of Lin Gong's assassination attempt on Fan Xian yesterday still caused quite a stir.

Si Nanbo Fan Jian directly submitted a memorial demanding that Lin Gong be severely punished.

Some people seized the opportunity to impeach the crown prince, saying that he was lax in managing his subordinates and condoned his retainers' violent acts.

Someone impeached Prime Minister Lin, saying that he had failed to properly educate his son and should resign.

There were also impeachments against the Censorate, the Kyoto Garrison, the City Guard... virtually every department responsible for guarding Kyoto was impeached.

Early in the morning, the entire court was as noisy as a vegetable market.

The civil and military officials engaged in a fierce verbal battle, spittle flying everywhere, almost to the point of a physical fight.

Aside from offering a few words of comfort regarding Fan Jian's impeachment, he remained almost completely silent.

As for the request to severely punish Lin Gong, he did not respond, because he already knew at that time that Lin Gong was dead.

"It's Wu Zhu who's come to the capital..."

Emperor Qing's gaze fell on the original copy of the secret letter that had just been delivered to his desk.

Judging solely from the handwriting of the secret letter, he could deduce that it was Wu Zhu who went to the Observatory to deliver the letter.

The messenger was Wu Zhu, so naturally, the murderer was also Wu Zhu.

He cared about the detailed autopsy report that the forensic institute had just sent, but he wasn't too concerned about it.

The forensic institute determined that there were two perpetrators in Lin Gong's death.

The one who quickly killed the guard was a single person.

The person who killed Lin Gong was someone else.

"The murderer is Fan Xian of the Sinan Marquis's Mansion."

Emperor Qing muttered something to himself, then chuckled twice.

This is not Wu Zhu's style.

Wu Zhu only knows how to kill; he doesn't know how to play these tricks, and he certainly wouldn't leave Fan Xian's name behind.

but……

"It doesn't matter as long as they're not grandmasters."

He couldn't determine the identity of the person next to Wu Zhu, nor did he know the relationship between that person and Wu Zhu, nor why Wu Zhu didn't stop the message from being left, but none of that mattered.

"In any case, no one but me can achieve this goal!"

Emperor Qing slowly stood up and walked to the window.

He had no intention of investigating who killed Lin Gong, or what conspiracies or schemes were behind Lin Gong's death.

What he wants now is simply a legitimate pretext to start a national war against Northern Qi.

Lin Gong's death gave him this opportunity.

"Chen Pingping should be back soon; the timing is perfect..."