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

In front of the Prime Minister's residence.

The bright sunlight shone on the vermilion gate, on the two rows of guards holding sword hilts, and on the band of musicians behind Fan Xian, dressed in bright red robes and carrying gongs, drums, and suonas. The festive red seemed particularly dazzling at this moment.

Fan Xian stood there, still in a daze.

Lin Ruofu stood on the steps, his gaze sweeping over the bustling procession, and waved his hand weakly:

"Tell them to stop bragging."

Fan Xian snapped out of his daze and quickly turned around, raising his hand behind him.

The sounds of gongs, drums, and suonas abruptly stopped.

Fan Xian turned around and looked at Lin Ruofu's ashen face:

"Prime Minister Lin, Lin Gong... what's wrong?"

Lin Ruofu glanced at him wearily.

There was no hatred or anger in that glance, only an indescribable complexity.

"Gong'er left the city last night," he said calmly, "and was murdered by villains before this morning."

He paused.

The man left a message: "The murderer is Fan Xian of the Si Nan Marquis's Mansion."

Fan Xian's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?" He instinctively took a step forward. "It couldn't be me! I only thought about it for a moment, but I promised Wan'er! I..."

"I know it's not you."

Lin Ruofu interrupted him impatiently.

There was no comfort in his tone, just sheer exhaustion; she didn't want to hear any nonsense.

"Wan'er told me you were with her last night." He lowered his eyes. "You didn't have the time, nor the ability."

Fan Xian didn't think much of the first half of the sentence, but when he heard the second half, "I don't have that ability," he immediately felt a little annoyed.

What do you mean by not having the ability?

He was at least an eighth-rank expert, the kind who could kill Cheng Jushu!

If he's so capable, let Lin Gong fight him one-on-one!

But then he remembered that Lin Gong was already dead, so he opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

He felt a little bit of satisfaction at Lin Gong's death.

As for why the murderer framed him, he had no time to think about it; he was only worried about Lin Wan'er's feelings.

"You should go inside first," Lin Ruofu sighed. "Wan'er isn't feeling well, and she's in a bad mood right now. Perfect timing... you can go and comfort her."

Fan Xian looked at him.

Lin Ruofu stood there, the morning light outlining his slightly hunched back.

This powerful prime minister, at this moment, looked nothing more than an old man grieving the loss of his beloved son. The pain of a parent outliving their child...

Fan Xian wanted to say something comforting, but the words wouldn't come out.

His gaze swept over the line behind him.

The man's son had just died, and he brought a group of musicians dressed in bright red robes. Lin Ruofu was able to restrain himself in this situation, which shows that the prime minister is indeed a prime minister.

Fan Xian cupped his hands in greeting, preparing to send the cheerleaders back first, so as not to provoke Prime Minister Lin any further.

Before Lin Ruofu could finish speaking, he walked past Fan Xian and came to the music troupe.

The leader of the group was a lean middle-aged man who had just sensed that something was wrong. When he saw the Prime Minister himself coming over, he was so frightened that his legs went weak.

Lin Ruofu stood in front of him, looked at the brass suona in his hand, and then at the people in red robes in the procession.

"Your suona playing is quite good." His voice was flat, like a stagnant pool. "Besides weddings, you must also attend funerals, right?"

Upon hearing this, the squad leader was stunned.

Fan Xian was caught off guard.

......

When Fan Xian entered the Prime Minister's residence and met Lin Wan'er, another scene was unfolding at the entrance of the Observation Hall.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian led a group of people to block the gate of the Imperial Censorate, shouting loudly for the Imperial Censorate to arrest Fan Xian and thoroughly investigate the murderer of his "friend" Lin Gong.

He stood at the bottom of the steps, followed by a group of officials and guards from the Eastern Palace. He pointed to the black plaque with gold lettering on a background of the Imperial Censorate, his voice rising sharply:

"Fan Xian committed murder and left a note; the evidence is irrefutable! Yet the Forensic Bureau has remained inactive. What are you all doing?!"

Several officials from the Forensic Service stood at the entrance, offering kind words of advice.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger. There are still some doubts in this case, and further investigation is needed..."

"Investigate what?!" The Crown Prince abruptly interrupted him, his eyes wide. "The murderer's name has already been left, what's there to investigate?! Your forensic institute is incompetent, and you're trying to shirk responsibility?!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, spittle flying everywhere.

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, a dull thud of hooves approached from afar.

The sounds were uniform, like muffled thunder rolling over a bluestone slab, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

At the street corner, a troop of black-clad riders filed out. Black warhorses, black armor, black lances—all gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen in the sunlight.

The horses' hooves pounded the ground with a rhythmic, heavy thud, like the footsteps of death.

The Black Knights stopped at the entrance of the Forensic Center and lined up in two rows. Then, a wheelchair was slowly pushed out from the line.

A person is sitting in a wheelchair.

His face was unremarkable, even somewhat plain, with thin lips pressed into a line, deep-set eyes, and a gaze so profound that one dared not look directly at him.

Chen Pingping.

The Director of the Forensic Science Institute has returned.

As soon as Chen Pingping appeared, the Crown Prince immediately suppressed his arrogant demeanor.

The wheelchair stopped three steps away from him.

Chen Pingping, in his wheelchair, bowed slightly, his posture as respectful as an old servant:

"This old minister, Chen Pingping, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince quickly returned the greeting: "Dean, there's no need for such formalities."

Chen Pingping straightened up and looked at his face, making the Crown Prince feel a little uneasy.

"What brings Your Highness to the Court of Censors today?"

The crown prince took a deep breath, steadied himself, and repeated his previous line of reasoning:

"Fan Xian murdered Lin Gong, leaving behind a written statement as proof; the evidence is irrefutable. I have come today to order the Imperial Censorate to immediately arrest Fan Xian and avenge my friend Lin Gong!"

After listening, Chen Pingping nodded.

"Your Highness, please calm down. The truth still needs to be investigated," he said.

The crown prince was taken aback, then his brows furrowed:

"The killer is obvious, very arrogant, and even left his name. What's the point of investigating?! It's Fan Xian!"

Chen Pingping looked at him, her gaze completely unmoved.

"The Censorate has its own procedures," he said softly. "The Crown Prince has no right to interfere."

The prince's facial muscles twitched slightly.

He clenched his fist, took a step forward, and raised his voice even higher:

"I don't care! If the Censorate doesn't arrest Fan Xian today, I'll block this entrance and refuse to leave!"

Chen Pingping did not move.

He simply tilted his head slightly and gave a wink to the person beside him.

The next moment—

"Whoosh!"

An arrow flew through the air with a sharp whistle and landed with a "thud" on the ground in front of the prince!

The crown prince's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly took a step back.

Chen Pingping remained expressionless, simply saying:

"There are assassins. Protect His Highness the Crown Prince."

As soon as he finished speaking, several black-clad riders stepped forward and, without saying a word, lifted the prince up.

"How dare you! Let me go! Chen Pingping! Do you want to rebel? I am the Crown Prince! I am the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian struggled violently, but to no avail, and was directly carried into the carriage in the Eastern Palace.

As soon as the carriage door closed, Li Chengqian's voice abruptly stopped.

Chen Pingping merely narrowed her eyes upon seeing this.

Li Chengqian sat in the carriage, the shock and anger on his face long gone.

He leaned back on the cushion, his eyes becoming deep and calm, showing no trace of the excitement he had just felt.

"Return to the manor," he ordered.

The carriage started moving with a rumble.

The Crown Prince peeked through the window at the figure standing in front of the Imperial Censorate, and a slight smile curved his lips.

He made his attitude clear, he acted out his role, and he did everything he was supposed to do.

Lin Gong's death can't possibly involve him anymore, right?

Just as the crown prince breathed a sigh of relief and felt completely relaxed, he was unaware that a group of people were secretly working behind the scenes.

As news of Lin Gong's death spread, a rumor also began to circulate:

The Crown Prince colluded with the Northern Qi, silenced Lin Gong, framed Fan Xian, and harbored treacherous intentions.

.......

When Fan Xian returned to the Fan residence with a heavy heart, it was already dusk.

He dismissed his attendants and stood alone in the courtyard. All around was quiet, except for the rustling of the bamboo leaves in the night wind.

He lowered his voice and tentatively called out to those around him:

"Uncle Wuzhu?"

The sound drifted through the night sky without any response.

He sighed and was about to turn and go inside when a dark shadow fell silently from the courtyard, like a falling leaf, without making a sound.

Fan Xian suddenly turned around.

Under the moonlight, that familiar figure stood there quietly. He was dressed in black, with a black blindfold, and always carried an iron shovel.

If it's not Wu Zhu, then who is it?

Fan Xian's eyes instantly felt hot.

"Uncle Wuzhu!" He strode forward, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement, "When did you arrive in Kyoto?"

"We just arrived."

"Where did you go before?" Fan Xian asked.

He hadn't seen Wu Zhu for a very long time since arriving in Kyoto. If Wu Zhu had been there during the assassination attempt on Niulan Street, he and Teng Zijing wouldn't have faced that danger at all.

"I went to Jiangnan," Wu Zhu said flatly. "I remembered some things."

Fan Xian was taken aback.

Thinking of something?

Before he could ask any more questions, he remembered something else.

"Uncle Wuzhu," his voice lowered, tinged with a hint of probing, "Did you kill Lin Gong?"

Wu Zhu nodded.

Fan Xian was unsure what expression to make.

"I am acting on Miss's orders," Wu Zhu's voice remained flat, "to protect you. Whoever tries to kill you, I will kill them."

Fan Xian opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

"However," Wu Zhu suddenly spoke again, "Lin Gong did not die at my hands."

Fan Xian was taken aback.

Wu Zhu said, "He died at the hands of the masked man."

Ghost-faced man?

Fan Xian frowned.

"The masked man from Danzhou," Wu Zhu paused, "has changed his mask now."

Fan Xian's eyes widened instantly.

That masked man! The masked man who threatened him in Danzhou for the "Overbearing True Qi"! The masked man who fought Wu Zhu for a whole month!

Has he come to Kyoto?

Did they also kill Lin Gong?

Why?

"He killed Lin Gong, so be it," Fan Xian's voice tightened, "but why leave my name on the wall?"

Wu Zhu remained silent for a moment.

"I don't know," he said. "It must have been done after I left. If I were there, I would have stopped it."

Fan Xian took a deep breath, suppressed the surging thoughts in his heart, and began to inquire in detail about what had happened that night.

Wu Zhu told him everything in detail.

Fan Xian frowned even more deeply after hearing this.

I just can't understand it.

What exactly does that masked man want to do?

Killing Lin Gong but leaving his name—is this helping him or harming him?

"Is this guy crazy?!"

Fan Xian couldn't help but curse.

But as soon as he said it, he suddenly froze.

This kind of behavior is harmful to others and doesn't benefit oneself...

Why does it feel so strangely familiar?

.......

Not long after Fan Xian returned to the Fan residence, an imperial decree arrived.

The person who led him into the palace was Eunuch Hou, the same eunuch who took Fan Xian to the Qing Temple when he first came to the capital.

Looking at Eunuch Hou's smiling face, Fan Xian suddenly realized something.

It turns out that the person who brought him and Lin Wan'er together at Qing Temple was actually...

The Imperial Study.

When Fan Xian was led in, Emperor Qing was sitting behind his desk, holding a memorial in his hand. Seeing Fan Xian enter, he casually tossed the memorial onto the desk and looked at him.

Fan Xian stood still, not kneeling down immediately.

Emperor Qing didn't seem to care, and even told him that he didn't have to kneel if he didn't want to.

His Majesty seems to have been too lenient with him.

His leniency was almost abnormal, so abnormal that it involuntarily reminded Fan Xian of Teng Zijing's earlier words...

"Regarding Lin Gong," Emperor Qing began, his voice as calm as if discussing everyday matters, "how much do you know?"

Fan Xian snapped out of his daze and quickly bowed:

"Your Majesty, I was unaware of this. I was with Lin Wan'er that night, and she can testify to that."

Emperor Qing nodded.

Without asking any further questions or raising any doubts, they simply let it go.

Just as Fan Xian was secretly relieved, Emperor Qing suddenly asked:

"Has Wu Zhu arrived in the capital?"

Fan Xian's heart skipped a beat; he hadn't expected that Emperor Qing knew about Wu Zhu!

He desperately suppressed the expression on his face and tried his best to make his voice sound steady:

"Your Majesty... Wu Zhu has not entered the capital."

Emperor Qing looked at him.

His gaze was as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Then, Emperor Qing looked away.

He didn't press further or expose the truth. Afterward, he casually asked Fan Xian a few small questions, as if they were having a friendly chat.

Fan Xian answered each question with a smile, but his back was already soaked with sweat.

Afterwards, just like in the original drama, Fan Xian was appointed as the Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices by Emperor Qing for killing Cheng Jushu, a spy from Northern Qi, which was considered a meritorious service to the country.

Although the Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was a minor official of the eighth rank, he was in charge of ancestral temple sacrifices and ritual music, and could freely enter and leave the ancestral temple.

Furthermore, according to Qing Kingdom tradition, a princess's husband is usually granted this position before marriage.

The position of Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was also a firm signal that Emperor Qing was sending to the outside world.

......

When Fan Xian left the palace, rumors were already spreading that the Crown Prince had colluded with Northern Qi to silence Lin Gong.

The Crown Prince had just returned to the Eastern Palace and had not even settled in when he was shocked to hear the devastating news.

He certainly didn't kill Lin Gong, but he did collude with Northern Qi!

Over the years, he has engaged in numerous smuggling and political transactions with the high-ranking officials of Northern Qi through Li Yunrui.

He wasn't sure if this was a deliberate rumor or if they had really found something to use against him!

Just as the crown prince was feeling restless, the next day arrived.

As expected, the morning court was filled with news of impeaching the Crown Prince.

After the court assembly, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and Fan Xian were all summoned by Emperor Qing.

Zhou Cheng was no exception.

After dismissing the eunuch who had delivered the imperial decree, Zhou Cheng took a deep breath.

Today is the day that Emperor Qing, through Chen Pingping, announces the official start of war between the Qing Kingdom and the Northern Qi Kingdom.

He killed Lin Gong and then used Northern Qi spies to spread rumors to bring the crown prince to power, all to create an opportunity.

Just like Chen Pingping designed Teng Zijing, once you have a thorough understanding of a person's personality and behavior patterns, you can design a script for someone to act out.

This time, he used Emperor Qing's script to arrange a small play.

He wanted to leave the capital openly and honestly, and then find an opportunity to meet that Grandmaster of Northern Qi!