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

Night had fallen, and in the inner courtyard of Prince Cheng's mansion, Zhan Yuanyuan no longer concealed her true nature of valuing romance over friendship.

The candlelight burned quietly on the lampstand, its orange glow filling the entire room and casting flickering light on the embroidered curtains.

The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms outside seeped in through the window cracks, mingling with the lingering sweetness inside, carrying a strange sweetness.

Zhan Yuanyuan wrapped her arms around Zhou Cheng's neck and lay on his chest, her long hair cascading down like a piece of black silk.

She rubbed her face against her man's chin, her voice muffled, like a lazy cat.

"Your Highness, is Yan Bingyun really that extreme and rigid, willing to use any means necessary and spare no expense for the interests of the Qing Kingdom?"

Zhou Cheng closed his eyes, his palm stroking her smooth spine, and casually hummed in agreement.

Zhan Yuanyuan propped herself up slightly and looked at him. The candlelight flickered in her eyes, and a trace of worry lingered in her hazy gaze.

"Can Wan'er really be happy with a man like that?"

Zhou Cheng opened his eyes and gently patted her on the back.

Whether someone is happy or not is not something outsiders can decide.

He reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "If Shen Wan'er thinks it's worth it, then it's worth it."

Zhan Yuanyuan wouldn't have it, and suddenly sat up, not covering herself at all.

"But it's clearly not worth it! Wan'er is so foolish! For Yan Bingyun, she lost her family and everything. And what has Yan Bingyun done for Wan'er?"

Zhou Cheng was speechless for a moment. He couldn't very well say that this was what being love-struck meant, that it was a habit of giving unconditionally to move oneself!

He organized his thoughts:

"Yuanyuan, you're right! Putting everything else aside, whether it's worth it or not can be judged by their place in each other's hearts."

He paused, then continued, "If they both put each other first, then Shen Wan'er's sacrifices will be worthwhile. Otherwise—"

He shook his head. "It's not worth it."

Zhan Yuanyuan blinked, pondered for a moment, and realized that what she said made a lot of sense.

The place a person holds in someone's heart can indeed prove a lot.

Shen Wan'er has already given everything for Yan Bingyun, so naturally she has long put Yan Bingyun first.

What about Yan Bingyun?

Where does Wan'er rank in his heart?

she does not know.

Zhan Yuanyuan sighed. She had lost count of how many times she had sighed for her best friend during this period of time.

After sighing, she pursed her lips, her eyes darted around, and she said in a sweet voice:

"Your Highness, I also want to know if I'm worth it! With so many sisters, where do I rank in your heart?"

……

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, Zhan Yuanyuan finally managed to get out of bed.

After she finished dressing and washing up, she didn't care about anything else and went to find Shen Wan'er first.

She pulled Shen Wan'er to sit on the swing in the inner courtyard, gently rocking her. The swing creaked and groaned, mingling with the chirping of birds in the distant treetops.

"Wan'er, let me tell you, last night I and His Highness..."

After saying that, Zhan Yuanyuan tilted her head to look at her, "Tell me, where do you rank in Yan Bingyun's heart?"

Shen Wan'er was stunned.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Head bowed, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress.

"I...I don't know." Her voice was very soft.

Zhan Yuanyuan sighed.

How can I say I don't know?

This clearly shows that they know, but don't want to know!

She took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't hesitate, and said:

"Wan'er, since you don't know, let's test it!"

"Test?" Shen Wan'er looked up blankly.

"That's right!" Zhan Yuanyuan nodded seriously.

Last night, she talked with Zhou Cheng about how neither she nor Yan Bingyun had taken the initiative to meet after Shen Wan'er entered the mansion.

She asked Zhou Cheng if Shen Wan'er could not resist seeing Yan Bingyun, and if there was any excuse that wouldn't make her seem unreserved.

At that time, Zhou Cheng mentioned that he had previously promised to give Fan Xian evidence of the Second Prince's smuggling activities with Northern Qi.

If Shen Wan'er wants to see Yan Bingyun, she can take the opportunity of delivering the accounts to the Censorate to meet Yan Bingyun.

Zhan Yuanyuan told Shen Wan'er her whole idea.

Shen Wan'er's expression was uncertain after hearing this.

"Is this... really okay?"

"What's wrong with that?" Zhan Yuanyuan grasped her hand, squeezing it firmly, her gaze resolute. "Anyway, I'll take care of everything. You don't need to worry. Just listen to me when the time comes!"

Shen Wan'er bit her lip.

After a long silence, she nodded, deeply moved.

How fortunate she is to have such a devoted best friend!

……

The outer study of Prince Cheng's residence.

The sun was high in the sky.

Chen Quan squatted at the door, stuffing the account books into a rattan box.

Zhan Yuanyuan ran over furtively and spotted the rattan boxes at a glance.

She went into the study, moved closer to Zhou Cheng, and hugged his arm.

"Your Highness!" she pointed to the box by the door, "Are these the pieces of evidence meant for Lord Fan?"

Zhou Cheng hummed in agreement.

His informants in Shijia Town had already sent back news.

He knew that Wu Zhu had stopped the massacre in Shijia Town and had taken two people with him.

After calculating the days, he estimated that Wu Zhu would return to the capital in the next few days.

He decided to send the evidence to Fan Xian as soon as possible.

At that time, Fan Xian will have physical evidence of Li Chengze's smuggling and witnesses of the Crown Prince's massacre of the town. If this matter is brought to the court, there will surely be a good show.

Zhan Yuanyuan shook his arm: "Your Highness, let me go with you!"

Zhou Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Shen Wan'er?"

Zhan Yuanyuan nodded seriously: "That's right, Wan'er wants to see Yan Bingyun. This is a good opportunity for me to meet that young master Yan and see what charm he has that makes Wan'er so foolish!"

Zhou Cheng didn't think much of it.

Just consider it a deep sisterly bond between Zhan Yuanyuan and her sister.

He reached out and flicked her nose: "Alright, go ahead. Have Miss Shen come over. Follow Chen Quan's instructions on the way and don't wander off."

Zhan Yuanyuan immediately beamed with joy, gave him a kiss, and then turned and ran to the backyard.

Zhou Cheng watched the red figure disappear behind the moon gate and shook his head.

He continued organizing the accounts on the table, keeping those related to Li Yunrui and leaving the rest to Chen Quan.

……

The carriage departed from Prince Cheng's residence and headed along the long street towards the Court of Judicial Review.

Chen Quan sat on the carriage shaft, one hand holding the reins, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Inside the carriage, Zhan Yuanyuan and Shen Wan'er sat facing each other.

Shen Wan'er wore a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) today, her hair was neatly styled in a bun, and she wore a pair of small pearl earrings on her earlobes.

Her hands rested on her knees, clutching a silk handkerchief, her knuckles white.

"Yuanyuan," she said nervously, "will he really choose me?"

Zhan Yuanyuan held her hand and patted it gently: "No matter what he chooses, at least we'll get an answer."

Shen Wan'er's eyelashes trembled, but she didn't say anything more.

The wheels rolled on, crushing fallen leaves along the way, until the carriage finally stopped in front of the Imperial Censorate.

Chen Quan jumped out of the car and sent someone inside to inform them.

Before long, Fan Xian and Yan Bingyun came out one after the other.

Fan Xian was dressed in an indigo official robe today, with the recovered Ti Si badge hanging from his waist, and he looked quite energetic. Yan Bingyun followed behind him, dressed in black, with a cold and stern face, his eyes like a frozen lake, revealing no emotion.

Zhan Yuanyuan did not get off the bus.

She lifted a corner of the carriage curtain; the next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 72 Qi Yuan? Fellow villager? We look forward to your visit. Only a small gap revealed the outside, but those outside couldn't see inside.

She smiled at Fan Xian: "Young Master Fan, we meet again."

Fan Xian clasped his hands in greeting, not expecting that the person who came was Qi Yuan, Zhou Cheng's concubine.

Since the last time, he had Yan Bingyun investigate Zhan Yuanyuan's background.

After several days of investigation, all that was found was the name Qi Yuan and the fact that she was the daughter of a businessman.

Fan Xian naturally didn't believe that a merchant's daughter could elicit such a strong reaction from Shen Wan'er.

But if we continue the investigation, we won't find a single clue.

Fan Xian's gaze swept across the carriage without making a sound.

He could only see Zhan Yuanyuan through the gap in the carriage curtain, but with his ninth-rank martial artist's hearing, he could also clearly hear the breathing of the other person in the carriage.

two.

One is Zhan Yuanyuan, and the other...

He didn't make a fuss, but simply asked politely, "May I ask what brings Miss Qi here?"

"Miss Qi?"

Zhan Yuanyuan almost didn't react, but she quickly remembered her alias.

Her breathing returned to normal, she cleared her throat, and her gaze passed over Fan Xian, landing on Yan Bingyun.

"I have come here because I have something I would like to say to Young Master Yan Bingyun."

Yan Bingyun stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Yan Bingyun. May I ask what you wish to say, young lady?"

Zhan Yuanyuan peered through the crack and carefully looked Yan Bingyun up and down a few times.

I think... it's just so-so!

I can only say it's not ugly.

Anyway, he's far inferior to her prince!

Her curiosity completely vanished. She then took a deep breath, glanced back at Shen Wan'er, then turned back to look out of the carriage.

"His Highness has taken a liking to Wan'er and intends to take her as a concubine. However, Wan'er is still thinking of you and is unwilling."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bingyun frowned slightly, while Fan Xian glared and immediately instructed Zhou Cheng in the Prince's mansion to give him a heads-up.

She paused.

"I've come to see you to persuade you to give up on Wan'er. I have evidence in my carriage of the Second Prince Li Chengze's smuggling activities with Northern Qi. I'm sure Young Master Yan and Lord Fan would both need this evidence."

Her voice turned somber.

"I demand that Young Master Yan choose between this evidence and Shen Wan'er. Young Master Yan, what will you choose?"

The air instantly became quieter.

Fan Xian suddenly turned his head towards Yan Bingyun.

Upon hearing Zhan Yuanyuan's words, he immediately understood—this was a test!

The classic tactics women used to test men in later generations were nothing more than variations of the "I and your mother fell into the water at the same time" argument.

In this situation, blindly choosing the person in front of you is the right thing to do.

He didn't even need to say a word to remind him—

"I choose evidence."

Yan Bingyun's voice was completely flat and without the slightest hesitation.

Just as Fan Xian was about to show an expression of "this kid is teachable," his face changed the next instant.

He stared at Yan Bingyun in disbelief, his voice barely audible: "Are you crazy?!"

Yan Bingyun looked at him calmly: "Lord Fan, the Second Prince's smuggling with Northern Qi is extremely harmful and has far-reaching consequences. This evidence concerns the interests of the Qing Kingdom, and cannot be compared to personal feelings."

Fan Xian stamped his feet in frustration: "Do you even know—"

"I know." Yan Bingyun interrupted him, her gaze falling on the carriage. Her voice was a little heavier, but still flat. "There's another person in the carriage. If I'm not mistaken, it should be Miss Shen."

"Miss Shen, every word I have spoken comes from the heart. I must obtain irrefutable evidence of the Second Prince's smuggling activities. Personal feelings must be set aside for now."

Inside the carriage, Shen Wan'er remained silent, but tears were already streaming down her face.

She covered her mouth tightly with a handkerchief, trying not to make a sound. But tears streamed down her face like broken beads, soaking her clothes.

She bit her lip hard until it bled, but she couldn't stop the pain that welled up from the bottom of her heart.

She had considered that Yan Bingyun might hesitate, might struggle, and might have to make a choice between two difficult options.

But she never expected that his choice would be so resolute.

Even knowing he was right there, he didn't hesitate or waver, and he wasn't even willing to lie to her.

Looking at Shen Wan'er's appearance, Zhan Yuanyuan felt a tightness in her chest.

She clearly achieved her goal, making Shen Wan'er realize her place in Yan Bingyun's heart, effectively breaking them up.

But she can't be happy at all right now.

She reached out and pulled Shen Wan'er into her arms.

"Wan'er, don't cry... There are plenty of good men in this world... You're here in the manor, and we can be even better sisters from now on..." Her voice was a little hoarse, then turned indignant:

"This kind of mediocre guy, a scumbag, isn't worth you doing this for!"

A regular guy, a scumbag.

She learned these two words from Zhou Cheng.

She didn't know what it meant before, but after finding out, she found the two words very interesting and now they fit Yan Bingyun perfectly!

She shouted outside, "Commander Chen! Throw the things down!"

Chen Quan responded, took the rattan trunk from the back of the carriage, and threw it on the ground in front of the forensic institute with a "bang," raising a cloud of dust.

"Young Master Fan," Zhan Yuanyuan said, pulling down the carriage curtain, her voice barely audible, "it was my idea to let Young Master Yan choose; I wanted to see his feelings for Wan'er. Now I have. As for the gifts, His Highness promised to send them to you, and I have already delivered them!"

After saying that, she let out a breath, "Chen Quan, let's go!"

Chen Quan responded, jumped onto the carriage shaft, flicked the whip, and the carriage started moving, quickly disappearing at the end of the long street.

……

Fan Xian stood at the entrance of the Observatory, looking at the rattan box on the ground, then at Yan Bingyun who was bending down to open the rattan box to check the account books, and was so angry that he couldn't speak.

He spun around in place, patted his head, and looked at him with a disappointed expression.

"My dear Yan!" he gritted his teeth. "You knew this was a test, they even gave you the answer key, and you still answered the wrong questions! What's going on in your head?"

Yan Bingyun didn't look up, nor did he stop what he was doing, but his voice trembled almost imperceptibly:

"I investigated Qi Yuan, and I also investigated the women in Prince Cheng's residence. They are doing very well. It's a good thing that Prince Cheng has taken a liking to Shen Wan'er; she shouldn't be living in fear with me."

Upon hearing this, Fan Xian exclaimed "Holy crap!" and almost collapsed to the ground.

He stared at Yan Bingyun in disbelief once again, never expecting that the other party would have such thoughts!

He was panting heavily, pointing at Yan Bingyun: "For Shen Wan'er's own good, you're giving her away to another man? Yan Bingyun, are you out of your mind?"

Fan Xian clutched his head, growing angrier with each word: "Miss Qi is right, you're just a scumbag, self-righteous all day long, an irresponsible scumbag! A piece of trash!"

Yan Bingyun let him say whatever he wanted, and after roughly checking the accounts and finding nothing wrong, he stood up with the rattan trunk in his arms.

Seeing how carefully he carried the rattan box, even more gently than he would a girl, Fan Xian was so angry he felt a kidney ache, and couldn't help but curse again, "Scumbag!"

After uttering a curse, he shook his head helplessly, then suddenly froze.

Scumbag?

Does the term "scumbag" even exist in this era?

He blinked, then blinked again.

Oh, and there's also a 'normal guy'!

Whether there are "scumbags" or not is uncertain, but there are definitely no "ordinary men"!

Something seemed to explode in Fan Xian's mind!

Qi Yuan?

Could it be—

That woman, like the Great Sage, was from his hometown.

Fan Xian turned around abruptly and looked in the direction where the carriage had disappeared.