Have you ever heard about that
the cliff of a snow mountain
once fascinated numerous people?
Legend has it that,
there were treasures at the peak
but also there was a bottomless chasm hidden over there.
The smart, the fool
and the kind people,
all are familiar to you.
On the mountainside, on the cliff,
on the cloud,
and in the human world,
snowflakes are drifting profusely and disorderly.
Joy of Life Season 1
Episode 7
There's one more thing.
You must release Teng Zijing.
He had a record
in the Ministry of Penalty
and he came back to the capital with you.
I'm afraid he's up to something.
He's my friend.
It's too extravagant
to have a friend in the capital city.
Sure, I'll have him released.
Be careful yourself.
Why didn't you apologize
to Fan Sizhe just now?
How can a father
apologize to the son?!
Just stick to that sense of pride.
Thank you!
Thank me?
I owe you one.
From today onwards,
I won't work against you
as long as you don't make it difficult to me.
Are you making peace with me?
Your guards
can't catch me at all.
I didn't resist
for your sake.
I should thank you in that sense.
Did you get the file?
Not yet!
Why?
It's said that it's hard to find as there are too many.
Wang Qinian will send it to me tomorrow.
That's good!
I owe you on this.
Why does everyone owe me?
How about this?
I kill someone for you.
Who... do you want to kill?
It's up to you.
I just come to the capital city
and hardly know any people.
Shall I kill
Liu Ruyu for you?
Let's calm down!
I understand that
you want to express your gratitude to me.
But can you choose another way?
She is very suspicious
for the Danzhou assassination.
Suspicion is all it is about.
Besides, the Crown Prince is also suspicious.
You want to kill the Crown Prince?
It's a bit difficult.
We've gotta get it planned well.
Can we just have a normal conversation?
I have no other feat left.
I don't need your feat
and certainly not your meat either.
It's just a joke.
Have you heard of the saying that
the dancer goes feat not meat?
No!
Forget about it!
There is a guy named Xu Yunzhang at the Investigator's Office.
Do you know him?
Just like me,
he is also from the Fourth Division of the Investigator's Office.
It was him who made up the secret order
for the Danzhou assassination.
Does that mean
we can find out who is behind the scene
once we find him?
He is already dead.
Do you know who he usually contacted
when he was alive?
I'm not familiar with him.
Making friends is really not something I'm good at.
Easy to tell.
Can I just kill a person for you?
Keep it on the account!
I shall turn to you immediately
if I want to have someone killed in future.
What's up?
I was wondering
there might be a place
where we can get some clues
about Xu Yunzhang before his death.
Then let's go now!
I'm a dead person now.
It's improper to show up in public.
I can do it myself.
What's your height?
What?!
Give me a ruler! I'll measure it.
Come on! Let's have a look!
Sure! Put it here!
I'll have it later.
Watch out for me!
Has Fan Xian had anything?
Send some food to him after a while.
Mine is ready.
Are you all ready?
So, here comes the first pair.
Once they are put down, it's fixed. No regret!
No change once you put it down.
I'll turn mine first.
Nine!
Not as big as mine!
That's too small!
Excuse me!
Excuse me! Excuse me!
Needless to see!
D three plus two four. That's Gee Joon.
Nothing can be bigger than this.
Let's see.
Mom, one tael please.
And one tael from sister.
Dad, you should
pay me for what you owed
from last game.
That's two taels five qians and eight fens. (Qian and fen are currency units in ancient China.)
Right?
Don't kick me!
It's not necessary to calculate so clearly
within the family.
No, that's not right.
It needs to be super clear among family members.
Why would we play it if not for money?!
Don't you think so?
Come on!
let's not stop this
if we don't use up the money today, alright?
Let's keep playing then.
This is more like a family.
Stop cottoning up.
Financial matters should be settled clearly though we are a family,
right?
One tael! One tael!
Two taels five qians and eight fens.
Thank you, dad!
It's done!
What are you doing?
You said there is a place
to find out some clues.
Wait for me.
How mysterious!
Here comes the Teens!
Money! Money! Money!
Come on, sister!
I don't have any money left.
That's not a problem.
I have a lot.
You are my biological elder sister,
you can borrow it from me
if only you pay me the interest.
What do you think?
It's getting dark.
Let's call it a day!
Mom,
did I win all the money
from dad just now?
Evidently!
Why didn't he scold me?
Excuse me! I've gotta go now!
What do you think of Fan Xian?
Not bad. He's a good guy!
He can fight and also write books.
The books he wrote are great!
They sell very well.
We even want to
open up book stores together.
That's not bad!
He can teach you a lot.
What's the matter, mom?
You have hated him
for a long time.
Now it seems we'd better
not be enemies of him.
You're right!
May I?
=Fan Mansion=
Ruoruo!
Brother, what are you doing?
It's pretty dry in the capital city.
I'm making a humidifier.
Humidifier?
It can humidify the air
in the room.
Can't you just put a barrel of water?
You won't understand
before I make it ready.
We should
make our life more exquisite.
By the way,
how was the Pai Gow?
Fan Sizhe won it all.
Are you here to borrow money?
No!
I'm here to tell you that
dad did not say any harsh words
to Fan Sizhe
while we were playing Pai Gow.
We were quite like a family.
That's so sweet.
Thanks to you!
Your presence seems
to change everything.
I can change nothing.
I don't have the capability, nor the willingness.
What happened, brother?
Nothing!
I went to the Investigator's Office today
and saw the words
left on the stele by my mom.
What does it say?
She wanted to change the rules
and reshape the world!
Reshape the world!
That sounds remarkable!
It's an implication to work against the world
with one's individual power.
It is indeed remarkable.
However, I'm not that type of person.
I just want to lead a regular life
and die in due course.
That's also good.
But I think
I'd live much more happily
if we really turn the world
into what is described on the stele.
Then turn it
into that.
The world would collapse
and turn into turmoil.
Whatever it is
as long as you like.
You have no principles, do you?
I believe you, brother.
Believing in you is my principle.
It's fine!
Nothing to hide from Ruoruo!
It's your call anyway!
What's this?
Nocturnal costume tailor-made according to your size.
What should I do with it?
Don't you want to find out clues?
Get changed and follow me!
Where are you going and for what?
Can I come along?
No!
What are you doing?
Brother, I've been dreaming to
start a night adventure
like this in tales.
I really made it.
Let me repeat it.
Only Fan Xian will be allowed
to get in.
Why?
Because only the person
who dressed up in this costume
can get in there.
What do you mean by get in?
There is a shop over there.
It sells nothing
but intelligence.
Regardless of the officialdom or the underworld,
they would all go for their luck
whenever they need any intelligence.
And certainly,
not everyone can get in there.
It needs connection and a lot of silvers.
Most importantly,
it's essential
to put on this nocturnal costume.
Whose costume is it?
Mine!
Fan Xian,
don't put up very high expectation on it.
Otherwise,
I would not have asked you to go to the Investigator's Office
to get that file for me.
What file?
From now on,
all three of us are normal people.
Don't act as if you had conversion disorder.
Let's go!
What file do you mean?
Is this it?
Yeah!
Zijing,
you described it mysterious,
but its facade is not at all hidden.
It's run by swindler
at first sight.
We can go back now.
Now that we are here,
let me take a look inside.
I told you he is the only person to be allowed.
Once bet, no regret!
What do we do next?
Wait!
Aren't we going?
It's better if we can observe on the roof.
Then let's go to the roof.
Are you able to?
No!
Then let's wait.
Come on! Once bet, no regret!
Once bet, no regret!
Big or small! Hurry up!
Here we go!
I need the connection details of Xu Yunzhang
from the Fourth Division of the Investigator's Office.
One moment.
Come on! Once again!
Big or small?
Once bet, no regret!
There is bird in the sky so late.
It could be an owl.
Fine!
Your Majesty!
Fan Xian went to the shop that sells intelligence.
He is inquiring about Xu Yunzhang.
Give it to him then.
Your Majesty!
Come on! Once bet, no regret!
Once bet, no regret!
Bet on small! Big! Big! Big!
There is both big and small.
Once bet, no regret! Once bet, no regret!
=Give it to Fan Xian.=
Three, five, four. Big!
What luck it is!
Sir,
here you are!
So you really have it.
Xu Yunzhang has connection
with the Eastern Palace.
That means the Crown Prince wanted to kill you.
This is not right!
All gone!
Not a single people left.
Do you think
it's fake intelligence?
It has a lot of details
with collateral evidence.
It can't be faked.
Why did you turn back?
Wang Qinian told me
the Head of the Investigator's Office
handled Xu Yunzhang's case in person.
So reasonably,
the intelligence about it
is super confidential.
But we got it
so easily.
Don't you think it's too smooth?
Besides,
my teacher told me
the Investigator's Office has enormous power.
That's true.
It can watch over all officials.
Everyone is afraid of it.
In view of this background,
why does this intelligence shop even exist
in the capital city?
Doesn't the Investigator's Office know about it?
It ought to know it.
Then why hasn't it been closed down?
I haven't thought about that.
Could this shop
be run by the Investigator's Office?
Another possibility is that
the owner of this shop is too powerful
for the Investigator's Office to govern.
Not likely.
You probably don't know
how powerful
the Investigator's Office is.
Ever since I came to the capital city,
the follower of the Crown Prince provoked troubles,
Prince Jing's son invited me to the poetry gathering,
and the truth of the assassination becomes abundantly clear.
All these matters came one after another
as if they were all controlled
by a large hand from the behind
which put me in the teeth of the storm.
Your Majesty,
Fan Xian returned.
I'm afraid he is suspicious now.
That doesn't matter.
It's a great pity for the shop.
The shop?
That's a shelter
to the outlaws
given by Chen Pingping.
We can build another one.
We let Fan Xian know
the connection between Xu Yunzhang
and the Eastern Palace in such a simple way.
Isn't that a bit too direct?
The identity changes so drastically.
I guess Fan Xian will be deadly scared.
If that's the case,
he can't take up the position
to manage Neiku.
The harsh suffering
is a test to him.
Who do you think will win?
This is a large assembly of talents.
Very hard to tell!
That's right!
-Where is he? -Wait!
What a surprise! So many people!
Of course. The Prince's son is the organizer.
Where is His Highness?
Please wait patiently, Mr. Guo.
His Highness should arrive in no time.
=Li Hongcheng, son of Prince Jing of Nanqing=
Your Highness!
Ruoruo!
Isn't your brother coming?
He...
He said
he needed to get changed half way.
He prepared these particularly for you.
Excuse me please!
I'm late.
Got the idea to get changed half way.
As it's my first time to visit,
I prepared a few gifts for you.
This is glazed fruit.
This is cane sugar.
This...
is some sort of seasoning which I don't know.
You gotta try it yourself.
And I bought two bags of persimmons for you
on my way here.
You are the Prince's son. And this is persimmon. (Prince's son and persimmon have the same pronunciation in Chinese)
It's some sort of luck.
Is everybody here?
Yes.
You're the only one left.
How about the ladies?
Hurry up then. Let's get in.
=Prince Jing's mansion.=
Persimmon?
Brother, so this is the dress
you changed into?
It's so Danzhou!
What's wrong with Danzhou? Do you think I'm uncool?
I wore this
on the day
I met Lady Drumstick.
I'm afraid she is unable to recognize me if I change this.
Brother,
all the ladies are on that side
for today.
I'll need to join them as well.
How about me?
Who can stand out from the poetry gathering this time?
Who knows!
A lot of scholars want to make a great coup with it.
They are all here today.
It's the first time to have such a grand scene.
It's such a great honor
to be part of a poetry gathering like this.
What a bliss!
You really came here.
Aren't you afraid to lose face?
Now that you have come, shall we...
Do you think you can hide
by turning a deaf ear?
What a jerk!
What a scene!
A man breaks in.
How impolite he is!
He is so rude!
She is not there!
Men live in this world based on rites.
A gentleman can have no fancy clothes
but cannot do without rites.
Who are you?
I'm He Zongwei.
We've met yesterday
at Yishi House.
Are all the ladies here?
Is there anyone else coming?
Fan Xian,
why are you so rude?
Calm down, gentlemen!
Since this is a poetry gathering,
we'd better make friends by composing poems.
Your Highness,
do you know a lady
who likes to hold a drumstick?
What...
is it again?
Drumstick!
Namely, the leg of chicken.
We will prepare that during lunch.
Take your seats please.
Your Highness is right.
As this is a competition among scholars,
of course, we should do it by composing poems.
What's the point to compete with that?
You will lose for sure!
How arrogant you are!
Fan Xian,
if you don't dare to compete with me,
just kneel in front of me as an apology.
You will be forgiven.
As I said,
you will lose for sure.
That's ridiculous!
Who do you think you are?
A great master of poem?
Alright! Tell me how do we do it.
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
Ten!
Your Highness,
take ten steps till here.
The poem must be completed
and read out loud
so that everyone present can evaluate who wins.
Do you agree?
Fantastic!
Red Mansions is indeed awesome.
It's a sufficient lifetime comfort
to read such a marvelous book.
Report it here!
His Highness asked me to report.
For the poem contest,
Guo Baokun proposed to compose a poem within ten steps.
Before the dusk comes,
all poems will be considered together.
Did Fan Xian agree with it?
Fan Xian refused it.
He said no matter how many poems
Guo Baokun and He Zongwei compose,
he will win it with just one.
That's very arrogant!
Good!
One poem is enough to win it?!
Mr. Fan,
do you think Mr. Guo and I
are so untenable?
Countryside man like you
can probably only compose one poem.
After you!
I feel a strong urge to write poetry
and express my feelings at the moment.
Please excuse me.
At the tower, I stand in the mist;
A boat on the river forms a picturesque view.
A wide expanse of mist-covered waters shields the sky;
A scholar writes articles in the dim light.
Well done!
That's really a good poem.
Good point with the last line.
Quite a good poem that is!
The falling tone and rising tone don't match.
Let's keep that aside first.
The poem is full of fancy words
which shows no sign of thinking.
You...
Mr. Guo!
Mr. Fan,
It may have some flaws,
but composing a poem in such a short while is already not easy.
Since you want to see some sign of thinking,
at the time when I left home
for the capital city
with a whole lot of dreams,
I also composed a poem.
Simple and crude it might be,
it has the thoughts from inside my heart.
Just read it out if you want!
Your Highness,
-May I? -Please!
Excuse me!
I look towards the east skyline, far and remote;
I start up a journey in white, on a frosted road.
Don't say I'd travel alone.
The green hills will see me off in the glow.
Good! Good! Good!
There was a bit of arrogance
when it was composed.
Did you ever predict
you would end up as a follower
licking others' boots?
That's really mean.
Are you able
to compose any really good poems?
Here it goes!
That's unbelievable!
Look! It's his turn now.
Mr. Fan,
one poem in ten steps.
Don't you need to reconsider it?
I didn't find the person I wanted to see.
So I'm not in a good mood.
I'll just write it directly.
Gentlemen, let's make a bet.
After I write down my poem,
I'll stop composing poem for my whole life
if you can come up with better ones.
If I lose,
I'll never compose poems any more.
It's not poems that you're composing.
It's trouble.
The wind so swift, the sky so wide, apes wail and cry;
Water so clear and beach so white, birds wheel and fly.
The boundless forest sheds its leaves shower by shower;
The endless river rolls its waves hour after hour.
Good poem!
A thousand miles from home, I'm grieved at autumn's plight;
I'll now and then for years, alone I'm on this height.
Living in times so hard, at frosted hair I pine;
Cast down by poverty,
I have to give up wine.
A thousand miles, autumn's plight, years of illness...
A few lines of words depict the millennium sorrow so thoroughly.
This poem from today's poetry gathering
will be remembered by history.
I'm done!
It's your turn.
Take your time.
Make it as long as it needs to be.
As long as it can be better than this one,
you win.
That's Du Fu's work.
The poem named On the Height
is considered to be the best Lüshi.
Don't you ever try to compose poems for the rest of your life.
Where is the toilet?
In the backyard.
Which way?
This way!
Take care of my sister.
It's amazing!
Just awesome!
Forgive me, Saint of Poem!
I'm sorry.
But they are really too arrogant.
I have to teach them a lesson with your poem.
Mr. Fan!
You're indeed outstanding in literature.
But scholars need mental cultivation.
You don't have to
look down on scholars in the world.
If you can calm down and focus on self-cultivation,
you're bound to become
a master of words.
Guo Baokun is shameless.
You're even worse.
When Guo Baokun humiliates others,
you repeat with him aside.
When he aggressively proposed for a poem contest,
why didn't you ask him for self-cultivation?!
As you have lost the contest,
you require me to maintain self-cultivation
and make concession.
Scholar He,
don't you feel ashamed?
Let him in.
=Xie Bi'an, the bodyguard of the Second Prince.=
Why would I get in?
Then go back!
=The Second Prince of Nanqing, Li Chengze.=
Fan Xian!
You know me?
The Crown Prince takes you as enemy.
Of course, I need to remember your name.
What are you?
You have three chances to make a guess.
The Second Prince!
Smart!
Is there anything I can help you?
The Crown Prince and I got estranged
and you're a person he doesn't like.
You want to draw me over to your side?
I will kill you
and present your body
to him as a gift
so that we can be reconciled like before.
If so, you might need to consider
if his sword is faster
than my hand reaching out to you.
Looks like the sword is faster.
Anyone else who has poems?
Your Highness!
Please!
The poem from Mr. Fan
is indeed extraordinary.
However...
his hand-writing is a bit inferior.
Is that right?
Yeah, it's true.
It's awfully written
by its look.
Awful!
The contest is meant to about the poem not hand-writing.
My brother has made his point clear.
Just keep writing whatever you want.
This is the only poem he will compete with.
The writing is too ugly.
So, you don't want to write?
If you lose,
you're forbidden to compose poem for the rest of your life.
As a scholar graduated from famous school
and the Imperial Compiler in palace,
you will keep your word, won't you?
Of course.
Do you need me
to have the paper and brush delivered to you?
Young Master,
these are for you.
Superior Langhao brush!
Young Master!
Piss off!
What a follower!
Young Master!
-Piss off now! -Young Master!
Whose side are you on?
Don't you understand what she means?
Why do you take her orders?
-Young Master! -Go away!
Get disappeared!
You're obnoxious!
So sweet!
You'll be dead with a simple click of my tongue.
Your Highness won't let that happen.
Why not? As I said,
I can reconcile with Crown Prince
with your head.
Your Highness and the Crown Prince can't reconcile
with a thousand heads of Fan Xian.
How dare you!
Any other reasons?
If Your Highness really want to kill me,
this will not be the place,
nor by this means.
This is so unwise.
Bi'an,
retrieve your sword.
Your poem is very good!
I wanted to meet you as soon as I read it.
I don't want to meet you.
If I had known that you're here,
I would not have walked this way.
Why?
The Crown Prince must think
I have come under your service
once he knows
I have met Your Highness.
My days to come
will be difficult.
Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
Mr. Fan has composed
an unprecedentedly good poem.
Read it!
Yes!
The wind so swift, the sky so wide, apes wail and cry;
Water so clear and beach so white, birds wheel and fly.
The boundless forest sheds its leaves shower by shower;
The endless river rolls its waves hour after hour.
A thousand miles from home, I'm grieved at autumn's plight;
I'll now and then for years, alone I'm on this height.
Living in times so hard, at frosted hair I pine;
Cast down by poverty, I have to give up wine.
It's just a bit too gloomy.
After writing it down,
Mr. Fan went to the backyard and met the Second Prince.
I couldn't approach
because the Second Prince has a swordsman with him.
I was unable to hear
what they talked about.
Where is the Crown Prince?
He is meeting Princess Royal
at the Guangxin Palace.
How attentive he is!
Give the poem to him.
Yes!
Your Majesty,
do you have anything else to deliver?
Ask him to read the poem carefully
and tell him the story
happened at the Prince Jing's mansion.
Yes!
I'll now and then for years, alone I'm on this height.
Living in times so hard, at frosted hair I pine;
Cast down by poverty, I have to give up wine.
Guo Baokun loses badly.
His Majesty sends this.
It's said to be composed by Fan Xian.
He requires you to read it.
Smart!
You have not only the talent as a scholar
but also the wisdom as a worldly person.
That is rare.
Thank you very much, Your Highness!
The Crown Prince will know about
us meeting each other sooner or later.
Aren't you worried about that?
Your Highness, do you know any girl
who likes to eat drumsticks?
Do you believe love at first sight?
I didn't either,
but I do now.
I met a girl
who had a drumstick in her hand.
I want to share the story
with you.
Are you interested?
In the river of history,
time goes round and round.
Memories about the former and present lives
join each other in an endless way.
In the long drunken Milky Way,
one season follows another in a flash,
and the wild geese are flying south.
I just can't give up
to be with you for my whole life.
I have been hovering in the dreams for hundreds and thousands of times.
I can't even say a word when I watch the flowers falling.
Year after year in the wandering,
I count the remaining years.
Even though we can't meet each other anymore,
even though we have ended up the destiny,
I never feel regretful.
In such a chaotic world,
I still miss you as ever.
I can't fall asleep under the moon.
With a gentle heart,
I cherish our remaining years.
Even though we have to go through
all the hardships along the journey,
you always stay by my side,
watching the falling flowers, speechlessly.
Year after year in the wandering,
I count the remaining years.
Even though we can't meet each other anymore,
even though we end up the destiny,
I never feel regretful.
In such a chaotic world,
I still miss you as ever.
I can't fall asleep under the moon.
With a gentle heart,
I cherish our remaining years.
Even though we have to go through
all the hardships along the journey,
you always stay by my side...