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 38
Your Excellency, it's not right.
What's wrong?
They're watching us outside.
According to years of experience
in tracking and sneaking,
I can't be wrong.
It's the Shangjing Town of Beiqi.
It's their job
to watch us.
Your Excellency,
Guo Baokun was followed
when he left just now.
I'm afraid
Guo Baokun is exposed.
Of course he is.
He jumped off the cart in public
and checked into an inn after wandering about the streets.
If he hadn't been found out,
His Excellency Shen and the Embroidered Uniform Guards would be punished
for their failure in duty.
Your Excellency, did you expect
Guo Baokun would fail to hide himself?
I asked him to go out on purpose
to distract Shen Zhong.
You want to use him
to divert attention from us.
Prison.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards.
The Embroidered Uniform...
What can I do for you?
Can you tell me
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
Here is a pharmacy.
Are you feeling under the weather?
No. I'm well.
Can you tell me
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
Prison. Prison.
A building where people are kept as a punishment.
This medicine helps reduce hysteria.
Sir, you can have it for free.
Take it home.
Did he ask people on the streets
about the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison?
Yes. He asked everyone he met.
He's really rampant.
But don't worry.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards is well-known.
Nobody answered him.
He was ignored.
I didn't expect Fan Xian would
let such a guy...
Your Excellency.
Can you tell me
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
No idea.
Can you tell me where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
I don't know.
Can you tell me
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
No idea.
Isn't he afraid of death?
Do you know
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
No. No. I don't.
No idea. No idea.
Does anyone know
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
He must be insane.
He must want to die.
Can you tell me where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is?
Go that way and pass through three intersections.
Then turn west. You'll find it.
Thank you.
Your Excellency, shall we arrest him?
The Investigator's Office
couldn't send such a crap here.
Let's go to the inn.
Got it. Go to the inn.
Your Excellency,
our scouts are just around.
They didn't find Fan Xian going out.
Search the room!
What are you doing?
Do you even want to
search under bed?
Your Excellency,
did they vanish into thin air?
It fell off from above.
They left from the roof?
Dispatch my orders
to search for them
in the surroundings radiating from the inn.
Avoid catching people's eyes.
Got it.
It's such a lame trick.
The smarter a person is,
the more liable he's to be taken in.
Any inexperienced guy
would choose to
search under bed first.
Only a smart guy like Shen Zhong
would think too much
after noticing some details.
Search carefully. Don't be too worried.
Even if we fail to find them for a while,
it'll be difficult for them
to do anything big without support.
Also keep watch on that guy who asked about the prison,
in case
Fan Xian does exactly the opposite
and plays dumb to make trouble.
You're really thoughtful.
It's admiring.
Your Excellency,
we shook them off for the time being.
But where should we start to find him?
What shall we do next?
Let's go.
What are we going to do?
To see someone.
How did you know this place?
Who wrote it?
Does anyone in this imperial palace
work for the Investigator's Office?
On the way.
Huh?
Which way?
Why did I keep the flag alone
to provoke them?
To gain face.
It makes sense,
but what's more important,
I came to Beiqi
to reactivate the spy network,
but secret agents are in hiding,
and I know nothing about their whereabouts.
I'd rather let them know I'm here
than look for them
one by one.
That's why you decided to make a big deal out of it
and catch people's eyes.
I see
why we're here with the banner of the border troops.
That is,
even if Shen Zhong
didn't make things difficult for us,
you've decided to
make trouble.
When you can't find people you need in thick fog,
make yourself a beacon to attract them.
Who gave you the address?
Why didn't I find it?
He Daoren?
I've found out
where the Embroidered Uniform Guards' prison is.
You have strong vitality Qi, but you're not skilled enough.
I can kill you if we fight now.
Try it.
Chen Pingping asked me
to give you a hand when you're in Shangjing.
How will you prove your identity?
It is the stamp of the Investigator's Office.
The wood pattern is specially made.
An outsider couldn't figure it out.
Keep it.
I only promised Chen Pingping
that I'd help you this time.
It's of no use to me in the future.
Your disciple Cheng Jushu
was killed by me.
I have a lot of disciples.
What would Chen Pingping do for you in return?
None of your business.
How will you help me?
I won't take action
or fight for you.
I won't expose my identity rashly.
I'll just convey information.
About what?
About the branch of Neiku in Shangjing.
What do I need to do?
Chen Pingping said
you're going to
take over Neiku.
You can take the chance to look through the account book
and get familiar with the branch.
I'm under close watch.
It doesn't matter.
Both government officials and common people here
know that
it's the branch of Nanqing's Neiku.
They all know?
But it's not closed down?
It's about commerce and trade. It's the source of wealth.
Relevant parties all benefit from it.
Nobody hates to make money.
Even the Embroidered Uniform Guards let it go?
It's the Embroidered Uniform Guards
that does business with Neiku.
Princess Royal even did business
with them.
Who do you work for in Shangjing?
I'm a follower of the Empress Dowager.
Do you know
where Yan Bingyun is imprisoned?
No.
He was imprisoned by Shen Zhong personally.
Few people know the exact location.
Do you know where the other secret agents
of the Investigator's Office are?
No.
I have to tell you something.
I promised Chen Pingping I'd help you this time,
but it doesn't mean
I work for the Investigator's Office.
Do you know
the last place Yan Bingyun went
before he was arrested?
Well.
Yes.
I wonder how Head Chen
managed to let
the Ninth Dan swordsman of Beiqi
work for him.
We're pressed for time.
Let's act separately.
I'll go to Yan Bingyun's former residence
and you go to Neiku's branch
to get an account book.
Do you want to
find some clues
at Yan Bingyun's residence?
Some traces must've been left
if he stayed there.
We can find out some secrets
from the layout of his room
and arrangement of furniture.
Your Excellency, be careful.
Let's go there next time.
Okay. Take care.
See you.
Boss, a cup of hot tea!
Okay!
I'm from the south.
Since you disappeared,
I've been thinking
where I'd go
if I were you.
In the final analysis,
what you want to do most
is to find Yan Bingyun.
Where should you go to look for him?
If I were you,
I'd go to
where he used to live
and see if there are any clues.
So, I decided to wait here.
As expected, you came here.
Only me.
You won't arrest me?
It's unnecessary.
The next day when Yan Bingyun was arrested,
I got everything
moved from this place
to the Embroidered Uniform Guards
and dismantled.
Each and every tile on the roof
has been changed.
Each and every brick on the ground
has been turned over.
What did you find?
Nothing.
He hid nothing.
You must've been tired to do that.
It's official business.
I have to try my best.
Your Excellency Fan, I'll wait for you outside.
Search it carefully.
Take your time.
I hope you can find something useful.
So fast? Don't you want to search again?
I don't think
there would be any omissions
now that you've had it searched.
Your Excellency Fan,
you'd better give up.
Here is Shangjing.
Without support,
you couldn't do anything here.
But I still want to have a try.
Shangjing is a big city.
Many people went into the depths of streets
and then disappeared forever.
I'm not bragging.
Nobody could stop me
unless he's achieved Ninth Dan.
Your Excellency,
after Fan Xian and Wang Qinian
went back to the residence,
they didn't go out any more.
We've found out
what Wang Qinian did earlier.
He went to the branch of Nanqing's Neiku
and took an account book back.
Your Excellency.
Please.
In my opinion,
Fan Xian is going to take over Neiku.
They took an account book back
probably to prepare for the future.
He won't give up on Yan Bingyun.
Don't worry. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack.
We'd better be careful, just in case.
Your Excellency, you can trust me.
I've increased secret sentries.
Fan Xian reminded me of something today.
He has superb martial arts skill.
We need a Ninth Dan martial arts master
to keep an eye on him.
There is no Ninth Dan martial arts master
available in the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
It's okay. We can borrow one.
Huh?
There he is.
Mr. He.
Mr. He,
I asked the Empress Dowager to send you here
because I hope you can
keep someone under watch.
Who is it?
Fan Xian from Nanqing.
You asked me to keep an eye on Fan Xian?
I know you're overqualified,
but you're the most suitable person.
Shen Zhong is right.
You're the most suitable person.
You're lucky.
It's not about luck.
I said some words during the day
to remind him of it on purpose.
There are so many Ninth Dan martial arts masters in Shangjing.
How did you know he'd come to me?
There are few
Ninth Dan martial arts masters here.
You, Shangshan Hu and Haitang Duoduo.
It couldn't be the Saintess.
Shangshan Hu is anxious
to take Shen Zhong by the throat.
You're the only choice.
Your disciple was killed by me
and both of you work for the Empress Dowager of Beiqi.
Of course he'd turn to you.
Did you get the account book so easily?
Yes, Your Excellency.
Without any twists and turns.
We couldn't find anything wrong like this.
Let's take it back
and compare it with what's recorded in the Investigator's Office.
Then we'll know if anything goes wrong.
It'll be pretty soon.
When we find Yan Bingyun
and the birthday ceremony is held,
we can go back.
I don't think Shen Zhong
would set him free easily.
That's why I have to look for him myself.
You couldn't find him.
Actually,
I've got an idea of how to find him.
Your Excellency, did you find any clue
in his former residence?
No.
It was cleaned out.
But Shen Zhong doesn't know
what I want to find
is not in that house.
What do you mean?
The Embroidered Uniform Guards
can empty a house,
but they can't kill
all residents in the street.
I drank tea with some local people
and chatted with them
near that house today.
Sir, why are you sighing in despair?
I came here for my relative,
but I was driven out.
Really?
Men's feelings are changeable.
What will you do next?
I don't know.
I have to rent a house
and settle down.
I'm going to turn to a broker.
You're lucky.
It happens that house is available.
Has it always been vacant?
Nah. Someone once lived there.
Something happened to him.
Who lived there?
What happened?
A young man lived there.
He associated with
either high ranking officials
or the rich.
Later, a girl came to his house.
After coming to Shangjing,
Yan Bingyun asked others
to call him Mr. Yun.
It's said he spent money like water
and made a lot of friends.
There were lots of visitors.
He just took the opportunity
to collect military information.
When he was arrested,
it was some big guys dressed in plain clothes
that took him away.
They are secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
The common people like to watch the scene of bustle most.
When he was taken away,
lots of people watched from distance.
Nowadays, this issue
has become a topic of conversation.
Did someone follow them all the way
and happen to find
where Yan Bingyun was imprisoned?
Of course not.
They're not that curious.
Then what's the point of knowing this?
It's said that
he's romantic and wealthy.
He also got to know a good girl.
Is that all you found out?
What's more,
the same day when he was arrested,
that girl came in advance
to ask him to run away.
When those big guys arrived,
she became a weeping beauty
beating and kicking them.
But owing to their strength in numbers,
Yan Bingyun was taken away, anyway.
Songs and dramas
are full of such stories.
It's nobody but Yan Bingyun that was caught.
It's nobody but the Embroidered Uniform Guards that caught him.
How did that girl
know about it before hand
to ask him to run away?
She beat and kicked the Embroidered Uniform Guards
when they arrived.
People turn pale even at the mention of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
How did the girl dare do that?
Why didn't those guys hit back?
Something is wrong with that girl.
Is there any young girl
in the Embroidered Uniform Guards?
Definitely not.
Then it's weird.
How did that girl know
Yan Bingyun would be arrested that day?
Why did those secret agents dare to do nothing to her?
You must've got an answer.
Does Shen Zhong have a daughter?
No.
He's not married.
But he has a younger sister.
How are they getting along with each other?
Their parents died early.
His sister is much younger than him.
She was brought up by him.
To his sister,
he's an elder brother and a father.
I want to see her.
You're kept under close watch
by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
Even if I let you go,
you would be tailed after by them.
You can reason things out.
Reason things out?
Your Excellency,
Mr. He sent a message.
He asked you to
withdraw those secret agents around the mission.
Why?
He said
the guy who stays with Fan Xian
is called Wang Qinian
and he's a tracking expert of Nanqing.
Common secret agents
are easily found out by him.
That explains why Fan Xian
shook them off during the day.
Mr. He said
we can withdraw those secret agents
and he'll tail after them.
Let them go out?
Exactly.
If there is anyone from the Investigator's Office
who makes contact with Fan Xian,
we can catch the whole lot in an action.
Sounds reasonable.
Shall I withdraw them?
Check Wang Qinian out.
If it's true,
do as He Daoren said.
Got it.
Your Excellency.
Is everything prepared?
Which one do you mean?
All messages about Beiqi
sent by Yan Bingyun
before he was arrested.
Head Chen wants to present them
to His Majesty.
The sooner the better.
Got it.
Your Excellency, it's prepared.
Have you got it?
Yan Bingyun took advantage of Shen Zhong's younger sister
to hide his real identity.
Judging from the details,
Shen Zhong's sister is well disposed
towards Yan Bingyun.
Do you have any information about her?
I'm afraid it's not easy for Fan Xian
to be as efficient and experienced as you.
I'm old.
Yeah,
and you're more cunning.
Shall we use a messenger pigeon
to tell Fan Xian about it?
No. It's too late.
It seems that this girl
is the only clue that can help
Fan Xian find Yan Bingyun.
That is Shen Zhong's younger sister.
What will you do?
Kidnap her?
That's extreme.
Won't you follow her?
Wang Qinian is better at lightness skill.
Your Excellency,
the further south I went,
the more heavily guarded it is.
I'm afraid I'd be found out if I continue,
so I came back.
The south of the city?
Did you see her get off?
No.
Do you think Lady Shen
is going to see Yan Bingyun?
It's hard to say.
Just a guess.
Even if it's true, the south of the city is too big
to find him.
I found that
it's guarded loosely and then more closely.
Something must've been hidden inside.
I can't go in,
so I looked around
in the neighboring streets.
I found that the guards
mainly gather
in these four to five streets.
So, Yan Bingyun must've been
imprisoned somewhere inside.
Can you sneak in?
No. There are too many secret agents.
Once you show up,
Shen Zhong would know about it at once.
It's a large scope.
He can transfer Yan Bingyun to somewhere else anytime.
In the final analysis,
only the two of you
can't get it done.
Besides,
we're not sure if Lady Shen
is going to Yan Bingyun.
Let's keep waiting.
Waiting for what? She's left.
Let's wait for her to come back.
She cried.
There seems to be a blood stain on her sleeve.
Seems?
I can't see it clearly unless I get closer.
Here is Shen Zhong's mansion.
It's already risky
to stay here.
You'll be found out if you get closer.
He's right.
There are secret agents here.
Let's go.
Have a look at this.
This is
finished dosage formulation.
And this.
Take it home.
Okay. Thank you.
Knickknacks!
Rattle-drums!
Knickknacks!
Bric-a-brac!
Just some medicine for flesh wounds.
There is also cold cure.
I'm sixty percent sure it's Yan Bingyun.
How about keeping waiting
before making a decision?
You don't have much time.
Why not?
Langtao is on the way to Shangjing.
Who is Langtao?
Ku He's first disciple.
Haitang Duoduo's senior fellow apprentice?
Right.
He's more capable than Haitang.
He also works for the Empress Dowager.
Once he arrives,
I'm afraid he'll take the place of me
to keep watch on you.
What to do?
We're in the capital of Beiqi.
It's enough to be sixty percent sure.
Who are you?
Tell Lady Shen
to let the cart
stop at the second crossroad tomorrow
if she wants to save him.
Who on earth are you?
To save who? I don't understand.
Lady Shen knows well
what will happen to him
if it's delayed.
Wait!
There she is.
It doesn't stop.
What a waste of effort!
I'm going over.
Your Excellency, it's risky.
Time is not on our side.
Do as I said.
Be careful.
Report to Shen Zhong
as I told you.
=Lady Shen, younger sister of Shen Zhong=
Who are you?
Fan Xian.
The envoy of Nanqing?
Take me to see him.
Who?
I don't understand.
If you really don't,
you couldn't have stopped to wait for me.
You have to help me.
I want to save Yan Bingyun.
Why do I have to help you?
You're from Nanqing.
He's seriously injured, right?
I'm the only one who can save him.
An agreement has been achieved
between the two countries.
Yan Bingyun will go back to Nanqing sooner or later.
I just want to take him back a few days earlier.
So, you are not betraying your country.
Now that he'll be set free
a few days later,
why do I have to help you do it now?
Before he leaves,
the Embroidered Uniform Guards is bound to torture him more severely.
Do you really have the heart to
see Yan Bingyun become disabled?
He's a secret agent of the enemy.
Why don't I have the heart?
Then why did you buy
the cold cure?
And the food.
You take food to him personally.
It's prepared by you.
If you don't believe me,
you can drive me out.
As long as you say it,
I'll leave immediately.
Your Excellency,
Yan Bingyun has said nothing.
Torture him more severely.
Just make sure he's not dead.
Got it.
Oh. Your Excellency.
Langtao
is arriving in Shangjing soon.
Once he arrives,
we couldn't fail
under any circumstances.
Got it.
Shouldn't you be tailing after Fan Xian?
He and Wang Qinian are gone.
What happened?
They slipped out of the residence today
and I tailed after them.
Unexpectedly, someone stopped me halfway.
Who is it?
He wore a mask. I can't tell.
He chased and fought me
and then ran away.
Fan Xian disappeared at that time.
You're a Ninth Dan martial arts master.
So is that guy.
Which style?
Not sure.
On the whole,
it's grand in scale and imposing.
Mr. He,
there are only a few Ninth Dan martial arts masters in Shangjing.
How could it be possible?
But he just appeared.
Impossible!
I don't think so.
Your Excellency,
there is no Ninth Dan martial arts master
available in Shangjing.
Shangshan Hu is also a Ninth Dan martial arts master.
Grand General?
These days,
Shangshan Hu has been looking for Xiao En
in public and in secret.
To save Xiao En,
he could cooperate with anyone.
Fan Xian colluded with Grand General?
Shangshan Hu's martial arts style
is to be grand in scale.
Do you think it is him?
I can't tell.
That's right.
He won't give the show away easily.
If he gets involved,
things will be more complicated.
Your Excellency,
let me go to his mansion and ask him about it.
Shut up!
Be patient till we get hard evidence.
Got it.
I'm wondering
where Fan Xian would go
with his help.
We're almost there.
He's imprisoned
in an old house in the south of the city.
It was arranged by my brother.
How is he doing?
There are many wounds. And he caught a cold.
Oh.
What will you do?
When will you save him?
Just today.
Today? Tonight?
Now.
No way.
It's closely guarded.
You couldn't go in.
Tell them I'm your attendant.
I'm here to carry things for you.
They only allow me to go in alone.
I can't even take my servant girl
with me.
We're almost there.
You have to get off.
Take more helpers here to save him.
I don't have any other helper.
How can you save him in this case?
You have to help me.
I can't.
It's impossible to take you in.
It's not you that take me in.
It's me that take you in.
Fan Xian!
You all know me.
A hostage?
He's a formidable foe. How can you hold back?
You should've taken action at once.
Just ask him if he needs
your help.
Even if he's suspicious of you,
your offer will remove his doubts.
In that case, with eyes watching,
I can't give you a chance to run away.
He won't let you go with him.
Why not?
Whose cart is it
that the secret agents
let go so easily?
It's really...
Your Excellency,
the hostage is your sister.
We've already...
Do you need me to go with you?
Just stay and take care of things here.
I'll get it done.
Your Excellency!
Don't come in. Stay outside.
Lady Shen did a good job.
She has a talent for playacting.
Yan Bingyun.
I'm Fan Xian.
You stopped me
on my way to the capital city from Danzhou.
Do you still remember?
=Yan Bingyun, member of the Fourth Division of the Investigator's Office of Nanqing=
Yes.
Give me the token for Director-General.
So you want to take it by force?
Give it to me!
It's a new wound.
Did they just torture you?
Thanks to your intelligence,
Nanqing gained a complete victory.
Beiqi sued for peace.
As the envoy of the mission,
I'm here to take you home.
You gave in to Beiqi?
Do you think I'm lying?
It's not a long time since you went to the capital city.
How could you become the envoy?
He's telling the truth.
He's here to save you.
Now that he's the envoy,
why did he come in by kidnapping you?
Shen Zhong wouldn't set you free.
So you came here yourself?
Shen Zhong is crafty.
How could he let you find me easily?
Come on.
I'm not stupider than him.
The spy network of Nanqing is hidden.
You plan to gain my trust
by saving me
and then catch the whole lot in an action
when I contact them
after going out.
Shen Zhong wants you to do that, right?
Are you suffering from persecution mania?
I've never heard of that.
As for how I got promoted
and how I became the envoy,
I'll explain it to you
when we go back.
Even if you're telling the truth,
tell me
how you'll get out of here.
Shen Zhong wouldn't
let me go easily.
I have a subordinate called Wang Qinian.
Wang Qinian?
The clerk of the First Division?
He's already
chosen to work for me.
Before I came here,
I asked him to seek help.
It's more ridiculous.
Here is Beiqi.
Who can you turn to?
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.