Joy of Life (2019) s02e20 Episode Script

1
(Joy of Life Season 2)
(Episode 20)
- Dig the outhouse again? - Yes.
It's Lord Fan's idea again.
My Lord, this is ridiculous.
Just tell them we are short-staffed
and can't do it on time.
He got men from the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council.
He didn't even look for us.
One cannot simply enter the exam hall
unauthorized.
My Lord, the Overwatch Council manages the whole kingdom.
According to the law, they can even take candidates away in front of us.
Why are you still telling me?
He is asking you to get the wood and bricks
out from the warehouse.
Those are Phoebe Zhennan logs and metal bricks.
Why is he using them to build an outhouse?
He said
it was a little overboard.
However
What?
The Spring Imperial Examination is organized by the Ministry of Rites.
He can provide manpower
but we need to provide the materials.
Doing that won't be violating the law and against the rules.
Darn it.
Rules?
Yes.
We need to do it according to the rules.
Lord Fan.
The repair of the outhouse by Zi Yue is done.
It won't affect the Spring Imperial Examination.
All of you have worked hard.
I'm afraid when I think about it.
They are so sinister.
Adding kerosene in the outhouse.
When night comes,
students will bring candles.
If an accident happens, a fire will occur.
Qi Nian.
You might not know.
A place like that
won't just catch fire.
- It might even explode. - Explode?
If this place explodes,
then
Won't it be written on
an exciting page in the history books?
On a certain year, month, day, and time,
at the Spring Imperial Examination hosted by Lord Fan Xian,
all the candidates died due to
That's very embarrassing.
There are three more days to go.
No matter what,
I will protect their safety.
The officials don't care about their lives,
but I do.
If the officials don't want to protect them,
I will protect them.
Unfortunately,
you've done so much for them,
but they are unaware.
Good people and good deeds won't be remembered.
Call me the Red Scarf.
Lord Fan, what did you just say?
Red Scarf.
He changed the candles and drinking water.
He even built a new outhouse.
Minister Guo also bribed a few students.
We'll find a way to frame Fan Xian again in three days.
There's no need to do it anymore.
- No need? - Without water or fire,
it's not a major incident.
Fan Xian's grace
cannot be suppressed
unless a few dozen people die.
Why don't we cut him down to size?
Why waste effort if I can't cut him dead?
Ask Guo Zheng to give up.
What a waste of this good opportunity.
Something's amiss.
I might even be trapped by Guo Zheng's schemes.
Fan Xian is cunning.
No.
Something so trivial
could only be discovered
by an old man who has many years of experience in the Ministry of Rites.
Otherwise, who would check the candles and drinking water?
Someone from the Ministry of Rites is helping him?
Who would it be?
- Someone fainted. - What's going on?
Get him up.
That's
Submit your papers!
Lord Fan is very meticulous in doing things.
Even the Overwatch Council came to help.
Nothing happened in the last three days.
It's worthy of a celebration.
I have high hopes for Lord Fan.
Minister Guo, you have a good eye for talent.
Having you in the Ministry of Rites
feels like rain during a drought
and springtime for a wilted tree.
Have all the papers been collected?
Everything has gone smoothly.
The sealing of papers comes next.
Nothing will happen.
There's no need to worry, Minister Guo.
Lord Fan.
You worked hard in the last few days.
Why don't you take a break back at your residence?
I can't.
I still need to supervise the sealing of papers.
I can't slack when it comes to a duty assigned by His Majesty.
A capable man has a lot of work to do.
Is this how the papers are sealed?
Yes.
The papers can be judged fairly when the names are covered.
They are copying the papers over there.
We will make a copy of all the papers.
After all, one's handwriting
can also expose the candidate's identity easily.
How thorough.
After the papers are copied, they will be sent to be examined.
The candidates are chosen purely on the basis of their talents.
What should I do
if I want to tamper with the papers.
Lord Fan,
what did you say?
I'm asking you
what I should do
if I want to tamper with the process of sealing exam papers?
Lord Fan, you mustn't joke about this.
I won't do that. I'm just curious.
Nothing of that sort will happen.
We are not talking about the current examination.
It has never happened in the past.
Are you not treating me as one of your own?
It has never happened.
Why did I hear that the papers used to cover up the names
had different lengths?
A difference in the paper's length
is also a marking.
That is the area for copying, right?
You can also stain the paper with ink
in the area where the papers are copied.
By doing that, the person who judges the paper
will know what to do.
There's nothing of that sort.
Lord Fan, where did you hear this?
They are all rumors.
Of course.
I believe all of you here
will never do that.
After all,
no one wants to die.
I was only joking.
Everyone. Do your job well
while I study.
Message from Guo Zheng.
Fan Xian knows the tricks of the Ministry of Rites well.
He wanted to help Your Highness' retainers
but it doesn't seem too convenient right now.
What retainer?
I have no retainer.
Understood.
There are only candidates.
No retainers.
It's not bad
for the Spring Imperial Examination to be clean.
No one should interfere
and let destiny take charge.
I'll ask someone to inform Guo Zheng.
(Yang Wan Li)
Chan Li, Wan Li. Why do you get up so early?
It's a habit of mine. I wake up when it's time.
Chan Li, the exam is over.
Why are you still reading?
Ji Chang, look.
I couldn't remember this sentence no matter how much I thought about it.
Enough. The exam is finished.
Stop thinking about it.
Where's Cheng Jia Lin?
He's exhausted after the three-day exam.
I couldn't wake him up.
Yes. I feel reborn after the last three days.
Indeed.
Chan Li, you are acting strange.
Ji Chang, what's that smell?
You smell nice.
You have a good nose.
- You have food again? - Of course.
You are so kind.
Chicken?
Roasted Chicken.
- Where did you get this? - I prepared it last night.
I wanted to celebrate after we finished the exam.
In the end, the three of you slept soundly like pigs.
Thank you for feeding us in the last three days.
The chicken will still return one day.
That's not how you use Lord Fan's poem.
All right. Let's eat.
Otherwise, it might rot.
I'll split it.
Who would expect
Lord Fan to buy me wine and meat
that night?
Right?
Who would expect that?
Yes. I was shocked when I found out.
Speaking of which, a note was found
in his pastry when he entered the exam hall.
I was scared to death.
Thankfully, Lord Fan proved my innocence.
Shouldn't the four of us visit Lord Fan?
Why?
There are rumors on the streets
that the four of us have become Lord Fan's disciples.
However, we know we aren't.
Why don't we
take advantage of this?
Are you saying
that we should visit our "teacher"?
With Lord Fan's talents,
he is more than enough to be our teacher.
Having Lord Fan as our teacher?
- That's great. - Of course.
But if we visit him now,
we'll be seen as taking a shortcut.
You are right.
There's no need to be afraid if you have a clear conscience.
Yes.
I must have a clear conscience and not be afraid as well.
We can visit Lord Fan
but now is not the time.
When should we visit him then?
Even if we are going,
a good time is waiting until the results are released.
But
This is it.
I think so.
Save some for Jia Lin.
- I am Cheng Jia Lin. - Go away.
I wonder what Lord Fan
is doing now.
Lord Fan, you haven't returned home for a few days.
Your family misses you.
I couldn't go back.
I had to keep an eye on the judgment.
If I want the exam to be fair, I must spend some effort.
That's all, right?
I watched the judgment for a few days.
Only the results need to be released.
This time, the examination
is clean and fair at least.
What about the four people at Tongfu Inn?
Shi Chan Li failed.
- Lord Fan, didn't you help - It's fair and that's good enough.
What about the other three?
If nothing goes wrong,
the three of them should be on the ranking.
Especially Yang Wan Li.
His article is not bad.
Lord Fan, your eye for talent is amazing.
You met four people,
and three of them were chosen.
If I had known,
I would've participated in the exam as well.
With your blessing,
perhaps I could
Just sleep.
(Fan Residence)
Zi Yue, don't you have any footsteps?
Qi Nian, this is
This is Lord Fan's meal.
Qi Nian,
what about this?
The meat?
I'm sure you know.
This is Ba Ba's favorite.
Understood.
Qi Nian, you are stealing Lord Fan's meat.
How can you call this stealing?
Lord Fan is resting.
He won't be eating these dishes.
The dishes cannot be Right?
You still can't do that.
No. If no one eats the dishes,
they will be thrown away.
Isn't that a waste?
- But - Wasting is bad, right?
- You are right. - What's bad about what I'm doing now?
Qi Nian, after saying that,
I don't know what's right and wrong about this anymore.
Enough. Sit down.
Let's eat together. Be my guest.
Here. I'll let you
try Lord Fan's meal.
Here.
Come on. Try it.
The meat is for my daughter.
Let's eat this
troublesome dish, fish with bones.
- Here you go. - Well, Qi Nian. You asked me to eat.
I'm asking you to eat.
Here. Try the fish eyes.
You read books often. They are good for your eyes.
Sure.
You are right. I'll try it then.
What do you think?
Delicious.
- Is it nice? - Yes.
Of course, it's nice.
Look at me.
I've gained weight.
Try this.
Qi Nian.
How long
is Lord Fan going to sleep?
- Are you looking for him? - No. The ranking for the exam
has been published by the Ministry of Rites.
According to the rules, we need to take a look
-before the ranking is released. - President Chen can do that.
He asked me to deliver it to Lord Fan.
Why are you so stubborn?
Let Lord Fan sleep more
and we can eat more. Isn't that great?
Here.
Try this.
Let me try it first.
It's delicious. Try it.
What do you think?
It's a very special taste.
What is this?
Yogurt.
Lord Fan, you're awake?
It's fine. Keep eating.
Why are you looking at me?
Qi Nian, stop pretending. You didn't wipe the yogurt off your lips.
Lord Fan, what's yogurt?
What is it?
This is the ranking for the exam.
President Chen asked me to deliver it to you.
Keep eating.
I'll go and find my chopsticks.
Well, you should keep eating.
What's wrong, Lord Fan?
Yang Wan Li failed the exam.
His name is not on the list.
Did he break some kind of rules?
Qi Nian, go to the Ministry of Rites with me after you finished eating.
I'm not eating.
You shouldn't walk back and forth.
Lord Fan.
- How is it? - I looked through the checked papers.
Yang Wan Li's paper is in the batch of papers
written by chosen candidates.
Weren't the names covered?
I saw what he write at the exam hall.
I still remember the content.
Did they miss out on his name when they copied his paper?
No.
The content is Yang Wan Li's,
but the name has been changed.
(Sheng Huai Yuan)
Is it that difficult
to ask for fairness?
We must investigate it, Lord Fan.
We must see who replaces Yang Wan Li.
There's no need to investigate. I recognize this name.
You recognize it?
Help me keep an eye on these names.
What do you want me to do, Your Highness?
Not doing anything while sealing the papers
is good enough.
The name that replaces Yang Wan Li is one of them.
The crown prince's retainer?
Lord Fan,
is there someone else besides him?
He is the only one.
Besides him, the other names are normal.
Lord Fan,
you must be cautious.
There's dissent between you and Prince Cheng Ze.
If you make the crown prince your enemy now
- You must think twice. - There's no need.
- I always keep my promise. - What promise?
This year's Spring Imperial Examination
must be clean.
Zi Yue, bring men from the First Bureau and surround this place.
Without my order, no one is allowed to release the results.
Yes.
- Wang Qi Nian. - Yes.
Let's go to the Eastern Palace.
Your Highness, Lord Fan is visiting without an invitation.
Why didn't you report it sooner?
Hurry! Keep everything!
The silk dress you wanted is completed today.
It's being delivered now.
Who arranged that?
You did.
Lord Fan,
why are you in a rush to visit me?
Please come inside.
I see. You came here for this matter.
- This is - I want to show them to you.
Which outfit do you like?
I don't know about these things.
Which shop made them?
I made them.
Your Highness?
I simply drew them
and got a tailor to make them for me.
A designer, huh?
What?
It's nothing.
Why are they covering their faces?
They don't look pretty and their temperaments don't match.
I understand.
Who is Your Highness making these dresses for?
They are not for anyone. I was only fooling around.
They are good quality. It's not fooling around.
That's what I appreciate about you.
Someone else
might advise me to focus on state matters.
Humans should have some hobbies.
Oh,
the person who replaced
someone on the ranking
is indeed my retainer.
However, if I say this has nothing to do with me,
- will you trust me? - Of course.
If Your Highness did it,
it wouldn't be just one person
and you wouldn't be against Yang Wan Li.
It's obvious that someone tried to sow discord
between us.
You are insightful.
- Fan Xian surrounded the exam hall? - The capital is shocked.
- What next? - He went to the Eastern Palace after that.
Did the crown prince tamper with the results?
The crown prince is not a fool.
That's weird. Who would tamper with the results of the examination
after His Majesty's orders?
Who else would do it apart from Cheng Ze?
It's unlike him.
It's too straightforward.
You can take time to investigate who did it,
but we must know how to solve this.
He is my retainer after all.
Why not keep the mistake?
As for Yang Wan Li,
I'll make sure he becomes an official in one year. What do you think?
If someone informs His Majesty about this one day
and makes a complaint about Your Highness' cheating,
what will happen?
How can you expose your weakness to others?
You are farsighted.
We can't endure this.
Not only must we not endure, we must blow it up.
How? Are we going to inform the Overwatch Council?
This is the exam hall of the Spring Imperial Examination.
It is the Ministry of Rites' territory.
Now that all of you are blocking the way,
who will take responsibility if the result announcement is late tomorrow?
I, Deng Zi Yue from the First Bureau of the Overwatch Council,
am willing to take this responsibility.
When did the Overwatch Council
start trampling on the law of the Minister of Rites?
Blades are dangerous.
Minister, please take care of yourself.
I do want to see
how dangerous your blade is.
Everyone,
the First Bureau has been observing etiquette for years
and knows all about the ways of the world
but does the Overwatch Council
need to know about the ways of the world?
The blade in our hands
is not an accessory.
I want to see
how you deal with this.
Everyone,
Lord Fan is sealing the exam hall for the sake of all candidates.
This quality is rare in this world.
Everything he says is true.
I was muddled in the past
and just drifted along.
I was
blind and deaf.
After Lord Fan came here,
the First Bureau became different.
I believe
the First Bureau can return to its old ways
of carrying out its duty of keeping watch over the officials
and deter the traitors.
Hence, I have decided
to follow Lord Fan forever.
I hope all of you
can not let your uniform and the Qing Kingdom down
when you do things in the future!
For the Qing Kingdom!
They entered the palace to meet His Majesty?
Lord Fan and the crown prince?
Indeed.
- What for? - I heard it was for cheating in the examination.
This year's Spring Imperial Examination?
Lord Fan has surrounded the exam hall.
How do you know something like this?
The rumors are all over the streets.
Lord Fan is seeking justice for every candidate in the kingdom.
As expected of Lord Fan.
How did you always hear about rumors on the streets
but I couldn't?
Rumors on the streets.
Who is spreading them?
They are rumors on the streets.
Who knows?
Cheating in the Spring Imperial Examination is serious.
There are already rumors so soon.
This is not right.
Perhaps Lord Fan did it himself?
Using the people to aid him.
Sounds right. The rumors wouldn't spread so quickly
if it weren't for the Overwatch Council.
After doing that,
he has no choice but to move forward
after reaching the point of no return.
Why do I feel like
all of these tricks
are slowly pushing him forward?
Who is pushing him and what for?
It's confusing.
I can't see it clearly.
Where's Eunuch Hou?
Lord Fan, he can't leave His Majesty's side.
- What is your name? - I'm humbled to be asked my name.
I am Hong Zhu.
You get to help out Eunuch Hou at your age.
You have a bright future ahead of you.
It's all thanks to praise from Eunuch Dai
from the Vegetable Inspection Office.
Vegetable Inspection Office?
Eunuch Dai who paid 3,000 taels to bribe you.
Eunuch Dai made a mistake.
The palace asked him
who should take over the Vegetable Inspection Office
and he said my name.
Wait.
What is your relationship with him?
Your Highness, we are unrelated.
I only picked up Eunuch Dai shoes once.
In that case,
you should blame me.
- I should thank you. - What for?
If Eunuch Dai didn't fall,
I wouldn't get the chance to replace him.
If I didn't replace him at the Vegetable Inspection Office,
I would never be appreciated by Eunuch Hou.
I should thank Lord Fan after all.
Has anyone told you
that you shouldn't be so blunt when you speak in the palace?
Lord Fan, you are talented.
You even entered the palace for the sake of all candidates.
I'm impressed
and excited.
How did you know that I came for the sake of the candidates?
Lord Fan, rumors have spread about your words and actions.
Rumors have spread?
Everyone in the capital knows.
It is impressive.
Did you purposely spread the news?
What a great move.
It's nothing.
Lead the way.
Your Majesty.
His Highness requests a meeting.
Fan Xian requests a meeting.
- Greetings, Your Majesty. - Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Greetings, President Chen. - Greetings, President Chen.
If Your Majesty has something important to discuss with President Chen,
I can excuse myself.
There's no discussion.
I'm giving something to His Majesty.
Your Majesty,
Fan Xian has an important matter to report to you.
Why are you here when he has an important matter?
This important matter is somehow related to me.
Just say it.
Yes.
The results of the Spring Imperial Examination have been tampered with.
The candidate who is supposed to pass the exam
has been swapped with my retainer.
Cheating in the examination is serious.
Someone is obviously framing me.
I'm wronged.
So, I think
this matter should be investigated.
What do you think?
Your Majesty, I find this ridiculous.
Fan Xian,
are you in charge of watching the examination?
It is my duty.
Then, you should finish your duty.
The exam hall has been sealed off
and the results will be amended.
However, should I keep investigating
who tampered with the results?
What do you think?
The Spring Imperial Examination is important to the kingdom.
I think it should be investigated.
- Investigate it then. - Who should do it?
Young people.
All of you should do more.
How far should we go and how ruthless can we be?
These are
the booklets
that has proven cheating in the examination over the last five years.
There are no results until now. Why?
The matters have been downplayed and forgotten.
No one dares to investigate it
because the investigation result
will involve many people.
How deep should the matter be investigated?
How ruthless can one be in the investigation?
How strict can one be in the investigation?
They dared not.
No one has dared to investigate it until now.
I will be daring.
You? You will investigate it?
Do you think you can handle
the investigation results?
I will take responsibility.
Take a look.
There are many booklets here.
It is my obligation to rectify the situation.
Investigate it.
You should investigate this year's case
but why are you investigating the cases from previous years?
I'm loyal.
I must investigate them, Your Highness.
The stage has been set and I've put my reputation on the line.
- I can't go back now. - Are you saying
that His Majesty and President Chen want you to investigate them?
Do you think otherwise?
It's a tough job and you'll offend people.
Do you think I haven't offended enough people?
It's hard being you.
Mother is summoning me.
- You should leave without me. - Sure.
Thank you for your reminder just now, Eunuch Hong.
Let's speak in private.
This way, please.
Do you have something to tell me?
What are you doing?
My surname was Chen.
I am from Yingzhou.
I was persecuted by a corrupt official
who stole my assets.
My clan was annihilated.
I got lucky and survived.
I had nowhere to go
and was forced to enter the palace.
- Which corrupt official? - The current magistrate of Yingzhou.
Magistrate of Yingzhou?
You punished him.
His assets have been seized and he has been imprisoned.
He is sentenced to be executed immediately.
If you hadn't sought justice for me,
I would never get a chance
to get revenge.
The list was investigated by President Chen
and handled by the Censorate.
Why are you thanking me?
I might be a fool,
but I still know
that you were the one who is pushing this, Benefactor.
There's no need.
How many people in the palace
know about your identity?
When I entered the palace,
I registered
as a Jiaozhou resident.
My surname is Hong in the palace.
No one knows about my past.
How did you get your surname, Hong?
When I entered the palace, I met an old eunuch called Hong.
He treated me well
so I called myself Hong as well.
Don't call me Benefactor anymore.
Understood,
Lord Fan.
What do you understand?