Joy of Life (庆余年)

I didn't burn Shijia Town to the ground.

However, he's still a survivor of Shijia Town.

Fan Xian is still keeping an eye on your past dealings with Northern Qi.

If so, all the more we can't kill him.

Since you already found out, I'm sure the Overwatch Council knows as well.

Just let him investigate the case.

I'm also curious about the perpetrator

who burned the town to the ground.

Where is he?

Tongfu Inn.

The First Bureau has surrounded the place in secret

in case someone tried to assassinate him.

Deng Zi Yue is still very meticulous.

Hold on. Which inn was it?

Tongfu Inn.

What is the manager's name?

Tongfu Inn...

I think the manager's surname is Tong.

Male or female?

Male, I think.

If you want a female,

I can get one for you.

Go away. I don't want anything.

You may leave.

Godfather. - Shut up.

A scholar should have character.

Your son, I... - You ingratiate yourself like a fly or a dog.

He Zong Wei.

I'm considered too soft-hearted

if I don't beat you out of my place.

A scholar cannot become a dog

and shouldn't become a dog.

I really respect... - Get lost!

I, your son, am leaving.

He is swearing loyalty toward you.

I still have my pride.

I dare not take in someone like him.

I hope the scholars of the kingdom

are not like him.

Someone like him is rare.

Young people are usually arrogant.

I hope so.

Qi Nian, we'll go to Tongfu Inn later

to meet the only survivor.

Whether the innocent lives lost at Shijia Town

can be vindicated

depends on him.

Speaking is easy

but it's tough to act.

Yogurt!

Delicious yogurt!

Please stay here. - Let's gather again.

Let's gather again. - Be careful on your way back.

Lord Fan, you're here.

Let's speak in private.

Lord Fan.

Is Shi Chan Li staying here?

Yes. He is staying in a four-man bedroom.

There are also three exam candidates staying with him.

These are their names.

Yang Wan Li, Cheng Jia Lin, Hou Ji Chang.

We are checking their backgrounds

and will soon obtain the results.

Lord Fan,

this is the detailed record of Shi Chan Li's conversations

and actions since staying in the inn.

Please take a look.

You even investigated this?

I'm preparing for the unpredictable.

It might be useful to you.

He even drank wine?

He had a nice chat with the candidates and drank a few cups.

He's only a decent drinker.

Are they not at the inn now?

Yes.

They are at the exam hall.

There are many days left until the exam.

Why did they go to the exam hall?

They are building walls.

Building walls?

Put some effort.

Carry and place them lightly.

Slowly. - Sure.

Lord Fan, look. These are the Spring Imperial Examination candidates.

What are they doing?

Repairing the exam hall for the Ministry of Rites.

Repair the exam hall?

Isn't that the work of builders?

Why did they get scholars to do it?

Indeed.

It was a suggestion by the Minister of Rites, Guo Zheng.

He said we have many scholars

who come from different backgrounds.

Prices in the capital are high

and poor scholars have a tough time living here.

Instead of letting builders earn the money,

he suggested the scholars earn it instead.

Indeed.

Participating voluntarily allows them to feel how majestic the exam hall is

and also make money to sustain their livelihood.

Looking at it like this,

this minister

empathizes with the people.

Lord Fan, that man is Minster Guo.

Lord Guo

is even doing things himself?

Why isn't he moving at all?

He's stuck there.

There's an artist here.

Indeed.

Repairing the exam hall is a contribution.

He has to draw a portrait to remember it.

Some officials of the imperial court have a hobby like this.

Interesting.

Lord Fan, let's go back and make a portrait ourselves.

Where's Shi Chan Li?

Lord Fan, that man is Shi Chan Li.

Is he having his portrait drawn too?

I don't see an artist anywhere.

The guards are not strict.

The guards are protecting the minister.

No one cares about these scholars.

I need two more men here.

He Zong Wei.

Do you want to become an official?

If you can be successful,

are you willing to put your life in danger?

May I know who you are?

Everyone, be careful.

Chan Li.

You are...

Chan Li, did you forget about me?

We've met.

Have we?

Are you staying in Tongfu Inn?

Yes. - In a four-man bedroom?

That's right.

Your hometown is in Shijia Town at the border.

Why do you know everything? - You told me.

I told you?

We had a chat when you were drunk that day.

Were you there that night?

In the outhouse.

I was drunk that night.

I can't remember.

Are you short of money?

I'm not rich indeed.

We share the same trouble.

Hou Ji Chang. - Your name is...

Chan Li.

Is this your friend, Chan Li?

We both live in Tongfu Inn.

We met each other before.

Aren't you going to introduce him?

This is Ji Chang who shares a room with me.

Hou Ji Chang.

Greetings, Ji Chang. My surname is Fan.

Fan? Greetings, Mr. Fan.

It's fate that we live in the same inn.

Am I disturbing your conversation?

Not at all.

Just now,

I saw Chan Li spacing out with a brick in his hands.

I was wondering why.

I saw it too.

Chan Li, what did I tell you before we came here?

I saw you sitting there without moving

and staring at the bricks from over there.

Minister Guo is watching.

Even if you are tired,

you still need to pretend that you are working hard.

I'm not tired.

I just find the bricks weird.

How are the bricks weird?

Look.

These are

old bricks we removed.

This is a slab of new brick

that we will be using.

So?

New brick.

Old brick.

Can you hear the difference?

The old brick sounds like knocking on iron.

Iron?

This is a slab of good metal brick.

Metal brick is very expensive.

The new bricks that we are going to use

are normal bricks.

Look.

The pillars that are removed

are made from Phoebe Zhennan trees.

Look at the logs used to replace them.

What are these? Logs.

They are ordinary. Extremely ordinary.

So, I don't understand.

The Ministry of Rites is repairing the exam hall

but why are the materials used

worse than before?

Chan Li, how do you know these?