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

On the outskirts of Kyoto, at the foot of an unnamed mountain, a manor stands quietly.

As the snow fell heavily and the world was shrouded in a vast expanse of white, the manor was hidden behind layers of snow, and at first glance, it looked like a fairyland shrouded in clouds and mist.

Only when you get closer and part the magical snow mist can you see its true form.

The manor covers a vast area, and although the buildings are not particularly tall, they are exquisite and elegant. The pavilions and towers are well-distributed and blend in with the evergreen shrubs, bluestones, and rockeries in the garden, subtly conforming to the principles of nature.

Every brick, tile, stone, and piece of wood has been carefully arranged, without any trace of craftsmanship, giving it a natural appearance as if it had never been carved by human hands.

While it may not rival the grandeur and opulence of the imperial palace, its refined and noble air surpasses it.

This is Chen Garden.

It is Chen Pingping's private property on the outskirts of Kyoto.

When news of Emperor Qing's assassination attempt reached the capital, he claimed to be ill and left the Imperial Censorate to live in seclusion in this garden, avoiding the chaos of the city.

The three grandmasters went up Mount Dadong together, and everyone thought that Emperor Qing was doomed.

Only Chen Pingping didn't think so.

In the study, the stove was burning brightly, the charcoal crackling and filling the room with a warm, spring-like atmosphere.

A thin layer of condensation clung to the window frame, blurring the outside world.

Chen Pingping sat in a wheelchair with a bearskin rug covering her knees. She held a cup of hot tea in her hands, but did not drink it. Instead, she stared blankly at her reflection in the tea.

Suddenly, he put down his teacup, turned his wheelchair, went to the window, and pushed it open.

The wind and snow suddenly rushed in, carrying icy snowflakes that hit his face, making him squint.

The flames of the heater flickered in the wind, and the files on the desk were instantly covered with a thin layer of snow.

Chen Pingping didn't care about any of that.

He simply gazed at the bamboo branches bent under the weight of snow, the stone paths covered in snow, and the vast expanse of white in the garden, and suddenly sighed.

"Snow is falling so heavily and rapidly!"

He stretched out his hand, and snowflakes fell down, melting in his palm and gathering into droplets of water.

He turned his head and said to the shadow beside him:

"The last time I saw such heavy snow was twenty years ago. Shadow, have you ever seen such a snowfall in Dongyi City?"

"no."

Shadow stepped forward and stood by the window, dressed in a black robe, shielding Chen Pingping from half of the wind and snow, remaining motionless.

He had never seen such a heavy snowfall before.

Dongyi City is located between Qing State and Northern Qi State, and geographically it is more northerly. Theoretically, it is more likely to experience heavy snowfall than the capital.

In reality, during his years in Dongyi City, he had many memories of heavy rain and several snowfalls, but he had never experienced such a massive, all-encompassing snowfall that accumulated to several inches in an instant.

After leaving Dongyi City, he was taken in by Chen Pingping, and nearly twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Pingping hadn't seen snow like this in twenty years, and naturally, neither had he.

"It's normal that you haven't seen it before."

Chen Pingping withdrew her hand and wiped the water from her palm with a handkerchief. "This snow is just too unusual."

The last time he saw this snow scene, he was not yet disabled.

Back then, he could still ride a horse, draw his sword, and fight enemy generals on the battlefield, following Emperor Qing and Ye Qingmei.

He bathed in this snow in the Northern Wei Dynasty, filled with longing for the present.

"After such a heavy snowfall, all the filth and squalor in the city will probably be covered up."

Chen Pingping spoke calmly, her gaze fixed on the direction of Kyoto.

With the snow falling heavily, he naturally couldn't see anything.

However, just because he can't see it doesn't mean he doesn't know what's happening in Kyoto.

The struggle for the throne in the capital city, and the constant changes that occurred, would land on his desk at lightning speed.

Such a major event as Qin Ye mobilizing the garrison outside the capital, with tens of thousands of troops advancing majestically towards the capital, could not be hidden from his eyes.

Shadow didn't bother to think about whether there was any hidden meaning in those words.

Seeing that Chen Pingping had no intention of closing the window, he silently turned around and pulled the bearskin rug on Chen Pingping's lap up higher. He then took a step back to shield him from more wind and snow.

"The snow is beautiful, but it's too sudden and too cold, and it's not the right time. The dean is frail and ill; please take care of yourself."

Chen Pingping smiled, a hint of nonchalance in her smile: "Illness? What illness? I'm just pretending to be sick, not really sick. Why am I so delicate? This snow is better than the rain. At least my useless legs aren't suffering so much."

After saying that, he abruptly changed the subject and asked, "Shadow, who do you think will get that position in that palace scene?"

The shadow remained silent for a moment.

"I don't know."

He remains as sparing with words as ever.

However, although he said he didn't know, he was guessing it was the Crown Prince.

The contenders for the throne in the palace are nothing more than the Crown Prince and Zhou Cheng.

With the Crown Prince holding the legal grounds and the Empress Dowager's support, he possesses the advantages of timing, location, and popular support. Unless Zhou Cheng rebels, it is impossible for him to ascend to the throne.

Even if there is a rebellion, with Qin Ye leading troops into the capital, Zhou Cheng will not be able to sit on the throne.

"You're always just giving perfunctory answers!" Chen Pingping said with a laugh.

His smile quickly faded, and his expression darkened slightly.

After a while, he said quietly, "Actually, I think no one can sit in that position properly."

The shadow looked at him, puzzled. Chen Pingping, however, squinted at the wind and snow, looking out the window, and said nothing more.

Everyone else thought Emperor Qing was dead, but he didn't think so.

He knew the emperor he had served for decades all too well, and he didn't believe that Emperor Qing would die so easily on Mount Dadong, even if the three grandmasters went up Mount Dadong together.

At the Hanging Temple Assembly, he sent his shadow assassins.

Besides deepening Emperor Qing's trust in Fan Xian through that scene, it was also to test whether Emperor Qing was hiding his martial arts prowess.

He had always found Hong Sixiang in the palace suspicious, but had never been able to confirm it.

Unfortunately, the assassination attempt at the Hanging Temple failed to uncover Emperor Qing's true strength.

They just happened to discover a 'deity'.

Zhou Cheng's scheme to frame the Crown Prince was indeed meticulous, but in Chen Pingping's opinion, it was still a little lacking.

He left Kyoto without personally participating in the struggle within the Taiji Hall, so that he could stand outside the game and see things clearly.

He wanted to use the power struggle unfolding in the palace to verify a certain point.

If someone can sit firmly on the dragon throne in the Taiji Hall, it means that Emperor Qing is truly dead.

If no one can sit down, it means that Emperor Qing is still alive.

The life and death of Emperor Qing were related to all his future plans, so he had to be extremely cautious.

Chen Pingping snapped out of her thoughts and patted the snow off the bearskin rug.

The snowstorm was still too heavy; in just a short while, a layer as thick as a finger had fallen onto the bearskin.

Chen Pingping did enjoy watching the snow, but alas...

He looked up, just about to let his shadow close the window.

The figure, who had been relaxed just a second ago, suddenly tensed up and stared intently at the direction of Kyoto.

"What's wrong?" Chen Pingping asked in surprise.

"Primordial energy!" The shadow's voice tightened, and his eyes behind the mask flashed with horror. "The primordial energy of heaven and earth is abnormal!"

"The primordial energy of heaven and earth?" Chen Pingping frowned.

Before his legs were crippled, he could barely be considered a master. Since becoming crippled, his martial arts had fallen into disuse, and his sensitivity to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth could no longer compare to that of a ninth-rank Shadow.

The shadow did not speak.

He was also unable to speak.

In his perception, it was as if a black hole had appeared in the direction of the entire city of Kyoto, and the primordial energy that permeated the world was collapsing madly toward the center of Kyoto.

His perception naturally couldn't extend that far, but just by observing the swirling waves of energy around him, he could mentally visualize the terrifying and spectacular scene unfolding in the heart of the capital.

Chen Pingping followed the shadow's gaze, but could see nothing.

Just as he was about to ask again, suddenly, he saw a faint golden line appear in the distance, a golden line that went straight into the clouds.

The golden line became clearer and thicker and brighter at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a golden pillar falling from the sky, piercing through the snow curtain with a thunderous roar.

The golden pillar of light continued to expand until it transformed into a towering curtain of light that enveloped the entire capital city of Kyoto.

He then snapped out of his daze and regained some of his thinking ability.

"Is that light? Sunlight?"

Chen Pingping muttered to herself, gazing at the incredible celestial phenomenon.

He didn't know what that spectacle represented, but a gut feeling told him that something earth-shattering was happening in Kyoto.

Unbeknownst to them, the golden beam of light spread out, enveloping Chen Garden in a warm glow. The swirling snowflakes also ceased, with only the remnants of snow on the branches being lifted by the gentle breeze and fluttering down.

Chen Pingping squinted, sunlight streaming through the window and falling on his face, bringing a warmth completely different from that of the charcoal fire.

He stretched out his hand, letting the golden light fall into his palm.

"The sky in Kyoto? Is it clear now?"

The shadow cannot answer this question.

The two people in the study stood silently, gazing in the direction of Kyoto.

The snow in the garden lost its chill and reflected a dazzling light, coating the entire Chen Garden with a magnificent and radiant golden halo, as if it had become part of that miraculous spectacle.

Fifteen minutes later, a messenger from the Censorate rode up at breakneck speed, his boots crunching through the snow. He staggered into the study, knelt on one knee, and his voice trembled.

"My lord! News has come from the palace—!"

When the shadow heard that name and those three words from the messenger, it shuddered violently, its eyes behind the mask widening in shock.

Chen Pingping was also deeply shaken and could hardly contain himself.

He slammed his hands on the armrests of the wheelchair, leaned forward, and in his excitement, he almost stood up!

"What did you say? Prince Cheng? A Grandmaster?"

........

When Chen Pingping entered the palace, the cleaning in front of the Taiji Hall was almost finished.

A ceremony that nearly turned into a farce cost thousands of innocent lives.

The soldiers' bodies had already been cleared away, but some blood mixed with slush remained in the cracks of the bluestone slabs in the square, indicating the fierce battle that had just taken place here.

The edict of accession in the hands of Eunuch Hou was read aloud three times in less than an hour.

This is undoubtedly unprecedented.

Several civil officials did try to persuade Zhou Cheng to postpone the coronation ceremony, but in the end they lacked the courage.

With great anxiety and unease, Eunuch Hou read the imperial edict for the third time.

This time, he finally read it aloud in its entirety without being interrupted.

As the last word faded, he felt a great sense of relief, and his legs felt weak.

Below the imperial steps, among all the civil and military officials, princes, and imperial relatives, not a single person remained standing.

Even the crown prince knelt down with a numb, ashen face.

Beside the dragon throne, the Empress Dowager stood without being supported by any eunuch.

Her face was expressionless, only her cloudy eyes reflected the young figure on the dragon throne in the corner of her eye.

After the imperial edict was read, Zhou Cheng took his seat, and all the officials paid their respects.

The sound of "Long live the Emperor!" accompanied by the sounds of bells, drums, and ceremonial music officially proclaimed the Emperor's ascension to the throne.

The sound emanated from the Taiji Hall, passed through the square, crossed the palace walls, and echoed throughout the entire imperial city.

The snow, not yet compacted, on the eaves of the palace towers was shaken off by the sound of the wind and fell in a soft rustling sound, like a fresh snowfall that followed one after another.

The ceremony in the Taiji Hall was only part of the new emperor's enthronement ceremony; a series of elaborate rituals followed.

The entire process takes at least half a month.

Only after the final and most important sacrificial rites to the temple and the offering of sacrifices to Heaven and the gods to establish legitimacy would the imperial court issue an edict of accession to the whole country, announcing the beginning of a new era.

Zhou Cheng found these tedious rituals annoying, but they were a characteristic of feudal etiquette.

Chen Pingping, dressed in court attire, waited alone outside the Taiji Hall, pushing a wheelchair.

The court ceremonies in the hall had not yet ended, and he dared not barge in and interrupt.

He quietly parked his wheelchair beside the pillar, squinting at the golden sunlight and listening to the orderly kneeling and chanting inside the hall.

He waited for almost half an hour before the ceremony in the Taiji Hall finally ended.

Civil and military officials filed out of the Taiji Hall with varying expressions.

Some people looked ashen-faced, some had blank stares, some were walking unsteadily, and some were rubbing their knees as they walked. When they saw Chen Pingping, they did not come over to exchange pleasantries.

It's not about avoiding suspicion, but rather that their emotional journey today was more thrilling than a rollercoaster ride, and they urgently needed to find a place to calm down and process it.

Chen Pingping ignored them and simply waited quietly.

Finally, Eunuch Hou trotted out of the hall and whispered a few words in Chen Pingping's ear.

Chen Pingping nodded, and Eunuch Hou led him toward the side hall.

The Imperial Study is still not fully prepared. It will take some time before he moves into the palace.

"Your subject Chen Pingping pays his respects to Your Majesty." His voice was hoarse, with a hint of deliberate respect. "I have been absent from court for some time due to illness and have been unable to share Your Majesty's burdens. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."

Zhou Cheng waved his hand, knowing what Chen Pingping had been thinking and too lazy to argue with him.

Of all the officials in the court, there were few he truly valued, but Chen Pingping was arguably the most important one.

Moreover, he had something very important for Chen Pingping to do next.

He didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "Dean Chen's arrival at the palace is perfectly timed, as I happen to have something to ask of him."

Chen Pingping quickly cupped his hands, adopting an extremely humble posture: "Your Majesty, you are the sovereign, and I am but a servant. There is no need for such a title as Dean. You should call me Chen Pingping. Your Majesty, if you have any orders, I will gladly die for you."

Zhou Cheng wasn't being modest; what he said earlier was just a habit.

He said calmly, "Chen Pingping, the Observatory has eyes and ears everywhere. Tell me, did Father really die at Mount Dadong?"

Chen Pingping's expression remained unchanged, his eyes lowered: "Your Majesty, I dare not speculate. However, the news that has been relayed is indeed so. Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, does Your Majesty wish for me to send someone to Mount Dadong to bring back the remains of the late Emperor?"

Zhou Cheng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Chen Pingping's face, a half-smile playing on his lips: "I won't beat around the bush with you. I can tell you clearly, the late emperor is not dead. You want to bring him back? What am I? There can't be two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country. What I want you to do is not to bring the late emperor back."

Chen Pingping's expression changed slightly, and he lowered his voice even further: "Where did Your Majesty obtain this information? Is it accurate? What about the Censorate—"

"The information is certainly accurate," Zhou Cheng interrupted him. "As for the source, you don't need to be curious. I just want to know, Chen Pingping, are you loyal to the late Emperor, or to me?"

Chen Pingping was silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked directly at Zhou Cheng: "Leaving aside whether the late emperor is still alive, Your Majesty is already the supreme ruler and a Grandmaster. Even if I am ignorant of the times, I know who I should be loyal to."

Zhou Cheng smiled faintly: "You are very frank, that's good. You are loyal to me because I am a Grandmaster. But Chen Pingping, have you ever considered that if the late Emperor hadn't died, he would also be a Grandmaster?"

Chen Pingping's pupils contracted uncontrollably, and he lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, you mean..."

"That's right." Zhou Cheng's smile faded. "My father is indeed a Grandmaster. The Grandmaster in our Qing Kingdom's palace has always been my father. Hong Sixiang is just a figurehead. On Mount Dadong, the only surviving Grandmaster, the ultimate victor, is my father, our Emperor Qing."

Chen Pingping's breathing became rapid: "This, this... how is this possible?"

Although he said it was impossible, his mind was already racing.

"Nothing is impossible." Zhou Cheng walked to Chen Pingping's side, patted the back of his chair, and said in a light tone, "Just like Ye Qingmei's death back then, you thought it was impossible, but she still died, killed by Father Emperor's scheme."

Chen Pingping's body stiffened abruptly, and his face turned even more rigid.

When it came to Ye Qingmei, even the most shrewd man could not control himself.

He suddenly looked up at Zhou Cheng.

"Don't doubt why I know Ye Qingmei." Zhou Cheng looked at him calmly. "Because in a sense, I, Fan Xian, and Ye Qingmei are the same kind of people. We have similar backgrounds and experiences and knowledge that transcend this era, so many of our actions will exceed your understanding and make you feel that we are different from others."

Chen Pingping pursed her lips tightly, looked at him, and didn't say anything.

Zhou Cheng continued, "Of course, we only have similar backgrounds; our ideologies are quite different. Ye Qingmei is too idealistic, naive to the point of being foolish. Fan Xian is also idealistic, but he is able to recognize reality."

[Negative emotions from Chen Pingping +233!]

Zhou Cheng chuckled to himself; the number was actually lower than he had imagined.

Ye Qingmei was the only light in Chen Pingping's heart. Chen Pingping's feelings for Ye Qingmei transcended romantic love and could be described as faith.

Zhou Cheng called Ye Qingmei stupid, which he naturally didn't like to hear, but in the current situation, he couldn't say anything and could only remain silent, waiting for Zhou Cheng to continue.

But Zhou Cheng didn't continue.

Helpless, Chen Pingping could only ask, "Ye Qingmei and Fan Xian both act with ideals, so what about Your Majesty?"

Zhou Cheng patted the back of his chair and said calmly:

"From my actions, you should be able to see that I don't care about ideals, I only care about reality. I don't blame you for not being in the Taiji Hall. The reason I saw you first was because you, Chen Pingping, are useful, and I need you."

Chen Pingping lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke: "Your Majesty wants to use me, is it to... prevent the late Emperor from returning to the capital?"

He suspected that Zhou Cheng didn't want to use him, but rather wanted him to die.

If Emperor Qing is truly a Grandmaster as Zhou Cheng claims, then in the entire Qing Kingdom, apart from Zhou Cheng, who is also a Grandmaster, there will be no force capable of preventing Emperor Qing from returning to the capital.

What can a cripple like him do, even if he takes charge of the Forensic Science Institute?

Zhou Cheng seemed to have seen through his thoughts.

He smiled and said, "I will not let Dean Chen die. I only want you to block all news from Mount Da Dong. This will prevent rumors from spreading and causing further chaos. This vast capital only needs one supreme ruler. I will personally leave the capital to have a proper talk with my father."

At this point, Chen Pingping understood Zhou Cheng's thoughts. Clearly, this newly enthroned emperor wanted to "finalize the verdict" on Emperor Qing, making everyone believe that the late emperor had truly died on Mount Dadong.

He had no room to refuse, nor did he intend to refuse, much less to hedge his bets or secretly tip off Emperor Qing.

He still believed Zhou Cheng's words. After all, Zhou Cheng was a grandmaster, while he was just a cripple. There was no reason for Zhou Cheng to lie to him about Ye Qingmei's murder.

"Your Majesty, I understand." Chen Pingping lowered his head. "Your Majesty and I, along with the Censorate, will fully cooperate with you."

Zhou Cheng nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly changed the subject: "Now you must understand that I am the man in black from back then. I never let people do things for free. If you've done well, I can promise to answer any questions you have about Ye Qingmei."

Chen Pingping suddenly raised her head. In her dim eyes, an unbelievable light suddenly burst forth.

He had already guessed that Zhou Cheng was the man in black when he heard his subordinates report it.

His suspicious nature was partly the reason why he was able to trust Zhou Cheng so quickly.

But now, hearing Zhou Cheng admit it himself, and even offering Ye Qingmei's secret as payment, he immediately realized how different Zhou Cheng was from Emperor Qing.

Chen Pingping lived his entire life for Ye Qingmei. In this world, the only things that could satisfy him and pique his curiosity were everything about Ye Qingmei.

He took a deep breath, bowed deeply, and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust."

After leaving the palace, Chen Pingping mobilized his men to do everything in his power to block all news about the aftermath of the Great Eastern Mountain incident.

He cut off all communication channels, including carrier pigeons, fast horses, and secret agents.

Inside and outside Kyoto, all the latest news and even rumors about Emperor Qing disappeared completely overnight.

For the next three days, Zhou Cheng did almost nothing.

He merely issued an edict to remove Li Chengqian from his position as Crown Prince and temporarily confine him to the Eastern Palace.

Then came the purge of the imperial city and the execution of the rebels.

That's right, targeted killing, killing by name!

Qin Ye and his son Qin Heng committed the heinous crime of treason and should, in principle, have their entire family executed.

Zhou Cheng did not follow the usual practice of implicating relatives and friends; he simply ordered their homes to be searched, and then issued a list, ordering people to kill people according to the list.

The Qin family members on the list were all people who had been exposed to the system and had contributed a lot of negative emotions to him.

He's not exactly magnanimous, but he's not narrow-minded either. You can talk badly about him behind his back and give him a hundred or two points of negative emotion, but he won't bother with it.

If the score exceeds several hundred points, it reaches the point where he feels murderous intent, and naturally he will not show any mercy.

In just three days, not only Qin's relatives, but also several officials in the imperial court were ordered to be killed.

Even if Zhou Cheng kills someone without any reason, no one dares to say a word of dissent.

In just three days, not only Qin's relatives, but also several officials in the imperial court were ordered to be killed.

Even if Zhou Cheng kills someone without any reason, no one dares to say a word of dissent.

Zhou Cheng was not only an emperor, but also a grandmaster.

After witnessing his incredible methods and the divine phenomena that seemed to defy the heavens and earth, all the officials in the court no longer harbored any rebellious intentions towards him.

Of course, some bold censors and civil officials wanted to offer advice, but they were usually dismissed with a single glance from Zhou Cheng.

Three days later, Zhou Cheng issued an edict: in ten days, a sacrifice would be held at the Kyoto Temple to inform the gods and Heaven, and an imperial edict would be issued to declare the legitimacy of the dynasty and grant a general amnesty.

Then he announced that he would be fasting and should not be disturbed unless there was a major event.

After secretly entrusting the affairs of state to Li Yunrui, he left the palace alone without a sound.

During these three days, Chen Pingping not only blocked all news from the direction of Dadong Mountain, but also investigated everything that was happening on Dadong Mountain.

Just yesterday, Chen Pingping finally confirmed that Emperor Qing was still alive, and at the same time, he handed him a map showing the route Emperor Qing and his entourage took back to the capital.