I've watched only the first 3 eps, so somewhat behind you all. I saw some comments earlier that Jing isn't in the first several eps that much. Soon, friends, soon. :)
I think the pacing/editing is fine. We are introduced again to all the characters. So much has changed since we first met them all in S1. A lot is being set up from later parts with CX solidifying his power and also descending into his obsession over XY as he is forced to take more wives and ultimately Xinyue as his empress.
I actually like that they are showing Jing's story about trying to figure out the truth behind his sister-in-law's death and exactly whose son Tushan Tian is. It's told in the novel from Jing to XY in their conversation when she confronts him after the crashed wedding. I think it's better to show it in adapting it onscreen.
And I think from ep 2 it's pretty clear XY is still not over Jing. Not even a little bit. She tries to brush it off, pretends to have fun gambling but still ends up in her depressed state. She tells CX she cannot help think about Ye Shiqi. In ep 3, she returns with A' Nian to Haoling and essentially goes back to practicing medicine as she did in Qingshui.
All right, back to watching. :D