Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 liddi:

Okay, now I am beginning to take back what I said about S2 changes not being as bad. If the script is indeed genuine, it practically reduces Xiang Liu's sacrifices for her to next to nothing, since they clearly were not needed. I really hope that this is fixed in the finalised version.

How could they film that love letter video if this was the direction they were going to go in?

 AH :

I considered one not-great explanation that was somewhat similar, where XL might know all about the bugs and that killing CX could also kill XY, but he's not 100% certain that that would happen. So he won't try to kill CX by killing XY because he isn't certain that would actually kill CX and he doesn't want to kill XY unnecessarily. And in the opposite direction, he hopes that even if he does kill CX, it won't kill XY. But because he is worried about the connection potentially causing XY to die (among other reasons), he offers to have XY transfer the bug to him. 

That could be the case, though the arrow Fangfeng Yiying shoot at Cang Xuan was meant to be a killing shot if not for Xiao Liu going all out to save him. In which case, it stands to reason that Xiang Liu should be pretty confident that Xiao Liu will not be harmed even if Cang Xuan dies, knowing that the bug was not successfully planted.

 AH :

How could they film that love letter video if this was the direction they were going to go in?

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt that either the leaked script was not finalised (even the episode and season details were different - ending at S2 Ep28), or I missed out details because I have not read the whole thing through. However, what I have read makes me worried whether the logic was properly thought through when they decided to change it.

 liddi:

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt that either the leaked script was not finalised (even the episode and season details were different - ending at S2 Ep28), or I missed out details because I have not read the whole thing through. However, what I have read makes me worried whether the logic was properly thought through when they decided to change it.

Fair enough. 

It would be nice, though, if Kokuto was right all along and the script is totally fake and the "unpredictable changes" were really just that they made no changes at all and the script was just "leaked" so we would be surprised. Totally a realistic option, yes? 

 blabla100:

I still think that the reason why the bug didn't set well în CX was because XY was growing it for XL. She said it took her years to grow that bug, maybe that bug grow alongside with her affection towards  XL?  Or perhaps because of it? 

I can confirm that years did pass between the time when XY met XL in chapter 2 and the time when she planted the bug in ZX in chapter 5. 

The following time markers are used:

• After a year, Lao Mu held a simple wedding ceremony for Ma Zhi and Chun Tao, the daughter of Butcher Gao. 
• It was six months later and Ah Nian and Xuan did not leave Qing Shui Town like Xiao Liu predicted. 
• The Autumn afternoon is the most beautiful time of the day.
• The image inside the mirror was all his glorious handiwork that night. He drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s face and his icy eyes were glaring at him like daggers... After that night, many months had passed and Xiang Liu never showed up again. 
• In the Spring when hundreds of flowers blossomed was when Chuan Zi and Xan Tian Er got married. 
• It was a Summer midday and not many people were on the street since it was so hot.

But XL says that (at least in the novel) the reason that the bug wasn't properly planted in ZX was because he didn't willingly accept the bug the way XL did: 

"... Years ago I was only able to remove the bug from Zhuan Xu because he didn’t know it was you so he didn’t willingly accept the bug. So you never successfully planted the bug on him in the first place. But I….I was heart and soul willing, so the bug successfully planted in me..."

 liddi:

Cang Xuan colluding with Hou to kill Jing is just a product of a illusion created by his grandfather, to remind him of the consequences should he give in to his inner desires and kills Jing over Xiao Yao

I don't understand why they would make this change. Cang Xuan killing Jing is the reason why Xiao Yao left :/

 liddi:

Xiao Yao never sees Xiang Liu's true form, and by extension her clinging on to Xiang Liu afterwards because the assassination attempt was omitted.

This is so disappointing. I know because of censorship issues, they won't show Xiao Yao clinging to Xiang Liu and him embracing her after biting her neck but I was hoping she'd still see his true form :(

 liddi:

The copious amount of blood he took from Xiao Yao was not to save Jing, but for Xiao Yao to recover after he forcibly lured the lover's bug out of her and killed it

I don't get this. He saves Xiao Yao by taking her blood and then putting it back in her? Him taking her blood and giving it to Jing to save him makes so much more sense...

 liddi:

Jing survives not because Xiang Liu saved him, but of Xiao Yao's blood pill and him using a puppet which took the arrow during the attack. He was trapped in an underground cave, and would not have survived if he had not taken Xiao Yao's pill to regain his strength and clawed his way out

omg whyyyy. They're giving Jing more of an active role but this diminishes Xiang Liu's efforts.........

 liddi:

Xiao Yao found out about Xiang Liu's death before the wedding. This time the scene ends with the song she sang to lure Fei Fei

Ugh. In the novel, she's so depressed after finding out about Xiang Liu's death. It makes more sense to have the wedding first and then finding out about Xiang Liu :((( In the drama, she sang the song and Xiang Liu was the first to hear it so I'm fine with them ending it with the song.

 liddi:

A Nian's sadness while giving the big bellied doll to Xiao Yao, reminding her specifically to bring it with her wherever she goes, so that a part of Xiang Liu is forever with her, even if she doesn't know it

I'm fine with this. Cang Xuan's flower and Xiang Liu's doll will always be with her :')

 liddi:

Xiao Yao and Jing leave for Qingshui town after their wedding, instead of going to the ocean to settle down in one of the many uncharted islands

Nooooo. The ocean is the only place where no one can truly bother them :|

 liddi:

upset when he felt Xiao Yao and Jing kissing passionately, which also confirms that he feels her every emotion; how he treasures the tear pearl, even to his very last breath.

My goddddd, I don't want to see this. I think this is one of the worst changes. This is going to make me feel even worse for Xiang Liu. I'm glad he still has that tear pearl though so he has still has a part of her even as he dies 😭

Also, sorry for the complaints lol. But I'm so disappointed with some of these changes :/

 AH :

The first time XL suggests transferring the bug in the novel is when XY is literally still in shock / recovering from being stunned. CX had an arrow in his chest while they had that conversation.

I don't remember what was the reason for the second attempt. He wanted to actually kill CX or maybe to have his infos about the bug confirmed? Hence, Idk, it's confusing.  Maybe he shot that arrow to get the bug out? 

 blabla100:

I don't remember what was the reason for the second attempt. He wanted to actually kill CX or maybe to have his infos about the bug confirmed? Hence, Idk, it's confusing.  Maybe he shot that arrow to get the bug out? 

In the novel, XL says that, as a general in the Sheng Nong remnant army, he feels obligated by virtue of his position to kill ZX. I don't think his motives change between assassination attempts. 

I recall the version of this conversation in the drama being similar. 

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“Can killing him bring back the Sheng Nong Kingdom?” “No.” “Did he ever go on the battlefield and kill Sheng Nong soldiers?” “No.” “Do you have a personal blood feud with him?” “No.”

“Then why do you still want to kill him?”

“My position. Knowing that he’s right under my watch and not killing him, I feel like I’m not doing my part.”

“You have some sort of principles?”

“To Sheng Nong I do.”