Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 blabla100:

@AH

Ah, you're right. I don't know why I thought she did figure it out, but she would rather not think about it. 

It makes me think a bit of XY's struggle (in chapter 47) to accept Left Ear's suggestion that CX was the one who killed TSJ. 

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Chapter 47:

Xiao Yao laid on her pallet writing Xiang Liu over and over again. Miao Pu finally couldn’t hold it anymore and asked “Miss, why do you write this name every day over and over, asking is it you, or is it not you, all the time?”

“I’m thinking whether he did it or not. And if he did it, how do I confirm it?”

Miao Pu understood now and asked, “What if he didn’t do it?”

“If he didn’t do it, then another powerful person did it. But no one is left. I’ve investigated all suspects. So did I miss someone?” Xiao Yao rapped her own head in frustration.

Miao Pu hurriedly stopped her. “Miss! Miss!”

Xiao Yao flopped on the pallet and noticed Left Ear behind Miao Pu, his dark eyes were glinting like a predator and staring intently at Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao asked, “What do you want to say?”

Left Ear angrily said, “It’s not Xiang Liu! There is one very powerful person you missed.”

Xiao Yao blinked in shock. There was someone she couldn’t think of that Left Ear knew. “Who?”

“His Majesty.”

Xiao Yao bolted up and furiously scowled. “What nonsense are you spouting!”

Left Ear looked confused and asked, “Did I say anything wrong? His Majesty is not powerful? Then my understanding of power is wrong?”

Xiao Yao’s anger lessened seeing Left Ear like this, so she patiently explained, “His Majesty is very powerful, yes, and he can be considered the most powerful person in the entire world. But you’re not understanding what I’m trying to find out, His Majesty has nothing to do…” Xiao Yao glanced at Miao Pu who ran out of the room with her hands over her ears, “His Majesty has no conflict with Jing, and even less profit to gain from his death.”

Left Ear coolly said, “They have conflict with each other.”

Xiao Yao was so frustrated by now. “Do you know them better than me? Do you know what conflict means?”

“I do! Conflict is about fighting for the best home, the best land, the best prey.”

“Fine. So even if conflict as explained by beasts is true, what did Jing and His Majesty fight over?”

“Every Spring, aside from fighting over home, land, and prey, male beasts will fight over a female that the beasts both want. The more powerful the beasts, the more violent the fight.”

Xiao Yao finally understood what Left Ear was getting at and scowled “You, you…….”

Left Ear continued, “His Majesty and Jing both want you, and if neither is willing to give up then they can only fight it out.”

Xiao Yao slapped the pallet hard. “Complete nonsense! You get out!”

Left Ear immediately left and Xiao Yao got off the pallet to gulp down some water. “Nonsense! How can people be like beasts!”

Xiao Yao tried to put Left Ear’s words aside, but gradually it started to eat away at her when she continued investigating Jing’s death. Zhuan Xu would enter her thoughts and Xiao Yao would immediately try to force it away as impossible. But gradually little details she missed started to emerge and take on a whole new meaning.

She remembered what Zhuan Xu said to Feng Long on his deathbed, that he only ever entrusted his beloved Xiao Yao to Feng Long.

Xiao Yao knew Zhuan Xu didn’t really like Jing, but she thought it was because Jing broke Xiao Yao’s heart before, or Zhuan Xu thought Jing wasn’t good enough for Xiao Yao. At least Zhuan Xu certainly thought Feng Long was much better than Jing, and was more willing for her to marry Feng Long. But now she knew how Zhuan Xu felt about her, many things in the past took on a different meaning, so Xiao Yao went back through her memories and spent the entire night thinking of the past.

When her Dad issued a proclamation that Xiao Yao was no longer the Gao Xing Eldest Princess, her Grandfather wanted to give her the Xuan Yuan last name so she could be the Xuan Yuan Princess and had the most illustrious last name in the entire world. But Zhuan Xu insisted on giving Xiao Yao the Xi Ling last name, and for this the two argued over it. Back then Xiao Yao picked the Xi Ling last name so she was matched to Jing’s level, which is why she never thought about why Zhuan Xu wouldn’t let her become the Xuan Yuan Princess.

On the eve of his marriage to Ah Nian, Zhuan Xu angrily forbade her to go or to congratulate him.

Xiao Yao remembered her conversation with Zhuan Xu that night in Qi Qing Garden.

 Sssnoopyyy:

@AH thanks for the excerpts, I do remember those parts.

You're welcome!

 Sssnoopyyy:

But I do feel bad for CX in a sense that he really didn’t have much of a choice related to XL's death. I believe he was honest with what he told XY, but only one of them can live. Even if he lets XL go again, eventually XL would have to die as he would definitely not stop fighting. I was thinking XY would understand that fact, she knew the outcome from the start so I was hoping she wouldn't hold that against him? But I also understand that knowing and how her heart feels are separate matters.

The way I see it, XY didn't blame CX in the sense that she didn't feel that he could and should have acted differently. She knew that it was XL and Gong Gong who insisted on fighting to the death instead of taking any of the many opportunities they had to surrender (and even have Gong Gong become a regional king) or escape and it seemed like she accepted that CX could not have simply called his army off or have them surrender to either Gong Gong or XL. 

But at the same time, CX was partly responsible for XL's death. Even if she knew it was inevitable, how could she face him? How could she treat him as her gege after that? On top of everything else?

 liddi:

Still travelling so can't properly answer anything right now. But just to share a comment on Weibo that just broke my heart again. During the final battle, Xiang Liu had already set it up so that even after his death, the poison from his blood would continue to take down more if not all of the Xuan Yuan great army with him, because he did not believe that they would pass up the chance to dececrate his body once his true form was revealed. He thought so little of himself in the eyes of his enemies that in his calculations, he did not consider for a moment that he, the much-hated and feared demon of the Great Wilderness, might have won the respect of even those who came for his life, a respect that ultimately saved their lives.

When I first read XL's death scene, I didn't think that XL's body turning into poisonous black blood that destroyed every remaining living thing on the island was something that necessarily occurred by his design. 

XL's blood had long been extremely poisonous. It was XL's poisonous blood that ended up killing Feng Long. During the last battle, XL was disguised as Gong Gong until his last life was taken by thousands of arrows. After his death, his true form (which, as XY observed, was huge) was revealed. Then his true form turned into extremely poisonous black blood that gushed forth and destroyed every living thing on the island, including every last blade of grass. Couldn't that have been a natural progression? Without requiring XL to do something extra to arrange it?

In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, when Yu the Great killed Xiang Liu, wherever Xiang Liu's blood flowed, no grass would grow and crops could not take root. Not because Xiang Liu pre-arranged it to be so, but simply because his blood was so noxious. 

But since my first read I have seen many fans confidently describe it as something that XL must have intentionally set up before he died. I don't understand how they are so certain. 

 liddi:

I don't mean that he prearranged his blood to be able to kill his enemies. What I see is that he knew the terrible properties of his blood, and he believed his enemies would not let the opportunity to dececrate his body pass after his death. As such, it was his last stroke in taking down more of his enemies, even in death. And that is what hurts, that he did not think there was a chance he, hated and feared as he was, would be accorded respect and honour befitting a worthy opponent.

But what is "it"? That last stroke? Him casting some kind of spell?

It sounds like you're saying he must have done something specific to intentionally cause his blood to gush forth after his death the way it did? That his blood could not have gushed forth simply as a result of his death? 

To me, it seems possible that XL's blood could have gushed forth from his true form the way it did without XL having to do anything specific before he died in order to cause that to happen. 

 liddi:

Still travelling so can't properly answer anything right now. But just to share a comment on Weibo that just broke my heart again. During the final battle, Xiang Liu had already set it up so that even after his death, the poison from his blood would continue to take down more if not all of the Xuan Yuan great army with him, because he did not believe that they would pass up the chance to dececrate his body once his true form was revealed. He thought so little of himself in the eyes of his enemies that in his calculations, he did not consider for a moment that he, the much-hated and feared demon of the Great Wilderness, might have won the respect of even those who came for his life, a respect that ultimately saved their lives.

 liddi:

I don't mean that he prearranged his blood to be able to kill his enemies. What I see is that he knew the terrible properties of his blood, and he believed his enemies would not let the opportunity to dececrate his body pass after his death. As such, it was his last stroke in taking down more of his enemies, even in death. And that is what hurts, that he did not think there was a chance he, hated and feared as he was, would be accorded respect and honour befitting a worthy opponent.

 liddi:

No. I meant the dececration of his body precipitated the last stroke, because the toxic blood that flowed would have taken down those who touched it after his death, particularly in his true form. I was not thinking about any specific spell or formation.

Ah. Okay, I think maybe I'm following now?

Your view is that XL knew that his blood was extremely poisonous and that if his enemies approached his body (with the intent of desecrating it) shortly after his death, then his blood would naturally wipe out those enemies? 

And you're inferring that XL must have anticipated that his enemies would indeed approach his body with the intent of desecrating it, and that they would be wiped out accordingly?

And the weibo commenter is suggesting that XL not only anticipated that his enemies would do so, but somehow "set it up" so that they would do so?

If I've summed that up correctly, can I ask what led to your inference that XL must have anticipated that his enemies would attempt to desecrate his body? It seems reasonable to me that he would anticipate that they might do so. But there wasn't anything in Koala's translation that made me think he must have anticipated that they would do so. 

And were you able to get a sense of what the weibo commenter meant when they said that XL "set it up" so that his blood would wipe out his enemies when they approached his body with the intent of desecrating it?

 Sssnoopyyy:

Please refresh my memory, but CX knew about the bug that connected XY and XL right? Because when XL came to save her the first time, he told CX about it (which is how he knew XY was gravely injured). So basically CX would not be able to hurt/kill XL so long as the bug was around. I would assume that so long as it was around, the fight would continue indefinitely because obviously CX doesn't want XY to die, right?

CX was aware that the bug that was previously in him had been transferred to XL. 

But he was not aware that when it was transferred to XL, XL accepted it whole-heartedly (whereas CX had not accepted the bug) so it was "successfully" planted in XL and became a Lovers Bug that connected XL and XY's hearts and lives together. 

He was not aware that if XL died while XL and XY were still connected by the bug connection, then XY would die with XL. 

He only thought that XY's pain and sensations would be transferred to XL through the bug connection, as they had been transferred to CX when the bug was in him. And he thought that when XL died, the bug connection would be broken without harming XY. 

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Chapter 46:

After Yu Jiang left Xiao Yao said, “I must have lured Xiang Liu here.”

Zhuan Xu asked, “Still that bug?”

“Yes, when I arrived my heart hurt when I saw Jing’s old residence. With his brilliance, he must have deduced that you also came.”

Tears pooled in Xiao Yao’s eyes but she controlled them from falling. Zhuan Xu patted Xiao Yao’s hand. “Feng Long’s death is not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. I was too careless.”

Xiao Yao bit her lip and said nothing.

If Feng Long hadn’t taken that arrow for Zhuan Xu, it would be Zhuan Xu who was dead now! Thinking of the person turning black being Zhuan Xu, Xiao Yao’s body shivered in fear. She was always aware that Xiang Liu and her stood on opposing sides, but with Feng Long’s death today before her eyes, she finally understood the stark reality – Xiang Liu is Zhuan Xu’s enemy! He could kill Zhuan Xu!

Zhuan Xu said, “Don’t worry about the bug, Yin said that when the host person dies then the other bug dies or goes back to the host body. When Xiang Liu is dead then your bug will be lifted.”

Yin’s understanding was true for all bugs, other than the Lover’s Bug.

 Sssnoopyyy:

Would XL have killed CX though? I almost feel like XL bluffed it at times, but would not do it because that would hurt XY. The day he aimed that arrow at CX, I feel like he knew FL would take the shot and that it would kill FL instead (I saw some ppl interpret it as XL eliminating FL to ensure that Xinyue would never have the support to try to kill XY again - which kinda makes sense to me). 

Yes, we have discussed the possibility that XL never actually intended to kill CX in chapter 46 (for many reasons) quite a bit in this thread. I also discussed it with some YaoJing fans in one of the YaoJing threads. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

But if XL did kill CX, I wonder what XY's reaction would be - what's everyone's thoughts on that?

She threatened to kill Gong Gong if XL tried to harm CX again. Would she have made good on that threat if XL really did kill CX? It's hard to say. I think she probably would have tried. 

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Chapter 46:

Xiao Yao walked right up to Xiang Liu and looked up at him. “I’m sad and angry, that’s all true, but in the end I still can’t kill you to avenge Feng Long. But you listen to me – if you try anything against Zhuan Xu, I will go assassinate Gong Gong! My archery skills were taught by you, you know what you taught me was all about killing. My poisons, you’ve sampled it all and even if it’s useless against you, it'll kill Gong Gong easily!”

 Sssnoopyyy:

Also in the drama, there was obviously no logical answer as to why XY left and never said a word to CX. There was no reason to cut off contact even if she wanted to wander and life freely. Maybe they wanted to use XL's death as one of the reasons like in the novel?

They changed the timing of XL's death so that it occurred before XY and TSJ's wedding in the drama. So XY ended up embracing CX and accepting the ruo mu flower from CX after XL's death. Which is just... so wrong. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

If CX didn't kill TSJ but defeated XL, I still don't think XY would hold that against him would she? What are your thoughts on if CX never killed TSJ in the novel but ended up having to take down XL (due to the ongoing fight), would things have been different?

Yes, I think XL made sure that XY understood that CX was responsible for kiling TSJ because it was extremely important that she understand that CX was willing and able to deeply hurt her in order to keep her by his side. She had to face that reality first before she would be able to escape from CX and have the freedom and ordinary life that she really wanted. 

If she didn't have that information before she found out about XL's death, I think XY would have still been deeply upset and it might have damaged her relationship with CX for a while (similar to how CX invading Gao Xing impacted their relationship for a while) but their relationship probably would have recovered eventually. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

Wow I cannot imagine what would've transpired if CX really tried to kill XL at the time when the bug was still in XY. That would be so risky - but ofc I'm sure our XL would have ensured that wouldn't happen hehe.

Well it seems that CX did try very hard to kill XL before the bug connection was broken, and as far as I can recall he was not aware that the connection had been broken before XL was killed. 

But XL had multiple lives to spare. Even if one of his lives was taken in battle, that would not have resulted in XY's death (he sacrificed at least two lives for her sake and that didn't kill her). For XL to lose all of his remaining lives in battle... it seems highly unlikely that XL would have allowed that to happen at a point when his death would have resulted in XY's death. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

I MISS LEFT EAR, I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DISREGARDED HIS CHARACTER AFTER S1.

Same. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

But they ofc changed it to XY and TSJ paying respects to her family instead.

On the day of her wedding in the drama, XY went to pay respects to her family members' graves and CX joined her. On the day after her wedding in the drama, XY also took TSJ (along with Sir Bi and Lie Yang) to pay respects to her family members' graves. So I'm not sure I'd say that the drama took the XY and CX grave visiting scene and changed it into an XY and TSJ grave visiting scene. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

Also did they ever mention about TSJ's lifespan? I know when the two broke up he was so heartbroken that it affected his health. XY ended up healing him, but it isn't certain if he can even accompany her for her entire lifetime if his health isn't great.

When XY checked TSJ's health in chapter 33, his life expectancy was very low. But then she began treating him and got back together with him and his health returned. 

Separately, TSJ sustained terrible injuries in his battle with TSH in chapter 42 before his 7-year disappearance. TSJ took XY's life-saving pill, so that helped protect him to some degree. And XL used the jewel that he created from XY's blood to revive TSJ. When TSJ returned to XY in chapter 49, it's not entirely clear what his health is like and how long his remaining life span would be. But XY didn't seem to see any signs of poor health that concerned her and as far as I can recall there was no mention of her needing to treat his health or injuries. 

 Sssnoopyyy:

AGH should I reread the novel? Probably hahaha

Can't go wrong with another re-read. ^^

 Sssnoopyyy:

Ah ok thanks for correcting me - you are a novel wizard! Time for a reread haha.

Lol, this thread frequently reminds me that my memory isn't perfect either. But thank you. ^^

 Sssnoopyyy:

Really? I thought he and his grandpa tried to convince XL to surrender in their own way.

They did. The Yellow Emperor tried to do so many times even before he became aware of XY's interest in XL. But every time those offers were made they were rejected and XL continued to fight with the remnant army. It's not like the Yellow Emperor or CX put out an order to their armies to not kill XL even if they encountered him on the battlefield. 

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Chapter 29:

The Yellow Emperor said, “I called you here because there is one task I need you to do your best to make happen.”

“Grandfather please tell me.”

“Find a way to get Xiang Liu to agree to come to our side. I know it’s very difficult, in the past hundreds of years I’ve asked Qing, Hou Tu, Cang Lin, and even Little Zhu Rong, all of them tried and were turned down by Xiang Liu. But I wish for you to try nonetheless.”

“Yes.” Zhuan Xu paused and then asked, “Why does Grandfather care so much about Xiang Liu?”

The Yellow Emperor said, “Just an old man’s little bit of regret.”

Zhuan Xu saw that the Yellow Emperor wasn’t going to explain more so he didn’t ask more and only said, “I will do my best but I think it’s hopeless.”

The Yellow Emperor sighed. “People do their best, the Heavens determines the outcome!”

-----

Chapter 31:

The Yellow Emperor suddenly said, “I asked Zhuan Xu to find any way possible to get Nine Lives Xiang Liu to turn his allegiance to us.”

Xiao Yao bolted upright and stared at the Yellow Emperor.

The Yellow Emperor said, “All these years, using any method, any persuasion, any means available, he turned it all down.”

Xiao Yao looked back out into the dark distance and her face showed no emotion, no joy and no sorrow.

“Zhuan Xu ordered that two peaks in Sheng Nong Mountain be designated as off-limits and he has his own personal soldiers guarding it. You ought to know why he did that. Even though Xiang Liu saved your life, you don’t owe him anything.”

-----

Chapter 46:

One Spring day, the Black Emperor sent Little Zhu Rong to pay a visit to Gong Gong and request his surrender and joining of the kingdom. Gong Gong refused. Within the span of three months, the Black Emperor sent Little Zhu Rong three more times to see Gong Gong, each time with ever greater rewards and incentive. He even promised to make Gong Gong a regional King with his own armed forces, and allow him to govern the entire territory around Qing Shui Town. But Gong Gong turned it all down.

In the dog days of Summer, the Black Emperor issued an official proclamation to exterminate the Sheng Nong Resistance Army led by Gong Gong, sending soldiers North to battle.

Zhuan Xu took into consideration that Gong Gong was a member of the Sheng Nong royal family so he didn’t want to send Ying Long and Li Yuan, those old time Xuan Yuan generals, and risk reanimating the bitter antagonism between Xuan Yuan and Sheng Nong. He also didn’t want to send Feng Long and Xian, the Middle Plains new guards, and have them take on the big challenge at hand. He decided to send Ru So as the Great General with Yu Jiang and Ju Mang as the supporting generals. Even if Gong Gong and Xiang Liu were notoriously stubborn and fierce, with those three leading the charge and endless supplies and support behind them, Zhuan Xu was certain Gong Gong would lose in the end.

Just as Zhuan Xu was about to issue the decree, Feng Long came to personally beg to be allowed to lead the army, or even go and report to Ru So.

...

When Zhuan Xu said that he named Feng Long as the Great General to lead the troops to attack Gong Gong’s resistance army, Xiao Yao was brewing tea and at that moment her hand slipped and the scalding water poured on herself.

Zhuan Xu rushed forward and put iced water on her burned wrist while asking Miao Pu to bring the burn ointment. Zhuan Xu grumbled, “Why are you so careless? What’s on your mind?”

Xiao Yao forced a smile. “Nothing” and moved to continue to brew the tea but Zhuan Xu sent her back to the Yellow Emperor’s side and finished pouring the tea for everyone.

Xiao Yao asked “Will Feng Long be setting off soon?”

“Yes, in the next few days.”

Xiao Yao sat there silently, Zhuan Xu and the Yellow Emperor’s voices reaching her ears but her heart had flown out the window and beyond…

The little Hui Chun Clinic, out the back courtyard was a plot of land growing medicinal herbs. Below the herb field was the West River, and following the West River it would lead into Qing Shui, and from Qing Shui it emptied into the East Sea. On the banks of the West River, she saved Jing. To catch the fei fei, she encountered the white condor Furball. She poisoned Furball and got whipped forty times by Xiang Liu as a potential spy. She wanted to poison Xiang Liu but instead poisoned Jing. She wanted to remove the bug from Zhuan Xu and made a deal with Xiang Liu, which turned out to be a Lover’s Bug where the hearts were beating the same and the lives were entwined…

“Xiao Yao!” Who knew when the Yellow Emperor left and Zhuan Xu was staring at her. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m remembering Qing Shui Town.”

Zhuan Xu said, “I lived there before, too. Don’t worry, I’ve already ordered officials to safely resettle Qing Shui townspeople.”

Xiao Yao nodded.

“Are you thinking about Xiang Liu?”

Xiao Yao looked down and said nothing.

Zhuan Xu said, “I know you have some connection with him, and truthfully I’m rather admiring of his ability and loyalty. I’m even envious of Gong Gong’s fierce and unbending connection with him, but the Sheng Nong Kingdom is a thing of the past……….I have to eliminate them!”

“I know.” Xiao Yao was fully aware that Zhuan Xu did everything he could already to have them safely submit. The Xuan Yuan Kingdom had to fight this war, and for the Sheng Nong resistance army this would be a form of release. Zhuan Xu is doing nothing wrong, as the ruler of a kingdom he had to snuff out the final pocket of resistance, but Gong Gong and Xiang Liu were also not wrong in sticking with their loyalty and beliefs.

Zhuan Xu sighed. “No matter my admiration for Xiang Liu, we stand on opposite sides so I hope you don’t have any further ties with him.”

Xiao Yao said, “Don’t worry, I know!” It was because it was so clear since the very beginning, that’s why Xiang Liu kept reminding her, and she kept reminding herself, that she and Xiang Liu could never be friends.