Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 AH :

Chapter 14, the day after XL met XY in her female form for the first time, many decades before the Grand Emperor's abdication:

She arrived at the Tu Shan residence in Ying Province but heard from the guard outside, “Master Jing went shopping likely to buy local products to take home for the family.”

Xiao Yao thought Jing would rest but he went out with the others likely to not let people know he was out all night. Remembering his two fox tail dolls, if he wanted to conceal his whereabouts, it would be hard for the world to find out what he was up to.

With Jing not around, Xiao Yao was bored and didn’t want to go right back so decided to walk around town. The last time she was here she was still a kid. Back then only low powered Gods lived here, it was lovely but not very lively. Now there were many humans living here, and even demons, and everyone mixed together made the entire town bustling. Everyone appeared to coexist as equals and were mannered and polite.

Xiao Yao felt so proud of her dad. Since she came back, she could tell her dad wasn’t happy, and he said he used everything he had to exchange for this, so this was likely what her dad wanted!

 AH :

As for his efforts to create more harmony and equality between deities, demons and humans... I'm not sure where that came from... if that was motivated by guilt or if he had another reason for pursuing that goal. XY said that he told her about his efforts and maybe he mentioned his motive there, but I can't remember when that conversation happened... other than that it would be before chapter 14. 

I was skimming the novel and came across the conversation that XY had with the Grand Emperor about his efforts. But it didn't provide much in the way of insights about his motives for createing a more equal and harmonious society. 

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Chapter 13:

Xiao Yao asked, “Dad, how come you’re not asking why I’m wearing the outfit you don’t like?”

“Clearly Ah Nian must’ve ruined the other one.”

Xiao Yao laughed. “I knew you were aware of all the stuff she was doing.”

“If I knew this, I would have stepped in. But……Ah Nian is using unreasonableness to hide her unease and insecurity. When it was just her, she was the only and never had to fight for anything. Now that you are here, she compares herself to you. The only ones who can reassure her are Zhuan Xu and myself. I don’t want her to think I’m playing favorites so I’m more lenient with her right now. But I feel like…..some things are between you sisters and you guys need to resolve it yourselves.”

Ah Nian’s fear, Xiao Yao could understand the worry that she would take away her dad and older brother. But insecurity? Xiao Yao laughed “I can take care of it myself, I just wanted to let her vent enough before dealing with her.”

The Grand Emperor sighed loudly “This life, I’ve used everything I have to exchange for everything I want. I have regrets but will still do it again. The only thing I worry about is the two of you sisters. If you can love and accept each other sincerely and look out for each other, then I will have nothing else to worry about.”

This was the rare instance of the Grand Emperor revealing genuine sadness and it made Xiao Yao feel terrible. But there are some things that one cannot do alone. Xiao Yao didn’t have faith she could do what her dad asked with Ah Nian so didn’t want to make a promise she couldn’t keep. But she vowed to try her best.

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But I got to thinking about what he said to CX before he handed the Gao Xing throne over to him.

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Chapter 40:

The Grand Emperor said, “Hundreds of years ago, on the plains of Yi Province, Xiao Yao’s mom pointed to a direction and asked me what is over there. I answered ‘Mountains, rivers, earth, and people.’ She changed three more directions and asked me the same whether it was in the direction of Gao Xing, Xuan Yuan, or Sheng Nong. My answer remained the same. I knew she already foresaw that one day Gao Xing would battle with Xuan Yuan but she didn’t want people to be sacrificed like her and Qi Yo. So she placed all her hopes with me to do the right thing and avoid the bloodshed.”

Zhuan Xu stared at the map and mulled over what his Auntie said.

The Grand Emperor smiled at Xiao Yao, “When Zhuan Xu came to Gao Xing, he was young but already had the personality of Qing Yang which was a relief to me. I earnestly trained and taught him even as my officials worried I was training a future enemy. At that time I remembered what Ah Heng said and ignored the officials and continued to nurture Zhuan Xu. I worried the officials would plot to have their children lead him astray so I encouraged Zhuan Xu to travel the commoner world and live as they live. I urged him to travel all through Gao Xing and understand every inch of this land so that one day he could govern it properly.”

Zhuan Xu stared in confusion, he understood what the Grand Emperor was saying but didn’t understand what he was trying to get at.

The Grand Emperor said warmly, “Zhuan Xu didn’t disappoint me, and even moreso he didn’t let down Qing Yang, Ah Heng, or his parents. Zhuan Xu grew up just like I had hoped. Or no, shall I say he grew up even better than I expected. The Chang Yi and Bai Hu tribes are angry at me for not training and naming a successor. As the ruler of a kingdom how could I have forgotten to do such an important task. I not only trained a successor to rule Gao Xing, I even trained two good officials to serve him. The three children I raised: Ju Mang is reliable and pulls through, Ru So can be trusted with important tasks, and Zhuan Xu will be tasked with the entire world’s governance.”

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And of course that made me think of the corresponding chapter from Once Promised.

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Once Promised Volume 3, Chapter 19 (final chapter):

Ah Heng stared at Shao Hao, this man was more and more becoming a ruler. Even if he was loath to, he still coldly gave everything up and walked forward with certainty. Perhaps she will become the last person to see this side of him – Shao Hao. Perhaps in the future he will become like the Yellow Emperor, people only know him as a ruler who kills to conquer but forgot that he once had a warm and tender name – Shao Hao.

Qing Yang, Chang Yi, Chang Pu…….all those people who warmly called him by that name, they were buried like Shao Hao’s name.

But she and Qi Yo could not, neither of them could ever give up those who gave them warmth.

Ah Heng suddenly pointed towards Gao Xing. “What’s over there?”

“Earth, mountains, streams, and people.”

Ah Heng pointed at Sheng Nong. “What’s over there?”

“Earth, mountains, streams, and people.”

Ah Heng pointed at Xuan Yuan. “What’s over there?”

“”Still earth, mountains, streams, and people.”

Ah Heng said, “This world isn’t just Gao Xing, Xuan Yuan, and Sheng Nong. If you want to rule the entire world then you need to first have a heart that is capable of loving the entire world equally. Whether it’s Gao Xing, Xuan Yuan, and Sheng Nong, it’s all just earth, mountains, streams, and people.”

Shao Hao’s heart shook as thousands of years of godly class and national barriers fell in his heart and he saw a bigger, grander, better world.

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And it made me think that maybe Ah Heng's words inspired not only his willingness to see Gao Xing and Xuan Yuan unify at the end of his reign, but also his pursuit of more equality and harmony between species within Gao Xing during his reign?

Looking at the poster, I too can't help but hoping they will give us a little twist or something at the end, even if it's just XY's dreaming. That poster is so emotional, XY looks so happy, it's like XL answering her crystal ball and took the mermaid's streched hand. 

 blabla100:

I have watched the teaser for episode 13 and it's the gambling den's scene. Weird, because according to the schedule, XL has no appearence between ep 12 till ep 15.

Well, it looks like the casino scene is split too, like the Chi Chen scene, between two episodes.  That's really annoying.  I understand they are doing it for a cliff hanger to pull you into the next episode, but it breaks up the emotions and rhythm of the scene.  So, in episode 12 we get yet another Jing asking XL for help in the casino, and what we saw in the BtS teaser.  In episode 13 we'll get XY and XL talking, I guess.

 liddi:

Yes - the two episodes his studio marked should be bookending the gambling den recognition scene and his visit to Chi Chen's home.

Now that I think about it, is the santa Furball supposed to indicate the pearl?

Maybe?  The fish aquarium, must  be the lantern scene.  And can I say, how disappointing it was that they didn't that scene properly?  No kiss, and XL just leaving a lantern with writing on it?  And it had to be Jing pointing out what it said and then comforting her???  Ugh.

I don't think the written notes / slogan will work well with audiences either.  It really doesn't explain much.

"Interestingly enough, the part where Xiang Liu pointing out that those linked by the bugs could not only feel each other's pains but intense emotions too, including passion, is removed from this scene." 

This part I never quite got it from the script. I was waiting for it to play on screen, to understand what exactly XL tried to imply. Yaojing never screamed passion to me (did they even kiss since they got nack togheter?) so I am not sure if the one he hinted at when talking about passion was XY and Jing or XY and himself.

 blabla100:

This part I never quite got it from the script. I was waiting for it to play on screen, to understand what exactly XL tried to imply. Yaojing never screamed passion to me (did they even kiss since they got nack togheter?) so I am not sure if the one he hinted at when talking about passion was XY and Jing or XY and himself.

I believe he was referring to both. In the pool in the cave after Xiao Liu was badly wounded from saving Cang Xuan, Cang Xuan's reaction was from him sensing her aroused emotions towards Xiang Liu as he sucked her blood. Similarly, in the novel, we know that Xiang Liu could sense Xiao Yao's quickening heartbeat when she saw the seashell and wondered whether Xiang Liu viewed it as their love nest, like the merpeople. 

By the same token, its reference in the drama should also be seen from Xiao Yao and Jing's romantic interactions ever since the Lovers bug was planted. They have had some passionate moments back in S1 so Xiang Liu could have been referring to those. This part of the connection would later be emphasised during the pearl scene. Since we didn't get the dialogue here, perhaps we won't get the pearl scene too?

 Sssnoopyyy:

So I’m guessing we are not gonna see Left Ear at any point for the rest of the series?  I liked his role in the novel, almost indirectly taking XL’s place in protecting XY. Too bad the assassination scenes got scrapped. Things do seem to feel more fast paced in the drama since they had to cut out a lot of stuff :(

Unfortunately, if they continue to follow the leaked script faithfully, then we won't see Left Ear anymore. Like you, I am really disappointed with the omission of his role because as you said, he was Xiang Liu's proxy in more ways than one - physically being with her to protect her, giving her Xiang Liu's perspective. We still have 3 extra episodes though... so perhaps a miracle will happen.

 liddi:

Unfortunately, if they continue to follow the leaked script faithfully, then we won't see Left Ear anymore. Like you, I am really disappointed with the omission of his role because as you said, he was Xiang Liu's proxy in more ways than one - physically being with her to protect her, giving her Xiang Liu's perspective. We still have 3 extra episodes though... so perhaps a miracle will happen.

So sad, if that were the case, then they shouldn't have included XY's line where she tells Left Ear to come to Chenrong Mountain and find her/CX lol. Almost diminishes the things XL did in the book (am I also correct that XL doesn't end up saving TSJ in the leaked script too?). I'm sure many XL fans aren't happy. Everything seems insignificant, I am also sad that we won't be seeing XY's reunion with her mother.

I know I shouldn't get ahead of myself, but I am trying to keep expectations low (as XY says if you don't  hope, then you won't be disappointed haha). I haven't really checked scene by scene in the leaked script. Based on what we have so far, do the episode #'s align with what was originally outlined in the leaked script? The leaked script ended at 20 episodes right (wondering if they added in last minute scenes which led to it becoming 23 episodes)?

 solarlunareclipse:

Episode 10 - At the 4:18 mark, XY and Jing just finish talking about giving a generous wedding gift to Jing Ye and Hu Zhen. Suddenly, Jing notices something and stops smiling. Xiao Yao asks him "What's wrong?" and he says, "Nothing." At the 4:22 mark, the scene shows some colorful cloths and maybe drums?? I know drums are often used in the drama to hint that Xiang Liu is present, since drum (鼓 - gǔ) is homonymous with poisonous bug (蛊 -gǔ). Did Jing sense XL's presence, or did he notice something else?

Weirdly they felt it was necessary to add a scene where Xing Yue went to spy on XY. 

Xing Yue told her maid that she was worried about being spotted by TSJ (a master tracker who can see through most transformations)... but apparently she wasn't worried enough to avoid very loudly and obviously knocking over a pole of wood right after her presence caught TSJ's attention in the moment you mentioned. 

It seems that TSJ decided not to tell XY that he had noticed Xing Yue stalking her.