Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 bugei:

just sharing this here: In RL cang xuan is a yaoliu shipper

xiang liu and cangxuan duet https://x.com/_lostyouforever/status/1709602300778397967?s=46

Okay somehow “IRL cang xuan is a yaoliu shipper” got me thinking about CX the character and XY’s other love interests and I realized… all of XY’s love interests died because of CX to a certain extent.  

• CX was trying to kill XL even before he reunited with XY. It took him more than 100 years, but he does succeed in the end.
• CX enables TSH to kill TSJ.
• Feng Long dies protecting CX.

Not a revelation or anything, just mildly amusing that he only intended to kill one of them out of jealousy but ended up being 3 for 3… until XL stepped in and resurrected TSJ.

 MTH123:

I bow to the mighty AH and her great ability to provide excerpts, along with her analysis and conclusions. I for one am convinced on every count in this particular discussion. By the way, this style is the style of work in my industry too. I love it, even though I don’t do it here. I’m too lazy to do it here, lol.

Just copying and pasting, but I appreciate the sentiment <3

Citing my sources and showing evidence to support my statements might be a habit carried over from debating in school. But I find it useful. Sometimes revisiting the source material ends up making me change my own opinion. ^^

I wonder if we work in similar industries? 

 AH :

Okay somehow “IRL cang xuan is a yaoliu shipper” got me thinking about CX the character and XY’s other love interests and I realized… all of XY’s love interests died because of CX to a certain extent.  

• CX was trying to kill XL even before he reunited with XY. It took him more than 100 years, but he does succeed in the end.
• CX enables TSH to kill TSJ.
• Feng Long dies protecting CX.

Not a revelation or anything, just mildly amusing that he only intended to kill one of them out of jealousy but ended up being 3 for 3… until XL stepped in and resurrected TSJ.

Heh.  Good observation.  I think CX is the most jealous of her suitors.

 AH :

Citing my sources and showing evidence to support my statements might be a habit carried over from debating in school. But I find it useful. Sometimes revisiting the source material ends up making me change my own opinion. ^^

I wonder if we work in similar industries? 

Exactly! Even as little as one new piece of information could change everything for me and did a surprising number of times through my career. I was never one to be glued to my initial impressions, no matter how far along I was in a project. It was far more important to me to get the whole project right. In layman's terms, it was important to keep an open mind.

I highly doubt that our industries are similar. I was... an expert analytical engineer. I was Solving Complex Engineering Problems R Us. This kind of engineering required convincing, detailed documentation, a qualified reviewer to agree with everything, and a qualified approver to agree with everything.

I didn't plan to be this open about me, because I feel that I don't really belong in this thread. One, English was always my weak subject. Two, I'm old, lol. (I read somewhere on MDL that most people are in their early 20s, many in their late 20s, many in their teens, few in their 30s, etc., IIRC.)

 nathsketch:

Hey MTH, you can share with us whatever you feel like it if you’re comfortable!

Also, you absolutely belong in this thread!! I was so happy when you decided to post your opinions!

Also also, wow, you’re clever. An analytical engineer? This thread of ours should be obligatory reading for all MDL newcomers :)

I feel we should receive a certificate after the drama is over. This feels like attending college all over again.

Thank you (from the resident sweetheart)! I really appreciate it. This thread is definitely the highest quality thread I've read!

@MTH123: I wouod like to share my thought on your first question

‘I have a question. Actually, it’s a series of related questions. If XL didn’t know he was going to die, would he have gone out of his way to do extraordinary things for XY? Probably not, right? Theoretically, he wouldn’t have had to go there. He could have let life progress in a more normal manner. What if, instead, it were TSJ (or CX), not XL, who knew he was going to die? Would TSJ (or CX) have gone out of his way to do extraordinary things for XY? I think there is a very good chance he would have too.‘

My answer is, I do believe even if XL doesn‘t know he was going to die, he would still gone out of his way to give XY his extraordinary gifts. As I said in another post before, at the time where XL met and got close to WXL, the war already evolved in more or less status quo with small skirmishes but no big frontal battle so the possibility that XL die in a battle was there but not really relevant at that time or must be looked very unlikely. The war is already going on for over 300 years and there seems to be no reason why it can‘t be going on for some hundreds years more or even indefinitely when 5th Prince does ascend the throne.  Actually the possibility of CX to die was even greater during this time as the drama even shown a couple of assasination attempts on CX, which he barely survived. TSJ also not safe and has death threat hanging over his head with TSH and FFYY scheming, even one assasination attempt by FFYY. I‘d argue that all the boys actually have death hanging over their head but only XL was preparing and  gone out of his way to equip XY with things she said she lacks. The Bow, archery skills, saving XY life and giving her ability to breath in water, all  were done in the time frame where CX still struggle to rise in power and not yet succeed, also where XL death seems like a distant possibility/future (his risk of death not greater than CX or TSJ during this time). That make me love him more because he gave XY all those extraordinary things not because he‘s thinking he‘s going to die and leave XY unprotected but because he wants her to have everything she said she lacks of, despite his life or death and even if he is not her Endgame. That he was able to achieve and orchestrate everything before he died, is the cherry on top. I also believe that if the war stays in status quo (XL live but still the enemy of CX and therefore because of conflicting loyalty XY-XL can not be together), XL will still prepare and give XY those things above. His love is selfless and ask nothing in return. Now should I thank Tong Hua for killing XL off instead of letting him live thousands of years with broken heart and in misery?. Tong Hua really write herself to a corner here, because for character consistency she can‘t make XY and XL abandon their loyalties. Both are abandoned people so loyalty is their core value I think and there‘s affection too on top of that to CX and Hong Jiang.

OMG I really need to sleep instead of writing essay on XL. If only I was this diligent in my uni days??

@blabla100

Koala's translations are excellent, and the fact that she scaled the mammoth task of translating the complete novel including her opinions and other relevant excerpts from Once Promised is nothing short of amazing, deserving of mad respect. Translations can be subjective, and prone to interpretation. In this case, I chose to translate it exactly as it was written that's all.

I do agree that in the drama, it played out as if she was testing the waters by accepting his suggestion, which seems to hark back to her underlying suspicions as to his identity, with her repeated "Who exactly are you?".  In the novel however, Xiao Yao's internal monologue indicates she was merely calling his bluff, which meant she thought it was yet another of his outrageous flirtatious banter. This is reminiscent of the scene in the novel just before it, where they were on the way to the dance hall for lunch and a nap after her archery lessons. Unfortunately, Xiao Yao took the wrong winged horse with the royal emblem, so it was obvious who they were even though her face was covered with a veiled hat:

At this time, she and Fangfeng Bei were the only ones on the long stretch of road. Xiao Yao felt that this was unusual, but had no choice but to put on her best haughty princess impersonation as she moved along with Fangfeng Bei.

Fangfeng Bei whispered, "Although I am thick-skinned, I still feel a little uncomfortable bringing you to a dance hall in full view of everyone."

Xiao Yao laughed, "It shows that you are not thick-skinned enough and need to work on it more." Actually she did not have the guts either, fearing that the news would be reported back to Gao Xin and embarrass her royal father.

Xiao Yao suggested, "Let's go to Cang Xuan's place instead. He should only be back after having dinner at Chaoyun Peak."

If the script for this scene was available, we might have insight as to how it was meant to play out. As it is, we can only guess.