Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 khadcmoi:

He sucked her blood by piercing her skin repeatedly without her consent... This is unusual abuse which is not trivial.

He had her consent.  She agreed to be his man and obey him.  She never told him no.

 Kokuto:

He had her consent.  She agreed to be his man and obey him.  She never told him no.

I wouldn't say that. The first time XL sucks XY's blood, he uses a spell to literally silence her. 

When she agrees to be his man, she does so under duress and therefore could not give valid consent (if we were to apply modern concepts of valid consent to this situation...). And even if she had validly consented to be his man, to make any concoction he requested, and to obey his summons, I don't think that would constitute valid consent for any assault that XL might inflict on her in the future. 

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Editing this to add the excerpt from Chapter 3:

Xiao Liu wasn’t scared and continued “I’m curious, how are your nine-heads arranged? In a row? One one top of the other? Or three on each side of three in the middle? Which one goes first when you eat?…..” Xiao Liu suddenly couldn’t open his mouth anymore.

“Nnnnngggg…….nnnnngggg……”

Xiang Liu took the cooked fish and slowly started to eat it and Xiao Liu could only stare. After he finished the fish he stared at Xiao Liu. “I actually like eating people the best. Your size is perfect so that each of my heads can take a bite.”

His hand stroked Xiao Liu’s face and he leaned in and grabbed Xiao Liu’s neck. Xiao Liu’s body shook and he shut his eyes. Xiang Liu’s tongue tasted blood and a realization thundered through his mind. He slowly sucked a few times before raising his head, “Do you dare say anymore nonsense?”

Xiao Liu wildly shook his head. Xiang Liu released him and Xiao Liu scrambled as far away as he could. Xiang Liu climbed on the white condor and crooked his finger towards Xiao Liu. He didn’t dare get close and instead backed up a few steps. Xiang Liu stared with a smile. “Do you want me to go over there?” Xiao Liu quickly shook his head and docilely came over and climbed on the back of the condor.

As they returned to Qing Shiu Town, Xiang Liu kicked Xiao Liu off the back of the condor without warning and Xiao Liu fell into the river. He was stunned and floated on the surface watching the condor fly off. It was so dark and quiet he didn’t even have the energy to curse.

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There is a point later on in the story where XY starts to offer her blood to XL willingly, but that doesn't erase the fact that the earlier instances were nonconsensual. 

 Kokuto:

He had her consent.  She agreed to be his man and obey him.  She never told him no.

One could never know just by watching those awful faces she kept making for no reason. 

It was never supposed to be something that feels bad, but oh well, we YaoLius can never win, so what's new?

 khadcmoi:

Thank you AH you answered for me to Kokuto.

 khadcmoi:

Perhaps this translated word does not correspond to what I mean.

I get that nuance can be tricky to capture in translation. Seems like we're on the same page. 

 AH :

I wouldn't say that. The first time XL sucks XY's blood, he uses a spell to literally silence her.

When she agrees to be his man, she does so under duress and therefore could not give valid consent (if we were to apply modern concepts of valid consent to this situation...). And even if she had validly consented to be his man, to make any concoction he requested, and to obey his summons, I don't think that would constitute valid consent for any assault that XL might inflict on her in the future.

He silences her to stop her talking about something he hates -- people mocking him for being a demon.

It isn't a modern story.  Applying modern concepts of valid consent makes no sense, and I honestly do not understand people who come to historical / fantasy shows and expect it to conform to modern concepts.

The dude literally told her he would take her body parts if she failed him, as well as to understand what kind of person he was.  Which she said she understood.  So, yes, she was aware and agreed to the possibility of future physical punishment.

But you could argue that her consent was initially given under duress, but that isn't necessarily invalid. Being drafted or agreeing in lieu of execution for crimes, also occurs 'under duress,' which is more how I see her agreement.  Regardless, she didn't try to escape the agreement or change it until she physically changed her gender and identity.

The subtitle specifically says, 'be my man' which in this non-modern context, has a lot of connotations.  I suspect it is the same offer / words that CX made to XL when he captured him.  If any one (cough cough liddl) would like translate the exact concept that XL offered XY instead of death, I'd love clarification.

Because to me, some of the things people object to, were things a lord or general would expect of a vassal or a soldier.

 blimarch:

About the scene when XY feeds the antidote to FFB, I love all the meticulous attention to details that has been revealed by the official account:

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4931436728289055#&gid=1&pid=5

So, XL saw TSJ feeding wine to XY on the boat. XL was deeply hurt by this vision (jealousy/anger/sadness/envy...? Whatever the case, he couldn't control his feelings or let it all go out consciously). That's why XY felt sick. She thought she was seasick and too drunk but it was actually the XL's pain that she was feeling at this moment.

Very interesting. I didn't notice that before. Us YaoLiu have to watch the show with a magnifying glass to see all these hidden details/meanings ?

 blimarch:

And that's why XL, as FFB, tried to recreate this "wine fed by a lover" sensation... What an adorable scheme! XL is really not an ordinary person!

So XL saw Jing feeding wine to XY so he wanted to recreate that by telling XY to feed him the antidote. omg that's so cute.

???

 Kokuto:

He silences her to stop her talking about something he hates -- people mocking him for being a demon.

If we are evaluating whether XY consented to having XL bite her and suck her blood in that scene, the reason why XL silenced her isn't relevant. She was silenced, grabbed, and bitten. Her body shook before he bit her, and she scrambled away as soon as he released her. I'm all for trying to see things from multiple angles, but I really don't see how that could be construed as a situation where XY had consented to being bitten and having her blood sucked. 

 Kokuto:

It isn't a modern story.  Applying modern concepts of valid consent makes no sense, and I honestly do not understand people who come to historical / fantasy shows and expect it to conform to modern concepts.

Yes, it's not a modern story. So I wouldn't expect a modern conversation (where one party overtly checks in with their partner before taking a next step, and waits for an affirmative response before proceeding) to take place before a first kiss, for example. But that doesn't mean we can just say there was consent when there wasn't. 

 Kokuto:

The dude literally told her he would take her body parts if she failed him, as well as to understand what kind of person he was.  Which she said she understood.  So, yes, she was aware and agreed to the possibility of future physical punishment.

XY was aware of XL's reputation, and XL did warn her about / threaten her with bodily harm. And then in response to XL hurting her, she "agrees" to make whatever concoction XL asks for. 

But it sounds like you're saying that your interpretation is that XY consented to be assaulted in the future... while she was being assaulted. 

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Xiao Liu was dragged by the soldiers back into Xiang Liu’s tent and the army doctor removed his clothes and put medicine on his back. Xiang Liu stood at the door of the tent and coldly observed. Xiao Liu laid on a wooden board and docilely allowed the army doctor to minister to him. When the medicine was applied and everyone left, Xiang Liu said to Xiao Liu, “Make whatever concoction I ask of you. All other times you can continue being your healer in Qing Shui Town. But when I summon you, you must obey immediately.”

“Fine, but it’s like not I will be able to make whatever my lord asks.”

“If you can’t, then you can exchange with your body.”

“Huh?” Xiao Liu never imagined Xiang Liu would like men and carefully said, “My lord is handsome beyond compare. It’s not that I don’t want to service you but…”

Xiang Liu smirked and lifted his foot and stepped on Xiao Liu’s wound slowly until blood started to seep out. “If you can’t make one, then use a part of your body in exchange. The first time, your ears. The second time, your nose…” Xiang Liu upped the pressure. “Don’t worry, I won’t cut off your hands. You need them to make the concoctions.” 

Xiao Liu was in so much pain he writhed. “I….I understand.”

Xiang Liu pulled his foot back and wiped the blood away on Xiao Liu’s robe. “You are as slippery as an eel: one moment of not paying attention and all that is left is mud. But my personality, you should go ask around.”

Xiao Liu snarked, “I don’t need to ask around to figure it out.”

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 Kokuto:

But you could argue that her consent was initially given under duress, but that isn't necessarily invalid.

I mean, what "consent" would be invalid, if not "consent" that's given under duress? Why even talk about consent if there isn't a difference between forced "consent" and real consent, and the person giving the consent has no ability to withdraw it? 

 Kokuto:

Regardless, she didn't try to escape the agreement or change it until she physically changed her gender and identity.

I don't disagree with this on its face, but I don't think it's relevant to evaluating whether XY consented to XL biting her and sucking her blood. 

If you're suggesting that the blood sucking was understood to be part of their original agreement, I would disagree with that. 

 Kokuto:

The subtitle specifically says, 'be my man' which in this non-modern context, has a lot of connotations.  I suspect it is the same offer / words that CX made to XL when he captured him.  If any one (cough cough liddl) would like translate the exact concept that XL offered XY instead of death, I'd love clarification.

Because to me, some of the things people object to, were things a lord or general would expect of a vassal or a soldier.

It sounds like maybe what you're suggesting here is that you view XY as having "agreed" to be something akin to a soldier in the remnant army. And since XL has the authority to uphold military law and enforce military discipline in his camp, he therefore has free reign to assault any soldier or other person in his service at any time and for any reason, and that person should be viewed as having consented to the assault even if XL personally used force to get that person to "agree" to be in his service.

Really? 

Sauvignon Blanc｜I feel your pain.

Xiang Liu felt every time Xiaoyao felt heartache. So what about Xiang Liu’s pain?

"But I'm afraid that if I'm not careful, you will walk into my dream, and you... are definitely not suitable to appear in a girl's dream. That would be more terrifying than death."

"What if I am too gentle and considerate towards you and accidentally enter your dream, making your life worse than death? Wouldn't it be a sin?"

"How much your heart hurts, how much my heart hurts."

"Physical pain can hurt itself, but sadness and happiness cannot be faked."

Thirty-seven years ago, I experienced extreme pain before waking up and subsequent heart-breaking pain.

In the article "Poison", it is written that Yaoliu's love had four funerals. Now that I think about it, there should be another time, which can even be said to be the most critical time, when Xiaoyao wakes up in thirty-seven years under the sea. After writing the Lover's Gu article, I looked back at the thirty-seven years under the sea. I remembered that Xiang Liu had not hidden his feelings during these thirty-seven years, and suddenly I came up with an inference.

Merlin's murder and thirty-seven years prompted Xiang Liu to unilaterally decide to let go completely. From then on, he relied on his lover's GPS to hide Xiaoyao as efficiently as possible. But is it really that easy to let go? There is no description of Xiang Liu's psychology, but how could it not be painful?

Perhaps half of the "extreme pain" Xiaoyao felt after "all her spiritual consciousness merged into her body" came from Xiang Liu's pain.

"Xiaoyao couldn't cry out, and her body was shaking violently. Gradually, her hands could move, her legs could move, and finally, she screamed in pain, and all her consciousness merged into her body, and in extreme Passed out from the pain ."

2-5 <But the farewell lasts for a long time>

It's just that Xiaoyao is not the only one who has been in a long-term battle between emotions and reason. After the robbery and before they broke up in Qingshui Town, Xiang Liu was not really so decisive. Even after Fangfengbei disappeared, he still couldn't bear to see her sad.

What about Xiaoyao?

"I don't know if Xiang Liu is busy or is deliberately avoiding her. Anyway, he doesn't want to see her now. Xiao Yao stood in a daze, and the joy of regaining the light disappeared like the tide at low tide."

2-5 <But the farewell lasts for a long time>

This chapter is called "But the separation lasted for a long time" , which literally means that the time of separation has been too long. It corresponds to relatives and friends who have not seen oneself for thirty-seven years, which is very appropriate. But this sentence is derived from "Why is this thing so valuable? But I feel that it will last forever." It comes from "There are Strange Trees in the Courtyard" of "Nineteen Ancient Poems". It writes about a woman's deep yearning for her husband who has traveled far away. .

He stayed with her for thirty-seven years on the cold and dark seabed.

Thirty-seven years! We slept together for thirty-seven years in the seabeam, which symbolizes the love nest of the sharks, and listened to the singing of the sharks together. Thirty-seven, close to the normal body temperature of the human body, just the right amount of love. The lover's poison that few people in the world can cultivate, and the mermaid song that few people can hear, are just like the love between Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao that few people know about. But in my heart, the moment the lover's poison was planted, they were already soul mates that are rare to find in the world. Their hearts are connected and their lives are connected. In comparison, what's the importance of a marriage document and a wedding?

At the moment when Xiaoyao's feelings were at their peak, Xiang Liu avoided her. How sad was Xiaoyao? The joy of rebirth can disappear, leaving endless sadness and tears on the back of the fur ball. But we only learn her true feelings two chapters later.

It turns out that Xiang Liu's departure brought her heart-wrenching pain .

Xiaoyao said: "Where can I leave a man? I really can't live my life anymore? It's just a heartache! "

Ah Nian cried: "I don't have what you have, I can suffer the pain of having my heart gouged out, but I can still live with a smile." ""

2-7 <Love and Hate Two Yiyi>

I suddenly wondered, was it because he felt the pain of Xiaoyao's heart-breaking pain that Xiang Liu, who might have planned to completely disappear from Xiaoyao's life, came out to "encounter" her when she was depressed? Even if you can't give her a long-term dependence, you still hope to make her less sad and painful in the short-term companionship? So after Zhuanxu got married and spent a day and night swimming with Xiang Liu on the bottom of the sea, Xiao Yao could sleep so well and sweetly that she laughed in her dreams. When she woke up, she would think about what Xiang Liu thought of sea shells. ——Because lovesickness can only be solved by the smile and companionship of the sweetheart. She thought there was still hope between them. Little did he know that it was Xiang Liu who couldn't bear her pain.

Heartache as sharp as a sword penetrating.

The more than a month after the robbery in Qingshui Town is a chapter that I have never dared to touch, because from then on, Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao parted ways, and it was impossible for them to go their separate ways. I used to always wonder why Xiang Liu said:

"I'm reminding you, the poison is still there. If you dare to reveal that Fangfeng Bei is me, don't blame me for causing you to die of heartache!"

Not to mention that Xiaoyao couldn't say it at all, so what if she did? Fangfeng Bei is Xiang Liu. Even if Zhuan Xu knew that Fang Feng Bei was dead, what threat would he pose to Xiang Liu? If there is really trouble, it is the Fangfeng family’s trouble.

But Xiang Liu wanted to do more.

"Xiao Yao suddenly stopped and turned around to look at Xiang Liu."

You don't trust me so much?

"Xiang Liu said: "Don't you believe it? "

Xiaoyao's heart felt like being penetrated by a sharp sword, and there was severe pain. Her limbs spasmed in pain , and she fell to the ground, lying on the grass in a mess. "

Heartache cannot be faked! Xiaoyao's heart was in severe pain because Xiang Liu's heart was in severe pain. It has become a habit not to pass on his pain to Xiaoyao. Why did Xiaoyao feel it again at this time?

I think that Xiang Liu's so-called threat not only made Xiaoyao feel cold towards herself, but he was also looking for an excuse to release his heartache. This time I really, completely, and irrevocably let go. The heartache of pushing away my beloved is endless. Even though I am as strong as Xiangliu, I can't hide it or control it anymore.

He "threatened" her in a condescending and indifferent manner, just like she endured the pain of gouging out her heart and lived with a smile.

" Xiaoyao's face turned pale in pain, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat, but he raised his face and said with a smile : "Is this why you didn't have time to go to Jiuli to remove the poison? Control my life and death, and threaten me one day? What a powerful General Xiang Liu! ""

2-15 <Who does the shadow go to>

I think Xiaoyao also understood why Xiang Liu was heartbroken, and why he had to give up on her even though he was heartbroken, so he followed Xiang Liu's words and described them more and more darkly, instead of asking him "Why are you heartbroken?"

When I read this book in the early years, I always felt that the next scene between Xiaoyao and Xiang Liu in Li Rong's old man's tavern was too peaceful. After all, the breakup was so embarrassing, and it was a rhythm that would never be seen in this life. When they met again, she was still able to play a little tantrum with him, and he was able to tease her by joking about his nine heads.

But now I feel that all this is because of understanding. Xiaoyao understood the circumstances under which Xiang Liu gave up on this relationship. He would also be heartbroken and reluctant to let go, even though he did not choose himself after all.

This chapter "Who is the Shadow Going to Go to?" is about Xiaoyao marrying Fenglong and Xiangliu robbing him of his marriage. The title comes from Yuan Haowen's "Yanqiu Ci" "Thousands of miles of clouds, thousands of mountains with dusk snow, who is the shadow going to?" After one wild goose dies, the other wild goose is alone. The psychological activities before dying for love, my loneliness and confusion Figure, who should go with him?

Who should go with you? Fangfeng Bei did not "die" on the day of the robbery, but "died" on the day when Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao parted ways in Qingshui Town. "Fangfeng Bei is dead" is just a way of saying by Xiang Liu, an attitude given to Xiaoyao. Others in Dahuang don't know that there will be no more Fangfeng Bei in the world from now on.

If Xiaoyao had answered the question "Who do you most want to be with for the rest of your life ?" would Fangfeng Bei really still be "dead"? not necessarily. It wasn't until Xiaoyao left and brought back the saying "Fangfeng Bei is dead" that Fangfeng Bei would never appear again.

The one who died was not Fangfengbei. What Xiang Liu "killed" was not Fangfeng Bei, but his own heart.

"To Whom Only the Shadow Goes" is about sacrificing love, and what is sacrificing is not life, but Xiaoyao's heart for Xiang Liu.

My heart died, and I completely gave up the hope of being together and staying together for decades. From now on, we are all at peace in the end of the world. This love will be buried deep in my heart if we can’t get it. I will only miss you in this life.

How on earth did these two lunatics push each other away while enduring pain that was worse than death?

In the end, Xiang Liu died with thousands of arrows piercing his heart, and Xiao Yao's pain was like a sharp knife piercing his heart.

"The official who invited everyone to have a drink said: "This is an extraordinary victory! Nine-life prime minister Liu is dead! You businessmen must not know how cruel that guy Xiang Liu is..."

As if he was caught off guard and pierced through the heart by a sharp knife , Xiao Yao felt his ears roaring, his chest hurt , and the wine glass in his hand fell. "

"Miao Pu's voice weakened: "More than a thousand people faced an army of 100,000 people, and no one surrendered. They all died in the battle. Yu Jiang is the number one master of the Protoss, but he has never been able to defeat Gong Gong, who had been injured long ago. Later, General Lishou ordered all the soldiers to fire thousands of arrows, and Gonggong was killed by thousands of arrows . After his death, his original body was revealed, and he was a nine-headed demon... Only then did the general of the army realize that he had been deceived. ""

2-18 <Commitment to staying or leaving>

The lover's poison has been solved, and Xiang Liu unilaterally declares, "From now on, you and I will have nothing to do with each other!" Xiao Yao was inexplicably arranged to accept this result, and she did not believe that the last connection between her and Xiang Liu was really severed. But even so, even without the Lover Gu, she finally experienced the pain of life being worse than death.

How painful would it be if a thousand arrows pierced the heart?

she does not know.

But what she felt was:

"Pierced through the heart by a sharp blade"

"Darkness before eyes"

"Xiaoyao was top-heavy and groggy. Only three words "impossible" were running over his mind, and he didn't know how to return to Chaoyunfeng.

Jing ordered Miao Pu and said something to her, but she couldn't hear anything clearly. "

" Xiao Yao screamed : "Impossible, I don't believe it! ""

When she learned about Jing's death, Xiaoyao was still able to rush to Qingshui Town without losing her sobriety and reason. She would search along the river bank, jump into the river and find herself with a pale complexion, purple lips and dull eyes. I find my body trembling, and I even think about "What went wrong?"

It was not that she was not touched. They had been together for more than 40 years without any hindrance. He was the person who had promised her a lifetime, and the person she had high expectations for. She never thought that there would be such a sudden relationship between them. of life and death.

And what about Xiang Liu?

Obviously he has been preparing for a hundred years, he has only met four times in nearly fifty years, and the last time was a breakup. He obviously thinks that everything is just a fair deal in his eyes. He obviously said that they will never meet each other in this life. It is obvious that he He never said he loved himself, never chose himself, never gave himself hope. In the end, he clearly just hoped that he could live.

But he was still suddenly swallowed up by a tsunami of sadness, pain and despair.

This century-long self-deception has finally come to an end.

Even if I try so hard not to love you, I still have to endure the pain that is worse than death.

The title of this chapter is "Commitment to leave and stay" , which comes from Tao Yuanming's "Come Back and Lai Ci" "It's almost over! How long will it take to return to Yu Xingyu? Are you ready to go or stay?"

From now on, follow your own heart. In the past hundred years, I have not lived according to my own wishes from beginning to end, but I still cannot escape the pain of losing you.