Liu Yifei:Petition to change the drama's name from Lost you forever to Happily ever after. After all XY was supposed to lose someone and the only person she lost was her love of life, Xiang Liu and not that platonic bullshit. How in the world lovers bug represent platonic love. The book was about Xiang Liu. Not some ordinary romance drama with Tushan Jiing. They made everything 1000x worse. I will be weeping forever for Xiang Liu and ba writing. Anyway TJC did a great job.
Happily ever after is exactly what I thought when I read the leaked script. The changes totally eliminate the lost you forever theme (which is actually for CX’s character, ofc yes XY does lose XL too and it was not platonic). They butchered it all cuhs of censorship
liddi:LOL. I adore Ru Shou and A Nian's interactions actually! I'm not sure whether he would have treated her better than Cang Xuan, but certainly, their bickering is a breath of fresh air after all the pain from everyone else.
Though you may need to take sides some time... after all, he led the army that killed Xiang Liu and crushed the Shen Nong resistance army...
I do too! And it isn’t out of ill will with the way they treated each other. If they changed the love line to them, I can see them being like other drama cp’s that bicker and then fall in love. But sadly, she became one of the many women in CX’s harem.
love the OST’s! Chi chen’s song - XL singing this to XY wasn’t part of the novel right? I think it was only mentioned when he destroyed the bug in that scene. Anyway I still love 万物不如你 "The World Cannot Compare To You" - always reminds me of CX and XY’s scenes because they play it a lot when they are together with the beautiful cinematography and backdrops!
mimi0108:I just came back to the page.
How the leak script describes XY's reaction to XL's death?
I opted out not to read the leaked script becuase I have no hope of them doing an adaptation with praising in the second half. The only person who will walk away from the broadcast with rave reviews is already going to JC-T's portryal of XL.
mimi0108:I just came back to the page.
How the leak script describes XY's reaction to XL's death?
Unlike the novel, we don't see the moment she finds out about his death, and the scene where she mourns him is more muted (some of her lines are even given to the old Xuan Yuan king in a subsequent scene). What we do have is an extra scene where she wakes up from a nightmare about Xiang Liu before his death, and her wishing that the war against the Shen Nong resistance army would go on forever, because it would mean that Xiang Liu was still alive.
These are the scenes from the leaked script of her nightmare, and her mourning his death:
liddi:What we do have is an extra scene where she wakes up from a nightmare about Xiang Liu before his death, and her wishing that the war against the Shen Nong resistance army would go on forever, because it would mean that Xiang Liu was still alive.
huh, Then she accused him to kill CX for SMALL righteousness and neglected the fact that if CX died, unbalance politics might happen and then war woud break out, many people would have to relocate etc. Such contradictory
liddi:Unlike the novel, we don't see the moment she finds out about his death, and the scene where she mourns him is more muted (some of her lines are even given to the old Xuan Yuan king in a subsequent scene). What we do have is an extra scene where she wakes up from a nightmare about Xiang Liu before his death, and her wishing that the war against the Shen Nong resistance army would go on forever, because it would mean that Xiang Liu was still alive.
These are the scenes from the leaked script of her nightmare, and her mourning his death:
Even these diluted scenes ... crying.
H19279:huh, Then she accused him to kill CX for SMALL righteousness and neglected the fact that if CX died, unbalance politics might happen and then war woud break out, many people would have to relocate etc. Such contradictory
It's XY. If she isn't contradictory, and in denial, I'd wonder what pod person replaced her.
Xiang lu forever:I'ts a battlefield in the main comment section!
These awesome people are raising the XL flag!!!!
@kokuto @blabla100 @headinclouds @AH @ natsketch
You're all doing amazing job!Those Jingers are nuts!!!
Xiang lu forever:I forgot @plor20!
These gals bringing the goods.
Me running around in my underwear, cutting the fool, as they say. ;p
liddi:Nah. I'm utterly convinced they read Xiao Yao's mind and knew exactly whom she really wanted to live a secluded life with.
Okay this made me want to do a thing.
^^
-----
Xiao Yao felt that she must be growing lonely again and forced herself to think of other things. Swimming, swimming…..there must be other things in her life connected with swimming….. Xiao Yao suddenly missed Nine-lives Xiang Liu very much. If he was here, likely she would not have any time to think about the past. But Wen Xiao Liu was gone and even if she ran into Xiang Liu in the future, he would not recognize her anymore.
Xiao Yao floated on the surface and sighed deeply.
...
Xiao Yao started researching poisons again. During the day she went to find the palace doctors to discuss and at night she went to hang out with her dad. Everyday she was busy and it made her feel better. The only regret was that there was no one around for her to test her poisons on.
One night Xiao Yao was in Cao Yao Court admiring the latest poison she concocted, feeling very sad that she couldn’t give it to Xiang Liu.
She took out her most precious mirror and pulled up the memories she saved in it. One was when she drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s face, and the other was after she moved the voodoo bug from Zhuan Xu to Xiang Liu and walked along the ocean floor with him. She secretly used the mirror to record that moment.
In the dark blue ocean depths, Xiang Liu’s white hair white robe was so elegant and refined as he swam, the white hair billowing behind him, making his already handsome face even more ethereally beautiful.
“Who is he?”
The Grand Emperor’s voice asked and Xiao Yao was so surprised, turning around to discover her dad was sitting behind her and looking into the mirror. He was clearly curious about the man in his daughter’s mirror.
Xiao Yao said, “A friend who is not quite a friend.”
The Grand Emperor laughed. “I thought at this time you would be missing the Tu Shan clan’s little fox.”
Xiao Yao made a face. “Perhaps he’s walking with his fiancee under the moonlight, happy as can be. I’m not an idiot, why think of him?”
...
The Grand Emperor’s hand waved over the mirror and called up the image of Xiang Liu under the sea. “Does this friend who is not a friend deserve for you to keep him in your memory forever?”
Xiao Yao took the mirror back. “This is just for fun, maybe I’ll erase it tomorrow.”
The Grand Emperor laughed and appeared to want to say something, but Xiao Yao stretched and said “So tired!”
He pulled her up. “I’ll take you back to rest.”
Back at Ming Se Court, Xiao Yao wanted some water and was about to drink when she sensed and opened the pitcher to find bugs floating inside. She murmured, “Ah Nian, why are you so weak? If you can be as strong and smart as that Nine-headed demon Xiang Liu, then my days would be way more interesting.”
-----
From the day he taught her archery until now, it had been two years.
During the two years, the two of them were each other’s companion exploring every nook and cranny of Xuan Yuan Castle. He sometimes disappeared, and then would show up again, always with a whatever attitude. Xiao Yao felt like the two of them could have kept playing together like this for forever and an eternity. Because the two of them were just too similar – they didn’t care about anything, willing to try everything, interested in all, and whatever could make them smile. They appreciated all that was beautiful, but wanted to own none of it. Their life balanced precariously between darkness and light, if they chose light then behind them was thousands of miles of desolation, if they chose darkness then behind them was thousands of miles of glittering luxury. But even if they faced the light, they still had one step in the darkness so their light wasn’t completely pure but instead came from never forgetting all the pain they experienced before. The pain followed them forever which is why they were so strong, so brave, so independent, so cold, so “no matter what happened, they knew they could keep on living”.
Last night, when she realised he was Xiang Liu, she felt no surprise at all. It was as if that was how it was meant to be, and the heavy burden in one corner of her heart was lifted, but weighed down at the same time in another part of her.
-----
In the morning she practiced archery, in the afternoon she made poisons, every day was packed to the gill.
Every few days she would go find Fang Feng Bei to practice archery and afterwards head to the city of Zhi Yi and Zhe Province to play. Fang Feng Bei lived up to his reputation as a consummate ne’er-do-well playboy for the last four hundred years, he knew Zhi Yi and Zhe Province like the back of his hand. Whatever nook and cranny had something fun, he could find it, whatever was tasty, he would find it. The two of them were each other’s companions as they enjoyed life’s endless pleasures.
Zhi Yi and Zhe Province were equally as far from Five Gods Mountain and from Xuan Yuan Mountain, so whether it was the Grand Emperor of the Yellow Emperor, it was far enough to make their influence seem tenuous. Those who had seen Xiao Yao’s true face were very few so once she put on the attire of the Middle Plains and lightened her complexion a little and used concealer to cover her peach blossom birthmark, she became an ordinary girl who was quite pretty enough.
When she was with Fang Feng Bei, Xiao Yao often forgot her identity and she would feel like she was still Wen Xiao Liu except wearing girl clothes.
Xiao Yao knew Fang Feng Bei was Xiang Liu, but because this wasn’t the battlefield and he wasn’t being a cold and ruthless battle god, it was like he took off his armor and resumed living the ordinary life as well. He was a spare son who didn’t have any ambition or influence, she was an ordinary goddess girl with very low power. No one ever paid them any attention.
The two of them walked on the street and when they encountered a noble’s carriage they would move to the side and let them pass; when they were berated, they would docilely lower their heads to apologize; when their clothes got dirty, they would wipe it with a cloth.
-----
Bei ate the final bite and put down his chopstick. He took a sip of wine and casually said, “Not bad.”
Xiao Yao stared at the empty plate and her heart soared. “The only person who can make poisons this tasty in the entire world is me!”
Bei laughed back, “And the only person in the entire world who can appreciate your great “cooking” talents is me!”
Xiao Yao sassed back, “It’s enough to have a true 知音.”
Bei gave her a half-smile but said nothing.
Xiao Yao asked, “Can you continue teaching me archery now?” What she really meant to ask was – are you not angry at me anymore?
Bei finished his wine. “I need to leave for a bit, wait for me to come back.”
Xiao Yao figured he was going back to Qing Shui town. Even if there was no active warfare, he was still the General of the Sheng Nong resistance army and there was much he had to do.
Xiao Yao couldn’t help it and sighed loudly and murmured, “If only you could forever be Fang Feng Bei, that would be so great.”
Bei appeared not to have heard her as he set down his wine cup and got up to leave, his form disappearing in the layers of curtains.
-----
Oh! She really could move!
“Xiang Liu!” Xiao Yao sat up but then her head bumped into something hard and she saw stars.
No one answered her and she saw a sliver of sunlight trickling in from outside. Xiao Yao felt that she was inside some sort of shell and she used her hands to feel the surface above her head and her sides. The sides slowly opened like flower petals until instantly Xiao Yao was bathed in sunlight.
Only someone trapped by darkness before would understand that sunlight was the world’s most ordinary yet precious treasure! The sunlight stung her eyes but she was reluctant to close her eyes. She faced the sunlight and slowly stood up and let out a happy holler.
After she calmed down, Xiao Yao noticed that she was wearing a loose fitting white robe and was standing on a large open clam shell. She was surrounded by endless ocean and the waves crested against the clam shell and sprayed up white foam.
All these years, Xiang Liu placed her in the middle of a clam shell to sleep in the ocean. Xiao Yao couldn’t contain her smile, didn’t that make her like a pearl hidden inside a clam shell?
Xiao Yao put her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Xiang Liu! Xiang Liu! Where are you? I’m awake!”
A white and gold condor descended but without Xiang Liu on his back.
Xiao Yao stroked its back. “Furball, where is your master?”
Furbal flapped his wings and called towards the sky once, as if urging Xiao Yao to get on his back.
Xiao Yao happily asked, “Xiang Liu asked you to bring me to see him?
Furball shook his head.
Xiao Yao quizzically asked, “Xiang Liu asked you to take me home?”
Furball nodded his head.
Whether Xiang Liu had matters to attend to or he was purposely avoiding seeing her, Xiao Yao stood there in a dumbstruck daze, the initial happiness of regaining life and light disappearing like receding waves.
Furball pecked Xiao Yao’s hand to urge her to hurry up.
Xiao Yao climbed on Furball’s back and it rose into the air and flew towards the Middle Plains.
Xiao Yao stared at the passing ocean surface as it rushed past her like a shooting arrow, disappearing behind her. The feelings in her heart were so jumbled.
The next morning, Furball landed outside Zhi Yi Castle and Xiao Yao knew many people would recognize Xiang Liu’s winged ride and knew Furball could only take her as far as here.
For whatever reason, Xiao Yao’s heart was filled with an endless ache. She suddenly grabbed Furball’s neck tightly and Furball squirmed in annoyance but didn’t really put up a fuss. It cocked its head and endured with a sigh.
Xiao Yao buried her face in Furball’s neck as her tears came tumbling down, one after another, falling silently on Furball’s feathers and disappearing.
Furball finally got fed up and impatiently called out once.
Xiao Yao raised her head and the tears were gone from her eyes. She slid off Furball’s back and patted him. “Go back to your master!”
Furball ran a few steps and then flew into the air. Xiao Yao raised her head to watch it fly away until it was completely gone from her sight.
-----
The sound of footsteps reached her and Xiao Yao turned around and saw Fang Feng Bei.
In a split second her heart soared and beat wildly. She had the urge to run away but forced herself to calm down and casually asked, “I didn’t see you at the ceremony.”
...
The two walked side-by-side along the mountain path, the crunching sound of leaves being stepped on illuminated the expanse of the mountain air.
...
Xiao Yao replied, “Of course I’m a little upset, but perhaps I’ve been disappointed and always getting the short end of the stick since childhood, no matter what good things are promised to me, I instinctively expect it to be crushed. No matter how poignant the promise is, I never fully believe in it. So I’m not that upset.” Having her own mother abandon her for the greater good of the world, what other love in this world could be fully trusted?
Fang Feng Bei softly chuckled. “Your personality isn’t all that, no matter how happy you always brace for the pain to come.”
Xiao Yao laughed. “That is why I treasure the happiness right before me, because that is the only thing that is real.”
Fang Feng Bei stopped and asked with a smile. “Princess, want to go find happiness?”
“Why not?”
-----
Xiao Yao walked and talked. “I was thinking that when you escaped the slave death match arena, wouldn’t it have been great if I was the one who saved you? If that was the case, then I would let you only be Fang Feng Bei! I really hate that I wasn’t born a few hundred years earlier. I would definitely find you in the slave death match arena…….”
Bei stopped and stared at Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao turned and stared at him, their eyes meeting in the darkness, wanting to say more but not.
Bei reached out his hand as if to caress Xiao Yao’s cheek but the moment he touched her, he jerked his hand back.
-----
The Grand Emperor said, “Xiao Yao, I don’t restrict your freedom but as your father I beg of you – do not have any relationship with him. He’s exactly on the opposite side of Zhuan Xu and your blood line has already made the choice for you.” The Grand Emperor had already seen one tragedy before, he didn’t want to see the same tragedy with Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao took the mirror back and smiled. “Dad, what are you thinking about? My interactions with him have always been a transaction. He saved me because he made a deal with Zhuan Xu.”
The Grand Emperor sighed. “You need to remember this well, I would rather have the entire world vilify and castigate me for eliminating the entire Fang Feng family if that is what it takes to snatch that Tu Shan clan’s little fox for you. That is preferable than you having anything to do with Xiang Liu.”
Xiao Yao made a funny face to her dad and laughed. “Okay, okay, I remember! Daddy who likes to lecture, your subordinates are all waiting for you!”
There was a day when he was called someone who liked to lecture? The Grand Emperor rapped Xiao Yao on the head and left.
Xiao Yao lowered her head to stare at the gorilla mirror, and gradually her smile disappeared completely.
-----
As she looked around, she saw a familiar figure.
Fang Feng Bei was riding a winged horse through the crowds, his expression gentle with a smile on his lips, just like any regular son of a rich family.
Xiao Yao was rooted in place and watched him come closer to her through the dense thrum of bustling ordinary life. Even knowing it was hopeless, she still fervently wished that this ordinary world could keep him in it.
-----
Xiao Yao calmed her heart and pulled back her bow, with a whoosh her arrow flew out and a green bird fell from the sky.
Fang Feng Bei reached out his hand and the bird dropped in his hand, the silver arrow pierced it right in the heart.
Xiao Yao smiled. “Master, are you pleased with your disciple?”
Fang Feng Bei smiled at Xiao Yao. “I’ve always been pleased with you as my disciple.”
Xiao Yao blushed and glared. “I was talking about archery!”
Fang Feng Bei looked all innocent. “I was also talking about archery! What did you assume I was talking about?”
Xiao Yao was exasperated and said, “I can’t win any argument with you, I can’t win any fight with you, so there is nothing I would dare assume!”
Fang Feng Bei took the bow from Xiao Yao’s hand and inspected it. “If just for fun, this is enough, but if you want to kill a person, you need to be more hardhearted.”
Xiao Yao smiled. “This weapon’s entire purpose is to kill. I plan to smear the arrow in poison so that once it’s released, it’s surefire death.”
Fang Feng Bei handed the bow back with a smile. “Congratulations, you’ve graduated.”
The bow vanished in a silver light and disappeared into Xiao Yao’s arm. “I graduated?”
“Your power is low but for your archery to get to this level it’s already the top. You’ve mastered everything I can teach you. From now on, you don’t need to learn archery from me anymore.”
Xiao Yao’s heart shook and suddenly she felt so adrift and lost. It was a joking offer between them tens of years ago, but as time passed in a blink, they were standing here now and so much had happened.
-----
Xiao Yao suddenly felt her heart beating wildly and was so unexpected she couldn’t catch her breath and it banished all the images in her mind.
...
Xiao Yao stared at the blue sky and quietly felt her heart beating as one with another heart. The pressure and pain on her heart lessened, probably because another heart was taking some of the burden from her.
Xiao Yao got better and she started making poisons again.
When she was sick Zhuan Xu got all sorts of herbs and medicines but she didn’t use much of it so now it came in handy to use.
Xiao Yao smiled as usual but all the poisons she made were dark color. Black bats, black crows, black lover birds, black hibiscus….each one she placed in the box and totally gave off the impression that the maker was in a foul mood indeed. But during the process of making these dark and dreary poisons, Xiao Yao released all of her pain.
...
She snuck away to the Tu Shan clan messenger service to mail the poisons to Xiang Liu.
Xiao Yao couldn’t help but smile when she imagined his displeasure when he saw this batch of poisons.
-----
Xiang Liu answered, “I know.”
Xiao Yao suddenly realized they were in a clam shell and wanted to immediately check it out but was afraid her intentions would be too obvious so forced herself to be patient. She continued laying for a bit before slowly getting up and acting all nonchalant as she looked around. It was the same clam shell, all white in color with wave ripple ridges. It was beautiful.
The clam shell was enormous and even with the two of them inside it wasn’t a tight squeeze at all. She slept here for thirty-seven years with Xiang Liu. Would that be equivalent of sleeping in the same bed and sharing the same pillow? Those two merpeople saw the clam shell as their home, how did Xiang Liu view this clam shell?
Xiao Yao suddenly felt all sorts of thoughts and feelings rush up and her face burned as her heart sped up.
Xiao Yao chastised herself and tried desperately to control her feelings and reactions, but she couldn’t control her heartbeat. Just like that, Xiang Liu sensed it and looked over at her. Xiao Yao quickly said, “I’m hungry! So hungry I’m all nerves!”
Xiao Yao’s face was so red it was like a burning sunset and she forced her eyes wide open to stare at Xiang Liu. His heartbeat quickened a few times and Xiao Yao sensed it. But then it was gone just like that and she wondered if it was her mistaken sensation.
Xiang Liu casually said, “Let’s go!”
-----
Xiao Yao drank her soup and felt full and warm as her clothes were dry by now. She was very relaxed and comfortable and sprinkled poison in the soup and it mixed with the seafood to make an even more tasty flavor.
Xiang Liu wasn’t afraid of the heat and picked up the conch shell and drank the soup directly as he ate the fish.
Xiao Yao wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the stars in the sky and listened to the waves crashing on the rocks.
After Xiang Liu was done eating he said, “Let’s go back.”
Xiao Yao didn’t move and continued to stare at the ocean. If it was possible, she really wanted to live like this for the rest of her life.
“Xiao Yao?” Xiang Liu stood before Xiao Yao. She raised her head to stare at him and smiled. “Don’t you feel like today was a day we stole to spend together? That there is only now and no tomorrow!”
Xiang Liu was taken aback and said nothing. Xiao Yao pointed to the horizon. “What’s over there?”
“Endless ocean.”
“No land?”
“Scattered islands.”
“What kind of islands?”
“Some islands have not even a blade of grass, others as beautiful as a dreamscape.”
Xiao Yao sighed, “I really want to go see.”
Xiang Liu remained silent and then whistled once before Furball arrived. He vaulted on its back and Xiao Yao had no choice but to stand up and climb on.
-----
In her dream, she saw Jing with his son, but she couldn’t see his son’s face, only that he curled in his dad’s arms and called him sweetly “Daddy” while Jing smiled back.
Xiao Yao ran away as fast as she could and in a second she ran from Qing Qiu to Qing Shui Town. Xiao Yao jumped in the river and swam towards the vast blue ocean. She could see endless horizons and the joy of swimming freely, but she was so, so tired! Where could she go in this entire world? Fang Feng Bei appeared on the surface and he sat on an all white clam shell smiling at her with his black hair flying in the breeze. Xiao Yao swam towards him but in a second his hair turned all white and he became Xiang Liu coldly staring at her. White clam shell, all white Xiang Liu, it was like an ice mountain floating on the ocean surface.
The black-hair-him, the white-hair-him, closer and further away……Xiao Yao suddenly turned and swam towards land, as she swam her tears tumbled down like rain……
Xiao Yao startled awake from her dream and felt coldness next to her. She touched her face and discovered that she was drenched in tears.
-----
Xiao Yao softly asked, “Bei, tell me…..why is it so hard to find a person to walk the path with?”
Fang Feng Bei said, “Finding a person isn’t hard, finding a person who shares the same interest, genuinely treats you well, and makes the journey more interesting, that is what is hard.”
Xiao Yao asked, “Can one never forget a person for an entire life?”
“Depends on the person. If you are talking about Jing, then I think it’s highly possible.”
“Do you mean he can’t forget me, or I can’t forget him?”
Fang Feng Bei smiled, “However you want to interpret.”
Xiao Yao furrowed her brows and angrily said, “There are a lot of good men left in the vast wilderness!”
“There are plenty of good men, but there aren't many who will really put you inside his heart.”
“What do you mean? So I shouldn’t marry Feng Long?”
“I don’t mean anything. You asked me so I honestly told you my thoughts.”
“Xiang Liu, I really don’t know, what is your heart thinking deep down inside?”
“You and I are travelers who have crossed paths in this windy world. Whenever we meet we are each other’s companions to enjoy the world is all! Why do you care what I think deep down inside?”
Xiao Yao mocked herself, “Yes, it’s my over-thinking! No matter what you feel deep down inside, none of it has anything to do with me!”
Xiang Liu stared down the dark alley and said nothing.
Xiao Yao was silent for a few moments and then casually said, “Jing knows you’re Xiang Liu now. He won’t tell my Gege, but if Feng Long knows, Gege will find out. You……be careful.”
Xiang Liu stared at Xiao Yao and she avoided his piercing gaze and asked, “Who was that old man selling donkey meat?”
“He used to be a subordinate of Qi Yo and one of the survivors in the final battle in Yi Province. Carrying all the memories of those who perished, it’s easier just to have died.” Xiang Liu smiled “Actually, to a General, the best ending is to die on the battlefield.”
It was a warm Summer night but Xiao Yao suddenly felt her entire body turn cold in an instant.
They arrived outside Little Zhu Rong’s residence and Xiao Yao and Xiang Liu both stopped at the same time. But one didn’t depart and the other didn’t go in. They just silently stood there.
In the past she felt they had so many opportunities to see each other, but it wasn’t clear when it began that Xiao Yao started to feel that she was seeing less and less of him. Until tonight, when this feeling became impossible to ignore.
After a few moments, Xiang Liu said, “You go inside!”
Xiao Yao wanted to talk to him but she didn’t know what she wanted to say. She said, “Now is not like before, you shouldn’t come to the Middle Plains so often anymore.”
Xiao Yao thought Xiang Liu would mock her, asking whether she was worried Zhuan Xu would kill him, or worried he would kill Zhuan Xu. But surprisingly Xiang Liu said nothing and continued to just look at her.
Xiao Yao quietly stood there waiting, but she didn’t know what she was waiting for.
Xiang Liu's cold voice spoke, “You go inside!”
Xiao Yao smiled and curtsied to him before turning to knock on the door. The door opened and Xiao Yao stepped inside while Xiang Liu continued to stand outside, white robe black hair, tall and proud, like the white snow on the black mountains in the North, even if it was covered with flowers it would still look imposing.
Xiao Yao couldn’t take another step and stood rooted in place staring at him as the door slowly closed and Xiang Liu disappeared from sight.
Xiao Yao returned to her residence to find Xing Yue and Ah Nian were both there trying on the items they bought earlier during the day. Seeing her back, both groused “Good older sister, next time let us know before you suddenly disappear? Thank god the store clerk said you left with a friend so we weren’t left worried.”
Xiao Yao smiled and said nothing. The two continued to discuss their new outfits and giggled merrily. Xiao Yao laid on her pallet and felt her mind in a daze – these people were her friends and family, so why did she feel so lonely right now?
-----
Xiao Yao felt her heart constricting tightly so she sat up and took deep breaths. It started with being sleepless but over time she seemed to have developed a heart problem. She knew Xiang Liu was being bothered by her right now.
All these years in the deep dark of the night, when she was at her most painful to endure moments, knowing someone was experiencing the same feeling made her feel she wasn’t alone. It made her feel like he was right there keeping her company and it comforted her a lot.
In the poison packages she sent him, she wrote in a letter apologizing for disturbing him and reminding him to go to Jiu Li with her when he had time. But Xiang Liu never replied and Xiao Yao didn’t dare mention it a second time.
Xiao Yao clutched her heart and slowly laid back down. After laying for a long time, she slowly fell asleep.
-----
Xiao Yao didn’t know if she purposely didn’t want to face the past or really was lazy, but she didn’t want to go anywhere. When Zhuan Xu suggested she open a medical clinic like she did on Five Gods Mountain, Xiao Yao wasn’t interested.
Every day Xiao Yao woke up after noon and then flipped through her medical books. Only when making poisons did she perk up slightly.
The Yellow Emperor saw her so withdrawn and suggested, “That boy from the Fang Feng family, his name is Fang Feng Bei, right? I see you guys get along well. How come he hasn’t come play with you these past few years? You can ask him to hang out together.”
It was better the Yellow Emperor not mention that because afterwards Xiao Yao got even more uninterested even in making poisons. She spent every day sitting in a daze in the corridor.
-----
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.
-----
The clear exquisite ice crystal, inside was the deep blue sea, and in the water was colorful little fishes swimming and beautiful red coral. There was an all-white giant clam shell like a blooming flower and inside a beautiful mermaid sat on the clam shell. Her hair flowed like seaweed and her beautiful tail was half on the clam shell and half in the water. She had one hand on her heart and the other hand reached out towards the distance like she wanted to grab onto something or like she was calling someone to her. In the direction where her hand stretched there was a merman floating in the water. He appeared close to the clam shell but he was coldly staring outside the ice crystal ball so that it felt like he was actually in another world and not in the world of the peaceful isolated ocean with the mermaid.
...
Xiao Yao stared at the ice crystal ball and said, “This is the last time.”
Xiao Yao wrapped the ice crystal ball in a demon bear pelt and sent it along with a letter inside a jade container. She went to the Tu Shan clan messenger shop and paid five times more than usual to deliver it as soon as possible to Qing Shui Town.
Inside the jade container was a letter with only one short message:
“In two months I am getting married. This is the last poison I will make for you. Please accept with a smile.”
-----
The Grand Emperor said, “I’ll give you seven days to reconsider.”
During the ensuing seven days, Xiao Yao really did reconsider and think carefully. Every day she sat on the jagged rocks outside of the Dragon Bone Prison and looked out over the deep blue ocean.
When Ah Nian went to get her, she could see the blue horizon, the red rocks on the cliffs, and Xiao Yao dressed all in white sitting barefoot on the black jagged rocks as the waves crested at her feet.
This image was impossible to describe other than Ah Nian felt a sense of utter desolation for her sister. Xiao Yao’s image made her think of the legends of old, of a fisherman’s wife sitting on the rocks waiting for her lover to come back, sitting and waiting for so long she turned into a rock.
-----
Xiao Yao slowly turned back around and stared at Fang Feng Bei, “What do you want?”
Fang Feng Bei, “I want you to leave with me right now!”
Xiao Yao’s entire body turned cold, with the entire vast wilderness gathered here, if she ran away from her wedding and especially left with another man, that would be such an insult to the Chi Sui clan and to Feng Long. How would the Chi Sui clan see her? How would the entire world view her?
Xiao Yao asked, “Why?” Xiang Liu, you knew two months ago I was getting married, why do you have to do it this way? Do you want the entire world to spit on me? If you want to destroy me, why did you choose this most degrading method?
...
His one foot was out the door when Xiao Yao suddenly asked, “When did you find out I was getting married?” Due to her head being buried on her knees, her voice sounded muffled like it was coming from far away.
Xiang Liu didn’t turn around and his voice was cold. “Two months ago.”
Xiao Yao’s voice was shaking. “Why… why did you have to do it this way?”
Xiang Liu’s voice got colder. “Do you have any right to ask me why? The terms of the deal were discussed in advance. Whatever I asked, you would do!”
Xiao Yao said nothing and Xiang Liu left without looking back. When the door slowly closed behind him, it let out a soft thud. Xiao Yao remembered that when she was asleep under the ocean, every time the clam shell closed it would make a similar sound. Xiao Yao’s tears silently fell.
-----
Xiao Yao sensed something but had to confirm it. “Where is Fang Feng Bei?”
Xiang Liu coolly replied, “He’s dead.”
Xiao Yao stared at Xiang Liu and her eyes were blinded in pain by his whiteness like a cloud and like the snow. Tears came to her eyes, Fang Feng Bei took her away and now Fang Feng Bei was dead and would never appear again. From now on, it was only Xiang Liu. That irresponsible man who did whatever he wanted, taught her archery, took her through the world seeking the simplest of pleasures… that man was now dead.
He once said that she and he were just temporary companions in this unpredictable life seeking happiness. He never lied to her!
Xiang Liu quietly stared at Xiao Yao, his face was like a ten thousand year old snow mountain, cold and inscrutable.
Xiao Yao abruptly turned around and grabbed a pail of water from the well and splashed the cold water on her face. When she lifted her head her face was all wet. she didn’t know if her tears came down and mixed with the water or was forced back and never fell.
-----
Another question was right at the tip of Xiang Liu’s lips but he was actually torn until a moment later he asked, “Who do you most want to spend your entire life with?”
Xiao Yao opened her mouth to answer but her expression showed her internal struggle as her mind refused to let her say what her heart felt.
After multiple struggles she became more and more pained and her body began to shake as she clutched her head. “Hurt…..hurt…..” Xiang Liu had used his power to try and see into Xiao Yao’s heart but Xiao Yao’s mind was too strong willed. If she encountered something that even she refused to think about, then she would unexpectedly oppose answering it and the headache was the result of her refusal to answer the question.
-----
Xiao Yao remembered that she had the ability of a sea demon now and the endless ocean might be a nightmare for others but was paradise for her. If Xuan Yuan and Gao Xing didn’t have a place for her, she could always go to the sea. Having discovered a secret passage that no one else knew could save her life, Xiao Yao suddenly felt a sliver of calm.
She stared at Xiang Liu and the man before her was that dissolute wastrel, but the moment she was about to become torn again, a strand of white hair fell that reminded her exactly who he was. Xiao Yao softly stroked his hair and said, “This place is not safe to stay. Pay your respects and hurry off!”
-----
Xiao Yao stared at the sea and didn’t respond. Moments later she said, “I want to stay one night on the sea.”
That night the waves rocked the ship and Xiao Yao couldn’t sleep. She climbed off her pallet and draped a robe over herself and walked out on the deck.
A slight ocean breeze, a bright round moon hanging in the sky reflecting the glittering light on the waves. It was beautifully silent.
Under this big ocean she laid inside a giant white clam shell for thirty-seven years. No one knew how Xiang Liu managed to save her life, or that her body had changed. Every time Zhuan Xu would ask, she would claim to have slept the entire time and remembered nothing. But in her heart everything was crystal clear to her. His blood flowed inside her body. Even now her body clamored for the ocean. In the past she loved water but that feeling was nothing like what she felt now. Back then the ocean was the ocean and she was herself. Now she was a daughter of the sea, she could swim with the fishes and listen to the merpeople’s song. She could dive into the deepest part of the ocean like a demon fish and could swim faster than a dolphin.
With just one vault she could jump into the ocean and swim happily. But Xiao Yao refused, she tightly clenched her fist and warred with herself.
The merpeople’s song reached her from the depths of the ocean and Xiao Yao’s heart lurched and she ran to the ship’s bow to stare out into the distance. Under the silver moonlight a white-haired, white-robed man was walking on the waves towards her.
He said nothing and Xiao Yao didn’t speak either. The two of them, one on the ship and the other on the water, listened together to the song of the merpeople. The song spread out on the water’s surface, melodic and pure, touching deep into the soul like a passionate entreaty in darkness, like a longing sigh that shatters the heart, it made the soul rise and fall with the song.
When the song ended Xiao Yao softly said, “So beautiful!”
Xiang Liu softly concurred, “Yes.”
The merpeople’s song was in a pitch that very few people on earth could hear, so in that split second Xiao Yao felt that her heart was intimately close to Xiang Liu and there was nothing she couldn’t share with him. She said, “My father is Qi Yo.” Xiang Liu’s eyes showed his amusement.
...
Xiao Yao was so frustrated by him she was nearly hopping up and down in fury. “You broke the spell on Zhuan Xu so how could you not want to break the spell between us?”
Xiang Liu smiled until his eyes were slits, “I don’t want to know!”
Xiao Yao wearily asked, “What do you want then?”
Xiang Liu’s body was slowly sinking into the water. “Other than checking on how my wares are doing in your body, what else do you think I want?”
“Hey! Don’t go!”
Xiao Yao flipped over the railing ready to dive into the water to chase after Xiang Liu but a pair of hands grabbed her hard and pulled her back on deck.
“Let me go…….” Xiao Yao struggled and then turned around to see Jing. She meekly allowed him to keep her on deck.
-----
Xiao Yao forced a smile and tried to act nonchalant. “I was just curious what your nine heads looked like.”
“Now you know!” Xiang Liu turned to leave.
“Xiang Liu……Xiang Liu…..” Seeing him about to disappear, Xiao Yao was so anxious she threw herself at him, and Xiang Liu didn’t manage to avoid her and was instead hugged straight on by Xiao Yao. Plus he couldn’t even stand up still and fell down on the sand taking Xiao Yao with him.
Xiao Yao worriedly asked “The injuries are severe, for real?”
Xiang Liu tried hard to push Xiao Yao away to swim off with the receding tide.
Xiao Yao grabbed him and twined herself completely around him, using all her strength so that he couldn’t leave. “I was wrong! I promised to close my eyes and not look but I welshed on my promise and secretly opened my eyes! I just……..just…….I admit it was my pathetic curiosity! I wanted to know what you really looked like. I was wrong! I was wrong……..”
The waves crashed on the beach with a roar and retreated with a howl, the two of them were covered by the waves and emerged again and again so Xiao Yao’s voice was sometimes audible and other times muffled. It wasn’t clear how much Xiang Liu heard but it was clear he wasn’t going to accept her apology as he continued over and over to push her off him.
He managed to shove her off once more and Xiao Yao got so frantic she hooked her arms around his legs and jumped up to pounce on him, using her body to tightly grab him and pull him down again. Xiang Liu had no strength left to push Xiao Yao off but he was like a terribly stubborn child and continued to wriggle under her.
The water around them was seeped with red, clearly Xiang Liu’s injuries were bleeding and Xiao Yao begged, “I’m wrong! I’m really wrong! If you want to hit me or punish me, whatever you want is fine! Just please stop moving around!”
Xiang Liu said, “Let go!”
“No! Not until you first promise me not to leave!”
-----
“I only have one head, so I can't outthink your nine heads. I don’t think this deal is going to be good.”
Xiang Liu vaulted into the ocean without a care about Xiao Yao’s reverse psychology negotiating tactics. Xiao Yao anxiously jumped into the ocean after him and grabbed a lock of his flowing white hair.
Xiang Liu turned around and glared at her, so Xiao Yao let go with a smile.
-----
“What about the man who was with you before? You called him Bei.” Left Ear saw Bei many times in the slave death match arena, but he was always wearing a dog face mask so Left Ear didn’t know what Bei looked like.
Xiao Yao looked at Xiang Liu just as he glanced at her and the two’s eyes met. Xiao Yao immediately looked away and said to Left Ear, “He died.”
...
Left Ear asked, “Do you miss him?”
Xiao Yao sighed and didn’t answer.
Left Ear was persistent and stared at Xiao Yao to ask again, “He’s not here anymore. Do you miss him?”
Xiao Yao cried out, “Yes!”
-----
Xiao Yao smiled and looked at Left Ear, feeling this hard to grasp feeling inside. Many years ago, was Xiang Liu just like this? Appearing dangerous and deadly, but actually simple and straightforward. If she could have met Xiang Liu back then, could he have found the woman he loved? Would he take her to buy perfumes at the flower demon shops? Go eat at hard to find restaurants in little alleys… Xiao Yao glanced at Xiang Liu but he was standing with his profile to her, looking at the ocean with a small, warm smile on his lips. Because of the angle, his smile made his face no longer cold, but instead splashed with a sliver of warmth.
Xiao Yao stared for a while before looking away so that she could sort out all the jumbled feelings in her heart.
-----
After three days, Xiang Liu finished healing and stood up. He said to Left Ear, “Thank you for giving me a ride.”
Left Ear asked, “You’re leaving?”
Xiao Yao turned around and appeared to want to say something but ended up closing her mouth again.
Xiang Liu said, “Tomorrow you’ll encounter the people sent by the Black Emperor to search for Xiao Yao.” He tossed a little jewel to Xiao Yao before vaulting off the ship to land on the water surface.
“What is this?” Xiao Yao asked.
“A sea map. If you don’t have the ability to survive on Sheng Nong Mountain, then come to the ocean. This sea map is but a small portion of the ocean but with your body in no time you’ll be like a fish as familiar with the ocean.”
Xiao Yao remembered what Xiang Liu said before, there are countless islands in the vast ocean, some with nothing on it, others as beautiful as a dream.
“I don’t need this!” Xiao Yao wanted to toss the jewel back but Xiang Liu was already walking away, stepping on the emerald waves headed North until his form disappeared.
Left Ear watched Xiao Yao continue to stare at the direction where Xiang Liu vanished.
After a long, long time, Xiao Yao finally looked away and carefully tucked the sea map jewel away.
-----
Xiao Yao stood next to the urn and watched the blood pouring from her wrists but all she saw was scenes from the past – him and her on the ocean watching the moon rise, when he took her strolling underwater, when he put his hand on hers to teach her archery, when he took her to eat and gamble, when he ate her poisons like the most delicious delicacies, how he spent thirty-seven years in cold dark water keeping her company……..all of the warmth of those memories were now splashed with the cold of her blood. Xiao Yao felt cold, so cold she was shivering, so cold but she didn’t know if it was from blood loss or the devastating sadness that was turning her heart cold.
-----
When Xiao Yao woke up and saw the sunlight from the window and the peach blossoms blooming, she didn’t know where she was but she knew she was alive.
Xiao Yao covered her eyes, if she knew it was this hard to die she would have never planted the Lover’s Bug in Xiang Liu years ago!
After some time, Xiao Yao sat up and called out, “Anyone there? Where is this place?”
From the red blossoms a figure in white rushed over and Xiao Yao almost forgot to breathe until she saw his green eyes and released a disappointed breath.
-----
The Royal Mother said, “When Xiao Yao was unconscious, I discovered the voodoo bug in her and broke the spell. You guys don’t have a problem with that, right?”
Jing was ecstatic and stuttered a bit. “You mean, Your Highness got rid of the voodoo bug from Xiao Yao’s body?”
The Royal Mother coldly stared. “Are you doubting me?”
Jing quickly said, “No! No! I’m just too happy is all!” The Royal Mother was aloof and didn’t say much, but whatever she said was always true. So if she said she broke the voodoo spell then clearly it was now broken.
Xiao Yao’s heart was jumbled – when Xiang Liu tried to assassinate Zhuan Xu and killed Feng Long, she already repaid all her debt to Xiang Liu by giving her blood. She severed all ties with him then, but hearing now that the final last bit of connection between them was broken when she wasn’t even aware of it, she couldn’t figure out what this sense of loss meant. She mocked herself, “He always saw you as just a chess piece, what’s there to feel bereft about? Are you sad about his cold heartlessness?”
Kokuto:But Jing was married after CX ascended the throne, and the end of season 1, so it can't be him. It has to be XL ... or Feng Long. lol Poor Feng Long.
The line references XY wishing to live a secluded life with someone at some point after CX secures the throne and notes that CX had other plans.
For several reasons, I think that summary line is supposed to reference TSJ/YSQ rather than XL and the XL reference is a typo (and a total tease for YaoLius).
First, the idea of living a secluded life is frequently associated with XY and YSQ throughout the novel, and (at the end of both the novel and the drama) that is what XY pursues with TSJ/YSQ.
Whereas for XY and XL/FFB, they usually are associated with the idea of XY wanting to live an ordinary life, but not a secluded one. For example, XY frequently wishes she could keep FFB in an ordinary life. And when she pictures meeting XL earlier and under different circumstances, she pictures him bringing her to shops.
Second, CX never had any plans that were specifically designed to keep XY and XL/FFB (as a romantic pairing) apart. But he did have plans that were specifically designed to keep XY and TSJ (as a romantic pairing) apart.
-
Your note about timing and TSJ's unavailability while he was married is a fair one. But this line is part of a heavily condensed summary. I think it's sort of squashing together a bunch of different points in the story.
- Chapter 8, when XY agreed to the 15 year promise in exchange for TSJ promising to return YSQ to her - that scene included the following line: "The old married couple living in the far off secluded mountains, they were actually the envy of so many who live glamorous lives of conflict." At that point the possibility that TSJ would deliver on his promise was remote, so XY wasn't willing to invest too much hope into it. But it did seem like she hoped that TSJ would deliver on his promise.
- The entire period of the story, including chapter 31 (when TSJ was married) when XY remained "willing" to marry YSQ, per her answer to XL's question, but wasn't able to say the same for TSJ (who was unavailable). IMO, one way to interpret the question scene would be to say that XY may have continued to wish to live a secluded life with YSQ even after that possibility was rendered seemingly impossible in reality by TSJ's circumstances.
- In the next chapter, XY meets TSJ and he tells her about his suspicions about TSZ, FFYY, and TSH. Basically re-opening the possibility of that future outcome (living a secluded life together) again. And XY takes steps to help bring that outcome closer to reality.
- After TSJ's marriage is removed as a barrier, he proposes to XY and she accepts, but a long engagement ensues (and during that time XY continues to live with CX). When a wedding date is finally set, CX implements his plan to prevent the marriage from happening.
- After TSJ is killed, XY is devastated by the loss of the companionship / life he represented for her. And when XL returns him to her, they end up pursuing the life she actually wanted with TSJ/YSQ - a secluded life. Not the life of a clan leader and his wife.
AH :First, the idea of living a secluded life is frequently associated with XY and YSQ throughout the novel, and (at the end of both the novel and the drama) that is what XY pursues with TSJ/YSQ.
Whereas for XY and XL/FFB, they usually are associated with the idea of XY wanting to live an ordinary life, but not a secluded one. For example, XY frequently wishes she could keep FFB in an ordinary life. And when she pictures meeting XL earlier and under different circumstances, she pictures him bringing her to shops.
Second, CX never had any plans that were specifically designed to keep XY and XL/FFB (as a romantic pairing) apart. But he did have plans that were specifically designed to keep XY and TSJ (as a romantic pairing) apart.
CX didn't have any plans, cause he never found out, did he? lol Like some fans, he only sees YaoLiu as friends. lol Though he did have plans to wipe XL off the face of the Earth for different reasons and that would have interfered with XY having a happy ending with XL.
Hmmmm. The first is a It's a subtle difference, but I guess I can see it.
But then there's this:
AH :Okay this made me want to do a thing.
Cause these gems just grabbed my heart and squeezed! Of course, she wanted to spend a life, secluded or not, with XL. Thank you for collecting and posting them.
I'm going to enjoy the synopsis while we have it. lol
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