Did XL knew FL help Xing Yue kill XY? even XY didn't tell CX because letting CX knew was not good for Xuan Yuan and CX.H19279:
That's a fair question.
It's reminding me that Left Ear didn't know that XL was FFB in chapter 44 (even after spending days with XL on the ship in chapter 43), but did know that he was FFB by chapter 46. The novel didn't explain how Left Ear came to know that information. Could XL have met with Left Ear between chapter 44 and chapter 46 and found out through him that Xing Yue and Feng Long were responsible for the assassination attempts against XY?
-----
Chapter 43:
Xiao Yao said, “You’re using the name I gave you! You still remember me then?”
Left Ear said, “I remember.” He would never ever be able to forget her or the man she called Bei.
...
“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’s normally dispassionate eyes turned sad. In his heart, Bei wasn’t just someone who experienced the same fate as him, he was also Left Ear’s teacher that guided him to be reborn. Many times when Left Ear collapsed from a severe injury, feeling like not a shred of hope was left, he would see Bei silently sitting in the audience staring at him. He never said anything, but Bei’s presence was enough to convey warmth and hope to Left Ear. It gave him strength to stand back up one more time.
-----
Chapter 44:
“Your archery skills are very high, even I might not have been able to avoid your arrows.”
Xiao Yao smiled before sighing wistfully. “I had a very good master.”
Perhaps it was the emotions that came through in Xiao Yao’s tone of voice and Left Ear was especially sensitive to it. “Was it Bei?”
“Yes.”
Left Ear exclaimed, “I will help him now to protect you!”
Left Ear was like Xiang Liu – crystal clear in those who help and harm him. In Left Ear’s mind, Bei helped him so he wanted to repay the debt, but Bei was dead so now he wanted to repay his debt to Bei by taking care of Xiao Yao.
-----
Chapter 46:
Xiao Yao wanted to pull another arrow but her heart was jumbled and she couldn’t do it anymore. She finally put her bow down, all the energy from Feng Long’s death dissipated and Xiao Yao turned to Left Ear. “Let’s go back!”
Xiang Liu said to Left Ear. “Stand to the side. If I want to kill her, there’s nothing even ten of you here can do!”
By now Left Ear knew that Xiang Liu was Bei, and Left Ear couldn’t understand what was happening before his eyes right now. He silently stepped aside.
Could XL have met with Left Ear between chapter 44 and chapter 46 and found out through him that Xing Yue and Feng Long were responsible for the assassination attempts against XY?AH :
Left Ear knew FFB taught XY archery in chapter 44.
Left Ear carried Xiao Yao on his back and headed upstream “Your archery skills are very high, even I might not have been able to avoid your arrows.”
Xiao Yao smiled before sighing wistfully “I had a very good master.”
Perhaps it was the emotions that came through in Xiao Yao’s tone of voice and Left Ear was especially sensitive to it “Was it Bei?”
“Yes.”
In chapter 46, XL said if XY wanted to kill him with the archery skill that he taught her. That is how Left Ear knew XL was FFB
Xiang Liu stared at the silver bow in Xiao Yao’s hand and smiled “You want to use the archery skills I taught you to kill me?”
I think there was a scene where XY even acknowledge how Jing always said that he doesn‘t deserve her but clinging to her instead of letting her go (or something in this vein? I forget if that happened before or after the peach forest assassination). So I don’t think that she‘ll be destroyed or her abandonment issue will be so severely triggered if TSJ reneged on his promise earlier before the 15 years pass. My take is that she is being fully commited to Jing only after knowing that Jing want/ready to die with her after her assassination attempt, that‘s where she allowed her heart to open up to him.luv2bafangurl:
The novel content indicated the same message.
I would like to note one thing about that promise. Jing wanted XY not to let any man enter her heart in the coming 15 year. He used future tense for his request.
“Xiao Liu….I……I know I am engaged and have no right to say this to you…..and I never dared to….but…….I will call off the engagement, I will call off the engagement! You wait for me for twenty years….no…..no, fifteen years. You give Tu Shan Jing fifteen years, and after fifteen years I’ll give you back a Ye Shi Qi.”
Xiao Liu asked “How do you want me to wait?”
“You…..you won’t let another man……into your heart.”
Xiao Liu was silent.
In the darkness, Shi Qi couldn’t see Xiao Liu’s expression and he was so nervous he forgot to breath.
Xiao Liu suddenly burst out laughing and Shi Qi didn’t know if her laughter was mocking him for daring or….
Xiao Liu said “You, you really don’t know me at all. My heart is cold and there is a hard shell encasing it. Forget fifteen years, likely in fifty years there won’t be a man who goes inside.”
Shi Qi asked “So you’re agreeing? Let’s make a palm promise.”
Xiao Liu lazily raised her palm and Shi Qi felt where it was and then solemnly pressed his palm on hers. After they joined palms, he didn’t release and instead tightly held her hand “Xiao Liu, I’m, I’m so happy.” His voice was quivering as his heart soared.
XY also said "there won't be a man who goes inside". Look at the way they made the agreement. It is by tapping hand/palm. She didn't dare to confirm verbally. So, the condition is understood as in 15 year she won't let another man into her heart. @AH, XY kept her promise strictly. Because XL had already been in her heart before this promise agreement. The successful planting of the bug, her arousal reaction in the pool, keeping his image in her mirror etc proved that. During 2 years in Xuan Yuan city, "pristine" FFB was just friend. After knowing FFB was XL, their relationship was different. On the other hand, Jing failed his promise althought he constantly reminded her about it.
Xiao Yao smiled “You have fifteen years, Jing. What are you planning to do?”
“I don’t know, but I know I will come back to you. I’ve promised to listen to you for the rest of my life…..” Jing’s forehead rested on Xiao Yao’s forehead and he prayed “Please keep your heart for me.”( Chapter 14)
My problem is that the insight of Jing motivation in helping CX which you quoted from the novel is missing from the drama (to be fair maybe I missed it, I tend to glossed over Jing‘s scenes, or it‘ll be explained in the S2) so my understanding from watching the drama is that his motivation to help CX is only to please XY so the following scene feels so unearned.
If I remember correctly, WXL already asked Jing to support Xuan when they were in QS town (after she knew Xuan was CX). Jing agreed with that.
Without WXL or XY, Jing would never had taken the initiative to support CX especially since he was a hostage in Gaoxin and later an underdog grandson of Yellow Emperor. Unlike FL, he could comply with the clan's protocol of not involving the politics. In Season 1, I think Jing came to FL to persuade him to support CX since the Chi Shui clan was the leading clan in the whole world (above Tushan clan) and he told FL about the plan to move to The Middle Plain. FL was practical person, he needed a clear plan and to judge the potential of success with CX. Jing's main motivation of the plan to Middle Plainis to bring XY closer to him (after getting the information about her hanging with FFB). Politically, it was also best option for CX. So, it is killing 2 birds with 1 stone.
FL played huge role in supporting CX and his success in term of taking action. Jing played as advisor and financial support. However, the money that he sponsored for CX mainly came from profit of supplying material for re-contruction Shen-nong palace that CX was the chief supervisor.
Cang Xuan drowned himself in wine as he came to terms with the realisation that the person to whom he felt gratitude and admiration all this time was actually Tushan Jing. The man certainly lived up to his reputation, unparalleled in intelligence and strategy, not only determining the course of the world, but everyone's place in it, even he himself was not spared. The one who acknowledged his potential from the beginning was Jing.
In CX's view, the key milestone of his success was the meeting about relocation to Middle Plain. So, his feeling was quite complicated about Jing after knowing that plan was from him. However, he still hold hate on him because Jing once made XY heartbroken and miserable for long time. My interpretation from chapter 47 when XY found out he was behind the plan to kill Jing is that he only felt he was wrong when XY told that Jing was kind and his kindness and forgiving healed her problem, forgiving was a kind of strength (not weakness), and Jing would never betrayed him. Before that moment, he did not really regret.
Part of me agrees with this sentiment. But the more I think about it, the more I feel like... what would that look like? When would he say that? What would XY say? And what would it accomplish?
But once the ask was made, and XY agreed, it seems that it would hurt XY more if he quit part way through.
Sorry AH, but this just sounds like a whole bunch of justifications.
And during the 15 years, TSJ was aware that XY was very close to FFB. He didn't say or do anything about it because he knew he didn't have the right to do so while he was still engaged.
Point to Jing for not being a total cad. Pity that he didn't do so right from the beginning.
The way that these two sneak around with their "affair" will never not be gross.
HeadInTheClouds:
Sorry AH, but this just sounds like a whole bunch of justifications.
Point to Jing for not being a total cad. Pity that he didn't do so right from the beginning.
The way that these two sneak around with their "affair" will never not be gross.
drama Jing is another story though, he is a cad. Agree! I feel so uncomfortable watching their intimate scenes and the way they sneaking around to be lovey dovey is maybe supposed to look romantic but it just making me shudder for all the wrong reasons. XY bears half of the responsibilities here though, just to be fair.
That‘s why for me if the S2 removed this layer of wanting to protect XY from CX from his motivation, this make XL a worse character because it make him look so stubborn and shortsighted in weighing the outcome, not because he chose SH army above XY heartbreak.
You brought up an excellent point that I didn't consider. Thank you. I'll go back to the novel and re-read that scene again.
It seems like the drama's writers are choosing chaos: let's make both Xiang Liu and Jing (and Cang Xuan too) look worse :-)
drama Jing is another story though, he is a cad. Agree! I feel so uncomfortable watching their intimate scenes and the way they sneaking around to be lovey dovey is maybe supposed to look romantic but it just making me shudder for all the wrong reasons. XY bears half of the responsibilities here though, just to be fair.
Absolutely. Xiao Yao's character is as questionable as Jing's. The way that these two sneak around, sometimes while in the same residence as YY (I think, my memory ain't good :-)). How Xiao Yao could socialise with YY without feeling any sense of shame is an indictment of her character. And they also carried on when they were both guests under Feng Long's roof, knowing full well Feng Long's interest in Xiao Yao. This is how Jing treats his good friend. Gross!
The bug causes the recipient to feel XY's pain. And XY later finds out that it also ties the hosts' lives together, meaning that if she dies, the recipient also dies. Even if she could transfer the bug from XL to TSJ, I don't think XY would choose to do so out of love for TSJ. That would mean that she chose to make TSJ feel her pain and put his life at risk,
The bug was intended to help each other and for couple who devoted to each other, expecting loyalty and fidelity for the whole life (the underline text is added in the drama).
The common intended use of Lovers' Bugs is only relevant in circumstances where the cultivator knows that the bugs are Lovers' Bugs and what that entails, and still decides to raise and plant them.
When XY raised the bugs, she didn't know they were Lovers' Bugs. She raised them to deal with XL since her regular poisons were ineffective. When XY planted the bug in CX, and when she transferred that bug to XL, she still did not know that the bugs were Lovers' Bugs. She only knew that the bug would cause the recipient to feel her pain.
She did not plant the bug in CX with the intent to tie her life or her heart to CX. She only intended for CX to feel her pain.
When she transferred the bug to XL, she likewise did not want to tie her life or her heart to XL. She wanted to prevent CX from feeling her pain. XL told her that, because he had nine heads, the bug would only cause him to feel 1/9th of her pain (I think "If my body hurts 9/10th, then you hurt 1/10th." in Koala's translation is inaccurate and should be, "If my body hurts, then you will feel 1/9th of that pain."). Since XY believed that the bug was burdensome, she was willing to make a blood oath to XL in exchange for him agreeing to let her transfer the bug from CX to him.
In chapter 25, XY wondered if XL might have to endure 100% of her heartache, since he only has one heart. In chapter 26, XL confirmed that he felt all of her heartache.
-----
Chapter 25:
Xiao Yao said, “I suddenly remembered the voodoo bug I planted in Xiang Liu. My body’s pain, he has to feel all of it. But what about my heartache? Does he also need to endure it? He said he has nine bodies so my pain isn’t too much for him to endure. But what about the heart? He only has one heart!”
-----
Chapter 26:
“The pain in my heart, do you feel it?” Xiao Yao’s face turned red, not clear if it was over embarrassment or frustration. The reason the heart was tucked deep inside the body was so that people’s feelings, whether it was happiness or sorrow, would remain concealed. But right now her heart felt like it was stark naked before Xiang Liu, like she was stripped naked before him to observe.
Xiang Liu softly chuckled. “If you’re afraid I will feel everything, then stop tormenting yourself. If your heart doesn’t hurt, then I’ll be better off as well.”
Xiao Yao heard the last thing he said and immediately perked up. “If my body hurts 9/10th, then you hurt 1/10th. If my body hurts, then you will feel 1/9th of that pain. But if my heart hurts, does your heart hurt just as much?”
Xiang Liu honestly said, “Yes! If your heart hurts, my heart hearts just as much. What of it? Are you planning to use that to reckon with me?”
-----
XY found out that the bugs were called Lovers' Bugs in chapter 26, but still didn't know what that entailed.
In chapter 32, XY thought to herself that if she could go back in time, she would still choose to transfer the bug from CX to XL in order to protect CX.
In chapter 37, XY learned more about the bugs from the Voodoo King. After that visit, she told XL that the bugs connected their lives, so if she was in trouble, he wouldn't get off scot free. IMO, even after her conversation with the Voodoo King, XY still viewed the bug connection as something that was bad for the recipient (i.e., XL). In addition to causing him to feel her pain, she now knew that if she died, the bug connection might also cause him to die.
The fact that she didn't want to subject TSJ to that (feeling 100% of her pain, rather than 1/9th, and potentially causing him to die if she died) does not indicate to me that she did not love TSJ.
If XY had a pain, she loved Jing so much that she could not let him to feel the pain and it was better to let XL?
XL felt 1/9th of her body's pain. Whereas TSJ would feel 100% of her body's pain if the bug was transferred to him.
And XY had already paid a price (her blood oath, which XL invoked in chapter 32) to compensate XL for the burden of dealing with her pain through the bug connection. And She still felt guilty when she thought about XL having to endure feeling her pain.
Jing and XY were in safe place, who could be harmed?
IMO, there wasn't ever really a point in the story where XY was truly safe. Definitely not in chapter 37, right after her identity as Chi You's daughter was made known to the world. And XY was well aware that Sheng Nong Mountain was full of danger.
-----
Chapter 43:
Xiang Liu sneered right back and said in a sarcastic way, “Did I say anything wrong? You may not be in the wilderness or the mountains but you’re in a place even more dangerous, Sheng Nong Mountain. The most dangerous beast at most eats you. But in Sheng Nong Mountain, your death affects so much more. Do you know how many people will die if you die? Chi Sui Feng Long smashed the tradition of the Four Great Clans and now with the Tu Shan clan leader suddenly killed and leaving behind a child successor, if you died then the Tu Shan Clan may be picked apart and taken over by the three other clans. In the face of power and wealth, people are even brave enough to try and kill an Emperor, what’s stopping them from trying to kill you? I really regret getting my life connected with as stupid a woman as you! I beg of you, before you die from idiocy can you find a way to break our bug link first!”
...
Xiao Yao whirled around and stared with bright eyes at Xiang Liu and said in a strong voice, “Xiang Liu, I don’t have a way to break our bug link right now. Sheng Nong Mountain is rife with danger but Qing Shui Town isn’t any better. It’s unclear who will drag the other down. Rather than worry that I’ll be a hassle to you, why don’t you worry about yourself first!”
-----
Even if her life wasn't in any danger, was she really not going to feel any pain for the rest of her life?
XY actually never really wanted to break the bug between her and XL. She took that topic out because she didn't have anything else to talk with him (the time in the casino in chapter 39). She saw someone on street and her instinct sensed something. She just chased him like crazy with her instinct.
I agree. We were told in chapter 38 that she wasn't particularly worried about the bug connection staying as it was, since it hadn't caused any problems in 80 years.
@AH
I think this is where our pov differ because as drama watcher instead of novel reader my opinion of the character formed already from how the characters are portrayed in the drama and what happened in the drama, so my take on Jing is much harsher than yours because drama Jing is depicted worse than novel Jing there.
That's fair.
Left Ear knew FFB taught XY archery in chapter 44.
Left Ear carried Xiao Yao on his back and headed upstream “Your archery skills are very high, even I might not have been able to avoid your arrows.”
Xiao Yao smiled before sighing wistfully “I had a very good master.”
Perhaps it was the emotions that came through in Xiao Yao’s tone of voice and Left Ear was especially sensitive to it “Was it Bei?”
“Yes.”
In chapter 46, XL said if XY wanted to kill him with the archery skill that he taught her. That is how Left Ear knew XL was FFB
Xiang Liu stared at the silver bow in Xiao Yao’s hand and smiled “You want to use the archery skills I taught you to kill me?”
OH! Good observation!!
XY also said "there won't be a man who goes inside". Look at the way they made the agreement. It is by tapping hand/palm. She didn't dare to confirm verbally. So, the condition is understood as in 15 year she won't let another man into her heart. @AH, XY kept her promise strictly. Because XL had already been in her heart before this promise agreement.
Lol, fair enough. ^^
And then the high praise on Jing‘s intelligence and strategy while he at the same time failed spectacularly to deliver his promise to XY makes me roll my eyes, sorry not sorry. Like I said I do judge drama Jing quite harshly and the character‘s inconsistency is not helping.
I'll be honest, I reacted similarly to that part of the novel for the same reason.
Part of me agrees with this sentiment. But the more I think about it, the more I feel like... what would that look like? When would he say that? What would XY say? And what would it accomplish?
AH :
But once the ask was made, and XY agreed, it seems that it would hurt XY more if he quit part way through.
Sorry AH, but this just sounds like a whole bunch of justifications.
My thought process was basically, "If I tried to write an AU version of the story where TSJ released XY from her 15-year promise and I didn't change anything else about the characters, how would I write it and how would it change things?"
5 hours ago
AH :
I think TSJ basically did ask XL about this in chapter 39, after learning about the nature of the bugs and the risk to XY's life in chapter 37.
-----
Chapter 39:
“I…..I…..” Xiao Yao actually didn’t know what she wanted so she got tongue-tied. She finally said, “Help me break the voodoo bug spell and you can pick your price!”
Xiang Liu smiled, “Half an hour earlier, Tu Shan Jing said the exact same thing to me.”
As I understand, Jing asked for breaking the bug.
In that conversation, XY says "back then" (in chapter 7) "you broke it from [CX] and moved it over to you". Similarly, XL says that TSJ asked him why XL was able to "break the spell before" (back in chapter 7) but not now (in chapter 37).
They both seem to conceptualize transferring the bug to first require "breaking" it from the current host.
-----
Chapter 39:
“I…..I…..” Xiao Yao actually didn’t know what she wanted so she got tongue-tied. She finally said, “Help me break the voodoo bug spell and you can pick your price!”
Xiang Liu smiled, “Half an hour earlier, Tu Shan Jing said the exact same thing to me.”
“You came here to see Jing?”
“More accurate to say Tu Shan Jing asked to see me to discuss business.”
Xiao Yao understood now, Jing saw that she couldn’t break the spell so went directly to Xiang Liu to discuss terms. “Did you accept Jing’s offer?”
“His offer was tempting and I very much wanted to accept but it’s not that I’m refusing to break the voodoo spell, I really don’t know how!”
“You’re lying! Back then you broke it from Zhuan Xu and moved it over to you. How come you can’t do it now?”
Xiang Liu sighed loudly and shook his head “You need to ask Tu Shan Jing to teach you how to conduct business. Doing business isn’t picking a fight, especially when you have something you want from the other person. You can’t just accuse the other person. What you want is for me to help you and not for me to be pissed at you.”
Xiao Yao glared at Xiang Liu. “But you’re clearly lying!”
“Do you think I would say such a lame lie? Tu Shan Jing is much smarter than you and he asked why I was able to break the spell before but not now?”
“Why?”
“The voodoo bugs are living creatures! Back then is not the same as now! You can beat a baby tiger to death, but can you win a fight with a thousand year old tiger demon?”
Xiao Yao felt that what he was saying made sense but also this niggling sensation that he wasn’t telling her the whole truth. She slowly said, “I can’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t?”
“If you don’t believe me then why keep asking me?”
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