Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 liddi:

Ep18 was painful to sit through, and I dozed off for most of it. The wedding saw no end and the screaming drove me up the wall. 

On the topic of pacing, it annoyed me immensely that quite a few of Xiang Liu scenes were aired across two episodes, which I felt spoilt the flow of the scene. I was particularly frustrated that this was done for the final battle. Why? I really hope that the final battle will be released either as a video short or re-edited to be shown in a single, cohesive viewing.

You can check out this page: https://www.facebook.com/everythingduoduo.eternaljct.1005?mibextid=LQQJ4d

The JC-T update page has been compiling XL seces and piecing the broken ones together.

The did it on purpose, because XL is the selling point of the drama. It forces people to watch the next episode. 

 (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

Did Lei Zu know about A Heng and Chi Chen? Did she ever give them her blessing, or did she want A Heng to marry Shao Hao?

 liddi:

Xie Zu gave her blessings to A Heng to be with Chi Chen before she died. After which, A Heng divorced Shao Hao and was ready to leave Xuan Yuan to be with Chi Chen, seeing the ones she stayed back to protect - her mother, her Fourth Brother were all dead by then. However, the Yellow Emperor manipulated her to stay back by self-aggravating the injuries he suffered during the battle with Chi Chen (she stayed back to heal him for more than a year), after which he then convinced her to go to battle against the Shen Nong army using her love for the Xuan Yuan people who were suffering because of the war. 

(ಥ﹏ಥ) This broke my heart....he was so power hungry, he pushed his daughter to death.

Someone please take that Mao Qiu  video offline. It's everywhere and every time I see it, I'm full on crying. I cried more over that video than 99% of the weeping and crying over love scenes in the darn drama ? ? ? 

 HeadInTheClouds:

Someone please take that Mao Qiu  video offline. It's everywhere and every time I see it, I'm full on crying. I cried more over that video than 99% of the weeping and crying over love scenes in the darn drama ? ? ? 

lawd the Maoqiu one (ಥ﹏ಥ).......now I don't know how to finish my fanfic.

 plor20:

lawd the Maoqiu one (ಥ﹏ಥ).......now I don't know how to finish my fanfic.

Maoqiu is sitting there staring at you and tapping a foot. ;p

 plor20:

(ಥ﹏ಥ) This broke my heart....he was so power hungry, he pushed his daughter to death.

Yes, his ambitions overrode any familial affections and considerations. However, he never intended for A Heng to die during that final battle. He actually led another army to lie in wait for both sides to finish fighting, after which he intended to then finish off the Shen Nong army. What he did not anticipate was that A Heng would use the sun power within her to dry up the floods that threatened to kill the battling armies, and in doing so, lost her own consciousness and her life in the process. To save her, Chi Chen sacrificed his own life, using the Pan Gu bow and his heart as an arrow - his heart in exchange for hers. After Chi Chen's death, the Yellow Emperor wiped out the Shen Nong army, and finally conquered the Central Plains, uniting them under his reign.

 solarlunareclipse:

Thanks the the explanation, liddi. What got me wondering about this is Cang Xuan's line in the drama that Xiao Yao's grandmother and mother would both be happy with her marrying Jing. We know that A Heng asked Xiao Yao, "Is there no one else who treats you well? Why him?" So I was curious about Xie Zu's attitudes towards Shao Hao vs Chi Chen to try to figure out what she might have thought about YaoJing.

The way I see it, Cang Xuan's words were based on Xiao Yao would always be first in Jing's life. In the novel, these words were actually said to their families' graves, and not to Jing, and does not include the words that Xiao Yao was Jing's highest priority :

Cang Xuan spoke softly to his and Xiao Yao’s relatives, “I’m sorry, I can no longer keep the oath I made back then! I must let another man protect and take care of our Xiao Yao now! His name is Tushan Jing, he is kind-hearted, exceptionally intelligent and completely devoted to Xiao Yao. Entrusting Xiao Yao to him, he will definitely not let all of you down, so please rest assured!”

-- Vol 3 Ch17  (Chapter 50)

Xie Zu's primary wish for A Heng was to have a carefree, happy life. She did not object to Shao Hao  even though she never met him because Qing Yang and Zhong Yi both spoke highly of him, so she felt that A Heng should be able to find happiness with him. At the time, A Heng never revealed that the man she loved was Chi Chen. I can't recall if it was ever indicated when she knew A Heng loved Chi Chen (@H19279, @HeadInTheClouds - do you remember?) or that she was aware Xiao Yao was Chi Chen's daughter, but towards the end of her life, she gave her blessings for them to be together even though Chi Chen killed Qing Yang, because she cared only for A Heng's happiness.

In the beginning, as a mother who knew better than anyone how much restrictions are placed on them as a part of the royal family, she wanted A Heng to fully enjoy her life when she could, before duty confined her.  This scene takes place after A Heng was released from Jade Mountain after 60 years for supposedly stealing the Pan Gu bow, which was actually stolen by Chi Chen. It was meant to be a 120 year punishment, but Shao Hao managed to convince the Royal Mother to free her earlier:

Xie Zu stopped and looked back at Zhao Yun Palace. "You are the princess of Xuan Yuan. Sooner or later, you will live in such a palace. But before that, I want you to have all the freedom of the world, both the Eight Wilderness and the Six Directions. However, the Royal Mother deprived you of the most precious one hundred and twenty years of your life. She has lived in that ghostly place on Jade Mountain for thousands of years and knows better than me what is the most valuable thing in this world. One hundred and twenty years of freedom and joy! What treasure in the world can be exchanged for it? She knows better than anyone how severe her punishment is. She clearly robbed the most precious thing from you, but pretended that she was giving me face."

Amidst the swirling mist, Zhao Yun Palace, with its cloud pavilions and jade-carved railings, was as beautiful as a meticulously crafted painting. yet A Heng felt a pang when she looked at it.

Xie Zu’s gaze returned to her daughter’s face. “A Heng, while you are still young, hurry down the mountain. Laugh heartily, cry with abandon, do whatever you want, get into trouble and fights. You will have plenty of days to live in a palace in the future, but the time you have outside is very limited. Don’t waste it on Zhao Yun Peak. I don’t need your company; I only need you to live happily. You don’t understand this now, but you will when you become a mother in the future. As long as you live well, I will be fine.”

A Heng finally understood why Mother never knew about her secret trips down the mountain and she had been pleased with her own cleverness; she now understood why she could leave home smoothly without Father and Eldest Brother sending guards after her; she now understood why she could be different from other princesses, able to roam freely in the Great Wilderness.

"Mother." She choked up.

Zhong Yi came in with a tea tray and respectfully offered the teacup to their mother.

Xie Zu slowly savoured the tea, then coldly ordered, "A Heng, you will go down the mountain tomorrow. You can go anywhere. Just don't let me see you." With those words, she threw down the teacup and left.

-- Once Promised Vol 1 Ch7

When Xuan Yuan received word that the Seventh Flame Emperor was at death's door, there was great concern that Shen Nong and Gao Xin would form an alliance. This would be greatly disadvantageous to Xuan Yuan since the other two kingdoms were old, established nations, and Xuan Yuan would be easily wiped out. As such, the Yellow Emperor decreed that A Heng's marriage to Shao Hao took place as soon as possible, which she refused to comply with because she was already in love with Chi Chen. At the time, Xie Zu had no idea that she loved someone else, and planned to give A Heng time to get to know her fiancé better so that she might not be as averse to the marriage. This did not happen because A Heng ran away to meet Chi Chen at Bai Li as they promised, but he never showed because he could not leave Shen Nong mountain since the Seventh Flame Emperor was dying. A Heng was then tortured by the Yellow Emperor in a fire formation. In the end she only agreed to marry Shao Hao because that was the only way to protect her mother and Fourth Brother from Consort Tongyu who coveted the position of Empress:

Xie Zu’s voice came from behind her. "Why don't you want to marry Shao Hao? Although I have never met Shao Hao, Qing Yang and Zhong Yi speak very highly of him, so he must be good. Could it be you have someone else in your heart?"

A Heng hesitated and was about to speak, "I..." Qing Yang stood behind his mother and stared at her with icy cold eyes that carried a hint of murderous intent. The scene back when Eldest Brother thrust a sword into Chi Chen's heart flashed before A Heng's eyes. Her heart chilled, and she swallowed the words that were at the tip of her tongue.

"I... I don't like anyone. I just want to be free for a few more years, and not get married."

Gently Xie Zu said, "Women will have to get married. You are the princess of Xuan Yuan. Many things were already destined for you from the moment you were born. Don't be afraid. Perhaps when you really get married, you might regret not marrying sooner. In a couple of days, Shao Hao will come. I will try to arrange for you to spend some time alone with him. Perhaps then you will understand what I am saying."

A Heng nodded and replied softly, "Yes." But her eyes were looking at Eldest Brother.

-- Once Promised, Vol 1 Ch11

Towards the end of her life, Xie Zu gave her blessings to A Heng to be with Chi Chen, even though she was aware that Chi Chen was the one who killed Qing Yang by mistake. Ultimately, she wanted only her daughter's happiness:

Through tear-filled eyes, A Heng recalled the scene before her mother passed away.

Her mother had held her hand and said, "Heng'er, although I am leaving, you are truly free now. If you truly love Chi Chen, then go with him." She looked at her mother in surprise, stammering, not daring to speak. Her mother smiled weakly, "Silly girl, do you really think I have not seen through your feelings? As long as Chi Chen can give you a home and take good care of you, I will accept him as my son-in-law. You are the only one I am worried about!"

Listening to Chi Chen's descriptions, A Heng seemed to see a small bamboo house hidden among the peach blossoms, a vegetable garden beside it with loofahs hanging down, the platform of a bluestone well in front of the bamboo house, with a half-tipped bucket for drawing water by its side, and clusters of red roses blooming around the well like the glow of sunset...

Her mother had also seen her new home, standing in front of the bamboo house with a look of contentment.

"Mother, can I really freely follow Chi Chen?"

Her mother nodded at her, and her figure gradually receded into the peach blossom forest, looking relaxed and unburdened.

A Heng looked up at Chi Chen, her face streaked with tears but beaming with a radiant smile. "Mother said I am free now. She said she would accept you as her son-in-law."

Chi Chen was stunned in disbelief. After a moment, his face was filled with overwhelming joy as he stammered, "Your mother... your mother... really, really..."

A Heng nodded.

Chi Chen had always thought it was impossible to gain the approval of A Heng's family, so he kept claiming arrogantly that he did not care. However, it turned out that a family's recognition and blessings could bring peace and double the happiness. Chi Chen was so overjoyed that he did not know what to say, and could just stare at A Heng, smiling dazedly.

-- Once Promised Vol2 Ch13  (originally Chapter 16)