blabla100:
Her mom going to Baili and waiting for ChiYou before confirming her marriage îs similar to XY waiting for XL for 7 days before confirming her own marriage to FL.

No, her mom did not have such luxurious opportunity to cancel or decline the wedding as XY. If Yan Emperor had not died that day, their ending would have been very different.  Ah Heng was forced to accept the marriage unlike XY.  This event happened just in the first quarter of the novel. And after that despite many misunderstanding and misoportunity, they (Ah Heng and Chi You) always tried to be together. 


 blabla100:
I am not going to mention the way she harm herself in order to help him while he was fighting with CX, because that was before getting her identity back, but let's not forget how she kept constantly sending him poisons or how she kept his identity protected  despite of CX or how she was fast in giving him her blood to heal whenever he was hurt. XY actually never said no to XL no matter what he asked for from her. 

What she did for him all happened in QS town as WXL.  And that was the reason why he thought she loved him and accepted the bug transfer. The only time that he asked her blood later (without pre-condition such as she shot him and he provided her with information) was when FFB revealed his identity as XL. However, in my view, he delibrately did so as the way to tell that he was XL and if their relationship could be as before by biting her neck. I don't think the fact she did not tell CX that FFB was XL as bonus point for her dedication of love. As FFB (after she knew he was XL), he did not show any attempt of killing or harming CX. She wanted to the mortal world could keep him in. 

About XY never say no to XL:

1. Poison making after she returned as XY: XL asked her to keep making poison for him otherwise he would intefere Ah Nian (chapter 14). From XL's POV, that request is to check if XY wanted to keep certain contact/connection with him (this request was before his question "why" - she rather died than kissed him. ). And her answer also made the atmosphere between them become more natural. XY put her thought and emotion (without increasing the toxicity of the poison) only when she decided to bin Jing in chapter 16. 

2. Before the wedding robery, from chapter 17 to 31, the only time FFB used his XL identity to ask/force her to do sth that she didn't want is when they were in the casino in chapter 29. She said no to FFB but followed XL. However, was having a meal with him a big deal? before he asked her to have meal with him, XY asked him to go to Baili to undo the bug. it is fair   

3. FFB/XL used the blood oath to request her to follow him in ther wedding. She took the oath and her debt to him as the excuse of running away from the wedding. However, later she told Ah Nian that "My running away from the wedding impacted a lot of people but actually the fundamental reason is that I don’t love Feng Long. You know that liking someone is something that can’t stop you, and not liking someone gives you any reason to end it.” 

@H19279

The thing is I am more indulgent towards XY than most people here are because I do understand her wish to have someone with whom she can build a future and a family with. I believe we all wish for that.  XL had 9 lifes, would have been able to save himself one while still fighting for his soldiers till the end? Yes. Was he willing to do that? Obviously not. If he was, than what exactly stopped him from doing so? XY's request to have someone next to her forever is understandable, I can't judge her because of that. 

 Kokuto:
That's because Jing is a smooth liar and tells people what they want to hear.  Even XY remarks on it.  From Chapter 16:

Anytime she heard him talking to someone else, she always felt it was not the Jing she knew.  When he was saying something false to others, he remained calm and smooth, yet when he talked with her, it always felt like he was tongue tied and awkward.

Also, I agree.  When did Jing ever express an interest in the compassion of rulers, the welfare of citizens (which citizens?), politics, or world peace?

@AH  

I personally don't read any cheek into TSJ's words there. They seemed sincere to me, and consistent with TSJ's earlier words where he encouraged XY to not lose faith in CX over one mistake (even though that one mistake was choosing to enable TSH to kill TSJ).

@H19279  

No, not really. When I started going out and learning to do business, it wasn't long since King Xuan Yuan unified the Central Plains. I followed a caravan and traveled throughout the wilderness, seeing too many people displaced. I deeply realized that the world needed a king who truly had a broad mind. The ruler of a country is related to the people of the world and millions of people. I can abide by the clan rules for Xiaoyao, not support Cangyan and Yuyang, but it is impossible to go against ancestral teachings and break clan rules, unite the Four Family and the Central Plains Clan, and support Your Majesty's ascension to the throne. I did it simply because Your Majesty's magnanimity and talent convinced me that what I have done is right. Until today, I have not regretted my choice, and neither did Fenglong. Our choices and persistence are all correct.

CX recalled 2 poems as lessons about virtue and morality which a good ruler should have. It also shows the foreshadow for his toleration to Jing in future.  

I have been meaning to collect my thoughts on Jing's last words to Cang Xuan and reply to all three of you because these three posts are collectively connected.

Kokuto does make some great points in that Jing has never shown an interest in politics or world peace. And in one of the chapters, apologies for not being able to quote, Jing's monologue about getting CX and XY to move to Chiusiu town, he did not mention any thing other then to get XY closer to him. So while, there may not have been in cheek into what TSJ said (though I still think there is a stab at CX heartstrings here with words like "magnanimity" ), I have to take TSJ words as quoted by H19279  with some serious salt.

As I have pointed in my analysis of TSJ, he had dealt business on both sides of the war. If he truly cared about world peace, he would have stopped doing business all together with the Shennong remnants and eventually XL. But you see, he continued to do business even after supporting CX, his buying of XY oath is one of those business deals that would have prolonged the war. If he truly cared about the wellbeing of the world, why did he financed the Li Rong Family gambling dens that hosts demon slave fights? 

In the end, CX saw TSJ for what he was and realized he got played. So in the end, he saw TSJ as a "standing straight and composed" and chose to walk away, recalling those two poems as a reflection of himself as a ruler as H19279  quoted above.

Plus, if CX had wholeheartedly accepted TSJ, then why did XY and TSJ feel the need to disappear all together into the crowd using thier illusion techniques that would make it hard for CX to find them?

 blabla100:

@H19279

The thing is I am more indulgent towards XY than most people here are because I do understand her wish to have someone with whom she can build a future and a family with. I believe we all wish for that.  XL had 9 lifes, would have been able to save himself one while still fighting for his soldiers till the end? Yes. Was he willing to do that? Obviously not. If he was, than what exactly stopped him from doing so? XY's request to have someone next to her forever is understandable, I can't judge her because of that. 

Xiao Yao's rejection on the beach.  He's not Jing, who refuses to leave when she tells to go.

XL had planned to have a future with XY,  but she rejected him and wasn't willing to build that future with XL.  She wasn't even able to do it with Jing, without Tushan Hou and XL helping her.   He had even taken the first step and accepted the Lovers Bug, but before their relationship could move forward, CX and Jing blocked them.

 plor20:
As I have pointed in my analysis of TSJ, he had dealt business on both sides of the war. If he truly cared about world peace, he would have stopped doing business all together with the Shennong remnants and eventually XL. But you see, he continued to do business even after supporting CX, his buying of XY oath is one of those business deals that would have prolonged the war. If he truly cared about the wellbeing of the world, why did he financed the Li Rong Family gambling dens that hosts demon slave fights?

In the end, CX saw TSJ for what he was and realized he got played. So in the end, he saw TSJ as a "standing straight and composed" and chose to walk away, recalling those two poems as a reflection of himself as a ruler as H19279 quoted above.

Yes, exactly.  Not only had Jing not ever mention his goal of world peace, but he actively supported things that contributed against it.  If this goal was so important to him, why did he give up on living when he thought XY was dead?  Why wouldn't he honor her memory and work on his goal for world peace, by helping her brother?

Again, Jing tells people what he thinks they want to hear to get what he wants.

 Kokuto:

Xiao Yao's rejection on the beach.  He's not Jing, who refuses to leave when she tells to go.

XL had planned to have a future with XY,  but she rejected him and wasn't willing to build that future with XL.  She wasn't even able to do it with Jing, without Tushan Hou and XL helping her.   He had even taken the first step and accepted the Lovers Bug, but before their relationship could move forward, CX and Jing blocked them.

I don't remember who the person was who asked where the places were that XL made steps toward XY. XL made numerous strides towards her, all for her to turn him down out of denial and fear. We must remember that all XL wants from XY is her honesty. As far as I recall, no one in all 51 chapters has ever asked XY for her honesty except XL. This is how I have interpreted the following actions:

1) Lover's bugs: This is the most obvious gesture that XL, even if it is just for a short time, made his declaration that he will be there for her.

2) "The sea is beneath your feet.": He risked his life to come and confront CX and face the wrath of the Haoling emperor for XY. She understood the magnitude of this action, yet she chose the safest solution, which was not to stir the pot. XL gave her a choice. If she chose to jump in the sea, XL would protect her until the end.

3) Visiting her when she regains her princess status: XL knows that XY would not jump in the sea if he asked, so he orchestrated her falling into him. XL gave her another choice here. In the drama, they made this scene very ominous, but in the novel, when I read it, it felt like XL was smiling and playing with her. Her rejection of the water kiss is what made XL's smile fade and the situation worsen. Imagine just being happy to see the person you've missed, and curious about her true form for years, and she's everything you've ever imagined. Then, she rejects you for an act you've done before in the past. To add salt to your wounds, not only are you not worthy of her dreams, she even hoped to take back the oath she gave you to save CX.

4) Appearing to her as FFB: I've interpreted XL appearing to XY as FFB as a way not only for him to teach her archery, but also to prove to her that he is indeed worthy of any girl's dreams. He appeared to her as the man he really was. Everything he told her was the truth.

5) Revealing to her that FFB was XL: I think he revealed himself as XL hoping that he had succeeded in showing her that, despite it all, he is capable of being in her dreams. That's why he asked her why she turned him down for the neck biting.

6) Asking her who she most wants to spend her life with: This was indeed XY's last chance to be honest with XL, and she failed. That's why the next day when she woke up, he let her feel his pain and used the harshest words to hurt her, to send her back to Jing.

Two major events that may have contradicted XL's actions are not seeing her off when she woke up from the 37 years and not answering the crystal ball. The way I see it is that he already knows that if Jing died because he had kept her, she would be sad, so he gave her a choice. In the end, she went back to Jing. The crystal ball may have served as a confession letter; XL is not going to meet her halfway because she stands to lose more. So in the end, she still has to be the one who jumps in the sea to meet him. That is the only way he will know for sure if she is honest with herself and him.

Another poster translation that showed up in my feed .... I really need to pay more attention. 

So, a YaoJing translated this poster as:

倾盖如故,杵臼相知     Qīng gài rúgù, chǔjiù xiāngzhī

New friends who seem like old friends who know each other well.


When I run it through the Google Translate it says:

The lid remains the same as before, the pestle and the mortar know each other.

Obviously, it doesn't say anything about friends, new or old, though I know YaoJing is always trying to friendzone their relationship.  But is this also seems to be an idiom.  So, does anyone know if this saying / translation is about friendship?  Cause honestly, I don't think of pestle and mortar as a metaphor as friendship.  It seems a metaphor for a female and male relationship working together to create a new cohesive mix, or maybe crushing problems.

 Kokuto:

Another poster translation that showed up in my feed .... I really need to pay more attention. 

So, a YaoJing translated this poster as:

倾盖如故,杵臼相知     Qīng gài rúgù, chǔjiù xiāngzhī

New friends who seem like old friends who know each other well.


When I run it through the Google Translate it says:

The lid remains the same as before, the pestle and the mortar know each other.

Obviously, it doesn't say anything about friends, new or old, though I know YaoJing is always trying to friendzone their relationship.  But is this also seems to be an idiom.  So, does anyone know if this saying / translation is about friendship?  Cause honestly, I don't think of pestle and mortar as a metaphor as friendship.  It seems a metaphor for a female and male relationship working together to create a new cohesive mix, or maybe crushing problems.

Chatgpt says: "Lean on each other like old friends, understand each other like a mortar and pestle." This idiom conveys the idea of deep understanding and mutual support between individuals or entities, likening their relationship to that of longstanding friends or partners who are intimately familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses. 

So these Jingers in thier quest to be smart failed again at literature.

I also will like to add the a mortal and pestle complete each other. You cannot have a mortal without a pestle and vice versa. It would cease to be useless. So XL and XY complete each other.

 Kokuto:
So, a YaoJing translated this poster as:

倾盖如故,杵臼相知 Qīng gài rúgù, chǔjiù xiāngzhī

New friends who seem like old friends who know each other well.

This series of posters (there are also posters for YaoJing, YaoXuan and YaoLong) was released at the beginning of the series. The interpretations of the YaoJing and YaoLiu posters were quite "explosive" in the Viet's LYF fandom. 


 Kokuto:
Obviously, it doesn't say anything about friends, new or old, though I know YaoJing is always trying to friendzone their relationship.

Of course they are :-). 

Mortar and pestle are a set, a pair. How often do you buy or use one without the other? Of course, you can, but they are designed to go together are they not? From a cultural perspective mortar and pestle are also used to represent male energy (pestle) and female energy (mortar) and the act of using the mortar and pestle is a metaphor for the act of mating (for a lack of a better word). 

 plor20:
I also will like to add the a mortal and pestle complete each other. You cannot have a mortal without a pestle and vice versa. It would cease to be useless. So XL and XY complete each other.

Ah, excellent point.  The tool does not work without both of them.


 plor20:
Chatgpt says: "Lean on each other like old friends, understand each other like a mortar and pestle." This idiom conveys the idea of deep understanding and mutual support between individuals or entities, likening their relationship to that of longstanding friends or partners who are intimately familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Right.  The second half sounds more like a reference to them being 'soulmates.'  The first half about a lid remaining the same ... I took to mean their feelings will remain the same, constant.  I've no idea where they they got 'new friends.'

 HeadInTheClouds:
Of course they are :-).

Mortar and pestle are a set, a pair. How often do you buy or use one without the other? Of course, you can, but they are designed to go together are they not? From a cultural perspective mortar and pestle are also used to represent male energy (pestle) and female energy (mortar) and the act of using the mortar and pestle is a metaphor for the act of mating (for a lack of a better word).

Yep.  I know my brain is in the gutter, but I don't know how anyone can look at mortar and pestle as anything but a metaphor for female and male.... and mating. ;p

Heheheh ... I need a "friend" like Xiang Liu. 


 HeadInTheClouds:
This series of posters (there are also posters for YaoJing, YaoXuan and YaoLong) was released at the beginning of the series. The interpretations of the YaoJing and YaoLiu posters were quite "explosive" in the Viet's LYF fandom.

Yes, I think it is one of the first set released.  ORLY?  Do tell.  I take it Viet's LYF fandom didn't think the YaoLiu poster was about friendship?

I was about to upload the Jing one, cause it talks about the Jian Bird, I think, and I was like ... wuuuut??

 HeadInTheClouds:

This series of posters (there are also posters for YaoJing, YaoXuan and YaoLong) was released at the beginning of the series. The interpretations of the YaoJing and YaoLiu posters were quite "explosive" in the Viet's LYF fandom. 


Of course they are :-). 

Mortar and pestle are a set, a pair. How often do you buy or use one without the other? Of course, you can, but they are designed to go together are they not? From a cultural perspective mortar and pestle are also used to represent male energy (pestle) and female energy (mortar) and the act of using the mortar and pestle is a metaphor for the act of mating (for a lack of a better word). 

so exciting that you have a whole community to discuss this. I remember when I finished LYF I had no one to talk too, and everything was just in my brain! hahaha I lost a lot o

 HeadInTheClouds:
From a cultural perspective mortar and pestle are also used to represent male energy (pestle) and female energy (mortar) and the act of using the mortar and pestle is a metaphor for the act of mating (for a lack of a better word). 


 Kokuto:
Yep.  I know my brain is in the gutter, but I don't know how anyone can look at mortar and pestle as anything but a metaphor for female and male.... and mating. ;p

I have to say that the YaoJing translation is like the kindergarten version and the mortal and pestle version is the Harvard version. Lmao. They translated what thier brain capacity can interpret. Don't hold it against them. lmao.

 Kokuto:
Heheheh ... I need a "friend" like Xiang Liu.

Don't you mean, you need Xiang Liu as a "friend" ;-). You'll need to get in line for that. And don't forget, I bring knives ;-)


 Kokuto:
Yes, I think it is one of the first set released. ORLY? Do tell. I take it Viet's LYF fandom didn't think the YaoLiu poster was about friendship?

There is a huge swatch of YaoJing's fans in the Viet fandom. Words are that they are mostly Yangzi (and some DW) fans who go to bat for the official couple to protect YZ's interest. From my observations, the most vocal and vicious ones do appear to be long-time YZ's fans. Of course, I also wouldn't rule out genuine JY's fans. It's just that the fans that would twist things appeared to be fans of actor/actress who played dirty to downplay TJC/TL. It's very ugly, and I stayed far away from that group. This sort of unhinged behaviour is unfortunately not uncommon in idol's fandom. 


 Kokuto:
I was about to upload the Jing one, cause it talks about the Jian Bird, I think, and I was like ... wuuuut??

If I recall correctly, Jian bird only has one wing and one eye. They are created in pairs; I guess to balance out these defects. A bird can't fly with just one wing, can it?  In Chinese mythology, they are considered auspicious and symbolize love and unity. You can see this as romantic - they can't live without each other. I personally don't find the idea of can't live without someone as the height of love/romance, but I acknowledge the original intention of the mythology.

I actually think they are a great representation for YaoJing. It screamed co-dependency to me. For me, these two characters are "sick" and they are a match in their sickness. XY needs someone who will always put her first and never leave her (insert trauma and psychological deficiencies here), and Jing will never leave her because he needs her to validate his existence - this is his character set up and he never developed and healed after what happened with Hou  (see my evaluation/opinion piece on Jing). The author tells us a lot, if we pay attention. They are two defective people who clung to each other. 

I don't see this as healing either, because it's very inward orientation - rather than acknowledging their sickness and working towards healing, these two just desperately cling to each other to survive. I probably should say, that XY is treading water, while Jing clings to her. Drowning is imminent :-)


 HeadInTheClouds:
Don't you mean, you need Xiang Liu as a "friend" ;-). You'll need to get in line for that. And don't forget, I bring knives

Hahaha... well, I knew the line was long, so I went with a friend like XL.  But I had no idea you'd be bringing the knives!  lol

I do love me some Raul Julia.


 HeadInTheClouds:
There is a huge swatch of YaoJing's fans in the Viet fandom. Words are that they are mostly Yangzi (and some DW) fans who go to bat for the official couple to protect YZ's interest. From my observations, the most vocal and vicious ones do appear to be long-time YZ's fans. Of course, I also wouldn't rule out genuine CY's fans. It's just that the fans that would twist things appeared to be fans of actor/actress who played dirty to downplay TJC/TL. It's very ugly, and I stayed far away from that group. This sort of unhinged behaviour is unfortunately not uncommon in idol's fandom.

Ah, so the CP fans, yes, I heard it wasn't uncommon.  I was reading some interesting things about the CP fans, and how that plays in with the 'growth' of fandoms, but how they resulted in fan fights and 'purges.'  Yeah, we've definitely experienced the hate and downplaying of YaoLiu.

 HeadInTheClouds:
If I recall correctly, Jian bird only has one wing and one eye. They are created in pairs; I guess to balance out these defects. A bird can't fly with just one wing, can it? In Chinese mythology, they are considered auspicious and symbolize love and unity. You can see this as romantic - they can't live without each other. I personally don't find the idea of can't live without someone as the height of love/romance, but I acknowledge the original intention of the mythology.

Yes, this is my understanding.  Though my initial reaction is from the saying / poem that XL recites when he kills off the Lovers Bugs, where the Jian Bird refers to him and XY.


 HeadInTheClouds:
I actually think they are a great representation for YaoJing. It screamed co-dependency to me. For me, these two characters are "sick" and they are a match in their sickness. XY needs someone who will always put her first and never leave her (insert trauma and psychological deficiencies here), and Jing will never leave her because he needs her to validate his existence - this is his character set up and he never developed and healed after what happened with Hou (see my evaluation/opinion piece on Jing). The author tells us a lot, if we pay attention. They are two defective people who clung to each other.

Hmmm.  I never thought of it this way, but I can see it.  I agree that XY and Jing strike me more as co-dependent than actually healing.  Though I wonder if Tong Hua saw it was healing?  Maybe for Jing... though it may have just substituted one problem for another, as I tend to agree with you that he never really recovered from what Hou did.

I think Tong Hua does tell us a lot ... but I will always wonder about my interpretation, given it is through my XL tinted glasses. :)


 HeadInTheClouds:
I don't see this as healing either, because it's very inward orientation - rather than acknowledging their sickness and working towards healing, these two just desperately cling to each other to survive. I probably should say, that XY is treading water, while Jing clings to her. Drowning is imminent :-)

LOL!  Yes, this!  Perfect GIF.