Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

Finally. I knew I saw this comment, but it took an age for me to locate it.

 Kokuto:

Actually, in Chapter 7 of the novel it shows that XL didn't have complete knowledge of the Lovers Bug, either. He didn't know how to lure it out of CX and into him. That was all XY's knowledge and doing. It also implies that XY knew they were called Lovers Bugs.

I've been thinking about how much XY actually knows about the Lovers Bugs right from the start. But, leaving that aside for the time being, I think XL (rightly or wrongly) believed that XY knew that they were Lovers Bugs. So he thought that the feelings were not only mutual but that she wanted this tie to him. This probably influenced his decision to accept the bug. Imagine his shock when she refused the passing air "kiss" and then threw an ocean of cold water in his face with that comment about him not being suitable to walk into a girl's dream. Ouch! Afterwards, he would have found out that there was something between her and Jing. Double Ouch!

 HeadInTheClouds:

I think XL (rightly or wrongly) believed that XY knew that they were Lovers Bugs. So he thought that the feelings were not only mutual but that she wanted this tie to him.

I didn't get that impression. It seemed pretty clear that XL observed that XY had no idea what the bugs were called and had no idea what the required criteria were to transfer the bug in CX to someone else. 

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Chapter 7:

One night, Xiang Liu vaulted off the condor to find Xiao Liu sitting cross-legged on the grass, his two arms resting on his thighs, his body hunched forward, staring dejectedly at the river.

Xiang Liu asked, “What are you thinking?”

“How to remove that voodoo bug. Xuan’s follower came by once to ask.” With Xuan’s real identity, that bug might not hurt him, but it was more likely one day it’ll kill Xiao Liu since so many people wanted to kill Xuan. Xiao Liu also didn’t want people to use him anymore against Xuan so was genuinely racking his brains for how to remove it.

Xiang Liu said, “I told you, find another person and plant the bug there.”

‘”Who would be willing? Maybe one of Xuan’s men?”

Xiang Liu very casually said, “It can’t be just any person.”

“Why?”

“You raised the bug, you don’t know?”

“I…..I don’t know.” Xiao Liu confessed.

“Where did you get the bug?”

“Many years ago, I met an old lady from the Jiu Li tribe. You know that the legendary most fearless, vicious, cruel demon of all time Qi Yo was from the Jiu Li tribe. After he was killed by the Yellow Emperor, the entire Jiu Li tribe was demoted to slave status. The men and women were born into slavery. That old woman was a slave that no one wanted anymore. She was smelly and dirty, laying close to death in a pile of dirt. I found her very pitiful so I asked her what her final wish was before she died. She asked for a bath so she could go see her lover clean and pretty. I took her to the river and helped her bathe, then brushed her hair into the hairstyle of a Jiu Li woman. She gave me a blackened shriveled walnut, saying that she had nothing on her except this pair of voodoo bugs. She gave it to me as thanks. She told me to leave and then she died. Her body immediately attracted a lot of insects and was immediately devoured clean. Later on, when I didn’t know how to deal with you, I suddenly remembered this walnut I carried with me for a long time. I used it to raise the two voodoo bugs according to the magic of Jiu Li. I fed it pieces of my own flesh and blood, then one bug chose me, and then the other was meant for you but instead I planted it in Xuan.”

“How did you learn how to raise a voodoo bug?”

Xiao Liu’s eyes twirled. “That old woman told me!” Xiang Liu coldly laughed. “You’re full of shit. If she told you how to raise the bugs, how could she not have told you what the name of this particular voodoo bug was?”

Xiao Liu knew what he said was contradictory so just went with it. “Why do you care how I know how to raise voodoo bugs? I just do.”

Xiang Liu said, “The pair of voodoo bugs you have is very rare. If you want to remove it, the only way is to find another person and lure the bug into that person.”

“What are the requirements for that person?”

Xiang Liu said nothing, and after a moment, he stiffly barked, “I don’t know!”

Xiao Liu didn’t believe him, yet he didn’t know why Xiang Liu wouldn’t come out and tell him. So he tried asking, “Do you fit the requirement?”

Xiang Liu didn’t answer so Xiao Liu asked more, “You are a nine-headed demon. Luring a voodoo bug into you, that can’t be a problem, right?”

Xiang Liu didn’t deny it so Xiao Liu took that as a tacit confirmation. Xiao Liu got all excited. “You said with your nine heads, even if my body hurt then it wouldn’t hurt you much, right? So can I lure the bug over into your body?”

Xiang Liu stood there with his hands behind his back, staring at the moon, saying nothing. After a few moments he said, “I can help you lure the bug into me, but you have to promise that in the future you will do one thing for me. If I ask, you will do it.”

Xiao Liu thought about it. “Other than killing Xuan.”

“Fine.”

“I also can’t kill Tu Shan Jing.”

“Fine.”

“You can’t ask me to kill the Yellow Emperor or the Grand Emperor.”

Xiang Liu said incredulously, “My nine-heads would need to be flooded with water for me to think you can kill the Yellow Emperor or the Grand Emperor.”

Xiao Liu wasn’t mad but asked again, “The answer is…?”

“I won’t!”

Xiao Liu yelled, “Then it’s a deal!”

Xiang Liu raised his palm and Xiao Liu clapped it to strike the deal. “I promise that if Xiang Liu helps me remove the voodoo bug from Xuan, I agree to do one thing he asks of me.”

Xiang Liu coldly asked, “What happens if you break the promise?’

Xiao Liu thought. “The Heavens strike me into pieces. With your personality that won’t be enough. What do you think should happen to me?”

“If you break the promise, whatever you love will turn into pain, whatever you enjoy will turn into bitterness.”

Xiao Liu felt goosebumps run down his spine “You’re sure vicious!” He raised his palm to swear the promise “If I break this promise, then whatever I love will bring me pain, whatever I enjoy will turn bitter.” He put down his hand and thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it.”

Xiang Liu had a slight smile on his lips. “What do I have to worry about? If you can’t do it, you’re the one suffering.”

Xiao Liu asked, “Then tell me now, how to remove the bug?”

“I don’t know! Don’t you know how to lure the bug into a person?”

Xiao Liu closed his eyes and his lips started speaking wordlessly as if reciting a chant. After some time, “There is a way, but you and Xuan must be within a certain vicinity of each other before I can start the spell. Right now it’s too far.”

Using this method, they had to make a visit to Gao Xing Kingdom’s royal capital Five Gods Mountain. But Xiang Liu’s identity, he’s not someone who could ever just saunter into Five Gods Mountain.

Xiao Liu was fretting and begged, “You promised me.” Xiang Liu summoned Furball and vaulted on “Get up here!” Xiao Liu was ecstatic and climbed on the back of the condor. Furball took them South and after flying for a night and some hours they were close to Gao Xing’s Five Gods Mountain.

 HeadInTheClouds:

1 day ago
 AH :
And in chapter 29 XY found out that Li Jie Chang knew that FFB was XL and assumed that meant that TSJ knew too.
Thank you for the detailed response AH.

When I read the book I never took XY's view that Li Jie Chang knew that FFB was XL to be true. I just see it as an assumption that she made. She views XL as not suitable husband material (or whatever it is that LJC said) so she applied LJC's comments to XL. Jing may not have been 100% certain until the moment that he and XL made the deal, but he would have strongly suspected it what's with the way he creeps and stalks whenever XY and FFB are together. Got to keep his eyes on his love rival after all :-).

Since XY was working off of an inference instead of a hard fact, she couldn't know with 100% certainty that Li Jie Chang knew that FFB was XL or that Li Jie Chang had spoken to TSJ about FFB being XL, but the way it's framed in the story makes me think that we (the readers) are supposed to take that inference seriously, which I do. 

I do think that Li Jie Chang knew that FFB was XL and that his words were about XL rather than about FFB. 

Tong Hua makes sure to tell us that XL visited Uncle Li Jie's restaurant hundreds of times, and that Li Jie Chang was quite familiar with FFB. 

Li Jie Chang first compares FFB to his uncle... his uncle who fought for Sheng Nong and was nearly killed and instead ended up badly wounded (missing an arm and retaining a heavy limp). His uncle who cannot forget all his comrades who died on the battlefield. 

Then Li Jie Chang says that FFB's life is here today with no guarantee of tomorrow. As XY has already surmised, FFB frequently disappears, and when he does he is usually going off to be XL and to be with the remnant army or to work on their behalf. While Li Jie Chang would be aware of that if he knew that FFB was XL, I don't think that's really what Li Jie Chang was alluding to. I think he was alluding to what XL hints at later in the night, when he explains who Uncle Li Jie is and says, “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.” And Tong Hua emphasizes the fact that this is ominous foreshadowing by writing that, "It was a warm Summer night but Xiao Yao suddenly felt her entire body turn cold in an instant." FFB's life is here today with no guarantee of tomorrow because XL might choose to die on the battlefield with his comrades, the way he ultimately did end up dying and perhaps the way Uncle Li Jie wished he had died. IMO, Tong Hua used Li Jie Chang's comments and XL's comments to foreshadow XL's ending. 

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Fang Feng Bei took Xiao Yao to a small alley and before they even got close she could smell the mouthwatering aroma.

Pushing open the tattered wooden door, inside was a rundown house with an one-armed old man holding a giant ladle standing in front of a big pot. He glanced at Fang Feng Bei and smiled. “What a rarity, hundreds of visits and it’s the first time you brought a friend. And a girl to boot.”

Fang Feng Bei smiled and walked through the house and out another door into a small courtyard. They sat down on the straw pallet while the one-armed old man brought them two bowls of seafood and meat soup along with a plate of large biscuits. He limped as he walked over to place it on the table.

Xiao Yao asked, “What smells so good?”

“Donkey meat.” Fang Feng Bei pointed to the old man. “He’s from the Li Jie tribe and the tribe’s specialty is stewing donkey meat. In the vast wilderness, there is no other who can cook donkey meat like he does.”

The old man brought a plate of vegetables for Xiao Yao. “Made this just for you.”

Xiao Yao wasn’t very hungry so drank and nibbled on the food. The old man sat down on a wood chopping stool and drank while talking with Xiang Liu. Xiao Yao wasn’t able to understand all they were talking about, other than it was about people they both knew and who were dead now. The old man’s attitude was very placid as was Xiang Liu, but in this soft muggy Summer night Xiao Yao suddenly felt the sorrow of having friends pass away.

In the quiet out-of-the-way alley, Li Jie Chang was walking and nagging, “Look at you! When the woman was there you didn’t even have the courage to show your face before her. Then you watched her leave with another man and can only look despondent.”

Jing said sadly, “What can I do if I show up before her?”

Li Jie Chang pushed open the wooden door. “Let me tell you, there are only three moves you need to deal with women. Rush up to her and toss her over your shoulder, take her home and deposit her on the pallet, take her clothes off and jump her! It’s a done deal just like that! You have to do as I tell you and I guarantee she’ll docilely follow you.”

Xiao Yao heard such ridiculous bravado advice and burst out laughing.

Li Jie Chang heard her laugh and scowled. “Which gal dares mock me? I’ll cart you home tonight!”

Xiao Yao laughed. “Try carting but don’t break your back!”

Li Jie Chang laughed out loud as he walked into the courtyard and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Xiao Yao and Fang Feng Bei. He first greeted Bei and it was clear from his tone of voice that they were quite familiar with each other.

Chang then turned back to chuckle at Jing. “It’s sure a small world!”

Jing stood there stiffly not moving while Li Jie Chang boldly sat down at another table and said to the old man. “Bring the meat.”

The old man put down his wine bowl and smiled as he stood up and said to Jing, “Sit!”

Jing walked over and sat down.

The old man brought them soup and biscuits before sitting back down on the wooden stool with his wine bowl continuing to chat with Fang Feng Bei.

Li Jie Chang grinned at Xiao Yao. “Hey! I say….Little Lady, what’s your name?”

Xiao Yao ignored him and put on a totally engrossed face as she listened to Fang Feng Bei talking with the old man.

Li Jie Chang said, “Little Lady, Fang Feng Bei is like that old man, neither are good stuff. Following Bei isn’t a good bet, why don’t you seriously consider my pal here? My pal here was accidentally set up by a woman and a son resulted, but it’s not a mistake that can’t be forgiven….”

“Chang!” Jing glared at Li Jie Chang with his eyes blazing a warning.

“Your warning is useless, when I damn well want to talk I’m going to talk even if you put a sword to my throat.”

Li Jie Chang leaned over towards Xiao Yao. “There is no perfect thing in this world and everyone makes mistakes. Jing made a mistake but it’s not an unforgivable mistake. Think about it, because he made the mistake now he’ll never make the same mistake again. After marriage you won’t even need to worry about him! You try finding a man who has never made a mistake, and even if you do you can’t guarantee he won’t make a mistake after marriage. Then you’ll be even more upset!”

Xiao Yao asked, “Are you done?”

Li Jie Chang said, “No!”

Xiao Yao turned her head and poured wine for Fang Feng Bei, clearly not intending to hear more.

Li Jie Chang said, “You don’t like the wife and son in Qing Qiu, then just have another residence here in Zhi Yi and have Jing live here with you. Let me tell you straight up, Fang Feng Bei’s life is here today with no guarantee of tomorrow. Even Jing who made a mistake is a better choice than Fang Feng Bei……..”

Xiao Yao slammed her wine bowl on the table and gave Li Jie Chang a piercing look. “I’m already engaged and my fiancee isn’t him. So please, please, I beg you stop stepping all over Bei!”

“What?” Li Jie Chang was incredulous and howled, “Who is it? Who dares take my brother’s woman? I’m going to knock down with him! If he doesn’t cancel the engagement, then I’m going to break both his legs…….”

Xiao Yao laughed out loud and said coldly “Chi Sui Feng Long, you go talk with him then!”

“Feng Long…..” Li Jie Chang stuttered, “You…..you are Feng Long’s fiancee? You are the Gao Xing Princess, Zhuan Xu’s little sister cousin?”

Xiao Yao glared at Chang and said to Fang Feng Bei, “You are sure even-tempered with this guy.”

Fang Feng Bei drank his wine and said casually, “Every word he said is the truth. I’m not a guy suitable for a woman to follow. Isn’t that something you already know?”

Xiao Yao stared at Fang Feng Bei and couldn’t utter a response.

The one-armed man stared at Xiao Yao and suddenly asked, “You are the daughter of the Xuan Yuan Princess?”

Xiao Yao turned to the old man “Yes.”

“Your dad is…..”

Li Jie Chang just called out that she was the Gao Xing Princess, didn’t the one-armed old man hear that? Xiao Yao quizzically answered, “The Gao Xing Grand Emperor.”

The one-armed old man stared intently at Xiao Yao before downing all the wine in his bowl and then launching into a song. His song was sad and plaintive, singing about the fallen Sheng Nong kingdom and the sorrow of the soldiers fighting.

Xiao Yao listened intently and suddenly remembered the blood red sunset when Xiang Liu was dressed all in white and walked towards her from a burning funeral pyre of dead Sheng Nong soldiers.

Li Jie Chang yelled, “Uncle, stop your drunken craziness!”

The old man kept singing so Li Jie Chang shoved him into the house and nervously said to Xiao Yao, “The old man has low tolerance but loves drinking. When he gets crazy he loves to sing songs he heard from places…..he only has one arm now and his legs can barely walk, he’s already useless…..”

Xiao Yao said, “I only came to eat. Once I walk out this door I’ll forget everything.”

Li Jie Chang was relieved and listened to the singing from inside the house and sadly added, “My Uncle isn’t a bad guy, in fact he’s too good of a guy which is why he….can’t forget.”

Xiao Yao suddenly realized that when Li Jie Chang was talking about Fang Feng Bei earlier, all the things he was saying were about Xiang Liu. Did he know Fang Feng Bei was Xiang Liu?

That meant Jing also knew now that Bei was Xiang Liu.

Xiao Yao looked over at Jing and then back at Bei before saying to Bei, “Are you done eating? If you’re done then let’s go!”

Xiao Yao and Bei walked out while Chang chased out after them. “Little Lady!”

Xiao Yao stopped and looked back wearily. “What else do you want to say?”

“Knowing your identity, what else can I say? I just wanted to tell you that Jing’s son was due to him falling into the trap set by Fang Feng Yi Yang and his own grandmother. All these years since Jing lives alone and he never allows Yi Yang near him. I use my life as Li Jie Chang to swear that Jing deeply loves you, he only has eyes for you.”

Xiao Yao turned and walked away. The night was quiet and the road was long – which way was her path?

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 interests, 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.

So I just saw that Season 2 will be showing on the 4th of April.  Confirmation anyone?  Or is someone pulling an April's Fool on me?

 H19279:

I think it is a April's fool

That's just mean :-)

 HeadInTheClouds:

What does "hanging around showing his scars" supposed to mean?

It's when the resurrected Jesus showed doubters his crucifixion wounds, the nail holes in his hands and feet and the spear wound on his side, from the Roman soldier, to prove he had died and wasn't an imposter.

Of course, given South Park, I'm sure it was given a humor, or sacrilegious spin, depending on your religious fervor. :)

Backtracking now that I have some time to respond. Looong post ahead.

 blimarch:

Furthermore, for a large part of the novel, XY desperately tries to get XL to confess to her because it's the decisive factor she needs to fly into his arms. However, XY is often criticised for not wanting to be first to confess. But, why can't we take XL accountable for not confessing his love first? Especially as he knew thanks to the nature of the Lover's bug that WXL/XY was already in love with him.

She did some fishing, but the bulk of it was after her first choice Jing was no longer available and it was during the period when she got herself engaged to Feng Long. Doesn't exactly scream sincerity. The crystal ball was probably her strongest attempt at a "confession"/biggest fishing expedition, but again girlfriend was engaged to be married. Talk about mixed signals and ambivalence. If I were in a similar situation, I would be rolling my eyes thinking if this person has issues and suggesting that they sort out their problems first and not drag me into their mess. 

Would she have flown into his arms without conditions? I guessed this one is up to interpretation, but I don't think she would have. The character set-up for XY is the internal battle between fear and freedom (to put it simply). She is as calculating as Jing. He's a merchant who makes deals to his benefit, she weighs up gains and losses to ensure that she stands to gains. XY is not some innocent, naive lamb - her choice of Jing (and rejection of XL) was after careful consideration. After Jing got himself leg-shackled to FFYY, XY then chose Feng Long. XL didn't even merit being the second choice despite her "loving" him. Does this love even matter anymore if she won't choose him?  Like she said to FFB, she would give up everything if he gave up everything. And XL won't do that; that has been his stance right from the start.

As to the issue of XL confessing first. How do we see "confession"? Through our deeds or by saying "I love you, you love me. Let's be a great big family?" Is confession about declaring our intention about wanting to be together? About promising forever and ever? For me 1 action is worth more than 100 words, 1000 promises and XL's actions showed his feelings towards XY.  The fact that he would willingly tie his life to someone with such low spiritual power - an arrangement where he doesn't get any benefits whatsoever would indicate an intention to care and protect. Or did XY really think that the promise of doing something for him down the track was sufficient parity for dealing with the danger/disadvantage of having someone who can die easily hanging around his neck? Was she dense, or did she simply choose to be ignorant because it was convenient for her?

During the time in Qing Shui Town, WXL was not open to being honest about her identity. XL knew that she was a woman, but she did not want to acknowledge this and wanted to stay a man. Confessing at this point would essentially force WXL to admit to her gender. If someone has adamantly insisted that they are X - stripping them of their pretences is placing them in a very uncomfortable position. If WXL did not want to tell him about her real gender etc. then XL would stay by her side as WXL - should the day come when she's ready to tell him, then they'll deal with the potential shift in their relationship. 

After Qing Shui Town, XY pretty much told XL that she did not consider him to be a suitable candidate for love/relationship. However he chose to interpret her comments/reasons, she made it explicitly clear that she does not consider him suitable. Despite her love/feelings for him, she had decided not to pursue a relationship with him. Instead, she had another candidate that met her criteria - Jing - and she chose to commit to him even though he was already engaged. I mean, could she make her objection to XL as a romantic partner any louder than that? If someone would rather sneak around with an engaged person than pursue a relationship with you (even though they love you), that should tell you just how unsuitable this person deems you to be. So why would he be confessing after this point? I sure as heck wouldn't.

If this were me, if I hadn't said "good ridden" then I wouldn't be taking any more steps towards this person either. And I would be extremely reluctant to enter into a relationship with them from this point onwards. Beyond the fear of being rejected again, I would not want to be responsible for making this person's life worse than death. Who wants to be responsible for that? Not me, not I. Before I would consider having a relationship with this person, I would need to be convinced that this person no longer sees a relationship with me as a fate worse than death and that they are able and willing to deal with what a relationship with me entails. And I won't help to convince/persuade them, I won't help to drag them across that line. No! They will have to come to that decision for themself because they will be the one who has to deal with the consequences should they come to regret this decision.

The way I see it, from this point onwards, for a relationship between them to happen XY has to be the one to take some clear, decisive steps towards XL. Why? Because she's the one that put the barrier up between them. She's the one who said that having someone like him walking into her dreams would be a faith worse than death. Those are some strong words. So if she changed her mind, she would have to be the one to smash those barriers down. And she has to do it convincingly. To me, after this point, XL chose to stop. Not in the sense that he stopped wanting to be with XY, but in the sense that he won't push it further. She'd set the boundary, then he would respect it. It will be up to her now to cross those boundaries. I don't see FFB as his attempt to pursue. It's not like after being rejected, he decided to pull out FFB to convince her to change her mind. He has always been FFB, XY has now entered into that turf and sooner or later they will cross paths with their respective alternate identity. If all he wanted was to teach her archery, then he didn't have to reveal his XL identity. That door was still open, but she had to be the one to walk through it.

Unfortunately for him, all I see from XY is some half-assed efforts and a lot of ambivalence. She sat on that fence waiting for XL to convince her to choose him. The speed with which she returned to Jing suggested to me that one of her feet was always out the door. Not enough courage and resolve to pursue this relationship. Given all the obstacles that they would have to face should they be together, is it any wonder that XL decided to not pursue the relationship further seeing her ambivalence? If she was not 100% sold on her commitment to their relationship, he was not going to sell it to her. The consequences were too great for her to half-ass it.

Thank you for reading my long post :-)