@ZYHLJ

A gigantic 

to your whole post. Particularly this part:

 ZYHLJ:
The most ironic thing is that the "love story" compiled by these two seriously ill people seems at first glance to be the most classic, pure and beautiful love fairy tale of a prince and a princess, as if a "bright moon spotless in the darkness". When I think about it carefully, I feel as if I'm watching a high-end horror movie...

Personally, I think a horror movie is an apt description of this relationship. Neither of these people are healthy. Their relationship is also an unhealthy, codependence mess. 

I'll come back later to flesh out my response  :-)

 HeadInTheClouds:
This is to all my ladies here who have been waiting for me to get my act together and complete this piece :-)

I'm glad you got your act together and posted your piece. This should be published on the front page of the Dahuang Times.

 HeadInTheClouds:
whether the character of Jing has any qualities that would explain why XL would leave him as a companion for XY.

I still don't get this. But ok, maybe he was the only idiot available. I think we already agreed on this.

 HeadInTheClouds:
When I think about the character of Tushan Jing two particular Vietnamese terms come to mind: nhu nhược and hèn. The first term is used to describe a man who is weak in character, lacking in decisiveness and determination and the will to take action when needed.

That's very interesting. We have similar words for this type of person in Portuguese but they are not pretty and they're definitely not suitable for this thread. You see, Latino people have very little tolerance for cowardice and indecisiveness and not a lot of respect for pampered fools who think they can buy their way out of every problem. 

Even more respect for the French. This would be solved so much quicker and cleaner if some fox's head were to roll :) At least tails will be removed. That's something.

 HeadInTheClouds:
Jing promised Xiao Yao to back her up in the confrontation between her and Ah Nian and Cang Xuan. However, once he realises their identities, he hides because he doesn’t want his identity to be revealed and has to return to being TSJ.

That lingering focus on the empty chair told us all we needed to know from the start.

 HeadInTheClouds:
The Plum Forest Assassination. Jing’s shining moment. Jing did not once try to get himself and Xiao Yao out of harm's way.


 HeadInTheClouds:
Jing found himself unhappily shackled to FFYY. Instead of coming to terms with reality, shoring himself up and finding meaning in his own life, Jing chose to waste away; damaging his health and shortening his life span.

Is there anything he does of own his volition that results in something positive? Helping Cang Xuan for selfish reasons doesn't count. That's just one more way to enable his stalkerish shenanigans. Promising things he knows he can't deliver also doesn't count. It's disgusting and disingenuous. Sending wine also doesn't count. More disgustingly controlling behavior.

All I see after reading these posts for six months is one of two situations:

1) Jing does nothing/chooses to do nothing/can't do anything because *insert random excuse* (poor Jing, he's too filial, he's powerless, he's whatever lame excuse Jingers like to throw around, kind of like what is happening in real life :D)

2) Jing finally does something: 

(a) he chooses to die because life is too hard and he lost his will to live (this is so recurrent that I wished TH had granted him his much longed-for death. Just die already); 

(b) he chooses to go to sleep. Sure, sleeping is important. He should just keep sleeping forever. When you're good at something, you should keep doing it until the end of your days. Real talent is hard to find.

Actually, option b is only a variation of a

So...why does this character exist again? Ah, XY needs a tourist guide. Ok.


 HeadInTheClouds:
Intelligent Jing couldn’t figure out the situation between Hou and FFYY until his sister-in-law told him. Then he couldn’t figure out a way to resolve the issue. In the end, Xiao Yao has to help him by “seducing” Hou. Jing didn’t really object.

Oh nice, the cuckold trope. Can't have a wet noodle without the cuckold trope. Tong Hua really covered all bases.


 HeadInTheClouds:
Where is his spine?

You know, when I bought my XL, we could choose between the option with the spine and the extra hair. I chose the hair because even without the spine, Xiang Liu can stand up straight and never bend hehehe.

Some men are everything despite having nothing

While some men have everything and will still live and die being nothing :)

 HeadInTheClouds:
Jing’s dumping all of his responsibilities onto a child so that he can run off with Xiao Yao at the end of the novel. This act alone is minus 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

People who are aware of this and still brush it off as if it were nothing scare me a little.

Wasn't child abandonment one of the premises of this whole story?

But sure Xiao Yao, go live your non-tragic ending while subjecting a child to possibly the same kind of trauma. None of your business, right?  You didn't sign up for taking care of a child when you decided to go play house with the fox, anyway.

What a role model. 

 HeadInTheClouds:
He’s intelligent and cunning/manipulative, and yet, he’s so helpless and can’t solve any of his problems. Until someone reminded me that being intelligent and cunning isn’t mutually exclusive from being nhu nhược and hèn.

This makes zero sense. Either he's not that intelligent and cunning to begin with, or he's pretending to be helpless as part of his manipulation tactics. None of those look good.

Being intelligent and being bamboozled the way he constantly is at the same time is less realistic than Xiang Liu having nine heads.

 HeadInTheClouds:
Maybe you think that I’m too harsh on Jing, that I’m choosing to see him in the most negative interpretations. Am I?

No.

:)

 ZYHLJ:
She was brave and resourceful, not inferior to her brother at all. But, she has just no other wishes except to find someone who will always be by her side to live peacefully with? ? She doesn’t want to do anything for her country and people, she doesn’t want to continue to treat sick people, she doesn’t want to pursue love, she doesn’t want to save the one she loves with all her strength, she doesn’t want power, wealth, honor, status or material comforts, she doesn’t even have any other hobbies except making poisons (to defend herself). Is it normal for a young and capable girl to have no desire to this extent? ? This is simply scary!

Yep. Girl has nothing to live for unless she finds a fool to be with her 24/7 as a comfort blankie. 

Yikes, so much for an empowering character and so much for not wanting to repeat her mother's tragedy. Her mother was so much more courageous. The irony is that the real tragedy will be the life XY will probably lead with that fox. Having the same fate as her mom would be preferable and thousands of times more rewarding. At least she was honest with herself, which XY isn't.


 ZYHLJ:
When I think about it carefully, I feel as if I'm watching a high-end horror movie...

Isn't it what it is? Some of the bad acting from you-know-who reminds me of those direct-to-video slasher films. Only (good?) looks and a total lack of acting ability :) 

At least when they die in those movies, they remain dead :(

@HeadInTheClouds

Poor Jing, you dissected and gutted him for good ;-) I enjoy reading your essay on Jing and nodding my head along as you pointed out how weak and spineless Jing is and how everything ‚good‘ he did basically served his own benefit and purpose, which is to ensure him access to XY or keep/bind XY to his side. You are preaching to the choir my girl.

I‘d like to add a bit on Point 2: 

Jing promised XY here actually two thing first he‘ll break off his engagement with FFYY and second that he‘ll come back to her as YSQ. We saw him flailing and failing in trying to get out of his engagement but I don‘t remember (correct me if I‘m wrong) seeing him trying to abdicate his position as Tushan leader/heir apparent. I understand that short time afterwards XY real identity as princess is revealed so Jing felt that in order to be able to match XY now elevated position he needs to keep his TSJ social and financial position, but didn‘t XY actually still expect him to leave the Tushan family and obligation to be with her as YSQ? Do you think, if Jing actually really gave up his position as Tushan heir and give it to Hou than all of his family problem will be solved? Because then Hou will not really have the urgency to kill him anymore (Jing already shown that he won‘t pursue revenge and let bygone be bygone, even if Hou doesn‘t really trust Jing before,  Jing‘s action of giving him the control of Tushan clan should convince him that Jing really just want them to be brothers again right?) and FFYY won‘t need to cling to her engagement to him as well. Grandma might faint and roar furiously, but if her grandsons  shown a united front on this decision, what can she do other than give in. 

Of course Jing won‘t be in position to help CX, but I don‘t remember XY asking him to help CX. It was all Jing doing and if we read further in his motive was mostly another tactic to bind XY to him or at least gain CX good grace to give him access to XY.

The Point 10: I read this part and thinking to myself that is so icky and your next sentence is this ‚Unfortunately, it just left me feeling icky.‘ LOL

Point 13: And the shittiest father of the year goes to ……Jing (well if he doesn‘t win it, he surely one of the top contender).  I really hope XY and Jing don‘t have children. Jing has proved himself capable of abandoning a child and saddled him with his responsibilities for XY. Some call it true love, I call it child abandonment. This track record leads me to believe that if at some point of their life Xy die, he‘ll die to accompany her and leave their child(children) orphaned. And may I point out that XY in this case is no better than him in selfishness. What kind of woman allow her man to abandon a child to satisfy her requirement/needs.


 

 liddi:
Do you find her portrayal of Jiu Li and Chi You unfairly biased? How does her depiction differ from your own folklore? Did the changing of names (e.g. Chi You to Chi Chen; Jiu Li to Bai Li) help distance you emotionally and make the depiction more palatable? If so, in that regard, perhaps the revisions were justified and necessary after all.

I believe that from the perspective of the gods, there is a strong bias towards the JiuLi and Chiyou. Words often used to describe the Jiuli people include "untouchable," "wild beasts," and "slaves." In chapter one of Once Promised, Lan Tian proclaims, "This beast was unleashed by the untouchables of JiuLi, so it's only fitting for the untouchables of JiuLi to reclaim it. I heard today is JiuLi's Flower Dance Festival. Although untouchables are forbidden to marry, men and women gather in Tiaohua Valley, living like wild beasts..."

The Jiuli are considered the ancestors of the Hmong/Miao, so our perceptions are indeed different. My ancestors left China sometime between the end of the Ming and the end of the Qing dynasty, so my own cultural understanding of the Jiuli is very recent. There are still Hmong in the diaspora who refute our ancestors' heritage, and there is a lot of speculation. As for Chiyou, he is revered as the patriarch, the first king. His reputation in Han Chinese mythology may have changed and transformed over the years, but Chiyou's stories and reputation are consistent in Hmong folklore.

Regarding the Flower Dance Festival mentioned in the above quote, this is a real festival in Miao autonomous regions, celebrated just after Chinese (Lunar) New Year. Although the Hmong in the diaspora no longer practice this festival (partly due to it being lost over the centuries), it is still an important part of Hmong/Miao customs. Portraying it as akin to beastly behavior is similar to how American media portrays Islamophobia.

Tong Hua also draws inspiration from shamanism, Miao and other ethnic minorities' healing and poison traditions for the Lovers Bugs in LYF, but uses words like "voodoo" and "witchcraft." I believe this could create misconceptions for those who don't know what shamanism is, painting a misaligned idea of it.

I think changing the names could have worked for me if I had not been exposed to Chi You and Jiuli first. It took me a while to retrain my brain to read Once Promise and LYF and separate my cultural and historical trauma from the text. However, I believe changing the names would help deter any ill feelings (from those of Hmong/Miao lineage) that the text may have accidentally incurred, and also help deter any deeply rooted stereotypes of Hmong/Miao in China.

I am not against the revisions and name changes, since they don't necessarily change the story. I only hope that TH's creative decision to change the names of Chi You and Juili is more intentional, and goes beyond an attempt to stray away from the scandal that arose due to her liberated retelling of mythology.

 luv2bafangurl:
I don‘t remember XY asking him to help CX.

I don't remember either. lol. But I think there's always had been a strong unspoken understanding that he will need to help CX, if he wants to be close to XY. In the text, there was Jing monologue about him working for a whole year, arranging things, so that CX and XY would move to Shenrong.

 ZYHLJ:
But, she has just no other wishes except to find someone who will always be by her side to live peacefully with?

One of my biggest pet peeves with XY as a character. How narrow of a character can you be? I get that XY is tired of surviving and just wants to live, but how you gonna live if you don't want to survive? 

 luv2bafangurl:
Jing promised XY here actually two thing first he‘ll break off his engagement with FFYY and second that he‘ll come back to her as YSQ. We saw him flailing and failing in trying to get out of his engagement but I don‘t remember (correct me if I‘m wrong) seeing him trying to abdicate his position as Tushan leader/heir apparent. I understand that short time afterwards XY real identity as princess is revealed so Jing felt that in order to be able to match XY now elevated position he needs to keep his TSJ social and financial position, but didn‘t XY actually still expect him to leave the Tushan family and obligation to be with her as YSQ? Do you think, if Jing actually really gave up his position as Tushan heir and give it to Hou than all of his family problem will be solved? Because then Hou will not really have the urgency to kill him anymore (Jing already shown that he won‘t pursue revenge and let bygone be bygone, even if Hou doesn‘t really trust Jing before,  Jing‘s action of giving him the control of Tushan clan should convince him that Jing really just want them to be brothers again right?) and FFYY won‘t need to cling to her engagement to him as well. Grandma might faint and roar furiously, but if her grandsons  shown a united front on this decision, what can she do other than give in.

TSJ tried to reject both the engagement and the clan leader position, but his grandmother used her pain and short remaining time to live to force him to accept the clan leader position. 

XY's opinion on the matter was that TSJ would not have been the person she liked if he had done otherwise, given the circumstances.

-----

Chapter 23:

Jing returned to Qing Qiu around midnight but ordered the servants not to alert the Grand Madam and he’ll go see her when she rose in the morning.

...

Jing greeted his brother and sister-in-law and the Grand Madam pointed to Yi Yang. “You need to thank Yi Yang, she’s been so busy on your behalf all these years.”

Jing politely bowed to Yi Yang but said nothing. After he straightened himself he turned to his grandmother. “I have something to say to grandmother.”

...

Jing knelt down. “I want to quickly end my engagement with Yi Yang. Please will grandmother permit it.”

The Grand Madam was not surprised. “I knew you would say this. I also know what I will say back: Impossible!”

Jing begged, “I have no feelings towards Yi Yang and she feels the same towards me. Why won’t grandmother let us end the engagement?”

“I can see you don’t have feelings for her, but I can’t see that she doesn’t have feelings for you!”

Jing raised his head. “I already love another, please will grandmother permit!”

The Grand Madam sighed. “Silly child, how long do you think feelings will last? Day after day, the endless time together, all feelings will be smoothed out until all that remains is lightness. Actually, a married couple is more like a business partnership, you give her what she needs, she gives you what you need, you respect her one step, she respects you one step. Back and forth, like flowing water lasting for a long time.”

“Grandmother, I will not marry Yi Yang!”

“If you are Hou then you can do whatever you want and I don’t care! But you are the future Tu Shan clan leader, and the leader determines the rise and fall of the entire clan! Yi Yang is smart and careful, plus the Fang Feng clan relies on the Tu Shan clan which further limits her options. Trust grandmother’s judgment, she is the best choice for the leader’s wife! For the Tu Shan clan, you must marry her!”

Jing said, “I don’t want to be the clan leader, let older brother be the clan leader!”

“You wretch!” The Grand Madam slapped the table and all the plates and cups shattered on the floor and the tea splashed Jing. The Grand Madam touched her heart. “Sixty years! I spent sixty years training the best clan leader's wife, I don’t have another sixty years left!”

Jing kept bowing his head even as his forehead slammed into the broken shards on the ground and jabbed into his flesh. “If grandmother doesn’t agree to end the engagement, then I can only leave the Tu Shan clan.”

The Grand Madam’s body shook and she pointed at Jing. “If you want me to die, then leave! You might as well strangle me now. If I die, then you can do whatever you want and no one will care.”

Jing kept bowing and begging, “Grandmother!”

The Grand Madam called her maid, “Xiao Yu, tell this wretch to scram!”

Xiao Yu walked in. “Please will young master not distress the Grand Madam and allow her to rest!”

Jing saw her clutching her chest and her face had turned purple so he immediately left.

But he didn’t leave and only knelt down in the courtyard. The maid reported it to the Grand Madam but she kept her eyes closed. “Ignore him! Call all the clan elders here!”

Jing knelt outside her room for a day and a night but the Grand Madam ignored him and continued to arrange matters with the clan elders.

After everything was arranged, she had servants bring everyone back. Jing was just recovered from a long illness and had knelt for so long that his face was pale white and his forehead bloody and bruised, looking very ragged. 

...

Jing knelt down. “Grandmother, the clan leader matter can wait a few years.”

The Grand Madam raged. “A few years? How many years do you think I have left? Your grandfather died shortly after your father was born and I had to steel myself and run the entire clan. I finally lasted until your father married and became the clan leader and thought I could take a break….but that wretch actually left before me! I almost collapsed that time but thank goodness your mom stepped up to manage the clan. Us two widows raised the pair of you but your mom didn’t get to enjoy any happiness before leaving to join that wretch. I pray day and night that you will take over as clan leader, but then you disappeared for years! I got you back after ten years and before I could even let out a sigh of relief, you went unconscious and wouldn’t wake up. How much longer do I have left for you to torment?”

The Grand Madam spoke and a lifetime of pain and hard work rose up and the normally stalwart her began to cry.

Hou, Lan Mu, and Yi Yang all knelt down before her and the Grand Madam wiped her tears. “I don’t care what you guys think, this time Tu Shan Jing is going to become the clan leader regardless of whether you want to or not.”

Jing continued to bow his head on the ground and begged, “Grandmother, I really don’t want to be clan leader! Older brother is the elder, why can’t he become the clan leader?”

The Grand Madam shouted, “Wretch! You know the answer and yet you still ask? Some things can be concealed to the world but can’t be concealed from those who are close. Your maternal grandfather was the last leader of the Tan family, and the current leader is your uncle. Your maternal grandmother was the eldest daughter of the Chi Sui clan, the current cousin of the clan leader. Hou…..will they accept him as clan leader?”

The Grand Madam clutched her heart and cried, “Wretch, tell me! Will the Chi Sui, Xi Ling, and the Middle Plains Six Big Families all agree with you not being the clan leader?”

Jing pleaded, “I can go convince them one by one.”

The Grand Madam cried, “You think I don’t know all the things you’ve done behind my back all these years? The clan elders only accept you. They won’t allow you not to be the clan leader.”

Jing could only keep pleading and bowing his head. “Grandmother, I really don’t want to be clan leader, older brother wants to be clan leader!”

...

Jing also bowed his head hard. “Please cancel the clan leader ceremony three days from now. I don’t want to be clan leader.” Still he refused to accept the clan leader role.

The Grand Madam stared at her grandsons. Her heartbreak, rage, and despair all rushed to her heart and suddenly all her blood burst forth and she spit out blood that splattered on Jing and Hou.

Both Jing and Hou jumped up and went to assist her but her face was ashen and she was barely breathing. 

...

The Grand Madam smiled bitterly. “I won’t hide it from you two anymore, I have at most a year left to live.”

...

Se Mai Er explained, “The prohibited magic of voodoo is that it allows a person to accomplish their greatest desire, but conversely before death the person will endure the greatest pain of the voodoo bug collecting on its equal payment. A person will endure the pain of the bug eating all the insides until the body, soul, and essence is all consumed by the bug. In the end, there is nothing remaining, not even a corpse.”

...

The Grand Madam laughed “How could I? Because of you two wretches! Even if I endure the most horrific pain and have no corpse left, if I can protect the Tu Shan clan then after I die I will have done my duty to our ancestors and not be ashamed before them……” The Grand Madam suddenly stopped talking and she curled up in pain. Jing and Hou rushed over to help her.

...

Jing and Hou glared at each other in rage but when they heard their grandmother scream in agony, both closed their eyes in pain. Because of them, their most loved one must endure the agony of a voodoo bug consuming her insides.

The Grand Madam’s maid Xiao Yu walked out. “Two young masters, please leave now! The Grand Madam must endure the agony an hour a day now but most of the time she’ll be lucid. In time the pain will grow longer and her mental acuity will leave her. She said earlier that she has at most a year left, but really it’s half a year only.”

Xiao Yu started crying. “For hundreds of years I’ve taken care of the Grand Madam and seen what she has done for the Tu Shan clan, what she has done for you both. If both of you even have a shred of filial piety left in you, then please accept the Grand Madam’s wishes for the sake of the Tu Shan clan. When she is lucid let her see the new clan leader emerge so that she can die in peace, so that this pain is worth it.”

...

Jing stared at Li Li but didn’t know where to go. He thought he could leave Qing Qiu and wander the world just the two of them. But the truth was that he could never leave Qing Qiu.

...

He was willing to give up everything, but he could not give up his bloodline.

...

Jing grabbed Xiao Yao suddenly in a tight embrace, his body cold after being in the rain for so long. Xiao Yao silently let him hold her.

After some time Jing said, “Grandmother used a prohibited voodoo bug spell. The voodoo bug has backfired and is consuming her insides.”

When the voodoo bug backfires, there is not much time left to live. Xiao Yao was stunned and didn’t know how to comfort Jing so could only stroke his back.

Jing said, “Grandmother wants me to assume the clan leader position in three days time. I can’t say no anymore.

Xiao Yao said, “I understand.

“I had decided that regardless of whether Grandmother agreed or not, I was going to be with you….but now….I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay, it’s really okay!”

Xiao Yao sighed. It wasn’t that she didn’t care but if Jing’s grandmother was willing to give up her life and Jing selfishly chose to leave the Tu Shan clan to be with her, then he wouldn’t be the Jing that Xiao Yao liked.

That night Jing didn’t go back to Qing Qiu.


 luv2bafangurl:
Of course Jing won‘t be in position to help CX, but I don‘t remember XY asking him to help CX. It was all Jing doing and if we read further in his motive was mostly another tactic to bind XY to him or at least gain CX good grace to give him access to XY.


 plor20:

I don't remember either. lol. But I think there's always had been a strong unspoken understanding that he will need to help CX, if he wants to be close to XY. In the text, there was Jing monologue about him working for a whole year, arranging things, so that CX and XY would move to Shenrong.

XY asks TSJ to help CX in chapter 16.

-----

Chapter 16:

But she didn’t come back just now for Jing, she came back because of Zhuan Xu! Xiao Yao felt this pressure in her heart, was her relationship with Jing also subject to being used? Xiao Yao said, “Do you remember promising me not to hurt Xuan?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know what my Gege wants to do, but if it doesn’t harm Tu Shan clan, can you help him a little?”

Jing warmly said, “If it’s this request, you need not even ask. I actually came with Feng Long this time to discuss something with Zhuan Xu.”

-----

TSJ also explains part of his reasons for wanting to help CX in chapter 49.

Chapter 49:

Zhuan Xu slowly walked up to them and stared at Jing to ask, “When Feng Long was dying he told me that the idea to give up Xuan Yuan Mountain for Sheng Nong Mountain was yours. And that you convinced him to back me.”

Jing candidly responded, “Yes.”

“Why conceal it from me?”

“I didn’t think too much back then, all I wanted was to see Xiao Yao as soon as possible, so I gave the chance to Feng Long so he could accomplish his dreams.”

“Why help me? Only because of Xiao Yao?”

No. When I first went out to do business, the Yellow Emperor had just united the Middle Plains and I followed the merchant groups to many places and saw people displaced by the war. I believed sincerely that the world needed a strong compassionate ruler, one who cared about the lives of all citizens. For Xiao Yao, I could break from clan rules and not support the other princes, but I couldn’t truly go against my clan and openly support Your Majesty as ruler. I did what I did because I know Your Majesty’s magnanimous hope for the world and I remain steadfast in believing that my choice is correct. Even today I do not regret my choice, and I know Feng Long didn’t as well. Our choice and determination to support you is the right one.”

Zhuan Xu stared hard at Jing one last time before silently walking past Xiao Yao and heading down the cliffs. His guards surrounded him but everyone kept their distance, making his lone figure seem even more isolated.

 AH :
XY asks TSJ to help CX in chapter 16.

Thank you for the clarification. XD

 plor20:
5 minutes ago
AH :
XY asks TSJ to help CX in chapter 16.

Thank you for the clarification. XD

lol, no problem.  I'm sure everyone was dying to read more TSJ excerpts in this thread. /s ^^

 AH :

lol, no problem.  I'm sure everyone was dying to read more TSJ excerpts in this thread. /s ^^

In chapter 49, TSJ explaination to CX feel insincere, becuase for 48 chapters, all we ever saw him do was make promises, failing on his committments, sleeping, crying, stalking or moping. Like TSJ explaination to XY that he's not so petty, that he was grateful for all the times XL saved her life. These two sentences came out from left field, like TH needed a way to justify XY ending with him.

 plor20:
In chapter 49, TSJ explaination to CX feel insincere, becuase for 48 chapters, all we ever saw him do was make promises, failing on his committments, sleeping, crying, stalking or moping.

When it came to helping CX, it seemed like TSJ did make some important contributions. First by convincing Feng Long and other important figures to back CX at a time when XY was the only person who was willing to back him. Second, by coming up with the idea that CX should focus on Shengnong Mountain instead of Xuan Yuan Mountain. And third, by helping him raise funds for his own army and then keep those funds secret. 

The degree of his contributions with respect to the third item was emphasized by the difficult situation that CX faced by the end of the 37 years that TSJ spent in a coma, and by the speed with which TSJ was able to resolve the difficulty after he woke up. 

When it came to the second item (Shengnong Mountain), TSJ had his own selfish reasons for wanting CX to make that decision, in addition to helping CX further his cause. But I don't feel like the existence of those selfish motivations means that he couldn't also genuinely have wanted to help CX succeed. 

And TSJ didn't take credit for the first two items (convincing Feng Long and others to support CX and getting CX to focus on Shengnong Mountain). He let Feng Long take credit for those things. Feng Long was the one who told CX about some of that before he died in chapter 46, and then CX asked TSJ about it in chapter 49. 

To me, TSJ's explanation in chapter 49 seemed consistent with his earlier actions, including him helping CX through Feng Long without taking credit for it. Which TSJ and Feng Long discussed in chapter 39.  Even the fact that he had travelled extensively while doing business for the clan (which he mentioned as part of his explanation in chapter 49) had been mentioned previously by the narrator in chapter 36. 


 plor20:
Like TSJ explaination to XY that he's not so petty, that he was grateful for all the times XL saved her life. These two sentences came out from left field, like TH needed a way to justify XY ending with him.

IMO, there were other situations in the novel where TSJ chose to not be a "jealous and small minded person" (to use his words from chapter 51) / where his gratitude towards XL was shown.

Chapter 35 is one example. TSJ didn't interrupt while XL was comforting XY, despite hearing their conversation (as XL confirms) and possibly even seeing XL kiss XY's forehead, and he created fog and gave XL a heads up to help XL evade CX's guards afterwards. And he expressly thanks XL. 

-----

Chapter 35:

Because she just cried, Xiao Yao’s eyes were extraordinarily clear and bright. Xiang Liu could clearly see himself reflected in her eyes, so he covered her eyes with his hand. “I’m off!”

Xiao Yao felt a soft coolness brush over her forehead, a brief touch that immediately vanished. Xiao Yao clasped her forehead in shock and opened her eyes to see the room was already empty before her.

Mistaken illusion! It was a mistaken illusion!

Xiang Liu vaulted out of the room and onto the courtyard wall to see that there was dense fog all outside and nowhere he could go.

Xiang Liu turned around with a smile to see Jing standing there dressed in blue. He asked with a chuckle, “Tu Shan clan leader, was it interesting to eavesdrop? I didn’t tell her you were listening in back there so why are you using a mystical fog to make it difficult for me?

Jing calmly said, “If you don’t want to run into Zhuan Xu’s personal guards, head North because I left a path open there.”

“Looks like I misunderstood clan leader’s intentions. Thank you!” Xiang Liu fixed his hood and changed his face before vaulting North.

Jing said, “Thank you.”

Xiang Liu abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned back, “What is the Tu Shan clan leader’s thanks for? I ought to listen carefully in case I miss something of value in the future.”

Jing smiled. “Thank you for comforting her. I’ll definitely offer something of value but the question is whether you’ll want it?”

Xiang Liu said in a half serious, half joking tone, “Of course I want it, but ——— not from you!”

Jing’s expression changed while Xiang Liu laughed out loud and disappeared into the fog.

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Although, iirc, the version of TSJ in S2's adaptation of chapter 35 will behave differently from novel!TSJ, according to the leaked script. 

 AH :
XY asks TSJ to help CX in chapter 16.

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Chapter 16:

But she didn’t come back just now for Jing, she came back because of Zhuan Xu! Xiao Yao felt this pressure in her heart, was her relationship with Jing also subject to being used?


That wasn't her idea or what she wanted to do.  XY only asked Jing to help CX, because CX asked her to do so earlier in the chapter.  She was mad at Jing and was going to leave him and go have a good time with Fang Feng Bei, until she remembered what CX asked.


 AH :
TSJ also explains part of his reasons for wanting to help CX in chapter 49.


 plor20:
In chapter 49, TSJ explaination to CX feel insincere, becuase for 48 chapters, all we ever saw him do was make promises, failing on his committments, sleeping, crying, stalking or moping. Like TSJ explaination to XY that he's not so petty, that he was grateful for all the times XL saved her life. These two sentences came out from left field, like TH needed a way to justify XY ending with him.

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?

@HeadInTheClouds


Thank you! Looking forward to your additions~ Yes, I think deep down Xiao Yao never dares to desire anything because she always feels that everything will fail. Even for the only thing she clearly wanted, "eternal companionship," she kept hinting to herself that she wouldn't get it. It seems that in order to no longer experience disappointment, she learned early on to "want nothing at all".