Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 nathsketch:

No, I haven't. No, I'm not. No, I didn't. Hahahahaha I just called it quits after I found out how it all ends.

Hahahahaha, maybe that's for the best tbh.

 Elise:

I also hated that he used CX as an excuse to see XY. In episode 23, I hated that scene when she ditched Fang Feng Bei to hang out with Jing (because she remembered what CX asked her to do). I had the same expression as FFB when she ditched him.

I know right! Man, that was infuriating. And then he went to that restaurant alone and the lady even asked him why he came on his own, and he was clearly upset :(

That dynamic of CX being willing to sell XY out to men for power, XY being willing to be sold out to men for CX's sake, and Jing intentionally exploiting that... yikes.

 Elise:

Their relationship did seem like an affair considering he's engaged. Some people say they don't really see him as engaged because he and his fiancee don't like each other.... technically, they are on paper ??‍♀️

I mean it clearly is an affair, considering that Jing's fiancee is secretly with Jing's brother behind everyone's back and everyone considers what they're doing as having an affair.

 blabla100:

Also I wanted to add that looking back, I belive the moon (either full, either crescent) is some sort of leitmotif (I am not sure if this word exist în english). I wasn't really paying much attention to the moon theme while I was reading, but now I think it is a reflection on her/their feelings, like the full moon she saw with XL (2 hearts beating the same), the lack of moon from chapter 46, the full moon night Jing picked for them to get married, the crescent lonely moon she saw the night she found out about XL's death etc etc.  I think the first time the full moon apperead she was with XL? I am not sure, but I think so. 

The moon is definitely a motif. As you mentioned, it is significant in both YaoLiu scenes and YaoJing scenes. 

The first time the moon is mentioned is in chapter 1, when XY looks up at a cold, low crescent moon before deciding to pick up the beggar (YSQ/TSJ) to bring him back to the clinic.

The moon is mentioned several times in XY / XL scenes in chapter 3 and 4 where the type of moon (full, crescent, etc.) is not specified. Although the moon in the tree scene in chapter 4 is probably pretty full, because XL "dove down from the center of the moon."

The moon-rise date happens later in chapter 4, and that is indeed the first time the moon is specifically described as full. Although it is only described as full after they have parted ways on not-great terms (with XY belittling the Sheng Nong army's cause and casually saying that XL should abandon Gong Gong to work for the Yellow Emperor instead, and XL reacting badly). 

 blabla100:

the lack of moon from chapter 46

In chapter 46 the moon was described as bright and clearly reflected in the lake until dark clouds covered it, so that only darkness shone in XL's eyes. 

 kitty_momo:

I read the leaked script as well, and I'm really not sure what they're going for. The sentence You're not suitable to be in a girl's dream, that would be worse than death kept coming back in XL's thoughts like an obsession, as if it was the ultimate truth. It felt like in the end he didn't even think he deserved to be loved? I hope I'm wrong.

I don't get it either: of course XL wasn't suitable to be in a girl's dream from any point of view - especially from a girl point of view - even him shouldn't question or brood on this:

• he treated her badly: like a disposable medicine, he was quite violent with her...
• he appears like moody and unpredictable and he could go from tender to violent in a matter of seconds
• he made it clear that he was going to burn down with the Shen Nong army, triggering Xiao Yao's abandonment issues
• he constantly spoke to her very badly

Any girl would run away from this living red flag. As Se Mai Er said "A woman’s biggest fear is to give her heart to the wrong man!”". 

I think that the drama, unlike the novel, isn't explicit enough about XY's real dilemma and what this sentence coming from the Gao Xing Princess really implies. Because the real issue is XL and XY opposite loyalties. The drama (the novel did it brillantly) should have insisted on the tragic polarity of XL and XY loyalties by showing more situations where we could have seen how torn each of them was. It's on a Shakespearean level. Of course XL understood what was behind the appearance of XY's restrained confession and saw right through that there was more than him not conforming to the perfect man in a basic girl's daydream.

Even if most of these situations are found later on the novel, it could (and should have, in my humble opinion) still be done earlier (I think, for example, about when the Grand Emperor/the Yellow Emperor tried to dissuade XY from seeing XL). I hope we'll see this kind of situations with high dramatic potential in season 2 but I have very little faith based on the leaked script.

I really don't get why the drama make this sentence appear only when XL and XY are on male/female situations (on the beach, on XY's bed). and not when this sentence would take on its full meaning which is a matter of position first and foremost (by the way, FFB is not a red flag despite being a shameless playboy and unlike XL, doesn't have ties/loyalties).

 Elise:

I think some of them got mad by what we said on here. It is a YaoLiu thread after all.

I can relate. I was taking a look at their thread and it was enough to give me a headache.

That's on me, though. I'm in class and instead of focusing on my lessons, I'm intentionally putting myself through this torture. 

 blimarch:

Even if most of these situations are found later on the novel, it could (and should have, in my humble opinion) still be done earlier (I think, for example, about when the Grand Emperor/the Yellow Emperor tried to dissuade XY from seeing XL). I hope we'll see this kind of situations with high dramatic potential in season 2 but I have very little faith based on the leaked script.

Yeah. I think in the leaked script when XL prepares the poisoned arrow he uses assassinate Cang Xuan/Fenglong he flashes back to XY saying "you're not suitable to be in a girl's dream", and he just smiles sadly and says to himself "you said it so well". But it's a bit late and I don't feel like they managed to pull off the Shakespearean tragedy between XY and XL. 

To be honest, I don't even feel like the story of XY's parents is that much of a tragedy, to the point where everyone would keep saying "we have to make sure that kind of tragedy never happens again".  XY's parents don't even consider their own story to be a tragedy, but everyone else does for some reason. Sure, in the end XY became an orphan, but that's not because her parents had opposing stances. She became an orphan purely just because there was a war, and even if her parents were both from Xiyan they might both have died. Maybe I'm missing something.

 Elise:

I think some of them got mad by what we said on here. It is a YaoLiu thread after all.

Huh, are people offended because we said things about Jing?

Then for the record, I think XL has tons of red flags. In fact, when he first appeared in episode 3, as soon as Feifei got killed, I was like I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THIS GUY NO MATTER WHAT. His behaviour later made me appreciate his character though, even though he's very clearly a very flawed person.

While XL has a million red flags, they're all out in the open for everyone to see. Jing really isn't a purely green flag like many people keep saying. It's just that Jing's red flags are more insidious and hidden below the surface, to the point where many people can't even tell they exist and think that Jing is an innocent puppy. 

To me personally, that's more scary than red flags that are obvious to everyone. But honestly, everyone on this show is an extremely flawed person, it's a big part of what makes it interesting to me. All the characters have a bunch of red flags lol. I don't want to start a war.

 kitty_momo:

To be honest, I don't even feel like the story of XY's parents is that much of a tragedy, to the point where everyone would keep saying "we have to make sure that kind of tragedy never happens again". XY's parents don't even consider their own story to be a tragedy, but everyone else does for some reason. Sure, in the end XY became an orphan, but that's not because her parents had opposing stances. She became an orphan purely just because there was a war, and even if her parents were both from Xiyan they might both have died. Maybe I'm missing something.

I can relate. Personally, I was racking my brain to find an alternative solution for XiaoLiu. Why couldn't our sneaky XY or our strategist XL come up with another plan instead of assuming that there was just one fate (CX's death or XL's death)? Maybe...

• XY could have deposed both Emperors (I don't think they would have mind, seeing how they think so highly of her), seek power for herself (with the blessing of CX, achieving their promise to protect each other) while allowing Chenrong to have their own sovereignty (Hong Jiang would have stfu by then - yes, we all hate him here)
• or XY could have convinced CX to pursue his dream career in the crafts (carpenter, winemaker). No CX's life threatened, no problem! If this solution was planned before WXL became XY, she wouldn't have give a damn about the 2 Emperors and would have stand by XL's side.

I'm not sure to what extent these plans are viable (and I haven't read Once Promised so I can't measure all the variables in the story).

 kitty_momo:

But it's a bit late and I don't feel like they managed to pull off the Shakespearean tragedy between XY and XL.

Compared to the novel, this leaked script, with all its distorsions, is very dedramatic and toned-down.

 Elise:

They can hate XL all they want but without him, XY would have died a long time ago.

Sorry, I used the wrong words. I didn't mean hate, I meant criticize ??? I think I made some people mad saying "hate". Sorry ?Of course we can criticize any characters, say our opinions about them.

 kitty_momo:

I hope I didn't start a war now lol

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions <3

Kitty, I think we both started the war oops. Ah well at least it's not in the public comments section.

 blimarch:

XY could have deposed both Emperors (I don't think they would have mind, seeing how they think so highly of her), seek power for herself (with the blessing of CX, achieving their promise to protect each other) while allowing Chenrong to have their own sovereignty (Hong Jiang would have stfu by then - yes, we all hate him here)

If only women having power was an option in this universe... that would be so nice. I like the idea of Chenrong having their own sovereignty so Hong Jiang will stfu, though I'm not sure even that would make him stfu. Is there anything in this world that will make Hong Jiang stfu? Probably not. Sigh.

 blimarch:

or XY could have convinced CX to pursue his dream career in the crafts (carpenter, winemaker). No CX's life threatened, no problem! If this solution was planned before WXL became XY, she wouldn't have give a damn about the 2 Emperors and would have stand by XL's side.

Yes, this would be a fun story to watch. CX should be like WXL and live peacefully while hiding his identity, instead of insisting he needs power to protect XY (when she was WXL, she was living just fine and didn't need any protection). They should both have stayed in Qingshiui Town!

Another option would be that Hong Jiang grows a fucking conscience and forces XL to leave their foolish pursuit, because I feel like that's what an adoptive father would do for his son. It's clear that XL would never be selfish enough to leave unless his hand is forced, and Hong Jiang should know that. As a last resort he could knock XL out and send him away for his own good before the battle, like CX tried to do with XY before the coronation. XY and XL are very similar in that regard, they need to have their hand forced for their own good.

I feel like there should be lots of options, XL really isn't the kind of person that just surrenders to fate. I really feel like XY could have used her negotiating power with all the emperors and the Lover's Bug to force some sort of compromise where Hong Jiang gets to have a tiny sovereign Chenrong and stfu.

Or maybe Hong Jiang could finally adapt to reality and surrender now that all the people are living  in peace, but of course we all know that won't ever happen.