galactics

We got a flashback at the beginning of the 2nd episode but I can't remember if it happened other times.

It's true. I thought it was just a way the story was showing us how much smarter Yun Xiang is than everyone else (or how much slower everyone else is), but what if its foreshadowing?

This makes a lot of sense. I've gotten the feeling at various points that we're not being presented with all the information we need to understand the fuller story. Very curious to see how the show progresses and I suspect/am scared that someone major will die before the end. It seems like we're moving in the direction toward Shu Yanan and Yun Xiang working together to perhaps reunite/restructure Qianment Sect (or maybe dismantle it all together), but I'm not sure how that will play out.

I see what you mean, you're absolutely right. I forgot about Yun Xiang leaving for that while and we never got any explanation about his logic for that. He was using the bet against Tang Xiao to lure out whoever in Lingyuan Sect was behind Tang Xiao, but I guess was then relying on his 'flow with the situation' approach to deal with whatever came out of that. A classic example of when going with the flow goes wrong.

At this point I'm starting to question if Yun Xiang doubted Yuntai sect and his master before he came down the mountain. I like that the show has the characters always questioning how far back Yun Xiang predicted things and started to implement his plan. It's got me uncertain too.

Liu Gongchan doesn't seem to quite see what he's gotten himself into with Yun Xiang though. I don't think he realizes he's being used. And I don't know that Yun Xiang miscalculated, he just didn't have enough information. Who could have predicted that Young Master Kou would steal the tribute silver when anyone with a brain (as Yu Shanan later points out to him) could guess that this action would only lead to problems for Lingyuan Sect itself? I don't think Yun Xiang could have predicted that someone from Lingyuan Sect would act against their own self interest, but Yun Xiang is certainly using these turn of events to his own advantage. Obviously Yun Xiang wants to use Liu Gongchan to take revenge against Lingyuan Sect and to investigate who from the government was involved in the Luo Village massacre, but part of me wonders if he Yun Xiang is keeping Liu Gongchan on a tight leash to protect Shu Yanan. This way Yun Xiang can feed Liu Gongchan the info needed to achieve his purpose while withholding anything that leads to Shu Yanan. This may be wishful thinking on my part though.

I also really liked how these scenes have shown the implicit understanding that Yun Xiang and Shu Yanan have with each other. While I was disappointed at how suddenly they threw these characters together, I forgave that part and have been invested in Yun Xiang and Shu Yanan's relationship (even if in moments I wish they had laid a bit more groundwork about how they came to feel so strongly for each other). I really felt when Yun Xiang said he wasn't angry at Shu Yanan for being part of the Liangyuan Sect, but that she left without saying goodbye. Yun Xiang is way more concerned about the the role that Liangyuan Sect played in the Luo Village massacre, and the feud between Liangyuan and Yutian sects, than Shu Yanan's identity. I believe he knows she wasn't involved in his family's massacre and I think he still trusts in her values to a certain extent, even if their goals may be in conflict with each other. And I wonder too if some of Yun Xiang's grief is an uncertainty about is own identity and loyalties. I don't think he is overly attached to Yutian Sect, but he does seem to hold close some of the Yutian principles, like when Yun Xiang drunkenly recited to himself how love dazzles the heart and hate confuses the mind (or something like that). Maybe he is questioning his ties to his sect. And Shu Yanan, eldest daughter that she is, must act for the good of her clan, but I assume she is sad about lying to Yun Xiang and also heartbroken for the role Liangyuan clearly had in killing Yun Xiang's clan. I find these elements make for a more complex and interesting story.

this is also my challenge with the romance. I really like the their characters together for they way they complement and challenge each other, but it was way too rushed. Chen Xiao has been acting the depressed Yun Xiang well and I have not been unmoved by his crying scenes, but it's also hard to be feel strongly about Yun Xiang's deep grief when the story hasn't done a great job of showing how Yun Xiang and Shu Yanan came to care about each other so deeply. despite all of that, I'm still invested in this couple lol.

This is helpful to consider. I was confused when Shu Yanan/Kou Lianyi started talking about Lingyuan Sect fighting to restore the throne. I don't remember the show mentioning Lingyuan Sect being involved with the state/empire except for the intro. My memory has failed me before however.

I am cackling at Yun Xiang being salty at all the couples being affectionate in front of him!

Agreed

I hadn't thought about that. I would be very interested to see Meng Lan and Ming Yu switch social/economic status. That would definitely make this plot line with Meng Lan much more nuanced.

The story up to this point hasn't actually convinced me that's what she wants. But what I'm saying is, even if it is what she wants, I dont personally like that characterization or plot turn. Just one element of a show that I'm still enjoying.

I could be totally off. We'll see what happens.

Yea, that's what I personally find disappointing. I don't want to her to have to stay with Ming Yu to live a good life. I see what they are doing with the story though, and of course women were most often dependent on men in one form or another at this point in history.

Agreed, it was definitely deliberate. He didn't want Ya Nan to kill Tang Xiao, and he's also still hiding information from her.

I totally agree! I also understand Meng Lan's reasoning behind her choice, I just don't think it's a good choice. The writers went for an exploited woman choosing love rather than something that can materially improve her quality of life. I want her to have love and her freedom, and she could have had both! Tired of stories where women are sacrificed for a love conquers all plot instead of them getting control over their own lives. I still like this show a lot, just not this particular plot point.

That is definitely possible. I think I'm convinced though that this is meant to be a permanent choice to indicate what will be at stake for Yun Xiang, mostly because how Yun Xiang described Meng Lan's choice as the ultimate gamble that he doesn't have the guts to make. I suspect that Meng Lan choosing to trust Ming Yu with her lower status is meant to mirror how Yun Xiang will be forced to either choose people he cares about or revenge/material benefit. Is the message supposed to be that we can't have both? We shall see!

I have a similar take. I think Yun Xiang definitely clocked Ya Nan being related to the Lingyuan sect already, and has chosen to to disregard it because he likes her and believes that she is a good person, regardless of her connections to the sect that he is seeking revenge against. I look forward to finding out what he was going to say about her before they got split up going to meet Tang Xiao.

I agree with @mparthur, and I also think it's that Mo Bufan is similar to Yun Xiang in that he doesn't quite subscribe to the no feelings rule of the Yuntai sect. Mo Bufan clearly cares about his adopted nephew/son, and he sees that Yun Xiang has feelings for Ya Nan. I think there is a bit of a shaky alliance between Mo Bufan and Yun Xiang around how they deal with the Sect Master, but it also relies on they're mutual benefit. I wonder if we will see a scenario in which Mo Bufan's loyalty is tested after he no longer stands to earn money and assets from Yun Xiang.