AH

Just skipping the thriller parts? That must have been tricky!

Novel spoilers ahead.

IMO, there was more to it than that.

Guilt. I had the impression that BSE unfairly placed some of the blame for the accident that killed HHJ's step brother, that took HIA's hearing, and that appeared to cause HHJ's mutism on himself. Because his real father / fake grandfather (BJH) arranged for the car crash to happen after HIA revealed that she could tell that he was not the same BSE that she had met before.

Horrific Truths / Danger. Just as HHJ spent twenty years burdened by her mother's lies and her own mutism, BSE had spent decades hiding the horrifying truth behind his identity. Hiding the truth and maintaining the lie in order to survive became second nature. And he especially did not want HHJ to find out the truth that he had watched BJH kill the real BSE (BJH's legitimate grandson) or that he (BJH's illegitimate son) had replaced the real, murdered BSE. Both because the truth was horrific and because knowing the truth would be dangerous, given the lengths that the Baek family would go to in order to protect themselves and their positions in society even after BSH died.

Emotional Detachment. Due to the horrific situations he had faced, BSE became extremely emotionally detached. The novel describes him as such. He focused on surviving and on protecting HHJ. But he didn't think about romance or relationships until 406 came into his life and shook up his perspective.

Unwanted. BSE also viewed HHJ as young, innocent, and forced into a marriage that she did not want. He didn't think she had any romantic interest in him.

Weakness. If the Baek family or his other enemies thought that he cared about protecting HHJ, let alone loved her, then there would be a risk that they would try to use those feelings against him, especially since he had so few exploitable weaknesses. This is emphasized when BSE receives the first series of phone calls from 406 and he pretends that he doesn't care about HHJ.

Other Goals. BSE did not want to become BYR's pawn and did not want to be forced to join his presidential campaign. Before he changed his plans and married HHJ, his original plan was to amass his own power, to reveal the Baek family's corruption, and to abandon the name and identity of BSE. After marrying HHJ, he had to adjust his plans for her safety. But most of his original intentions still remained. He continued to amass his own power and to collect dirt on the Baek family and others. Pursuing his plans took up all of his focus and energy.

For all these reasons, BSE didn't think it was possible for him to have a real romantic relationship with HHJ and he even intentionally distanced himself from her both in public and in private. Before 406 showed up, he was content to just have HHJ safe in his home, providing a calming presence like a pretty fish in a home aquarium.

You're welcome!

pen_p and other fans have kindly provided translations of the novel in the discussion threads.

You're welcome!

In the novel, HHJ's mutism isn't fake exactly. Initially it was, as her mother forced her to fake being mute to avoid backlash from her new husband after the car crash. Her new husband's bio son died in the crash and his bio daughter lost her hearing. So HHJ's mother thought that her husband would react poorly if his step daughter was totally fine after the crash while his bio children were so badly affected.

But HHJ's mother enforced HHJ's fake mutism so intensely that the trauma damaged HHJ and made her mutism real. For that reason, most of the time HHJ has a psychological block that prevents her from speaking even when she wants to. But the block is selective. For example, she can speak to her father when she visits him in his nursing home, because that is safe. And she can speak to BSE over the phone when he thinks she is someone else. But in the novel there are moments when HHJ tries to speak to BSE face-to-face and is not able to get the words out due to her psychological block.

Thanks Cora! ^^

You're welcome!

Typically viewers would expect spoilers hidden by a spoiler tag to be about spoilers from episodes of the drama that have already aired, and that it would be safe to view a comment under a spoiler tag if they have viewed all of the episodes that have aired. This comment contains a spoiler from the novel (that has not been confirmed in the drama episodes that have aired yet) without a text warning that it contains novel spoilers.

I have read the novel, so the novel spoiler is not an issue for me. But I have seen other viewers who have not read the novel make comments under comments like this one expressing disappointment about seeing spoilers from the novel after thinking it was safe to open a comment because they had seen all the episodes that had aired by that point.

Cora doesn't have to update her comment if she doesn't want to. I'm just passing on a suggestion because I've seen people mention this being an issue in this comment section before.

You might want to edit this comment to include a warning that it contains novel spoilers. The second sentence is related to a spoiler from the drama, but the first sentence is a novel spoiler that is foreshadowed in the drama by the detail you mentioned in the second sentence but that hasn't been confirmed in the drama yet. Some viewers might click to reveal the spoiler thinking they are safe because they have watched all of the drama episodes that have aired so far and then be upset to be spoiled by that detail from the novel that hasn't been confirmed in the drama yet.

For those who aren't familiar with the political situation in South Korea that led to the scheduling changes, here's a summary.

(1) Yoon Suk Yeol is the current president of South Korea and a member of the conservative People Power Party (PPP).

(2) Yoon narrowly defeated the Democratic Party's (DPK) nominee in South Korea's 2022 presidential election. In South Korea's April 2024 parliamentary election, the PPP suffered an electoral defeat, which further weakened Yoon's political power. Yoon's tenure has been marked by a number of crises and scandals, including the 2022 Itaewon Halloween crowd crush and the 2024 South Korean medical crisis. Yoon and his wife have also faced accusations of wrongful political influence, bribery and stock manipulation. A petition calling for Yoon's impeachment gained over 1 million signatures between June 20th and July 3rd, 2024. In short, Yoon is extremely unpopular and has limited political power.

(3) On Tuesday, December 3rd, Yoon made a televised address to the nation where he declared martial law for first time in South Korea since the military dictatorship of Chun Doo Hwan in 1980. In his declaration, Yoon accused the DPK of conducting "anti-state activities" and collaborating with "North Korean communists". The declaration included the prohibition of any political activities, including gatherings of the National Assembly and suspension of the free press.*** It was later revealed that Yoon also ordered the arrest of various political opponents.

(4) Despite efforts by the South Korean army to uphold Yoon's order, protestors assisted politicians in climbing fences around the National Assembly and within hours 190 legislators (including 18 members of the PPP) unanimously voted to lift the martial law order. Following this vote and a cabinet meeting, Yoon officially lifted martial law.

(5) After martial law was lifted, the DPK began impeachment proceedings against Yoon. Han Dong Hoon (the leader of the PPP) initially stated that the PPP would not support the DPK’s motion. The DPK has a majority in the 300-seat National Assembly, but they would need the support of at least eight PPP National Assembly members to get the 200 votes required for the impeachment motion to pass.

(6) On Friday, South Korean politicians held emergency meetings where it was revealed that Yoon ordered the arrest of Han, Lee Jae Myung (the leader of the DPK), and three other opposition politicians after he declared martial law on Tuesday. Han has now called for Yoon’s suspension, saying that Yoon would pose a "great danger" to democracy if he remained in power, and indicated that the PPP may vote with the DPK to impeach Yoon. On Friday afternoon, there were reports that Yoon was heading to the National Assembly and DPK politicians lined up to block entry to the assembly, chanting "impeach, impeach". A vote on the impeachment motion is scheduled to take place today (Saturday) at 5 pm local time. Understandably, news coverage of these events has been prioritized over regularly scheduled TV broadcasts.

*** There have been no reports that the decision not to air new episodes this week is related to this particular drama's content and MBC stated that the decision was made to allow special news reports to air during the drama's normal broadcasting slots. Other dramas, variety shows and events have also been rescheduled or cancelled. However, it is still worth noting that Baek Sa Eon (the ML of this drama) is the South Korean President's official spokesman and one of his earliest actions in this story is imposing an information embargo on the free press during a hostage crisis. In the novel, he delivers this message in a harsher manner than in the drama - scolding the media and suggesting that their careless coverage might cause the deaths of South Korean citizens if they were permitted to report freely.

Edit: Soompi has compiled updates from various networks about the cancellations and scheduling changes here: https://www.soompi.com/article/1708722wpp/dramas-and-variety-shows-announce-broadcast-schedule-changes-and-cancellations-amid-political-turmoil

The airing schedule has been interrupted by political upheaval and corresponding news coverage in South Korea right now. If you haven't started it yet, I recommend waiting. If you watch now and like the first four episodes you'll have to suffer with the rest of us waiting for the rest of the drama to hopefully start airing again next week.

The drama changed a ton of things from the novel, but not the fact that XY married TSJ in absentia while he was presumed dead. That did occur in the novel between the end of chapter 42 and the beginning of chapter 43. On the day that XY's wedding with TSJ was scheduled to occur, XY waited in her wedding attire all day. When TSJ failed to reappear, XY made her vows to the moon and afterwards XY referred to TSJ as her husband and to herself as TSJ's wife.

In chapter 46, when XL intentionally provokes XY to cut ties with him before he dies in battle, XY angrily says, “我不会饶过伤害璟的人，也不会让你称心如意。如你所说，涂山璟从没有让你占到便宜，他的妻子也不会！” / “I won’t forgive anyone who harmed Jing, but I also won’t do as you wish. Like you said, you never took any advantage of Jing, and now you won’t do the same to his wife!”

In chapter 47, when XY angrily confronts her grandfather after finding out that CX was responsible for TSJ's "death" and her grandfather knew about it, she says, “你们是我最亲的亲人，却一个杀了我的夫婿，一个帮着隐瞒欺骗！我究竟做错了什么，你们要这样对我？” / “You both are my closest dearest family, but one killed my husband and the other helped conceal it! What did I do wrong to deserve this?”

Where the novel included two events that were similar, the drama often cut one of the events and incorporated elements of it into other parts of the story. This happened with XY's wedding to TSJ in absentia (after his disappearance) from chapter 42/43 and the Royal Mother initiation ceremony from chapter 49. They cut the Royal Mother initiation ceremony and combined it with the wedding in absentia, so the wedding turned into a grand ceremony (instead of just XY bowing and making her vows to the moon alone in her wedding attire with no grand ceremony), her wedding robes were mostly white instead of red (a mourning colour, as well as the colour of the ceremonial robes she would have worn for the Royal Mother initiation ceremony), and her exchange with CX from before the Royal Mother initiation ceremony (when he pleaded with her to change her mind) was moved so that it occurred (in a slightly modified form) before the wedding ceremony.

<3 ^^

You’re welcome!

Yes, it does seem to be a very common dynamic / theme in historical C Dramas. I can understand why, given the themes of China’s history and the government’s current policies. But it is still a bit frustrating to see wars of conquest / expansion / “unification” constantly being promoted as being “necessary for the greater good”, especially when these dramas are airing in the context of certain current international conflicts (e.g., Russia’s invasion of Ukraine).

It does seem quite possible that XL would have been introduced to the world of assassins and their employers when he took over the identity of FFB before he joined the remnant army.

I agree that Sir Bi’s words about XL’s strength of character in the novel are definitely worth noting. It seems quite likely that, like all the inhabitants of Jade Mountain but unlike XL, CX would have been enchanted by Sir Bi’s voice.

You're welcome!

Yes. XY is a deity, but the exact nature of her biological father's classification is unknown. In both the drama and the novel he is often referred to as a "devil" and a "demon" due to the role he played in enforcing the last King of Chenrong's reforms and also the role he played in battle, but in the prequel novel (Once Promised) he does not have the characteristics of a demon (e.g., a true demon form and a humanoid form). Some fans speculate that he was an exceptionally powerful deity. Others speculate that he was the manifestation of nature. Also, over the course of the story, a sea demon uses his blood to heal XY and that changes her body so that she also has some of the powers and traits of a sea demon.

TSJ is a deity, but he confirms that all nine-tailed fox demons are his relatives due to a common ancestor. The Tushan clan is descended from the original nine-tailed fox, which was a beast with both divine and demonic aspects. The original nine-tailed fox ancestor was around when the universe was created many millenia ago / many generations back. The rest of the Tushan Clan ancestors appear to be deities. TSJ can manifest an astral nine-tailed fox and nine spiritual fox tails and when he becomes the Tushan Clan leader, TSJ is viewed as the king of all fox demons.

Lirong Chang is a deity, but his clan is descended from a two-headed dog demon, a bit like the Tushan clan and the Tushan original nine-tailed fox.

Members of the Xiyan royal family (including CX), members of the Haoling royal family (including Ah Nian) and members of the former Chenrong royal family (including Feng Long, Xing Yue, and Hong Jiang) are all deities with high levels of spiritual power. Lao Mu is a deity with a low level of spiritual power.

Xiang Liu, Lao Sang (CX's servant), and Zuo Er (Left Ear) are demons.

Chuan Zi, Ma Zi and Sang Tian Er are mortal humans.

You’re welcome. Enjoy!

In the discussion threads.

The FL goes by Wen Xiao Liu (WXL) or Xiao Yao (XY).
The first ML (per the author) is Cang Xuan (CX).
The second ML (per the author) is Tushan Jing (TSJ) / Ye Shi Qi (YSQ).
The third ML (per the author) is Xiang Liu (XL) / Fangfeng Bei (FFB).
The fourth ML (per the author) is Chishui Feng Long.

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(1) At the end of Season 2, the FL has strong archery skills but still has low powers for a deity and her identity is pretty ordinary. She regains the ability to transform / change her form in a way that is undetectable even by the most powerful deities, marries Tushan Jing / Ye Shi Qi, leaves CX / her life in the palace behind, and returns to living a quiet life of a person who would not stick out in a crowd of relatively ordinary people.

(2) CX loves the FL romantically. The FL loves him back, but she views him as her brother and does not consider him to be someone she could marry.

TSJ / YSQ loves the FL romantically but he is engaged to another woman. Although the FL is not one to make the first move, she agrees to wait for TSJ to break his engagement and for most of the story she considers TSJ to be her best chance at having the lifelong companion that she wants (i.e., someone who will not / cannot give her up). There are some significant rough patches, but in the end XY marries TSJ.

XL loves the FL romantically but he will never betray or abandon his adoptive father or his brothers-in-arms, whose remnant army is fighting against the army of Xiyan. The man who the FL treats as her grandfather is the King of Xiyan and the man who she treats as her brother (CX) wants to be the next King of Xiyan. So (among other complicating factors) XL and XY are on opposite sides of a war. When XY transfers her poisonous bug from CX to XL, it is successfully planted and turns into a Lovers Bug that connects XL's life and heart with XY's life and heart. The drama is less clear than the novel on this point, but this strongly implies that XY also had romantic feelings for XL. Although she may not have been fully aware of them or might not have accepted those feelings. In the end, XL gave XY the things she needed before he dies on the battlefield as he planned, and XY mourns his death.

Feng Long liked XY and was excited about marrying her even though his main motive for the marriage was to gain political power. XY agreed to marry Feng Long but did not love him and was relieved after their wedding ended up not happening. Later on, Feng Long helps his twin sister try to kill XY, but he's reluctant about it at the time and apologetic about it afterwards. Feng Long ends up dying in a military camp near the battlefield after protecting his friend / king.

(3) Opinions will vary here. IMO, she was happy to an extent but it's a bittersweet ending. XL dies and XY decides to leave her life in Xiyan and Haoling and her loved ones there (including CX, the former King of Xiyan, Ah Nian, and the former King of Haoling) behind. And, thanks to Feng Long's death, Xing Yue gets to retain her position as the honoured Empress despite the fact that she tried to kill TSJ and XY.

(4) There isn't really one single character who is "the villain" in this story. Xing Yue is probably the closest, and in the drama they took some of the terrible things that CX did in the novel (like trying to kill TSJ) and changed it so that they became terrible things that Xing Yue did. Tushan Hou is also pretty villainous. But most of the characters in this drama are a mix of good and bad, and CX is not an exception. He loves the FL and wants to protect her, and one of his main reasons for pursuing power was that he wanted to protect her. But he is also selfish (e.g., he forces the FL to stay by his side even when she doesn't want to / isn't happy) and willing to hurt the FL (and he's also the type of king who decides to start wars in the name of "peace"). IMO, it's a good thing that the FL was finally able to leave him in the end, despite the fact that they cared so deeply for each other.

(5) CX is still in love with XY in the end but resigns himself, more or less, to the fact that he chose the throne. And then XY chooses to leave without saying goodbye to him. Since she regains her transformation power before the end of the story, CX will not be able to find her (no matter how hard he tries) unless she wants to be found. XY's reasons for choosing to leave are clearer in the novel (where CX tries to kill TSJ and the timing of certain events, like XL's death, is different).

(5.5) In the novel, XY and CX are blood-related first cousins. In the drama, it's a bit more convoluted. The short answer is that they're still related (XY's mother came from the same clan as CX's grandmother - the Xiling Clan) but they're not first cousins. More details are available here: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/lost-you-forever/120191-are-cang-xuan-and-xiao-yao-blood-relatives-in-the-drama

Edit: As Kokuto noted, other fans may have different interpretations. ^^

Binge reading (and re-reading) the novel really helps alleviate the pain of not being able to binge watch the drama right now.