AH

Yes? ^^

You're welcome!

Some others have covered the main points already, but I'll add a few details.

As Winny24 noted, there is a scene near the beginning of S1 Ep29 in the drama where XL/FFB asks TSJ for help moving provisions out of Xiyan to the remnant army in QS town. The dialogue for that scene is copied below.

Regarding whose idea it was for XL/FFB to teach XY archery, it was XL/FFB's idea. I don't think anyone has challenged that.

Regarding the commissioning of XY's custom bow, in both the novel and the drama that was also XL's idea and he made the payment for it. In the drama they changed the timeline so that he commissions the bow much earlier (back when XY was still WXL, instead of commissioning it during the 37 years of healing as he does in the novel), long before episode 29.

The novel and the drama both include a scene where, before XY gets the bow that XL commissioned for her, she buys a mid-level bow to match her improving archery skills. FFYY suggests that TSJ should pay for the bow, but XY doesn't want TSJ to pay for it (she has mixed feelings about TSJ in that scene after seeing him out with FFYY, which she addresses with him later on). So XY manipulates XL/FFB into paying for the bow instead of TSJ. XL/FFB does so to save XY's face, but afterwards he immediately makes her pay him back and then gives the money to two beggars. And XY understood why he did so.

In the novel, there is never a situation like the one in S1 Ep29 where XL asks TSJ for help moving provisions for his army out of QS town that involves TSJ agreeing to do so as a thank you / repayment to XL for teaching XY archery. However, in chapter 46, XL does make a point of telling XY that he had done business with TSJ for hundreds of years before meeting her, and throughout all those transactions he never once took advantage of TSJ. If I were to give the drama writers the benefit of the doubt, my guess is that they were trying to convey that idea (by showing TSJ not allowing XL to take advantage of him in negotiating this deal), among other ideas. They may also have been trying to convey the idea that the Chenrong remnant army is XL's #1 priority, so he will even accept TSJ's help when it is framed as repayment on behalf of XY for his archery lessons if it means that he will be able to ensure that his comrades have the food and provisions that they need to survive. And it seems that they might have taken a line that TSJ said to CX in chapter 22 ("How could I use Xiao Yao to bargain?") and adapted it for TSJ to say to XL in the drama.

-----

S1 Ep29

[In a dance hall in Xiyan]

XL/FFB: Master Qingqiu, it's been so long. Please be seated.

TSJ: Why are we meeting here?

XL/FFB gestures for the dancer to leave.

XL/FFB: You must have figured out that I am -

TSJ: Lord Fang Feng (防风君). Just get to the point. I'm a businessman. I'll do whatever I'm allowed to do. Naturally I won't do anything forbidden.*

XL/FFB: I'd like you to deliver some goods to Qingshui Town.

Soldier (offscreen): Have you seen anyone suspicious? Report to the authority if you do.

Dance hall attendant (offscreen): Yes, yes. The whole city has been in chaos for days. The thief is still at large?

Soldier (offscreen): They can't hide something as obvious as provisions. There are roadblocks everywhere. The theif can't get away.

TSJ: Why would I deliver goods for you?

XL/FFB: You're a businessman. Naturally I will do business with you.

TSJ: What can you possibly offer me?

XL/FFB (looking past TSJ): Xiao Yao? Why are you here?

TSJ turns to look, but no one is there. XL/FFB chuckles.

XL/FFB: I heard Tushan people are good at tracking people. What, can't you tell if you've been followed? Can we talk business now?

TSJ: You're threatening me with Xiao Yao?

XL/FFB: I'm just telling you what I can offer. Tushan Jing, will you take this deal? Or not?**

TSJ: I will never let anyone use Xiao Yao to get a deal.*** But I will do what you said. You taught Xiao Yao archery as her mentor. I truly appreciate it. This time I will repay you on her behalf.

XL/FFB: Repay me on her behalf? Have you asked her opinion?

TSJ: It's between Xiao Yao and me. Don't worry about it. Of course, accepting it or not is up to you. You can turn me down.

XL/FFB chuckles darkly and hesitantly grasps a message that contains the necessary details, clearly not wanting to agree to the deal in the way that TSJ has framed it, but seeming to feel that he has no choice. He tosses the message to TSJ without looking at him.

XL/FFB: Here's the time and address. Send someone there.

TSJ: I'll deliver the goods to Qingshui town. I take my leave.

TSJ departs, leaving XL/FFB alone in the dance hall, drinking alone and unhappily.

-----

* This seems like an odd line to include. TSJ ultimately agrees to help XL secretly transport the provisions out of Xiyan for the remanant army... which would definitely be forbidden / illegal in Xiyan. And the novel made it clear that the Tushan clan did lots of illegal business with the remanant army.

** To be honest, I'm totally unclear on what we are supposed to infer that XL is offering here. To put in a good word for TSJ with XY? To give TSJ more opportunities to meet XY? The vagueness makes me wonder if even the script writers know the answer.

*** Like I said above, I think the script writers decided to take a line that TSJ said to CX in chapter 22 ("How could I use Xiao Yao to bargain?") and combine it with the idea that XL conveys in chapter 46 (when doing business with TSJ, XL has never taken advantage of TSJ) to come up with this new scenario / exchange that doesn't exist in the novel.

-----

Chapter 22:

Feng Long started to tell Jing what was going on with him and Zhuan Xu. He concealed the part about Zhuan Xu secretly building an army, but told him about his involvement. “A lot of people are following me and money is needed. The Chi Sui clan has extra money but I can’t touch it. Zhuan Xu had some money gleaned from the palace renovation but these past few years the accounts books are suddenly being scrutinized. Thankfully your people told us early so nothing was discovered. But there is no room anymore to cook the books. We need a lot of money now so both of us are waiting for you to pitch in.”

Jing smiled. “I understand.”

Feng Long said, “Understand what? Are you helping or not?”

Jing replied, “Am I even allowed to say I won’t help?”

“Of course not!”

Jing said, “Then why are you asking a pointless question?”

Feng Long retorted, “I know we don’t need to beat around the bush, but you need to assure Zhuan Xu!”

Jing smiled at Zhuan Xu, “I can’t help on much, but I know how to manage businesses so anything involving money there is no need to worry.”

Feng Long smiled and said to Zhuan Xu, “See, I said that once Jing woke up then we’ll quench that fire on our ass. We spend money like water and we need a sly fox like him who can make money to help us. Too bad he’s not on the same ambitions as us and is doing this simply out of friendship.”

Zhuan Xu was relieved and asked, “No matter who you are doing this for, I still thank you.”
After that matter was discussed, Zhuan Xu had someone summon Xiao Yao.

Jing said to Zhuan Xu and Feng Long, “I have something to say to you both.”

Xing Yue got up silently and left.

Jing said to Zhuan Xu, “To solve your matter I need to hurry back to Qing Qiu. Once I get back, I plan to tell my grandmother that no matter what happens, I will return to Xiao Yao’s side and protect her forever.”

Zhuan Xu’s face changed and he coldly asked, “Are you talking terms with me?”

Jing said, “How could I use Xiao Yao to bargain? I am just asking for your permission.”

Feng Long cluelessly asked, “You want to protect Xiao Yao? Is she in danger again?”

Jing looked at Feng Long and his expression was filled with apology and regret.

Feng Long was a brilliant guy except when it came to romance, so it took him a few seconds to react and connect the dots. He jumped up. “You! You were despondent and wanted to die because of Xiao Yao?” Feng Long still couldn’t believe it, in his mind a man could die for grand ambitions and lofty goals, but for a woman? That was too spineless! That was too ridiculous!

Jing bowed to Feng Long. “I’m sorry, I know you wanted to marry Xiao Yao, but I cannot lose her.”

You're welcome! ^^

Did you ever watch the little comedy chibi shorts that they made as a spin off for the Untamed animated series? Just comedy and cuteness with almost none of the intense angst of the original series. https://youtu.be/t7oD70yygFM?si=Nm3dG7K9MWT3EAJq&t=113

I could totally picture a very light, un-serious LYF chibi series with this scenario. Chibi XY, Queen of Chenrong, and her harem of handsome, chibi men! (>▽<)

I know this is not a serious suggestion, but for real if XY was willing to be Queen Regnant of a restored Chenrong... that, under the right circumstances, might be the one way to peacefully resolve the Chenrong remnant army's fight.

Hong Jiang insists on fighting for Chenrong until death and never surrendering. But what if, somehow, someway, XY was able to convince CX to hand the throne over to her? Acutally, not just to hand it over but to "surrender" Xiyan (plus Haoling) to her as the Queen of Chenrong, which she declared she was restoring?

XY spent decades finishing the second to last King of Chenrong's life work: completing and disseminating his medical texts for the good of the world.

XY's grandmother (or her relative and "recognized" grandmother in the drama), Xiling Xie, was the second to last King of Chenrong's sworn sibling.

XY was also a disciple of the Royal Mother of Jade Mountain, who was also sworn siblings with XY's grandmother and the second to last King of Chenrong.

The second to last King of Chenrong entrusted his medical texts (his life's work) to XY's mother's care.

Princess Yun Sang (the daughter of the second to last King of Chenrong and the sister of the last King of Chenrong) married XY's uncle and was best friends with XY's mother.

XY's father was the second to last King of Chenrong's only disciple and was appointed by him to become Chenrong's top general. He was the last King of Chenrong's right hand man and he fought loyally to protect Chenrong until his death.

Since Hong Jiang vowed to never pursue the throne, Chenrong Yi (Feng Long and Xing Yue's father) had to foresake Chenrong when he surrendered to Xiyan in order to protect the interests of the people of the Middle Plains (by governing them from within Xiyan), and Feng Long and Xing Yue both officially pledged themselves to Xiyan Cang Xuan (as his general and Empress respectively)... there weren't really any candidates that Hong Jiang would consider worthy of becoming the next king or queen of a restored Chenrong.

So why not XY? Especially in the drama where she doesn't have any Xiyan blood. Her mother was from the Xiling family (one of the Great Four Clans of the Middle Plains / formerly Chenrong people) and her father was also basically a Chenrong person. They both had numerous ties to the Chenrong royal family. So if XY declared that she was restoring Chenrong and if she had the support to do it (and, in particular, the ability to overcome any objections from CX, her grandfather, the Xiyan nobles, and the Middle Plains families that hated Chi Chen)... a big if, to be fair... how could Hong Jiang object? Would he fight XY's army if they marched under the banner of Chenrong? This would be his chance to declare victory and live. His whole army could live.

Tbh he probably still wouldn't go for it since she was the former King of Xiyan's "recognized" granddaughter, the current King of Xiyan's "sister", and the daughter of the woman who led Xiyan's army to conquer Chenrong... and XY would probably be miserable if she had to rule. But forget that for a second and just enjoy the idea of it. ^^

They added more drinking and yet took away one of his best drinking buddies: Sir Bi! 💔

Agreed. It's a hugely important moment for XY and I'm very glad that it was included, at least to some extent!

Thanks @plor20! Good point about the walnut being an imporant part of the planting process, and nice to have that extra insight about the cultural significance / implications of it too! ^^

Edit: I'm thinking more about this... in the novel WXL gets XL to put his blood on the walnut (along with her blood) before calling the bug from CX into his heart, which results in the bug being successfully planted in XL and turning into a Lovers Bug... and of course then the walnut melts / half of it disappears into WXL's palm and half of it disappears into XL's palm (the palms that XL later cuts to perform a blood ritual when he breaks the bug connection).

But WXL wouldn't have been able to add CX's blood to the walnut before she tried to plant the bug in CX (she was stuck in CX's torture chamber and deployed the bug against him as an emergency measure). Perhaps that was one additional reason why the bug wasn't "successfully" planted in CX and didn't turn into a Lovers Bug in him?

I feel this. I really would have liked to see a faithful adaptation of the novel to screen that felt like it was successfully capturing the original characters and their story and bringing them all to life.

But my mantra for a while has been that no matter how many disappointing changes the drama makes, it will never erase or replace the characters and story that we got in the novel. They've just created a somewhat different story with somewhat different characters. I'll keep watching the drama. I'll try to enjoy as much as I can, but after it's done I'll be going back to read the novel again. And maybe some comfort fic. ^^

Hmm. I don't think the novel ever gives us an indication that Chi You (Chi Chen) or anyone else from Baili would necessarily view the successfull planting of Lovers Bugs to be the same as entering into a de facto marriage. But there are definitely commonalities between accepting a Lovers Bugs connection and accepting marriage.

Unless you are someone like XL (who has extra lives to spare that he is willing to sacrifice in order to kill the bugs and break the connection so that it won't cause XY's death), the Lovers Bugs are a life-long commitment (since they can never be removed after they are successfully planted) that means the hosts will live and die together. If one host dies, the other will also die.

The connection also means that the hosts should feel all of each other's heartache and sensations - meaning that they fully and literally share weal and woe. However, XL is powerful enough to control the bugs in order to prevent XY from feeling his pain and sensations through the connection (except when he intentionally lets her feel it once, at the end of their time in QS town after XL/FFB takes XY away from her wedding with Feng Long / when he pushes her to leave and go to TSJ).

Since only lovers can produce Lovers Bugs, they also seem (in the novel) to be irrefutable proof of mutual love between the hosts, at least at the time they are successfully planted.

If the bugs backfire/retaliate due to the hosts' heartbreak and turn into Heartbreak Bugs, they are supposed to cause the deaths of both hosts. However, the drama (and particularly the script) seems to suggest that XL is powerful enough to prevent the bugs from turning into Heartbreak Bugs when they backfire/retaliate due to his heartbreak (and presumably also if they were to backfire/retaliate due to XY's heartbreak).

I hesitated to post about the things I found disappointing because I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but I figure with the spoiler cover people can easily skip reading this comment if they aren't interested. And I tried to end on a slightly positive note. ^^"

Thanks for reading!

It's been a long time since I've read the translations of the leaked scripts for some of these scenes. From what I remember, it's tracking pretty closely except maybe the part where XY spoke with her mother?

I keep feeling tempted to post scenes from the novel that were changed so that drama viewers can see in full how they were handled in the novel, but there are so many big changes now there wouldn't be much difference between that approach and saying "maybe just go read the whole novel". ^^"

Thanks for reading it blabla100!

Once again, today’s episodes have left me with a long list of things that the drama has changed or chosen not to adapt from the novel, to my deep disappointment.


In terms of the XL scene in chapter 37, we didn’t get to see any of the following:

(1) XY being told by the Shaman King, in no uncertain terms, that the poisonous bug that currently resides in her heart is indeed a Lovers Bug and that only lovers can produce a Lovers Bug.

(2) After visiting Baili, XY saying that she wanted to stay one more night on the sea and choosing to spend that night on a ship. Then, unable to sleep, XY going to the deck of the ship and admiring the full moon over the ocean. XY thinking of the 37 years she spent in XL's clam shell. XY warring with herself and holding herself back from jumping into the ocean and swimming happily, as her body (modified by XL's blood) longed to do.

(3) XL and XY listening to and appreciating the courting song of the merpeople (which only the two of them could hear) for a third time, under that bright, round moon.

(4) XY telling XL that Chi You (Chi Chen) is her dad. A change from her earlier lament that she was Chi You’s daughter, which signified her changed view and acceptance of Chi Chen.

(5) And then *XY* being the one to tell XL that their bugs are the type that connect lives, so her death would result in his death, only to discover that XL knew the bugs were bugs that connected their lives and hearts together (i.e., Lovers Bugs) from the very beginning. We do see XY being frustrated by XL's lack of candor about the bugs and making as if to follow XL out to sea and being verbally stopped by TSJ. But we do not see XY climbing over the railing of the ship and preparing to dive into the ocean to follow XL, only to be physically held back by TSJ.


Instead, we got some major changes. Some of the biggest ones being:

(1) XY telling XL that she views him as a friend. Perhaps that was her expressing her true feelings. Perhaps that was her lying to XL or to herself. Either way, it is not something that happens in the novel.

In the novel, she thinks to herself, “In his eyes, she wasn’t even someone to be deemed a friend. It was always a transaction between them, each and every time it was a deal that was calculated clearly and fairly.” But she never, ever indicates, out loud or in her own thoughts, that she herself views XL as a friend. The closest she gets is calling him “a friend who is not quite a friend” when talking to her father and referring to XL/FFB as her 知音 / zhi yin when he enjoys her poison creations, a complex term that is sometimes translated as “soulmate”, “bosom buddy” or “confidant”, although none of those are perfect translations. The term is taken from the story of Boya and Zhong Ziqi and alludes to a deep sense of understanding and unique appreciation between two people. It can be used to describe both platonic and romantic relationships.

Whereas XY does call Jing her friend on two occasions (once when talking to Ah Nian and once when talking to Lirong Chang) in the novel, even though TSJ is obviously not just a friend to her.

(2) XL suggesting that he might use the bug connection (and the fact that XY’s life is tied to his) in order to threaten and manipulate CX. Which, even as an empty threat intended to push XY away, is not something he ever says in the novel.

(3) The scene with XL and XY’s tear pearl. In the novel, we are never shown such a scene or given an indication that something like the tear pearl exists. We see XL holding the ice crystal ball in chapter 31, clearly sad but not wavering in terms of his feelings or his convictions. And in XL’s epilogue we see XL carving the big-bellied laughing doll and secretly inserting an updated version of the ice crystal ball (one that includes a new figure to represent TSJ being the person who takes XY’s hand and stays by her side) inside the big-bellied laughing doll, which he sends away to be given under Sir Bi’s name as a gift to XY for her wedding with TSJ. Again, not a happy scene, but one that highlights his self-sacrifice and well-wishes for XY. IMO, in the novel he came across as tragic and noble, but never pitiful or self-pitying.

(4) Taking away the fact that visiting the King of Haoling to find out more about XY’s parents in order to get her closure (something that was huge for XY!) was TSJ’s idea. Taking away the life-threatening pain and suffering that TSJ and the King of Haoling had to endure in order to get to XY’s mother. Taking away XY’s mother telling XY her full life story, including the details of her tragic love story with Chi You. Changing it so that XY, CX and XL all bow to the portraits of XY's parents, but XY never introduces TSJ (her future husband!) to her parents and he never bows to them. And making it seem like the King of Haoling always knew that XY’s mother’s consciousness was still accessible and easy to visit, but chose to never take XY there or tell her about it before without explaining why.

(5) Changing the details of the Shaman King so that, instead of TSJ and XY asking him how to remove the Lovers Bugs and being told that it was impossible, we see XL (who seemingly always had the means to obtain this information from the Shaman King, but only chose to do so at this very late stage in the story) asking him how to remove the bugs.

Edit: On a slightly more positive note, although it doesn't match up to the corresponding scenes from the novel, I am extremely glad that the drama ended up including XY meeting and speaking directly with her mother and interacting with her father's spirit (as depicted by the floating petals). That was an incredibly important part of the original story and I'm very glad it was at least included in some form instead of being left out entirely.

Edit #2: Liddi pointed out that today was the first time anyone in the drama referred to the bugs as Lovers Poisonous Bugs (情人蛊). So I'll take that as a positive too.

Lol! Due to the long wait for S2, a group of interested fans have been discussing various details in the novel for a whole year. This is the end result. ^^"

There are a few different time markers in the novel that we can use to calculate that number.

One way would be to note that XY and CX were separated for 300 years between the last battle between Xiyan and Chenrong and their time together on Five Gods Mountain before WXL's true identity was revealed in chapter 9 (shortly after the bug was transferred from CX to XL at the end of chapter 7). And we know that XL joined the Chenrong remant army shortly after that battle, so he fought with the remnant army for about 300 years before chapter 9.

In chapter 38, XY begins working on her medical texts. She completes those medical texts in chapter 41 after working on them for 42 years.

Also in chapter 38, we are told (8 years after XY began working on the medical texts) that the Lovers Bug had been in XY for over 80 years.

Between chapter 42 and chapter 49, TSJ goes missing and is presumed dead for 7 years.

300 + 80 + 42 - 8 + 7 = 421.

So, in the novel, XL definitely fought with the Chenrong remnant army for more than 400 years before he died fighting with them in the last battle in chapter 51.

Xiang Liu's loyalty to Hong Jiang and the Chenrong remnant army is no longer about paying back a debt.

It is about loyalty, genuine affection for his adoptive father, and camaraderie with his fellow soldiers. He lived, ate, drank, trained, fought, bled, and mourned with them for over 400 years. He will never betray them, abondon them, or forget them.

-----

Flame Emperor = King of Chenrong

Shengnong = Chenrong

Gong Gong = Hong Jiang

Qi Yo = Chi Chen / XY's biological father

Zhu Rong = Feng Long and Xing Yue's grandfather

Zhuan Xu = Cang Xuan

-----

Chapter 22:

Xiang Liu said, “When I escaped from the slave death match arena, I was gravely injured all over. I almost died in a whirlpool but it was my adoptive father who saved me. Back then, the Flame Emperor was still alive and the Sheng Nong Kingdom hadn’t yet been toppled. My adoptive father, along with Qi Yo and Zhu Rong, were the three greatest generals of the Sheng Nong Kingdom. He saved a runaway slave like me and I injured him. He didn’t mind because he saw I was gravely injured and might not survive. He taught me a method for healing through training my powers. He even wanted to take me to the Flame Emperor for medical treatment. But I didn’t trust him so I ran away.”

...

Xiang Liu said “The snowfall in the North Pole is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. To avoid my attackers, I escaped to the North Pole and hid there for over a hundred years. The snow there not only saved my life, it awakened an understanding in me and I transformed the healing technique my adoptive father taught me to learn a new powerful fighting style.”

...

She thought that he must’ve decided to leave the North Pole after meeting Fang Feng Bei there. But by then the Sheng Nong Kingdom had fallen and General Gong Gong was leading a paltry resistance army with all his family and friends abandoning him. Yet a certain Nine-headed demon actually willingly went to him, perhaps initially it was to repay a debt, but then Gong Gong truly bonded with him so adopted him as a son. One could repay a debt, but the bonds of love and affection are impossible to ever fully repay.

-----

Chapter 35:

Xiao Yao was silent before suddenly asking, “Xiang Liu, why did you pick Gong Gong? Because he’s your adoptive father?” Xiao Yao didn’t know how she had the guts to ask him this question, probably because Xiang Liu didn’t seem like Xiang Liu tonight.

“Not just because he’s my adoptive father, there are also all those soldiers I fought along with and watched them die. We drank together, we went to battle together, we picked up our fallen brethren’s bodies…” Xiang Liu looked over at the altar, “For hundreds of years, do you know how many of my fellow soldiers I’ve had to personally cremate?”

Xiao Yao couldn’t imagine, but she understood what Xiang Liu felt. Her Fourth Uncle could have survived that day, and he did love Fourth Aunt and Zhuan Xu, but he chose to die alongside his soldiers. In this world there was camaraderie so strong that one would die rather than abandon it.

Xiang Liu laughed and pointed at his head. “I’ve lost count, but they are all here.”

Xiao Yao buried her head in her lap and grew silent. She felt her heart all jumbled and she didn’t know if it was for Xiang Liu or for herself.

-----

Chapter 46:

“Are you thinking about Xiang Liu?”

Xiao Yao looked down and said nothing.

Zhuan Xu said, “I know you have some connection with him, and truthfully I’m rather admiring of his ability and loyalty. I’m even envious of Gong Gong’s fierce and unbending connection with him, but the Sheng Nong Kingdom is a thing of the past……….I have to eliminate them!”

You're welcome! Yes, hopefully she had a good life and was able to meet a good man after choosing to serve CX from afar.

Some of the details were a bit different in the novel, but the general concept was there.

-----

Chapter 39:

Zhuan Xu sent someone to liaise with Jing to provide a source of business information he needed. The person turned out to be Jin Xuan and Xiao Yao was very happy to see a familiar face. She called for some food and wine and sat down to catch up with her.

Xiao Yao asked, “How did you end up in Gao Xing?”

Jin Xuan said, “His majesty needs Gao Xing information the most right now so I’m in Gao Xing to collect information for him.”

Xiao Yao laughed. “I thought you and Xiao Xiao would become His majesty’s consorts but who knew both of you continued to serve him in the same capacity as before. I saw the way you feel about him so I wrongly assumed you were living on Zhi Jin Summit.”

Jin Xuan smiled at Xiao Yao and said nothing for some time. She drank her wine before saying, “You weren’t wrong, I did fall for him. Because I really fell for him that is why I requested to leave.”

Xiao Yao was perplexed. “Why?”

“If my heart wasn’t moved then everything I do can receive a commensurate reward. But having my heart in it, then I will gradually want more and more. I know His majesty can never give me all I will want and I would be hurt and then commit an infraction that will lead to him distrusting and disdaining me. I would rather leave when I can still be sensible about it. If I keep my distance from him, with how much I’ve done to serve him then he will forever be grateful towards me.”

“You….you…..you’re so smart yet so cruel towards yourself! Very few women can carve out a free distance for herself in your situation.”

“I have to thank His majesty for giving me this freedom and space. I know a lot of secrets and another person would keep me close to him. But I wanted to leave and His majesty let me!” Jin Xuan drank her wine with a smile. “It’s going to be extremely difficult to forget a man like His majesty, but I know with time that can be accomplished. The world is so vast and as long as I’m traveling the road then I believe I can meet a man one day who will make me forget His majesty.”

Xiao Yao toasted Jin Xuan. “Best wishes to you meeting that person soon!”

Jin Xuan smiled and returned the toast before leaving with Jing to head to the town to collect the information he needed.