♥️The Hidden Story of Yaoliu ♥️

“Lost You Forever” — Lifting the Fog, Searching for the Truth (Thirteen): The Metaphors of ‘Monkeys’ and ‘Ears’

At the entrance of Huichun Hall hangs garlic; layer by layer its skin is peeled away, gleaming white like jade — it is both ruthless calculation and pure food.

In this section, we will explore what exactly the repeatedly appearing “monkey” and “ear” refer to. This part is rather abstract and not very straightforward, but it is exquisitely crafted; it is the innermost layer of garlic skin, closest to the core.

To understand the core, the “monkey” and the “ear” are very important.

Let us continue to look at it from the author’s perspective:

Tong Hua said that the 2012 version of Lost You Forever was the most mature work in terms of her writing skills at that time. After the 2019 revision, she also made up for some regrets. ——Indeed, she borrowed and incorporated all the good elements from the great classics.

Earlier, we mentioned how Tong Hua borrowed plotlines and philosophies from Dream of the Red Chamber and The Nine-Colored Deer. Here, we will see how she drew from Journey to the West.

The content of Journey to the West is rich and also contains mature theories.

One of the more mainstream views is…

The scripture-seeking team is actually a depiction of one person divided:

Tang Seng is the body, Sun Wukong is the mind, the White Dragon Horse—the horse is intention, Zhu Bajie—the pig is desire, Sha Seng—the fish is action.

In the application within Lost You Forever, here are a few examples:

After the wedding snatching and the return, the “body” was separated, but the “heart” was always together, highlighting the theme of Lost You Forever.

Fangfeng Yiying is Xiaoyao’s “Yi /intention,” and the only two preserved mounts, the Heavenly Horse of the Fangfeng clan, emphasize the relationship between “Yi/intention” (意) and “Ma/horse” (马).

The pig represents “yu (欲, desire),” and Cangxuan is linked with the pig’s head. First, it is a jest, calling Cangxuan a pig’s head; second, it means that Cangxuan’s “yu (欲, desire)” is something he does not let Anian see.

Zhu Bajie carrying his wife — Cangxuan’s “yu (欲, desire)” toward Xiaoyao grows.

After Xiaoliu first encounter, he told Shiqi to imagine her as a talking pig. From that moment, he began wanting to poison Xiangliu — thus arose “yu (欲, desire).”

Fish represents “action.” Tushan Hou drives and commands the fish demon, digs out its heart, and controls the fish demon’s “action.”

This alludes to Jing using Xiaoyao to control Xiangliu, and using Xiangliu to control Xiaoyao. In the previous passage, it was already stated — “If you save her, you fall into my trap; if you don’t save her, you will watch her die.” Xiangliu’s choice was to save her.

In Journey to the West, the monkey represents the “heart.”

This is the “True and False Monkey King” episode. Sun Wukong devoted himself wholeheartedly to protecting Tang Seng on the pilgrimage for scriptures, but Tang Seng repeatedly drove him away. Resentful and angry, Wukong gave rise to a “divided heart.”

The monkey represents the heart. The true heart resides within one’s own body, while the additional “monkey,” the Six-Eared Macaque, is the “second heart,” also called the “deluded heart./false heart”

The deluded heart confuses the true heart, therefore, the Six-Eared “Mí” Monkey.

Explanation:

妄心 (wàng xīn) = deluded / false heart.
迷 (mí) = confused, lost, or deceived.
六耳“迷”猴 = “Six-Eared ‘Mí’ Monkey” → a metaphor for the deluded heart that misleads the true heart.

In essence: the false heart confuses the true heart, giving rise to the “Mí Monkey” as a symbol of confusion or deception in the heart.

“Left ear” and “right ear”

The “Six Ears” represent the “six faculties”: joy, anger, love, thought, desire, and worry.

The left ear represents “joy, anger, and love,” while the right ear represents “thought, desire, and worry.”

Joy and anger arise from love. The few special depictions of Xiangliu’s laughter and anger after his feelings awaken in Qingshui Town represent the “left ear” born from love.

The boy in the death arena had no left ear. After gaining freedom, Xiaoyao gave him the name “Left Ear.”

Fangfeng Bei, when dissected character by character, contains both a left ear and a right ear. When Fangfeng Bei died, Xiangliu lost the left ear, leaving only the right ear.

Xiangliu shot and killed Fenglong. Breaking down the characters “丰” and “隆”: three generations in sequence, left ear, another life.

—The boy in the death arena killed the slave master once again, and after gaining freedom, he began a new life with a left ear. Taking a wife and children, traversing rivers and lands, he merged into the ordinary, mundane world of human life.

—The everyday life of the mortal world soothes ordinary hearts the most. The left ear and right ear — joy, anger, love, thought, desire, and worry — are the firewood, rice, oil, and salt of human life, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy of this world.

The metaphor and philosophy of the “monkey”
The extra monkey represents a person’s “deluded heart (妄心).”

Those who experience joy, anger, love, thought, desire, and worry inevitably give rise to a “deluded heart.” A person’s greatest enemy is oneself; growth is not only self-improvement but also self-correction.

Sun Wukong struck and killed his own “second heart,” and from then on, the “mind-monkey” returned to its proper place, with the “true heart” overcoming the “deluded heart.”

Let us now examine the metaphor of the “monkey.”

The struggle of the two hearts
Some of Tushan Jing’s events are not easy to understand because the plot contains embedded metaphors. Let us examine the meaning of certain events within these metaphors.

Tushan Jing is Xiaoyao’s “monkey.”

Tushan Jing and Xiaoyao are out of sync; he wants to end his life, corresponding to the “monkey.”

Tushan Jing, this “monkey,” is also the nine-tailed fox demon who imprisoned her.

There is a person who gives up all love for themselves, a false happiness that comes effortlessly — this is Xiaoyao’s deluded heart (妄心).

Yet her demands were something even her own mother could not fulfill. By understanding her mother and reconciling with her, Xiaoyao grows, and her deluded heart (妄心) is broken.

The TV adaptation added the “struggle of the two hearts.”

The Six-Eared Macaque can foresee the future, and the spirit cultivated by Tushan Jing can anticipate danger.

Tushan Jing predicted the danger; to save Tushan Tian, he lured Xiaoyao to Qingshui Town, forcing Xiangliu to assist secretly — otherwise, Xiaoyao would perish alongside him.

The moment she heard about going to Qingshui Town, Xiaoyao took the bait.

The “Faceless Assassins” killed all of Tushan family’s secret guards, and then, suddenly, these assassins themselves turned into corpses, leaving Xiaoyao completely unharmed.

Yiying looked sickly. Who killed the assassins? Let us guess…

Xiangliu killed the "Faceless Assassins", marking the end of the deal between Xiaoyao and Tushan Jing.

—The changes made in the TV adaptation once again emphasize Xiaoyao and Xiangliu working together to overcome Xiaoyao’s “deluded heart,” symbolizing her growth.

In Xiaoyao’s struggle of the two hearts, the “true heart” prevailed.

Tushan Hou is Tushan Jing’s “monkey.”

“Under the same umbrella but with different handles, same person but different fates.” In terms of writing technique, Hou and Jing are the same person, and “Hou” sounds the same as “monkey.”

Tushan Jing was tormented and humiliated by Tushan Hou. As we mentioned before, the richest man coveted politics and sought to stir up the political situation. In metaphor, the one tormenting him is his own deluded heart.

Tushan Jing’s deluded heart, Tushan Hou, wants everything — wanting everything, insisting “I want this and that, and more.”

Tushan Jing does not want to take revenge on Hou, allowing his deluded heart to grow.

—When Jing duels with Hou, Jing cannot defeat Hou.

The struggle of the two hearts continues, with neither willing to die nor give up.

The true heart and the deluded heart — which one is stronger after all?

Let me point out one plot detail: the fox-tail puppet could deceive everyone except Tushan Hou. Therefore, the one that Tushan Hou had to exert his last strength to kill could not have been a puppet.

—Tushan Jing struggled so hard to survive, yet he could not overcome the wildly growing “Six-Eared Macaque” within himself, and in the end, he was killed by his own desires, reaping the bitter consequences.

In Tushan Jing’s struggle of the two hearts, the “deluded heart” killed the “true heart.”

Chishui Fenglong is Xiangliu’s “monkey.”

The Monkey Demon King brews “monkey wine,” and the dragon pearls are made into dice. The Monkey Demon King’s longing, the exquisite dice holding red beans, symbolizes a deep, bone-deep yearning…

Fenglong and Hou both jumped off the boat to catch fish; they are very similar.

Xiangliu possesses extraordinary intelligence and the highest combat power; he is the optimal general that every emperor desires.

Which man wouldn’t have the ambition and dreams to traverse the world?

Fenglong is the prince of Chenrong, and Xiangliu is a general of Chenrong.

To stop the war, Xiangliu killed Fenglong, cutting off his own path to fame and success, noble titles, and high office — perhaps even his chance of survival.

Stopping war is true martial skill.

Those who lay down their weapons are the real brave ones.

In Xiangliu’s struggle of the two hearts, the “true heart” killed the “deluded heart.”

This corresponds to what Jun said: “Fame, wealth, and power cannot tempt you.”

—Throughout the hidden narrative, the fox and the snake are always a contrasting pair. The difference is that in some places it is obvious, while in others it is deeply hidden.

Following the interpretive approach of Journey to the West, the answers to the hidden plot also emerge. If it feels mentally exhausting, blame Tong Hua’s high intelligence.

In the plots of Dream of the Red Chamber and The Nine-Colored Deer, Tushan Jing dies. In Journey to the West, likewise, Tushan Jing dies.

This is a story of growth. Eternal Longing is not a tragedy; it is powerful and warm.

The three main characters: one is forced to grow through hardships, one grows in reverse, and one grows actively and resiliently.

This is also why most people favor Xiangliu.

We’re not done yet. Tong Hua’s entire Classic of Mountains and Seas series tells the story of several generations, who go through eighty-one trials to obtain the “true scriptures,” following the narrative of Journey to the West.

The “True Scripture” is the wish of King Shennong, the lifelong endeavor of Chichen, the passionate and generous declaration of succession by the Grandfather, the lifelong sacrifice of Cang Xuan, and also the result strongly promoted by Xiangliu. It is the victory of class struggle, a world that is unified, peaceful, and equal among humans, gods, and demons, a world where even the son of a lowly person can become a great hero.

Did they ultimately achieve their wishes? We will see slowly.

AkuMau

4 hours ago

"Longing — Part Twenty-Two: Cangxuan, When Desire Clouds the Eyes, Cruelty Clouds the Heart"

"In order to meet the requirements for adapting the work into film and television, the drama version of Cangxuan had to make modifications to the original familial relationships and political intrigue details."

"She wanted to kill him, and he pretended not to see it."

The original work’s logic is tightly interwoven, and any change inevitably affects the whole. The script deliberately retained loopholes.

For example, Ah Heng became a disciple of Xie Zu, yet he retained the ‘looks like grandmother’ trait. Xiao Yao calls Cangxuan’s parents ‘Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt,’ yet she still uses the term ‘grandfather.’

Every instance of this deliberate sense of disconnection conveys a feeling of helplessness

While the script strives to salvage the internal logic, it also tries to change the form without altering the essence, patching up the major gaps in the book and highlighting parts that were deeply buried in the original work.

Cangxuan became somewhat disordered due to the 'changes that had to be made.' Therefore, in this article, we attempt to outline the original Cangxuan based on the character relationships in the book and the additional clues provided in the drama."

It’s reversed again.

Xiao Yao is Cangxuan’s older sister, but Ah Heng used 药物 (yàowù) medicine/drugs to alter the pregnancy, turning the older sister into a younger sister. The story of siblings was told as if it were a brother-sister story.

It’s the 'old trick,' 'reversed.' All of childhood Cangxuan’s promises regarding Xiao Yao, from the perspective of the plot, are reversed.

The real familial relationships

The childhood emotions of Yao and Xuan were like the beginning of the story of 'The Golden House Hides a Beauty'—cousins, childhood sweethearts, innocent words without restraint. But 'The Golden House Hides a Beauty' is not a happy tale; Liu Che and A Jiao’s story has always had nothing to do with a beautiful romance.

The young Cangxuan, having lost his family, drank mulberry honey and vomited.

Xiao Yao comforted the young Cangxuan, soothing his loneliness and fear

Knowing that Cangxuan is living well, that is the only sweetness she has left.

She used her life to protect Cangxuan.

And there is the following segment. Don’t get carried away—look carefully, and you will notice the problem. How did Cangxuan respond to Xiao Yao’s protection with her life?

Xiangliu appeared, warning of danger.

Xiangliu warned of danger again, and Xiao Yao looked around.

Yujiang appeared, and fully energized Cangxuan protected Xiao Yao.

When Cangxuan was beaten to near death, Xiao Yao turned her back to him and, facing the person drawing a bow in the darkness, used her body to shield Cangxuan.

After confirming it was Xiangliu, Xiao Yao turned around, offering her back to Xiangliu to protect Cangxuan, tightly clutching Cangxuan’s clothes.

Cangxuan shouted hoarsely for her to get out of the way.

The camera focused on Cangxuan’s hand: tightly gripping the clothes, palm open, never pushing Xiao Yao, whose spiritual power was weak.

The camera then focused on Xiangliu’s face, a contemptuous smile.

Once the truth was seen clearly, the plot once again fell into place.

After the assassination, Xiao Yao made pastry poison for Xiangliu. (‘Pastry’ is a code for a return, the poison represents affection, shaped into a form of beautiful memory.)

Xiangliu taught Xiao Yao archery. (To defend herself effectively.)

Is Xiao Yao foolish? At the most crucial moment, she clearly knows who she can trust unconditionally.

Is Xiangliu foolish? The longing and pain he sensed through the lover’s gu had already revealed to him the truth of Xiao Yao’s return.

Cruelty clouds the heart.

Cangxuan would protect Xiao Yao. However, when protecting Xiao Yao requires paying a high price, he becomes fearful and gives up.

For the sake of seizing power, Cangxuan caused Xiao Yao to be brutally killed by the combined forces of the Central Plains. Facing the killers, he chose to continue cooperating.

He married Chen Rong Xinyue, the granddaughter of his father’s murderer.

Cangxuan was raised from childhood to be an emperor; he is not an ordinary person, but someone destined for great achievements and responsibilities. We see his attitude toward the nobility and the common people, his contributions to both fragmentation and unification, and his choices between war and peace. As an emperor, Cangxuan is not only competent but successful, even glorious and great.

From crown prince to emperor, Cangxuan’s emotions and desires could all be mistakes; he has far too many circumstances beyond his control.

The calm, composed, and big-picture-minded Cangxuan was clouded by cruelty in his heart, which is why he is 'shrimp.

'Pig’ and ‘Shrimp’

Two symbols have always followed Cangxuan: the pig and the shrimp. Sometimes they appear as props, sometimes as allusions.

We mentioned earlier Journey to the West: the pig represents 'desire.' The shrimp appears as a prop multiple times, hinting at Cangxuan’s 'invisible' trait.

Cangxuan is blinded by desire.

Qingshui Town

From the beginning, Mr. Shi told him that Xiao Liu was Xiao Yao.

Later, all the 'abnormalities' pointed to Xiao Liu being Xiao Yao.

Xiangliu guessed it, the fox guessed it, Shao Hao guessed it when he heard him describe it—all of them guessed it.

Cangxuan is not foolish, but he does not believe it.

The sister in his memory is like this: ⏬ when the sister grows up, she will be like A Nian, and later she will become his wife.

And Xiaoliu is like this. ⏬ He cannot see that Xiaoliu used the illusion technique, nor can he imagine that this crude man is his adorable sister Yuxue, the noble princess.

Cangxuan was blinded by desire. He guessed it, but it was not what he was willing to see—impossible! He chose to look away.

The same happened later. When Xiao Yao was pregnant, she once again gave Cangxuan the 'shrimp' prop.

That truth existed deep in his heart. Once again, he was blinded by desire—he guessed it, but was unwilling to see it.

Xiao Yao died because of him, returned because he needed the fox… most of the blame for the vomiting blood lay on himself.

Cangxuan once again chose to look away, convincing himself that it was the fox’s fault, that it was all the fox’s doing…

The Lover’s Gu and Cangxuan

Cangxuan and Xiaoyao planted the Lover’s Gu; they had each other in their hearts, but the Gu could not make their lives and hearts linked as one

When the Lover’s Gu was lifted, cangxuan finally no longer had to be coerced by the Gu. Yet there was an inexplicable sense of loss on his face, while joy and relief were instead written on Lao Sang’s face

The Lover’s Gu was transferred to Xiangliu, allowing Yaoliu to share life and heart as one.

Whether they are truly linked in life and heart depends on whether both are willing.

Whether they are willing to share life and death with each other, and treat each other with wholehearted devotion. Sharing life, linking hearts.

Cangxuan and Yao Liu

Kill me?

Cangxuan knew it from the very beginning.

Xiangliu, afraid of involving Xiaoliu, clumsily lied, saying, 'I just wanted to kill you.' Cangxuan remembered it."

Xiangliu chased him to Wushen Mountain, and Cangxuan teased, 'You came all the way to Wushen Mountain just to kill me!'

Xiangliu no longer had any reason to be obstinate and admitted, 'This time, it’s not for His Highness.'

Xiangliu broke into Chenrong Mountain to save Xiao Yao, and Cangxuan asked again, 'You came all the way to Chenrong Mountain just to kill me?'

—Xiangliu risked his life three times to save Xiao Yao, and Cangxuan said 'kill me' twice, exposing Xiangliu’s clumsy lies.

Cangxuan always knew.

He also knew that the Lover’s Gu could save lives, and that the Gui Fang family possessed 'secret techniques.'

Change in attitude

Xiao Liu defected, and Cangxuan sensed desire through the gu insects, realizing that Xiao Liu was not dead and had an intimate emotional relationship with Xiangliu.

Here he asked, and Xiaoliu answered half-true, half-false: 'I’m afraid of him, but I don’t dislike him,' 'We’re not enemies, but certainly not friends' — we all know what she means. Afraid he might abandon me, loving him, we are lovers

When Xiao Yao asked about Xiangliu, Cangxuan treated it as facing a formidable enemy and issued a warning.

Asked, 'How did Xiangliu save you?' and revealed Xiangliu’s 'deal,' sabotaging him. Xiao Yao answered vaguely and leapt at the fox, confusing Cangxuan’s line of sight.

On one hand, 'shrimp,' and on the other, began to suspect Fangfeng Bei.

During the wedding-snatching return in the drama, it was confirmed that Fangfeng Bei is Xiangliu.

He knew; it was the 'shrimp' he had deliberately chosen.

Desire blinds the eyes.

When Cangxuan truly possessed the entire world, he also inherited the loneliness of the whole world.

Xiao Yao is his only warmth. He wants her, but the empresses he could marry could only be Chenrong Xinyue and A Nian.

It is very clear in the drama: in the later stages, Cangxuan struggles between desire and reason.

Xiao Yao was on Xiaoyue Peak; although Cangxuan could not have her, at least he could see her every day.

Seeing Xiao Yao being intimate with the fox, he was really angry.

After using him, he chopped the fox and saved his sister from the clutches of the scumbag—he is a good brother.
Since the 'Running Man' incident, for every single scheme and malicious calculation of the fox, he has been a witness.
He is a hundred times better than the fox, and he is self-righteous about it.

Knowing that Xiao Yao and Xiangliu are truly husband and wife, he pretends with the 'shrimp.'

Forcibly breaking apart his sister’s family, using her, causing her to die because of him…

In Xiao Yao’s heart, what exactly does he count as?

Over nearly a hundred years, how much of Xiao Yao’s kindness toward him was genuine, and how much was forced, beyond her control?

Xiangliu can wholeheartedly protect her, risk his life to save her—what about him?

Most importantly, he will definitely eliminate Xiangliu. With the Lover’s Gu binding their lives and hearts, Xiao Yao would also be killed.

Thus, Cangxuan continues to choose to be blinded by desire, have his heart clouded by cruelty, and keeps pretending all the way…

Xiao Yao’s anger

Cangxuan, you are ungrateful! — I want to unify everything; toward King Haoling, I remember only grudges, not favors."

"The truth after cangxuan’s sly argument:

The death of cangxuan’s father—the direct culprit was Yanqi

The death of Xiaoyao’s parents—the direct culprit was the Old King of Xi Yan.

Yet he held no grudge against either of them."

The fault lies with Xiao Yao; she should not have discussed emotions with the emperor. The emperor is more concerned with gains and losses.

Xiao Yao’s tearful accusation

Xiao Yao dreamed of Tushan Zhen.

We all know who she dreamed of, and who Tushan Zhen represents.

In the drama, it is made very clear: Tushan Zhen was poisoned and fell unconscious, the poison administered by her biological mother. The drama has Xiao Yao see Tushan Zhen ill with her own eyes. At this moment, who else could she possibly be thinking of?

Xiao Yao arrived at the scene and guessed what had happened, her eyes shifting left and right a few times. When Li Rongchang mentioned Jing falling into the water, the corner of Xiao Yao’s mouth twitched, revealing a barely noticeable smile, and then she jumped into the water.

Cangxuan followed closely and jumped in, pulling her back.

When Xiao Yao, who dared not reveal her sea monster constitution, was pulled back by Cangxuan, and Xiangliu felt intense heartache through the gu, did he hear Xiao Yao scolding him painfully through the gu? 'Bastard, coward!'

Xiangliu was heartbroken and said, 'Had I known it would be like this...'

In the drama, Xiao Yao is quite wild. Because the drama cut parts about the great whirlpool, poisoning, and the breakup, all the conflicts were concentrated in this part.

Comparison of two pictures. Where are my family? You have torn our flesh and blood apart.

The secret escape passage was lost, yet she herself did not escape. Fangfeng Yiying’s son was poisoned and she treated him. What about her own son, who was weak and sickly because he had been given medicine by her?

Vomiting, eating cakes. Cangxuan knew about all those days she spent with her son. Wisteria, the child’s pain. Facing Xiao Yao’s silent accusation, Cangxuan was still pretending with the 'shrimp'.

The words she shouted to the sea, her crazed state, her whitened hair, the sword she swung—all were eruptions of longing for her son and husband, and anger toward Cangxuan.

At midnight, she paid homage to the full moon, wearing a white wedding dress similar to the one used for planting the gu. Every word she spoke was a prayer to the two emperors for her family torn apart.

Chi Chen’s daughter was, by nature, a she-beast. Someone, out of jealousy, wanted to kill her male beast; her cubs would be left alone and go mad—shouldn’t they?

I spared no effort to help you obtain the throne, I compiled medical books so that you could benefit all living beings and gain prestige among the people…

You have everything, and all I want is my family, my husband, and my son. Why do you give me nothing?

The old man saw it all with his own eyes, knew it in his heart, and understood everything clearly.

In the ending part, several storylines are intertwined. Let’s first look at the beginning of the Yao-Cangxuan line. (The story still has a turning point.)

The emperors and Yao Liu, when facing Tushan Jing, were like a family. Regardless of their motives, they indeed helped, protected, and guided Xiao Yao.

When Tushan Jing died, the world had become one family, leaving only the remnants of Qingshui Town. The conflict of interest between Cangxuan and Xiangliu was exposed.

After Xiao Yao caused a commotion using an excuse, her grandfather showed Cangxuan the karmic illusion. The old man’s meaning was very clear: either you release her and bear the risk, or you kill her and bear the 'consequence' yourself.

Cangxuan refused to believe and refused to comprehend. He set a trap to lure Fenglong to his death; Xiangliu, in order to save the righteous army soldiers, could only jump into the pit.

What followed would be silencing witnesses, making Xiangliu willingly disappear forever. With Xiangliu alive, Cangxuan was on pins and needles.

The Lover’s Gu binds their lives and hearts; if one dies, both perish. Between Xiao Yao’s life and his own peace of mind, Cangxuan had actually already made his choice.

However, when it came to this point, Cangxuan was still pretending with the 'shrimp.'

Up to this moment, his thought remained: I want it all.

Doppelgängers and shadow-writing

Regarding the emotional part, the drama’s explanation is actually very clear.

The main emotional storyline remains unchanged, but the emotional details of the main characters are expressed through the visible storylines of the doppelgänger characters.

Chenrong Xinyue (心悦, ‘Xin Yue’ meaning ‘heart’s delight’ or ‘joy of the heart’) is Xin Yue. In the first half, compared to Tushan Jing, it seems like affection, but it is more about the other person’s status.

Sometimes she also represents Xiao Yao.

In the second half, Chenrong Xinyue represents Cangxuan, focusing on jealousy. Because of jealousy, evil thoughts arise.

Cangxuan wanted to kill Xiangliu, also because of jealousy.

Cangxuan is not a villain. As an emperor, all his emotions and desires are considered wrong; he has too many things beyond his control.

The debts owed by each character will eventually be settled, one by one—no one can escape.

At the beginning of the story, Xiao Yao gave Cangxuan a fox tail. A patchwork continuation—the tail is the ending. That’s how we get the story we see.

In Mr. Shi’s account, Xiao Yao gave Cangxuan a jade pendant. The jade pendant represents noble status. Xiao Yao cast aside her noble status and went into seclusion.

After Xiao Yao went into seclusion, Cangxuan still had a fox-tail puppet. This tells us that beyond the ending, there is another ending.

The ending is perfect.