[SPOLIER] Chu Guihong's "change"

I agree with almost everything you said. He's actually just a temu version of NH who tries to do what he does against him but does them incompetently. It's the emperor, his father, and irrational personality that molds him to hate NH and take him down for the entirety of his life. NH "stealing" SYM from him was the last straw so he crashes out and sacrifices/reveals his morals and principles. 

However, I disagree with him not prioritizing SYM. She's clearly his number one priority before any revenge against NH or fight for the throne. I listened to an interview of the cast members and when answering the question, "what does CGH's care the most" in which WYS answered, "SYM". This is evident when he immediately grabs SYM to elope with after escaping the prison and fighting off the guards while she runs. If you put CGH in any of NH's predicaments to save SYM, I would bet that he does the same but with more rashness and emotion. Good evidence of this would be when both NH and CGH were begging to receive SYM's father's punishment. The emperor forced them to hand over a portion of their military power which made them hesitate a bit. CGH was the first to try to speak out and accept it but NR stopped him at the last moment. It was only because he wasn't the ML so all the heroic acts would go to NH. That's the pain of being the 2ML, all the problems that need to be fixed are given to the ML to be solved just like what NF's agent said. 

Regarding the lantern festival, I actually think CGH is being completely reasonable here. He was right to suspect LSL was acting shady and fake so logically, he chased him to investigate what was happening. He also tries to protect SYM by telling NH that the assassination attempt had no connection to SYM and also offered to personally take her back home so she wouldn't be involved with later events. Also, why in the world would CGH believe SYM when she randomly says that there would be a massive fire out of nowhere. Between trying to find an incredibly shady, suspicious dude who even SYM's dad was wary of and just tried to assassinate a prince vs. stopping a hypothetical fire that could start out of nowhere, any responsible general would choose the same as CGH. 

I'm also confused on what CGH did wrong in the SGH case in terms of harming the Song family. Obviously, faking evidence to implicate NH is bad (courtesy of some of NH's tactics) and torture is not so moral but in defense for him, 1. He's right that NH was committing a crime in hiding a criminal and deceiving the emperor in raising his own Jianghu strength and 2. I don't see how this implicates the Song daughters or the Song family. From what I've seen, CGH is purely going after NH and the Gao family without mentioning anyone else. I think what SYM's dad is saying is that taking away NH's military power would cause chaos among government powers which would also negatively affect the Song family. Of course, CGH is not that smart and can't see all of this but it doesn't prove that he doesn't care about SYM but rather his near sightedness and emotional decision-making. 

Expanding on what you stated, CGH is an incompetent, emotional, and irrational general. Even when he is right, he doesn't present his case in the correct way through evidence but rather emotional predictions. He initially tries to maintain a good character because that was his reputation as the Qian Yu general but after getting constantly rage baited by NH he resorts to ruthless and villainous methods to take down NH because that seems to be the only way to accomplish his obsessive lifelong goal of revenge. 

I actually hope he gets some redemption, maybe reconciling with NH right as he dies. His attempts to implicate NH and torturing A Long and A Hu don't totally cut off his chance of redeeming himself considering NH was lowkey doing the same thing too towards his enemies. They both care about SYM very much and could've been good friends without a few misunderstandings but it seems like the script is bound for either NH killing CGH or CGH killing NH with the surviving person betraying SYM in the end. Regardless, it feels like SYM is cooked either way. 

Ay, in the end it always comes down to the ways a "nice guy" can still fail women. Second leads and exes are often used to demonstrate stories about men failing women, serving as a good contrast that showcases why the male lead is uniquely qualified to be the successful love interest. It's done well in the Ming Lan and The Double too. On the surface, they seem kind, likable, devoted, etc. Slowly the layers are peeled back little by little, exposing how their supposed strengths are also their flaws; how selfish, unreliable and lacking self awareness they really are. 

CGH is nice, appears upright, and holds a grudge against NH due to misunderstanding (that was started by his own failures as a friend if we're going to be real about it). He's devoted to SYM and indeed prioritizes her first - even above things he shouldn't, such as his duties to the people. He even does so above her own wishes. They don't share the same visions nor prioritize the same principles when a couple is supposed to be "of one heart and one mind". The fire situation was decisive for SYM's feelings toward him for a good reason. It also somewhat goes hand in hand with his insecurities about NH, but on top of that CGH seems to regard himself as a righteous figure upholding justice. However, his conviction is so strong that he overlooks reason and introspection. In reality this sense of righteousness is a frightening and dangerous thing, often what causes people to commit inhumane acts because they think they are completely justified until they can't see clearly anymore. In the end one could argue that he has a selfishness to his actions that he isn't aware of, because his subconscious mind has plenty of excuses for it.

The show seems to be aware of this, although CGH hasn't gone to a point of no return. I agree that he should have a redemption arc! It would be nice to see his friendship with NH have a bittersweet forgiveness between them, if not a reconciliation. I feel it could go well or terribly. Unlike other shows' similar characters I can't hate him; he is a disappointment to SYM and let her down. He also disregarded her own feelings in disbelief that she would reject the marriage after everything. However all of the circumstances behind his behaviour make sense, in a way that you even sympathize for him despite thinking he's still wrong. Knowing his actions are wrong but sympathetic makes it all the more tragic to see him fall apart like this. 

edit: I'm on episode 28 right now, I was afraid this would happen but i take it back lol he's cooked

 OliveShu:

Thank you for listening to my TedTalk.

Thanks for laying out such a consistent internal logic for his character—it’s a thought-provoking read.

Personally, I just see Chu Guihong as someone in deep pain.
He’s grieving the loss of his father, his aunt, the battle, and now his fiancée.
And the person he blamed for all that—Nan Heng—turns out not to be the real enemy.
That kind of emotional collapse is hard to handle.

There are two scenes now where he’s clearly drunk, drowning in sorrow.
He’s not calculating—he’s unraveling.
Maybe that’s not villainy, just tragedy.

@OliveShu, nice “TEDTalk”. Very well put. I agree with you completely. I noticed the red flags when even from the outset, he would not stop talking about his obligation for this and to that. It never mattered to him how he acted or who was affected by his actions/inactions. 

My jaw dropped when as a child he, in one breath, was learning how to ride a horse from Nan Heng and laughing with him. And right afterwards, he went on about how Heng’s Gao family was horrible and unworthy, with a smile still on his face!! 😳

One thing I cannot understand though is how he conveniently ignores the fact that Nan Heng is the Emperor’s biological son. I guess it shows how immature his personality really is. I think that is what will really make him go completely crazy. When those who shared his hatred for Nan Heng decide they no longer want or need to hate him. 

@xiangyi and @kaihua yes we do have some similar thoughts.

But maybe some will disagree with me here, just purely my opinion.

This script is to highlight the ML but kinda too much for me.

The way the ML tried to indicate that he is not related to nightwalkers at all and even tried to frame CGH because he once pretend to be LSL,  openly teases him that his blade is fake after CGH broke his blade when LSL/ NH have stole the real one and make it into his weapon, also somehow it's hard to tolerate the way he burned and keep CGH away from reaching it until it was completely burned into ashes, when it's the only belonging of CGH fathers, uses tactics to cancel his wedding with SYM, and mores.

He lost his aunt, father and 20.000 soldier, which is he believe it's because of NH and after what NH did to him as mentioned above, it makes sense that he detest NH but why the writer seems like don't care as long ML character can stand out. 

No one tried to understand him and his situation and try to enlighten him just like SYM did to NH, that's why NH chooses to expose the truth, asking for punishment and literally he is forgiven at the end.

Kinda disappointed that SYM never really empathy with CGH and only focus on LSL and NH, at least SYM and CGH were lovers before and exchanged so many letters, why not try to understand him, when he came near she just shush him away with no feeling, even after he broke down, she just like "you are the wrong one, i don't care how you feels as long as you don't blame others". It would be good if she tried to have a good talk with him and if he later still don't change his mind then it's his fault then for not listening to people who cares him.

If he has someone like SYM to NH, then i guess he won't become this bad, still can be saved, but yeah, back to the script ML is the good one and someone need to be the bad one.

Don't get me wrong here, I do appreciate ML character is good but just pity that no one try to give this 2ML some warmness.