plor20 , thanks for inspiring the idea of a scene comparison between the novel and the drama. I thought I’d take the opportunity to do one for our recent topic. The changes in this scene of XY and XL from S2 Ep. 11 are rather interesting. It’s a good example of how TH alters dialogue to add depth and nuance from the novel to the drama, even introducing a new intriguing layer to the narrative in the scene. Below, I’ve included the novel text from Ch. 35, marking the changes and adding the drama’s newer elements.
Three key points of interest:
- Dialogue Addition: TH incorporates the line, “For a general, the best ending is to die on the battlefield” from Ch. 29. It fits seamlessly and is highly relevant for the scene. By including it here, XY gains direct insight into XL’s perspective on the matter.
- XY’s Pain: In the drama, XY vocalizes her resentment aloud to XL, expressing her pain and anger toward her mother and fourth uncle for choosing to die in the war and abandoning her as a child. In contrast, the novel has XY reflecting internally on her fourth uncle’s decision to die with his soldiers, despite his love for his wife and CX. This change makes XY’s feelings more explicit to XL.
- XL’s Memory: In the novel, XL mentions carrying the memory of his fallen comrades in his heart. However, in the drama, TH alters the comment to reflect on XL’s nine heads and his inability to forget anything. This subtle change is brilliant because it reinforces XY’s words about living on in XL’s memory, giving him something to mull over – just as he does with everything else XY has said to him. Imo, this is the kind of detail work that paves the way for XL’s potential return.
Ch. 35 + S2 Ep. 11
Xiang Liu sat down next to her and said with a smile, "It seems that the rumors are true. You are really the daughter of General Chi Chen."
"Shut up!" Xiao Yao lowered her head and ignored him.
"It's really hard to accept that your father suddenly changed and he is a notorious devil."
"Shut up!"
"You don't understand Chi Chen, but you should understand your mother. Since she chose Chi Chen, you should trust her judgment!"
"I said, shut up!"
"Anyway, you know who your parents are, which is better than me! A demon like me who just crawled out of an egg doesn't even know who my parents are."
Xiao Yao looked up at Xiang Liu, as if he wanted to see clearly whether what Xiang Liu said was true or not. Xiang Liu said seriously, "You also know that I have nine heads, so I can eat more than others. I have been struggling for a living since I was a child. My life was miserable. Sometimes others shouted for war and killing, and sometimes the nine heads wanted to kill each other. Once, I was so hungry that one head almost ate another head..."
Xiao Yao's eyes widened, "Really?"
"No."
"You--" Xiao Yao was almost suffocated.
Xiang Liu continued seriously, "I remember someone once told me, 'People's mentality is very strange. Happiness or unhappiness, pain or no pain, are all achieved through comparison.' I am telling you about my miserable past so that you can compare and see that you have a good life!"
Xiao Yao remembered that the "someone" was her. Xiao Yao said dissatisfiedly, "I didn't make up a lie!"
"It's true that I came out of an egg, and it's true that I have nine heads. The rest..." Xiang Liu tapped his forehead and muttered, "It's so easy to make up. What did I just say?"
Xiao Yao didn't know whether she should be angry or laugh, but the sadness in her heart really faded a lot.
Xiang Liu asked, "Do you still need me to tell you some of my tragic past so that you can feel that having a father who is a big devil is actually nothing?"
XY: No need.
XL: Be it you deities or we demons, no one can choose their origin. So, why get hung up on something that happened before you were born?
Xiao Yao glared at Xiang Liu and asked, "Have you seen Chi Chen?" Perhaps because Xiang Liu was a demon, it was much easier to mention Chi Chen in front of him.
"No. When I really followed my adoptive father, Chi Chen was already dead."
"What is the relationship between Gong Gong and Chi Chen?"
"Back then, the relationship was very bad, almost hostile, but after Chi Chen died, my adoptive father would offer sacrifices to Chi Che when he offered sacrifices to Zhu Rong." Xiang Liu smiled and said sarcastically, "You can't expect those people to have a good relationship back then. If they had, Shen Nong Kingdom would not have been destroyed."
XY: It’s said that Chi Chen was cunning and heartless. But why did he insist on taking the path that was a dead end?
XL: The war lasted for over 100 years with heavy casualties. Perhaps, rather than living in pain and mourning his people, it was better to die. For a general, the best ending is to die in battle. (Pulled from Ch. 29 after their meal at the donkey meat restaurant with LRC’s one-armed uncle.)
XY: What about you?
Xiao Yao was silent for a while, and suddenly asked, "Xiang Liu, why did you choose Gong Gong (Hong Jiang)? Is it just because he is your adoptive father?" Xiao Yao didn't know why she had the courage to ask this question, probably because Xiang Liu tonight didn't look like Xiang Liu!
"Not only for my adoptive father, but also for my comrades who fought side by side and lived and died together. We drank together, fought together, and buried our comrades together..." Xiang Liu looked at the memorial tablet on the table, "Over the past few hundred years, can you imagine how many bodies of my comrades I have cremated with my own hands?"
XL: It’s been centuries. Their bodies have long since turned to dust. But I have nine heads. It’s impossible to forget something. Even now, I remember their voices and faces.
Xiao Yao couldn't imagine it, but she could understand Xiang Liu's meaning, just like her fourth uncle, who could have escaped and loved her fourth aunt and Zhuan Xu, but chose to die with his comrades. In this world, there are some friendships that cannot be abandoned even if it means sacrificing one's life.
Xiang Liu smiled and pointed to his heart, “I can’t count them anymore, but they are all here.
XY: My mother once told me that there are things we must hold on to even at the cost of our lives. Fourth Uncle abandoned Auntie and Cang Xuan. My mother abandoned me. If they were not my relatives, I would find them awe-inspiring. But as a daughter, no matter how awe-inspiring my mother might be, I don’t want to forgive her!
Xiao Yao tearfully places her head down and stops talking. Xiang Liu silently sits by her side, watching over her as XY gradually falls asleep. (Crossfade)
A single snowflake slowly drifts and gently lands on XY’s forehead, waking her. XY raises her head, only to find herself alone and XL gone.
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(continued scene from Ch. 35)
Xiao Yao buried her head in her knees, silent, feeling a sense of panic in her heart, but she couldn't tell whether it was for Xiang Liu or for herself.
"What are you thinking about?"
"As Chi Chen's daughter, the world is so big, but there is nowhere to go."
Xiang Liu lifted up Xiao Yao's head and said, "If all else fails, just set sail. The sky is high and the sea is vast. There is nowhere you can't find a place to stay."
Xiao Yao remembered that she already had a body like a mermaid. The boundless sea was a nightmare for others, but it was her paradise. Even if Xuan Yuan and Gao Xin could not accommodate her, she could still go to the sea. It was like suddenly discovering a secret escape route that no one knew about. Xiao Yao actually felt a little relieved.
She stared at Xiang Liu. The man in front of her was clearly the playboy. But when she was about to be confused, a strand of white hair fell from his hood, reminding her who he was. Xiao Yao gently touched his white hair and said, "It's not appropriate to stay here for long. Let's leave after paying tribute to your old friend!"
Because she had just cried, Xiao Yao's eyes were exceptionally clear, and Xiang Liu could clearly see himself in her eyes. He reached out and stroked her eyes, closing them, "I'm leaving!"
Xiao Yao only felt a soft and cool feeling on her forehead, which disappeared immediately after a light touch. Xiao Yao suddenly covered her forehead and opened her eyes, but there was no one in front of her.
Snowcup:
Kikinaki:
plor20:
Kokuto:
