My limited understanding is that the drama did shortchange the 37 year under the sea scene. But it did have it's strong emotional beats, regardless, with the collected tears, and with that scene where XL stared at XY's spirit form, right before she got sucked back into her body. That scene is awesome, for me.Kokuto:
In the novel, XY woke up and searched for XL. Reluctantly, she went on Maoqiu to return to Qingqui. Upon arriving , she held onto Maoqiu for a long time and cried her heart out. Despite not wanting to leave, Maoqiu was getting annoyed, XY finally swallowed her pride and got off. When she went to see Jing, memories of how XL kept her company and spoke sweetly to her flooded back. In return, she reciprocated the same sentiment to Jing, hoping it will bring him back too.
I strongly prefer the novel version of this scene because I believe that portraying her overwhelming sadness at having to leave XL further emphasizes how much she loved him. Going to coax Jing in the absence of XL not only supports her resolve to let go but also her decision to settle for less.
How conveniently they forget that XY BEGGED XL repeatedly to get her and CX out of a jam and take on the bug.
Imagine being so entitled like XY, that they conveniently forgot she begged XL and made an oath to save CX. Lmao. I mean XY never intended to keep her oath to XL, and was hoping he didn't recognize her. Barf! So in a way, perhaps, Jingers are just channeling XY energy. haha.
Remember the story Xiao Yao told Xiang Liu about her time being kept as a prisoner by the Nine-Tail Fox, who wanted to eat her? The 15-year oath is a parallel allegory of that imprisonment. Instead of physical imprisonment, the oath serves as a prison for her heart, keeping her from loving freely. Additionally, while the sole reason for capturing Xiao Yao was to eat her, TSJ's oath is intended to own her, and keep her by his side.plor20:
Yes! That promise may look romantic and sweet but it's really just imprisoning her feelings as you said. After all... it was made at the Dragon Bone Prison, right?
It is the staunch misinterpretation of a few viewers and novel readers who have decided to blatantly ignore and invalidate TH's work, or are incapable of deciphering and interpreting it.
Spot on. But of course if you tell the Jingers, they're gonna say that WE are the ones misinterpreting TH. This talented woman wrote an amazingly complex novel with three/four male leads — just for them to dumb it down by saying it's the love story of Yaojing smh. They always find excuses to ensure that Yaoliu isn't possible. Keeping XL in her mirror? It "did not mean ...she's in love...but only fascinated." Lmao.
The problem with yes men and nice guy types is that they ALWAYS require a strong exchange of emotional labor and kindness in return, so maybe Jingers must have a lot of emotional labor and kindness to spare. LOL.
In my interactions with Xiang Liu and YaoLiu fans, I've noticed that many of us don't aspire to be like Xiao Yao.
I really love and agree with your interpretation of YJ/TSJ and YL/XL fans! I also noticed (based on the YJ and YL forms) that how the fans interact is similar to the dynamic of the ship they prefer. Jingers would mostly talk about surface-level things, ex: YJ are so cute, look at these cute photos and edits, I can't wait for them to blah blah, etc. In this thread, on the other hand, there is clearly a ton of deep and meaningful discussions about topics that are not restricted to only XY or XL .
Hello there, fellow FB group member! Unfortunately, I am extremely biased against Jing. Hahaha. But my analyses are not that biased because I draw my conclusions from TH's writings and incorporate cultural references that are prominent and relevant to TH's text. Many Xiang Liu fans don't make up things to fulfill their love for Xiang Liu, although Jingers may feel differently. LOL. But I'd take any essay on XL over the crap that's in the YaoJing forums...comparing YaoJing to herbal medicine and Jing to the sun! What blasphemy.
Hi there! (。・∀・)ノLol see.... even you say that you aren't THAT biased. The Jingers could never. And I would too! Man... why do y'all XL fans have to be so good at making interesting analyses. It makes me feel like I don't belong in this thread sometimes hahaha.
windiaaa041293:Based on what? Because he wanted to die with her when he found her "dead"? Please! XL and CX loved her no less. XL actually "died" in exchange for her life in that very same incident. The differences between Jing compared to XL and CX are that the latter two are stronger and more resilient than he is and they have not made XY their sole reason for living. He gave into helplessness and sought death because his reason for living was gone. They would have fought tooth and nail to give her a chance at life. Does loving someone because you need them for your own existence can even be called love?HeadInTheClouds:
Jingers measure the magnitude of his love by his inability to live without XY. They consider his love as unconditional because he doesn't expect "payment" and maintains a continual "yes" man mentality. These are the factors that Jingers feel indicate he loves her more than XL or CX. They fail to understand that a man who stakes his whole existence on another person's life is actually very toxic. When Jing told XY that he knew she was a woman, it was then that he loved her because she still saw him as a man. That is the most ludicrous, unromantic thing I've ever heard.
Out of the three, 2 were about XY's interest. One was out of his own interest. If XL did not have another commitment before meeting XY and if he was a little less honourable, he would have both protected her and taught her how to protect herself - as he did in the 100 years that they had known each other.
Exactly, and how XY never saw this is beyond me. To me, her selfishness, her narrow worldview, her abandonment issues are just poor excuses. It also upsets me that all the men around her also just indulge her poor decision-making too. The only man (XL) who didn't indulge in her dumb ways was the one everyone felt was unsuited for her because of thier familial and political ties is just frustrating. There is no diplomacy at all.
Not quite sure what the part in brackets means, can you clarify?
I always felt that XL does yearn for XY, but because she is so steadfast in her needs, it becomes a form of rejection for XL.
For XY, having only one option and being compelled to make a choice are essentially two sides of the same coin. If she didn't have many alternatives, it seems she couldn't truly exercise a choice. When there's no one else left except Jing, she is left with little option but to choose him.
I would rather like to think that perhaps XY really wanted to control her own love life by setting strong boundaries and requirements, but in the end, these worked against her. It's not that XL and CX didn't choose her; her requirements made it so that they didn't even have a fighting chance with her.
XL and CX chose her in a world where she could exist bravely, Jing chose her for his world to exist. XY, with her trauma card, was too blind to understand the bigger picture. No woman should have to be so desperate to make such a choice.
Oh, so XL was supposed to tell XY everything before she made a decision? Cause it's not like it isn't her own damn bug and she was using it on people without finding out everything about it on her own, to specifically take advantage of them -- she's just a silly woman who needs a man to do all the intellectual and detective work, to truly be a woman. /sarcasm
Someone send this to the Jingers lol.
Of course, let's also forget the fact that Jing lied about every single thing about himself to literally take advantage of WXL so he could stay hiding like a coward from Hou and his family and his responsibilities for YEARS.
That promise was just a lie to keep XY single for as long as possible lol. Giving my already-traumatized girl even more trauma and false hope. In the end, she had to step in and solve his family problems herself. That's embarrassing ngl, to have someone do what YOU promised to do.
Exactly. The whole reason Jing extracted that promise was because he KNEW that XL would just take XY away, like he'd always done! lol The 15 Years was a condition. The No Other Men was a condition. The Promise was a condition. And yes, he wasn't the one waiting. Seriously. HOW do you not understand who is doing the waiting???
OMG. It's like none of them have had a romance, much less a healthy one. I mean seriously. There is NOTHING healthy about an engaged / married man taking advantage of your loneliness and manipluating you into a promise to not date anyone else, for any length of time ... until he got divorced. Even he knows it is wrong and says he shouldn't ask. I mean, it's like the plot of every Lowlife Adulterous Scoundrel and the Other Woman story.
No lies were told!
I think that's actually a Yang Zi FB group, that changes it names and focus as her new shows start up.
I know. I really wish they'll keep it as LYF.... (；′⌒`) even though I love YZ and she's the reason why I watched this drama in the first place. Look at the recent posts: the ones that get the most reactions are about LYF haha. Well even if they don't keep it, at least there's the search bar and save post option so I can look back on my favorites.
But yes! This is my point with their comment posting on the main page. They can't talk about Jing without draggin XL into it.
And yes, most of those Jingers are delusional and totally unserious in their 'analysis' of the show and the book. Don't bother even reading that mess.
I don't know if I keep going there because their posts are meme-worthy or because I like hurting myself lolol.
nathsketch:
Jingers love to point out the toxicity and the abusive behaviors of Xiang Liu and Cang Xuan, but their history when it comes to Jing is astounding.
Not a single one of those characters are flawless, much less “green flags” (I hate this explanation so much), but they don’t seem to get it.
Yes. This is my other beef. Not only are they trying to build up Jing, by trashing XL, but they want us to believe that Jing is perfect. He's just as flawed as the other characters. I still maintain, that the best ending would have been for XY going off by herself and trying to get herself together.
17 hours ago
AH :
I've read a couple partial translations, summaries and commentaries on Once Promised from different sources. All of them are incomplete fan works (i.e., not the work of professional translators).
The main source that I read included the following details related to Chi You:
Thank you for these. It was great insight into how TH has kept his identity so vague.
You're welcome. ^^
I am working on an AI-translated and AI-prose version of it. When I am done, I can share it with you. It's not perfect, but perhaps it will give us good insight into the parallels between Ah Heng and Xiao Yao's loves.
That would be great. Thank you in advance. ^^
However Ah Heng was always committed to her love and Chi You.H19279:
I have only read bits and pieces of Once Promised, but this was not my impression.
My understanding is that Chi You was infatuated from the moment he first saw Ah Heng. When he met her for a second time (many years after seeing her the first time) Ah Heng used an excuse to approach him, but then Chi You stuck to Ah Heng like glue and after some time he started claiming that they were engaged while Ah Heng tried to lose him. When they parted ways, Ah Heng told Chi You they shouldn't see each other again and planned to see Shao Hao (who happened to be her actual fiancé, albeit through an engagement that was arranged when Ah Heng was a young child).
Ah Heng takes the blame for Chi You stealing Pan Gu's bow and is basically sentenced to house arrest on Jade Mountain. In the first 60 years of her sentence, she and Chi You write letters to each other. Eventually Ah Heng stops writing, but Chi You continues to send her letters.
After 60 years (once Ah Heng has recovered from injuries she previously sustained), Chi You resolves to jailbreak / kidnap Ah Heng from Jade Mountain, but she chooses to leave with Shao Hao instead.
Later in the story, Chi You is poisoned and his life is in danger. In those circumstances, Ah Heng takes several steps to try to save him, and even endangers her own life. She claims this is because Chi You owes her and avoids acknowledging her feelings and Chi You's feelings. When she discusses Chi You's feelings with the Flame Emperor, her comment suggests that she is not sure how serious Chi You's feelings are. After the Flame Emperor makes it clear that Chi You's feelings are serious, Ah Heng softens towards Chi You a bit.
-----
Once Promised, chapter 10:
The Yan Emperor continued, “Chi You likes you. Have you figured out what you are going to do?” Ah Heng looked up abruptly, her denial swift. “Chi You is not serious. He probably finds that this is something new and is merely being playful.” As the Yan Emperor observed Chi You, a flash of fatherly compassion and worry crossed his eyes. “You are wrong. He is the most serious person on earth. When he likes something, it can only be that he really like the something. It stems from his heart, pure, and without other agenda.” Pointing at a pair of swallows flying above them, the Yan Emperor continued. “They may look flighty, mating year after year. Although they did not make any promises to spend the rest of their lives together, they will never leave each other. Your father has given your mother the grandest wedding and has pledged to spend the rest of his life with her. Yet, how has he treated her all these years?”
Ah Heng stared at the distant swallows and said after a beat. “I have stayed at Jiu Li for a while and learnt that the people there only lived for the present. To them, so long as they are happy in the present, it matters not if they are to die tomorrow. But since young, father has taught me to think thrice before acting. Each act must be balanced against its consequence, and that we should not be greedy for short-term gratification. Who is correct?”
The Yan Emperor pondered on her words for a while. “Given your father’s position, what he said is correct as well. However, I can tell you that I have regretted, and that feeling is reccurring more and more frequently. I regretted that I have not spent more time with Ting Yao, always thinking that there is plenty of time to make up to her when in reality, what we have is only the present. Even Gods like us have no way of knowing what the morrow will bring.” Ah Heng was silent as she digested his words.
“Come and take your medicine,” said Chi You as he walked over with a bowl of medicine. When she finished the medicine, she flashed him a sweet smile. “Thank you.” At her rare friendliness, Chi You was taken aback.
-----
Chi You and Ah Heng become closer, and before they part ways they promise to meet once a year. But in order to protect her brothers, her mother, and even Chi You himself, Ah Heng agrees to proceed with her wedding to Shao Hao. Chi You tries to stop the wedding, but fails. Ah Heng gives Shao Hao the option of choosing a real marriage or a political alliance. It is Shao Hao who chooses a political alliance (to his later regret), which leaves Ah Heng free to continue secretly harboring feelings for Chi You.
Even after XY is born, after Ah Heng's marriage with Shao Hao ends in divorce, and after Ah Heng's mother gives her permission to marry Chi You, Ah Heng keeps her love for Chi You a secret, hidden from the world, and does not choose to be with him.
It is only in the very last few chapters of Once Promised that Ah Heng is finally willing to announce her love for Chi You to the world, and then it is only because Shao Hao orchestrates a situation where their relationship is exposed. And even after publicly acknowledging her love for Chi You, she still plans to face him on the battlefield and chooses to put other interests before / above her love for Chi You.
-----
Koala's translation of chapter 18 in volume 2 of Once Promised:
Ah Heng walked away through the peach blossom forest and into the back hill where a white altar stood in the center. She walked up to the altar and saw an animal bone wind chime laying on the ground. She hung it back up on the pole and the wind blew a melody from the chime.
On Jade Mountain, in those lonely sixty years, she spent it accompanied by the sound of the wind chimes. She clearly already fell in love with him but refused to admit it. She left him in Qi Yo fort and moved to the nearby De Wa fort but clearly still worried about him but forced herself not to acknowledge it…….
...
In the falling peach blossoms there stood Qi Yo dressed in all red, quietly waiting for her like an unmovable mountain. It was like that back then, it is like that now, and it would forever be like that.
Qi Yo broke into a beaming smile and extended his hand to her. Ah Heng smiled back and rushed off the altar like a butterfly traversing through the petals into Qi Yo’s arms.
...
Ah Heng started to undress Qi Yo who smiled and complied before he moved her to bed and slowly undressed her. He poured wine down her body and his lips followed the trail. In the small residence there was no Sheng Nong or Xuan Yuan, just a man and a woman who loved each other sharing the most primal of pleasures and the most passionate happiness.
...
In their laughter and chatter morning dawned.
No matter how loath to part, the night was now over. Ah Heng got up to dress. Qi Yo said nothing and silently watched her.
As Ah Heng turned to the front door, she suddenly looked back. “You have Sheng Nong behind you, the brothers in arms fighting to the death for you. You have the Flame Emperor and Yu Wang. Behind me is Xuan Yuan, all those orphans and widows, my brothers and nephews. I will give it my all so don’t go easy on me, that will only make me hate myself more.”
“You know I won’t.” Qi Yo sat up with his red robe hanging from the waist and his hair of black and white falling behind him. There was stark pain in his eyes but his smile was still as fearless as ever.
At dawn it was Uncle Wind’s turn to survey the troops but Teacher Rain asked to go along, and even dragged Qi Yo’s four lieutenants Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang along (魑魅魍魉).
At the top of the peak they saw Qi Yo and Xuan Yuan Ba returning on their winged rides. Qi Yo’s winged ride clearly could fly faster but he kept his distance right behind Xuan Yuan Ba. With Xuan Yuan Ba’s powers she couldn’t not know that Qi Yo was right behind her yet she didn’t react.
Right as they were about to reach the army base, Qi Yo suddenly sped up and flew alongside Xuan Yuan Ba. He pulled her in for a long hard kiss and she didn’t push him away and instead tightly embraced him back. A second later she released him and flew towards the Xuan Yuan barracks while Qi Yo turned towards Sheng Nong. That was enough as Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang and every one there watched in stunned silence.
Chi stuttered to Teacher Rain “Wha…..what just happened? If they hooked up then there’s no battle to be fought!”
Mei was the impetuous one and immediately flew forward and blocked the path of Qi Yo and Xuan Yuan Ba. His face was bright red in anger and he railed at Qi Yo, “I thought it was just a rumor, who knew it was true! No wonder neither side could etch out a victory all this time! How can you answer to everyone following you! How can you face the Sheng Nong soldiers who followed you to their deaths! How can you face Yu Wang who treated you as an equal with such love!”
Qi Yo’s personality was that the carrot worked better than the stick so he coldly scoffed back, “Why do I need to answer to anyone of you guys? Whether I did right by them, who are you to judge?”
Coincidentally General Ying Long of the Xuan Yuan army got up early that morning and arrived at the same place to survey along with Shao Hao. He heard the commotion and rushed over just in time to hear Mei yelling.
Mei pointed at Xuan Yuan Ba as he yelled at Qi Yo, “Are you having an affair with her?”
Ying Long interjected with anger, “If you dare spout nonsense, I won’t let it go!”
“I’m not spouting nonsense, we all saw it with our own eyes. Just moments ago they were hugging and kissing, isn’t that right Teacher Rain?”
Ying Long stared at Shao Hao and remembered when the Princess divorced him. Ying Long had all these questions but didn’t dare ask right now. The Xuan Yuan army’s General Li Yuan quickly shouted “Princess, is what they are saying true? You and Qi Yo….really have something going on?”
All those other Sheng Nong troops arriving with Uncle Wind also got into it and everyone tossed questions at Qi Yo who didn’t say a single word and just quietly stared at Ah Heng. His eyes reflected his torment and hope, his scorn and longing.
Qi Yo wasn’t a gentleman but he was always open and upfront about whatever he did. Even when he was conquering a castle he did it with his head held high and never concealed his ruthlessness. So I conquered a castle, so what? So I’m ruthless to my enemies, so what? But only with his love for Ah Heng did he conceal it like a thief in the night.
Under the eyes of so many people, Ah Heng wanted to deny it many times but the look in Qi Yo’s eyes broke her heart. She already made him suffer and wait for hundreds of years, even now at this last moment she still couldn’t publicly acknowledge him? Qi Yo didn’t care about what the world thought of him, but he did live his life without a shred of fear or concealment.
In a split second Ah Heng made up her mind and honestly replied, “I do have a relationship with Qi Yo.” Her voice wasn’t loud so everyone who heard it was in such shock they wondered if they heard it wrong. Even Qi Yo wondered if he heard it wrong to finally hear something he waited hundreds of years to hear.
“I’ve been in love with Qi Yo for the past hundreds of years!” Ah Heng said it again and louder this time as if she wanted to proclaim it to the entire world.
The two sides were tossed into stunned silence as if the world just turned upside down. Shao Hao worriedly stared at Ah Heng as things spun out of control. He had wanted to attack Qi Yo’s subordinates trust in Qi Yo, so devised a way for Uncle Wind and them to chance upon Qi Yo and Ah Heng together. But he didn’t expect Ying Long to appear and drag Ah Heng down as well. Now with just one wrong move the entire Xuan Yuan army would refuse to listen to Ah Heng and even spit upon her.
Qi Yo started laughing loudly, a genuinely happy booming laugh.
Everyone stared at him until he stopped laughing but continued to stare lovingly at Ah Heng without hiding the affection in his eyes.
...
Ah Heng blushed red and shot an angry glance at Qi Yo before turning to Ying Long and Li Yuan. “I know you want me to explain and apologize but I don’t believe I did anything wrong. I don’t need your understanding and forgiveness. The only person I need to ask forgiveness from is Qi Yo. In the past hundreds of years, for my own mother, for my brothers, even for my daughter, I have sacrificed him time and time again. Three years ago when my mom passed she gave me permission to marry Qi Yo. I promised Qi Yo that I would be with him for my entire life. But I once again broke my promise, for my tribesman I not only didn’t go to him, I led you guys here to kill him. From the beginning until now I have fulfilled my duty as the Xuan Yuan Princess and never did a single thing wrong to Xuan Yuan. But I’ve wronged Qi Yo over and over again. If you guys believe me then I will continue to lead the troops. If not then I will immediately hand over authority to Ying Long.”
Ying Long kneeled immediately. “This subordinate of yours will follow Princess even to death.”
The rest of the Xuan Yuan troops present all followed Ying Long and got on their knees. Li Yuan said, “If it wasn’t for Princess leading us until now, Xuan Yuan Castle would have fallen already.”
Shao Hao let out a relieved sigh at how Ah Heng used honesty to resolve a dangerous predicament. Sometimes people just want to know the truth.
Ah Heng stared at Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang. “You guys have followed Qi Yo for the past hundreds of years. You know what he’s like and you’re still questioning him? if he wanted to sell you out then Xuan Yuan would have defeated Sheng Nong by now. He is willing to shoulder the bad reputation and for the entire world to hate him, did he do it for himself? It’s a shame he treated you guys like real brothers!” Her voice shook with her pride in Qi Yo and her desolation at their fate. Whether it was the Xuan Yuan or the Sheng Nong troops, everyone present felt the sadness and impossibility of life.
Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang all lowered their heads in shame.
Ah Heng stared at Qi Yo one final time before turning and leaving with her troops.
Qi Yo smiled broadly as he watched Ah Heng leave, finally he was able to stare at her in public with love as hot as the sun that no longer needed to be concealed.
-----
Koala's translation of chapter 19 in volume 2 of Once Promised:
Shao Hao’s heart thundered. He knew how deeply Ah Heng loved Qi Yo, yet she just gave the order to kill on sight and was so calm about it. Worry bubbled forth and he quickly asked, “Are you sure? You know Qi Yo is like a mountain peak, either he stands proudly and strong or else he completely topples. He will never kneel down and surrender. Do you have the determination to kill Qi Yo? Once this battle starts there is no going back.”
“If the battle doesn’t start, is there another way to go?”
Shao Hao had no answer, for each day the Yellow Emperor was alive he would never give up his ambition to conquer the Middle Plains. And if Qi Yo was alive then he would never allow the Yellow Emperor to conquer Sheng Nong and destroy what Yu Wang built.
Shao Hao stood silently for a long time before asking in sorrow, “Ah Heng, when you married me, that day both of us defiantly refused to become pawns and thought that if we held power in our hands then we could control our own destinies. But why is it that I’m now the ruler and you control an entire army, we still can’t do what we want?”
In the first 60 years of her sentence, she and Chi You write letters to each other. Eventually Ah Heng stops writing, but Chi You continues to send her letters.AH :
they exchanged letter. Ah Heng spent more than 20 year to grow mullberry, made silk and weaved and made a special robe for Chi you. His signature red robe was made by Ah Heng. Chi You returned to Jade mountain once during the first 60 years and Ah Heng gave it to him. She said if he wore the robe, she would come to see him every year in the spring festival in Jiuli.
After 60 years (once Ah Heng has recovered from injuries she previously sustained), Chi You resolves to jailbreak / kidnap Ah Heng from Jade Mountain, but she chooses to leave with Shao Hao instead.
When Ah Heng and Chi You was about to leave Jade Mountain, Shao Hao came their and declared clearly with the Royal Mother that he came to pick up his fiancee. Ah Heng had no choice but to follow Shao Hao. Shao Hao came there to pick up Ah Heng because he lost the game to Qing Yang. They fought each other and the loser had to pick up Ah Heng. When Ah Heng got home, Qing Yang created heavy snow to make frozen mulberry fruit for her despite serious injury.
Chi You came to Cao Yun peak to find Ah Heng. Chang Yi helped Ah Heng to distract Qing Yang when she hid him in her bed. Later Chi you fought agaist qing Yang and got injured. Ah Heng followed him but stopped by Chang Yi. However, he let her go after she begged him. And then the poison in Chi You's body leaked out and endangered his life etc...
Althought she didn't confessed to Chi You that she did many thing because of her love, what she did showed her care and love. She told him that she owned his life so only she could take his life. she poison herself etc.
Before Ah Heng died because of Zhu Rong's fire and gravity attaction by YuYuan, Chi you loved her but he also doubted her love, he was always alerted and afraid that she used his love to kill him since he was the enermy of her family. After her death, he regretted and when she was reincarnated as a magical stone (they sensed her soul inside), Chi You did his best to resurrect her and fully committed.
"Chi You stared at Ah Heng, "I was born in a deserted mountain, grew up among wild animals, my family background, education and demeanours are not comparable to Shao Hao, nor can I be like him, giving you status. the most noble, let you become the queen of a country, making the whole world respect you. If you follow me, you will definitely be scolded by people, but... If you still don't want to remember everything about me, I will give you the only thing I have." Chi You punched his chest hard and said loudly, "It's my heart!""
Although Ah Heng had to marry Shao Hao (she tried to run away but Chi You didn't come because of Jan Emperor's death), she tried to get out of the marriage. She and Shao Hao got alliance agreement from the first day of marriage.
Their love story got a lot of obstacles. Many times, it was as if they could have be together, blessed by some of the relatives. Then big event happened and cut off their chance. That was why she said so in the excerp that you quoted. They could not cut off their family connection, their responsibility with the country men (for her and him).
In addition, XY was born when Chi you was seriously injured. Ah Heng took medicine to delay the delivery so that it made XY's birth match with her time with Shao Hao. When Chi you was back, XY was 3 year old. He was jealous and wondered why Ah Heng was back to Shao Hao and had kid with Shao Hao. But then he still wanted to be with her, willing to forgive her. When the evil fox demon kidnapped XY, Ah Heng asked him to search for XY (Chi You came to Xuan Yuan for Yun Xang's wedding). At that point he still thought that XY was Shao Hao's daughter but he still did it for her. And by the end of the book, it revealed that it was Ah Heng tried to attract Chi You first. Chi You always thought that he had lured Ah Heng (all sort of pretending to glue to her in the 2nd encounter). However, Ah Heng told him before his death that she knew everything, she pretended to know nothing. She lured him first.
So the biggest difference between Ah Heng's and XY's love story is Ah and Chi You always thought about each other and they stayed truly, committed to their feeling, expressing their love to each other explicitly. On the other hand, XY always tried to avoid admitting her feeling to XL and did her very best to distract herself from the thought of loving him. Ah Heng fought for being with Chi You. XY did not. Of course XL was not like Chi You either. Thus, we can not blame her 100%
What! The only stalker was Jing lmao! XL is minding his business. It's XY that's always running into him.
As far as I can follow, and it is difficult, cause it's an amazingly twisty path that loops on itself several times and you have to twist yourself into pretzel and hang upside down from the ceiling while squinting to grasp the edges of their ... "reasoning."
XL is a stalker because he shows up when XY is in pain -- which he knows, because of the Love Bug that he "duplicitly" acquired -- despite the fact that XY repeatedly begged him to take it and knew it allowed him to feel her pain.
Meanwhile, the guy who is literally hiding in the bushes watching XY and FFB every chance he gets, or saddling her with his watching spirit fox or tracking her with his fox spells -- all without her permission or knowledge, is somehow, totally NOT a stalker.
Meanwhile, the guy who is literally hiding in the bushes watching XY and FFB every chance he gets, or saddling her with his watching spirit fox or tracking her with his fox spells -- all without her permission or knowledge, is somehow, totally NOT a stalker.
For Jingers, they thought so. They called XL manupulative and considered his acceptance of the bug is a kind of tracking method to keep WXL in check because he needed her blood for healing etc...
Who had to suffer after the transferring of the bug? XL lost at least 3 lives (offically; if he lost life to wake XY up and saved Jing, he could have lost 5 lives). He suffered the same heartache for decades. He might have the same sleeping issue (he knew she had it). He had only 1 time of blood while getting injured in Xuan Yuan (in my opinion he delibrately went to her room because he wanted to use that way to reveal his identity). The other time he sucked her blood was because he got badly injured after saving her from the whirlpool. And it was XY who begged him to stay with her there and wanted him to get the blood for healing. Those Jingers still believe that XL took advantage and wanted to control XY until the last chapter of the book
That promise was just a lie to keep XY single for as long as possible lol. Giving my already-traumatized girl even more trauma and false hope. In the end, she had to step in and solve his family problems herself. That's embarrassing ngl, to have someone do what YOU promised to do.song:
Yes. Another thing I don't understand. 17 repeatedly broke his promises to her failed to do as he said, whenever she opened up and gave him a chance to show he would stay with her. And yet, here she is again, giving him yet another chance. It truly was another false hope that ended up traumatizing XY. And that's not even getting into his complete passiveness and inability to solve his own problems.
But according to the Jingers, it isn't breaking a promise if you have an excuse for why you didn't do what you promised.
I don't know if I keep going there because their posts are meme-worthy or because I like hurting myself lolol.
LOL! Well ... sometimes, you just can't look away from the car accident. ;p
I know. I really wish they'll keep it as LYF.... (；′⌒`) even though I love YZ and she's the reason why I watched this drama in the first place. Look at the recent posts: the ones that get the most reactions are about LYF haha. Well even if they don't keep it, at least there's the search bar and save post option so I can look back on my favorites.
Interesting. I may have to take another look at that group, then. Thanks for the reminder.
Instead of physical imprisonment, the oath serves as a prison for her heart, keeping her from loving freely.
A prison of a kind indeed, but one she agreed to impose on herself. A "prison" that she could have escaped from at any time if she really, really wanted to (as she almost did in chapter 14 - and in chapter 16 she ignores + successfully forces herself to walk away from TSJ, until she remembers that she told CX that she would meet TSJ for CX's sake).
A prison that, in the context of her trauma, complexes, and circumstances, seemed to give her some semblance of security. Or maybe hope for future security and simplicity.
A bit like the unusual feelings that TSJ and WXL had about being locked in the dragon bone prison together. WXL felt that being locked there: (1) simplified complicated things; (2) felt right; and (3) felt calming. She suggested that they never leave. TSJ felt grateful to be locked up in the prison with WXL and wished to never leave.
-----
Chapter 8:
Shi Qi quietly held Xiao Liu and Xiao Liu quietly listened to his heartbeat. In this place of death, separated from the world’s enticements and entanglements, it made the complicated relationship between a man and a woman so very simple. It was just him and her. Xiao Liu suddenly felt right being here and that was calming.
Xiao Liu said, “How about we never leave here?”
“Fine.”
“What’s fine?”
“It’s fine staying here.”
“What’s fine about it?”
“Just you. And me.”
Xiao Liu laughed knowing that Shi Qi also understood. There was so much that made life complicated purely due to circumstance. The old married couple living in the far off secluded mountains, they were actually the envy of so many who live glamorous lives of conflict.
Xiao Liu asked, “Shi Qi, are you so good to me because you are repaying a debt?”
Shi Qi’s body stiffened and he said nothing for a long time. Xiao Liu was leaning on him so could feel his heart beating so fast it might burst out of his chest. Xiao Liu casually added, “I saved you, let you stay for 6 years, and now you’ve done everything and more for me. When we get out, we’re really even. You don’t need to worry anymore, I will never go ask you for anything and get you in trouble. I promise to stay far, far away from you……”
...
Shi Qi’s breathing was erratic and his heartbeat was also fast. Xiao Liu knew what he wanted to say but was embarrassed to say. So she didn’t rush and instead nestled like a cat on his shoulder waiting patiently.
“Xiao Liu….I……I know I am engaged and have no right to say this to you…..and I never dared to….but…….I will call off the engagement, I will call off the engagement! You wait for me for twenty years….no…..no, fifteen years. You give Tu Shan Jing fifteen years, and after fifteen years I’ll give you back a Ye Shi Qi.”
Xiao Liu asked, “How do you want me to wait?”
“You…..you won’t let another man……into your heart.”
Xiao Liu was silent.
In the darkness, Shi Qi couldn’t see Xiao Liu’s expression and he was so nervous he forgot to breathe.
Xiao Liu suddenly burst out laughing and Shi Qi didn’t know if her laughter was mocking him for daring or….
Xiao Liu said, “You, you really don’t know me at all. My heart is cold and there is a hard shell encasing it. Forget fifteen years, likely in fifty years there won’t be a man who goes inside.”
Shi Qi asked, “So you’re agreeing? Let’s make a palm promise.”
Xiao Liu lazily raised her palm and Shi Qi felt where it was and then solemnly pressed his palm on hers. After they joined palms, he didn’t release and instead tightly held her hand. “Xiao Liu, I’m, I’m so happy.” His voice was quivering as his heart soared.
Xiao Liu couldn’t help but smile. “You said everything boils down to a business transaction, so why do I feel like I’m not getting the better end of the bargain here?”
Shi Qi shook her hand. “That doesn’t include love, only love can never be measured by profit or loss. Family love, sibling love, friendship love, romantic love, it seems so easy but is a rare treasure that cannot be bought with any amount of money.”
Xiao Liu giggled, “They say Tu Shan Jing is a shrewd businessman and great at conversation. I didn’t believe it since you’re always so stupid looking around me and rarely talking. Today I finally believe it.”
Shi Qi laughed lightly and his laughter was just like his personality – gentle, peaceful, pure.
Xiao Liu said, “Shi Qi, I’m not like you. I’m not a businessman but I know that I am a ruthless person. I am ruthless towards others and even more ruthless towards myself. Do you know that?”
“I do.”
Xiao Liu laughed. “Do you really?”
Shi Qi said, “I know you never give yourself hope so you don’t trust first and won’t give first. You have a true heart but if the other doesn’t appreciate it, then you won’t give it. I’m willing to wait, wait until you’re willing to hope.”
“What if in my entire lifetime I’m not willing?”
“Then I’ll wait an entire lifetime. As long as you don’t disappear, then even if it’s an entire lifetime it will still be happy.” Shi Qi smiled – Xiao Liu was ruthless and cold to herself, but to everyone else in her life she was so good. Lao Mu, Chuan Zi, Mai Zi, Xan Tian Er, these people were just passing by in her life yet she gave them everything they needed for their own lives.
Darkness like death, silence like death, the most infamous jail cell in the vast wilderness made any prisoner seek death, but to Shi Qi and Xiao Liu, as they talked they didn’t even feel like time was passing. Shi Qi was so grateful that Zhuan Xu locked him up in the same cell as Xiao Liu, and only here did he have the courage to reveal his greatest wish. He even wished now to never leave, he was willing to spend an entire lifetime here with Xiao Liu. When the footsteps of the jailer sounded, Shi Qi felt like it was much too short.
-----
Chapter 11:
Xiao Liu suddenly felt like someone was staring at her and she looked towards the VIP section where there was a curtain covering one area. She asked Ru So, “Who is sitting over there?” Ru So looked. “The Tu Shan clan.”
Xiao Liu was silent and then started laughing and muttering, “You made me promise not to date a guy for fifteen years. You didn’t say I couldn’t talk to guys.”
Ru So asked, “What did you say?”
Xiao Liu laughed. “Nothing, keep on explaining.”
Ru So and Xiao Liu continued to keep their heads close and talk to each other throughout the match.
-----
Chapter 14:
Jing sat down across from her and said softly, “Can you stay for a bit before going back? Just a little bit.”
Xiao Yao said nothing.
“I waited for you all night and thought you weren’t coming.”
Xiao Yao said angrily, “If you thought I wasn’t coming, then why keep waiting?”
Jing didn’t know how to answer. If she didn’t come, then he didn’t know where else to go. In this dark deep place, he once experienced the sweetest happiness, but the one who gave him the happiness was Xiao Liu. It wasn’t this girl before him now. If she took back her promise, he would completely understand.
Xiao Yao got on her knees and faced him, her eyes reflecting her anger. “Do you think waiting all night was hard? You have a fiancee! You step out with her all the time together, and then you find any opportunity to remind me of my promise to you. If you don’t trust me, then why ask me to promise? Let me tell you, last night I tried to keep the promise and almost died!”
Xiao Yao shoved Jing hard. “I don’t want to play anymore. I take back my promise! You scram back to Qing Qiu and go marry Fang Feng Yi Yang!”
Jing didn’t dare do anything back to her but he also didn’t budge. “I won’t marry her. She doesn’t like me so she likely doesn’t want to marry me either.”
Xiao Yao stopped shoving. “I don’t believe it! What reason does she have to not like you?”
...
Xiao Yao burst out laughing. “Now I know why the young girls are putty in Zhuan Xu’s hands with his honeyed words. Even though I know you’re not telling the truth, I still like hearing it.”
“I’m telling the truth, Xiao Yao. I never imagined you would look like this. If I had known you were like this…..even in the dark prison I would have never dared to reveal my greatest wish….” Jing’s back was straight but his head was still lowered, like a tree growing in darkness. “My body, my voice….do you know why I never got my crippled leg healed even knowing I can? Because I know that even when I’m healed, the real injury is inside that no medicine can heal. I can wear clothes to cover up my hideous scars, I can use rare medicine to cure my crippled leg, I can talk less to conceal my voice, I can lie to everyone that I can still the dashing Young Master of Qing Qiu, but I can’t lie to myself……Xiao Yao, I’m not good enough for you! This time, there will be many handsome, smart, physically whole young men…”
“Jing, raise your head! Tu Shan Jing, raise your head.”
Jing slowly raised his head and Xiao Yao put her face right in front of his and murmured, “Last night, a man forced me to kiss him, but right now all I want to do is kiss you.”
...
Xiao Yao suddenly thought of something and sat up excitedly. “If she doesn’t want you, then come back to be my Shi Qi!” Her eyes lit up. “You worried back then that Tu Shan Hou that lunatic would harm Lao Mu and me so you went back to being Tu Shan Jing. But Wen Xiao Liu is gone now and I’m the Gao Xing Princess. Tu Shan Hou can’t harm me. You can come back to be Shi Qi.”
Jing stared at Xiao Yao, saying nothing but the sadness was evident in his eyes.
Xiao Yao calmed down and mocked herself. “Did I just talk nonsense?” Jing disappeared once already, if it happened again, forget Tu Shan Hou, his grandmother wouldn’t accept his death until she saw his corpse with her own eyes.
Jing said in a low voice, “It’s not nonsense, but things have changed. After going back, I realized my brother has been leading the clan into danger. If I leave, I worry he will destroy the family. Xiao Yao, give me some time, okay? I’ll take care of everything.” It actually wasn’t just his family, if Xiao Yao was Wen Xiao Liu then he would be Ye Shi Qi with her in some remote mountain for the rest of their lives. But she was the Gao Xing Princess, and seeing her at the massive royal ceremony, he knew that neither of them could go back. A man who deserved to be with Xiao Yao couldn’t be a coward, if he wanted to be with her, then he needed to end the engagement. He needed to be Tu Shan Jing and openly walk to be with Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao smiled. “You have fifteen years, Jing. What are you planning to do?”
“I don’t know, but I know I will come back to you. I’ve promised to listen to you for the rest of my life…..” Jing’s forehead rested on Xiao Yao’s forehead and he prayed, “Please keep your heart for me.”
Xiao Yao’s hands sank into his hair and she grabbed it. “I can tell you’re a sneaky one, even if I want to forget it, you’ll find ways to keep reminding. You say you don’t dare hope, but then you don’t let go either.”
Jing’s voice conveyed his torment, “I….I just cannot…..I know you deserve better, but I cannot…..I’m sorry…..”
Xiao Yao quickly said, “I understand, I understand.”
Jing said in a low voice, “You don’t understand.”
Xiao Yao was honest. “I don’t understand, but I have to try and reassure you.”
-----
Chapter 16:
She waited half a year and never heard again from Jing.
One night, she laid on the pallet playing with the nine bottles, rolling them around on the blanket. It rested on the white sheets and the nine cherry blossoms bloomed brightly. Xiao Yao suddenly thought of Jade Mountain, she waited for her mother there for seventy years and never got anything. In her lifetime, she never wanted to wait for another person again.
Xiao Yao opened the last bottle and instead of drinking it slowly, she downed it all at once. She put the nine bottles away and never took it out to play with again.
Xiao Yao started spending more time developing her poisons. Late into the night, she would lay on the pallet playing with her poisons and thinking of how to make it even better in terms of prettier and not necessarily more poisonous.
...
“I’m bored. I can see you’re bored. Two people bored together is better than one.”
...
“You’re learning archery form and not the power behind the shot. Anyone can teach you, but if I teach you it will be ideal.”
“Okay!” Xiao Yao couldn’t figure out what Fang Feng Bei wanted but just like he said, she was bored so went along.
...
Xiao Yao didn’t know what to feel. She had been learning archery from Fang Feng Bei for 16 months and with the Tu Shan clan’s information network and her and Fang Feng Bei’s identities, Jing must have heard about it a long time ago. Or perhaps in the beginning before she really understood Fang Feng Bei’s devil may care attitude, she never believed he would really teach her archery so she wasn’t even learning in earnest. She didn’t reject Fang Feng Bei getting close because she wanted the news that she was hanging out with him to spread across all the powerful families and reach Jing. Xiao Yao wanted Jing to know but she didn’t know why she did that. She just wanted to do it so she did it.
Later Xiao Yao realized she was mistaken about Fang Feng Bei and he really was teaching her archery. She began to learn in earnest and gradually she felt her initial purpose wasn’t important, but she still waited for how Jing would respond. But after 16 months she had totally given up waiting and felt she was so lame. Thank goodness Fang Feng Bei turned out to exceed her initial expectations otherwise it wouldn’t just be lame, it would have been pathetic.
But just as she had forgotten, he suddenly appeared and even brought along his fiancee!
...
Bei turned him down. “No need to bother, we were in a gambling den for hours and need to move around now.”
“Let’s go!” Bei waved at Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao followed him without hesitation, and from the moment Jing arrived until she left, she never once looked at him.
...
Xiao Yao felt a pair of eyes on her back, it was heavy, so heavy she felt she couldn’t move. But she decided on it so she forced her footsteps to be light as she laughed.
When they got to the front door, she suddenly remembered what Zhuan Xu asked her earlier and stopped. She didn’t know why but she just wanted to be mad at Jing.
Fang Feng Bei asked, “What is it?”
Xiao Yao said, “I suddenly remembered that Gege asked me to do something. I won’t accompany you today and let’s make it up another time, okay?”
...
Xiao Yao said to herself: he’s Tu Shan Jing, not the broken and battered Ye Shi Qi that no one wants.
...
“I’m fine, I just hate you a little.” Every time when she steeled her heart, he always had a way of softening it. Was it because she saved him and took him home that she just couldn’t be heartless with him?
“I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t appear!” Jing didn’t know what Xiao Yao was thinking, all he knew was that Xiao Yao was very unhappy but earlier she was very happy with Fang Feng Bei.
Xiao Yao was so angry she threw the gem at him. “You are such a big idiot! I don’t know why everyone else thinks you’re so smart.”
...
Xiao Yao glared at him and played with the gem and groused, “You came to Xuan Yuan Castle, why bring along….. Do you still want to end the engagement? If you don’t, then tell me earlier so I am not holding onto my promise with you!”
Jing hurriedly said, “I want to end it! I already told my grandmother I don’t want to marry Fang Feng Yi Yang!”
...
Xiao Yao said, “I’ll accept this fish amethyst!” She put the necklace around her neck and then tucked the pendant into her robe.
Jing noticed and his heart skipped a beat and he lowered his head.
Xiao Yao said, “I’m learning archery from Fang Feng Bei who offered to teach me which is why we’ve been hanging out.”
Jing’s heart soared and he said with a smile, “No need to explain, and I have no right to ask you to explain. Just now, you coming back, that is enough.”
But she didn’t come back just now for Jing, she came back because of Zhuan Xu! Xiao Yao felt this pressure in her heart. Was her relationship with Jing also subject to being used? Xiao Yao said, “Do you remember promising me not to hurt Xuan?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know what my Gege wants to do, but if it doesn’t harm Tu Shan clan, can you help him a little?”
Jing warmly said, “If it’s this request, you need not even ask. I actually came with Feng Long this time to discuss something with Zhuan Xu.”
...
Jing tried to think through what Xiao Yao said and he felt she meant he came too late. But he couldn’t quite believe she would mean that, so he had to think through each word and really wished she would say it again so he could hear her tone of voice.
Xiao Yao was silent and then sighed, standing up to walk away.
Jing grabbed her and stammered, “Xiao Yao, you…you…you want to see me?”
Xiao Yao stared at him and he said with uncertainty, “I know I’m rather dense at some stuff, if I made a wrong assumption, don’t be angry.”
Xiao Yao felt like she was looking at Shi Qi again and her heart softened. “Do you want to see me?”
Jing nodded very solemnly. Because he missed her to the core, he thought of an idea and convinced Feng Long and then dragged Feng Long and Xing Yue thousands of miles to come to Xuan Yuan Castle to convince Zhuan Xu.
Xiao Yao was angry. “Why didn’t you come?”
“Some things I needed to do.”
Xiao Yao sighed. “How can you be so certain I won’t let another man into my heart?”
Jing shook his head, he was so uncertain.
Xiao Yao was so exasperated. “You….are so stupid!”
...
Jing thought carefully about what she said and then asked, “Are you asking why I didn’t contact you again?”
“Yes.”
Jing thought about it and said, “First, Feng Long gave me something that was rifled through and I suspected someone close to me was not trustworthy. Before I find out who it is, I have to be careful. Second, both my identity and Zhuan Xu’s identity are very special and it’s not suitable to communicate often. Tu Shan clan has our clan rules. My grandmother already chastised me for sending a present to Zhuan Xu. Thirdly, the last time I saw you, you complained that I was trying to remind you of your promise so I controlled myself not to cause you any more stress.”
The first and second reasons were totally acceptable, but the third reason…..Xiao Yao was so infuriated she flopped on the pallet and buried her head in her arms.
“Xiao Yao….”
“Don’t talk to me! I don’t want to talk to you right now!”
Jing really stopped talking, and Xiao Yao was such a talker she couldn’t take it anymore. “When you are leaving tomorrow?”
“First thing in the morning.”
“Play with me tonight!”
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