MareAzurre

ZheXu martial arts scene - appreciation. This scene is done entirely by Xu, no stunts. He is amazing.
http://xhslink.com/o/5q3hKBsepeL
https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1986346493176127581
Behind the scene - I would like to add a comment. I have seen lot of those "compromising" bts videos that people spoke about it, because these always will be filtered. Producers are no naive they know people will share them in social media. There is nothing compromising about it, I can guarantee you this. The "passionate" kiss by ZheXu was nothing else that him giving a forceful kiss in the confession scene, like the one they did in the bridge. The actual kiss was not daring at all. The final cut, the one we see is really lovely, then they separated and then it comes the "french kissing". Another video show them "French kissing" without zooming so again the final cut is much better! What is show is a terrible shy ZheXu with not much experience so he disengaged very quickly and could not look at MiJin in the eyes, but part of this bts, we already have seen. The same when in the second part they implied they made love so there are different approaches, we see them laying in bed hugging, nothing major. The final cut is ZheXu pushing MiJin on the bed, but it actually very sensual what he does. Directors/editors are professional for a reason, what they leave in the cut floor should be left there. We have their artistic vision in the final cut, the one we see. I think they all did an amazing job.

Thank you for the beautiful poem Y. To ZiAn that poem awoke the buried memories of their cherished childhood friend. He was made an assassin, his tenderness was destroyed. But once, he was a good kid, with a heart of gold able to accept little ShuHe and protect him, share with him his secret "house" that was the house of his heart, and he remember this too. As the poem is so romantic, was also a revelation that that childhood warm feelings has made it to adulthood as other kind of love "the bamboo bow still carries the warmth of your fingertips" is a phrase with so much sensuality, no in accordance with a child feelings, but with a lover's one.

I totally believe it!

Wow, that's romantic:
The bamboo bow still carries the warmth of your fingertips.
We crushed the spring grass on wild paths together.
But suddenly, the rivers and mists of the world scattered us apart.
Where the tender thread once wrapped my hand — I dare not touch again."

Did we (the audience) manage to "read" the poem with ZiAng. I need to rewatch this part.

New vblog - ZheXu reporting Mi Jin filming activities.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQq7haskb0S/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I believe that the bts may not be that "compromising" what is compromising is that BLs are forbidden in China! The series was not release in China but abroad, so Chinese people have been watching illegally through foreign VPNs that is forbidden in China. Just having cuts of a kissing scene/bed scene circulating openly in Chinese social media platforms can get them cancelled.

Indeed River, but this just come to prove what I always like to remind people that being gay is "incompatible" with being an actor in China. While the society at large is not homophobic, is very tolerant and homosexuality was decriminalised in China before than in any other Asian country, it is not in the "government agenda". The government is homophobic and associate being gay with improper behaviour and negative values, so it cannot be portrayed in mainstream media.

Last live and box set
The link below has the full live. In TikTok there is automatic translation. By the end, somebody asked Jin Jin why his lips where swallow in the bed scene. He said the He doesnt know anything about the bts being released with the box set. They were not informed, but asked the fans not to spread it in case it is not good for them.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdTGDGTG/

Re-posting this - New vblog - The gamer couple is back!!!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQoboeBj4Jk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

another video from Arena magazine? I tried to locate it in Weibo but I could not find it. This is the clip that is circulating in X
https://x.com/nubvgant/status/1985742382210650250

Another mesmerising behind the scene photo with a beautiful fan art
https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1985715807511314886

Gossip about the Box Set - As soon as the series finished the production company decided to release a box set. My understanding was that it was only photocards about the series. This was the annoucement: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOaxbLZAYRT/?img_index=1
However, some fans are saying that the box set includes an USB with bts of the series that has not been released. To be honest, fans are creating all sort of gossips and half truths about it, but nobody have said that has actually seen it, not even in China. The gossip is that the bts is very compromising to the CP there is even the scene in which ZheXu broke MiJin lip but my understanding was it was accidental and nothing to do with kissing. Other people are saying that each card has comments about the bts but nobody is showing the actual phrases behind the cards. Anyway, if anybody knows more please share it here.
This person is showing the box she has just received, where is the USB?
https://x.com/naayizhan/status/1985630072355897691

Warning: I have just seen a previous post, careful with those that ask you to join chats, and also careful with online/magazine "vote for" competition. Most of them have not relevance and some of them are a total scam.

DZA was dying. All the elite assassins die in their prime. Nobody understands what exactly they are given during their training to outperform themselves. He was kept alive by the doctor who managed to control the symptoms of his illness, but he was just about surviving. He died immediately after ShuHe because of the grief. It is a similar image to Romeo & Juliet.

The live series is a re-telling of the novel. Even the name of the characters have been changed. There is not an official English translation available. The most important is that the characters in the live drama, ShuHe and Duan ZiAng, are a exclusive gay couple who never took wives and/or lovers, which make for a very powerful love story. Additionally, in both courts (North and South) their relationship was not a secret. To answer your specific question, the ending is very similar in both the live and the novel.

XuJin "Polaroids" - Some images they took during filming are being giving away with the Arena magazine. They tell a story of their own. Everything could have gone different as Mi Jin was not the first choice to play ShuHe. ZheXu was chosen first than anybody else to play ZiAng but the other roles were yet to be decided. What was passing through ZheXu head when he already had his eyes on Jin Jin before he was elected. It was not up to him so it was a gamble. I am sure he will have taken the role anyway as he is a professional actor, but imagine, we would not have this perfect CP in the series. Here some links to these images
https://x.com/naayizhan/status/1985350185518825980
https://x.com/naayizhan/status/1985304750477517265
https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1985280280379465912

I was looking for "inspiration" to answer your question Y. I have two scenarios:
1) Before ZiAng killed Crown Prince - In my opinion, ZiAng should have not killed him. He did it out of personal revenge disregarding ShuHe feelings. This was a deal breaker for Shuhe. It means he felt condemned to be the new King and also he has mixed feeling for his brother. ZiAng with his abilities could have stopped Crown Prince from hurting ShuHe ,just by injured him. In this case, Zi Ang should have knocked down ShuHe, took him with him and escaped. He would then spend what it was necessary until ShuHe forgave him and was able to accept him again.
2) As how the episode 8 finished - it was too late for the reasons I wrote above. Letitng the people rebel against ShuHe carry a death sentence. ShuHe was not going to escape. It was his sense of duty and guilt who kept him alive. Once he realised was all over, he would have killed himself. I think ZiAng could have planned taking him secretly captive without the war. E.g Sending double agents, put something in his drink to make him unconscious etc. Maybe in that case, ZiAng would stand a chance to recover ShuHe love, but it would have been really tiny. In this case, ShuHe did not own him nothing (not soldiers to be rescued) so he would have not put himself in a vulnerable position to be his lover again and reignited his feelings.

So funny! That boy does not let us down 😂

New vblog - playing games 😊Jin Jin was so excited - a true gamer there. His gaming armchair was Xu knee. He also wiped his hands there 😂
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQlyBh0kUxw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1985290625445708173

It is about taking control of his life when deciding over his death. It is also recovering his dignity. He wanted to be free not to escape ZiAng but to choose him for all eternity. I have written this phrase before, but for me that's the clue to understand how much he loved him. He did used this skills on planning the end, but he did it not to save himself pain, but to avoid the pain in others, mainly ZiAng.

Such fascinating reflection @Yerisina. The link you made to the redemption arch by the end is so moving. Brilliant.

Filming official inauguration day - Jin Jin is support cast in the series, but Lagogos made him feel a star. His fans display was beautiful and he was so touched, thanking everybody but also very shy.
https://x.com/jambool_D/status/1985224002303107391
https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1985227390516346908
ZheXu left quietly. He was mainly silent and did not interact much with Lagogos in the airport. It is understandable.
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1985244974221529172
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1985258943246204994
We always can trust Jin Jin to know extra information about this CP. In yesterday's live he was talking about their clothes. He said now they have clothes "to choose from". Do they have a proper CP management and could be this connected with the fact they have more clothes available , or it is simply they have more income to buy more clothes? They certainly have CP assistant with them most of the time. The next activity for them is the Fan Meeting on 29 November 2025, so a bit of a wait for them to meet again.
https://x.com/phornthip2531/status/1985250500305125393
Jin Jin is a beauty really. How long will take for him to have more protagonist roles? Some fans comment that is very likely Jin Jin will climb faster that ZheXu. I really don't know ZheXu is an excellent actor. Would looks have so much weight in an acting career in China? My friends say they do, and towering tall handsome men look to be chosen nowadays for MLs more than acting abilities. I have high hopes for both of them to grow steadily 🙏
https://x.com/anzupricot/status/1985223965393236458

That's true Y, it is so sad that people in this business just loose all their right to privacy. Fortunately, they are well liked because the second effect of loosing their privacy is public scrutiny. My friend in China said that because there is no toxic masculinity among Chinese boys in general, male actors in the industry can get away with been "very closed" without being labelled as "gay", which is the problem for them, not for the society at large, but for people in the acting profession.