Xiang83

The Storm Alliance arc wasn't just to give Lu Ke moments to show his amazing comedic talent and help Feng Suige. It was critical for Feng Suige to understand how normal people in leadership positions can make mistakes as leaders, how he can prevent bloodshed by acting as a leader who understands reconciliation and brokering a solution and ordinary people who are not nobles, and it is possible that nobody is evil in such a complicated tension-fraught situation ready to go very wrong. He learns that no communication alongside unfair suppression creates woe and rifts and can lead to bloodshed. He learns to really hear what someone else is saying, which improves on this skill he already had but needs to sharpen as the future Emperor.

This is all necessary for Feng Suige to believe it is possible to be a ruler in the ways that he wants to protect everyone, but a new way of ruling with patient understandable direct communication must be instituted. This is what he does with Xiyang on that sickbed. Xiyang wants to understand what Feng Suige is thinking, she values her brother more than herself, and she cherishes what is in front of her. In the first interaction showed to us about them more than 30 episodes back, Xiyang was all about herself and not about what her brother was thinking or wanting to understand him. I found it heartening that they work as a team in the end of episode 38, and she is not the permanent Empress.

Feng Suige cannot fully embrace his father, because he understands the need to forge his own path. He wants to be able to choose the path as per what his mother wanted for him, but at the same time he rejects her method of telling him what he should not do, by finding a path whereby he and Xiyang can both choose while working together. It is a sensible ending. He and Xiyang are each learning how to rule Susha at the same time.

Xiyang's character is written on the basis of her being the Susha princess who has never been rejected, never had to fully face reality outside a cocooned nest, never actually had a defined moral compass and code that she was pushed to stand by unlike Feng Suige who will stand by his code that his men can see and respect, and she never truly considered anyone else before herself. That is why she could lie to her father and steal the imperial token, breaking his heart.

Xia Jingyan has no excuse for taking officials' wives as playthings. He has no excuse to have palace servants beaten to death on his whims. He has no excuse to grab Xiyang's hands and force them into a bed of thorns (and this is the moment I could see Xiyang believe Xia Jingyan as a monstrous lunatic whom she had to be on guard against and find a way to deal with). He has no excuse for trying to hit on his brother's wife, and sow discord between them. If Xiyang had given in to his advances while married, Xia Jingyan would definitely find a way to humiliate Xia Jingshi without caring what happens to Xiyang. Xia Jingyan has been a pampered prince, and then became the Jinxiu Emperor without merit. Based on how he behaved, I was relieved he wasn't in charge of the military because he would easily send a lot of soldiers to their deaths based on his moods and whims. Jinxiu Kingdom would be a gone case.

Why Xiyang couldn't understand Xia Jingyan finally loved her was simple: After mocking and taunting her, he made everything a cruel game that was transactional, and he also made it clear to her that she was a plaything of no value he could torment like all the other women he had used and thrown aside before, and her title as Princess of Susha meant nothing to him. Believing in survival mode while wanting to avenge her brother and father and aware of what she considered to be a heartless transactional lunatic, she went by his rules at first and then decided to put her own take on it so she would not lose herself, and he paid the price for his victim finally being willing to assert herself and stand firm against his games while playing by his terms.

Xiyang would have spared herself a blade from Xia Jingshi if she had not openly caused the good eunuch of character helping his plans to be killed, taunted Xia Jingshi, portrayed herself to be publicly superior to Xia Jingshi due to being allied to Xia Jingyan while sleeping with Xia Jingyan which she viewed as necessary transactions (she got pregnant without being married to Xia Jingyan)... While having once called Yixiao a slut despite being dressed as Yixiao, to try to trick Xia Jingshi into sleeping with her. Fu Yixiao has survived a death camp and bled on battlefields and suffered wounds, constantly putting herself in danger for the sake of Jinxiu Kingdom. In contrast, Xiyang's biggest exposure to danger relative to combat was because she got lost in the desert while pretending to be a male soldier, and that pretence didn't last long once she was captured.

To an outsider, Xiyang looks like a childish selfish princess who has primarily wanted her own way and finally revealed herself to be an evil hypocritical slut with no respectable standards, after trying to kill a guy with a sword for consistently being truthful with her about being unable to love her or give her what she wants. The scene where Xia Jingshi tells her "Never" is where Xia Jingshi is the epitome of dignity and unwavering consistency who has always been blunt and never lied to Xiyang about being unable to love her or give her more than the status of Princess of Zhennan as his wife, in comparison to his younger brother's bullying or Xiyang's haughty smugness while watching Xia Jingyan humiliate Xia Jingshi. Xia Jingshi never made a request of Xiyang (using the Imperial token to escape Susha is her idea), never mocked Xiyang, and never laid a finger on Xiyang unlike Xia Jingyan's abominable cruelty and words to her, until Xiyang went too far by disregarding Xia Jingshi's one request about not talking about Fu Yixiao. But because Xiyang was so over-entitled and selfish, certain hard truths from Xia Jingyan were necessary.

Xia Jingshi who should have been the rightful Emperor of Jinxiu ramming that blade through her stomach was inevitable because any progeny of Xia Jingyan must die. Whatever you can say about the vileness of Xia Jingshi, he has been consistently clear in his communication with Xiyang and spent years defending the borders of Jinxiu despite being poisoned for years. He once wanted to give the military command of the Zhennan army to Yixiao when he believed he was going to die, because he wanted to protect Yixiao and Weiran and Ning Fei from Xia Jingyan. But many years of abuse and humiliation and poison by his own step-brother and step-mother broke something in him especially having to beg like a dog for the antidote every month, and he also pays an unfair price for not being able to heal from those wounds.

Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao went through a lot as children and growing up. However, they didn't spend a significant number of their years being poisoned and forced to throw aside dignity and endure being humiliated monthly in front of others, unlike Xia Jingshi. Feng Suige has siblings who love him. His mother was the first Empress of Susha, and he is legally recognised as the First Son of the Emperor. In contrast, Xia Jingshi's mother was a palace maid and he grew up with a brother whose stepmother already turned Xia Jingyan against an elder brother when they were children, whereby both characters bullied him as a child and constantly labelled him a bastard behind his back (Empress Dowager) or to his face (Xia Jingyan). In the Jinxiu Kingdom, Xia Jingyan's mother is the biggest villain. Xia Jingyan is so nice that every year for his birthday, he'll ensure Xia Jingshi is brought to him for humiliation (Yixiao tells Feng Suige about what Xia Jingyan does on his birthday). At every opportunity he can find, he humiliates Xia Jingshi in front of others, as seen in the drama.

The actor playing Xia Jingyan is very good, so much so that I find Xia Jingyan to be even worse than Xia Jingshi because Xia Jingyan consistently demonstrates that the lives of others are cheap or for his amusement, with no regard for consequences. Xia Jingyan and the Empress Dowager deserved to die at Xia Jingshi's hands via his intended methods of finally repaying them for their "kindnesses", after putting him through many years of abuse and humiliation and enjoying the luxury of lazing in palaces while he had to slog his ass off to guard the borders of Jinxiu and command the army.

Xiyang doesn't seem to be aware that when the woman you love and honour is slandered beyond acceptability- Men have killed other men, destroyed families, or beaten other men into disability for such insults. Xiyang's over-entitlement and basic disrespect for Xia Jingshi's request for her to stop badmouthing Fu Yixiao before she got slapped is unsurprising. It is amazing she is still alive despite her choices, although Xiyang is beautiful. Xia Meng did a fantastic job in this role.

I am sad that Xiyang couldn't wake up to see the bigger picture, until Xia Jingshi stabbed her. We all grow in our journeys at different paces, and it can depend on where one is in life and the circumstances we go through.

Between a weak prince in Jinxiu for 10 years and a princess for 3 years in Susha, I believe that this will be fine because Feng Suige is not abandoning his duties. But he deserves a break. The first issue mentioned by Yixiao when we get to the final few minutes of episode 38 is to mention how Feng Suige was responsible in the details for organising and finalising this truce. This indicates he is in control, regardless of his current position.

There is nowhere in the conversation between Suige and Yixiao that he is abandoning the throne, which is much better than when he had that conversation with his father and kept rejecting the throne. Rejecting the throne back then was insensible and irresponsible, but understandable because he was emotionally rejecting his father as a father and also not wanting to do anything his father wanted, after just learning the truth.

The biggest damage to Feng Suige in that conversation was the realisation that his father believed he should rule in a certain manner, and what a ruler should be. After learning what happened to his mother, this resulted in complete rejection of his father. He also lost confidence in being a ruler, because his father ruled well and he believed his father deeply trusted him even if they had issues to resolve, but to learn the true thinking behind what a ruler should be? Learning about being manipulated for years by someone you believe had your best interests at heart, destroying any good in whatever you believed about your father? Murong Yao stabbed him in the back after feigning to be best buddies for years. His father had been twisting a dagger in his heart for years. Which one is worse? To have suffered these betrayals is terrible. Being a future ruler is to be surrounded by people who betray you- That's not the lesson you want to take away. It's the reality he endured. He needs something to believe again.

A very good script keeps all this in mind, which is why I say the writers have been very mindful about the characters and did an excellent job, especially wrt Feng Suige as a person and future Emperor.

Xiyang's growth is tremendous, possibly the biggest in the drama. She went from being very selfish and naive ie only being all about herself and wanting what she wanted (including "I am going to give birth and I will henceforth not communicate with the child's father who happens to be the emperor of another kingdom"), to not wanting to put her brother in danger after realising what her brother went through. She would have been raped and/or dead from her previous monumentally-stupid decisions (from being lost in the desert to helping XJS flee Susha Kingdom), but the final encounter with Xia Jingshi opened her eyes to complex reality. She didn't fall in love with Xia Jingyan, but she realised he fell in love with her.

The fact that she can be humble and clear-minded, and speak evenly and clearly despite being wounded and weak after her near-death encounter to disclose what she did, is deeply transformational.

As temporary empress, she will learn a lot about how to fairly extend this compassion of hers and judge accurately. And when the three years are up and the succession is to be decided, I believe she will know her place because she will learn to fully care for the people and consider necessary responsibilities, and relinquish the throne to Feng Suige. What we are seeing in episode 38 is a Xiyang who has realised the importance and need to take into account others' perspectives especially the need to judge fairly and accurately plus take full responsibility for her choices to become accountable, all of which she never did before. This is despite Feng Suige's bad habit of absolving Xiyang from any responsibility for her plight.

The fact that Fu Yixiao speaks of wanting peace and prosperity for former enemy kingdom Susha Kingdom as her home and finishing statement also indicates that she is open to doing what it takes, which includes being trained to be the future Empress of Susha Kingdom if Feng Suige takes the throne. In the beginning and throughout the episodes until we get to the Storm Alliance Arc, Yixiao prioritised self. But at the end of episode 38, she focuses on the country.

Is it a nonsensical bullshit ending? Feng Suige is allowing his previously-foolish sister Xiyang to temporarily take the reins, but he didn't say he would never be Emperor and he never said he is giving away all his authority. He mentioned two criteria: Xiyang must be capable and Xiyang must like the role. This indicates he trusts his sister's abilities more so than her feelings. And his sister has indicated wanting to know how Feng Suige thinks. We never get to see how Feng Suige and Xiyang interact when they return to Susha Kingdom. But I can trust that the two siblings know they must protect their country and shared their knowledge with clear communication. Feng Suige lost men in his battalion when Murong Yao took over the battalion. He isn't going to throw them away just for a woman, and he will protect his sister. He knows very well he cannot protect her if she screws up as Empress in governance.

If he were to live in isolation with Fu Yixiao away from his duties, and then return three years later to throw a grand wedding, that would be irresponsible. He deserves a rest, before he returns to duties.

Feng Suige is such an endearing character. He can be vicious with fists, but he can be fair in judgment. He learns the importance of communication in good governance and understanding the hearts of people he must protect, and where he came across as a prince uncomfortable with his position in the first few episodes? Because of the arcs including the Storm Alliance arc, he has grown into contentment, giving the air of a potential deserving emperor, and ready for whatever the future brings.

Some thoughts on the necessity of the Storm Alliance arc, and the character growths of Xiyang and Feng Suige to become the people they do in episode 38, and why Fu Yixiao also made important changes for her words at the end of episode 38:

There's a discussion thread up above of novel versus drama, including novel-Xia Jinghi versus drama-Xia Jingshi.

In episode 38, Xiyang demonstrates to Feng Suige an ability to see clearly and judge correctly about the two Xia brothers she became entangled with and the circumstances. She may be grieving and weak, but she shows concern for Feng Suige. She also wants to protect Susha.

She does not appear to be thinking like a sheltered child anymore, but lucidly and maturely. No bitterness. No excessive emotions. Before that, she was basically reacting, hotheaded, always ruled by emotions.

A ruler needs to be able to compartmentalise and have compassion but above all, have sound judgment and know when to stand firm. I am sure she would have told Feng Suige about how she behaved with Xia Jingyan ie wishing him future happiness after she leaves. And I believe that type of behaviour showing her ability to grow and reflect and have remorse, along with other examples she might have showed Feng Suige after returning to Susha, made him decide to let her be Regent. Xiyang and Feng Suige must be able to judge well, hence to judge each other and others with enough accuracy and maturity is crucial. Their parents made wrong judgments about each other and other people, and their children will break the cycle.

Whether she remains in her role after 3 years? I believe she will relinquish it. Xiyang has grown up, but at great irreversible cost.

Frankly, if a selfish mother had allowed Xia Jingshi to rightfully become emperor instead of her son, and had taught her son to love and get along with his step-brother... What happened to Xiyang would have been prevented. And Xia Jingshi would have been open to love in a more healthy manner. Then it might have been possible for the two to be a couple.

Similarly, if a certain father had given his attention to his children fairly instead of all that plotting and scheming to toughen up Feng Suige, Xiyang and Suige would have had better lives and be more self-aware in better ways.

How parents screw up their children seems to be one of the running themes of this drama, and how certain children overcome those mistakes is another theme.

Hope you also had a blast enjoying this drama! I will rewatch Coroner's Diary. CSI was one of my favourite TV series. I also want to see which main couple I prefer XD Both couples give me the feels. Episode 38 ended so beautifully and maturely~

Xia Jingshi needed expressive love backed up by loyal action. Yixiao, for all her capable action, might have been too stoic and not verbal enough. Weiran? That guy is sincerely spewing his guts more than once, in such a humbling devoted manner. I was transfixed by his emoting in the final episode. Heck, if anyone gave me what he gave, I would be at a loss of words and automatically respond with... "Are you in love with me?"

Qin Tianyu as the Jinxiu Emperor gave a very good performance. But I found the actors for Feng Pingcheng, Prime Minister Zhuang and Murong Zhuang masterful. Also, give the actor for Chengyang a bigger role! He has range. But this role doesn't allow for more.

# Physician Ling and Auntie An need to stop being exes and just get back together again. Their bonding over the green brew was hilarious. Any BTS of their scenes?

# Yun Fang, Yun Qing and Lu Ke rock. Their camaraderie near the end of episode 38 was adorable. And Ning Fei is part of it too! He's finally having something with Xueying (just like the novel, only much later).

# Lu Ke's role is awesome. When he was trying to jolt Feng Suige's memory, I must have laughed the most at this portion of Fated Hearts. Ok, that's not episode 33. But he is awesome in another way when at the beginning of episode 35, he repeatedly stabs Murong Jie to avenge Gu Yu, Hound and every other comrade who died at the hands of this scumbag.

# Feng Battalion going all the way for their prince was beautiful.

# Murong Zhong died in the most suitable way possible. He didn't have to see what Feng Suige did to his son. BTW, I have yet to understand the extent of damage inflicted on Murong Yao by Feng Suige. Did I miss something in an episode?

# Xiao Weiran, if only you were female! Perhaps Xia Jingshi would not have been so fixated on Yixiao. Who else could listen to someone proclaiming they'll kill anyone they want and being willing to sacrifice 300,000 of their own citizens, and still fall at their feet in steadfast devotion while dismissing all the red flags? The love story that never was, alas.

# Xiyang was doing well in her I-will-do-anything-to-avenge-my-brother-and-father arc because she had to resort to the only weapons she had to do so, until she tripped up at the end of episode 34 with that irrational spewing of Xia Jingshi should die while swinging a blade at him. Xia Jingshi has been steadfast in rejecting her, and is the only person who has ever rejected her. Drama Xia-Jingshi deserves to die for a whole bunch of other reasons, but not for rejecting Xiyang. Not a fan of her behaviour here. That said, I still pity her and don't want her to die.

# Chen Heyi may have all the emoting chutzpa of a constipated squirrel when it comes to micro-expressions, but he bloomed wonderfully in episodes 36 to 38 as the victim come to collect on debts as a filial stepson. After enduring many years of abuse and humiliation from his stepmother and brother, he repays them in kind and relishes the undignified ends of his abusers. Xiyang should not have called Yixiao a slut while specifically dressed up with a specific hairdo as Fu Yixiao, after Xia Jingshi told her to stop. The one who repeatedly had sex with another man and got pregnant while not married while claiming their exchanges are a transaction isn't Yixiao. I believe that was the lesson he intended for her to have, in the fact that he showed no regret in what he did to her with one sword-thrust. (I'd like to see him as a villain again, but he needs to take some lessons from Wang Duo and Luo Jin first).

# Yixiao, steadfast and protective. That final battle was a bit too short. Enjoyed the savagery though. Li Qin, slaying this role magnificently. Can we get her and Liu Shishi in a drama together, where they are both badass fighters of some sort?

# Feng Suige may have had it bad, but at least Feng Suige had loving siblings and a mother who was kind to him while she was alive. Xia Jingshi was always labelled a bastard and received unacceptable torment from his stepmother and stepbrother. Humiliated in multiple ways, including begging like a dog for the antidote every month, for many years- There's a limit to how abuse much one can take. That said, he's not justified in killing anyone he wants.

# Xiyang and Feng Suige's love and concern for each other is beautiful. Feng Suige is totally the big brother I would like to have. Xiyang didn't totally lose herself. Feng Suige didn't judge her. She finally understood her brother. And for her to rule in his place as Regent for three years, potential future Empress- What a guy. To see Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao together at the end, firing an arrow at the sky with that new bow... Awww... What a couple. Possibly my favourite C-Drama couple of the year, because I cannot decide between this couple and the mains of Coroner's Diary starring Li Landi and Ao Ruipeng.

# Chen Zheyuan was really impressive . He turned in a very good performance, more so than Qin Tianyu for me because he had to emote in a very wide range of scenarios. I went from not caring for any dramas he was in, to now making a note to watch his now-filming drama with Wu Jinyan. That sword going through his chest in episode 28 had me realising I was more impressed with him than I realised. And his ADR was enjoyable. What a voice! I hope he will use his own voice in his drama with Wu Jinyan.

# The screenwriters really understood their material. Enjoyed the emotional connective quieter episodes that allowed the characters to breath and emote and develop, and the cinematography! The Storm Alliance helped Feng Suige understand certain lessons, influencing his future decisions. That said, the wind machine really needs to be retired from working OT.

# No matter what Xiyang has done, I believe she does not deserve to die, whether it is the novel or the drama. The novel isn't making excuses for a dying Xiyang, who earns a promise from novel Xia-Jingshi of the most directly sentimental kind even though he cannot love her and only loves Yixiao. It's beautiful to read. He acknowledges her sacrifices for him, and how he cannot return equally in kind. He will not deceive her, so he will not promise himself to her in the next life. He promises he could die for her in a next life, but he will only live for Fu Yixiao. This is yet another example of why I say the screenwriters understood the source material, because they retained that part of novel-Xia Jingshi who was actually very noble. And then proceeded to butcher the rest of his character for the drama with inconsistencies because I can see where they tried to retain his noble traits including wanting to give the military command to Yixiao at one point and not using Xiyang in any way for his own ends... But then threw in the 300,000 citizens and killing anyone he wants points due to the plot and subplots being crafted in a certain manner which improved many other characters and their relationships.

[ “第二次了”，他像在笑，又像在叹息，气息拂过她的额头，温暖的，“也许都是注定的，这一世，我有太多的身不由己，但我并没有奢求太多，只是期望她能幸福——也是我太不公平，任你付出着，却没能给你相同的回报。”

本想就这样听下去的，泪水却抑制不住的从睫下渗出，她从来没有与他那么贴近过啊，无论身心。

“你听得见吗”，还是那双手，温柔的替她拭去泪水，“我不想骗你，所以，我不会许诺来生，这条命，是我欠你的，下辈子，我可为你而死，但，我只为她一个人而生。” ]

Edited to add that I wrote a comment on why I believe Xiyang will only be a temporary regent, and why Feng Suige chose her: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23843306

Episodes 33 to 38: From sidekicks to mainstays (spoilers below)->

Ximena shares a link in her comment: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23837844

That said, I don't rely primarily on IQiyi's heat index, when there are other data analytics such as Yunhe to go by. As to why, here's a different comment for you to consider: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23837894

XJS was consistent towards her. Xiyang couldn't take rejection (he is the only person who has ever rejected her in her entire life) which is why at the end of episode 34, just when she was starting to look as if she was growing up while on her I-will-do-whatever-to-avenge-my-brother-and-father-arc, she suddenly reverts to asking XJS if he ever imagined growing old with her. Despite a sword aimed at him he did not blink and told her honestly and concisely "不曾" ie "Never".

What does she do? She grabs the sword and tries to kill him. And when Xia Jingyan tries to stop her (since she did not disagree with Xia Jingyan labelling her his woman), she basically screams she will have her revenge. By her logic, XJS should die for rejecting her. There are many reasons why he should die when looked at from other viewpoints, but rejecting her is not a justifiable reason for him to die. She received a lesson from him that she will never forget.

Less than 15 minutes ago, Li Qin's official studio weibo account posted "Fated Hearts" breaching 9100 for IQiyi heat index: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5222473048261436

Great news!

Slightly over halfway through episode 35. Looks like the domino rally of karma is about to start.

Since she considers herself to be the last of her family line, her actions make total sense. Whether she is overjoyed about her actions is another matter entirely. Will the Empress Dowager allow Xiyang to be with Xia Jingyan, or will she work with Xia Jingshi to have both of them killed? Will binge the remaining episodes today, when they are out.

Curious to see how your fanfic will turn out! Will you post on AO3? bruceice and I are having a short exchange of how novel-Xiyang and novel-XJS got improved or worsened and when, in this drama:

https://kisskh.at/discussions/768987-wan-xin-ji/145636-novel-versus-drama-differences?pid=3409924&page=2#p3409924

I wrote a fanfic for another fandom. Unlike the directors and screenwriters here who mostly did a good job for the main plot, subplots and other characters, that Cdrama was a mess of a storyline despite a nice world setting and interesting characters.

It is a lovely picture of the two actors. Truly a shame as to how novel-Xia Jingshi was altered for this drama.

The spoilers for the drama can be based on possible leakages of transcripts combined with Reuters. It's the same with deleted lines from Fangs of Fortune, whereby I am aware of some lines being deleted for certain characters in the drama from the original script. I don't always stay abreast of all deletions. In not-yet-aired "Whispers Of Fate" (I prefer "The Dragon's Chant" as a title), fans were trying to figure out whether the key lead Tang Lici in the drama will have romance or not, in terms of following the novel. He doesn't.

I will give you the links to the original Mandarin novel plus the translated English version.

Chapter 135 (original mandarin): https://www.kanunu8.com/101/yixiao/324217.html

Chapter 135 (english translation): https://mydramanovel.com/fated-hearts/yi-xiao-chapter-135/

The English translation is decent enough, even if it could be improved.

{ 在凤岐山赐下的软凳上坐定，凤随歌沉默了一会儿，终于开了口，“父王近日身体可好？” } to (Seated on the soft chair provided by Feng Qishan, Feng Suige remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, “How has Father King’s health been recent?”)

I wish IQiyi had translated a certain line from Xiyang to Xia Jingshi more bluntly. Despite being told to stop speaking about Yixiao in such a manner and saying he wouldn't retort to anything she says to him because she resents him, Xiyang was slapped for totally ignoring what he said. She went one step further with, "她就是一直玩弄于股掌的贱人!"

I don't blame Xia Jingshi for slapping Xiyang after she labelled Yixiao a cheap slut who toys with the feelings of others. And one more thing about both brothers: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23830650

I can see why Xia Jingshi finally slapped Xiyang for saying, "她就是一直玩弄于股掌的贱人!"

Before that, Xiyang told him Yixiao is a player. He didn't show any reaction until she started insulting Yixiao. To her words, Xia Jingshi tells her that he will not retort to whatever she says to him, but do not mention Yixiao in such a manner. What does Xiyang choose? The exact sentiment is not "bitch". Xiyang ignores Xia Jingshi's words and proceeds to label Yixiao a cheap slut who toys with feelings of others...While wearing a specific dress and hairstyle Yixiao uses. Thanks. The contrast between both women could not be bigger. Xiyang's behaviour at that point is disgusting. If I was Xia Jingshi, either I immediately leave the room so as not to lay a hand on this woman, or... I would slap her.

As to kissing JIngyan, Xiyang is literally closing her eyes in the kisses with Xia Jingyan. Tightly squeezing shut her eyes. Whereas with Xia Jingshi before he slapped her, she literally devoted herself to him with her unwavering wide-eyed gaze.

People can and should be disgusted with Xia Jingshi for wanting to sacrifice 300,000 citizens. How is Xia Jingyan better, for getting palace servants beaten to death on a whim and taking his officials' wives as mistresses until they kill themselves? If someone said both brothers are equally disgusting in different ways, they are right. If Xiyang was my sister, I would not have her anywhere near these two men.

If Xiyang hadn't changed to become what she is now, what do people think Xia Jingyan would do to her? Xia Jingyan shoved her hands into thorns. When she was devastated by the deaths of her brother and father, he insulted and mocked her. That said, she needed his cruel honesty to wake up. If Xiyang had not voiced agreeing to wanting Xia Jingshi dead and then doing all those things she would not previously do, to keep Xia Jingyan interested... What value would she have to Xia Jingyan? Zero.

Xia Jingshi would not harm her even if she did not divorce him. If she were married to Xia Jingyan but could not hold Xia Jingyan's interest, he wouldn't hesitate to do something to her.

If Xiyang couldn't hold Xia Jingyan's interest, Xia Jingyan would continue mocking and tormenting her, or worse. If she waited and actually used at least a year to prove she loved Xia Jingshi instead of badmouthing Yixiao and expecting instant returns, I might actually have believed Xiyang loved Xia Jingshi.

Xiyang was infatuated but never loved Xia Jingshi. And now she expects to be justified in whatever she does to him, after he slapped her and rejected her after she continued insulting Yixiao in an untrue horrible manner when he told her to stop. I don't see any respect from Xiyang to XJS before the slap, although she protected him on certain occasions in Jinxiu Kingdom. I see a selfish woman-child who had been told by this man repeatedly about his inability to love her and he even asked her to consider turning back at one point. In this one aspect, he has been consistently blunt with her.

And if you happen to be interested in changes between novel-Xiyang versus drama-Xiyang, here's some details: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23829534

There are currently MDL users on this drama page claiming the only thing retained from the novel are the names of characters and places and everything plus everyone is different. That's not correct.

I made a forum discussion and summarised the novel versus drama differences for the first 33 chapters plus other details further in that thread discussion, because the writers kept the best traits of Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao and had to remove a lot of the details which made them look... immature, overly-jealous, unacceptably horrible towards women such as his bedmates/concubines for Feng Suige, and irrational. XiaJingshi shot Yixiao with an arrow, but his doing so was justified because of very different timeline and circumstances right from the beginning of the novel versus the drama.

I could pinpoint that in episode 29 or 30, when Xiyang grabs food from the floor and stuffs broken ceramic plus food in her mouth, she horrifies Xia Jingyan. This is from Chapter 11 of the novel but it was done intentionally by novel-Fu Yixiao and not novel-Xiyang, which unnerves Feng Suige and makes him back down. The incident was retained for this drama but the context and person carrying it out is different, which is why I already interpreted that scene by drama-Xiyang being disgusted by Xia Jingyan but intentionally deciding to scare Xia Jingyan and then she kisses him.

Her primary aim now is revenge for her brother and father, unlike the novel. And she is pitiful, because she can only use herself. Poor Xiyang.

Chapter 114 - Novel-Xiyang is tearfully asking her brother Feng Suige why she cannot touch Xia Jingshi's heart, whom she loves. Xiyang's response after a conversation is to accuse her brother of making excuses for Yixiao. Novel-Xiyang is quite emotionally immature and selfish so technically at this point, the drama makes her look better.

Chapter 116 - Feng Suige is now on very good terms with Xia Jingshi, in wanting to help Xia Jingshi to become Emperor. Xia Jingshi helped Feng Suige with a huge treasury problem in chapter 22 so by the time Xia Jingshi chose to relinquish Fu Yixiao to Feng Suige by chapter 35 despite being in love with Fu Yixiao for over 100 chapters until the end of the novel plus Xiyang loving Xia Jingshi until her death, we wouldn't have this drama if the novel was adapted.

Chapter 118 - Xiyang frees the Emperor for a certain promise he made of killing Fu Yixiao, and escapes from the encampment with him. Yixiao catches up to them. This Emperor (known as Xia Jingyan in the drama) shoves Xiyang at Yixiao while her weapon is drawn, causing Yixiao to accidentally stab Xiyang in the back until the sword tip protrudes from her chest. At that point, Xiyang is still so jealous that she accuses Yixiao of being happy if she dies, so Yixiao can return to Xia Jingshi. In the novel, Xia Jingshi never divorced Xiyang and vice versa. They are still married, even when Xiyang dies.

Chapter 130 - Xia Jingshi volunteers to swap himself for Xiyang and surrender to his younger brother a second time, knowing he might be killed. As he walks towards the Jinxiu Emperor, Xiyang realises that Xia Jingshi has kept his word and is exactly what she told her father: He will never abandon her. She remembers that Feng Suige had people bring the precious black jade essence salve to treat Xia Jingshi's wounds. Xia Jingshi had been badly tortured and wounded by the Jinxiu Emperor because of her foolish decision to believe the Jinxiu Emperor. Yixiao saved Xia Jingshi.

Realising she had failed Xia Jingshi, she makes a decision to sacrifice herself because she cannot bear to fail her husband again. "Husband" is what she calls out to Xia Jingshi, as a sword from a soldier deals her a second fatal blow across the shoulder to add to her first wound.

Holding her close, Xia Jingshi makes Xiyang a promise of sorts in Chapter 131, before being the one to put her out of her misery. Other than that promise, he once told her she would be his only wife, and he honours that with a mausoleum in an epilogue chapter.

Novel-Xiyang's jealousy of Fu Yixiao got her killed. At no point did Novel-Xiyang succumb to the Jinxiu emperor's advances or fall for him. She always rejected his physical advances. Getting pregnant and divorcing Xia Jingshi is only in the drama, not the novel. Hope this helps.

Feng Suige still owes Xia Jingshi for a certain arrow fired at him, which was stopped by Yixiao.

That said, Xia Jingyan is about to be justifiably killed by Xia Jingshi because not only has XJS spent years heading the military to protect Jinxiu so Xia Jingyan can lounge in the imperial palace doing whatever he likes, Xia Jingyan is stupid enough to take his officials' wives as playthings. Having a maid beaten to death on a whim, just to show XJS who is boss.

That's a long list of contributions from Xia Jingyan to XJS already finalising the masterplan to get rid of Xia Jingyan and the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile, Xiyang does the only desperate thing left to her as a woman: Use whatever means necessary in a foreign land to get revenge on whoever killed her brother and father.

Xia Jingshi isn't disturbed by whether Xiyang is his enemy or not because if her blood brother and father are truly dead, she's a sitting duck because he knows she will have to depend on Xia Jingyan and Xiyang has no warrior skills. Xia Jingshi is going to kill Xia Jingyan, so it makes no difference if there's one more casualty. He might reconsider killing Xiyang if Feng Suige is alive and the Emperor of Susha. Otherwise nothing stops him from offing Xiyang who btw, insisted on XJS marrying her without a choice because he spared and helped her that one time, molested him, insulted him, insulted the woman he loves and wants to marry, and now wants to help his worst abuser kill him only because he was too honest and consistent with her about not loving her. One questions whether she really loved him or only loved her idea of what he should be for her. That's why Xia Jingshi says he cannot help her with her obsession.

From his perspective, understandably she is an over-entitled pampered pain in the ass who might have to die. No matter what one thinks of Xia Jingshi including his heinous ideas of sacrificing 300,000 of his own citizens to kill Feng Suige, Xiyang looks completely disgusting and unlovable from his viewpoint, especially when she dresses up as Yixiao to try to trick him into being intimate with her and within the next minute, calls Yixiao a bitch who is playing two men. And then publicly taunts him, after having an eunuch killed for being a mole for XJS without knowing anything more about that eunuch. That eunuch should not have paid the price for her desire to "revenge" herself against XJS. There's a name for a woman like that and no, it isn't "bitch".

XJS knew Feng Suige would never commit patricide. Too bad he can't send Chengyang a memo.

And although I pity Xiyang resorting to using her wiles and body on the Emperor as bargaining chips so she can avenge her brother and father (she doesn't know Feng Suige is alive) and she looked so disgusted before kissing Xia Jingyan, she will deserve Xia Jingshi teaching her a lesson. The question is whether she will survive that lesson or not.

And if anyone harms Xiyang in any way, of course the Killer God of Susha will take revenge by all means necessary. He first has to sort out the traitors in Susha. Looks like Yixiao will be repaying XJS for that arrow.