Yerisina

There are many lies between them, that's true.

In many regards, KTL leaves things up to interpretation, which I personally really admire.
One such example is the poem: Why does Zi Ang care so much about a fake poem?

There is no canonically "right" answer, and every viewer can see it through their PoV, which is shaped by their life experience. True beauty in this, I think.

Aw, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoy our threads and links. ❤️
There's still more to come, because I'm not done with this masterpiece (aka I need therapy 🤣).

Yeah, I agree.

He's probably not alive anymore, however I'd like to know how he found his end.

I really want it to be either by Zi Ang's hands, so Zi Ang can have his (deserved) revenge for the brutal massacre of his family.
Or by Shu He's hands as revenge for corrupting his brother (although that's unlikely).

But (haha, plot twist) - he becomes Huai Yi's trusted advisor. 🤣 Jk! Although, given his personality, it would be a possibility. The bad penny always turns up again...

Indeed it is. A native speaker commented that it’s even more romantic in Chinese ❤️

What happened with him is anyone's guess. That is truly a loose plot thread - I imagine that had to be cut due to budget. (I mean, if you look at it, ep 1-8 was filled with policital intrigue, and then 9 -12 it was gone. And I really liked that part of the story... 😢
(never expected to, but still did). 🤣

What Minister Gu's intention was is never truly addressed. @oddsare wrote in her post:
https://kisskh.at/788946-shan-he-yong-ji#comment-23302780

"Gu Xiang is not simply a minister; he is the hand that pushes others forward while staying safely in the dark. His strategy is always the same: he never takes the blade himself, but he places it in someone else’s hand. When he advised the Nan Hui Crown Prince to kill the Ji Bei heir, the plot succeeded, but Gu Xiang avoided the bloodstains. When chaos broke out, he quietly withdrew from court — neither guilty nor innocent, but always untouchable.

Why, then, does he insist that Shuhe enter politics? The answer lies in balance. The Crown Prince already commands power and the military. Without another force to oppose him, he would dominate the court. By pushing Shuhe forward, Gu Xiang creates a counterweight — not to protect Shuhe, but to protect himself. With two princes in play, Gu Xiang can move between them, ensuring that whichever side wins, he remains indispensable.

This is the essence of Gu Xiang’s method:
• Divide and control — turn brotherly affection into rivalry, so no alliance can threaten him.
• Conceal his hand — let others commit the act, while he claims the wisdom of counsel.
• Build factions — surround himself with loyalists, not to serve the state, but to secure his own survival.

Gu Xiang is less a loyal tutor than a survivor of palace intrigue. He embodies what Chinese history often calls a 权臣 (quánchén, “power minister”): a figure who does not seek the throne, but bends the throne’s heirs to his advantage. His greatest weapon is not armies or assassins, but the simple truth that fear and suspicion grow fastest between brothers.

In Kill to Love, Gu Xiang is the shadow that ensures tragedy. Without him, Shuhe and the Crown Prince might still have been brothers. Without him, the court might not bleed so deeply. His presence reminds us that betrayal does not always come from the obvious enemy, but from the one who whispers in your ear."

In ep 2 Zi Ang finds the poem. In ep 9 (in the dungeon) there's the architect, who changed the layout of the 6th Prince's mansion, because the cabinet in which the poem was hidden was bad feng shui (Shu He had it added on purpose, that's why it wasn't organically a part of the layout and the architect caught it being out of place. Poor man locked it, which cost him his life...)

@oddsare was so kind to write it down (Zi Ang reads it in ep 2)

"The most devastating moment comes not from battle, but from a piece of paper. While spying in the Sixth Prince’s study, Duan Zi’ang uncovers a hidden poem

《故剑吟》 (Gu Jian Yin, “Ballad of the Old Sword”):

故剑吟
忆昔时挚友段
竹弓犹带指尖温
踏碎青聪野径春
忽散江湖烟雨后
绕指柔处不敢逢


Pinyin:
Gù jiàn yín
Yì xī shí zhì yǒu Duàn
Zhú gōng yóu dài zhǐ jiān wēn
Tà suì qīng cōng yě jìng chūn
Hū sàn jiāng hú yān yǔ hòu
Rào zhǐ róu chù bù gǎn féng


Translation:
Ballad of the Old Sword
I recall my dearest friend, Duan.
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."

What's your interpretation: Why does Zi Ang care about the poem so much, knowing it was fake?

I think that even though it was fake, it still reflects Shu He's feelings about Zi Ang. I mean, he had to sit down and write it, thinking about him...

And it's about how the poem made Zi Ang feel. Warm and fuzzy probably? 🤣

Also, while their relationship started out with both of them deceiving each other, it still marks their beginning and is therefore an important part of their history.

With your reply, I somehow imagined a version where Zi Ang becomes his concubine in order to make amends 🤣

Again, I think I have to defend poor Shu He at least somewhat. (I'm not saying he was competent... maybe we can discuss? 😅)

1) yes
3) While Zi Ang did try to be humane, it was war after all.
2) Yes and no.
Shu He's feelings might have played a part in his decision to close trade routs.
However it may not be the only reason.

The first thing Shu He does when ascending the throne is to grant "general anmesty to all under heaven" (大赦天下 da she tian xia) - which would include Zi Ang who just killed the Crown Prince of South Hui.
We learn that the ministers in Shu He's court wanted to avenge Shu Qian's death, which Shu He opposed. This I think would have happened quite early in his reign, so soon after Shu He took the throne, when Shu Qian's death was still "fresh" in the memories.

So why did Shu He not attack?
- To avoid bloodshed seems like a likely reason to me, Shu He just loves his people and would gladly save every life.
- War also drains the treasure, and we know that South Hui was losing money. If it's unlikely to win, then an attack is unwise.
- No contact to Zi Ang? Or to help / protect Zi Ang? (Shu He is the master of inner conflict after all and his personal feelings may have played a part. )

Either way, these decisions probably alienated the court (a court that did not support its ruler from the outset) even more. From their point of view, it’s a sign of weakness. They may accuse Shu He of failing to honor the Crown Prince's death. There’s a strong possibility that some ministers will privately or openly seek to undermine Shu He’s rule, calling for more aggressive action.

Therefore the decision to close the trade routes may NOT ONLY have been because Shu He wanted to cut all ties with Zi Ang. (I’m sorry, therefore I disagree with "stupid king thought this was another wooing attempt")
South Hui elites were pissed off with North Ji. And while closing trade routes seems bad from the outside, it could also be a sign of the rising conflict between the countries.

Decision to stop trade with North Ji
Shu He may want to show strength by refusing to depend on North Ji economically, especially after the assassination of Shu Qian.
- Personal Reasons: There’s also the emotional side – Shu He may be acting out of anger or grief
- Political Reasons: Shu He/ministers might want to show strength by refusing to depend on North Ji economically, especially after the assassination of Shu Qian. Cutting off trade would send a strong message, signaling that South Hui will not be pushed around by North Ji.

Rebellion?
When Zi Ang asserts that the people of South Hui were ready to rebel against Shu He even before North Ji annexed the kingdom, it’s a subtle (and perhaps manipulative) way of positioning himself as a savior rather than a conqueror.
In his version of events, he paints the annexation as an inevitable solution to the unrest within South Hui, framing his takeover as benevolent rather than an act of conquest.

Zi Ang’s claim also reveals a lot about the dysfunctional state of South Hui before the annexation. Shu He’s reign was already fragile, with internal dissent and a loss of faith among key supporters. Zi Ang's annexation, while portrayed as a "restoration of order", was in reality, the result of a long process of political erosion within South Hui and also an ambition that North Ji had for a long time.

I found some novel spoilers on YT - if you want me to, I can DM you what this user wrote. ;)

I like your idea, and I keep thinking Zi Ang was way too impatient. Not sure if he would have succeeded, but certainly worth a try.

In my opinion, if he had allowed a rebellion, then Shu He probably wouldn't have felt so obligated to the people…

After the end of episode 8 — what should Zi Ang have done differently to get back together with Shu He?

I'm so torn.
On the one hand, I'm happy to see that they're really that close. I mean, their body language always gave it away anyway, but still. I love that they are good friends in front and behind the camera. 🥰
On the other hand - what kind of next level espionage… and here I am, liking this. 🫣

I like that we’re not given a definite answer. It may be bc of budget constraints, but it makes the characters feel real and ambiguous .

Shu He was kind to a fault, it's his tragedy and his demise. (I love him for it!)

Whether it was revenge or not is up to interpretation. (And also how one interprets what revenge is and what it encompasses… )

In my opinion it makes sense if DHY was not who he said he was. Rather someone deliberately placed by North Ji to stay by Zi Ang’s side, to guard and guide him. Someone who had knowledge about the kingdom and how to rule. Hence he also makes a good successor.

Part II — Shu He and the game of Go

The recurring theme of playing and scheming runs throughout the series, with characters often finding themselves as players or chess pieces in a game of fate.

In ep 2, Shu He reflects, "Between the two of us, who is the pawn and who is the chess player? It seems yet to be decided."

In the drama, we see Shu He playing a board game, it is the ancient board game of Go. Allegedly the hardest game in the world. Despite Go's simple rules, it requires intuition, creativity, logical thinking and long-term planning. The number of potential positions and moves on a Go board is said to exceed the number of atoms in the universe. (!!)

In fact, Shu He's proficiency with Go makes perfect sense. Go was one of the "four essential arts" of cultured aristocratic Chinese scholars. These four arts—qin (the zither that Shu He plays), qi (the strategy game of Go), shu (Chinese calligraphy), and hua (Chinese painting)—are often collectively referred to as qínqíshūhuà (琴棋書畫).

The complexity of Go perfectly mirrors Shu He’s character. He is a master strategist, able to think several steps ahead. He can read people and manipulate situations, but he isn't ruthless.

For instance, after considering his plan to use Zi Ang in ep 1, he hesitates, saying, "He saved my life after all. Yet, I mean to use him and hurt him. I want to be idle and carefree—I don't want to become that kind of person."

It's not that Shu He never lies or manipulates, but rather that he does so only when he truly wants something (like pursuing freedom at the beginning and death at the end).

In ep 12 we encounter a flashback to the 1st ep, when Shu He played Go. 你輸了。" You lost. "
To me, this symbolizes that he has (in the 2nd act) mostly been the pawn in others' (to the largest part Zi Ang's) game, subjected to circumstances beyond his control. Yet, in his final moments, he reclaims agency.

By taking control of how his story ends, he finally achieves the what he wanted.

It's his redemption, his salvation. He leaves the world to go into the next in the hands of his lover, finally no longer shackled to everything that weighed him - them - down.

He's being freed, restored, made whole after so much loss, harm, ... and transitions from a negative state to a better, freer, reconciled one.

I hope you like my ramblings XD
If you want to read part I: https://kisskh.at/788946-shan-he-yong-ji#comment-23938254

I looked up what was said when Shu He took the throne: "Historically 大赦天下 (general amnesty to all under heaven) was used by emperors or rulers to announce the pardoning of criminals or the remission of punishments, often as part of a political strategy to solidify power, bring about peace, or mark the beginning of a new reign or era. It’s a grand gesture of forgiveness or leniency."

Yes, Shu He looked depressed, but we weren't told why. A plethora of reasons come to my mind, from his breakup with Zi Ang, the betrayal, the death of his father and brother, the destruction of his lifelong dream of freedom, forced into a position he never wanted. Maybe he wanted to change things, but saw himself unable to. No supporters truly. Only surrounded by people who saw him in a position he wasn't cut out for. What a cut-throat environment.

The way I see it though is – Shu He would have tried. In my opinion, with his kindness, the love for the South Hui people, the idealist he was at heart, and with the words of encouragement Zi Ang had given him, ... ("But the fate of most people in this world are not in their own hands. [...] The future of every household will change because of one person's decision. Instead of trusting it to others as if it's a gamble, it would be better if that person is Xiao Shu He. At least the world won't get worse.")
... he wanted peace and prosperity, but failed. Also, I think Shu He's pride wouldn't have allowed him to be half-hearted.

That's not to say that he didn't do things wrong as ruler, but we were not told why he made these decisions and how much he was influenced by ministers, his feelings, misreading the situation ...

Shu He’s found himself – against his wishes – in a brutal system that rewards ruthlessness and power, not morality. Zi Ang wasn’t called incompetent because, in the end, history is written by those who win.