AH

In the novel, TSJ knew about the promise that XY made to XL in exchange for receiving the poisonous bug.

XL was clearly deeply touched by XY's words, but then something makes him change. First he is aloof and asks if she is worthy of being the person who saved him. Then he becomes aggressive. In the novel "Bei appeared to don a full armor, wrapping himself tightly in a deadly aura." (chapter 23).

What marks the change? In the novel, in the moment between withdrawing his hand and turning aloof, XL glances behind XY. We can infer that he sees TSJ and that reminds him of what he has resolved to do. In episode 34, check 28:07 - 28:09. It's very subtle, but with the context from the novel that seems to be the moment when XL looks past XY and sees TSJ. The screen shows XY for a moment and then XL again, and you can see him shift into a different persona and don a sardonic smile.

He then asks XY if she is worthy in a way that creates coldness and distance between them, after that intense warmth and intimacy they just had.

And then he turns aggressive (and dons his metaphorical armor and wraps himself in a deadly aura) to make her step away from him, and to prompt TSJ to move forward. Since XY knows that FFB is XL, she pulls TSJ away rather than let him confront XL, and they literally run away together, leaving XL behind. Then XL walks his path alone, in a different direction, towards darkness.

The whole scene is an intense bit of foreshadowing. When XY gets too close to XL, he will create coldness and distance between them. Then he will push her away, into TSJ's arms (because TSJ is a man she can rely on for her whole life, and that's what XL wants for her). XY and TSJ will run away together, and XL will follow his own path, alone, to the dark fate that he chose for himself.

YW :)

On that last note, XY's father (iirc) observes that XY still has the ability to change her appearance when she disappears. She can become anyone. So he hopes that ZX will rule as if any one of his subjects could be XY.

That's why she doesn't want to go with ZX to see the King of Haoling. But that's not why XY was planning to leave even before ZX arrived at her clinic to tell her that the King wanted to see her.

Yes, she was planning to leave. It's about 6 minutes into episode 13 and near the beginning of chapter 8 in the novel.

Due to her past, XY has a fear of abandonment. And in short succession, two of her companions marry and leave the clinic. Another has his identity revealed and is also forced to leave the clinic. The last is about to retire. The people around her who care for her are all leaving. Even though they aren't going far, everything has changed. Although the novel and drama don't expressly say why XY was planning to leave, I think it was a matter of "Better to be the one who leaves than the one who is left behind".

Another factor is that she might be worried about her identity getting exposed (which would be a valid worry, given what happens next). The next leader of a prominent clan (TSJ), who has a diabolic enemy that he is not willing to fight, is paying close attention to her. The grandson of an emperor (ZX) and the general who is the emperor's greatest enemy (XL) both now have odd connections with her. And she used her unique skills to save ZX's life. She's drawn a lot of attention. It would be safer for her to switch identities and move on.

He is not my favourite character and I really didn't pay attention to the details of his story, especially all the politics. So this is oversimplifying it, but ZX is partly responsible for the deaths of two people that XY cares about deeply: TSJ and XL. In the end, XY disappears and leaves ZX behind (and still has the ability to change her appearance, so like before, he won't be able to find her). She says goodbye to other people she cares about, but not to him. His worst nightmare is XY abandoning him, and it comes true.

IMO, neither XL nor XY are naturally gentle. They are the type to fight to defend themselves and the people they care about. Think of young XY defending ZX from his bullies before she lost most of her spirit power. And they are both capable of intense loyalty and deep compassion. And around the right people, they can soften.

XY wears her compassion on her sleeve. She saves TSJ knowing it will likely put a target on her back, and gains a person who is determined to follow her forever. XL tends to hide his compassion. XL saves XY many times, but mostly in secret. On the occasions where he can't do it in secret, he pretends to do it as part of a deal in exchange for something.

XY is fiercely loyal to ZW. XL is fiercely loyal to Gong Gong.

XL's initial roughness towards XY isn't for show. He is a snake demon and a fierce general that grew up in the slave death match fighting pits, and XY likes to push his buttons. But that rough persona is not everything he is when XY first meets him. He had already started moonlighting as FFB centuries ago and experienced the gentle and unconditional love of FFB's mother. He cared deeply about Gong Gong and his fellow soldiers. And by episode 7 he was walking hand and hand with XY just to appreciate the beauty of the full moon with her. But that roughness is a big part of him. No less real than his gentler side.

Later on in the drama, you are correct that he starts to act more coldly and roughly towards the FL on purpose at times so that she doesn't recognize his feelings for her or develop deeper feelings for him. But before she ends up with TSJ, he also wants to be a person who can be her temporary companion and alleviate her loneliness and heartache. So he isn't totally rough and cold all the time. He toes a narrow line.

I have read the novel and I think ZX has the worst ending. But a lot of it he brings on himself.

Aw, thank you for saying that. I started to write a response to a poster who didn't like XL and wanted to be enlightened about what made him appealing to those who did like his character and I wrote so much it was turning into a novel unto itself. I had to stop myself.

YW :)

She sort of was, as much as anyone was? At least in the first half of the drama. The emperor had a lot of women around him in addition to the FL, but the empress was the most important one in her time. She was close to the ML, SML and FL.

For awareness though: There are some minor plot and name differences between the novel and the drama. Best way to avoid confusion, if you have the patience, is to start from the beginning.

The first cdrama that comes to mind is Story of Yanxi Palace. The Empress was quite lovely. Both Fuca siblings actually.

Oh you mean XY and ZX specifically, but TSJ and XL are fine? The reverse harem part is still relevant I'm afraid, unless you wouldn't mind it if it's one-sided?

Sounds like a reverse harem drama might not be your cup of tea...

XL had to revert to his true demon form to protect XY. He told her to close her eyes and not look, but she peeked, which is why he was angry.

For my favourite part, XY uses her whole body to pull XL down onto the sand (they're on a beach) to stop him from leaving. She's on top of him and desperately wants him to stop moving / struggling because he's bleeding so much. They continue arguing (with XY also apologizing / trying to make XL feel better about her seeing his true form), and then he bites her twice. The second time, she falls asleep. As soon as she does, XL drops drinking and lifts his head to stare at her sleeping in his arms. The scene cuts there and doesn't specify how long they stay like that.

If he had, he wouldn't be able to bring her back from the dead a second time!

Maybe a bit of both?

In chapter 43, XL is angry with XY and also heavily injured. He tries to leave, but XY won't let him. XL is so badly injured that XY is actually able to stop him, and XL gets frustrated. He threatens to bite her and XY tells him to go ahead. The end of that scene is one of my favourite moments in the whole novel. I highly doubt that scene will be included in the drama exactly the way it is in the novel.

Chapter 46 is when XL pushes XY to cut all ties with him, so he's intentionally playing the bad guy. XY injures him and he takes a bite to collect the "blood debt" she just incurred. XY isn't able to stop him.

Yes - killed, not removed. In chapter 48.

XL makes a point of telling XY (while she is unconscious after being brought back from the dead, again) that he is killing the bugs, not removing them.