fengtashuangyi

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When they said “I love you” but Xiao Chiye said:

“I thought my father and eldest brother would never feel pain and would never fall. They would shed blood and never tears. But on the day my eldest brother got married, he drank himself drunk. Such a steady person like that gingerly took my eldest sister-in-law's hands and got all teary-eyed at her. It was as if he had already anticipated the future. He saw her as his precious treasure. He would feel fear too.

There is nothing about me that is better than my eldest brother. If I had to say, then it'd be that I've totally inherited this fine physique from my father.

I never really understood in the past why he had to get all teary-eyed at my eldest sister-in-law. But now, I do.”

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将进酒 (QJJ) by T97 - eng.tl. vol.2 cover reveal

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Why was she born a girl?

This body was so nauseating!

Ling Ting raked away at that crack like a madwoman and howled outside through those streaks of blood, "Madame..." she said with vehement hatred, "Kill me!"

If she survived this.

If she could live like a human being.

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“先生授你以詩書，許你表字為蘭舟。蘭生玉階淡然之，舟渡苦海驅無涯。”

"I taught you literature, and gave you the courtesy name Lanzhou ("lan"= orchid, "zhou" = boat). The orchid grows by the jade steps in placid serenity; the boat crosses the sea of suffering, though it be boundless."

Master Qi's heart-to-heart talk with Shen Zechuan in chapter 41 is pretty moving. He gave Zechuan the courtesy name in the hope that Zechuan's talent could bring him peace and contentment like the fragrant orchid, not endless strife on a quest for revenge that makes him isolate himself to fight against the whole world; that Zechuan could forge through all this pain among a people intent on loathing him and still emerge with the ability to love and form human connections, not drown in the sea of bitterness and crucify himself for sufferings originally not caused by him.

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Shen Zechuan nodded slightly and said, "[...] To investigate this matter, you have to start with the Ministry of War, and it could be from either the top or the bottom."

Xiao Chiye said: "I'll investigate from the top, you from the bottom."

"The top and bottom are connected and inseparable." When Shen Zechuan said this, he realised that Xiao Chiye was teasing him. He flipped through the book, pretending not to know.

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我一直在想你.

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xiao chiye on horseback the second he sees shen sezhuan

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Cosplay of Shen Lanzhou from Qiang JIn Jiu

[eng by me]

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These discussions were all the rage in the thirteen cities of Juexi, followed by the eight cities of Qudu. Pan Lin and the other young masters of the noble clans held Yao Wenyu in such high esteem because Yao Wenyu rarely touched on political affairs, which was kind of unconventional. But such unconventionality had to be built on the premise that he did not have to worry about the basic necessities like food and clothes. Such conversations went extinct in Zhongbo after the reign of Xiande. Was it because of the lack of learned scholars in Zhongbo? No, the real reason was that there was no longer a person who wasn't starving in Zhongbo.

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The gossip circles in Qudu must have been crazy like:

Have you heard about the beef between the second young master of Libei with the last remnant of Shen clan? I heard he tried to kill him! Oh… the bad blood between the Imperial Army Viceroy and Shen the Eighth is so bad, they don’t even greet each other when they’re working on cases together.…

Have you heard? The Marquis of Dingdu colluded with the Imperial Bodyguards Vice-commander to assassinate the Emperor??? They escaped the capital together?? But they don’t get along well, it seems like there were internal strifes… what do you mean Shen Zechuan has taken over the Zhongbo prefectures with the assistance of Xiao Chiye?

Shen Zechuan is going to be conferred Emperor? He is married to Xiao Chiye!?

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some qjj side characters from my six fanarts thing… yu xiaozai and bai cha!

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character reqs for six fanarts

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Cezhou

Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye from Qiang Jin Jiu. Art by Zolaida

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Amidst the jolts and thrusts, Shen Zechuan forgot all about the part about it being a clandestine affair as he cried out "A-Ye" and "Ce'an" repeatedly until he came, even wetting the bedding under him later as he lay prone on the pillow. He could not remember how many rounds they had gone through, only that his tears had run out. Towards the end, he was all dazed and dizzy, but Xiao Chiye was still not done; he continued to thrust into Shen Zechuan, making him moan softly like he was begging for mercy. The way his moans trailed off tantalized Xiao Chiye right in the heart, causing such an insatiable itch that Xiao Chiye was stirred into biting him yet again.

"Poor thing." Xiao Chiye clung close to him and whispered, "I'll hold you up."

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"It is here we are born, and it is here we will die worthy deaths. People from Libei lie on the mountains and rivers with their faces to the blazing sun. Men or women, the bones on which the sun shines are all unyielding heroes." Xiao Fangxu opened up his palm, and the wind burst past his palm so softly it felt like the long hair of his wife. This was the only indulgence he had allowed himself in the past decades. "One day, I will return to her embrace."

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I think what makes Qiang Jin Jiu so great as a historical court politics danmei is that it’s not just about the power struggles in the Imperial Court, it portrays real issues that are still prevalent even in modern times such as corruption, poverty, misogyny, female oppression, etc.

The working class suffers due to increasing wealth inequality and corrupt officials who are too busy deepening their own pockets. People die of starvation and the government simply chooses to close its eyes. Women are still discriminated against in the workplace and their achievements are often questioned and undervalued. Majority of rape cases are not even investigated, the perpetrators get away scot-free while the victims are shamed instead. It’s very easy to compare the fictional story with the real life predicaments in today’s news.

Additionally, even the corrupt clans and the Biansha tribes are not portrayed in a black-or-white manner—they are not just two-dimensional evil characters; there are multiple characters from the eight great clans who are still good at heart and struggled to do the right thing such as Hua Xiangyi and Pan Lin, and through Hasen and Duo’erlan we were shown that the Biansha tribes are also human beings—they have families, and they are struggling to survive in the desert. The war is a brutality that causes casualties in both sides, but there are parties that benefit from it just as other parties suffer deeply from it.

Qiang Jin Jiu is a multifaceted story—it has excellent romance, but it’s not just mainly about the romance. The author went through great lengths to establish such a complex world-building then executes the plot and climax beautifully, in a way that’s consistent with every character’s personality, background, motivations, and relationships. This not only makes the story development compelling and believable, but also allows the author to bring forth complex issues that can become food for thought for the readers who empathized with the characters. This is why Qiang Jin Jiu is such a masterpiece.

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Xiao Chiye when Xiao Jiming asks him if he is dating someone: Nope! There is no one! Absolutely none. I am not dating anyone. (Blinks nervously) There is no one I want to date and I am absolutely not pining after anybody. I am so single right now. I am also never getting married, why do you ask?

Xiao Chiye when Xiao Fangxu asks him if he is dating someone: Yeah Dad, I am a homosexual. I am so in love and he is the most beautiful man to ever live. (Runs to avoid horse dung) We’ve been having premarital affair for a very long time and I am going to take him home immediately to see Mom since we will obviously have our wedding as soon as possible.