#Qiang Jin Jiu spoilers

[haitang-blossoms]

On Differential Methods, Politics, & Intimacy for Early Novel!Cezhou (haitang-blossoms' Qiang Jin Jiu meta)

Note: This analysis goes up to Chapter 42 which is where I had read up to before Lianyin's fantranslation was taken down due to official English licensing by Seven Seas. This is also the source of my quoted screenshots of the novel.

The way both Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye weaponise perceived incompetence (through fabricated images of "grateful helplessness" and "devil-may-care hedonism" respectively) is so compelling and really serves to flesh out the realities of the environment they are forced to navigate.

It is a recurring narrative motif that both Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye are "beasts" trapped and restrained by the political system of Qudu. However, the difference in social position and status between them is key to why they choose the masks that they do.

Shen Zechuan, both as a by-proxy-traitor to the nation and as the son of a dancer, has always had to keep his head down and not act beyond his station. Thus, it is perfectly natural that he operates within this expected framework: both to survive in the hostile political landscape as well as to conceal his own intentions and moves within the shadows.

Xiao Chiye, on the other hand, was born into relative power. While the Xiao Clan of Libei was never in the favour of the Empress Dowager, they are nonetheless a reputable cavalry with a hereditary title. Xiao Chiye, as the second son, has both less direct political influence as well as responsibility than his father (the prince) or his elder brother (the next-in-line). This is how he is so easily made a "bargaining chip" and assigned to what seems to be a hopelessly dead-end job in order to keep a metaphorical "leash" on any rebellious intent that Libei may harbour. Given his wealth and inevitable position of being constantly in the public eye, the easiest way to cover up the target on Xiao Chiye's back is to present himself as a frivolous hedonist who is too busy chasing after liquor and bed-partners to pose a real threat to the established power dynamics of the capital.

The difference between their methods can also be observed in the way that their preferences are perceived by others:

Xiao Chiye presents himself as genial: he loves to drink, he is sociable enough to go out with friends frequently etc. However, as seen in the quote above, Xiao Chiye's "friendliness" is actually quite distant in that even the people who think they know him well are unaware of his true preferences. Yet he conducts himself in such a manner that they would not even think to ponder such things. It is a very effective approach for gathering intel: make the other party assume you are giving away much more about yourself than you are, opening the door for them to carelessly overshare from a sense of fabricated comradery.

Shen Zechuan is the opposite: going along with how he is forced to constantly humble himself and downplay his abilities, his preferences have to be presented as equally accommodating to the will of others. There are many instances where he seemingly goes along with others, secretly gritting his teeth the whole way, in order to "soften" them up to be played into his hand later.

And this goes into my next point:

Even though Shen Zechuan has an image of seductiveness, his entire method revolves around NOT having openly expressed desires because that would only serve as a vulnerability. Xiao Chiye, by contrast, predicates his mask around devil-may-care hedonism.

In this way, desire is both much more familiar to Xiao Chiye as well as easier to integrate into his established reputation than for Shen Zechuan. 

This is key to why Xiao Chiye is the first to accept his feelings and why he is much more comfortable with unabashedly expressing them. Thus, I think the differences in how Cezhou present themselves and the contrasting methods they use to stay ahead in their environment have bearing not only on the political games of their world but also on their relationship and how they relate themselves to each other.

[fengtashuangyi]

The extras are hard to find (at least translated in English) and most people have never read them, but my favourite will always be the one set in the past. Not only because we get the chance to see Ji Mu alive for once, but because Xiao Jiming and Ji Mu ask their brothers what kind of girl they’d like to marry. And the answers are… interesting.

Here’s Xiao Chiye’s requirements for his future wife:

must be beautiful ✅

should be able to ride a horse in some way ✅

should know some martial arts ✅

excellent aura, just like the moon ✅

not too accessible ✅

Meanwhile, Shen Zechuan’s requirements for his future wife:

should have a gentle temperament ❌

needs to know how to make dumplings ❌

should not be too tall ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌

better if slender ❌

should speak softly ❌

Xiao Chiye—Shen Zechuan, 5–0.

[izartn]

Read Golden Stage/Terrace and was left very meh. Not bad, not a subject of my devotion either. I prefer my stories either full on R Romantic or leaning towards the plot as in Qiang Jin Jiu, so although the story and charas were perfectly fine it was very much just an entertaining way to pass the time.

I was expecting... Less good behaviour from the protags honestly XD and not in terms of scheming; I liked how few fucks they gave towards a correct confucian behaviour lol. But it didn't felt like an enemies to lovers as it was sold, not even a rival to lovers. Lost opportunity to suddenly lovers fits. I liked that they almost had something as teens but Yan Xiaohan duty/role and Fu Shen relative immaturity at court games made that impossible. The Cui Yu incident as the memory Yan Xiaohan keeps to remind himself to not sink so low in the future was nice, as is the fact he is still pretty much amoral and doesn't have any loyalty to the emperor(s) except self-preservation.

In general I was very meh about Fu Shen and his fam, except his nephew and that throwaway line about how he remembers years later when he's in the throne that Yan Xiaohan once told him as a child that he only wanted FS and not the kingdom. I want to know more about that kid's life bc it sounds fascinating just from that smidge of info. He's assured as emperor despite the regency bc he knows that what his uncles want is each other more than the throne. Fascinating.

As I was saying; Yan Xiaohan on the other hand? Bastard son of an emperor with a concubine of that emp's father, raised in a temple for retired court women by a nun and a eunuch, who taught all he needed to make a life for himself and success on the court? Super interesting. And we don't know anything about their relationship except that his adoptive father made him swear to not marry a women and have children so as to not challenge any the ruling line (bc the emperor knew Xiaohan was his son). Like.

Of course I prefer Xiaohan XD

But anyways just a light read in comparison with other danmei and a dynamic that just isn't my kind of visceral romance, desire being very good for each other. Also the wonkers pseudo democracy too. That was weird XD good weird but like. Very much pfft at times. That Fu Shen is all on board bc he's just, so so tired of incompetent bosses, essentially, and also very much dislikes authority is funny too.

Anyways these are my thoughts. Worth giving it a read if you are interested by the premise (I usually despise forced marriage, except when done as in very all we here adults as in Golden Stage or full on going this is fucked up and not endgame so that's one thing it does well) but not my cup of tea.

SPOILERS QIANG JIN JIU

I'm still thinking of Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan. And there's no comparison with this novel sorry not sorry. Really liked Ce'an, bc he feels very... realistic as a warlord and also just fantasy enough for the story and romance to work? Both he and Shen Zechuan do. I really liked the way they're attracted to each other at the start despite the antagonism (genuine antagonism!!! their first time is genuine hate sex despite the attraction and burgeoning fondness) and the plotting bc they recognize on each other a yearning from freedom and to be themselves. Then they end the story chained in Qudu by their own volition and by love and mmm. Thematically tasty.

[lu-dao-writes]

Me when Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan are still supposed to be hating each other but now they’re acting like they’re married-.

[web-novel-polls]

WN Women Bonus Polls #5: Other Danmei

[Propaganda below] - Major Spoilers Warning!

Baili Qingmiao from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission: Her character arc is so good and im so proud of her 🥹 

Additional Propaganda: Baili Qingmiao's story is about breaking out of cycles that trap us in toxic situations. She is the last primordial goddess going through her tribulation, but some asshole thought he'd interfere making him her tribulation. She just wants to help people, but she can't escape her attachment until a bunch of demonic cultivators form a community around her and help her conquer the part of her is sabotaging her and the rest of the world.

DVAWTK Carrd Link 

Bai Rong from Thousand Autumns

Submission: She's funny, pretty, and goes through a great character arc. 

Chu Yue from Global Examination / GUEE / QQGK

Submission: She is the best friend anyone could ever have, and she is compassionate and kind despite the horrible things she's had to endure. She's a vital part in taking down The System (TM). 

Hua Xiangyi from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submission: Surprisingly skillful player in a complicated political arena. Her love interest is her stepdaughter (same age as her). 

Murong Mengze from Yuwu / Remnants of Filth

Submission: 

Okay, this is a tricky one. Major spoilers ahead. Murong Mengze was born biologically male but raised as a woman for her protection by her mother, who used medicine to make Mengze appear female. For most of the novel, Murong Mengze has a female identity and is referred to with female pronouns. At the end of the novel, it seems she is set to reveal herself as a man after taking control of Chonghua, and the narration refers to her with male pronouns at the very end. We don't actually see her unveil herself as a man, though. I'd say that she counts as a transgender woman, but it's okay to disqualify her. Anyway, the real propaganda is that she is an excellent puppeteer, pulling the strings behind the scenes without anyone realizing for a very long time. She controls the kingdom of Chonghua at the end of the novel. 

Wiki Link

Qiu Congxue from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission 1: I haven't finished reading this book yet but Qiu Congxue is just the funniest character to me. her immediate suggestion to any problem is horrific, traumatizing violence and is confused by how this might be inappropriate or undesirable for some people. ultimate problem causer without realizing she might be causing problems. a genius to herself and no one else. she let her body be eaten by hungry ghosts for her cultivation. head intact, body skeletal and she likes it that way. when asked what she should do to interfere with the enemy while undercover in their territory, her sect leader and our protagonist Wenren E replied that her mere presence is enough interference in itself. my stupid queen <3

Submission 2: Skeleton lady full of ghosts (literally). 

DVAWTK Carrd Link

Qi Zhuyin from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submission: Female general in love with her stepmother. Known as the Wind Guiding the Scorching Plains.

Wiki Link

Shu Yanyan from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission: Aroallo queen <3 

DVAWTK Carrd 

Song Qiutong from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun / 2ha

Submission: I just think it would be funny to have her here.

Ye Wangxi from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun / 2ha

“Among the 72 glorious cities of Rufeng Sect, there is not even one man.” - Ye Wangxi, The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, Chapter 215 (Wiki)

Submission: Righteous, dignified, loyal, brave, etc.

Mod Propaganda: The “last gentleman” in Rufeng Sect, according to Taxian-jun, who she fought to the end in the first timeline when the Rufeng Sect leaders had already bailed 

[zhumengjie]

the contrast between cezhou relationship reveal to their parents is so funny like with xiao chiye's family he just casually came out of the closet boasting "the most goodlooking man in the whole of dazhou is my wife!" to his dad who threw horse shit at him, meanwhile with shen zechuan's dad it was a dramatic reveal of ji gang finding out that they've been having premarital sex and consequently beating up this hoodlum xiao chiye for digging the most beautiful cabbage in dazhou

[spamime]

Ballad of Sword and Wine book one read. I haven’t read an enemies to lovers that made me this giddy in a while.

And aside from the incredible build up for the romance, the fight scenes and politics are actually kinda sick? And the characters obviously are sad and traumatized but i am really into how they handle it.

Immediately going into book two bc why would the leave it like that huh

[huasahyo]

I have read Qiang Jin Jiu and honestly think I'll never recover

(Spoilers ahead!)

Oh god, where to start this? Maybe I should start with the very begging: I didn't understood shit. I just saw a kid being tortured and lots of information. When I felt it was too much, I went after the translated map and OMG that was so helpful! Bless the translators for that. After looking carefully at the map, things started to make sense.

As the story went, before the end of book one I was not very familiar with all the characters. I kept mistaking Hai Liangyi for Hua Siqian lol. But during my reading I started to take some notes and was never confused again. The thing is, this book has A LOT of characters and some of them are introduced early but only become major players later (Yao Wenyu, Hua Xiangyi...)

Even though this huge ensemble would make characters easy to forget, this doesn't happen. The author managed to create likeable and rememberable characters pretty easily??? I fell in love with many of them at first read, even if they didn't show up a lot. And there were characters that got me completely off guard, I wasn't expecting them to be so cool and relevant, BUT THEY WERE (Fei Sheng, Kong Liu)! And the antagonists were also brilliant, I love a good story where everyone has a point and no one is actually evil: People from Biansha had their truths and in a war there are no right sides, Xue Xiuzhuo wanted the best for Dazhou (even though I can't forgive what the did to my baby Yuanzhuo), and Li Jianting??? WHAT A LEGEND! Also, Feng Quan plot twist left me speechless, what an interesting character. Every character was very human (in the good and bad way), everyone had their own goals and beliefs. I actually might do a second post screaming about every character because I have a lot to say about them. (hello hasen my love)

The Plot??? Perfectly done. AND WELL EXPLAINED! I was always a little afraid of reading novels with a lot of politics, but I really dug this one. The problems with grains, provisions, registry, army and BRO THERE WAS EVEN SOME AGRARIAN REFORM SHIT

The way this author write the MOST well written battles I have read, without using any magic... it's just... I never thought I would be so enthusiastic about cannons, rocks and GRAINS.

The conflicts in Zhongbo could be all repetitive, but they weren't at all. Each prefecture that Lanzhou took back had a interesting story.

The war with Biansha was also brilliantly written. The way Amu'er was attacking Dazhou from the inside out and the scorpions with those hammers??? My man was a genius. Sadly, he could never have predicted Bai Cha and her son.

Talking about that, the family relationships are a great point in this. Seeing flashbacks about Lanzhou, Ji Mu, Ji Gang and Hua Pinging made me CRY! They were so happy... And seeing Xiao Chiye with his brother and HIS DAD LIKE... Xiao Fangxu and Ji Gang best daddies. Fei Sheng and Yin Chang too, what a beautiful chapter the one that they talk after Fei Sheng has a fight with Qiao Tianya.

Talking about Qiao Tianya, it was refreshing to see a novel with more LGBT characters. The secondary pairings were great, they didn't steal the spotlight from cezhou, but were very enjoyable (even though THAT happened between Songyu). I just wished we could have seen more Qihua moments and OH GOD KONG LIU AND LUO MU??? That got me truly off guard, wasn't expecting at all. Also, I found really interesting how Lanzhou basically got a LGBT parade following him at the end, that was truly the gayest empire ever. I have so many headcanons here, let me scream them: Xue Xiuzhuo is AroAce, Li Jianting is a non-binary legend and Huo Lingyun a Bi King. Also, Fei Sheng is not straight. Said it.

The little animals in this??? I WAS TERRIFIED WHEN LANG TAO XUE JIN FELL IN THAT HOLE YALL I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA DIE. But luckily he didn't. Meng, Hunu, Feng Shuang Ta Yi were all the cutest, I need more novels with cats.

THE CHILDREN - Ding Tao, Li Xiong, Xiao Xun and Jiran. They served chaos, humor and cuteness. I really liked whenever they showed up.

THE LADIESSS - If you have read my other posts you know I love some powerful women. This story did not disappoint me in that sense. Hua Hewei had some despicable acts, but she really got everyone on her hands despite never leaving the inner palace, good for her. Hua Xiangyi is a way better version of her aunt, my girl was smart and cared for the people, an amazing woman. QI ZHUYINNN owns my life, I really adored the fact that she was a badass and that she never hated the fact she was born a girl, slay. Bai Cha was really out there helping women that were sold and their children, that is some real sorority there. Lu Yizhi was so kind, loved seeing her interactions with Lanzhou. Li Jianting was everything, her story was one of the saddest and yet she was doing her best to become a ruler. Duo Er'lan was amazingly brave, even more than Hasen, mad respect for her.

And last, but definitely not least, there is cezhou. I have no words to explain how much I adored these two. The way both of them got their own development and had their own private goals and went after them, so good. They are so well written that I wanna scream. The chapters that are focused on Lanzhou's feelings are not big in number, even when he is the main character, his feelings are shown in discreet ways (the handkerchief!) and most of the time we don't know what he is plotting or thinking. But when we take a peek at what's going inside of his heart, it's... astonishing. And I love seeing how he actually cared for the side characters, even though he doesn't show a lot.

And Ce'an kind of caught me off guard, I thought he was going to be a totally different character but he went and delivered

Xiao Chiye was a perfect fit for Lanzhou and Lanzhou was a perfect fit for Xiao Chiye: they were both in similar situations where only them could understand each other's suffering, and after they leave Qudu we see how much of a match made in heaven they are (not just romantically, but strategically).

THE SEXUAL TENSION AT THE BEGINNING YALL... They were scheming/fighting and flirting at the same time. Iconic.

Read this, you won't regret it!

By the way, I started reading the story in December and finished by March, but I completely forgot to post this! College has been frying my brain these days.

Hopefully I will resume my Sha Po Lang reading and come back here to tell my opinions on the book. (Not sure when though.)

See ya!

[noswordinourlake]

Having finished the novel now I maintain that Shen Zechuan can do as many crimes as he wants forever, and in fact probably will.

I also am going to be sitting here crying maybe forever having had Yao Wenyu come upon my wheelie self with a steel chair straight to the emotional Achilles heel. What the fuck. Don't ask me what's going on with that metaphor either I don't know

I caught COVID (I was doing well! no sickness in 3 years working social services!! but alas) and my sick fog brain has decided this is the best time to start reading Qiang Jin Jue. I'm on ch10 and can already tell this novel is going to make me chew the walls all of these people are SNAKES (affectionate)

[luoxiandu]

I'M SO CLOSED TO BE DONE WITH THE SECOND EXTRA, JUST PROOFREADING RIGHT NOW.

Should be posted this week

Tysm for your patience!!

Here's some chibi Xiao Chiye to make up for the wait.

[bellaroles]

Damn it! Qi Huilian! The hidden chess piece! What the hell is going on? What?!

[fengtashuangyi]

For the ones wondering, yes, there are extras. Specifically, 5 of them (or 12, if you count the parts separately).

From my understanding, 4 of them were originally posted on Weibo and then gathered by fans here:

They were translated in English, but the translation was locked and now has been taken down, so not many people noticed.

(Yes, the third extra is Cezhou's wedding).

I can't buy from jjwxc with my credit card and I never got access to the English translation. So I read the Portuguese translation of the extras instead.

The last extra is available only in the Traditional Chinese print. The translation can be read here if you purchased this edition of the novel.

And that's it, as far as I know ;)

[mxtxfanatic]

Reading qiang Jin jiu. Thank you for like giving me the interest in reading it. I was at chapter 90 when I decided welp... There's been a lot of foreshadowing in this so maybe it's safe to search for some Spoilers now? Well.. So I am apparently only six chapters away from the doom and I don't know how to handle reading knowing the things that will happen have broken my heart WHYYY T^T I'll persevere for szc and xcy.

You know what’s funny? I had thought about adding a note for when the different volumes of the book end because soooooo much shit goes down at the end of the volumes (and there are 3, so you have one more traumatic hurtle to go!) but I decided against it because I didn’t think it would really make much of a difference to anyone following my liveblogging 😅

[freisende]

— Discussion and Poetry Masterlist —

Here is the canon discussions, thoughts, and impressions:

Thousand Autumns (Qiānqiū/千秋)

The Ballad of Sword and Wine (Qiāng jìn jiǔ/将进酒)

Heaven Official's Blessing (Tiān Guān Cì Fú/天官赐福)

[web-novel-polls]

WN Criminal Upper Bracket

Jun Wu from Heaven Official’s Blessing (TGCF)

Submission: This is MAJOR SPOILERS for Heaven Official's Blessing- but as for his crimes, just like. All his actions as Bai Wuxiang were so iconic. Jun Wu was so single mindedly focused, he manipulated so many people and brought so much death, destruction, and despair to ruin Xie Lian's life and to turn him into a Calamity like himself. It's the dedication to the bit for me, he wiped everything from his disastrous past and became emperor of heaven. Jun Wu had all of the heavenly court fooled and under his thumb for centuries and played the part of the caring mentor/father figure to Xie Lian all while gladly placing the cursed shackles on him.

Wiki Link

Shen Zechuan from Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu

Submissions: Character of all time. He's done a lot of crimes, but I'll just mention that one time he put a guy in a cage, poured boiling water on him, and sliced off his skin piece by piece while he was still alive.

Additional Propaganda #1 from the Less Popular Danmei Character Tournament

Additional Propaganda #2 from the Less Popular Danmei Character Tournament

Wiki Link

[Please be kind and respectful in the notes. Anti-Propaganda is NOT allowed.]

[zhumengjie]

xiao chiye: (wantonly dressed) oh hi shifu i was busy doing "things"

ji gang: haha xiao ce'an you are fucking my son