#XIAO QI IS VERY MUCH NOT CANCELLED

[gege]

Hiii, how are you? I hope you are doing ok! <3 sending love and hugs. I wanted to ask you... i think i remember something about tgcf having live action adaptation. Was that real or was just a dream i had or something? If it's real do you know if we will have it or what happened to the project? Idk if my mind made that up! sorry and thanks :)

Hiii Anon!

No, it's not some mad collective fever dream we all had, they really did film it (6 months of shooting between July 2021 and January 2022). Native title is 吉星高照 (Ji Xing Gao Zhao) English title is Eternal Faith.

If we ever get to see it is another matter, i probably don't need to say the main reason is because it's a danmei adaptation - it'll have a harder time passing the censors than the average cdrama. Since the popularity of other dangais it seems the censors have become stricter in any case. Job one is always going to be passing the censors.

While checking chinese websites and articles I did find several sources of a rumour that the site security punched a girl who was visiting the set. I can't vouch for the reliability of this but anything that can potentially attract criticism can delay a cdrama release further. Other criticisms include the casting of the male leads, how cheap the set design and costuming look, and a cancelled actress who may have to remain uncredited.

So it will need to satisfy the censors in order to be relased, as well as satisfy the general public and tgcf fans to be worth releasing and I'm not sure if it can do it all. If all goes well and it does ever pass censorship, we won't get a release date in advance. I don't know if you've ever experienced waiting for a cdrama release but you will not get much warning when it airs. It will likey drop with a couple days warning in form of internet rumours, or just completely out of the blue.

HAVING SAID THAT - another rumour is that a full costume bl drama like the untamed will be released internationally in Sept 2024, bypassing a Chinese release. It's just a rumour but it does make this webpage very interesting! But please remember everything above and not get too excited just yet 😂.

I'm gonna share some set photos just because 😍

Zhai Xiaowen as Xie Lian

Zhang Linghe as Hua Cheng/San Lang/Crimson Rain Sought Flower

Chang Huasen as Shi Qingxuan/Wind Master & Tian Xuning as He Xuan/Ming Yi/Earth Master

Vin Zheng as Nan Feng & Li Fancheng as Fu Yao (+ bonus Wind Master)

Liu Lingzi as Xuan Ji

Liu Jinyan as Ling Wen & Wang Yueyi as Female Wind Master

Xiao Kaizhong as Feng Xin/Nan Yang & Cai Yao as Mu Qing/Xuan Zhen

Bian Tianyang as Qi Rong/Prince Xiao Jing/Green Ghost

Lu Yuxiao as Yushi Hung/Rain Master. She played Shangguan Qian in My Journey to You, but as she was fairly unknown at the time of filming jxgz so there are no photos to be found of her as Rain Master 😩.

Anyway, let's all quietly try to will this into existence with physic powers etc.

Thanks for sending me an ask, have a lovely day anon!

(∩^o^)⊃━☆

[wjsns]

and u know what im ready to make my full statement on MENG MEI QI too. the situation is so crazy to me, basically now in 2023 some ujung wont even type out her name because 1. cheating scandal (WHERE SHE WAS THE 3RD PARTY, WASNT EVEN THE PERSON TO CHEAT ON SOMEONE) and 2. doesnt mention wjsn ever and to me that is literally HILARIOUS like, god its just soooo funny to watch everyone pile in with the loudest most popular opinion and not do personal critical thinking, or hey, maybe they did and what mmq did really WAS too much for them to still support her but in that case i raise an eyebrow because idk… a lottt of yall are the same people who will get online and write about loving evil women and letting girls be shitty etc etc and she literally gives you what you asked for on a silver PLATTER, like doing nothing cancellable just giving us a good wholesome woman being evil and selfish and obsessed w herself and everyone turns on her!!!! sorry shes not fucking chuu lmao!? (ilu chuu no hate but there is space for good AND evil girls in my heart😇) im sorry im SO unbothered by her being the other woman in a cheating scandal like i cant imagine something mattering less to me and it actually made me super happy to confirm she fucks even tho the guy was ugly😇 but i said kinda most of this already so SECOND OF ALL about her not mentioning wjsn and shit… another thing i literally have NO problem with?? again, like…… no one was more distraught than me at what happened to ot13 but these are REAL PEOOLEEEEEEEEEE?!????!??? i’ve said this before too but i think its worth mentioning, i think my perspective on WJSN has always been a certain way because i grew up playing soccer on a team of the same ~18 girls for over 8 years and im very familiar with, idk, “team dynamics” in groups of girls growing up together? so i understand what its like to be in a larger group dedicated towards this ultimate, performance based goal together and while not everyone out of those 18 girls is one-to-one best friends and lots of people have pretty significant differences, none of that matters “on the field” or when you’re “working”, and its actually lowkey beautiful hiw such different people can unite together to make their dream happen AND develop really long lasting strong relationships w each other when they would otherwise might not have. so ive never had illusions that wjsn as a group has this monolithic motivator or reason for being in wjsn or being an idol, they are all super different personalities and have different interest areas like acting, musicals, song production, MCing etc! so its really impossible for me to feel upset or bothered in any way when i hear complaints about mmq’s behavior in this area because im like ? she obviously has/had this solo career (that i have to believe she had way more control and stylistic direction over than with wjsn) in her home country where she gets to embrace her personal style and concepts instead of matching wjsns, shes clearly separating from that past image and going in a different direction w her career! it does make me bummed that shes not getting 13 stars tattooed like xiao did but again what am i gonna do, be mad that this artist who i really care abt as a person is going off on their own path and direction? cujung is a ROCK of this fanbase its not like a mmq wjsn mention is going to create millions more ujung and album sales? just never added up to me, IM not gonna feel some type of way about it because stan twit fucking tells me to, like how it feels a lot of ujungs react to everything! that one thing going around that was like “wjsn are coworkers not friends” was sooooo funny for me to watch ujung actually get mad about because like,,, they ARE coworkers? AND FRIENDS?! there are 13 of them? each person has a unique individual and complex relationship with each other person? ah idk why i even bother with these essays the avg kpop stans iq is literally 65 yall love being spoonfed parasocial relationships simulated for ur consumption so much u completely block out ​the fact they are real people

[adhdo5]

OK fine

So you follow adhdo5 and now have to deal with sword wizards (MDZS spoilers if you care)

This isn't gonna be a comprehensive list but is enough to get one up to speed on wtf I'm talking abt

MDZS/CQL - Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation), the novel and donghua adaptation, and Chen Qing Ling, AKA The Untamed, the live action TV show adaptation. Arguably these versions of events are three canons and I'm SCP-ing it

Cultivators - They cultivate their qi for various superhuman abilities. This is a learned ability that technically anyone can acquire, but for it to really work one has to start studying extensively at a young age, so this is very much a class thing (at least in the context of this story; this is not original to MDZS)

Jianghu - Cultivation society. In MDZS, vaguely feudal, controlled by sects with hereditary clan leadership and individual martial traditions. The real villain of the story

Mo Xuanyu (AKA MXY) - Looks like Wei Wuxian usually but with their face powdered and made up badly. Bastard child of the Jins, demonic cultivator, kicked out of Jin Guangyao's black ops detail on harassment charges probably trumped up for being crazy and visibly queer and returned to their mother's abusive family whereupon they eventually snapped and killed themself to summon Wei Wuxian into their body, thereby kicking off the modern day plot

Wei Wuxian (AKA WWX, AKA Yiling Laozu/Patriarch, AKA YLLZ) - Guy in black and red, often with a red hair ribbon. Plays the flute. ADHD. Necromancer. People in canon and in general talk abt her like a man bc they don't know her like I do. War criminal. Jack Bright demeanor and sibling drama level with JC and JYL, Dr Kondraki coded down to being transfem and being able to do Duke 'Til Dawn

Lan Wangji (AKA LWJ, AKA Hanguang-jun, AKA the Second Jade of Lan) - Stoic expression guy in white/light blue with forehead ribbon. Plays the guqin. Autistic and mean. Down hopeless gay style for WWX and experiences 30 years of internalized homophobia pining about it. Stands with his cancelled wife. Younger noble brother to Lan Xichen. He and Arron should stand in a room together and not talk and maybe they'll finally know peace

Lan Xichen (AKA LXC, AKA a-Huan when I'm being annoying, AKA Zewu-jun, AKA the First Jade of Lan) - Normal expression/smiling guy in white/light blue with forehead ribbon. Plays the xiao (flute but vertical). If you're unsure which Lan it is know that if he's smiling, has a flute, or is with Jin Guangyao it's LXC. He knows life isn't fair but believes that one day it might be. Loves ignoring. Terrible throuple situationship. Should've been at the club. He could be an O5 but he'd hate it but he'll do it anyway

Jin Guangyao (AKA Meng Yao, AKA JGY, AKA MY, AKA a-Yao, AKA Lianfang-zun) - Guy with dimples, either in nondescript gray robes and braids or in fancy gold robes, a funny hat, and a red dot on his forehead. Shorter than the rest of the cast. Transmasc to me sometimes. Desperately wants to believe in class mobility, but will always be the son of a prostitute and thrown down the stairs. Momma's boy. War criminal. Terrible throuple situationship. Entire plot in the modern day consists of taking the gun away from him. He doesn't have to apologize for anything. O5 CODED!!!!!!

Nie Mingjue (AKA NMJ, AKA Chifeng-zun) - Guy in usually green, sometimes gray, usually braids; either tall as hell, has a mustache, or both. Usually has his huge cursed saber. Hereditary magic anger issues. Not strictly a war criminal. Extremely morally uncompromising man. Terrible throuple situationship. Killed and dismembered as a result of the previous. Not O5 coded but he could do it for a little

Nie Huaisang (AKA NHS) - Guy in usually green, sometimes gray, usually braids, always with a fan. World's premier slacker, layabout, dilettante dandy, know-nothing, 10 year revenge plot schemer, birdwatcher, and Wei Wuxian sidekick in summer camp. Fucked up little rich boy. As part of his plan, throws himself into JGY's arms weeping about how he's going to kill himself over this week's responsibilities. Bad aroallo rep. Containing the hereditary cursed sabers falls to him when his brother NMJ dies. Runs the entire plot. Site director coded primarily but he can have greater ambitions.

Jiang Yanli (AKA JYL) - Guy in pink and/or purple, usually with fancy hair and jewelry including two braided buns. Lotus imagery common. Older sister to WWX and JC, betrothed to a guy not appearing here, conciliatory to a fault; this is where her characterization ends in the novel. I am deeply interested in discussing her as a character who reacts to the expectations placed on her whole her whole ass life nobody gaf what she wanted. No SCP character comparisons to make really

Jiang Cheng (AKA JC) - Angry looking guy, usually strong jawline, usually in purple, has a lightning whip. Baby brother to WWX and JYL. Lashes out due to the terror and anguish of being unimaginably ineffectual to protect the people he loves. Nobody respects him. Mother's son (the whip was hers). War criminal. Kind of like Mikell Bright if he was a youngest sibling and significantly angrier and only slightly less doomed

Wen Ning (AKA WN, AKA the Ghost General) - Really really pale guy with his hair down and scraggly, usually in tattered all black, usually with chains, black veins/cracks on his neck. Victim of the war. Resurrected by Wei Wuxian as a super special mostly-sentient fierce corpse; not always volitional but fiercely loyal to Wei Wuxian of his own free will whenever he has it. Baby brother to Wen Qing. Vague social disorder even before dying. This is actually not dissimilar to what goes on with Tamlin and Nazarene in my canon but I don't think that's actually informative

Wen Qing (AKA WQ) (NOT to be confused with a-Qing) (I know) - Guy in red robes, sometimes black and red, sometimes white and red, usually makeup, often with Wen Ning. Wen Ning's very protective older sister. Short temper but can match wits with Wei Wuxian. Doctor, and while she definitely has a priority order wrt who she protects and understands she can't save everyone, is still dedicated to her practice, moreso than important and respectable pursuits like "war" and "revenge". Could probably work at the Foundation. Could work anywhere though

a-Qing - Small teenage girl with all-white eyes who disability fakes (being (fully) blind) to scam people on the streets for a living. An icon. Matches wits with Xue Yang. Unapologetically mean. No SCP comparisons to make but she is important; I don't actually post abt her much but needed to differentiate her from WQ

Xue Yang (AKA XY, AKA (Xue) Chengmei) - Guy in all black, vaguely WWX-esque but with less red and more evil, and usually not portrayed with the people she is. Da Joker baby. Wei Wuxian's dark 4chan fanboy; loves necromancy for multiple reasons but they are mostly at best extremely evil. Jin Guangyao's black ops detail. Serial killer. Motivated by sweets. Genuinely bonds with a-Qing until she catches him serial killing and he kills her too about it. Also has a situationship with Xiao Xingchen/XXC, a guy not appearing in this post

Lan Sizhui (AKA Lan/Wen Yuan, AKA a-Yuan, AKA LSZ) - The only surviving member of the family that headed the losing side of the war, a cousin to Wen Ning rescued by Lan Wangji and raised in the Lan sect as a favor to Wei Wuxian. The world's nicest and politest teenage boy. Takes after Lan Xichen. Very sweet and open-minded. Also no SCP comparisons I can think of

Jin Ling (AKA JL) - Little guy in gold robes with a red dot on his forehead. Usually grumpy expression, often with his dog and either Lan Sizhui or one of the other kids. Born to Jiang Yanli and her betrothed and made the most famous orphan in the cultivation world before he was a year old. Nephew to over half of the preceding characters. Breaking the cycle. One last time no SCP comparisons

Should I make an MDZS/Untamed character cheat sheet for SCP mutuals who have to deal with this now

[orsuliya]

Dear General, just talk to your wife!

Let it be said: any male hero who interferes in his partner’s reproductive ability without her permission and/or knowledge is usually immediately cancelled in my eyes. That is certainly the case for any piece of media set in modern times. Fantasy/historical heroes get a bit of leeway depending on the cultural context, although not always. But the thing is, just as there are no blanket excuses, there are also no blanket condemnations. And you know what?

I do have to give Xiao Qi a get-out-of-immediate-cancellation card in this case! But not before examining his motivations and all mitigating circumstances. To be clear, I’m up to episode 37 at the moment.

So prepare yourself for Five Reasons Xiao Qi Is Very Much Not Cancelled (But He Certainly Deserves A Very Stern Talking To And Then Maybe A Hug).

To recap: Xiao Qi was told that Awu’s health is fragile and while she is able to get pregnant, any pregnancy is very risky and a considerable danger to her life. Upon hearing this he is visibly moved; three months later, when Awu comes back from the temple, there is a re-do wedding at the Yuzhang Manor, during which Xiao Qi announces that Wang Xuan is going to be the only woman in his life. At some point – either at the temple or after the wedding – Awu starts taking medicine prescribed by the Imperial Physician. The medicine, as Auntie Xu later discovers, is actually a tonic, which can be used to prevent conception. Eventually, though, after a year or two of continuous use, it will render a woman infertile for life. As of episode 37 (41 if I choose to trust the raws) Awu does not know what is going on.

And now onto the list!

1. The man is probably the most panicked he has ever been in his life and his mental state is not that great at the moment.

The first thing to remember is that this whole ‘let’s make Awu infertile’ decision is not taken in a void. It is not a case of an isolated event; the choice comes at an end of a veritable Trauma Conga Line. The exact timeline is very muddled, but in the last few months (up to a year) Awu has been: kidnapped, rescued, attacked by assasins, forced to deal with a rebelling city and then a siege, sent straight into a murderous conspiracy and then recruited to deal with a coup… and only then she was put in the very centre of a second coup courtesy of Daddy Wang. Which caused her to lose her child and her mother on the same day. And let’s not forget all the broken illusions about her family and her first love. That’s a lot to deal with and she is pure steel with a spine of titanium, there is no doubt as to that. But she is not the only one who’s had a really hard year.

From the kidnapping onwards Xiao Qi has been with Awu on this road; more often that not away from her physically, true, but from the moment he declared her his wife who will share his life and death…? He’s been in 100%. And being the strong, dependable, ride or die guy has taken its toll, one way or another.

It is quite noticeable that with every Big Damn Heroes moment he pulls off he gets more and more affected. The bridge rescue and its aftermath? Cool as a cucumber; the guilt and responsibility is certainly there, no fear though. Breaking of Huizhou siege? He’s proud as hell of her accomplishments, but he really came at the very last moment – she was getting ready to be killed rather than taken hostage. And there is this noticeable undertone of relief there. The Red Wedding? By then he is panicking. Hard. Which he readily admits, so it’s not pure conjecture. This man, who has never been afraid of attacking armies and not really afraid of death either, is scared as f***. Mind you, it’s not like he’s ever had anyone to be really scared for before; his soldiers are a different case altogether. And this time he was late, which makes for a really fertile soil for various ‘what-ifs’ during those two days when Awu is unconscious. He was late despite basically pulling off a miracle and risking entering the capital with only 10 000 troops.

And then and only then Daddy Wang pulls out all the stops. Two days of watching his unconscious wife is nothing compared to what happens then. First she runs into the middle of opposing forces, completely disregarding any danger to herself. For him (and her father, but that is beside the point)! I am sure that Song Huaien relayed her words to Xiao Qi once the dust settled. Then... Princess Jinmin dies and Awu starts bleeding.

After… After he claims responsibility for Princess Jinmin’s death. There is no doubt he is feeling doubly, triply responsible for the miscarriage. He can’t really help his wife. And he is grieving for their child. Not only for Awu’s sake, but for his own too.

It all culminates with the Imperial Physician telling Xiao Qi that there is another battle to be fought, one which Awu will probably enter with minimal hesitation and in which he is not going to be able to pull a Big Damn Heroes rescue. So in that moment he clutches at his heart… And – at least I think that’s the moment - takes a split-second decision: NOT AGAIN. Everything after that? He’s only holding to a chosen course.

2. He is feeling guilty as all hell and is overcompensating hard.

Xiao Qi is the epitome of a hyper-responsible hero. And not in the ‘Woe is me, everything is my fault!’ way that brooding heroes tend to veer to. No empty anguish or dramatic self-flagellation there! He is very matter of fact about both his responsibility and perceived guilt. Soldiers die under his command? He will honour their memory and take care of their families. Awu gets kidnapped by his personal enemy? He will admit his guilt without any excuses and offer recompense. Princess Jinmin becomes a victim of a stand-off that he did not even provoke? He will take the blame and then redeem himself by swearing an oath that he will not fail to protect Awu. And he takes his oaths very, very seriously, otherwise the Ma family would have a Really Big Problem.

All that responsibility comes from both his own character and the force of habit. Nobody ever worries about me, he says. To his soldiers he is the strong, infallible one and so he keeps this facade intact despite knowing it’s a load of bull.

So this hyper-responsible man has unwittingly sent his wife into danger, into battle (!) three times already (kidnapping, rebellion in Huizhou, Zilu’s coup) and was part of the reason she entered the fourth one. And while she has acquitted herself brilliantly every time, she paid a very steep price for saving him/the Empire. In his mind, he owes it to her and to Princess Jinmin for it to never ever happen again. And so he is not going to send her into the battle of childbirth for anything under the sun! The thing is, Awu is brave as hell and would enter it willingly in a blink of an eye. So he is arranging things so that she can never do that in the first place.

3. Xiao Qi is trying to spare Awu from mental and emotional anguish. It’s a pattern and one wildly spiraling out of control.

It’s really, really starting to show that Xiao Qi is used to being regarded as the infallible one, the one who must always find a solution and save as many people as he can. And while it is not a problem in Ningshuo, when he needs to tell Awu the truth about her father (and still he hesitates!), it tends to come through quite strongly in moments of stress and/or danger. Which is understandable, I think. In Ningshuo the stakes are not as high, everybody is safe and they are in the middle of Xiao Qi’s fortress, the very centre of his power. If there is any place he feels safe and at home, it’s right there. The capital is a wholly different kettle of fish; even on his first visit Xiao Qi is – quite reasonably – wary and on guard. For him the capital is behind enemy lines. So he reverts to his Infallible General mindset more and more: he keeps telling Awu things, but not all of them (money) and not always immediately (Hulans asking for a bride). Which is really stupid of him since Awu is in many areas just as smart - if not smarter - than him.

It’s not only the Infallible General mindset, though. In fact, that is the least of the problems there. By this point the panic is really setting in and so is the guilt. There is one more thing, though. Xiao Qi has this tendency towards self-deprecation. He does not wallow in it, but the undercurrent of his perceived social inferiority emerges from time to time, moreso in the capital. And it does factor in his behaviour; I sense that he has this need to keep deserving her. Coupled with devotion, it pushes him into a very touching, but also potentially dangerous single-mindedness.

Saving Daddy Wang by kneeling all night long clearly shows that Xiao Qi will stop at nothing to spare Awu’s heart, life and health. Personal pride? Enmity towards Daddy Wang? Political expedience? Disregarded completely. So what’s a year or two of lying if it means Awu lives? He’s set himself a Goal: protect Awu, just as he promised before Princess Jinmin’s grave. And it’s really been blinding him since.

Notice that he did not tell her about saving Daddy Wang either. She had to find out from His Imperial Spudness! True, it all worked out fine then, but whatever his reasons, he still did not tell her. And yes, I get that his reasons were really noble, but! But it is still a pattern, one that I hope she will break him out of rather sooner than later.

4. He is making a great sacrifice too; hear me out! And he does not leave himself an out.

This is the kind of argument that launches a flaming discussion, so please, be gentle. Anyway, we are not going to speak of whether any man has the right to make unilateral decisions about his wife’s body, that’s neither here nor there in this case, since it does not really enter into consideration in the drama itself.

What is clearly very important in the drama is the idea of family lines. The Wang and Xie families are all about this idea of legacy and bloodlines. Bloodlines are Important: propagating the bloodline is Wang Su’s main duty and both families fight over whose blood will sit on the throne. This clan mentality is clearly a Very Serious Business. Admittedly, Xiao Qi is an outsider to the clan-based society of upper classes. But even though his primary social group consists of his brothers-in-arms, he is very acutely attuned to the idea of family being the most important thing. It shows in many aspects of his life: in the care he gives to his soldiers’ families, in the consideration he gives Awu when she encounters another heartbreaking truth about her relatives and in the way he seems to take for granted that she will not stop caring for Daddy Wang no matter what. Also, he clearly likes kids, the mysterious shadow child gave us this much.

So it is not out of the realm of possibility that he would really like to have a child of his own. And why wouldn’t he? Awu may have trouble bearing him children, but there is nothing stopping him from taking a concubine or a dozen for this very purpose. Any other man in this drama would have (maybe except Zilu…?). And the society would not judge him, especially if the truth about Awu’s condition came out. It really is not a monogamistic society. Moreover, since Daddy Wang is not in the picture any more, nobody can even try to force Xiao Qi to keep to one bed (or poison his concubine…), not with his current position and power.

And what is the very first thing he does after Awu comes home? He declares – in public and with great pomp! - that Awu will be his only woman, thus staking his honor and reputation on all his children being hers. Which with the tonic in play means that there will be no children. It is a decision he takes very deliberately and in direct response to the previous events and the Wangs’ fall from grace. In fact, I wager this whole monogamy clause is a way not only to quell the rumours and stop any scheming families in their tracks, but also to keep things fair as much as it is even possible. Awu will not have children, well, neither will he.  

5. He is setting himself up and preemptively hogging all the guilt and blame.

The short yet very poignant exchange with Pang Gui in episode 37 makes it clear that Xiao Qi knows quite well he is going to be found out sooner or later. Sure, he would rather that Pang Gui kept mum about everything, but in reality he leaves it wholly up to his judgment. Which tells me that Xiao Qi is not willing to ‘kill’ for this secret. In fact, it might suit his plans if it were to come out… though not at the moment. Maybe after the requisite year or two, once Awu is no longer in any danger. Relying on what we know about his character, I think he is wholly prepared for the truth to eventually come out and then to take all the blame. And I mean ALL the blame. As in: Awu will have no reason to blame herself for her fragile health and thus inability to bear children, if it’s actually Xiao Qi’s fault. He will have gotten her infertile, so her actual ability to give birth safely will be immaterial. She will put all her anger on him and not on herself, and anger he can take, it’s her getting quiet that he can’t cope with. And to hell with what it does to their marriage, she will be alive. Is it stupid, stupid thinking? Sure. But quite probable when you’re dealing with a man this hyper-responsible and clearly unused to family dynamics.

And that’s that. Do I think he is being a single-minded fool? Sure. The man is not perfect after all! Does he need to talk to Awu? Of course, but I get where his unwillingness to do just that comes from. Is it going to bite him in the ass really, really hard? Oooooh, is it! But Xiao Qi is not cancelled and if Awu forgives him, then so should we all.

[orsuliya]

Oh, Song Huaien. I knew you were a turn-coat and a greedy little soul, an absolute sucker for those sweet Wang lies and a man whose inner core is made out of jelly. Oh, and a concubine-hoarding lech, sorry, forgot about that.

But I had no idea you were such an enormous hypocrite!

Let’s take it from the beginning. Yuxiu is positively ecstatic; why shouldn’t she be? Xiao Qi and Awu are coming to the capital, everything will come up roses, no way it won’t! With Xiao Qi and Song Huaien standing arm in arm, there’s no way those nobles will ever look down on common-born people again! Yeah, about that standing arm in arm thing...

Song Huaien wants to know if Yuxiu thinks that the interests of common people will be defended only as long as Xiao Qi lives. Yuxiu is pretty firm on that point and inadvertently lands a hit to her husband’s ego by reminding him that they both have gained their current positions thanks to Xiao Qi’s patronage. Ouch.

And then Song Huaien asks if it’s possible that he may become greater than Xiao Qi. Yes, also as beacon of hope for common people. Yuxiu’s face is... telling.

Our girl is no fool! And well, it’s not like you care about common people all that much, Song Huaien. Other than yourself, that is. Somehow we haven’t heard a word about you doing a single thing for them and it certainly doesn’t look like you’re bankrupting yourself for your new Imperial Mooks... Not a peep out of you in court either, not even when people kept dying in droves out in the provinces.

Yuxiu tries to soften the blow, but Song Huaien is having none of it! And now he is cancelled forevermore, no takebacks, because YOU DON’T RAISE YOUR VOICE AT YUXIU. You’re dead to me, Song Huaien and I care not for any sad spiels on how you are not willing to step back into a right-hand position, now that you’ve had a taste of being independent. Shut up and go away.

And so he does. And then, after Xiao Qi has entered the capital, he comes back on screen, only with even more hypocrisy! You’re already a bigger hypocrite than Xiao Qi could ever be, congratulations, now stop, I beg you.

Yuxiu is understandably exicted and very eager to visit Awu. She’s even prepared some things for her. Awww, that’s so sweet. Only Song Huaien doesn’t think so; he’s quick to remind Yuxiu that she’s no longer Awu’s servant. And he is insistent - if slippery about it - that she should not visit Yuzhang Manor, at least not soon. Okay. But.

Song Huaien, you do realize that you did not marry Princess Yuzhang’s servant? You married Xiao Qi’s ADOPTED SISTER. A noblewoman of rank. And, presumably, an adequately-dowered one. One who has every right and even a duty to visit her adopted brother and her sister-in-law. Is there something wrong with your memory?

Or is it that you do not think that adoptions hold any weight? Fine. But if you think that Yuxiu left Yuzhang Manor as a servant, as you clearly do... Then why have you sold (the last piece of) your soul in exchange for Daddy Wang’s vague promise of making you his son? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander and you can’t have it both ways. YOU ENORMOUS HYPOCRITE, YOU.

[orsuliya]

Thank you! You are so right about their respective learning curves. And yes, now it is his turn. Coincidentally, they are on her turf (the capital/Imperial court) for this part, just as they were on his (at war) during her rapid growth. In the end, they will be able to meet each other as true equals and partners in all respects.

No bet on Nanny Xu doing a swap, I'm not so naive as to wager on that! But I suspect the truth will come out before she gets pregnant; too many people know now and Nanny Xu really wants to tell Awu, why, she almost did at one point! If Xiao Qi does anything else that makes her fear for Awu, she may just break. Nanny Xu is on guard and she will not allow a mere man to destroy the life of Jinruo's daughter!

Dear General, just talk to your wife!

Let it be said: any male hero who interferes in his partner’s reproductive ability without her permission and/or knowledge is usually immediately cancelled in my eyes. That is certainly the case for any piece of media set in modern times. Fantasy/historical heroes get a bit of leeway depending on the cultural context, although not always. But the thing is, just as there are no blanket excuses, there are also no blanket condemnations. And you know what?

I do have to give Xiao Qi a get-out-of-immediate-cancellation card in this case! But not before examining his motivations and all mitigating circumstances. To be clear, I’m up to episode 37 at the moment.

So prepare yourself for Five Reasons Xiao Qi Is Very Much Not Cancelled (But He Certainly Deserves A Very Stern Talking To And Then Maybe A Hug).

Keep reading

[orsuliya]

I have just realized that the confrontation with Pang Gui I referred to in point 5. was most probably about the secret of Daddy Wang's untimely demise. Or... was it?

Xiao Qi knows Pang Gui is a Ninja Spy Extraordinaire. Pang Gui Knows Things. Knowing Things and skulking about in the shadows is his raison d'etre. That warning XQ gave was a really general one and maybe for a reason. 'I know that you know many things, but maybe Awu doesn't need to know the things you know at the moment', that's how it basically went, no particular things specified.

The rest of point 5. stands regardless of that!

JUST TALK TO YOUR WIFE, XIAO QI!

Dear General, just talk to your wife!

Let it be said: any male hero who interferes in his partner’s reproductive ability without her permission and/or knowledge is usually immediately cancelled in my eyes. That is certainly the case for any piece of media set in modern times. Fantasy/historical heroes get a bit of leeway depending on the cultural context, although not always. But the thing is, just as there are no blanket excuses, there are also no blanket condemnations. And you know what?

I do have to give Xiao Qi a get-out-of-immediate-cancellation card in this case! But not before examining his motivations and all mitigating circumstances. To be clear, I’m up to episode 37 at the moment.

So prepare yourself for Five Reasons Xiao Qi Is Very Much Not Cancelled (But He Certainly Deserves A Very Stern Talking To And Then Maybe A Hug).

Keep reading