#an yuexi

[cnladies]

AN YUEXI 安悦溪 for Mdoe Magazine | January 2025

An Yuexi: more photos here Mode Magazine: more photos here

[xielianhua]

An Yuexi on the set of Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact

[tytangfei]

I'M SCREEAMINGNG yalls i just learned that the subbers for let's shake it season 2 finally finished subbing!!! has it been like 5 years since the drama came out? yeah! but did they finally finish it and the rest of us (who are fans of an yuexi and zheng yecheng) can finally watch it with good subs!!?? YES. i'm crying. i'm weeping. what good news!!!

[nibbelraz]

I need Yue Qingyuan and Lan Xichen together so badly

[heymeowmao]

人生是道选择题 | Life Is a Choice E12 ° Gu Nian, stand up. Move forward.

[neuxue]

holy shit tell me about your gu yuexi thoughts

damn it I meant to answer this right away And Then I Didn't, but okay, Gu Yuexi my beloved.

(under a cut for vague-but-still-present spoilers through the end of LHJC)

The thing about Gu Yuexi is that she's so astonishingly capable at what she does, and so acutely perceptive in ways that both include and extend beyond her superpower, and so beloved by the weird little family she has found, and so willing to sacrifice herself for those she cares about without even considering it a sacrifice... and also so devastatingly bad at, like, how to be a person—in a way that plays so painfully and perfectly into this story's whole theme of personhood and weaponisation and the space in between, of 鸟尽弓藏 and what happenes when a weapon outlives its usefulness, of being forged to be wielded and then finding something beautiful in your hands and not knowing how to keep it, of existing only because others needed to draw meaning out of darkness and so looked to you for light that was only ever yours to give and never yours to hold...of finding name and self and beauty where there was once only utility.

The thing about Gu Yuexi is that when she first shows up it's as this hypercompetent and aloof-seeming character who speaks bluntly and has no time for bullshit, and you're like ah, yes, I know this archetype (and if you're me that alone might honestly be enough, but that's just the beginning). And it's not that she subverts that, exactly, but as the story peels back the surface of it (in a way that feels almost ironic, exposing her to the reader's vision in an echo of the way her own vision exposes everyone to her but her to none of them) there's this moment of 'oh she is a mess' and then of just 'oh'.

You get to her backstory chapter and think ah yes tragic past okay should be fun and you get through the first few paragraphs and are told that until she was seventeen she had no name and you're like damn we're really going for it and then you finish her backstory chapter and find yourself on the floor staring up at the ceiling with no clear recollection of how you got there, going 'priest, ma'am, what the fuck'.

It's the way she wasn't just variously used and abandoned, but stripped of every facet of humanity and identity and made into a tool or a weapon as thoroughly as a person can possibly be. Stripped of name and self and senses, stripped of the ability to interact with the world unwielded by another, stored in darkness and nightmare until the ability for which she was a mere vessel was needed. The way her gift is sight but she was kept in dark emptiness without even a self or a name or truth to cling to. Her body and mind merely the handle of the knife that was her ability.

Which puts her in good company, in this story.

Echoes of xiao-Ji, trapped in darkness and deprived in any meaningful way of a body, able to see only at the will of another, enduring endless torment in the darkness until it is time to be used. But where xiao-Ji had his Lingyuan-gege, the nameless girl had no one until a stranger brought her a compass (and there is an echo there, too, perhaps, of you once told me I was like the Xuanji star...) and even then she had to find her way.

Echoes of Sheng Lingyuan in how she only ever sees herself as a tool, sees her purpose as helping and protecting others. Puts herself in danger or takes on a task that will at the very least mean pain and doesn't even view it as self-sacrificing because that would require acknowledging a self, and considering its damage a sacrifice. There's no self-pity, no sense of being wronged, just a sense of purpose, the way a lens's purpose is to see or a sword's purpose is to wound.

And of course that conversation with Sheng Lingyuan towards the end of book 4, when she sees the truth of his heart and they discuss emotion and humanity. These two who have never granted themselves the status of human, of person, but who are so acutely aware of what that is and what it means, of its value; aware in the way only an outside observer with a great deal of perception and compassion but no acknowledged personal stake can be. And for Gu Yuexi specifically it's that perception, that ability to see that goes beyond just her Ability... and yet despite that perception and compassion and concern for those around her, the blind spot in her perception is herself, her self.

But unlike those two she is not even awarded the grace given to a protagonist; even in the story, she is in every way a device.

And yet.

And yet the narrative doesn't discard her, nor do the characters around her allow her to be less than human, less than valued, less than beloved. This story in which she is merely a tool and a device does not in the end forget her; it may not be her story but it is the story of all those like her. And the narrative and the characters within it refuse to cast aside the bow once the birds are slain; instead, they build her a home.

All without giving her (demanding of her) a love story, or requiring her to be in any way 'fixed'. She is loved by those around her but she is never told 'you are human because you can love' or 'you are human because you are loved', just 'you are human, and that matters'; she is not required to find another in order to be given a chance to be a self. She isn't even required to truly find or become or change that self in the end; she is as she is, and that is enough, and there is warmth and laughter awaiting her. She is not given the role of a protagonist, or a cleanly finished arc, or a miraculous love. Instead she is handed a compass, and a gentle place to land, and the time to find her way there.

[chineseredcarpet]

Gai Yuexi for the 6th Hainan Island International Film Festival

[highlynerdy]

2024 year end Cdrama list

It's mid January and I'm finally getting around to finishing this up. I watched quite a lot of cdramas in 2024. Like. A lot. 28 dramas! (Plus a rewatch of Nirvana in Fire and Joy of Life 1) That might not sound like that much but the previous 2 years I watched 5 and 4 respectively. I was really inspired by @dangermousie 's wrap up list but decided to group mine by how much I enjoyed them since I watched both older and current dramas. Also, this list is just my personal opinions so if there's a drama on here that you loved and I didn't, that's just preference and not an attack on your taste. Secondly, this may contain spoilers for semi-recent dramas. And finally, I really did try to not be long winded but...yeah. Here we go.

❌ DROPPED SUPER EARLY Are You The One - the look of the drama and just the first two episodes were both nah for me.

Go East - I unfairly only gave this one episode so maybe I’ll check it out in the future but I just wasn’t vibing with the premise at all. I usually don’t go in for comedies to begin with. 

Princess Royal - I love both of the lead actors but I couldn’t get into it.

Love’s Rebellion - Nope. Two cutesy and not my style.

Mysterious Lotus Casebook - I tried three separate times to get into this drama and finally made it to episode 6 or 7 before realizing I just couldn’t do it.

⭐️ WATCHED A LOT BUT STILL DROPPED Love Game In Eastern Fantasy - This was so cute and funny and also gorgeous visuals. Yu Shuxin just shines in comedies. But somewhere around episode 24, I realized I had just been 2x speed going through everything for like three episodes so I dropped it.

The Story of Pearl Girl - I adore Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning and I was so excited to see them together. But wow, this one was an absolute snoozefest. I gave it 16 episodes and I wish I had quit earlier. Uninteresting, uninspired, just a blah fest of a show.

Till the End of the Moon - this one might get me straight up assassinated because I know how much people love this show but I just could not get into it. I kept waiting and waiting to care and finally bailed after 36 episodes. The costumes were eye candy but that’s all I can say.

Destined - I wanted more Bai Jingting after watching him in Reset and New Life Begins but this drama just never grabbed me. I think I made it to episode 17 or 18 before calling it. 

In Blossom - Liu Yuexi is absolutely gorgeous in this drama but even his amazing gray streaked hair and beautifully haunted face couldn’t keep me interested in this drama after the reveal. 

Love and Redemption - another one that might get me shot for dropping because I know it’s a beloved classic. I gave it 31 episodes - more than halfway through the 59 episodes - before realizing that I hadn’t really cared all that much and watching an episode felt like a chore. I may try to pick it up again one day but life is too short and there are too many dramas to watch something I’m not vibing with.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ FINISHED AND LIKED BUT NOT LOVED The Romance of Tiger and Rose - I picked this after finishing MJTY and it was a fun little romp. Zhao Lusi is so comedically talented. But ultimately this was just a fun watch I didn’t think much of after I finished it.

Legend of Fuyao - this was a long one. It had some great moments, clearly defined arcs, and interesting characters. I finished it and enjoyed it while watching but I haven’t thought much about it since the end.

Story of Kunning Palace - I wanted to love this one. The opening scene was so fucking fire but the rest of the series didn’t really grab me. I think Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu just don’t have a believable chemistry to me. I shipped her with the princess far more.

Kill Me Love Me - This one started out like a rocket! The incredibly believable chemistry between two grown ass adults, the sex appeal, the unhinged potential. But it was a classic case of cdrama ending falling all to pieces. Too many hands in the pot lead to a WTF conclusion.

Lost You Forever 2 - Part 1 is one of my very favorites this year. But part 2 was a serious case of censorship absolutely destroying the logic of a story. I almost didn’t even finish it after what they did to CX’s character/the dream revelation but I still powered through to a thoroughly meh ending. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ REALLY LIKED Eternal Brotherhood - it took me two tries to get into this one but I’m glad I did. The three main ML’s had such an amazing relationship and I loved the complexity of their characters and their relationships. Love of Nirvana - The way they transformed the main couple from "trying to murder you repeatedly" to "you’re the only one for me and I'll die for you" was shocking and yet it was so believable?? Stellar. People had a fit about the ending but I thought it made sense for the story and that’s all I really care about.

The Rise of Ning - Zhang Wanyi getting to show off his patented smile turning into a terrifyingly menacing murder face?? Sign me up. He and Ren Min were a delight to watch together. 

A Familiar Stranger - my first mini drama! Cheng Lei was fire. Even though it was short, it somehow packed an entire story in there. I can’t wait to check out more mini dramas.

Snowfall - where were the censors?! Did the creators of Snowfall lock them away in a basement? This drama was a fever dream of WTF and it was so enjoyable. Gao Weiguang is one fine specimen and he played an eternal vamp so well. Ouyang Nana was a star too. 

Under The Skin 2 - Though I didn’t love this season as much as the first, it was still so enjoyable to see the gang back together again. And to see just how GAY they could make it. I struggled with a lot of the logic in some places but still enjoyed the look into the darker side of Shen Yi. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ LOVED My Journey to You - A visual fucking feast and was the most beautiful drama I’d ever seen until Fangs of Fortune (unsurprisingly also a GJM drama). I loved soft Gong Ziyu and poison baby Gong Yuanzhi.

Under The Skin - my first modern and my first cop drama. Honestly I only gave it a try because I needed more TJC after Lost You Forever. It was a great story, killer chemistry, and the art was incredible. 

The Double - a supremely satisfying revenge tale with killer performances from both leads and the main villain. Also gorgeously shot.

New Life Begins - I only checked this one out for more Bai Jingting after loving him in Reset. I’m glad I gave it a shot because even though it isn’t my normal kind of drama the cast and story were lovely and engaging. So much humor and sweetness.

The Story of Minglan - Epic. It’s a beloved classic for a reason. Minglan is a brilliant, patient, resourceful character who survives and thrives within the bounds of tough society and it’s heartbreaking and satisfying and moving throughout. It’s also like watching a play on screen because there are entire episodes that stay in one scene, with one camera. 

The Legend of Shen Li - silly, beautiful, romantic, angsty, action packed. Two grown ass humans in a gorgeous xianxia. The relationship was so satisfying to watch from beginning to end. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️➕ ABSOLUTE FAVES THAT REWIRED MY BRAIN Reset - This show was so incredibly done. Pacing, story, characters, the actual pressure I felt as they tried to figure it all out. Bai Jingting and Zhao Jinmai were brilliant separately and together. There was a side character in this that made me cry with happy, hopeful tears and I’ll never forget him. Cat apostle, my beloved. 

Lost You Forever - It was my first time watching every single one of the leads and I fell in love with every single one of them. I was addicted so early on that it was wild. Yang Zi as Xiao Yao played a FL that is allowed to be messy and unforgiving and broken. So much trauma from every single character that made sense within the universe. My very first ot3 vibes from XY/TSJ/XL too. 

Blossom - What an unexpected story for the end of the year! Meng Ziyi and Li Yunrui as two outrageously smart, hyper competent, constantly motivated leads?? No dumb, constant misunderstandings? Acting true to their character within the universe? Just a solid plot, Song Mo’s gorgeous gray wig, romance like you wouldn’t believe, and time travel! 

Fangs of Fortune - This show. THIS FUCKING AMAZING SHOW. The trailer made it look interesting, but there is no way in hell I expected the full choke-hold this story had on me. I woke up at like 7:30 in the morning to watch the new episodes. It was a visual feast that I’m not sure will ever be topped, unless it’s by another GJM drama. And the poly vibes were glorious as were the found family moments. I also cried so much in the last few episodes that my glasses were covered in tears and I could barely breathe through my nose. Wouldn’t have missed a single moment and I can’t wait to watch it again.

Joy of Life 2 - My beloved Joy of Life. It's truly a masterpiece of storytelling and acting. It was such a long wait between 1 and 2 that I was more than a little worried it wouldn’t be able to hold up, but ohhhhh it did. Almost the entire cast was back and on their A game. The balancing act of humor and drama was so perfectly done. A good continuation of the plot plus new characters to fall in love with and shenanigans to get into. Just. I can’t actually explain in words how much I love this story. 

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTERS

Fan Xian (Zhang Ruoyun), Joy of Life 2 - my favorite drama character of all time. He is at turns irreverent and serious, funny and devastating. He is smart, thoughtful, idealistic, and traumatized and through everything he still uses his power to fight injustices. Watching him try to balance everything is heartbreaking and inspiring and just so good.

Zhao Yuanzhou (Hou Minghao), Fangs of Fortune - HMH absolutely owned this role. A tortured, ancient demon who wants nothing more than to die as an escape from his suffering and regret finds so many reasons maybe living wouldn't be too bad. His story truly broke me.

Song Mo (Li Yunrui), Blossom - From a child who escaped a terrible father and grew up with his military uncle to an unyielding and honorable adult. He took his trauma and used it to make the world better place. Righteous to the point of endangering himself and others, and willing to do whatever to protect his people and uncover the truth.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTERS

Xiao Yao (Yang Zi), Lost You Forever - She!!!! Messy, broken, at times unforgiving, fiercely loving, loyal, playful, smart. One of the most of fleshed out female leads I've found in years of watching cdramas.

Dou Zhao (Meng Ziyi), Blossom - kind, smart, savvy, resourceful, and level headed. Yeah, she had a bit of a cheat code on take 2, but she utilized it so well without it being Girl Boss unrealistic.

Sheng Minglan (Zhao Liying), The Story of Minglan - watching her grow from a child to a girl to a woman and all the struggles she had to overcome was so enjoyable. Watching her confidence grow with the MLs steadfast support for her to not be a pushover was so pleasing. The moment she stood up to her family was a scene I watched over and over again.

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

Almost every single fucking Cdrama dad! But especially the dad from The Rise of Ning, both leads dad’s from The Story of Minglan, and Song Mo’s dad from Blossom.

BEST BAD GUYS The Emperor (Joy of Life 2) - The Emperor's charismatic nature that we saw in S1 definitely had some obvious and brutal slips this year. Orchestrating truly baffling scenes, executing vocal opponents, encouraging infighting with his sons, and then showing his power at the flower festival. Terrifying character.

Li Lun (Fangs of Fortune) - The exact kind of bad guy I love. Yes, I get why he was upset. Does that mean he had to go down the road he did? No. And that's why it was so satisfying and moving. At the heart of it he was just a broken soul who was abandoned and it festered. His redemption was beautiful and meaningful and became the reason I mad ship ZYZ/ZYC/and him.

“ARE THE CENSORS DEAD” AWARD

Pretty much could just point at almost all of Fangs of Fortune, most of Snowfall, and good portion of Kill Me, Love Me. I hope they continue to be off chasing butterflies somewhere.

FAVORITE SHIPS

Zhao Yuanzhou x Zhou Yichen/Wen Xiao/Li Lun (Fangs of Fortune) - I know only WX and him were canon but like. We all know what was going on. You can't have someone that magnetic, gorgeous, and powerful, who has bonkers chemistry with everyone, and not ship him with everyone in different variations.

Dou Zhao x Song Mo (Blossom) - It was outrageously satisfying watching these two be at odds with each other and even more so when they finally came together. The two of them were so in sync and supportive and just down to do whatever for the other. The wedding bracelet scene was just!!!

Shen Li x Xing Zhi (The Legend of Shen Li) - Two grown ass humans who are perfectly capable on their own, but even more capable together. The tension between them and the journey to break the bindings that trapped them both was a show to behold. He happy to be bossed around by his tiny wifey was 10/10. Plus they're just so gorgeous to look at.

FAVORITE SCENES

I have no idea how I could possibly narrow this down to a reasonable number because there were so many scenes that will live in my brain rent free forever. But ones that just pop out.

Fan Xian (Joy of Life 2) - watching the censor being executed was brutal in a way that I wasn't prepared for. But just like Teng Zijing's death in S1 being super formative to FX's character arc, this pain and unfair punishment also fueled his rage and righteousness. And ZRY's control and display of his emotions is unparalleled.

Shen Li (The Legend of Shen Li) exploding into flames and fury to become the phoenix and plummeting into the ocean to defeat the villain. Holy shit, what a visual.

Xiao Yao (Lost You Forever 1) kissing Tushan Jing's scars like. It was so tender and emotional and impactful. I swooned and squealed and fell so much more in love with them.

I don't know if it's a "favorite", but it is definitely one I will never forget. The rain execution scene in Eternal Brotherhood with Di Lun and Zichuan Xiu. The devastation he felt at this moment, I FELT.

Almost every scene in Fangs of Fortune. But every time a demon died, them turning into gorgeous sparkling light was a visual I'll never get over.

BEST COSTUMING

Fangs of Fortune - the work that went into the costuming on this show is bonkers. The detailing of all the motifs for each character, the fabrics, beading, accessories. I just want to bow down to the design team for how hard they went on this drama.

FAVORITE 2024 CDRAMA SONG

Yuanzhou's Youth (Hou Minghao), Fangs of Fortune - the way this song grows and builds and showcases not only HMH's lovely voice, but the essence of ZYZ's character made it my favorite of this year. The entire soundtrack is stellar though.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Lost Your Forever 2 - Just. The It Was All A Dream bullshit made me want to throw my tv out the window. It was a no for me.

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

Fangs of Fortune was the biggest surprise for me for sure. But I was also pleasantly surprised by Blossom and Reset.

2024 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

I still want to check out Love In The Desert, Dashing Youth, Riverside Code at Qingming Festival, and War of Faith.

MOST ANTICIPATED

Veil of Shadows, A Dream Within A Dream, Legend of the Female General, and Love of the Divine Tree. But I'm sure there will be many more!

[cnladies]

AN YUEXI 安悦溪 | autumn photoshoot

An Yuexi: more photos here autumn photoshoot: more photos here

[liviavanrouge]

Yuexi: Yue….

Xiao: *lowers his head* It’s true. We saw him kissing a woman who was carrying a baby that has some of his features.

Yue: ……

Yuexi: *feels chills* Yue-

Yue: *drops on her knees has she puts her hands on her head before letting out a scream of anger and anguish*

Suddenly the entire land is covered in ice as the day turns into night.

Xiao: WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

Yuexi: HER YIN ENERGY IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL!

Xiao: M-MS YUE!!

[tytangfei]

youku out here teasing me with legend of taotie with my girl an yuexi?? 👀👀👀 I'm waiting.

[yuexiyangarts]

Luffy

Luffy

#lazyartstyle #yuexi# yuexiyangarts

[innerpalaces]

THE PRINCESS WEI YANG - 191 PART 1

CHAPTER 191: A Gentleman Should Be Honest

Li Wei Yang has a beautiful face and gentle tone, but every one of her words forced Pei Baoer into a corner. Pei Baoer was extremely resentful of Li Wei Yang, but in this situation, no matter whether she said she would compensate or not, she would become the laughingstock of others, and she was afraid of being embarrassed. When she thought of this, she immediately looked at Empress Pei with tears in her eyes, her gaze full of pleading.

Li Wei Yang sneered. Pei Baoer was very smart and wanted to let Empress Pei save her. However, if she allowed the other party to succeed, she would not be called Li Wei Yang. So, she smiled faintly and said: "Miss Pei, I know that the Empress has always loved you, but it is indeed your fault in this matter. We have proposed a compromise method and have not asked you to compensate with gold or silver. We just hope that you will send the treasure box to norish the jade. Are you looking at the Empress like this in the hope that she will intercede for you? Alas, you are too ignorant, do you want the Empress to worry about the troubles you have caused?"

There was a puff. Princess Huaiqing couldn't help laughing, and Empress Pei glanced at her. Princess Daiming beside her quickly pulled her sleeve. Princess Huaiqing suddenly woke up, glanced at Empress Pei with fear, and quietly lowered her head. Princess Lin'an did attend the banquet today. The other princesses are not born from Empress Pei, so naturally they will not be as willful as Princess Lin'an and Princess Anguo.

Especially Princess Huaiqing. Although she is an Imperial Princess of Yuexi and her mother also has a high status, unfortunately, she passed away long ago, so she has been trembling with fear since she was a child, worried that she would anger Empress Pei. She didn't dare to even speak loudly. Sometimes Pei Baoer relied on her background and the Pei family to obstruct her, but she did not dare to say anything. Today, when she saw Pei Baoer being forced into a corner by Miss Guo, she felt relieved and couldn't help but laugh.

But soon, she realized she had made a mistake, a big one. His mother's family, the Sun family, has long since declined, and her uncles are also unable to do anything. They cannot compare with other aristocratic families. Guo Jia dared to challenge Pei Baoer, because she naturally had the entire Guo family as her backing. As long as the Guo family did not fall, Empress Pei would not put down her dignity and embarrass the other party in public, but what about herself? She is just a powerless princess. Most of the people assigned to her in the palace are old, incompetent, lazy and neglectful, so she doesn't even have anyone around her to help her. She can't compare to Guo Jia, who has a distinguished family background and a powerful father and brothers. Even if she even laughed, she had to look at other people's faces, which made Princess Huaiqing feel sad and her eyes almost shed tears.

Princess Daiming looked at Huaiqing's expression and couldn't help but feel anxious for her. Empress Pei paid little attention to these princesses most days. She even sent a strict matron to monitor them and did not allow too much interaction with outsiders. But she knew deeply that Empress Pei kept them just because they would have value in the future and could be used to win over courtiers. But if they were disobedient at all, the consequences would be inevitable... However, Empress Pei just glanced at this side lightly as though she didn't notice anything in particular, so it should be fine.

Of course, Pei Baoer also heard Princess Huaiqing's laughter. She felt annoyed, but also became more and more anxious. Because of what Li Wei Yang said just now, if Empress Pei helps her, it will become bullying the weak and using power to suppress others. Empress Pei has always valued reputation and will never help her in this situation. Then, what can she do about it?

Madam Guo almost applauded her daughter. The way she saw it, a girl like Pei Baoer deserved a lesson!

Li Wei Yang said gently: "Miss Pei, have you thought about it? Will you give the exquisite treasure box or one hundred thousand taels of gold? You can think about it slowly, there is really no need to rush."

When Pei Baoer heard this, her tears immediately flowed down, falling drop by drop on her dress, immediately staining the beautiful begonia flowers on it.

Li Wei Yang looked at her pear blossom like tears, and her heart became more and more amused. 

Grand Prince Zhou stood up and frowned: "Miss Guo, why are you so aggressive? Miss Pei is already crying. It would be unkind of you to do this."

After Li Wei Yang heard this, she looked back at Grand Prince Zhou with a troubled expression, and then wiped her face with her hands, looking thoughtful.

Grand Prince Zhou was surprised: "What are you doing?" Everyone heard this and looked at Li Wei Yang curiously.

Li Wei Yang was reasonable and was not there to cause trouble. If she was really as sharp as before, Miss Pei would probably be going to hang herself in the hall now. Of course, this is not because she has become kind, but because she cares about the reputation of the Guo family. It was easy to defeat Pei Baoer today, but if it leaves everyone with the impression that the daughter of the Guo family is too domineering, it will cost more than the gain. Li Wei Yang just smiled and said: "I'm looking to see if I have any tears."

Grand Prince Zhou looked at her inexplicably: "Where did your tears come from?"

Li Wei Yang put on a helpless expression: "Miss Pei polluted my treasure. It was her fault. We were magnanimous and did not demand she compensate with money, just with a treasure box. This is a matter of course. But Miss Pei shed a few tears, which made everyone think it was our fault. These tears are really useful, so I quickly looked for them to see if I could arouse everyone's sympathy."

Li Wei Yang's eyes were clear, and her expression was very serious. Although her words were sharp, she was still playful. This time, even the princes next to him couldn't help but laugh. Grand Prince Zhou was stunned for a long time, and while his face turned red, he also understood that Li Wei Yang was reminding him by mocking Pei Baoer that he should be careful before he says something. After all, he was afraid of being "gently ridiculed" like this again, so he hurriedly sat down. Grand Prince Qin on the side patted him on the shoulder and laughed: "Don't get involved in things between girls. Otherwise, Miss Guo will cry too. Then what will you do?"

Grand Prince Zhou thought for a while and found it funny himself. Yes, he has nothing to do with Pei Baoer. There is no need to speak like this for her. Guo Jia has a sharp tongue, so this is showing mercy to him.

Yuan Lie looked at Li Wei Yang and noticed some changes in her. If it were in the past, she would have definitely made it impossible for Grand Prince Zhou to step down, because what Li Wei Yang is best at is seizing other people's weaknesses and stepping on them until the other person falls completely. But this time, she used a joke to make Grand Prince Zhou understand. In this way, the problem could be solved without enmity. However, this is not her usual style of acting.

So what made her change? Yuan Lie looked at her silently with complicated eyes.

Even Grand Prince Zhou had retreated. Pei Baoer looked around, but no one dared to help her openly now. After thinking about it, who will get involved in the struggle between the Pei family and the Guo family? She glanced at Empress Pei one last time, but received no response. She instantly understood what Empress Pei meant, clenched her teeth and said, "Okay, I will send the exquisite treasure box to the Guo family as soon as I return."

Li Wei Yang smiled and said: "Then, I would like to thank Miss Pei for recognizing her mistakes and correcting them."

Pei Baoer ground her teeth and returned to her seat angrily, not forgetting to glare at Princess Huaiqing. She often entered the palace to accompany Empress Pei, and frequently made fun of Princess Huaiqing, but unexpectedly, this coward dared to follow Guo Jia and laugh at her today!

Seeing this, Obedient Consort Hu sneered and said, "Sister Gracious Consort, your niece is really powerful. In just a few words, she took possession of the Pei family's treasure."

Consort Guo's eyes flickered to her face, and she said as if unintentionally: "Miss Pei knows her mistakes and can correct them, she is a proper lady from an esteemed family."

With this defeat, Pei Baoer lost the heirloom that the Pei family had treasured for many years. Her heart was probably bleeding. However, Gracious Consort Guo's tone was 70% truthful and 30% sarcastic. Empress Pei couldn't help but sneer in her heart when she heard this. The smile on her face became deeper and deeper. She just glanced at Pei Baoer reproachfully and said, "Baoer, you were too careless this time and made Miss Guo suffer." After saying that, she said to the court lady behind her: "Miss Guo's clothes are wet. Go and get my red peacock feather brocade skirt for Miss Guo to change into."

Madam Guo said quickly: "Your Majesty, you can't do this, it's too much!" She looked flattered.

"This skirt is just for everyday wear, and there are no dragons or phoenixes embroidered on it, so it's not considered out of bounds." Empress Pei said with a faint smile.

Gracious Consort Guo smiled and said: "Her Majesty is kind, just accept it. I heard that this dress is made with the red eyed green feathers on the peacock's head and gold silk. It took the entire embroidery bureau half a year to make it. It's truely Her Majesty's grace to take it out." She didn't bother politely refusing at all. 

Madam Guo glanced at Li Wei Yang and still hesitated: "This dress is so expensive, I'm afraid..."

Empress Pei smiled very gently and said: "Although this dress is expensive, the color is too bright and it is really not suitable for people of my age. Today Baoer was rude and scared Miss Guo. This dress is my condolences. Come, Xin'er, take Miss Guo to change."

Li Wei Yang just lowered her head and accepted it with a smile. Empress Pei's move was to show everyone her generosity. What's more, according to Empress Pei's methods, she would not stoop low enough to tamper with clothes, so Wei Yang accepted it without any worry. Following Court Lady Xin to the rear palace, she changed her clothes. When she came back out, she was immediately eye-catching. The gorgeous and bright colors looked like they were tailor-made for Li Wei Yang. The clothes were embroidered with lifelike peonies, that looked like they were blooming from a green tree. It's really radiant and beautiful. 

Li Wei Yang's smile was bright, and her dark eyes were clear. Her tranquility and composure made the clothes even more dazzling, exuding their elegant beauty to the extreme, stunning everyone. Yuan Lie's bright and fiery eyes fell on her cheeks as pure as pear blossoms, and his smile became a little gentle. Although Pei Baoer was stunningly beautiful, Li Wei Yang had a particularly quiet beauty, as elegant as an untouched lotus, which made people feel she was mysterious and gentle. He secretly thought, yes, who in this world can compare to my Wei Yang!

Yuan Ying also looked at Li Wei Yang like this and he was slightly surprised. Although Li Wei Yang was also dressed in gorgeous clothes before, it was not as good as the dress she was wearing now. It was classic and elegant, and it also revealed a special charm. She was completely different from the low-browed cousin he met yesterday. He felt strange and couldn't help but look at her again. She had returned to her seat, but her eyes were dark, like a deep pool, cold and quiet, with no ripples in sight. The gentle smile on her face was like a mask that has never changed, making it impossible for people to guess her thoughts. Such a woman seems to make one's heart soften.

Yuan Ying has always disliked the wild bees and butterflies around him and has always kept a clean mind. He knew that his marriage would be traded in the future because he was a descendant of the imperial family. However, Gracious Consort Guo suddenly proposed that he marry the daughter of the Guo family. Marrying Guo Jia means that from now on he does not have to guard against fires in the backyard, and he does not have to worry about threats from his wife's natal family, because the Guo family has been their strong backing for so many years. Even though he doesn't love Guo Jia, he is confident that he can respect her, care for her, and satisfy her and the Guo family. Later, when he really came into contact with Guo Jia, he felt that her temperament was elegant and her manners were graceful. Her childishness had long since faded, and she appeared to be exceptionally elegant and charming, but it was too difficult for people to guess her thoughts. She was really unique. Now it seems that it is simply too unique.

What should he do? Originally, in his mind, the wife he should marry was a flower that needed careful care, but now it was completely beyond his expectation. She was really not simple! Looking at Madam Guo's proud smile, Yuan Ying sighed and couldn't help but think, maybe marrying her is really a good idea?

When Madam Guo saw Li Wei Yang returning to her side, she lowered her head and smiled, saying: "This dress was embroidered by Mo He, the top female official in the embroidery bureau. She is the 19th generation embroiderer of the Linxiu family. The dress you wore just now looks good on its own, but when compared with this one, it immediately stands out."

Madam Guo was born into a noble family and had always been picky about the clothes she made. She was very picky about the fabrics, cutting, sewing and embroidery work. But even she was full of praises, which showed how beautiful the clothes were.

Li Wei Yang naturally knew that the fabric of this dress was first-class, not to mention the embroidery skills. Even though Madam Guo spent a lot of money to find the best embroiderer, it could not match this lifelike craftsmanship. This is not surprising. Most of the people with the best embroidery skills are concentrated in the palace. In addition, this dress is made for the Empress. The embroiderers naturally put a lot of effort into it. It is not so much a dress as it is a  work of art.

Originally, if a person rebelled against an entire army, anyone would be so angry that they would vomit blood, right?

This Empress Pei... is indeed extraordinary!

The beautiful dress worn by Li Wei Yang made her look gentle and lovely, attracting the attention of all eyes, and Pei Baoer's expression became stiff for a moment.

Pei Zhen laughed and said: "Baoer, isn't this the dress you have been pestering the Empress for? The Empress also said that when you turn eighteen, this dress will be given to you."

Pei Baoer's eyes were red with anger. She had always looked down on Guo Jia, thinking that she was pretty but not outstanding. But now, with this dress on her body, she looked extremely eye-catching.

She had acted coquettishly and plotted on this gorgeous dress many times before Empress Pei promised to give it to her in the future, but today she gave it to Guo Jia! Why! This was supposed to belong to her! She was angry. How could the Empress do this to her? Why did she treat her like this? She couldn't help clenching her fists, wanting to go up and ask the other person to take it off.

Seeing Li Wei Yang holding the wine glass with jade-like fingers and a smile on her face, Pei Baoer was even more angry. But she was not a fool. She knew that Empress Pei had given the dress to Li Wei Yang, which was a disguised warning to her not to do something that damages the reputation of the Pei family again. The nature of her aunt... Pei Baoer shivered all over, subconsciously picked up the wine glass and said, "Miss Guo, today is all my fault. Please be magnanimous and don't be angry with me." As she said that, there were tears in her eyes, and her voice was soft, completely pitiful.

She has become everyone's joke today and must find ways to restore her image!

Li Wei Yang glanced at her, her face was very gentle, and her voice was even more soft: "Miss Pei doesn't need to worry." She didn't seem to care at all.

Grand Prince Zhou smiled and said: "Isn't this good!" If something happens between men, they just have a fight, drink a glass of wine, and laugh. Who knows why women are so troublesome, and they have to fight for a long time just over getting a skirt wet? What's the mentality? ! Now that he saw the two people shaking hands and talking happily, he felt that the ridicule he had just received was not in vain.

Yuan Lie, who had been silent all this time, smiled and said: "Miss Pei doesn't have to blame herself. Miss Guo has always been the most generous. Since she said she doesn't care, you don't have to take it to heart. Who has never done something wrong? Knowing your mistakes can make a lot of improvements." He kept defending Li Wei Yang...

Pei Baoer was even more angry. She didn't understand why Guo Jia could have everything. The Guo family and Grand Prince Xu loved her so much and were afraid that she would be hurt in the slightest. As for herself, although on the surface she is well-dressed and pampered, in fact, her father only saw her beauty and raised her as a pawn since she was a child. Therefore, she must also spend all her efforts to compete for everyone's attention. Pei Baoer's eyes are full of emotion. There were cold ripples, and it took a long time to calm down, then she murmured: "That's good."

Li Wei Yang's smile was natural and elegant, but her eyes flickered across Pei Bao'er's face. Her eyes were bottomless, but seemed to be as cold as a thin layer of frost. It was shocking. Pei Bao'er suddenly felt that there was a slight resemblance between this person and that high and mighty person...

No, it's not the appearance, not the temperament, but the coldness in her eyes.

It is clear that Empress Pei is unparalleled in elegance and Li Wei Yang is as pale as a chrysanthemum by comparison, but in the eyes of these two people, when you are not paying attention, there will be a serious and ruthless look, like a beast that will eat you alive, which makes people... ...fear!

Pei Baoer couldn't help but stare at Li Wei Yang, but the other party turned her eyes away indifferently and no longer paid attention to her.

Get up to 30 advanced chapter parts on Patreon

[landsofaruin]

Yuexi, people of the Moon River

The Yuexi people inhabit the Southwestern Golden Highlands, a region of dense forests, mist-shrouded mountains, and numerous rivers, mainly the Yinshi She or Silver serpent named for its rapid and dangerous current and an abundant amount of silvery fish. The other major river of the region is the Yu Pubu or the Jade Cascade, a river that begins at the highest peak of the Highlands but as the river falls down the golden waterfalls and into the river basin it takes on a green hue and the river is blessed with many precious stones. The terrain is rugged, with terraced hillsides used for agriculture, the region is often called the food store of Aldine as it is blessed with fertile soil due to a massive volcanic eruption in Aldine's long ancient past. The Yuexi society is organized into a series of clans, each governed by a council of elders. These clans form loose confederations, coming together during times of war or crisis. The largest clans are the Lanyue (Blue Moon), Shanyue (Mountain Moon), and Huyue (Tiger Moon) clans, each with its own distinct traditions and rituals that separate one another.Yuexi society also has strong matriarchal elements, with women holding significant power in both spiritual and political realms. The Moon Priestesses are the most revered figures in Yeuxi society aside from the Royal family, believed to have the ability to communicate with the spirits and gods of the land. The Yuexi are devout followers of a lunar deity known as Mother Moon, believed to guide their people and protect them from harm. The phases of the moon play a significant role in their calendar, festivals, and rituals. The Yuexi believe in the spirits of the natural world, particularly those of the mountains, rivers, and forests. Ancestor worship is also central to their spiritual life, with elaborate rituals conducted to honor the spirits of the deceased who are believed to have an effect on the living world from the spiritual realm. Certain animals, like the white tiger and the moon owl, are considered sacred and are often associated with specific clans. These animals are believed to be messengers or incarnations of the gods and ancestors. The most important aspect of Yuexi culture is the art of tattoos. One can tell the different classes of Yuexi by the level of tattooing they have, Peasants and merchants typically have full covered tattoos on their arms and legs, symbolizing their place in society and connection to their work and the land. While nobility display more extensive tattoos that cover their entire upper and lower bodies, representing their elevated status and responsibilities. The Royal family are the only people permitted to tattoo their entire head, high noble family may tattoo smaller portions such as the neck and sides of the head but not the face. The Yuexi prefer to remain isolated from the larger empires and kingdoms of Aldine, valuing their independence and unique way of life. However, they are fiercely protective of their territory and have repelled numerous invasions throughout their history, they are currently in a major rebellion against the Tazarids to the east and Yuexi mercenaries are often found among rebel soldiers in the Tazarid provinces.

[neuxue]

hello, fellow liehuo enjoyer here, and I have been making forays into 无限流 lately — I have been sitting on the edge of the qqgk cliff kicking my feet idly for a while, would it be too presumptuous of me to ask you to push me over? (in less flowery language, would you recommend qqgk to a fellow liehuo and 无限流 reader?)

hey! always good to hear from another weapons enthusiast liehuo enjoyer.

And sure, I can certainly try to push you wuxia-style off the qqgk cliff; it's no leap into a fiery abyss of agony but it was a fun read. (as an aside, now that I think about it there is technically a cliff-jump in qqgk, for what that's worth).

Honestly I wouldn't usually think to compare the two, and I probably wouldn't put qqgk on an 'if you enjoyed lhjc, read this next' list because they sit in different spaces in my mind, but there's no reason you can't enjoy both; I certainly did!

The main thing I'd say first, just to set some tonal expectations, is that qqgk feels like a much lighter read, in terms of both prose and content, and it does not have anywhere near the knife levels of liehuo. (though let's be honest that's not actually saying much).

Whether that's a good, bad, or neutral thing is obviously a matter of taste, but I'm going to go out on a limb (like a little bird) here and assume that if you enjoyed liehuo you probably enjoy some heartrending agony angst or pain in a story. To which I will say, qqgk does in fact have some knives; not as many and not as agonising but well-executed and in a way that packs a kind of surprising punch, in part because you're not entirely expecting it (or at least I wasn't, after the first couple arcs). Similarly, there are some moments of genuine beauty and pathos in a way that feels not unlike those little flashes priest sometimes drops in the midst of an otherwise lighthearted scene, though again on a different scale.

Sort of relatedly, another thing I liked about qqgk is that while it starts off feeling like just a light fun read and like a lot of the details are throwaway decoration, I was again surprised by the degree to which the loose ends or 'throwaway' details or character traits that initially seem just there for the aesthetic get tied up or tied into the larger whole in a way that's more satisfying than I anticipated.

But now for the fun part, which was me going 'huh, now I kind of want to make a list of similarities between the two in an if-you-liked-this kind of way'. So! Some things you get in lhjc that you can expect to see in some way in qqgk:

two extremely competent protagonists initially using that competence largely for the purpose of antagonising each other as they are forced under protest but by circumstance to collaborate

blood... drinking? bloodplay? unclear. anyway, that.

Who Gets To Be A Person (to a lesser degree than liehuo, yes, and qqgk leans more into 'tool' than 'weapon' but it's definitely there)

ensemble cast shenanigans (again, qqgk takes a lighter tone here and I cannot in good faith promise you a Gu Yuexi analogue but once again there are some that turn out kind of surprisingly... more than you initially expect)

Wow That Sure Is A Healthy Mother-Son Relationship, Yikes

character(s) who hide their pain or past (or both) only to have it forcibly revealed by circumstances outside their control in the most visceral way possible

memory shenanigans (which are hit or miss for me, but I liked the way these were done in both cases)

characters fighting over who gets to self-sacrifice for whom, the realisation that your beloved has a death wish, etc.

undead interactions on a boat

character(s) whose approach to problem-solving is 'if you set it on fire enough it will cease to be a problem, or will at least become a different problem'

Anyway, I really was pleasantly surprised by qqgk because I didn't know what to expect and the first arcs felt like 'okay this is fun and entertaining but I'm not sure I'm completely on board' and then it went 'okay hang on let me just--' and went harder than I thought it would. I will admit there are aspects of the ending that I didn't love, but in a way that honestly doesn't impact my overall enjoyment of it, or my satisfaction with the closure of the story.

I don't know if I have done a very good job selling it or presenting a coherent image of it but that's what I've got, so if that sounds like a good time to you then I'd be curious to hear what you eventually think!

(I'd also be interested in any 无限流 that you would recommend to a fellow liehuo enjoyer, as it's a genre I'm enjoying but have also not read extensively in)