#and he has to trust Diao will return to him

[respectthepetty]

Power Dynamics in Naughty Babe

@visualtaehyun wrote this wonderful post about how we see devotion play out in the episode five opening scene of Naughty Babe through the language Yi and Diao use. *read the post!* However, the biggest takeaway is the shift in power that is being freely given by Yi and fully accepted by Diao.

The scene begins with Diao on the floor, lower than Yi,

only for Yi to lift Diao up, carry him, and switch positions to where Yi is on the floor lower than Diao.

Diao leans down to kiss Yi, and Yi sits up to reach the kiss, bringing both to an equal level.

But this scene is just the icing on a long baked cake because this is a well-deserved win for Diao after an entire season of Yi dominating him in Cutie Pie.

It was difficult for Yi to give up his power to Diao in Cutie Pie. Even when he was being kind to Diao, he was always slightly higher (look at that rainbow!).

Diao was fine with that. He understood it was difficult for Yi to open up, so relinquishing his power would be tough for Yi.

But Diao thought it would happen eventually. He believed that at some point, Yi would trust him enough to let him in, but Naughty Babe started with Diao admitting that Yi is still closed off. They aren't married because HIA YI won't allow it. Even when the parents question the decision and compare Yi's decisions to Lian's, Yi still says "no"

So when Diao tries to run off to Switzerland, Yi questions what he has to do to keep Diao, and Lian, the best buddy who calls Yi stupid and everyone compares Yi to, says this - "be his dog"

It's a wild claim that seems meant for laughs, but Lian continues with telling Yi that Diao loves his dog. Diao's dog is ridiculous and causes trouble for Yi, but he is obedient to Diao, and Lian understands submission very well. This was an entire discussion between Lian and Yi in Cutie Pie 2 You about power imbalances.

He is telling Yi that he must submit to Diao. Lian trusts Kuea enough to bow to him, to kneel at his feet and be vulnerable in front of him, so he offers this advice to his stupid friend.

And, thankfully, Yi listens because from then on out, he willingly lowers himself to Diao.

As soon as Diao allows him into his apartment, Yi gets to work. If Yi is higher than Diao,

he lowers himself so they are equal.

When Diao scolds him, he remains seated instead of rising up.

And even when he pulls Diao down, it's to make them equal.

He asks for consent instead of demanding submission

And he lifts Diao up.

Yi consistently positions himself lower than Diao.

Even when his usual abrasive behavior emerges in the car, he quickly lowers himself onto Diao.

The only time he has stood higher than Diao was when Diao directly questioned him about faking his amnesia. They are in the midst of a color exchange, so it feels clear that Yi was going to lie his way out of it since he had Diao back, but instead he admitted his wrong.

And Diao walked out. Yi followed scared that Diao would leave him again, but instead of trying to dominate Diao into staying, he admitted his powerlessness.

Everything was on Yi's terms in Cutie Pie. Diao getting a dog was because Yi allowed it. Diao being allowed to continue teaching was because Yi told him he could. There engagement was because Yi finally wanted it. Yet here is Yi telling Diao that whatever DIAO WANTS TO DO, Yi will abide by it. And we get back to what Lian was telling his stupid friend. Yi needs to trust Diao enough to submit.

Yi immediately tells Diao he trusts him without hesitation because the power Yi was holding onto was to protect Diao, but this entire ordeal has shown him that was his mistake, something his father even points out.

Yi was so hellbent on controlling Diao to protect him that he didn't realize Diao is perfectly capable of protecting himself AND taking care of Yi. Diao riding his bike is what kept him safe. Diao has several medals in Taekwondo, yet doesn't need to display them. Diao would've been on a plane to Switzerland before Yi could've caught him because he is a smart man. But more importantly, as Yi's father pointed out, Diao would have never left Yi in the first place if Yi hadn't pushed him to it. Yi has known Diao for 20 years, and Diao has always trusted Yi, even when he shouldn't (the tiger), so why hasn't Yi put some of that trust back into Diao?!

When Yi is lower than Diao, Diao is taking care of Yi. He doesn't want Yi to give away all his power. He wants them to be equal. He wants Yi to see him as equal because his family has always treated him as a pawn, which Yi started doing, and he won't accept that from the man he loves.

So when Diao tells Yi that he can take care of Yi, Yi finally realizes that Diao can, and he wants him to. Yi surrenders.

This plot to ruin their wedding is wildly ridiculous, but what better way to align with Cutie Pie and make a statement about the power of marriage, then to give us a plot where a powerless character is given the authority to ruin his. Diao's family used this marriage as a way to secure power. Yi used his authority to stall the wedding. Yet here is Diao using his power to fuck it all up.

Yi stands higher than Diao in their official wedding pictures, and he looks miserable while Diao is playing his part happily.

Lian is shocked that Yi is willing to be the victim in this scenario. Yi doesn't lose, yet Yi is allowing himself to be publicly embarrassed and branded the loser, so Diao (and Yi) can gain some power over his family and this horrible deal everyone constructed without Diao's knowledge.

Yi never wanted Diao to leave, but in order for this plan to work, it has to look believable. Diao has to leave. And Yi has to try to stop him because Yi has to appear to put up a fight.

But he already surrendered to Diao, gladly.

They are equal now, and their marriage should reflect that without all the restrictions and obstacles being built into it.

Diao's family was unwilling to give them that power, so they must take it by destroying the way things are and rebuilding on its ashes.

So Diao is gonna fuck up that wedding, and Yi will trust him to do it because their marriage isn't just about a partnership and love, something these shows have constantly harped on (love isn't love if we aren't treated equally), but about the power others have denied them, and they deserve the right to enter into it on their own terms.

[heretherebedork]

Very underwhelming episode of Cutie Pie. Nothing stuck to me. Lian and Kuea story didn’t have new elements brought to us, while what we learn about Yi and Diao make me skeptical. I really thought they were a couple and was excited to see a BL that introduced an established relationship so I am disappointed that not only they are not dating, but Yi is the same way as Lian as he actually love Diao but either doesn’t realise yet or prefer not to tell/show. I suspected LianKuea and YiDiao were going to have the same problematic but I didn’t expect that they were going to be so similar. Honestly I am not thrilled about it, in terms of storytelling, having the same story twice with just some difference within the same show is a bad idea. I am curious to know what is the incident that made Yi feel guilty but that’s it. Also Kuea and Lian were not enjoyable, Kuea is too pitiful and Lian too cruel with his plans. I know they both love each other and obviously it’s going to be an happy ending but currently I can’t enjoy.

Oh, I disagree. I really liked this episode for all the messiness it brings. We get to see so much more of what they want from each other and what makes them all tick and why this isn't working the way it so obviously should be. This was an episode showing us the major issues and what they want from these relationships and setting us up for the rest.

Lian and Yi have very different issues. Lian knows he loves Kuea. He's loved him since the idea of being in an arranged marriage was first proposed. He's been in love forever. And then Kuea changed. Then Kuea turned into the Perfect Doll and Lian started to doubt his love and doubt their love and then he found out that Kuea was leading an entire double life and suddenly he's hurt and betrayed but he still loves him so much that he doesn't know what to do and so closed himself off entirely to try to be perfect for him in return.

And now suddenly Lian is facing the idea of trying to get the truth from Kuea but not being able to just outright ask because he wants to know that he's trusted and that Kuea sees him as a real person. Is it manipulative and stupid? Yes. But it's setting up the rest of the story and the rest of the plot of Lian knowing the truth and Kuea slowly learning to trust him and coming clean only to find out that he always knew about all of it.

Yi and Diao are in a reflective but different situation because Yi doesn't know if he loves Diao. He hasn't accepted it yet and he hasn't thought about it because of the level of duty, guilt and pity he feels towards Diao while Diao, who has no idea what happened, truly loves Yi. Finding that out changes the entire dynamic and how I see Yi's protectiveness. Because he's truly protective due to what happened to Diao in the past and his own part in that. Which also explains why his protectiveness was so soft and came with a strong reaction to Diao's tears.

This changes how I look at them. Now I really lean towards Yi just being the gentlest lover once they get together for real rather than strict. Because once he starts to move past duty and past pity and into love he'll grow into that affection and care and will be just so soft but still protective.

It also changes the dynamic between Yi and Lian because Lian knows he loves Kuea while Yi has no idea he loves Diao. And they both understand that about each other now and see the situation differently.

I didn't even find Kuea that pitiful. He's been given really no choice in this and he's doing his best to stand up to Lian and to look for ways to keep moving while still being desperately in love with Lian and not wanting to give up totally on that. I felt bad for him but I felt bad for him in, like, a good way. The way that makes me angrier at Lian. Lian is making a very bad choice right now. He doesn't need to be doing any of this. All he needs to do is tell Kuea he cares about him and it'd be OVER. But Lian genuinely wants Kuea to be true with him and it's stupid but I can kind of accept this stupid?

I mean, it's all personal preference at this point, obviously. I'm loving it because I can kind of get most of the POVs? Yi's is definitely the hardest for me because pity/duty is a difficult combo for me to understand and relate to but I'm giving them a chance because I do genuinely adore the actors and their typical dynamic.

Anyway.

I'm still loving Cutie Pie.

I'm still here for these boys.

Lian is being an ass, but for some reason he's the kind of ass I can handle. I think it's the more tsundere aspects and the little smiles he keeps giving Kuea when he's not looking and the fact that we know he loves him and we know he's been working hard to be perfect for him the same way Kuea has been working to be perfect in return and it's this huge crossed wires thing.

[bookofjin]

Annals of Gaozu of Song, Part 2

[Great Jin will last forever! From Songshu 001]

3rd Year, 2nd Month, jichou, New Moon [27 February 404].

On yimao [24 March], Gaozu justified with a hunting excursion, that he, Wuji and others gathered  and assembled righteous followers. Altogether the co-planners were He Wuji, Wei Yongzhi, Yongzhi's younger brothers Xinzhi and Shunzhi, Tan Pingzhi, Pingzhi's cousin once removed Shao, his younger brother Zhi, Longyu [?], his junior uncle Daoji, Daoji's senior cousin Fanzhi, Gaozu's younger brother Daolian, Liu Yi, Yi's junior cousin Fan, Meng Chang, Chang's junior kinsman Huaiyu, Xiang Mi of Henei, Guan Yizhi, Zhou Anmu of Chenliu, Liu Wei of Linhuai, his junior cousin Guizhi, Zang Xi of Dongguan, his junior cousin Baofu, his cousin once removed Musheng, Tong Maozong, Zhou Daomin of Chen commandery, Tian Yan of Yuyang, Fan Qing of Qiao state and others, 27 people. Those who wished to follow were more than a hundred people.

On bingchen [25 March], the next morning, when the city opened, Wuji took on to transmit a decree, declaring the decree in front of the residence [?]. The righteous multitudes swiftly entered, altogether making a great shout. The magistrates and soldiers [?] were frightened and scattered, and did not dare to act. They then beheaded Xiu to thereby make the rounds [?]. Gaozu wept with great sadness, and substantially improved the funeral preparations.

Meng Chang recommended Hong that day to set out for a hunt. It was not yet bright when they opened the gates and set out with the hunters. Chang, Daogui, Yi and others led fifty or sixty strong soldiers, and, following the gates opening straight-away entered. Hong had only just eaten gruel when they beheaded him. Following that they gathered the multitudes to cross the Jiang.

The righteous army began to overcome Jing city [?]. Xiu's Marshal, Diao Hong led the civil and military assistants and magistrates to come and attend. Gaozu climbed the walls to speak to them, saying:

[Inspector] Guo of Jiang province has received the Driving Carriage and returned to propriety at Xunyang. I and the others also have a secret decree, to execute and eliminate the rebel faction, meeting together at the present day. Traitor Xuan's head will already be on display at the Great Pontoon. Are you Lords not subjects of Great Jin, with what intentions are you now come?

Hong and the others trusted him, gathered the multitudes and withdrew. When Yi had arrived, Gaozu instructed [him] to execute Hong.

Yi's elder brother Mai previously was in the Imperial Capital, the affair was not to start for several days. Gaozu dispatched his co-planner Zhou Anmu to inform, to make him be an inside agent. Mai on the outside was only responding with endorsement, but on the inside he considerably shook with fear. Anmu saw his fretful fright, and worried the affair would surely leak, he therefore hurried to return back. At the time Xuan used Mai as Grand Warden of Jingling. Mai did not know what to do, and readily sent down a boat, intending to go to the commandery. That night, Xuan sent Mai a letter which said:

The Northern Office people are feeling and saying what? When Sir nearby sees Liu taboo, what is he expressing? [?]

Mai said Xuan already knew their plans, and at daybreak went up to make clear to him. Xuan was surprised and afraid. He enfeoffed Mai as Marquis of Zhong'an. Then he mistrusted Mai for not seizing Anmu, causing him to get to abscond and leave. He therefore killed him. He executed Yuande, Huxing, Houzhi and others, and summoned Huan Qian, Bian Fanzhi and others to plan to resist Gaozu. Qian and others said:

Urgently dispatch troops to strike him.

Xuan said:

Not done. That one's troops are quick and sharp, to plan to set out is ten thousand deaths. Suppose [we] act to dispatch the navy, but it is insufficient to withstand them. If there is an error or stumble, then that one's spirit is complete and my affair defeated!

It is not as good as garrisoning the great multitude at Fuzhou Mountain and then wait for them. That one need only move 200 li, without arranging his hands [?], his sharp spirit already pressing down. Then when he arrives and suddenly sees the Great Army, he will surely be startled and afraid, frightened and alarmed.

We will lean on troops in firm ranks, and will not engage the spear-point. When that one seeks battle but does not get it, he will scatter and run by himself. This is the best plan.

Qian and others firmly requested. [He] therefore dispatched the Grand Warden of Dunqiu, Wu Fuzhi and the General of Guards of the Right, Huangfu Fu, to go north and resist the righteous army. Xuan, since he heard the army had risen up, was anxious and afraid, without again making plans. Someone said:

The strength of Liu taboo and the others' multitudes is very weak, how will [they] accomplish success? [?] Why is Your Majesty so very anxious!

Xuan said:

Liu taboo is sufficient to be the one who stands out in the generation. Liu Yi's family is without the stores for a dan or shi [?], a single throw of chaupar [to win?] a million. He Wuji is the sister-son of Liu Laozhi, and strongly resembles his mother's brother. When they together raise up a great affair, how [can you] say [they will] have no success.

The multitudes pushed forward Gaozu as Master of the Covenant. He circulated a call to arms in the  imperial district which said:

As for order and chaos following each other, management is not often grand [?], the crafty indulge in cruelty, sometimes coming upon sagely clarity. Since our Great Jin, the nine of yang [?] were again and again constructed. From the Long'an era difficulties have tangled the August House. Loyal subjects shattered in the tiger's mouth, the pure and good were ruined among dholes and wolves.

The disobedient subject Huan Xuan bullied and oppressed the ghosts of man, obstructed the troops in Jing and Ying, and indulged in brutality in the capital district. Heaven has not yet destroyed the difficulties [?], the nefarious strength is profuse and flourishing for a period exceeding a year, thereupon overturning the august succession.

The ruler and sovereign is cast away far away, the flowing fortune is nowhere [?]. The divine receptacles are drowned and lost, the seven temples destroyed and ruined. The Xia prince's mishaps with Zhu and Yi, and there was Han's encounter with Mang and Zhuo, comparing them to Xuan, they are insufficient as analogies. Since Xuan usurped and rebelled to the present successive years, there are excessive draughts for a full season, the people are without life spirit.

Increasingly accordingly gentlemen and commoners are tired with moving transport, civil and military officials are weary with constructing and building, fathers and sons turn aside and leave, houses and families divide and scatter. How does only the Great East have grief for the shuttle and spindle, the Throwing away Plums have complaints for the overturned basket and that is all!

Raising the head to look at Heaven's ornaments, facing down to examine people's affairs, [to do] this and be able to for a long time, [he] who is can be destroyed! [?] All who have a heart, who do not wring their wrists. Taboo [i.e. Yu] and others, as they were striking their hearts and weeping blood, were not ready to begin seclusion [?]. Thus so in the evening [we] slept and in the night [we] stood up, aiding and encouraging the loyal and ardent, secretly planning rough and rugged [?], the peril beyond treading a tiger's [tail].

The General who Assists the State, Liu Yi, the General who Broadens the Martial, Hu Wuji, the Master of Accounts who Garrisons the North, Meng Chang, the Master of Accounts for Yan Province, Wei Yongzhi, the General who Soothes the Distant, Liu Daogui, the Dragon Galloping General, Liu Fan, the General who Raises Power, Tan Pingzhi, and others, loyal and ardent beyond gold, their essence joining the white sun, shouldering glaives and waving the sleeves, their aspirations are to finish their fates.

The Inspector of Yi Province, Mao Qu, ten thousand li [away] cooperating in concert, swept away and settled Jing and Chu. The Inspector of Jiang Province, Guo Changzhi, received and welcomed the Ruler and Sovereign, at the palace in Xunyang. The Army Assistant who Garrisons the North, Wang Yuande and others together led private troops to guard and occupy Shitou. The General who Spreads the Martial, Zhuge Changmin, gathered and assembled righteous gentlemen, and already occupies Liyang. The General who Conquers the Caitiffs, Yu Zhezhi, and others secretly joined and connected with each other, acting as inside agents. With united strength and unison plans, rising up as bees, [we] then today cut off the bogus Inspector of Xu Province and King of Ancheng, Xiu, and Inspector of Qing Province, Hong's heads.

The righteous multitudes having assembled, the civil and military officials striving to be first, everyone said if [we] do not have someone in command, the affair is without arrangements. Taboo refused but did not manage in the end, and thereupon managed the army's necessities [?].

The populace above relies on the providence of the Founders and Ancestors, below consumes [?] the strength of righteous men, to cut off the ears of the fugitive rebels, and cleans and purify the capital carriage. The dukes, marquises and the various lords, some in a generation stand upright as loyal and true, some personally shoulders feudal rank and favour, but all lower eyebrows and slyly set upright [?], making effort themselves to not carry out. Looking back at the road to Zhou, how is it not a pity. In today's undertaking, the good have thus met.

Taboo, though trifling and meagre, his talents not [like] the ancients, meeting circumstances with the crux of having abolished [?], accepts appointment for the turning around of the already ruined [?]. The unfeigned sincerity is not yet circulated, [I?] feel regretful, furious and exultant, looking up to the Milky Way for eternal sympathy, looking sideways at the mountains and streams for additional honing. The day of transmitting the call to arms, divinely hurry to the traitor court [?].

He used Meng Chang as Senior Clerk, with the overall administration of rear affairs, and Tan Pingzhi as Marshal. Those of the hundred families who wished to follow were more than a thousnad people.

3rd Month, wuwu [27 March], New Moon, encountered Wu Fuzhi at Jiangcheng. Fuzhi was Xuan's valiant general, and his troops were very sharp. Gaozu personally held his long blade, and with a great shout rushed against them. The multitudes all cracked and scattered, and then he beheaded Fuzhi.

He advanced to Luoluo bridge. Huangfu Fu led several thousand people to confront in battle. The General who Soothes the Distant, Tan Pingzhi, and others, together with Gaozu, each controlled a single detachment. Pingzhi was defeated in battle and was killed, his multitudes withdrew and scattered. Gaozui advanced to fight completely honed, front and rear strove to strike.At once they broke and routed, he then cut off Fu's head.

Earlier when Gaozu, He Wuji and other where building the great plan, there was a good judge [character] who assessed Gaozu, Wuji and others would all be greatly honoured, this ought to be very near [?]. Only it stated Pingzhi had no assessment. Gaozu was privately speaking with Wuji [?], saying:

We already are on the same boat, managing without slanting unusually [?]. [If] my followers altogether are all rich in honours, then Tan ought not alone be different.

He deeply did not understand the words of the assessments. Arriving at the point when Pingzhi died in battle, Gaozu understood his affair would surely be successful.

Xuan heard Fu and others were all overcome, and was even more afraid. He sent Huan Qian to garrison Donglingkou, and Bian Fanzhi to garrison west of Fuzhou Mountain, with a the multitude of each of 20 000.

On jiwei [28 March], dawn, the Righteous Army's food was at an end. They abandoned their remaining provisions, and advanced to the east of Fuzhou Mountain, and sent spared [?] soldiers to unfurl banners and flags on top of the mountain, to be decoy troops. Xuan again dispatched the General of Martial Cavalry, Yu Yizhi, assigning accordingly elite soldiers with sharp weapons, to help Qian and others.

Gaozu was personally first among the officers and men to thereby hasten them. The generals and soldiers all fought desperately, not one did not [fight] as hundred. The sound of their shouts moved Heaven and Earth. At the time a north-eastern wind was pressing. Because of that he instructed to let loose fire, the smoke and flame spread out over the sky. The noise of the drums and racket shook the imperial district.

Qian and others and the various armies, at the same time were [like] the collapse of a mountain. Xuan began, though dispatching the army to set up ranks, then to flee [?] thinking it was already decided. He separately sent the General who Leads the Army, Yin Zhongwen, to arrange boats at Shitou, at the same time wanting his children and nephews to sail the Jiang and flee south.

On gengshen [29 March], Gaozu headquartered at Shitou fort. He established a stay-behind government, and collected the hundred officials. He burnt Huan Wen's spirit tablet outside of Xuanyang gate, and made new tablets for Jin which were set up in the Grand Temple.

He dispatched the various generals and leaders to pursue Xuan. The Master of Writing Wang Gu led the hundred officials to receive and welcome the Driving Carriage. The Minister over the Masses, Wang Mi, discussed with the multitudes to push forward Gaozu to lead Yang province. He firmly declined. They therefore uesd Mi as Recording the Affairs of the Masters of Writing, to act as Inspector of Yang province. Hence they pushed forward Gaozu to be Envoy Holding the Tally, Commander-in-Chief of All Army Affairs of Yang, Xu, Yan, Yu, Qing, Ji, You and Bing Provinces, General who Leads the Army, and Inspector of Xu Province.

Before this, the imperial court carried on the Jin clan's chaotic government, and the hundred ministers indulged and relaxed. Though Huan Xuan desired to govern orderly, the multitudes would not follow him. Gaozu, using personal examples, took the lead to thereby impose and forbid inside and outside. The hundred officials all respectfully served in their posts. In the space of two or three days, their manners and customs were immediately [?] changed.

Moreover, though Huan Xuan was pushed forward due to his outstanding bravery, yet in a single morning he readily had the furthest rank. The Jin clan's shepherds and wardens of the four corners reaching to the court's great subjects, all in their hearts concealed affairs. The separate decisoins of subject and ruler! [?]

Gaozu's rank was trifling at court, his multitude not a single battalion. He spread his arms among the grass and weed, and guided the great righteousness to thereby restore the august throne. Following that, Wang Mi and others, the various people at time, the multitude populations' expectations, could not but be ashamed and dread him.