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shijiujun · 2 years ago

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Why You Should Watch 君子盟 (张公案) | A League of Nobleman

Firstly yes it’s nobleman with an ‘a’ i.e. singular for some reason but yes unfortunately that’s the case.

Secondly yes this had multiple other names while it was still locked up in tencent storage but we finally have something, and a note that it’s loosely based on the novel 张公案 but there’s been a bit of drama between the author and the drama production, and in any case, the cases differ quite a bit. You can say we have a Chenghua’s 14th Year situation here where it’s closely related but veered off the original at some point to varying effects.

Summary:

Zhang Ping is a poor, orphaned scholar who has to sell noodles part-time to make ends meet. He has a brain for logical deduction and is personally smart with quite a good memory. He is selling noddles at his stall as usual and minding his own damn business when Lan Jue, a high-ranking officer second only to the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, uses him as a distraction in a case. Lan Jue is the son of an official who was framed 20 years ago for treason, and he has to become Minister of Rites in order to get closer to the truth of his father’s unjust death, but his status as the son of a guilty man means that no one wants to recommend and support him to become Minister of Rites. Moreover, he’s been in contact with an enemy state, the state that his father went to before his death - but the letters are intercepted by the other person who’s in line to become Minister of Rites as well. The other official sets up a case to frame Lan Jue for treason and to push him out of the running for Minister, and Zhang Ping, who’s dragged into this unexpectedly, cannot help but interrupt to solve the case(s) that happen.

Initially, it’s Lan Jue against Zhang Ping, as while Lan Jue isn’t a bad guy, he has laid a lot of groundwork and plans behind the scenes and Zhang Ping who looks at everything in black and white, and insists on pushing for justice no matter the situation, is a hindrance to his plans. Slowly, through each case and being stuck with each other, Lan Jue realizes that he’s strayed too far from the path that his father once wanted him to be on, and the person he originally was, all to set up ruse after ruse to get to what he wants. Albeit he is justified in doing so as he desperately wants to clear his father’s name, but it takes Zhang Ping and a teacher of his to remind Lan Jue that no matter what, he cannot break the law for his own personal motivations.

Once they come to an understanding, Zhang Ping also realizes that Lan Jue and his friend Mo Wen are excluding him firstly to keep him safe, but also because Zhang Ping cannot seem to understand that there’s a time and place for everything, and his insistence at immediately solving crimes and cases especially when they’re targeted at Lan Jue and the treason case 20 years ago, will undo all the work he’s put in so far. So Zhang Ping decides to help Lan Jue, and promises that he knows what he’s doing this time if he’s involved.

Together, they unravel the truth behind Lan Jue’s father’s death, along with Zhang Ping’s noodle store colleague and Lan Jue’s only good friend, Mo Wen.

Details:

Total Episodes: 29 (10 have been released so far, with one episode released per day for non-members, and 10 episodes a week for VIP members)

Comes from a novel and there is a manhua publications as well, manhua art by 千二百

Why You Should Watch:

(1) ERM BROMANCE AND AN OT3 SHOULD ALWAYS BE A REASON TO WATCH ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ALL GUYS???

Between Lan Jue and his friend Mo Wen: “Between you and I there is no need for thanks”

“I could handle it by myself but SOMEONE just had to ‘save’ me so I would have to owe him a favour”

Fainting Zhang Ping and Lan Jue being all !!!!!!!!

AND everyone rushes to Lan Jue’s house to give him gifts on 粽子节 because they wanna curry favours with him, and Zhang Ping is the only one who gives him proper dumplings.

“No matter how big or small the gift, I cannot accept them.”

And then Zhang Ping gives the dumplings to Chen Chou, not knowing that Mr. Lan would walk away and run back to his stall to find him and ask for his dumplings under the table, but they were gone by then

And what’s a bromance without a premature divorce right (Lan Jue stabs Zhang Ping, they agonize in the rain)

+ Yes Lan Jingyi is in this as Chen Chou and he’s fucking hilarious

(2) Also Lan Jue and Zhang Ping Face-Offs + COMEDIC MOMENTS APLENTY

“You’re a scholar but you’re selling noodles here, are you perhaps facing some difficulty?” “Because I’m poor.”

“You’re not here to save him?” “No I’m not, I’m going now”

Lan Jue stuck with a noose around his neck and wolves waiting to eat him and Zhang Ping be like all nope not saving ya

Zhang Ping pronounced dead and then sits up in bed

Zhang Ping using the dates that are placed in the toilet to get rid of bad scents into the porridge he serves Lan Jue

(3) THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS GORGEOUS

IS THIS A DANMEI/DANGAI?

No, it’s not, according to the author. The original novel had a lot of bromance and hinted at a relationship, but the author has specifically said this is no CP, not a danmei and the production itself should not even be considered a dangai (but the production went ahead and advertised it as such anyway and we all know how that turned out). She was pretty mad when she wrote the clarification post cuz people were asking her to put it under danmei classification on JJWXC. BUT Zhang Ping and Lan Jue can be seen as more than bros for sure.

#a league of nobleman #zhang gong an #张公案 #jun zi meng #君子盟 #song weilong #jing boran #lan jue #zhang ping #cdrama #it's super good #i'll add more bromance parts as i gif hahahaha #it's not a dangai btw #so i wouldn't use this as a benchmark for other actual dangais getting out of lockup

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moononmyfloor · 1 year ago

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My Year End C-drama Review (2023)

Last year, I did two Cdrama Wrapped posts for each half of the year. This year, I watched so much stuff right away I got arrogant and was about to do a January-February summary. And then life happened and handed me my entire ass, so here we are right back on the ground zero.

Well, not exactly. I watched lots of dramas I liked this year and would like to give nods to as many as possible, and before I start forgetting details I thought I better go ahead with the entrees that I'm sure of the answers.

My initial Cdrama reviews were inspired by anniedelavoye's this post 2 years ago, I've extrapolated a lot from there but some entrees remain same.

Part 2

1. First drama I finished in 2023

Hi Venus. Modern workplace romcom isn't my go-to-genre, least of all if the ML is a CEO. If not for the unusual-for-the-genre setup of initial few eps and the strong recommendations of my friends, I might not have pressed play at all. And I'm so glad I did because it turned out to be one of the most refreshing takes of the genre, it was funny, the pacing nor the dialogues were ever draggy, the characters were intelligent and pleasant, and down to earth. It never leaned to the tropes of helpless/badass FL or tsundere/beta ML extremes, there was no dramatic villain arcs, down to the supporting characters everyone were so reasonable and mature and simply had the nicest time ever together. Now I put it like that, it sounds boring but trust me, it wasn't. Do give it a try. Your time won't be wasted.

2. An actor who took my breath away

Jing Boran as Lan Jue/Peizhi from The League of Nobleman

I mean

Look at him. Instant KO.

I remember watching this scene (and every scene that followed after, especially when he had his hair down) and being in disbelief about how he's real. He's literally glowing out the screen! His performance as a model scholarly minister, the way he conducted his glance, his steps, his speech and temperament were nothing but enchanting and... look, I can write poetry about him for ages lol.

And then I watched every single work I could find of him and ended up even more in love, because his resume was nothing but diverse. A measured scholar, a bubbling-out-of-his-skin social butterfly, a ballerina in a tutu, a man pregnant with the cutest radish monster ever, there's nothing he cannot play. I'm definitely going to check out every single work of him that'll be coming out in the future as well. Even if the plot fails, his character will surely be interesting.

(Also, I was FINALLY lured into DMBJ fandom thanks to going down his profile as well, and now I'm here to stay🤭)

3. Most relatable character

Bai Moxi from Gone With the Rain

She was street-smart and sassy, but never foolhardy. She wasn't a damsel nor was overly clever. She had her moments of daydreaming, but she knew what was and wasn't reasonable. She had a high sense of self-worth, she also knew when to make herself scarce. Despite being the most outgoing and energetic personality in the room, she didn't make everything to be about herself. In fact, she couldn't have been happier to be a background supporting character of the story, quietly minding her own business in her corner. In summary, she just felt very real, and exactly like how I love my FLs. Every decision she took felt like what I'd also have done in her situation. (Btw I hope noone messages me about loving Moxi but hating her sister because I don't. I think her character also made a lot of sense based on her circumstances even though she was bit more difficult to love than Moxi.)

Most of all, she was played to a tee by Zhang Nan, the young actress was allowed to shine to her true potential in this role, as she used to be quite stereotyped in either bubbly or petty mean girl roles. The drama horribly fell apart in the latter quarter (I'd like to pretend it all ended before that Great Seperation Scene), but I'm going to remember her charaacter for a long time to come.

4. Most inspiring character

Li Lianhua from Mysterious Lotus Casebook

The tumblr tag for MLC is already filled with Grade A+ poetry, prose and analysis dedicated to him and I'm not capable of wording it any better than them. All I can say is he really touched a vulnerable corner of my heart, and gave it strength. He's just so very admirable and represents all I ever want to be, and his entire character design and all its metaphors and philosophy especially resonate with me as a Buddhist. Like Cheng Yi said at the end of MLC concert, "At the end of the day, if you have a lotus flower in your heart that you can call your own, that's what matters."

5. Best Couple of the Year

Lu Zhaoxi and Ye Shilan (Zeng Shunxi and Liang Jie) in Hi Venus, Zhao Jian and Yuan Zhongxin (Zhou Yutong and Zhang Xincheng) in Young Blood 2

Here are two couples who were each others' equal match in every big, small and miscellaneous ways possible. Where their roles in their partnership did not have anything to do with society-determined gender or power dynamics, not about conforming to them nor about beating them. Everything about their relationships simply had to do with what they meant to each other their admiration, respect and love towards the other person, from beginning to end. In Hi Venus, it was never uncomfortable to watch Shilan being Zhaoxi's subordinate, for he always treated her like any good superior should in any healthy professional relationship. In Young Blood 2, Zhongxin would fully trust Zhao Jian with everyone else's and his own life, not because his head was in wishful romantic clouds but because he was 100% confident in her capabilities and would never disrespect her with "girls should be protected, you stay back and let me take the sword for you" nonsense.

I may check out like 50 dramas per year and may never come by such Het pairing dynamics in some years, yknow? I do not hate on any other kind of dynamic (plus I'd have next to nothing to watch in that case lol) but, THIS... this is so rare -for me to not be icked out by not even a single second of a fictional het couple's screentime lol- hence the gushing! (Though I know I'm not doing the greatest job of phrasing what I feel😆).

Following that note, though not a couple, honorable mentions to Chufeng (Bi Wenjun) and Robin (Zhu Zhengting) from Silence of the Monster who took Sui Yi (Sun Yihan) into their home not because they thought it'd be chivalrous to help a girl, but because it's the nice thing to do as a fellow human. For continuing onto integrating her into their world with ease and enthusiasm not because any of them had feelings for her but because they simply found her a good friend to hang out with.

Suffice to say I DIG ANY relationship where gender does not come into play, like, at all (or barely, if you must).

6. Best harem of the year

Orchid and Lotus harems (from League of Nobleman and Mysterious Lotus Casebook)

(Only sharing the pics of Orchid Harem because it was from the earlier quarter of this year, whereas pics of Lotus Harem will be everywhere in the Cdrama scene for quite a while to come lol)

The support group of devout puppies, zhijis, friends-with-benefits and all sorts of other polycule postions, all centered around one precious babygirl enigma of a man is just my jam, and I love it when it happens because it brings forth the fandom's most unhinged high-art. 😌😌😌

(ALSO ME AND WHO WHEN!😭)

7. Best ensemble of the year

Young Blood 2, I Am Nobody

For me a perfect ensemble is where the supporting characters are just or almost nearly as engaging and thoroughly written as the main leads, you'd love every second spent on any character just as much as you love that of any other. The ultimate relaxing experience where your brain doesn't have to pick favorites and you don't have to speed watch or fast forward or be antsy about who's going to appear next because you know it's gonna be enjoyable no matter whom.

And this year, it's Young Blood 2- with its Class 7 members who were all so different but all so compelling and equally contributing to the plot, complimented by the Class 8 and the unnervingly captivating villains.

And I Am Nobody- with its extensive spread of young and old heroes/antiheroes alike, all with dramatic backstories and individual charisma that were not second to another.

8. Favorite posters/promos of the year

Mysterious Lotus Casebook, Young Blood 2, Sunshine By My Side

Really liked what MLC did with positioning the characters on various spots of the titular Lianhua Lou, the wind-sway choices for the wisps of hair and the skirts... idk the exact angles of it all were just right for each character and their vibes and appealed to me a lot.

The blending-into-painting style poster of Young Blood was so pretty too, plus these Suoyi raincoat posters.

The comic strip posters for Sunshine were also super cute, unique and perfect for the drama's themes.

9. Best opening credit sequence

Love You Seven Times

The drama itself was a hot mess but the opening sequence was entirely worthy of being a parallelish-universe story to Love Between Fairy and Devil without a debate. IF ONLY they put the same effort to the story itself.

10. Favorite Prop/Set designs

A League of Nobleman- Lan Jue's Tea Pavilion, Mysterious Lotus Casebook- Lotus House

I wish I could install a fixture in my home where me and my imaginary homies can chat over tea while being seductively separated by an active stream of freshwater, while my not so elegant period-style caravan is waiting outside in the yard for more cozily cramped get-together times. 🤧

11. Favorite lighting/color grading of the year

The Forbidden Flower, My Journey to You

The former, a kaleidoscopic explosion of colors, a celebration of fleeting life, youth, summer and nostalgia. It was a daring drama on so many fronts and nailed each of them as well, and the use of colors represented its bold soul perfectly.

The latter, a marvelous combination of mountains shrouded by mist, dark-toned wood pavilions and fur-lined robes, pale, dusty makeup with rosy lips and plump cheeks; all combined together on screen to bring a palpable ambience of a secluded glamorous hideout in a dystopian world and its ethereal residents. Seriously, how I especially loved to stare at the bride candidates in their white getups, it was like the light bounced off of the fabric to shine on their faces even more, and the skin and hair looked non-oily and baby soft. And it didn't feel over the top but convincing because the camerawork and editing conjured a believable image of an upcountry with dense and dewy forests, waterfalls and rivers, there's no sun, no heat no sweat, only cold air and pregnant humidity. OF COURSE you are going to look like THAT.

12. A drama that taught me new things

Hi Producer

The infuriating thing about Yu Zheng's show-off genre of costume dramas is that the story may be a hit-or-miss, the "historical facts" provided in them may need to be taken with a grain of salt, but they almost always provide me with great entry points to do my own research 🥲. Most niche facts that take me by surprise and things I'd never have thought to look up on my own are randomly sprinkled all over the place and I run around like a headless chicken trying to collect them all.

13. Most exhilarating drama/scene

Three-Body

That scene in ep 5. The entire buildup to it and the resolution. The phenomenal acting bringing forth the exact emotion and exact tension required. The moment you start to understand at least a sliver of why exactly all the characters are making this much of a fuss about what's happening to them.

I cannot spoil, not even a bit. You'd have to see for yourself.

I Am Nobody

(lol Three Body and I Am Nobody. I swear that was an unintentional coincidence!)

The great V-match between certain two characters, I can't elaborate. (See the thing about exhilarating scenes is that you have to see it for yourself what's the big deal is about lol.) I really liked how both their biggest vulnerabilities and yearnings were pulled out mercilessly in public, how they both fought themselves through each other before actualizing the philosophy of what it was all about. It was beautiful to watch visually as well.

14. A drama location I'd love to visit

Yunnan province

I've seen glimpses of the prosperous and both naturally and culturally diverse Yunnan province through Bite of China Documentaries and Dianxi Xiaoge's vlogs, the beautiful bucolic backdrop of Meet Yourself only heightened the wish to experience it all in person.

15. A drama that was a pleasant surprise

I Am Nobody

Perfect casting job, earnest effort from everyone involved to bring out the 2D to live action in the bestest way possible, it was like a dream come true to see a genre that was previously limited into written media like comics and fanfics (modern cultivation) as a drama even if it meant labelling all the cultivators as aliens lol

It had a lil bit of a flavor of western coming-of-age/"teen gets powers and goes on an adventure in search of their origins" stories, a bit of Japanese anime presenting style and the chaotic-gaggle-of-youth-and-veterans-with-different-extreme-powers genre vibe. And then they incorporated Chinese wuxia philosophy into it and made it their own thing. I hope to see more of this in future, and definitely a season 2!

16. An old drama I watched in 2023

Shaolin Wendao (2017)

This is one of the best period dramas I have ever seen, but I don't recommend it unless you have a strong tolerance for angst. Like, worse than Royal Nirvana and Heroes (2022) level of angst.

HOWEVER, unlike those two, Shaolin Wendao will leave you feeling rewarded for your suffering. This drama achieved a number of things that very few other have managed to do, especially for a story with such a heavy and dark premise.

The characters remained true to their selves from beginning to the end. They grew up in various ways, at the same time remained consistent. The story made sure to make all the characters aware of their individual faults and address them.

The characters were put through immense wringer but also provided viewer with the resolution they deserved. It was SO exhilarating at times, I cried. It felt like a detox, sometimes.

They prioritized telling a realistic story about the changing nature of humans. The ending was blissful but not in the idolized, wrapped-in-a-bow-tie way one would imagine. They wanted to tell a story about tribulations and letting go, and did exactly that.

It will ignite the pain but will also make sure to thoroughly quench it. So there's that.

Oh and also, respect to all the actors. All those characters were so layered and had some quite difficult scenes. I do not understand how Guo Xiaoting didn't get any good roles matching of her caliber for years after this. She was magnificent.

More Posts by Me

#cdrama #chinese drama #year end review #cdrama recs #mysterious lotus casebook #league of nobleman #young blood 2 #hi venus #gone with the rain #three-body #I am nobody #silence of the monster #shaolin wendao #hi producer #my journey to you #the forbidden flower #meet yourself #sunshine by my side #love you seven times

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dislyteshack · 1 year ago

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Dislyte personal timeline/ will be pinned

*if you feel my interpretation is wrong THAT IS FINE

This is how I interpret this fucked up timeline

I'm going to be constantly updating this and if anyone wants me to add something or I got something wrong please tell me

*I took a lot of creative liberties with this and added false dates so I will be bolding the ones where the dates are completely correct

*I can promise that the years are correct other than when Yun chuan has his transformation because that is extremely unclear

timeline (to fit canon):

2010- narmer and cang ji unearth the Raya/rhea legand that compiles deities and powers and whatnot

*I genuinely have no idea where I got the 2010 date it's either I gaslit myself or I saw it on Twitter / Facebook

1/6/2012- a big half buried purple rock is dug up. Experts find that it's glowing and unlike anything they've ever seen

3/8/2012- funny purple rock is studied and a research expedition is planned

21/10/2012 2:00 am utc- the miracle rises and the first miramon appear

*revealed by multiple times stated by how everything started in 2012

13/3/2014- Abigail girl bosses Jin yuyao's family

*revealed by a flashback in rulers law

10/4/2014- fu shi meets his big titty goth gf

*revealed by fushi in dream of redemption

12/5/2014- Joseph dies , Leon L

*revealed in Hilda's event

9/6/2014- LIAN WTF WAS THAT/cube miracle appears

9/6/2014- Hannah dies lol take the L hyde

*revealed in Lian's event

?/?/2015- founding of the esper union

*line in inescapable fate

2016- embla doesn't have a very good time/ Jiang man doesn't have a very good time

7/12/2016- Hyde seemingly starts a pharmaceutical company and generally is doing better (plot twist he started the shadow decree LOL)

* in Fu shis careers he joined in 2017 and at the end of dream of redemption Hyde said he was in the process of founding the SD*

1/1/2017- su jue gets tf out of tangton

*line in yu ran event

?/?/2017- chaos miracle spawns

*line in yu ran event

?/?/2017- Lü Shang becomes an esper and also becomes a teacher

?/?/2017- Jin Qiu commits murder

*line in cell block chaos

?/4/2017-yun chuan goes to jail :(((

*it can be seen in Yun chuans signed confessional

?/?/2018- rip Archibald

*offhand line in Mavis event

13/10/2019 - Yun chuan death sentence

*sorry the new event confirms he spent two years in prison

* one of his files in truth unveiled talks about when he "died" exactly

?/?/2019- chunhui academy students become mercenaries

2020- shadow over oreville the last event happens

11/2/ 2021 - beginning of Mateo's bullshit

*line in immortal fire

?/?/2021- ollies mom dies in a lab accident (massive skill issue tbh)

*offhand line in lonestar

?/?/2021- chunhui academy becomes deserted

1/6/2021 - Mateo fucking kills a man

*based on the different time skips that happened which I calculated from the beginning time of February 2021 that was specifically given to us in immortal fire

10/10/2021- Ollie's dad takes a massive L and dies (w to Leon)

2022- su jue girlbossing event (and yu rans bullshit ig)

*because of line that states that the chaos Miracle appeared 5 years ago I'm choosing to believe that everything here is taking place in 2022 despite the comment about yu ran's age

27/3/2023- burning of the union, marks the shadow decrees official independence

*offhand line in burning glimmer

2023- garrison incident (rip ikkis dad:( )

15/5/2023- javid causes the death of hundreds of people and gets arrested I shit you not this is what happens

*offhand line in javid's event

2/1/2024- espers become more common due to the shackled miracle

?/?/2025- Hazlitt gets destroyed

*offhand line in desparado

5/6/2026- Liam escapes from the union like the chad he is

*offhand line in devouring beast

6/10/2026 - Lu yi makes biggest mistake of his life by meeting Brewster

*offhand line in desparado

2026- idk what fumis doing BUT SLAY IKKI

19/12/2026- Ollie's bullshit

1/2/2027- brynns bullshit ig idfc

6/5/2027 - qius bullshit

24/12/2027 - truth unveiled

Onwards:

Event stuff vaguely taking pace after Brynn but also somehow in 2027

Sigh

2028-

-Fumi again with Fu shi

-Chu Yao's massive L

-Amir and Fatimah's shit

-Mavis

-oh shit elif's shit

- the second chaos miracle expedition

#dislyte #dislyte headcanons #timeline

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sidecharactersdomatter · 8 months ago

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Thoughts I had during TGCF Season 2 Ep 1

I’ve finished my quarter and I am spending my spring break reacting to Season 2! Let’s make this reaction series count!

-Welcome back to Puqi Village people, at morning and known for their chestnuts! (The best nuts I’ve had outta the packet!)

-We are back at Puqi Shrine people!

-And the Altar is packed!

-Instrumental Hong Jue!!!

-Did he oversleep?

-Aww he’s so lonely! :’(

-Dang. That is a clear stream

-Eeeeyep, he is thirsty!

-And a water droplet fell past his freaking throat! They just had to animate that!

-It’s the same ring from last Ep!

-You mean, ‘Gege’ Yeah, I’ve already typed this, “I watch the English Dub religiously” Don’t judge me!

-It is the same ring people!!!

-Oooh he hid it!

-Yep like two years for us in 2023

-Oh her eye bags got deeper and darker

-Welp it just got serious

-Looks like we’re back in heaven

-They added 3D palace shots and camera panning

-Woah that was a really good transition with the bell toll

-I wonder what kept the emperor all season…

-Feng Xin!

-Mu Qing!

-It’s that female Blue robed NPC from Ep 4 on his far left!

-*Looks at how the camera pans up to the Heavenly Capital* My Oc Qing Tao is like: The Oldest Enemy I know, stairs…

-New opening people woo!!!

-New opening animation had me sold!!! They really improved 2 years later

-I love how the music switches from a majestic powerful orchestra tune to a comical xylophone like leitmotif upon introducing Xie Lian. To say, “And then there’s that guy. Then there’s that guy.”

-Social Distancing, Ancient Chinese Pantheon Style

-Man tough crowd today!

-And after every official flees the Trash god, one of my Junior Official OCs, Long He goes, “Huh, who is that dude?” And then his dad, a Civil God will say, “That dude is the Crown Prince of Xianle. His highness crown prince Xie Lian!” And then that Civil god begrudgingly brings his palm to his face.

-*Hears Mengyou calling his highness*: Ladies, Gentlemen and Enby friends, Him!

-This has the energy of giving someone a lanyard pass to visit a certain building

-“It’s not that hard!” “You ascended hundreds of years ago you know better!” “Now keep it with you!” Only like 4 minutes into the first Ep and that NPC is already getting the best lines. (More of Lang Qianqiu’s trusty assistant later this season folks!)

-He sounds just like the English actor for Elam, Justin Briner, from the Heroic Legend of Arslan (another awesome historical manga!) Coincidentally, Elam is also one of Arslan’s most trusted Allies.

-I can’t wait to write more of my ATLA x TGCF crossover, The Scrap Immortal and the Avatar, just imagine the Gaang’s reaction to learning that there’s more than one crown prince worshipped!

-Man, it’s like I always say, “The rumor mill’s always a’runnin!” Or water wheel since it’s ancient China

-Hi Ling Wen, man what kind of product did she use to hide those eye bags???

-I’ve started reading the Manhua series so, Huh? No cursed shackle?

-It’s been days and you still haven’t found the Moldy faced boy from Episode 3???

-I also can’t wait to write Aangs reaction inside that huge throne room, (“It’s bigger than the one in Ba Sing Se!”)

-Now we’re actually seeing the emperor, the first time was in the Episode 1 flashback near the end

-Now we get the first appearance of Pei Ming, who appeared in the Flashback of Ep 3

-Well that sounded patronizing coming from Pei Ming

-Now Pei Xiu has to reap what he sowed.

-Yep that’s a kill count

-I love how this next scene is basically,

Pei Ming: Your Highness, please tell everyone who accompanied you? Then Xie Lian starts to compose an alibi: Ah yes! I will do that. It was incredible! What did we get swept in a sandstorm or something? Oh yes! It was just a youth in red robes who was knowledgeable about the Ban Yue kingdom. <- This incorrect quote is inspired by Zuko and Iroh lying to Commander Zhao about the state of their ship in episode 3, The Southern Air Temple. (Does anyone else think that Xie Lian, is what would happen if you combined both Iroh and Zuko?)

-The face Xie Lian made when he’s trying to keep fibbing and brought his index finger to his cheek that was good body language

-Hi Windmaster.

-Oooh Feng Xin and Mu Qing

-Welp you tried keeping him innocent Xie Lian

-Not as complicated as your love life, maybe I should do a Pei Ming roast count?

-Hey Xie Lian is smarter than you look

-Pei Xiu still wants to protect Ban Yue even facing his impending banishment.

-Ok that line and Pei Ming’s attempt to kick Pei Xiu does seem like an abusive action in my perspective.

-Woah, and that was Jun Wu’s own gavel.

-Well that was a short trial

-Him calling Xie Lian to stay, has the exact energy of a teacher calling one student to stay after class to talk.

-Ling Wen is now talking with Jun Wu

- Now that was a really brief meet up between the Xianle trio.

-Thank you Wind Master, and they are a savage!

-Well he’s still mad

-*Sees Qianqiu still asleep standing up*: XDXDXDXDXD

-Aw he woke him up!

-Don’t worry honey, you didn’t miss much anyway

-How in the heck was he able to doze off through all that shouting. I almost fell asleep in a lecture and that’s nothing compared to TaiHua’s feat

-*Hears Jun Wu speak like*: Oh gods! Why did they have to make him sound so seductive! He’s like an East Asian Belos! (And I’m still busy working on Murder They Cast’s first phase)

-Oh Xie Lian’s expression when Jun Wu talks to him, it’s concerning!

-That soft “forgive me”

-I mean we learned about his huge failure in Season 1

-“How Disappointing!” STOP!!!

-Oooh I didn’t notice this during the rewatch but they played a stringed instrumental version of Bu San.

-Srsly HOW BIG IS HIS FREAKING PALACE?!?!?!

-A mural of heaven

-You gotta love Xie Lian’s modesty

-“Such a low opinion” yep his voice is like liquid gold and it is pure torture!

-“How’d you seduce trouble this time!” That tease in his voice why!!!!

-Aw good for you Xie Lian

-Just you wait till the second half of this season

-It’s their version of shooting a flare gun

-Oooh from left to right is Feng Xin, an unknown person behind him, next there’s Ling Wen(with what happens later in the series), Lang Qianqiu in the middle, Mu Qing is next, then there’s Pei Ming in front of him, and the last guy might be Quan’s Yizhen since he also appears in the 2nd half of the series. I hope I found every martial god

-Also the Thunder Master (my OC Leishi) tends to work part time

-There are retired officials???

-In tsiata (my TGCF x ATLA crossover, The Scrap immortal and the Avatar) Ghost City is more modernized than the Spirit World, since it’s mostly untamed wilderness

-Oh he had balls defending San Lang people

-“Your majesty makes me sound like a little princess” yeah that’s what you are honey

-That pose! I was watching this ep with my older sister and she said, “Man is draping himself!”

-He’s gonna touch the scimitar, isn’t he? (I’ve watched clips of Season 2 before doing my reaction posts)

-And Xie Lian still has the best preferences good on him!

-Xianle trio mention

- And I still think clearing the debt should’ve taken longer, but that’s just my small nitpick

-Yeah nobody round here can keep a secret

- *Sees Jun Wu walk up to Xie Lian reminding him to be careful and puts his hand on his shoulder*: That’s too much pressure!!!

- “I had it erected for you.” James Cheek totally had fun writing Season 2’s script

-I can see why he prefers his own shrine over how massive and opulent his new palace is.

-Hi Windmaster

-Ooh a pond reflection

-Yep that’s your traveling parter

-Then he just fans himself and he instantly slays

-Jacob Eiseman had fun with his performance and ate up every crumb

-Windmaster is Genderfluid Bisexual culture people!

- “Thoroughly~” Yep that just slayed me I’m down

-Yeah Qingxuan’s cultivation backstory is gonna age like curdled milk in Book 4

-Man I just love all of Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan’s interactions with each other!

-Xie Lian, honey, you are way too good to be a tumor, trust me

-I love how Qingxuan also defended Ban Yue from Pei Ming

-“You were my kind of crazy” I love how Shi Qingxuan and Xie Lian instantly became besties

-Dude, Qingxuan puts the “fun” in function in both forms!

-This is exactly the reason I made my Thunder master OC Leishi female too.

-Now I gotta draw Xie Lian’s female form

-Yeah I react the same when letting a small amount of alcohol in my system

-The witching hour

-To quote a well known assassin Yor Forger, “No way I’m doing this sober”

-That one wrinkled ghost did not age gracefully

-Yeah their burial grounds are in Taiwan, awesome island I definitely need to visit

- Why did they have to design every Heavenly Official to be so Attractive???

-It’s the Spirit World from Spirited Away

-Ghost City would seem like a more modern area than the Spirit World in the Last Airbender

-The heck’s this confetti

-Ooh I like the green dressed spirit with the dark bamboo hat

-Hi Jian Lan

Literally any of my young adults would react to a promiscuous person with just one word in annoyance, “Prostitutes…”

-Honey Xie Lian is already outta your league, try finding someone else that’s your type

-Yeah you didn’t have to tell everyone about your medical condition, heck I don’t even want to picture the Gaang’s reaction after hearing it

-Ghost City is the Las Vegas of Ancient China

-Bouncers

-I love the female NPC that greeted Xie Lian she has a great voice and design

-Oh I know who that is

-He clutched his heart!

-“No thanks~” *Instantly fans myself*

-The camera pan to this throne!!! He is gay and he means business!!!

-James Cheek has ate it up!!!

-The soft “San Lang”

That was an awesome start to the Second Season. Sorry if I haven’t been posting I’m four weeks into my quarter and I also got back into writing fanfic, like the first chap of The scrap immortal and the Avatar. I’ll still do every reaction to Season 2 on weekends!

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shewholovestoread · 1 year ago

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My Journey To You - Thoughts and Impressions Part 2 of 2 - The Characters

Part 1 HERE

The format of the post will be as follows:

1) Yun Wei Shan

2) Gong Zi Yu

3) Their Relationship

4) Shangguan Qian

5) Gong Shang Jue

6) Their relationship

Spoilers below, beware all who enter.

Yun Wei Shan:

On paper, Yun Wei Shan seems like a perfectly fine character, she's empathetic, kind in an unkind world and willing to go to extremes (even putting her life on the line) to protect those she loves and cares about. The problem is just that though, in a book, we would have access to her thoughts and her perspective which would make for interesting reading. But when viewed visually, it's not as compelling. Visually, you have a character who seems to have the range of 2 expressions and there's no sense of internal conflict. Take her 'allegiance' to Wufeng for instance. From the very beginning, we the audience, can tell that she's not truly aligned with them or their ideology. She doesn't agree with their methods and if not for her foster sister, Yun Que she would have quit long ago. Not even the poison that Wufeng uses to keep all their assassins in check, would stop her.

What I will commend her characters for is her innate kindness. She is kind in a world that should have snuffed that light out a long time ago and yet, it persisted. This was in no small part due to her bond with Yun Que. She wasn't simply a dorm-mate, a fellow assassin. She was a sister in every sense of the word. She had someone to care for and protect. Even her mentor, Han Ya Si, is not like the cold and unfeeling mentors we meet later. You can tell that he genuinely cares about those under him. For all intents and purposes, he raised these women since they were children and unlike the others, he doesn't view them as tools to be used and then discarded when no longer useful.

When she goes to the Gong Family as a prospective bride, we also know that Yun Que is dead, her one tangible tie to Wufeng is gone. She's now thrust into this family that Wufeng claims is their arch-nemesis but throughout the show, we never find out what her actual mission is, what is she after? Why was she sent? She's clearly not supposed to kill anyone. Evade discovery but then what? We never find out. But because she's not particularly loyal to Wufeng, there's never any sense of conflicting desire inside her. So in that sense, she becomes a very one-note-character.

In terms of character growth, there is very little. Throughout the series, her one desire for freedom which, in a sense she does achieve (if you ignore the last 5 minutes of the show) All her life, she's been told what to do and that love is a weakness. At the end, she chooses to stay with Gong Zi Yu and embraces her love for him and those around her.

Gong Zi Yu:

Gong Zi Yu is perhaps the weakest link among the four main leads. If Yun Wei Shan's growth seemed negligible, Zi Yu's felt unearned.

I understand what the writer and director were going for, they set him up as a contrast to the other clan warriors who are cold and calculative, he was warm and kind. He starts off the series as someone who doesn't much care for the Gong family traditions, preferring instead the company of courtesans, he likes poetry and music. However, with the sudden death of his father and brother, he's thrust back into the family and worse into the role of Sword Wielder (SW), the leader of the Gongs. To officially become the SW, he must pass 3 tests and this is where things become a little strange. He passes them with ease and it feels unearned because while others who trained their whole lives took considerably longer to pass those tests, he came in with essentially no training and aced.

Now, you can be special but the fact that you are "special" must be made noticeable in text, like foreshadow it, or leave subtle clues that hint at it. The show does none of this and instead just asks the audience to believe it. That is not how you write a compelling character.

He's also probably the least mature character in the show (and I'll get to big reveal in a bit) but his blatant disregard for the Gong family protocols more than once, illustrate his cavalier attitude. Another way of looking at this is that he breaks tradition because he wants to create a better world for the generations to follow but all of that gets negated at the end.

The big reveal at the end, where we realise that everything that happened since Yun Wei Shan's reveal as a Wufeng assassin, was his grand plan does not make sense one bit. It comes completely left of field with little to no set-up at all. There was no foreshadowing, no little seeds left by the writer/director, little things that the audience could notice upon rewatching the show. In their effort to be ‘unexpected’, they sacrificed coherent story-telling.

Even his relationship with Yun Wei Shan is boring. I get that it was meant to be sweet but sweet will only take you so far especially in a show where the tone is anything but that. I know we're meant to swoon because of how steadfast he is when it comes to her but there are times when it seems straight up stupid. She is an assassin who has infiltrated his family and her mission could possibly be to kill him or someone close to him. Unlike the audience, he doesn't know that she is kind and even if he sees it, how can he know that it's not a facade? This also makes it seem like their relationship has no stakes, like what could she possibly do to make him doubt her or vice-versa.

I know you could be thinking, "but this is a healthy relationship." Okay but how is it healthy? It would have been if they explicitly trusted each other and communicated (like a Dream of Splendor, now that was a healthy relationship) but Zi Yu and Yun Wei Shan don't do that either, at least she's not always honest. If we're meant to believe that they do indeed communicate, then we need to see it, you can't plug it in as an extension of a previous scene and call it a day.

One of the best ways of making a compelling couple is the push and pull of the relationship and this ship had all of the ingredients; The Assassin and The Target, both suspicious of each other but inexplicably drawn together, so much sexual tension and angst. Instead, all we got was bland love at first sight and then sticking through it.

Shangguan Qian:

Shangguan Qian is the other assassin sent by the Wufeng (why send only one when you can send two and double your chances of success) and her character is infinitely more delicious than Yun Wei Shan's.

Shangguan Qian is very hard to pin down and stays so till pretty much the end of the series. Her motives are complex and you can never tell just whose side she's on. I also love the way she gradually warms up to the Gong brothers. I think that Wufeng feeds it's assassins a lot of lies about the family and her being with them, i think starts to dispel some of the myths.

She is also set-up as a foil to Yun Wei Shan. Where Wei Shan is kind and straighforward, Shangguan Qian is cold and unpredictable. Her demeanour makes sense when you look at her relationship with her mentor, Han Ya Qi, who in contrast to Han Ya Si, does seem to view his pupils as expendable. He recognises, correctly, that the only person Shangguan Qian cares about her is herself and that's because of the world she was raised in, caught in a perpetual dance between survival and death, there was little time for luxuries like love.

But even here, the show and Shangguan Qian surprise us. At the end, we learn that Han Ya Qi did take steps to protect Shangguan Qian and when he is at death's doorstep, alone, she does come back for him and tries to save him. The Shangguan Qian we met at the beginning of the series, would have left him there to die without a backward glance. Her time with the Gongs and especially with Yun Wei Shan and Lady Wuji, gave her glimpse of what life could be like, it's subtle but it's there. Every time Wei Shan helps her without asking for anything in return, there's always a beat where you can tell that Shangguan Qian is wondering what her motives could be. She never trusts the other women fully, they are after all Wufeng assassins but I do believe, by the end of the series, her opinion of them is kinder at the very least.

I also loved how unapologetic Shangguan Qian is. She's not sitting there wringing her hands, fussing over things she has to do. To her knowledge, if she fails her mission, she dies. Her mentor doesn't seem to care beyond training her, she has no one to fall back on. She has a job to do and she's gonna do it to the best of her abilities.

I must also talk about the actress, Lu Yu Xiao, and her performance. Her character is someone who is always on alert, always plotting her next move, carefully observing those around her for weaknesses she can exploit. She goes from seductive to hurt to unaffected in a beat and conveys it all through her eyes and the minutest of facial expressions. Her performance is so understated and it's a pleasure to watch.

Gong Shang Jue:

Gong Shang Jue is the resident emo dude and he is easily one of the best characters in the show. He makes no bones about his opinion of Zi Yu and for the most part, his criticisms are on point. He is an also incredibly traumatised character, having lost his mother and younger brother during the previous Wufeng attack. His zeal, therefore, to find and root out any and all Wufeng assassins who could have infiltrated the family makes sense, he's already lost the people closest to him, he doesn't want to lose any more. He is so single-minded that he doesn't even spare his own prospective bride when he suspects her of being from Wufeng.

Unlike Zi Yu, Shang Jue realises why the Gongs put in the protocols that they did. At the beginning of the show, he is painted in a more antagonistic light (this is to land the big reveal at the end) but you can see that Shang Jue doesn't really care about power. His quest for position of SW, is more about keeping his family safe and he believes that he is the best candidate for that job.

His cold exterior only ever cracks when he's with his other brother Gong Yuan Zhi (he's the resident psychopath) With Yuan Zhi, you can see what Shang Jue could have been like, if not for the events of the past.

The relationship between Shang Jue and Shangguan Qian is a treat to watch. There was so much sexual tension between them, so much suppressed yearning, I loved it. Theirs was such a cat and mouse game with each constantly trying to outwit the other.

Is it a healthy relationship? Not really, he literally interrogates her and threatens to torture her even more if she doesn't talk. But he's not someone who is demonstrative of his emotions and feelings, like I don't think he knows how to open up. But with Shangguan Qian, his cold heart begins to thaw and you can see that in their interactions.

Every time, Shangguan Qian initiates physical intimacy or tries to, you can see the confusion on his face and the inner conflict. On the one hand, he doesn't fully trust her and is suspicious of her motives, but on the other, there is a part of him that genuinely likes and yearns for it. There are instances where he wants to reach out to her or touch her but always holds himself back.

Shangguan Qian is also only ever honest with Shang Jue, she tells him the truth and I think a lot of their later interactions (at least on her part) are largely genuine.

They are also unnervingly similar to each other, both owe their allegiance to something larger than themselves and are shaped by their trauma (Shangguan Qian with the loss of her entire family and Shang Jue with the death of his mother and brother) They are drawn to each other despite everything because they see that they are the only people who are capable of understanding exactly what the other is going through.

What differentiates them however, is that while Shang Jue is driven by loyalty, Shangguan Qian is driven by vengeance and therein lies their greatest obstacle, the one thing that neither is willing to compromise. They are so beautifully written and executed that, even knowing that it could never work out, they still make the audience root for them.

And yet, by the end of the show, they are both fundamentally different people. Shang Jue chooses to let her go when he finds out she's pregnant and instead of going back to Wufeng, Shangguan Qian chooses to stay in a small isolated house with azaleas planted around the house. She chooses to peace and safety for her unborn child over her thirst for revenge.

If there is to be a season 2, a Shangguan Qian and Shang Jue reunion is inevitable and I for one, would love to see how that unfolds...

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putsch · 2 years ago

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nielan valentine exchange fics

I don’t know what happened to this exchange, but I decided why not write for it anyway? So I wrote fics for the other 9 people who signed up! They are on AO3 now for everyone!

All of the fics are under 1k, and are all scenes based on everyone’s prompts and requests!

( See the full series here )

And in no particular order, all of the fics are below:

1. Ideal Boyfriend; G | 699w | Modern AU

"Then what kind of guy do you think our poor Lan Zhan should have?"

(Mingjue and Xichen are playing matchmaker, and then realize something they probably should've ages ago.)

2. Lean to turn in the velodrome; G | 1041w | Modern AU

Wei Wuxian waves and says something, but Xichen misses it entirely as he sees Mingjue turn around. Suddenly the memory he'd been trying to tug off the top shelf of his mind falls right on top of him.

(Lan Xichen had a dear childhood friend he hasn't seen since he moved away - surely he won't run into him now of all times though, right?)

3. Soup for the cold and a hand to hold; G | 711w | Modern AU

"A-Jue, I'm fine. I'll just--" and then he sniffs hard, the snot still thick in his nose, "--take a shower and have some medicine, I'll be fine to go to work."

(Lan Xichen will you take your sick day, you are SICK)

4. The 201st Tale; T | 1002w | 1001 Arabian Nights AU

"It seems the night is over, my king. I am afraid I will have to continue this story tomorrow."

"By god - why do you always do this to me?"

5. Heal your shrinking soul; E (for blowjobs) | 926w | General/Combat Medic AU

Stupid, stupid. How did he not realize that this was how Xichen felt, how he felt sooner? He had seen Xichen's smiles, his little, flirty ticks, but assumed he did that with everyone, that Xichen never saw him as more, as special.

(General Nie Mingjue and Head Combat Medic Lan Xichen learn something fun and sexy about each other.)

6. I’ll cover you in moonlight; G | 808w | Canon Compliant

"Nothing on our desks cannot wait until tomorrow afternoon, rather than tomorrow morning."

Nie Mingjue cannot rebuff Lan Xichen on most things, and this was certainly no exception.

(Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen have a little date night after a mission)

7. We don’t have to wait alone; G | 596w | Canon Compliant

Nie Mingjue wakes to the sound of rain hitting the tiles of the roof, falling into the pond of the courtyard outside, deafening any other sound of birds or life in the nature around the Cloud Recesses.

(Rainy days always have silver linings.)

8. i want to witness the beauty of your repair; G | 963w | Canon Compliant

Today, he and Nie Mingjue are sect leaders. Dear friends, partners in every way that has mattered to him. Tomorrow, they will become sworn brothers alongside Jin Guangyao.

Tonight, however... tonight, Lan Xichen wants to do something selfish.

(tonight, Lan Xichen wants his partner to be his alone.)

9. Today begins and that’s all that we have; G | 735w | Canon Divergence

“Huaisang thinks I should put myself up for the role of Chief Cultivator."

"Mm, I think you would be perfect for it."

(If you've already fought a revolution to change your fate, what's pushing for a little bit more change?)

#nielan #mdzs #lan xichen #nie mingjue #my fanfic

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aishangotome · 3 months ago

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Chapter 1-5 He's Also Searching (他也在找)

Chapter 1-3

Liu Bian: Dong Zhuo's subordinate, Li Jue, is leading a search for the Jade Seal?

You: We bumped into them at Zhang Rang's residence. Dong Zhuo's side is also looking for the Jade Seal.

Liu Bian: Dong Zhuo wants to force me to issue an edict appointing him as Minister of Works. However, without the Jade Seal, I can't issue any edicts.

Liu Bian: I've made many excuses, and now I'm running out of them. He must have realized that I'm not "unwilling," but "unable."

You: But he hasn't voiced this suspicion. Instead, like Your Majesty, he's having his confidants investigate.

You: Only, his investigation is a bit... loud.

Liu Bian: When are they not loud? We, on the other hand, are forced into such a situation that we can't even meet without being cautious.

Liu Bian: Ah, I also want to do something "loud" with Prince Guangling...

You: What kind of "loudness" does Your Majesty have in mind? Tell me.

Liu Bian: Loud enough to make you unable to leave me.

You: Is that so? Then I'm actually a little excited.

You: However, I still need to find the Jade Seal before Li Jue. I'll take my leave now.

Liu Bian: Wait, did I give you permission to leave?

He filled the wine cup and brought it to me.

Liu Bian: The situation is chaotic. I don't know if we'll have another chance to meet after this parting.

Liu Bian: What I should give you, I can't give you now. I can only pour you a cup of wine each time, hoping for your safety.

You: I'm actually more worried about Your Majesty...

You: The palace, the court, are all controlled by Dong Zhuo. He also wants to control Xiuyi Tower. If he can't control it, he'll destroy it.

Liu Bian: I also have a "don't worry" for you – if it really comes to that, I will protect you with my life.

Liu Bian: An emperor no one cares about can only offer his own life as a meager contribution.

You: The hearts of the people still belong to the Han Dynasty. Dong Zhuo's calamity will pass.

Liu Bian: Hehe... you didn't even look me in the eyes when you said that.

The sweet, warm fragrance of the wine wafted through the air as he came before me, leaning slightly and gazing into my eyes.

Liu Bian: You, like them, are just... humoring me.

You: .....

Liu Bian: If you're going to humor someone, at least have the right attitude. Come, drink it all, and I'll believe your "heart belongs to the Han Dynasty."

I drank all the Hongliao wine in the cup.

Liu Bian: Ha... somehow, I feel much more at ease. You should humor me like this more often.

Liu Bian: It's just a chipped piece of jade. I think it's fine if it's lost.

You: What?!

Liu Bian: If it's lost, I can summon you to meet me more often.

Liu Bian: We clearly grew up together, but the opportunities to see each other are becoming fewer and fewer.

You: An emperor is inherently alone.

Liu Bian: ...I clearly have you, why should I be alone? You weren't like this when you were young, you even... wore dresses...

You: Talking about childhood again... Forget it, if it makes you feel better, go ahead.

He and I grew up together. Now, with Dong Zhuo in power, he can only find brief respite in joking with me like this.

You: I should go. I can't stay here too long.

Liu Bian: It seems I can't keep you here... However, your heart must always stay with me.

He stood up with the wine cup and raised it towards me.

Liu Bian: To... my Prince Guangling.

I left the Northern Palace and met up with Ah Chan outside.

Chan: Master, Li Jue withdrew from Zhang Rang's residence just a moment ago.

You: Did they go to Dong Zhuo's residence?

Chan: No.

That means they didn't find the Jade Seal...

Paper Heart: Master, the "Bees" have located Wushang Guan. It's thirty li northeast of the city, close to Yanshi.

*"Paper Heart" is something created for this game to allow characters to contact each other much like we would with a cell phone. "Bees" can be assumed to be their secret spies.

We found Wushang Guan!

You: Ah Chan, let's split up. You return to Zhang Rang's residence to check on the situation, and I'll go to Wushang Guan.

You: Where is the identification token we prepared in advance? I might need it later.

Chapter 1-7

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

#代號鳶 #ashes of the kingdom #dai hao yuan

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tenaciouspostfun · 3 months ago

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Yellow Face.

Hwang Goes in Many Directions.

By Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).Published 7 minutes ago • 3 min read

Robert M. Massimi.

"Yellow Face" at the Todd Haimes Theatre is a difficult play to review in many ways. David Henry Hwang has made himself the lead actor, and he fills the story this semi-autobiographical story with lots of real life people that were involved in the "Miss Saigon" musical ruckus. Even though Hwang is detailed about the occurrences that shrouded the 1991 Tony Award Musical, the play's bad guy is made up and the writer doesn't reveal this until the show's end. First produced in 2007 at The Public Theater, the play focuses more on the laughs than it did back at The Public.

In "Yellow Face", Hwang (Daniel Dae Kim) is writing "Face Value" in response to the yellow-face casting of Johnathan Pryce in his first Broadway debut of "Miss Saigon". Being the first Asian American to have a play produced on Broadway, Hwang had some clout in getting Cameron Mackintosh to cancel the production. Hwang was an important voice, until he wasn't any longer. The show opened and proceeded to win multiple Tony's.

In the audition for "Face Value", Hwang wants to cast Marcus. G. Dahlman (Ryan Eggold), but others think that he does not look Asian. To Hwang's dismay, he calls racist to "Stereotype" Asians as having a certain look and build. Where this scene was more serious at The Public, it plays here for pure laughs.

The play's best- written scenes take place between Hwang and his father (Francis Jue). Jue is delightful in his role as a successful banker in Los Angeles who prizes his success and the American dream above all else. As the founder of Far East National Bank, he came to America and worked pressing laundry. To himself, he is the quintessential American dream; he quotes both American actors as well as American singers (Sinatra and Jimmy Stewart are two of his favorites).

Director Leigh Silverman works well with the talented cast; the actors for the most part keep us entertained for the one hour forty five minutes. Silverman did a better job here than when she directed this show at The Public.Where The Public had an intermission, this show does not. Anita Yavich are very plain and uninspiring. Lap Chi Chu's lighting design ran from glam to edgy. Arnulfo Maldonado's sets were creative and the blending of the sets with the scene's melded well. For the most part, "Yellow Face" was a good play for the most part. (at the 55 minute mark till the hour-five minute point the show slowed up quite a bit).

Taken on its face value, Hwang makes some resonate points about typecasting and how things are done in the theater world. Hwang, however, omits many factual points in his body of work: while he quotes yahoo Republican Congressman verbatim, he leaves out that Mr. Hwang hired Tom Bradley, then the mayor of Los Angeles, as a consultant. Mr. Bradley had also received a loan from the bank and at the same time secured $2 million in city funds. Hwang tells the audience that America killed his fathers dream and virtually killed him; that he ended up cursing the country that made him wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

When reporter Greg Keller asks Hwang pointed questions, he comes off like a villain... he portrays the reporter as having a distorted idea of Asian Americans. Like so many liberal-minded writers, Hwang turned the reporter in a antagonist. He paints the white male reporter as a hater, as does so many plays that lean into the PC today on Broadway.

Hwang borders on hypocrisy when dealing with the "Miss Saigon" issue. In M.Butterfly he casted a cis gender to play the spy and not a transgender. He also never credited the real writer of "M.Butterfly", NY Times writer Joyce Wadler who reported the actual affair. The 1993 nonfiction book "Liaison" was used a source material for M.Butterfly and Wadler was never credited in the show's Playbill.

Broadway, Tony awards, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Roommate, McNeal, M.Butterfly, Sunset Boulevard, Romeo and Juliet, The Outsiders.

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About the Creator

Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).

I have been writing on theater since 1982. A graduate from Manhattan College B.S. A member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, which recognizes excellence in both English and Science. I have produced 14 shows on and off Broadway. I've seen over700 shows

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KDG

ByKatherine D. Graham5 days ago in Psyche

Written by Robert M Massimi. ( Broadway Bob).

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robininthelabyrinth · 3 years ago

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Spilled Pearls Extra 1

- ao3 -

Lan Xichen spent a lot of time learning his family’s rules.

They were important to his uncle, who raised him, and that meant that they were important to him. They were his heritage and his birthright, and anyway he loved his uncle and it made him happy which was good enough for Lan Xichen, but that didn’t make learning them easy or anything. Each rule had to be learned both by itself and in context with others; it wasn’t as simple as memorizing a list and calling it done. You had to learn them and know them and then live up to them to the best of your ability, and that was the work of a lifetime – which Lan Xichen, now six years old, had been informed was an awful long time.

Moreover, though his uncle had never said so, Lan Xichen had heard from the other people in the sect that learning the rules was important because following the rules would make sure he didn’t turn out like his father, who had let down so many people in their sect. Many of the elders said things like that when his uncle wasn’t around, though his uncle never did – his uncle spoke well of their father, although in abstract tones, but sometimes he looked sad about it, too, and therefore Lan Xichen was determined to listen and learn the rules well so that he would never disappoint his uncle the way his father had.

Of course, there were other advantages to learning the rules.

The commentary, for instance.

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Talking behind other people's backs is prohibited.

“Unless it’s really funny,” Lan Yueheng said, and – as always – seemed not to notice the way Lan Xichen’s uncle glared at him. “Oooh, actually, let me give you an example, I just heard the best story –”

“If you don’t understand those around you, you will be at their mercy, rather than they at yours,” Wen Ruohan said, perfectly poised and with a sharp smirk, just the way he always was unless he happened to be talking to Lan Xichen’s uncle. “How better to learn to understand people than to know what others say about them when they are not around?” His smirk widened. “Look at what people say about me.”

“What are you supposed to do if you don’t?” Lao Nie asked, grinning wickedly. “Say mean things about them in front of their faces instead? I can do that!”

“I mean, if it’s news, it’s not gossip, right?” Cangse Sanren said, tapping her cheek while pretending to be thoughtful as if it would hide her great big smile. “I’m sure that’s how I learned it, and I was a very good student – no, no, don’t listen to what your uncle says!”

“Well, I wish my mother would do less of it,” Wen Xu said, rolling his eyes. He’d come along to visit with his father again the way he always did – he was always tagging along with his father, really, and his father indulged him more often than he probably should, according to both sects’ elders. Not that Wen Ruohan listened to anyone but Lan Xichen’s uncle. “Sometimes I think that’s all she does! It’s boring!”

“If you mean what you say and say what you mean, then your friends will never doubt you whether you are in front of them or not,” Nie Mingjue said, then frowned. “I mean, I think?”

“Listen to A-Jue,” Lan Xichen’s uncle said when Lan Xichen reported on the discussions, throwing up his hands in disgust. “He’s the only one of the lot of them worth anything.”

“It’s his mother’s contribution,” Lao Nie opined.

“It’s certainly not yours,” Wen Ruohan said. “Anyway, what was wrong with A-Xu’s answer? It was accurate.”

“It has nothing to do with the rule!”

“That’s because I’ve already mastered it years ago,” Wen Xu said cheerfully. Surprisingly cheerfully, given that Nie Mingjue was sitting on him again; maybe he’d gotten used to Nie Mingjue always winning.

Lan Xichen’s uncle rubbed his forehead. “A-Xu, if you really want to go copy the rules on humility a few more times, you don’t have to wait for me to instruct you to do so –”

“He’s right, though,” Cangse Sanren cackled from her husband’s lap. “Madame Wen is an amazing source of gossip, but it does get a bit boring sometimes. You can’t punish him for being right!”

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Do not succumb to rage.

“Unless there’s a very good reason,” Lao Nie said, picking Lan Xichen up in one arm as if he weighed as little as a feather, and Nie Mingjue in the other just as easily, even though he was much bigger. “In the world there are many injustices, and it is your duty to fight against them with everything that you have – if you are wholly above the feeling of rage, then you have forgotten your empathy, and soon will follow the crooked path into indifference.”

“The issue is succumbing to rage,” Wen Ruohan said. “You can be angry, or even furious, but you should always maintain your self-control. Once you’ve mastered yourself, you can master others.”

“He means get revenge,” Wen Xu said knowledgably. “You get angry, then you get even.”

“Oh, rage?” Cangse Sanren asked, rolling up her sleeves. “Well, as it happens, I’m going to go have a chat with your mother, I’ll give you a good demonstration of –”

“You are doing no such thing,” Lan Xichen’s uncle said, exasperated. “Get back here.”

“It’s a waste of time,” Lan Yueheng said. “Getting angry takes time and energy. Why not be happy instead?” He thought about it. “Well, I mean, sometimes cursing a little bit when something goes wrong is nice. Even the calmest concoction needs to blow off steam sometimes to retain its equilibrium!”

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Do not disrespect your elders.

“And I,” Wen Ruohan said, looking positively gleeful, “am the eldest.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Lan Xichen’s uncle said at once. “Xichen, you hear me? Don’t listen to him.”

“There’s a difference between disrespect and disobedience,” Cangse Sanren said. “Being old doesn’t mean being right, it means that there’s a greater probability that they’ve encountered something in their lifetime that will give them an insight you lack. You should honor and respect their insight, but always make your own decisions in the end.”

“I mean, you could always listen to me, instead,” Lao Nie said. “I’m your elder too, aren’t I?”

“Don’t listen to either Uncle Wen or my father,” Nie Mingjue said, looking long-suffering. “They both like to play tricks.”

“Wait,” Lan Yueheng said. “I’m an elder? Since when? That’s a terrible idea!”

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Do not take advantage of your position to oppress others.

“Don’t listen to Wen Ruohan,” Cangse Sanren said.

“Don’t listen to Sect Leader Wen,” Lan Yueheng said.

“Definitely do not listen to Hanhan,” Lao Nie said. “At all. In any way.”

“Probably best not to listen to A-Xu’s dad,” Nie Mingjue said, and glanced over apologetically.

“No, no, you’re right,” Wen Xu said, nodding furiously. “He’s kind of awful about these sorts of things.”

“They’re all being absolutely ridiculous,” Wen Ruohan said. “I’m perfectly reliable on such matters. After all, what’s the point of working so hard to obtain and maintain power if you don’t oppress those that deserve it? If you don’t take advantage, who will?”

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Do not make assumptions about others.

“I used to assume that Cangse Sanren was a normal human being,” Lan Yueheng said. “Goes to show what I know, right?”

“I used to assume that Wen Ruohan was a perfectly normal self-absorbed murderer that would keep his greedy hands to his own people,” Cangse Sanren said, sounding irritable. “And not have perfectly ordinary rogue cultivators followed around by complete weirdos because he’s secretly worried about them like a mother hen!”

“I used to assume that people would be grateful when someone rescued them and their husband from near certain death,” Wen Ruohan said.

“I used to assume that the funniest thing in the world was watching Hanhan argue with your uncle,” Lao Nie said, chin on his hands. “Little did I know that adding Cangse Sanren to the mix made it even funnier.”

“Grown-ups are stupid sometimes,” Wen Xu said. “That’s why you have to verify everything they say for yourself.”

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Embrace the entirety of the world.

“By being righteous,” Nie Mingjue said.

“By taking it all over, as far as I can tell from my father,” Wen Xu said.

“Depends on what you define as the world, doesn’t it?” Lao Nie said.

“Be ambitious,” Wen Ruohan said. “Define it broadly.”

“I mean, I don’t think your arms are quite long enough yet, the world’s pretty big,” Lan Yueheng said. “But I pick you up and swing you around, maybe they’ll stretch a little. Want to try?”

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Do not associate with evil.

“I mean, it’s true, but you have to think carefully about what you categorize as evil,” Lao Nie said. “Just being a man-eating nation-destroying inhuman amoral nine-tailed fox isn’t automatically enough to qualify, right?”

“That’s, uh, a really weirdly specific example,” Lan Yueheng said. “I feel like at least three of the things on that list probably rise to the level of evil? Or have I missed something?”

“Lao Nie said – oh no, not again,” Wen Ruohan said, and patted Lan Xichen on the head before he stalked out the door. “I’m the only evil you should associate with, you hear me?”

“I bet she’s got teeth in interesting places,” Cangse Sanren said. “I’ve got to meet her…hmm? Evil? Does that really matter? It’s going to be funny.”

“She’s not evil,” Nie Mingjue said. “She’s pretty nice, actually. She calls me ‘meatball’ and ‘pork bun’ and says I’m so cute that she wants to eat me right up.”

“I’m pretty sure she means it literally,” Wen Xu said. “Gear up, Xichen! We’ve got to go save Mingjue!”

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Do not tell lies.

“People don’t believe the truth, so why not tell it?” Cangse Sanren said.

“Using the truth makes your misdirections more believable and your critiques more devastating,” Wen Ruohan said.

“Why would you even want to lie?” Nie Mingjue asked, puzzled.

“There’s a difference between not telling lies and not having the slightest bit of tact,” Lao Nie said, rubbing his face. “Maybe you can help A-Jue figure that out.”

“Silence is always a good alternative when you don’t want to admit to stuff you’ve done that maybe, just maybe, might annoy some people,” Lan Yueheng said, looking over his collapsed laboratory with a wince. “Not that I’d know anything about that, of course.”

“Telling a lie will only get you into more trouble later when they figure it out,” Wen Xu said. “Because then they’re angry at you for what you did and for lying about it. It’s just not worth it!”

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Do not disregard the rules.

“Unless they’re really stupid,” Lao Nie said.

“I mean,” Nie Mingjue said, wrinkling his nose. “As a general rule, yes. But it’s different if following the rules would permit injustice to happen, that’s for sure.”

“It’s a matter of picking what rule is the relevant one,” Wen Ruohan said. “Be thoughtful, and you can have the moral high ground in any situation…your uncle is irritatingly good at that.”

“You’ve got to know what the rule is before you break it,” Wen Xu said. “That way you can decide if it’s worth the cost of breaking it or not.”

“If there’s any you think are wrong, you should say something,” Lan Yueheng said. “The rules are a gift handed down from our ancestors and ought to be respected, but each of us has a duty to put in our own thoughts as well – our contribution to the next generation down. Anyway, your uncle will probably be able to put together a reasonable argument as to why changing the rule is appropriate and truer to our sect’s principles than the version carved on the wall. He’s good at that!”

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“I want the rules to be a foundation under your feet,” Lan Xichen’s uncle said. “They should give you confidence in your actions and pride in your family and sect; they should not feel like they are binding you. If they are, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?”

Maybe if it was just Lan Xichen and his uncle, the two of them and maybe also little baby Lan Wangji and the rather unreliable Lan Yueheng and the even more unreliable Lao Nie, Lan Xichen would immediately and unhesitatingly agree, and then never say anything anyway no matter what he felt. He loved his uncle so much, and every one in a while his uncle seemed so sad; he couldn’t bear to be the one to add more pain and burden to his uncle’s shoulders, already weighed down with the expectations of the sect that should have been his father’s responsibility and would one day be Lan Xichen’s.

But it wasn’t just them, and Lan Xichen frowned a little, really thinking about it. “Maybe,” he said after a while. “Or maybe I’d tell Uncle Wen about it, and then he’d find a way to fix it, or to tell you about it in a way that didn’t make you sad. Does that work, too?”

His uncle looked amused.

“Yes,” he said. “That works. Just remember –”

“Don’t listen to him about ‘oppressing others’?”

“Exactly.”

#mdzs #lan xichen #lan quiren #wen ruohan #sect leader nie #nie mingjue #wen xu #cangse sanren #my fic #my fics #spilled pearls

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pandorumblue-blog · 2 years ago

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I posted 1,290 times in 2022

That's 1,290 more posts than 2021!

44 posts created (3%)

1,246 posts reblogged (97%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dangermousie

@kdramaspace

@belsmultifandommess

@what-breaks-my-heart

@kinnship

I tagged 384 of my posts in 2022

#cdrama - 133 posts

#love between fairy and devil - 131 posts

#love like the galaxy - 104 posts

#cang lan jue - 95 posts

#dylan wang - 94 posts

#wu lei - 71 posts

#wu lei brain rot - 45 posts

#dong fang qing cang - 40 posts

#esther yu - 30 posts

#ling buyi - 28 posts

Longest Tag: 125 characters

#something about the fluff without the solid ground left me feeling strangely off kilter and this puts that feeling into words

My Top Posts in 2022:

See the full post

107 notes - Posted August 26, 2022

109 notes - Posted August 23, 2022

An introspective and thoughtful Mile and Apo discussing who they see reflected back at them in the mirror in this interview.

Koung: Is there any moment when you were looking at the mirror and the person looking back was not you?

both nod

Apo: There is.

Koung: What moment was that?

Mile: For me, there were two parts. The first one was when I acted. When I turned into a character, I didn't think that it's me. I'm still a human. I can't be that character 100%. But I didn't feel like myself at that moment, which is good. The second one was when I had to do some mission that society pressured us to do, until I lost myself, so there was a time when I looked into the mirror and I wanted to cry. It was the moment that I felt like there was no me. Frankly, I hate being unfaithful to myself. Between lying and not lying, we humans do lie. I sometimes do that.But being unfaithful to your goal is, I think, very torturous when we're forced to do so. I think being me as the second one, I don't want to be that person, but I've been through that from time to time.

Koung: Apo, looking at the mirror, have you ever seen another person reflecting back?

Apo: Yes, I have. When I was young, actually, a long time ago, I was told to do this, be like this and that. Being like that "was good", and because I was young, I didn't know if it's right or wrong. They were adults so I believed that it was good. I knew deep down, that it wasn't me. But I didn't know how to get rid of it. Everytime I saw myself, like P'Mile, I always wanted to cry. Nowadays, having a chance to go abroad and do things these days, and being surrounded with good people like P'Mile, I'm very happy to see myself today. The one I look in the mirror and see is me. I'll be sad if I can't be faithful to myself because I used to be one. Now I want to be as real as I can to myself in a positive way. And I want to be who I want to be, and do what I want to do. Be the most sincere to myself. This is what I always talk about in every show. Moreover, I've played a role in KinnPorsche and it talks about differences all the time; whether its love, life, everything, which is really beautiful. Just accept and be yourself, whether you're good or bad. I want to encourage people to love themselves as who they are, which I have always talked about.

197 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

See the full post

313 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

877 notes - Posted September 12, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #false

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smittenskitten · 2 years ago

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tagged by @cytharat @fangrui thank you 💗💗

this is so hard 😅😅

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, 10 Tags

Chu Wanning (The Husky and His White Cat Shizun) - I am amazed at just how much I love this character.

Tian (Atots) - Did my baby make bad choices regarding his health? Yes.

Porsche (KinnPorsche) - He is a baby and I miss him

Adachi (Cherry Magic) - It was like looking at myself and I cried the entire time.

Wen Kexing (Word of Honor) - He is my poor little mewow mewow

Nozue (Old Fashion Cupcake) - how do I explain! Nozue-san, you deserve everything.

General Choi Yeong (Faith) - he was a real life person however the drama was fictional. And he melted my heart everytime he called Eun Soo Imja so yeah.

Kyoko (Okitegami Kyoko no Biboroku) - My girl resets every time she goes to sleep. It was relief coated angst and I wish there were more.

Dongfang Qingcang (Cang Lan Jue) - Sometime the villain is the hero and I am so thankful that I got to see it.

Baek Nakyum (Painter of The Night) - 3 seasons of pain and suffering and it never gets easy. He deserves to be happy.

put your top 9 favourite characters!

Kwak Hyun (Hospital Ship) - this man said she can do what she wants, my feelings about who she meets is absolutely unnecessary. So yeah the male lead saying this almost 5/6 years ago in kdrama was very rare

Kurosawa (Cherry Magic) - he saw Adachi

Eun Soo (Faith)- Kudos to Eun Soo for navigating her Goreyo era time travel experience with greed and history knowledge to survive. And also cause she bagged one of the most decorated general in that era.

Bai Qian (Ten Miles of Peach Blossom) - while I do take issue with Susu, Bai Qian kicked everyone and their mother's ass. So she definitely deserves this

Dong Yi (Dong Yi) - She was real life person from history and the character in the drama was great

Kinn (KinnPorsche) - he is out, loud and proud. Anyone that questions him gets a bullet to their head. What’s not to love?

Mo Ran (The Husky and His White Cat Shizun) - Dress him up however you want, TXZ or Mo Ran. I want him for CWN.

Phupa (ATOTS) - this forest ranger said gay dudes also live in the wilderness but can they communicate? Nooooo

Zhou Zishu (Word of Honor) - He was ready to yeet himself from existence but then he met a dude.

people you want to get to know better

Last Song: Mean x Jeff Satur's new song

Currently Watching: so many dramas!

Currently Reading: SVSSS

Last series: Natsuzora. I love my daily jdramas a lot and they are so addictive!

Last movie: Alienoid

Favourite food: how do I categorize! I love food!

Favourite color: soft tones of all colors, idk how to describe it however my closet is filled with really bright colors 🤣🤣

Song stuck in my head: Over the Moon (The Eclipse OST)

Last thing you googled: Back pain exercise. ouchie

Time: 1 am

Dream trip: there is literally so many places!! But I would like a trip where I have plenty of time so I can actually see things or lazy about and do nothing instead of just whooshing through.

Last thing you read: The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Last book you enjoyed reading: ☝️

Last book you hated reading: I rather not say

Favourite thing to cook/bake: the food!! I don't like all the cleaning after but I am an excellent cook and a better baker. I like the food I make most of the time lol

Favourite craft to do in your free time: drawing, gif making,

Most niche dislike: replying to email

Opinion on circuses: meh

Do you have any sense of direction? : Yes? At least I think I do.

content creator appreciation! list five favourite sets you’ve made and send this ask to five other content creators

I like trying new styles every now and then. I tried a new layout style recently.

This one is a fade effect, takes forever! I tried with 4x4 but my favorite ones are 3x3

This comic book overlay is another one. Maybe I will try this style again.

I am scared of color overlays, but this one turned out okay.

Ooooo this was cool effect overlay I tried.

Tagging a few people and anyone who would like to join @billlkin @moonlightchicken @vegastheerapanyakul @guzhu-furen @machikeita (feel free to ignore)

#tag game

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stiltonbasket · 3 years ago

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Can we see more of Lan Jueying? Any 'verse!

chancellor of the morning sun: duanwu festival, xichen (reconstruction)

In which Lan Jueying attends her first Dragon Boat festival, and Lan Xichen reflects.

By the time Lan Xichen fully settles into motherhood, Lan Jueying is past her first birthday.

Before then, she believed that she understood the cares and joys of being a mother; she worried for her baby’s health, and every aspect of little A-Ying’s well-being, and thought that that was all. But on Jueying’s second Duanwu festival (a momentous occasion, since she was too little to really enjoy the last one) Xichen looks at her daughter, round-cheeked and pink under her little sun hat as she demolishes the zongzi Shufu unwrapped for her, and wonders what she might grow up to be.

A strong cultivator? She most likely will be, considering her heritage: Lan and Dafan Wen on one side, and true-blooded Nie on the other. Brave, certainly: she is brave even now, toddling across uneven ground and digging for clawed insects with the same fearlessness that an eighteen-year-old Jueying might carry forth to nighthunts someday.

Learned and wise, without a doubt. She is a Lan, through and through, and her little clear eyes already seem to see through to Lan Xichen’s very soul, absorbing everything her mother does like a brush absorbing ink.

But beyond all that, what will her daughter be? What will Lan Jueying be, when she is no longer her mother’s toddling Ying’er, and meets the world as hers, as Lan Xichen did before her?

Somehow, Lan Xichen feels very close to her own mother in that moment, as if Chen Mingyan was still there in the cool shadows surrounding the Jingshi where she spent the last twelve years of her life. It feels as if the three of them--mother, daughter, and granddaughter--had all set their feet on the same bit of ground, filled their lungs with the same breath of air, and then drawn back to look at each other by the light of a single sunbeam reflected between their eyes.

Jiejie has Muqin’s eyes, she remembers Wangji saying once. I think your hearts are the same.

Jueying has the same eyes, dark and inscrutable under her tiny forehead. Eyes like willow leaves, as people often said of Xichen. Gentle like the most tender-hearted of women, and noble like the eyes of the most upstanding junzi.

Xichen bends down and lifts the baby into her arms, careless of the mashed rice staining her dudou, and holds her up to face the broad slope under the Hanshi. From here, they can see the Cloud Recesses in full: every little building and reflection pool, every garden patch where the younger disciples grow roses and string beans for their agriculture projects, and the miles and miles of green bamboo forest spanning the descent to Caiyi.

“This will all be yours to look after someday,” she whispers, as her daughter’s tiny fist curls over the jade pendant nestled in the hollow of her throat. “One day you will have the knowledge and strength to preserve everything you see before you now, and on that day, every elder and little disciple will know to look to you for protection. You will be all that stands between them and the rest of the world, so you must not falter, or ever fail to think of our people before yourself--but it is not nearly as hard as it seems. In some ways, it has been difficult, but A-Niang and A-Die will always be there to help you, and so will your shushu and Jiufu.”

They stand there together until the sun begins to set, the proud young Zewu-xianzi of the present and the little Lan-zongzhu of an era yet to come, and neither of them move until two heavy hands steal around Lan Xichen’s waist, startling her so much that her head jolts back against Nie Mingjue’s cheek.

“A-Jue,” she sighs, when the familiar warmth of her husband’s mouth brushes over her nose. “How were the celebrations, sweetheart?”

“Long,” comes the reply, rumbling like the sea in storm as she turns around to face him. “And over now, thankfully. But how are my zongzhu, and my xiao-Lan-zongzhu?”

“They are both well,” Lan Xichen murmurs, “and our xiao-zongzhu is very sticky, so she needs a bath. But your wife has missed you more than she can say, and she would have you in her arms again as soon as you are willing.”

He tilts her chin up and kisses her. “Do you miss me still, Lan Huan?”

“I miss you more than I did a moment ago, beloved. Now come and kiss me again.”

Another kiss, deeper this time. “And now?”

What is there to say to that?

“A-Jue…”

He kisses her a third time, and smiles. “Xichen. My lord.”

She kisses him back, and on the ground below them, their shadows mingle and melt into one.

#nielan #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #lan xichen #nie mingjue #chancellor of the morning sun #my fic #lan jueying #AHHHHHHHHHHH long time no see for this au #i'll extend it and post it on ao3 next week probably #pls reblog guys i beg on my knees

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scarletjedi · 4 years ago

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Untitled Untamed Time Travel Fixit AU but make it Mingcheng

@piyo-13

Part 1

Part 2A

PART 2B: GUSU UNLEASHED

Nie Huaisang immediately grabs a piece of blank paper to write a message back to Nie Mingjue, leaving Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian staring at each other. “Well,” Wei Wuxian said after a minute. “Aren’t you going to write to him, too?”

Jiang Cheng startled, he’d been too caught up in Huaisang’s words, “He’s alive!”. He had been prepared to go through the process of meeting Nie Mingjue again, of hopefully catching his attention, of watching A-Jue fall for him the way Jiang Cheng had fallen years ago — that his lover was here, alive, and *knew him* had not had time to process.

Trembling, Jiang Cheng moved from his bed, weak limbs pouring him like water until he was sat up against the table, taking the paper that Huaisang handed him. He stared, blankly. What to *say*?

“Tell him you love him,” Wei Wuxian said from his bed.

“Tsk, he knows that,” Jiang Cheng said with little snap.

“Then tell him you want to fuc—”

“Ah, la la la la!” Nie Huaisang said, covering his ears, and Wei Wuxian fell back laughing. Nie Huaisang winked at him. “Be honest,” he said. “But be short,” he looked down at his own missive. “All of this needs to fit on the bird.”

Nodding, Jiang Cheng picked up his brush. After a moment, he put ink to paper, writing in quick, sure strokes. He fanned the paper back and forth a few times to dry the ink faster, and folded the note to hand to Huaisang. Huaisang took it with a grin and ran from the room to send the message back.

“What did you write?” Wei Wuxian asked.

“None of your business.”

Two days later Nie Zonghui would bring the messages to Nie Mingjue, who would open Huaisang’s note, only to have a smaller note fall free. He would pick it up with a small frown before reading Huaisang’s note, smiling — blinking, then reading the note again. “If he put nearly have the effort into studying...” he muttered and Zongui would hide a smile. Then, Mingjue would open the smaller missive, nearly dropping the paper in shock, scrambling to catch it. “Sect Leader?” Zonghui would ask, and when Nie Mingjue looked up, he would be beaming.

Now, Nie Mingjue, who had fought, lead, and won a war, lead a sect, and died a slow, agonizing descent into his greatest fears, finds himself once more at 19, newly made Section Leader, and the clearest minded he’s been in years, without the damage caused by cultivating a war and...well. He wasn’t actually sure *how* Meng Yao managed to kill him, just that he knew he had.

Which was another problem. By this point, Huaisang was safely in Cloud Recesses, but Meng Yao was on his way back to Qinghe. It would take him most of a week to return, traveling on horseback as he was, and Nie Mingjue wasn’t sure what reception Meng Yao should receive.

Meng Yao, long before he was renamed by his father, had acted in ways that were counter to the values of the Nie sect. Even if Nie Mingjue were to overlook the crimes he committed as Jin Guangyao, or the atrocities he participated in as a torturer for Wen Ruohan, his crimes began in Qinghe.

Crimes that, as far as Nie Mingjue was aware, had not yet happened. Even before Meng Yao had used the chaos of an attack to kill the captain of his guardNie, Mingjue was never sure how much Meng Yao spoke was the truth — just knew that at one point he was sure Meng Yao had never lied to him, and then was never sure Meng Yao was not lying.

In his previous life, Nie Mingjue turned most often to Lan Xichen for council, particularly wher Meng— Jin Guangyao was concerned. Then, as years passed, Xichen would turn ever more towards Jin Guangyao first, and Nie Mingjue found himself turning to Jiang Wanyin as their wartime sparring turned to tent-side comfort, to comraderie to courtship.

A-Cheng.

For all that Mingjue had more years of experience leading a sect, Wanyin’s experience was a similar enough trial by fire to grant him insight, and an outsider enough to the triumvirate to offer an outsider’s clarity.

Truly, his love possessed an uncanny wisdom hidden behind brusque words and toothless threats.

He wished for Wanyin’s council now. He wished for his presence. It had already been too long since they had last seen each other before Mingjue made his last, fateful visit to Jinlintai. It would likely be several months, if not years, before their paths would cross once more.

And— he missed his lover as a lover. Wanyin was a beautiful man, strong and proud and fierce and so sweet in private. A joy and a challenge.

Getting Huaisang’s letter was bittersweet because his didi had already suffered so much: even the first time, Mingjue had wanted Hauisang’s youth to be as worry free as possible, to have the freedom to be careless in a way Mingjue never had. And sweet, because it meant that Mingjue wasn’t alone in this.

Getting Wanyin’s message was a blessing and a curse. He had already resigned himself to wait, to reach out to the Jiang Sect in support to save Wanyin his own heartbreak, to court him properly from the beginning. To know that his love was here, and yet still so far out of reach...

Huaisang’s letter boiled down to “plan in motion. Do not engage.” Which...

“Didi,” Nie Mingjue muttered. “What are you doing?”

Because, the thing is, Mingjue would *like* to listen to Huaisang. Mingjue was tired, and doing the right thing was an increasingly difficult and murky task....but Mingjue was also a just and righteous man. Certain actions he would take no matter what...and certain actions he would not.

The facts were thus:

Meng Yao had killed him in a way that was both intensely malicious and duplicitous. (Nie Mingjue was unsure as to his motive. What did Meng Yao gain aside from petty revenge? No, the method was revenge. The act...the act was something different).

Meng Yao had not, as of yet, committed any crime, nor was he currently capable of the technique that had been used to kill Mingjue.

Nie Mingjue could not in good conscience kill a man who had committed no crime, nor could he stand by and allow another to fall off the righteous path when it was within his power to prevent. (Was it within his power?)

So, Nie Mingjue could neither punish Meng Yao for crimes he had not yet committed, nor could was he able to relax in Meng Yao’s presence the way he had the first time around.

...Maybe Huaisang had ideas.

[later] “I can’t believe this!” Huaisang glared at the letter from his brother. Jiang Cheng’s own letter sat in his pocket to be perused later. It felt almost hot, the way his focus continually drifted towards the folded paper, but he knew better than to read his lover’s letter in front of Huaisang. Not if he wanted to keep any pretense to dignity.

“What is it?” he prompted when Huaisang fell silent, re-reading furiously.

“He wants to rehabilitate Meng Yao! His own murderer!”

“Meng Yao didn’t come back with the rest of us,” Jiang Cheng offered. “He’s not the man who killed your brother. Not yet, anyway.”

“You didn’t see—” Huaisang cut himself off, looking away and biting his lip. Jiang Cheng shifted, focusing on the letter to let the heat of its presence chase away the chill of the reminder that when his lover had died, Jiang Cheng wasn’t there.

“A tiger can not change his stripes,” Nie Huaisang muttered, and hid his face behind his fan.

[The discussion over what happens to Meng Yao plays out thusly:

NHS: I don’t want to kill Meng Yao, Da-ge! I just don’t want him alive. Anymore.

NMJ: Didi, no.

NHS: Didi, yes!

Ultimately, NMJ pulls the big brother/sect leader card and says they have time to deal with Meng Yao, and since Meng Yao was currently NMJ’s problem, he would deal with it. NHS threw a tantrum that reminded everyone that yes, NHS is related to NMJ by blood, but finally went: “fine! It’s not like the *whole reason* we came back wasn’t to fuck up all of his shit!” and adjusted his plans again.]

When he goes back to his room, Jiang Cheng finds himself alone. He can bet that Wei Wuxian will be off with Lan Wangji (and no, Jiang Cheng doesn’t know why Wei Wuxian hasn’t just moved in with his boyfriend, considering how often he comes skittering into the room just on the wrong side of curfew, mussed and bruised in a very specific way that Jiang Cheng a) wants to know no more about and b)isn’t jealous of, fuck off.), so he has time to read his letter.

Cheng-er,

We never were a pair for letters, you and I, preferring to steal time for each other like a pair of romantic thieves. I regret, now, not making more time to woo and court you properly then — though I fear I already had all you could give — not desire, you showed me your hunger for me readily enough, matched only by my hunger for you — but hours of the day.

I think very fondly of our nights.

This second chance makes me desire to do better, to build you a place in my life from the start, as I hope you build a place for me. We are young, yet, and have time to hope.

I miss you, Wanyin. Cheng-er. Please write to me. A letter is a poor substitute for your fire, but I will cherish even these scraps above silence.

Yours,

A-Jue

Jiang Cheng wasn’t sure how long he was there, re-reading the letter, when Wei Wuxian tumbled in, only to stop when he caught sight of Jiang Cheng.

“Jiang Cheng! You’re pink!” Wei Wuxian crowed, pointing a finger and laughing at the way Jiang Cheng startled. “Who wrote to you to make you blush? What did he say?”

“None of your business,” Jaing Cheng snapped, tucking the letter away.

A-Jue,

Who gave you the right to write such a letter? Who would believe the NIe Sect leader to be so shameless? You can take a lesson from your brother in poetry if you are planning to continue!

Building a space — as if I did not rebuild my piers with a place for you. As if you had not already crawled into my heart to live.

I lost you once, A-Jue. I will not lose you again.

I await your next letter,

Yours, always,

Cheng-er

Jiang Cheng hands the folded paper to Nie Huaisang, face burning. For once, Nie Huaisang doesn’t tease, doesn’t give him a knowing smirk. Instead, his eyes are kind, and he takes the letter with little fanfare, tucking it neatly into his own missive to be sent off at once.

When the next letter comes, Jiang Cheng doesn’t even bother waiting, taking the letter and retreating to the sound of Nie Huaisang’s laughter.

Cheng-er

You want poetry, do you?...

Jiang Cheng’s eyes skip over the page and he gasps aloud, face burning as he looks around to see that no one else is near. To write such things! Shameless! But...oh, how it lights a fire in him, and he’s breathless with his, dizzy with sudden, frustrated want that he cannot satisfy.

In the end, Nie Mingjue was right. The words are a poor substitute, but Jiang Cheng would not trade this letter for anything.

The next morning, Jiang Cheng approaches Wei Wuxian with an idea for a long-distance communication array, one that could be personally powered and used. The reasons he gives are all to do with military strategy, but he needn’t have bothered. The challenge to create something new has Wei Wuxian distracted immediately, and he wanders off to the library mid-sentence.

The next free afternoon they have in Caiyi, Jiang Cheng purchases a wooden box, cleverly built with locking compartments and false bottoms. It is perfectly sized for folded letters.

Time passes. Now that Jiang Cheng has thirteen years of lived experience - and hard years of war and cuthroat sect politics and rebuilding his sect - the lessons aren’t easier, per say, but they have context that he missed the first time. HIs understanding is more in depth, which quickly makes him a favorite of Lan Qiren to call on — even if his actual answer (usually “threaten them with Zidian”) wasn’t the answer he provided in class. Wei Wuxian was also a calmer presence in class - still questioning, still pushing limits, but when Lan Qiren calls on Wei Wuxian to answer his questions, Wei Wuxian’s answers are thoughtful, inventive, but within the bounds of conventionality. Surprisingly, it’s Lan Wangji who suggests solutions that boarder on the heretical — solutions that Jiang Cheng knows come to pass, such as the spirit attraction flags.

It’s enough to make Lan Qiren change colors, and judging by the tiny smirk on LWJ’s face, it’s absolutely deliberate. (The one class that Lan Xichen sits in on is, actually, hilarious, as he seems consistently torn between laughter and exasperation at his brother’s small rebellion).

Nie Huaisang, however, seems to be *genuinely struggling* with the material. So much so that Jiang Cheng takes pity and drags him (and Wangxian) into the library one afternoon to actually study rather than their usual spot by the river where they would refine their plan to keep everyone alive that they actually cared about keeping alive, and killing those who needed killing as efficently as possible. (“That’s a rather blunt way of thinning about this, Jaing Cheng,” WWX said to him. JC had just shrugged. He didn’t see the reason to couch the truth in political double speak when he didn’t have to”)

After an hour or so, Nie Huaisang slumped forward over the table, thumping his forehead against he lacquered wood. “It’s no use. I’m going to have to repeat this year again, *again*”

“I don’t understand it,” Jiang Cheng said. He knew that Huaisang was smart; he figured out Jin Guangyao’s plot, he successfully modified the time travel array — Jiang Cheng was pretty sure he ran Qinghe’s spy rin duing the war, though that had never been confirmed. “I know you know things.”

“I don’t,” he wailed. “I don’t know anything. Don’t ask me.”

“I don’t mean to alarm anyone,” Wei Wuxian said, leaning in and keeping his voice low. “But we have a spy in our midst.”

“Those rumors were never proven,” Huaisang said, sniffling.

“Not you,” Wei Wuxian said, and angled his head in a way that he only thought was subtle towards where Jin Zixuan was sitting, stiff and imperious, with an exasperated Luo Qingyang. “He’s been doing that a lot,” he said.

Jiang Cheng watched him for a long moment, trying to remember the frustration he felt with a young Jin Zixuan who hadn’t yet unlearned the smug superiority of Jinlintai...but all he could see was little Jin Ling, awkward from growing up alone and desperately lonely (except Jin Ling had picked up Jiang Cheng’s bad habit of expressing any emotion as anger, and it seemed Zixuan had chosen...smug silence.)

“Aw, crap,” Jiang Cheng muttered, because as soon as he realized it, he knew what he had to do. Pushing himself up, he stalked over to Jin Zixuan, ignoring the hissed complaints of Wei Wuxian, and stared down at him, arms crossed.

“What do you want?” Jin Zixuan sneered. Behind him, Luo Qingyang rolled her eyes, and Jiang Cheng huffed.

“Cute. But you got nothing on my mother.” Jin Zixuan blinked, surprise loosening some of the stiffness in his posture. Rolling his eyes, Jiang Cheng snapped. “Look. You’re not subtle. We see you. So do you want to sit with us or not?” He looked between them. “Both of you.”

Jin Zixuan nodded, then blinked as if surprised at himself. Luo Qingyang stood to salute, but Jiang Cheng waved it off.

“Great, come on,” Jiang Cheng said, and turned around, not waiting to see if they. He sat back in his seat, shifting books to make room. He didn’t really want to sit next to Zixuan, but with Nie Huaisang sprawled over his books and Wei Wuxian practically in Lan Wangji’s lap, it was the only safe place for them.

Nie Huaisang sat back, looking at Jiang Cheng over his fan. “What?” He snapped.

“Softie,” Nie Huaisang said softly, and Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.

“He needs to learn, and Luo Qingyang is the only one at Jinlintai right now that I trust,” he muttered.

Wei Ying squinted at Jiang Cheng, as if trying to figure something out, but when Jin Zixuan and Luo Qingyang appeared, he blinked at her, surprised, and perked up in recognition. “Mianmian!”

Which, of course, was the wrong thing to say. Jin Zixuan puffed up, and Lan Wangji hissed a pained Wei Ying, and Nie Huaisang was being no help. So, Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes again and translated.

“No offense meant, Lady Luo,” he said. “My brother’s memory for names is notoriously bad, but he means no disrespect by his over familiarity.”

Thankfully Luo Qingyang smiled. “No offence taken, Young Master Jiang. If your offer is genuine, and we are to be friends, then you may call me Mianmian.”

Jaing Cheng smiled. “Then please join us, Mianmian. I am Jiang Cheng.”

That caused everyone to look at him, and he glared. “What?! I have manners.”

“Jiang-xiong is quite a gentleman,” Nie Huaisang agreed, mildly, and Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. That tone always meant mischief.

“And you’re a pain in my—”

“No excess talking in the library,” Lan Wangji interrupted, staring placidly back when Nie Huaisang and Jiang Cheng both glared at him. Well, Jiang Cheng glared. Nie Huaisang pouted.

After a moment, Jin Zixuan grunted softly, as if someone had elbowed him in his ribs. He cleared his throat. “What are you working on?” he asked woodenly, as if speaking from a poorly rehearsed script. Out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Cheng saw Mianmian nod encouragingly.

“We’re trying to help Nie-xiong pass the next exam,” Wei Wuxian offered.

“Who’s we?” Jiang Cheng muttered, flipping his book open once more. “Unless sitting in Lan Wangji’s lap is a new study method.”

Nie Huaisang giggled behind his fan as Wei Wuxian squawked, reaching out to smack Jiang Cheng’s shoulder, only to be hauled back with apparent ease by Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji who, arms wrapped securely around Wei Wuxian, stared square at Jiang Cheng and said. “It is an advanced technique.”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian protested, going pink in the face, and Nie Huaisang’s giggles turned to outright laughter.

Jin Zixuan leaned into to Jiang Cheng. “Is it always like this?”

Jiang Cheng shrugged. “Pretty much. Those two decided shame was for other people a long time ago.”

“I...have questions,” Jin Zixuan said.

Jiang Cheng turned and looked at him. “You know, so do I. But mine might involve yelling, so the library probably isn’t the best place for them.”

(It takes a while to build up to the conversation, a few weeks until Jin Zixuan is comfortable enough to sit with them without Mianmian as a social buffer. He’s still insufferable, but more and more Jiang Cheng sees the kid he remembers from childhood visits, and even shades of the proud yet just man that he almost had a chance to fully grow into being.)

Meanwhile, something is shifting between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, the simmering tension between them boiling over, and Jiang Cheng is both sure that they’ve actively started fucking and and sure that he wants *absolutely nothing to do with it.* He does not want to hear it, see it, smell it — which makes it difficult when Wei Wuxian proves that he has no filter, and Lan Wangji proves he has no shame.

What had actually happened was Lan Xichen had approached Lan Wangji and said that he was glad LWJ was making friends, and hey, haven’t you been spending an awful lot of time with that Wei Wuxian kid? Don’t worry, little brother, I’ll keep Uncle off your back.” LWJ was unsure if Xichen knew that LWJ and WWX were together, but was unsure how to clarify. Every time he tried, LXC seemed to double down on his interpretation of their relationship as being the same as his with NMJ (and while NMJ thought LXC was pretty, he was more interested in Xichen’s swordplay than his *swordplay*) - and LWJ decided that the best course of action was to kiss Wei Wuxian as much as possible as often as possible.

For the record, Lan Xichen was well aware of his little brother’s inclinations, and was quite enjoying his own spot of harmless rebellion by encouraging Wangji’s shamelessness. Besides, Wei Wuxian was a good match for Wangji, and it was a relief to see Wangji smiling. Perhaps it was time to begin drafting some marital paperwork. It wouldn’t do to be caught unprepared, afterall.

He hoped they married in the spring. He always loved a spring wedding...

Somewhere, Jiang Cheng felt a chill.

NEXT TIME - THE RETURN OF THE MAIN PLOT

#mingcheng #mingcheng notefic #my fic #the untamed

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