Untamed rewatch: 23-24
Apr. 1st, 2020 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
branchandrootEp 23:
The end of the first battle at the Nightless City. Favorite part: how LWJ is also up on those steps but completely ignores the opportunity to kill Wen Ruohan in favor of catching a fainting WWX. Second favorite part: how Jin Zixuan arrives late to the party and /clearly/ (despite his minions promptly declaring victory) knows that WWX stole /all/ his thunder.
Conclusion from the confrontation between Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Meng Yao: LXC has a Thing for people who need his protection and are (I don’t know enough Chinese for the right word, in Japanese it would be sunao) about it. Also, Meng Yao knows both this and that NMJ can’t actually kill in cold blood very well.
Vastly entertained to note that WWX is clearly /flustered/ by LWJ taking care of him. *dying of the adorable* Theory: this registers as a significant intimacy; possibly, WWX can feel the direct effect of the music on his qi. And he /does/ accept it. Again, we have here the struggle between LWJ’s learning (the influence of evil objects) and WWX’s philosophy (living will can determine one’s heading). (Fascinating parallel in how Meng Yao manipulates LXC’s sympathy with the question of whether he’s evil.)
Note that WWX obviously knows the yin metal can’t have been destroyed and that a claim it was means that /someone/ is plotting over it, but LWJ seems to buy the official word. Trust in official leadership that’s going to be smashed, there.
Increasing tension between LWJ’s concern reading as suspicion (to some extent being suspicion) and WWX’s belief (and need for trust) in his own strength of mind/spirit (somewhat over-estimated). The question of what help LWJ intends to give, vs what WWX will accept as help instead of interference in justice.
Awkward Political Dinner of Awkwardness: Jin Guangshao is a bottom-feeding prick. Note that he’s very careful to bow at a shallower angle than anyone else, save NMJ. Note that he also seems to use NMJ’s predictable distaste for the Wen throne to take center stage himself. Further note Meng Yao may have taken note of WWX as someone observant enough to need taking out.
Perhaps 24:
Nie Huaisang is suddenly alert, and Meng Yao smiles knowingly, when WWX intervenes in the push to re-declare the engagement. Suspect Jin Guangshan did not expect Yanli to have the brass ones to tell him that now is Not The Time. Strongly suspect, from the /deeply/ satisfied smile, the fall hunt was Meng Yao’s own idea and JGS didn’t hear about it until that moment. Interesting that Jin Zixuan’s body language suggests he maybe didn’t approve of pushing Yanli right now, either, for all he still wants her regard.
Note JGS hops up on the Wen throne as soon as everyone else is shooed out. /Really/ obvious what his intentions are. Meng Yao takes the /first/ opportunity to suggest WWX has the yin metal, thus setting him up to be cleared off the board.
Lan Qiren is /also/ a first class prick, and clearly the source of LWJ’s underlying sense that rules are more important than justice or mercy or (most critically, I think) living judgement. /This/ is the conflict between LWJ’s teaching and WWX’s whole life.
Note that, in taking hold of the clan, Jiang Cheng reaffirms the clan rule to do even what is impossible, if it is the right thing. A pledge he will eventually break, kind of like WWX’s about being his right hand.
WWX clearly pining for LWJ’s company so much that he teases LXC as a kind of stand-in is /adorable/. Foreshadowing of not leaving Cloud Recesses for three years, ow. Entertained that LXC has so obviously come to explain LWJ’s actions and absence, and to put in his two cents that WWX should take other people into account and they’ll help him straighten up his cultivation, totally contrary to LQR (he so ships them). Yet another moment of regret on WWX’s face, suggesting that he would tell the Lan brothers, if it were only his secret.
Dead of the adorable when WWX asks Jiang Yanli why one person likes another, and promptly tries to pass it off as not wanting her to get married. (Cue WWX’s Sudden Realization in re liking someone when complaining how could she possibly like someone so annoying.) Also WWX and JC being total gross little boys together is so sweet and heartbreaking. Also, WWX is /such/ a momma’s boy in re Yanli.
*pauses to squeal over LWJ flat out disobeying and sneaking into the library’s forbidden books for WWX’s sake*
The end of the first battle at the Nightless City. Favorite part: how LWJ is also up on those steps but completely ignores the opportunity to kill Wen Ruohan in favor of catching a fainting WWX. Second favorite part: how Jin Zixuan arrives late to the party and /clearly/ (despite his minions promptly declaring victory) knows that WWX stole /all/ his thunder.
Conclusion from the confrontation between Lan Xichen, Nie Mingjue, and Meng Yao: LXC has a Thing for people who need his protection and are (I don’t know enough Chinese for the right word, in Japanese it would be sunao) about it. Also, Meng Yao knows both this and that NMJ can’t actually kill in cold blood very well.
Vastly entertained to note that WWX is clearly /flustered/ by LWJ taking care of him. *dying of the adorable* Theory: this registers as a significant intimacy; possibly, WWX can feel the direct effect of the music on his qi. And he /does/ accept it. Again, we have here the struggle between LWJ’s learning (the influence of evil objects) and WWX’s philosophy (living will can determine one’s heading). (Fascinating parallel in how Meng Yao manipulates LXC’s sympathy with the question of whether he’s evil.)
Note that WWX obviously knows the yin metal can’t have been destroyed and that a claim it was means that /someone/ is plotting over it, but LWJ seems to buy the official word. Trust in official leadership that’s going to be smashed, there.
Increasing tension between LWJ’s concern reading as suspicion (to some extent being suspicion) and WWX’s belief (and need for trust) in his own strength of mind/spirit (somewhat over-estimated). The question of what help LWJ intends to give, vs what WWX will accept as help instead of interference in justice.
Awkward Political Dinner of Awkwardness: Jin Guangshao is a bottom-feeding prick. Note that he’s very careful to bow at a shallower angle than anyone else, save NMJ. Note that he also seems to use NMJ’s predictable distaste for the Wen throne to take center stage himself. Further note Meng Yao may have taken note of WWX as someone observant enough to need taking out.
Perhaps 24:
Nie Huaisang is suddenly alert, and Meng Yao smiles knowingly, when WWX intervenes in the push to re-declare the engagement. Suspect Jin Guangshan did not expect Yanli to have the brass ones to tell him that now is Not The Time. Strongly suspect, from the /deeply/ satisfied smile, the fall hunt was Meng Yao’s own idea and JGS didn’t hear about it until that moment. Interesting that Jin Zixuan’s body language suggests he maybe didn’t approve of pushing Yanli right now, either, for all he still wants her regard.
Note JGS hops up on the Wen throne as soon as everyone else is shooed out. /Really/ obvious what his intentions are. Meng Yao takes the /first/ opportunity to suggest WWX has the yin metal, thus setting him up to be cleared off the board.
Lan Qiren is /also/ a first class prick, and clearly the source of LWJ’s underlying sense that rules are more important than justice or mercy or (most critically, I think) living judgement. /This/ is the conflict between LWJ’s teaching and WWX’s whole life.
Note that, in taking hold of the clan, Jiang Cheng reaffirms the clan rule to do even what is impossible, if it is the right thing. A pledge he will eventually break, kind of like WWX’s about being his right hand.
WWX clearly pining for LWJ’s company so much that he teases LXC as a kind of stand-in is /adorable/. Foreshadowing of not leaving Cloud Recesses for three years, ow. Entertained that LXC has so obviously come to explain LWJ’s actions and absence, and to put in his two cents that WWX should take other people into account and they’ll help him straighten up his cultivation, totally contrary to LQR (he so ships them). Yet another moment of regret on WWX’s face, suggesting that he would tell the Lan brothers, if it were only his secret.
Dead of the adorable when WWX asks Jiang Yanli why one person likes another, and promptly tries to pass it off as not wanting her to get married. (Cue WWX’s Sudden Realization in re liking someone when complaining how could she possibly like someone so annoying.) Also WWX and JC being total gross little boys together is so sweet and heartbreaking. Also, WWX is /such/ a momma’s boy in re Yanli.
*pauses to squeal over LWJ flat out disobeying and sneaking into the library’s forbidden books for WWX’s sake*
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Date: 2020-04-02 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-04-02 03:15 pm (UTC)