#xiao xun
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Enemies to Lovers: Cezhou's Defeats & Victories
Enemies to lovers. Such a popular trope, and such a well-used one in Qiang Jin Jiu. But, as I said here, the ultimate enemy Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye each face is not each other, nor is it the corrupt dynasty or the Biansha Tribe.
It’s themselves.
Shen Zechuan said leisurely, “I can just admire myself in the mirror; there’s no need for another person.”
“You still don’t know how to have fun.” Xiao Chiye said. “How can self-admiration be as delightful as being admired by me? Both of us have to be reflected in the mirror for it to be aesthetically rousing.”
With glistening eyes rippling with desires, Shen Zechuan asked, “So what’s considered aesthetically rousing?”
“Seeing is believing.” Xiao Chiye checked Shen Zechuan’s temperature. “Try it with me one of these days, and you’ll find out.”
Shen Zechuan is wrong in this passage. He needs to see others around him--especially, of course, Xiao Chiye. Xiao Chiye, too, needs to have Shen Zechuan there to not just be fully alive, but to be fully himself. This begins even before the novel proper begins: Shen Zechuan was saved from the Chashi Sinkhole by his elder martial brother, Ji Mu, and was then immediately captured by Xiao Jiming, the elder brother of his future other-half. What Shen Zechuan lacks, he finds in Xiao Chiye, and vice versa.
What does it mean to lose yourself, and what does it mean to find yourself? Well, let’s look at Cezhou’s losses and victories, shall we? Specifically, their first major military losses operating on their own: to Huo Lingyun and to Hasen, and then their final military victories on their own: over Qudu and over Hasen.
Defeat: Huo Lingyun and Hasen 1.0
Both Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye experience a defeat at their first conflict with Huo Lingyun and Hasen. The difference, of course, is that Xiao Chiye’s defeat is in-person, while Shen Zechuan’s defeat is via his representatives in Fei Sheng and his troops. This fits with Shen Zechuan’s role, as observed by Xiao Fangxu: “Men like this can’t fight battles, yet they can come out on top to stand upon a mountain of corpses amidst a sea of blood.”
Through seeing how Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye interact with these respective foils in Huo Lingyun, Hasen, and Li Jianting (all five of whom claim legacies via seeking revenge for family; in 4/5 cases it’s their fathers specifically), we can see not only the central flaws Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye each respectively overcome, but what the novel is trying to say about what it means to get to know yourself, what it means to create a lover from an enemy, and what victory over an enemy actually is.
Shen Zechuan and Huo Lingyun
How Shen Zechuan finds himself seems pretty clear. Throughout the novel Shen Zechuan slowly gathers allies, who all represent parts of himself:
Ji Gang: desire to live and grief
Xiao Chiye: strength and family
Qiao Tianya: bitterness and loss
Yao Wenyu: physical weakness
Gao Zhongxiong: shame
Fei Sheng: the search for a purpose
Hairigu: his mother’s legacy
Huo Lingyun: trauma
Qi Zhuyin: non-conforming and underestimated
Hua Xiangyi: kindness
This list is by no means exhausted and is simplified, but you get the idea. Not to mention, most of these people have, at some point perhaps with the one exception of Ji Gang, been an enemy or at the very least a rival of Shen Zechuan’s.
Shen Zechuan starts the novel with nothing, with every part of his life seemingly over except for the physical, which is locked up. Of course that’s symbolic too: Shen Zechuan’s primary internal conflict is in locking himself up and hiding his true nature.
Shen Zechuan’s true nature is not fierce either: it’s wounded and empty; submissive, no, but hollow all the same. Yes, he bites back, but because he was first bitten. He has little purpose or drive: yeah, he’s leading a rebellion, but why exactly? He’s not great at answering that question, because to answer that question would mean admitting certain things about himself that he would rather not.
Yet, Xiao Chiye is aware of Shen Zechuan’s true nature from the start. It’s important that Shen Zechuan becomes completely unable to hide it during a physical act (sex) because the physical is Shen Zechuan’s sacrificial mask in other circumstances, but not with Xiao Chiye. Instead, the physical heals with Xiao Chiye.
He could not keep up an ounce of pretense, and what remained of “Shen Zechuan” lay fully exposed before Xiao Chiye. This was a side of him that Shen Zechuan himself could not bring himself to face. All that had to do with hypocrisy, deceit, and hostility was swept up into the tidal waves of desire.
So what is this part of himself Shen Zechuan cannot face? Shen Zechuan has been hurt his entire life. In contrast to Xiao Chiye, he does not need to defeat himself. He needs to embrace and accept every part of himself in order to find his purpose. These hypocrisies, deceits, hostilities, betrayal and loyalty and hatred, are all most blatantly embodied in Huo Lingyun.
Huo Lingyun, like Shen Zechuan, operates from the shadows and masks his true self. He sets up an elaborate plan to get revenge for his father’s death at King Li’s hand, but uses his own body as bait for it (much like Shen Zechuan continually does, to Xiao Chiye’s chagrin: while Huo Lingyun’s bait is sexual and Shen Zechuan’s is violent, they are both still sacrificing their bodies for a cause).
Huo Lingyun is sexually abused by King Li and then by Cuiqing, and then has the woman torn apart by dogs. The woman is the one who raised and sold Shen Zechuan’s mother--even if not as a prostitute, there is certainly a sense of poetry to this woman being finally destroyed by a clear parallel of Shen Zechuan. Huo Lingyun succeeds by acting as if his father meant nothing to him, when in actuality, his father meant everything to him.Shen Zechuan also starts off motivated in part by a father, to prove that “Shen Wei never collaborated with the enemy.” And indeed Shen Wei didn’t, but it was precisely Shen Wei’s intense fear of being seen as collaborating with the enemy that led to him strangling Bai Cha, a woman who was not only Shen Zechuan’s mother but one of the few people who cared for others no matter their heritage.
So, who then is Shen Zechuan really fighting for? Just for himself? He states that this is the case:
“Regardless of who my parents are... I am Shen Zechuan... I am my own nightmare.” ... Shen Wei, Bai Cha. He did not care for them at all.
Surely this is somewhat true, but is this entirely accurate? Shen Zechuan is a highly unreliable narrator, holding the reader at a distance as he holds most people (save Xiao Chiye). It might have been accurate when he spoke it, but it is almost certainly not actually accurate considering he didn’t even know his mother’s story at the time. When he accepts his mother’s true story from Hairigu, he gains new allies in those his mother helped save.
Similarly, when Shen Zechuan accepts Huo Lingyun, he gains another new ally (and invigorate the flagging loyalty of Qiao Tianya). Huo Lingyun is first introduced to Shen Zechuan as a prisoner in shackles too heavy for him, and Xiao Chiye initially dislikes him. (Fei Sheng’s attitude towards Huo Lingyun is a mirror of Xiao Chiye’s attitude towards Shen Zechuan too.) It’s all very much a callback to the first chapters of the novel, and a challenge to Shen Zechuan to acknowledge the parts of himself he would rather not: his weakness, his suffering, and the consequences of his actions.
Everyone mistrusts Huo Lingyun, for good reason, just as they mistrusted Shen Zechuan. Huo Lingyun doesn’t do himself a lot of favors when he insults Xiao Chiye. But, it is then significant that Xiao Chiye stands up to him and helps Huo Lingyun find a place, because this moment reflects how Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan are polishing each other by working together like iron sharpening iron. Shen Zechuan gives Huo Lingyun a chance symbolizes him giving the worst parts of himself a chance to improve, trusting Xiao Chiye to hold them in check.
Xiao Chiye and Hasen
If Shen Zechuan’s motif is finding and specifically gathering, Xiao Chiye’s is in losing. But, he’s a victorious general, obviously, though this by no means comes easily to him. By the time he’s faced his first loss in battle, he’s already lost in other ways:
His home
Tantai Hu (whom he gains back, but the point is that Xiao Chiye has to first lose things to get them back)
His friend, Li Jianheng
Xiao Jiming has been defeated
His own reputation is shot
But how do you tame a wild animal? As is noted by Xiao Chiye himself with Meng, the falcon, through hardships. Torture even, breaking its will, etc. Hence, it makes sense that for Xiao Chiye to tame himself, he has to lose again and again and again.
That said, Xiao Chiye faces no military defeat until he does at Hasen’s hand. And in contrast to Shen Zechuan’s standoffishness creating his own defeat with Huo Lingyun via Fei Sheng, it’s Xiao Chiye’s activeness that creates his defeat:
Xiao Chiye thought he was taking the initiative, but he was, in fact, paralyzing himself. Right from the moment he decided to turn around and head for the Tudalong Banner, he had already fallen into the role of the passive player.
Hasen himself takes note of this:
“His desire to win is too strong... Like my father, he won’t allow himself to cower and retreat. This is his strength, but also his weakness...”
So what saves Xiao Chiye’s life this battle? Well, firstly, Shen Zechuan (even though, as is usual for Shen Zechuan’s battle motif, he’s not physically present):
A loud “THUD” rang out as the blow was blocked by the arm guard Shen Zechuan had gifted him.
And of course, his father riding in to save the day. Xiao Fangxu’s following advice to Xiao Chiye about his defeat is interesting:
“You don’t need seven years to defeat Hasen.” Xiao Fangxu gazed at Xiao Chiye and said, “But you must learn to be tolerant.”
The interesting part of this is that this statement occurs within Xiao Fangxu expressing his insatiable desire to win in warfare. What does tolerance have to do with that?
Because the real battle isn’t physical. It’s inside. I’m not saying it’s a trite “believe in yourself” (on the contrary) but instead it’s about taming yourself for the sake of a broader picture. Taming wild beasts is a motif of Xiao Chiye: he tames Meng the falcon, his wild horse, even Shen Zechuan to an extent, but the one he ultimately needs to tame is himself. He can’t act selfishly. He has to act with the good of others in mind, including his family. He has to act with love, which is not the same as acting with desire (hence why it’s symbolic Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan’s relationship starts with being purely physical and slowly becomes something far more intimate).
Xiao Chiye, much like Shen Zechuan, cannot be motivated by simply wanting to defeat enemies, because often enemies are part of you. He must be motivated by those who love him and whom he loves.
When Xiao Chiye is first brought back to Qudu, he lashes out multiple times at Shen Zechuan because he sees himself in him: an innocent child in prison for the military actions of a father and brother. The only difference is that for Shen Zechuan, it was the Shens’ defeat; for Xiao Chiye, it was Xiao Jiming’s victory. Win or lose; it’s all the same. The children still wind up as prisoners, not just of corrupt kingdoms, but of hatred and warfare and corruption. We see it with Huo Lingyun, with Hasen, with Li Jianheng, Li Jianting, and more.
Xiao Chiye and Hasen 2.0
Xiao Chiye then finds himself engaging in a series of victories over Biansha. Well, victories-ish. Because the motif of losing to be tamed is still there.
Firstly, Xiao Chiye loses his father, but then finds some semblance of himself back when he singlehandedly storms the enemy camp to get Xiao Fangxu’s head back. It’s interesting that he interrupts Hasen as Hasen is pondering the reality of what victory might mean:
To both parties, excessive compassion was tantamount to suicide...
What does strict revenge actually offer? The answer is that it offers nothing.
Hasen had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
“But you don’t look very happy,” Wulihan said.
“Not quite what I expected.” Hasen held up the bowl with both hands and remembered his war trophy. “I grew up listening to legends of him. He’s invincible, coming from my father’s mouth.”
Killing just continues the cycle. Xiao Chiye getting his father back is, on the one hand, an incredibly risky and stupid move. On the other hand, he succeeds thematically because he’s driven by pure love for his father. He will not allow his father’s legacy to be a head mocked by enemies. Victory is not in killing or battling an enemy.
Xiao Chiye’s subsequent confrontation with Hasen warns him of what could happen:
He stared at Hasen and said, one word at a time, “Give my father back to me.”
Hasen brushed back the red hair that was hanging over his eyes and looked at Xiao Chiye as he said in a cold, detached voice, “Then, when will your father give my brother back to me?”
Xiao Chiye had already sprung closer. He had no wish to hear Hasen speak at all...
Hasen twirled out a new piked dagger between his fingers. He slid those fingers along the cold gleam of the blade and said expressionlessly, “I’m merely returning the favor tit for tat.”
Xiao Chiye has no wish to hear Hasen speak, because compassion has little place in the world of Qiang Jin Jiu’s Dazhou. Or does it? Because Bai Cha’s legacy endures because of her compassion, not in spite of it. Xiao Chiye gets his life saved because of Shen Zechuan’s romantic love, not in spite of it. Xiao Fangxu’s head is rescued because of compassion, not in spite of it.
Yet, Xiao Chiye has already learned an important lesson: to defeat an enemy, you have to learn to think like them. Instead of relying on his own strength and prowess, like he did the first time he fought Hasen, he learns to think like his enemy, and that is what gives him a heads-up (i’m sorry) that something is wrong with Xiao Fangxu.
Xiao Chiye... paced back and forth in the same place and rubbed away those haphazardly drawn lines. He gradually stopped tracing Xiao Fangxu’s path and put himself in Hasen’s position.
To overcome himself, he must think like the enemy. To defeat his enemy, he must overcome himself. Xiao Chiye is as much his own enemy as Hasen is, and everyone realizes this. It’s why the Empress Dowager is convinced Xiao Jiming and Xiao Chiye will turn on each other, why Xiao Fangxu scolds him instead of praising him, and why Shen Zechuan nearly ends up dead from a certain kick. But in each of these relationships, love proves to be an elixir healing them, helping Xiao Chiye paradoxically become more himself and also more like those around him. Chief among these is Cezhou.
Xiao Chiye’s relationship with Shen Zechuan can be seen as symbolic of a new way forward, of making family out of enemies.
Of course, the other party has to be willing, and Hasen is not:
“After tonight, my name will overshadow the Libei Armored Cavalry. I’ll make you people pay back double for what you owed me since the battles on the eastern mountain ranges.”
Hasen claims to be repaying Xiao Fangxu “tit for tat” for Xiao Fangxu killing his brother. But an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. This is the same path Shen Zechuan started the novel on, but thanks to his relationship with Xiao Chiye, has been pulled back from.
We see this thematic line continued through Xiao Chiye fighting two more battles against Biansha.
Firstly, he fights A-Chi at the Chashi Sinkhole by tricking A-Chi into falling into the same trap Xiao Chiye once fell into: being too quick to act. Xiao Chiye even changes the field via literally moving the goalposts to trick A-Chai. He’s learning to see the playing field, the bigger picture beyond his wants and needs. Just like Xiao Chiye’s first loss against Hasen, we see Shen Zechuan’s armguard saving Xiao Chiye’s life.
When Xiao Chiye gets buried in the sinkhole with Lang Tao Xue Jin, it’s symbolic of his primitive, immature, animalistic side being buried. He’s symbolically pulled out of the sinkhole by Shen Zechuan, of course, who is terrified. This accomplishes two things: firstly, instead of losing another beloved person to the sinkhole like he lost Ji Mu, Shen Zechuan is able to pull Xiao Chiye out by his hand. Secondly, it forces Xiao Chiye to experience the human crush Shen Zechuan had barely survived back then, even if only for a few moments, forcing him literally into the experience of someone he once considered an enemy. Shen Zechuan, too, goes from being a physical yet object guard to being a physical presence pulling Xiao Chiye from the battlefield, and saving him from the trauma he himself experienced.
It’s only after that experience, that empathy and Shen Zechuan’s saving him, that Xiao Chiye is able to grow up at last. Xiao Chiye is given the chance to grow via learning how to work with his enemies--whether they are Biansha or even from Libei (Guo Weili, who attacked Gu Jin). It’s telling that this is the opportunity Xiao Jiming offers Xiao Chiye to prove he’s really ready to fully grow up and lead in their father’s stead: can you reconcile with your enemies?
And then Xiao Chiye can defeat Hasen at last. This time, Shen Zechuan is not just present in an object, nor does he arrive to save Xiao Chiye after the battle. This time, he’s a physical presence, because the two of them are fully one now.
That Xiao Chiye will defeat Hasen at last at Duanzhou is a fitting conclusion: it happens in the same place where Shen Zechuan’s nightmare, where the sins of Shen Wei, linger , thereby resolving Xiao Chiye’s need for revenge for his father, and also for Shen Zechuan’s torture after Shen Wei’s defeat and for Bai Cha’s abuse and murder. For Shen Zechuan’s part, he cannot do it all by himself. He can only reclaim his legacy through others (Xiao Chiye, Fei Sheng, Huo Lingyun, Qiao Tianya, etc).
Xiao Chiye also can only reclaim his trauma through another (Shen Zechuan). Insofar as the trauma concerning Xiao Fangxu’s death is concerned, the final battle at the Chashi Sinkhole is not about Hasen and Xiao Chiye, or Xiao Fangxu. It’s about Xiao Chiye first and foremost saving what he loves in Shen Zechuan. And it’s Shen Zechuan’s presence that gets Hasen and Xiao Chiye to confront one another. That Hasen almost kills Shen Zechuan and indeed wants to use Shen Zechuan’s death to taunt Xiao Chiye is symbolic of Hasen recognizing that befriending your enemies is a new way forward, and not being particularly enthused about it.
Yet the ultimate end goal is not accomplished with Hasen’s death. Amu’Er continues to want to kill in revenge, even though he himself threatened Hasen to bring results or face his wrath.
Duo’Erlan waffles between wanting to save her child and wanting revenge. She and Amu’Er both demand that Xiao Chiye give her back Hasen, much like Xiao Chiye demanded that Hasen give him back his father, and so on. The end of Xiao Chiye’s arc is less about killing Amu’Er as it is about sparing Duo’Erlan (a vengeful, angry, hurting person who lost their home and the people they love; aka she’s a Shen Zechuan foil, and a Xiao Chiye one). Xiao Chiye kills the mighty legendary warrior he has always been destined to be, but saves the future he has (raising a child) despite Duo’Erlan’s begging him to kill her if she can’t get revenge.
Shen Zechuan, Li Jianting, & the Role of Emperor
Shen Zechuan’s arc is about his identity, which is not found in the Shens, who rejected him and ignored his existence out of paranoia. It is also not found in a throne or in victory, and it is certainly not found in hatred. Instead, it’s found in acknowledging those who loved him: his allies and their trust in him, his mother and the legacy she left, and the legacy Shen Zechuan builds with Xiao Chiye.
His victory comes when he finds that others need him as emperor, and when he accepts that he can be a good one. One cannot truly become their own person without other people. His victory is in accepting his role with Xiao Chiye’s help.
In a tragic sense, Shen Zechuan also foils Li Jianting here. In the end, she chose to identify herself with her heritage. If her heritage burned, then she would burn with it. She could see no other purpose, and it’s tragic.
Conclusion
Xiao Chiye ends up back in Qudu, but this time he is not a prisoner, but the emperor’s husband. It’s not the circumstances that matter but the people. Additionally, Xiao Jiming sends Xun’Er to Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye to raise as heir, a reversal of both Shen Zechuan’s and Xiao Chiye’s circumstances at the beginning. Xiao Xun’s presence is not as a hostage, but instead as an expression of trust in family, of love.
#cezhou#qiang jin jiou#qjj meta#qjj#shen zechuan#xiao chiye#huo lingyun#li jianting#ling ting#hasen#duo'erlan#xiao xun
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when the crackship gets serious
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Reasons to watch Love Between Fairy and Devil.
A Chinese fantasy romantic drama with a dash of comedy in the beginning and a huge wallop of angst in the second half.
One, the romance.
(take careful note of this gesture, please, it will break your hearts in the future)
Okay, so this is honestly one of the best told love stories I've watched in recent memory. And that is honestly very impressive when you consider how very easy it is to mess up this kind of love story.
She's Xiao Lanhua (or 'Little Orchid Fairy'), bright and innocent and kind. And in the beginning more than a bit naive and foolish. A fairy who is looked down on because of her damaged immortal root, who bends under the pressure of the bullying she's always known from the other fairies. Lonely in her home of Arbiter Hall where she looks after the destiny books alone by herself because her shifu left to wander the mortal realms.
He's Dongfang Qingcang. The Moon Supreme, the leader of the Moon Tribe who has been imprisoned following the last war between his people and the Heavenly Realm 30'000 years ago. He's cold and unfeeling and quite literally heartless (this involves fantasy reasons and some pretty horrible childhood trauma that gets slowly unraveled through the story).
And in the beginning the only reason he doesn't kill her as soon as he's free is that there's an accidental curse that ties his life to hers. If she dies so does he. If she's cut, so is he. And whatever emotion she feels, he will feel too. Whatever order she gives, he must follow. And sometimes, under certain conditions, they switch bodies.
(the actors have great fun with it, warning of huge amounts of second-hand embarrassment in two out of 36 episodes, I nearly died, it was worth it)
He keeps her safe because he has no choice.
And the thing is that he doesn't actually ever try to seduce her. The normal formula of this kind of story is 'he lies, seduces her, then falls in love, but still breaks her heart, she forgives him' right? This show though? It plays with the formula, yeah, but it twists it in a very interesting (in my opinion) way.
There's a misunderstanding between them. And here's some of the comedy of the show. She thinks he's fallen in love with her and she's trying to gently let him down. Meanwhile he's not actually pretending that he's in love with her, he's just not telling her exactly why he can't let her out of his sight.
And the development in both their characters is incredibly detailed and intricate. They both grow immensely through the story. As Dongfang Qingcang first experiences emotions through her and then as his own emotions begin to wake up following that. As Xiao Lanhua starts out wanting to return to her normal life and then falls in love not only with him but also his land and his people.
They're very Hades and Persephone (minor kidnappings including). And very Romeo and Juliet (though more mature about it, she isn't actually willing to compromise her own morality just because she's fallen in love with him).
And their love story isn't at all rushed. It takes nearly three quarters of the story for them both to fall in love, it is gradual and believable and mutual. And then once they have fallen in love despite the fact that there are all kinds of very familiar angsty plots thrown at them, none of them get dragged out to annoying lengths and many of them get resolved in very refreshing ways.
(angst, there will be such big whallops of angst, my friends)
But the romance is not the ONLY thing this show has going for it. It is what changes the fate of all three realms, yes, but there are other relationships that deserve to be mentioned.
And other characters, because this is actually a pretty beautifully built ensemble show.
One character is Dongfang Qingcang's brother Xun Feng, the character that in a different show would be the malicious underhanded brother who wants to steal his brother's throne and cares only of power.
Here though, after an old secret is revealed and he finds out the truth behind the reason (a good one) he's hated his brother for thousands of years his wish to rebuild his relationship with his brother is genuine. And though there are things he does after that which could have been because of cruelty in a different show, here they are simply misguided.
(there are lots of awkward Dongfang Qingcang trying to show affection for the first time since childhood scenes, they're adorable, and hilarious)
Then there's the false friendship between Xiao Lanhua and Jie Li which slowly develops into a real one through the power of Xiao Lanhua being simply too stubborn and too good and too genuine for Jie Li to remain stone against.
(here portrayed scene of Jie Li flinching under horror that is Dongfang Qingcang doing his very best to make Xiao Lanhua as ugly and unattractive as possible)
Jie Li is an orphan of the Moon Tribe from Haishi City who has spent her entire life scrapping for survival by lying and cheating. Including by selling to Xiao Lanhua fake cures for her damaged immortal root.
Again, there are certain ways you'd expect her story to go. You'd be wrong.
And then the relationship between Dongfang Qingcang and his most loyal guard, the Black Dragon Shang Que.
(here shown the reaction to the miracle of his lord patting his brother on the shoulder).
Poor dragon needs to deal with a lot and deserves a raise. He's also just as dumb as the rest of them. And FYI falls in love with Jie Li.
And then of course is the very healthy way this show portrays unrequited love too.
There are two characters who this is shown through. One is fairy Dan Yin who is in love with the God of War Chang Heng and is introduced as a spoiled bully but very quickly is shown being capable of fairness and ultimately gets developed into a character that you want to see gaining happiness.
The other character is Chang Heng himself who is secretly in love with Xiao Lanhua (who actually does have a crush on him bourne from gratefulness and a little hero-worship at the start of the story), but he ultimately loses his chance through inaction and silence that he abandons too late. But I want to make clear that he is not an unlikable character. In a different show he would have been the other lead. Just... not in this one.
Anyway, the two characters experience unrequited affection and though both go through stages of denial and unwillingness to abandon hope, neither do either one of them ever turns into something despicable - and when the time where they must choose between selfishness that would hurt the ones they love, and selflessness that would save them comes around both do the right thing.
Which is something I found refreshing and a relief.
And this show has so many relationships that get fully developed and explored. Not simply between the main couple and those around them. But between the secondary characters themselves. Other than the relationships I've already mentioned, other ones that have their chance in the sun are Xiao Lanhua and Dan Yin, Dan Yin and Jie Li, Dongfang Qingcang and Chang Heng, Xun Feng and Xiao Lanhua. And more besides.
And then there's the villain of the story who is both monstrous and utterly unforgivable and yet also has a very sad story and motivations for what they do. I can't really say anything more though.
Basically I just really recommend this show to fans of fantasy and people with a weakness for a very compelling, well developed love story.
For those interested, the first five episodes are available to be watched free on the official streaming site here (at which point you can decide if it's worth subscribing for a single month to finish watching).
I think it's also going to be available on Netflix on September 18, 2022 update: September 9, 2022.
That's of course for the... official sites. There are of course other options available 🏴☠️.
P.S. I finished the entire show with all its 36 episodes in three days (despite it being my first time watching a live action Chinese TV series) am now going into withdrawal. Seriously, this show is SO GOOD, I PROMISE.
P.P.S. It's got a happy ending. I will not tell you anything other than that. But yes, it's got a happy ending.
#love between fairy and devil#xiao lanhua#xiao lan hua#dongfang qingcang#xun feng#jie li#shang que#dan yin#chang heng#terapsina rambles#can lan jue#苍兰诀#tv rec#tv recs#otp: in thousands of identical orchids i will find you in an instant#terapsina's lbfad rambles#moon orchid
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Dislyte characters I’d like to impregnate (I am a woman)
#dislyte#dislyte shitpost#dislyte yamato#dislyte feng xun#dislyte leon#dislyte long mian#dislyte xiao yin#dislyte ahmed#dislyte arcana#dislyte david#idk what else to tag
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Cdrama: Love Between Fairy and Devil (2022)
Enduring 51 Lighting Strikes {Ep 18 Love between Fairy and Devil} OST Burning Love by Faye
Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rdAV045Vl0
#Love Between Fairy and Devil#苍兰诀#Cang Lan Jue#Parting of Orchid and Demon King#2022#iQiyi#cdrama#chinese drama#Youtube#shorts#short video#Dylan Wang#Wang He Di#Dongfang Qing Cang#Yu Shu Xin#Esther Yu#Xiao Lan Hua#Orchid#Zhang Chen Xiao#Dongfang Xun Feng#Lin Bai Rui#Shang Que
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Love Between Fairy and Devil ~ Oh, Xun Feng
#little baby thinks he can#Love Between Fairy and Devil#cang lan jue#cdrama#Zhang Chen Xiao#character: xun feng
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For starters, seeing the title "Love between Fairy and Devil" will definitely let you say and think that it's a love story between a Fairy and an Evil Lord yada yada yada. But as you watched and understood the story as a whole, it conveys more than just the love story of the two protagonists. Remember how the war between the two realms and tribes started because of love that became hate and betrayal? The war also ended because of two star-crossed lovers who sacrificed everything for each other and thus proves how they both love and trust each other amidst the obstacles and the people around them trying to stop them from loving each other... and the fate that tries to break them apart. It started with love and ended with love.
Love between Fairy and Devil also shows how love has its own forms and ways. Love forms to friendship (Xiao Lanhua to Jieli, Shangque to Dongfang Qingcang, Dongfang Qingcang to Changheng, Changheng to Ronghao, Changheng to Danyin), to family (Xunfeng to Dongfang Qingcang, Danyin to Jieli), to leadership (Dongfang Qingcang towards the Moon Tribe, Xiao Lanhua/ Goddess Xi Yun towards the three realms), to your master (Xiao Lanhua to Lord Arbiter, Ronghao to Chidi Woman), and loving and finding yourself (Changheng). It shows how love is beautiful in different ways.
"Cang Lan Jue" literally meant "Parting between the Orchid and Cang" (some translations of the actual title includes Parting of Orchid and Cang / The Farewell of Canglan)in the novel and the drama never failed to show this one. Both Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang parted ways for the decisions that they made and the fates that they defied. But even though they parted, they still found their ways to come back to each other. Proving that their love will never be dictated by fate. It'll find its way and they will not part anymore.
#love between fairy and devil#cang lan jue#dongfang qingcang#dongfang yuechu#xiao lan hua#shangque#jie li#danyin#chang heng#xun feng#rong hao#moon tribe#chinese drama#xianxia
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XRY Harem sketches!🩵
I could only think of these four at the moment, i think LR can also be in the council? Idk tho 🙃
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Lang Wu-Yao and some of the people who have shaped his life
This monstrosity was originally planned for his birthday back in February, but as you can see, it took me a bit longer than that XD
#this might be the longest I’ve ever spent on a single piece! (23 hours)#I’ve spent longer on comics and stuff but not 1 image#my art#thunderbolt fantasy#tbf#lang wu yao#zhou xun yin#mu tian ming#shang bu huan#ling mo yan#xiao kuang juan#chao feng#azibelpher#digital art#blood#aptericia’s show off tag
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It started as a gag character and now hes an actual peak lord oc 🧍🧍🧍
Info about him below:
Gao Xun 高寻/ Gao Qingxi 高清系, Peak Lord of the Yindao Peak 隐刀峰 (Intelligence Peak).
Has two siblings, Gao Yunhua and Gao Yunlan.
Fun tidbits:
A massive gossip and very dramatic (once a woman tried to set him up to be her child's absent father but unfortunately she choose so gao xun played the role so well it went from 'scumbag lover leaving his wife and son to poverty' to 'star crossed lover together at last sob story'. dw they found the father and have a happy ending) .
If he was born in modern times he would have been a theatre kids and into kpop dances.
Loves wine so much. You could exchange informations for a good baijiu. Would not exchange vital informations about the sect with it tho. He has integrity. Even tho he's crying for that wine on the inside.
He love wine but for the taste? He doesn't like getting drunk bc its annoying but he does love the taste. Often volunteered to Zui Xian peak lord to be the taste tester for her newest wine. The numbers of him going to Qian Cao due to being poisoned by it is uncountable.
Despite the fact that he's hospitalied often due to missions, he's a model patient. As long as he's inside the medical wing that is.
Has mediocre skills in various areas due to his high curiosity but short interest retention span. Unless it involves intelligence gathering, assassination and poison making, his skills are passable.
Is faceblind, but he will never admit it. (The reason why he even know that is bc he tried to paint his shifu's face and it turned out very different. Also the reason why he didn't know shen yuan and shen jiu are twins, even though he has met shen yuan multiple times)
Hate scallions pancakes so much bc he once made so many and ate so many he made himself sick and couldn't look at it the same way anymore
Loves ambushing Liu Qingge under the reason "to make sure our vanguard can survive suprise attacks". So far its working and it did help lqg became more vigilant.
Also loves disguising and crossdressing and has multiple identities to use outside of Cang Qiong. Example: Courtesan Ming, Merchant Jiao, Scholar Bai etc
Has two cats, white one named Qiuqiu and the other black one named Yuanyuan. Found them near the inn his sister owns.
#[art.png]#svsss#gao xun#gao qingxi#please dont drag me for the name i hope very well it works and sounds like a name#so fun fact: hes actually was a ymj oc b4 i chuck him into cour intrigue setting and then i chuck him here#thats why hes purple.#also he has a snaggletooth!!! bc i want jim to. he looks hot with it#also yeah yindao peak is the twelfth peak#hes the xiao shidi of the peak lords even tho hes the second oldest after yqy#also i have designs for other peak lords ocs. im just too obsessed with this guy
![#[art.png]](/tag/%5Bart.png%5D){kind=link}
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idk if anyone ever expected me to pair my boy wen xun with xiao xingchen but i Did and i Have been. this is from a college AU. thats all you need to know
#featuring xun's usual boyfriend in the back#no it isnt what you think. fkkjaggGJ LISTEN#xiao xingchen#wen xun#my art
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just two dragon buddies... hanging out... as you do
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Dongfang Xun Feng for your pleasure… 😍😍
PART 1
#love between fairy and devil#cang lan jue#苍兰诀#xun feng#moon tribe has all the good genes#Dongfang Xun Feng#cljedit#clj#lbfad#zhang chen xiao#cdramas#cdramaedit#cdrama#asiandrama#asiandramaedit#asiandramasource#asiandramanet#asiancentral
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something i really enjoy about love between fairy and devil is that even the ‘despicable’ ‘annoying’ characters are so interesting that i never once had the urge to skip any of their scenes. watching them chaotically run around doing their little schemes that are sometimes successful is so funny like yes i don’t condone this but this makes for excellent drama and angst later down the line so go off bestie
#still want to [redacted] rong hao (derogatory)#and [redacted] die yi + xun feng (affectionately)#i’m on ep 17 so i’m sure i’ll end up eating my words when the real angst eventually kicks in#love between fairy and devil#lbfad#kay watches lbfad#dongfang qingcang#xiao lanhua#苍兰诀#cang lan jue
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I love how at the end, Love Between Fairy and Devil is a romantic love story between Xiao Lan Hua and Dong Fang Qing Cang, and that is big, but it also takes the time to remind everyone that while romantic love is important, all types of love can be good and life changing. Romantic love is not the only type of love out there, that platonic love and familial love are just as important to forge and keep.
#liveblogging#xiao lan hua#dong fang qing cang#cdrama#love between fairy and devil#chang heng#dan yin#xun feng#shang que#jie li#rong hao#chi di nu zi
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Cdrama: Hard To Find (2024)
Gifs of Intro of cdrama "Hard To Find"
ENG SUB 《难寻 Hard To Find》 EP01 复仇王子与病娇公主在暗杀中惊险重逢 沈羽洁当街护短心上人惹怒昔日爱人赵弈钦｜MangoTV Drama
Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i_oIb3RxpU
#Hard To Find#难寻#Nan Xun#難尋#2024#Hunan TV#Mango TV#MGTV#youtube#cdrama#chinese drama#episode 1#1st episode#Zhao Yi Qin#Shen Yu Jie#Fang Xiao Dong#Guo Jia Yu#Wang Ze Xuan#Kay Song#Wu Ri Li Ge#Wu Tian Hao
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