dangermousie | What is it with Yangs doing bride battles for Liu Shi Shi?

First LOCH2008, now this :)

Seriouly, who wrote this, and how come he resides in my id? Because there just might have been shrieking in my house when Creepy Creepster, after kidnapping Lady Doctor, bullied her parents into agreeing to "challenge for a bride" thing - i.e. he is going to issue a challenge for her hand and if he beats whoever comes/nobody shows up, he gets to marry her. He's also been taking major drugs to get stronger (hope you die of an overdose, jerk!) and boasting how he is going to beat Four to a pulp if he shows up because Four is still injured (ummm, that's not much of a macho victory then, is it?). I love that she tells Creepy Creepster whether Four loves her or not is immaterial. (a) She still loves him and (b) even if Four never existed, she is never going to marry Creepy Creepster ever. Go go go with your common sense, Lady Doc!

Anyway, and then the day of the challenge arrives, and nobody shows up, and Lady Doctor is sitting there, thinking that Four won't come:

And then!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Bonus. I love that Four and Seven are BFFs now (and being Yangs, express that through martial arts practice, LOL). Nobody can resist Seven! Together with Eighth Sister and the rest, he totally turned Four into someone who *gasp* occasionally smiles.

Second bonus, because he's so pretty he makes me flail. Ahahaha, I remember when I started watching Summer Desire as a full-fledged and rabid Huang Xiaoming fangirl (which I still am) and kept going "why why why would anyone pick Peter Ho over HXM? He's not appealing at all! I don't get why people like him." Ah, the irony! Just look at me frothing at the mouth over him now (or by the end of SD actually). I had to eat every last one of my words. Luckily, they tasted delicious.

In case anyone is interested, I plan to watch YWotYC only through Seven getting an OTP and then bail. I know what happens next and have no desire to watch it. In my head, all the brothers are going to live happily with their wives, parents, and Eighth Sister, and occasionally ride off to war and come back victorious. The end.

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I really love how calm and rational Miss Guo is about everything; that she's been kidnapped and almost-raped and then forced into marriage, and yet, reasons to herself that logically, Four needn't show up, there's not that kind of understanding between them, etc etc. Yet at the same time, how reciprocation has nothing really to do with her feelings, which continue; her feelings are her own, regardless of outside influences. She's just so sure and steady in herself (♥), and allows other people separate agencies, and able to see past her personal self--I really can't think of a better match for Four (who has, um, a few issues).

And Four! Who fully recognizes what his actions to fight for her imply, and doesn't hesitate at all; it's better than a love declaration. (I think that may be one of my favorite things about these two: that they talk when they should, but they don't really need to; it's all about that acts instead of words between them.) And how he doesn't worry about his chances of winning or losing; for all his emo-ing angst, Four is surprisingly practical.

I love that even when caught by the out-of-control Pan Bao, who's raging at her, she still has the presence of mind to explain that whether Four loves her or not has nothing to do with her feelings and also that regardless of her feelings for Four, even if she didn't have them it wouldn't mean she'd automatically like Pan Bao. Because those are two common-sense things I always want someone to point out to insane drama rivals and nobody ever does!

I also love that she tells Four, while bandaging him up, that she realizes he came to rescue her out of friendship, it doesn't mean more, he doesn't have to worry about her misunderstanding it - I love that she brings this up unprompted and, once again, is not shy or ashamed, but practical. Also, of course, that leads to that utterly adorable, a little muddled, and very straightforward declaration from Four which made me squeal. One of the things I like about them so much is that despite Four not being a great talker, they never have any miscommunication and always say what they mean as soon as they mean it. Plus, her really steady, practical, even, and very open in a matter-of-fact way temperament is something Four, who has trust issues to the nth power, desperately needs. She doesn't freak at his freak-outs, and is steady in her affections without being pushy. He's a good match for her as well because despite whatever else may be going with him, even when he was really really messed-up earlier and lashing out at the Yangs, he protected her when needed (yet alowed her full agency at all times which is an incredibly rare combo) and wanted her as a friend - for someone like her it is good to have someone who doesn't play headgames with her but expresses his feelings.

I'm really going to take a break (let's see how long that lasts...) now. Four just proposed to the Lady Doctor (I was making incoherent noises all through that---I really, really, really like him now), and "Creepy Creepster" just died a horrible death (though why Minister Pan had to do it when all the court doctors were around baffled me). Evidently something very very horrible will be happening in the next few episodes, and right now I don't think I can cope.

Four is really really pretty when he smiles.

I was nearly floored when Four smiled because it's such a huge, wholehearted smile and it totally transforms his face and I so did not expect it. Awwww.

I love him and Lady Doc together - they are so functional. And I love that Four and Seven are close now - with Four's understated personality and Seven's exuberance matching each other perfectly.

Not as much as I loved Pan Jr. dying. Oh, that felt so good. Though why imperial doctors don't speak up to the emperor and tell him this is what Pan Jr died of (well that plus drugs) is beyond me. They can't be that afraid of him. You are only one ep behind me now though I plan to watch another one before going to bed.

Next ep made me sad but it wasn't rocks fall yet or anything :)

As much as I think Four and Lady Doc is a great OTP, and as much as I personally prefer an understated but deep relationship, I can't see their marriage life as being terribly exciting (even though it'll still be cute and aww-worthy). This is in comparison with Six and Princess Chai, who are so exuberant and adventurous and chirpy and beaming with happy. Though of course nothing makes me grin and go aww as much as Five/Blacksmith---I really dig awkward ships (do they resurface anytime soon?).

I also felt so good watching Pan Jr. frothing at the mouth and trembling and turning all shades of colour. I wish Evil Minister would leave him alone for another night so he'd suffer more. Though in a way I can empathize with Pan Sr.---he lost his only son, and his family line is broken (which is like the greatest sin imaginable for a Chinese). I mean, it's his fault for encouraging his son to take drugs before the contest, but it's still sad. I don't know how his wife died and how his daughter was implicated, but that certainly can't feel good either. Then you compare yourself with the inconceivably well-adjusted and functional Yang family with happy marriages and SEVEN sons. It's enough to make anyone a bit imbalanced in the head.

It certainly doesn't justify him plotting the extermination of the Yang house, and he certainly did bring it upon himself. I just wish that they had shrinks back then.

I'm going to let you watch ahead and warn me of falling rocks. I don't like being totally spoiled but I like having your posts/caps as a safety net. :P Especially with all the impending angst and uncertainty. Yeah I'm clingy. :P

I am on ep 22 and no rocks so far though some angst happened. Actually most of ep 22 was spent on the Liao-related stuff which is not too interesting to me - I don't care what the Liaos do as long as they leave the Yangs alone (unlike apparently most people who saw this, I am not too interested in Yelu Xie). But yes, Blacksmith and Five reappear in this ep.

Re: Four and his OTP. It would probably be a lot less exciting and more peaceful than Six and the Princess (if Six ever realizes he loves her, the idiot) but in RL that's probably what I'd want - breaking into places all the time would get exhausting. I think I am just a sucker for woobie + commonsense girl who heals him :)

Re: Minister Pan. But that begs the question why he never married again to get more son (he still can - men aren't too limited by age in reproductive matters). Even if thw wushu power/challenging Yangs thing didn't happen to Pan Jr., mortality rates back then weren't great and Jr. was in the military! It doesn't sound like a safe bet to have only one.

What is it with Yangs doing bride battles for Liu Shi Shi?

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