dangermousie | Cdrama related

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Watched ep 11 of BBJX and it was a lovely breather in the melancholy and angst. First off, loved that brief moment with Lu Wu and Thirteen when he brought Four over. The intensity in his eyes! Also, the scene with Fourteen in Mongolian disguise was cute cute cute.

Now, on to the main point: Eight/Ruoxi bloody finally!!!! I loved the horse-riding scene when he rescued her - the way he stared at her as she rode on his lap (ok, sadly that sounds much dirtier than t was :p) mmmmmmm and then literally laughing in joy when he realizes she likes him back. Then the scene in his tent when he is wounded and they hold hands and she hugs him back and chemistry aaaaaaaa! I did giggle when she looked away when he was quasi-shirtless while being treated. Damn, girl, you are not really a Manchu noblewoman, why so shy? I'd be ogling that chest for all I was worth and then tackling him down on that couch for some sexual healing. You are a 21st-century girl, come on, for the sake of all fangirls everywhere you have to do it!!!!

I really do think she is too cautious to commit to someone whose future she knows is no good and who has a bunch of complicated interpersonal relationships already. To compare it with JPLH, she is an observer, not a doer like Qing Chuan was. Hence is the tragedy, observer or not, she can't help but be drawn in.

I am not sure I will have caps from now on btw - I download almost 1gb-sized hard subs already so to also download almost 2-gb raws is kinda insane, OTOH, the Eight/Ruoxi stuff begs to be capped. Dilemmas!!!

In other drama news, I finally started watching Fight and Love with the Teraccotta Warrior properly - viki has it subbed. I am four eps in and I like it but not as much as I thought I would based on the premise (Qin general and royal Concubine relive their doomed love through centuries). I think it's because while I love both Du Chun and Ady An, they have better chemistry with other costars. It's still fun though.

I got to say, I am pretty much rolling in cdramas/hkdramas right now - I am watching BBJX, Terracotta Warrior, Relics of an Emissary, Last One Standing and Four Women Conflict and Vigilantes in Masks. I don't think I will be slowing down much either because the drama that comes after the drama after BBJX is the insane cdrama-goes-lakorn "Sealed with a Kiss" with Hawick Lau and then QSHF, the Ruby/Wallace/YanKuan miseryfest which I am dying for. And the Royal Harem is bound to air soon, plus there is Ruyi and Mystery in the Palace, and Legend of the Tiger Amulet and a bunch of others.

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Hoping for your caps. =P

I'm watching the show on streaming but still patiently downloading every ep as it gets uploaded.

I know! That horse riding scene. Eight looked so genuinely happy shouting, "You have me inside your heart!"

But, like what Fourteen said later, to have owned and then lose it is much more heartwrenching than to have never owned.

I don't know if it's the impact of the Ruoxi/Eight breakup, but there was this scene in ep 17 where Ruoxi made a request to Four (you'll know which scene I'm talking about when you get to it, it's the closing scene of the episode) where I felt utter disappointment in this female lead. On one hand, I can understand how she feels and why she's acting that way. But on the other hand...she's just so not the typical female protagonist!

Argh! I'll wait for you to reach that part before spilling out the bitterness that is gathering inside of me.

The thing with Ruoxi is that I find her extremely realistic, perhaps the most realistic female lead I have seen in a good while, but i an not sure I find her likable - she is much too cautious and self-interested. To do the inevitable JPLH comparison, I adore Qing Chuan to bits, much more than I do Ruoxi - she will do what she thinks is right and sticks to those she loves, even if it will cost her head and will do it without thinking twice (remember the bit near the end when she told Four she will be his mistress if he spares Eight's life? And then treated him like dirt telling him his bargain only bought him her body? I cannot see Ruoxi doing something like that ever, whoever was involved). She is not wrong or bad or anything - QC's way will get one quickly and gruesomely executed if it was a more realistic take on the Qing. But, a you out it, it's not what I am conditioned to expect from my heroines. It is good writing and acting but it makes it hard to really root for one person over other.

Edited 2011-09-19 17:39 (UTC)

You said it all. We are just too used to the QC kind of female leads. Truth be told, I'm watching on for the beauty of the drama and for the hot princes. It's really taking a toil on my heart.

GOSH! I'm watching ep 18 now and Four just asked Ruoxi to plan a song and dance for his birthday. T.T I'll never forget how Ruoxi sang for Eight and danced with him, Western style.

Yes, this drama is gorgeous and depressing at the same time.

I think RX never loved 8 enough to risk everything for him. Because she knows he's the destined loser, her love for him just wasn't enough for her to overcome the fear and reluctance stemming from knowing she'll be destined to suffer his fate as well as his wife.

As RX-4 gets going, it becomes more and more obvious that RX is falling completely head over heels for 4.

As for RX risking her head to do what is right - she does do that, but perhaps less dramatically than QC did in Gong. To protect mongolian 14 she lied to MM and later raced MM to get her not to reveal the truth. To save 13, she directly and knowingly opposes the Emperor. TO HIS FACE. He makes her kneel outside, and she does so for 3d/3N, including in thundering rain, untils she passes out. The Emperor loves her too much to kill her outright, but from that moment forward RX is never the same again. When 14 asks her if she thinks challenging the Emperor for 13 is worth it, RX says in her mind, there is only what she thinks is the right thing to do, there is no such measure of whether it's worth it to do it.

I haven't reached that episode yet! But to watch 13 get locked up...the angst is brewing...

I'm still waiting for the scene where Eight receives back his bangle, and the wait is already killing me.

That makes sense.

I haven't seen those scenes yet, but they would definitely change my opinion of her. She is very reserved by nature and that serves her well but it's a little distancing to me because I want someone, anyone, just start throwing things and then lead a revolution :)

I don't mind being spoiled so do tell - I finally caved in re spoilers ;)

The Crown Prince asked the Emperor for Ruoxi's hand, and then she finally realised the truth in what Four, Eight and Fourteen had been warning her - that she ought to ask the Emperor to arrange for marriage with someone she likes (or at least don't mind marrying) instead of waiting it out and risk being married off to someone she dislikes.

When the crisis blew over (thanks to Four and Eight...and FOURTEEN!), the first thing she did when she met Four was to ask him...

Will you marry me?

.................................
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The first thought that came to mind was, "Is she doing this so as to avoid being married off to someone she dislikes? Is it just to protect herself by marrying the ultimate winner of the game?"

In that moment, I was really disappointed with her. I understand her motivations, but it's just so painful to watch.

For me, I don't see anything wrong w/ finding a place to protect herself--4th. She'd broken up w/ 8th. She knew Crown Prince's fate and she didn't even like him. She can't do anything to save herself now that CP had asked for her hand in marriage other than finding another person who can protect her (the winner). If not, then should she just let them married her off to CP? On the other hand, she should have taken their warning seriously, but she didn't. If I'm not wrong, one of her goal is to survive, and survival means she should side w/ the winner. Just my opinion thou :D

Exactly. What else can she do anyway?

The ironic 4-RX-8 love triangle can be summed up this way:

RX initially loved 8 without complications, but it wasn't strong enough to overcome her knowledge of his political fate in the end.

RX initially chose 4 for because of his political fate as the winner, but she ultimately loved him without reservation even knowing what he had to do to become the Emperor.

I would say that RX fell for 4 quite early on (in the kiss on the plains) but it was also repressed, plus her feelings for 8 were much stronger then and she really wanted to make it work with it (without losing her head in the end).

When it failed with 8, that was when things started to really develop with 4. When she asked 4 to marry her, she was pretty much in love with him, but not quite sure he would ever love her back or that she ought to love him. Because of the freak out caused by the CP wanting to marry her, when RX asked 4 to marry him it was to save her hide, and he knew that, which is why he said no.

But ZOMG in 20-21, those two are so in love with each other (and both of them love 13 so much as well), it's pretty much a nobrainer he's the one she'll risk everything for. Which she could never do for 8.

The scene where 4 loses it at the Imperial Court and you see him turn from just interested in getting the throne to COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HIS MISSION IN LIFE because of what the other princes just did to him and 13, my heart broke for him and RX.

WHY!?!?!?!?

Skipping the spoilers because I'm still at ep 18. 19? 18? Ah, those Youtube naming is making me dizzy.

I'm starting to like Ruoxi with Four (since the time he tended to her at her sickbed) and my pain over Eight and Ruoxi is gradually subsiding. But the budding romance is not powerful enough to overcome the melancholic undertones that the political strife is about to unfold.

Such a sad, sad story!! What to do?????

watch something cheery to compensate?

That makes sense. I agree, she was attracted to 4 early on (she keeps thinking about the kiss). With 8 it was a crush because he's attractive, powerful and attentive. But it couldn't really weather anything - 8 has no luck with women :P

The scene where 4 loses it at the Imperial Court and you see him turn from just interested in getting the throne to COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HIS MISSION IN LIFE because of what the other princes just did to him and 13, my heart broke for him and RX.

Oh, I thought it might be something like this that would turn him. I just know I am going to bawl.

Also, if she had run off to 8th for help, I would be disappointed in her then. Cuz then it'd ruin what they had for each other before& their beautiful memories. W/ 4th, it's just plain "I'm using you as a way out of this crisis" Very honest, and 4th knows that as well

I wrote these comments from reading the story, not watching the drama (since this part have not been subbed yet)

Tbh, I don't have a problem with that - clearly she realized the only way to survive was to marry. And I believe she is subconsciously attracted to Four. But we'll see how I feel when I get to that part.

Actually, if you read the novel, you can get why RX chose Four to ask for a (forced) marriage at that moment. She did list out several "candidates" who she could offer her hand and the reasons why she couldn't choose them over Four, and those reasons are not romantic at all.

Should she ask Eight? No. Because Kang Xi will never agree to let her marry him. Kang Xi hates Eight for his open interest in the throne, while RX is largely favoured by the Mongolian, an important alien of Qing dynasty. If RX married Eight, he would be bestowed with more power to control. So, Eight out.

Should she ask Thirteen? No. Because after the lotus lake incident, he determined that she belonged to Four. So this is out of question.

Maybe Fourteen? She thinks he hates her with all the whining and constant complaints he aimed at her for a while. So she can't risk her pride for something impossible.

So... Four it is. She is convinced that he understands her troubles very well, and wants to marry her too (because he insistently showered her with gifts and obvious interest), plus the fact that he is and will be the most powerful "tree" who can shelter her from any storms and thunders. If she decides to marry off herself to save her little life, then why not choose the powerful person to entrust her fate? Hence, the proposal!

I hope after reading this you can feel better about RX's sudden action. ^_^

-Lily-

Thanks for taking the time to explain, but I'm skipping it till I've finished the drama. Don't want to be spoilt hehe...I'm going to read the novel after the drama ends too, because I'm sure a lot of inner thoughts and emotions were left out inevitably during the transition to film.

I read the novel summary synopsis for BBJX and got completely and utterly depressed when I read the ending *sobs and wails*

I also only want to watch Terracotta Warrior because of Ady An since I developed a girl crush for that actress in Autumn's Concerto <3

If I remember correctly, she's also going to be in Journey to the West and The Emperor's Harem, which are also dramas that I look forward to watching :3

What's your impression of Teraccotta Warrior thus far? I want to watch that one as well, but I can only watch so much while being sick in bed trying to overcome my mountain of readings for my university classes...

I am really looking forward to the harem one - I love Ady/FSF combo.

I like Teracotta Warrior. I don't adore it, but it's fun.

Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. Ruoxi is an observer who reluctantly becomes the hidden catalyst behind everything happening later. I really go for 4xRuoxi more even though 8 is presented as a more ideal man just because 4 is realer to me than 8. Even though the perspective is mostly from Ruoxi and you get the Unreliable Narrator effect, you can still tell that though 4 and 8 withhold parts of themselves from view, 8 is much subtler about it than 4's constant ice mask. It's just that instead of going for the obvious chilliness that is still honest about its subterfuge, 8 goes for the smiling gentlemanly mask which changes with the social context but hides all the plotting. I'm not sure if I am describing it well but that's why I find 4 a better choice in the end for Ruoxi because if she had to choose, she'd choose truth even if it all implodes.

Also, saw Terracotta Warrior and I think that the way they structured the story also doesn't help with relating to the characters because it's really 3 generations of couples that are all somehow linked with the plot device but that also means less time devoted to each character and story. I think the best plot was the one set in the Qin Shi Huang time, the earliest generation and I liked each subsequent generation's story less. So in the end it all evened out to a "meh" for me. The chemistry was pretty lacking and the thing too was that other than the OTP, the love relationships weren't even consistent! It's all a mess to describe so bleh.

Yeah, I like Teraccotta premise but somehow it's not clicking in the drama.

It's a great point about 4 and 8. They are both very complicated, with a dark side a mile wide.

I was just wondering where you downloaded bu bu jing xin from, I've been watching it from viki but i really want to have a copy myself :)

If you need subs, only the first ep is subbed for download:

http://dramafairyland.blogspot.com/

Raws are all over the place...

LOL! i downloaded the first episode from there too! But i'm up to episode 11 on Viki, i was hoping that you had found a site that subbed it faster cause i am so way past the point of addiction. I'm basically watching in chinese and understand nothing.

I know, I wish I studied Chinese in college :)

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