dangermousie | When an irresistible force meets an immovable object

One of the reasons I am loving Jade Palace Lock Heart so is that after all the depressing or downright dreary dramas I am watching, this is such a light, charming, delightful ray of sunshine. But still with the period trappings, weapons and live-and-death dangers I like.

And, of course, the OTP. Much as I enjoy all the intrigue (Four is definitely my psychotic crush), the reason I obssess about this so, the reason I am so enthralled is the relationship between Eight and Qing Chuan - the push and pull of it, with both of them being so strong-willed and so very period Makino and Domyouji (this reminds me of my early days of fandom - it's as if I discovered an AU fanfic of Hanadan and its actually really good). This is all underpinned by the off-the-charts chemistry between Feng Shao Feng and Yang Mi. Every time they are on-screen, she fighting her incipient attraction and shoving him away with all her might and he bulldozing over any obstacle in his pursuit, I want to grin from the pure joy of it.

After he's been released from jail, she's checking he's not a ghost. LOL. But girl, no wonder he's confused, you keep giving him mixed signals. ~~Love him love him love him, dammit!!!~~

Here for the pretty. I have no idea how I can find him hot with that hair, but there we are...

Arranging a meeting, because if her excuse for not loving him is not knowing him too well, they should remedy it. Oh, Eight! So cute!!!

We have achieved Ebisu Gardens! I honestly have no idea how Hanadan works so well when transposed to 18th century China but it does. At this rate, it may become my favorite Hanadan adaptation except for Meteor Garden. I totally melted when he told her he didn't go get an umbrella because he didn't want her to miss him when she arrived/wait for him etc. Awwwww. You big puppy! You big royal puppy with spiky teeth who can rip your throat out! Or something. Qing Chuan, hook up with him already! (a) He's royal and can keep you in a lux lifestyle (b) He's hot (c) He rescued you from being burned to death and was willing to be executed for you! (d) He waited in the rain for you for hours and isn't even mad, just glad you showed up. (e) Did I mention the hot???? Sure, according to history books, he loses the civil war and dies in a gruesome fashion, but it's ages until then!

For a period drama, JPLH has a scandalous amount of kissing :P

OMG, it's the bit where he gets sick when they are accidentally locked up together. So cute!

Next morning, he asks her "did we do anything last night?" (LOL, poor thing, you can tell he's probably thinking "and if we did, curses, I can't remember!) but she disabuses him fairly quickly. Too bad.

The costumes - I love them!

He finds out she spent the night with (and took her clothes off) with the Crown Prince. Long explanation but short version nothing happened that night.

Oh, Nine, and you were doing so well - it's been episodes and episodes since you hired gang rapists or anything. His solution to Eight's anger/angst about whether Qing Chuan did anything with Crown Prince? Have her kidnapped and be made to submit to a forced gynecological exam to ascertain whether she's a virgin or not. The ladies doing it don't even bother explaining what they are about to do, so QC is even more freaked out because for all she knows they are about to start cutting off her internal organs or something. Oh, Nine. You are a good brother but other than that, you pretty much fail as a human. Thankfully, the second Eight finds out, he's all "WTF are you insane?" and rushes to rescue her and does so before anything happens.

And he tells her he'll have her as his woman no matter what (i.e. whether she did anything with CP or not) and that he'll believe her no matter what. OK, I adore Eight and the embroidery on everyone's outfits is gorgeous, but I hope QC finds a way to get back home soon because it shouldn't be an exceptional thing that a guy doesn't care about the virginity thing or is OK with not knowing you are or aren't if knowing would involve a forced gyno exam that would traumatize and humiliate you. Best part, it's Eight and not Nine who's perceived as weird by those around them. Seriously. Note to self - never ever time travel!