sid_guardian | Aug. 10th, 2026

Zhao Yunlan sprawled on a couch, grinning at his phone. The background shows a purple sky with stars. Text reads, "Slo-Mo Rewatch. Guardian - half an episode per week @ sid_guardian.dreamwidth.org"

Hi, welcome back to our Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch! Watch half an episode a week, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here is the first half of episode 20. On to the second half!

Episode 20 from 22:26:

Summary:

Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are en route to the Inspectorate when Zhao Yunlan has a vision of Xiao-Guo unconscious and Zhu Jiu at the Hallows. He stops the car and insists Shen Wei go ahead on his own. Importantly, Shen Wei grips Zhao Yunlan's arm, and Zhao Yunlan pats Shen Wei's knee. Meanwhile, Ye Zun has psychically woken up Zhu Jiu. Xiao-Guo (inexplicably left alone to move him) unties Zhu Jiu to let him use the loo, and they have a philosophical debate about the merits of humanity. Then Zhu Jiu attacks.

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan in the car, touching each other

Zhao Yunlan calls Zhu Hong and tells her to move the Hallows, then runs back towards the SID. Zhu Jiu finds the Hallows gone, but manages to prevail in a confrontation with Chu Shuzhi, Da Qing and Lin Jing. He escapes and offers his energy to Ye Zun as the last bit he needs to (temporarily) escape the Sky Pillar - where the Regent and the Attendant are watching. Zhao Yunlan meets up with Zhu Hong, who has the Sundial and the Awl, but they're accosted by Ya Qing, who takes them to meet Ye Zun's energy projection. Ye Zun tries politeness, philosophising about the need to let go of human desire, arguments about the oppression of Dixingren as well as flattery to turn Zhao Yunlan to his side, but his various self-justifications are not convincing. Zhao Yunlan calls him on killing both humans and Dixingren. When Ye Zun realises it's not working, he attacks, and Zhao Yunlan defends himself with the Sundial. Meanwhile, Shen Wei has arrived at the Inspectorate - only to immediately zoom away again because his Hallows alarm went off.

Zhao Yunlan taunts Ye Zun, who demands the Hallows. Slowly Ye Zun starts winning the fight against the Sundial's shielding. But then Shen Wei arrives, cutting the energy stream with his dao. Everyone is blasted back; Zhao Yunlan ends up unconscious on the grass. Shen Wei sends Ye Zun back to Dixing, and rushes to Zhao Yunlan's side. They hold hands. But when Zhao Yunlan opens his eyes, he's blind.

Quote:

The Attendant: "This summoning isn't enough to completely destroy the Pillar seal. Should we help him?"

The Regent: "Young man, it's not a good habit to be passionate about taking sides."

Detail(s):

The detail I want to highlight today is a parallel

china_shop pointed out during the last rewatch:

Questions:

Which this your favourite part/scene/moment in this half-episode? Any favourite lines? Why would anyone leave Guo Changcheng alone with Zhu Jiu? Why didn't Zhao Yunlan tell Shen Wei about his premonition about Zhu Jiu escaping? What's the best part of Zhao Yunlan's confrontation with Ye Zun? Which is Ye Zun's best/worst argument for why he's totally in the right? What do you think Ya Qing makes of all of this? What does Ye Zun mean when he says Shen Wei is "still the same"? Which is the best Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan touch in this half-episode? Any thoughts about more parallels with other parts of the drama? Any thoughts about how any of this connects with the novel?

(These are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in!)

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