Focus on: The interrogation scene from episode 4

[imashoe]

Location of scene: episode 4, 02:45-06:23.

The SID have caught someone at the scene of the crime in the face-stealing case. It's Shen Wei, who is then taken to the SID headquarters for interrogation.




At the SID, waiting for the interrogation to begin, Zhao Yunlan is lounging on a sofa ready to watch everything like it's a TV show. Shen Wei, in the interrogation room proper, is sitting calmly with his eyes closed.

Zhu Hong interrogates Shen Wei, 02:54-04:14


Zhu Hong is the first to interrogate Shen Wei, and the battle between Shen Wei's fake smiles and Zhu Hong's facts begins. After pointing out that Shen Wei's stroll took him a little far from home, Zhu Hong comments on the fact that he is much too calm about the whole thing for an university professor—his nerves too steely. Shen Wei looks down for a moment, and then apparently decides that antagonising everyone is the way to go. To be fair, it works on Zhao Yunlan, who is a a bit too delighted when Shen Wei goes on the offensive and taunts Zhu Hong about her Yashou powers.


Zhu Hong is rightly annoyed, and leaves. Shen Wei's smile at this needs to be seen in motion:

The crowning glory in Shen Wei's repertoire of fake smiles

I can only commend Zhu Hong on her restraint.





Chu Shuzhi (and his puppet)'s turn, 04:15-05:40


After Zhu Hong, Chu Shuzhi takes his turn at interrogating Shen Wei. He takes a different approach from Zhu Hong, going for intimidation via puppet cleaning. He sits opposite Shen Wei and wipes his puppet's face.


Shen Wei initiates the conversation by remarking that the doll seems almost alive. Between talk of puppets and philosophy, he tries to touch Chu Shuzhi's puppet.

Lin Jing's reaction to Shen Wei's trying to touch the puppet; also note Zhu Hong pouting cutely

Chu Shuzhi tells Shen Wei that his nerves really are made of steel. Shen Wei responds that it's because his conscience is clear. And also, they don't have any evidence.




Zhao Yunlan is still watching all this from the sofa, looking intrigued.

Chu Shuzhi proceeds to insult Shen Wei by praising the Black-Cloaked Envoy, whose toes he cannot hope to compare to, according to Chu Shuzhi.


"Then he must be a righteous hero," says Shen Wei while looking directly at Zhao Yunlan behind the one-way mirror. We know that Chu Shuzhi is talking about the Black-Cloaked Envoy, but who is Shen Wei talking about? Is he talking about himself here? What is he trying to convey by saying that while looking directly at Zhao Yunlan?




Zhao Yunlan enters the interrogation room, 05:41-06:23


Zhao Yunlan, whose presence was perceptible throughout the scene both for the viewers and Shen Wei, gets involved in the interrogation at this point.


We got to see Zhao Yunlan looking thoughtful and amused while he was watching the interrogation, but when he comes to confront Shen Wei himself he's not smiling and he's certainly not amused. Shen Wei also changes tack.

Zhao Yunlan very straightforwardly asks him if he is connected to the case. Shen Wei answers no.


They look at each other for a few seconds of silence*, before Zhao Yunlan decides to let him go.

[*10 seconds, it's 10 seconds of silence.]


Both Zhu Hong and Chu Shuzhi left the interrogation disgruntled, and Zhao Yunlan is not an exception. He huffs a rather exasperated laugh, pushes his chair back and leaves the room.

The scene ends with Shen Wei watching him walk away:






Additional details


Chu Shuzhi has his puppet with him in the interrogation room, but Shen Wei and Zhu Hong's confrontation also comes with props. Zhu Hong brings Shen Wei a glass of water before beginning the interrogation. Shen Wei moves it before leaning forward to deliver the "Are you not fully evolved?" line. Zhu Hong taps her pen on the table to punctuate her own accusations.


Here is a look at the SID's interrogation setup—a room with a table, chairs, and a one-way mirror behind which there is a control room of sorts.

A few other things:

• The Snake Yashou powers and skills that Shen Wei mentions are "making medicines, stealthy movement, hypnosis, and instant explosive force" (03:53).


• By talking about Zhu Hong's powers, Shen Wei reveals that he has particular knowledge about the Yashou. For a regular university professor, is this more or less unusual than knowing about Dixing and Dixingren?


• Zhao Yunlan says that they "don't usually bring back ordinary criminals, witnesses, or suspects to [the SID] headquarters" (05:49). Do you think he says this to underscore the ways Shen Wei fits and doesn't fit those categories? Does this mean that their interrogation strategy here is different from their usual modus operandi?


• Zhu Hong and Chu Shuzhi have different approaches to the interrogation. Zhu Hong starts by trying to establish rapport with Shen Wei, mentioning their past interactions, while Chu Shuzhi goes straight for intimidation. They complement each other, and it seems like established practice.


• Shen Wei is genuinely hostile to Zhu Hong and Chu Shuzhi in this scene, but ultimately he is right that they have no evidence to hold him. He doesn't have to be convincing or less suspicious, and he is also the Black-Cloaked Envoy, which probably makes him the only Dixingren on the surface who is in no danger from the SID, Chu Shuzhi included. Which makes me wonder, do you think the Black-Cloaked Envoy has diplomatic immunity, or some equivalent?


• People have touched upon what must have been Chu Shuzhi's retrospective horror at his role in the interrogation in the Focus on: Shen Wei apologizes to Chu Shuzhi, from episode 21 scene discussion by maggie33.


• The way Da Qing is sitting would make any cat proud.

Questions

1. This scene was early in the show. If you remember, what was your reaction when you first saw it? What was your impression of Shen Wei? The SID? Zhao Yunlan? What about now, with hindsight on your side?


2. What do you think about the SID's interrogation strategy?


3. What about Shen Wei's strategy? Is this the best response to being interrogated by the SID? Why use this approach with them?


4. Does Shen Wei's strategy have any hope of working on anyone other than Zhao Yunlan? Why do you think it works on Zhao Yunlan? Why does Zhao Yunlan choose to believe him? What's his reasoning here?


5. What do you think about Zhu Hong's insecurity regarding her Yashou powers? Why do you think she's insecure about them? Do Yashou powers need to be practised? Do you think they're a point of contention between Zhu Hong and her relatives?

So, come and have your say! Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs are wholeheartedly encouraged. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about this scene.

Comments

[trobadora]

I know I already said this, but this is such a great write-up! I really enjoyed reading it. :D

Shen Wei looks down for a moment, and then apparently decides that antagonising everyone is the way to go.

I always read this as "100% not mild-mannerered professor". He's really going all-out showing off that he's not who he appears to be. AT ALL. And I really like the way Zhao Yunlan enjoys it when Shen Wei goes on the offensive. I think this is also an early hint that shows us that Zhao Yunlan will like Shen Wei's Envoy side as well, he isn't just into the professor.

Between talk of puppets and philosophy, he tries to touch Chu Shuzhi's puppet.

And he knows Chu Shuzhi and his background, so he's being as obnoxious and provocative as he can here. (No wonder Zhao Yunlan likes it.) I adore troll!Shen Wei so much, heh.

Is he talking about himself here? What is he trying to convey by saying that while looking directly at Zhao Yunlan?

I really like marycrawford's read below, that he's redirecting the compliment at Zhao Yunlan.

[*10 seconds, it's 10 seconds of silence.]

Hee! :D

Shen Wei reveals that he has particular knowledge about the Yashou. For a regular university professor, is this more or less unusual than knowing about Dixing and Dixingren?

I think less unusual, since Yashou at least are living on the surface. Dixingren aren't even supposed to be there!

Does this mean that their interrogation strategy here is different from their usual modus operandi?

Yeah, I don't think this is in any way usual.

Which makes me wonder, do you think the Black-Cloaked Envoy has diplomatic immunity, or some equivalent?

Some equivalent, to be sure.

This scene was early in the show. If you remember, what was your reaction when you first saw it? What was your impression of Shen Wei? The SID? Zhao Yunlan? What about now, with hindsight on your side?

First reaction: I love Shen Wei. Later reaction: I love troll!Shen Wei. *g*

It's such a good scene that tells us so much about these characters, about what gets under Zhu Hong's and Lao-Chu's s skin, what Shen Wei is capable of, how much Zhao Yunlan wants to poke at Shen Wei and how much he likes what he finds.

What about Shen Wei's strategy? Is this the best response to being interrogated by the SID? Why use this approach with them?

It's the best response if your goal is to hook Zhao Yunlan!

It's not a strategy that would work on someone else, but then Shen Wei wouldn't have acted this way if he were dealing with anyone else. And Zhao Yunlan believes Shen Wei because there isn't any evidence that he's involved, and in fact evidence that he isn't - as both Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan note later, there's blood on the scene but none on either the supposed victim nor Shen Wei nor Lin Yusen. Something's fishy about the whole thing, and they know it.

What do you think about Zhu Hong's insecurity regarding her Yashou powers? Why do you think she's insecure about them?

Given how well she seems to have her powers in hand towards the end of the show, it might be that she's blocking herself by trying to be more human. Which her family definitely would not approve of! But she can't admit it to herself because then she'd have to admit the effects her choices are having.

[china_shop]

And I really like the way Zhao Yunlan enjoys it when Shen Wei goes on the offensive. I think this is also an early hint that shows us that Zhao Yunlan will like Shen Wei's Envoy side as well, he isn't just into the professor.

That's a great point. Yes!

[imashoe]

I know I already said this, but this is such a great write-up! I really enjoyed reading it. :D

Thank you! I'm really glad you found it enjoyable.

And I really like the way Zhao Yunlan enjoys it when Shen Wei goes on the offensive. I think this is also an early hint that shows us that Zhao Yunlan will like Shen Wei's Envoy side as well, he isn't just into the professor.

Zhao Yunlan's reactions in this scene really are excellent, and so is your point about how Zhao Yunlan is into this side of Shen Wei.

And he knows Chu Shuzhi and his background, so he's being as obnoxious and provocative as he can here.

Yes! Exactly this. He's really going for it, attacking Zhu Hong and Chu Shuzhi in ways that are guaranteed to rattle them.

I think less unusual, since Yashou at least are living on the surface. Dixingren aren't even supposed to be there!

You bring up a good point. Knowledge about the Yashou must be more widespread.

First reaction: I love Shen Wei. Later reaction: I love troll!Shen Wei. *g*

*g* This scene really is a treasure trove of excellent troll!Shen Wei moments.

It's such a good scene that tells us so much about these characters, about what gets under Zhu Hong's and Lao-Chu's s skin, what Shen Wei is capable of, how much Zhao Yunlan wants to poke at Shen Wei and how much he likes what he finds.

Yes, it gets at some truths about all these characters, even as it's steeped in misdirection and complicated subtextual layers.

It's the best response if your goal is to hook Zhao Yunlan!

Ha! This is true. It's specially tailored to work on Zhao Yunlan.

Given how well she seems to have her powers in hand towards the end of the show, it might be that she's blocking herself by trying to be more human.

This is plausible to me. There's nothing wrong with Zhu Hong's powers that is not self-reinforcing. And it's good to see her work it out in the end, too.