Thank you for this detailed look at a great scene! The last part, after Ye Zun is banished, is one of my favourite bits. Zhao Yunlan's "I knew you'd come" and all the smiles, and then the reveal about his vision ... ♥
The bit where Ye Zun stresses here that their species are completely different is a recurring theme, and it will come up again and again, both with him working to fervently establish this division and Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei working to knock it down throughout the narrative.
This is an excellent observation!
Was there anything Ye Zun could have said or offered in this scene, at this point in the story given what Zhao Yunlan has already seen and experienced with Zhu Jiu on Ye Zun’s behalf, that would have shaken Zhao Yunlan’s convictions or persuaded him to support his cause?
No, I really can't see it. Zhao Yunlan has seen too much of how Ye Zun operates. Maybe if Ye Zun had blamed everything on Zhu Jiu going off script while he himself had no power to interfere, he could have made himself look better – but with Ya Qing standing right there, that would have been hard to pull off. And besides, Ye Zun is totally incapable of grasping Zhao Yunlan's worldview sufficiently to even think of such a plan, let alone execute it convincingly.
Do you think Ye Zun made any efforts to use his mind control powers to influence Zhao Yunlan in this scene…
That makes sense to me - if he can use his various powers as a projection, he'll definitely have tried. But I have no firm convictions either way. *g*
Was that a movement that just reflected his reminiscence about the taste/sensation he experienced when consuming Zhu Jiu? Was there an instant of guilt/shame there that drove him to cover his face before he shook it off and rejected any wrong-doing?
I thought it was just a gesture trying to cover the fact that he’s been called out on something he didn't have an answer prepared for.
Why does Shen Wei hide the fact that Ye Zun is his brother from Zhao Yunlan, in this scene, as well as not confessing his suspicions about the identity of the 'person behind the scenes' previous to this and after?
I think it's part because he’s trying to avoid questions about what happened 10,000 years ago (because Kunlun), and part because he feels ashamed and responsible for his brother and wants to handle this himself as much as he can.
no subject
The bit where Ye Zun stresses here that their species are completely different is a recurring theme, and it will come up again and again, both with him working to fervently establish this division and Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei working to knock it down throughout the narrative.
This is an excellent observation!
Was there anything Ye Zun could have said or offered in this scene, at this point in the story given what Zhao Yunlan has already seen and experienced with Zhu Jiu on Ye Zun’s behalf, that would have shaken Zhao Yunlan’s convictions or persuaded him to support his cause?
No, I really can't see it. Zhao Yunlan has seen too much of how Ye Zun operates. Maybe if Ye Zun had blamed everything on Zhu Jiu going off script while he himself had no power to interfere, he could have made himself look better – but with Ya Qing standing right there, that would have been hard to pull off. And besides, Ye Zun is totally incapable of grasping Zhao Yunlan's worldview sufficiently to even think of such a plan, let alone execute it convincingly.
Do you think Ye Zun made any efforts to use his mind control powers to influence Zhao Yunlan in this scene…
That makes sense to me - if he can use his various powers as a projection, he'll definitely have tried. But I have no firm convictions either way. *g*
Was that a movement that just reflected his reminiscence about the taste/sensation he experienced when consuming Zhu Jiu? Was there an instant of guilt/shame there that drove him to cover his face before he shook it off and rejected any wrong-doing?
I thought it was just a gesture trying to cover the fact that he’s been called out on something he didn't have an answer prepared for.
Why does Shen Wei hide the fact that Ye Zun is his brother from Zhao Yunlan, in this scene, as well as not confessing his suspicions about the identity of the 'person behind the scenes' previous to this and after?
I think it's part because he’s trying to avoid questions about what happened 10,000 years ago (because Kunlun), and part because he feels ashamed and responsible for his brother and wants to handle this himself as much as he can.