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sid_guardian2021-05-30 10:42 am
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2021-05-30 10:42 am
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Focus on the Envoy's first appearance, episode 1
Ep 1, 38:16 to 42:19 (here on Youtube)
Apologies in advance for the truly self-indulgent number of screencaps! Click for bigger versions.
Note: English subs are a lightly edited blend of original subs and Viki subs; Chinese subs are from Viki.
Running from the Shadow Man, Professor Shen leads Li Qian by the wrist onto the rooftop. The Shadow Man follows.
Shen Wei and Li Qian stop to face him. Shen Wei is looking fierce and implacable, and Li Qian is cowering behind him, clutching his right arm.
The Shadow Man flexes his claws threateningly. (In the background, there's a cityscape, including moving vehicles. This is happening right in the centre of human habitation/activity.) Shen Wei stares him down, calculating exactly what he'll have to do to defeat him.
When the Shadow Man runs towards them, he vanishes briefly and rematerialises closer. (I'm not sure what that's about. Maybe just the way he seems to dissolve when he's moving too fast?)
Shen Wei is just about to summon his glaive, I think? when he hears the SID approaching and makes a split second decision.
He shoves Li Qian back, dodges a few of the Shadow Man's swipes towards his face, then lets himself be knocked from the rooftop. He goes flying. Li Qian runs to the parapet and screams, "Professor Shen!" (沈教授). When she looks down, there's no sign of him among the trees and bushes.
But there's no time for her to react to that, because the Shadow Man attacks. He hooks the Sundial from around her neck as she backs away.
Just then, Chu Shuzhi arrives and heroically stops the Shadow Man with his puppet strings. Chu Shuzhi rolls and uses the momentum to slam the Shadow Man into a structure, stunning him. Li Qian is terrified but unhurt.
Li Qian looks up at her saviour Chu Shuzhi, then slowly stands. She's obviously traumatised and out of it.
The rest of the SID arrive -- Zhao Yunlan, Da Qing, Guo Changcheng and Lin Jing. Lin Jing films the Shadow Man (and later, more discreetly, the Envoy) with his phone.
Zhao Yunlan picks up the Sundial pendant and goes to sit casually on a pipe, in full smartarse mode even before the Envoy arrives.
Zhao Yunlan: (to the Shadow Man) Friend, if you're done having fun up here, it's time to go back.
朋友玩够了也该回去了吧
You're not thinking of making me refund your travel expenses, are you? That's taking it too far.
你不会是想回去的路费，也找我报销吧, 过分啊
(to Li Qian, holding out the Sundial) It's yours.
你的
Li Qian rushes forward and snatches the Sundial, then clutches it to her.
The Shadow Man starts to get up, and Zhao Yunlan stands, his casual manner falling away. The rest of the SID look nervous, too, except for Chu Shuzhi, who's on alert.
Then the sky goes dark, wind whips embers or wisps of dark energy through the air, lightning and thunder crack and growl, and time seems to stop.
Zhao Yunlan figures out what's happening, ducks his head and scratches the back of his neck, and thinks, "Ugh, how is this my life? Don't I have enough to deal with?"
The Envoy arrives like a curved bolt of lightning, blade already in hand. He slams the butt of his glaive on the roof, and it sends ice to encase the Shadow Man before he can cause more trouble. (Interestingly, the Shadow Man doesn't really react to the Envoy's arrival. Maybe he's got a concussion.) Cue lots of very dramatic Envoy shots.
Chu Shuzhi pushes Guo Changcheng into a deep bow, at once displaying his respect for the Envoy by proxy and putting the kid in his place. (I love that!) Lin Jing and Da Qing keep their eyes lowered, nervously respectful.
Zhao Yunlan starts talking before the Shadow Man's ice has even set, as if he wants to undercut the theatrics. The Envoy still has his back to him.
Zhao Yunlan: Black-Cloaked Envoy, this is the first time you've come to give me guidance since I became chief.
我接任处长之后，这还是黑袍使首次莅临指导
Slouching there with his thumbs in his front pockets. Oh, Zhao Yunlan!
Did you find it difficult to travel here? Or maybe you forgot the way?
黑袍使来的时候路不好找吧？还是忘了路怎么走?
The Envoy dematerialises his glaive.
The Envoy: Dixingren escaping to the surface and wreaking havoc is my fault.
地星人偷上地面作乱，是本使疏忽
I think his taking responsibility is a concession, an attempt to meet Zhao Yunlan halfway. Alas, Zhao Yunlan only responds with more snark, his voice hard. The Envoy is still facing away, and Zhao Yunlan is side-on, looking to his team and then to the Envoy's back.
Zhao Yunlan: Not at all. You're just giving us an opportunity to increase our knowledge. After all, on the surface, how many Dixingren can we meet?
哪里话? 您这是想让我们几个长长见识，毕竟在这个世上能见到几个地星人啊?
This sounds like there have been few, if any cases involving Dixingren in the last three years. (What has the SID been doing with itself all that time? Kicking its heels?) And Zhao Yunlan sounds like he's met almost no Dixingren aside from Chu Shuzhi.
The Envoy: (turning to face Zhao Yunlan) I was delayed by other matters and inadvertently arrived late. I hope Zhao-xiong will understand.
本使冗务缠身，不慎来迟一步，还望赵兄见谅
Xiong is a formal/respectful term for brother/friend, perhaps an invitation for Zhao Yunlan to reciprocate with a similar address? But Zhao Yunlan stubbornly sticks to the Envoy's full title, Hei Pao Shi (黑袍使). (Note: all my observations on address terms and etiquette are based on what I've gleaned in passing -- please feel free to correct me!)
Zhao Yunlan: It's no problem. You're afraid we're too bored and lazy these days, aren't you?
没事黑袍使也是怕我们几个太闲了，对吧
Their eyes meet for the first time (as far as Zhao Yunlan knows, anyway), and they stare at each other for nearly 10 seconds.
The Envoy looks stern, probably to hide his disappointment, and Zhao Yunlan answers that with silence defiance. Finally the Envoy gestures to the Shadow Man.
The Envoy: If I may?
不介意吧
Zhao Yunlan: Go ahead.
请便
He's already turning away as he says it, rudely dismissing the Envoy. The Envoy turns away too, but before he can leave, Guo Changcheng kind of quacks a question. Lin Jing and Da Qing eye him with dismay. The Envoy turns back.
Zhao Yunlan looks over his shoulder, sees what's happening, and immediately switches into damage-control mode.
The Envoy: Young man, you have something to say?
小朋友你有意见吗
He probably sees all his most hapless students when he looks at xiao-Guo, but the others aren't to know that.
Guo Changcheng grabs Chu Shuzhi like a lifeline. I'm so proud of him for speaking out, though. (You could read it as thinking Haixing should get to put its enemies on trial itself, but I always interpret it as concern about the Shadow Man getting the benefit of due process.)
Zhao Yunlan steps between the Envoy and the SID and waves Guo Changcheng away (or waves to the others to shut Guo Changcheng up?) before this turns into a diplomatic incident. He looks none too happy about doing it, but he uses all his flirty wiles. His voice softens, he leans forward and smiles slightly, and he switches from Hei Pao Shi to Hei-laoge (often translated as "Old Brother Black", a more informal/familiar term than the Envoy's "xiong").
Zhao Yunlan: Hei-laoge, this kid just transferred to our office. He doesn't have much sense or experience.
黑老哥这小孩是我们处刚调来的，也不懂事，也没什么见识
For my sake, please don't be offended.
看在兄弟的份上，别见怪
(He refers to himself as "xiongdi" here (mirroring the Envoy's earlier Zhao-xiong?). According to wiktionary, xiongdi is (figuratively) brothers; close friends; good friends.)
The Envoy, who is standing side on, turns only his head and takes this opportunity to give Zhao Yunlan some advice from on high, basically telling him to get his house in order.
The Envoy: Zhao-xiong, you are the current chief of the Special Investigation Department. You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. You should be more strict with them.
赵兄, 你是这一任特调处的处长，肩上干系重大, 御下不妨再严一些
By the end of that, he's looking away again. Maybe to hide his disappointment, or maybe just out of formality.
Zhao Yunlan: Good idea. I'll go back and educate them.
好说, 我这就回去，好好的教育他们
The Envoy: The weather is changing.
要变天了
Hilariously, Zhao Yunlan looks up at the sky, as if taking this literally.
The Envoy: (cont.) If my suspicion is correct, we will be seeing each other again soon.
若本使猜的没错的话 我们很快还会见面的
Crisis averted (and perhaps with the criticism giving him some indigestion), Zhao Yunlan's tone goes brittle again, and he reverts to insincere collegiality.
Zhao Yunlan: We have a good relationship.
那感情好啊
Zhao Yunlan: (cont.) Next time you should come earlier, and I'll prepare a pot of good tea for you.
下一次黑袍使来早一点，我一定给你准备一壶上好的茶 (Back to Hei Pao Shi here, and ending with a cool kind of schmoozing. In other words, not a very warm welcome, despite the offer.)
Guo Changcheng is hyperventilating, but manages to stay quiet. Zhao Yunlan is practically holding his breath. The Envoy turns to go without another word.
Zhao Yunlan lets out a breath and thanks his stars that they didn't all just get smited.
Chu Shuzhi offers a subtle bow, and the Envoy takes the frozen Shadow Man and departs through a really quite unnecessarily high-up portal.
Zhao Yunlan looks up at the portal without enthusiasm. Time starts up on campus again. (I'm guessing the localised time-freeze was to give Shen Wei an opportunity to have Professor Shen blink out of existence without his absence being noticed.)
Guo Changcheng goes over to Zhao Yunlan.
Guo Changcheng: Chief Zhao, he took the shadow. We're not going to do anything?
赵处，他把人带走了，我们不管吗
Zhao Yunlan: Not at all. Go concern yourself with it. I'll watch.
管！当然得管了！你去管管我看看？
Da Qing steps in and gives xiao-Guo and us some exposition.
Da Qing: Xiao-Guo, I'll tell you. Tens of thousands of years ago when Dixing lost the war, the Haixing and Dixing peoples signed a peace treaty.
小郭，我告诉你啊, 当年地星人战败, 海星人和地星人签订了和平条约
We can capture them, but we cannot oversee them. We have to hand them over "there" to be dealt with.
地星人我们可以抓，但是管不了, 该怎么办，还得交给那边来处理
While Da Qing's speaking, Zhao Yunlan walks off a couple of paces and tries to recover his inner cool. Then he waves Li Qian out of her daze. Throughout this whole scene, she's been standing in the background, mostly obscured by the Envoy.
Zhao Yunlan: (to Li Qian) Where's Professor Shen?
你们家沈教授呢
Li Qian: *gasps* Professor Shen!
沈教授
She and Zhao Yunlan run to the parapet and look down.
Please link to any fanworks you know of that deal with Zhao Yunlan meeting the Envoy for the first time, either in this scene or in AUs! Also, any meta or analysis about this scene. Self-recs welcome and encouraged. *makes grabby hands at links*
Come and discuss this scene! :-) Links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old, are very much appreciated. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about this scene.
Apologies in advance for the truly self-indulgent number of screencaps! Click for bigger versions.
The Envoy's first appearance summary
Note: English subs are a lightly edited blend of original subs and Viki subs; Chinese subs are from Viki.
Running from the Shadow Man, Professor Shen leads Li Qian by the wrist onto the rooftop. The Shadow Man follows.
Shen Wei and Li Qian stop to face him. Shen Wei is looking fierce and implacable, and Li Qian is cowering behind him, clutching his right arm.
The Shadow Man flexes his claws threateningly. (In the background, there's a cityscape, including moving vehicles. This is happening right in the centre of human habitation/activity.) Shen Wei stares him down, calculating exactly what he'll have to do to defeat him.
When the Shadow Man runs towards them, he vanishes briefly and rematerialises closer. (I'm not sure what that's about. Maybe just the way he seems to dissolve when he's moving too fast?)
Shen Wei is just about to summon his glaive, I think? when he hears the SID approaching and makes a split second decision.
He shoves Li Qian back, dodges a few of the Shadow Man's swipes towards his face, then lets himself be knocked from the rooftop. He goes flying. Li Qian runs to the parapet and screams, "Professor Shen!" (沈教授). When she looks down, there's no sign of him among the trees and bushes.
But there's no time for her to react to that, because the Shadow Man attacks. He hooks the Sundial from around her neck as she backs away.
Just then, Chu Shuzhi arrives and heroically stops the Shadow Man with his puppet strings. Chu Shuzhi rolls and uses the momentum to slam the Shadow Man into a structure, stunning him. Li Qian is terrified but unhurt.
Li Qian looks up at her saviour Chu Shuzhi, then slowly stands. She's obviously traumatised and out of it.
The rest of the SID arrive -- Zhao Yunlan, Da Qing, Guo Changcheng and Lin Jing. Lin Jing films the Shadow Man (and later, more discreetly, the Envoy) with his phone.
Zhao Yunlan picks up the Sundial pendant and goes to sit casually on a pipe, in full smartarse mode even before the Envoy arrives.
Zhao Yunlan: (to the Shadow Man) Friend, if you're done having fun up here, it's time to go back.
朋友玩够了也该回去了吧
You're not thinking of making me refund your travel expenses, are you? That's taking it too far.
你不会是想回去的路费，也找我报销吧, 过分啊
(to Li Qian, holding out the Sundial) It's yours.
你的
Li Qian rushes forward and snatches the Sundial, then clutches it to her.
The Shadow Man starts to get up, and Zhao Yunlan stands, his casual manner falling away. The rest of the SID look nervous, too, except for Chu Shuzhi, who's on alert.
Then the sky goes dark, wind whips embers or wisps of dark energy through the air, lightning and thunder crack and growl, and time seems to stop.
Zhao Yunlan figures out what's happening, ducks his head and scratches the back of his neck, and thinks, "Ugh, how is this my life? Don't I have enough to deal with?"
The Envoy arrives like a curved bolt of lightning, blade already in hand. He slams the butt of his glaive on the roof, and it sends ice to encase the Shadow Man before he can cause more trouble. (Interestingly, the Shadow Man doesn't really react to the Envoy's arrival. Maybe he's got a concussion.) Cue lots of very dramatic Envoy shots.
Chu Shuzhi pushes Guo Changcheng into a deep bow, at once displaying his respect for the Envoy by proxy and putting the kid in his place. (I love that!) Lin Jing and Da Qing keep their eyes lowered, nervously respectful.
Zhao Yunlan starts talking before the Shadow Man's ice has even set, as if he wants to undercut the theatrics. The Envoy still has his back to him.
Zhao Yunlan: Black-Cloaked Envoy, this is the first time you've come to give me guidance since I became chief.
我接任处长之后，这还是黑袍使首次莅临指导
Slouching there with his thumbs in his front pockets. Oh, Zhao Yunlan!
Did you find it difficult to travel here? Or maybe you forgot the way?
黑袍使来的时候路不好找吧？还是忘了路怎么走?
The Envoy dematerialises his glaive.
The Envoy: Dixingren escaping to the surface and wreaking havoc is my fault.
地星人偷上地面作乱，是本使疏忽
I think his taking responsibility is a concession, an attempt to meet Zhao Yunlan halfway. Alas, Zhao Yunlan only responds with more snark, his voice hard. The Envoy is still facing away, and Zhao Yunlan is side-on, looking to his team and then to the Envoy's back.
Zhao Yunlan: Not at all. You're just giving us an opportunity to increase our knowledge. After all, on the surface, how many Dixingren can we meet?
哪里话? 您这是想让我们几个长长见识，毕竟在这个世上能见到几个地星人啊?
This sounds like there have been few, if any cases involving Dixingren in the last three years. (What has the SID been doing with itself all that time? Kicking its heels?) And Zhao Yunlan sounds like he's met almost no Dixingren aside from Chu Shuzhi.
The Envoy: (turning to face Zhao Yunlan) I was delayed by other matters and inadvertently arrived late. I hope Zhao-xiong will understand.
本使冗务缠身，不慎来迟一步，还望赵兄见谅
Xiong is a formal/respectful term for brother/friend, perhaps an invitation for Zhao Yunlan to reciprocate with a similar address? But Zhao Yunlan stubbornly sticks to the Envoy's full title, Hei Pao Shi (黑袍使). (Note: all my observations on address terms and etiquette are based on what I've gleaned in passing -- please feel free to correct me!)
Zhao Yunlan: It's no problem. You're afraid we're too bored and lazy these days, aren't you?
没事黑袍使也是怕我们几个太闲了，对吧
Their eyes meet for the first time (as far as Zhao Yunlan knows, anyway), and they stare at each other for nearly 10 seconds.
The Envoy looks stern, probably to hide his disappointment, and Zhao Yunlan answers that with silence defiance. Finally the Envoy gestures to the Shadow Man.
The Envoy: If I may?
不介意吧
Zhao Yunlan: Go ahead.
请便
He's already turning away as he says it, rudely dismissing the Envoy. The Envoy turns away too, but before he can leave, Guo Changcheng kind of quacks a question. Lin Jing and Da Qing eye him with dismay. The Envoy turns back.
Zhao Yunlan looks over his shoulder, sees what's happening, and immediately switches into damage-control mode.
The Envoy: Young man, you have something to say?
小朋友你有意见吗
He probably sees all his most hapless students when he looks at xiao-Guo, but the others aren't to know that.
Guo Changcheng grabs Chu Shuzhi like a lifeline. I'm so proud of him for speaking out, though. (You could read it as thinking Haixing should get to put its enemies on trial itself, but I always interpret it as concern about the Shadow Man getting the benefit of due process.)
Zhao Yunlan steps between the Envoy and the SID and waves Guo Changcheng away (or waves to the others to shut Guo Changcheng up?) before this turns into a diplomatic incident. He looks none too happy about doing it, but he uses all his flirty wiles. His voice softens, he leans forward and smiles slightly, and he switches from Hei Pao Shi to Hei-laoge (often translated as "Old Brother Black", a more informal/familiar term than the Envoy's "xiong").
Zhao Yunlan: Hei-laoge, this kid just transferred to our office. He doesn't have much sense or experience.
黑老哥这小孩是我们处刚调来的，也不懂事，也没什么见识
For my sake, please don't be offended.
看在兄弟的份上，别见怪
(He refers to himself as "xiongdi" here (mirroring the Envoy's earlier Zhao-xiong?). According to wiktionary, xiongdi is (figuratively) brothers; close friends; good friends.)
The Envoy, who is standing side on, turns only his head and takes this opportunity to give Zhao Yunlan some advice from on high, basically telling him to get his house in order.
The Envoy: Zhao-xiong, you are the current chief of the Special Investigation Department. You have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. You should be more strict with them.
赵兄, 你是这一任特调处的处长，肩上干系重大, 御下不妨再严一些
By the end of that, he's looking away again. Maybe to hide his disappointment, or maybe just out of formality.
Zhao Yunlan: Good idea. I'll go back and educate them.
好说, 我这就回去，好好的教育他们
The Envoy: The weather is changing.
要变天了
Hilariously, Zhao Yunlan looks up at the sky, as if taking this literally.
The Envoy: (cont.) If my suspicion is correct, we will be seeing each other again soon.
若本使猜的没错的话 我们很快还会见面的
Crisis averted (and perhaps with the criticism giving him some indigestion), Zhao Yunlan's tone goes brittle again, and he reverts to insincere collegiality.
Zhao Yunlan: We have a good relationship.
那感情好啊
Zhao Yunlan: (cont.) Next time you should come earlier, and I'll prepare a pot of good tea for you.
下一次黑袍使来早一点，我一定给你准备一壶上好的茶 (Back to Hei Pao Shi here, and ending with a cool kind of schmoozing. In other words, not a very warm welcome, despite the offer.)
Guo Changcheng is hyperventilating, but manages to stay quiet. Zhao Yunlan is practically holding his breath. The Envoy turns to go without another word.
Zhao Yunlan lets out a breath and thanks his stars that they didn't all just get smited.
Chu Shuzhi offers a subtle bow, and the Envoy takes the frozen Shadow Man and departs through a really quite unnecessarily high-up portal.
Zhao Yunlan looks up at the portal without enthusiasm. Time starts up on campus again. (I'm guessing the localised time-freeze was to give Shen Wei an opportunity to have Professor Shen blink out of existence without his absence being noticed.)
Guo Changcheng goes over to Zhao Yunlan.
Guo Changcheng: Chief Zhao, he took the shadow. We're not going to do anything?
赵处，他把人带走了，我们不管吗
Zhao Yunlan: Not at all. Go concern yourself with it. I'll watch.
管！当然得管了！你去管管我看看？
Da Qing steps in and gives xiao-Guo and us some exposition.
Da Qing: Xiao-Guo, I'll tell you. Tens of thousands of years ago when Dixing lost the war, the Haixing and Dixing peoples signed a peace treaty.
小郭，我告诉你啊, 当年地星人战败, 海星人和地星人签订了和平条约
We can capture them, but we cannot oversee them. We have to hand them over "there" to be dealt with.
地星人我们可以抓，但是管不了, 该怎么办，还得交给那边来处理
While Da Qing's speaking, Zhao Yunlan walks off a couple of paces and tries to recover his inner cool. Then he waves Li Qian out of her daze. Throughout this whole scene, she's been standing in the background, mostly obscured by the Envoy.
Zhao Yunlan: (to Li Qian) Where's Professor Shen?
你们家沈教授呢
Li Qian: *gasps* Professor Shen!
沈教授
She and Zhao Yunlan run to the parapet and look down.
Observations
- This is the Envoy's first appearance since Zhao Yunlan became chief, but he recognises him instantly. Presumably a description of the Envoy is part of the briefing when a new chief takes over. And if Zhao Xinci provided the description, it may be more than a little caustic.
- Zhao Yunlan seems to accept the Envoy's dramatic entrance -- and the existence of the Shadow Man -- with frustration and maybe distaste, but no fear. I wonder how much his sangfroid is performance versus how much he's inured to seeing awesome powers. If he hasn't had a chance to get used to Dixingren and their abilities, maybe some of his hostility towards the Envoy is association with Dixingren generally, including his mother's murderer.
- Alternatively, if Zhao Yunlan's still clinging to his childhood ideals of "why can't we all just get along" and he sees the Envoy as an implacable enforcer of the treaty, that's another area of potential conflict.
- As discussed on the car singing scene post, the Envoy may have only ended his long absence because, as Professor Shen, he recognised Li Qian's necklace for what it is and was worried about the Hallows' reappearance.
Fanworks
Please link to any fanworks you know of that deal with Zhao Yunlan meeting the Envoy for the first time, either in this scene or in AUs! Also, any meta or analysis about this scene. Self-recs welcome and encouraged. *makes grabby hands at links*
Questions
- On a scale of 1 to 1000, how rude was Zhao Yunlan to the Envoy?
- On a scale of 1 to 1000, how disappointed is the Envoy in Zhao Yunlan?
- The Shadow Man is shown in later episodes to be an okay kind of guy, and here he takes Li Qian's necklace without hurting her. Why did he kill Lu Ruomei? Was it an accident, or did Professor Shen's glaring here instill some restraint in him?
- What do you think Chu Shuzhi is thinking/feeling throughout this exchange?
Come and discuss this scene! :-) Links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old, are very much appreciated. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about this scene.
no subject
要变天了
This was a surprising translation choice to me! :) I might have gone with just, "Things are changing," because I completely agree with you that this is an early reference to the lantern and all the holy tools! I feel like that was deliberate! ♥ (I definitely didn't hear it as weather; totally with you on sky/god.)
This way of saying "things are changing" seems (to me, a non-native, non-fluent speaker) to imply that "things are changing because heaven wills it," right, like the gods are whimsical and thus things change, and to me that seems like a very defensible linguistic connection to the holy tools or "tools of heaven." :)
no subject