sid_guardian | GUARDIAN REWATCH

Beginning of episode: Cong Bo snoops through university camera feeds for dirt on Shen Wei
Ending of episode: Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are in Dixing | Zhao Xinci arrives to investigate the SID

Important scenes/developments:

Cong Bo finds the feed from the hidden cam in Shen Wei's office and sees him use his powers.
Shen Wei receives a smoke messenger from the Regent saying the Dijun's Register is missing.
Cong Bo takes his blackmail material to Zhao Yunlan and gives him three days to go public.
At Zhao Yunlan's flat, Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei apologise to each other and make a plan to deal with Cong Bo.
Cong Bo gets his comeuppance and conversion.
Zhu Jiu is a) still healing and b) rude to Ya Qing.
Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei toast their success, Shen Wei explains his power of learning, and Zhao Yunlan gets him to clean the flat (again).
In the SID lab, Zhao Yunlan contemplates some one-on-one with the Hallows, but Shen Wei interrupts.
Zhu Hong is drunk and sad.
The Regent arrives in Dragon City, is creepy at Guo Changcheng and makes his way to the SID.
Where Chu Shuzhi immediately attacks him.
The Regent is creepy at everyone else, especially Wang Zheng.
Shen Wei arrives in full plain-clothes Envoy mode and yells at the Regent for losing the Dijun's Register.
Zhao Yunlan decides to go to Dixing, despite Shen Wei's best arguments.
The Xingdu Bureau is sending an inspector, so the SID decide Guo Changcheng should pretend to be Chief Zhao.
Shen Wei shows Zhao Yunlan the gate to Dixing, and they go through it.
In the gate, Zhao Yunlan has visions of his parents arguing.
Zhao Yunlan's first introduction to the streets of Dixing.
Zhu Jiu and Bao Laosan plan an attack.
Zhao Xinci arrives to inspect the SID.

Thoughts

This episode starts with both leads facing problems that spill over to affect the other: Shen Wei is trying and failing to get information from the Regent, and orders the Dijun's Register to be brought to him, not realising that it's missing and the Regent will appeal to the SID for help recovering it. And Zhao Yunlan is being blackmailed with footage of Shen Wei captured via Haixing technology that he himself put in place. These are both problems best solved together, and in particular, if Shen Wei hadn't joined the SID by now, he might not have heard about the Regent's visit and the subsequent field trip to Dixing until it was too late, so phew!

Shen Wei's fringe is a little weird in the first scene in his office. And is that Xiao Quan?

Shen Wei has asked the Regent about Zhu Jiu and (presumably) Ye Zun. This is the reply:
Smoke Messenger System: The Regent still can't find out the relationship between Zhu Jiu and that man. We also don't know what use the Hallows are to them. 摄政官大人暂时查不出烛九和那位的关系也不知道人类的圣器对他们有什么作用
Shen Wei: What about the origin of Zhu Jiu, his background and ability type? It's impossible that there is no trace. 那烛九的来历渊源能力范畴总不会无迹可寻吧
SMS: He said he was too old to remember clearly.他说年纪太大了记不清楚事了
Shen Wei: *unimpressed curl of lips* I'll give him three days. 我给他三天的时间
(A couple of lines elided.) I love everything about the smoke messenger -- it's practical and eerie and very cool.

Cong Bo takes his blackmail material to Zhao Yunlan, who responds with, "And have you ever wondered whether your so-called truths are really true or not?" 那你有没有想过你这些所谓的真相究竟是不是事实 -- one of the themes of the show! Also, Zhao Yunlan is totally bluffing here: there's no error or elision in the footage of Shen Wei, but they later manage to use Cong Bo's other mistakes to clear Shen Wei by inference. (Ooh, imagine if Cong Bo had shown up with this a week ago, before the Zheng Yi case!!)

Also also, Zhao Yunlan has changed his hair(!!!!!) (because he's in love).

The apology scene!! *flails like Kermit* Shen Wei isn't wearing his glasses, and I can't get over Zhao Yunlan managing to sprawl on stools, and then sitting on the couch like that. asd;lfkajsdf I've metaed about this before, so I'm just going to include some of that here, updated with my current thinking.
Feel free to skip!

I don't read Zhao Yunlan as at all casual at the beginning. He's trying to read Shen Wei's reaction to see if it's anger or something else. He knows he's fucked up. I think he half-expects Shen Wei to be disappointed in him, maybe even to stalk off like he did after the failed old-books affair, or to want to.

And then Shen Wei apologises (which I always attribute to a cultural expectation of self-criticism), and Zhao Yunlan's own apology is derailed by telling him IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT! Like, he looks like Shen Wei's apology physically hurts him.

When Zhao Yunlan does explain why it's his fault, he seems annoyed/reproachful enough at himself that I think it's easy for Shen Wei to let it go? Shen Wei doesn't say "It's not your fault." He lets Zhao Yunlan's apology stand and shifts the conversation from blame to "we need a solution."

And oh, I love how Zhao Yunlan is being so genuine. There's none of his usual performance or bluster, none of the IN YOUR FACE of the previous episode. He's giving Shen Wei plenty of space to have all the emotion/anger/disappointment-in-him he wants. He doesn't move closer until Shen Wei implies the apologies are over.

And even when Zhao Yunlan starts talking about the solution, he's not being arch and "I'm so smart." They're both being so real! <3 <3 <3

Cong Bo gets his comeuppance and conversion. I've metaed this before, too.
Again, feel free to skip!

This is from an old email, and I wove it into all your tomorrows, but here's the cleaned-up meta version.

The more I think about it, the more I love the fact that Shen Wei is the one with the phone. Because Cong Bo's threat is in an area Shen Wei has no way of dealing with via his own MO, and Zhao Yunlan gave him a situation-appropriate weapon. Shen Wei is the one who wields it, who decides how and when to show the footage to Cong Bo. He doesn't look to Zhao Yunlan for cues. Zhao Yunlan isn't saving him.

Shen Wei is perfectly capable of dealing with distraught/angry people and potential threats -- and Zhao Yunlan gave him the weapon he needed in this particular instance so he could do what he does. *flails a bit*

(Also, I 100% believe Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are deliberately playing good cop/bad cop, but I don't know how much that's just headcanon on my part. :-)

But what I actually wanted to talk about was during and after Zhao Yunlan makes his "come work with us/make up for your fault" pitch, and it's less pronounced than I remember it being from screencapping, and part of it is the slightest of posture shifts as the danger is averted, but I feel like Shen Wei is also secretly really proud of Zhao Yunlan in that moment. Like, thinking: this is what we do, who we are together -- we stop wrong-doing and (just as importantly) we offer a chance at redemption.

There's so much compassion in it -- and to someone who was threatening them real harm! They could have crushed Cong Bo, but they didn't. This is Shen Wei seeing Zhao Yunlan do the equivalent of letting Zheng Yi and Tan Xiao skip off into the sunset together.

Cong Bo's scoops are a lot like the way the show itself provides more information in retrospect to change the context of things.

Zhu Jiu is still healing. Ya Qing shows up and says a Yashou is watching her. Does she mean Ying Chun? Ying Chun's spies? And then more bickering. These two! Zhu Jiu is so frustrated and humiliated by his injury. Now he wants revenge on Zhao Yunlan specifically. /o\

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan toast their success in water, and I cannot with how they're sitting, how warm and intimate this scene is, and ALL OF IT!!

I feel like ZYL finally drops his performance here and in the apology scene. Like, here, he's still gently teasing, but it's much more genuine and soft, and I think Shen Wei gets that, and that's why he's prepared to relax and reveal things about himself. asdlkfjasdlfkajsdlfkasdf
More recycled meta. Feel free to skip!

I don't think this second request for compensation is a joke -- I think it's another apology. Like, literally a do-over, dressed up as a game. They deal with the Cong Bo stuff, and it's resolved between them (and in general). Then talk about Shen Wei's powers. And then there's a pause while Shen Wei does his "with great power comes great responsibility" inner monologue and Zhao Yunlan looks meditative (and super-hot *ahem*).

And I think Zhao Yunlan is thinking, while he skates his thumb over his teeth, that they've put "Shen Wei being annoyed with him" behind them and the Cong Bo thing behind them, but there's still the unresolved moment of Shen Wei's overt anger at being pressured/cornered into joining the SID. What happened in that moment? Zhao Yunlan doesn't have the full context for it, but he knows he fucked it up. So I think his request for compensation is transparently and deliberately inappropriate, because the point of it is to re-enact that scene and show that he's learning, he's paying attention, he wants to get this right.

(The request is shameless, but it's also a personal request, nothing to do with work, and he's asking Shen Wei to do something that Shen Wei has done before voluntarily. And there's an element of "make yourself at home/make my place comfortable for yourself," even if it is dressed up as "clean up for me." (I really don't think Zhao Yunlan cares at all whether his flat is tidy, so it's not really payment in that sense.))

And Shen Wei playing along with the request is him accepting the apology. At which point Zhao Yunlan does get slightly "I'm going to milk this," but it's only a tiny bit. Their jagged edges are smoothed.

Also, you know, the apartment is really not that messy at that point. There's probably, like, half a dozen pieces of clothing on the floor and the bed is unmade. It's nowhere near the horrific disaster zone of episode 8.

Also also, the bit when Zhao Yunlan is asking about Shen Wei's power and being all interested in Shen Wei and warm and complimentary is so very Kunlun-esque, I can't imagine that doesn't take the sting out of everything else ever, as far as Shen Wei is concerned. And I'm sure Zhao Yunlan's shamelessness and mischievous side is part of what Shen Wei loves about him. So the compensation request might actually feel pretty good from his POV?

That last grin from the couch is totally "You love me because I'm shameless, right?" :D :D :D

Zhao Yunlan in the SID lab, contemplating groping the Hallows even though he recently passed out TWICE from touching the Awl. I really like that he's thought it through, though, and decided the stakes are high enough to justify it. ♥

And then Shen Wei catches him in the act, giving him a scare. (Does Shen Wei physically force him to put the case back? Hee!) (Also, is it just me, or does Shen Wei's outfit here resemble Ye Zun's fake!Shen Wei outfit from ep 34?)

ZYL: But you also told me there is still another powerful dark force hiding behind Zhu Jiu, and he is coveting these Hallows. A war concerning the survival of the world can be triggered anytime. And now, only I can activate the Hallows. What else can we do despite using this silly method to detect the other two Hallows?
可也是你亲口告诉我的呀在烛九的背后有一个强大的黑暗势力一直在觊觎着圣器随时会引发一场关乎世界存亡的大战而现在只有我可以触发圣器的共鸣除了用这种笨的方法去探索另外两件圣器我们还能怎么办

Which is fair, right? And we see Shen Wei realise that this is another cost of his secrets, given Zhao Yunlan's insatiable need to act and protect.

Also, Shen Wei's plan to let Zhu Jiu and co find the other Hallows first is strategically sound so long as the other Hallows don't make the baddies super-powerful and harder to catch! People do die as a result of this strategy. But anyway, Zhao Yunlan accepts it and invites Shen Wei out for dinner instead. (as;ldkfjasd;lkfasfhlkdjsfh at what TOTAL PARTNERS they are, conferring together, and that arm clasp and Shen Wei reminding Zhao Yunlan he doesn't drink. :D :D :D :D :D)

Also also, Zhao Yunlan is transparently still getting his head around Shen Wei's identities. When Shen Wei catches him going for the Hallows, Zhao Yunlan says, "Hei-laoge, as expected, it's impossible to hide anything from you." And when Shen Wei suggests an alternate plan, he says, "Professor, as expected, grasping the whole picture and looking for long-term solutions." :D

Zhu Hong is such a messy drunk, aww. The show might be censored, but she knows the truth. And she's sad enough to want to drink with Xiao Guo a lot. (Is he even drinking?) (How is he so clueless?) Da Qing has empathy.

Zhu Hong drunk dials Zhao Yunlan without dialling. *pets her*

The Regent arrives in Dragon City in Haixing clothes. (Some speculative discussion here about that.) He's almost hit by a delivery truck, literally falls down, but doesn't make a fuss about it. This may be his most likeable moment in the whole show. Changcheng, who's walking along reading "Close Quarter Combat" (yay for dual-language titles!) helps him up. LOL at him telling Changcheng he's as a fit as a fiddle: that's the opposite of what he tells anyone else ever.

GCC: I'm running late.
Regent:

Ahhhh, Chu Shuzhi loses his cool and grabs the Regent, apparently his mortal enemy, and the Regent is so smug about it.

And then ZYL comes out and yells at Chu Shuzhi, and is all schmoozy with the Regent, and Chu Shuzhi is completely incensed and betrayed. Aww!! But there's a beat before Zhao Yunlan follows the others inside where he's clearly assimilating all this info and not really trusting the Regent. And once inside, he just sits on the couch and observes in a really-not-appropriate-for-a-diplomatic-occasion way.

The Regent is awful, exclaiming at Wang Zheng's prettiness. /o\ Everyone's perplexed and uncomfortable. Zhu Hong explains Dixing's governance to Lin Jing. Zhao Yunlan eats a lollipop and waits for more info. (He has to be taking CSZ's reaction into account, right?)

And what is Xiao Guo thinking? He's physically aligned himself with CSZ, but he must be shocked by the assault.

The moment the Regent mentions the Dijun's Register, Shen Wei arrives and, without missing a beat, demands to know what happened to it. He's so unsurprised I almost wonder if Zhao Yunlan spilled the secret of the Regent's visit over dinner the night before (but I don't really think that).

Zhao Yunlan cutting off the Regent's reveal! ♥ Shen Wei being pissed off! ♥

Da Qing starting to give CSZ's backstory, and Chu Shuzhi glaring him into silence! ♥

Zhao Yunlan's office: on the face of it, it's so shocking to see this elder grovelling to seemingly-young Shen Wei. And Zhao Yunlan is watching Shen Wei like a hawk, still figuring him out. (And also, still acting like uncovering Shen Wei's secret identity was a game and Shen Wei cheated by intercepting the Regent's letter.)

Then the Regent actually starts hitting himself, and Zhao Yunlan can't take it anymore and tries to defuse the situation. Shen Wei yells at him, and Zhao Yunlan freezes -- hee! And then loses his composure. And then, not long after, Zhao Yunlan coughs to warn of Da Qing's approach, and Shen Wei instantly understands and switches gears, and I love it. :D :D :D

Da Qing is trying to be discreet, but Zhao Yunlan is weirdly cavalier about the Regent knowing their business. Meanwhile, Shen Wei is sitting in his chair like it's a throne. :D :D :D

ZYL: I'm going to Dixing.
DQ: (to ZYL) Are you crazy?
Regent: (to ZYL) Thank you.
Shen Wei: (to ZYL) You can't go. (He's so Envoy! What must Da Qing be thinking? And what is the Regent making of this charade?)

I'm generally a Zhao Yunlan apologist, but I do think he's being unfair here: Shen Wei warns of danger, and Zhao Yunlan's attitude is basically "I'll be fine because you can take care of me! It's an adventure! (And I really don't want to see my dad!)" But Shen Wei isn't all-powerful. He's assessed it as unsafe, and as it turns out, he's right to be alarmed.

I guess, in Zhao Yunlan's defence, he must figure the Regent wouldn't have invited him it were really dangerous. This is probably just Hanga Caves level dangerous: 7/10, would risk again.

Once Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei and the Regent have gone, we see the SID team unenthusiastically (except for Xiao Guo) cleaning for their inspection.

GCC: Personally, I feel Professor Shen is quite impressive. Not just like a normal professor.
And Lin Jing's reaction, considering and then nodding. Everyone can tell Shen Wei is special. :D

Oh no, the inspector is coming early. I love Da Qing's line, "I thought we could wait for Lao Zhao's return. It's all over now. If this unit is closed down, my dried fish and big treehouse will be gone." 本来还想着等老赵回来这下完蛋了部门没有了小鱼干和大树屋也没有了 So cat! ♥ And then it's Wang Zheng who thinks of using a stand-in, and Chu Shuzhi who volunteers Changcheng. :D

Shen Wei, the Regent and Zhao Yunlan at the portal.

Zhao Yunlan tactlessly says Shen Wei's vision is uncomfortable. (*facepalm*) Shen Wei thinks something's off, but when Zhao Yunlan says to keep going, he does without hesitation.

The portal vision. Poor Yunlan! :-(

Zhao Yunlan arrives in Dixing off-balance from the vision and finds the Envoy in Dixing awe-inspiring. (Ya think?!)

I'm intrigued by the office-block-looking windows behind them. Does Dixing have corporations?

Walking through the streets, he assures Shen Wei, "I'm not afraid. I just thought--" and then interrupts himself. (What was he going to say??) He learns for the first time that Dixing is in darkness.

Shen Wei's saying "Fortunately, light is not a necessity for the people who live here" reminded me of the kitchen scene, with him saying, "Fortunately, I'm used to being hurt," but I checked the characters and they're different "fortunately"s.

He explains about Dixing not having time, too, but he doesn't say that's why they need the Hallows back.

Changcheng pretending to be Zhao Yunlan! Hee! I really love that quote: "There's no tension that can't be relieved by a lollipop. If there is, try two." Words to live by, and an insight into all Zhao Yunlan's constant lollipopping!

This must be Zhao Xinci's first visit to the SID, since only Da Qing seems to know him. He's curt and impatient, and strides into the back. The episode ends with Da Qing whispering the truth to Zhu Hong.

Discussion starters:

What's your favourite line of dialogue from this episode? Favourite moment or scene? I'm finding it so hard to choose.

Do you have any thoughts about the nature of the smoke messenger? Is it essentially automated? Is it the dark-energy equivalent of AI? Can it convey objects or just information?

What does Zhao Yunlan tell the SID, and in particular Lin Jing, about the Cong Bo threat? Something serious enough to justify deleting all his files, but not so terrible that they baulk at his recruitment to the SID. (Fwiw, I once did a poll question about this.)

When the Regent first arrives in Dragon City, he says, "The cars on the surface are so different." Does he mean there are cars in Dixing, too (or car-like things), or is he comparing them to last time he was in Haixing?

What's up with the portal visions? Why do they happen? Do they only affect Zhao Yunlan, or is it everyone?

The palace guard greet the Envoy as a leader. Does Shen Wei command them? To what extent?

How much of the "missing Register / Zhao Yunlan goes to Dixing" situation did Ye Zun orchestrate? We know Ding Dun was working with Zhu Jiu, and he's the one who stole the book. Did Ye Zun guess Shen Wei would ask for it? Did the Deacon encourage the Regent to turn to the SID for help?

At the Locust Tree Gate, Zhao Yunlan says, "Huh? You said this is the only passageway, and only you two are allowed to go through freely. So where did those escaped Dixingren come from?" 你说这儿是唯一通道只有你们两个人可以自由穿梭这一扇门那之前逃逸的那些地星人他们是从哪来的 The Regent replies, "This... Well... This is the question we are trying to answer." 这个这个嘛这也是我们正在调查的问题 But afaicr we never really find out. Do you have any ideas?

Was Zhao Yunlan actually comfortable balanced on that bar stool, or was it just for show?

Let’s talk about episode 15!
Come and talk about this episode – anything from favourite scenes or lines of dialogue to notes/questions about continuity or translation, most gorgeous (or angsty) smile, or anything else that strikes your fancy! And share links to your own and/or others’ episode-related meta, picspams, and fanworks, new or old!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It’s so funny to me just how much incriminating behavior Shen Wei exhibits right after Cong Bo gains access to the feed.

Right? Talk about perfect timing! *g*

I am shocked and appalled at the abysmal cyber security in this episode; I might need to rant a little.

Yeah, they're all criminally careless! Honestly, Cong Bo not even having backups is what shocks me the most.

What exactly are they showing Cang Bo on the phone to prove the error of his ways? Do we know? The flashbacks read to me as for the viewer rather than in-universe due to the visual effects, and there’s no explanation where they would have gotten that footage. But I don’t know what else they could be showing him either.

Huh, I always thought it was the flashbacks, though where they could have got such footage I can't imagine. At the very least it has to be something that proves what the flashbacks show ... and I don't see how anything else could do that so quickly.

Interesting that he assigns a greater priority to maintaining authority in front of the regent than to keeping up appearances for the SID.

Right? It's absolutely fascinating!

Heipaoshi all authoritative and intimidating is so hot.

He really, really is! ♥ ♥ ♥

And why can’t they just tell Zhao Xinci that the boss is not here right now? It’s a surprise inspection; the bureau can’t expect everyone to be present when they drop by unannounced.

Yeah, they could at least stall for time - and I don't see how that's riskier than someone actively pretending to be Zhao Yunlan! (Especially someone who doesn't have even a bit of Zhao Yunlan's disreputable look!)

Yeah, they could at least stall for time - and I don't see how that's riskier than someone actively pretending to be Zhao Yunlan! (Especially someone who doesn't have even a bit of Zhao Yunlan's disreputable look!)

Right? What a terrible plan. Even if it worked, it could land them in hot water long-term - what if the surprise inspector drops by again in the future and meets the real Zhao Yunlan then?

Yeah, I really don't think any of them is thinking past the immediate moment right now. No long-term planning at all! *pets them*

GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 15

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