GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 15

[china_shop]

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!

Comments

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[china_shop]

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[autodach]

Cong Bo finds the feed from the hidden cam in Shen Wei's office and sees him use his powers

It’s so funny to me just how much incriminating behavior Shen Wei exhibits right after Cong Bo gains access to the feed. There’s probably nothing unusual going on in this office on almost any other day. But here he uses a power to shut the door, summons a sword, and receives a smoke messenger in the span of 80 seconds. To round it off, his demeanor changes very obviously between Heipaoshi and Prof. Shen.


I am shocked and appalled at the abysmal cyber security in this episode; I might need to rant a little.
Here’s what I take issue with:

•The SID uses an unsecured camera feed.

•Cong Bo has no measures in place to prevent the hack being traced back to him.
I deduce this from how easily he is traced and from how surprised he reacts. He really thought he can hack the SID and they just won’t do anything about it.

•He keeps incriminating evidence on the same computer he uses for hacking when really there should be nothing on this machine.
I bet he is connected to his home wi-fi too for good measure.

•Cong Bo has no backups of his super-important files.
He should have several, including at least one in offline storage.

It's sad, really.


Cong Bo gets his comeuppance and conversion

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.


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

Yeees! I love the Parted Hair of Marriage <3


The Regent arrives in Dragon City, is creepy at Guo Changcheng and makes his way to the SID

What is the regent trying to achieve with his behavior towards Xiao Guo? He seems to gain nothing from messing with him.


Shen Wei is clearly in his Heipaoshi persona as soon as he spots the regent. Interesting that he assigns a greater priority to maintaining authority in front of the regent than to keeping up appearances for the SID.


I guess, in Zhao Yunlan's defence, he must figure the Regent wouldn't have invited him it were really dangerous

Yes I think so too. He probably assumes Shen Wei is being overly cautious. He should have caught on once Shen Wei literally smells the danger at the gate, though.


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

Heipaoshi all authoritative and intimidating is so hot. I love his dramatic little gesture to the guards.


The Xingdu Bureau is sending an inspector, so the SID decide Guo Changcheng should pretend to be Chief Zhao

If I understood correctly, Zhao Yunlan leaves hastily to avoid running into his father. But then the others say things like “he’s not back yet, what do we do” like that wasn’t the whole reason he left? At least Da Qing must know this.
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.

[trobadora]

Great post again! And such a great episode! *flails*

Cong Bo discovering the camera feed makes me wonder - has Zhao Yunlan just completely forgotten about it? Did he ever actually watch the feed after installing it? It can't have been on his mind much. (Would he have removed it if he'd remembered? Would he have admitted it to Shen Wei, or gone about it secretly?)

Also, regarding Cong Bo watching the video feed - he's all OMG when he sees Shen Wei use his powers, but it seems like that's more "OMG I actually have this on video" rather than reacting to the powers themselves. I still can't make sense of what actually counts for a big thing with him!

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

Or perhaps it wasn't actually missing at this point, but the Regent didn't want Shen Wei to have it, so he arranged for it to disappear! Honestly, I wouldn't put it past him.

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!

Do you think Zhao Yunlan would have gone if he hadn't had Shen Wei with him? I think a lot of his overconfidence is related to thinking he's untouchable with Shen Wei by his side. (Would he have taken someone else along?)

And is that Xiao Quan?

Looks like him to me! Yay for consistency in minor characters. :D

I love the immediate switch in Shen Wei's facial expression, body language, and behaviour when he notices the smoke messenger approaching! And then after he dismisses the messenger, from one moment to the next he switches back to Professor Shen mannerisms- So impressive! This episode is really excellent for showing off the contrast between his two personas.

Shen Wei has asked the Regent about Zhu Jiu and (presumably) Ye Zun.

Ah! I was wondering who the "relationship between Zhu Jiu and that man" bit was referring to - Cong Bo might have been possible, but Shen Wei seemed pretty confident last episode that they didn't seem likely associates. But it's also a bit strangely phrased if it's referring to Ye Zun, isn't it?

Regarding the smoke messenger, I love the way Shen Wei tells it to speak quickly and it actually speeds up! Very cool. I also love that he apparently asked about the effects of the hallows on humans! ♥

but they later manage to use Cong Bo's other mistakes to clear Shen Wei by inference.

Clear Shen Wei? I thought they just made sure Cong Bo wouldn't make things public by a) deleting the footage from his drive and b) shaking him out of his smug confidence in his "whistleblower" self-justification.

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

So much love! And not just because Zhao Yunlan looks so much better with the new hairdo, LOL.

Honestly, most of the time I think this is too soon for them to actually get together (though I've written it, and even incorporated the hairstyle change) - and I think that makes it even better. Because they're not even together yet and the change in their relationship is still such a milestone for Zhao Yunlan, and a commitment, even if the committed romantic relationship is only aspired to. ♥ ♥ ♥

Also, I love the way Zhao Yunlan sits there so tensely, not looking at Cong Bo. And he tries to poke at Cong Bo a few times, looking for a potential avenue of attack, but Cong Bo very definitely has the upper hand here.

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

Hee! I love that Shen Wei is without his glasses, and Zhao Yunlan without shoes or socks - they're both in a very informal, private mode. And they're both tense when the scene starts, and it comes out in both their body language in diametrically opposed ways - in how contained Shen Wei sits, how spread-out Zhao Yunlan sits.

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.

Yeah, agreed, all of this!

Shen Wei apologises (which I always attribute to a cultural expectation of self-criticism)

Also agreed!

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."

Yeah, Shen Wei immediately switches to practicalities - and I think some of that is that he's not interested in apportioning blame and more concerned with resolving the situation quickly. He always prioritises the practical. But Zhao Yunlan taking responsibility and being genuine and serious here definitely makes it easier for him. I think if Zhao Yunlan looked like he wasn't taking this seriously, Shen Wei would definitely be furious.

(Also, neither of them mention Shen Wei's job at the uni, which is definitely toast if this comes out. I wonder if Zhao Yunlan even thinks about it in this moment?)

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.

All of this is so good! I love it so much.

Also, I find it fascinating how Shen Wei talks to Cong Bo - it isn't quite his Professor Shen voice, and isn't quite his Envoy voice either; it's somewhere in the middle.

(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. :-)

It's my headcanon too!

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.

Yes! And when Xiao-Guo writes about it in his diary, he basically spells out one of the show's main themes: "The underlying truth of things is not always what we see."

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?

I assumed she meant Ying Chun, yeah.

Zhu Jiu also says "I can't die from a little injury like this" - which emphasizes again that it's a very serious and even potentially fatal injury. Zhu Jiu is really struggling with it!

Another interesting point: Zhu Jiu for some reason is back at the lair where we've previously seen him, which Chu Shuzhi and Shen Wei have also visited. (Presumably Zhu Jiu doesn't know that they know it, and they don't know he's come back ...?)

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.

Yes to all of that!

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.

♥ ♥ ♥

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.

Oh, that's a good point! And also, Shen Wei doesn't answer immediately at first, but wants to know why Zhao Yunlan is asking - and the way Zhao Yunlan answers reassures him.

Oh, and given what Shen Wei says here about his powers ("but it's subject to the restrictions of the Guardian Order and of black energy itself, so what strength I can display here is quite limited") makes it very understandable that Zhao Yunlan thinks nothing can endanger him in Dixing if Shen Wei is with him. He's already so powerful in Haixing!

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. ♥

Yeah, it makes sense here from his point of view!

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!)

I love the little jump he does! (And I always thought he put it back on his own, feeling a bit sheepish at having been caught - he knows Shen Wei won't let him touch the Awl, at least not without Zhao Yunlan making a really good case for why he has to first. Which he then tries to do!)

(Also, is it just me, or does Shen Wei's outfit here resemble Ye Zun's fake!Shen Wei outfit from ep 34?)

Just the colours, I think. But yeah, interesting - there's a parallel between the two scenes that I want to look at more closely at some point ...

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

I thought it was a sign of him getting more comfortable with seeing both sides in one person, addressing Shen Wei as Hei-laoge or Professor as the situation/sentiment warrants and easily moving between the two. ♥

Why do you think Zhao Yunlan doesn't tell Shen Wei the guest they're expecting is the Regent? What does he expect Shen Wei's reaction to be?

Zhu Hong is such a messy drunk, aww. The show might be censored, but she knows the truth.

She's so pink in the face, too! How much beer was that? She can hold her liquor pretty well, after all.

Also, I love Da Qing's "nothing's wrong with you, you've got great body temperature"! CATS OMG. :D

LOL at him telling Changcheng he's as a fit as a fiddle: that's the opposite of what he tells anyone else ever.

Haha, right?

Question: the second time they meet, how does that happen? Xiao-Guo is late for work, so he presumably goes as directly as possible, but the Regent meets him from the other side - does he have a teleportation power, or what?

(oracularmayhem on discord jokingly suggested that his power might be appearing where he's least wanted. Of course he'd be dead by now if that was actually the case! *g*)

The Regent is so weird with Xiao-Guo, messing with him for no reason, making himself look pathetic while also being profoundly creepy with intent. Can he tell this is a SID member? (From the red stamp, maybe?)

If it wasn't Xiao-Guo, I'd also wonder why he wasn't picking up on the Regent clearly being from Dixing, what with talking about being "on the surface" and all!

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

The Regent even deliberately provokes him first, calling him Xiao-Chu and going "long time no see" at him! Can't blame Lao-Chu for losing it. Springing the Regent on him would be bad at any time! And Zhao Yunlan apparently didn't tell anyone he was coming (why?!) - but then he's also very clearly taken aback by Lao-Chu's reaction. Da Qing later implies he understands why Lao-Chu reacted the way he did, but Zhao Yunlan absolutely didn't see this coming, and is rapidly reassessing. (But will still underestimate the Regent for some time.)

The moment the Regent mentions the Dijun 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).

Yeah, I'm sure he didn't - if he had, I don't think Shen Wei would have left the Regent to wander around like this.

IMO Shen Wei, seeing the Regent, has just switched immediately not only into Envoy mode, but into "show absolutely no weakness whatsoever in front of this person" mode, which is why he shows no surprise either. (And Zhao Yunlan clearly did not expect any of that either! None of this visit is going how he expected it. Not that I'm very clear on what he did expect, LOL.)

I love how Zhao Yunlan says to the Regent, "let's talk in private," and Shen Wei immediately stalks off towards his office. *g*

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.

I love how Shen Wei stands with his back to the Regent and lets him bow and scrape and call himself 属下, giving a very misleading image of the power dynamics. Zhao Yunlan is so uncomfortable with it! He's never seen SW really insist on his authority, and he has no idea of the true dynamics here. He tries to calm things down, and it almost works - but then the Regent admits to "losing" the Dijun Register, and when Zhao Yunlan tries again, this time Shen Wei actually snaps/shouts at him.

Favourite moment! I love the way Zhao Yunlan just has a complete bluescreen moment there. And then he tries to laugh off just how affected he is by that display. (Zhao Yunlan says he shifted from Professor Shen to the Envoy, but that's not what happened in that moment - he's been Envoying all along. It's an excuse, right?)

Quick switch to the rest of the SID: Lin Jing bugging Zhao Yunlan's office funnily isn't connected to his actual spying, or he wouldn't so casually admit to it here, but it does connect Lin Jing with spying in general! *g*

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

Oooh! I never noticed before that Zhao Yunlan's cough was because of Da Qing! But I love how Shen Wei switches into Professor Shen mode for a little bit. ♥

I also love how the Regent starts to sit down, then straightens again and waits for Shen Wei to sit first!

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

So much love for Shen Wei in this entire scene!

I think Zhao Yunlan is at his wits' end with the weird dynamic between the Envoy and the Regent, and with Shen Wei actually aiming that harsh tone at him, and he takes it out on Da Qing a bit, trying to gain control of things again and going over the top with it.

(Also, I love Da Qing censoring Zhao Xinci's name when Zhao Yunlan glares at him! :D)

[I have once again exceeded the comment post, so, more to come!]