Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 16, part 1

[china_shop]

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 16, up to 23:53

Summary
Zhao Xinci continues his SID inspection (setting off Lin Jing's black energy detector in the process), immediately identifies Guo Changcheng as an imposter, and introduces himself as Zhao Yunlan's father. He confronts the SID en masse about Zhao Yunlan's absence. A case comes in (the ground torn up at a park; trees toppled), and Zhao Xinci says he'll act as interim chief in Zhao Yunlan's absence. Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlan and the Regent, while walking the Dixing streets, "happen across" an assault which Zhao Yunlan identifies as a set-up. The Regent wanders off leaving Zhao Yunlan alone. In Haixing, the SID team reluctantly investigate using Zhao Xinci's methodology. Da Qing is upset at having forgotten Cat Tongue. In Dixing, a disturbing growly voice calls to Zhao Yunlan, and he, following it, finds the Sky Pillar. The Pillar voice is sinister and portentous, trying to get in his head. Then the three youths from the fake assault show up, annoyed at Zhao Yunlan, and give chase as he runs away through the city.



Quote
Pillar voice to Zhao Yunlan: You're using playfulness to hide how uneasy you are. You can't deceive me, and you can't deceive your heart. You live among humans, but have your heart open to no one. You don't understand the point of everything you're doing. You don't even know whether your actions are right or wrong. (VIKI subs.)

Detail
Zhao Xinci checked Shen Wei's class schedule before coming to inspect the SID. (Stalking runs in the family?)

Questions
Given Zhao Xinci's quizzical face and lack of explanation when Lin Jing's dark energy detector goes off, is this the first time Zhao Xinci has been caught out? Any theories about what Dixing's street lanterns run on (dark energy, geothermal energy, mains electricity, flame)? Why does Zhao Xinci disapprove so strongly of Zhao Yunlan's field trip? When Zhao Xinci critiques Zhao Yunlan's investigative methods, do you think he has a point? Do you understand the fake "assault" in Dixing? What is the Regent's role in that? Who are the youths (An Bai and his friends) working for? Chu Shuzhi seems uncomfortable interviewing the victim's family (compared to, say, when he talked to Ji Xiaobai in the Mirror Girl case) -- any thoughts about why? Pillar!Ye Zun speaks as if he can read Zhao Yunlan's heart -- can he, or is it just a cold reading? Do you think his analysis of Zhao Yunlan is accurate? When he starts, "The only thing I can teach you is--" what was he going to say?

Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

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Comments

[china_shop]

My notes:

• Lin Jing's photon detector is so steampunk, hee. He wants to be in a different genre. (He'd probably really enjoy the scientific potential of Dixing.)

• ZXC's reaction to the detector alarm is at once shifty and a total power play; he says nothing, relying on his status to avert suspicion and put Lin Jing in the wrong.

• ZXC must know ZYL would never wear a mask (even when he's sneezing all over everything). /o\ He knows Changcheng's backstory by heart, too -- did he come intending to test him?

• LOL at everyone standing around guiltily except CSZ, who's radiating Not My Fucking Problem. I'm guessing he's heard rumours about the former SID chief??

• ZXC: (re Shen Wei) I've checked his schedule. It's Thursday. He doesn't have a class to teach nor research duties in the morning. Is he with Zhao Yunlan?
  Everyone else: looks shifty
  The subject of Dixing hasn't even come up yet. What exactly is ZXC asking, lol?? And the fact he's checked Shen Wei's schedule confirms for me that Shen Wei's consultancy is the reason ZXC is here (whether he knows Shen Wei's Envoy identity, or just knows from Minister Gao that he's Dixingren) -- and I think ZYL knows/guessed that, and that's a big part of why he went to Dixing. He doesn't want to have to defend Shen Wei or the changing nature of the SID to ZXC. Maybe he's telling himself he just wants more time to marshal his arguments/prove his point.

• I always notice and love ZXC doing ZYL's exaggerated/performative shrug:
  
  

• The Regent feigns forgetfulness (knowing they're on a wild goose chase?); Zhao Yunlan yawns loudly (affected by the dark? losing patience? pretending to be offguard?).

• It must be a shock for Bao Laosan to see ZXC again!! (I wonder if ZXC would recognise him if he saw him clearly.) Anyway, ZXC is actually pretty kind to "witness" Bao.

• Aww, Guo Changcheng stands up for himself wrt Lin Jing's teasing! ♥!! (LJ: Xiao-Guo, he stutters like you. CC: I'm just nervous sometimes. <3)

• I wonder if ZXC's disapproval of ZYL's fieldtrip is partly that he doesn't want ZYL's sympathies swayed to the side of Dixingren... on top of general dereliction of duty, of course.

• ZH is supposed to get surveillance footage in a random part of the park? How much surveillance is there in Dragon City??

• I think ZXC has a point when he criticises ZYL's detective methods. Unless you have ZYL's instincts, it's not a good strategy, and the others shouldn't adopt it. And ha, this reminds me of Chu Shuzhi and Changcheng in episode 8, when ZYL is off drinking tea:
  
  CC: Brother Chu, I am afraid we can't find him by simply searching on the street. Not that I'm rushing you, but I feel that if Chief Zhao were here, he'd... Our chief will at least come up with a plan or something.
  CSZ: A plan cannot solve all problems. More importantly, you must rely on your experiences and intuition.

• Zhao Yunlan identifies the An Bai & co fake assault trap -- and implies the Regent was in on it? Ohh, was it to let ZYL be a hero, as part of the Regent's ingratiation compaign? Are An Bai & co working for the Regent as well as Ding Dun? Maybe the Deacon engaged them on behalf of both parties (or even suggested it to the Regent)?? Or is the Regent improvising here, taking advantage of a situation? Given how sneaky and scheming the baddies are, I'm leaning towards it being a plan.

• ZH is still feeling SW's hypnotic suggestion wrt not using hypnosis. pets her

• CSZ really hates interviewing the victim's wife. I can't tell if it's CC's privilege that's bothering him, or if it's a reminder of the victims of his own past crime, or something else entirely.

• Poooor Da Qing and his memory issues! This was my runner-up screencap, so I'll include it here:
  
  

• Ye Zun's pillar voice vibe is so different from his other (many) vibes. Here, he talks like he can read ZYL's heart, and I thought ZYL was immune to that kind of mindplay. And ha, ZYL does the same arm-spreading gesture as ZXC earlier in the ep. <3

• 22:10 "The only thing I can teach you is—" Not to trust Shen Wei?? LOL.

• ZYL cycling through his strategies, trying to find a way to befriend (and when that fails, escape from) An Bai and co, who are creepily predatory. And ZYL manages it!!

• Oh, hey, ZYL runs down some steps when he leaves the field of ruins. I don't think I'd noticed that before. I wonder if he had to run upwards first, or if the field is situated above the lower city...

(I love so much of this. I wrote about ZYL visit to Dixing and his pov of the pillar encounter in How the Other Half Lives.)

[facethestrange]

(I'm not behind on the episodes for once, but I wanted to answer the questions too and getting to that took a bit longer again. ;D)

- Lin Jing should have more faith in his inventions instead of smacking them immediately. xD Like, he says that it must be broken because this is awkward af, but when he smacks it I think he honestly thinks there's something wrong with it, and (at least this time) there isn't. :P

- Hee, it was Xiao Guo's birthday recently (May 10)! :D (I wrote this comment still in May, lol!) Why does Zhao Xinci know people's blood types by heart tho, lol damn, that's intense!

- Da Qing pretending to stretch and Zhu Hong pretending to fix her hair when they're caught spying, hee! :D

- Oh hey, that's the same notebook with the weird monster drawing! :D

- I absolutely adore Wang Zheng and Zhu Hong laughing together, I love that they got to do that again (first time was after they made fun of Chu Shuzhi fanboying the Envoy). :D



- The Netherworld! The Dixing Palace! :D I love that it's even darker than the descriptions of the novelverse Netherworld, and it has exactly the right vibe in general. :D

- Omg, is this plot the equivalent of the Netherworld kings trying to kill Zhao Yunlan behind Shen Wei's back? Like, the details are completely different, so I didn't notice the similarities until now, but I think they are there!

- The passersby in Dixing are all wearing summer clothes, and here's Zhao Yunlan wearing his jacket for the aesthetic, lol. :D :D (And it's a very, very good aesthetic! ♡____♡) It's kinda the same as not wearing a hat when he went to Kunlun Mountain in the novel, except the opposite - sweating vs. freezing. xD

- I looked up Goubuli Baozi (what Bao Laosan says when he introduces himself), and it's a brand name, hee, another Earth thing that they have on Haixing too. :D :D

- Why in the world is Zhao Xinci the temporary Chief of the SID, isn't it literally what Da Qing the deputy is for? And that's exactly what they would do if Zhao Xinci didn't just happen to be there? *pokes him with a stick*

- Really, Zhu Hong? Xiao Guo comforted YOU. :P (I guess she means she didn't expect to see him comforting someone who is even more afraid than him, which she wasn't. But still. :P)

- Da Qing's past timeline! (I forgot all about it, thank you for the reminder under the previous post! :D) Sooo Zhao Xinci says that he worked with Da Qing for 10 years, not that they started working together 10 years ago. How long has Zhao Yunlan been Chief of the SID again? It has to be a few years already, right? So if you count 10 years backwards from then, he did know Da Qing as a kid or at least as a teenager - this makes me happy for him! :D

- Oh hey, cat language is indeed 猫语. :D :D (I just talked about it with china_shop recently. :D :D)

- Xiao Guo saying "at least your husband is alive and recovering" because his parents weren't, ouchhhh.

- Lantern fruit on Zhao Yunlan's phone!

- YE ZUN! Is Zhao Yunlan's name the first thing he ever says on-screen?? I never realized that. :D :D

- The hardening of body parts comes from the novel! :D And I always find it weirdly suggestive, especially as a Dixing power. xD

- Lol Zhao Yunlan, just stand next to Ye Zun and say that you and his literal brother are like brothers, that's totally gonna make him hate you less. :P (And it doesn't even help him in the situation he's in, lol. But he has no idea who is in the pillar listening to him, so that's some really cool foreshadowing. :D)

- The way Zhao Yunlan dramatically slips on the gravel is really fun to watch for some reason. :D

"Zhao Xinci checked Shen Wei's class schedule before coming to inspect the SID. (Stalking runs in the family?)"

Lmaooooooo, righttt, he also knows Xiao Guo's blood type, which also means that he knows everyone's blood type, because I don't think Xiao Guo's is somehow the most important one. xD (Well, or maybe it is - Xiao Guo is probably the most likely to bleed. ;D ;D)

"Given Zhao Xinci's quizzical face and lack of explanation when Lin Jing's dark energy detector goes off, is this the first time Zhao Xinci has been caught out?"

I'm assuming he hasn't seen the detector before, and there's no other way to be caught out? So it has to be the first time? Unless I'm forgetting something obvious of course. :P

"Any theories about what Dixing's street lanterns run on (dark energy, geothermal energy, mains electricity, flame)?"

Most things probably run on dark energy, there's so much of it everywhere.

"Why does Zhao Xinci disapprove so strongly of Zhao Yunlan's field trip?"

He disapproves of everything Zhao Yunlan does - he can say he has professional reasons, but ultimately it comes down to that.

"When Zhao Xinci critiques Zhao Yunlan's investigative methods, do you think he has a point?"

Nope, the job always gets done, it doesn't matter if he likes the method or not.

"Do you understand the fake "assault" in Dixing? What is the Regent's role in that? Who are the youths (An Bai and his friends) working for?"

Lol, I always assume they're working for the Regent (because he clearly knows what's going on) and it's some kind of test for Zhao Yunlan, but I honestly have no idea what exactly is the goal, so I'm glad that it's not just me? xD

"Chu Shuzhi seems uncomfortable interviewing the victim's family (compared to, say, when he talked to Ji Xiaobai in the Mirror Girl case) -- any thoughts about why?"

I think he's just done with Zhao Xinci's random-ass assignments? The one they got is actually pretty reasonable, but he doesn't like it on principle, lol.

"Pillar!Ye Zun speaks as if he can read Zhao Yunlan's heart -- can he, or is it just a cold reading?"

Both? He clearly has some kind of mind reading power, but he also says things that will specifically make people listen to him.

"Do you think his analysis of Zhao Yunlan is accurate?"

I don't even know what half of these things are supposed to mean, beyond sounding impressive and ominous. xD The more straightforward parts are mostly accurate, I think.

"When he starts, "The only thing I can teach you is--" what was he going to say?"

Ohhh, Solo's subs say "I can teach you, only--" I have no idea which translation is more correct, but they have very different meanings!

[trobadora]

Given Zhao Xinci's quizzical face and lack of explanation when Lin Jing's dark energy detector goes off, is this the first time Zhao Xinci has been caught out?

Yes, I think it must be! And he handles it really well - just outstares Lin Jing, leading to Lin Jing concluding that his detector must be broken!

Any theories about what Dixing's street lanterns run on (dark energy, geothermal energy, mains electricity, flame)?

They look like electric lights to me. And it would make sense to me if Dixing's electricity was generated from geothermal energy. They definitely have that!

Why does Zhao Xinci disapprove so strongly of Zhao Yunlan's field trip?

I'm not entirely sure what Zhao Xinci's thought process is, but it really stands out to me that his complaint is all "he's not here when he should be" and not "he went to Dixing, where a SID chief definitely has no business going, and where he might cause diplomatic issues between Dixing and Haixing" ...

When Zhao Xinci critiques Zhao Yunlan's investigative methods, do you think he has a point?

Not sure if at this point he's actually criticising ZYL, or just Lin Jing's description of how ZYL operates. Because Lin Jing definitely makes it sound a lot less reasonable than it is, claiming he comes up with a hypothesis before/without collecting evidence ... I do think Zhao Xinci is right here; Sherlock Holmes agrees that one shouldn't theorise in advance of one's data. *g*

(Though when we actually see ZYL form conclusions in this episode - his deduction about the set-up with An Bai et al. - it's very much based on clear evidence which he actually lists for the Regent! He's very good at picking out relevant clues right from the start; he doesn't theorise without basing it on something!)

Do you understand the fake "assault" in Dixing? What is the Regent's role in that? Who are the youths (An Bai and his friends) working for?

It's a set-up by the Regent, IMO, arranged by the Attendant (who the Regent thinks is working for him, but who is actually working for Ye Zun, to complicate matters). The Regent wants to get ZYL on side and ally with him against the Envoy, and getting him to come to Dixing to help him is step one, and getting him in trouble there so the Regent can help him in turn is presumably step two. (Except ZYL first fucks up that plan by shoving the Regent into the fake assault, and then is too sharp to fall for the fakeness of it all.)

(I don't think ZYL realises the Regent is responsible, though - he keeps underestimating him for a while longer, even after Wu Tian'en warns him.)

Chu Shuzhi seems uncomfortable interviewing the victim's family (compared to, say, when he talked to Ji Xiaobai in the Mirror Girl case) -- any thoughts about why?

I think it's at least in part because the material issues the woman is talking about are not related to the case, but also Xiao-Guo's attempt at comforting doesn't address those issues at all, and the whole situation is just very uncomfortable overall.

Pillar!Ye Zun speaks as if he can read Zhao Yunlan's heart -- can he, or is it just a cold reading?

I think he may have some ability to suss out someone's weakness via a Dixing power, but 90% of it is scam. *g*

Do you think his analysis of Zhao Yunlan is accurate?

Some parts of it are definitely true, and hit home for ZYL. (Not letting people know him, for example.)

When he starts, "The only thing I can teach you is--" what was he going to say?

I think he was going to offer to teach him to listen to the "true voice of his heart", which would in fact be Ye Zun's mind control. *g*

On to my notes:

I always love that Lin Jing claims the Hallows are part of his personal collection, nothing to see here, no super-powerful ancient artifacts belonging to Dixing! And that this makes it very clear that the SID has deliberately kept the Hallows from their superiors.

Xiao-Guo trying to keep his back to Zhao Xinci is hilarious. Also claiming he's infectious, as if ZYL would ever give that kind of warning, rather than sneezing all over people's fish tanks! :p

The personal details Zhao Xinci recites about Xiao-Guo makes me wish we got that kind of background for other characters too.

Also hilarious: the way no one can keep a straight face when LJ tries to talk up how strict and serious ZYL is!

Zhao Xinci checked Shen Wei's schedule, because yeah, this visit is definitely about the new consultant. (Unclear how much Zhao Xinci knows about who Shen Wei is, but he must know from Minister Gao what happened at the wedding.) Of course Shen Wei's schedule officially being free doesn't mean he can't be at uni; not everything is on a schedule! But Zhao Xinci has very correctly deduced that Shen Wei is actually with Zhao Yunlan, and I wonder what that says about what he thinks about Shen Wei ...

ZYL does seem a bit impressed by the Dijun Palace at first, before the Attendant starts being annoying. (I always do wonder how the confrontation between the Envoy and the Attendant would have gone if Zhao Yunlan hadn't stepped in trying to smooth things over!)

(Solo's subs translate 本使的朋友 as "a friend"; Viki has "a friend of mine". The thing where SW-as-BCE refers to himself as "this Envoy" isn't replicable in English, of course, so the best you can do is "my friend", but Shen Wei is very much emphasising his own status here.)

The way Zhao Yunlan pats the Envoy's shoulder after the Envoy warns him about the situation in Dixing! He's really not taking it serious at all.

Also, the Dijun having scheduled meetings with the Envoy is fascinating!

Zhao Xinci says ZYL must carry the responsibility alone, does he not know how to delegate? And I wonder if ZXC thinks ZYL should have delegated the trip to Dixing to someone else. (SW? CSZ? What do the Inspectorate and the Xingdu Bureau know about CSZ's background, I wonder.)

LOL at the phone call with the new case coming immediately after LJ says it would be bad timing if they got a new case now! (Regarding ZXC taking over, I actually would have liked to see how DQ would handle things as deputy chief! Is there fic like that? I don't remember any off the top of my head.)

When ZYL yawns loudly, I always wonder if he's being pointed because the Regent is being so deliberately obtuse and forgetful, but I'm never certain.

Here's where we learn that everyone other than DQ joined the SID after ZYL became Chief. I wonder what happened to any previous SID agents! (I always wonder if it's a Torchwood Three situation.)

Of course we've already seen Bao Laosan before, but even if we hadn't, the way he keeps turning his back to ZXC (like Xiao-Guo!) would give things away. I wonder if ZXC would have recognised him if he'd got a closer/clearer look?

The cat language thing is so baffling to everyone! Our SID team has never heard of DQ speaking cat language, and ZXC knows DQ used to, but now he doesn't remember that at all. Not only can't he speak it any more, he's apparently forgotten he ever did! (As he says later, he keeps forgetting more and more things ... presumably due to the Hallows' proximity?)

Da Qing stepping up and telling everyone to go and do as ZXC says is clearly necessary because they're all just standing there staring, LOL.

ZYL has a reason for pushing the Regent into the fray, but oof. He really has no concept of what he's doing here, endangering a foreign government official while he's a guest! (I just want him to take it all more seriously, LOL. My number one complaint about him! *g*)

The way the Regent just vamooses when ZYL loses his patience and tells him to cough up where he lost the Dijun Register! LOL.

I had forgotten Zhu Hong's and Lin Jing's little conversation about hypnotism, and the way Shen Wei's instruction from the Hanga arc still holds! Powerful stuff.

Da Qing's kitty friends are extremely cute!

I always forget that this is when we learn that ZYL's phone lock screen is a Chinese lantern fruit! Foreshadowing! One of its names in Chinese is 金灯, Golden Lantern. So fitting! (Also, it's 11:35, still early in the day. Going to be a long day! *g*)

Zhao Yunlan checks the time on his phone, and we see his lock screen - it's a Chinese lantern fruit. One of whose Chinese names is , so we're in foreshadowing territory here!

Ye Zun creepily calls Zhao Yunlan's voice. Intersecting plots! The Regent wants to indebt Zhao Yunlan to him, but the trap goes all wrong; Ye Zun wants to get Zhao Yunlan alone, and has much better luck. (And the Attendant is working for both of them, LOL.)

The more YZ talks to him, the more ZYL's aloof, unconcerned façade cracks and he starts looking uncomfortable. But An Bai et al. catch up with him and interrupt Ye Zun's speechifying. I wonder what else he might have said! And whether he might have managed to get his mind control hooks into ZYL. (Opportunities for canon divergence?)

It's always so interesting to me that Dandan says ZYL doesn't look like a Dixingren - making it seem as if non-Dixingren turning up is at least not entirely unheard of. And An Song says he grew up in this area - what other areas are there in Dixing? (I always want more Dixing worldbuilding!)

An Song's lower-body-hardening power is so hilarious! And all of Zhao Yunlan's attempts to extricate himself backfire so much! Aw. And he learns that the Envoy has serious opposition in Dixing, with people even calling him a traitor. And still I don't think he fully grasps how out of his depth he is here, not just yet. (Or he'd talk differently to the bartender later, surely?)

(I keep using their names, but we haven't learned any of their names yet! When do we? I don't remember.)