Book and Sword 02

[alecforever815]

me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�@i thought the casting person had to get his/her eyes checked, princess frag. is one of the prettiest girls in ALL of jy's books, and who does he cast? this relaly realy ugly one, she's not even a little pretty

and i definetily had to force myself to watch the parts with kesili, but i still fast forwarded, but i sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooo loved cjl and hqt together!!!!!!

btw, analyticChick, i dun think that pic was part of the series itself, it was prolly when a reporter came,and they were doing that scene, so they just posed for the reporter, it wasn't in the series

[chynagongju]

Actually there was something like that scene in the series of ZZZ and LYZ like that. But I agree that that picture was probably posed, since it's so directly to the camera.

BTW...ZWZ[CJL] rocks over ZZZ.

[AnalyticChick]

Originally posted by chynagongju
Actually there was something like that scene in the series of ZZZ and LYZ like that. But I agree that that picture was probably posed, since it's so directly to the camera.

BTW...ZWZ[CJL] rocks over ZZZ.

Pity those who do not realize the absolute coolness of ZZZ.
Some people prefer the morally sound, noble, consummate scholar and warrior.
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But I still love me my damn sexy, sword-wielding lackey with an anger management problem.
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Besides, less ZZZ for you means more ZZZ for ME!
And that is a very good thing.

[alecforever815]

uh oh, that means i gotta battle it out with chynagonju for cjl (zwz) hehehhehe, cuz i think he's better than zzz, lol, but it's all good, cuz i'm stikcing to my alec, so chynagongju can keep zwz all he wants

btw, on a side not, i'm soooooooooooooo disappointed that he's acting in feng yun 2 with betty huang ugh, and to tell uthe truth, he doen't look so good in there either, can't stand the haircut, but cjl is yummy,except forthe kesili part

[AnalyticChick]

Originally posted by tinac
Hi! I watched this show early last year, so I can't remember much of the detail. Well, for once we (in S'pore) gotta watch the show earlier 'coz it's by Media Works.

Me too! I loved the show especially when CJL and HQT are together, didn't know they wouldn't end up together. Probably would not even watched it if I knew. Had to force myself to finish the show after the Keshili appear.

AnalyticChick, I actually like reading your postings. Wish I could write that well .. he .. he ... my running commentary drives my family crazy too, and my forwarding the show 8P

Aww… Thank you. You have effectively made my day.

It actually startles me how much time I need to devote to every episode of this series. First there is the viewing. Then there is the clipping, and the copying, and the screenshoting and the snarky commenting. All in all, I have decided to stop the actual viewing until I get caught up with all of this other stuff. Just in case, you know, you cared.

The capture of WTL/Ray Leung gets to go do another series:
WTL and ZZZ fight, obviously. Sometimes I wish these two could surprise all of us by maybe breaking out into song or something like that, but not this time. The good guys decide that attacking ZZZ one at a time would be a better idea than charging him all at once. You know, I once thought that the sole property of disposable evil henchman, but this show has opened my eyes to so many new phenomenons. So the good guys lose, though WTL gets to perform a Noble Gesture.

WTF? (And no, that isn’t a new character abbreviation):
So there is being responsible to one’s guests and then there is just plain crazy. Guess which category the Zhou patriarch belongs in? Yes, the kid made a mistake. But haven’t you ever seen “Kids Say the Darndest Things”? Besides, if WTL hadn’t spent so much time trying to Be A Man and just went into that hole in the first place, their hosts could have time to first put the kid in a safe place and then gone into the front room to welcome/contain ZZZ. After all, it is hard to convince the already suspicious guy with the sword that nothing is in your back garden when everyone of importance is in said back garden and clustered around a “perfectly normal” gazebo to boot.
So WTL is captured. At least he is alive. Also, he is an adult who has conscientiously choosem to make trouble for the regime in power, well knowing the repercussions and dangers such actions entail. The Zhou boy, on the other hand, got tricked by two adults into saying one wrong thing. If being hoodwinked by ZZZ is grounds for death, then most of the protagonists should commit hari-kari during the course of the next few episodes.

Adultery is so cute, dontcha think?
This series also teaches us that getting beaten up renders women delirious and men stupid. LB, feverish, is taken by YYT to a “safe” location in the middle of a conveniently placed woodlands. Once again, I will say that the geography of this place confounds me.
She, in a daze, confuses YYT with her husband and plunges into a shocked YYT’s arms. Hilarity ensues upon her surprisingly fast recovery. YYT, instead of explaining like a normal human being, instead takes the blame for his uncontrollable hormones and asks her to kill him. Once again, you can tell they are in a Chinese television serial because instead of telling each other in plain terms what has transpired, the characters instead equivocate to cause tension that can be exploited at a later period.

Definitely more homoerotic than they meant it:
WTL’s relationship to ZZZ gets explored in this scene. If anyone hasn’t seen this series (which begs the question as to why you’re reading this), think of two small, small children arguing. One points to a purple ball and says “Blue.” The other, just as convinced (but infinitely cuter ), says “Red.”
First of all, the good guys have found a way to wage a racial conflict among members of the same race. Good going with that. Also, ZZZ is not oppressing his own “race” just for kicks, he is making trouble for you guys because you are causing social unrest and breaking laws to boot.
On the whole, though, I am more inclined to agree with ZZZ, although not purely becasue I really like the guy. It is true that the masses are, on the most part, happy and prosperous given what we have seen of the towns and villages in this Qing Dynasty. So WTL, and the rest of the RPS, basically has problems with corrupt officials oppressing the people. Valid point, that and a serious matter to address when power is given to an oligarchy. But how will causing massive revolutions and disrupting countless people’s lives ameliorate this problem? And how do you know a Ming regime will be any wiser or more considerate to the people? Also, QL seems to be a good emperor as emperors go. After all, he commands more storehouses to be opened after hearing of the RFS’s actions in opening one village's grain storehouse to feed the flood victims. So let’s solve the problem of corrupt officials by getting rid of a generally well meaning and competent emperor.
If they really wanted to, and considering their stellar natural conditions, the RFS guys could work inside the system to bring about change and better lives for the common people. After all, look at ZZZ for an example of a Han becoming one of the emperor’s close advisors. Also, in the meta-serial universe, look at Ji Xiao Lang as well.
Just something I noticed, ZZZ doesn’t actually lock WTL’s cell. So he’s basically keeping a really important and dangerous political prisoner in an unlocked and unguarded chamber? Sometimes, Zhang DaYen, I really wonder how you managed to get as far as you did in your professional career.
Finally, if there is such a thing as Book and Sword fanfiction, I am willing to bet money that someone has written a ZZZ/WTL yaoi fic about this period of WTL’s captivity. The strong emotions, power differentials, and prison setting seem to beg some off-kilter female mind to produce such a thing.

Big, massive, whopping fight at the Zhou Manor.
Deus ex machina strikes this series, not for the first time might I add, and somehow ZQ (Zhou Qi) is walking around the same forest YYT and LB were hiding in in the middle of the night. In any case, there are misunderstandings, because how else could we cause conflict between two virtuous parties. Also, since we are in a Jing Yong world, people just fight all the time. You know, life here in the Big Apple would be so much more interesting if we solved all our problems through kick-*** martial arts exhibitions. Someone cut you off at the light? Jump up fifty feet and have it out with fists and legs a-flying.
So the Zhou patriarch and CJL fight, eventually, after Tong 18 does a damn fine job of playing both sides towards the middle. Due to the fact that he is the protagonist of this series, the other characters are contractually obligated to respectfully watch on the sideline. This gives Tong 18 the opportunity to sneak out and set fire to the Zhou manor, which takes an amazingly short amount of time to burn down. Faced with the ashes of an once great complex, the dead body of a pre-pubescent boy, and the fact of the Zhou matriarch leaving her husband, the RFS boys apologize. Not that it’ll do any good, but it’s the thought that counts.
Also, apparently having CJL calling his son a “little hero” is enough to justify his murder for the Zhou patriarch. Oh those wacky Qing guys, they have such wacky ideas.

Denouement to the Big, massive, whopping fight at the Zhou Manor.
ZQ and XTH (Zu Tian Hom) bicker. In case the fighting wasn’t enough to interest viewers, the producers are covering all their bases and adding in a romantic comedy setup as well.
YYT angsts to a little white handkerchief that has vestiges of LB love. Poor guy. Just go with Sun Li, she’s both a female AND unattached. Also, anyone get the feeling that Tenth Brother is also crushing on LB? I guess that’s what happens when you throw one girl to thirteen guys.
The RFS also discuss strategy. Like most meetings, it doesn’t get much done. Contrast CJL’s style of consensus leadership to ZZZ’s “do what I tell you or else I kill you” approach. Sure ZZZ has more overhead costs, but he also gets stuff done.

Homoeroticism, Part II:
Oh come on, now you’re just making it too easy for fanfic writers. They do have very fertile imaginations you know and a quasi bondage scene between ZZZ and WTL is just asking for it.
If you consider it, ZZZ is actually pretty noble for a villain. I mean, he fights clean for the most part. He doesn’t torture WTL and even lets him heal. He also doesn’t take advantage of his opponents when they down, although that may have more to do with the fact that he is not in nearly enough of the episodes.
So ZZZ’s utilitarian! He’s loyal! He’s pretty good in an argument! Observe:
WTL: Your emperor has deep, dark secrets. He isn’t who you think he is. Don’t you want to know why he captured me?
ZZZ: What the emperor wants me to know, I will know. What he doesn’t want me to know, I don’t need to know. More would be superfluous.
So he’s a lackey, but so are most of the RFS boys. After all, not everyone can be a leader. And frankly, if being a lackey entailed the kind of power, fulfillment and self-satisfaction that ZZZ derives from it, then what’s wrong with that? He is obviously in a field that he loves.

Random stuff then happens. RFS make their first foolproof plan to save WTL. The Zhou son is buried. The credits roll and I go to sleep.

[alecforever815]

wow analyticChick, nice writing, but i didn't realize ur still on the first few episdoes yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�@dun wanna ruin it for u, but for the next 7 episodes or so, all they do is try to save wtl, which takes wayyyyyyyyyy toolong, tha'st like 7/40, just to save aguy

[AnalyticChick]

Thanks! I've actually seen up to episode 19, but have only clipped/recapped/copied up to episode 13. It's actually kinda nice writing when I know what is coming up later.
Also, I have have posted what I am posting here to the "Episode Guide" part of this forum. Basically for that part, I just get on with the snarking and take out the random comments that aren't directly related to what happened in the series and what I thought of it.
And yes, I though the saving of WTL excessive (though it did mean more screen time for you-know-who). I mean, there's a reason the RFS has got thirteen brothers. Can't they just write him off and bump everyone up a position?

[EDIT] Just wanted to acknowledge alecforever815's kicking new icon. Can't wait until I too have the freedom to choose my own virtual representation. [/EDIT]

[AnalyticChick]

Another day, another double post. But as an only child, I'm pretty used to talking to myself by now.

You’ve Got Sleepless At My Best Friend’s Wedding And a Funeral
Ah the blossoming of young hearts, the joining together of two souls, the constant bickering between two diametrically incompatible characters which cannot help but turn to passion.
Right.
So ZQ and XTH are in love, just neither of them realizes it at this point. He’s a klutz – she’s apparently not. He’s clever – she’s definitely not. The RFS got her brother killed – she didn’t take that too well. You see, there are a myriad of reasons why they can’t get together. Personally, I feel that giving the shrill and irrational one a love interest while LYZ is left hanging high and dry is a bit unfair of Mr. Jing Yong. However, the screenwriters know best and we have our obligatory “Why these two characters can never get together, no way, not in a hundred years, cross our hearts and hope to die” scenes.
Although I am still not sure why the Zhou patriarch sees fit to silence his rather strident daughter only AFTER she has made her absurd and unfounded accusations. I don’t have much love for those RFS-ers myself, but even I can tell an illogical argument when I hear one.
However, I approve of most of XTH’s one liners. They bring a smile to my face.
Also, I approve of the Ninth Brother. His presence brings a smile to my face.
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And XTH’s “lu lu” (course by land) just cracked me up. I heart Chinese for its random homonyms.

Requisite ZZZ interval
Ah, ZZZ and his ominous soundtrack. There’s really nothing to say about this interlude, but I feel obligated to report every time he shows up in this series.
Also, I have always wondered how Guo Liang got into playing these Manchu warriors (Here and in Ji Xiang Ru Yi as well). Did someone exclaim one day “Hey, we need a brutal and heartless villain who does a whole lot of fighting and rides horse all day, let’s get cast this Singaporean compere with the nice guy persona.” Not that I’m complaining, mind you…

The Blind Leading the Blind
Why I love XTH:
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And
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Also, CJL is really smart here to partition out the weak/prone to outbursts section of the RFS (LB, ZQ, Zhou Patriarch) from the strong/more apt to get stuff done (Everyone else) part. However, I don’t understand why he feels it necessary to send his “Wu ZhuGe” along as babysitter. Because last time I read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ZhuGe Liang as Liu Bei’s chief advisor was actually, you know, advising Lui Bei instead of playing nursemaid to the undesirables.
At this point, I am actually too much occupied in plugging up my ears at the advent of ZQ’s voice to pay much attention to the “cute” banter that is going onscreen. The interaction between ZQ and XTH is not really doing it for me as it is too one-sided. A good repartee implies a relationship of equals who are both likely to gain the one-upmanship on the other (see LYZ and YYT). With ZQ and XTH, their interaction reinforces the point that yes, he is cunning and smart and okay she is naïve and stupid, but so what? Most of their conversations fall flatter than the state of Kansas (which has been mathematically proven to be flatter than a pancake, incidentally).
Speaking as one who has spent a fair amount of time backpacking, I am highly concerned about this practice of sleeping outside in one’s everyday clothes with a dearth of covering or padding. Even in the middle of the summer, nights can get very cold unless one is on a tropical island somewhere. Also, the vast amounts of alcohol imbibed before sleeping would only cool down their blood. Thus, I was highly surprised to see all of them making it through the night alive, though with the RFS’s common sense skills, a thing like this ceases to surprise me.

Foolproof Plan to Save WTL #1
RFS decides to block the narrow mountainous pass that ZZZ needs to take to get into the capital (Seems to be an awful lot of these in this part of the series, IMHO), thus forcing him to stay the night at the nearby village. Then they will be ready for him the next day and ambush his party with greater numbers, thereby capturing the prison cart and saving WTL once and for all!

LB Is Loyal, And Pouty
Since her husband, soul mate, and life partner is in the nefarious clutches of ZZZ (nudge nudge wink wink), LB must make some effort to save him. She does, sneaking out in the middle of the night to catch up with the main, viable, group of RFS-ers. However, she fails to take into consideration that horses are organic creatures and thus liable to drop dead from sheer exhaustion. There’s one girl who hasn’t read her Black Beauty.
But she steals a horse, which is okay because she threw the owner a bag o’ gold and also because she’s a good guy (girl). I was then highly disappointed in the horse when it neglected to run over CJL’s pageboy when it had the chance.

Foolproof Plan to Save WTL #1 Fails
Um, RFS-ers, you have been paying attention to the plot of this thing, have you not? You do realize that there is ONE main villain chasing after you for these past 12 episodes who has generally established himself to be the antagonist of this drama. You also do realize that the Qing Dynasty does not appear to have any other competent officers or soldiers. In their employ. Thus, when there is a totally random personage escorting “WTL’s cart”, you should realize that something is up, right? I mean, as the cream of the crop of the RFS, you were just playing along in pretending to fall for this laughably simple ploy right? Right?
Also, you guys got off easy because I believe ZZZ is a softie at heart. After all, he could have stuffed the cart full of explosives and then where would you guys be?

ZQ Shoots Off A Zinger, Which Merits Its Own Header
This is too good to paraphrase, so here is the (hopefully) idiomatic yet direct translation.
After hearing about the debacle that was the rescue,
XTH: This is unacceptable! ZZZ, that SOB, is much too underhanded.
ZQ: Oh really? It is devious for other people to use stratagems, but clever for you to use them?
Hee hee hee. Well said ZQ, well said.

YYT Angsting Interlude
YYT wants LB. LB wants her husband. Thus, conflict arises.
But you have to feel sorry for this:
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Can’t We All Just Get Along? Manifestly Not
So the guy whose horse LB stole comes back and he’s meaner than ever. Well, not really, though he is suitably upset about the whole grand theft equestrian business a whiles back. More telling, though, is the revelation that his older brother died in searching for the Chen family’s son, which they apparently did a lost and found thing on. LYZ’s master then owns up to killing said older brother, but since the brother was morally corrupt and the master a good guy to boot, the murder was a-okay justified. Anyways people fight and CJL intercedes to save the guy and to demonstrate in essence how much of a humane and compassionate guy he is.
Also, the plot point about the Chen family and their son search seems like it is going to be important as the Third and Seventh brother actually QUESTION CJL about it. Imagine that, questioning the expert leadership and motivations of the Great Head Helmsman. What is the world coming to?
More random snippets of dialogue that made me chortle:
CJL: I realize now my destiny is to snatch back the Han empire from those Manchu dogs.
ZH: Good luck with that then.

The Goodness That Is ZZZ
Before I get on topic (HA!), I would like to share two observations I have made about ZZZ.
1) He changes constantly, though he only about three costumes to change into. Namely, he has a black and red striped outfit, a black and white leopard print/leather lacing ensemble, and a yellow chainmail-esque getup with the removable red cloak. And yes, I do notice. However, I’ll spare you the screenshots.
2) He tries to pitch his voice lower to sound “older” in certain scenes. But then he seems to forget in other scenes and carries forth in his regular speaking voice. He is so adorable, my little acting neophyte.
Okay. So the good part to being the highest ranking official present (and taller than everyone else to boot)? It’s ALL your tea! Also, you get to order random extras around. I’m sure Mr. Guo is loving this scene.
Additionally, the inflections of this scene are just spot on for both actors. It’s just really, really good acting. If anyone wants this clip, and knows a way I can get it to you ('bout 20 MB), just PM me and then we can both share in ZZZ bliss.
For those less fangirlishly inclined, ZZZ decides to go a la Carrie and pour blood on WTL and then parade him through the streets (Though this is extremely out of character, which finally CJL picks up on). In this way, he hopes to invoke the anger of the RFS and thus force them to be rash and make a mistake. The scary part of this? It almost works.

More consensus building and we end the episode on YYT looking pensive, which is about all he does these days anyways.

[alecforever815]

haah the lulu part was funny, lol

are you talking about my avatar? u like it? thanx

[Lady Riddel]

lol @ analytic girl. You're a great writer!

anyway I have a problem with XTH's hair, how does he keep that straight and tidy? He must spend hours each day brushing his hair. And why does ninth brother have highlights?!!?!


with that being said, book and sword 02 was pretty good in my opinion. I certainally like it for the dearth of blood spitting and screaming into the sky that has a come back in Tian Long Ba Bu 04. ARGH excessive blood spitting and screaming in frustration into the sky = cliche, yea it was cool when I was 6 but i'm 22 now k thx, need better ways of expressing grief then howling and making faces.

But this is turning into a complaint about tian long ba bu. Anyway, book and sword 02 - I give it two thumbs up.

[Lady Riddel]

lol @ analytic girl. You're a great writer!

anyway I have a problem with XTH's hair, how does he keep that straight and tidy? He must spend hours each day brushing his hair. And why does ninth brother have highlights?!!?!


with that being said, book and sword 02 was pretty good in my opinion. I certainally like it for the dearth of blood spitting and screaming into the sky that has a come back in Tian Long Ba Bu 04. ARGH excessive blood spitting and screaming in frustration into the sky = cliche, yea it was cool when I was 6 but i'm 22 now k thx, need better ways of expressing grief then howling and making faces.

But this is turning into a complaint about tian long ba bu. Anyway, book and sword 02 - I give it two thumbs up.

[Ian Liew]

After reading all this I'll NEVER see Zhang Zhaozhong in the same way again... I'm probably going to even like him now.

No wonder my girlfriend (who is currently watching the first 10 CDs or so) said that he doesn't seem that bad a chap, while in my mind he's a complete villain (after watching Shek Kin in the 76 version).

[AnalyticChick]

Originally posted by Ian Liew


After reading all this I'll NEVER see Zhang Zhaozhong in the same way again... I'm probably going to even like him now.

No wonder my girlfriend (who is currently watching the first 10 CDs or so) said that he doesn't seem that bad a chap, while in my mind he's a complete villain (after watching Shek Kin in the 76 version).

Oh goodie. If I can subvert at least once person to the dark side, my daily work is complete.
Additionally, I see that your girlfriend has very fine taste.

The Bickering! I Canna Take No More Sir!
ZQ tries to comfort LB because her husband has been captured by the Evil Forces (and is probably having a better time with ZZZ to boot). However, possessing a XX chromosome does not necessarily make one the master nurturer. Just look at ZQ, or rather, hide from her screeching voice and bulging eyes. XTH, as per his character, tries to talk some sense at her. Although he does get to make some funny faces, he, not surprisingly, fails miserably in his task. Just forget it dude. Accept the fact that you guys will be falling into bed together at a later juncture and just move on.
Somewhere in this YYT randomly shows up and walks away. Then he goes in to see (the unconscious) LB and collapses on the chair next to her. You know, the producers really didn’t need to waste money on an actor. They could have just hung a sad, hangdog expression on a scarecrow and pushed it around the set. Would have worked just as well.

My Favorite Masochist
YYT, as has been established before, is sad. Thus, he feels the need to cut himself after writing some depressing poetry. I would also recommend him get himself a deadjournal. In any case, he looks sad. I would feel worse for him if not for the splitting headache from the frying pan of Unrequited Love and the cement block of Angst that the screenwriters just smashed on my head.
Also, it is interesting to note that YYT has the ability to not only fly, but also to hover in midair and then execute a sharp 180 turn. While hacking at a big block of rock. While defying the laws of physics. While carrying the unspeakable heartache of forbidden love. While spinning four plates, and a tiny brown dog. On his head.
Apparently the chemical properties of alcohol do not affect our dear YYT. Because when I get alcohol into my eyes, it sure as heck burns.

UST Is The Way To Be
LB can’t sleep. Because she is missing the sweet, sweet WTL loving. So she decides to disobey orders (again) and rush into the Evil Complex to save her beloved. And who should she meet whilst embarking on her clandestine adventure but YYT, come back from hacking at his forearm.
It’s a generally awkward scene. She’s miserable. He’s miserable. Even the lanterns and the trees look miserable from the outpouring of their combined misery. Lots of sadness, lots of guilt. Lots of faraway looks are employed. Lots of slow, dramatic monologues are dutifully recited.
So then she tries to get past him on her way to throw her life away. He restrains her. They fight, and then YYT decides to do the noble thing and throw his miserable life away in place of hers. She does not try to stop him. They’re like the French, these two. They manage to carry out the most absurd, irrational, and improbable plan step by arduous step until the inevitably bad conclusion.

The Fight Between The One-Eyed And The Blind
This heading originally referred to the Russians and the Ottomans in the Crimean War. However, it can be used equally well to express the level of ineptitude shown in this, the first hush-hush operation to save WTL.
YYT infiltrates the Top Secret Complex. He immediately gets tailed by his very own security decal. However, this group of Qing soldiers still allows him to progress far enough into their base to reach the room where ZZZ is “questioning” WTL
On a separate note, YYT doesn’t seem to be the only masochist among the group. ZZZ seems to derive great pleasure from exhorting WTL to insult himself. They have a very odd relationship, those two.
Back to our Secret Agent Man. YYT uses his flute to shoot a hidden dart at one of the Qing soldiers. However, if there was a dart concealed within his flute, how does YYT manage to play the thing? And if YYT can use his flute to propel things into rooms, why not fill the room with something useful, like sleeping gas? In any case, the dart gets shot and YYT gets to, once again, dramatically kick back a set of double doors. He frees WTL and they fight the cannon fodder Qing soldiers littering the room.
All the while, ZZZ, great hope of the Qing Dynasty, is sitting in his seat and watching his soldiers get killed and his prisoners escape. Seriously, Zhang DaYen, we need to have a talk.
Apparently YYT also thinks that holding a random Qing stunt double hostage will propagate his escape. This assumes, of course, that ZZZ gives a damn about his soldiers. Ah, the innocent assumptions of the young and stupid.
So then YYT and WTL find themselves in the midst of an even larger mob of random Qing soldiers called up by ZZZ. They fight. It’s not so much that these guys are really, spectacularly good at wushu, it’s just that they are fighting the foot soldiers and one lesser lackey while ZZZ stands aside and, you guessed it, watches. Basically, this is how all RFS/Qing Dynasty fights go. However, ZZZ does defend himself from his attack-happy quasi-nephew (who looks to be the same age, IMHO). Well, it’s comforting at least that he still has a sense of self-preservation if not a sense of propriety.
WTL, based on his superior flying and fighting skillz, gets as far as the roof of the front gate. YYT, to let him get away, repeatedly distracts ZZZ by attacking him and generally getting beaten up quite soundly. Ironically and rather counter intuitively, the sight of a dying YYT incites WTL to jump BACK into the fray and give himself up to ZZZ to save his younger brother.
So ZZZ now has two RFS captives instead of one. Maybe he isn’t as slow as he seems.
On the other hand, WTL and especially YYT blundered badly. With YYT and WTL’s flying skills in addition to ZZZ’s reluctance to do his job, they could have very well just kicked a few soldiers around and flown the coop. I mean, the soldiers didn’t have flaming arrows or anything like that as they are saving them for later. And even if ZZZ followed them, they could have lured him back to their Secret Base (which isn’t very secret to begin with) and let loose the other members of the RFS on him. I think these guys often forget that they have THIRTEEN to FIFTEEN decent fighters as opposed to the solitary ZZZ.
It is funny to consider that out of the myriad of ploys and strategies that the RFS will use to get WTL out in the next few episodes, the one that comes the closest to completion is one guy (and not even their strongest fighter) rushing the complex and fighting off the guards. Even if there had been one or two more RFS-ers with YYT, his plan would have flat out succeeded. And yet, the screenwriters find this need to bludgeon reason at every opportunity.

Meanwhile…
Meanwhile the good guys are all in a tizzy about YYT’s spontaneous act of saving WTL. They basically stand around their Secret Base and berate one another for failing to restrain YYT from going to his death. Considering the fact that the location of the Top Secret Base seems to be not too hard to ferret out, why couldn’t the excess RFS-ers just rush to YYT’s rescue instead of standing around and laying imagined guilt on themselves? And I thought that supporting your brother was a main tenet of the RFS.
After the meeting disperses, CJL finds LB crying behind a barrel and comforts her. He is surprisingly good at it. Probably because he has to do a lot of comforting and explaining to people he’s disappointed due to his inferior leadership.
Seriously. As a leader, CJL is definitely lacking. Sure, YYT’s overly simple and brawny plan of action wouldn’t be what his delicate and sublime mind would prefer, but the simple truth is that one of his men is on a virtual suicide mission. As leader and older brother to boot, he should really support his people in their endeavors. If he did not want to further YYT’s harebrained plan, the least he could have done is to delegate people to watch YYT’s back in case of trouble. After all, there is always time for a talking to after you have the guy safe and sound in your own territory.

Two For The Price Of One
YYT and WTL are now BOTH gravely injured and rotting in prison. YYT wants to confess to WTL his sins in lusting after LB, but WTL points out, quite sensibly, that YYT has already shown by his self-sacrificing attempt to save him that he is a good brother. I like that WTL, he has a good head on his shoulders and really fine wushu skills. However, due to the fact that he was not born younger brother to the emperor, he is not deemed the right man to lead to RFS. So in addition to advocating racial warfare, this series also unequivocally proves the importance of birth over merit.
Also, have I expressed how much I adore ZZZ lately? Well I do, and it’s scenes like this that reaffirm my love. So in addition to his sheer presence making me smile from ear to ear, I really like the way he handles himself. WTL calls him a “dog” of the Qing Dynasty. Instead of losing it like many other antagonists, he instead replies calmly and lucidly. He says that he does not consider faithfully serving and assisting a good emperor degrading. He also says he does not require the approval of the RFS and furthermore doesn’t need them to understand his motivations.
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Completely gratuitous screenshot because I’m writing this thing. His composure and demeanor are both impeccable. And the snide comments just make me happy.

After 14 Episodes, The Emperor Commeth
So QL is finally in the building. I actually enjoy him right now. He is very sure of himself, which one cannot say of CJL with whom he is obviously supposed to stand in contrast. He talks with WTL, figures out he knows everything about his Deep Dark Secret and has a bang-up contingency plan as well. Basically, if both the former Head Helmsman (Zhang Tie Ling) and WTL both die, a “good friend” will let the cat out of the bag for good. However, QL still has ways of containing WTL without killing him. Overall, I just had a lot of respect for both characters after this exchange. Both are solid, intelligent, reasonable guys, which I like.
I guess one reason QL can seem such a confident theorist and strategist is because he has competent lackeys who can and will carry out his visions and fill in the details. Contrast this with CJL who has people constantly going over his authority and not doing a very good job of following instructions even when they do decide to heed them. The RFS, then, highlights perfectly one problem of rebel groups. Rebels are by nature free-thinkers and nonconformists. This makes asking them to take instructions infinitely more difficult.
And since QL is the emperor, it is now all HIS tea!

The Ants Go Marching One By One Hurrah, Hurrah
Apparently, some characters in this show (And you know who you are…) have no concept of lateral vision. Also no concept of looking behind either. Pity that.
Also, what’s the point of differentiating between the two groups of Qing soldiers if they’re all going to die anyways?

I’m Fricking Psychic
CJL, CJL, CJL. What can I say? When your enemy, extravagantly and inexplicably orders a party halt on an open field, why do you assume that everything is fine? I mean, you have been dealing with ZZZ for at least ten episodes now. You know that he is cautious, if not particularly motivated. I know that you want to save your brethren, but getting everyone blown up is not the way.
Personally, I think CJL might have been affected by the way everyone looked at him and expected him to approve their brilliant ambush strategy. Peer pressure, after all, is very powerful, especially considering the fact that everyone was so keyed up to save their brothers. It was a mistake on CJL’s part if he did not realize anything was off. But if he went along with the plan even with misgivings because he did not want to disappoint his followers, then that would mark a deep and pretty disturbing flaw in his leadership.

She’s Back
LYZ, by her sheer presence, makes this series better. It is startling how much so. So she leans on one of her father’s friends/underlings to let her see YYT. This girl is a brilliant conversationalist because she reads people very well and tells them what they want to hear. She is cute and perky, but not grating. I am still trying to figure out how she manages that one. Above all though, she is very witty and very quick on the uptake. I therefore approve of her very much.
Of course I will have to detest her later for trying to kill ZZZ and generally not pairing up with him, but for now, we can still be friends.

YYT is Stupid
Right. So LYZ goes into YYT’s cell to take care of him. She manipulates the officer (brilliantly, I might add) to give better food and care to her crush. He is suitably grateful yet oddly unaffected by the presence of an intelligent, beautiful girl who obviously cares for him. Then again, he is masochistic, so maybe he just likes to taste the bitter flow of rejection as opposed to the sweet, sweet ambrosia of young love.

[alecforever815]

i agree with the zq part. when i was watching the series, i thought she was kinda fake, always talking in that tone of voice, and the bulging eyes, and the weird facial expressiosn. remember that scene when xth tells her to hold a cup full of liquor and then bring it to the room or something, her expressions were so fake, she was raising eyebrows, squinching eyes.....etc

[SkineePanda]

Originally posted by alecforever815
me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�@i thought the casting person had to get his/her eyes checked, princess frag. is one of the prettiest girls in ALL of jy's books, and who does he cast? this relaly realy ugly one, she's not even a little pretty

If you're talking about Rachel Ngan, I think she's super-hot. She's like a quarter Pakastani. But seriously though I thnk she's mad fine. Guess beauty in the eye of the beholder.

[AnalyticChick]

Originally posted by SkineePanda
If you're talking about Rachel Ngan, I think she's super-hot. She's like a quarter Pakastani. But seriously though I thnk she's mad fine. Guess beauty in the eye of the beholder.

Also, I think the negative feelings against Rachel may be connected to the dislike against her character. I know that I had an immediate and visceral adversion to the perfect fairy pwincess the first time I saw her. To justify herself, thus, the actress would have to have been as beautiful as the proverbial Chang Er.
On a totally unrelated topic, I was just browsing in the Alec Su thread (I know, I was bored...)and apparently alecforever815's avatar which I was admiring is not of some mysterious and unknown actress, but of herself. Wow. I know that it is wrong to judge people by their appearances, but just wow.
No update tonight. I was fooling around with trying to convert various files to one another for ultimate inclusion on a vcd tonight. Didn't work out, but what can one do?
But here's a screenshot to tide you over.
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Glare of DEATH!

[AnalyticChick]

I was reviewing my last post and I noticed that I failed to include the obligatory screencap of let's-guess-who. So to give you guys a choice, I will be adding this daily affirmation in the form of an attachment. It's from the ending credits and I think it's super swell. But you can draw your own conclusions

[tinac]

Originally posted by AnalyticChick
... apparently alecforever815's avatar which I was admiring is not of some mysterious and unknown actress, but of herself. Wow. I know that it is wrong to judge people by their appearances, but just wow.

Hey AnalyticChick, do you mean this avatar of alecforever815 herself? Wow .. double Wow

[cheek]

I didn't like the latter part of this series but I have to agree ZWZ and ZZZ are both hot!

[alecforever815]

hehe thanx analyticChick and tinak........and do browse the alec thread more often, lol hehe

i wasn't referring to rachel ngan (although i dun like her either, i just odn't see her fit as being one of the prettiest girls in all of jy's writing) but anhwyas, i was talkina bout the girl who played zhou qi