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ghost_valley2021-08-03 05:33 pm
rekishi) wrote in ghost_valley2021-08-03 05:33 pm
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[Tian Ya Ke (Re-)Readalong] Chapter 15-17
Welcome back!
Today's chapters are:
Chapter 15 – The Tavern
Chapter 16 – Nine-clawed Fox
Chapter 17 – The Glazed Armor
We meet Cao Weining, Deng Kuan, and Gao Xiaolian. There also is another murder and Wen Kexing's flirting takes a turn.
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
WKX, predictably, has spent a lot of time thinking about ZZS' art of disguise. Which would be far more creepy if ZZS wasn't so interested in those thought processes himself and couldn't very well take care of himself if push came to shove. At the same time, he's quite delighted when GX is the one groping around his mask (the timing is quite different from SHL), but he probably knows she wouldn't find a seam no matter what. He doesn't trust WKX that much, that man is more sly.
(Look, is he still perving a bit on GX? Yeah, he is. Otoh, I have serious doubts ZZS would ever do anything and he's very clearly doing it to get a rise out of WKX. Successfully, too.
Which is why, really, I want them to meet Feng Xiaoshu post canon and see WKX' reaction.)
Meanwhile, GX thinks they deserve each other and she is, of course, absolutely right.
Look look, everyone also following the SHL rewatch commentary where I am very cross with ZZS for not eating! Even if I refuse, this person will tail me around anyway, Zhou Zishu thought, and if I agree he will pay for my food. He accepted the request quite cheerfully. And then later "dug in without another word" and even fighting for food omg. (I'm way too enthusiastic about this.)
This one entertains the thought of food and is actually looking forward to having someone else pay for it! (Sorta.)
Anyway I really love this reflecting he's doing (even saying he was like a ghost in the palace) here. After all of that happened in the few short weeks since he ran into WKX and ZCL, this has such a positive reading. Less the "well a man shoveling shit will smell" thing but this whole "back then he was wearing the trapping of nobility but in truth he was a thug but now all of that seems far away" is, for ZZS who put the Nails of Seven Orifices for Three Autumns into his own body, so incredibly hopeful. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but this wistfulness is strangely sweet.
We get another lovely callback to Jing Beiyuan, which is funny because I never considered Cao Weining and JBY to be similar in any sort of way. But I guess that's because I know too much about the inner workings of JBY by now. Still, it's only obvious when you know JBY already and quite nice. Considering that JBY has been gone from the capital for four years by that point (and ZZS must know he is alive) it's quite interesting that he thinks about him.
Meanwhile, Cao Weining everyone! The way he's introduced makes it clear we'll see him again, but he's also...an elegant deer in the headlights (they didn't give him a xiao in the drama, that got shafted off to WKX). The poor dear. Pun semi-intended.
I like that CWN meets WKX and ZZS first and they get his measure. Unfortunately for CWN, he breaks tight into their flirty banter. However, butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, and they are so well matched, GX was right, even speaking in sync. It's such fun to watch them tease each other and then try to be all earnest towards CWN, who sort of owes ZZS for saving him from an awkward situation.
CWN also serves to give us a bit of context for larger jianghu matters and that ZCL's sect was not the only one victim to deaths, but that the head of the Taishan sect and two of his disciples have also been killed and that therefore a council/gathering (大会 is more convention, assembly but ok) in Dongting has been called. This, of course, pings ZZS' attention.
(Mind you that both sparklingwater and xuxunette give 师叔, shishu, as "my uncle" here which, of course, is not quite correct and I'm actually surprised we see this translated as such.)
But also, WKX is not surprised at all about the Dongting gathering (and therefore also not about the attack on Taishan?), which gives ZZS pause, since WKX told GX to stay away from there. The Ghosts are not involved so much as...well, but how does WKX know about it then? I don't think ZZS knows about WKX' identity as the Valley Master at this point, but the Dongting mention is somewhat suspicious.
WKX and ZZS continue to flirt as per usual on their way to Dongting. The fact that I can say "as per usual" already is so funny, because they haven't been spending that much time together. And yet, it's completely par of the course that they bicker and flirt (in combination). ZZS is clearly having fun with this, also! He lets WKX touch him. He would not have done that prior to their little adventure in the cave.
Meanwhile, both of them introduce the concept of homosexuality to CWN, who clearly is that meme with the woman and the mathematical formulas for a moment there.
So look. This WKX knows ZZS is sick unto dying with the Nails. He knows this, he even identified the Nails himself. And yet he still says, “If you’re gone, I will remain solitary ‘till the end of my life.”, which ZZS takes as one of his usual banter (because that's the tone they've had). It just...possibly isn't. WKX recovers rather well all things considered, but here the fact that he has been flirting over the top bites him a bit in the arse right there.
It's also, notably, the first time WKX calls him "A-Xu", which is something he'll never drop even when he knows ZZS' real given name.
CWN stands by, unsure whether this is real or not. But on the other hand, he accepts that homosexuality is a thing with little more than shrugged shoulders once the idea has made it's way into his brain and just wants to know whether the fact that ZZS is sick makes it impossible for them to be together. Which….he's not wrong!
ZZS tries to defuse the whole situation, also with WKX, but to be honest, I think he's only semi-successful. But it does show him a more serious side of WKX (who he thinks is handsome, nice drop there), and I'm trying to think whether WKX has really been serious with him before aside from when one of them was injured or they were in some other moment of peril and my memory is more likely than not betraying me here, but I can't quite think of any. So now that WKX had made his intentions clear - whether he is believed or not - he drops one of his masks (the genial dandy without a care in the world)? He even says he knows something about disguises - and I wonder if he has ever been this honest with another person except maybe GX and I don't think so - only to make light of the situation again.
It's...something, certainly. WKX gives us a lot of insights into his character (also note his monologue about people who like meat and its conclusion) and so feel bad for him, knowing what I know of his past.
And yet, while the two of them do part, by dinnertime they're practically joined at the hip again (WKX wishes, certainly). And CWN does what basically everyone does in this novel: tells them to get a room. I laughed out loud when I first read this and it hasn't lost any of its fun. I'm not even one bit sorry for ZZS, who probably thinks he didn't ask for this and for WKX' advances, but who does absolutely nothing to discourage them. The only worse thing he could do to fan this further is if he were consistently mean to WKX, really.
(It's my favourite thing about this novel, how everyone tells them in various degrees of annoyance and earnestness to get a room already...even by the time they already sleep in the same bed, even if it's just for, well, sleeping.)
We also meet Deng Kuan and Gao Xiaolian here for the first time and her intro is...somewhat auspicious with Fang Buzhi. ZZS and WKX even unlace another man's trousers, though at least WKX probably would prefer a different context...and a different man's trousers.. A shame for WKX, but he will live, I guess. Unfortunately the two of them also scandalize poor GXL right out the gate, so that she recovers her aplomb later is quite commendable.
Even over a dead body, WKX can't help flirting (and ZZS believes not a word of it), but ZZS is at least all cold as diamonds TC leader in this moment and goes into detective mode.
Nice exchange which is both flirty and linguistically delightful
Sun Ding is on quite the killing spree, after Mu Yunge he has now also killed Fang Buzhi (certainly for the Glazed Armor). This is also what ZZS thinks, since he asks after the piece if Glazed Armor that WKX had and then also 'lost' (i.e. that was stolen by Fang Buzhi).
I won't even try keeping track of who has which piece of Glazed Armor, mostly because it doesn't matter so much for TYK canon.
So that kiss! WKX, I would have kicked you in the balls (again). Just FYI. However, it does serve to distract everyone quite thoroughly from ZZS' "incurable illness" and I guess by that served its purpose.
Their conversation about the Glazed Armour and Fang Buzhi has layers, one of them is WKX' identity as the Valley Master (that I guess ZZS doesn't really know about but WKX does of course), one of them is WKX probing whether really really ZZS doesn't want it, because who wouldn't?? But ZZS has seen and done too many things to care about that. Which WKX may actually be surprised by, if him saving himself from the conversation by commenting on ZZS' taste in wine (from the kiss) is any indication.
(ZZS calls him 你娘的 which is more "damn you" or "you fucker". I shall learn cursing in Chinese yet, maybe.)
What do you think of this very light turn in their relationship by bringing up somewhat heavier topics? What do you think about the kiss? Do you think ZZS already knows that WKX is the Valley Master or does he have other ideas?
On August 10 we'll continue with chapters 18-20 where we will get to Dongting and finally meet the infamous Gao Chong!
Today's chapters are:
Chapter 15 – The Tavern
Chapter 16 – Nine-clawed Fox
Chapter 17 – The Glazed Armor
We meet Cao Weining, Deng Kuan, and Gao Xiaolian. There also is another murder and Wen Kexing's flirting takes a turn.
Chapter 15
- "“Master, how are you so sure that once a person wears a disguise, it has to be uglier than how they normally are?” Gu Xiang asked.
Wen Kexing drawled, “No matter how ugly or beautiful people look, the features they were born with have a harmonious quality to them. Once tweakings are made, it’s impossible to not slip and make a mistake; and if you make yourself to be more beautiful, there will be more eyes on you, thus exposing those mistakes even more easily, understand?”
The three of them were walking on the main road that was full of people in the middle of noon. Zhou Zishu maintained his energy well by staying mute during the other two’s conversation and ignoring Wen Kexing’s occasional secret looks thrown his way." - "It was a good thing they met. That way, they could waste their energy messing with each other, sparing the rest of humanity from a great scourge."
- "He reflected that his days at the Court where he had navigated the Imperial Palace like a ghost seemed to be a lifetime away.
He wore robes of fine brocade then. And lived in a mysterious place full of plum blossoms whilst he dealt in the business of murder and arson. He’d been a thug, but one clad in silk and impeccable manners. " - "“The way he dresses,” Zhou Zishu replied, “understated in appearance but quite showy at the same time — it reminds me of an old acquaintance.”" [One Jing Beiyuan, ladies and gents.]
- "“How about I make reimbursement with my body?” Wen Kexing asked in a whisper.
Zhou Zishu smiled, unflappable.
“My apologies. I have yet to grow so refined an appetite.”"
Chapter 16
- "Cao Weining, after listening to them confusedly, gave the final conclusion: “You two have such an admirable camaderie.”
Zhou Zishu shut up, glancing at Cao Weining in complete silence. He knew the Patriarch of Qing Feng Sword Sect was an old sly fox, how on earth did that man manage to raise an innocent rabbit like this one?" [CWN, you are such a cinnamon roll, I love you dearly but damn you are so innocent. I'm with ZZS on this.] - "Cao Weining’s gaze went back and forth between the two of them. When he came back to his senses, he blurted out a question. “…Is it Brother Zhou’s illness that is obstructing your feelings for each other?”
After a short moment of silence, Wen Kexing burst out laughing, feeling very fond of Cao Weining.
Zhou Zishu coughed after a good while, removing Wen Kexing’s arms that were around his neck and replying with a solemn face. “Brother Cao needn’t worry. Brother Wen and I are at no risk of becoming a happy couple, ever. Though a bitter duo might be a possibility.”" - "“This is the mortal realm,” he pursued, “and in the mortal realm, demons and monsters shouldn’t exist. Since the… reputable Sir Gao Chong is willing to free the people from evil, wouldn’t doing nothing be a waste of our years spent studying the holy texts? They say that being born into this realm can only be achieved through eons of self-cultivation. If one doesn’t accomplish something with one’s life, wouldn’t it then be a waste of all that time?”"
- "“In my entire life, I’ve never met someone as suited to my taste as you,” he said as he wiped at his tears. “A-Xu… I too understand a few things about disguises, you know.”
He stared at Zhou Zishu without blinking, his gaze so intent that the man wearing two layers of skin felt uneasy under his mask.
“Do you?” Zhou Zishu replied just to say something." - "“So…” he said in a small voice and with his face red when he raised his head again, “for tonight, would the two of you need separate rooms, or will one suffice?”" [Oh CWN, you absolute cinnamon roll. Still, I love this line so much.]
Chapter 17
- "As fast as lightning, Wen Kexing reached out to grab Zhou Zishu’s chin. He lowered his head and, without further ado, began kissing the other man.
Deng Kuan froze on the spot. Fortunately, he was well educated enough to rally not too long afterwards. All awkwardness, he turned back and addressed his equally flabbergasted companions.
“Since… Since that’s so,” he said with affected composure to Cao Weining and Gao Xiaolian, “let’s… let the four of us go ahead. Yeah, we do that…”" - "After a while, he sighed and said in a tone that seemed full of reverence, “The Glazed Armour may contain long ago lost martial arts techniques, or it may hide the treasure of an enemy country. Who wouldn’t want that?”
Though his eyes remained unsmiling, the corners of his lips curled up as he went on.
“That Fang Buzhi guy was a thieving old dog. He acted only out of his own interest and wants. Whenever he desired something, he would take, even if it was the money another needed to survive. Would somebody like him not yearn to possess the Glazed Armour? The Delighted Mourning Ghost was forced to seek refuge at Ghost Valley because of his many crimes. He’s been living like a ghost amongst the living for who knows how many years; wouldn’t he want something like that as well? And you, the man who talks about accumulating merits, but do so only out of fear of the punishments that await you in the Yellow Spring; out of dread that the eighteen circles of Hell will judge you harshly for the sins you’ve committed in your past... Let me ask you if there was such an item — an object that would make you unbeatable, make you unafraid of the ghosts that come a-knocking at night — wouldn’t you want it too ?”
Zhou Zishu gave a shake of his head.
"I've never been afraid of ghosts," he said with a self-mocking smile."
WKX, predictably, has spent a lot of time thinking about ZZS' art of disguise. Which would be far more creepy if ZZS wasn't so interested in those thought processes himself and couldn't very well take care of himself if push came to shove. At the same time, he's quite delighted when GX is the one groping around his mask (the timing is quite different from SHL), but he probably knows she wouldn't find a seam no matter what. He doesn't trust WKX that much, that man is more sly.
(Look, is he still perving a bit on GX? Yeah, he is. Otoh, I have serious doubts ZZS would ever do anything and he's very clearly doing it to get a rise out of WKX. Successfully, too.
Which is why, really, I want them to meet Feng Xiaoshu post canon and see WKX' reaction.)
Meanwhile, GX thinks they deserve each other and she is, of course, absolutely right.
Look look, everyone also following the SHL rewatch commentary where I am very cross with ZZS for not eating! Even if I refuse, this person will tail me around anyway, Zhou Zishu thought, and if I agree he will pay for my food. He accepted the request quite cheerfully. And then later "dug in without another word" and even fighting for food omg. (I'm way too enthusiastic about this.)
This one entertains the thought of food and is actually looking forward to having someone else pay for it! (Sorta.)
Anyway I really love this reflecting he's doing (even saying he was like a ghost in the palace) here. After all of that happened in the few short weeks since he ran into WKX and ZCL, this has such a positive reading. Less the "well a man shoveling shit will smell" thing but this whole "back then he was wearing the trapping of nobility but in truth he was a thug but now all of that seems far away" is, for ZZS who put the Nails of Seven Orifices for Three Autumns into his own body, so incredibly hopeful. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but this wistfulness is strangely sweet.
We get another lovely callback to Jing Beiyuan, which is funny because I never considered Cao Weining and JBY to be similar in any sort of way. But I guess that's because I know too much about the inner workings of JBY by now. Still, it's only obvious when you know JBY already and quite nice. Considering that JBY has been gone from the capital for four years by that point (and ZZS must know he is alive) it's quite interesting that he thinks about him.
Meanwhile, Cao Weining everyone! The way he's introduced makes it clear we'll see him again, but he's also...an elegant deer in the headlights (they didn't give him a xiao in the drama, that got shafted off to WKX). The poor dear. Pun semi-intended.
I like that CWN meets WKX and ZZS first and they get his measure. Unfortunately for CWN, he breaks tight into their flirty banter. However, butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, and they are so well matched, GX was right, even speaking in sync. It's such fun to watch them tease each other and then try to be all earnest towards CWN, who sort of owes ZZS for saving him from an awkward situation.
CWN also serves to give us a bit of context for larger jianghu matters and that ZCL's sect was not the only one victim to deaths, but that the head of the Taishan sect and two of his disciples have also been killed and that therefore a council/gathering (大会 is more convention, assembly but ok) in Dongting has been called. This, of course, pings ZZS' attention.
(Mind you that both sparklingwater and xuxunette give 师叔, shishu, as "my uncle" here which, of course, is not quite correct and I'm actually surprised we see this translated as such.)
But also, WKX is not surprised at all about the Dongting gathering (and therefore also not about the attack on Taishan?), which gives ZZS pause, since WKX told GX to stay away from there. The Ghosts are not involved so much as...well, but how does WKX know about it then? I don't think ZZS knows about WKX' identity as the Valley Master at this point, but the Dongting mention is somewhat suspicious.
WKX and ZZS continue to flirt as per usual on their way to Dongting. The fact that I can say "as per usual" already is so funny, because they haven't been spending that much time together. And yet, it's completely par of the course that they bicker and flirt (in combination). ZZS is clearly having fun with this, also! He lets WKX touch him. He would not have done that prior to their little adventure in the cave.
Meanwhile, both of them introduce the concept of homosexuality to CWN, who clearly is that meme with the woman and the mathematical formulas for a moment there.
So look. This WKX knows ZZS is sick unto dying with the Nails. He knows this, he even identified the Nails himself. And yet he still says, “If you’re gone, I will remain solitary ‘till the end of my life.”, which ZZS takes as one of his usual banter (because that's the tone they've had). It just...possibly isn't. WKX recovers rather well all things considered, but here the fact that he has been flirting over the top bites him a bit in the arse right there.
It's also, notably, the first time WKX calls him "A-Xu", which is something he'll never drop even when he knows ZZS' real given name.
CWN stands by, unsure whether this is real or not. But on the other hand, he accepts that homosexuality is a thing with little more than shrugged shoulders once the idea has made it's way into his brain and just wants to know whether the fact that ZZS is sick makes it impossible for them to be together. Which….he's not wrong!
ZZS tries to defuse the whole situation, also with WKX, but to be honest, I think he's only semi-successful. But it does show him a more serious side of WKX (who he thinks is handsome, nice drop there), and I'm trying to think whether WKX has really been serious with him before aside from when one of them was injured or they were in some other moment of peril and my memory is more likely than not betraying me here, but I can't quite think of any. So now that WKX had made his intentions clear - whether he is believed or not - he drops one of his masks (the genial dandy without a care in the world)? He even says he knows something about disguises - and I wonder if he has ever been this honest with another person except maybe GX and I don't think so - only to make light of the situation again.
It's...something, certainly. WKX gives us a lot of insights into his character (also note his monologue about people who like meat and its conclusion) and so feel bad for him, knowing what I know of his past.
And yet, while the two of them do part, by dinnertime they're practically joined at the hip again (WKX wishes, certainly). And CWN does what basically everyone does in this novel: tells them to get a room. I laughed out loud when I first read this and it hasn't lost any of its fun. I'm not even one bit sorry for ZZS, who probably thinks he didn't ask for this and for WKX' advances, but who does absolutely nothing to discourage them. The only worse thing he could do to fan this further is if he were consistently mean to WKX, really.
(It's my favourite thing about this novel, how everyone tells them in various degrees of annoyance and earnestness to get a room already...even by the time they already sleep in the same bed, even if it's just for, well, sleeping.)
We also meet Deng Kuan and Gao Xiaolian here for the first time and her intro is...somewhat auspicious with Fang Buzhi. ZZS and WKX even unlace another man's trousers, though at least WKX probably would prefer a different context...and a different man's trousers.. A shame for WKX, but he will live, I guess. Unfortunately the two of them also scandalize poor GXL right out the gate, so that she recovers her aplomb later is quite commendable.
Even over a dead body, WKX can't help flirting (and ZZS believes not a word of it), but ZZS is at least all cold as diamonds TC leader in this moment and goes into detective mode.
Nice exchange which is both flirty and linguistically delightful
Chinese: ZZS: 是个经验老道的混混流氓 - WKX: 阿絮,我只流氓你一个
Sparklingwater: ZZS: he is a deeply experienced dirty hoodlum… - WKX: I’ve only ever been teasing to you, Ah-Xu.
Xuxunette: ZZS: He's an old rake - WKX: A-Xu, the only want I want to rake is you
[smooth, WKX, very smooth, I'd kick you in the balls for that]
While xuxunette is probably more correct in the gist, sparklingwater is closer to the wording, since it basically means "he is an experienced [Taoist] priest of drifter-dom and indecency" and WKX replies "the only one I want to be indecent with is you". The reason why I like sparklingswater's actually better here, even if less close to the the punnery, is that for me personally "rake" is a bit strong for WKX at this point in the story. He's been all villainous dandy and gentleman so far and it seems a bit strong go go that way. 流氓 doesn't actually have a verb form (and it's also the term used for computer malware, just to give you an idea of connotation here, it also means hooligan, ruffian, immoral behaviour) either anyway, but this is a delightful pun that doesn't really translate well but that I didn't want to keep to myself.
Sparklingwater: ZZS: he is a deeply experienced dirty hoodlum… - WKX: I’ve only ever been teasing to you, Ah-Xu.
Xuxunette: ZZS: He's an old rake - WKX: A-Xu, the only want I want to rake is you
[smooth, WKX, very smooth, I'd kick you in the balls for that]
While xuxunette is probably more correct in the gist, sparklingwater is closer to the wording, since it basically means "he is an experienced [Taoist] priest of drifter-dom and indecency" and WKX replies "the only one I want to be indecent with is you". The reason why I like sparklingswater's actually better here, even if less close to the the punnery, is that for me personally "rake" is a bit strong for WKX at this point in the story. He's been all villainous dandy and gentleman so far and it seems a bit strong go go that way. 流氓 doesn't actually have a verb form (and it's also the term used for computer malware, just to give you an idea of connotation here, it also means hooligan, ruffian, immoral behaviour) either anyway, but this is a delightful pun that doesn't really translate well but that I didn't want to keep to myself.
Sun Ding is on quite the killing spree, after Mu Yunge he has now also killed Fang Buzhi (certainly for the Glazed Armor). This is also what ZZS thinks, since he asks after the piece if Glazed Armor that WKX had and then also 'lost' (i.e. that was stolen by Fang Buzhi).
I won't even try keeping track of who has which piece of Glazed Armor, mostly because it doesn't matter so much for TYK canon.
So that kiss! WKX, I would have kicked you in the balls (again). Just FYI. However, it does serve to distract everyone quite thoroughly from ZZS' "incurable illness" and I guess by that served its purpose.
Their conversation about the Glazed Armour and Fang Buzhi has layers, one of them is WKX' identity as the Valley Master (that I guess ZZS doesn't really know about but WKX does of course), one of them is WKX probing whether really really ZZS doesn't want it, because who wouldn't?? But ZZS has seen and done too many things to care about that. Which WKX may actually be surprised by, if him saving himself from the conversation by commenting on ZZS' taste in wine (from the kiss) is any indication.
(ZZS calls him 你娘的 which is more "damn you" or "you fucker". I shall learn cursing in Chinese yet, maybe.)
What do you think of this very light turn in their relationship by bringing up somewhat heavier topics? What do you think about the kiss? Do you think ZZS already knows that WKX is the Valley Master or does he have other ideas?
On August 10 we'll continue with chapters 18-20 where we will get to Dongting and finally meet the infamous Gao Chong!
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Oh, same, absolutely.
But for me, one in the end does tie into the other, SHL!ZZS will be able to forgive SHL!WKX everything at all, and the fact that they have a shared history ties into that. His possessiveness gets ratcheted up to 11 when he finally figures that out, and his protectiveness becomes a mixture of "this man is mine" but also "this is my shidi and I had him first and that's why he mine, because he belongs to my sect." While in TYK, he decides WKX is his, with no shared history at all (which ZZS makes very clear to the Scorpion King by the end).
But this is very much my preference, I do see the draw about the drama.