romchat - Romchat
Romchat

Analyzing romance in books and media to justify my singleness. New to tumblr. Wants to retire as a food blogger. She/her.

573 posts

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

Story of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing you observing me

When you've always seen yourself as the villain, is it harder to accept kindness or accept that others see kindness within you?

Hands down my favorite parts of Episode 18 were these two back-to-back scenes with You Fangyin, Jiang Xuening, and Xie Wei. For our two deeply scarred leads, the ability to find someone who truly sees them for who they are and what they could be feels unattainable, and yet in this episode they both find that.

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me
Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

The day after being attacked by a delirious Xie Wei, Xuening goes to visit You Fangyin in prison. Feeling guilty about not being able to stop Yan Lin from being exiled, Xuening also expresses guilt about keeping Fangyin in "another prison" to protect her from her family. Like Xie Wei with Yan Lin, she believes her scheming has shackled Fangyin to an even worse fate.

But Fangyin just smiles and gently corrects her, arguing that Xuening has actually made her life better. She also notes that while "death is the end of everyone's life, the process could have thousands of possibilities." The conversation is a good reminder for Xuening that not only is Yan Lin's disastrous fate not locked into place, but also that perhaps Xie Wei's actions, like her own towards Fangyin, might not be as nefarious as she had originally assumed.

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

I think that's why when Xie Wei confronts her outside the prison, she's angry but it's more from feeling betrayed than anything else.

Side Note #1: This woman though. Xuening literally saw Xie Wei murder a man and almost gets stabbed/strangled herself, but she's more upset that he kept his plan to protect Yan Lin a secret from her. She might idolize and be attracted to Zhang Zhe's virtuousness but she and Xie Wei are two peas in a pod when it comes to embracing the idea that sometimes the ends justify the (bloody) means.

Side Note #2: I love how Xie Wei is wary enough of Xuening's reaction that he keeps his distance but the moment his guard, Qing Feng, starts criticizing her he moves to her side.

Side Note #3: Zhang Linghe's profile is magnificent. That jawline is sharper than the dagger Xie Wei used to kill Gongyi Cheng.

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me
Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me
Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

Xie Wei is an excellent people reader, and when she accepts his invitation back to his home, he knows she's angry. So it takes him aback when she extends a bit of kindness despite that.

The beginning of this scene has such lovely subtle acting by Zhang Linghe. Xuening sees Xie Wei struggle with setting down the qin because of his injured hand so she reaches over and gently places it on the table for him. That cautious lift of Xie Wei's head and the wonderous look on his face like he can't believe she'd offer care after witnessing his violence...that broke me. It says so much about his character and the low expectations he has for the people around him to care.

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

But when it comes to Xuening, Xie Wei doesn't want her to have those same low expectations of him. He tells her not to trust him, that he's not a good person, and yet he

Risked his life to take pills that would treat his delirium enough that he could approach her the morning after he attacked her;

Is willing to risk his revenge plan by explaining parts of his strategy to someone with links to the Ministry of Justice just so that she doesn't turn away from him;

Gets visibly frustrated when she assumes he just wants to shut her up about the murder rather than explain about Yan Li.

And he tucks it away in his heart that she admits to observing him like he observes her. Although his identity is an illusion, it is enough for him that he is an illusion she truly sees and can be kind to.

Story Of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing You Observing Me

Look at that boyish smile.

How she is so oblivious about his feelings at this point is beyond me but Minister of Justice and Cheekbones is pretty distracting so I guess I get it.

  • siennanicolai
    siennanicolai reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • siennanicolai
    siennanicolai liked this · 1 year ago
  • circumference-pie
    circumference-pie liked this · 1 year ago
  • sofi-91
    sofi-91 liked this · 1 year ago
  • kinomotos
    kinomotos liked this · 1 year ago
  • disgusteeed
    disgusteeed liked this · 1 year ago
  • okuyan-liesel-meminger
    okuyan-liesel-meminger liked this · 1 year ago
  • hellzmango
    hellzmango liked this · 1 year ago
  • marvelousmstravellor
    marvelousmstravellor reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • marvelousmstravellor
    marvelousmstravellor liked this · 1 year ago
  • sunriseea
    sunriseea liked this · 1 year ago
  • alwayschocolategarden
    alwayschocolategarden liked this · 1 year ago
  • labseraph
    labseraph reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • labseraph
    labseraph liked this · 1 year ago
  • andli
    andli liked this · 1 year ago
  • kyber12
    kyber12 liked this · 1 year ago
  • teamstorybooks
    teamstorybooks reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • teamstorybooks
    teamstorybooks liked this · 1 year ago
  • magnificenthologrammoon
    magnificenthologrammoon liked this · 1 year ago
  • escapist0166
    escapist0166 liked this · 1 year ago
  • nanceq
    nanceq liked this · 1 year ago
  • oatmealnebraska
    oatmealnebraska liked this · 1 year ago
  • daysofbeingsad
    daysofbeingsad liked this · 1 year ago
  • tina-mo
    tina-mo liked this · 1 year ago
  • faithisland
    faithisland liked this · 1 year ago
  • litcritic
    litcritic liked this · 1 year ago
  • scentedturtlefansoul
    scentedturtlefansoul liked this · 1 year ago
  • littlemixand1direction
    littlemixand1direction liked this · 1 year ago
  • purplehyacinthsimp
    purplehyacinthsimp liked this · 1 year ago
  • renewedmotionforjudgment
    renewedmotionforjudgment liked this · 1 year ago
  • nimadge
    nimadge liked this · 1 year ago
  • timburtonwithoutillusions
    timburtonwithoutillusions liked this · 1 year ago
  • astralmoon
    astralmoon reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • just-so-i-know
    just-so-i-know liked this · 1 year ago
  • tchoonhui
    tchoonhui liked this · 1 year ago
  • psychorate117
    psychorate117 liked this · 1 year ago
  • wordsbysorscha
    wordsbysorscha liked this · 1 year ago
  • jules616
    jules616 liked this · 1 year ago
  • confusedsoulrambles
    confusedsoulrambles liked this · 1 year ago
  • osita-escondida
    osita-escondida liked this · 1 year ago
  • thrdplce
    thrdplce liked this · 1 year ago
  • timesforgotten
    timesforgotten liked this · 1 year ago
  • headspacedad
    headspacedad liked this · 1 year ago

More Posts from Romchat

1 year ago

In Story of Kunning Palace, Jiang Xuening is so haunted & terrorized about how she can't change fate:

The Yan family is still exiled. ZZ's mother still dies in the snow with hatred in her heart. The princess is still married off as a political sacrifice. (in the novel, a certain character still inevitably dies.)

But what the series shows is that her choices & intent do matter. Once she'd thought she had the most difficulties in this world. And never tried to understand the difficulties of others.

But because in this 2nd life, Ning'er is not focused solely on herself & her ambitions, her impact on those around her has changed.

Bad things still happen, because this is a cruel world. And she herself at times remains ruthless. But her acts of caring make a difference.

She's not a 'god' to be able to change everyone's fate, but she is changing PEOPLE. Instead of scrambling to hold onto any alliance to get power & protection, she is connecting with others and inspiring them. People are better because of knowing her. Even her sister & her father are discovering more bravery within themselves. Though lbr, being able to heal any part of Xei Wei is the biggest challenge of them all 😂

1 year ago

Really long ramble ahead: I really enjoy the quote that the main similarity between Xie Wei and Ning is that they’re loyal. Because on one hand, their main similarity is that they’re both ruthlessly manipulative and have serious trust issues and identity problems, but on the other hand, comic relief business guy is right. They’re both extremely loyal and motivated by their loyalty.

Ning is trying to save all of her friends no matter what because no matter the terrible things they did, like Yan Lin, in life 1, she is still loyal to them. She is motivated by her loyalty to Zhang Zhe and the promise she made to him. Xie Wei is motivated by a loyalty to his family, to avenge them, to betray everyone and Lord Pinging to do so, to the risk of death.

Not only this, but as demonstrated by their relationship, neither expects loyalty from others, ever. Xie Wei is loyal to her, his saviour, he does not kill her and tries to protect her out of loyalty to their connection and friendship (among other things), and Ning is completely unaware of this. She trusts he has the same goals as her, and is loyal towards the Yan family: she does not trust he would ever be loyal to her, they simply share a goal.

Ning is loyal to Xie Wei in a more intrinsic sense; that being she could easily sell him out to Zhang Zhe, or set him up, or any of that, and be rid of the main cause of the rebellion and life 1, but she never even considers it. She clearly is not averse to setting people up and does it many times, but still she helps him instead. Her whole “im not interested in your secrets” speech exemplifies this, because by all rights, she should be interested, he is behind the rebels, he slaughtered countless people in life 1, she believes he is capable of killing people again, but she isn’t. She threatens to reveal his secrets but it’s entirely half hearted and Xie Wei knows it. Still, he does not realise this is loyalty: she is scared of him, it is fear (except she hasn’t been scared of him for a while now but still). Or it is trust in his loyalty and that they have the same motivations (which it also isn’t).

Neither expects loyalty from others I believe because their loyalty was hard won. Xie Wei is loyal exclusively to people from his childhood, before his walls were built. Ning is loyal to the people she betrayed, they won her loyalty and appreciation through her acts of disloyalty and cruelty. Ning is only loyal to people she saw before her walls went up, before everyone who ever loved her betrayed her, before she was consumed by guilt. So the budding loyalty between Ning and Xie Wei is unexpected and unacknowledged by either party.

But, given their conflicting goals, I have this feeling their mutual loyalty is gonna be an issue in the future. As is exemplified by ZZ and XW’s enemy/rivalry thing, XW’s actions are progressively going more and more against Nings goal of a good ending, and she is going to have to deal with that at some point.

TLDR: Ning and Xie Wei’s loyalty underpins their motivations and their budding loyalty to each other is big for both characters, who so far are mainly just loyal to people they met before their walls went up, but this mutual loyalty will become a plot issue as both of their motivations begin to diverge.

1 year ago

If someone told me before this drama aired that my favorite man in the drama would be Yan Lin, I would have thought they consumed some serious shrooms but here we are. I don't ship him with the FL because that's not what she wants but he is so my favorite. If Xie Wei is her mirror, Zhang Zhe is her aspiration, Yan Lin is her childhood and her innocence and her chance to make amends.

The more we see him, the more I get why she's so desperate to save him not from death (he did not die in life 1), but from becoming the monster he became in life 1 because this Yan Lin is so full of sunshine and warmth and life.

The bit where she visits him in jail, sees him beat all to hell and he issues this wry shrug as if laughing at himself and this situation "what did you expect" and there is no anger in him.

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

And her indignation

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

And the fact that he ping-pongs with her, still just happy to see her. Irrepressible is the word that comes to mind.

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

And he tries to minimize it, for her sake...

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

I love them so much!

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

I think what I like about Yan Lin in life 2 so much is that he's just such a very alive person. I don't know how to phrase it - XW is intense, ZZ has his integrity etc, but Yan Lin feels like the one who lives his life to the most full out of the three.

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

And I loved this convo, where he finally talks with her head on about the fact that she is his friend but does not see him as a romantic prospect. I love that he knows, not deluded, and just asks, genuinely wanting to know - not bitter, or angry or anything, just wanting to know.

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

I love that her explanation makes it clear that it's not his lack somehow (and I equally love that he listens to her when she says she's a bad person, does not believe it, but instead of denying it, just asks her why she thinks that - he genuinely listens.) If you think her explanation doesn't really rationally make sense to a non-reincarnator but YL is the kind of guy who takes "in the dream I did awful things and you did them back" explanation with acceptance and even wry amusement (how are you the one who's bad, clearly I was the bad one) and it's that ease in letting go because he knows she's telling the truth and that's all he wanted. Logical or not, these are her true reasons and feelings, and one cannot argue with them.

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would

Those two kill me together; I don't ship them romantically, but their relationship is just the BEST!!!

If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
If Someone Told Me Before This Drama Aired That My Favorite Man In The Drama Would Be Yan Lin, I Would
1 year ago

To me, this sequence is the crux of why Xie Wei is the endgame for JXN in terms of suitability - in terms of someone who allows her to be most at peace with herself and live happily. It's not just because with ZZ, she will always strive for an ideal and hide the "uglier" parts of herself. It's because as others pointed out - she needs to learn to love herself and she is mired in guilt around him - but also, XW doesn't just see her the way she is and loves that, he is also someone who is determined, obsessed even, with looking forward not back.

In some ways, he's the most driven by the past out of all the characters (he wants justice/vengeance for what happened during the siege, this is his cause) but that's the thing - his attitude is "this horrific thing has happened, it cannot be changed, now we will figure out how to deal with this and address it" (which in his case is a lot of murder :P) is something JXN needs - she's been trying to change the past emotionally, as well as physically and I think she needs to accept that she is irretrievably changed, you can't unring the bell, you can't make her pure naive girl who (in her belief system) is worthy of ZZ (btw any relationship where you constantly work to be worthy of the other person is unhealthy at best and doomed at worst), you can just move forward, in whatever way possible.

In a way, what he says here is quite straightforward and in keeping with his "moving forward" attitude - if you can't let go, don't. Her guilt won't allow her to hear that.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

Lady, he talks a good talk but he's already 85% to losing control over you.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

And that is when all red flags that did not manifest before, manifested, in terms of that relationship. ZZ is a good man, probably the best of the characters. But any relationship where you are doing Jesus and Mary Magdalene imitation, viewing someone as literally flawless, as someone who shouldn't be touched by anything even if you tear out your heart, because you are so unworthy is not a romantic relationship, that's a medieval nun's attitude to her God. No go in real life. It wouldn't work and if somehow it did, would never make her truly happy. JXN should be in a relationship not even of mutual pedestals but being seen and seeing the other person as messy flawed being but still worthy of love.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

I laughed. I adore XW but what he knows about people's hearts in terms of romance is equivalent to a turnip.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

Time-out for haaaaaaands!

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

And despite my snark, it's not a turnip of an answer at all, it's perfect (I think he's terrible at telling his own heart but not others.) That is what she needs to hear - as I mentioned - not ignoring what's in the past but moving on.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

I love it so much!!! And I love that he's genuinely heartbroken for her pain and just wants to fix it - there is none of that "my chance is here" attitude.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

It's an angsty moment but I giggled because I remembered wailing after my first high school boyfriend dumped me "I am never going to love anyone like this! I could never find someone like this!" Spoiler - I was wrong :P (And probably wouldn't be able to pick the guy out of a line-up now.)

But, more importantly, I was screaming into my hands, when he said "find someone more suitable." Not just because this is XW in a nutshell - he accepts the situation as it is, no arguing with the premise and offers a different solution (nobody is better? OK, accepted, then how do we deal in this situation) but because this is the crux of the OTP. What JXN (and every other person looking for a partner) needs in this world is not the person who is the smartest or saintliest or w/e, they need the most suitable person for them, whoever that is, to be happy. Objectively saintly ZZ is not particularly suitable for her; goodness is not happiness, not always, and she needs to accept that and fully accept herself.

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms

Yes, there will be!

To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
To Me, This Sequence Is The Crux Of Why Xie Wei Is The Endgame For JXN In Terms Of Suitability - In Terms
1 year ago

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

I'm sorry but how did this show come out of nowhere?

The animation is stunning, especially the fight scenes and establishing shots.

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Just gorgeous.

And it's a revenge plot?

With women with swords?

Who are dressed as men to survive the patriarchal world that has marginalized them?

And if my eyes don't deceive me there's the kernel of an actual enemies-to-lovers subplot?

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Oh, I'm so seated for this. Bring on Episode 2.


Tags :