My notes:

Da Qing tells Dr Cheng he only looks young, but isn't actually, and I always wonder if she thinks it's perhaps another Zu Ma situation.

I love the way the plot-important stuff for the Merit Brush arc is sprinkled in here, Dr Cheng and the nurse talking about Bai Suxia's death, Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng hearing about Wang Xiangyang being bullied and disappearing.

The timeline is seriously wonky here. Reunion Eve, which is when Bai Suxia died and Wang Xiangyang was bullied, should have been the night before, aka the night Zhao Yunlan was blinded, but it sounds as if Wang Xiangyang was missing for more than a day, and just several things about the entire stretch between the Zhu Jiu capture and don't add up. They all flow into each other with no gap, but more time seems to be passing ... (I can usually ignore these inconsistencies just fine, but it can drive me up the wall when I'm trying to construct a timeline for a fic. *g*)

Chu Shuzhi's 什么是客套? "What are 'courtesies'?" always makes me laugh.

In the previous half-episode Fourth Uncle calls Zhu Hong out on only visiting because she's looking for a cure for Zhao Yunlan's eyes, and she's proving him right here! She even uses a Snake boy's feelings for her so she can sneak into the restricted area, in the faint hope there might be something relevant there.

Ya Qing uses the guard's distraction to knock him down, then tells Zhu Hong off for trying to go where she doesn't belong, and Zhu Hong attacks her, furious - I expect not just over Jia-ge getting attacked, but just as much because Ya Qing is the one who brought them to Ye Zun, and is therefore partly responsible for Zhao Yunlan's blindness.

I love that Zhao Yunlan has acquired a snazzy cane!

The announcement that sounds as Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei walk through the park involves Kunlun, and Gonggong and the dragon and the pillars of heaven - novel backstory stuff that (apart from Kunlun's identity) has no direct equivalent in the drama. (Well, maybe the meteor strike is the equivalent of toppling Mount Buzhou?) So when Zhao Yunlan asks whether Shen Wei knew these people in the past and Shen Wei comes back with, "I'm not very clear about matters from the past," I'm not really sure how to take it. Is all of this supposed to refer to something from YOHE, and Shen Wei is being secretive? Or is it all later mythologising that happened during Shen Wei's dirt nap, and Shen Wei actually really isn't clear on any of this?

The meeting with Ying Chun is so cute! He turns up the charm, and she's clearly entertained by it.

Love the tiny nod Shen Wei gives when Zhao Yunlan says the sunglasses are for gaining sympathy! *g*

The way Shen Wei just drags Zhao Yunlan behind him when he's rushing towards Ya Qing's cawing! Hee!

And I love the way Ya Qing's hand is so claw-like on Zhu Hong's throat, excellent visual! I couldn't resist using it as this post's screencap. (Also, Ya Qing just looks excellent here, but then, she always does.) She says she's back to settle the score as she promised, and I wonder what exactly her plan is. I used to think her taking Zhu Hong hostage was just because the opportunity presented itself, but thinking about it again, I actually think she did it on purpose, threatening her to show Fourth Uncle how vulnerable he is if he gets in her way again.

Ya Qing and Ying Chun clearly care about each other, but don't understand each other at all at this point.

The action sequence is such fun! Fourth Uncle rushing Ya Qing, Ya Qing repelling him with black energy, and then Shen Wei arriving (dragging Zhao Yunlan behind!), pushing Ya Qing with black energy and yanking Zhu Hong towards Zhao Yunlan even as he rushes at Ya Qing!

I'm never certain what exactly Shen Wei was going to do with Ya Qing once had her under his dao, but there were really no good options there. She's not under his jurisdiction, but she's allied with Dixing traitors, enemies of Haixing, so fighting her is obviously legitimate. But killing the leader of a Yashou tribe would definitely have consequences, and then again, letting her go doesn't help anything either, since she'll just keep working against them ...

At any rate, despite how furious Shen Wei is about all of this, "Xiao-Wei!" cuts through it instantly, derailing his anger and leaving him blue-screening. (I'm still so sad that we didn't get a Xiao-Wei scene in YOHE for this to call back to!)

And then Zhao Yunlan - who has to feel pretty helpless stumbling and being yanked around, but who's not letting that stop him - does what he always does: he tries to de-escalate things. Of course he didn't see Ya Qing's hand on Zhu Hong's throat, but it really is his first strategy, inserting himself into a conflict and trying to calm things down, even when he doesn't quite understand the stakes. (Like with the Envoy shouting at the Regent!) And luckily it works here, because Shen Wei's fury means Ya Qing can't afford escalation at this point. I'm not sure if she really hears what he's saying about Ye Zun not genuinely helping her - does she already have doubts at this point?

Fourth Uncle suggests electing a Yashou High Chief, and Ya Qing agrees - of course she's hoping it'll be her, but I wonder if he also thinks it'll be him? At any rate, Zhao Yunlan calls out Fourth Uncle on only inviting him because he wanted his help - he phrases its as 让兄弟帮你挡一挡灾, roughly "let your buddy help you ward off disaster", hee! And Fourth Uncle doesn't deny it.

Fourth Uncle couldn't have known Ya Qing would be there (though no doubt he expected her to turn up soon), so I'm not sure what his actual plan was. But maybe he was originally just going to discuss the issue with Zhao Yunlan? I'm not sure.

I'm also not sure what's up with the Fleamarket, which Fourth Uncle used as an excuse to invite Zhao Yunlan. Is it actually happening? It would be a good opening gesture, offering the potential of finding a cure, if he wants something from Zhao Yunlan! But on the other hand, after this, Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei seem to just leave, and there's no mention at all of potentially finding a cure from anyone else who might turn up. So they seem to be treating it as merely a ruse to lure Zhao Yunlan into Snake territory? And the Fleamarket isn't actually happening at all? Idk, I always feel like I'm missing something here.

Sacred wood lore! It's a key that only works if you first make it sprout! Ma Gui really is a mad scientist, that sounds like something Lin Jing would have thought of. *g* And I love that Fourth Uncle trusts Zhu Hong with it.

About Jia-ge (as Zhu Hong calls him) or A-Jia (as Fourth Uncle says): we see Ya Qing knock him down, and then don't see him again. I know some of us believe she killed him, but it's ambiguous on screen, and this time, I paid special attention to the way Fourth Uncle talks about him afterwards. He tells her A-Jia genuinely likes her - that doesn't sound to me like it's meant to be past tense, more like he's still trying to set them up. And calling Zhu Hong a crybaby when she says she let Jia-ge down also seems weird if the guy was actually just murdered. So based on this, I think he did survive and was only knocked out.

Wang Zheng and Sang Zan and their romance once again serve to make sure everyone knows the end credit song is explicitly romantic. *g*

And then we get everyone greeting Shen Wei as the Envoy! Such a delightful scene.

When Shen Wei says to act the same as before, Zhao Yunlan repeats it in what always seems to me a slightly mocking tone - possibly pondering on (not) being treated the same as before when something changes. Such as losing your eyesight. *g*

My favourite part is 100% Shen Wei going straight to Chu Shuzhi (who didn't participate in the greeting) and apologising for not telling him in advance. And I love Chu Shuzhi's declaration of loyalty.

I wonder if Shen Wei was going to tell him - I mean, after Zhu Hong knew, the cat essentially was out of the bag. Maybe it would have happened during the Reunion Festival feast at the SID, if they hadn't been interrupted. (Afterwards, of course he was distracted by Zhao Yunlan's blindness.)

Da Qing bets ten packs of anchovies that the miracle doctor is a swindler! Hee! (I bet he never pays up. *g*)

Another great little detail: Cong Bo calling Lin Jing, who he worked closely with, rather than Zhao Yunlan himself, or the SID office.

Shen Wei is willing to try anything at this point, but also, he knows very well that healing powers do exist, so it's definitely worth checking things out.

I still can't stand Feng Qubing. Calling Zhao Yunlan's blindness a minor problem and then getting offended when Da Qing is obviously WTF?! about that? Threatening them with not accepting patients today? Refusing any and all questions, and bristling at anything that isn't unquestioning adulation? And then he's surprised when Zhao Yunlan decides to just leave! Has he only been dealing with desperate people until now, so no one walked out on him before?!

(He has reasons to be secretive, but he has no reasons to be an arrogant jerk! And his conversation with Professor Ouyang makes it sound like he's more concerned with wiping out his previous reputation as a quack than with helping people.)

I love the mini-head jerk Shen Wei gives to Da Qing, prompting him to spy on the doctor's next visitor, Professor Ouyang.

Speaking of, and considering Feng Qubing's (lack of) bedside manner - did Professor Ouyang not ask any questions?! What does he think is happening?! Shouldn't he realise this is related to his research, and be very interested in learning more?!

The conversation between Shen Wei and Professor Ouyang is so interesting. Professor Ouyang clearly feels slighted that Shen Wei decided to join the "inferior" SID instead of the Haixing lab! And he tries to recruit him again, after giving up pretty quickly in episode 1. (But then, since that time they've had some setbacks and a lot of pressure from above, as well as Professor Zhou who can't shut up about Shen Wei, so ... *g*)

And we get a hint about the direction of Professor Ouyang's research: "Chief Zhao is an ordinary person. Getting injured is normal. Unless our experiment ..." Shen Wei should pick up on that, right?

Oh, that's a thought! Something that only resonates on a re-watch...

Yes! I really like that.

Though at the same time, Fourth Uncle uses her to lure Zhao Yunlan to the market to get involved in internal Yashou politics, right?

Yeah, he's calling her out on having ulterior motives while having ulterior motives himself. Like uncle, like niece? *g*

(And they both do mean well, it's not like any of that is malicious or anything. Actually, I really like that they have this kind of practicality in common!)

Yes, I think that's part of Shen Wei's fury, too. Zhu Hong and Shen Wei are both smarting from Zhao Yunlan having been injured -- and even worse, it happening on their watch!

That's very true, agreed. For Zhu Hong, she had to be there during the entire thing, trying to help but unable to - she couldn't even support ZYL fully, because the Sundial pushed her away too! And they knew Ya Qing was dangerous; she and Shen Wei even worked together to get her out of the way for Zhu Jiu's capture. But they failed to prevent her next move, which was to bring ZYL to Ye Zun ...

Yeah, I was wondering about that, too.

Right? Maybe it's just an easter egg for the novel fans, and we shouldn't read too much into it, but I keep wondering how it might relate to YOHE ...

LOL, I always read that as him confirming (in response to her silent question) that Zhao Yunlan is in fact blind, rather than agreeing with his statement.

Oh, yeah, I don't think he's literally confirming the sympathy-gaining statement! I think it's mostly a "yeah, he really is like that", but also, as you say, confirming the blindness is real.

Oh yes, that's a great point. So, do you think she never intended to hurt her?

I think she wanted to get Fourth Uncle out of her way, and actually harming Zhu Hong wouldn't have done that; it'd have turned him more firmly against her. So yeah, IMO it was a threat display that didn't work out well for her because Fourth Uncle came prepared with a Guardian and an Envoy. *g*

We were robbed!!

ROBBED.

I don't know that he's actually that ambitious? He doesn't really come forward at the "election", does he?

I don't think he's ambitious and I don't think he wants actual power, but at this point he probably still thinks a High Chief could order everything back to the status quo, and that would be that. By the time the election actually comes round, the situation has changed a lot.

Make a covert alliance? I wonder if he was expecting the SID Chief to bring the Envoy along, too.

Yeah, he does know by this point that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are working closely together, and Zhu Hong probably complained about them being glued together too. *g* So he could very reasonably expecct both of them to show up!

Oooh, now I want an AU where Ya Qing doesn't turn up right at that point and they get to talk! I'd love to see a take on Fourth Uncle's thoughts at this point in time, because I really don't think he's ready to commit to fighting at all, and yet. So what compromises is he willing to make at this point?

If there isn't a Fleamarket at all, then what was with the mythological announcement?

Another very good question!

Ha, I came to the opposite conclusion, based on his not appearing again.

But then what do you make of the way Fourth Uncle and Zhu Hong talk about him? They really don't act as if they're talking about someone who literally just died.

It must suck, knowing how awed CSZ and everyone are by the Envoy, to feel like the fragile co-worker relationship he's been developing with them all might ice over into formality.

Yeah, that's a good point! But I think despite Shen Wei's reticence about his secrets, he was aware that once Zhu Hong knew there was no stuffing that cat back into the bag. And I don't think he's the "stick your head in the sand" type. Idk, planning to tell Chu Shuzhi would make sense to me.

It's a lovely moment of silent communication, but it does rather lead into DQ spying again later on and scuppering their cure...

Eh, I maintain DQ's mistake was not spying in cat form the second time. The first time he got it right! *g*

Speaking of, and considering Feng Qubing's (lack of) bedside manner - did Professor Ouyang not ask any questions?! What does he think is happening?! Shouldn't he realise this is related to his research, and be very interested in learning more?!

I thought his and Professor Ouyang's talk was quite friendly and almost collegial.

Yes, it was! Completely agreed. But I'm wondering how they got there. Professor Ouyang tells Shen Wei that Feng Qubing cured his knees, and I'm wondering how Professor Ouyang, who's a) a scientist, b) deep into super-powers research, and c) feeling pressure from above, got through that without saying or asking anything that offended Feng Qubing, given that even DQ's mild reaction over Feng Qubing calling ZYL's blindness a small issue sets him off so much!

He just has other things on his mind right now, but presumably that's when he makes a mental note to meet up with Zhao Xinci and make formal enquiries?

Oh, yeah. Good point!

Yes! Oh, in a way, having Ya Qing be Yashou probably makes Zhu Hong feel irrationally responsible, in a similar way to Shen Wei feeling responsible for Ye Zun...

Not as closely - it's Ying Chun who's more likely to feel that way about Ya Qing, but yeah. Same way as Shen Wei feels responsible for Dixingren in general.

Yes, exactly. I don't think he's like Wang Xiangyang; and it would have been interesting to get more alternative (more mature) reactions to grief in the show. Not worth losing Zhu Hong for, though, of course!

Definitely not worth losing Zhu Hong! But it's absolutely fascinating to think about all the different ways things could have gone at this point. Agreed that he's no Wang Xiangyang, and a different take on grief would have been very good to include, even just as a counterexample!

I think they're both still reeling from what just happened/Zhu Hong's brush with death, and all the other drama, and that kind of pushes the Jia-ge tragedy aside a bit, and Fourth Uncle doesn't want to give Zhu Hong too hard a time, given everything.

Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me at all, so let's stop here since we're not going to agree. :)

I suspect might have been different for a single, seemingly harmless, amiable elderly gentlemen, versus a whole cadre of inquisitive, pushy weirdos demanding answers, plus Shen Wei appearing both very formal in manner and dress and very protective of ZYL. I suspect all of that inadvertently pushed FQB's "trying to make a name for himself while still somehow flying under the official radar, gah?!??" buttons, and made him that much more difficult and weird in response. (He has other thank-you banners in his clinic, too, so it's not just Ouyang he gets on with.)

Yeah, I can see how the entire SID mob might push his buttons more! And I'm not surprised about the thank-you banners or people in general not asking questions, it's just Professor Ouyang who surprises me since he's not just someone with a scientific mindset, but actively researching related topics. *g*

I'm not sure. Convincing Shen Wei to give this another try is
one aspect, I guess. And from a narrative arc point of view it makes sense that Shen Wei meets Professor Ouyang again and we're reminded of that connection, and Shen Wei gets a reminder about Professor Ouyang's research. But it doesn't quite fit in other respects ...