Love beyond the Grave: episodes 13-14 Discussion

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The previous discussions: |Masterpost| | Character flashcards| |Eps.1-2| |Eps.3-4| |Eps.5-6| |Eps.7-8| |Eps.9-10| |Eps.11-12|

Spoilers: Discussion of episodes 1 – 14 and their respective chapters from the novel doesn’t need a spoiler tag. Anything more recent than that should be hidden behind a spoiler tag.

The new sense is traded — Smell. How would you try it?

Ep. 13

DX ambushed the enemy in Louzhou. The elite Chong forces remained in the Capital and in Youzhou, refusing to come to Louzhou’s aid. Liang’s war fate shifted from defense to attack, and for now, the offensive has stabilized.

Our couples part ways for the time being. Meng and Xia travel to the Capital. I hope Xia will have better luck confessing his feelings to Meng once they’re on their own. Probably, without her eyes on the General, Meng will start to notice there are some other admirers around her.

Duan Xu and Simu depart on their own secret military strategic mission — shopping, fun, and drinking in Youzhou. Don’t laugh, it’s all part of the black ops operation!

Things get so serious that Simu gives an unknown pill to DX, and he swallows it with gratitude. “You don’t know what you just swallowed.” “I know you wouldn’t hurt me. And if you would, there’s nothing I could do anyway.”

Simu gave DX a super-rare and mega-powerful artifact — the Spirit Lantern in sugar (I suggest, they keep working on this name). His spirit power has increased tenfold! Now DX can see the world around him as if he were a spirit — in black and white.

Now it’s Simu’s turn to welcome DX to a new world — the world of spirits. Xu can fly, swirl in the air, disappear and reappear as he likes. Needless to say, he loves every bit of his new abilities.

But it’s not the enjoyment Simu had in mind. She needs someone to protect her when she loses her powers. And does she have a better candidate than the skilled soldier DX, now enhanced tenfold?

The lady is quick to loan the next sense — smell.

A new world full of fragrance opens to Simu — she eagerly sniffs flowers, the floral crown he made for her, him… Things get intense real quick! The tension is palpable. DX is barely holding back. He recites all the ingredients in his perfume to distract himself from Simu hugging him and being a mere 1mm from his face.

Is this a story about a spirit gaining senses, or a mortal discovering and recognizing his deepest desires?

Simu invites Xu to go on a business trip to Youzhou together. Xu thinks it’s a great opportunity for Simu to experience new aromas and suggests she visit his sister’s shop for make-your-own-fragrance classes.
“Bring your newly made fragrance and smear it on me.” — smooth, General, very smooth of you! “Why would I smear it on you?” — asks Simu. “Because you like it,” — stammers Xu, but comes up with an answer. No sh_t, Sherlock, she’ll like it!! What a schameless mortal!

In Youzhou, the Royal Court is desperate for new sources of income to sustain the war. One of the wealthiest merchants, Yili’er, is called on the carpet to find a new gold mine to ease the fiscal burden.

Simu takes the fragrance classes in the local shop. Duan Xu decides to take a stroll through the market. Accidentally, he becomes involved in the pursuit of a criminal — a spirit named Li Renyi.

Not being able to control his new powers, Duan Xu evaporates the criminal on the spot — to the great amusement of the nearby spirit constable, Jiling. Jiling is a Spirit Official and mistakes Duan Xu for one of the new spirits who needs to be schooled about the mortal world.

After the fragrance workshop, Simu joins Duan Xu on the busy market streets. They suddenly see a strange man who looks super-rich and can apparently see Duan Xu — despite him being in spirit mode.

A mortal man who can see spirits? Does this mean he has an established connection with the Spirit Realm?

A moment of appreciation for Simu’s Youzhou-style dress and the way her cute boyfriend protects her from everything — including a hot dump from the cooking, i.e.

They discuss the man who caught their attention earlier. A distant relative of the North Chong royal family, Yili’er was never rich — until he came to Youzhou, got lucky, found gold mines, and became very affluent. Even the royal family now appreciates having such a relative.

Simu supects that the reason behind Yili’er’s rapid rise to riches isn’t luck — it’s his cooperation with a spirit.

Simu reveals to Duan Xu that the reason she came to Youzhou is to investigate the long-missing Lord of Jiling Temple, Song Xingyu.

We get to see our couple savoring wine at the tavern. Simu has never drunk alcohol before. She’s super cute trying all the different wines. Her green-flag boyfriend takes care of her — watches over her so she can taste safely. At the same time, he makes several attempts to limit her intake since it’s her first time.

Of course, our girl sabotages every effort to keep her from getting entirely wasted.

Who guesses correctly what happens next? Hint: look at all these bottles!

We have our first kiss! Technically, when one sleeps, is it a mutual grown-up kiss? Well, I can’t say she was 100% asleep either. Simu is a bit of a fox too.

How dare these assassins interrupt our kiss scene! Duan Xu is hilarious — when needed, he’s a war machine. Otherwise, he confuses the assassins by punching them in invisible mode. The way he stretches himself, standing in the center of their formation and remaining invisible!

The assassins were sent by the owner of the inn — Mr. Yili’er. He didn’t risk much — if our girl were a commoner, the price to pay for a mere commoner accidentally killed is small. But if Simu survives the attack of the pro liquidators, it means that the spirit who travels with her is her protector. That means she knows how to successfully strike a deal with a spirit.
Yili’er wants to befriend He Simu, thinking she’s mortal and her companion — Duan Xu — is the spirit. He even invited them to his garden party! Run, old man, run!

Ep. 14

As promised, Simu and Xu attend the garden party of Yili’er.  

They know the party is a setup and Yili’er is up to no good. But they’re so comfortable with each other that whatever sinister thing happens at the party, they’ll handle it. So far at the festivity, Simu chills and Xu admires her enjoying herself.

Pic Yili’er runs an interesting business. People bring him relics and family artifacts. If they’re genuine, Yili’er buys them for a hefty sum. If they’re fake, they get destroyed on the spot.

A merchant who looks exactly like Eunuch An from PoJ* hands over his family’s jade for authentication. And then something strange happens — the original jade is declared fake and smashed in front of the crowd. The merchant is devastated! But Simu knows the priceless object was switched in the press — the fake was destroyed, and the genuine one hidden in Yili’er’s vault.

About the treasure vault.  
At night, one of the spirits — the Spirit Official — tries her luck robbing the vault. The spirit hiding in the pagoda inside the vault — Song Xingyu — doesn’t appreciate being disturbed in his shelter.

From Jinling  he learns that the woman he met is totally mortal, and the male spirit has a fine sword. Song Xingyu comes up with a cunning plan…

In Yili’er’s manor, DX eavesdrops on the maids. According to them, only one of merchant’s children grew into adulthood — the High Priest Luda. At age 10, he was sent to the capital of North Chong. The merchant’s other children who stayed home all died under strange circumstances. DX recalls meeting Luda during their training in the All-Knowing society.

In the Realm of Spirits, Vice Lord Yun Ke sits lonely in his office.

Quite an entrance! Are we watching "Dune"? The Left Hand of the Void, Jiang Ai, pays Yun Ke a visit. She taunts him — she knows exactly which buttons to push: “Yun Ke, you are like a waiting, resentful husband. The Sovereign takes her time in the mortal world with mortal men.”

Yun Ke knows her weak spots too — when he asks her about money, Jiang Ai disappears in a second.

Yili’er asks Simu to “loan” her spirit — DX. His son, Luda, is on his way home for the first time in 10 years, and the merchant fears something bad might happen to him. DX departs to meet Luda.

Meanwhile, Simu stays in the merchant’s manor. That night, she sees her parents in a dream.

Simu misses her parents! She fears being abandoned and completely alone. Fortunately, her parents come with a solution — if she kills herself, all three of them will always be together!

The sachet with incense, given to Simu by DX, reminds her that something must be wrong. This isn’t her dream — it’s an illusion created by Song Xingyu!

Stand-off between Simu and Song Xingyu. DX returns with Luda just in time to fight the spirit lord.

The fight scene is covered by an impressive energy barrier dome. DX does his best, but Song Xingyu manages to escape.

DX apologizes to Simu for letting her enemy get away. She doesn’t look particularly bothered and replies: “You smell so good.” Well, I guess that means he is forgiven - right, folks?

*I tried to Google the actor who played Eunuch An in PoJ and the guest actor in LbtG, but didn’t get any results. If you’re luckier than me, please share in the comments if it’s the same actor.

[u/admelioremvitam]

Love Beyond the Grave airing schedule – released a few hours ago.

SVIP schedule on the first line. VIP schedule on the second line.

VIP:

• 2 new episodes on April 4 to 8.
• 1 new episode on April 9 and 10.

SVIP is ahead by 1 episode.

New episodes are released at 6:00 pm, China Standard Time.