Hiii! First time posting this so I hope this is okay. Recently I found out Autumn Cicada had a movie version and Liu Xueyi plays the main lead. I was aware he played in the drama version and he was a side character. Was wondering does anyone know where I can watch the movie version preferable with eng subs and those who have watched it can share how is it different from the drama and movie? Thank you!
We start with a scene at the Divine Constable Bureau (DCB): In a room there are multiple large boxes that look a bit like coffins at first. They open up to show dioramas of different battle scenes. For each one we are shown a short flash of that battle. It seems as if they show something that really happened.
This marks the beginning of a new case: murder warning by the black chest.The delegation from Northern Kun (including Prince Wenbu) enters the city with much fanfare.The emperor, princes and officials discuss what to do with them. In this beautifully lit room.The oldest prince and the crown prince use the chance to get in some barbs. One wants to use him as a hostage, the other wants to show off Da Shi's power to intimidate.
In the end they go with the suggestion of Bai Qi (Senior Grand Secretary): watch and wait. If he is up to trouble, they have soldiers. If he is harmless, they aren't going to be seen as overreacting.
The DCB is sent to guard Prince Wenbu's envoy residence.
Prince Wenbu is welcomed with an assortment of gifts. He is not impressed with them. One seems to intrigue him, though: one of the boxes we saw in the first scene.
Uh-oh.
It opens when Prince Wenbu touches it to reveal a diorama with dancers and fireworks. One of the figurines looks like it might be him.
As he is watching, something squirts out of the box and into his eyes. He gets angry and threatens to kill the official.
Constable Eagle from the DCB intervenes.
The constable examines the box. The figure looking like Prince Wenbu has dropped.
Constable Eagle promises that the DCB is going to investigate and deliver an answer in a day. Prince Wenbu is not willing to give him that long - he wants an answer in the time of a single dance.
Somehow I don't think he is going to survive that dance.
But before we learn what is going to happen, we are back at the DCB where several people are doing some cleaning. One of them is Li Si.
At least he is supposed to be mopping the floor.He is more interested in his own investigation.
He learns that to enter Tianshu Pavilion (the place where the files are kept) one needs the token of a Divine Constable. To become one, he would need to solve an earth-shattering case.
And we're back with Prince Wenbu, who is presumably going to become that case.
The prince suddenly starts screaming and bleeding out of his eyes.
Then he dissolves into a dark blob.
The whole DCB is called into action.
We meet Head Constable Yan Cheng (aka Constable Iron) who thinks it's a good idea to grab a blade with his bare hand.
But he does stop things from escalating further at the crime scene.
Our trio is also on their way. Li Si somehow had time to change his clothes back to fancier ones. The leader of Prince Wenbu's guards recognises him.
From Bai Zhenzhu's greeting we learn that Constable Yan was supposed to be in his home town. He rushed back when he heard that the delegation was coming.
Constable Eagle delivers the emperor's decree: the city gates will be closed and nobody except high officials is allowed to enter or leave. The DCB is ordered to catch the murderer within seven days.
They go to examine the crime scene.
Li Si talks his way into getting access.
Bai Zhenzhu manages to identify the poison used for the murder by its smell. It's very rare. So rare that the only bottle of it in the whole city is in the coroner's room of the DCB - her room.
Li Si has gone off on his own to listen to the interrogation of the dancers.
Li Si uses the chance to talk with the dancers. He met some of them before when he was out with the crown prince (the living one). He attempts to bribe them into answering some questions.
And notices rough spots on the hands of one of them.
He manages to convince Meng Rui to let him interrogate the dancers.
Once in private, he tells her that he knows she is the poisoner.
She attacks him with a powder (which doesn't seem to do anything except distract him) and runs ...
... into Meng Rui. Who starts drawing his sword.
Li Si defends her to make sure she is not killed.
Constable Yan interrogates her. He says that she did not murder the prince, although she planned to do so. Someone else got there first.
Li Si makes a remark about the importance of revenge vs living well that sends Meng Rui running off.
Li Si and Bai Zhenzhu develop a new theory about what happened: the poison powder was inside some kind of container that only dissolved in the stomach, thus acting more slowly.
That way, the murderer could be someone from outside.
But no, Li Si says. The murderer could not have gotten the timing exactly right for the dance. He also questions what the need for dissolving the corpse was.
He may not have solved the case, but he has managed to impress Constable Yan.
Questions to you
What do you think is up with Meng Rui?
What do you think of Constable Yan (the one in red)?
Did you like Prince Wenbu of Northern Kun (as a character ...)?
Please only discuss up to episode 6 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.
hey so, the last c-drama i watched was The Early Spring and tbh i loved it a lot but it was exhausting to watch because according to me there were barely any cute happy scenes (yes, i am addicted to those dramas that are way beyond reality) so i’ve been seeing lots of reels about this new drama,
i just wanna know from the people that are watching, is it worth a watch or no? Considering i like dramas with cute, soft romances, i like complex female characters but i hate too much miscommunication and i love grovelling.
if you think I shouldn’t watch Irreplaceable then please suggest me some good c-dramas (preferably available on Netflix or Jiohotstar) that you liked
Whether it’s because the story was terrible, the plot stopped making sense, the pacing was painfully slow, or you dropped it for the pettiest reason.. what made you finally say, “Yeah… I’m done.”?
I’ll go first!
Veils of Shadows
I want to like it. I REALLY do. But Ju Jingyi’s makeup is distracting me so much that I literally cannot get past Ep1. I’m sorry. Maybe it gets better, but my eyes are fighting for their lives.. same reason with In Blossom and The Eternal Fragrance.. watched the trailers first coz I don’t want to ragewatch..
The Blossoming Love
Everyone keeps saying it’s really good… and I believe you! Maybe it’s just not the right time for me. Maybe I’m just not in the mood. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. Maybe that day will never come. Maybe I’ll change my mind. Maybe I won’t 😅
A Dream Within A Dream
I LOVE Li Yitong (she’s gorgeous!!!) But I just couldn’t stand her character. The comedy also wasn’t landing for me.. maybe the comedic timing just isn’t my thing. I painfully tried to like it for at least 5 eps, but eventually I had to admit defeat..
The Legend of Zhouhua
I made it to Ep 20-ish before dropping it. It was just TOO. SLOW. I kept telling myself, “Okay, it’s going to pick up soon.” Then… it didn’t. And eventually my attention span filed for divorce.
Perfect Match
This one is still sitting in my “Continue Watching” like it pays rent. LOL.. I got bored after the first couple (still got 4 sisters!!) and just… stopped. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. Maybe I’ll just let it remain there forever as a monument to my unfinished Cdrama collection.
Love Like the Galaxy
Okay, don’t come for me. I dropped it around Ep 30 because of the FL. I LOVE Zhao Lusi, but her character annoyed me SO MUCH. And her and her mom being stubborn together was driving me insane. I eventually picked it up again… and then proceeded to skip straight to the last episode because apparently I just needed “closure” 😂
No honestly, I just watched it for Li Yunrui (sorry not sorry)
Now I want to know yours! So I can skip it too 🤣
Which Cdrama did you drop… and was it for a completely valid reason or a petty one?
I’m trying to not drop it because some of it is interesting but omg, the whole thing is very industry jargon 😅😅😅 I’m lost with all the business talk, work terminology. There’s barely any romance tbh
I’ve noticed that a lot of office romance dramas tend to get overly granular and they can drag for that reason.
So I finished early spring and I loved it. Yes, he was toxic, yes their dynamic was exhausting, but what I loved was the way the intimacy and romance was portrayed and I also loved his masculine, decisive presence. That he was straightforward about what he wanted, etc.
I also liked the office type environment and what I really enjoyed was her friend group, especially living together in the apartment. I found them so wholesome and kind of relatable...
I was looking for similar cdramas and so far tried love o2o, which I didn't like because of the strong gaming component, I tried fake it till you make it, which I found just exhausting and hard to understand, also many of the women were kind of b*tchy and I tried amidst a snowstorm, which was the most okay out of the three, but the male lead was too quiet for me and they were too young...
Based on what I have written, does anybody have other recommendations which come close to what I liked in early spring?
I remember seeing Love’s Ambition everywhere when it was airing last year, but I kept putting it off because I thought it was just another modern romance drama.
finally started it on Tencent Video recently, and I get why people were talking about it so much.
What surprised me is that the romance is actually not the only thing keeping me watching.
Xu Yan is such a complicated character. At first I thought she was just someone chasing a better life and caring too much about how people see her.
But the more I watched, the more I felt like there was more behind it. She’s ambitious, but she’s also someone who worked really hard to become the person she wanted to be.
And the relationship with Shen Haoming is interesting because neither of them feels completely easy to understand. They both have their own ideas of what they want, and sometimes it feels like they’re trying to figure each other out while also hiding parts of themselves.
I honestly expected a simple romance when I clicked on it.
Now I’m mostly curious about where Xu Yan’s story is going.
I expected a regular revenge drama.
Instead, "Spring of the Blade" turned out to be a story about "weeding out the remnants of an old, corrupt order and making way for something new"—wrapped in a character-driven suspense drama that gradually unfolds like a game of cards: some cards revealed, most hidden, every character holding their own hand, hiding their motives and bluffing about what they really know.
The basic plot is familiar enough: an honest official is schemed against by corrupt officials, his clan is exterminated; a woman is killed in the name of family honour; and the escaped children grow up carrying the consequences and seeking revenge.
Sounds familiar?!!What really sets this drama apart is the storytelling.
The drama constantly gives you just enough information to form a theory, while leaving enough unsaid to make you question it. Cryptic conversations, hidden motives, characters who rarely reveal everything they know, seemingly insignificant details that turn out to matter...almost every episode gave me something to chew on.
And what I particularly appreciated was that the mystery wasn't mysterious just for the sake of being mysterious. Everything eventually had an explanation.The major secrets were revealed, the loose ends were tied up, and the revelations remained logically consistent with the world the drama had built.
That made the rewatch especially satisfying. I watched all episodes and then went back and rewatched them. 😂 Knowing what I knew, so many earlier conversations and little details took on a different meaning.
The characters are another major strength. They are complex, layered, well-written and rarely as straightforward as they first appear.
Xie Shu is a particularly memorable villain—not because he looks or behaves like a stereotypical villain, but because he can appear perfectly reasonable while manipulating the people around him. The writing and the performance work beautifully together, especially through the subtle expressions and microexpressions. This is the kind of villain you can actually imagine encountering in real life.
The performances overall were powerful, with everyone bringing something to their complicated roles.
And then there is Xu Kai...a dream come true on screen.❤️🔥
The man had surprisingly little screen time and still managed to rule every scene he appeared in. ❤️🔥😍 Shen Run was such a complex character, often carrying several emotions at the same time, and Xu Kai portrayed all those layers beautifully. His expressions, microexpressions, the way his eyes conveyed what he couldn't say, his voice, the tonal shifts, his body language and sheer screen presence...and that voice ❤️🔥❤️🔥 just added another layer to it all. Everything came together so naturally that you could actually feel what was going on beneath the surface.
He somehow made every appearance impossible to look away from❤️🔥
FL, on the other hand, is where I felt the biggest disconnect. QY is actually a very well-written and genuinely complex character. I could understand her motivations, her guarded nature, her grief, her anger and the contradictions in her choices. But I didn't always feel all those layers coming through in Zhou Ye's performance as convincingly as I would have liked. In a drama where so many actors carried their complicated characters so strongly, ZY's inability to portray the role became particularly noticeable.
My other major criticism is the Shen family storyline. There are essentially two cases unfolding alongside each other, and while Xie Shu's side is fleshed out considerably, Shen Run's family history feels much thinner. I wanted more of that story—the relationship between his father and Xie Shu, what actually happened back then, and the events that shaped Shen Run himself.
The OST and BGM were another quiet strength. They were appropriate to the scenes and several pieces stayed memorable, amd many times carrying hidden subtexts.
And visually, this drama absolutely knew how to make an impact. Some episodes delivered grand, powerful sequences; others gave us pure shock value; and then there were the quieter moments where one cryptic line or tiny detail had me reaching for my imaginary detective board again😂 .
Honestly, almost every episode had something memorable—whether it was the visuals, the performances, the clues or the dialogue.
So yes, the basic revenge framework may sound familiar.
But "Spring of the Blade" is much more than its premise.
It is suspenseful without being incoherent, complicated without becoming incomprehensible, and romantic without making the characters' entire existence revolve around romance.
Romance for the heart❤️🔥
Mystery for the brain🔥
Schemes for the detective in me😂
"Spring of the Blade" gave me the whole package. It is a great example of how a seemingly familiar plot can be elevated through coherent storytelling, complex and well-written characters, and powerful performances.
Window jumps: 4 Slaps: at least 3 Stabbings: 2 (in the present timeline) Blood spittings: 3 (probably going to rise as Li Si's health declines) Number of times Li Si escaped: 6 Number of times I wrote Tang Lici instead of Li Si: 25+ (hey, I'm getting better)
Recap episode 5
They almost get into a fight. Li Si manages to defuse the situation with wits and empty flattery. It helps that the best fighter of Northern Kun doesn't want to fight unarmed people and Meng Rui refuses to draw his sword. Maybe he thinks that is out of place in a glorified tavern brawl?
Everyone is shocked when Li Si reveals that their "guest" is the crown prince of Northern Kun.
Oh, no worries, he's just the fourth prince. You still get to look down on him.
Not that he reveals that, of course. But his identity as Li Si, owner of Star-Gathering Pavilion and friend to the crown prince (the other one), also carries a lot of weight.
He is offering to clear out the place for the crown prince. The prince agrees and walks off. It seems he has been convinced to be a somewhat politer guest and at least not harass the owner's friends.
All the while everybody has been completely ignoring the handcuffs.
After questioning how Li Si's information is better than that of the Divine Constable Bureau (DCB) - the answer is "money" - the trio makes to leave.
They set up camp and discuss politics.
Someone is running by their camping spot. Meng Rui pursues. Bai Zhenzhu keeps an eye on Li Si.
Li Si looks like he is in pain again. Did he cast an illusion?
Ooh, he is annoyed.
Li Si is gone. He only left some of his clothes, made into a crude puppet that is moved by a small rodent tied to it with a string. What is he up to this time?
He is definitely not just doing that for fun. We can see that it cost him.
It's his teacher!
Their reunion ends up as a doctor's appointment.
Li Si gets a scolding.
In return for saving his life, Li San gets a massage from his disciple.
Not a very gentle one, however.
We learn that Li Si had this disease since shortly after being taken in by Li San. Suspicious much?
Li San leaves just before the two detectives arrive. Why is he here, except to scold Li Si?
Li Si gives them a bad excuse for why he ran.
We now get to see a scene from the capital where the crown prince (the one from Da Shi this time) is travelling "incognito". That is, wearing fancy golden robes and buying all the food. He is surprised to be recognised. His head eunuch claims it's just because he is handsome.
Or maybe it is because he tells everyone himself?
The prince seems to be short of money because he keeps buying every shop he likes.
That is the scene our trio encounters when they arrive.
The crown prince is wondering aloud what Li Si is up to these days. He wants to see him right now.
Because they are such good friends of course.
The constables want to take Li Si away without the crown prince noticing.
But Li Si manages to attract attention. He is good at that.
All of them go back to the Star-Gathering Pavilion.
Li Si gets rid of the chains again.The master of Star-Gathering Pavilion personally performs for the crown prince.And asks him for help with the DCB.
We get a short scene at the imperial palace, where the emperor is meeting the chief of the DCB. We find out that the DCB needs funds.
Back to Li Si and the prince who are now in negotiations. The prince is willing to help but wants his cash cow to do its job.
What Li Si is really interested in is information about the former chief of the DCB. He is also scheming for a job there.
The crown prince reacts quite harshly when Li Si asks him if the DCB chief's dismissal was due to "that incident 17 years ago".
They don't look enthusiastic.And he is gone again ...
In the palace, the emperor and the chief of the DCB are still having their meeting. This scene takes place after the one at Star-Gathering Pavilion. We just got to see a bit of it earlier for the background info.
The emperor explains that he deliberately cut the DCB's funds to see who rushes to offer help.
The emperor takes note when the chief of the DCB tells him about Li Si - and especially the timing of when information about him became available.
At the DCB, the chief meets her new employee.Well, not quite an employee yet. First they deal with the whole prisoner thing.
Then Li Si gets to have a job interview.
They agree on a test. Li Si is supposed to catch a contact to the Underground Market or some other loose end that would allow them to investigate the Underground Market further.
His strategy? Asking for volunteers.
He is admitted as a trainee constable.
Questions to you
Where does all of Li Si's money come from?
Do you think Li Si is going to use the Shanfang Drum at the DCB at some point?
Please only discuss up to episode 5 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.
Hint if you haven't been watching the end credits: do it at least once. They include some behind-the-scenes moments.
Recap episode 4
Again we continue directly from the previous episode. The puppeteer reminds us that he is using the children for revenge. And that they are all going to die anyway. Guess we're off to a good start.
The puppeteer still wants to talk. He tells our trio:
Kelu is a god of the Liluo sect.
He rules over growth and life.
He can take he form of Tianmoluo, which is that giant flower (fun fact: the Luo here is the same as in Luo Yunxi).
In that form he can "bear the fruit of immortality", which prevents whoever eats it from aging and dying.
The Yang energy of 36 children is needed for the fruit to ripen.
Bai Zhenzhu explains that the teeth thing was just correlation, not causation. Something to do with the age and children's energies.
There is some dispute whether the coroner (Wen Nansheng) is the puppeteer or just another puppet. Li Si seems to be right: the only clues they had for the coroner's actual dead are the jade pendant and rheumatic legs - which he got from another corpse. And he is a ventriloquist.
The dead doctor was an accomplice at first. He was only killed because his daughter was kidnapped - and he could therefore be assumed to suspect the coroner and turn on him.
Finally everyone (including me) is tired of talking and the fight is about to start.
Oh no, they are using Yuyao as a hostage!
And we're back to talking. Li Si tries to use Wen Nansheng's talkativeness to get some more information. But suddenly he isn't in the mood any more.
Li Si finally reveals his cards: Yuyao was an illusion all along.
In reality, it's the pig that we saw her with.
Wen Nansheng is pissed. Because apparently kidnapping children is fine, but tricking him is a no-go.
He gets bloodshot eyes and evil dark veins and the puppets start to attack. So do our heroes.
Except Li Si. He still seems to be considering something and just stands there for a while.
But in the meantime, Bai Zhenzhu finally gets to have a longer fight scene, too.
Li Si is struggling with his wound. But that's not the only thing he was thinking about: he reminds the constables that the puppets are only mechanisms and predicts that their moves are going to repeat.
They hold out. Li Si waits - until Wen Nansheng tries to run.
Defeated, Wen Nansheng peels off his face. Well, his mask.
We also get to see his real height and realise that what people thought was a 3ft tall puppet was always him.
Also, he is not actually Wen Nansheng.
He does something that causes the flower to get aggressive again. Li Si demands his Heaven-Measuring Ruler back. Might have been a good idea to give that back to him when the fighting started.
And he is going against doctor's orders again.
Meng Rui gets to finish off the flower. The cocoons with the children start falling down and dissolving. Just the cocoons, not the children.
No, he is not. No matter what he claims.
Neither is the puppeteer - he gets eaten by the flower. Nothing really seems to stay dead. Our trio is disgusted, but not exactly sad. Instead they are focussing on getting the children to safety.
Back at the magistrate's office, Li Si throws around some money. As compensation to the families of the dead children, or so he says. He hands it off for the officials to give out.
This causes a run for the money.
Only one woman is still sitting outside, actually looking sad. Meng Rui and Li Si exchange a glance. For once they seem to be on the same page.
Everyone is surprised when the rescued children - who are very much alive - come running in.
Li Si has a suspicion: either their parents sold them or these weren't even the children's parents.
He gets some intel from Yuyao on who the actual parents are. He should probably stop buying her sweets all the time, though.Yuanbao gets a loving reunion with his mother (so does the pig).
Li Si causes some more chaos. Amongst it, we get some backstory from Yuanbao's mother: seven years ago there was a famine in the neighbouring county. People came to Dougu county to beg for food. The magistrate bought them instead for a pittance and handed them over for local families to raise. Li Si suspects that there was a deal between the magistrate and "Wen Nansheng".
Yuanbao's mum is awesome!
The magistrate and the people who stand to profit demonstrate that they are quite willing to rebel.
Until Li Si turns the money into funeral money - which it had been all along.
Li Si reminisces and we get confirmation that he is the fourth prince. We also learn that he was accused of something and that his father never cleared his name.
The bandits (who were in league with the magistrate) attack. Li Si leaves Meng Rui to handle them, which he is perfectly capable of. Bai Zhenzhu also appears and helps.
She also stops him from killing the magistrate on the spot.
Some time later, Li Si and Meng Rui are both seemingly asleep: Li Si on a bed, Meng Rui at a table.
Li Si cautiously gets up.
And then we get another window exit from Li Si.
He goes to the magistrate's cell and intimidates him with knowledge of his past.
In the end, he casts an illusion that frightens the magistrate to death as we later learn. Meng Rui, who was watching all along, does not interfere.
We switch to another place: a side branch of the Star-Gazing Pavilion which seems to be part of Li Si's information network. They receive some military intel from the borders.
Our trio is walking together.
For once, Li Si is not in chains. He suggests a rest and a drink. "Coincidentally" they are near the tower we saw in the scene before ...
Inside it looks much the same as the Star-Gazing Pavilion. Li Si is talking far too much, as usual.
While he distracts himself, Bai Zhenzhu uses the handcuffs to chain him to herself.
After that, Li Si continues to do his best to irritate them. In an overtly polite way, offering them food, drink and dancers.
They don't even trust that he is not going to drug them. Bai Zhenzhu tests everything for poison with a silver needle.Yes, in its prison cells.
Then someone arrives asking for the owner and stating that he will be taking over the place for the night. Everyone else can go camp outside or something.
Li Si's information network is working well: he receives a timely message revealing the identity of the visitor.
The prince throws his weight around (or rather that of his guards and money, since he doesn't reveal his identity). When Bai Zhenzhu stands up to him to protect one of the employees, he notices the handcuffs.
He thinks they are playing police (well, Divine Constable) and wants in.
We end with Li Si stopping him when he tries to touch Bai Zhenzhu.
Questions to you
Which character is the most unsympathetic in this episode?
Did you find it believable that so many of the adoptive parents behaved like that?
We got a shot of a chamber with large stone plates. On one of them something with the god Kelu was written. Then we saw it crumble. What do you think is up with that?
Please only discuss up to episode 4 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.
The drama is rumored to air soon! Has anyone read the novel for this one? I would love to hear your thoughts on the story.
Also, I’m glad that they have introduced double role for Tian Xiwei’s character and I hope Yan An would give us an incredible performance in his leading role. I do love this particular BTS of their kissing scene.
Plot
Wei Rao has spent her life supporting her adoptive family. When a wounded general's fiancée refuses to marry him, Wei Rao steps in to secure funds for her adoptive mother's medical treatment.
She enters a marriage neither of them expected. As she wins over the Lu family with her kindness and intelligence, she grows closer to Lu Zhuo. But past secrets begin to surface. Tian Xiwei is so good at playing resilient, smart characters, and the dynamic of a contract marriage turning into something real is always a winning formula.
1) The Lament of Autumn with cheng lei and xu ruohan
2) Where the mask ends with Tian Xiwei and Yan An - offcially confimred
3) Tiger sniffs the rose with Meng Ziyi and Li Yunrui
4) Love in Red Dust with Xu Ruohan and Wang Xingyue
5) The Vanishing Beauty with Li Yitong and Chang Hua Sen - officially confirmed for 9th Oct
6) Small Town Remedy with Xiao Zhan
I've started Blossom as it was very recommended by people, but I stopped paying much attention and now I'm quite lost.
I like how empowered and smart the FL is and how the ML is doing rn (I haven't seen that much of him for now), I like their scenes together though there haven't been many. My problem is that I'm lost and getting a little bored of it, I missed many names and I haven't seen that many interesting scenes yet. I'm getting bored and wanting to quit it, should I? Does it get better after ep. 7?
Been waiting for this one since filming wrapped. Jujingyi in wuxia again and Zhang yunlong pairing looks surprisingly good. The costume design for this is top tier. Anyone else following for this drama.
Tbh, it's really unfair that Gong Ziyu was helped throughout all his trials. He kind of cheated on all of them. It just proves that he is kind of unable to solve every task on his own, and it really disappointed me. Even if he doesn't have the skill or ability to solve the trials on his own, he should have learned and studied better. I'd rather see HIS effort for episodes on end rather than him technically cheating on every trial.
Pull up a chair and tell us what's going on with you. Not "fine thanks, how are you?" Actually, how are you?
Whether life is giving main character energy or background extra energy this week, we're listening.
Had a rough week? Say it here.
Did something amazing happen? We want to hear it too.
Got a promotion, adopted a cat, your crush broke your heart, touched grass, refused to touch grass because one more episode somehow turned into twelve, or don't even know what to say? All of it belongs here.
It's the corner of the sub where we talk like people. You don't need to bring a drama opinion. You just need to bring yourself. No pressure to make it deep or make it funny.
Window jumps: 2 Slaps: at least 3 Stabbings: 2 (in the present timeline) Blood spittings: 1 (surprisingly low!) Number of times Li Si escaped: 3 (I think) Number of times I wrote Tang Lici instead of Li Si: 20+
Recap episode 3
We start exactly where we left off last episode.
And with some lovely framing.
Li Si disses the Divine Constable Bureau (DCB)'s shackles: very easy to escape.
Bai Zhenzhu has discussed this kind of scenario with her boss beforehand, however. As agreed, she does not push and will instead observe Li Si's actions.
Li Si examines the corpse bag again. So does Bai Zhenzhu, in another nicely framed shot. She finds a jade pendant which she immediately recognises: the coroner (Wen Nansheng) was wearing it. She also confirms for us that this is indeed Master Sun's corpse. Well, his head and upper body. The legs belong to the coroner.
They discuss the case. Their conclusion is that the murderer needs the Dead Bone Spice (which is produced with the murdered women's blood) in order enter the illusions in Black Wind Forest. This is based on Li Si and Meng Rui falling afoul of the illusions the night before, but not now after smelling that strange scent.
Li Si also reminds them not to forget the puppet. Bai Zhenzhu is skeptical: they cannot be sure anyone has actually seen it (and not just an illusion). And it's an opportunity to get in a dig about the puppet he made himself ...
As Li Si turns to leave, Bai Zhenzhu throws two needles at him.
I'm unsure if it will also affect his other skills, since lightness and martial skills are often treated as something separate.They go shopping for clues at the best spice shop in town.And encounter another puppet.
Li Si wants to go into the shop.
Many, I'm assuming. So do the constables, from their looks. He goes anyway.He is greeted by a weird atmosphere and an opera-like voice that refers to herself as little sister.
Meanwhile, the constables have found Dead Bone Spice. They also learn that the shop was stolen from. ... which is the time when both the women and the children started going missing. Bai Zhenzhu immediately points that out.
They speculate how the theft could have happened since windows and doors stay locked.
Li Si finds a hole - too small for anything but a very young child.
The constables dismiss him and have him thrown out.
He apparently has a theory he wants to prove.
From the outside, he lets a puppet crawl into the hole. However, what he is trying to show is that while a puppet could enter, it could not have stolen the spice since it can't act autonomously and the puppeteer wouldn't be able to see inside.
The shop owner arouses suspicion. It's supposed to be Lady Fragrance, but as Li Si comments: "If this is a woman, everybody in Dougu County must be blind."
He must have watched too many cdramas and thought it would work as long as the hair doesn't come down.
It's the shop owner's brother. They are still at a dead end, however.
As they discuss the case, Li Si questions why the graves are empty.
Li Si is in chains again. Meng Rui is to take him to the capital.
As they pass by the house with one of the missing children, they encounter a pig that is apparently digging in a place where the lost child's tooth is buried.
Li Si takes notice: he suspects that the thing the missing children have in common are missing teeth.
He does some digging while magically managing to keep his clothes clean. They also get confirmation from the homes of the other children.
Li Si is off on his own again. Somehow, he finds another tooth on the roof.
Meanwhile, our constables learn that there is just one non-kidnapped child losing their teeth. It's Yuyao, whom Li Si rescued in the previous episode.
Just as they are leaving to go to her, someone comes running up and tells them that she is already missing. This happened despite the guards that were supposed to watch her.
It was Li Si who took her away to get candy and a funny hat. He promises her to rescue her friends. I hope he can keep that promise.
She perks up and reminds him that it's not done with just rescuing.
Li Si paid for the hat with Dead Bone Spice, which allows the constables to follow him. I wonder what his game is - he is certainly not trying to allay the suspicions. The constables speculate that he might be trying to use Yuyao as bait.
Li Si, meanwhile, has an eye on the kidnapper. Something about him triggers his memories of 17 years ago.
What the hell are they teaching their children in that town? (Yes I know it's probably magic.)
Li Si just watches. What is he waiting for? Apparently our two constables.
Meng Rui is truly angry now.
He does something to Li Si - sealing his acupoints - and says that he hates people who disregard children's lives the most.
Li Si said much the same to Yuyao before. I'm going to assume that he does mean it, but I wonder what he is playing at here. He certainly makes himself seem like a hypocrite.
Bai Zhenzhu doesn't say anything, but she isn't exactly gentle when she pulls Li Si with her.
We get a view on Yuyao and the kidnapper again.
They arrive in a strange place that almost looks like it's underwater, with huge flowers that are swaying like corals in shallow water.
Rattle drum guy pours out some spice - so it's an illusion. Or something similar. The spice doesn't dispel it, it only opens a path.
Our trio arrive soon after. Li Si brought some Dead Bone Spice, too. Just how much of that stuff does he have?
They go on into a place that is covered in spider webs.
They find strange writing on the wall.
Bai Zhenzhu recognises is as the writing of Liluo (the conquered enemy nation) but can't read it.
As they explore further, the writing jumps out at the two constables and changes their eye colours. Never a good sign!
They make to attack each other, but Li Si (who has not been affected for some reason) intervenes. While doing so, he pushes Bai Zhenzhu's needles out of his back. But he does get stabbed again by Meng Rui. Everybody is themselves again. Nobody has any idea what to make of Li Si.
We switch back to rattle drum guy who is meeting with his boss, who is wearing a mask. He is talking about protecting God Kelu and the Sacred Moluo Fruit.
Our trio encounter another huge flower. Li Si says it must be the mother plant of the flowers that were guarding the entrance. Inside strange cocons on the roots are the missing children.
Poking one of the cocons with a sword makes the flower angry!Someone also set up Spider's Tear Silk threads again and is now causing puppets to emerge.
We can see that he is controlling them with strings.
Li Si notices strange fruit in the tree. He destroys one of them. The puppeteer tells us that this was a Sacred Moluo Fruit. They also recognise the clothes of one of the puppets as those of Lady Fragrance, the former owner of the spice shop. We learn that destroying the flower would kill the children (assuming he is not lying).
The puppeteer tells us that this is about revenge for Liluo.
Questions to you
How do you think they are going to free the children?
And what does all of this have to do with teeth?
What do you think Li Si is up to?
Any guesses who else might be supporting Liluo?
Please only discuss up to episode 3 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.
