Episode 43: Zewu Jun Spills the Beans

 Zhanalytics

Brooding Stares: 14

INtense Eye Contact: 4

Facial Twitch: 3

Fsit Clench: 0

 

Ah, someone tore out a page of the Collection of Turmoil. 

 

Zewu Jun says, "But I never mentioned the Forbidden Chamber to Jin Guangyao." Honey, I think Jin Guangyao has other sources of information. 

 

Zewu Jun is going to test the evil music on himself. That does not seem like a great idea. On the other hand, it seems like a very Zewu Jun idea.  

 

Zewu Jun walks back with Wei Wuxian alone. Wei Wuxian asks him about the whip scars on Lan Zhan's back. 

 

"Do you remember when Wen Ning killed Jin Zixuan by mistake?" Even with a bad memory, that's not the kind of thing you forget. 

 

"You are not qualified to talk to me." Ooooh, I hope Su She has some aloe for that EPIC BURN! 

 

"Your uncle arrived. It seems he wants to take you back to Cloud Recesses." Translation: Lan Qiren is here to see you get an ass whuppin. Lan Zhan indeed gets an ass whuppin, hence the scars. 

 

Then we get this very...delicate...explanation of the situation with Lan Zhan and Zewu Jun's parents. She killed one of their father's teachers. He loved her anyway. She didn't love him. He brought her back to Cloud Recesses anyway, and she lived in the Frigid Chamber. The Frigid Chamber? I wouldn't want to live in the Frigid Chamber. I'm not sure that "love" is the right word for what Daddy Lan was feeling. 

 

This whole thing is messed up. Back when Wei Wuxian told Lan Zhan, "No one is going to marry you, Lan Zhan" and Lan Zhan responded, "Fine with me," I thought that was just a sly reference to teh gay. Or just Lan Zhan being a nerd who cares not for worldly things. But seriously, if I were Lan Zhan, I wouldn't have a very positive view of the institution of marriage. 

 

I swear, if you had told me twenty-odd episodes ago that Yanli and Jin Zixuan would have one of the healthiest romantic relationships in this show, I would not have believed you. 

 

We get a flashback to a tiny Wangji with his mother. Awwwwwwwwwww!!! She doesn't look like a homicidal maniac. 

 

So, what happened to Lan Wangji's mother? Is she dead? Could she still be out there? I'm guessing she's dead, actually, because I have a feeling if she were alive she would have come back to Cloud Recesses and burned the Frigid Chamber to the ground. 

 

Zewu Jun asks if Wei Wuxian understands why their father isolated himself. What I understand is that Lan Clan men are a)fucked up and b)will punish the crap out of themselves for the misdeeds of their loved ones. Oh. OH! Oh, crap. Is Zewu Jun going to be okay? I'm really afraid that Zewu Jun is not going to be okay. 

 

Lan Zhan arrives back, with two bottles of Emperor's Smile. I thought he was going to see Lan Qiren, but actually he was going to buy booze. 

 

"Thank you. It's awkward to say it out loud." Uh oh. Danger. Feelings dangerously close to being spoken. 

 

Now the second flute player comes up. Gee, who do we know who is a talented musician who is up to no good?  

 

WWX waxes all, "Fuck it, what does it matter?" So Lan Zhan starts playing the guqin. We have a beautiful musical interlude. 

 

Oh, Stupid Hat has arrived at Cloud Recesses. 

 

He's got a story about puppets gathering at the Burial Mounds. He doesn't know that Zewu Jun knows that Wei Wuxian isn't at the Burial Mounds. And he definitely doesn't know that Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian are listening on the other side of a screen. 

 

Apple's been hanging out with the bunnies and does not want to leave Cloud Recesses. 

 

Wei Wuxian plays "Wangxian" on the flute. Look at him, watching Lan Zhan's reaction. Lan Zhan admits that he wrote it, but then it gets super awkward because Wei Wuxian wants to know the name of the song, and Lan Zhan clearly does not want to admit that he gave it their ship name. 

 

At least Wei Wuxian finally figures out that Lan Zhan recognized him because he played "Wangxian" on the flute. 

 

They go looking for some water and are surprised by a little girl with her parents. 

 

And the woman is Mianmian! Eeeeeee! 

 

Episode 44: Your Demon-Subdue Melody Needs More Cowbell

 Zhanalytics

Brooding Stares: 12

Intense Eye Contact: 1

Facial Twitch: 2

Fist Clench: 0

 

I like the way that Mianmian the elder catches herself before she blurts out "Wei Wuxian!"

 

"You were looking for the Yiling Patriarch? Don't you know he eats children?" Wei Wuxian is still super cute with the kids. Little Mianmian seems kind of skeptical of him, though. 

 

This sweet reunion is interrupted by screaming of some kind. Our heroes go to investigate and are greeted by Wen Ning covered in mud and leaves. "I'm sorry, young master, did I scare you two?" Wen Ning, what are you doing, you adorable goofball? 

 

Wen Ning's got blood on his hands. But he explains it's not human blood. He had to fight a bunch of puppets along the way. 

 

It's the Yiling tea house. Aw, Lan Zhan smiles a little seeing that. 

 

But then Wei Wuxian has to think about Yuan again. "If that boy were alive, he would be a teenager now." Is Lan Zhan going to say anything? Does Lan Zhan know? How could Lan Zhan not know? 

 

They fight a bunch more puppets, and make their way to the Burial Mounds. 

 

Demon-Subdue Palace. Home sweet home. 

 

Then they get attacked by more puppets. 

 

Wei Wuxian explains that his current body lacks spiritual power, so he can't really use his sword. Well, that's a really convenient excuse, but he wasn't using his sword a whole lot before he died and was resurrected. 

 

Speaking of swords, somebody's piled up a bunch in this cave. And tied up a bunch of juniors. 

 

Wei Wuxian hands over his sword to Wen Ning, who walks menacingly towards the juniors...and cuts their ropes. I love the way that they are all absolutely scared shitless of "The Ghost General" and do not yet realize that he is an absolute cinnamon roll. 

 

Sizhui explains how he knows Wei Wuxian didn't hire anyone to kidnap him. "I've known you were tragically poor long before." I love that little twinkling bit of music that plays when someone says something particularly funny. (Also, you know who's not tragically poor? The Jin Clan. Just sayin'. )

 

Awkward silence between Jin Ling and Wei Wuxian.

 

Just as they're about to leave, Wen Ning is propelled back into the cave. Someone outside is calling for Jin Ling. It's our favorite Angry Grape. 

 

Wow, everybody's here. Including Lan Qiren. Who is Very Disappointed when Lan Zhan does not abandon Wei Wuxian and return to him. Dude, you beat the crap out of him last time. 

 

Okay, two people are not here. Jin Guangyao and Zewu Jun. Someone attempted to assassinate Jin Guangyao, and Zewu Jun is trying to save him. Really, Zewu Jun? Also, did someone really attempt to assassinate Jin Guangyao, or did he fake it to have an excuse not to take part in this particular confrontation? Jin Guangyao seems to be engaged in so many layers of manipulation that I can't tell whether anything around him happens without his direct connivance. 

 

Nie Huaisang doesn't know anything about what is going on. Nie Huaisang is so not a badass. 

 

Everyone gets to air their grievances against Wei Wuxian. 

 

The discussion is interrupted by another wave of attacking puppets. And then a bunch of folks start losing their spiritual power. This is not a good time to be losing your spiritual power. 

 

Sizhui suggests that everyone come inside Demon-Subdue palace. There's a magic circle that they might be able to mend. 

 

Is that Nie Huaisang with a sword? I didn't think he knew how to use a sword. 

 

Wei Wuxian's spiritual power might be disrupted, but he can fix a magic circle. 

 

Wei Wuxian is going to explain how they were all poisoned. It will take four hours for their spiritual power to return. 

 

Su She is really working hard to discredit Wei Wuxian. Yeah, Wei Wuxian knows what Su She is up to. 

 

This is all coming down to incorrectly played music again.