"Nirvana in Fire"/"Lang Ya Bang" Group Read: Discussion Post for Chapters 9-12

[x_los]

Week 3 of the "Lang Ya Bang" book club, chapters 9-12. This discussion will draw to a close, and the next session will open, on May 23rd.

I'll be doing a weekly post with thoughts on this community. Feel free to join in/discuss. If you'd like to join the Discord, contact superborb for an invite.

Chinese text: https://sj.uukanshu.com/book.aspx?id=17338
English translation: https://merelhyn.tumblr.com/post/641747965727358976/the-langya-list-epubpdf

SPOILER POLICY: I personally don't give a fuck or even like to give unearned credence to the concept, so since I'm writing the post, anything's fair game.

(If anyone is interested in dankodes running further poetry content during or after NiF, please let me know what you'd be keen to discuss. I'm happy to work with you on that. I'll probably ask this again once NiF draws to a close.)

Comments

Chapter 9

[x_los]

- If I were a daughter of the emperor, I might find getting outranked by Nihuang annoying? It’s not like I’d have a chance to compete for prestige on the grounds she does.
- Living in this family has given Yujin a keen bullshit-detection sense.
- Love how this cliffhanger is just ‘a weird guest?!’

Re: Chapter 9

[superborb]

Yujin is more obviously perceptive from earlier in the book, it seems. I think I like the slowly growing awareness in the drama a little more?

Chapter 10

[x_los]

- I do enjoy that the grandmother alone is totally not fooled by MCS’s chicaneries. She doesn't know what she knows, but she knows it.

Re: Chapter 10

[dragonyphoenix]

I love how it's described that she's made it to such an old age because she lives a carefree life free of politics. Especially because I just watched a scene in the drama where the Emperor's complaining he's old and Consort Jing says he's young compared to how long the Grand Empress Dowager lived.

I do miss how she put Mei Changsu and Nihuang's hands together in the drama.

Re: Chapter 10

[x_los]

It’s a good point, because the Emperor FEELS old, but really he’s just speed-run ruining his life. And in a way it’s interesting that the Dowager’s ‘life outside politics’ isn’t coded as at all morally reprehensible—like, while she’s been chilling out and vibing, half the family’s died. And what was SHE going to do there, but also how can you be unbothered in the face of that?

Re: Chapter 10

[dragonyphoenix]

That's true. She must have taken quite a few shocks with all that death. Particularly all the deaths surrounding the defeat of the Chiyan army. The whole Lin family is gone as well as the heir to the throne. And then it's all put under a cloak of secrecy, we don't talk about that. Ouch! So she can't even really grieve in public.

The drama seems to present a life outside of politics as preferrable. For example, Nihuang and MCS saying in the next life they'll be regular people. And also the idea that Prince Jing, the closer he gets to the throne, the more isolated he becomes. It may be that politics is a duty one is born into but a better life is to avoid it?

On the otherhand, Yujin and his father at the ancestor altar discussing how many generations have served the government and there's a lot of pride there.

Chapter 11

[x_los]

- I guess the qilin ‘on fire’ imagery calls back to MCS’s severe transformation under the poison of the bitter flame.

Re: Chapter 11

[dragonyphoenix]

Oh! I had not thought of that.

Advantage of the novel's footnotes over the drama. I had never thought to wonder what a Kirin (translation / spelling on youtube) Scholar was. And it adds so much.

Chapter 12

[x_los]

- What two? I hope that’s something we find out next chapter, not something I’m supposed to already know.