"Nirvana in Fire"/"Lang Ya Bang" Group Read: Discussion Post for Chapters 82 - 86

[x_los]

Week 20 of the "Lang Ya Bang" book club, chapters 82 - 86. This discussion will draw to a close, and the next session will open, on September 26th.

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 82

[x_los]

- This author’s note is strumming my pain with its fingers and singing my life with its words.

- Huh, the translator vaguely suggests that the drama might have been announced before the book finished? Very odd, if so. Was this the writer's first major project?

- ‘Glowing pearl’: oh are we like, borrowing a xianxia magical item?

Chapter 83

[x_los]

- I can see why they cut this Princess Jingling plot line from the drama, because while it makes sense it’s not sympathetic (especially considering the ahistorical emotional logic and emotive narrative demands of television period drama).

- The lives of these royal family members are so restricted. Prince Jing can’t even visit his mother or sister as he likes; his sister can’t send so much as a fucking letter. What’s the point of being royal? It’s a shit deal, versus being Some Noble and less constantly monitored. Western princes and princesses have to put up with a lot less bullshit.

- We never hear about the Crown Prince having any wives, do we? That’s a bit odd.

- Prince Yu is well-cast in the drama; he really does have the confident bearing described here (which makes his eventual breakdown all the starker, in contrast).

- At last Concubine Jing, one of my favourite drama characters, enters the scene.

- I think one thing all these court shenanigans!! scheming plots can take too lightly (admittedly less so here than in a lot of cdrama) is how fucking hard it is to run any large organisation. In Chinese period drama, I feel as though problems are almost always dramatic interpersonal shit and rarely the much greater irl issue: sheer logistics. You can say 'well logistics aren't interesting', but there's nothing intrinsically interesting about the third prince in Who Rules the World?'s millionth tedious, repetitive and frustrating attempt to frame his brother for horse-embezzling or what have you.

Chapter 84

[x_los]

It’s weird that the emperor decides to hold Mu Qing in the capital when, at least nominally, Mu Qing is finally of age to relieve Nihuang and thus to allow her to return to performing gender ‘correctly’.

In the drama, doesn’t Nihuang leave to guard the Imperial Grandmother’s tomb rather than returning home?

Chapter 85

[x_los]

- How could this Southern envoy know that Jingrui would step in to defend Mu Qing?

- Where is the human skin for this mask from, omg? AND it’s not even useful? Man, fuck the human skin mask. All my homies hate human skin masks.

- ‘Of course you didn’t notice’: Yujin, you are absolutely destined to make friends with Mu Qing because your energies are so aligned. Just get it over with and fusion dance.

Re: Chapter 85

[superborb]

I don't think it really matters that Jingrui defended Mu Qing; as a jianghu person, he's obligated to take challenges seriously

Chapter 86

[x_los]

- This contemplation of the ‘point’ of sorrow when it’s not coupled with material restitution is interesting.

- When has Changsu had time to keep in practice as a musician, especially given his physical issues? Oh well. Play a little song about your feelings, I guess.

- What a closer. This truly is going to be the best Christmas the orphans have ever had.