Back to Lieutenant and Jingxiu: it’s time to grab hold of the power and take it. But he’s fixed on “the Phoenix Bloodline.” And on that note, goes over to see Ling Xi. He has something for her–
Oh, wait, all of a sudden he’s back in the Heaven Palace, paying respects to the Emperor. He has a book for the Emperor, who studies it and asks if it’s true.–the choice for the next Phoenix Ruler is Ling Xi?!
(Ling Xi doesn’t think she wants to, but Jingxiu reassures her that he’ll be around to help out. Sure. But she wants to know why it’s not him? He says: I promised your mother to guard you. I keep my promises. You must take responsibility.)
And goes out, with only a snide glance sideways at Jiu Chen.
Outside, Lieutenant asks: are we really doing this? Jingxiu says: well, she is the actual heir, and the fact that I’m in love with her is completely to the side.
Jiu Chen is about to rush out, except that Ling Xi beat him to it and is there already.
Meanwhile, poor Baoqing is having another tandrum. She doesn’t understand why Big Brother Jingxiu is doing doing this to her! She’s going to remind him that she exists. And that bitch…
Heh, Shi San is doing her best to sow jealousy by telling Ling Xi she needs to stick around and make sure Yuli doesn’t move in. How about she marries Jiu Chen? Then Yuli can’t be around so much! Jiu Chan arrives and tells Shi San to go boil her head.
But. More importantly. Ling Xi asks why Jiu Chen is glaring at her. And reminds him that she’s a high god now, she might not lose if he wants to fight. Heh, he says “as if.” But! More importantly: what is going on? Ling Xi thinks that Jingxiu must be innocent, since he’s giving her the throne. She also thinks that she should probably take it, since it’s offered and it’s an opportunity to find things out and do good.
Only…the Phoenix Queen can’t actually marry anyone outside the tribe.
Jiu Chen: LIKE HELL. NO ONE AND NOTHING IS GOING TO TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME. HEAVEN COULDN’T, HELL COULDN’T, AND YOUR FREAKING DEAD MOTHER CAN’T.
Ling Xi says: Sheesh dude, I’ll resign when I’m done! Will you wait for me?
Jiu Chen says: NO, I’M DONE WAITING ALREADY. [boops her nose] If you don’t find out everything and stabilize the realm fast enough, I’ll invade.
Ling Xi: [giggles]
Jiu Chen: boops again.
D’awww.
Meanwhile, Jingxiu is bearing the burdens of state and also thinking about Lin Mo. And then Baoqing walks in to hear him calling her name in his dreams. He’s polite…but when she confronts him about, you know, murdering their mother, he merely asks what she wants. Baoqing says: Don’t you know?
(HuaYan is eavesdropping.)
He says: You REALLY want to be Queen?
She says: Hell, who wants to be queen?! I don’t–as long as it’s not HER.
He says: why not?
Baoqing says: BECAUSE I LOVE YOU AND YOU CAN’T LOVE ANYONE ELSE.
Big Brother Jingxiu says: Baoqing, it’s been publically announced. It can’t be changed.
Baoqing says: You love her so much you’ll hand her the knife to kill you with? SHE DOESN’T LOVE YOU SHE LOVES THE GOD OF WAR.
Big Brother Jingxiu says: You’re my little sister. I love you AS A SISTER.
Baoqing says: You killed mother. I’m only adopted. I can excuse it. But do you think the actual daughter is going to?
(HUAYAN HEARS!)
Big Brother Jingxiu says: I’m not going to explain any more. But I will take good care of you.
Baoqing says: I won’t let you get hurt!
Big Brother says: I always will take care of you, except for hurting Ling Xi. She’s the actual heir and I’m going to protect her, too.
BQ rejects his hug and storms off, threatening to tell Ling Xi everything. But then she’s next seen huddled in her room rocking back and forth, so…(oh, she was locked in and her maidservant was yelling to be let out.)
Next, it’s the coronation. Qing Yao and Junior Fox Bro are there! Heh, Ling Xi’s robes are so fancy she needs two people to walk up the stairs.
Baoqing is still in her rooms, pacing. And then she gets an idea. So she pretends to faint and then magics the guards when they rush in. Also she has a knife. OH GOSH SHE KILLED THEM. Orc Commander reports. She left her maidservant behind, though.
Back with Ling Xi: QY asks where Jiu Chen was? He did send quite a few gifts…and, uh oh. Baoqing is there to see her….to congratulate her! And to tell her one thing: the truth. Oh, poor Baoqing and Jingxiu. He’s the best guy in this show (beside Jiu Chen) and he gets stabbed in the back by just about everyone!
Baoqing starts with: I lived here my whole life. I treated the Queen as my mother. She seemed to treat me very well, too. She would let me sleep with her when I cried at night. I really thought that time would never end.
Ling Xi says: Not interested [because you aren’t my relative you’re just some kid MY mother adopted because she was sad I left and wanted something to play with.] Who murdered her?
Baoqing says: Oh, you know she was murdered? And then she tries to stab Ling Xi.
With absolutely no success. Jingxiu shows up and magics her throat. He told her! She’s not allowed to hurt Ling Xi!
Can Qing Yao save her!? WAIT, HE KILLED HER?! WHAT THE HELL! Even he looks a little upset. WHAT THE FUCK! WHAT THE EVERLOVING HELL WHAT THE FUCK.
AND HE FRAMED HER FOR THE MOTHER’S DEATH?! NOT COOL JINGXIU! THAT’S NOT COOL AND THAT’S NOT ACCEPTABLE. HUAYAN, CORRECT THE RECORD.
Ling Xi, at least, thinks that this is pretty suspicious.
Jingxiu says: I never thought my lil’ sis would be murderous. I thought she was just talking when she said she didn’t want you to be Queen!
Ling Xi gives him a suspicious look, too. Qing Yao comes in and reports that she is actually dead. Cross-fade from Jingxiu, looking upset, to HuaYan, being HONESTLY upset. JINGXIU I AM SO FREAKING DISAPPOINTED IN YOU YOU ARE A LIAR AND YOU HURT YOUR LITTLE PSYCHO SISTER. NOT COOL.
Anyhow, HuaYan goes by to see Jingxiu that night in his quarters. She used to be his student…twenty-two thousand and change years ago. He says: you know, that’s quite a while and we barely met. I’m really not your teacher. She says: I am eternally grateful nonetheless! (AND SHE WITHSTOOD TORTURE FOR YOU JINGXIU BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE WORTH IT. AND YOU’RE NOT. SCREW YOU JINGXIU.)
HuaYan wants something clarified: what’s this about revenge and Ling Xi taking it? Exactly what is the kind of crime that someone like Ling Xi would take revenge on someone like Teacher for? Did…did I hear it wrong?
Jingxiu says: No, you didn’t. I did kill her. (see, this is why I USED TO LIKE JINGXIU. HE’S NOT A LIAR AND HE ADMITS HIS DEEDS WITHOUT TRYING TO EXCUSE THEM. AND THEN HE ONLY DOES THINGS FOR GOOD SOLID REASONS.)
HuaYan breaks down: but it was him who taught her to overcome hardships and illtreatment and become enlightened! She is eternally grateful and remembers the lesson! Why did he ever help people if he’s just going to do the same thing!
Jingxiu says: It was my good deed for that day. Tuesday, I believe. ARGH HARSH JINGXIU NOT COOL I DON’T LIKE YOU ANYMORE.
Orc Commander pops up and asks if they need to get rid of her. Did…did he just agree…? JINGXIU NOT COOL. I DON’T LIKE YOU AT ALL ANY MORE WHAT WHYYYYY IS THIS HAPPENING?! NOOOOOOOOO. Orc, I WANTED YOU TO BE A GOOD GUY! OH SHIT. POOR HUAYAN BIT IT. NO.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Meanwhile, Jiu Chen is hearing the report. And even he’s feeling sorry for poor Baoqing. Also, something’s totally wrong about all this. He says: go find the maidservant who testified against her. (She had her immortality removed and was exiled.) Ling Xi i sabout to head out, but Jingxiu stops her. At this point, the guy should realize that SHE AIN’T INTO HIM.
Meanwhile with the poor maidservant, Orc Commander is about to break Jingxiu’s promise to leave her alive when one of the military bros arrives. OH DID HE KILL ORC COMMANDER?! He’s been injured at the very least. Well, that’ll teach you to beat up on defenceless girls.
Jiu Chen arrives to see Ling Xi….and Jingxiu realizes that the wheels are about to come off. He’s been summoned to a formal audience. And has the maidservant there. Maid isn’t happy with Jingxiu, who killed her own mistress.
DUDE YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF. I’M NOT GOING TO BE FEELING SORRY FOR YOU. YOU DESERVE THIS. NO, YOU DESERVE THIS TOTALLY.
Jiu Chen offers to torture-interrogate Maidservant–who is willing to undergo it to prove that Mistress was innocent and Advisor was the murderer.
Jingxiu asks Ling Xi: do you believe him? Or me?
She says: DID YOU KILL MY MOTHER?!
AAAAARRRRGHHHHHHH ARGH ARGH ARGH UGHHHHH OH MY HEART
Actually, these days I’m not liking Ling Xi so much right now. She’s gone full “regal chains of commanding” and isn’t nearly as likeable, not to mention she’s not around Jiu Chen much any more and there’s a lack of cuteness happening. Also, mostly, she’s not doing very much overall.–everyone else is, but she’s being very passive. Which, given that she’s now more powerful in every dimension than she ever has been, makes it annoying that she’s also that much less plot-relevant. That’s poor writing.
I CAN’T BELIEVE BAOQING IS DEAD. Qing Yao was probably lying to protect her. She’s still got to get together with Student Rebel and live happily ever after! BAOQING ISN’T DEAD NOOOOOOOO
Riders of Skaith 