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order of the sommelier | s01e63

Chinese Drama - 2022, 64 episodes

~ Episode List ~  

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fellas, is it gay to be alone in your bar because a magical painting wherein two others get to spend their existence loving one another gets set on fire with hellfire and you're too weak to protect it on your own so your boyfriend gives you part of his magic to help/save you, but doing so requires all your focus so you're completely tapped out from the Big Bad Confrontation happening, and when you finally snap out of it, your boyfriend shoves you out of the way of danger and drags Big Bad into hell with him, and you don't have any power left to stop or help him, so the earth seals up and you're left alone to do nothing but claw at the earth and scream his name, and then you're standing in a bar completely alone holding on to this painting of someone else's love and happiness that you sacrificed your own to protect

...

ouch

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endless list of favorites:

侍酒令 ORDER OF THE SOMMELIER (2022)

However, you have to promise me one condition. There are cause and effect and there are good and evil demons. Leave the innocent little demons alone… How can there be harmless monsters in this world?

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AU Mysterious Lotus Casebook || Li Lianhua & Fang Duobing || Take Me To Church

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i find it so cute that xiaohua actually does stay behind to stall xiaofeng and give xiaobao time to hide. he lies to her for him. this is in the midst of him receiving new information and direction for his investigations, and he has every logical reason to be swift on his way, yet he stays in place for the moment.

“young hero fang had bid farewell to me just now and said he is heading north to see the world. maiden he, if you leave now, you may be able to catch him.” — li lianhua

in truth, fang duobing is still here. he only asked llh to cover for him and is hiding, waiting for his aunt to leave so that he is free and can give llh the treats he asked for.

whereas, if this was during the case before at lingshan sect, i think llh probably would have left already. however, as i go into more depth here, there are already significant shifts happening within llh. from a relationship psychology perspective, it’s a fascinating and strong development of a connection between two people. from a literature standpoint, it’s skillful and satisfying storytelling. because for a show heavy on cases with a new and constantly changing cast every few episodes, it’s not easy to have stable commitment to a coherent central relationship line. it’s not a given—it’s actually built up well, easy to follow, and embodies the themes in a moving, meaningful way throughout.

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"11,078 and counting have died in Palestine. Never stop talking.

Also this is just the surface, do further research to fully understand the situation.

Also this is just the surface, do further research to fully understand the situation."

Art credit: @flyingkikii

Reposted from @frxchix

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i find the structure of mysterious lotus casebook to be quite interesting. right off the bat, we do get a rapid one case to solve after the other as the daily grind, but the show also has consistent tools it commits to in taking moments to pause and develop an interpersonal bond warm to the touch that would carry us from beginning to end. for li lianhua's character, there is a pattern in which space is created for him to stop and privately reflect on his growing relationship with fang duobing at the conclusion of every mystery that they solve together.

at the campfire outside lotus tower after the case of lingshan sect, there is a voiceover from llh as he ponders the memory of li xiangyi that fdb just shared with him. it informs us that he remembers fdb from their childhood. "so, it was you" (episode 3) is llh's unspoken answer after listening to fdb reminisce about meeting lxy and of his efforts to fulfill their promise to meet again. unbeknownst to fdb, lxy is right here beside him and is not any less emotional than he is.

llh is wistful as times in which he could easily say heroic words of encouragement resurface, solaced beneath his surprise that after all this time, there would be someone who holds on to lxy's good, amused that this silly young man he almost got off on the wrong foot with in a cat-and-mouse chase (or rather, little-fox-and-old-fox chase) actually caught him, just not in a way he realizes, and condolent that news of lxy's death must have made the boy back then cry buckets if he is tipsily sorrowful to such great extent now ten years later. this is the first moment of such display of personal gentleness from llh that we see.

llh decides to let fdb go in the morning. it seems that he has been coming and going for all these years, and he will continue doing so. yet, just one scene later, we learn that the effects of bicha poison have manifested in more severe and more frequent flare-ups as of late. he is immediately overcome (episode 3).

llh may give off the impression of being a major liar, but the softness that is revealed the night before and this very scene support otherwise. we will hear llh verbally communicate to fdb, "my condition… must have frightened you" (episode 30) much later, but as early as the sun coming up the next day after llh finds out who fdb is from his childhood, he already doesn't want fdb to see his flare-up. he doesn't want to scare him. llh perhaps is also leaving fdb behind so that he has no attachments to the world when he dies, but if he is already shielding him, he is already in and has tied himself to the mortal world.

after the conclusion of the case of xiaomian inn/yu city, we also get a similar moment of checking in with where llh is at with regards to this interpersonal connection that has sprung upon him. "lxy doesn't remember and won't go back. don't take such things so seriously, silly" (episode 5) is the mindset llh goes with after seeing fdb ready to fight to avenge and repay lxy's honour and kindness.

the case of xiaomian inn/yu city is rather illuminating for lxy as an individual in that between the end of the case of lingshan sect and now, llh's identity as lxy has become salient enough in his subconscious to be readily called upon without barriers:

(1) when llh accurately reads fdb's suppressed guilt over wangfu's death and encourages him to forgive himself, it is less a teaching moment and more a shared moment. recognizing that there are things they can never truly be in control of no matter how hard they try to protect those they are responsible for is life advice for not only fdb but lxy. "let go of yourself first" (episode 4), has lxy ever truly let go of and forgiven himself, yet? llh and fdb come away from this conversation and a shared drink not in hierarchy but as side-by-side to solve the case and bring justice to wangfu and all the attendants at yu city who were wronged as well by others.

they cannot change what happened, but they can make sure it is not forgotten, do their best to rectify it, and go out of their way to help others who suffered, too and in turn, heal themselves. to accomplish this in a partnership with someone of shared values and heart is tremendously meaningful and will be, in part, what drives llh to declare fdb as his very best of friends later in episode 19.

(2) llh is the most emotional we've seen him in cases thus far when the truth of what happened behind yu qiushuang's back is revealed. both llh and fdb are excellent professionals for their age to go about their work in a dispassionate manner, but yu qiushuang's story affects llh quite a bit. "none of the people she loved had loved her back, and none of them wanted to let her live" (episode 5). this, too, speaks of lxy's life: he valued a lot of people among his peers and work circle, but none of them gave him a rightful chance. none of them wanted to spare him. and, as we will find out in further episodes, just how many of them are not here for llh the person but instead want what lxy represented to come back against his will only to take more from him.

coming away from xiaomian inn/yu city and back to lotus tower, llh is confronted with the presence of that one person who is here for the llh he is now and is committed to defending the lxy he was then. llh watches fdb's sleeping face and silently responds to fdb's determined, albeit a little endearingly foolish, declarations. "lxy doesn't remember" (episode 5) is "it's been too long since and i am dying." "[lxy] won't go back" (5) is "i don't wish to go back and neither do they want me as the llh i am now back." "don't take such things so seriously, silly" (5) is "go and live the carefree life you were meant to had you not met me." he says all of this in voiceover with some reluctance and a shade of bleakness because unlike yu qiushuang, he has someone who puts lxy at such high, selfless first priority, and he recognizes the potential of such companionship. yet, he chooses to send that person away.

llh decides to let fdb go before the young man awakes. he has been coming and going for all these years, and he will continue doing so. yet, in the very next scene we see of llh, we find out that he has gone to his teacher's grave alone. as he dries his tears, he introduces fang duobing to qi mushan. it is when he begins talking about the person fang duobing is, from his skills to personality to tactics, that we see llh smile with a warm and alive glow for the first time in this visit. he chuckles as he says, "he's also a piece of work. luckily, i escaped fast. it's better to live free and unattached, is it not?" (episode 6). to pose such a question left unanswered is llh wavering, and he takes a long swig of his wine.

indeed, when llh and fdb next bump into each other, llh carries himself differently. compared to the greyness and heavyheartedness of before, llh is lighter and more spirited. there is a fondness to his amusement because how many coincidences can there be for two people to part and reunite over and over again, a youthful mischievousness tugging at the corners of his eyes, and a gaze that lingers for a beat longer than necessary whenever fdb isn't looking (episode 8).

the two make an arrangement with a set of totally unserious threats and conditions to work together once more. fdb makes a few jabs to make it known that he is still angry from having been left on the side of the path, yet he bears no reservations in worrying about the heart disease llh reluctantly lies to him about having, trying to convince llh to leave without him in case of danger, and shielding llh with erya from even the dust and debris of the tomb. llh goes from deciding it is better to have no attachments to this world to stepping into the frame to get fdb out of tough situations and staying for longer than needed if it were true he doesn't care, to listen to fdb's chatter and ask him questions because he is genuinely interested in what he thinks. through it all, he finds fdb all too easy to tease, and without admitting it, quite fun to be around.

as the case of wei manor/yipin tomb comes to a close, llh's moment of reflection comes different from previous times. whereas he refrained from making any sort of reciprocation known to fdb before, he now chooses to physically return to the depths of the tomb to find fdbb and agree to let him consider him as his partner. with it known, fdb gets back to work and goes off to take the case witness out with them. llh stays behind to watch him run ahead of him with an extra bounce to his steps, and he smiles.

additionally, whereas previous reflections were followed by fdb waking up to a missing tower and a missing person, llh is now here to tap him awake and wait for him to arouse. llh could have gone off immediately to where his investigations take him next and leave all attachments behind, yet he goes the long route and runs through the dark just to reach fdb so that they can go together.

the two of them have been stepping beyond the boundaries of their initial arrangement for working together throughout the case without really admitting it; here, they make it clear to each other that all previous hard feelings have been waved off. fdb's bold "i already considered you to be my partner" (episode 8) and llh's teasing "what can i do, i can't shake you off anyway" (8) opens the start of the next chapter of their relationship.

warning: full spoilers ahead.

such a tacit agreement is a particularly important stage for llh and fdb's relationship. while it is not as secure as episode 19's direct declaration and drinking to each other to officially put a name to what they have, it marks the start of a shared understanding between two people that from now on they will hang out together and see and talk to each other every day. furthermore, this moment and the backdrop on which it takes place becomes tremendously monumental when all secrets are revealed. knowing what we know (episode 39), llh and fdb have come together here in front of llh's ancestors', princess longxuan and prince fangji's, memorials.

at the start of the case of wei manor/yipin tomb, llh and fdb make an arrangement to work together, reluctantly as they appear on the surface. they finish the case admitting that they genuinely enjoy each other's company. perhaps, this is just a component in the larger framework.

one of the first things we learn about fdb is that he overheard the imperial edict that he is to be paired with the princess of the imperial family; he is unwilling, so he leaves home to pursue a life in the unruled jianghu (episode 1). he bumps into llh as soon as he steps foot into the free world. he tells llh that he ran away from home to escape marriage (episode 2). we later find out that fdb's arranged marriage partner is the one and only royal descendant of the current rule; the emperor does not have any other children, much to the empress dowager's concern (episode 35). finally, in a bombshell, it is revealed that after all this time, from massacre, schemes, and perhaps karma, the current imperial family is a big sham. llh is the real, one and only descendant of the royal bloodline (episode 39).

when fdb took his life into his own hands and went into the jianghu, he found the rightful person he was meant to marry had the royal bloodine not been lost. llh is the true descendant of both the nanyin and the central plains royal family. there is a fated arrangement between llh and fdb, the two butt heads, they part and reunite, they develop real feelings, and, on their own terms, they agree to walk together from here. is this not the larger arranged marriage framework?

from the very start, llh and fdb's story is already one of both fate and choices they make for their threads to be continually entwined. they have the historical marriage arrangement going back a century silently tying them to each other, but even without knowing that, fdb received a personal token from lxy in childhood that he holds on to. in episode 15, su xiaoyong talks of a practice in which personal tokens are given out as an expression of romantic love and settling down. as adults, llh craftily takes fdb's personal token from his belt to pay for their admission fee to a black market. llh ultimately gets it back for him, and he gives it to him in front of princess longxuan and prince fangji's tombs. the imagery of passing personal tokens in front of one's ancestors' memorials is striking.

the bows of traditional marriage include paying respect to one's ancestors. llh and fdb will go at their own pace; fdb has his personal token back now, and it is his to give out. fdb declares llh as his partner, and llh gives the nod for him to stay with him, every exchange of words and smiles witnessed by princess longxuan and prince fangji.

and, perhaps in another moment of fate and choices, all the way back in episode one when llh could have left as soon as he tricked fdb, and maybe we wouldn't have our show, something made him hesitate and stay for just a little longer. then, he chose to turn around and leave those extra few words that fdb would determinedly hold on to to find him again. because they had then, they have now. they will always, always find each other again. this is llh's attachment to the mortal world.

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having your crush find out about your silly family shenanigans and childhood stories from your relatives is genuinely one of the most embarrassing (but adorable) things that can happen to someone, and i’m glad it happens multiple times to xiaobao. it begins here already in episode 5:

li lianhua hears he xiaofeng call out “fang xiaobao,” and from the surname and fang duobing’s reaction, he pieces together that the nickname indeed refers to this one beside him. fdb jumps, and in a hasty ponytail blur, this is the first time llh sees fdb run away from a challenge.

llh finds out that this bold and big young master fdb who has been openly and fearlessly chasing him actually has such a babyish name at home and is the little treasure in the family. i find it heartwarming that throughout these meandering investigations and being confronted with less-than-pleasant reminders of his past, llh sometimes may not be in the best of moods, but there would always be something personal about fdb in an accompanying moment that catches his attention and warmly amuses him.

“my nephew, that rascal. he ran so fast that my head is spinning.” — he xiaofeng

llh’s experience so far is in the direction of fdb pursuing him, and he’s usually the one who has to dodge and flee, so the contrast that there is someone from whom fdb has make a break for it is especially funny. but, i think he can also imagine because as he learns about him, fdb has quite a strong resolve and carries himself with determination in what he sets his mind to. and soon, starting at the end of the very next case, xiaohua will also experience trying to chase after xiaobao, blurred ponytails and all. and, gosh is he hard to catch sometimes! more than puppy hulijing 🐶!

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@asiandramanet​ creator bingo — free choice — fanghua | mysterious lotus casebook (2023) [insp: xx]

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⚔️ CHOOSE YOUR HERO ⚔️ @asiandramanet mar creator bingo board ⎈ layer style [insp]

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li lianhua + acts of service for fang xiaobao for fanqxiaobao on twitter as part of @cdrama-action

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Churan : Are you alright? You look like you didn't sleep much last night.

Jiang Yuelou : I got a solid 8 minutes sleep.

Jiang Yuelou : Not consecutively but it's alright . You're not even that blurry.

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Jiang Yuelou : Okay- i- uh need t-to tell you something

Chen Yuzhi : You're finally proposing

Jiang Yuelou: How did you know?

Chen Yuzhi : You've dropped the ring three times during dinner today

Chen Yuzhi : I even picked it up once

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Haven't done this in a long time 😂

Yuzhi : I love you. You're the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Yuelou : I'm the best thing that had ever happened to you?

Yuzhi : Yes

Yuelou : ... I'm starting to feel a little sorry for you..

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Some arsehole knows a little too much;

Merlin has to come clean about who… what he is, and said arsehole loses ownership of his soul.

What if Druid seers had completely misunderstood what it was they saw?

So.

The King, his manservant, and Camelot’s six best knights were chained in a dungeon somewhere near the border. Considering how often this happens… they really should be used to it by now. They’re honestly not sure how they always manage to escape, but they won’t question it as long as their luck lasts. But with the way Merlin and Mordred keep pulling uncomfortably at their chains and grimacing at the way the cuffs rub against the skin of their wrists, Lancelot has a feeling that it won’t be luck (read: magic) that helps them escape this time.

They were only left in their dingy little cell for around an hour, uselessly scheming and planning their escape attempts, when a man walks in, locking the door behind him again and turning his victoriously smug face upon the group. Arthur is, of course, the first to break the silence, head held high and shoulders squared as he demands:

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A new servant desperately struggles to understand what exactly Merlin is:

A cryptid? Arthur’s boyfriend? Simply a dude? The court jester? Something else entirely? Who knows, certainly not the new guy.

The first time the new kitchen-hand, Tristan, saw The King’s dark-haired servant sprinting down the corridor, he couldn’t tell if the man was laughing or crying.

He was fast, faster than Tristan thought possible for someone whose arms were so full of laundry, but he politely steps out of the way, coming to the conclusion that he must’ve been late for something. At least… he did think that, until he turns the next corner to see three of The king’s most trusted knights peering out of windows and into random doors. Tristan freezes in the corridor, he’d heard that servants were treated extremely well here, but he’d only been employed for a few days and he didn’t want to risk anything by pushing past or addressing his betters.

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Merlin has to explain an odd nickname,

only after Gwaine has a Fun (read: Stupid) idea. It’s not… illegal (not most of it, anyway), just… frowned upon.

TW: Bruises/minor injuries and fighting?

“What’s everyone up to later tonight then?”

Gwaine’s voice booms across the mostly empty training field, and it’s inhabitants look to him warily. The King, his manservant, and the First Knight just raise an eyebrow each as Sir Percival responds:

“Got no plans, something in mind?”

Sir Elyan is quick to follow:

“Having my night ruined by whatever you’re about to suggest.”

Sir Lancelot just grins, and Sir Mordred nods to Percival in agreement. Gwaine looks to The King:

“Sire?”

“I’ve a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

Gwaine’s grin grows and moves his gaze over:

“Merls?”

“Sorry, Gwaine. I promised to run some errands for Gaius after I finish with the prat, and I’ve got a few other bits and pieces I need to get done as well.-”

He claps his hands together and smiles brightly before continuing:

“-Speaking of, I actually need to get going.-”

He turns briefly to Arthur, yanking his hair to catch his attention before turning and walking back towards the castle, speaking over his shoulder:

“-I’ll send George out to help with the rest of training, I’ve got a shit ton of laundry to do.”

Arthur scowls but doesn’t say anything, and Gwaine pouts and mutters a quiet “You’re no fun,”; the rambunctious knight knows he isn’t going to get anywhere, having lost this argument many a time, and he finally looks over to Sir Leon:

“M’Lord?”

The knight grimaces, regretting more with every word out of Gwaine’s mouth mentioning to him that he’s the only Noble Born among The King’s closest circle.

“I, for one, stand with Elyan on this. Doesn’t matter whether I say no and stay well away, I’ve not got Merlin’s skill in sneaking around and I’ll still end up tangled up in whatever mayhem you have planned, so lay it on us.”

Gwaine just grins proudly, happy to have all bar one in on his little plot. He does however tap the side of his nose with a finger, as he winks conspiratorially:

“Ah, that would be telling. Meet me by the castle gates at about an hour before midnight. I promise I’m not just dragging you to the tavern but I… uh, well… whilst I was in the tavern I heard a pretty solid rumour, more than once, about a certain something I’m eager to try out.”

Arthur looks doubtful, giving Gwaine a suspicious up and down look before slowly speaking:

“Not the tavern?”

Gwaine nods and crosses his hand over his heart obnoxiously:

“Cross my heart, not the tavern. It’s a special, rare opportunity to… well… have fun! So come on, who’s in? It’s not like any of us have anything on in the morning, and I promise it’s not illegal.”

The knight receives a round of nods and agreements, varying in enthusiasm, and that keeps him mostly quiet for the rest of the afternoon, bar his knowing, excited grin, and loud ”I’ll see you all later, then!” as they re-enter the castle and go their separate ways. 

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