(^ω^)the music we got for Spring/Summer 2023 audiodrama season has been amazing
相思续续入梦来/"Thoughts and memories entering my dreams" by 远皓ZIL
[三嫁咸鱼/Thrice Married to Salted Fish , Season 1]
The music and lyrics of this song perfectly balances the blend of humor and heart in this story. The verse starts off kind of cheeky, but the emotions mount as we build towards the chorus. That line about Lin Qingyu donning his wedding robes again -- a scene that made me weep while reading the novel -- is like a punch to the gut. Thankfully the song and the story ends on a happy note.
山月随舟/"The world that follows" by 大C
[残疾战神嫁我为妾后/After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine]
This is supposed to be about a maimed war hero biding his time to take revenge on the unscrupulous enemy prince he is forced to marry, but thankfully the real story is better represented by this sweet ballad. Despite the trials and chaos of the main characters' circumstances, they find a kindred spirit in each other and a promise to build a peaceful life together after the war is over.
真情错给/ "True love given in error" by 匀子, 漆柚
[泾渭无间/Clear and Muddy Loss of Love, Season 1]
This heartbreaking duet is attempting the impossible: to capture the emotional devastation of this epic novel in just a few minutes. "Love/ falls into a drop of tear, there is no one to blame, but me who has given my true love in error." A heartfelt love has crumbled into the cruelest betrayal, but instead of anger, there is just sadness, longing, and helplessness.
随月/"Follow the moon" by 海疼er
[游龙随月/You Long Sui Yue (both seasons) ]
I love this song so much that every time I hear it I instantly forgive the parts of the audiodrama that I enjoyed less. The lyrics tell a story of meeting and getting to know someone with whom you can share the rest of your journeys and your life. It sounds like a theme song for a wuxia drama, the song that should be playing while they ride off onto their next adventure together.
直到黎明/"Until Dawn" by 文森
[诟病/Morbid Attachment]
I'm still torn between feeling like this song is a bit too raw and under-produced, or breathtakingly intimate with its focus on the main vocals. It's written for a lost lover whose name is hidden in the lyrics and melody, a lover who doesn't know or believe in this, even though a part of him desperately wants to. This song is filled with the regret and yearning that comes out of such a relationship, vulnerable but hopeful.
心眼 (主役版) /"Eye of the mind" (cast version) by 陈张太康, 文森
[心眼/Eye of the Mind, Season 2]
This duet featuring two of my favorite voice actors is basically fulfilling one of my CV fandom dreams. Their voices work so well together! The calm, modern sound of the song perfectly sets the mood for the journeys of (relatively) ordinary people who manage to have some incredible drama.
Extra excerpts from the last installment of Without Envy. I suggest you go read the last installment first and click back to this post; it'll make more sense!
English Translation following each paragraph. I always wanted to write something in Chinese, but a) I don't find my written Chinese to be very spectacular and b)I'm not exactly sure if there's enough audience for it on tumblr (and also I'm from Canada so... lol). Anyways I decided to try my hand at it this ones. You can read the snippet by just reading the English section. But it might be a bit weird/awkward at times because I had written this Chinese first and translated it.
踏入芳菲宫,蓝曦臣从未想会看到的是孟瑶卧床不起高烧不退昏迷不醒的一幕。
Stepping into Fangfei Palace, Lan Xichen did not think the sight he would be confronted with would be one of Meng Yao nearly comatose with fever.
The frustrations and confusions he had felt during these preceeding weeks suddenly became inconsequential in that moment. Lan Xichen rushed to Meng Yao's bedside, gazing upon that face flushed red with fever. Seized by worry, he found he could not speak, only slowly reached for his loved one's hand that had escaped from beneath the blanket. The summer was upon them, but Meng Yao's hand was cold as ice.
Even Eunuch Lie - Lie Bing - seeing the soverign he had known and cared for since they were both boys look so lost, could not help but turn to the quivering servants and demand, "How could this have happened?"
Three pairs of knees and foreheads hit the floor with a collective thud. Hen Sheng, Meng Yao personal eunuch and head of his household, did not dare raise his head, only responded to the question tearfully, "These months, Master often felt ill to the stomach, didn't have much of an appetite nor slept very well at night, so his health had suffered. But he insisted nothing was wrong, that we need not inform the imperial physicians. Last night, Master said it was too hot indoors to sleep, and wanted to go stroll in the garden. We did not think it would suddenly rain; Master was drenched and caught a chill, this morning I -"
"Alright, Hen-gongong, there is no need to say more." Lie Bing interrupted the usually poised and collected Hen Sheng, who in his moment of worry had lost his ways. "Go now to fetch the physicians." Casting his gaze upon the maid and imperial guard still kneeling to the side, Lie Bing suddenly realized, "How come it's only you three?"
The handmaid was a seasoned servant serving in Meng Yao's household. Compared to the young guard, she appeared much more assured and calm. Seeing that he was afraid to answer, she spoke instead, "Ever since...the rumours circulated in the Palace that Lianfang-jun has lost His Majesty's favour, Master had allowed whoever wished to leave to do as they pleased. All that remained are us three."
Lan Xichen picked up the towel soaking in the ice water, and gently dabbed away the sweat collecting along Meng Yao's collar. Tears welling in his eyes overspilled, ran freely down his cheeks and dripped onto the silk covers of Meng Yao's blanket. Unbearable guilt and self-blame coiled tightly in his chest.
"The ministers criticize him, courtiers slanders him. They say he is deceptive and trecherous, is seductive and licentious, is ambitious and seditious, is ruthless and heartless. But everything he's done from the beginning was for me, a foolish Emperor, and I have treated him with such a cold disposition. It must have broken his heart, that's why he-"
“二哥。。。” 孟瑶昏昏沉沉,半梦半醒的唤着。
"Er-ge..." Meng Yao mumbled incoherently, half awake half asleep.
"A-Yao, Er-ge is here. Your fever is severe, the physicians will be here soon. Don't be afraid, Er-ge will stay by your side." At Lei Bing, Lan Xichen instructed, "Go forth and summon feng-wang. Lianfang-jun is so ill yet no one informed us. If you wait any longer, he will surely lose his temper at the physicians."
"Bixia," Lan Xichen turned, finding Meng Yao truly awake. Two big round eyes filled with hesitation and turmoil stared quietly back at him. "I did not know bixia has arrived, forgive me my lack of -"
Falling silent, Meng Yao merely attempted to pull back the hand Lan Xichen held in his, but found he could not for how tightly the emperor held it. Completely drained of energy, it was impossible to break free. Spending his days alone these past three months, Meng Yao had a lot of time to think. He thought of Wei Wuxian, whom he controlled like a puppet on strings, and how he had so willingly traded his life and freedom to keep Lan Wangji safe. Meng Yao and Wei Wuxian: were they not the same in the end? The same tremulous insignificant life. The only difference being, Wei Wuxian possesed a certain frankness of spirit that allowed him to let go when it was no longer wise to hold on. Yet Meng Yao, at the end, still could not cut loose his own selfish want. He yearned the peaceful days spent with Lan Xichen before the war, but also longed for the easiness when he was with Nie Mingjue. Da-ge knew his past, knew his visciousness, and though he did once fault Meng Yao, after their reconciliation and acceptance of each other's true nature, Da-ge was no longer the unbendable man he'd once been. Compared to Lan Xichen, in front of Nie Mingjue, Meng Yao was actually more honest and true. Was this not an escape? An absolution?
孟瑶累了,真的累了。不想再演了,也不想再躲了。
Meng Yao was tired, truly tired. He no longer wished to act, nor hide.
"Bixia, all the rumours are true. My mother was a lady of the night whose services were sought by Jin Guangshan. I too was born in that sullied place. My mother died when I was young, so it was the brothel madam who raised me, and who forced me to open my doors to patrons when I was turned thirteen. When I was fourteen, a wealthy merchant family purchased my contract from the brothel to be a boy concubine for the master of the house. Said Master wished to curry favour with the local official, so within a year, I was gifted to the premier of our province. It was not until General Nie came to re-organize and train the southern border troops, that I found a chance at life. The premier gave me up to Da'ge like a plaything, but Da'ge released me from my untouchable status, allowed me to stay and serve in the army. No one there knew my past, and Da'ge never used his knowledge of it to control me. But I knew in my heart that Da'ge was to be feng-jun, husband to the future emperor, and when that day came, he would leave me. I never imagined Da'ge would bring me to the palace, never imagined Bixia would -"
梦瑶还未说完的话被蓝曦臣无止的泪水冲散了。
The words Meng Yao did not finish were washed away by Lan Xichen's tears.
"I know, I amassed power, I lied to my soverign, now it's too late for any excuses. The extended royal family, ministers of the court, even the citizens on the street would never forgive me. No matter where I am destined, be it the Cold Palace or the Imperial Prison, I am not afraid. I have no regrets, because - Bixia, if I said I never had any intention at all to hurt you, would you believe me?"
Lan Xichen's heart was broken. Helplessly, he closed his eyes and brought his loved one into his arms. "A-Yao, there is no Cold Palace, no Imperial Prison. As long as I sit on the throne, you will be my beloved and respected Lianfang-jun. If I am not the emperor, you will still be Lan Huan's Meng Yao. I already lost Da'ge once, I can't bear to part with you too. We agreed to grow old together, you cannot break that promise."
In the tightness of the embrace, Meng Yao felt nearly breathless. Plus his fever-addled mind, he did not know how to respond in that second. Only, the tenderness of that embrace and the conviction of those words melted the fortitude that kept him going these three months. He held onto Lan Xichen's robes, terrified that this warmth and love were figments of his dream.
A-Yao is sick?? No one reported it??? What the hell are we paying you alot for??? Those disloyal bastard servants - their utter gall! Did they think because I was not in the palace this past month that there will be no consequences?!!
凤王息怒 —
Feng-wang, please forgive -
太医院也是,都多少日子了也没来请一次平安脉 —
All those imperial physicians too! How many days has it been since they came for a wellness check?!
From beyond the door came the sound of Nie Mingjue swearing. Lan Xichen chuckled, slowly laying Meng Yao back down. "You best lie down again. If Da'ge sees me holding you later, he'll scold me for disturbing your rest."
孟瑶红了脸,乖乖的让蓝曦臣给他盖上被子。
Meng Yao blushed, but obediently allowed Lan Xichen to tuck him in.