#di feisheng: who did this to you anyway

[zishuge]

Oooof Tushan Jing being the younger brother who is world-renowned as an elegant and accomplished scholar and musician, who ends up being locked up in a dungeon and tortured for years by a jealous older brother who then throws him out into the street to die, and tells him, "Without your fancy clothes and without your noble status you're nothing".

"Qingqiu-gongzi is just a joke."

God this is 1000000% exactly what Shan Gudao would've done to Li Xiangyi if he had had the chance and now I badly want to read that fic.

[nutcasewithaknife]

I've gotten as far as ep 32, and. When they hear about Di Feisheng working with the Wansheng sect, and Fang Duobing grumbles about how he thought Li Lianhua's kindness must have changed him? Li Lianhua is never shown doubting Di Feisheng before. He knows him enough to guess that his motives are not the same as Wansheng sect's! But you can see him worry when Fang Duobing says that, because of course Li Lianhua doubts his own judgement! My man spent 3 decades loving his Shixiong and finding his body and upending his entire life to do so. And found out that it was all just cruel jealousy and spite against everything he'd accomplished. He'd failed to see any of it all his life. If one person he grew up with could be a lie, how easy it is for another person he thought he knew better than anyone else to also be a lie? Literally cannot WAIT for Di Feisheng to show up again to restore Li Lianhua's faith in him and his own judgement (and also judge them from losing the ice shard he sent along lmao)

[sarah-yyy]

what: period cdrama // 40 eps, roughly 45 mins each (we’re on ep 29 atm, paid subscription required for vip eps) where: iqiyi (you can also dl the app) // youtube // (ps - usual disclaimer that i do not use eng subs so i don’t speak to the quality of subs) why: do you enjoy jianghu mysteries?? double/hidden-identities??? the shifu-complex trope??? enemies to friends (with a v Divorced-Exes vibe)?? this is the show for you. would enjoy if you enjoyed the blood of youth.

meet Li Lianhua, a somewhat famous jianghu doctor who is rumoured to be able to bring back the dead. this chill but odd man lives in a super cool caravan he built himself! spends his free time gardening and learning how to cook! he's got a cute pet dog as a companion! he is in his Zen Era, everything is going great for him*.

but i promised y'all hidden identities so, surprise surprise!! Li Lianhua is also known as Li Xiangyi, presumed dead master of the Top Jianghu Sect who has been MIA for the past decade

Li Xiangyi was poisoned + seriously injured in battle ten years ago, and for a variety of reasons, decided to retreat from jianghu to live his life in relative peace (while also searching for the remains of his shixiong). the poison he suffers from is fatal, it is emphasised he doesn't have long to live. (*except for the dying bit)

ANYWAY. while going about his day to day, Li Lianhua meets:

Fang Duobing, wannabe jianghu detective. this boy has a++ martial arts skills!! he's (relatively) smart!! he would make a good detective!! but his attempts to do so have been foiled by his Super Influential™ parents who do not want him in harm's way. all my boy wants to do is to successfully enrol in jianghu detective academy and travel the lands!! solve crimes!! he eventually weasels his way into a probationary position by telling the masters of the academy that his shifu is Li Xiangyi

cue extremely fun exchanges like:

FBD: if my shifu li xiangyi could see me now- LLH: your who???????????

these two have a funny strangers to jokingly enemies (LLH made a fool out of FBD and like drugged him the first time they met) to begrudging partners solving crimes to friends dynamic going on, absolutely a+++. FBD goes from 😤 at LLH to must protect this weak man i have decided is my best friend really quickly. i love one (1) boy.

there is also another key character in this, which really just. is the cherry on top of everything that the show has given us so far.

meet Di Feisheng. "villain" extraordinaire. has one (1) goal in life - beat LXY. "killed" LXY in battle ten years ago, but suffered severe injuries himself, so he's been recuperating for the past ten years.

imagine his goddamn surprise when he fucking meets LLH who he thought he defeated ten years ago. (side note: LLH is supposed to look nothing like LXY, but DFS recognised him p much instantly!!) he also learns that LXY was poisoned all those years ago, and was not in his best condition during their battle.

cue DFS going absolutely obsessed with curing LLH of his fatal poisoning so that they can go at it again, this time without any handicaps :)

SO ANYWAY these three go around solving cases together, while LLH/DFS also look into the inconsistencies of certain things that happened ten years ago. all the while the three of them are bickering the entire time.

tl;dr - this is the dynamic we've got going on:

FDB: this is LLH my boyfriend (but he doesn't know it yet) who is also my shifu (but i don't know it yet), and this is his extremely annoying ex-husband DFS who hangs around us and i absolutely HATE (and low-key want to throw in jianghu prison) because they are obviously hiding something from me, but also i would probably die for these two

if you need more convincing:

the cases have all been fun so far - the pacing of the show is quite good, and the cases don't really tend to drag on

the fight scenes are really cool - again, if you liked what they did in the blood of youth, you'll probably like this as well

frail and sickly Cheng Yi, always a bonus

i am going to, at some point, write fic about dfs railing fbd quiet while llh watches, someone hold me to this

[harocat]

Why People (Especially Gay People) Should Watch Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Thirty plus year old former greatest martial artist in the world, Li Lianhua, travels around in a poor man's version of Howl's Moving Castle dispensing sometimes quack, sometimes seems to be pretty accurate medical care to people throughout the land for a quick buck. He is dying a potentially preventable death because he was poisoned ten years ago and refused to seek treatment from his martial arts sect because he felt like he let them down (a lot of them died, and they think he died too). Hopefully he doesn't die for real at the end. He's been stripped of 90% of his martial arts powers, so he basically is just some guy. He does not GAF about almost anything. He likes to cook. He's smarter than everyone. He's our hero.

He has a cute dog by the way. Its name is Fox Spirit, but it is very much a dog.

Along the way he meets Fang Duobing, an annoying, oblivious to class consciousness (but still lovable) rich kid who makes it his mission to travel together with Li Lianhua so they can solve crime. He has huge puppy energy. He wants to be an official detective, and he needs LLH to help him out. He has a serious case of heart eyes for his shifu, and he shows zero interest in any woman ever. He believes, due to a previous encounter, that he's destined to be Li Xiangyi's student in martial arts. Oh and Li Xianygi is Li Lianhua's true identity, so he's kind of like, FDB's shifu twice over. He has no idea that LLH is actually the swordsman of legend.... yet.

Along the way they solve murder mysteries and also get involved in tomb raiding adventures complete with Indiana Jones style booby traps, backstabbing, and weird, creepy kids.

By the way, LLH's archrival from a decade ago, before he left the martial arts world, was Di Feisheng. He leads up an alliance that LLH's was pitted against, and one that was viewed as a scourge in the martial arts world.

LLH's last battle before his 'death' was with DFS, so the martial world believes DFS killed him, as does DFS. Di Feisheng finds him again, and is super DTF (fuck, or fight? actually both), but when he finds out that LLH lost his martial arts powers, he makes it his mission to restore them so they can have the final showdown they deserve.

The fight scenes rule.

Were they friends in the past before they became rivals? We don't know yet. All we know is that they have extreme divorced energy, and DFS wants nothing more than to get remarried. He's gay. He's so gay. He's legitimately confused when he finds out that LLH has an ex girlfriend. He's seriously like 'I NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN WOMEN.'

You bet your ass LLH is wearing a wedding dress here.

So all three of them travel together to solve murders, which they do, with aplomb. The whole time DFS pretends he doesn't care while making moon eyes at LLH and making sure no harm ever comes to him. Fang Duobing is confused and probably jealous.

Yeah he really did pledge to marry Li Lianhua in like, episode two.

He also, at that point, has NO idea the true identity of either of them.

Right now DFS is no longer traveling with them, but I believe he'll be back to them soon (he's still plenty involved in the story and present), and the three will continue their shenanigans. And anyway, he's still annoying LLH despite them not traveling together (to be fair, pretty much everyone annoys LLH). There's also sect drama! Secret alliances! Completely wack murder mysteries! And always with a side-dish of heavy homo. They're going to be the best found family.

There's eighteen episodes of forty out right now, and it's streaming on IQIYI or wherever you choose to pirate your Chinese Dramas. It's EXTREMELY entertaining every single episode; funny, addictive, and yeah, pretty gay.

[kingsandbastardz]

Tumblr ate the anon ask I was responding to so I'm gonna paraphrase it here:

what do mean llh gave di feisheng to fang duobing? the letter totally said something else

Yes, it did - but I didn't feel I could comment too deeply on it when it's been retranslated and people who are far more literate than I am have analyzed the contents already. -- The letter itself seems pretty straight forward.

However, what I wanted to focus on was analyzing unspoken social dynamics - so I'm gonna get in depth into my reasoning for my interpretation. And admittedly in previous posts I was playing fast and glib with my responses (they were just insomnia-fueled thoughts I typed real fast) so I wasn't really in depth or anything. Anyway~~~ That means it's time for me to get long winded.

So! First thing - this is the scene: The letter was written from Li Xiangyi and addressed in its entirety to Di Feisheng. However, when it was delivered the fisherman asked for both DFS and FDB. It was then read outloud by either the fisherman or FDB -- I assume read out loud, and loudly, because DFS never left his position by the rocks and emoted his distress at the contents. That means everyone there also was privy to the letter contents.

The letter itself is straight forward. It's addressed from LXY telling DFS that he regretfully can't make the duel and that he respects him both as a martial artist and as a person, and if he wishes, he can go to FDB who has inherited his skills and shows great promise, etc.

The thing IS - I firmly believe that this is not a message meant just for DFS.

Both LLH and DFS code switch between their non-leader selves vs Li-Menzhu and Di-Mengzhu. It's easiest to see based on what they're wearing. Li Xiangyi when he's dressed in the Sigu Sect uniform. Or the Styx flower hand-off scene where he calls him Di-mengzhu (not Lao Di or A-Fei or whatever else) likely as a reaction to his official regalia/red uniform which means DFS was showing up in an official capacity. Both of them know very well the importance of a certain.... how to say.... drama? They're both leaders and they were also very performative in their roles as leaders. They both expected that massive peanut gallery that showed up to witness the fight - the one filled with members of various sects, including Sigu Sect leadership -- because dfs was likely the one announcing it.

Imo - aside from the need to express the full weight of what he felt, part of the reason LLH was so formal in his letter is expectation that there would be other people there - influential people. The very people DFS and FDB would have to deal with in the future alone. FDB would be ok but he's largely unknown to the rest of jianghu and therefore his story is still malleable. DFS is known, but infamous and his narrative is as much of a trap as LXY's was. And now he no longer has the benefit of a sect to act as a buffer.

LLH's last act as LXY was not to save Yun Biqiu but to carve a new path open in the world for DFS and FDB:

Expresses that he bears deep emotion and the greatest and deepest respect for DFS despite a reputation of them being enemies

Informs everyone that DFS is not seeking dominion or 'the throne' but rather, is going the fighter-scholar path of studying and testing martial skill -- aka, this is message from one sect leader to all the others present. Spread the word, this man is NOT gunning for your power. None of you have reason to take him down.

Establishes FDB as his one and only successor - while also stating clearly it's entirely up to FDB to decide whether to continue down this path or not

Creates a pathway for DFS and FDB to maintain their connection with each other - and in fact lets everyone else know that there is a pre-established, legacy relationship between DFS and LLH that FDB will be inheriting.

Gently asks DFS to keep an eye on FDB's development - iterating that if dfs is the one asking, then FDB may make the decision to continue to train - aka help him see his full potential whatever his decision is.

At the same time, he silently wishes FDB to maintain connections with/keep an eye on DFS. In another reply I kinda went on about this: imagine a scenario where your friend's mom pulls both of you in front of her. And the whole time is telling your friend that they need to do, expectations, a list of goals, etc. The entire time she's only focused on your friend - but there is this silent implication that you, as the witness, is expected to act a reminder or even an enforcer if your friend isn't listening. If things go wrong, you're expected to go in there and help them to do the thing they were asked to do. This is the unspoken message I'm getting for FDB. Even though his name wasn't mentioned in the letter, it was explicitly delivered to both him and dfs. He's standing right there while an imaginary LLH talks to DFS. So if after all this, dfs disappears without another word = fdb can feel emboldened to go after him, knocking on doors until he answers. Should he decide to do so.

Entreaty - "These are LXY's (my) last wishes. Please respect my memory after my death."

Conclusion: LLH's last actions were to create a space where both DFS and FDB can make their own decision on their path in the world, without the weight of all those other people in jianghu influencing them.

Note: I also believe that on dfs' side, his clothing choices point toward his plans to publicly step down and leave the martial path with Li Lianhua. But llh sucker-punched him and left him standing on some rocks like a widow waiting for her husband who's lost at sea. They were technically on the same page, but it somehow went wrong because... well. Unfortunately that's DFS' narrative. He never quite reaches his goal without the hero either hindering or helping him. The entire drama was LLH being that karma busting fulcrum for him. But now, should he wish it, it'll be FDB's turn to step up and do the same.

[anndramarama]

Li Lianhua and Di Feisheng and THAT scene

I only just realized how explicitly the show demonstrated that the relationship between these two characters is meant to be a rocky courtship that led to marriage.

They are the first thing on each other's minds when we meet them, and they are continuously being separated and being pulled back together as they reestablish trust and begin to acknowledge just how important they are to each other, but what really got me was how many explicit marriage and courtship signals and tropes there were. Here are a couple.

We see Li Lianhua in a wedding dress first, and granted it was for a case, but that was a pretty extreme way of demonstrating that yeah, the dress was heavy; in other words, it wasn't really necessary to put him in the wedding clothes but they did it anyway. For reasons. If that wasn't enough to get us thinking about marriage, we see Di Feisheng wearing wedding clothes after he is poisoned, and they make a point of saying that he is going to be the groom for a deceased person (at a time when everyone in the martial arts world believes Li Xiangyi is dead).

And then we have THAT scene, where Li Lianhua carries Di Feisheng to the wedding room where he recovers and they toast, AND they make a point of saying that it is essentially their anniversary, and that both nothing and everything have changed. That was so beautifully done, and framing the moon in the window was a very nice touch. Again unnecessary, but explicitly stated and lingered over.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate the fact that the show went out of its way show us what their relationship was, which makes it even harder to accept that they are separated again and one of them is potentially in mourning. I think that it helped that the actors were so nuanced in their performances and you could see real affection and appreciation in those scenes.

I want to say something about Fang Duobing too, and how well he fits into that dynamic as someone from the younger generation who's there to learn from them and influence them for the better, and to represent the hope that they both lost over time, but I'm at work and almost out of time! I think one of the best things about that character, other than what the actor did as Fang Duobing, which was tremendous, is that he connects them both back to the world via the cases and their personal history.

*sigh*

[rageprufrock]

Sneak Peak: MLC Fanfic

I have so many chores to do so instead I am on tumblr posting this little snippet instead because adulthood is a SCAM.

Anyway, please have some in-progress modern AU where Jiao Liqiao hits Di Feisheng with a car.

The whole thing starts when Jiao Liqiao hits Di Feisheng with an orange Hummer outside of the Alliance Security headquarters while he's on the phone with Li Lianhua.

***

Six hours later, Li Lianhua is sitting around in Di Feisheng's hospital room dressed like someone's dad's dirty uncle best friend: beat up pajama pants, a shirt he'd grabbed at random hearing the shriek of tires through the phone line, and a pair of Fang Duobing's fucking sky blue Adidas slides he'd stolen as he'd bolted out the door.

"It's not that I want to criticize you, lao-Di," Li Lianhua says, critically, "but I told you to run that woman out of town as soon as humanly possible at least five times."

Di Feisheng, who's been provided pain medication and is angry about it, busies himself with glaring at the ceiling. 

"Now look at you," Li Lianhua goes on, like a bastard, "you've got a hairline fracture in your foot, you've got a broken leg, three cracked ribs, a low grade concussion, and also you're the top four trending tags on Weibo." 

That these are factual statements does not make Li Lianhua's continued, unwanted presence in Di Feisheng's hospital room any less insufferable. 

"Alliance Security CEO accident," Li Lianhua reads off his phone. "Alliance CEO car crash. Alliance CEO crazy girlfriend. Alliance CEO handsome." 

Di Feisheng's head lolls around so he can center a wild-eyed glare at Li Lianhua.

"Why are you here?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Li Lianhua squints at him. "Can you be considered human?" he demands. "There I was, enjoying my Saturday morning like a normal person—"

"You were calling me to complain that our CDN felt 'kind of slow,' like an asshole," Di Feisheng corrects.

"—and then I hear you yelling and the sounds of vehicular violence," Li Lianhua goes on. "Any person with a heart would be concerned."

"Fang Duobing made you come," Di Feisheng says.

"Fang Duobing made me come," Li Lianhua agrees.

"Well I'm not dead, so you can leave now," Di Feisheng mutters.

"'As someone who has also wanted to hit their boss with a car, but never truly had the courage, I respectfully acknowledge Jiao Liqiao as my master and will endeavor to serve her as a faithful student in all things,'" Li Lianhua reads, going back to scrolling through Weibo. "'I never want to know the truth or any details about why she did it. Just that she hit this beautiful mean-faced millionaire with a car is enough. I would die for her.'"  

Di Feisheng goes back to staring at the ceiling and begins to systematically reflect on the wrongs that have led to specific terrible moment. This begins with lingering resentment over college scheduling that had put him in a 9:30 programming basics class with Li Xiangyi and concludes with admitting that perhaps Fang Duobing had been right when he'd said, two years ago, "A'Fei, you can't just tell a woman it's fine if she's in love with you and that you guys can keep working together but that it's none of your business." But at that point, Fang Duobing was still the infant Li Xiangyi was fucking as some kind of weird post mental breakdown enrichment activity, and seemed like a poor source of professional counseling. In the years since, Di Feisheng can admit that while Fang Duobing continues to be an infant Li Xiangyi is fucking as a weird post mental breakdown enrichment activity, he has a sharp and nuanced emotional intelligence—as long as it has nothing to do with his profoundly repulsive attachment to Li Xiangyi. 

"Miss Jiao is going to get some truly staggering letters in jail," Li Lianhua observes with audible admiration in his voice. For not the first and likely not the last time, Di Feisheng swears never to answer another phone call or text message from this bastard again.  

"If you like her so much, you should hire her once she's served her time," he mutters through gritted teeth. The sharp edge of pain is starting to break through the drugs, but he feels clearer, sharper, less like he's trying to hear shouting through the rush of a flowing river. "Is there a reason you're still hanging around here?" 

Li Lianhua slants him a look, beaming with charity. "Now don't get shy, A'Fei—"

"Stop calling me A'Fei," Di Feisheng snaps.

"—I came in a DiDi, so Xiaobao is coming to pick me up," Li Lianhua finishes. "You'll be back to your peace and blessed quiet soon." 

Which is of course the precise moment that little treasure of Li Lianhua's pokes his abominably sunny little face into the doorway of the sickroom and declares, all smiles:

"Okay! I just finished with the nursing jiejies! They’re wrapping up your discharge paperwork and we should be able to take you home with us this afternoon.” 

“What,” Di Feisheng and Li Lianhua say.

[difeisheng]

for the last first time

A sequel to @ilgaksu's ficlet, which you can read here. We're both terrible enablers of each other, which results in things like us spontaneously deciding to start a fic series at a time when both of us should have been asleep. You can also find both our ficlets on Ao3 here.

This investigation should have proceeded like any other. Or at least what Di Feisheng would consider any other, with precedent set by all the cases he's been dragged into solving: make observations on your own as much as possible, be discreet, then ask around for clues if necessary. By simple inquiry or by interrogation, whichever is required. Being at Fang Duobing's side, day in and day out, means that Di Feisheng is expected to try the former first, excruciating as it is. Fortunately he doesn't often have to make conversation himself, not when Fang Duobing has enough words for both of them, and probably one person more. 

    There's nothing much left for Di Feisheng to do, in such cases, but wait until he's done. Standing in contentedly threatening silence, while Fang Duobing's pleading dark eyes work to whatever confession-eliciting effect they seem to have, alongside the charm of a person who acts like they have patience for other people and genuinely seems to mean it.

    And this is where today deviates from that standard of 'any other', because asking around for clues, more often than not, demands venturing into places where lips are likely to loosen with wine, or food, or money. These Di Feisheng can tolerate, the hazy chatter of a tavern or anonymous sea of a marketplace. The disappearance of this particular local aristocrat Fang Duobing is looking into, however, has led them somewhere else, areas in which the man liked to spend his time. As it turns out, brothels draw everyone from the peasants to the magistrates, and so there information can be traded for alongside pleasure.

   For some, anyway. Di Feisheng straightens his posture, grips his blade more tightly, and shuffles his stance to look out at the bustling street. The lanterns strung between buildings, casting a warm glow over the city as dusk crests over the horizon. The sky, settling from blue to inky violet. The calls of street vendors and clusters of people finding their way home or out of it.

    Essentially, facing anywhere that isn't the sweet-faced girl outside the door of the brothel behind him, probably no more than twenty and, based on her expression and the lilting beckon of gongzi when Fang Duobing parted with Di Feisheng here, wanting more from him than as much indifference as he can politely project.

    Why did Fang Duobing insist on paying a visit during the evening? Oh, he knows— It'll be easiest to find information when it's busy, and we'll be less conspicuous, he'd said to Di Feisheng's blank stare that morning— but really, they couldn't have tried for before every courtesan had settled into their evening routine?

    You're not shy about this, are you, A-Fei? Fang Duobing had smiled then, as though he wasn't still half-draped over Di Feisheng with the sheets a tangled mess, the underrobe sweat-clinging to Fang Duobing the only clothing on either of them. And Di Feisheng had turned over in demonstrative answer, had bitten another blossoming mark into Fang Duobing's clavicle that was only barely hidden by his collars when they rolled out of bed—

    And apparently his plan for Di Feisheng's reluctance was to let him stand outside this pleasure house by himself.

    (No, he's not shy. It's simply that this many years on, Di Feisheng has never known need to navigate an establishment like this. For all that Fang Duobing never seemed to grow close to them, women still have a better chance at turning his head. Or at least of him being able to convincingly pretend as such.)

    (Only a single instance of life and death could draw that act out of Di Feisheng. He would, to the point of being poisoned instead, rather not relive that again.)

    "Gongzi, wouldn't you like to come inside and warm up?" the girl at the top of the steps calls, presumably to him. "I'd hate for you to catch cold. Winter will be here soon, you know." Di Feisheng closes his eyes, and bites back clipped words, about how he's faced things far worse than autumn wind. Even while making a quiet joke of himself lurking outside a brothel. What's taking Fang Duobing so long?

    From behind him comes the gentle clink of stone jewelry, soft, light footfalls along the ground toward him, and it seems this time Di Feisheng can't use mishearing the girl as an excuse. What can he think of to say, as a soft rejection, between this moment and the one when she'll approach him? Too late, that instant approaches; Di Feisheng turns, readies something (nothing) on his tongue—

    And it's Fang Duobing who's there, a whirlwind in the next breath, grip like iron landing on Di Feisheng's forearm. "A-Fei," he says, half-breathless, eyes wide in the dawning dark like he's seen a ghost. Before Di Feisheng can form a single sentence he's being hauled up the steps, past the startled form of the girl, stumbling after Fang Duobing by instinct.

    "What are you doing?" he manages to get out, stopping before he's pulled through the doors. Only years of balancing in far more precarious situations keeps Di Feisheng from tripping over the threshold. The sign above declares this place the House of Scarlet Delights, in well-kept paint. He glares at Fang Duobing, trying to shove the boy's arm off of him.

    "A-Fei," Fang Duobing says, again, more insistently and this time tinged with the inflection of every bit the heir to a wealthy estate, one that signifies he expects to be listened to. Because he seems to have forgotten any other way to communicate, apparently.

    Di Feisheng, for his part, had forgotten that Fang Duobing is comparable to himself in stature and strength, and so it only takes one off-guard yank with renewed vigor for him to nearly fall forward through the doorway.

    The noise of laughter and music crashes over Di Feisheng, from a gentle ebb outside to being struck by a wave. Everywhere in this place is colour, in clothes, lights, art and hangings along the walls, but none of it is of interest to himself. Nor to Fang Duobing, who pulls him through scattered groups of other customers as soon as Di Feisheng is steady on his arm, without time for surprise to settle. His grasp slides down Di Feisheng's wrist, then laced with his hand, in his hasty steps a pace ahead.

    Later, Di Feisheng won't be sure if it is the people around him who part in his path, or whether it is the first caught sight that urges him forward without thought through everyone else, until he stands before a low dais at the opposite end of the hall. And there, a slim figure kneeling with a flute in his hands, jade-green and vaguely familiar, is... is....

    "It's him," Fang Duobing says, faraway sound like Di Feisheng is underwater along with the rest of the room, and he doesn't need Fang Duobing to state the obvious, anyway. Not when Di Feisheng would know the set of those shoulders, the wear of the hands that wield the flute like they once did a sword, anywhere, draped in black and green silk though they are. Not when he would be able to recall the amused smile of his eyes, and the shape of his mouth when it held some unasked-for remark, even if he were without his memories, and knows for a fact that he did once. The unfamiliar rouge touched to his lips, the fall of his hair, snow-white like the morning after a winter storm, could never distort any of that.

    The musician tilts his head, a charming performance calculated, and at his sight brushing across Di Feisheng's, time seems to freeze.

    All that's left in the world is Di Feisheng, and Fang Duobing's hand a lifeline aligned with his own, and relief-joy-relinquished grief all at once, at someone who is dead twice and somehow alive before him again.

    Li Xiangy— Li Lianhua, Di Feisheng tries to speak, or whichever one it is. No sound works its way from his throat.

    The figure kneeling before him glances forward, gaze falling level with Di Feisheng's own, holding him there. Fox to prey.

    There is nothing, in this moment, he truly needs to say at all.

[eirenical]

For the WIP Title Ask:

I’m very curious about the Mysterious Lotus Casebook dual cultivation fic.

And good luck with class prep and starting the new semester! I hope it goes as smoothly/painlessly as possible!

Thanks for ask, @bbcphile! :D

[For anyone else who would like to ask, you can find the WiP list here.]

So, this fic grew out of this post. I watched episode 13 and I saw this go down:

And I said, "well, OK THEN. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT." XD

And visions of Dual cultivation danced in my head. Of course, once I'd finished the show, I realized that saving Li Lianhua, if that was in the cards at all, was going to be much more complicated than dual cultivation, because he and A-Fei and Fang Duobing basically did that more than once and it didn't save him.

So I don't know that I'll ever finish this one, but I DID write the sex/dual cultivation that would have come right after the confrontation in the snake cave, so how about a little snippet of the lead-in to that? ;D

*

Armed with a bottle of special oil he'd gotten from Yao Mo and more determination than desire, Di Feisheng pushed open the door to the small cottage.  Li Xiangyi didn't even look up as the door clattered open, the absolute picture of nonchalance and disinterest.

And it was a lie.

Li Lianhua might not care if he lived or died.  Li Lianhua might not care where he lived, who he met, or what he owed.  Li Lianhua might be waiting to die.  But underneath all of that, Li Xiangyi couldn't help but take notice when Di Feisheng entered a room.  Li XIangyi's every sense followed him as he moved, tracked him as he paced closer in the small confines of the cottage.  Li Xiangyi remembered.  Li Xiangyi knew him for the threat he carried.  Li Xiangyi knew a fellow predator when he was sniffing down his neck.

And it was Li XIangyi who supplied the words uttered in Li Lianhua's utterly disinterested tones: "Di-mengzhu… what are you doing."

Di Feisheng worried at the distended meridian beneath his teeth for just one moment more before shifting to nibble at the collarbone just beside it.  And as the muscles beneath his hands tensed, prelude to a shift that would send an elbow flying back into his stomach, he stepped back out of reach.  "Li Xiangyi, Li Xiangyi… what do you think I'm doing?"

Li Xiangyi huffed out a breath and shook his disordered robes back into some semblance of order before turning back to poke at the pot in front of him.  "If you're that hungry that my neck looks appealing, I'm pleased to inform you that dinner is almost ready.  Go back outside and wait for it."

Di Feisheng turned and did as requested—he walked away.  As far as the door, anyway.  And only to drive the locking bolts home.

As the bolts slid into place, Li Xiangyi tensed again, this time rewarding him with a glance in his direction.  When Di Feisheng did nothing but cross his arms and lean back against the locked door, Li Xiangyi sighed and put down his spoon.

"Di-mengzhu.  I have done as you asked all day with no objections.  But I, for one, do not have the stamina I once did.  I am tired.  I am hungry.  I am done playing games with you."

Di Feisheng uncrossed his arms, leaving them to hang loosely at his sides.  He smiled.  "But I am nowhere near done playing with you."

Before Li Xiangyi had a chance to even take in a surprised breath, Di Feisheng was across the room, fist raised.  In spite of his protestations, Li Xiangyi dodged the blow, slid around behind him and made a break for the door.  Di Feisheng turned with him, a well placed wave of qi accelerating his journey until he had Li Xiangyi pressed against the door, hands trapped against his chest where they could do no harm.  Di Feisheng pressed into him harder, leaning down to take another delicate nibble at his exposed neck.

This time, that elbow did fly—and would have hit Di Feisheng right in the solar plexus had he not stepped back quickly enough.  But that last provocation had done the trick.  Li Xiangyi was taking him seriously now, putting as much of himself into the fight as he dared.  Di Feisheng stayed one step ahead of him, darting in for little nips and pinches and a lick that nearly had Li Xiangyi's knee connecting with his groin.  He could feel it, the way that blocked qi was trying to break free, to respond, to answer his attacks in kind… but it had nowhere to go.  No channel to follow.  But if Yao Mo was right… then maybe they could fix that.

After several minutes of trading blows, Di Feisheng corralled Li Xiangyi against the wall, the thrill of the chase leaving them both panting.  He leaned forward, mouth opening for another delicate lick, but before he could get anywhere near that tempting neck, Li Xiangyi was surging forwards, into his personal space, eyes blazing with more fire than he'd seen in them since their reunion.  He had just enough time to register what was happening before Li Xiangyi's mouth sealed over his own, one hand breaking free to tangle in his hair.

Caught off guard, Di Feisheng staggered backwards, knees hitting the edge of the small bed and unbalancing him further.  He landed hard on his back, Li Xiangyi straddling his legs and taking full advantage of his disorientation for the moment it lasted.

Yesssssssss.

His hands found his way into Li Xiangyi's hair, returning the favor of his none-too-gentle tugs as he guided their mouths into better alignment.  Li Xiangyi was a whirlwind above him, days of frustration lending strength to his arms and a bite to his kisses and if Di Feisheng had had any idea that sex could be like *this,* he'd have tried it years ago.

[hils79]

Hils Watches Mysterious Lotus Casebook - Ep 12

Good news for me, bad news for everyone else. It's time for me to watch another cdrama and since I'm already watching one I'm just going to start watching this daily instead of the occasional episode on a weekend.

If you thought I wasn't normal about this before, prepare for me to be even less normal now that I'll be watching it every day.

I can't believe I've watched 12 episodes of this and I've only just realised that Liu Yuning sings the opening theme song. Now it's even more DMBJ adjacent

Wait, what happened at the end of the last episode? Why is his arm in a sling now? Oh, is it from when he fell in the pond?

I can't believe that after all this time Di Feisheng managed to sneak up on Li Lianhua but he gasped and jumped. Is this like when animals pretend to be 'hunted' by their young?

Oh, yeah, I forgot he 'quit'. See, this is why watching things in slower time is a bad idea. I forget what happened. God, I've turned into one of those people who needs the 'previously on' that they used to have when shows aired weekly

Oh no he looks hot with his hair like that

Aww he's taking care of his puppy

Every case Li Lianhua tells everyone what happened, the murderer laughs and says there's no proof, then proof magically appears. I am rather fond of it.

I love that Di Feisheng keeps saying he doesn't care about cases and then threatening to torture confessions out of people. I'm quite sure he's actually having fun solving crime with Li Lianhua he's jut not ready to admit it yet

Sure, let's throw in some misogyny with the murder

Wait, why are they arresting the younger brother? He didn't kill anyone did he? He's just mentally ill.

He does this every time. "Oh, you won't confess? Fine I'll confess for you."

He deceived me!

He's so dramatic I love him

Wow, okay, I wasn't expecting him to find his senior's body this quickly. And handily it's right where they currently are.

Bare forearms. Scandalous.

I looks pleased (or as please as he gets anyway) that Li Lianhua finally found what he was looking for, and I don't think it's just because that means Li Lianhua will cure him.

Gosh, that looks like a painting

Oh shit I forgot that was also Fang Duobing's uncle

Oh is that what you're calling it

[rose-tinted-vision]

Fic: 当你醒来 我已不再

relationships: Li Lianhua & Fang Duobing

(link to ao3 fic)

Li Lianhua looks at the wangchun flower, and ponders.

It is not for him.

It is not Li Lianhua that Di Feisheng and everyone else wanted to save, it is Li Xiangyi that they want returned from the grave. They want the selfless hero, the beacon of peace and hope for the jianghu.

But Li Lianhua is not Li Xiangyi anymore.

He cannot bring back the young hero everyone coveted. He has long since regarded Li Xiangyi as a separate entity, a skin he has shedded long ago.

If he takes the wangchun flower, it means taking on the mantle of Li Xiangyi once more, putting on the cape again, trying to fill in the too-large shoes that that spectre of the past left behind.

Li Xiangyi is better off left undisturbed, ten feet under the ground, he tells himself. He is not as good as the people paint him to be. Li Xiangyi was arrogant, too trusting, too idealistic. The world cannot be saved by one man alone, nor can he save everyone with his words alone.

He once trusted all the wrong people, naively thought that by reaching the peak of the martial world, he could save everyone. Now that he has traversed the jianghu, he knows. He knows that his shifu had been right all along.

"I don't want you to be some big shot, I just want you and your shixiong to eat well, drink well and live well."

"Li Lianhua, what are you thinking about?"

A gentle shake brings him out of his spiralling thoughts, a never ending cesspool that only grew worse with each passing minute. He relaxes his death grip on the wooden box minutely.

"You haven't taken the wangchun flower yet?" Fang Duobing asks, fighting to keep his voice level.

Fang Duobing. His Xiaobao. The only person who genuinely wanted to save Li Lianhua.

He considers shaking it off with another lighthearted lie, but finds that he cannot bring himself to. He can't lie in the face of such pure, undiluted concern again.

"This flower isn't for Li Lianhua," he says, knowing that Fang Xiaobao will understand what he means.

Even in death, he cannot go peacefully. He has been told to live. It is demanded of him to live.

The man who was once known as Li Xiangyi finds that he does not know whether he wants to live. And perhaps that is the most telling point that he is no longer Li Xiangyi. Could no longer be Li Xiangyi. He has given so much of himself, even at the expense of his own life, that there was nothing left to give.

Fang Xiaobao, observant as always, picks up on his hesitance. He moves to sit next to Li Lianhua, clasping a steady hand over his trembling ones.

"If you choose to leave, it's fine," Fang Xiaobao says, letting out a shaky exhale, "you're not letting anybody down. It's this world that let you down. They don't deserve Li Lianhua or Li Xiangyi."

Li Lianhua makes a tired grunt in protest, which is quickly shushed by Fang Xiaobao, "But it's not just me that wants Li Lianhua to live. Su-mei also knows you. Zhan-xiong would rather you live happily. The one Xiao-gu fancied was also Li Lianhua, not Li Xiangyi."

Quietly, after a beat or two, he adds, "A-Fei also just wants you to be alive."

Perhaps. He can't quite bring himself to believe that statement, not when all Di Feisheng talked about was curing Li Lianhua to fight Li Xiangyi again. He already knew Di Feisheng's opinion on the matter; he did not need a reminder.

Fang Xiaobao, however, was another thing entirely. He has hurt him too many times to count, telling one boldfaced lie after another in the face of Fang Xiaobao's sincerity, and yet the other still chased after him anyway. Showed him forgiveness and patience, accepting Li Lianhua for all his deceit and lies, even after being pushed away repeatedly.

Though he knows the answer to this- it's damningly clear through Fang Xiaobao's every action- a part of him needs to hear it straight from his mouth.

"What about you?" Is it Li Xiangyi or Li Lianhua that you want to save?

Fang Xiaobao reels back as if he were slapped, hurt so openly displayed on his face that Li Lianhua wished to retract his words and swallow them whole.

"Li Lianhua, you should know by now" Fang Xiaobao says, his eyes alight with cold fury, "I will only recognize one zhiji in this life, and that is Li Lianhua."

Perhaps it is the conviction in his tone, or the grief that spilled over into his anger, or simply the mink coat that Fang Duobing had wrapped him in a few hours prior- but Li Lianhua finds himself pulled back slightly from the precipice he had been tethering on.

The realisation that he does not want to die is gut wrenching, suddenly overcome with guilt that Fang Xiaobao chose a dying man to recognize as his zhiji. Li Lianhua mourns the future that he is unable to live out. He will not be able to grow old with Fang Xiaobao in his rickety old home as the hair on their heads turn white, will not be able to travel all over the jianghu to solve crimes with his zhiji.

After all, the wangchun flower was not a guaranteed cure. Just one that held higher chances than any other cure.

He nearly says as much, clamping his mouth shut when his brain catches up. Fang Xiaobao might actually kill him for saying that, and then jump into hell to bring him back again.

Belately, he realises that he has not responded to Fang Xiaobao's declaration, and gives a stiff nod on response.

"Just…" Fang Xiaobao whispers, shifting to get up, "don't suddenly disappear without a word, okay?"

—

Li Lianhua stares at the wangchun flower. His legs are numb from having sat too long, and the mink coat is but a flimsy protection from the cold around him.

Behind him, dawn is breaking, varying shades of bright orange bleeding into the dusky blue, its rays of light illuminating the wangchun flower. In this light, it almost looks as glorious as the myths surrounding it make it out to be.

He hears Hulijing's barks growing closer, following the familiar cadence of Fang Xiaobao's footsteps, signalling that breakfast is ready.

Meeting Fang Xiaobao had disrupted his carefully laid plans to live out the rest of his limited lifespan, had brought forth several disturbing revelations, forcing him to bring back a dead man to resolve the many issues that sprang forth.

But Li Lianhua finds that he does not mind.

(In fact, when it comes to his closest friend, his zhiji, he finds that he can let quite a few things slide).

Maybe Li Lianhua would try to live, for the sake of one Fang Duobing, his Fang Xiaobao.

[shamera]

NaNo day 14-15

...i got distracted last night and ended up reading manga instead, whoops. where am i going with this story? i feel like i need another idea to sustain my nano. just so i can work on something else when i get distracted, rather than staring blankly. then i can alternate or something.

anyway, here's wonderwall.

“No one helped you back?” Fang Duobing sounded heartbroken. 

Li Lianhua reached to pat his hand. “I was ill, and an outsider. It was kind enough of them not to throw me out. For all they knew, my illness could be contagious. Besides, Hulijing helped me back.”

A touching story, for sure. Di Feisheng shifted his weight as he eyed the dog, and then asked, “I’ll believe half of that.”

It was too sweet a tale to be entirely true, and seeing Li Lianhua’s bitter smile as he told it, Di Feisheng would reckon that half was a lie to placate himself. He didn’t know what parts were true, but that wasn’t the point. It was whether this story could convince Li Lianhua in the future to trust his words, even if the story itself was a lie. So long as he recognised it as his own lie, then it was fine. 

Fang Duobing, however, had a different reaction to that tale being exposed. 

“What?” The young man asked, looking between the two of them. “What do you mean— what really happened?”

Li Lianhua reached to flick him on the side of the head lightly when he pushed into his personal space. “Exactly as I said. You don’t need to worry about it any further.”

To Di Feisheng, he said, “Tell me about what happens in the village.”

— 

In the end, they write down a whole chart. Nonsense, most of it, but Li Lianhua looked satisfied nevertheless. Di Feisheng frowned as he realised how little he remembered from the first go at the day. There hadn’t been much that stood out to begin with for me, but with the repetition of days, there were details he couldn’t remember if it happened on the first iteration or on a repeat. 

“If this is only happening to you, what did you do?” Fang Duobing asked, and while his words were rude, his tone was genuinely curious. “Touch something weird? Killed the wrong person?”

“I stayed standing when the two of you were knocked out.” Di Feisheng told him. 

Fang Duobing flushed and puffed up. “I think Lao Di is lying.”

It was the truth, but with the look Li Lianhua was giving him, Di Feisheng dropped the topic. 

“We’ll look once we get there.” Li Lianhua said, and the three prepared for a trip that this time they knew would end disastrously. 

— 

Having foreknowledge did not mean it went any better than usual.

— 

The first family they met was deceivingly polite, and Li Lianhua clocked the drugged tea immediately with a smile, just as he had the very first time. With the added knowledge that the entire village was likely attempting to drug them for some reason, this time he subtly switched their drinks with the hosts’, and the three of them left after the family passed out atop their table. 

“Did that happen before?” Fang Duobing asked as they made their way across the tiny and unassuming village with none the wiser. Di Feisheng was unsure how to answer. 

The second family they spoke to was far more suspicious, quiet when asked about the missing travellers, cooperating only when Fang Duobing revealed himself to be a Baichuan Court detective. Di Feisheng did as he always did and stood menacingly to the side while the other two asked questions, keeping an eye on the two mischievous children who were whispering by the doorway. When the tea was poisoned once more, Li Lianhua merely gave a flat smile after snipping the liquid and this time set it down as if distracted by another thought. 

When none of them drank the tea, the family changed their antics and claimed to need help with something, attempting to coax them toward the back of the house before Di Feisheng interfered and knocked the two parents out, seeing at the young children was now nowhere to be found. 

“Did that happen the first time?” Fang Duobing demanded as they dragged the bodies to a more comfortable position. 

“We can just head straight to the dungeon.” Di Feisheng suggested. 

Li Lianhua shook his head as they closed the door to the knocked out people. “The point is to retrace your steps. We may have arrived because of the missing travellers, but… Whatever you saw, did, and where you went… did you follow them the first time?”

“No.” Di Feisheng confirmed. He grimaced at the thought of the third family. “...Fine, let’s get this over with.”

They didn’t have to go looking for the third family, as it was the third family that found them. Or rather, two of the five unmarried daughters of the third family who attempted to bodily collide with Di Feisheng and Fang Duobing respectively, and fell into a swoon on the ground even when their collision didn’t happen. 

“Apologies, young masters,” the younger one, a dainty thing with such weak wrist bones that Di Feisheng doubted she could so much as lift a sword, called out as she clutched onto the fallen arm of her older sister, who had a sleeve raised to her face in faux distress. “A thousand apologies! My sister and I are in dire need of your help!”

For a moment, Fang Duobing looked like he would reach toward them to actually help despite the fact that Di Feisheng warned him in advance of this exact situation, but then he pulled back with a regretful expression as Li Lianhua kicked him in the leg. 

If Di Feisheng could avoid this family, he would. In fact, he was tempted to do so despite the hard look Li Lianhua was throwing his way, already knowing what he was thinking. 

“Of course we’ll help.” Li Lianhua told them, and the sisters tittered at each other as they stared up at him with large doe eyes. He gestured with a sleeve when they got up (unlike the first time when Fang Duobing had reached to help them up and received an ‘accidental’ cut across his arm). “Lead the way.”

— 

The knockout incense Di Feisheng unapologetically swiped from Lotus Tower kicked in right after the ageing parents eagerly offered up their daughters to be wed to the prominent detective and his friends. Their choice of the lot! There were five of them to choose from, after all! 

Fang Duobing had a white cloth to his face, wet to absorb the smoke before he could inhale too much of it. It didn’t hide his disturbed expression. 

“They really did that.” He said, wide eyes turning to Di Feisheng. “But… that’s their daughters! They don’t even know us!”

Di Feisheng gruntled an acknowledgement, one hand holding his own wet cloth to his nose as the other started rummaging around the room, attempting to find the clues that had originally led them to the dungeon. Behind him, Li Lianhua was the only one without a cloth, carefully setting a few of the daughters who had fallen at awkward angles into a more comfortable position on the floor. 

“Some families struggle to feed everyone,” Li Lianhua placated, which Di Feisheng thought was far too generous a statement considering the youngest daughter was perhaps ten years of age. And for the fact that there was something very wrong with the village, and the family was one of the ones attempting to poison them. 

A thud toward the back of a drawer, and Di Feisheng pulled out an inscribed stone triumphantly. He shook the palm-sized stone up in the air to catch the attention of the others. 

“Here,” he said, tossing the stone over to Fang Duobing, who caught it easily. “Skip the pleasantries. They offer their daughters, Li Lianhua claimed he already had a fiancee, they offer their daughters, and you tried to say the same but they didn’t believe you—”

“That is unfair.” Fang Duobing exclaimed. “He doesn’t have a fiancee.”

“And you do.” Li Lianhua nodded along, the amused smile barely hidden in time as he turned his head away from Fang Duobing’s accusing stare. 

“And they didn’t offer you?” Fang Duobing asked Di Feisheng, tone accusing. Di Feisheng, on the other hand, just gave him a flat stare, attempting to convey that of course he was far too frightening for the couple to offer him one of their daughters in marriage. 

(The truth was that he was uncomfortable thinking about just how close their eldest daughter sat the first time they were invited for tea, leaning into his space to whisper her opinions and senseless words to him while inching her way closer to Di Feisheng by the moment until she was practically on his lap and he had to physically shove her off, which was what started the skirmish in the first place. Then one of the daughters tried to stab them with a poisoned knife, and Li Lianhua knocked her out.)

“We ask around the village,” Di Feisheng continued his summary. “Eventually find a cavern by the well that leads to the dungeon. Congratulations, we’ve saved an entire sichen of search time.”

“We should be doing the search.” Li Lianhua reminded him. Fang Duobing was squinting at the inscriptions on the stone, holding up and tilting his head as if the changed perspective would make sense of what was written on it.

“There were a lot of trees.” Di Feisheng said. “Grass. Dirt. We encountered few people, and none came close to us. No strange smells, no strange sounds.”

Li Lianhua gave him a flat look. “You’re risking missing pivotal information nevertheless.”

“If that happens, I’ll go back again.” Di Feisheng said. 

Li Lianhua narrowed his eyes. “You’re assuming there’s an ‘again’. And if there is a limited amount of repeats for you to find the cause of the situation?”

“Then there are a limited amount of repeats, and I live past them. And we solve what happened here tomorrow. Or leave.”

“Then why bother with this?” Fang Duobing interjected when it looked like Li Lianhua was too irritated by those words to respond. “If you’re repeating today, but you seem to be okay with it… you’re not worried about things going wrong, and you’re not worried about this not ending, it seems…”

Di Feisheng didn’t understand it fully himself. While curious and mildly inconvenienced by the repeating days, he had also been relieved and used the time to spend his days… exploring. He had the time to search for the Styx flower now, and there were no worries clear in the future with the repeats. Some days he woke and trained, other days he woke and allowed the repetition of conversations wash over him like rereading a worn book. Other days, like the previous iteration of ‘today’, he did something new. 

Perhaps it was because his training would amount to nothing when the day restarted. 

“So I can answer your questions when I do live past this day.” Di Feisheng answered them. He turned and shut the drawer he had taken the stone from, uncertain why it would rather not face their stares at this moment. “Whatever is causing this may be useful.”

He didn’t know why he felt like a liar. 

— 

The dungeon underneath the cave was filled with the same curious trinkets, the same cells, the same gaping entrance that he thought couldn’t possibly trap them with how wide it was. There were the same cobwebs and the same torches, the same mismatched tiles interlaced on the ground and the same stifling air that made it almost hard to breathe. 

Fang Duobing picked up the same broken bronze plate, frowned, and tossed it the same place as the first time he did that. Li Lianhua leaned in with his torch to examine the same unreadable inscription on the wall. 

“Superstition and folklore,” Li Lianhua concluded after a thorough examination of the pictures and words, torch flickering as he brought it around. Di Feisheng stayed near the entrance, arms crossed as he leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Warnings to not venture out late at night in fear of vengeful ghosts, and goddesses that demand sacrifice.”

“Sounds more like demons,” Fang Duobing said. 

“Perhaps it was.” Li Lianhua made a considering noise before turning his torchlight toward Di Feisheng. “Was there anything in here you touched? Disturbed? Knocked over, perhaps?”

“I let the two of you handle this place.” Di Feisheng told him. He didn’t remember actually examining anything in particular, only the violence that came after.

“A-Fei,” Li Lianhua said with a sigh, “you are no help at all.”

“Hey,” Fang Duobing’s voice called to them from across the dungeon toward the back of one of the cells. “I think I found something.”

They made their way over to him, where Fang Duobing was holding a red lacquer box the size of a pillow, worn and dusty but otherwise in good enough condition it didn’t fit in the setting of the dungeon. He brushed the dust from the box, frowning as he turned it one way and another. There must have once been vivid paints along the grain of the box, but now it had faded into something that only hinted at its once brilliance. 

“It looks old,” Fang Duobing remarked, “but recently handled. Look here—” 

He was correct in that there were areas on the box more worn than others, the colours fading into pale wood through the lacquer, like fingerprints where it was held over and over again. The layer of grime was higher in those areas, but the dust entirely gone. Along the crease between the opening of the box, there was a scent of metallic bitterness. Fang Duobing attempted to open the box, but it didn’t budge.

Li Lianhua lowered his torch to get a better look, even as Fang Duobing raised the box, searching for another method of opening it. 

Di Feisheng didn’t recall seeing it before. He frowned, crowding in close. 

“Got it!” Fang Duobing said triumphantly as he touched a mechanism mostly hidden along the bottom of the box, hearing a click as a latch gave way and he fingered the seam once more. 

“Wait—” Li Lianhua started, and Di Feisheng smelt the metal and sulphur a moment before he saw the glint of fire in the corner of the room, grabbing each of them with a hand to drag them backward only for the tiny flint of light in the corner catch ablaze within a split moment to become a roaring blaze, the walls of the cell coated with something that whited his vision immediately. 

— 

Di Feisheng woke up in Lotus Tower, entire body tense with the aftershock of fire running along his nerves, and breathed through lungs that felt seared from a nightmare. 

For the first time since the repeats, he grit his teeth and had to swallow down failure.

[mejomonster]

I'm Watching episode 5

It's so fucking funny fang duobing is like I live here now. I'm your partner now. I'm not leaving. I ran from my aunt yeah, they took my servant home yeah, I have no money but I WILL PROTECT YOU. We will be friends in the wide world (li lianhua: I'm not in the wide martial world and do NOT want friends) anyway as I was saying this food is mine this table is OURS I'm moving in yeah. (It's so funny fang duobings trying to pitch "heroes who travel together in the jianghu" to a guy who clearly is not trying to be in that life lmao).

It's also so funny Fang Duobing is simply. Clinging. I mean yeah from a logic standpoint he's both broke with no options except this guy he knows is easy to cling to Because he's not a skilled fighter, and also he's an entitled rich bitch young master who wouldn't take no for an answer easily even IF li lianhua was able to sword fight him out of the house

Di feisheng really is ;-; oh man. He's like I had one rival, li xianyi, now that he's gone I have no one. Real Yu Liang from Hikaru No Go energy. Also really genuine, almost noble energy? I'm really glad (so far) he's not the demon sect stereotype character. He values loyalty and honesty, he doesn't like betrayers. I'm surprised he killed li xianyis sworn brother, given he doesn't seem to enjoy underhanded means. He disliked a military win using bombs that hurt his own people. He disliked Winning by only half a move. He seems too honest and noble to kill a sworn brother to simply provoke his enemy, it's too underhanded. My theory at present is either: sworn brother wasn't a good guy and was actually betraying li xianyi but li xianyi still doesn't know that. Which is my favorite theory, since that guy was rude to his nephew fang duobing, sucky enough that fang duobings mom may well hate the martial world Because Of him, would cause maximum angst for li xianyi to find out his most beloved person didn't care about him back and would actively hurt him/the sect etc, and mean di feisheng ultimately was trying to protect/help his rival so they'd be on equal footing... And did not mean to hurt li xianyi by killing the guy. Other theories: the girl in red killed sworn brother of li xianyi, or the medicine demon.

Girl in red: I love her a LOT. I get vibes she's likely to be more like this shows "villain" but honestly if she's the villain I'm gonna be very engaged. I'm intrigued by both her loyalty and how her possessiveness strikes as perhaps the most terrifying element in her entire clan. She wants di feisheng like a trophy, like a pet, like a weapon to use for herself. She deserves the role of leader she got, to be fair, because she did do a Great job leading the sect while he was gone. But based on her private behavior? I'm assuming maybe di feisheng was actually in charge 10 years ago because he may well be a better leader... as in less power hungry, more concerned for the well being of the group, caring about the entire sect before himself. Which is why he does give the role of leader to her in this episode: he is aware he's stuck in the past, aware he's not thinking like a leader, and knows she's done a good job fulfilling the role. So he's leaving the role in her care where he knows his hang ups won't affect things. I am also predicting... much like li xianyi, he might be tired of being the leader. He probably had a shitty of a time being leader as li xianyi, to a degree. He blames himself for the deaths in the battle 10 years ago, for the violent choices of his own subordinates that got their own people killed. There's a sense he also doesn't want to be the person everyone puts on a pedestal and blames and has to be Perfect somehow anyway to be a good leader.

Again I'm just. Very impressed di feisheng isn't being painted like say the wen clan in The Untamed, the demonic cultivating sects in Love and Redemption, the demon clan in Eternal Love. In fact, their entire wuxia setup here doesn't even (so far) imply the demonic sect does anything particularly wrong. Just that, they're in an on and off conflict with the sects that call themselves "just." With a leader like di feisheng, at least so far, he doesn't seem to have particularly cruel intent. He wants payback on sects that attack his, and wants increased power in the jianghu for his sect (at least he did 10 years ago if we guess by how his sect has acted since). But the same could be said of the sigu sect from what we know so far. The "detectives" group is a little more noble, since they have a legal set of laws and some kind of investigation and court process. But the Bai detectives group is not a sect specifically increasing power anywhere so much as they feel more like a "generally broadly respected" independent unit through the area. (I could be wrong later as we learn more though... for all I know, later we will find out they're like The Untamed Jin sect and oppressing all areas they operate in, who knows).

[difeisheng]

The first fic idea I ever had for MLC occurred sometime between the airing of episodes 8-14. I used it as a dialogue exercise by writing all the spoken parts first, then going back to fill in things like actions and thoughts. This never got completed as I stopped being as interested in exploring that segment of canon in writing (and I wanted to watch more of the show to ensure I got character voices right). However, I still think this concept was engaging, so here's what I did get finished before my mind wandered away.

"Would it be worse if I let Fang Duobing die in front of you, or just stole him from you?" Di Feisheng asks, stirring a bowl of soup he can't taste, and watches Li Xiangyi freeze.

He's gotten better at controlling his reactions, these last ten years. Harder to get a proper rise out of. The half-second of his entire body locking at Di Feisheng's words, though, before he drops his shoulders, forces himself to untense, is impossible to miss.

"If you can get that nuisance to stop following me around then it'll be a blessing," Li Xiangyi says, too casually, and swallows down a mouthful of wine from his bottle. "I need some peace in my house."

"Interesting." They're jammed close enough sitting together at Li Xiangyi's kitchen table that even by dim lamplight Di Feisheng can read his expression, see the urge to wander away from the topic spelled in his eyes.

"Honestly, I'd be surprised if you could make him leave me alone," Li Xiangyi continues, quick in the silence. "I've already left him by the road twice and he still manages to find me. I say, he's even more stubborn than Huli Ji—"

"Li Xiangyi. Don't pretend to be obtuse, we're both smarter than that. Or I hope you are." Di Feisheng sips at his own wine, and thinks, idly, that there are some things it's better not to sense the flavour of anymore. The smell of wine is off-putting enough; at least drinking like this is finally worth its effects. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you've somehow gotten more perceptive about things since Qiao-guniang."

"The past is past. Both A-Mian and I have moved on."

"Right. You've grown beyond that, or however you word what you're telling yourself. Congratulations." He raises his bottle in mockery of a toast. "So you've noticed how that boy acts around you."

Li Xiangyi sighs, lets the sound fade into the night. "He's not being subtle."

"Look at him. Have you never considered it?"

"What... have you?" Li Xiangyi frowns.

Di Feisheng lets himself smile, the one reserved for heralding challenge. "I'm more interested in whether or not you have."

"He's Shan Gudao's son."

"And that's what would hold you back? He's still his own person."

"How many years are there betwe—"

"Even if you don't know what you want, he does."

Li Xiangyi falls quiet.

"He's young. Whatever he thinks he wants, he's wrong," he says, gaze tracing the worn wood of the table. "And whatever it is, it's not really you, anyway."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that."

"Then why think of trying anything?"

"It would be amusing. Amusing," Di Feisheng says, "depending on how you answer the question you're dodging, Li Xiangyi. Was it a yes or no? How much have you thought about him?"

Li Xiangyi just eyes him before tipping his head back, pouring wine into his mouth instead.

"Although even if it's yes that doesn't amount to much, since you'll never say anything to him. He'll be left making hopeless eyes and promises at you." Di Feisheng laughs, the shadow of it wound in his voice. "That didn't change after all this time, did it? Li Xiangyi, the perfect elusive hero, forever chased after but never held. Who will ever really know his hea—"

"Fine. Yes. Once." Li Xiangyi slams his bottle down on the table. It's a proper glare he fixes Di Feisheng with now. Familiar. "Are you happy now?"

"That's all?"

"What else do you want?" He crosses his arms. "I'm not giving you details. You used to be creative, if I remember. Fill in the blanks if you care that much."

Di Feisheng scoffs. "Next question, then." He pushes aside the wine. "You wouldn't like it if I were to go have my own fun with him, would you?"

"Aren't you already enjoying yourself with all this?"

"You call watching you give up on yourself fun?" Di Feisheng snaps before thought, leaning closer, and oh, maybe he's had one sip of wine too many. "You think losing— no. This isn't fun."

Li Xiangyi stares at him. "You don't care about Fang Duobing."

"Never pretended I did, in this. The point is that you do."

[rose-tinted-vision]

Fic: Tales from Tianji Manor

(prev/ao3 link/next)

Relationships: implied Di Feisheng/Fang Duobing/Li Lianhua

chapter summary: Our local murderous gremlin gets exposed to motherly affection. He does not know how to deal with it.

“Where's Di Feisheng?” He Xiaohui asks at breakfast. The spot by Li Lianhua’s left was left conspicuously empty, which neither her son nor Li Lianhua seemed particularly concerned about.

Xiaobao shrugs, shovelling another mouthful of congee into his mouth.

Deeming her son useless in this topic, she turns to Li Lianhua, who gives a small cough, cheeks puffing in what she now recognizes is discomfort before answering, “Lao-Di does that sometimes. He comes and goes as he pleases, please don't worry, Sect leader He.”

Well. That was something to unpack.

She heard from Xiaobao that Di Feisheng came from the Di Family in the southeast region, that secretly conducted Death sorcerer training, creating trained assassins out of children. That explained his high martial skills, as well as his disregard towards social etiquette.

Though he was trying, she could see that. There are certain times where Di Feisheng paused, thinking through his words before suggesting murder to all their problems.

That was not the most pressing issue now, however.

“I told you to address me as ‘mom’,” she admonishes lightly, pushing a bowl of dough fritters towards Li Lianhua, who is careful not to agree but acknowledges her with a nod anyway.

It wasn't an outright refusal, she notes with a degree of satisfaction. She would work at slowly chipping away at his defences for now.

“And as for Di Feisheng, he'd better be back by evening, no one misses dinner here,” she fixes her Xiaobao with a glare.

“He usually disappears for a month though,” Xiaobao looks up in alarm, knowing full well she would make do on her threats, “even Hulijing is unable to track him down!”

“Nonsense, we have He Xiaofeng. Or have you forgotten how your xiaoyi managed to follow you all the way to Jin Mantang’s residence?”

“That was because this traitor set off a smoke flare!” Xiaobao gestures to Li Lianhua. (Who was currently stuffing his cheeks with pieces of dough fritters, the very picture of innocence and nothing like the 'traitor' he had just been accused of being).

“Also, are you calling my xiaoyi a tracking dog?” her Xiaobao huffs in mock indignation.

“You're the one calling her that, not me,” He Xiaohui says dismissively. Though her youngest sister does have a strange affinity for tracking people down, smoke flare or not, strangely enough.

—

(“Try calling for him,” Li Lianhua nudges Fang Xiaobao, who wrinkles his nose at the suggestion.

Li Lianhua shrugs, “it's worked before, no?”

In the end, Fang Duobing had volunteered himself to look for Di Feisheng, citing that the other would likely flee at seeing his xiaoyi. Not out of fear, but from guilt, that his taking her hostage had gotten her stabbed multiple times. He may have a morally gray compass, but he did have his own set of strict moral codes that he stuck to.

Fang Xiaobao pointedly ignores Li Lianhua's ribbing, holding out one of A-Fei’s sashes to Hulijing, who gives it a curious sniff before setting off northwards of the forest.

It wasn't until the sun started to set, painting the sky in various shades of pink, orange and yellow, with Fang Xiaobao muttering curses under his breath that Hulijing returned triumphant.

They eventually find him meditating by the waterfalls nestled in the forest, a lone figure clad in red stark against the cool grey of the cliffs. Hulijing bounds up to him, her barks rivalling the sounds of the crashing waters.

Standing there against the waterfalls that far eclipsed him in height as he pets Hulijing, Di Feisheng looked nothing like the monster in the stories teashop storytellers liked to spin.

Di Feisheng clearly had not expected his zhijis to come seeking him out, nor had he expected that He Xiaohui would be concerned about his absence. He did not know what to make of her demand that he be back for dinner, having managed to get by all his life alone. Never had anyone besides Li Lianhua fed him a meal without ulterior motives).

—

He Xiaohui is considering the merits of tearing up the offensive letter placed in front of her when attendant Xie rushes in, hastily announcing the return of her wayward son-in-law (to-be, but that was a moot point) and her sons.

“I'm famished!” Fang Xiaobao announces, waltzing into the dining hall with his zhijis trailing in behind him.

“Is there an issue?” Di Feisheng addresses her, taking the seat across Li Lianhua. It was hardly a conversation starter, but it was also not a straight ‘what do you want from me’ that his posture was radiating. She would give him points for that.

Unlike Fang Xiaobao, who had tore into his food with vigor upon sitting down, Di Feisheng had paid the veritable array of food no mind, posture tense and coiled for action, still wary after a week of residence in her Tianji Manor.

She had meant to put on her most stern expression, ready to grill them for being late, she really did. But Di Feisheng had looked so bewildered, so lost, his earlier collected demeanour gone when she replied that all she truly wanted was all her family members to be present during dinnertime.

“You…have fixed meal times?” Di Feisheng followed-up, sounding genuinely confused. The question has Li Lianhua subtly perking up in curiosity as well- and He Xiaohui’s heart aches.

That it was such a simple thing as having a meal together- that Di Feisheng likely never experienced -has her feeling choked up.

Truly, fate had not done right by these two men.

From the wet sheen in Fang Xiaobao's eyes, and the fond, almost tender expression he was sporting, she figures that he felt the same way too.

Not trusting herself to speak without breaking down into tears, He Xiaohui nods in response to Di Feisheng's expectant expression.

“Alright then,” Di Feisheng nods, deeming the answer satisfactory, “I shall try not to miss dinner.”