American Perspectives: Feng Xi vs. Dong Yue ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 13)

 

At this point, when aren't things dicey between Feng Xi and Dong Yue? While he is very interested in her, her feelings toward him fluctuate very dramatically between love and hate.   At the beginning of Ep. 13, Dong Yue is having to face Feng Xi in an official context, at the Ministry of Rites. She is not thrilled to see him, and she insists Dong Yue sits at the desk near his, up at the very front of the room, facing everyone else. He asks Dong Yue for her opinion on the current discussion regarding the selection for a new master scribe.

 

She admits that because it's her first day in the Ministry of Rites, she is familiar with what's going on. Therefore, she has no opinion. Feng Xi insists that she offer feedback. Dong Yue looks at him like she wants to smack him. She takes a deep breath and advises that the document review process is too complicated, and if they can find a way to simplify it, it would be more effective in completing tasks. Feng Xi agrees, and instructs the people working in the Ministry of Rites to simplify their cases. He smiles at Dong Yue and asks if she has any additional feedback. She pauses, and then adds that Feng Xi is too domineering, and for important policy decisions in the future, there should be at least 3 officials to approve them. Feng Xi is beginning to regret asking for Dong Yue's opinion of her. An official stands and speaks up in Feng Xi's defense, how he is in charge of the Ministry of Rites, and it is up to Feng Xi to make the final decisions. Feng Xi surprises everyone and says he agrees with Dong Yue. The officials believe this will complicate the process, and they are content with abiding by Feng Xi's directions. Feng Xi insists they should go by Dong Yue's suggestion, and to record it as a rule. Concerns are expressed about Feng Xi's authority and his being weakened. He tells them to regard whatever Dong Yue says as an order from him. The officials comply. Dong Yue is looking very uncomfortable.

 

Lu Chuan stops by to visit Dong Yue at the Feng Manor. She is wearing a gorgeous white hanfu and some beautiful hair accessories. Because Dong Yue is in Feng Xi's study, she asks if he's actually here to visit Feng Xi. Lu Chuan insists he is at the manor to see her.   He goes snooping through Feng Xi's bookcase, and causes everything to fall out. Dong Yue is annoyed as all hell as Feng Xi does not like it when people touch his stuff. She tells Lu Chuan to go back to Taishi Bureau. She pushes him away, and while she's reorganizing the books, he sits down to write. He gushes over how great Feng Xi's handwriting is. Dong Yue admonishes him, tells him those are official documents, and to go away. Lu Chuan drops his pen on the paper, leaving an ink stain. Dong Yue tries to push him out of the study, but he refuses to leave. Feng Xi enters the study in the middle of their scuffle. Lu Chuan is thrilled to see him. Feng Xi is annoyed. He sees the ink stain on his paper, and asks Lu Chuan why he is visiting. Lu Chuan says it's because he wants to work for The Ministry of Rites. Feng Xi tells him there's a river blockage in Nanjiang, and he wasn't sure who to send. He tells Lu Chuan to investigate, and report back to him. Lu Chuan looks disappointed as he wanted to work right by Feng Xi, like Dong Yue. Feng Xi asks if he doesn't want to go. “Didn’t you just say you’ll do whatever I say?” Lu Chuan back pedals. “No! No! “I’ll go, I’ll go.” He looks over at Dong Yue, who has nothing to say about the matter, as she felt Lu Chuan brought it upon himself.

 

At the Taishi Bureau, Dong Yue admits to 3rd Prince that she is working closely with Feng Xi to make sure he isn't conspiring with Lu Yuantong, and that he isn't connected to illegally selling military weapons. 3rd Prince Cautions her to be careful, as Feng Xi is very cunning. 3rd Prince wants to take over the Investigation of Feng Xi and Lu Yuantong, but Dong Yue won't let him. He's a bit disappointed, as he wanted to show Dong Yue her his capabilities her, and shift her attraction her her from Feng Xi to him.

 

Dong Yue asks Zi Yuan to help her investigate Feng Xi's suspicious activity. She discloses that she thinks Feng Xi has been illegally selling military weapons. Zi Yuan agrees to help. Zi Yuan is able to get some useful information out of Dao Le while serving him his favorite dessert. He plans on running some errands for Feng Xi that evening, which is delivering something to the private residence where Feng Xi and Dong Yue first met.

 

Dong Yue uses the information Zi Yuan gave her, and sneaks around the private residence where she and Feng Xi first met. She's wearing a sky blue Hanfu and carrying a sword in case she has to defend herself. She recalls the first time she and Feng Xi met here, when she saw him partially nude in the pool, when she saw the Holly Flower tree, and he decided to call her Dong Yue (as she couldn't remember her name ). She smiles wistfully, and then stops herself. She likes him, but she is very cautious about him. She hears someone coming. She hides behind the tree while the stranger dressed in black rolls off the roof. He draws his sword and walks toward the tree. Dong Yue slowly pulls out her sword so it doesn't make any noise. He continues to walk toward where she is hiding. She stands up and blocks his sword with her sword. They spar for a few seconds, and as a defensive maneuver, she cuts away his mask in one strike. She is surprised to see it's Feng Xi. He smiles and pulls her to him, spinning her around for what seems like an eternity. They lay down on the chair together, and he looks at her with total, innocent, adoration. (This author is very jealous). She is a bit surprised and scared. She just doesn't know what to expect from him, which is why she can't admit she likes him. He kisses her, and she initially pushes him away. She's afraid of losing the upper hand, she's afraid she'll get caught up in something even more complicated. But she is also enjoying the moment, suspends all judgment, let's down her guard, and kisses him back. She asks if she hurt him while they were sparring. He pretends to be hurt, and then laughs. Dong Yue is a bit miffed, and walks away. She also realizes that there were no errands to be completed here, and that she was set up. Dong Yue does not like being set up, she's a straight forward kind of lady. He grabs her wrist, and apologizes, bringing her to him. He admits he regrets stabbing her at the

Zhuming Post.  He knows she still feels resentment, which is another (understandable) reason why she is reluctant to love him back. To rectify the situation, he wanted her to stab him.

She has a look of concern. “What if I truly stab you to death?”

He holds her hands. “If that really did happen, then it’s Heaven’s Punishment for me.” (Bonus points for accepting consequences). He asks her to remember the time they first met.

She recites, “As the wind blows in the moon's shadow, the Holly Flowers bloom.”

"In just a few months, it felt like half our lives. If heaven gave us another chance to return to when we first met, how great would that be?" Feng Xi asks.

“Feng Xi, I’m really curious, what exactly do you like about me?” She also does not fully trust his interest in him. She does not want her feelings for him to be exploited. He looks at her. It is apparent that he adores her, and his words are sincere. He smiles softly. "I like your bashfulness when we first met, your valiant look when practicing sword skills. I like when you throw a huge tantrum when you're angry at me. I like your handsomeness when you're dressed like a man, and your beauty when dressed like a woman What? Do you have anything to ask me? Actually, none of this is important because you're so hard to figure

out

. It seems that we're truly a match made in heaven,” he replies.

Zi Yuan and Dao Le are having an argument at Feng Manor. Zi Yuan is pissed that Dao Le intentionally misinformed her. Dao Le didn't go to the private residence where Feng Xi and Dong Yue first met, and he certainly didn't deliver anything. Because he knew Dong Yue would have Zi Yuan request information from Dao Le, Feng Xi instructed him to tell her that. The intention being to get Dong Yue to go over there and see him privately. Zi Yuan is not impressed with the trickery. Dao Le tells Zi Yuan if she's angry, hit him. Zi Yuan willingly complies. He gives her a gift to make up for his actions. She reluctantly takes it, opens it up, and finds three golden darts, which he had promised her earlier. At first, she is still angry, but she really appreciates the gifts, and she'll let him off this time. She lets him know that she views him as a younger brother, which does not sit well with him. He is horrified, says he doesn't need an older sister, and leaves. Zi Yuan lets Dong Yue know that she wasn't in on Feng Xi's plan to see her. Dong Yue still doesn't want to believe that he really loves her, and she wants to protect herself by believing that he's using her. Zi Yuan disagrees. She points out that Feng Xi is different, everyone in the manor is loyal to him. Dong Yue doesn't want to believe it. Zi Yuan tells her to stop going against him.