American Perspectives: Feng Xi's Karma ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 33)

 

Feng Xi is quietly pouring his tea in Feng Manor, getting himself back together after a drama filled day.  Miss Murong is sitting across from him, ready for a plan.

"Miss Murong, I had to depend on your help again this time," says Feng Xi.

"You're still the talented one," Miss Murong interjects.  "You're very precise.  Not only was the stabbing between Uncle Yuan's (Yuanshan) heart and lungs, but Uncle Yuan's injury was also not life threatening, and he still could be saved.  You also injured him upstream near the place where our camp is.  Didn't you accurately calculate the time we would be able to reach and save him?"

"Although his injury wasn't fatal," Feng Xi admits, "it did cause great harm to his vitality.  I've already arranged for him to go to a secluded place to recuperate properly."

"I heard that you guys pretended to look for the Surrender Document in order to mislead the 3rd Prince.  However, did you actually find it?"

"Yes, it was found," says Feng Xi.

Miss Murong wants to know where it is.

Feng Xi discloses that it's at Wang Chui's inn, and he asked Fu Yuanshan to put it in a safe place.

Miss Murong inquires about the contents of the Surrender Document.  Is it what they expected?

Feng Xi nods. "It was indeed the Surrender Document that your father, the King of Mount Hao, presented to the Emperor of Great Yin.  Fang Yuan (Left Prime Minister) instructed Lu Yuantong to swap the document.  This not only caused my family to suffer grave injustice, but it also led to the collapse of Mount Hao."

Miss Murong stands up. "At the time when Mount Hao was collapsed, I was still in my mother's womb.  Hence, I didn't know much about the past.  Later on, it was Fang Yuan who told me that before the battle, my father had already lost to General Ming, three losses out of three battles.  He knew that as long as General Ming was still around, Mount Hao would stand no chance in battle.  Therefore, we submitted the Surrender Document, and were willing to give in.  However, we never thought it would be this Surrender Document that caused General Ming's death, and also our nation's destruction."

"As a woman who is shouldering the burden of a dream to recover Mount Hao all by herself, you've been running around and willing to risk your life.  It is indeed very hard work," says Feng Xi.

"If I took you as my husband, you could help me recover my country," Miss Murong suggests.  She moves closer to him.  Feng Xi raises an eyebrow. She continues.  "That way, I could get rid of my heavy burden, and live a carefree and happy life.  Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Feng Xi laughs. "Why didn't you tell me earlier if you had thought like this?"

"It's because I couldn't see through you."

"However, right now, I have someone I'm in love with," Feng Xi says.  "So I'm unable to do as you wish." He bows to her.

Miss Murong smiles. "Rather than being your lover, it's much easier to be your ally."

"I also think that being close friends with you would surpass being your lover," Feng Xi agrees.

They laugh.

"Now that the Surrender Document is in your hands, you'll be able to clear your family's name," says Miss Murong. "In the future, if there's anything I can help you with, just let me know."

"All right," agrees Feng Xi. He thanks her again for saving Fu Yuanshan.

Feng Xi and Miss Murong step outside.  She remarks how the flowers resemble what would be found in a young woman's bedchamber.  She picks a Holly Flower from the tree.  "No need to see me out!"

Dong Yue slides open the doors, steps outside, and Feng Xi turns around to face her.  They find a quiet place to talk.

"Miss Zhao Lu, let me ask you," says Feng Xi.  "Who exactly are you. What's your purpose for staying close to me?"

"What do you think my purpose is?" asks Dong Yue.

"How would I know?  Last time at Qingqiu gate, you saved me once.  However, immediately afterwards, Uncle Yuan was captured.  Wang Chui's inn was also destroyed.  You tricked me again this time, and even caused Uncle Yuan and Dao Le to be seriously injured.  We were almost defeated."

Dong Yue grabs his arm. "Is Dao Le's injury okay?"

He recoils from her. "Whether it's okay or not, you were the one who caused it.  Tell me! Why did you do this to me?"

Dong Yue pauses. "This time, it was because I wasn't careful enough, I fell into 3rd Prince's and Qing Xiao's trap.  However, I never betrayed you."

"Okay," says Feng Xi.  "Then tell me, why do you keep appearing around me and destroying my life?  One moment, you hurt me, and the next you save me."  This is an example of Feng Xi's karma manifesting. Now it's Dong Yue's turn to have him experience pain and confusion in the hands of someone he loves. "Why exactly is it?  In one moment, you show that you're willing to give up your life for me, but in the next moment, you push me away coldly.  Why?  What is your reason for interfering in my life?"

Dong Yue begins to cry. "It's because you're Feng Xi!  I'm Dong Yue! All these trees filled with Holly Flowers," she points at them, "you planted them for me.  Do you still remember? The story about Master Xi and Miss Yue, it's based on our story.  Do you still remember?" Her heart is breaking.  Her coldness was because she didn't want to lose control, and here she is, melting down in front of the ruthless Feng Xi, but she's tired of tightly controlling her emotions.  She has to say something.  "All the places we visited, all the scenery we've seen, do you still remember them?"

Feng Xi begins to cry.  He wants so badly to remember.  This strange woman feels so inexplicably connected to him.

"In the end, you still forgot everything about me," Dong Yue sobs. "That's the reason why you started to suspect me, use me, and question me.  However, that's okay.  It's because you once told me, that if there would be a day you forget me, I just wait until we meet again, and you'll fall in love with me like you did in the past."  She affectionately puts her hands on his face, and pulls him to her.  She tenderly kisses him on the lips.

He's not used to her initiating the moves, so he is initially shocked.  She pulls away from him, and feels embarassed for being so forward.  She turns to walk away.  She brushes by him, he catches her wrist, pulls her to him, and gives her a passionate kiss.  They hold each other for awhile.

"It's fine whether you are Dong Yue or Zhao Lu," he says tearfully. "I don't care who you are, or why you showed up.  I...won't allow you to leave again."

Dong Yue smiles at him.  Her heart is bursting.  He hugs her tightly, and for once, she doesn't resist his embrace.  Being away from him was a pain she had to ignore, with the hope that it would just go away.  Seeing Yu Rou all over him in public was something she had to take pains to emotionally disengage from.

Feng Xi doesn't want to let her go.  Being with her just feels right.  Her loyalty to him, no matter what, is something he can't forget.  Her resistance to his affection, adorable.

 

That evening, Feng Xi and Dong Yue are relaxing in the Moon Garden, enjoying some tea.  The white Holly Flowers look like a beautiful shade of lavender against the backdrop of the evening sky.

"The tune that you played is very nice.  Can you teach me?" asks Feng Xi.

"'What Night is Tonight?'" responds Dong Yue.  "Will I see my belovedd?" She picks up her white jade flute with the blood red vein marks, and walks to the Holly Tree.  Her back is turned to Feng Xi as she begins to play.  He stands behind her.  He is enjoying the beautiful music, and is looking at her with admiration.  He is glad to be with her again, even though he can't remember their past.

 

The next day, Feng Xi is eagerly leading Dong Yue to his study. "Come, let me show you something," he says excitedly. He takes her to a painting that is covered by a red silk cloth.  He proudly pulls it off, revealing the original portrait design of Dong Yue and Feng Xi before it got ruined by Yu Rou.  Dong Yue smiles brightly.  Having her image replaced Yu Rou's had also been a painful experience for her.

"I told the Master Painter to draw this and hang it by our bedside," says Feng Xi. "It'll remind me to remember you day and night.  All right?"

"Do you really recall everything?" asks Dong Yue.  Feng Xi smiles at her.  Dong Yue continues, "This is our unfinished business.  I even thought that, in this lifetime, I wouldn't appear in the same painting with you again."

"When she left me," Feng Xi thinks, "it was due to my amnesia."

She smiles at him.

"This isn't important," says Feng Xi, as he still can't remember their past, but he doesn't want to mess anything up. "What's important is that I'm Feng Xi, and you are Dong Yue. We are a match made in heaven."  He hugs her tightly.  Dong Yue can't stop smiling.

And out from behind the wall creeps Yu Rou...spying on the happy couple.  She sees them in a genuinely warm embrace, something she never got from Feng Xi.  She is on the verge of tears, but she holds it together.

 

Feng Xi is in his study, intently looking at the book of illustrations. "An incomplete drawing, an incomplete story," is written on one of the pages. "Dong Yue," he thinks, "although I still can't recall anything, it still doesn't matter.  We'll have an even better future." 

Yu Rou is skulking around the manor.  She looks at the Moon Garden sign, and she's pissed that it has nothing to do with her.  She recalls (on another one of her creepy spying sessions) Feng Xi saying to Dong Yue: "I'm willing to sink into your snare of love, and be your prisoner." 

"That isn't auspicious," she remembers Dong Yue saying.  "Who would want to be imprisoned forever?" This hits Yu Rou where it hurts, as she has essentially imprisoned herself at Feng Manor, in hopes that Feng Xi would have a change of heart.

She remembers Feng Xi embracing Dong Yue.  "Even if the ground is painted as a prison, I'm still willing to build myself this prison for you." Yu Rou's stomach turns.  "I would rather be imprisoned by you and bonded with you for life." 

What Yu Rou doesn't realize as she's having this memory, is that love isn't transactional.  Feng Xi doesn't owe her unconditional, romantic love.

"Then you won't be able to escape," she remembers Dong Yue saying.

Yu Rou rips down the Moon Garden plaque, and destroys it.  It's hard not to be judgmental of her at this point, but because she has been in the manor for 10 years as an unacknowledged concubine, her options are extremely limited.

"Paint the grounds as a prison?" asks Yu Rou, who has basically been living the life of a nun at this point, "Whenever there's some hope in my life, you suddenly appear again!" She's not being honest with herself.  She wasn't even second choice. Miss Murong had better odds with Feng Xi than she did. "You distinctly said that you would let me have His Lord, but you came back again..." she's blaming Dong Yue because she's powerless against Feng Xi.  He's the money behind her lavish, yet sexually inactive, lifestyle.  "Over and over again, you steal His Lord from me.  You also use my happiness, sorrow, anger, and joy, to manipulate and control." She delivers one final blow to the sign.

 

"My Lord, bad news!" says Feng Xi's male servant the following morning.

"What's going on?" Feng Xi asks.

"The Moon Garden plaque was destroyed, but I don't know who did it."

"Destroyed?" says Feng Xi.  "Just construct another. What's all the fuss?"

Dong Yue happens to hear the interaction, and realizes Feng Xi doesn't remember their past.  Her emotions are a bit mixed.

 

"Twisted Fate of Love" is available to watch on Viki or Youtube. Dialogue is adapted from the English subtitle translation prepared by "A Twisted Love Team at Viki.com"

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