American Perspectives: Bewitched Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 17)

 

“Love and Redemption” can be viewed on   Viki or Youtube . Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com." "Love and Redemption," is based on the novel "Liu Li Mei Ren Sha," by Shi Si Lang. The writings presented here are based on observations from the television series.

 

"What a pity, Dongfang Qing Qi almost became my puppet," Madam Dongfang says to her secret lover, Steward Ouyang, while she is helping him get dressed after a secret rendezvous.  "But the two rascals spoiled my plan.  That Yu Sifeng was actually unfazed by my beauty.  And I didn't expect him to recognize my bewitching spell."

"We don't have much time," says Steward Ouyang.  "I can only think of other ways."  Madam Dongfang puts her arms around him as he begins to walk away.

He frowns.

"Don't tell me you're going to leave?"  says Madam Dongfang.  "You promised me that you'd leave with me.  And that, you'll leave with our child, too."

 

"So many flower petals!" exclaims Xuanji.  She is reaching into a huge tub of petals, smelling them, and throwing them in the air.  "They're so beautiful!"

While Xuanji is whimsically playing with flower petals, Sifeng is looking for some good wine, opening the jars, smelling them.  He finally finds the perfect concoction.  He smiles at Xuanji's eccentric and carefree antics.  With his fingers, he writes something in the air in red and gold.  With the palm of his hand, he adds energy, and guides the words into the wine jar.

"Xuanji?" says Sifeng.

"Sifeng!" She runs away from the flower petals.

"This vat of wine smells the best," he hands her the dark blue jar.

She inhales the scent.  "Mmm!  It's so fragrant!"

"This is Pure Flower Dew Wine.  We must let it settle down before we drink."

"Sifeng, I knew you were the best.  You can overcome any obstacles in the world."

"Actually, there is one thing I cannot overcome," says Sifeng.  "Are you willing to help me out?"

Xuanji nods.  "Your affairs are my affairs.  Tell me, how can I help you?"

He takes the jar from her.  "The thing that's been troubling me is hidden within the bottom of this wine jar.  You'll see it after we finish the wine.  I heard that the sea view on Fuyu Island is great.  Why don't we enjoy some wine by the sea?"

"Sure, let's go!" Agrees Xuanji.  They happily walk out, hand in hand, that is, until they run into some unanticipated guests.

"Yu Ning?  Pian Pian?" Xuanji says sheepishly.

Sifeng immediately leads Xuanji away.

"Ah," says Yu Ning.  "How could the two of you do this?  That's the only jar of Flower Dew Wine.  And you got to it first.  How about we share the wine?"

"Sure," says Xuanji.  "Sifeng, we won't drink it by the sea, then.  Let's drink it in the wine cellar."

"We came without notice," says Pian Pian.  "Are we interrupting you guys?"

"Of course," says Sifeng.

Pian Pian looks at Yu Ning.

"Not at all!" says Xuanji.  "The more, the merrier.  Sifeng, let's go."

The four are sitting at a table in the cellar, inhaling the scent of the wine.

Sifeng and Pian Pian both try to grab the jar.

"It's meaningless if we drink like this," says Sifeng.  "Why don't we play Rock-Paper-Scissors?  What do you think?"

"Sure," says Yu Ning, "but we need to lay down the rules.  Those who win can take one sip.  Those who lose can only stare in silence."

"I'll definitely take the first sip," Pian Pian says confidently.  "Me first."

Sifeng and Pian Pian go against each other.  Sifeng wins.  He grabs the jar, and takes a huge gulp.

"Sifeng, that's enough," says Pian Pian.  "You're more of an alcoholic than me.  You finished half the wine in one sip."

"Who's next?" asks Sifeng.

"Me," says Yu Ning.

Sifeng wins again.  Xuanji giggles.  Throughout the night, Sifeng keeps winning.

"Take it easy," says Yu Ning.  "Although the Pure Flower Dew Wine is sweet when you drink it, it has a huge kick."

Sifeng puts the jar down.

"You're something," says Pian Pian.  "There's only a little bit left."

"I'll play with Xuanji next," says Sifeng.

"Sure," says Xuanji.  

They play Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"I won!" says Xuanji.

"You won," says Sifeng.

"It's mine now!" Yu Ning grabs it before Xuanji gets a chance.

Sifeng's heart races.  Oh no, the words have become solid inside the wine jar.  They can't be removed. 

Yu Ning looks into the wine jar and sees, "I fancy you," written at the bottom.

"But I won the match," says Xuanji.  "That wine is mine."

Yu Ning smiles.  "The moonlight is intoxicating indeed.  I can't drink this.  There's a heart inside.  Look."  She hands the jar to Pian Pian.  "It's true."

Sifeng's heart drops.

"There's a heart indeed," says Pian Pian.  "Xuanji, look."

Xuanji looks in the jar, but the words disappear.  She shakes the jar.  "There's nothing inside, though.  I don't see anything."

Sifeng grabs the jar.  He shakes it around.

Yu Ning realizes the error of her pushy behavior.  She looks at Pian Pian.  "Let's go.  We didn't manage to drink.  Let's go.  I'm tired now."

"Why are you leaving?" asks Xuanji, but they're already gone.  "Sifeng, why are they leaving?"

Sifeng rests his head in his hand.  He doesn't know if he should laugh, cry, or scream.  "It's good that they're gone.  Troublemakers."

"Sifeng, are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk.  You're the one who's drunk."

"Me?  I haven't had one sip."

"It's all because of you," whispers Sifeng.  "Dumb Xuanji."

"Okay, I'm dumb.  You're drunk.  We should return early. Come."  She grabs his arm.  Instead of standing up, he pulls her down.

"You're not allowed to go," he says.  "My problem hasn't been solved yet."

"What problem?"

"You are my problem.  Xuanji, you always ignore everything and try to drill yourself into my heart.  You make me feel uneasy.  And I always dream about you.  Tell me.  What should be your punishment?"

Xuanji's eyes widen.  "You feel uneasy?  And you always dream about me?"  She pulls on his arm. "Sifeng, I haven't seen you for four years.  I always dreamed about you, too.  Does this frustrate you?"

"You feel that way, as well?" Sifeng asks.

Xuanji nods.

"You don't need to answer me yet."  He puts her hand over his heart.  "Listen to my heart.  You can answer after that."

Why is his heart beating so fast?  Don't tell me he's sick. "This..." she quickly pulls her hand away.  "Sifeng, why is your heart beating so fast?"  She feels his face.  "Are you sick?  Let's find a physician.  There's a window on top.  We can exit from there."  She flies toward the window, and pulls him with her.

He reaches his arm around her, and they embrace.  They gracefully fall into the pool of flowers.  Luckily, it's just flowers, no water.  He rolls onto his side and looks at her.  He lovingly puts his arm around her.

"Sifeng," says Xuanji.  "Sifeng, why are you ignoring me?  Speak to me."

He blushes.

"What are you doing?" asks Xuanji.

"Xuanji, you should know that you have to be responsible for me once you removed my mask."

"I removed your mask.  Of course I need to be responsible for you."

"Is that so?"

Xuanji nods.

He smiles.  He gets ready to kiss her.

Xuanji feels pressure in her nose.  At the very last moment, as he gets closer to her, she turns away and sneezes.  "It's too fragrant.  Sifeng, this..." she keeps sneezing.

He takes his arm off her.  "What's wrong with you?"

"The flowers are too fragrant.  They're irritating my nose.  Smell this."  She shoves a petal in his face.  "Smell this.  Isn't it fragrant?"  She shoves more petals in his face.  "Am I right?"

"It's pretty fragrant," he chuckles.  "Stop fooling around."  He smiles.

They laugh and throw petals at each other.

"You're bad!" says Xuanji.

 

Xuanji and Sifeng walk out to the main deck where they see a bright orange rock.

"Chu Xuanji, do you know what this is?" asks Sifeng.

"Sifeng, you drank too much."

"This is Fuyu Island's Love Stone.  It fell from the Heavenly Realm a few hundred years ago.  As stated in the books, if two people, who are fated to be together, approach this stone, the stone will glow."

"What has it got to do with us?" asks Xuanji.

He looks at her.  "I want to try this with you."  He points a trail of golden energy at the rock.  No glow.  He tries again, but with more force.  Nothing.

Xuanji looks at him curiously and shrugs.

"It's fake.  Stupid rock," says Sifeng.  "I'm going to smash it."

As he moves toward the rock, ready to attack it in his drunken glory, Xuanji grabs his arm.  "Sifeng, don't do that!  This belongs to Fuyu Island.  We shouldn't touch it.  Just ignore the stupid rock.  It'll be bad if someone saw you."

Sifeng glares at the rock.

"Hurry, let's return." Xuanji drags him away.

He points at the rock, giving it the death stare.

 

Morning comes, and Sifeng is having a rather unpleasant headache from the night before.  He's standing outside, getting a breath of fresh air.

"Sifeng?" Xuanji has a green bowl in her hand.  "Sifeng, you're awake?"  She hands him the bowl.  "Here's some hangover soup.  You should drink it."  She gets ready to feed it to him.

He smiles at her, his headache beginning to lessen.  "I'll drink it by myself."

"It's fine," says Xuanji.  She puts the spoon to his lips.  

Sifeng's headache begins to feel even worse as the sound of an earsplitting screech cuts through the air.

"What sound is that?" asks Xuanji.  The sound is nauseating, even for her.

"I think someone came to the Island," says Sifeng.

"Is it Linglong and Sixth Senior?" asks Xuanji. "Let's have a look."

It is most certainly not Linglong and Sixth Senior.  Deputy Chief and the disciples of Lize Palace are walking ominously across the beach, fully masked.

"Deputy Chief?" asks Sifeng.  He was hoping his sect wouldn't be here so soon.  He doesn't want his psuedo honeymoon with Xuanji to end.

"What a coincidence," smirks Deputy Chief.

"Greetings, Deputy Chief," Sifeng and Xuanji politely bow.

Deputy Chief scoffs.  "What did I say before you left?  Our master has such high expectations of you.  But the mask couldn't hold you down.  You found a way to remove the mask."  He looks at Xuanji.  "The little girl is all grown up now.  I almost couldn't recognize you.  You're so lucky.  Did she remove the mask for you?"

"Are you going to blame Sifeng again?" asks Xuanji.  "I removed the mask, it has nothing to do with him.  You should come at me."

Deputy Chief smiles at her, and waves his fan.  "Miss, you're not from Lize Palace.  I don't dare to approach you.  But...did you really remove the mask?"

"Of course."

"Yu Sifeng, I want to congratulate you.  You're the first person who managed to remove that mask in Lize Palace."

"What do you mean by that?" asks Xuanji.  "Sifeng was injured.  I was afraid something might happen to him.  That's why I removed the mask."

"Good.  Very good," says Deputy Chief.  "There's an old rule in Lize Palace.  If someone can remove that mask, Lize Palace will not try to make him stay.  Yu Sifeng, it seems like this is your happy ending.  But you need to return the mask to Lize Palace.  You need to give an explanation to the Palace Master."  He extends his hand.  "Where's the mask?"

"Deputy Chief, I lost the mask while I was fighting the Purple Fox in Mount Gao," Sifeng lies.

"You lost it?" asks Deputy Chief.  He sharply waves his fan.  "What is this, then?" He summons the mask from Sifeng's body,  and it flies to Deputy Chief.  "The mask is crying.  That means your curse hasn't been dispelled.  This is a different story.  Yu Sifeng, you should return and explain it to our Palace Master personally."

"Deputy Chief, I still have many questions left unanswered," says Sifeng.  "Please give me more time.  I will try to solve everything."

Deputy Chief doesn't say a word, the silence is deafening.

Sifeng turns to Xuanji.  "Sorry, Xuanji.  I can't accompany you to find Linglong and Minyan.  Wait here.  Those from Shaoyang Sect will pick you up.  You mustn't go on your own."

Xuanji grabs his wrist.  "Must you return?"

He looks at her sadly.

"I'll follow you, then," she says.  "I'm worried about you."  She holds his hand.  He smiles tenderly at her.

"This is my personal matter.  Don't worry.  I'll be fine.  I'll surely return for you."  They embrace.  "Xuanji, let me tell you a secret.  It's really difficult to be human.  But you...you're the reason why I'm willing to become one."

"Ruo Yu," says Deputy Chief.  "Return with Yu Sifeng."

Ruo Yu bows.  "Yes."

"Wait," says Xuanji.

"What else?" asks Deputy Chief impatiently.

"Listen.  I'll pick up Sifeng at Lize Palace in a few days."

"Miss, don't you know the rules of Lize Palace?  No women are allowed in Lize Palace."

"I'll wait outside then," asserts Xuanji.  "And I want you to promise me that Sifeng won't be harmed."

Deputy Chief chuckles.  "Don't think that everyone in Lize Palace has a mild temper.  Yu Sifeng is a disciple of Lize Palace.  Anything he receives has nothing to do with you."

"I'm not as mild tempered as Sifeng," says Xuanji.  "If you can't promise me that, Sifeng will stay behind."

"Stay behind?" says Deputy Chief.

Xuanji protectively puts her arm in front of Sifeng.

"On what basis?" asks Deputy Chief.  "Do you know what you need to do after you remove the mask?"

"I know.  I need to be responsible for him.  I removed the mask.  I'll be responsible for him.  How?  Tell me."

"You need to marry him," says Deputy Chief.  "Are you willing to do so?"

"Deputy Chief!" Exclaims Sifeng.

I need to marry him?  So Sifeng meant, we must get married?  So, that's the problem.  It's my fault.  I didn't understand him completely.

"Miss Chu looks unhappy with that," says Deputy Chief.

"I agree," Xuanji snaps.  "If marrying him is the only way for him to escape punishment, I'll marry him."

Sifeng looks at her adoringly.

"Sifeng, you've done so much for me.  It's okay.  I can do this for you."

"Miss Chu, if you do so willingly, the mask will become a smiling mask.  But it's not smiling."

"Stupid mask!  I've agreed to marry him!  Why aren't you smiling?"

"You're not doing it willingly," smirks Deputy Chief.

"Nonsense!" snaps Xuanji.

"Deputy Chief," Sifeng bows.  "Please give Xuanji and me some time."

"I've given you ample time," says Deputy Chief.  "Take him away!"

The disciples draw their swords.

Xuanji's Dingkun Sword materializes in her hand.  She points it at Deputy Chief.  "Don't touch him!"

Deputy Chief looks right at the familiar sword.  He motions for the disciples to be at ease.

"I don't understand," says Xuanji.  "How could you let a mask decide someone's fate?  That's the dumbest rule I have ever heard of.  Today, I'm going to destroy this stupid mask."  Similar to a dol strike in kendo, she slices the mask in half.

Deputy Chief hides his face behind his fan.

"The mask was made by the bark of the Kunlun Tree," says Ruo Yu.  "It's tough.  How could she destroy it without any effort?"

Dingkun Sword? Thinks Deputy Chief.  Why does she have the Dingkun Sword?

"Now that the mask is gone, you have no way to punish Sifeng."

Deputy Chief smirks at her.  "The mask was destroyed.  That adds another level to Sifeng's misdeeds."

"I won't let you take him away!"

"What?  Are you trying to attack me?"

Xuanji's eyes turn a brilliant blue.  The Dingkun Sword begins to light up.

"Xuanji, calm down," Sifeng says anxiously.

"You've offended me too many times," says Deputy Chief.  "Don't blame me for disrespecting your father."

Xuanji slowly raises her sword.

"You're just a mantis.  How dare you try to stop a cart!  Brace yourself!"

Deputy Chief and Xuanji fly up into the air.  Xuanji points the Dingkun Sword, and it emits electric blue energy.  Before it can hit Deputy Chief, he uses his fan as a shield.  The fan turns red and black.

"Deputy Chief!" shouts Sifeng.

A huge red and black vortex forms between Deputy Chief and Xuanji.  Xuanji continues to shoot blue energy through it.

Deputy Chief's wrist is beginning to hurt.  He can't hold the vortex much longer, as the energy from the Dingkun Sword is chipping it away.

Deputy Chief begins to descend, while still holding the vortex.

Xuanji is relentlessly continuing her attack.

The Shaoyang Sect disciples walk in on the battle.

"Xuanji?" says Hao Chen.  "Spell of Tranquility, calmness among all else, return to tranquility."  With several movements of his hands, he shoots blue energy at Xuanji, neutralizing her power, putting her to sleep, and sending her free falling from the sky.

"Xuanji!" shouts Sifeng.  He runs under her, and immediately catches her.

Deputy Chief barely keeps his balance as he descends to the ground.