American Perspectives: Seeing Fairies Pt. 3 ("Ashes of Love" Ep. 19)

 

 

***The intent of The Flower Realm by 사극 Paradise is to support women and men in rejecting the culture of pornography, and to live a life of integrity without manipulative intent.***

 

"Ashes of Love" is a Xianxia drama based on the novel "Heavy Sweetness. Ash-Like Frost," by Dian Xian.  The writing presented here is based on observations from the television show "Ashes of Love."  Dialogue credit goes to the English subtitle translaters from the "Gone with the Shirt Team" at Viki.com.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Yi is standing in front of his bed, spacing out. 

 

Hmm, why is he acting so weird??  Jin Mi waves her hand in front of his face.

 

He jumps and looks at her curiously.  Why is she watching me so closely?  I'm not incapacitated.

 

She gestures for him to follow her.

 

They make their way to the table, which has a blank pad of paper.

 

"What ever you want to say," Jin Mi motions, and then grabs a brush, "use this to write it down."

 

"Why do I have these symptoms?"  King Yi writes.

 

Never thought that this bandit has a drop of literary knowledge in him.  His writing is quite good.  Jin Mi thinks.

 

"Illnesses can change," Jin Mi writes.  "Medicinal effects can change.  Can you tell me your usual diet?"

 

King Yi looks at her nervously.  "Mussels simmered with artemisia and squash; yellow muntjac, and wild aconite root stew; black false hellebore and licorice soup; chicken with ginseng and yu zhu stew; partridge with sichuan fritillary bulb stew..."  King Yi writes.  He hands her the list.

 

"The food of a bandit would actually be this good?"  Jin Mi asks in astonishment.

 

King Yi looks at her curiously.  I wish I could hear her.  

 

"The reason you fainted was that you exhausted yourself from fighting.  But those deafness and mute speech  symptoms of yours..."  She gestures with her finger.  "Three chi of ice does not form in a single day.  Eighteen incompatible herbs and nineteen herbs of mutual antagonism."

 

"I got poisoned?"  King Yi writes.

 

"Pinellia's tuber, gua lou, fritillary bulb, and tuber of hyacinth bletilla are antagonistic with partridge," Jin Mi writes back.  "The different ginseng, Manchurian wild ginger, and Chinese Peony are antagonistic with black false hellebore.  There are several dishes in your usual meals that are antagonistic.  Since you've eaten these everyday, the poison in your body has become complicated.  If you don't get treated soon, you will die in less than a year."

 

"Can it be cured?" King Yi writes.

 

"For an unusual illness, you need an extraordinary doctor.  Very easy," Jin Mi gestures with her hand.   "You were so ferocious and extremely sinister earlier.  You almost choked me to death.  Let me use you to test some strong medicines then," Jin Mi does not bother to write any of this down.  "Before, it was always me testing the medicines.  Now..."  She smiles devilishly.

 

King Yi looks at her nervously.  What is she going to do???

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several warrior women are training in the yard, dilligently practicing their sword forms.

 

Sui He watches them with a smirk on her face.

 

"Lady," Jing Jie approaches her.  "You usually don't love these swords and spears.  Why are you now training some Flying Phoenix Soldiers?"

 

"Cousin likes it," says Sui He.  "During the era of wars, the victor is the one with the strongest army, and the healthiest horses.  If I don't even know a bit about these military affairs, how can I become Cousin's virtuous wife in the future?"

 

"If His Majesty learns about the Lady's intentions, he will surely be very happy," says Jing Jie.

 

Sui He smiles.  "Oh, right.  Don't leak out our secret training here.  Once Cousin is back, I want to give him a surprise."

 

"Yes," Jing Jie bows.

 

"Tell them to train well," Sui He instructs.  "Once they do, I'll reward them handsomely."

 

Jing Jie bows.  "Yes."

 

"Bad news, Lady," a messenger woman rushes to Sui He.

 

"What's wrong?"  Sui He asks.

 

"His Majesty got in trouble."

 

"What?"  Sui He stiffens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Is your information about Fire Deity going down to the Mortal World to undergo trials accurate?"  King Yancheng asks.

 

"I saw it with my own eyes," a masked demon kneels.  "Fire Deity has indeed become a mortal.  Just fighting several hundred people, and he was almost half dead!"

 

"He is now just a mortal, and already half dead," says King Yancheng.  "Why didn't you just kill him?"

 

"Demon King, allow me to explain.  I indeed wanted to kill him.  But when I was about to do it, a masked woman suddenly appeared.  I thought that she was just a mere mortal.  When I swiped my sword at her, a magical power suddenly got bounced back at me.  She seems to have some immortal weapon protecting her.  I was afraid that there were Heavenly Soldiers waiting in ambush, so I didn't dare make any rash moves.  I could only retreat first and report it to you."

 

"Useless!"  King Yancheng spits.  "You couldn't even handle a half dead human!  What face do you still have to be a demon?  Just be a human!  Leave!"

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," the demon scurries out of his presence.

 

"The Soul Destroying Tribe has returned," says King Yancheng as King Gucheng enters the room.  "We now have alarmed Fire Deity.  Could it be the Heavens...want me dead?"

 

King Gucheng bows.  "Congratulations, Demon King.  This is a good sign."

 

"Among the millions of people here in Demon Realm, your tongue has the least backbone," King Yancheng points out.   "Going back and forth.  What do you mean?"

 

"If we use an ordinary weapon to kill Fire Deity, it will only help him end his trials early, and return to Heavenly Realm.  What benefit will that give us?"  King Gucheng asks.

 

"In your opinion, we can only watch him wander about at leisure in the Mortal World?"

 

"Demon King, have you forgotten...the Soul Destroying Arrow?  At the moment that Fire Deity is doing his trials, the Soul Destroying Tribe coincidentally reappeared.  Isn't this a heaven given opportunity?"

 

"What you mean is to steal the Soul Destroying Arrow, and kill Fire Deity?"  King Yancheng asks.

 

King Gucheng bows.  "Demon King is wise!  We can use this opportunity...to seek justice for the two heir apparents."

 

"The Heavenly Realm relied on having a Fire Deity and kept ordering our Demon Realm around.  Forcefully trying to impose those pretentious rules of theirs on us.  Disturbing the peace and freedom of our Demon Realm.  Even if not for those unfortunate sons of mine, I also couldn't endure it anymore and swear to fight it all out.  You have always been reliable.  I'm leaving this matter to you.  Remember.  Don't let that coward King Biancheng know about this."

 

"I understand," King Gucheng bows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tu Yao lovingly touches the silkworm in her crystal jar.  She feeds it a drop of her blood, which it happily laps up.  She puts the lid back on, and seals it with her Fire Bird energy.  The jar vanishes in her hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In an elongated cloud of black smoke, Mu Ci materializes in Tu Yao's chambers.

 

Tu Yao is elegantly lounging in her settee.

 

"Greetings, Heavenly Empress," Mu Ci bows.  He ascends the steps to her settee.  "Heavenly Empress, please take a look."  He holds out his hand, palm up.  In a swarm of glittery black ash, the Soul Destroying Arrow materializes.

 

Tu Yao's heart pounds wildly.  It's the closest thing she'll ever get to having an orgasm in this life.  "This...is the Soul Destroying Arrow that you created using the blood of your bone marrow?"

 

"Yes," Mu Ci confirms.

 

"How do you use it?"

 

"Just put it on a bowstring and shoot it.  It can kill any deities or demons that will get in its way.  I guarantee that the target's soul will dissipate, and there's no chance to recover it."

 

"Very good," Tu Yao purrs.  "I've already take care of Immortal Yuanji.  Just be at ease in doing it."

 

"Yes."

 

"If that little sprite Jin Mi returns to Heavenly Realm again, you will have to answer for it."

 

"I understand," Mu Ci replies.

 

Tu Yao smirks.  The Heavenly Realm is my house, bitch!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Yi plays with his liquid medicine like a reluctant child.

 

Jin Mi listlessly watches him as she grinds her medicine with her mortar and pestle.

 

King Yi takes a whiff of the liquid in his bowl and recoils.

 

"I must have been possessed," says Jin Mi, knowing full well that King Yi can't hear her.  "I actually risked breaking the rules of my ancestors to treat him with such a valuable herb.  Could this be the so called 'Healers have a parental heart'?  Forget it.  Forget it.  In consideration of you being the first patient I personally took care of, I'll treat it as a meeting gift."

 

King Yi holds his nose and gulps down the entire bowl of medicine.

 

Jin Mi giggles.  She skips over to his table and reaches into her apron pocket.  "Here.  Use my mountain grapes to eliminate the bitterness."

 

King Yi eagerly grabs a grape.  He takes a bite, and suddenly stops eating.

 

"Is it sweet?  Is it very sweet?"  Jin Mi gestures as she speaks.

 

He quietly grabs another grape.

 

"Looks like it is indeed very sweet," says Jin Mi.  She grabs a grape and takes a bite.  Whoa!  Her face crinkles up as the tartness overpowers her tongue.  She rapidly shakes her head.  "So sour!  That was very sour!  Not sweet at all!"

 

King Yi grins wickedly.

 

"Liar!  You dare fool me?"  Jin Mi asks.

 

He walks past her and goes to their writing table.  "I love eating sour," he writes.

 

Jin Mi sighs.  Of course you would.  "So, you're a vinegar jar.  Being your wife must be unfortunate."

 

"When will I finally recover?"  King Yi writes.

 

Jin Mi grabs the brush.  "In less than a month, the medicines will work, and your illness will be cured."

 

"How old are you?"  King Yi writes.

 

"The days in the mountains go by easily, but the urban cities might have gone through thousands of years.  Maybe you should ask me, what's my high age?"  Jin Mi writes.

 

He looks at her curiously.

 

"Since I could remember things," says Jin Mi, "I started learning these profound and vague statements.  Or else, how could I manage to control the tribe's seventy or eighty year old elders, down to the very young girls?  Looking at you, we seem to be of the same age.  But in terms of skills..."  Jin Mi chuckles.  "It's not too much to let you call me Great Aunt."

 

She looks young, King Yi thinks, but her actions and speech are very profound.  Is she an enlightened one, or just making an imaginary air around her?

 

"Why did you offend the soldiers?"  Jin Mi writes.

 

King Yi's heart skips a beat.  He stares straight at her.  Then, he dips his brush in the ink.  "They are from Liangguo," he writes.

 

"From Liangguo?"  Jin Mi says out loud.  "So, what?"  Jin Mi writes.

 

"They encroached into my nation's territory, abducted women and children, did a lot of evil things.  Everyone has the right to kill them."

 

"He has quite a good state of mind.  Having such drive, why didn't you join the army, and instead became a bandit?"  Jin Mi vocalizes.  "Oh.  I get it.  Now that the world is in chaos, soldiers and bandits are not that different.  I understand."

 

I can't hear you, King Yi thinks, wishing she would just write down all of her babbling already.

 

"Ah," says Jin Mi.  She grabs the brush.  "I admire your lofty character."

 

"This is not some child's play," King Yi impatiently writes, then promptly sits down.

 

"Why is this bandit so angry?"  Jin Mi asks.  She looks over at him.  "He was alright awhile ago, but now turning hostile just like that.  This time, he's having a black face again, and doesn't want to mind me.  Such a black face.  It looks like a crow."  She looks over at him and smiles.  "Looking at him again, he indeed looks like a crow."  She begins to draw.  "Why don't I just call you 'Crow' next time?"

 

He looks over at her.

 

"Crow," Jin Mi says as she draws.  "Crow...Crow..."  She quickly hides the picture as he looks over.

 

"Why did you save me?"  King Yi writes.  Don't you dare give me that "Healers are like parents" reason.  No one believes that, he thinks.

 

"Meeting a person is as precious as jade," Jin Mi writes.  "You are one and only in this world."  Jin Mi begins to talk.  "You should go back and thank your parents for giving you such a handsome face.  I don't feel bad about using those expensive medicines on you because of it."

 

Jin Mi begins to write.  "Natural selection.  Doctors just do things by going with the flow.  The person blessed by the heavens will surely be fortunate.  Don't forget to share your blessings with the world."

 

Jin Mi begins to speak.  "There are hundreds of people who have died.  The air around here reeks of blood and flesh.  You're the only one who fortunately survived.  If I don't save you, whom should I save?  But...since I picked you up, why don't you test medicines for me?"

 

Ugh!  What the hell is she saying?  

 

"That counts as sharing your blessing to our Sacred Healer Tribe," Jin Mi continues.  "When others say speaking with their hands, they refer to playing chess, while we're really chattering with handwriting."

 

Please write something down!  King Yi thinks.  You're killing me!  He waves the brush at her.

 

"I'm not talking with you anymore," says Jin Mi.  "I'm going down the mountain to gather some food," she pantomimes as she speaks.  "I'm going now."

 

He grabs her arm, and he gets nervous.  He pulls on the collar of the woman's robe he's wearing.

 

Jin Mi laughs.  "Don't worry.  Don't worry.  I'll think of a way to find you some suitable clothes.  But, you look quite nice wearing women's clothing."  She teasingly pulls on his collar.

 

She skips out the door, leaving King Yi to wallow in his emasculation.  He spies the paper Jin Mi was drawing on, and flips it over.  He sees the crow, and sucks in his breath.  His face burns.  How dare she?  Remote village girl...