Episode 17 recap: As soon as Li Tong Guang saw Ruyi, Yang Ying remained unconscious
Helpless, Ruyi pretended to be the princess and met Li Tong Guang Accompanied by Ning Yuan Zhou, Li Tong Guang arrived at the prince's bedroom Fan Dong Ming wanted to test Li Tong Guang and approached him, claiming to be there to treat the prince However, Ning Yuan Zhou ordered them to leave, but the Anguo people were reluctant Ruyi spoke up to stop Fan Dong Ming, introducing herself as an appointed female official Fan Dong Ming was surprised by how things turned out
When Li Tong Guang saw Ruyi, he was stunned and called her "Master." In order to avoid revealing any flaws, Ruyi pretended not to recognize Li Tong Guang. Li Tong Guang, excitedly, kept insisting that he was "Jiu'er" and even brought Zhu Yan to help his master recall their past together. Li Tong Guang happily informed Ruyi that he now had a name and a status.
Ruyi recalled the order she received from the Empress Dowager six years ago to teach martial arts to Li Tong Guang. After Li Tong Guang completed his training, Ruyi drove him away. However, the truth was that Ruyi had left because she had received a divine order to arrange Li Tong Guang's future, not because she abandoned him. Li Tong Guang attempted to approach Ruyi but was stopped by Ning Yuan Zhou, who noticed that Ruyi couldn't acknowledge him, so he stepped back.
Du Daguan was afraid that Ruyi's connection with Li Tong Guang would affect the current plans between the two countries. However, Ning Yuan Zhou assured Du Daguan that there was nothing to worry about and asked him to leave. Ruyi informed Ning Yuan Zhou that she wanted to write a letter to Jin Mei Niang, and he agreed.
After Li Tong Guang came out, he ordered his subordinates not to disclose today's events, warning that anyone who did so would die. He also instructed them to investigate Ruyi's identity. Li Tong Guang believed that Ruyi was definitely pretending, and he had angered her by calling her out in front of so many people. Li Tong Guang remembered the secret code he had with his master and quickly lit a Kongming lantern. Ruyi was delighted to see the lantern, and Ning Yuan Zhou felt a little jealous witnessing Ruyi's affection for Li Tong Guang. However, when he heard that Ruyi had no intention of acknowledging Li Tong Guang, he felt relieved.
Ning Yuan Zhou believed that Li Tong Guang would surely recognize Ruyi, which could potentially impact the trade between the two countries this time.
Ruyi, however, felt that she was Li Tong Guang's master after all and understood him well enough. Besides, Li Tong Guang didn't have the ability to deal with her. Ruyi found Ning Yuan Zhou's behavior a bit strange. Ning Yuan Zhou admitted that he was afraid of the diplomatic mission going wrong and felt a little jealous. This made Ruyi angry. Yuan Lu was surprised to discover that Ruyi was actually Li Tong Guang's master. Ruyi reminisced about how Empress Zhaojie had asked her to teach Li Tong Guang when he was young. That's how Ruyi became Li Tong Guang's master. Ruyi saved Li Tong Guang in the wolf pack, and that's how Li Tong Guang gradually opened up to her. However, on one mission, Ruyi returned, but Li Tong Guang didn't come to see her, and that's how they missed each other.
After hearing Ruyi's story, Yuan Lu realized that Li Tong Guang and Ruyi hadn't seen each other for many years. However, many people in the martial world spoke highly of Li Tong Guang's martial arts skills. Now Yuan Lu understood that it was because he had a great master. Yuan Lu thought that Li Tong Guang might have feelings for Ruyi.
Ruyi, however, felt that there were many men who were attracted to her, but she didn't pay much attention to them. She believed it would be better to think about how to deal with Li Tong Guang instead of indulging in romantic affairs. Yuan Lu thought that Ning Yuan Zhou must be angry. She remembered that her own parents were like that when she was young. Ruyi never expected that because of this matter, Ning Yuan Zhou would change so much.
Yuan Lu was very curious whether Ruyi really liked Li Tong Guang. Ruyi asked Yuan Lu which side she stood on, Ning Yuan Zhou's or Li Tong Guang's. Looking at Yuan Lu's face, Ruyi told him she didn't like immature kids.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Lu thought that Li Tong Guang didn't stand a chance. Li Tong Guang was persistent and wondered why Ruyi hadn't come to find him yet. As he watched the Kongming lantern descend, Li Tong Guang felt like going crazy. Yang Ying recalled her time in Qingyun and felt heartbroken for being deceived. She wanted to end her life, but Ruyi handed her a stool. Yang Ying truly felt like she didn't want to live anymore. Ruyi told Yang Ying that life was her own, and if she truly wanted to die, Ruyi wouldn't stop her. She informed Yang Ying that Prince Danyang didn't want to kill her; it was Qingyun who wanted her dead. Yang Ying immediately went to find Yuan Lu.
Is Li Tong Guang's character arc about growing into a mentally healthy person?!
I feel that Li Tong Guang's current portrayal in the plot shows him as someone with an extremely unhealthy mental state. Even his attendants think he's a bit crazy, but they are loyal to him, so they follow his orders.
However, the way his attendants look at Li Tong Guang is not the gaze of someone looking at a normal person. From a psychological development perspective, Li Tong Guang's mother has made mistakes, and Ren Xin herself admits to being too harsh on Li Tong Guang, so she also bears some responsibility...
Therefore, if this drama wants to give Li Tong Guang a character arc, shouldn't he grow into a mentally healthy person and overcome the psychological defects caused by his childhood experiences?
Tonight, the confession scene between Ren Ru Yi and Ning Yuan Zhou made me realize something. Ren Ru Yi mentioned that after joining the diplomatic mission and fighting alongside everyone, she realized that she desired a life of enjoying the world and showcasing her talents, rather than the secluded life of gardening and fishing that Ning Yuan Zhou previously described to her.
But does Ning Yuan Zhou genuinely enjoy that secluded life of gardening and fishing? Based on his experiences in the first half of his life, it seems like he never really had a chance to experience that kind of lifestyle.
His supposed longing for it might be a result of his weariness from the constant danger as an assassin and the power struggles in the court.
The core of the male third character's personality is absolute authoritarianism. He believes that by venerating the strong, he can trample on the weak under his feet. Therefore, the best relationship between the female protagonist and him is precisely when the female protagonist doesn't love him in the present, or rather, when she treats him as a disciple or a sympathetic child.
Her feelings for him are maintained to the extent that she will never make irrational choices for him (she can slap him and leave for the sake of doing the right thing, watching him cry in pain and wanting to touch his head but giving up in order to avoid exposing their identities).
Once the female protagonist's emotions for him surpass rationality, the allure of being a strong figure to him will disappear, and he may even despise himself for ever falling in love with such a weak person.
The strongest mentor, Ren Ru Yi. After watching today's episode, I want to say that Ren Ru Yi is truly the strongest mentor. She teaches others to be like that, and she would never let love cloud her judgment.
Some people in the comment section previously questioned whether Ren Ru Yi's romantic storyline would affect her character development. Ren Ru Yi has always been clear-headed, and her lone wolf persona won't crumble.
Faced with a princess who hesitates in dealing with her emotions, Ren Ru Yi reminds her, "It's better to burst the abscess sooner. Sometimes, the truth is more cruel than interrogation." She sees through Zheng Qing Yun's lack of genuine feelings for the princess.
Ren Ru Yi's love and hate are straightforward. She will never compromise for love, which is why she warns the male lead, "If you become Zheng Qing Yun, I won't let you die so easily.