Is anyone up to rewriting the misunderstandings in the Jing Kingdom arc (because of YBC's actions) to be more TTJ and YXW's conflicting values driven? I think the novel did this better but was too dark and cruel to be included in the drama. I'm curious how others would approach this for the drama.
It really bothered me that YXW tried to drug TTJ to knock him out in order to save XL in the drama. It was a betrayal of trust since they both had feelings for each other at this point. Then the whole thing escalated from there with YBC being an opportunist to add poison. In the novel, it happened very differently on how YXW was controlled to kill XL. I wonder how to rewrite this for the drama without the drug adding part of YXW. Any ideas?
I think the actions leading to XL's death was better done in the novel because TTJ had feelings for YXW but these feelings were not as deep as in the drama yet. TTJ in the novel was much darker and ruthless. So, him using the puppet spell on her made sense. Also, in the novel YXW was still scheming and guarded against TTJ.
For YXW to try TTJ to free XL in the drama, the stakes needed to be higher. TTJ was just keeping XL imprisoned until the end of the war. It was hard for me to understand how YXW made such a decision to free him. I guess the writers had a hard time to justify TTJ using puppet spell on YXW at that point in the drama without the misunderstanding.
Here's how I would rewrite to remove misunderstandings and still arrive at the same plot point of XL's death:
TTJ needs to kill XL due to political reasons. YXW has no choice but to publicly save XL and in the process betrays TTJ openly and puts TTJ's life at risk. TTJ can't kill YXW even as she goes on the run with XL. TTJ is tormented with his insecurities and public demand in the Jing Kingdom to kill XL and end the war sooner. Why did YXW choose XL over him? TTJ decides that YXW needs to pay by using puppet spell on her to kill XL with her own hands. So, if it becomes known that YXW killed XL, TTJ can take her back in the Jing kingdom.
What do you think? Is this version more reasonable and character driven?
TTJ in the novel is delusional & suspicious of everything. Unlike his drama, he glee he got rid of XL, even though XL never humiliated or bullied him like everyone he took revenge on. When LSS killed him under the puppet spell, she begun hating TTJ enough to want to kill him without thinking of her mission. TTJ was shocked that she shot her arrow directly at him as he converted down. Then he taunted her that XL died because of her thinking that she still loved him. This was one of the reasons LSS took a long time to forgive him.
The drama version was for me a lazy writing. I would rather have the delusional YBC joined TTML vendetta and tricked YXW to come to his hidden location using their grandmother as hostage after kidnapping her during her mother Memorial Day, similar to the OG. XW & XL learned of her grandmother's situation through the letter & agreed to follow the instruction while XL would try sneak in to save her. XW finally met TTML, spatting a rage of insults to distract him which worked. XL found where Grandma Ye was kept but was shocked to find YBC involvement. He tried several attempts to reason with her but in the end, she cut the rope holding the boat where her grandmother was kept & watched it helplessly being drift away. General Ye came to aid them after finding the letter and managed to fight back TTML puppet army surrounding XW. Then he found out YBC alliance with the enemy, confronted her then disowned her as his daughter after hearing her insane rants. TTJ arrived in secret & saw XL hugging his sobered wife, overcame with jealousy. He activated the puppet spell when XL was about to leave with his army, like the drama version. TTJ was surprised to see his father-in-law there as well & he explained the situation, causing him to regret his action. TTJ then sent his subordinates to find the boat & succeeded. He planned to tell this to the Ye clan after the wedding. The rest stayed the same except Ye QingYu later learned TTJ saved his grandmother after his clan perished.
