Novoland: The Castle In The Sky 九州·天空城 - Episode 12 (Recap)

kakashi: Oh my god. Tortured Feng Tianyi breaks my shipper heart in two. Despite the many lust hormones this guy makes me release - they cloud my thinking - I realize for the first time that this show might actually end in bitter, bitter tears.
JoAnne: No way. They have to be together in the end, right?

Episode 12

"Will you stay with me until that day comes?" Wingkind Emperor says and I scream: "Yes, yes, take me!", but Fuling, the idiot, is super surprised he'd say something like this. He's a bit surprised at himself too, but doesn't like her calling him "a friend". Oh no .... friendzoned! She's clearly an idiot. But she does something very sweet for him afterwards - fly a memorial kite for Qingfeng, his hawk.
Good, Fuling, you go fly a kite for the guy. I'll show my appreciation for him another way.

Huanzheng has brought Jishu to his workspace in the forest. The one Feng Tianyi paid for, mind you. Because he's secretly always been a good guy, sigh. (But I do keep remembering that little grin when she was tied up in the courtyard.) Awww, Huanzheng is so proud of all the stuff he made. In his eagerness, he calls Jishu "shifu" and gets quite the earful for it. In the conversation that follows, Huanzheng learns of Jishu's true identity as Fuling's father. Through all of it, Jishu remains a dick deluxe.
Honestly, Huanzheng, he's not worth it.

After the little heart-to-heart at his father's shrine, Wingkind Emperor is in for a nasty, nasty surprise - somebody (well, that somebody clearly is the Regent) has stolen his most prized possession, an Imperial Seal (the Order of the Golden Feather), with which he could have taken command of the imperial guards. It was the last card he had against his Uncle. What now?
Can this kid not get a break?

Fuling wants to go "snatch it back". He's like: are you insane, woman? How are we to "snatch it back??" Well, at least she now wants to stay and help him. I'm glad he gets that consolation. He needs all he can get.
They can be a tiny little Scooby Gang of two. My heart is melting.

When she gets back to her room, Fuling sees that that guy with the water harp is waiting for her. He introduces himself as "Nan Feng" and as "palace musician". He brought a special zither with him to play. He's seriously weird - he cries when he plays her a tune. Thanks to her knowledge of music (and I guess, her superhearing), she analyzes what she heard in great detail (it's a tune of a man who is waiting for the woman he loves underneath some windchimes, but the woman can never come back).
I'm so tired of these sad sad saaaaaaaaad people all the time.
And I want his purple dress. So pretty! 

Damn, this guy is even more emo than Kasuo. Fuling also thinks it's all a bit "too much". Indeed, when he tries to play again, he snaps a string - even the zither got tired of too much.
Dude, go away. I thought you were cute for a minute, but no.

He is much impressed (he calls her a "kindred spirit") and leaves her the zither. It's the Regent's birthday soon and the song he just played is his favorite. He suggests she should learn the tune and play it for the Regent - if he likes it, he will agree to any request she will make. Ohhhhhhhhh.
Oh well, hey. That's useful, right? Why is he doing this? Just because he likes her musical ability? Her sort-of ability?

Not much later, Princess Feishuang realizes Fuling hasn't left. Her jealousy only increases when she hears why: because of the Regent's birthday and because Fuling promised Tianyi to be with him. In a hissyfit, she topples the valuable zither in Fuling's room. There's a snake of a servant who feels this is the perfect opportunity to get on her Lady's good side. Uh-oh, even though Feishuang does not really encourage any unfair behavior, that servant seems very determined to do something mean to Fuling.
As I recall she doesn't outright forbid it, either.

It's the night of the birthday and Fuling is radiant. But when one of the servant is asked to get the zither, Fuling has to realize that a string is snapped (it's a servant conspiracy!). The servant knows where they can get a new one though, she'll go get it! Meanwhile, Feng Tianyi sits on his throne, looking unhappy. BUT HOT. 
Very. Very hot. Currently thinking about those lips. Need air.

With a wave of his hand, he stops the dancing that is going on  - the Regent doesn't seem to be coming to his own birthday, so what's the point of a party, he asks? The moment he gets up and starts to walk out, Yi Fuling is announced. Here she comes, carrying that other zither. When Feng Tianyi sees it, his eyes widen in shock. That can't be good.
Not.  The ZITHER!  Nooooooooo

Actually, he gets so angry he has her thrown out. Then, this happens:
Ooops.

That very moment, the Regent Feng Ren arrives. Of course, he is our "Music Master". The broken instrument seems to bring him to the brink of a breakdown ... which morphs into blind rage seconds later. He grabs Fulings throat with one hand and starts to throttle her. Feng Tianyi comes running, pushing his Uncle's hand away - and the two actually fight, in front of everyone.
Look at his tiny baby mouth trumper tantrum.

There's a stand-off and Princess Feishuang quickly jumps between the men, asking the Regent for leniency. Is she feeling bad that her servant did what she did? But Feng Ren sees no reason! He grabs a sword and thrusts it right at Fuling's face. Ouf, he sees the tattoo just in time to pull back! Ha, he knows something. 
This dude is unhinged. (And I think the only reason the princess spoke up is because it could make her look good.)

He has changed his mind, he declares. Just letting her die like this is too light a punishment. He'd rather take her as the female master of his Announcement of Diligence Hall. I'm guessing that means concubine? Or ... less? He grabs her, just like this - and flies away. What an exit. Wingkind Emperor is left fuming and on foot. Poor boy. This has clearly driven him over the edge.
I find it odd that the Regent would fly away with her like that, don't you?
It's an additional slap in his nephew's face.

At the Diligence Hall, Feng Ren throws Fuling on the bed. Does he want to rape her?! It seems to have crossed his mind, but he'd rather insult her, telling her she has no power over him and that she "can't compare to her even just one bit". Her = ? A dead wife, is my guess, seeing how he mopes over music and a zither and is generally unhinged.
Yep. This is what I thought would come next.

Outside the doors to the Hall, Wingkind Emperor arrives. Pei Yu bars his way. That's not a good idea, because Feng Tianyi is very determined to go in. He brought his whip, too. After venting some anger at Fuling, the Regent has gone to a secret room, where Xue Lin already waits for him. He is happy, because what just happens made Feng Tianyi look very weak in front of everyone. The interaction is interesting. I don't get the feeling that the Regent likes or trusts this guy at all. But I guess he'd side with anyone to get rid of his nephew.
Who could possibly like Xue Lin?

In the meantime, Wingkind Emperor has beaten Pei Yu and storms in. He finds Fuling alone, sitting on the bed - and he can't keep it in any longer. He pulls her towards himself with his whip and then tries to kiss her. "Have you gone crazy!" she screams, after she's pushed him away and he says "Yes, I have gone crazy. I like you like crazy". *Squeeeeeee* Okay, that wasn't very romantic. But damn, boy is in deep.

I think I blacked out for a second. All that frustrated heat.

If she isn't blind, she must have realized a long time ago that he likes her, he adds, her head cupped in his hands. She is his! She starts babbling stuff about not knowing him for long, so how could he ... how could she ... Like he gives a fuck! No, he just wants to hold her. And they will get to know each other well enough in their long life together, he says. Oh my goodness.
He is kind of pushy, though. But still.

Damn, the Regent is back. He smirks when he sees his nephew and says that nephew and uncle have always liked the same things. Ewwwwwww. Suppressing his rage, Feng Tianyi snaps that Fuling is a person! Well, she broke his former wife's zither, the Regent says, no death is enough to pay for this. Plus, now that Feng Tianyi started fighting for her, he is really interested. As Regent moves around them like a predator, WKE keeps shielding Fuling behind his back. He is ready to die for this woman.
Mmmmmm.

Chill, says the Regent (who must have realized what this woman means to his nephew), why don't we ask Miss Yi what her opinion is? Which man will she choose? That's a dick move, you evil man! Because now, all the noble idiocy that's been bottled up in Fuling boils to the surface. Why? Because she overheard the Regent and Xue Lin plot against Tianyi just now. And she goddamn tells Feng Tianyi to his face that he's just an evil bully who is using her, just like a play doll. Now he likes her, tomorrow he won't. She claims she's known the Regent for a long while already and it's him she chooses.
*heavy sigh*

Poor Wingkind Emperor is floored. Utterly destroyed. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Don't walk out, it's BULLSHIT!!!!!! You must know it!! And if you don't, then certainly the Regent must know. Nooooooooooo. 
It's not true, it's not true, it's not true! She'll be yours, just wait!

Meanwhile, Bi Anhua watches Tingjun practice his martial arts in the courtyard of their humble abode. Just watching him makes her happy. However, she's still thinking all that crap stuff about not being worthy, destiny etc. Later, they're walking when she suddenly claims she hurt her foot. All so he would carry her on his back.
Do we really need either of them anymore?

All she talks about is how he would do anything for Fuling (and not for her), until he puts her down, unnerved, and tells her to wait. He will go get the flower himself. Oh! She told him they'd get the Cluster Amaryllis?! I thought it only grew in hell. Of course, she can walk just fine, and strolling purposefully along, she leads him to a cliff. It's THE cliff. The one he saved her at. "Close your eyes", she says. He does. She walks to the edge and starts to undress.
....okay....

Comments

Confession: I TOTALLY dig the Regent. He is insane. What a complex, evil, horrible, but very interesting character! He is so mean! How could he take away the one, the only thing Feng Tianyi really, truly liked?
His dislike completely baffles me. How could Tianyi's father have left this man in CHARGE?

I have no words for Fuling's foolishness. Okay, she heard something, but did she REALLY have to break Feng Tianyi's heart? She knows how he feels towards his uncle, how desperately he tries to win just an inch over this guy - and she abandons the Emperor like this?! In front of that guy?! It's almost unforgivable.
She must think she's saving him by doing it, though. Live to fight another day, maybe?

*flips tables*
*throws dishes*