Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms 三生三世十里桃花 - Episode 29 (Recap)

kakashi: Everyone gets ready to go to a banquet at the Eastern Seas - will they all meet? Oh my. OF COURSE THEY WILL, ahhhhhhhhh! Can't wait!!!!
JoAnne: They MUST meet. I even want Li Jing to be there.

Episode 29

Ye Hua was super worried about A-Li, but he doesn't scold him much after his return. A-Li claims he went into the forest because he heard these stories about how his mommy always got lost in there and he wanted to check this mystery out. When the woman who saved A-Li takes a good look at Ye Hua's face, she immediately falls in love. There's a queue, woman, stand in line!!!
Yeah, and you are so far at the back of it that the only one behind you is Su Jin.

She introduces herself as Princess Miao Qing, the younger sister of the Water King of the Eastern Sea. Ye Hua says he wants to repay her kindness (I hate this sentence by now) - does she have a wish? She has heard much of him and her wish is ... to stay by his side. WTF! Kinda bold. But not as a consort. Huh? If you're going for it, go for it! In this hut. She would wash his clothes and cook for him when he comes visit. Ye Hua says that's inappropriate (and way below her status).Thank you. But she insists and he is weak again and says fine, ten days. 

Maybe she gets off on that, who knows? I don't trust her, though. And Ye Hua, you horse's ass. What the hell?

He never learns, does he. 

A-Li ain't happy at all about it, he thinks that woman wants to take his mommy's place! Riceball is no dummy. Ye Hua tells him to stop complaining, but A-Li isn't done. Didn't Crown Prince says Mother would be back soon! She will be mad if she finds another woman by Ye Hua's side! That's not a good topic, lil one. 

When he's right, he's right.

Ye Hua, stone-faced (trying not to cry), says: "A-Li. Your mother will not be coming back". The Soul-gathering lamp has been extinguished. A-Li cries and Ye Hua yells at him to stop it, before (gently) kicking him out of the hut. He sends his two men after him though ... telling them to let him cry for a bit. As they discuss this newest development in the forest, Ye Hua's two aides actually think it's a blessing the lamp has been extinguished (like the others up in the Heavens) - it would only have created a copy of Su Su anyway but it hindered their master from moving on.

I was particularly unhappy with Ye Hua here. He's spent all of A-Li's life preparing him for his mother's return, and I get that he's destroyed by the reality that it won't happen, but he barely gave a thought for A-Li here. Yes, he allowed him some space to cry, but the delivery of the news wasn't exactly thoughtful or kind or at all done in any way that recognizes that this tiny person has also suffered an enormous loss.
I think he's simply incapable at the moment to be thoughtful of others. This is too closely after his entire hope for Su Su's return is squashed. He is barely holding on, still. 

In the Fox Kingdom, Fengjiu reports to her aunt about how she was spared for her lamp-stealing crime. Bai Qian (who comments that her niece's time in the Nine Heavens wasn't in vain, if she has friends who stand up for her like this) informs her she will be going to the Eastern Sea soon - the King there has born a son who is turning 1 month old and there is a banquet in the baby's honor. She hates social occasions (as we know, she has "never left" her kingdom), but one of his midwives helped deliver Bai Qian back in the day, sparing her mother much trouble, so the family owes him. Her parents are travelling, so it's really only her who can accept this invitation.
Because her brothers are useless and she's the queen anyway, I guess, so it's only right.

Mi Gu is tasked to get the biggest luminous pearl from the pond as a gift. Obviously, she's been giving them out a lot, haha, the pond is almost empty.
A girl after my own heart, though. I like the idea of having standard gifts for standard occasions, while still having the option to do something more personalized when warranted.

Up in the Heavens, the rumor is spreading that Bai Qian will attend the Water King's banquet. That's quite something, she never goes out! The juicy thing is a) that the Eastern Sea Palace has very many very bright coral tiles, which need to be covered by water lily leaves for her sensitive eyes, b) that the Eastern King also invited the North King (and his Snake Miss), since he didn't believe Bai Qian would come, and c) that the Crown Prince will also go, which means all three will meet there. Awkward. People also talk about how there hasn't been much movement in the marriage matter between her and Ye Hua.
Yeah, how long can they drag that out without it being a problem?

Chen Yu is particularly gossipy, something Third Uncle comments on. He says he is glad he didn't marry her - she says she wouldn't have, even if he'd asked. Damn, he looks at her like he wants to take a bite out of her. Is it hormone season?
Ooooh so is the problem with them that he never asked and she got offended and broke it off? You know they both still like each other.

Ye Hua tells A-Li that he has received an invitation and will go to the Eastern Seas - does he want to come? A very decisive No from the little cutie! Fine, he will go without him then, says Ye Hua. But A-Li doesn't want to be alone either, so he'll come (if he has to). They're both sulking a bit, aren't they. Princess Miao Qing offers to lead the way to the Eastern Seas (her ten days are up!), but Ye Hua doesn't want that. I wonder what he thinks about women (who are not Su Su), because they're all clingy as hell when it comes to him!

I'm sorry but if I met Mark Chao at a party you can bet I'd be sitting next to him, patting his knee, laughing at his jokes, leaning in to make comments to him... probably really creeping him out, I guess.

Si Ming is coming to see Fengjiu in Qing Qiu, like he said he would when they last met! He knows of a way how to "repay Dijun's kindness". Haha, Mi Gu is so funny. He looks him up and down, until Fengjiu comes running to welcome her friend. Mi Gu makes sure he is not let into the Valley (too many secrets) but it's no matter, Si Ming wanted to pick Fengjiu up anyway. He says it will take two months or so of her time.

Who can we fix up with Si Ming? I love him. I wonder if he has a family at home, wherever home is. What do you think? It would be shame if that voice never got heard in the dark while sharing a pillow...

That's a long time (relatively speaking) and Fengjiu is quite sure her aunt wouldn't let her leave if she asked. So she won't ask and just go. That's why she has Mi Gu cover and lie for her (he hates that). He acts weirdly, but that's all that Bai Qian notices.

Mi Gu. Oh, you cutie pie. How come we don't learn anything about Mi Gu beyond that he's a wood spirit? What do wood spirits do? Do they have wood spirit families and friends?

Bai Qian herself is quite busy trying to find a way out of going to the banquet - in vain. She asks Mi Gu for the pearl (and shrinks it) and a branch of Mi Gu's tree, to help her with the directions. She's known to get lost. Ohhhh, just like Su Su!

Gee, I wonder if anyone will notice?

On her way back, she will make a detour to see her 4th Bro, she tells us. Who seems to have had a fight with Zhe Yan! Whenever he does, he uses the same excuse, Bai Qian knows. He spreads the word that Bi Fang, the phoenix, was angry and went to the North, forcing him to go after. They're fighting all the time, these two. Like an old couple :D

It was cute until we learned that Zhe Yan was in love with his mother...

Cut to .... Emperor Dijun in the mortal world! He wanted to experience trials, Si Ming informs Fengjiu (though we know he especially went for her). And this is the perfect opportunity for her to pay him back. He has her take over the life of one of the Emperor's (unfavored) wives ("The Honored Lady Chen") who would have died otherwise, to "continue writing her story". The only problem: Fengjiu's birthmark is rather suspicious, Lady Chen did not have one!

So he went to do the trial so she could follow him? I remember the conversation he had with Si Ming and he mentioned marriage but I thought he was saying he'd do the trial then come back and marry her. Not that he mentioned any of that to her. And yeah, what about that birthmark?

The other palace ladies, including the Empress, are evil bitches, who look down on Lady Chen, who has only had the honor to "see" the Emperor twice. They remove her nameplate from the Emperor's selection because of the birthmark (they claim it's demonic), so no sleep-over. Not tonight and potentially never. But Fengjiu knows her tricks! She dresses up as a maid again, to win the Emperor's heart. That's how it is in the storybooks, so this has to work! 

Honestly by this point I'm kind of tired of Dijun's stone face. And I think I like him better with white hair.

Only, it doesn't at all. Of course, the Emperor doesn't spare a single thought on maids and Fengjiu is discovered by the Empress instead, who is of the jealous type. She grounds Lady Chen.

I don't get the whole dynamic between multiple wives, honestly. Some you're okay with, some not? Plotting to control who he sleeps with? If it's my husband, he better sleep with me. I don't want him sleeping with anyone else, and if I'm in a time and place where he's gonna, for sure? Then I think I'm going to be jealous as hell, and probably mean to boot.

2nd Prince is at Peach Tree Valley, asking Zhe Yan for peaches. His pregnant wife is craving them and the only place they grow right now is here! Zhe Yan gives him a few, but quite reluctantly. 2nd Prince is shameless, is what he says later ... I agree, that's exactly why I don't like him much.
Come on, what's a few peaches between friends? I think they're all jealous that 2nd Prince had the balls to go for the woman he wanted, not take the woman who was assigned to him - who couldn't even be bothered to visit him.

In the meantime, his wife, Shao Xin, attempts to get an audience with Bai Qian (not for the first time! We learn she goes every day!) Mi Gu is actually the only one around, already feeling sad and lonely. He's quite gruff with our Snake Spirit and leaves her standing there. It looks like gentle Shao Xin won't give up though! She is really serious about making amends with her former mistress.
I don't dislike her but I have a problem with this. If you are insisting that much despite much assurance that it's unwelcome, your apology is about your own feelings, not the other persons...and your own feelings are what got you into the situation, so what has changed?  It's not an apology at all.

At Peach Blossom Valley, Bai Qian hears about the peach cravings of her former betrothed's pregnant wife and it seems she is still quite angry with them. Zhe Yan says he gave them contraceptive peaches!!! O__________o oh dear me. To delay the 5th child for a few millennia. Bai Qian isn't angry at losing this groom though - she is angry Zhe Yan and her father arranged another marriage for her, one much harder to get out of! With a pup 90'000 years younger than her, mind you.
I wonder what that equates to in real time.

She decides to sleep in Zhe Yan's hut tonight, before continuing to the Eastern Seas (which is very close). Zhe Yan has two special jars of wine for him that she is to dig out but NOT to drink "on the sly". Not! Of course, as soon as she has dug it up, she settles in one of the trees to drink it. 

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince and his son have arrived at the Eastern Seas. Ye Hua will leave for a short trip to the Peach Groves, which are just a stone's throw away... I think it's his yearning for Su Su that drives him there... oh sweet memories. The little one tells his father that he will obey him in everything, but he refuses to believe him his mother will not return - so his father should not get accustomed to spend the nights away!

Ah, little one, we love you to pieces - all the people watching, every single million one of us.

The Water King meets with his sister, who tells him about her crush on Ye Hua. Her big brother (he is a bit of a simpleton) is supportive and tells her to dance at the banquet. He will then ask Ye Hua for a meeting and Miao Qing can move his heart with a lie about how she's to be married to the awful 2nd prince of the West Sea. Haha, that's Die Feng. 

Yeah, that awful, terrible, horrible Die Feng. This won't backfire at all.

And we end with Ye Hua stepping into the Peach Tree Woods and Bai Qian noticing the fine young man with a broad, drunken and I would say clearly lusty smile.

Bai Qian is all of us.

Comments

How CUTE A-Li is! And how cute Ye Hua is with A-Li! How moving it was to see Ye Hua struggle with his own sadness and trying to be honest with his son at the same time. Seeing father and son together more is something I look forward to immensely! 

I agree - he's a very modern-type dad to A-Li and it's so attractive. And I looooove the little Riceball cutie pie even if he does have kind of a fresh mouth.

I totally dig Bai Qian - I always have. She seems moody and always slightly disagreeable and someone who does exactly what she wants. She's like the opposite of an obedient wife and I can't wait for them to reconnect and for Ye Hua to treat her too much like he treated Su Su. This Gugu will kick the boy's ass, that much is clear!

She's definitely not the meek little SuSu, for sure. There are times when she verges on a level of rudeness that surprises me, but that mostly comes later. I love that she seems to have a good grasp on that line between filial duty and her own sense of self. I wonder if Ye Hua will like this more independent version?

I'm far less eager about Dijun's new storyline. It seems like a repetition of what Fengjiu had to go through before (being shunned by people at the palace) and I'm not much interested in whether Mr. BORED gets to sleep with Fengjiu or not.
It's dragging too long. I was in support of Fengjiu's crush and hoped for a loveline, but this is getting ridiculous. And if they're both different people, how does a loveline in the mortal world do anything for Fengjiu at all?