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The search for the Dijun Register concludes. Features Zhao Yunlan recklessly endangering himself in Dixing, Shen Wei terrifying everyone who looked at Zhao Yunlan the wrong way, and the iconic "brotherhood" line.
Zhao Yunlan's Funtime Dixing Tour
First stop: The Dixing Palace!
The Black-Cloaked Envoy is Not Amused by the others' insinuations that his soulmate is an outsider who isn't allowed in the palace.
One of the funniest things in this scene is that after the Regent unsuccessfully tries to talk the Black-Cloaked Envoy down, he immediately starts sending meaningful looks at Zhao Yunlan. Here, we see Zhao Yunlan reacting, and deciding to play peacemaker.
Tattling to the spouse to get them to calm down - a surprisingly effective tactics when it comes to these two. (We'll see the SID use the same tactic and invoke Shen Wei's name against Zhao Yunlan in a later episode.)
Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan to be careful, which I'm sure will be super effective. Zhao Yunlan cutely pats the Black-Cloaked Envoy on the shoulder and goes off on his own.
Next Step on the Tour: Meeting Dixing rebels
A glowing hypnotic pillar starts talking to Zhao Yunlan, while a group of rebels/thugs intercept Zhao Yunlan after their earlier attempt to ensare him was unsuccessful.
Watch Zhao Yunlan go from "whoa, there, let's calm down" to "you'd better not mess with me, the Black-Cloaked Envoy is my boyfriend good brother!" is hilarious. Look at that smug look on his face.
Unfortunately for Zhao Yunlan, these Dixingren are rebels who believe the Black-Cloaked Envoy is a traitor. Zhao Yunlan plays a "Hey, look over there!" trick with them to get away.
While Zhao Yunlan is trying to break the enemy-gathering speedrun record, Shen Wei has finished up with his work and is now looking for Zhao Yunlan. I love that his description is just "has a beard and a lollipop."
Someone jokes that they killed Zhao Yunlan. And I'm 100% sure that the only reason Shen Wei doesn't go berserk here is because he knows the guy's bluffing. He does get angry and upset enough to transform into the Black-Cloaked Envoy though.
The bar patrons first refuse to believe he could be the Black-Cloaked Envoy, but a display of his power convinces them all.
Now that people are taking him seriously, he gets a clue from the bartender about three people who have been chasing after Zhao Yunlan.
Those three people are now running for their lives from Shen Wei, who still manages to look like a predator stalking through the streets despite not being in his Black-Cloaked Envoy outfit.
I do kind of wonder why after he revealed his identity in Dixing that he gave up on dressing in his cloak a lot of the time. Is the jacket Zhao Yunlan gifted him just more comfortable to wear?
It's a pity Zhao Yunlan isn't here to see Shen Wei being terrifying in his casual-wear.
They agree to help Shen Wei find Zhao Yunlan.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlan has reached the last stop of his tour: A fortune telling session that ends with a stabbing. As you do.
Shen Wei to the rescue!
After Ding Dun tells Shen Wei that he burned the Dijun Register, he tries for another attack on Zhao Yunlan, which Shen Wei stops again. This is the first (but won't be the last) time Shen Wei straight up kills someone while defending Zhao Yunlan.
Shen Wei picks up the pieces of the register, then goes to heal Zhao Yunlan.
Back in Haixing
Zhao Yunlan once again re-lives his memories of his mother while passed out, and we learn why Zhao Xinci is the way he is towards Dixingren.
The moment Zhao Yunlan wakes up and regains his bearing in the SID, he immediately asks for Shen Wei.
Guo Changcheng tells him that Shen Wei went home, while Lin Jing disapproves of poor Professor Shen - gentle scholar - being taken to a place as scary as Dixing.
Graveyard Visit
Spurred on visions of his mother, Zhao Yunlan visits his mother's grave (with Shen Wei).
More synchronized walking, as Zhao Yunlan asks Shen Wei about the matter with Ding Dun.
There's a lot in this scene to unpack here.
1. Zhao Yunlan's grief and vulnerability is absolutely heart-wrenching here.
2. In stark contrast, Shen Wei is simply standing a distance away continuing to talk about the Hallows.
There's been a lot of discussion on Shen Wei's reaction here, as either a cultural disconnect or Shen Wei just failing to react properly. But I think as someone who's lost his parents and went through a war, he does know what grief and mourning means.
And I think this is his way of giving Zhao Yunlan both physical distance (by standing apart instead of comforting him physically) and emotional distance (by discussing a familiar neutral subject that can be safely ignored) to grieve in private.
Once Zhao Yunlan regains his composure, he tells Shen Wei that it's time they head back to consolidate their research on the Hallows. And he vows to get the full story of Shen Wei's background eventually.
Shen Wei just stares at him with concern, like he wants to dig into Zhao Yunlan's mind to make sure that he really is okay now.
Back at the SID
Now that the matter of Dijun Register is settled, the next case of the suspicious underground fighting ring is introduced.
Zhao Yunlan takes this opportunity to gossip with Shen Wei about Guo Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi's recent closeness. I love their casual chats in the office, whether about work or something more personal.
Once Zhao Yunlan lays out all the different ways Chu Shuzhi is super protective and caring when it comes Guo Changcheng, Shen Wei delivers the line that spawned a million memes: "This must be brotherhood 兄弟情."
[ Episode Fifteen ] [ Masterpost ] [ Episode Eighteen ]
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