Translator: Vian
Slightly edited: Vian (Please tell me if you find any mistakes, but it should be readable.)
The drama series "Vie for Supremacy" was not an ancient-setting idol drama and it definitely wasn't a touching and sentimental romance film. It was a power-play drama.
Schemes in the imperial court, heroic fights on the battlefield, vying for the world.
Right from the start when they watched this drama series, the audience did not think that there wouldn't be people who die throughout the drama. For example, in the ninth episode, a general had died. He was Xiao Xiang's trusted aide and had appeared in one or two episodes.
People dying was normal and reasonable. With all the fighting happening everyday, it was weirder for people to not die.
It was as that poem said: Hundreds of generals die on the battlefield, but heroes return after ten years.
Since this was a war power-play drama, it was obvious that there would be people who die. This obvious matter included the death of the villainous second male lead, and it included the death of the second female lead who was an enemy spy. Although they were currently still well and alive, but if they were to one day die, the audience would absolutely not be surprised and might even happily shout: "They finally died!"
However, this obvious thing definitely did not include Wanqi Yao's death!
[Yaoyao…he was let go…Yaoyao…was let go… I don't believe it!! QAQ!!!]
[I cried a lot! How can this be, our Yaoyao was still strategizing in the last episode, how come in this episode it suddenly… whyyyy QAQ I don't believe it! I don't believe it! How can Yaoyao die!!!]
[Yaoyao has only appeared in a few dozen episodes, he had only just led Chu State to reclaim their lost territories and didn't lead them to defeat Liang Empire yet. How can he die! What happened to "Whoever gets Wanqi, gets the world"?! Now Wanqi Yao dead! You tell me! Tell me how they can get the world now! Logically speaking, this is impossible, Yaoyao can't be dead!]
[Where's the screenwriter! Where's the editor! Come out! I promise I won't beat you to death, I promise I really won't beat you to death! Wu wu wu wu…]
Online, it was filled with the mournful whine of geese. In the #VieforSupremcy super thread, it was the viewers bitter decries everywhere.
"Vie for Supremacy" has already aired twenty-two episodes, Wanqi Yao first appeared in the eighth episode, so up till now, he has appeared in a total of fourteen episodes. His scenes weren't much, but in "Vie for Supremacy" popularity polls, he always ranked in the top three! Others in the top three aside from him included the male and female lead. Even the second male lead, Dongli Lan, was ranked below him.
Yet such a popular character was actually left to die by the screenwriter like this!
Such a brilliant person, whose intelligent was near otherworldly level actually died in the hands of a small unknown soldier. He did not die in the hands of his shixiong Dongli Lan, he did not die in the midst of the raging battlefield, but instead, he died due to a successful strategy, under the sword of an ordinary general who was forced to a dead end.
If even the ordinary audience of "Vie for Supremacy" felt regretful and sad for Wanqi Yao's death and Wanqi Yao's fans were anguished enough to find the screenwriter even if their life depends on it, then the LanYao CP fans have already felt that the sky collapsed.
In the #LanYao CP thread, it was full of their wailing.
[Crown Prince you said before that you want Yaoyao's life, now… Are you satisfied! Are you satisfied yet!!!]
[How can it be like this QAQ His Highness the Crown Prince was hugging Yaoyao and crying miserably, he was crying till he almost fainted! He didn't want Yaoyao to die at all ah, he was his shidi, he was his one and only shidi ah! In this world, he only has this one shidi, how can he be willing to kill Yaoyao, why does the Heavens play with people like this?! Ah ah ah ah ah ah!!]
[He was just late a step! Just a step! Why didn't he come earlier to see Yaoyao, he let someone kill Yaoyao. I originally thought this CP of ours was only one that would say "I hate you, I want to kill you" 'love and hate' CP, but I never thought that while this love might not necessarily true, the killing part was true! What's the use of crying of hard, can it bring back Yaoyao? Can it bring back your favorite shidi?!]
[In this world, only shixiong can play chess with me, only shixiong… ah ah ah ah QAQ!!! ]
The majority of the LanYao CP fans were already forced to lose their senses by this sudden knife. They don't dare believe this ending, they aren't willing to believe it at all that a single sentence Dongli Lan said in a fit of anger took away Wanqi Yao's life.
His only shidi was killed by him. He obviously didn't want to kill him, but in the end, he still killed him!
If you really wanted him to die, then why is it that when he died, you're hugging him like that and crying so sorrowfully!
Why couldn't you have been a bit more honest!
However, there are also still some sensible CP fans that suddenly understood a lot of things after their grieving period.
[Yaoyao setted up three chess games in Wang Qiu Pavilion, and only after solving all three chess games you can meet him. But in his final line, he said only shixiong can play chess with him. Could it be… he was actually waiting for Dongli Lan? Only Dongli Lan can solve his chess games, Xiao Xiang's cheating was an accident, but in actuality, he has always been waiting for Dongli Lan!]
[I used to think there was something between Wanqi Yao and Xiao Xiang, he seems very much like and appreciate the intelligent and courageous General Xiao. But now it seems like his shixiong is his true love! Only true love can confidently say "He will not kill me"! Only true love can he not hate him at all even when he was dying! It's obviously true love, why use such a knife to abuse us…]
Qili Studio is quite famous in the industry. They have written two same-sex films, one was nominated for France's César Award, one became that year's box office dark horse with a complete newcomers lineup. Although many viewers didn't know that "Vie for Supremacy" was also produced by this studio, this didn't prevent a certain insider from getting insider information. For example——
[Lotus Seed Paste and Orange Stuffing: ...]
Ten minutes later.
[Lotus Seed Paste and Orange Stuffing: Died?]
Twenty minutes later.
[Lotus Seed Paste and Orange Stuffing: He died ah… died ah…]
Looking at this, this cutesy named CP account seems to be very normal, just an ordinary "Vie for Supremacy" fan.
That is until thirty minutes later——
[Lotus Seed Paste and Orange Stuffing: I want to send dynamites send dynamites send dynamites send dynamites! Qili Studio! Qili Studio! Qili Studio! He's so good, why did you let him die! why why why why why why!!! ]
***
The next night, certain screenwriters from Qili Studio was just about to get off work when they suddenly received a parcel from a delivery man. While opening the parcel, he joked to his colleague: "Did you see the audience's comments online after "Vie for Supremacy" was aired yesterday? They all want to send us blades haha."
The colleague also laughed: "Right? I already guessed that this would definitely be their reaction when I wrote that scene. You tell me, how can we move the plot along if Wanqi Yao didn't die? If he didn't die, it wouldn't be soon before Chu State defeats Liang Empire. As for the blades…. Hahaha just let them send it, let them do whatever they want!"
"Eh? This package has no name, it wouldn't be a blade right?" The screenwriter joked.
The other screenwriter laughed till he was almost out of breath: "You're thinking too mu… how come there's so many pieces of papers?"
Ten seconds later.
The two screenwriters: "..."
Which crazy person was it that send a whole mountain of papers with "dynamites" written on each and every one of them ah!
Is there something wrong with you!!!
***
Probably due to being scared by this 'sending "dynamites"' matter, but later that night, the screenwriter silently signed into Qili Studio's official Weibo. Taking advantage of the fact that tonight's two episodes of "Vie for Supremacy" didn't aired yet, they made a post.
[Qili Studio: The gifted would be harm, the strong would be insulted. Wanqi Yao has once recalled that Wang Qiu Pavilion had a single rule: They are not to meddle with worldly affairs. Therefore, he should not have joined this battle from the beginning, his actions of entering the secular world led to the result of his death. No one in the world can be considered absolute. He has already achieved all that he could achieved by leaving a future road for Chu State and helping Chu State obtain the strength to compete with Liang Empire. May everyone be at ease and don't think too much. In the end, the affairs of the world are impermanent, people will all die one day. ]
This post appeared to be reasonable and logic, however, for all the netizens who saw this post: "..."
People will all die one day…
You're the one who'll die one day!!!
[I really want to beat the screenwriter to death, I really really want to beat the screenwriter to death. I can already see the screenwriter hiding behind the computer with an evil smile while watching us as we cry our hearts out and deliberately writing "People will all die one day"!]
[Too infuriating, really infuriating! Who's going to beat up the screenwriter, I'll sponsor you five cents!]
[I'll sponsor ten ingots!]
[A hundred! I'll give you a hundred treasures! Beat them hard for me!! Beat them to death!!!]
After another hour passed and after watching the twenty-third episode of "Vie for Supremacy", all audience members finally understood why the screenwriter suddenly showed up and gave everyone an explanation, telling them to be at ease!
Because in the twenty-third episode, Dongli Lan brought Wanqi Yao's corpse back to Wang Qiu Pavilion and personally sealed his shidi's coffin. At that time, he found the jade pendant inside Wanqi Yao's clothes next to his heart. He silently placed the jade pendant in Wanqi Yao's hands, letting this pendant follow him in his deep sleep beneath the earth.
…Was this abuse?
This was obviously cruel abuse!
Don't even mention the CP fans and Wanqi Yao fans, even the ordinary fans of "Vie for Supremacy" were abused to within an inch of their life by this scene.
Lin Xiaolu was a LanYao CP fan. Ever since yesterday, she's been silently biting a handkerchief while watching the TV in tears. Now today, when the scene got to where Dongli Lan was gazing his shidi one last time with red eyes as he sealed his shidi's coffin, she held her handkerchief and was about to wipe her tears when she suddenly heard her mom who was beside pull out some tissue paper and blow her nose.
Lin Xiaolu turned around in surprise, not knowing when her mom who claimed "It's just a drama series, might as well take a look" also had tears in her eyes and was secretly trying to wipe away her tears.
Seeing she was caught by her daughter, Mama Lin spoke, choked with emotion: "You say, that Dongli Lan. He obviously cared about his shidi, but still let it end up like this. How can be like this, these two children are very pitiful, truly too pitiful."
Lin Xiaolu: "QAQ!"
That's right! It's obviously true love (Mama Lin didn't say that), how did it become like this!!!
This kind of 'only knowing how to cherish once lost' plot was indeed dog blood, but it was an effective weapon that would never be outdated.
"Vie for Supremacy" ratings for these two episodes had a huge leap up and broke through 4! And even reaching 4.5!
Online, the discussion of this drama series even surpassed that of Wen Xuan's movie that was coming out next week, placing first on the Film and Television Topics List. Countless netizens were abused by this plot till they wanted to shout towards the Heavens, abused till they couldn't even care for themselves. There were even some netizens who expressed: "Wanqi Yao's already dead, I'm not watching "Vie for Supremacy" anymore!"
Seeming to know the netizens' tsundere thoughts, Rong Xu made a post that evening.
[Rong Xu: I heard that I will still appear in a lot of flashback scenes, are you really not going to watch anymore? [smiley face]]
The fans immediately gave up their tsundere act: [Ah ah ah ah ah watch watch watch watch watch! Even if it's a flashback we'll watch QAQ!]
A certain cutesy named fan who had just finished watching the latest episode of "Vie for Supremacy" had their head buried in writing on pieces of paper when they suddenly saw this post. Write on what paper? Sent what aircraft carrier? Quickly forward, comment, and like ah!
[Lotus Seed Paste and Orange Stuffing: Baby won't send dynamites anymore, Baby also won't send aircraft carriers anymore. Even if the screenwriter deliberately made Wanqi Yao's and Dongli Lan's relationship so ambiguous, Baby also won't eat vinegar anymore. Just want Rongrong to hug hug~, want Rongrong to kiss kiss~! @Rong Xu]
…So to say, what the hell was an aircraft carrier!
This post from Rong Xu and new development from "Vie for Supremacy" sparked many fervent discussions online and in real life. Whether it's being heartbroken by Wanqi Yao's death or being abused by the shixiong–shidi pair's ending that arose from multiple unfortunate misunderstandings, after thinking through calmly, they all have no choice but to admit that this plot made them both love and hate it, but it was impossible for them to abandon drama.
This kind of development has brought great recognition to Rong Xu and Ye Qiao, and also gave Rong Xu a huge burst of popularity after "Ambush".
Such high popularity and passionate discussions have led many Directors and investors to notice Rong Xu's existence. Many still didn't know that Rong Xu was currently filming for "Black Clouds". They've been sending Luo Zhentao audition invitations and advertising endorsements one after the other, making him so busy that he was grinning from ear to ear.
***
Rong Xu's sudden burst of popularity again was seen by many.
At the Rong Family's residence, Rong Heng looked incredulously at that day's newspaper, choked with anger: "How can he be in the newspaper? An idiot like him can actually become popular? As if! Something's wrong with this, something's definitely wrong!"
In a small crew in Hengdian, Zhong Yi heard about "Vie for Supremacy" ratings being 4.5 from his assistant. His eyes widened and his whole body shook.
After waiting till he was the only one left in the lounge room, Zhong Yi angrily threw the script in his hand on the ground: "That was my role! I'm Wanqi Yao! I'm obviously suppose to be Wanqi Yao! No, not just Wanqi Yao… Huo Xi as well! Huo Xi should've also been mine! Why the hell is he so popular when I'm still playing the second male lead in this crappy idol drama! Why! Rong Xu!!!"
As for these idiotic cannonfodders' hatred, Rong Xu naturally didn't know about it.
On the third day of "Black Clouds" filming, the famous guest stars entered the crew one after another, making the atmosphere in this small production, low-budget crew even tenser. Whether or not Rong Xu can reign in these high coffee seat guests and truly let the male lead stand out was the key task of today's filming.
And the first famous star to enter the cast was the one who had just finished filming "Disciple" together with Qin Cheng: China's famous Film Empress, Xia Muyan.
The author has something to say:
Qin Orangeorange: If Rongrong doesn't hug hug, doesn't kiss kiss, then Baby will turn into a slimy sour vinegar orange!
Rongrong: …Then you change into one for me to see.
Translator's corner:
*got to the part "People will all die one day" when translating*
Vian: ….That's horrible wording screenwriter
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Hundreds of generals die on the battlefield, but heroes return after ten years – [將軍百戰死,壯士十年歸 – Jiāngjūn bǎi zhàn sǐ, zhuàngshì shí nián guī]
Soldiers go through many battles and there will be many who dies, but the surviving heroes will return victoriously after ten years
The line is from Folk Songs of Northern Dynasties: Song of Mulan
He was let go – [領便當了 – lǐng biàndangle]
The specific term was more like "He was given the lunchbox" lol
The term came from the film "King of Comedy" [喜剧之王]
In the film, the MC is an unknown star ho can only play some small roles. When the Director doesn't need him, he would send the MC a lunchbox and a message saying he's not needed.
So "being given the lunchbox" more or less equals the death of a character because the actor was let go of.
Mournful whine of geese – [哀鴻遍野 – āi hóng biàn yě]
You ever heard of a flock of geese and their honkings sounds like they are dying? Yeah, that
France's César Award – The national film award of France. The César Award is considered the highest film honor in France.
The gifted would be harm, the strong would be insulted – [慧極必傷,強極則辱 – huì jí bì shāng, qiáng jí zé rǔ]
The original line was a letter from "The Book and the Sword"
The whole line (rough trans.): The gifted would be harm, those with deep feeling will not live long, the strong would be insulted, a modest gentleman, is gentle like jade.
[慧极必伤,情深不寿,强极则辱,谦谦君子,温润如玉 – Huì jí bì shāng, qíng shēn bù shòu, qiáng jí zé rǔ, qiān qiān jūn zǐ, wēn rùn rú yù]
Meaning: Excessively showing off your intelligence will cause you harm, being too focused on your feelings will affect your life, wanting strength too much will cause you to be insulted. Being a modest and considerate person who's like jade, without revealing anything is best.
However, I think the screenwriter used this line a bit out of context. The way he used it seems to be more of "no matter how strong or intelligent one is, they still have their weakness" or something like that.
Treasures – [壓箱底 – yā xiāngdǐ]
In ancient China, it was a sex education tool. It's a small porcelain container/box with erotic figures and painting inside that that the mother would give to their daughters who would be married as dowry to help enlightenment the girl in the bridal chamber.
By extended meaning, it nowadays usually refers to household treasures or cherished items and such.
To shout towards the Heavens -[哭天搶��� – kū tiān qiāng de]
Imagine someone on their knees shouting and crying as they look up towards the sky. I'm sure you've seen that scene at least once in shounen lol
Tsundere – [傲嬌 – Ào jiāo] It's a loanword from JP's tsundere as compared to Mensao [闷骚 – mēn sāo] which is actually a CN term, both however essentially mean the same thing; cold on the outside, warm on the inside. But Mensao is a lot less extreme than a tsundere
What the hell was an aircraft carrier! – That's what I want to know!!! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
It's in the title and I thought it was some slang or something so I spent the next 30 mins search online but I got nothing. So it turns out to be something you made up you vinegar loving Orange!! (ノ ゜Д゜)ノ
P.S. Aircraft carrier is a warship. That's probably why Orange wants to send it to the screenwriter =w=