Susan is my favorite Pevensie, not for who she was in the books, but rather for the symbol she became. Her ending is ambiguous, open-ended. We do not know if she found her way back to Narnia and, more importantly, Aslan. We only know that she drifted from and lost her faith. But C.S. Lewis made the point to say that her damnation is not a forgone conclusion. And that is so important to me.
The Chronicles of Narnia are, without a doubt, a Christian allegory, possibly the most famous and widely read Christian allegory in modern times. And there is a character who has lost her faith but whose story does not end with it gone forever. She is not damned for having lost her faith. She suffers for it, yes, but her suffering is not the end, simply the middle, with possibility and hope on her horizon should she choose it.
That is possibly one of the most important messages of The Chronicles of Narnia, especially in this day and age when more and more young people are setting aside their faith (usually after bad experiences, which, hey, if you need space from toxic interpretations of God's Word, I don't blame you).
The important thing to remember is, turning away now does not prevent your return, however and whenever you find your way back. God's love is neverending and He will not turn away those who come to Him in good faith, no matter how long they were gone (and don't let anyone ever tell you any differently).
The way Tae-ju & Hui-ju's relationship slowly shifted over the course of the series from Enemy Siblings to Only I'm Allowed to Bully Him/Her Siblings was 🤌
Honestly, Tae-ju and his wife, Han Da-yeong, were perfect. Literally the only thing they opposed Hui-ju on was who was going to inherit/take over the family business. Everything else and they were locked in, ten toes down on Hui-ju's side. The way Han Da-yeong defended Hui-ju against those other noblewomen who were probably some of her closest friends? And checking on Hui-ju on her wedding day because Da-yeong is the one in the immediate family who knows court etiquette best and she wasn't about to let anyone cause problems or embarrass her SIL? Queen behavior right there.
Not to mention the list of potential husbands Da-yeong made for Hui-ju at the beginning of the series wasn't done maliciously. Yeah, none of them were the cream of the crop and were all matches that wouldn't threaten Tae-ju's chances of taking over Castle (that's good wife behavior right there), but they also weren't bad matches. Assuming the one guy Hui-ju went on a date with exemplifies the guys on the list, they were decent men that would treat Hui-ju with respect. Their only flaw was they wouldn't give Hui-ju the status that she wanted.
Plus, it didn't even seem like Tae-ju blamed Hui-ju for his mother's heart attack & death even though the reveal of her existence was the cause. There wasn't a single instance where he threw that in her face, despite that being the narrative standard. Instead, it felt like he knew none of that was her fault so that wasn't the source of their rivalry. Literally my only complaint with Tae-ju is that he never stood up for Hui-ju against their father which, let's be real, she never would have appreciated or accepted. And with filial piety being such a big deal in Korea, his desire to be named his father's successor chairman at Castle, and them being a chaebol family, I can understand why he wouldn't (don't like it, don't agree with it, can understand it).
Also, Tae-ju & Han Da-yeong being absolutely adorable and totally in love and supportive as fuck of each other (go ahead & hit them, I have bail money anyone?) was probably one my favorite aspects of the entire series.
............apparently I have a lot more thoughts on Tae-ju & Da-yeong than I realized 😅
Hui-ju’s actions aren't some feminist revolt against another woman. This is a strategic strike against the entire political infrastructure. She isn't focused on gender dynamics, she’s focused on dismantling power.
First, we have to look at the Queen Dowager’s true objective. In a Joseon-style court, a banquet isn’t a social event, it’s a ritual of hierarchy. Every detail is a calculated move: the dangui¹ signals your rank at a glance, the entry order dictates the pecking order, and the seating chart reinforces the political structure. By sending Hui-ju that specific outfit and forcing her to walk last and sit in the back, the Queen Dowager is publicly branding her as low-status and controllable. It’s a political declaration: "You exist only within my system."
Choosing the white suit over the dangui is Hui-ju’s way of rejecting the system's labels. If she wears the dangui, she’s acknowledging her place in the social order. By refusing it, she denies the court the power to categorize her. It’s a powerful statement of autonomy: "I don't fit into your boxes." This isn't a rebellion for the sake of aesthetics, it's a high-stakes narrative refusal to be a pawn in their political game.
White² isn't just a snub, it’s controlled ambiguity. Per the show’s own internal logic, white is the color of the Queen Dowager and mourning, but also the mark of a commoner. Hui-ju uses this to play all sides. She tells the court she’s above their ranks, tells the Dowager she doesn't own the color, and tells the public she’s one of them. It’s a genius bit of visual storytelling. She isn't just throwing a "gendered jab," she’s making a massive power move by showing that the court’s symbols have no power over her.
When Hui-ju puts on a Western suit, it pits economic power against inherited power (by far the biggest thematic clash in the show). The court is defined by the yangban bloodline system, while Hui-ju is powered by modern wealth. The visual contrast is immediate. A dangui signals allegiance to tradition, but the suit tells the world she plays by a different set of rules. It’s about breaking free from a political cage.
Don't mistake the Prince’s intervention for a "rescue" because there's difference between a "Damsel in Distress" trope and a strategic political alliance.
It’s easy to misread this as simple gender dynamics, but it’s actually pure court politics. When he takes her hand, he isn't "saving" a weak woman, he is publicly validating her defiance. In the rigid logic of Joseon, walking order is synonymous with hierarchy. Since the Prince belongs at the front, pulling her forward serves as a real-time re-ranking. He’s telling the court, "She stands beside me, not beneath you." It’s a political endorsement. Hui-ju made the first move by causing the disruption, the Prince simply followed her lead to legitimize it. The power flow is clear: she acts, and he escalates.
I love her "playing dumb" strategy! When she tells the press she’s "just a commoner" who didn't understand the court's rigid rules, she’s building a shield against punishment. She knows that if the Palace retaliates, they’ll look like bullies picking on an innocent outsider. It’s a calculated manipulation of the public’s expectations. She forces the royals to act with "benevolence" whether they want to or not 😌
Hui-ju wasn’t attacking the Queen Dowager as a woman, nor was she rejecting femininity or making a simple "girlboss" statement. Instead, she chose to reject being ranked by aristocratic rules and introduced a new power system. She forced the court to engage with her on entirely different terms and triggered the Prince to publicly choose a side. Had she obeyed, she would have become controllable. Had she openly defied them, she would have been crushed. Instead, she disrupted the status quo without direct confrontation, shifting the battlefield entirely. That’s why it works.
¹In the world of Korean hanbok, the dangui is the go-to formal jacket for the elite. It’s the standard silhouette for royal women (from the Queen down to the court ladies) and the high-ranking noblewomen of the yangban class. It serves as a narrative signal of status, whether it's being worn for a major ceremony or as part of the daily palace wardrobe.
²The color-coded hierarchy of the Joseon era.
In Joseon, the King’s primary state robe was known as the gonryongpo (곤룡포), and it was traditionally a striking bright red. This color choice was rooted in Confucian hierarchy and influenced by Chinese imperial standards, specifically those of the Ming Dynasty, which Joseon used as a model for its own statecraft and protocol.
Red symbolizes supreme authority and vitality; in East Asian iconography, it represents the central life force and absolute power.
Historically, red and the dragon insignia were reserved exclusively for the King to mark his sovereignty. Joseon had an incredibly rigid dress code that controlled everything from fabric to patterns. If a Grand Prince were to sport that same look, it wouldn't just be "disrespectful," it would be interpreted as a symbolic coup. In a palace full of rival factions, wearing the King's colors is basically announcing your intention to take the crown. The stakes couldn't be higher.
While white is associated with the Queen Dowager, its meaning is actually much more nuanced. Joseon society is famously known as the "Nation of White-Clad People" (Baeguiminjok / 백의민족). For commoners, white was the color of daily life, symbolizing purity, simplicity, and humility.
White serves as a powerful visual marker for mourning and high rank. In this Confucian setting, white is the color of widowhood, and since the Queen Dowager is the eternal widow of the previous King, she essentially "owns" that status. The Queen (the King’s consort) wore vibrant ceremonial colors like reds and greens to symbolize her active power. Concubines and noblewomen were restricted to specific palettes dictated entirely by their rank. The Queen Dowager, meanwhile, transitioned to more restrained, pale, or white-based tones (a symbolic shift rather than a literal requirement). When she wears white or muted tones, she signals her seniority and moral weight to the rest of the court. It is a way of asserting her power without saying a word.
Why is white "forbidden" in this show? It’s a blend of history and drama exaggeration. Dressing too much like a royal (or the Queen Dowager) was seen as a huge sign of disrespect. The show uses this "forbidden white" rule as visual shorthand. It’s a simple way to heighten the tension and make the power struggle obvious to the viewers.
Chapters: 1/9
Fandom: 逐玉 | Pursuit of Jade (TV), 逐玉 - 团子来袭 | Chasing Jade - Tuan Zi Lai Xi, Pursuit of Jade | Chasing Jade | 逐玉, 逐玉 | Pursuit of Jade - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Qi Min/Yu Qianqian
Characters: Yu Qianqian, Qi Min (Pursuit of Jade), Yu Qianqian (Pursuit of Jade), Qi Min, Yu Bao'er, Yu Bao'er (Pursuit of Jade)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe; Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence; Alternate Universe - Fix it; Nontoxic Qi Min; Still a red flag but less wtf he's a psycho; Possessive Qi Min; Devoted Qi Min; If his Qianqian says jump he doesn't even bother asking how high; If his Qianqian says no more rebellion then no more rebellion; Qi Min has exactly one priority: make his Qianqian happy; Happy Ending; Angst with a Happy Ending; Romance; Canon Typical Violence
Summary:
They were happy once. He knew they were. He remembered her smile in the moonlight, remembered her laughter echoing through their rooms like silver bells. But then she vanished from his side like smoke. Qi Min still did not know why she fled. He spent six years, six long, lonely years, desperately searching for her. He went through the motions of manipulation for the Li Clan's rebellion but his heart no longer yearned for vengeance. His QianQian was his guiding star. What was the point of becoming emperor if he did not have his empress?
When Qi Min finally found his QianQian he vowed that he would never lose her again. He would demand an explanation for why she left. He would ensure that whatever caused her to flee never happened again. He would grant her every wish, obey her every command, do as she bid in all things. He would replace his own ambitions and dreams with hers. He would do anything and everything his QianQian asked of him if only she would swear to never leave him again.
Omg the the Qi Min Au was Aaaaaaaaaeatahdjfjdhsj in the best way possible xoxo
I'm so glad you liked it!!! Qi Min is so toxic but if he could just refocus his priorities he would make an AMAZING dark romantacy love interest literally the only things I can't forgive is his refusal to actually hear what QianQian is saying (but the fact that she actively wants to kill him & is constantly defying him yet he never puts hands on her until the very end when it finally starts clicking how much she hates him 🥵) and wanting to kill his own son 😭😭😭
@monstrumpologin Okay, so, I started writing the fic.
His Guiding Star (https://archiveofourown.org/works/83918561)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Pairing: Qi Min/Yu Qianqian
Tags: Alternate Universe; Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence; Alternate Universe - Fix it; Nontoxic Qi Min; Still a red flag but less wtf he's a psycho; Possessive Qi Min; Devoted Qi Min; If his Qianqian says jump he doesn't even bother asking how high; If his Qianqian says no more rebellion then no more rebellion; Qi Min has exactly one priority: make his Qianqian happy; Happy Ending; Angst with a Happy Ending; Romance; Canon Typical Violence
Summary:
They were happy once. He knew they were. He remembered her smile in the moonlight, remembered her laughter echoing through their rooms like silver bells. But then she vanished from his side like smoke. Qi Min still does not know why she fled. He has spent six years, six long, lonely years, desperately searching for her. He went through the motions of manipulation for the Li Clan's rebellion but his heart no longer yearned for vengeance. His QianQian was his guiding star. What was the point of becoming emperor if he did not have his empress?
When Qi Min finally found his QianQian he vowed that he would never lose her again. He would demand an explanation for why she left. He would ensure that whatever caused her to flee never happened again. He would grant her every wish, obey her every command, do as she bid in all things. He would replace his own ambitions and dreams with hers. He would do anything and everything his QianQian asked of him if only she would swear to never leave him again.
QianQian is in danger, and somehow they all meet up with Changyu, Xie Zheng and Xie Wu. They meet. Bonding time. He saves her.
After the war for the throne, Xie Wu is with Xie Zheng and Changyu in Lin'an.
He is now the official right hand of Xie Zheng and most importantly nanny to Changning. They often go in the capital because Bao'er is on the throne, and Changning and him are still friends.
QianQian and Xie Wu fall in love as they spend time together. He is reliable, mentally (and physically) healthy, loves kids..
Xie Zheng is coaching him, Changyu is coaching her.
They end up marrying, having a little girl together. And they live their little lifes away from the horrors of war.
Oh yeah, internship and thesis definitely take priority (says the person who wrote fic the night before a law school final instead of studying 😂). You got this!
Omg the the Qi Min Au was Aaaaaaaaaeatahdjfjdhsj in the best way possible xoxo
I'm so glad you liked it!!! Qi Min is so toxic but if he could just refocus his priorities he would make an AMAZING dark romantacy love interest literally the only things I can't forgive is his refusal to actually hear what QianQian is saying (but the fact that she actively wants to kill him & is constantly defying him yet he never puts hands on her until the very end when it finally starts clicking how much she hates him 🥵) and wanting to kill his own son 😭😭😭
So so obsessed with the ways that Xie Zheng finds to insert himself within the already established dynamics of Fan Changyu's family and her life.
It's the care and affection he shows for Changning. He saw how important her sister was to her and resolved to be her big brother, to care for her and look out for her like Changyu does, to play with her and let her drag him around as she likes. A small child dragging around the fearsome Marquis of Wu'an. It's the way that when they are attacked his first priority is to protect Changning, when he has to fight he tells her to look away and count to ten like Changyu did, and when Changyu finally arrives he tells her to grab her sister and run, knowing that he will die facing those men alone but still understanding that whatever budding relationship they have, it will never come close to the responsibility she has for her sister.
It's the interest he takes in her job, reassuring her that is doesn't scare or disgust him, asking to help so she can show him how it's done, buying her hand cream so that she can continue working without hurting herself. It's the way that he sees her powerwalking across town followed by a gang of thugs and follows her, not to stop her, not to fight her battles for her, but to quietly step in at the very last moment to make sure that the conversation ends when she wanted it to.
It's how he immediately promised her to help her against her uncle in court and then followed through on it, almost exposing his identity for the sake of protecting her.
It's the way he writes an itemized receipt of everything the Song family owes her so that he can back her up the next time she has to ask them for her due.
It's the way the narrative constantly mirrors them, making Xie Zheng take his cues from her. We see her fight off people trying to steal her house; the next time they come he does the same. We see her tell Changning not to look; when he is forced to fight in front of her he does the same. We see her standing up for herself over and over again and rather than trying to fight her battles for her he simply stands to the side and gives her whatever support she might need.
It's funny because it seems like Xie Zheng really did mean it when he said that he would do whatever she said (though I'm sure we'll see him break that promise more than once, especially now that the court seems to be getting more involved in the plot). Their marriage may be fake, but Xie Zheng is certainly behaving like a matrilocal husband.
I hate to be the one to issue a correction, but that post going around saying that Xie Zheng would ask if Fan Changyu would love him as a worm, it's just wrong.
Xie Zheng knows that Fan Changyu would love him as a Yan "Worm" Zheng, she would build him a whole worm habitat and butcher pigs to support him, that is not his problem.
He needs to know if Fan Changyu will still love him as a dragon. As one of the deadliest, most competent, and powerful people in the kingdom.
He pretended to be a worm for so so long so she would keep taking care of him.
He's half a moment of despair away from chopping off his arms and legs to turn back into a worm.
The worm thing is covered. Edit: it's a wyrm problem (people in my notes being funnier than me again)
Wu, about to have heart attack, seeing his whole life flash before his eyes, rethinking every life choice that led to him being stuck in the middle of his boss's marriage drama: YOU WHAT!!??
QianQian is in danger, and somehow they all meet up with Changyu, Xie Zheng and Xie Wu. They meet. Bonding time. He saves her.
After the war for the throne, Xie Wu is with Xie Zheng and Changyu in Lin'an.
He is now the official right hand of Xie Zheng and most importantly nanny to Changning. They often go in the capital because Bao'er is on the throne, and Changning and him are still friends.
QianQian and Xie Wu fall in love as they spend time together. He is reliable, mentally (and physically) healthy, loves kids..
Xie Zheng is coaching him, Changyu is coaching her.
They end up marrying, having a little girl together. And they live their little lifes away from the horrors of war.
Has anyone considered a Pursuit of Jade AU where Qi Min is a "possessive, you are my moral compass, my guiding star, ask it of me and it will be yours" red flag rather than a "possessive, obsessive, controlling, down bad and incapable of being sane about it" red flag?
And what if Qi Min and Yu QianQian were happy once? Yes, she did save him from drowning. Yes, he took her as his concubine. Those were the happiest years of his life. QianQian longed for home but while she was here, she could live happily with this man who treated her as more precious than jade, who granted her every wish, whim, and desire. But then she became pregnant. Rather than celebrate, her husband, her beloved Qi Min, tried to poison her. She almost lost the child. To protect herself and her son, QianQian fled before she could begin to show. Believing her plan to force the death of Qi Min's unborn child a success, Sui Yin, the Princess Changxin, the Sui Clan matriarch, comforted herself with the knowledge that now there would be no competition to displace her true son, Sui Yuanqing.
Qi Min woke to find his beloved QianQian gone, vanished like smoke. He spent six years, six long, lonely years desperately searching for her, only going through the motions of manipulation for the Li Clan's rebellion for what was the point of becoming emperor if he did not have his empress. When he finally found his QianQian he vowed that he would never lose her again. He would demand an explanation for why she left. He would ensure that whatever caused her to flee never happened again. He would grant her every wish, obey her every command, do as she bid in all things. He would replace his own ambitions and dreams with hers. He would do anything and everything she asked of him if only she would swear to never leave him again.
Just imagine:
Qi Min considered the situation before him with no small amount of disgust. His so-called brother Sui Yuanqing was laying waste to the town of Lin'an with a mongrel band of bandits. If not for his timely intervention, Qi Min knew that his QianQian would be lying amongst the dead--or worse, be among the women screaming.
The fear in his QianQian's dark eyes when she realized it was he who had saved her and the child had almost stopped Qi Min in his tracks. What had he done to engender such fear in her? Why had she vanished? Why did she leave him? These were questions that Qi Min would have her answer eventually. For now, he intended to take her and the child who was most assuredly his son far from this place, to wrap her in silk and jewels as she deserved, to give his son everything Qi Min was denied, to keep them both safe from harm.
His QianQian and their son were safely in the carriage, hidden from prying eyes. He turned to join her but then he remembered the unshed tears and his QianQian's whispered plea, her dark eyes flicking wildly around taking in the destruction and suffering. Qi Min could not deny her. He never could deny her anything.
He turned back to the mongrel who called him brother. "Recall your dogs."
Sui Yuanqing frowned. "What?"
"We are leaving. The Marquis of Wu'an is not far off and this unnecessary waste of time will only draw his attention. We do not have the soldiers to repel him. It is time we join our father and General Shi."
Sui Yuanqing growled in frustration. "Fine." He swung back onto his horse. "But first, I have business in Xigu Alley."
Qi Min nodded serenely. "Make it quick. We will meet you on the road." Hopefully whatever business the madman had would get him killed. Without another word, Qi Min entered the carriage where his QianQian and their son waited.
His QianQian flinched at the sight of him and clutched their son closer. Qi Min's heart ached. What had he done to make her fear him so?
Every fiber of his being longed to wrap his QianQian in his arms, to hold her and their son close and never let them go, but that would not convince his QianQian to trust him as she once had. Qi Min forced himself to sit in the corner opposite his family as the carriage began to move, his back pressed painfully against the wood paneling. The wooden edge dug into his spine, the pain granting him the clarity to control the almost overwhelming need to hold his QianQian.
His QianQian met his considering gaze squarely, her beautiful dark eyes still wide, still fearful, but there was fire burning in their dark depths. Good. Her spirit was not broken. The boy in her arms had her large, dark eyes but his skin sun-dark, much like Qi Min's own. A child that was both his QianQian and him. Living proof that his QianQian was truly his. Once he proved to his QianQian that she need never fear him, that he was a devoted as he had ever been, maybe once she trusted him again they could have another child. Perhaps a daughter who was his QianQian's miniature.
"I have convinced Sui Yuanqing to leave this place alone," Qi Min said into the oppressive quiet.
"Why?"
Her voice was the most beautiful melody Qi Min had ever known. His eyes flutter involuntarily, the breath momentarily stolen from his lungs. Had he his way, Qi Min would never listen to anything else. "Because," he said quietly, "you asked me to help them."
His QianQian licked her lips; her perfect peony petal lips. Desire burned in his gut but he would not touch her. Not yet. Not until she begged for him. "That's all it took?"
"You need only ever ask it of me and I will make it so." He leaned forward. His fingers twitched; oh, how he wished to hold her. "All I ask in return is that you do not leave me. Not again. Never leave me again."
His QianQian took a deep, shaky breath. "And if I want you to stop your rebellion?"
His QianQian was far more knowledgeable than Qi Min had expected. And yet Qi Min knew this would be his QianQian's request even before she opened her mouth. He had considered this even before he found her again.
Qi Min knew himself. He was not a good man. He was not kind or merciful. Much of his life was spent plotting and scheming to take back what the Wei and Sui Traitors stole from him. It was only by fate's hand that his QianQian had saved him. Had she not pulled him from the water and brought him back to life Qi Min would still have only vengeance in his heart. But his QianQian had saved him and doing so irrevocably altered his destiny.
When his QianQian suddenly vanished like smoke, Qi Min had sworn to Heaven that if he found her again he would renounce all ambitions for the Dragon Throne. He had vowed to replace his own ambitions and dreams with hers. His QianQian was his guiding star. He would do anything and everything she asked of him if only she would swear to never leave him again.
When he finally found his QianQian in that bustling restaurant, he had vowed that he would never lose her again. He would demand an explanation for why she left. He would ensure that whatever caused her to flee never happened again. He would grant her every wish, obey her every command, do as she bid in all things. If she wished to be empress, he would make it so. But if she wished to leave schemes and treachery behind, he would give her a quiet, peaceful life far from the machinations of the imperial court.
What was an empire, absolute power, untold riches, compared to his QianQian? It was such a small price to pay to have his QianQian in his arms again.
"Then," he answered, voice barely above a whisper so outsiders would not hear him, "I join forces with the Marquis Wu'an to stop Prince Changxin and his conspirators."
"That easy?" his QianQian demanded fiercely.
"You asked it of me," Qi Min said simply, meeting her gaze with steady honesty, probably the most honesty he had ever given anyone since the fire. "When have I ever denied you anything?"
I think it's very sexy of Sesskag writers to use Sesshoumaru as a means of giving Kagome respect and agency. Like I see the argument that shippers just like Sesskag bc he's pretty or they're self inserting into Kagome, and that's valid too if you wanna do that, but that's not what most Sesskag shippers do. Most of the time it's all about Kagome worship. Their fics usually always feature:
- Kagome training
- Kagome getting a powerup. She's able to use shields, barriers, or do subtle intricate things with her aura. Occasionally she's given a new weapon or skill too.
- Acknowledgement. Kagome is placed as the core member of the inutachi who keeps everyone together. Sesshoumaru is forced to acknowledge this and give her respect if the plot demands he requires something from her
- solo work
- dreams/goals aspirations in the feudal era or future that are entirely separate from romance
- compliments. Sesshoumaru finding her powerful and a force to be reckoned with is a compliment on its own. It never usually sways into Mary-sue territory if you're reading a seasoned Sesskag writer, more like Kagome receiving credit where credit is due bc of HER actions. She's never treated as just Kikyos Reincarnation.
- her personality is able to shine. Writers either give her back her sass, her spark, her kindness and especially her ingenuity for dangerous situations.
Combine all this with Kagome navigating demon politics or new threats or hell even just new weird feelings for Sesshoumaru of all demons and you've got a recipe for some darn good fanfictions. There's plenty out there for this ship ♥
I love sesskag. A lot of fics have him just appreciating her. One of the things kagome suffered with was being second best to kikiyo. I feel like sesskag ships just give the validation that kagome deserves.
