I am pleasantly surprised at how Pursuit of Jade has framed Xie Zheng's kiss of Fan Changyu before they part in Lin'an.
In another show, him forcing that kiss on her would have been framed as romantic. Instead, it's a tragic betrayal of both Fan Changyu and the peace Xie Zheng found as Yan Zheng.
Fan Changyu calls it harassment -- which is what a non-consensual kiss is.
Xie Zheng is clearly struggling with what he is about to lose in returning to his responsibilities, and to his war god Marquis of Wu'an persona, and it makes him reckless, aggressive and out of control. His actions make sense for the character and the scene does some important plot/relationship work in cementing their estrangement before the war gets hot again and in showing Fan Changyu another side to Yan Zheng.
Fan Changyu's violent rebuff (slap and drawing her knife), doesn't seem disproportionate because the actor does such a fantastic job of conveying her shock and betrayal: she is suddenly facing a stranger who won't take no for an answer. This isn't her kind and patient husband.
And the added tragedy is, this isn't the kiss they've been circling toward (see the way he tenderly holds her face in episode 16 at the restaurant before they separated earlier in the day).
So I am deeply appreciative that Xie Zheng apologizes for it in episode 24. The moment is not just shrugged off as if it was unimportant.
