Early Access: A Dream Of Splendor E3-4 (Patreon)

E3-4. Ooh. I'm feeling the crack bite a little bit now, and I think I'm beginning to see why everyone seems to love this show.

The first positive, this set of episodes, is that Show is revealing more of Gu Qian Fan's decent core, and in a way that feels quite natural.

What this means is, while watching this set of episodes, there wasn't any particular point where I decided that he was no longer in the doghouse with me. I just.. realized that I didn't dislike him anymore, somewhere along the way.

And the reason for that, is part of the second positive, which is that Gu Qian Fan and Pan Er are helping each other more and more, and doing so more and more willingly too.

I really like seeing them grow to trust each other, and care about each other, through the various trials and obstacles they encounter, this set of episodes.

I also like the way Show sets up this evolution of their relationship, as a chain of cause-and-effect events.

For example, the way Gu Qian Fan jumps into the water to save San Niang, even though he's injured, and even though this means exposing his face and risking discovery, is really compassionate of him.

This leads Pan Er to think of a way to protect Gu Qian Fan, where she lies to Mr. Zheng, the  ship captain, that she's pregnant with Gu Qian Fan's baby, and that they're eloping because of a complicated love triangle involving the nephew of the Commander Prince of Pengcheng.

Which leads to that highly amusing exchange between Pan Er and Gu Qian Fan, where he deadpans that he reluctantly agrees to be the father of her baby. Hahaha! I found this very entertaining indeed. 😁

The bickery mutual accusations that they're each being taken advantage of by the other, is made funnier, because of the way Gu Qian Fan tamps down a very cheeky look, like he's having way too much fun teasing Pan Er.

That swallowed cheeky look is also one of the things that helped me soften towards Gu Qian Fan. He's definitely not as uptight and unpleasant as our initial episodes had made him out to be.

I feel sorry for San Niang and all she's been through, and I have to admit, when Gu Qian Fan creeps up behind her and knocks her out cold while she's ranting, my first instinct was to think that he did that because he'd found her hysterics too much to take.

Instead, he tells Pan Er that San Niang is too weak to get that upset, and that endeared him to me a little more, again.

He really is more compassionate than he lets on, and I'm pleasantly surprised by how differently I feel towards him now, compared to just 2 episodes ago.

Also, I must say that it's kind and quite chivalrous of him, to insist on accompanying Pan Er and San Niang, when Pan Er disembarks with San Niang, to get her to a doctor.

I mean, this is extra risk that he doesn't need, and Pan Er tells him that he doesn't need to do this, but he says that since he saved San Niang's life, he can't watch her go insane.

My take is that he doesn't feel that Pan Er and San Niang would be safe on their own, and that's why he goes with them, so that he can protect them, if necessary. That's really nice, honestly.

This feels like the first in a series of events, where Gu Qian Fan and Pan Er essentially each refuse to abandon the other, and I really enjoy that dynamic.

Somewhere along the way, they've come to see the other person as not just a friend, but a comrade of sorts; someone with whom they need to stand by, and help and protect, when needed.

The way Gu Qian Fan won't let Pan Er take San Niang to seek out a doctor on her own, and then there's also the way Pan Er won't leave without him, when their carriage is attacked, and goes back for him.

I also like the little moments where Qian Fan and Pan Er reveal little bits of information about themselves, like when Qian Fan tells Pan Er that his documentation and name are real, and when Pan Er mentions that she's seen a certificate like his, when she was young.

This indicates trust, to my eyes, and I like that a lot.

I am basically lapping up every little sign that indicates that Qian Fan and Pan Er are on better terms.

Like when Qian Fan responds with surprise when Pan Er thanks him for treating San Niang with the same acupuncture technique that he uses on prisoners, and she smiles and says that a weapon can be used to kill or save - and then adds that he's smiled twice that day.

And then there's how Pan Er analyzes his situation for him, based on what she's observed, when he asks her when she'd started to be suspicious of Zheng Qingtian.

AND, Qian Fan then even tells Pan Er about the test he's conducting, in sending the message to the Capital Security Office, of his whereabouts.

This beat in particular gives off the impression that these two are on the same side now, and I like that.

Plus, he gives her gold for travel expenses, when he realizes his situation is getting more complicated, because he doesn't want her to miss meeting Ouyang before the Grain Rain.

This, when he actually doesn't have much, since he chipped that gold off his Capital Security identity tag. I really like how he's trying to take care of Pan Er.

The reveal of what's happened to Yin Zhang, after deciding to marry Zhou She, is just horrfying.

I mean, not only is he nothing like the sweet, kind, successful person he'd made himself out to be, he's literally tied her up like an animal, and torturing her by withholding food and water?? UGH.

That is such a nightmare, honestly.

Which, of course, is the thing to cause Qian Fan and Pan Er to go their separate ways.

I'm bummed because I've been enjoying the scenes of them together, but I do appreciate the extent of mutual care and concern that we see, in their final conversation together.

By this time, even though Pan Er's story, about how the Night Revels painting that Qian Fan's been looking for is in her possession, sounds pretty out there, I can buy that Qian Fan trusts her enough by now, to believe her wild-sounding tale.

What a demonstration of trust, that he would give her the precious jade that his father had left him. That's literally a family heirloom.

The way they keep looking back after each other, after saying goodbye, also conveys a distinct sense of wistfulness, like they are reluctant to leave each other behind. I dig that.

Pan Er's elaborate scheme to give Yin Zhang time to recover, while luring Zhou She with her charms and her heavy hints of money, is quite entertaining, and I really have to marvel at how Pan Er's mind works.

She's really quick-witted, resourceful and daring. I love that.

Qian Fan making Chen Lian's acquaintance seems like a good thing, because even his old friend Wan Qi, whom he trusts implicitly, is ready to poison him, in order to get the reward that's being offered for Qian Fan's capture.

I'm assuming that Chen Lian's loyalty will somehow circle back to get Qian Fan out of this sticky situation.

One last thing; I'm watching this show on YouTube, and there's a mistranslation in my subs, which I thought would be helpful to point out.

In this set of episodes, money, in terms of millions of copper coins, is mentioned several times.

The amount reflected in the translation is incorrect. The word used in the actual dialogue is "万" which is "ten thousand." However, the subs have translated "ten thousand" as "million."

This means that "30 million" copper coins, as reflected in the subs, is actually 30 x ten thousand, ie, 300,000 copper coins, rather than 30 million.

I hope that helps to clear things up, if your subs say the same thing!

Next episode notes will be out on: Wednesday, 6 July 2022!