nineveh_uk

I had been writing a different NIF fic, but was not in the mood for angst so turned to this one instead, as a more cheerful fix-it. This is the one in which Lin Chen discovers the placebo effect and decides to employ it on Mei Changsu.

Fic: A Taste of His Own Medicine
Fandom: Nirvana in Fire
Rating: G, CNTW
Length: 4441 words
Summary: 'I've changed my mind that it's your decision' said Lin Chen. 'I will tell the Crown Prince you are fit to go to the battlefield against Da Yu, and give you the bingxu pill on one condition: you allow me to cure it.'


I was really tired last night and in need of taking my mind of things, so watched the first 20 mins of episode 1 before bed. The animatronic dove remains inadequate (why?? All the other doves they use are real), but actually, when not being overwhelmed with Nineveh's first Cdrama, the beginning is nothing like as confusing as it feels like when unable to tell apart Lin Chen and Mei Changsu, and Prince Yu and the Crown Prince. lLus I finally remembered to confirm that it is Xie Yu whose face is shown stabbing Lin Shu in the battle. But I still think that the writing on the bracelet should be subtitled.

Fic: The spring wind blows
Fandom: Nirvana in Fire
Rating: G, CNTW
Chapters: 1
Length: 1268 words
Summary: When Xiao Xuan tells her of the Chiyan rebellion and that her beloved grandson Prince Qi is to die, the Grand Empress Dowager takes drastic action.

Inspired by chapter 7 of a little nonsense now and then.

*

Once again not one of the many fics I was supposed to write. But a fic in the hand is worth two in the head.

Fic: Lay down your arms (and surrender to mine)
Fandom: Nirvana in Fire
Rating: T, CNTW
Chapters: 1
Length: 3975 words
Summary: It had seemed like a good idea at the time. It had been a good idea at the time. Seducing Prince Jing had wholly achieved its immediate objective of distracting him from coming dangerously close to recognising his former friend. Yet good as the idea had been, it had to be admitted that right from the start it had not gone as intended.

Yes, it's that hoary old genre, Prince Jing finds out! I think it might possibly be the first time I've ever used a song as a title, in which case I really am late to the party. It perhaps doesn't quite fit, but every alternative I could think of was terrible.

Inspired by these comments on FFA, which were irresistible.

azdak and I have finished a watch-a-long of NiF2, but I am too tired today for an intelligent review. Thus I give you, courtesy of Chinese propaganda posters: Xiao Pingzhang in a C20 AU. It's even titled Defending the borders tenaciously.

It occurs to me, thinking about the end of episode 54, that ( Spoiler )

Fic: Matters of the Heart by nineveh_uk
Fandom: Nirvana in Fire
Rating: G, CNTW
Chapters: 1
Length: 945 words
Summary: The Emperor is angry that Nihuang has rejected all the suitors in the marriage tournament. Gao Zhan suggests that there might be another reason than clinging to that scandalous old engagement...

Nirvana in Fire fic titles are hard. Meanwhile, my parents (and I, as I am here)are about to hit episode 20. Worst Birthday Ever here we come!

While I was visiting my parents, we watched episodes 1 - 4 of Nirvana in Fire. Possibly getting a bit desperate for new things in a world currently depriving them of cinema, days out, and the art gallery, and having heard me go on about how amazing it was* they volunteered to try an episode. I said that they needed to watch the first two episodes to get a sense of what it is like, and despite the first 5 mins of dodgy CGI and the next 90 minutes of trying to keep track of who everyone is** they were quite open to suggestions that we move on to 3 and 4 on subsequent rainy afternoons. But watching to indulge your Covid-addled daughter is one thing, to carry on is another.

Over the past week or so, they found them on the TV YouTube app and watched 5 and 6. On Saturday night they watched 7 and 8 in a row. Yesterday, my father printed out a family try and character guide (with photos) from the internet. There's no turning back at this point.

Having watched it solo, though with much discussion with azdak, it is interesting watching other people experience it for the first time IRL and go through the same "WTF is going on, argh, I can't keep up. Oh thank God, Commander Meng, I know who he is" experience. The Crown Prince is a baddie on sight because he has a dodgy moustache (and admittedly tried to have his brother assassinated). Prince Yu is not. My mother insists on calling Mei Changsu the Divine Intervention and is disappointed at signs that Prince Yu may not be a goodie after all. I am going to stay again in September, I think that might work out at just in time for Jingrui's birthday party...

Suggestions for the best moment to break the news to them about the yeti are welcome. I think I have to, though I shall frame it as "there's a bit of a weird sequence in which we are given a pseudo-scientific explanation for yetis".

I now have a list NiF fic ideas plus growing pile of notes. Fortunately, they are largely of the short spin off from canon idea, which is very considerate of them because I don't want epic new plots just now, thank you very much, whereas a straightforward one-shot is nice. Though I may have to buy a book of Chinese poetry as the challenge of coming up with titles is even worse than usual.

*"It's so exciting! Shen Zhui is trying to reduce corruption in disaster relief"

**It struck me that the Chinese viewer has a major additional clue in telling Lin Shu and Lin Chen apart, because the latter's first appearance in a new face is heralded by his holding a bracelet that reads "Lin Shu", which is not subtitled.

Fic: The willow heralds the spring by nineveh_uk
Fandom: Nirvana in Fire
Rating: G, CNTW
Chapters: 1
Length: 531 words
Summary: ( Summary is something of a spoiler. )

I didn't intend* to spend this morning adding to the ranks of Nirvana in Fire fix-it fics, but it couldn't be helped. And it did achieve my aim of a lie-in followed by relaxing.

*I intended to spend it re-living my teenage days of painting fantasy landscapes inspired by what I was currently madly fannish about.

This is entirely azdak's fault for the sentence Three or four families at an imperial court is the very thing to work on! Anyway, NiF is making me think of missing works from the English literary canon, so here is one of them. I am absolutely not writing the rest, although I quite fancy somebody's else's version of what happened when Lin Chen found himself in Highbury

Lin Shu

Lin Shu, handsome, clever, and brave, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.

He was the eldest of the children of a most affectionate father and mother, and had, in consequence of the General's military genius and his own early promise, moved rapidly up the ranks of the army from a very early age. His fiancée was an excellent young woman of good family and similar temperament, and though he had no brothers any want of this nature had been supplied by his cousins, in particular the seventh son of the Emperor, Prince Jingyan, who had fallen in no way short of a brother in affection.

Despite these circumstances, the real evils indeed of Lin Shu's situation, were not, as the reader might be naturally inclined to suspect, the power of having rather too much his own way and a disposition to think a little too well of himself, possessed though he was of these qualities. Rather the disadvantages that threatened alloy to his many enjoyments were a paranoid autocrat for an uncle and a number of individuals who were all too keen to have the noble and honourable Prince Qi and all his supporters put out of the way for good. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that it did not by any means rank as a credible misfortune with him.

TL:DR It's brilliant, watch it!

One of the highlights of the past couple of months has been Chinese 'historical' costume drama Nirvana in Fire. I saw this mentioned online a year or so ago and thought that one day I should get round to it, and occasionally saw it again, and when I reached the end of season 3 of Black Sails and had re-watched the 2015 and 2017 cross-country skiing world championships from the sofa and still there was no end in sight to lockdown or coronavirus, I thought it was time to give probably cheesy, certainly gorgeously-costumed Chinese drama a try.

I am so, so glad I did. One, occasionally two, episodes a day has been my mainstay over the past month. I'm 30 eps in now, with a glorious 24 to go, and I love it. Who would have thought that people sitting opposite one another having conversations, which is a good 80% of the scenes, could be so riveting. And yet it is. Every single episode I sit there going "no, you're not going to are you? You are! Oh you cunning bastard!" about a whole range of characters.

NB I've kept this basically spoiler-free other than the basic premise as revealed in the first episode. No spoilers, please! This is one I need to watch to the end unspoiled (except for the rather silly thing I am aware of.)


( Plot/set-up summary (it’s all about revenge) )

It is fair to say that NiF, with zero nudity*, zero swearing, far fewer scenes set on ships or in brothels, and very limited blood, is in many ways the polar opposite of Black Sails. Except that for all the differences, both lead characters and the plot are driven by an obsessive quest for revenge/justice against a great power, while themselves suffering secret pain. And if that means that they, or the innocent, get hurt, well that’s just what happens. Admittedly the protagonist of NiF tries quite a lot harder than Captain Flint not to hurt other people, but he doesn't hesitate to do it if he has to, and when he does, he is brutal.

Tune in now for cunning plotting, amazing costumes with truly ridiculous hair ornaments, fighting, and people exchanging a wide variety of Significant Glances** indicating various cunning plotting***, nefarious plans, suspicion, stoicism, ruthlessness, guilt, and of course doomed love.

Here is the trailer. Click on the closed captions box for English subtitles.



I've been watching it largely on YouTube (there are a couple of different English subbed versions, this one has the Viki subtitles), but there are a few episodes missing, so those I watched on Viki, which is official but has really annoying adverts, presumably unless you subscribe. I should probably look up which is the version with the best subtitles, but this one is perfectly adequate and I like the footnotes as to what various honorifics mean.

Delayed: Complete YT series here.

ETA Oh God, I am halfway through ep 33 and it is encapsulating the agony of viewing! The Emperor is unsure, Consort Jing is so clever, and her son really, really needs to acquire a political brain fast. So much is said so calmly, but it is devastating underneath. This is why I love it.

ETA 2 Finished ep. "Xiao-Jingyan, why do you not have a brain?" I could have died. It is so good.

* There is a shocking rolled-up sleeve moment.

**There is a lot of what Joey Tribbiani would call "smell the fart" acting, except that the acting in this is top notch and the Significant Glances representing what cannot be said matter desperately. A huge amount is done with a the slightest movement of the expression.

***Actually cunning plotting, revelations unfold one after another in beautiful order.