The Little King

Chu Lan | The Volcanic King

Hello, this is your translator @PastTimer and I'm here to talk about our male lead, Chu Lan.

For peeps out there that probs don't remember, Chu Lan isn't really Chu Lan's real name. We're introduced to him at chap 3 when Xia Xi gets married to the twelve-year-old boy in a bloody ceremony in which they eat and drink fresh wolf meat and blood. Respectively.

❝Ꭹou are what Xia Chao sent me to wed. The wife Princess?❞

Honestly speaking, I'm mesmerised with Chu Lan's character. It's shown on chap 4 that Chu Lan had been fond of Xia Xi since early on. He shows a very child-like dependency on Xia Xi on a level that's too intimate for family yet not sexual either.

❝Ꭿre all Xia people as good-looking as you?❞

Through a series of culture shocks and appreciations, we are introduced to a very childish but very capable Chu Lan. However, by chap 7 his sleeping ambition makes itself known as he plans to go to war. One under-observed fact is that the Chu Lan who came back from war three years later seems to have not changed his personality at all. He had matured certainly- but he had never been presented as someone who had been scarred by the suffering and deaths on the battlefield. At least, that's the masks he puts on in front of Xia Xi.

❝Ίn a few days, we will set out and attack the inner thieves,❞

The young King still doted on Xia Xi. He treated Xia Xi like an equal and their relationship as an ordinary one. He never used his power to force anyone and always had the perfect response. He was perfect. Too perfect. He's just 15. His dad died in war when he was eight or seven, with his mother practically abandoning him right after. His uncles wants him to be their puppet ever since he got crowned King. He fought in a war that took three years to win at thirteen and killed his relatives to boot. It was subtle, Chu Lan had changed. His ambition boiled under his calm appearance, he knew what he wanted and what he could give up to get it.

❝Ίt was only last month when we infiltrated and killed them. I think it should've been because of my cousin, brave, thinks he is invincible, and not willing to surrender. All of his children were killed, and the rest committed suicide, but that's another story.❞

After Xia Xi becomes devastated because of his mother's death, we can see Chu Lan trying to cheer him up. He loses his temper at the end of it and seemingly innocently gains two things from his conversation with his 'wife': Xia Xi's loyalty, and Xia Xi's fear.

❝Ίn here, I own the world, and you are the person above everyone else but me. If I fail, you will go to hell with me!❞

As we witness their interactions become more and more intimate, we are introduced to a new Chu Lan. A bit careless, lusty, assertive, but meant well. Nevertheless the almost blind adoration to Xia Xi from his childhood had carried till there. Chu Lan's philosophy regarding Xia Xi was actually very simple: Xia Xi so beautiful, Xia Xi is so kind, Xia Xi is so gentle, Xia Xi is so caring, Xia Xi is so thoughtful, Xia Xi is so perfect; who wouldn't love him? Who wouldn't care for him?

Perhaps it was this very same philosophy and outlook that led him to first think that Cai Huan was seducing Xia Xi, not him.

❝Seducing the Lord, this is not allowed. I'm not Xia Chao and this is not Xia. I won't tolerate such a person, Xi'er, I'll ask someone to send her out tomorrow.❞

The next chapters delightfully weaved Xia Xi's rise and 'fall' from Chu Lan's favour. After being sent to the temple we see him dealing with his loneliness with work and chores. In an impressively subtle way the author reminds us that Xia Xi doesn't see himself as a Queen, although he takes his duties with outmost seriousness. In the end of the day, he was still Xia Xi.

In this time, Xia Xi reflects and gains and loses. When he and Chu Lan finally meet again he had a lot to say. Honestly if you're looking at this form a modern perspective it would be: Young wife raised from an extremely patriarchal family marries feminist man and tries to be converted. (I mean Chu Lan's not exactly a feminist but you know what I mean)

❝The love in his eyes couldn't be hidden and overflowed. He even leaned forward to kiss Chu Lan's lips and sighed, "I missed you so much..."❞

This bubble of perfection didn't last long however as both grappled at what they wanted and what they were willing give -although Chu Lan seemed petulant and extreme in reality he was not. His moves were extremely efficient, by sending Xia Xi to the temple he had not only filed away his only weakness, he had also stimulated Xia Xi's dormant feelings, widened his influence by taking on concubines (which will surely win over the traditionalist and royalist), and got rid of the huge red flag preventing most nationalist from allying with him. Putting away Xia Xi in the most critical moment of his ascension will cut away at most suspicions of Xia funding and a bewitched King. Furthermore everyone knew that Chu Lan was fascinated with Xia Xi, heartbreak was a good reason to fend off any potential marriage alliances.

In chapter 39 we find out that Chu Lan had been scheming with Hu Ji since Zhangcheng. In a seemingly casual mention we see Chu Lan implying that if Xia Xi had been a ruthless queen, he would've killed the pregnant Hu Ji knowing that he'd have his support. His admitting to sending Cai Huan to Xia Xi was also joltingly dispassionate. While this could be seen as just me complaining about the lack of romanticism and finesse, I do recommend that you take note of it because this trend may not stop with just that. But on an extremely unrelated side note, can we just talk about how Chu Lan acknowledged the possibility of his infertility just RIGHT THERE like aah, boy's got a spot on my TOP 10 that's for sure.

❝Ί know that I should always get rid of future troubles in advance, but when I thought of you, my heart softened, thinking that if you knew about this, you'll definitely blame me, even if you don't blame me, you will surely scold me cruelly in your heart, and maybe even drift away from me...❞

We all know that Chu Lan has a hobby and a knack for manipulating Xia Xi but he never really does does it. We (Xia Xi) is always aware of it. It's such a hands-down approach that I'm tempted to call it 'emotional manuevering' or better yet 'emotional nudging'. As much as I want to demonetize him I know that most of it stems and ends for Xia Xi's own good.

❝Xia Xi originally thought so, and did it once, but now he realized that it was difficult for him to be a virtuous wife.❞

For now it seems like nothing could tear apart their love and trust for one another, or is it...?

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As the story progresses I will be adding more and more here. Do contribute your ideas by commenting! I'll try my best to keep this updated xxoo!