Li Changge's Character Development

Li Changge's Character Development

This is to help us explain to those who said they did not see any character development in Li Changge. This is a work-in-progress. You can just read or read and respond if you wish, but I am not done with this post.

Li Changge did make a rash decision to try to assassinate Li Si Min on her own (E3). Her rashness can be explained by her young age (she was about 14) and her intense desire to seek revenge (E2).

But starting from E4, after her failed assissination attempt in E3, we already see the change. She did not want A'Dou to follow her, in case her plan to kill Li Si Min is not successful and A'Dou is hurt in the process. She was already thinking of others, in her decision making.

E4, she tries to escape from Chang'An. Showing she already learned to put her Plan B into action, knowing that the palace is now well guarded and it will be impossible to assassinate Li Si Min.

E6 - E8 looking for ally to strengthen her hand in taking revenge, by talking to her father's former allies.

E10, she may have finally found an ally. But now, she realises that she has an external enemy, the Turks.

Li Changge experienced her biggest character change in E15. That is the surrender scene. That scene occured after the Gongsun Heng couple died and entrusted the city to her care. And the old Mr Qin asked her, "what is your path?" It was pivotal, because it showed her Gongsun Heng was willing to sacrifice his life for the citizens at Shouzhou. In ethical decision making, we call this, for the greater good. For the greater good of the lives of the citizens at Shouzhou, she was prepared to put hers on the line. Even then, she was smart enough to quickly to send the young daughter of the Gongsun Heng couple out of the city, together with the old Mr Qin and Xu Feng.

The 'old' impulsive Li Changge would have wanted to fight to death with the Ashile Troops. Instead she surrendered and let nature take its course. She is already able to see consequences of her action. Figthing to death means more Tang soldiers will die, and more Tang citizens will die.  This change in E15 will be pivotal for her, because it will mean she will leave Tang and go to the grasslands with the Ashile troops and be Ashile Sun's slave.

The surrender scene in E15 also shows how brave Li Changge has become, walking out alone in the snow, unarmed, facing thousands of Ashile troops. At that point, inspired by the Gongsun couple, she was ready to sacrifice her life for the people of that city. But even in that difficult situation, you can see how smart and composed she was. She was able to hold back her fear, sadness, her sense of betrayal by Ashile Sun (because he had hid his identity from her for so long), and bravely negotiated with Ashile Sun.

Her next change occured in E17 at the grasslands, when she gave up her intention to want to die, but instead after being inspired by Ashile Sun, she chose to adapt to the grasslands. This episode also shows how smart she was, that AS would want to make her his military advisor. In negotiating for that role, she said she will do three things for AS. In return, she asked three things from AS: Not to harm Tang, not to do anything immoral and harm others and set her free, once she fulfilled his three wishes.

Her third big change occured at Episode 20, when she encountered Li Si Min and learned that Li Si Min was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of Tang. This caused her to put aside her desire to kill him and instead save him in E21. Even her plan to save him was careful one, when she dressed in Wolves division clothes, so that when she was caught, the Eagles division will not get any blame. This shows the growth in her intelligence. She was already able to thnk of multiple outcomes of her decision and make contingency plans.

E21-E25, in a battle of wits against She're and the Khatun (Princess YiCheng), she was outfoxed by them, and in the process the old general and Ashile Sun's mother were killed. In a game of chess, sometimes even the best grandmasters lose. If Changg were to keep winning all the time, some viewers will complain and say she is inhuman, and the plot is not realistic.

E26-E32, this is the arc that shows her leaving the grasslands and travelling to the Liuyun Temple. Along the way, she will learn about sword fighing from Situ Lang Lang, about not rushing into decision making. This is all part of her character growth. The would also give up the chance of having Du Ruhui killed, but instead save him instead (E32). She is already slowly learning to let go of taking revenge against those who wish her harm. We must not forget, Du Ruhui has been going after her since E2 in the series.

Step by step, we begin to see her changing. First, by being wiling to dealing in taking revenge againts Li Si Min. And now, by saving Du Ruhui. She is already shifting away from selfish goals to learn to put the interest of her country ahead of her self-interests.

E35-E39 will show her going to Mobei to find the grass that would provide a key ingredient in forming the antidote that will cure the period of a virus that was plaguing the Eagles' division. This time, she will win against the Khatun, when the grass was brought back to the Eagles' division on time. While in Mobei, she would also devise the plan to thwart the Khatun from killing off the Eagles' Division. She would also mastermind the peace treaty with Tang, once again to thwart the Khatun.

In this game of chess, she is already starting to have the upperhand against the Khatun.

E40-E49, Final Arc. This arc will show her continual gain in wisdom in decision making. She thwarted Khatun's plan to break up the peace alliance. She also masterminded the rescue of Ashile Sun at Ding Xiang (E48), and obtained final victory when the Khatun admitted defeat (E49). E49 also shows to us the final step in her 'path'. She would learn to value the prosperity of her country above all else. She would learn to completely forgive her uncle (E46). She made peace with herself, realigned her goals and priorties and retired to the grasslands with the one she loves, who is Ashile Sun.

All of the above shows the growth in her character, as the series progresses; she began to think more and more of others, in her decision making. She was still a risk taker, but she learned how to hedge her bets by having a Plan B in mind, in case her Plan A fails. Eventually, she will learn to put her country's interests above her selfish goal to seek revenge for her parents or for those who tried to hurt her or the people she loved. 

I watched this drama nearly a year ago and cannot remember the exact episode. But, I do believe she fell in love with him when they reunited after she left the grassland and he went in search of her and found her. Could be around episode 30 or 31. When they reunited, she realised that he did not blame her for the death of his adopted mother. Him leaving the grassland to search for her shows her how much he loves her and is willing to forgive her. I think that is when she fell for her.