The Story of Ming Lan Episode 5

Ahhh so it was like that. Oh... They grew…

Ahhh so it was like that. Oh... They grew up separately. Wait... That actress. The one who played as Mo Lan, I definitely familiar with her. I just watched her in Love Like Galaxy. And the one who played Ming Lan personal maid too, she was the spoiled fifth princess in LLG. How did the Young Duke came to study with them? Myb bcs it was in the capital?. Oh Ming Lan was quick to diffuse the tense situation. But what she said before that, was right. It was hard for her sixth daughter of a concubine to be marry to sole heir of a noble household like that. Zencheng and Chanfeng were so cute when he was a teenager, how come now they were like that??. Well ML was not that bad i guess. I thought that Young Duke was the ML at first.

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All Grown Up & Morality

Spoilers Ahead

Note: This episode shows us what the main characters are like, as adults, using the incident of a lost handkerchief. It also sets the political setting by showing us Master Sheng's first day of work as an official.

1)On Master Sheng's very first day of work, he is incredibly nervous. He is also clumsy (due to anxiety) and drops something as he observes ministers and officials insist to the Emperor that he designate an heir. While Master Sheng is all about keeping a low profile and locating his item, the emperor bursts into tears and sobs for his on. THIS is the political scene right now, and it is unstable, obviously, because to not have an heir, with an elderly emperor, is not the best for stability.

--fast forward a few years--

2)The Duke of Qi and Princess Pining's only child, and son, the incredibly gorgeous Yuan Ruo, has lost his handkerchief. He makes the announcement loudly because it is a close body item--if a lady were to discover it, then it may damage his reputation. This tells us he is smart and also concerned about reputation/moral integrity, etc. While waiting for the Big Madame to find it, he stares at Ming Lan with puppy eyes (clearly he likes her).

3)Ming Lan shows us she is resourceful by figuring out the servant who is ultimately found with the handkerchief and beaten must be set up. Yuan Ruo overhears it and congratulates her for her smarts. In doing so, when the girl are alone (she is with a friend) it highlights how very different their priorities are: Ming Lan is clearly worried about her reputation, and he is focused on exchanging some words. This shows she has virtue.

4)We learn (via flashback) that Mo'er actually planted the handkerchief on a servant because she could not throw it away. This tells us Mo'er is more than willing to harm others to get something done (like her mother).

5)Much of the episode is spent with the sisters in school. It is because the setting is a very good way of showing what the sisters relationship is like, and since they are young, it shows what the sisters are like before they change lataer. Mo'er is beautifula and graceful but at times clumsy (she will become even more eoquent). Ru'lan is spoiled and direct (she will become less selfish) and Ming Lan is quiet and simple (but her bad ass personality will shine later). Perhaps the most consistent character is Changbai, the eldest son and Sheng Heir, who is smart and morally virtuous (his character is constantly she same).

6)We learn that Ming Lan is so bad at writing that she is punished to transcribe words, but is able to sweet talk her teacher for an extension by promising to cook him food. Yuan Ruo observes this exchange and clearly thinks she is scute. (this will be the basis for him giving her a gift later). He gaves her a paintbrush and snacks for her writing.

7)Rulan sees this exchange, and although she looks jealous, she really just sees it as an opportunity to annoy Mo'er. Ming Lan gives the brushes away, one for each sister,, illustrating yet again how she tries to avoid standing out. If she wanted to keep them, the sisters might think she likes Yuan Ruou, and that would make her a target of Rulan (who would view it as a concubine born overstepping her place), and Mo'er would view her as competition. Ming Lan is practical and does not dare to like Yuan Ruo. In fact, she spends a lot of time trying to dissuade him from pursuing her.

8)Mo'er believes she could make Yuan Ruo's her own because they would have a lot in common (Mo'er is a poetry genius) and so she believes she is refined. Rulan wants whatever Mo'er wants. The remainder of the episode focuses on the girls (excluding Ming'er) talking to their mother about the day. Concubine Lin and Mo'er really aren't worried about Ming Lan because they think she is stupid.

9)Gu ting Ye Returns!! He apparently has a mistress....

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