The Road to Splendor Episode 36

The fall of the house of Yu

Everything is falling apart at the Yu residence and for reasons only understood by the emperor, Yu was allowed to go home to burn evidence. 😝🙄He has figured out that his get out of jail free card is to have JingXiu confess to all the charges that really belong to his loving father. That he expected this from his spoiled son is rather gobsmacking. While they are bickering over the false confession, daddy Yu is pushed and falls with his head hitting the corner of a table. He dies on the spot much to his son’s horror. I appreciate the irony, but after all the grief this man caused and for all the effort invested to create extra angst compared to the novel, why were they so lackluster in letting us see this man receive justice than death by table? 😝🙄Mother and son make it look like suicide with that handprint on the confession.😝 I guess that is more believable than Jing Xiu signing it. I did like TingYun thanking Ms Yu for showing her what not to become. For all the hardship she endured, she was a much better person than had she been under Yu house rules. Ms Yu has lost her evil half and is educating her grandson and telling her son to marry for virtue. Ms Wu is working at one of TingYun’s shops, Jin YuanBao survived his beating and is back to dealing with salt. Tian and daughter saved the son in law’s hide by retrieving his registry of Yu clan. If he’s lucky he can keep the dog company.🤣JinXiu is scraping by by copying letters and documents for people, and taking care of his mother and son. YaKe is teaching a school as is TingYun’s brother who just graduated his first class of scholars. Sen finally got to marry Ms Wang. The Mo family has their first scholar. And we get one decent scene of the Zhao family with young daughter who wants to be powerful and influential like daddy, while he assured her that being like her mother would make her most extraordinary. The retired general Wang and wife are enjoying their golden years together for a change. This ending was quite satisfactory except for the demise of Mr Yu. The emperor was politely turned down and his beads returned with one request from Zhao Ling. The emperor decided to grant his wish. The Zhao’s will get their wish of a quiet simple life to just enjoy each other’s company. It’s about damn time they actually get time together. This drama was beautifully filmed and covered all the loose ends. The cast and production told the tale well and hopefully future storytellers will elaborate more on the grisly way Mr Yu died because of his evil ways. 😝The Zhao’s are quietly appreciating life and have no desire to be in history books. They want to spend the rest of their days enjoying friends and family. Godspeed to them.🥰😁

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The Road to Splendor

It is a formidable pathway. It is not easy to attain, but once you have it, its a lonely destination. Zhao Ling wishing to retire was the only happy ending possible, but was it worth it? I would say YES. Without these twists and turns, life would not be lived. You have to do karma to get reward, if you don't do anything, what is the point of living? The character I truly felt bad for was His Highness, he grew up in the cold palace and somehow was made King, I'm sure the things he has done were not easy decisions and now he lost his confidant. At least he was not bitter and saw that Zhao Ling is not fit for the role. Yake is finally happy, Mrs. Yu is crazy and her son is humble. I didn't understand the need of the concubine, but at least she is happy too. I was cringed out by the child scene, they deserved a scene by themselves.

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I absolutely loved the ending!

Oh, what an ending! Some might object, but I think it was very satisfying and very well wrapped up without leaving any loose ends. 🤗👏The Yu family's end was well deserved, I think. Lord Yu, ironically in a struggle to make his son take the blame for his own sins, got accidentally killed by him. Madam Yu, with her son and grandson, was exiled and their wealth was confiscated, and she even "lost" a bit of her sense of reality and kept living in a limbo where she tried to match her son with Tingyun. Her mind was her sharpest tool, which she will never be able to use properly ever again, meaning she was crippled in her own way. 😌I didn't expect to see Yake any more, and I thought what we saw before was her ending, but I think it's even better knowing she became an instructor in Ganlin Town, because it actually suits her quite well. 🙂‍↕️ All the other side characters also got well-earned endings. Sen married Miss Wang, Miss Wu got her freedom, the Mo family got their first scholar, Tingzhou excelled with his teachings, and then there's the Wei couple's shenanigans in the bedroom... 🤭However, I didn't expect to see Mr Jin, as I thought he had died from that beating. But crippling his leg, just as he had cut his ear for betraying his brothers and Zhao Ling, was a good enough ending for me. He wasn't a bad person after all, he just sometimes had misplaced trust and motives. 😌But as for Zhao Ling and Tingyun... I couldn't be happier with how the story ended for them! 🥹❤️ I was so proud when Ling did not accept the Emperor's generous reward and chose to stay as regional commander to live his days happily in peace with Tingyun and their daughter (and maybe more children if they eventually come) in Ganlin Town. 🤗This drama was such an emotional journey, touching on so many topics that are still relevant nowadays, and not only in China, but in other countries too. It showed very well how people can lose themselves in the climb for power, wealth, and status — how much they have to sacrifice if they aim too high... So, in the end, choosing peace, love, and values that matter to one's heart can be way more rewarding than all of that. 🥹I liked one line that one of the Yus said a couple of episodes ago — that the top is very cold. And I couldn't agree more, as it did feel that way very often. 😔The cinematography was stunning and the OST was a treat for my ears. The directing and actors did their job marvellously, making me hate the villains, love the heroes, and sometimes question their choices and motives, especially Zhao Ling's, but it all showed how human they are — with their faults, their strengths, their emotions, their desires, and ambitions.All I can say is, I really loved this drama, and I highly recommend it to anyone. 🤗A pure masterpiece in its own way. 💖

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