The First Jasmine Episode 40

Lishan Academy can finally breathe again

Some of the stories were wrapped up beautifully, while some were left untold. I was scared for a moment that Feibai would stay alone and blind, but no... Yusheng stayed with him, and I am so grateful to her for that. 🥹❤️Ye Ying stayed in Mo Jingli’s mother’s hometown, if I noticed it correctly… I had more expectations for her character arc, but we don't always receive everything we wish for. 😒Mingxi finding his way back to the shops and working there — the life he dreamed about — really made me feel happy. 😌✨ Even if his role wasn’t THAT significant in the end, I really loved his character.That scene where the Empress Dowager died and the music just grew louder in the background until turning into the chanting, with the camera moving through the Lishan Academy rooms while the children were counting the teachings of wisdom, sincerity, and other things... It almost felt like Lishan Academy could finally breathe again once the Empress Dowager was dead. Really masterful scene. I got goosebumps there. 🤩😌 She deserved the punishment she got, and actually even more for all she did. But they can’t kill her twice, right? 🤔Lishan Academy opening up, and then Ye Li moving to the room with all the dead scholars and her grandfather… oh, that scene reduced me to tears. 😭💔 At least she’s at peace now with them being gone, and she is ready to leave the past behind and follow the path ahead, just as her grandfather advised. 🙏✨A wonderful ending for a wonderful drama. Everything seemed kind of well-wrapped, yet I can’t forgive one thing, and that’s Princess Lingyun’s death. 😢💔 I don‘t think I can ever forgive the plot for that.

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Looking to the future

Ye Li and XiuYao ride off in a race to the forest. They arrive and toast their friends on their promotions. Feibai did not reveal his blindness and tried to cut ties with YuSheng. She was too wise and figured it out. He will recover his eyesight and enjoy the beautiful views with her being his most beautiful view. Sister Ning is paving her way with flowers and MingXi still hides in the shadows. Lishan Academy has opened again and students are filing in. Ye Li has one last tour with her masters and Gpa. They are wishing her well and telling her she has done well. Her Gpa tells her it’s time to let the past go and look to the future. Guo Jin told her son not to follow the same path or be bogged down by the past. He publicly posted and condemned his mother’s crimes but posthumously for her. This allowed him to be filial sin and unbiased ruler. I have mixed feelings about how this was handled, but it is clear he will not pursue the ends justifies the means path his mother chose. The candid talk between Ye Li and Guo Jin brought truth to Empress Dowager. She was made to see how her choice for building roads was most hurtful to the farmers. Her choice about the fire killed innocents and caused all the mess with the edict and troops to happen. Her soldiers at the school that denied them food and med supplies. Her plans did have the big picture in mind but done in the most callous way possible to harm those in the way of those plans. Ye Li calmly explaining why she never tried to kill her in the palace. She still claimed YeLi’s mom as best friend even tho responsible for her death. Princess LingYun is truly dead 😭 and spy Feng will have to make do with his travels. Consort Jin must still be at home with her father. We weren’t told if Jin Cang found Lin TingLan or ran into his brother and made peace. I did not see uncle or what new mischief he’s causing. These few things I wish they would have mentioned, but overall the ending done quite well. 👏🏻

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