Aramintai

FL even joked that the palace prison is empty, lol. What is even the point of having it if everyone gets away scott free or offs themselves?

Man, just when I thought at least one female character will get a good ending in this drama, she goes and offs herself. F. I guess that touted support role was overblown. At least inspector Gu has returned...

Will inspector Gu return? They've been mentioning him, but he's been absent since that brothel case.

So, have you read it? Did it have a good ending? Romance?

Lol, you haven't heard about the Epstein files then. It's cult related.

Yea, looks like interactions between characters that are not investigations related are cut to a minimum. It's not as jarring as some other c-media where scenes change very abruptly, or filming is confusing in general. But still, I can see some of it here.

The only disappointing thing about this drama is that it clearly shows at times that some things were cut. Abrupt scenes here and there and some plot points clearly hinting that something more happened behind the cut. They cut it from 40 to 34 episodes, I hear. I wonder how much was already filmed and then cut, and how much was cut during script writing. Feels more like it was filmed and then cut.

Case 1: 客星出婺女 Guest Star Emerges in Weaver Girl Mansion (Sudden Star over Wunü)
1-3 (or 1-4)
Princess Ningyuan/Wanshun's fiery "death" at a wedding banquet during Lantern Festival; omens, gunpowder, and faked demise.

Case 2 壁上花 Flower on the Wall (Wallflower Corpse)
4-10
Corpse adorned with flowers found in palace; links to loan shark murder, Han Xiao (含笑), Xiu Hong House brothel trafficking palace maids as "flowers."

Case 3 弦上婴啼 Infant's Cry on the Strings
10-15
Eerie crying in Han Liang Hall; ties to dancers, supernatural elements, and infant-related horror (starts transitioning in Ep 10).

Case 4 血色天资 Blood-Colored Talent (Crimson Prodigy)
16-20
Cases involving talented women, blood rituals, or prodigy murders in the harem.

Case 5 吉时秘闻 Auspicious Time Secret
21-25
Time-based mystery, perhaps wedding or ritual murders with hidden auspicious omens.

Case 6 所信非神 What is Believed is Not a God (Belief Not in Gods)
26-30
Deception involving false gods, sacrifices, or cults in the palace.

Case 7 七星错 Seven Stars Misaligned
31-34
Climactic case tying all conspiracies; astrological misalignment leading to major revelations about the Li family massacre.

The drama uses these cases to explore women's fates in the Tang harem, while gradually revealing the Li family tragedy and conspiracy from 15 yrs ago when Li Peiyu was 9 yrs old.

You can see all cases previews in the ending titles. There's gotta be more evil stuff that like in the Epstein files. Cults, bad divinations and baby eating included.

Those chauvinistic doctor schemers all getting killed wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Trying to one up that woman doctor instead of focusing on finding acure and treating sick patients is just karma coming to get them. Likely one or more sick patients got sick of waiting for a cure and did that one annoying bleater in.

On the other note, FL getting sick on purpose and then opening up to ML like that was very cute. She even faked how serious it was just to see a reaction from him, lol. There's romance afoot.

I dunno, but there was a post earlier with BTS of them kissing. Should be something down the line and there are already hints.
But this drama's more serious, mostly about crimes investigations on the imperial palace grounds and sad stories of women involved in them.

I dunno, but there was a post earlier with BTS of them kissing. Should be something down the line and there are already hints.

This drama turned out very meh. Too sanitized and light on the plot. The girl who wanted to one up ML's nephew also was very annoying till the end. Even the old teachers couple was more entertaining. But at least the main couple was rather wholesome, without too many dumb cliches or toxic behavior.

It's one of those "I'm a mother!" types of Karen. Just because you're a mother, that doesn't mean you can commit crimes without punishment.

I dunno, but there was a post earlier with BTS of them kissing.

That didn't stop anybody from assigning noble scions to lofty positions. Just gotta have connections and influence.

I think FL is going to get hurt either way. But still, it's pissing me off how everybody knows everything, but aren't telling her - her mentor, ML's father, the emperor...

Yea, but they're also royal family. You've seen how they cover up each others crimes to save face.

I dunno who's the main villain is, but statistically it's always some minister, lol. Would be great if somebody who had read the novel would comment. I've seen it online but can't be bothered to read 200+ chapters, there's also a historical commentary there mentioning the notorious tyrant empress Wu Zetian. Maybe the main villain is one of the emperor's consorts. It's also likely FL's father was involved in a failed coup that had his family killed.

That he's got that goofy lech face isn't helping either.