AleksandraSucur

Good point, although I wouldn't put it in your words. Their actions are indeed determined by "the script" (/scriptwriter) but they are not just "paper people" - in one of the trailers we see these fictional people rebel against this predetermined set-up, the whole drama is a parody on period fiction C-dramas and bts dealings in the industry. Imo, given all the hints we've got till this point ("plot armour" for the ML in exchange of script modifications, people with no name or named "passerby 1, 2,3...), the final intended message for the audience will be to have respect for the characters, because they "truly live" in that fictional set, where they still have (or will fight for their) right to take their own path even independently of the original script, or smth similar, we'll see but hints already pour freshness and keep our interest high

The uncle, who faked his death in that explosion. He has helpers who are unknown to us in this moment but who were able to track YM as a target to kill. The uncle tried to impede their marriage even before seeing her as an obstacle to manipulate his nephew. But probably it still isn't the whole story, we still don't get the motivation to kill her.

CHG would never kill her, he is just blinded and limited.

I'm so sorry for Liu Xueyi, since Blood of Youth he played only in this type of overly twisted, overly dragged and boring dramas in which his great acting skills feel suffocated & stiffed. Even Meng Ziyi, who is not the first-tier C-actress for sure, deserves to perform in better and more plot-wise stories.

I've skimmed quickly through the original novel - a neverending prolapse of dialogues, stuffed with insignificant or even unrelated characters and subplots - discovering the "original sin" is inside the novel: events feel repetitive and/or dragged, spinning around the same problems and similar arcs because nobody is coping with the main complication (her poison and connected blackmail) until the very end. That's why the plot and the relation between the leads is doomed just to circle around, passing through already seen and reseen subplots and clichès (distrust, misunderstandings, memory loss etc).
And the screenwriter only added to the nonsense and bore, probably thinking that certain exaggeration will increase the tension. After checking, it's far from surprise, last year this writer managed to ruin even such a nice, uncomplicated and lighthearted story as Wrong Carriage, Right Groom...

Hoping for the actors they'll have better roles in better dramas in the future.

With such an uncle, ML needs no enemies.
But without such an uncle (on whom he certainly couldn't have relied), he wouldn't have established WRC and these great Nightwalkers.
I'm a bit disappointed finding out he saved S(B)H because he knew SBH was innocent, the theft of the relief fund never happened, it was just his uncle's embezzlement.. Yet this was an additional reason for his uncle to want SBH dead...
This uncle probably also killed the empress and hindered the message for help in Pingrong Battle to come to NH. Exile is insufficient to punish such a villain, he'll definitely cause more trouble in tomorrow's eps.

ah, that uncle is no good...

Btw, what was in that teaser?

CGH definitely overestimated himself, as you've said.
He detained a PRINCE assuming he is burdened to prove Shangguan He's innocence, given the lack of evidence he was the thief from 3 years before, while ultimately hoping to prove NH's connection with Waning River Crescent. As always, he relies on the emperor's hate towards his son (the judgement of a prince is before the emperor and miistries), but his presumption and overall frame has no sense for the emperor, who doesn't fear some Waning River as he fears the Qi family (apparently) backing NH. Now, with Meng family (backing the Crown Prince) out of the picture, the emperor will be delighted to know his other son doesn't rely on Qi family and created smth like a powerhouse on his own.
Btw., I think he will willingly remain in prison just to help the escape of SH, probably passing the keys (as he did before) and enticing SH to meet SYT

The first name on the cast list is the name of the leading character's perspective. We follow this story from the Song Yimeng's pov or, better, from the pov of a mediocre, unsuccessful actress whohas to play Song Yimeng, a character played by Li Yitong, so it's totally logical she is listed first

Fl didn't listen, she is so abrupt and prejudiced that she doesn't know who's the person her sister actually met (and fallen for). She read the script very superficially, believing she knows everything, so she never inquires or deepen anything. "There is no greater fool than one who thinks (s)he knows everything." (Italian proverb)

It looks she read the script veeery superficialy, no wonder she had no success in the industry.
But this role can actually increase the popularity of the real actress, Li Yitong, as this character is much out of ordinary... It isn't written perfectly, it isn't either delivered perfectly, but such inconsistencies somehow add to a character full of flows.
She is superficial, biased, unattentive to what other persons say, believes she's always right while jumping to early conclusions, misunderstanding and complicating things, but for how much she annoys me (let's think to have a sister like her 😱 ), I continue to watch having a feeling there's smth iconic about this character, smth we will remember long after this drama ends

He blocked all the info and offered a fabrication she was attacked by bandits and him coming to rescue her.

yes, and Gou'er's, too.
And all that profetic fish dream with "your mission on earth" felt forced into a story of completely different kind.
But overall, it was really a good drama

👌

So many faces from LDiC, but for some reason I like LR more. Maybe it's what you've said, the LD in Changan was a bit "stressful", lol.

it's intriguing, unusual, immersive in Tang atmosphere with many funny scenes, The dialogues are great, I'd certainly recommend it.

The conversation scene in ep 25 with his former colleagues, how it conveyed the hypocrisy, pass-the-buck and manipulation is simply a masterpiece of writing.

I agree with you

Indeed

What, she was banned for those scenes? I've thought she wasn't active as before because she married in another country... Voltaire was right, stupidity is a cosmic power.

As far as I remember, Zhang Ziyi was also discovered by Zhang Yimou (in Hero), like Gong Li before and Ni Ni after. But now that you've mentioned Tang Wei... for me, she has smth more compared to them. Lust, Caution by Ang Lee with Tony Leung is one of those rare movies I've seen twice in the theater and watched it several times on (Italian) TV after that. Later, I went specifically to the Venice Film Festival to see her Golden Era which premiered there closing the festival.
Ming Dynasty was a bit to long (read: dragged) to be a great drama and the plot involving the competition between two sisters for a man was outdated, if I were her, I wouldn't accept to play even that single drama role, she is too great for dramas...