AleksandraSucur

my review (and rant) https://kisskh.at/profile/11598319/review/459384

It is the poor screen adaptation. In the novel, her goal was to become an empress (and she became one, marrying a sort of Cao Cao, in the novel this character obviously had a different name, an old man who controlled a young puppet emperor and later usurped his throne). She was never after love (as it is presented in the drama), she was entirely after the supreme power, working on it diligently, whatever it takes, using smarter political schemes and her charmes, manipulating a larger pool of political actors, Liu Yan (who also proclaimed himself as an emperor, after Wei Shao killed the previous one) was the last one in a series...
In the novel, she didn't have a handian but believed strongly in her empress fate, in the end, it is LY who kills her... and such an ending is more logical

Totally agree. The first 6 eps were good because the scriptwriters greatly followed the novel which isn't great in its narrative but it is well structured in plots, actions and political intrigues. Far from ever turning into a fluffy romance and - very differently from the drama - the novel MADE SENSE ALL THE TIME, characters and their decisions, plots and motivations were realistic, both on the protagonists' and the antagonists' side. Things we didn't see in the screen adaptation which displayed - beside a completely unnecessary exaggeration and twist of original characters - a great deal of nonsense, episode after episode, culminating in a super-rushed finale.
Last but not least, the drama adaptation failed to maintain the atmosphere, the geist of its time, in many episodes

Yup.

The novel is far from being a great novel, two days ago I've said to another MDL's user "I wouldn't personally recommend it" because it is not a great narrative and the least appealing parts were sections describing their physical contacts and intercourses, which I've skipped... but those parts made a lot of sense to describe both the ML's character and their relationship. It makes sense for a young alpha male, with many powers, but also burdens, traumas and obsessions to be physicaly attracted by a young, pretty and "proper" lady coming from a family perceived as an enemy, and although there were no "bodice rippers", I understand the reasons for such a low judgment: we all form our opinions according to what we are after...
I've rarely read any novel which inspired a drama (I think Pachinko was the only one, I was forced by my mom and btw still haven't seen all the seasons of the drama), but now that I've read it, I think it is very well structured and all the plots, all the actions in it make much more sense compared to those in the drama. What is impactful is not the type of narrative, dialogues or style but the author's capacity to make sense, not only of the relationship between two protagonists, but of the complex power struggle among multiple different undercurrents of the late Han dynasty. These struggles are not hystorically accurate at all (there's a puppet emperor but no Cao Cao 😂), but truly possess that special "se non è vero, è ben trovato" element typical of arts and were very impactful to convey the state-of-the-nation, the society and the atmosphere of the time... And the cruelty she underwent when she married him (that's the particular that hooked us all to keep watching), that "realism" was present in the novel without being watered down with all those misunderstanding games, bad touristic experiences and classic C-tropes drama screen-adaptors filled the drama.
If we ignore the "rebirth motive" in it and consider it just a few dreams the FL had and tells about to the ML later, they've also added to the logic of the novel's structure and its very logical closure.
Last but not least, Su Ehuang's conspiracy was also more logical in the novel, but it was a political plot (and that's why she was punished so "lightly" by cutting her nose), so the idol-drama adaptors simply decided to insert so many nonsensical actions, to make her the female lead antagonist and LY the lead male antagonist.
If the screen-transposers sticked more to the original (in the range of possible), imho, this drama would deliever much more transcending an idol romcom

they've dragged this story for too long, finally in ep. 24 some action and some light starts to be shed on the past secrets

I've forgotten to reply on the wheat thing. Useless to say, it never happened in the novel, it was invented by the screenwriters to (badly, I'd say, how did they manage to take the wheat, cook it and then return it?) enhance dramaticity. In the drama, the granary contained a resistant seed for sowing sent from Qiao's, not a disaster relief. Up to this point, all unrealistic thing happening in the drama I've noticed are scriptwriters' fault. All original, convincing and interesting parts in the drama were taken from the novel (unfortunately, not all from the novel were included) but they managed to mess with the sequence of the events, as well...

Hm, would an ancient Han woman realistically expect of her family to accept her back after she eloped with a stableman, dishonouring family commitment for another marriage? If we are to judge by ancient standards, we know such an expectation is far from being realistic. Btw., her family is not only her father, her mother was always very kind to her, she visited her, worries about her, as well as her cousin Ci, not to mention Manman.
You're right Manman's knowledge of war strategies and politics is not that believable, drama truly exaggerated her skills (also in respect to her - more convincing - character and skills in the novel), but a noble and educated ladies like Daqiao and Manman certainly had some basic knowledge and skills, at least, they knew to use their brains. In the novel, Daqiao was exactly such a lady, screenwriters messed a lot with her character in the drama. All these character exaggerations described via their decisions and actions - Daqiao's refusal to aide WS or MM's diversion of the river level to flood the marsh (btw., the screen transposition of this thing is defying any physical/hydraulic principle, espc. the communicating vessels principle) and many other things... -never happened in the novel. They were entirely written ex novo to add to the suspence. Unnecessarily, imho, because the novel doesn't lack in suspence and thrill at all.

I was just joking, my dear. 🙃Ofc, being pragmatic, the two of us can hardly root for "donki" (= don quijote-ian) type of heroes...

But was WS really dumb to release "a troll + 50k troops free to wreak havoc on their world"? He punished her, partially but in a permanent way, while still keeping her alive for emotional reasons: the promise to his bro, their childhood relation (she helped him to overcome some traumas after the deaths of his family members...) etc. If we have feelings for so., it is really hard to cut that relation definitely, even if we punish a person we feel for, we still hope he/she will come around, redeem himself/herself etc. Killing her for defamation of his wife was just too hard for him, too early to definitely kill last bit of that previous emotional bond.

He didn't "blame Manman for the tunnel", he blamed her for not telling him about the tunnel after they've confessed their feelings and commitment to each other. And she is feeling guilty for that.

As for your question: "Are we sure Daqiao is the only selfish one here?", I'd answer: YES. She is the one who is not only selfish, she is also terribly DUMB. Selfish, because for her, there are no other emotional bonds and loyalties except towards her husband, so her mother, cousin Ci and Manman... as all the people who care deeply for her and are now in danger do not exist any more, do not matter any more. That's not normal. Dumb, because she doesn't realise it's better for her husband to oppose earlier LY's 100K soldiers with joint WS's and Qiao's forces at Panyi than later when Bi Zhi's 20K should face such a force alone at Boya (over which she raised up Qiao's flag), which is the next stop in LY's progress towards the capital of Yanzhou. If WS's and Qiao's forces are defeated at Panyi, if WS and cousin Ci die there, where will she flee with her husband she is so eager to "protect"?

I can't say "I warmly recommend you to read the novel", bc. the novel is not a masterpiece but I am very confidant to say: the things that really hooked us - as smth original, a novelty - to follow this drama are all present in the novel and in my humble opinion, they are way better developed, or at least (rebirth trope apart) they don't offend our elementary logic or knowledge in a way drama does.
You decide. ☺️

sorry, but I can't totally switch out my brain, just bc I'm watching a C-drama.

neither do I (cry)

you're such a sweet liar! ❤️
You like heroes, as much as I do, otherwise, how we would both be Jin Yong's fans?

I agree with you that XQ is sufficiently consistent within the drama and I am generally neutral towards the script deviations in plot and characters (from those in the original, I rarely read such novels) on one condition: they must make sense. Not only the characters must be consistent, but also the plot, subplots and dialogues must have sense.
So, I have no problems with the scriptwriters' decision to re-tailor the story and reshape the characters. The screenwriters wanted a dumb, betraying, selfish and ungrateful cousin in order to add melodramatic suspense (and such a common trope) and make her more similar to her muddle-headed father, governer of Yanzhou? Fine with me, they've re-wrote Manman's character too. But in order to create this single betrayal, screenwriters were forced to invent this flooding subplot that doesn't make sense at all. Combined with their efforts to transform Manman in a great strategist and problem-solver, now even a hydraulic engineer, they've made this terrible faux pas: defying the basic physical principles, known as communicating vessels (or Stevin's law) we've all learned in elementary school ("a liquid contained in two or more containers communicating with each other, in the presence of gravity, reaches the same level giving rise to a single equipotential surface"). The river dam (upstream to the level of marsh connected with the river under the soil) they initially wanted to blow up in order to flood the marsh was impracticable, so she decides to DRAIN the downstream? Draining the level inferior to the marsh will only cause an ulterior drop of the water level in the marsh, certainly not its rise, so this thing doesn't make sense and this is not the first time.
In one of the first episodes (and another deviation from the novel), she BURNS sulfur bags hidden in Panyi granary (in order to prevent LY to use sulfur to explode the river dam and flood the people downstream), and beside being an explosive substance (burning which she will highly probably kill herself in explosion), its burning and/or explosive reaction would have released sulfur dioxide (SO2) and intoxicated the whole city to the death.
Answering your question: her character is completely different - she is a timid girl, aware of not being as smart as Manman, yet smart enough to follow her lead and suggestions, loves her family and appreciates Manman's efforts to mend their overall relationship.
In the original novel, there's also a rebirth subplot regarding Manman (I am glad drama dropped that one): in her first life, QM married LY and Da Qiao married Wei Shao, dying shortly after the marriage (as well as WS's grandmother), her death is the main reason why she decides to substitute Da Qiao to marry WS in her "second life"

"You pushed your husband to fight and die for Qiao clan." I agree these words are toxic, meant to hurt. But - as a statement - it's totally untrue. The decision to split his forces on three fronts was entirely Wei Shao's, she never pushed him to defend Qiaos, she even told him she would understand if he concentrate his fight on the defence of Panyi and the canal.

"I will die for you but..." - words of a hypocrite with everything after a "but" being a bull*hit.

"I'll never let love bind my husband to fight and die" - words of an ignorant coward, fighting doesn't necessarily imply dying.
Besides, if she hates so much her hubby "fighting" for the Qiao's, why did she raise up the Qiao's flag over Boya when he won the battle against Xue general? Because, then, he has already won and she wanted to butter up her father/family and now, when she knows it was insufficient for her father's recognition of their marriage, she hates ALL her family members, including those who were always protecting and helping her (not only Manman, but her mother and Qiao Ci)?

Although I agree the dialogue between two cousins was well written and performed in a touching and convincing way, I can't find anything "reasonable" in DaQiao's pov, she is just an unreasonable (read: dumb & somehow spoiled) coward in the drama and, being such, she is a very different character compared to Da Qiao in the original novel.
1. Some people said her decision was motivated by fear (of LY's more numerous forces). When a reasonable person is afraid of smth, he/she notoriously has only two options: to fight or to flee. Fighting together with a bigger force (WS's troups) is certainly better than fighting alone (with just 20K soldiers) later against massive LY's army. On the flag she raised above Boya is written "Qiao", i.e., although her husband's forces preside over its territory, it is a part of Yanzhou, her homeland, currently attacked by LY and Boya is passage oblige in LY's progress towards the capital.
2. Where will she flee when 20K Boyans fail to defend it against way stronger enemy? To her family in the capital of Yanzhou, she refused to assist in a defensive fight? Or to her cousin in Wei, she equally refused to assist and whose husband might have died while defending Panyi?
3. She "just want to protect one person" (her husband), doesn't care about anyone else: people of Yanzhou, her family (including her own mother, who is also a very good and unselfish person, Qiao Ci with whom she grew up), her cousin Manman who spent no effort to help and assist her in every possible way! Beside being stupid per sé, her belief she "protects just that one person" is beyond selfishness and ungratefulness towards any other person who helped her in her life. Finally, that person she wants to protect is way smarter and more grateful than she is and she deliberately hides the truth her cousin came to ask him for help. Once he discovers he was needed to join the fight (and prevent further trouble) and she refused even to tell or discuss the thing together, what will he think (of her brains)? Will he feel "protected" by such a dumb and selfish person?

Therefore, for how good that dialogue was written and performed, I think such a huge character deviation from the original was totally unnecessary. It is true it created a suspence, but the novel wasn't lacking in suspence as well. Besides, this deviation added the flooding subplot ("raising the level of water in the marsh by draining the downstream"!???) which doesn't hold any logic at all.

That battle already happened in one of those first episodes, when LY held Manman in fortified Penyi. In the last second you can even see bound Manman sitting on the floor, trying to free herself of the rope

I think we can pass over all Sue Ehuang's misdeeds, except the hurry to attack which directly caused that... hmm... concubitus interruptus 😡

the dreams of her past life happen only in the novel, not in the drama, bc. they didn't pick up the rebirth motif from the novel.
I share your hopes, I am just a bit irritated by too many tropes, push 'n pulls and beatings around the bush in their relationship, leaving out so many interesting things from the novel. It was intentional - imo - to adapt and transform this relatively original story into an oversimplified idol romcom.

The "divination" happened in the drama, too, but she was a child back then, WS wouldn't take it to the hearth seriously if he was to learn about it one day...
In the novel, she is always wary because she was reborn, she lived once before and witnessed the deaths of her family inflicted by WS and in the present life, scenes from her former life frequently come back in her nightmares. Actually, when she confessed him the things she have done behind his back, she mentioned those nightmares, that's why he understood her feelings and fears much better after.
Although I like the drama didn't pick up that rebirth theme from the novel, I agree with you that in the drama her fears are less understandable than in the novel, but it is far away from being the main point of my dissatisfaction with the drama script, I actually take her fears for granted and don't mind them at all.