Minomi

He will if the story will follow the book version but from what the leaks show me the character will be toned down. He was describe as "monster" in the book.

***SPOILERS***
The book version of him is a 29 years old who fell in love with a teenager so a pedo. He's also a hedonist, and manipulator. He ruined so many lives from behind the scene. Unlike the drama, he's an extreme beauty with feminine look and will not put a moustache. The guy even shave his leg hair. In the book, he might look like a rival to ML but the thing is ML respect the heroine agency so much so ml don't really fought against him and not see him as love rival. I'm pretty sure the cdrama will change that and make them face each other tho. His book version also don't like ceremony. He just like the heroine in his own twisted way and don't give a damn about marriage blessings. So their almost marriage didn't happened in the book.

From what I heard, it's a copyright issue like The Comic Bang. It's originally JP IP(Saiunkoku Monogatari). There's rumor that Kadokawa probably never gave them the license. I hope they can fix it like The Comic Bang to Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun.

Rikou? That's Li Kouyuu. He's the temporary emperor's tutor from civil affairs department in first arc, later he guide the ml in writing and talking with politicians to make the law he make pass. Being a prime minister to ml happened in the after story after ml's original prime minister died. He's also an adopted son of heroine's uncle. His bad sense of direction is caused by his current adoptive parents. You see, he was a child slave being sell out but a loving couple adopted him. His first adoptive parents died in accident. Later, he was caught by bad guys again and became almost a human sacrifice for mountain god. Luckily, heroine's uncle passed by and saved him. He was then adopted again but afraid he's a walking misfortune he tried to leave the residence. Uncle's wife keep changing the arrangements of furniture so he will never be able to leave and so that's why he has bad sense of direction.

I have the same sentiment. I like the FL but ML is not cut for the role. I love Gong Jun's Wen Kexing but his Dongfang Yuechu is very much lacking.

I agree in the part the main pairing didn't seem to changed as time pass by. I believe they based it from what they see in the anime because their love story is still unfinished/ongoing in original material so they probably don't have enough material for their story. Hence, we didn't get a chance yet to see them peeling the layers of the characters. Resulting the characters feeling flat.

But I disagree with changing actress because the issue is the ML. In the anime, FL is supposed to be old and intimidating leader of Tushan. As for ML, Gong Jun is too youth looking and don't fit Yuechu's character. Sure, Yuechu is younger in the story but once he hit puberty he looked like he has the same age as the FL. You see in the original material, Yuechu has this tanned masculine disheveled look like a wuxia hero. They should at least gave him a costume that showcase his specs. Not cover it. His adult version is not supposed to be youthful or too beautiful. They should have get older actor for Yuechu. As anime fan, I didn't finished it because I don't vibe with Gong Jun's portrayal of Dongfang Yuechu even if I love him as WOH Wen Kexing. The actress for the girls are looking great though.

The Love in Pavilion arc aka ZhuYe arc is decent. That's the part where the animation greatly improved. Its ep 90-101. Only has 12 episodes.