IrenaK

The stress levels in this episode!

I can't even imagine how A'Yao would feel if Yanji had succeeded in killing ZhaoJun. He would be devastated! Her so-called freeing him from shackles — such bs! She was probably out of the loop on how they had grown closer over these last five years while she was pretending to be dead and conspiring with Tian Shuo. 🙄Anyway, I am happy that all of them got out of that fire pit and both couples are fine. I was so worried about ZhaoJun all the time because she was in labour... OMG, my stress levels for her were so high! 😮‍💨🫣 AND SHAOSHANG FINALLY FORGAVE BUYI! 🎉❤️And I must say, the previous Crown Prince wouldn't be able to hold his ground as long and as bravely as the Third Prince did. That alone makes the Third Prince a way better heir to the throne. 😌👏Also, this does feel a little bit like a callback to what happened when they all were in this region those almost 40 episodes ago, because the events are somewhat similar. 🤨

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I still believe BuYi and ShaoShang will end up together

I still believe that ShaoShang and BuYi will overcome their issues with each other and will end up together. However, even if it's bitter, they have peacefully kind of agreed to their future, yet on separate paths. 🥺💔I liked that ShaoShang's Grandmother and Mother have finally accepted her the way she is and cherish her now. Their relationship hasn't been easy, to put it lightly, which makes me understand why it's so hard for ShaoShang to accept that sudden love and care with her arms wide open. But it's never too late for forgiveness, and the mending of their family has finally begun. 🥹❤️But what the hell is happening in Hua County? Bandits with Lou and Yuan armour ambushing people, Lou Li luring ShaoShang to her home to assassinate her... How many people are involved? Are Lou Yao, his wife, and Yuan Shen also involved in some way? 😳But this danger in Hua County, I see it as a way to re-spark BuYi and ShaoShang's love, because those many episodes ago, when BuYi got ShaoShang's string, it happened in this region. History might repeat itself, bringing the two lovers together, maybe? 🤔🥺

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Five years later...

I like how they showed us the transition to five years later. That section was done beautifully. 😌 But now after a few no-drama years, we are thrown right back in, starting with Empress Xuan falling ill and only a month or two remaining for her to live. As for a plot driver, of course she wants to see ShaoShang married before her death... well, there's no rush, then, right? 🥺As it turns out, the only person outside Changqiu Palace ShaoShang had met occasionally has been Yuan Shen, and after learning of the Empress's wish he actually offers marriage to her, saying he is willing to wait for the day when she finally forgets BuYi and sees him instead. And to my surprise, she actually agreed to that offer... Was it really only because the Empress wished for it? ShaoShang previously had said that she could live without a husband easily, so what other reason could there be for her to change her mind suddenly? Also, they never talked about what would happen if she never forgets BuYi. Would they just live together with that axe hanging over their marital knot? 🫣🤔And later, when the engaged couple met eye to eye with BuYi, the feelings were all there — the bitter love, unspoken words and lingering levels of yearning between ShaoShang and BuYi, and the glimpses of jealousy from Yuan Shen. Him telling BuYi never to try to interact with ShaoShang anymore just proved that. 😥And Luo JiTong? She's just following around BuYi, almost throwing herself at him and then expecting that he would have developed some feelings and want to marry her? Ahem... lady? Please? 😒🙄

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Change of roles

Oh no, he's turned into an ak-gwi? Was it because of how much Yang energy he has lost? I know he was already low on it, but I wouldn't think it was this low already. 😨🫣Saeng-Gang entering the spirit world to save him made me like the girl even more. 🥹 She's not a passive bystander who can hear things and occasionally lend a hand. She's actually becoming the only one who can save Gu-Cheon. How will she be able to do it? 🤔The palace intrigues are just getting thicker, showing us new layers of how rotten the royal family is. There are deaths upon deaths, yet they look like they are living with a much clearer conscience than they should! 😒And our little guy Ggeomeoksali showed some skills! He's becoming part of the team. Love it! Just please don't drain any more of Gu-Cheon's Yang energy... 🙏🥺

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Episode of many farewells

We finally got rid of that annoying Censor Zuo. 👏 But everything else in this episode was so sad... 🤧The Empress asking to be deposed so she could take the punishment for the Crown Prince and save him from any humiliation, and also make the Third Prince becoming the Crown Prince happen in a more reasonable way. 🥺💔ShaoShang and BuYi going their separate ways — him going into exile for 7 years and her confining herself in the Cold Palace for the rest of her life. 😭💔ShaoShang's mother finally realising how wrong she has been with her disciplining methods. 🥺An episode of many farewells... 😢🤧 But I do believe ShaoShang and BuYi will be together in the end because there are still 5 episodes left and plenty of time for time skips and other stuff to happen. 🤞P.S. A wonderful touch that Huo WuShang decided to keep his name as Huo BuYi to honour his cousin and let his name live the life he never got to live himself. 🥹

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The story of Gu City massacre

I loved the scene when ShaoShang played her flute and WuShang slowly woke up. The sequence of his memories was beautifully done — at first what they had promised each other and then how he had left her so many times... 🥺🤧❤️I hope he understands that him repeatedly leaving her, which was completely opposite to everything he promised her, is why ShaoShang is avoiding him now. 😒I do love ShaoShang's relationship with the Empress. No one really has trusted in her, nor really supported her as much as the Empress does. Even when she suffers from ShaoShang's choices and actions in some ways, she never blames her. That only shows how she acts more like a mother to her than her own mother ever did. But I know her mother loves her too, even if she can't show it as well as the Empress. 🥹A little surprise to me was that they actually caught Madam ChunYu, and now I can only hope that ShaoShang will be able to get that evidence from Sancai Temple, because the one who has it is one of her ill-wishers, Princess Consort Ruyang. 🤨🤞WuShang's story of what he went through in Gu City was heartbreaking. No child should go through such a thing. But I can only respect him for being able to stay as quiet and still as he did while witnessing his father's death. That already tells a lot about his personality and character back then. 🫣😭And now he has reclaimed his real name... No more Ling BuYi, all the Lings are dead... Only Huo WuShang remains! 🥹👏

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Lifesaving cliffs, secret alliances, and the reveal that shook the court

Those lifesaving falls/jumps from the cliffs... only dramas can pull that off. In life, anyone would have died from that fall, but I am not complaining, I am rather grateful for those vines and protrusions for making the fall survivable. 🫣😅However, I think the main star of this episode was ShaoShang. She saved BuYi in a Bonnie and Clyde kind of style, and stayed by his side no matter how he tried to push her away or what danger they were about to face. I really admire her for that bravery, loyalty, and love she showed. 🥹🤗The Third Prince looking for ways to save BuYi and actually being on his team was a nice surprise. We really need more of those. Also, I could see the relief that washed over the Emperor's face when he realised that A'Li was A'Zheng, which meant he didn't commit patricide, which probably was the worst of the three crimes they accused him of.Also, no one really might know that, but there's actually one living person that could testify against Ling Yi and prove he was the one behind the Huo clan's death and the Gu City massacre. It's Madam ChunYu, BuYi's stepmother. 🤨👆

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What an episode!

​What an episode! 🔥🔥🔥​BuYi finally got his revenge... And what a scene that was! Him slashing his sword left and right, killing one Ling after another, blood splashing on all the walls. So intense! 😬 The culmination, of course, was BuYi's final three cuts on Ling Yi's neck, each of them followed by words revealing his true name — Huo... Wu... Shang... 😌🥺​But that scene after? It looked like so many emotions coming out at once. And Wu Lei's acting there? Outstanding! 🤩👏​Another epic scene was when ShaoShang rode the horse in her wedding dress and all the Chengs with their guards followed, armoured to the teeth to help her get to BuYi. That scene gave me such goosebumps! 🥹 I think the Chengs are one of the bravest families there are in this drama. 💛​But now I have to worry about what happens next. How will they get BuYi out of punishment? How will the Emperor react to all that, and everyone else? I am expecting quite a tough road for them ahead... 😟

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Dead ends that break and promises that put back on path

I am pretty sure now of Ling Yi's involvement in the Gu City massacre. Not sure what his reasons were to take part in it (or maybe even be the mastermind behind it?). 🤨Though, BuYi accepting the invitation to that birthday banquet somehow makes me wonder if he is planning to massacre the whole Ling clan there? 🤔🫣But he broke my heart in this episode. To see that strong, almost emotionless man so vulnerable and broken... it was painful to watch. 🥺💔 He should be so grateful that he has such a devoted woman by his side — ShaoShang reassured him many times that she's not leaving him no matter what he does, and even pledged an oath in front of the memorial tablets of the Huo Clan, sealing it with an ancient ritual of biting each other's hands... ❤️Though, I am a little disappointed that in the end, when he finally had the chance and no one was interrupting them anymore, BuYi chose not to tell her about his true identity... That might be related to her words that he remembered before answering, but I didn't really catch what his reason could be. Was it his way of protecting her so she wouldn't face any consequences or punishment for deceiving the Emperor about his identity once it comes to light? Since he's planning to do something shocking, he might need to reveal why he did it, which might include revealing his true identity... And now I suspect even more that it might be a massacre of the Ling Clan as payback for the massacre of the Huo Clan... 😟😳Anyway, the suspense around BuYi's revenge is building up very quickly as we move towards the end... Only 9 episodes left! 🫣

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The teamwork of both leads is amazing!

This all just gets better and better! Gu-Cheon and Saeng-Gang make an amazing team, and with their unique abilities, they perfectly complement each other — he's the eyes and the muscle in the spirit world, she's the ears and his help in the human world. The scene where they fought those court maid spirits was amazing — the visuals, the sequence with the bell, the water, the fire... I can't even describe how well this drama delivers. 🤩🤗The Queen Dowager, as always, is the one who has caused a lot of harm for the sake of her power... No wonder that palace has so many resentful spirits. 🙄😒 And they just keep piling up. That boy the King ordered to be killed because he saw something he shouldn't have? I bet he's another one who will "pay his respects" to the living. 🤨Little Ggeomeoksali is so scary and cute at the same time. But he's dangerous, especially for Gu-Cheon, who's already low on Yang energy. And that line he said to Saeng-Gang — to not get possessed... Could that be foreshadowing? Hope not, but that would just raise the stakes! 🫣And the identity of the Pond spirit is revealed to be the Most Favoured Lady of the Court. I wonder what her disagreement with the Queen Dowager was back then for her to curse the entire royal bloodline, drown herself with her veins cut open, and now haunt them. 🤔

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Absolutely loved the premiere!

Absolutely loved the premiere! 🤩 While watching this, I realised how much I actually missed something scary, mysterious, bloody, and supernatural. This drama drew me in pretty much from the first second and just got better with every minute passing. 😌🫣Absolutely loved our main guy, Gu-Cheon. I think his attitude towards life just speaks for itself, and I love his comments about pretty much everything! He would love to get some good sleep, but naaaah, there's some little boy he has to save, and the King himself threatens him into it... 😅 But when he finally does — uff, the aura is insane! 🔥And his supervisor, instead of some ugly, brute man as he assumed he would get, is actually a girl! Their dynamic is very entertaining, and I really enjoy watching them. 🤭The music, visuals, atmosphere, characters, and the story itself have got me completely hooked. 🤗

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Little wins of the Chengs and big losses of the Lous

Quite funny how A'Song scoffed at Third Brother's divinations, saying he said he would marry before NiaoNiao, and then suddenly QiQi sneaks into the prison and they just get married... Yeah, A'Song, engagement is not marriage yet! 😉😂 Everyone should listen to Third Brother's divinations more... He's like the prophet there, knowing what is about to happen and when. And he hasn't been wrong so far! 🤭I really appreciate how this crisis is bringing all the Cheng family members closer. The understanding Grandmother found with ShaoShang's mother, how they accepted A'Song getting married into the Wan family, and more... I really hope they will be able to maintain this bond even after the crisis ends... I have a lot of faith that everything will be ok with the Chengs. 🥹🕊️As for the Lou family... I get that there were circumstances that led to the situation they are in now, but still, I don't think any of them really can defend what Lou Ben chose to do. He really did go astray in his pursuit for status, wanting to be at the top right away, not earning it step by step. And then his comment about easy gain and easy loss? Was it the irony he saw in his actions and a philosophy he had for some time, or was it a sudden realization of the situation he was in? 🤨🤔But in the end, the ones who will lose the most will be his mother, brother, and wife — people who were the closest to him and loved him the most. I believe by choosing suicide he tried to save them from any punishment for his actions, but he has left a lot of sorrow behind, and the way his wife looked at ShaoShang at the end somehow made me feel uneasy. 😟🫣Also, did ShaoShang take the map or leave it there on the table? Such a treasure shouldn't be left behind if that's a gift, because someone could take it and hide it. But thanks to Lou Ben's riddled hints, she's onto where her father could be... I really hope he's ok and alive! 🙏

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Looking for truth of what happened in Tongniu County

ShaoShang keeps breaking my heart! Her desperation to find her father is so immense. That scene where she ran to the dead bodies of General Cheng's army, checking one after another, just to see if one of them was her father... 😭💔I am so grateful she has BuYi in her life, and his support in this situation is enormous. He doesn't complain about anything, he just quietly helps her with anything and everything and keeps her protected. 🥹He is part of the Cheng family and she is part of the Huo family — I loved them both saying those things to each other, especially as it was comforting for both to acknowledge that they are not the last ones of their families, they don't have to fight those fights alone, and they have the endless and unconditional support of each other. 🥹❤️‍🩹Everything that's happening in Tongniu County, with those convenient accidents and deaths of officials and witnesses, just hints at Lou Ben being the one behind it all (though it remains to be seen if he is working alone or collaborating with someone). 🧐And I absolutely loved how General Wan dealt with Minister Zuo! If he really goes to get ShaoShang to bring her back to the capital, I really want to see how he will NOT manage to take her away from BuYi! 🫣🤭

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