JJJ

Yup, everyone trying to plot each other's downfall LOL.

Yuppp, Jiang Ci is always able to put her emotions aside when necessary. Welp, what is done is done. We can say all of this as viewers since we can see ahead and everyone's POV. But these characters are all doing the best they can with the info given so I can't dislike anyone's actions here. It is all logical from their POV. I just feel for them. They have so much going on and not really a moment to truly rest and just experience joy.

As much as Madam Rong is kind of hurting our main characters... I just need to say, I do love her character. She is set to burn everything. Very career-focused of her. 😂 She /doesn't/ care for anyone else and I am impressed LMAO.

No, today and tomorrow are 1 episode.

He really should have told Jiang Ci at the end of episode 32 there. But I am not surprised he didn't. He really thought he could have kept the Master safe. In addition, even with this episode, Yifei was the one opening his mouth for Wei Zhao about the emperor. 💀 Jiang Ci is so out of the loop here, I really feel for her. Because she has her own plan too, but she has no idea they have a plan happening at the same time. If she has known, she did have plan it differently and so would he. It is no wonder episode 33 of their peak conflict happened.

Master Yan: She appealed to her with them needing to stop the marriage, needing to protect their children, and needing to expose what happen to Prince Qi and get the emperor to step down. Master Yan at this point is not just trying to free herself + Jiang Ci, she was also looking at Wei Zhao when she said it can free the people that it needs to aka him and the Yue Luo people.

Wei Zhao: She appealed to him about his sister and to get the emperor to step down.

*Wei Zhao knows the upcoming Yue Luo slave trade is coming up soon, so he is in a hurry here. He thought using Madam Rong (+ Master Yan) is not a bad idea since he can use their hands to do the work. He is on high alert, but he doesn't fully realize Madam Rong is out to get him too.

Based on preview of 33, he will probably manage to still be fine, but it makes so much sense why Jiang Ci slapped the porridge he offered away (he was telling her that her master was fine when no, she is an active participant in this plan). She was JUST starting to trust in him again as of episode 32...

Madam Rong is so GOOD at getting them to join her plan. She hit them where it hurts:

Madam Rong found out because Pei Yan told her.

The emperor came to his own conclusion based on the description aka middle-aged woman who was taking care of her and who Jiang Ci called her master. So, he narrowed it that it probably was one of the Yan sisters.

Wei Zhao miscalculated here. He thought this plan at the end of the day won't be too bad since he can use Madam Rong along with Master Yan to force the emperor to confess. But he did not know that Madam Rong had other plans and is out to get him too.

Wei Zhao following along the plan... oh man... and telling Jiang Ci her master is safe... (when she is not since she is now involved with their plan too). No wonder that preview for episode 33 happened.

The plot is PLOTTING in episode 32 (I really enjoyed it). It makes so much sense why everyone ended where they are for upcoming episode 33.

Madam Rong... she is something else, very convincing woman though.

LMAO, I don't think I have seen an FL in C-drama end up in prison as much as her (not for comedic effects). 😂 There is usually 1 scene during peak conflict moments but she is in and out of there like she lives there.

At least 3 times now. 💀

Not the pain episodes being a single episode at a time LMAO. They said you guys will SUFFER.

Some drama going on the C-side regarding Jiang Ci/Li Landi (don't click if you don't want to know):

As this is an ML-centric drama, FLs are usually expected to always believe and trust the ML regardless (it is just how this genre is written), and if the FL misunderstands the ML, it is usually to add to ML's sad background and have the viewers feel for him. It is a very common trope. The FLs in this kind of genre are usually just a love accessory and don't have their own arc. The FL is meant to be a self-insert.

However, Jiang Ci in this drama is written as her character with her own arc even without the romance aspect. Because of that, she has been getting bashed by /some/ viewers (the ones who are very rooted in ML's POV) along with YXH adding to it. Questioning how can she not trust the ML, how dare she "stopped" loving the ML, etc. I believe anyone who is watching this drama without bias can understand Jiang Ci's POV. Character bashing is nothing new so it is whatever, however, it is now dragging Li Landi as an actress into it.

These same people are now claiming Li Landi's acting is bad because she is showing only "coldness" and "hate" to Wei Zhao. Again, anyone watching the past few episodes without bias will see her interactions with Wei Zhao are mixed with conflicts, hurt, coldness, pining, etc. It is to the point that they are trying to claim she is a bad actress.

Good thing is there are also a lot of people defending her and saying Jiang Ci is her own character with her own thoughts/experiences. It makes no sense for her to completely trust Wei Zhao 100% once again after what had happened, and her interactions with Wei Zhao are completely aligned with Jiang Ci's character.

I think part of it is also there are people who were upset that Jiang Ci's character is too "good" in the sense that she had highlights from the Ayan case, saving the Yue Luo people, etc. They feel like her character is getting a bit too much attention which would benefit Li Landi as an actress for her career.

But yeah, I can see it getting even worse once episode 34-25 hits. It is starting to spread so I am just hoping it doesn't affect the drama overall. It is one thing if it helps with the heat index, but if it is just going to lead to Li Landi as an actress being questioned, then it is pointless.

Consequences of an action/decision sadly. It basically spiraled. Wei Zhao thought the Yue Luo/Lu Yu war would have ended before the master showed up so they can probably have a more peaceful convo, but it didn't end when she showed up, so their first meeting was him attacking her in the battlefield. Then Lu Yu clocked how both WZ and PY cared for her, took her away, which led to them all finding out her hidden identity. Then for selfish reasons, PY revealed JC's identity to the emperor, and emperor ordered WZ to bring her back to imperial court, the list goes on.

This drama always had a "what if" theme going on. What if this didn't happen, what if that didn't happen. They all made decisions that benefitted them in the moment, and they can't predict the future. And sadly, the future often times will be a tragedy.

It will be single episodes for some days and then should go back to double episodes. They haven't released the full episode schedule yet but I think from now to episode 33, it is one episode a day.

I also don't know how she can ever trust anyone again. Majority of her main relationships in this drama have been filled with lies, omissions, or just outright not saying anything even when she asked. Her feelings have been constantly casted aside for the "greater good". If they were just going to keep treating her like this, none of them should have developed feelings for her. Because now with the feelings mixed in, Jiang Ci is being expected to put her personhood aside to trust in feelings that have been laced with lies throughout her journey.

Poor Jiang Ci. The people who are claiming to protect her are all making plans/decisions FOR her without keeping her in the loop (saying just "stay still" or "I will protect you" is NOT enough communication), then there are people outright trying to end her, then there are the people (like Cui Liang and Dong Second Lady) with no agenda but doesn't have enough power.

I did lose it already.