Alxx2

I don't think brother was allied with anyone. The former Emperor probably would have the older brother killed anyway. The problem wasn't just his brother returning to the capital without the edict. His return caused the border defenses to fall and parts of the kingdom was lost. If the original Emperor was still alive would he admit he made the mistake by recalling the brother? The fact it was a secret edict meant the Emperor can deny and claim it was fake.

ML brother fate.
1. Not listening to the edict -if the Emperor is alive - Dead
2. Listened to the edict - defense falls - Emperor alive who puts the blame on him- Dead

No new ruler wants military power in the hands of ML's brother. All of them would have plotted his death.

Prince Ding is the current Emperors "tang xiong", which means 1st cousin from their father side of the family. They are actually the same generation.
Pince Ding is the son of the Younger Brother of the Former Emperor.
Prince Li is nephew of the current Emperor as the dead crown prince was the older brother of the current Emperor. So he is one generation younger than Prince Ding. Prince Ding would have a closer relationship with the Emperor because they are the same generation and living in the capitol since childhood.

Prince Ding actually have very little interaction with Prince Li because of generation and childhood. Pince Li childhood was spent in Li Shan Academy and after Li Shan he was imprisoned while Prince Ding's branch was shambles after the capital catastrophe.

That's what you don't understand no one is actually meant for the throne until they sit on the throne. Mo Jing Li father is heir not him. There are no other choices for the Emperor. The options are The current emperor, Mo Jing Li and actually ML's older brother. The older brother had no intention for the throne and he is already dead at this point. Li Shan would have chosen a terrible Emperor if they continued with Mo Jing Li. Mo Jing Li is a coward selfish, greedy, from what little we seen and is completely unfit to rule. Li Shan chose their own fate when refused to acknowledge the new Emperor who won the battle for the throne. They are stubborn scholars but that is not always good. Li Shan CHOSE to seal themselves. The students like the one who wanted to tree cut chose to got the academy when Li Shan decided to seal themselves. The Queen send guards below the the mountain because they would not yield so she is making sure they stay up there like there stubbornness dictates. If the Queen wanted Li Shan all dead she could have done that ages ago when Mo Jing Li signed the accusation that Li Shan kidnaped him.

I already they know they died by an epidemic before long before this episode was released. They did not request help from the epidemic because they will be yielding to the Queen. They also don't want to escape the mountain because the epidemic would spread to villages around the mountain. At this point the epidemic is natural but if someone is responsible it would only be Mo Jing Li. Only he is afraid of revenge Li Shan would do to him if they decide to unseal.

No all the bites are from herself having PTSD when she recalls reality of her family. Monkey never bit her. She is afraid of monkeys because of the statues near the grave site where she had to bury them. Monkey just became the key to unlock her trauma which she sealed her mind from.

The epidemic is natural or *from Mo Jing Li* in certain rumors because he betrayed the school and they would never support him to be Emperor. But the time line makes no sense for me at this point. How did a child Ye Li become an adult Ye Li if everything happened 8 years ago. Her mother death and the mountain epidemic should have happened months apart . If its true why she grown in to her adult form during the epidemic.

Why because she wanted her son on the throne? Nothing wrong with that. I disagree with your statement because you don't realize everyone wanted ML's brother to die. Even the previous Emperor. The brother sealed his fate when he chose to return to the capital instead of staying to defend the borders. Remember ML's family is an incredibly powerful as they control the military. Even if the emperor lived the brother would die because of the disaster that happened at borders. Emperor would have said he gave no such edict, executed the older brother anyway. Remember its a secret edict. The Emperor would have eliminated ML‘s brother for his next heir.

Look I'm not trying to defend the Empress. Royal intrigue is normal. The Marquis did everything for himself, he gained immense power but was completely corrupt to the point of selling out his own country. The only thing that aligned was their goals. The Queen, the Marquis， the former Emperor all wanted ML's brother to be dead. The Queen for her son. The Marquis to take over power vacuum left from ML brother's death. The Emperor for himself or his other son if he didn't die early, I think for the TV show

Royalty don't think when it comes to power. Tv show was a little different from the book. Even in the TV show I question the former Emperors goals in calling back the older brother. The previous Emperor called back ML's brother because he actually wants him dead. Think about it. It is a secret edict. Which means no one other than the Former emperor and older brother knows. His older brother is responsible for defending borders which aren't at peace. So the former Emperor is already risking the nation for his selfish goals. The older brother already is aware something is not right before returning. The older brother chose to hide the edict because he know things can seriously go wrong with him returning to the capital when the borders aren't safe. The story makes little sense here. If his brother had the edict and the army he would have been perfectly safe. He was in jail when he told the location of the edict to the FL's mother.

Lishan sealed themselves because they couldn't support the new Emperor. Its common in ancient China that scholars are stubborn to bone. There choices aren't always right. They supported Mo Jing Li. The same Mo Jing Li who was ready to start a war by assassinating the princess in order to gain the throne.

You do realize that Mojingli had the princess killed right?

The empress didn't do it. If the Empress knew they died she wouldn't have troops placed below the mountain.

There is no novel, at least in the baidu description page which usually includes the novel title of the work a tv series is based on. Only says the setting is based on a Ming dynasty ink making family. The female character is most likely not a real historical figure. I think the clue is in the ending ost picture where the guy with the crunches is sitting in room that's on fire. Seems like he punished himself by recreating the original sin he committed.

i disagree she looks terrible. Most Asian girls with baby fat like hers don't age like that in their 30s. She looks like shes in her 40s.

Am I tripping, what happened to Yangzi face. its swollen especially around the eyes and she looks like she aged 10 years since I last seen a tv series (2-3 years ago) by her?

You are so open minded you are judgmental to people who don't like what you like? Being open minded is accepting the fact that people can hate what I like and they interpreted differently? You sound like a close minded person to be honest if you sound angry at people who judge it negatively. This isn't some original work. This is taking names of characters that already appeared in a popular web novel. If you want people not be biased, the director and writers shouldn't take a popular IP and wrecking it, instead they should create their own original story.

The ending itself is confusing. In Chinese culture its common especially in period dramas to dream of the dead. The attendant looking so worried asking him if he dreamed of Xiu li general again? Also the dream like the scene with the children explanations are basically all targeted towards Yan Xun. Clearly this is Yan Xun mind world. If this street and children's scene was real why CQ and the adult children don't appear in the 36 years after. CQ is the main character not the two male leads. CQ missing from all ending shots makes absolutely no sense. According to the night life scene ZGY and YX should be on good terms at the end, sharing a meal like a family. Yet in the 36 years shot. he wrote countless letters to ZGY and burned them like is unable to communicate with ZGY. He has many things to say to ZGY but he doesn't even have the guts to let soldiers send his message. Someone else interpreted as ZGY is already dead, because burning messages is sending it to the after life. But I am not 100% convinced by this because YX would be writing letters to CQ instead even if she was alive or dead so why to ZGY. I think it is because he feel responsible for CQ death. Yan Bei is the strongest nation of the four nations before the war with the Quan Rong, Da yong was strongest before losing to Ximeng and Yan bei. Why was CQ army the one to defend the kingdoms and fight the main general?

The last 30 sec collage focusing on dead characters and unfilled relationships don't help at all. Focus are ZGY remembering CQ meal , LC waiting, LY and Princess, Queen and Cheng general, Prince and Huan General. Basically pictures of the dead with their regrets and failed love story. Why is ZGY and CQ in this collage if they had a happy ending as people claim? The only person whose love and regret don't appear is Yan Xun. This itself is confusing.

Even before the ending I stopped being engaged in this drama at episode 24-30 and jumped to the end because it felt like a disaster. The actress that played CQ felt like she was basically chosen because she looks like Zhao Li Ying the original actress from the first drama. I don't feel like she showed emotions very well in her acting at all. It felt like I'm looking at the same canvas every time the camera pans toward
her. I didn't watch PA , so I went in with no expectations. I chose to read the novel because the Rebirth was becoming nonsense. Thank fully the novel delivered compared to the disaster of ending this show was.

Don't look for her, her ending is tragic. She dies by from her lover prince. CQ and ZGY killed the king. She takes the prince hostage so CQ can leave. Once CQ leaves. H and the prince discuss their relationship. The prince believes they no longer can be together as their positions make it impossible. She believes they can and ask him to leave with her. Prince pretends to agree with her and kills her with knife. Prince walks away and states she is just too naive, this world doesn't suit you.

To be honest it was nothing special. They invented a new outer enemy nation called Quan Rong at the end. They are going to invade the 4 nations which has been at war. She led an army with leaders of all 4 nations and basically all side character soldiers/ princes that were following the main characters dies in this battle. It just seemed like they needed to kill all the extras for good.
Chu Qiao fights enemy general wins fight but is extremely injured. ZGY rides a horse through the battlefield ( "apparently he faked his death") . He gets CQ just before she collapses in to his arms. She closes her eyes in his arm,

AFTER this you will see the most AI and dream/fake like ending.

Chu general could be her but why make it ambiguous with zero camera shots of her.

The reason why I think the street scene with the children is a dream it looks like it’s from the view point of Yan Xun. The next scene is 36 years later he wakes up and the first thing the attendant asks if he dreamed about Xiu Li general which is Chu Qiao. We never see Chu Qiao 36 years later and there are no adult children next to Zhuge Yue. Even a single line like father wear this coat the weather is getting colder, can enforce the street scene is real. Why is he remembering her alone when it snowed when he can go meet her? Chu Qiao is the Main
character not the two male leads. The final ending with the two men looking at each other and no Chu Qiao at all just makes no god sense. Also it’s inferred the male leads haven’t been on speaking terms for many years. letters written letters burned. The street scene was so fake like both the king and queen of different regions don’t have any soldiers or attendants?

Sorry to burst your bubble but it doesn’t even resemble the same house at the start of the episode 30 8 min 30 s.

One house is labeled with the name at the door. Ending scene house has no title. They actually zoom out of the house still no plate with the Chu Zai label.

There is no happy ending.
The classic fake Chinese dream scene.
The children and that meeting is so fake/dream like. Why would they be hiding in some random house when they are king and queen of west alliance. The FL entire goal was to create and run a nation free of slaves. There is zero chance she be hiding somewhere. Clearly it was entire scene dreamed up by the 2nd ML. The 36 years after have zero semblance to what happened with the children. Clearly it was a case of terrible editing choices by the director.

You see the ML all alone 36 years later no children and no FL lead.

The web novel endings which this tv series is suppose to be based on

The final enemy was an invasion by the another outer nation. So all the current 4 nations needed to make an alliance to defend their land. She is fighting the leader or some general at the end. The lake scene at the end no fighting just two senile old man looking at each other.

As Two old man. FL dies in a final fight against the enemy they are facing. ML arrives too late. She dies in his arms. You get the 2nd male lead dream cutscene. Where you see part of the original ending with the 2 children for ML and FL. So it was dream of him and his queen meeting the FL alive and ML, the meeting was guided their kids. Next scene is the 2nd male lead as an old man waking up.