BearFightingFanBackAgain

The cuts have definitely affected the characters and the story. Apparently the infamous wolf scene wasn’t even supposed to be the first meeting.

From the previews I’ve seen, Yezi does have a plan. I’m not sure how it will work but it’s related to the scented pouch she gave to the consort and possibly its embroidery.

I think the emperor asked Yezi to confess because he wanted to give her a way out. Even if it’s not a deep affection at this point, he seems fond of Yezi. If Yezi is implicated in the attempt, even if he wants to, he may not be able to save her. It’s a similar situation to Minister Jie.

Seems like everything kicks off from episode 9. Can’t wait!!! These last few episodes have really improved and there’s less cuts. I wonder if this is where the original script part picks up?

This schedule feels like maybe it’s automatic.

I really hope this show doesn’t bow to naysayer pressure and delete more scenes like with Jun Jiu Ling. I want to see the Emperor/Empress pairing scenes in the trailer. 😭

I’ve been trying to figure out what’s gone and there are big time cuts to the plot and certain scenes. Like in the episode when Yu Xiuming mockingly calls Yezi Princess Zhuyan, there was something said after. You can tell it was cut because Yezi’s posture doesn’t match in the next shot.
Apparently the set up for the story is a bit of a cat and mouse game between the leads. The heroine is out for revenge and the hero knows it but still falls anyway sometime during the “game”. I guess Yezi is supposed be a sort of femme fatale. If that’s true then that kind of explains Yezi and possibly the cuts if anti heroes aren’t really allowed to be main characters anymore. Yu Xiuming and Yezi’s relationship is described as an evenly matched love so there’s a possibility that the story between them uncut would be the story of two “ruthless” people getting together.
If that’s the case, I‘m really praying with the Weibo fans that the overseas versions have more content/closer to the original script.

To echo the anti comment for Yezi. I don’t think there’s an English equivalent term for her type of character but it’s a transformational one. Could be read as a type of corruption. The character starts out pure but gradually becomes grey or even an anti hero.

I think when he starts to openly protect her. Yezi isn’t a love brain but she’s still young and probably starving for affection.

Yeah, that seems to be basically what happened. I hope General Jie doesn’t fall into the revenge trap tho.

The Fan guy seems to be a comedian actor.

Yeah, it seems so. I’ve seen the actor before and he’s usually a comedy role.

I don’t think he’s the real bad guy. I think it’s the guy recently introduced.

It’s one episode if you aren’t a VIP member. If you are a VIP Youku member, there’s eight episodes out now. There were supposed to be more for non VIP but apparently there’s an entertainment ban right now to mourn a former Chinese president who recently passed away.

Actually thinking on this, I think the real answer will happen in the reboot. If no one messes things up but the results are the same, then maybe he did intend war.
And as for how she could fall for Yu Xiuming the simplest answer is kindness. It’s quite realistic if you think about human behaviour. Yezi is this young girl starved for affection and here comes this stranger who starts fulfilling some of the needs and desires she has. Yu Xiuming may be ruthless but he’s good to Yezi when her whole life people have been putting her down or tormenting her.In his own way, he’s encouraging her and giving her opportunities, things she didn’t have in Yebei. The show plays it off as a joke/flattery but I think when Yezi was explaining why she shouldn’t be a slave, her words seemed very true. When Yu Xiuming starts to protect her openly, that’ll be when her feelings really grow because it seems she’s never a stable, constant, and powerful protector in a way she as a 19 year can see.
Also I got to add that Yezi seems a little grey as well. She seems the type who cares about the people who care about her but other than being a generally decent person has a loose attachment to everyone else.From her past, she seems like a survivor and later episodes show she is not above manipulating people to survive. She also wasn’t fussed about the future of Yebei when A’Rui questioned running away and tbh, I don’t think she cares about Yebei but about A’Rui.

I think he really intended to bring peace through a marriage and various parties screwed things up. Yebei seemed like the aggressors. There’s definitely a scene with the Yebei king basically saying he traded A’Rui for the upper hand to fight. Then Minister Jie posted troops in an aggressive manner that it lead to battle. It seems like the emperor only got involved because his side was suffering quite a few casualties.

No it’s a different voice actress. Xiao Feng’s voice actress is known for dubbing really close to the face. This voice actress just sounds slightly similar.

Strangely I feel like the show isn’t so much trying to engender empathy like in TROP or AoL but more give his character a little depth and make you understand why Yezi likes him.

If I remember correctly Fan had evidence that made it seem like General Jie had disobeyed his orders which is essentially treason. And it was Jie who caused the crisis because he went out of bounds of his authority and ordered things the emperor did not order. Dad Jie had been warned but still fell into a trap of his own doing. As it was treason and regarding the military , there’s not much an emperor can do if they want to maintain respect and authority. Allowing the dad to sacrifice himself was a favour to protect the son. They both seemed to know it was the only way. Usually in those situations the whole family would be implicated.

I think it’s because you get more time with the TROP pairing and Ningyi is truly grey. I don’t think Yu Xiuming is as grey. He’s not evil but I feel like because he’s older, he struggles less with what’s the right thing for the emperor to do. If something ruthless needs to be done, he does it so there’s less empathy for him because there seems to be very little struggle with his conscience.
What will be interesting with him is how Yezi factors into his world. Ningyi in the beginning was quite ruthless to Feng Zhiwei but Yu Xiuming is a mix. Right now he is indulgent to Yezi but in a way that fits his character and I hope the screenwriter keeps that sense of logic. As much I like this pairing, I want to see a battle of wits rather than him turning into a love brain.

I think he’s trying to get at that recent guy introduced who is trying to assassinate him.

Villain isn’t quite the right term. He’s more of an antagonist I’d say because his character is quite grey. I heard they cut out a lot of his ruthless scenes out because true grey heroes/heroines are low-key not allowed anymore but he’s a bit like Ning Yi or Runyu where the stability of the empire is key. And unfortunately it takes some ruthlessness to succeed especially seeing that there seems to be some backstory to his ascending the throne. A too soft hearted ruler gives you the tragic results of Xiao Dingquan from Royal Nirvana.
And, I don’t think he’s like Li Chengyin. He’s more capable. He’s an emperor who seems to have the beauty and the country whereas Li Chengyin only has the country, and that’s after quite the struggle. Drama Li Chengyin also has to use a young girl’s naïveté to get a chance at the throne and then has no power to properly protect her. We already know Yu Xiuming took Yebei by his own merit and from the trailers, it seems he can look after Yezi too.