Becky

The novel Wan Mei is opposite to the drama. In novel she was already gang raped in the brothel... and by time she was accepted into the Gui Hua City (assassins group) and went through the training, she had disassociated her body from herself (mentally). She killed and slept her way through her assignments. I think the screenwriter was adapting the novel from a different angle-- what if the same events happen but Wan Mei remains pure at heart, never compromising her body and her sense of morality? I watch the drama like a metaphor to real life-- in this dog-eat-dog world, can you maintain pure at heart and still reach the top? Different pov ^^"

I do agree drama is very weak on why Chang An and Gongzi fall in love with Wan Mei, it is not convincing. In novel, Chang An was impressed with how weak Wan Mei was when she got in and how strong-minded she became, and he fell in love with her; for Gongzi..... he saw she is beautiful and they xxx, and he realized somehow after he xxx with her, he gets better sleep.... and over time fell in love with her ^^"

Lol.... valid points, although I hold a different pov, partly becos I read a few chapters of the original novel and am impressed with how they have modified the source material into this. The original novel is a sadistic erotica-- basically Wuthering Heights + any erotica you have read ^^" They watered down the original Wan Mei a lot, you would probably have like the novel version. Unfortunately the source material would not have passed China's censorship.... maybe in Kdrama, it is possible.

Congrats!! This is very well-written! I dunno why I missed reading this earlier..... Ironically I was chatting with someone about MDL articles and she point out this recent one as very well-written and detailed ^^"

Mmm, I feel for you, the agony of waiting for a drama and it is below expectations.... Usually it is those dramas that nobody knows is in production that warm our hearts... I'm waiting for The Fated General and Oath to Love!!! and scare too, especially Oath to Love as my expectations for this is quite high -_-"

Please. Don't give Yu Zheng more ideas....
XD XD

I'm probably too late to this convo.... but another tragic xianxia romance similar to L&R would be Love of Thousand Years. The ending is hauntingly sad and very poetic.

This has a very niche, unusual story. Although it is very beautifully done, not everyone can accept the masochistic story ^^". I dropped this drama about a year back, re-attempting it now

I like your last line!! I have watched Strangers From Hell and The Guest (horror kdramas) but I put this drama on hold in ep 5, due to that infamous fish soup scene, as it was psychologically disturbing! Yet that scene did not show any meat! Excellent art direction-- to create horror without any horror; to create romance without any intimate, big love confession scenes

Yesss! Former Yang Kang in the TVB version is Huang Rong's father in this edition!! The senior characters are all veterans in the acting industry ^^. Very delightful watch

This version follows the novel quite closely, it is also very fast-paced (no drag). My only complaint was on ML and 2ML-- Guo Jing is too handsome ^^" and if only Oliver Chen (Yang Kang) look like he did in Goodbye My Princess....

I like Chumu too, unfortunately he is still not back in the story ^^"

https://youtu.be/ZkbgMqqwuks

Lol..... I'm a Li Yitong fan, agree that her choice of scripts and roles tend towards the melodrama, passive-aggressive types (maybe she likes challenges, idk). You might want to check out Legend of the Condor Heroes ver. 2017. She is Huang Rong and played the role so well (she did her own wuxia stunts too), this is a happy and fun wuxia drama==> https://youtu.be/1FEp1x0I6sM

Eps 43 and 44-- Furou has almost 40 mins++ screen time!! ♥
FL is back in the story! \o/

Does anyone know who are the confirmed leads? I have read:-
1) Zheng Yecheng and Yang Chaoyue
2) Deng Lun and Yang Chaoyue
3) Deng Lun and Li Yitong
4) Gong Jun and Li Yitong

No, Sheng Chuling will survive, as he will marry the princess in the last ep. I'm surprise the parents didn't show up at Consort Han's funeral?

When you feel like watching Beauty and the Beast in modern setting, remember this drama XD XD

Lol, ML can be FL's father (20 yrs gap irl). It feels cringe but if you give the drama a chance, the story is actually quite good. Not your typical modern romance. This drama covers a few issues and topics in love, and explore this in really interesting manner

Ah, becos Guo Jing isn't supposed to be this good looking ^^" Felix Wong in the 1983 version was the most suitable Guo Jing (in my opinion)

The only good stuff in the last few eps (for me) are the brotherhood scenes between Ashile Sun and She'er