DefyingDestiny

For what its worth, it has kept us talking even after the show ended.

Consort Li wasn't a good person and I doubt she is really a pedo but her family are actually awful and they knowingly sent a child to marry a dying Emperor, so they definitely would have backed her to attach herself to the new young Emperor. Like they say there are no innocent people that survive in the palace, the Emperor would definitely also know she calculated him and allows it for comfort and for benefits. They grew to have genuine feelings for each other and I can't fault her for any of her choices; remember that with the death of the former emperor she would become a widow for life in her teens.
following Ji Shuran's downfall she "repents" and no longer wants to keep playing the games and tricks; she sacrifices herself for the Emperor's safety( and as such also the Empire) she deserves "absolution", at the very least because she is dead.

spoiler tag please

They could easily remake Sealed with a Kiss. Although no one makes toxic "romance' dramas anymore; it would be cancelled before it got off the writing room floor 😄
But they would be compelling to watch them go from a frighteningly toxic couple to a dual redemption couple.

Story of kunning palace and Blossoms in adversity. They give the same satisfaction of The Double: similar pacing, strong ml, smart fl, palace politics stakes and happy endings.

It would probably give you an unreasonably high expectation of the genre😅

🙈🙊

Going to rewatch Story of Minglan to soothe my mind.

I've been watching Wang Xin Yue since First Love. His portrayal of the "cold" character never felt dry.; it was so rich and then in Scent Of Time, he just killed it. I absolutely loved his Zhong Zi Wu. In Amidst-a-Snowstorm-of-Love, he was a joy to watch again and I treasured Zhang Zhe as much as the fl in SOKP.😚
He's so much fun to watch and he really brought Xiao Heng, Duke Su to life. I was ecstatic from the first reveal to the pendant in mouth battle closing: the vicious beautiful man clad in all red

Finally sword fighting for real

Imagine Liang Yong Qi and Li Meng: enemies to lovers corporate drama

They left the ending in a style open to interpretation. They gave closure to all the characters before he goes for war, killed off his two aides and left him alone on the battle field facing a charging army. Then they show in dreamlike style: Fang fei runing to the tree as the blossoms fall and him riding to it. They never meet or show anything or anyone after except their "child".
Thus that last scene could be real or imagined.
The extra episode tells you it was real and a happy ending but still based on your interpretation, it could still be perceived as "if only he came back" this is what life would have been like.
If you watched LBFAD, remember his dream after she died on the battlefield? It's very similar in style and context, so it's not hard to understand why some people are interpreting it as a sad ending.
Me personally, I received it as a happy ending. It suits the overall story better than an open ending or sad ending.

The shot it as such. And it was unnecessary considering the novel is a happy ending and the Dai conflict was tagged on at the end; was never a real threat throughout the show. It didn't deserve to take JiJis lives and it certainly wasn't worthy for a cliffhanger war ending for the ml.
The rebellion was the end of the story, so the Dai conflict shota should have just been clearing off the rebels outside the capital and even f JiJi died in the conflict it would have been justified because thatwas a war they had been building up to.
To claim Xiao Heng didn't die and moved on, the impact of his life in the military should have been brushed on: JiJis memorial, new guards or reentry of General Biao to the army; something that remarks on the passage of time. Although they tried with Juiyue and AZhao relationship.
Anyway, like I said it's a happy ending in the novel and if they want to rewrite their ending to be happy👩‍🦯then I agree

I'm pulling a Jiang daddy and pretending to be blind. If they say it's a happy ending , then it's a happy ending 😑🧐😊
It was a happy ending in the novel anyway😁

Unrequited lover vs "Silent" ladies man who bagged a princess and a county most talented lady

It seems like badmouthing and might leave a bad taste in your mouth but I think like what most people in this comment section have done throughout this drama's run, is just discussing the good and the bad.
From what I observed as a novel reader, alot of story was given to SYR, and Princess Wanning, in the drama. Plots from other novel characters and newly designed plots by the screenwriter. It feels like someone in the production fell in love with SYR either during the writing or filming after observing SYR and PW onscreen. All this love and attention stole time from the overarching story and left the mainleads catching extra tiime in between ShenWanning's lovehate saga.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the drama, I can admit this creative decision has its drawbacks.
But we can never know how or if the cutout possible scenes of the leads were as compelling or convincing as ShenWanning and what the drama would b if those scenes took centre stage instead or if they exist at all.
I personally am satisfied with the drama they presented me, extra scene and all.

Other positives: Set design, costume designs, hair and makeup.
The production was so detailed. You know when I can tell: when he characters can smell. For example: In the mine scene, near the toilet area XFF and XH were holding their breath while the miners weren't because they were nose blind to smells in the cave. It didn't affect the plot and it wasn't done for laughs, it just happened because the production had thought thoroughly about the experience in that mine and put it in the story

My eyes are stll swollen from crying for Wen Ji. I'll need sometime before I jump into another drama.
But I'll be stalking those two till i recover.

He took his time in confinement to try out a new style and colour.

The styling team certainly earned their pay in this drama. They deserve a bonus and all the accolades they can get.

I'm happy Jiang Li got mourned by her father. A lot of these type of shows the original person just seems to be forgotten and it is really sad

Can we talk about our budding God of war Duke Su with his prowess with the weaponised fan, Long sword and Guandao.
I was really impressed with the fight scenes in this drama. The war scenes made me miss AJTL