DistantDream

Well you be glad to know that Xie Yan Lai/A'Jiu have even less screen time in the novel. 😂

The drama actually did him the best out of everyone including Chu Zhao, to cater to the people that really need CPs in their drama.

Maybe I've been watching TOO many C-Drama, watching this reminds me of all the K-Drama tropes that make a K-Drama a K-Drama, but it's also makes it endearing 😂

Yes, Qing Shuang was the biggest hint of them all. And all her interaction with people asking her about Lishan.

When she talking to Senior Fei Bai in episode 5, just look at his reaction.

it clearly show you something is wrong with Ye Li, and if anything it should tell you she an unreliable narrator.

I mean if you watch the first 5 episode you could have guess it

everyone at Lishan is not alive ?

you don't have to guess, in the OG trailer of the show , they show you Ye Li and MXY paying respect to all the dead at Lishan

Ye Li to Jing Li: You are one of them 😊

11 episodes in, and while things are still largely a mystery, the story has been very well written so far, particularly in how it has developed Ye Li into a surprisingly complex character.

One of the biggest mysteries is Lishan Academy. Something clearly happened there, and Ye Li is not letting on.

Almost anyone other than Ye Li, when talking about Lishan Academy, reacts with shock or disbelief when they hear her say that things are "fine" there.

Coupled with her behavior and apparent "mental issues," this has created a unique character whose motives remain unclear, aside from the obvious goal of seeking revenge for Lishan Academy.

We're also heavily hinted that Ye Li is behind many of the events happening, but we're never outright told which ones. Episode 11, for example, basically hinted that Ye Li was Master Zhu. Cutting up the snake, and the real Master Zhu was never there.

Does Ye Li have a split personality that comes out to protect her in life-or-death situations? Maybe it's a personality that developed from past trauma. That could explain some of her behavior, her "mental illness," and how she's able to accomplish some of these feats.

Another thing that has been set up is Lishan Academy's involvement in the death of Mo Xiu Yao's brother.

Her being in danger is also a good way to write the ML's motivation for getting his leg fixed, especially since a few episodes earlier he had refused to do so.

I don't quite remember, cause Liang Qiang exists in both the old and new timelines.

In the novel's old timeline, he and his family were the reason CZ met her end. His younger sister became Xiao Xun's new empress, and that ultimately doomed her.

But in the new timeline, CZ saves him during the war, and he now owes her a favor

🤣 it kind of cool though for you to read certain part and have the picture of the scene in the drama play in your head.

lol at this rate you should just read the novel 🤣🤣

Yan Lai characterization has like that throughout most of the novel.

They left out the part that YL was arranged to marry Liang's sister, and CZ tease him for it

They are both serving themself, however Xie Yan Fang just align more with Chu Zhao cause the emperor is still a Xie. XYF always prioritize his family/clan

It had the opposite problem to Rebirth (Princess Agent Sequel). Well, to be fair, Rebirth had MANY problems.

But one of the biggest problems with Rebirth was stretching out 85+ chapters of the novel to cover 40 episodes.

AtC Condense 392 chapter into 24 episodes, events and scenes are placed at different points in time. The emotional build-up was non-existent due to the pacing of the storytelling. Things literally happen, then they are resolved in the next episode.

The only saving grace is that the romance is kinda good, but it can't carry the script

The romance is subtle, that was a big change they made for the drama adaptation.

Like they are really close in the novel, he is probably the only other person she trusts with all her heart besides her father. But XYL never crossed that line, and neither did CZ, until much later. But the support characters and everyone kinda know their relationship is special and comment on it.

But some people do like it, other like yourself not so much.

24 episode pretty much made it so everything feel rush

Yes it was PA kinda follow the novel pretty closely... There are differences, sure. But the spirit was there, however, there wasn't really a love triangle between Yan Xun, Chu Qiao, and Zhuge Yue like it was portrayed. She just had a complicated relationship with Zhuge Yue early on, and she did probably love Yan Xun... but that change after ice lake and then Rebirth suppose to cover Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue romance.

This passage in the novel really summarize up Chu Qiao romance with both of them.

"A long time had passed. Chu Qiao, who was now a wife and a mother, suddenly understood what Yan Xun did back then, as she stood there. In her previous life, she had no kith nor kin. She had not witnessed the people that she loved die in front of her eyes. Hence, she was unable to comprehend what kind of hatred he felt at that point. However, if anyone harmed Zhuge Yue, Yunzhou, or Zhenzhu now, her thirst for revenge would not lose out to Yan Xun.

She was unable to empathize with him back then as his family was not the people that she loved.

This moment, she finally understood him."

I think the show does a great job of showing, not telling, like with Schizophrenia, when I first saw her talking to the girl. I was like, "This feels a bit odd," and, of course, the monkey scene at the start. And I get that feeling throughout the following episode until it was like 100% confirmed when she was talking to her senior after getting revenge on Lishan.

I think this demonstrates GREAT storytelling

Also, a nice touch is Mo Xiu Yao recounting Ye Li's daily life; he points out that she often talks to herself.

Plotwise, it's like any other political revenge drama 😂... at least the characters are interesting.

beside that what you think of the show so far and Ye Li ?

There been to many historical period political drama.... I think im reaching my limited 😭.... these political struggle between faction in drama always so similar

You made it !

I have not read the novel, but I heard from people who have the drama is vastly different from the novel.

Which was not surprising to me knowing who the scriptwriter is. Just trust that she know what she doing