Draco

So it's finally ended, you fi fan is an enigma toward the very end I still don't know his motive, is it for revenge but what did he get out of it. If he hasn't betray the emperor, he could have a bright future. He didn't do it for his uncle and father, so what is he planning by staging a coup; is it to becomes an emperor himself since he's jealous of zhan ji for being favor by their grandfather even though he thinks he's just as talented. I'm confused when he said he deserves death for killing his father, who is he refer to, the late emperor? Does that mean the prince of Han is not his father? Is that mean he's zhan ji's brother? I think this drama being cut for 10 eps is hurting the flows of the plot. The sword fight between zhan ji and zi fan is short, but very cool, zhan ji is really a jack of all trades, he really cut out to be an emperor, he's wise and compassionate as well as ruthless when he has to be.

Zhan ji being emotional over his old servant even as he is giving him his sentence, his crying makes me sad too :( Him forgiving his uncle for his betrayal shows he's truly care about family ties, he's doing it for his grandfather. Although from history I heard the uncle was later killed.

Zi ping has grown so much in such a short time. Her thinking about traveling the world in place of Zi Jin to see the world for her is such a nice thing for her to do for Zi Jin. I'm assuming she will send Zi jin letters in her travels, as well as studying more to become the best cook in the world like she claims ^^

So glad the empress could leave the palace, she doesn't belongs there, she's always depressed and sad living in the harem, so it's a good thing she was able to leave. This sadden me when I think of the first empress in yanxi palace who always yearn for her freedom, fuheng even went to the emperor to beg him to let her leave the harem so she could live outside of the palace, but he was refused:(

The empress has abdicated her title, so zi Jin finally gotten the title of empress as it was meant for her ^^ Zhan ji admitting his loneliness being an emperor and needing Zi Jin company, his vulnerability is so touching. His words to her remind me of yanxi palace when he said she owes him for her lifetime, and he will make her pay it back, love this reminder feel like a past life thing ^^

Finished the drama, really like this drama for it's focus has stay with the food theme even if zi Jin became a concubine. I'm glad the drama is not so heavy on politics, or on the king's harem. It touches lightly on it, and the plights of the women in the harem once the king died, it also mentions how zi Jin wanting to change this ancestral rule. From my understanding this rule was finally abolish under her son's rule so this could mean she accomplishes her goal ^^
The one thing about this drama is compare to other palace dramas where servants lose their lives over minor offense, for this one they gets lots of chances to stay alive, I can't complain since these are the type of things that make palace dramas so depressing. In this one yue hua has an aura of a protagonist, she gotten away with causing an allergic reaction in the prince of han's wife from eating the food she cooked. She wasn't punished when she cooked food for the emperor that were forbidden by the empress and crown prince because it will effect the emperor's health. She was still allow to cook for the emperor after her food cause him to have a bad reaction. This can only happens if the emperor really loves her food lol, then the emperor clothes catches fire, and he just shrugged it off like it was nothing. Compare to the authority of his father and son, this emperor is the least commanding, his brothers don't take him seriously, and even his son would also question his decision. The viewers automatically take the side of the crown prince zhan ji, the only one to ever praise this emperor is Zi Jin, but it's because she has a motive for doing that, she wants to help those women who were like her mother who were look down on for their profession because of their families past crimes. Yue hua also tried to poison Zi Jin, but in the end she still got saved by her mother. What I like is that this drama gives this character a chance in the end to turn back, even I find her character has done so much to deserve much harsher punishment, I still like it that she could change back to her old self. ^^

Matron meng and the prince of han was a surprise, didn't think she cares for him at all, but I could understand how she feels she owe him a debt of gratitude, and refused to take back her position so her daughter punishment could be lessens.

There's no secondary couple. There is a woman who like Zhu zhan ji's manservant, but she didn't confess to him until the last episode.

She always has a bad opinion of her mother, that she abandoned her for a higher position in the court. So having a book of wild herbs it just shows matron meng care about the common people, she didn't want to believe her mother can be a good person. But because of her resentments towards her mother, she turns out to be worse than her mother. I assumed she regretted it in the end since it was because of her, her mother couldn't complete the book of wild herbs.

Almost to the end, and the dowager empress really impresses me. Having her in the palace, zhan ji is so lucky to have a mother like her. Just like when his father died, she was the one to hold down the fort while he was away dealing with his two uncles who were trying to steal the throne. Who said women are weak, they're just as capable as any guy, and for her to train women's body guards whom actually able to put up a good fight. I really like the empress dowager headdress that she wears at the end, really showing her authority ^^

Zi Jin and the empress have a nice heart to heart, it seems they finally understand each other. Looks like the empress is giving her blessing to zi Jin and zhan ji. I hope she will get over her illness, she's not cut out to be an empress, she should go back to being a physician, she's more comfortable being one.

I'm really sad for zhan ji, his close attendant is going to betray him. He was really sad over it. Just show no matter how close the ties, when it comes to survival, a person could change himself in an instant. The eunuch is the type to flatter and is harmless, but because he's afraid of being found out about his business by his master, he's willing to betray him. If he has confess, and ask for forgiveness, zhan ji might have forgiven him because of their close ties. His other attendant is less noticeable, but he's more loyal to zhan ji.

I don't feel sorry for yue hua, she's being punished for her own actions. She doesn't learn her lesson even though she has so many chances to start fresh. Matron meng is very resourceful, she even thought of reserving foods in case of a famine, her books of wild herbs are very useful in the situation they're in now, she totally deserves her position as a matron. Yue hua's resentment towards her mother making her becomes the same type of people she thought her mother was, but she turned out to be much worse. I assume she finally realizes after meeting with zi Jin.

In the novel, houchi was depicted with very little power just like in the drama, but she really knows how to use her status as a goddess as well as her being gu Jun's daughter ^^ When houchi and qingmu went into the demon realm in search of the whereabout of boxuan, she turned into a child and qingmu has to carry her, wonder why they didn't show that in the drama. The way she was described as a child was beautiful, but as an adult she looks ordinary. I was wondering if houchi in novel also change and gains power when she uses her bracelet, and it turn out the same as in drama, now I'm thinking if the bracelet is what shield her power, and it's only when she uses the bracelet that she could get back some of her power. When she uses the bracelet she appears different than her ordinary self, she impressed everyone when she first showed up at donghua's birthday party, but it only lasts for a short time, even fengran was surprised.

In the novel, the relationship between the second son of the demon king and his fiancee was really sad, she waited for him for so many years thinking they will be marry even after he was pronounced dead she still waited, but when he showed up he brought with him a fox demon and vow to marry her instead. Their love story in the drama feel incompletes, so I'm glad to get the background and understand why she refuses to give him a chance. What he did was making her wait when he could have told her and ended their relationship so she could move on instead he made her stay in the demon region because he didn't want to let her go while he has proposed to another woman, that was just cruel.

You can that what I used to do to after I finished the drama, but now I rate each ep I'm watching. I heard it suppose to bring the rating higher if you rate every episode.

Yeah I'm always an ep behind so I don't run out of episodes to watch. I'm always tempted to watch the next ep because this drama is very good. Once this is complete I will rewatch it again to enjoy the drama as a whole instead of waiting for each ep like I been doing ^^

If you are watching this and want to rate this drama higher, you can go to episode guide and rate each episode. I heard it will bring the drama rating up if everyone who watches rate each episode ^^

From my understanding, xukai has 5 dramas in the list of top 50 dramas having the most views on tencent. Is that right? Once upon a time in lingjian mountain, falling into your smile, ancient love poetry, court lady and dance of sky empire ^^

Wow, the food that was made into a brick and then dried, what an ingenious idea, but how long can it stay fresh without being spoil. Is this really can be eaten? Also xukai in armor is so good looking, I was looking forward to see this ever since I saw the trailer ^^

Sure no problem, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is watching this drama ^^

I'm impressed, so Zi ping knew all along who was responsible for stealing the medicine made for the cat. This is in order to set a trap for both yue hua and concubine wu to take the bait. The emperor already knew what they were doing, so him accusing the empress was just a ruse. Zi Jin is angry for being use by zhan ji, although she's also risking her life by going along with concubine wu knowing what she's capable of. Concubine wu was a spy planted by the prince of Han, but I kind of feel sorry for her since her family's likelihood is in the hand of prince of Han, she has no choice but to follows order.

Zhan ji and zi Jin have a very healthy relationship, both of them are being frank with each other and understand what the other wants and needs. So zhan ji saying he hates scheme, is that why he resents the empress because her family uses an omen to get her to marry to him. He didn't seem to mind their marriage before, and even tried to court her, so he must have feeling for her until she ruin it by her own hand as well as her family hand.

The empress is not cut out to be an empress, she's more fitted to be a physician, being an empress is about power and taking control of the situation, but she hesitated when the dowager empress asks her to take over. She's much more comfortable attending to a patient. Zi Jin has the temperament to be an empress, her training as a child made her more fitting to be an empress than the current empress. The dowager empress is an admirable woman, Zi Jin was impressed by her command while the emperor was away. Her dressing down her two sons for failing to deal with the refugees was very effective ^^

Feel bad for zhan ji, he was really sad knowing the eunuch who has always attending him is thinking of betraying him. Yuan qi seems to be bought by the prince of Han, and zhan ji might have known all along and that's why he looks like he about to cry in the last scene on ep 38.

If you have VPN, you can set your region to Taiwan or Indonesia then you can watch the drama on YouTube.

Dong hua is not a god. He's only a lord. In the second arc it been a long time since anyone else was able to cultivate to become a god. The only known gods are mu guang, gu jun, wu huan and houchi. The only god of the demon realm is Zi han. The three headed dragon try to become a god but failed.

I heard it's HE.

Interesting development, I was right about that concubine, she is not so simple but never imagine she was working for prince of Han. Feel sorry for the empress, she was blamed for Zi Jin being poisoned by the emperor. The empress thinks the emperor want to depose her because he is worry she will harm Zi Jin once he died, is that what he was thinking all along. That lady wu never thought she is that smart, she was able to threaten zhan ji own attendant to poison him, fortunately he didn't get the chance. Instead she was able to poison Zi Jin by using su yue hua, and pins the blame on the empress. Yue hua is so pitiful, she was use by you yi fan and now lady wu. She seems to have feeling for you yi fan, too bad he doesn't care about her. I once thought they could have been good for each other, but both of them are too into themselves to be anything other than accomplices.

Zi ping is so smart to figure out who was involved in the poison of Zi Jin, and speak up to defend Zi Jin and the empress from lady wu. She is not the same old Zi ping who loves to gossip, and get mad easily. Good for her.

Zi Jin doesn't care about the empress position, rather she wants the love of the people, as well as wanting to change the ancestral law that rules women in the harem. Zhan ji reaction when he found out she burned all the empress things that were send to her, he didn't get mad but was amused. He is totally head over heel for Zi Jin ^^

Zhan ji is determine to set Zi Jin as the empress, even though he is opposed by those around him. Even the dowager empress couldn't convince him. Is he truly going to follow through, or is it all a plan to bring out the one who poisoned Zi Jin out in the open. At the end lady wu was found out when she tried to murder the empress and pins on Zi Jin, is you yi fan let slip to the emperor, and that's why he was able to come in time.

If you watch it with VPN, the drama is update to ep 38. Two more days to go for the drama to be complete ^^

I'm taking my time watching this drama because I want to wait for more episodes, it's a good thing we can watch with 1 ep a day again. Is anyone else still watching it, I feel like I'm the only one watching here lol. In this drama I'm so envious of the one who get to eat those foods that were cooked, they look so appetizing ^^ In term of story, it's very unique to see a drama focuses on the food as the main part of the show, as well as showing three emperors in one show. A comparison between the three emperors, I have to say Zhu zhan ji depiction is almost too perfect, how close to history is his character? there's not a lot to be criticize about him compare to his grandfather and father in this drama.

Agree the later eps gotten even better. In term of it being dragged, it's the opposite for me since ep 29 zhan ji became an emperor it just gotten more interesting. This is nothing compares to yanxi palace, in that drama the fl didn't get together with the emperor until half of the show, then she and the emperor gotten separated or acted coldly toward each other, or the emperor ignores her etc, that type of relationship where they're playing mind game with each other gotten old quickly. I was able to watch to the end because of my love for the fl and fuheng only. The emperor is a prick his treatment of his women left a lot to be desired. Zhan ji is so much better as an emperor and husband honestly.