DramaAjumma

Looking forward to it.

I wish she had cut him off sooner as she had said. But he knows all the right things to say.

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As far as I'm concerned it's unequivocally clear that Xiang Liu is still very much in love with Xiao Yao and everything he does post-conferment regardless of appearances is for her good. Even though there's a part of me that regrets that he's given up being her suitor, in an unironic way I love him more for it. It makes him the bigger man so to speak.

Perhaps I'm erring on the side of kindness to characterize Jing as naive in the way that he's dealing with his own family. Perhaps it is more the case that he overstated his ability to disentangle himself from his family commitments in the designate time period. He wanted the girl so he acted quickly. In the short term he won. Human beings are complex in their motivations. It's true that family obligations (certainly in a Confucian society) mean a great deal to him. But knowing that, he still jumped the gun as it were. So how do we interpret that? Was it an act of overreach as a result of his own insecurity about "the competition"? It is often thought that Jing is "the nice guy" of the lot but is he really? He mightn't use physical violence to deal with people and he says the right things to win the girl's heart but does that equate to "kindness"? These are the many thoughts I have as I'm interacting with other viewers and pondering over the show's many threads.

On the subject of Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao, in a way their present relationship is built on the currency of the past but it's blossomed into something else at least on his part. In his case, timing worked against him but he has feelings for her beyond that of siblings. I don't have an issue because historically royal families in-breed so even while it's a taboo today for all kinds of reasons, I would posit that if he had recognized her and acknowledged her earlier, things may have worked out differently. Maybe.

I'm not sure that I agree with the characterization that Xiang Liu has always been a "second" option. She certainly liked him enough to pour her heart out to him in those early days in a way she didn't with anyone else. She liked him enough that Jing felt threatened on numerous occasions so that he even acted (in my view) quite impetuously.

As other people have said, at least in Tong Hua's universes, the women often love more than one man at a time for different reasons. I think that happens in real life too.

So sorry about your aunt.

I don't think her choices are out of character because they come out of her abandonment issues. That's obvious and reiterated. She likes Tushan Jing for her own valid reasons. In his case timing was everything.

This is one of the rare occasions I don't support the choices of the FL lead but I like the male leads enough to enjoy the show for its own sake. And I also wallow in the tragic vision and the zero sum game that it presents. Everything is at least consequential here.

Interesting thoughts. Can't say I disagree or agree. It's certainly a valid way to look at it. But she's a one-man woman. I don't think she can bear the thought of sharing him with another woman. Maybe she set him up with an impossible standard but I still think she gave him plenty of chances to make things right. He also has to take some responsibility for not dealing with things properly.

Anyway, I'm only up to Episode 36.

In the spirit of me saying controversial things all day, I will add my most controversial one yet. Thank God for evil scheming Tushan Grandma and evil Yiying. I was beginning to lose faith in the writer but am grateful for that nasty dose of reality. I can only hope that it's a wake up call for both parties although Jing is turning into a bit of a sook. And It's a bit hard to watch. Just as there are consequences for the other guys for inaction and giving up Xiao Yao, there should be for him as well... for making promises that he cannot keep. For jumping the gun. For inaction on his part. There's no place for a schoolgirl romance in this show -- certainly not without ramifications.

Occasionally I see a bit of the old Wen Xiaoliu hard-headedness in Xiao Yao but over and over again she gives in to Tushan Jing because she wants to believe in him. It's kind of sad really -- that desperation that she's found her pot of gold. She gave him plenty of chances to turn the ship around and while I believe he genuinely had feelings for her, his naivete beggars belief. I hope it's a wake up call for Xiao Yao too that if you want the man you love to be by your side forever, he needs to be somewhat calculating. If he is unwilling to use a bit of sleight of hand to protect himself with his conniving relatives, how can he protect your relationship or you? A man that's easy to manipulate creates a different set of problems.

It isn't as if Xiang Liu and Cang Xuan didn't give Tushan Jing plenty of chances to get his act together either. They both believed that Xiao Yao was in love with him and backed off because they saw that she was happy with him. Sometimes I wish they hadn't. I wish Xiang Liu fought harder to win her but hearing that she was fearful of him broke him. I live for those moments where he momentarily forgets himself -- incredible acting -- and see that longing in his face... those are moments to die for. Because I can also tell that Xiao Yao has feelings for him. But he puts a kibosh into it everytime one of them gets a bit hopeful. He's the outsider and the underdog which is bound to garner plenty of audience sympathy. Teaching her archery was something he as the outsider could do for her to help her protect herself because he didn't have a lot confidence in Tushan Jing.

I really love the dynamic of the cousins. It is pleasing to watch. Their affection for each other transcends the sweet schoolgirl romance.

I'm talking about Episode 31 specifically because that was when Cang Xuan really clinched it with regard to the Fenglong and his sister. Jing can make the intro but if Cang Xuan can't command the loyalty and respect of his supporters, he's a dud.

It's a good point because Fenglong had to be won over as well and that was all on Cang Xuan. Jing did make the introduction but in the end, it was Cang Xuan who gained his loyalty by his own merits.

That's true.

I was absolutely blown away by Cang Xuan in Episode 31. I loved his monologue about the necessity of sticking to his principles about where his desire for power comes from. I nodded and cheered. He also loves Xiao Yao and is willing to do what is necessary to protect her and himself. At least he's a man who can see the wood for the trees. He is definitely a leader in the making.

From what I can see (and how the show is framed) the only reason why Xiao Yao and Tushan Jing can have their romance is because other people are doing most of the heavy lifting shielding them from the consequences of their indiscretions. Some people have to make the hard decisions so that other people can be "happy". She complains that Cang Xuan is calculating and Xiang Liu is terrifying but they at least live in the "real world". Often times I find Xiao Yao's naivete a bit hard to swallow. I think I liked her better when she was in Qiushui Town where she was less starry-eyed and more grounded.

I think many viewers sense the unfairness in all of this. But life is often unfair.

No. I haven't. :D Because I've really warmed up to Cang Xuan of late so I'm persisting to see how his arc turns out. I was just about to write a bit of spiel regarding Episode 31.

I really like this show and if it weren't for the romance I'd be giving it 9.5/10. As it is, I'd probably end up rating it as an 8.5.

I like my historical-political dramas to be serious, somewhat tragic and melancholic. The main romance here doesn't reflect the actual context and stakes.

Doesn't look like Tushan Jing can give her that either.

It's a glitch in The Matrix.

It's common sense, I know.

26 episodes later...
In recent days I've garnered quite a bit of respect for Cang Xuan as he navigates the shark-infested waters of palace politics playing the long game at great cost to himself. Although Xiang Liu is my favourite character in the story, Cang Xuan is rightly the male lead. At least he should be. And if there were some modicum of consistency with the setting and context, Cang Xuan should be the endgame with Xiao Yao. I've never disliked him and I'm really looking forward to seeing him take control of the Central Plains because that is in part his inheritance. I really like his dynamic with Xiao Yao. It's not entirely a sibling vibe either. They're so wonderfully supportive of each other and in another show she would quite rightly be ruling beside him.

I think part of the problem I'm having with Xiao Yao is that I don't entirely believe everything that comes out of her mouth the way other viewers seem to. I'm not convinced that she believes everything that she says either. Often it comes across as reactionary. Or even tongue-in-cheek. I'm not persuaded that she's averse to being in the thick of things considering how she's put herself in harm's way for Cang Xuan and Xiang Liu. She's drawn to danger and that's been the case practically from Day 1. Often she makes things far more complicated for herself by choice, getting embroiled in things she really doesn't need to.

All the issues I'm having with Tushan Jing are practically the same that I had with A'Yao from Love Like the Galaxy. A'Yao though dull was at least harmless. And his engagement with the other woman had already been cancelled. In my very humble opinion Tushan Jing should never have opened his mouth until he had taken care of things with Fangfei Yiying. He was far more confident than he should have been about how to disentangle himself from her. I keep wondering why he hasn't even thought about looking into her more closely and trying to find a weakness. My mind goes to Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility, and Tushan Jing comes up short. In a way Tushan Jing is a very dangerous person by the fact that he is such a puppy in such a cutthroat environment. He's trying to keep his hands clean and play Mr Nice Guy as a result there are consequences for him and Xiao Yao. Frankly if she wasn't so susceptible to sweet nothings, she should have stayed clear of him.

Of course it is very flattering for a woman to hear that a man is completely devoted to her especially if she's felt abandoned and alone for so long. I understand that perfectly. That and all the character dynamics. I guess I'm just a tad disappointed that the romantic pairing is so hard to root for.

I think it's in part a reactionary consequence of MeToo. I don't mind it occasionally but it does seem to be turning into a trope. When I first saw it in a K drama it was rather cute and it worked for that show. But a show with gods, monsters and tribal politics... I can't get into it.

I think he's quite an interesting character. At least he has something he wants to achieve. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong about wanting to be king.