Groovykid

To sum it up in your words: It does insult intelligence and exhausts tolerance.
I continue to watch because the leads and everyone else does continue to deliver with their acting. And the only problem really is the story itself.

Just finished ep 20. Did the scriptwriter just forget the Empress Dowager? Not that I need her character for anything. The leads' are annoying enough. Looking forward to the Dowager going bonkers on her son when she next appears.

He is forever ZhouSheng Chen. The man with the beautiful bone structure.

As in. We really should thank him for his service. I was almost dying waiting for XH to bloody tell all.

I know right. I am only soldering through by reading comments when I watch now.
The talents in the drama are just been wasted. They are delivering well but the story around FL just stays the same. Why introduce her as a strong, independent thinker to then make her stupid and blind for this long? The clues were there all along.

I was so mad when she drunk the pear blossom honey soup he gave! She now knows that was how she was poisoned before. And her father sent it. What more does she bloody need to start suspecting them?
The sad thing is that the scriptwriter keeps repeating the plot when there surely is enough material she could use to prolong the story.

Honestly. For such a good plot line, the delivery and meet of the story is just underwhelming.
They just made the FL 'dumb'. Her first sentence to her adopted brother when he re-presented as the Ghost King is "I am happy you are safe!". What a horrible script! So they are allowed to continue to harm him (and use her repeatedly) but he cannot do anything. She will forgive everything they do without thinking anything of their evil deeds. But the emperor must not be forgiven!!
I really cannot foresee a well delivered ending - good or bad it no longer matters.

As much as you are right, there is a lack of character development. From her perspective, what you explained from the start was reasonable. But she is now appearing not just like a spoiled princess but like a non-thinking one.
I can understand that she loved and adored the Emperor before he lied to & deceived her. But it is also fact that there is no evidence of him being a tyrant or a wicked person to everyone. He only treats your father, adopted brother and master poorly. Not even her younger brother is included. Doesn't that call for a deep reflection? Even the younger brother, the prince and princess of Xijiang quickly saw how good of a person/Emperor he is. Yet she is refusing to dig deeper into the issues. What exactly has she uncovered since the series began? The emperor literally allowed her access to her master's dead body for her to confirm he is indeed the Ghost Lord. She is not even questioning the identity of Zhong Lin whom her master introduced to her.
I think the writer missed the boat in letting her think for herself. My guess is there is going to be a rush at the end of her realising all the knotted parts of their story, and that just makes the character appear even more stupid because the clues are all there.

Can the book readers please spoil me? Is Prince Yuzhang bad or good? I can’t figure him out. What reason does he have to hate his brother? He keeps saying his brother is power hungry, despite no signs of such.
He knew his mom set the fire that was meant to kill his brother and nearly killed their sister. He also knew his brother had that cold poison from when they were young.
Can someone make it make sense? He’s portrayed as being intelligent so I don’t really get it.

I totally understand you. I really want to watch it but the annoying misunderstandings are obviously just to prolong the plot. I watch and read comments here at the same time. The actors are delivering imo. Otherwise I really would drop it.

@SalwaNice Thanks. Sometimes I feel bad for loosing some meanings to translations.

Thanks @ShinTang. Sometimes I feel bad for loosing some meanings to translations.

When I read the subtitles, I had to replay the scene because I doubted what I read!!

The excuse is actually annoying. The black fox only thrives on deep-seated hatred. What was there for him to hate ML for? His sister didn't keep him in the dark at all. She told him "this is the person who saved my life & indirectly saved your life", "he is a good person", "I will come back for you".

Thought there had to be a better translation. Hoping for a response from a mandarin speaker.

I love the analysis of Chu Jin's behaviour by the Chu older brother. Her behaviour towards her sister, FL was all levels of wrong. I was receptive of the 'jealousy & malice' she displayed at home when they argued, but allowing that Sun guy to humiliate her sister left me flabbergasted. Her mother said she isn't evil, but she can use her tongue to (or not use it) to destroy her sister. At some point, I even thought FL may be concubine-born, which will explain the mother's and sister's behaviour towards her when they seemed to adore the older brother.

Guys, Am I missing something? Why can't the FL and her brother just inform ML about what they are investigating? I cannot understand the maintained secrecy, now that FL knows that he is also inclined to investigate his father and brothers' deaths?
P.S: I am on episode 10 and I hope they don't bring in the arch of them 'separating first' or 'working against each other' when he finds out she kept deceiving him despite him seeking her reassurance that they are now family.

Feng Battalion and Emperor Chengyang are the MVPs. I can’t believe I felt most emotional at their reconciliation scenes.

Am I just out for blood? Or does it ring hypocrisy when Uncle Murong asks FSG to help save A'Yao. The guy has not even verbalised that he will stop trying to kill FSG. Asking the hunted to forgive the hunter seems pretty innocent to me.
Also love the revenge troupe. If you torture my loved one, I will torture you. If you kill my mother, I will kill you. Go FSG!
(I also like that this character does not go on a rampage and kill more people. Just an eye for an eye kind of guy).

That'll be a nice ending for them. I think their pride will suffer more if it was the princess who killed either of those weird brothers.