KJ2025

Family discord

Challenge accepted and they agree to be a couple in love to spur on the one with the map. Did not expect humor, this episode in beginning felt like a completely different drama. The princess is now playing the part of the indulged concubine….the immediate separation and brushing of robes once entered the chambers 🤣 Him peeling shrimp for her. If she only knew what memories this evoked for him. The cooking scene. Let me put the spiciest spice on these delicate shrimp.😂 must eat they are watching.😂 They play off each other nicely and then tuck into their respective corners plotting. The sister has arrived home. She is over the top but likeable. She has found a location for women trafficking but the crowd doesn’t believe her. Throwing rocks at the Prince😂 he is not street smart enough to understand the significance of the act. The meeting with her and the bodyguard. I enjoyed this sparring match. The sister has preconceived bias about Princess but she respects the abilities of the bodyguard and speaks in her defense when the chancellor got the wrong opinion. They decide on a wedding fit for a princess figuring this will give the map holder opportunity to pass it off. They look beautiful and elegant in their ceremonial attire and it’s a shame it’s a sham. The Princes four are all in attendance which is an unusual accomplishment. I like how the three brothers make the psycho brother look cheap. The maid of the wife has passed a message to him and the pieces are in place. The wife gets the sister involved as a distraction and is somewhat successful. The princess and bodyguard see the maid leave and know the handoff is about to take place while the psycho prince threatens sister for assaulting him. The Princess has decided what her move will be when the episode ends.

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A little payback chancellor

I love how she quietly gets back at chancellor. The nice big piece of pork and getting others involved to be sure rituals are correct so that he has to show up😂 He got her back with the toast until she kissed him and gave it back.😂Beautiful move. Her truthful responses and then calm demeanor when her poison counteracted the truth drug. The wife is the dangerous one. She has intercepted the painting. The chancellor has countered since none of them have seen it. She can’t be certain if he is bluffing or telling the truth. She tries to frame the princess and is almost successful. The princess is caught sneaking into secret compartments but she astutely figures out which servant led her there. The writer of this gave her astute attention to detail. The chancellor has tea with his wife and warns her of mixed loyalties. He then has a meal prepared for Princess that has all her country favorite dishes, but she is scared to eat them. He leads her on a chase with chopsticks and surprisingly chooses a piece of pork to eat. He leaves after telling her she is going to attend a banquet with him. She suggests Lady Wen the appropriate one but he comments that her eye for detail will come in handy. He and the prince are playing chess with dangerous moves. I am hoping the Princess does well. Guess we will find out next episode. They have rated this drama 6.9 whatever haters did this, ignore. This is a min of 8.5 just these 3 episodes. It is action packed, well acted and plot so far decently written with lots of intrigue and harsh political moves. This is literally do or die so life is always on the line in this drama. There are no kind sides.

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Damned if you do, damned if you don’t

The princess ingeniously got herself out of a precarious situation. She manages to find a solution that pleased the emperor and kept her alive from her prison guards at the palace. It is hard to decide which country is the most cruel hers or the new one. She was forced to take a poison pill prior to leaving to keep her in line. If she passes on the required intel she gets the antidote and she and brother get to live another month. Her fake hanging has the chancellor intrigued but also alert she might be trouble for him. He therefore determines she deals with whatever his harem dishes out. This is the second drama I have watched with Meng ZiYi. She has done an incredible job of running through a gamut of emotions these two episodes. She knows the emperor will never allow her to marry the prince so she bargains for the chancellor. She even agrees to be his concubine. I liked how she corrected the pretend seamstress. This one will deliver the antidote on a regular schedule. The princess responds to great incivility with calmness and cool demeanor. She remains courteous and respectful while holding a line that lets them know there is a point she will defend herself. When presenting the toasts to the harem she performs admirably. The first concubine could not complain of wedding gown color or name addressed and I smiled when she failed to upset cup for serving. The third trial of kneeling was rather cruel. Nails were hid in the pillow and they mocked her for trembling so early. I would have been screaming by that point. She knows that she must find a painting that has a map everyone wants. The chancellor is also trying to track it down. He sees that she is going through the hazing better than expected and he is intrigued but on guard. He has no intention of trusting or making things easy on her. She is still kneeling on nails when episode ends.This was also a very eventful episode. Well done.

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Perpetrators and peaches

Seems like first son in-law capable of handling two households and two murders. It was despicable what he did. His daughter will make up for it and carry on DuoBao’s legacy part two. The governor is going to take care of part one. I’m glad the patriarch of family was well aware of DuoBao’s parentage but still considered him his son and heir. I do not know if the elder got second daughter and son in law pardoned but I hope not. They both went through the motions of trying to kill him even tho not the first. DuoBao has quite a legacy for his short life. He was the best of the Cao family. May his niece continue the work and live to surpass him. The peaches have arrived and anybody of royal importance has had reason to leave. The six will make their way to Chang’an with two sets of assassins….one set for each detective. Yang wants Lu gone and prime minister want Su gone, and both royals playing hardball for who’s in charge. All set for season 3. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

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Who isn’t guilty?

I give up on this group. They are all deceitful wretches. At least the eldest never considered killing the boy. But wanting to kill dad instead doesn’t make them good people. The butler and last wife should not gain 60% of the inheritance. The officials should be held accountable for accepting bribes to change the rules. Funny to see old man’s trick with pole, especially after Su was breathless and wheezing trying to cover same distance. The child thanked his father for the ice cream that killed him.😭 This whole miserable lot need locked up and key thrown away. The mom and butler had no reason to kill the boy. They are far from innocent but at least hopefully not guilty of that. I want them to wrap this up because circling around this vile family is getting tedious. They are all guilty of something in this group. Hopefully the writer doesn’t toss in a way for little granddaughter to be with the guilty.😝 she is the last that can be blamed.

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Redneck

Wow just when you think family can’t stoop lower. Third daughter dipped ice cream garnish in poison which was why DuoBao was making so many kitchen trips. This poison causes intense thirst. Interesting technique with rice ball and boiled vinegar cloth. Definite evidence of poisoning. The slickest part is she stashed it with rouges to look like another cosmetic. She nodded at father before separated so did they collude because son not interested in making money? The butler wife scenario is plausible to me., that they could pair up after funeral party. There is also something a bit off with official and third daughter. Elder son in law singing like canary because he is tired of family machinations. But you still have to wonder how those two could choke and suffocate a young boy and then marvel that the job was easier than expected. I am very sorry this child was killed, but he is better off in heaven than with this odious group. Once he had the inheritance what other malevolent plans would he have encountered? The granddaughter needs to marry outside of the family when grown and move far far away to never be heard of again by them. 😝Every person in this place has attitude about sheriff doing his job. I did like the thumbs up from Su when Lu threatened the governor with a report to the royals. That got his attention. And Su making him stick around two hours for their poison litmus test was deserved. He needed to see with his own eyes that more was going on. What a loathsome batch of miscreants. There is a special place in hell for those who kill innocents. Let them have their real inheritance.😝🤬

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Familial greed

The old man was a surprise. The contempt and almost disgust he had for his young son’s interest. Quite the polar opposite of all his philanthropy the day before. After seeing their actions youngest daughter and granddaughter are the only decent ones. The eldest has a chip the size of a mountain on her shoulder. The obedient daughter that did everything asked of her without standing up for herself til inheritance time. Daughter two is a thoughtless shopaholic with a cool breeze elder for hubby and wife is wondering what her lot will be with son gone. She was a 50 percenter…….maybe she will join 10% Club. Was the dad wanting son buried with him to honor him? Or hide evidence? Mr dancer has no defense except his wife wanted it done when shown his nail paint chip from the scene. All children and in-laws but third sis and granddaughter resented DuoBao. I don’t think they wanted him dead, but they resented the boy getting the bulk of inheritance. Considering how the father really felt about his son’s interests, I’m surprised he was getting the lion’s share too actually. After all this I guess custom demands the funeral feast even as murder investigation continues. This is a sad sorry bunch with two exceptions. The mother has a right to be distraught, but it seems overdone. Which is she crying over most? Her son or the loss of inheritance?

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Customs and family greed

When they get to the caves little DuoBao is a walking Wikipedia of all information of caves and surrounding areas. He takes them to the best cave where it looks like a picture of him is on the wall. This is the providers of the cave. At the gate, one official is clearly snide to Lu. It can only be assumed as an official he had privy to all Lu’s demotions without the understanding of the why’s. The Governor is the regular overly gracious official greeting them in to keep everything status quo. As they are entering they see lots of celebration about the upcoming boat festival. Cloth goods and abundant food is being distributed among the poor and an elderly man is responsible for it all. They are introduced later at a welcoming celebration. Everybody is having a good time til they hear of the 60 year funeral celebration. When one reaches 60 they are taken to a cave and provided for by their family until it is sealed a brick at a time. This has been a longstanding custom of this family but there are loud protests from all the guests. The elderly host finally apologizes for the downer to the meal but makes it clear he has no intention of changing the custom. Later that night an assassin enters the home and stops when sees Fei. Yingtao is good and got a weapon to his leg. He escapes but they guard the gate and make all exiting walk out the gate to catch the assassin. They get the guilty party and head back to interrogate. It is revealed that the son in law is unhappy that his wife only gets 10% of the inheritance. It was also revealed that the well loved butler took a bribe to reveal the will’s contents. The daughter was not aware of the plan til her husband arrived home injured. They devise a plan to sneak him out but it was thwarted at the gate. The elder wants him harshly punished. But as they are debating this the butler reveals that little DuoBao was murdered. This stuns the old man and he looks broken. It remains to be seen what will happen to the official for his murder attempt.

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Justice served and on to Mogao Caves

Su and Lu spent much time deliberating who may have done what that caused the designer’s death. What was determined is that no individual act had. It was decided that no murderer was involved in the case. However, when they reported their findings to the magistrate he said the killer had confessed to the crime, the town had already been notified, and the night market was back in business. This had our detectives a bit surprised but they agreed with him and left. Su spent several hours kneeling in apology towards Di. By the time Lu arrived, he gave responses and they agreed to move on from the case. The bottom line, the serial killer decided on death if he could not marry his lady and chose to do what he did best for a good cause for a change. When interviewed, he had no problems with the decision and told how he did it. Our guys could not argue that it was not a possibility. The wronged women could now have a much improved life and more lives were most likely saved. Fei’s cure has the shop owner cured and on her feet again, the one with market is selling lime and not pursuing men not wanting marriage, and the two sisters can now be together and enjoy each other’s company no matter where they end up. The icing was the name changed back to Shen on the fabric store. No trace left of the serial womanizer other than memorial stone. He can measure the flames where he is going😝 the cousin will now be a much better man as a result of seeing where his laziness was heading him. He has made some true friends and will now make something of himself, even if just a quiet honest life. Finally, XueHuan is back🥳😁 He was most happy to run into Lu, literally😂 Lu was helping build a canal for Yunding and was a mess and did not want to get his disciple dirty. I don’t think the disciple cared. 😂They find out when returning to town that Lu has a new Jove. He will be escorting 18 crates of royal golden peaches. This is not a job Lu expected to get. The young disciple challenged by the constable.😂It was a close match and Lu instructed him on footwork to take the win.😂 lead constable very loyal but also most determined to find himself on the wrong side of a challenge.😂 Lu and Su learn the XueHuan was sent by the princess to give Lu a bead on the climate in Chang’an. She wanted the boy to help protect Lu and to let him know that it was still not safe for him to return to the capital. This is in direct contrast to the imperial order instructing him to accompany the peaches there. They know it is a test of Lu’s loyalties. He seriously considers not going back and finishing the canal, working for the people of Yunding. However, Su reminds him he can’t just ignore a royal order. Lu wants the others to stay behind but that is resoundingly rejected and they decide to tour the Mogao caves en route to Shazjou. For tonight, they plan to order an expensive meal and drink heartily. The line of the poem recited by Lu at the end of the episode is especially poignant. I am so happy to see XueHuan finally included back in story, but I am not so happy with the royal conflict being brought to their doorstep. They are obviously heading for a season 3 with this job heading back to Chang’an.

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Sweet poison

The designer was a womanizing serial killer. He had sweet words followed up by sweet poison. I am glad the innkeeper got ChuBin out of the coffin in time. I a, not sure why she didn’t just go home to her sister.They could have take. Care of him before any more victims. There is a line that wants to kill him, and he has it coming.😝He is vile. Fei is again an angel with medicine. He has found the wife in time and with maximum doses of antidote for several months will be fine. He used his early skills with pharmacist to poison and his tailoring skills to measure and seduce them. He even had sweet words til they were trapped. I am sure he was going to let the servant girl take the fall for the wife’s death and be on his way with the heiress. I am glad he was taken out first. He had a much kinder death than the ones he dished out. I’m with XiJun on this, if the accuse and find the servant guilty, Lu deserves to be deserted. For everything that he got by with, they should just agree justice served.

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Where is Chu Bin?

Yingtao had ordered such a lovely and expensive meal paid for by our favorite sheriff. XiJun comes out and models a beautiful garment and everybody is amazed it was made in twelve hours. All are seated at the table but Su and Lu very disgruntled case isn’t solved. They decide to investigate more. Su and Fei examine body and note lime smell. As lime sellers are questioned, the lady from hotel sold lime to a woman. XiJun and Lu invite designer for drinks and he is very nervous. They pose as a couple wanting wedding garments made and XiJun has a thoughtful smile at that notion. They leave and Su asks XiJun to draw the ugly woman with descriptions from two others. All three drawings are very different. The only thing the three agreed on was that they considered the woman ugly. The “friend” was engaged to the woman the deceased was married to. He has it out with Sheriff Lu when questioned. He is using a banquet at his home the night of the murder as alibi. On the anniversary of Chu Bin’s death, they agree to privately exhume her since no relatives are there. When they go to burial site an unknown veiled woman is there who claims to be Chu Bin’s sister. She is on a par with YingTao with sword but the general easily holds his own with her. When she finds out that both are Di’s disciples she allows them to open casket. There is no body inside. Su is not surprised. The sister had plans to kill the deceased or take out an eye and bring sister’s remains home. She was very surprised no sister in casket.

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Li men’s tale

XiJun’s drawings have been very successful in tracking down the people they were looking for. Li men’s back and forth on wall😂 so from him they learn the letter received was not from him. It was pure chance they met in the hotel and his cousin was not particularly pleased to see him. They quarrel and Li men hits him with candlestick. He sees that is cousin is meeting for a tryst and he goes to fabric shop to tell on him. While waiting for the wife to wake up he eats and drinks as much of their food as possible. He tells the wife what he saw and expected a different reaction from her. She pays him two silver bars to go away and not return. She thinks he is spreading false gossip and say he should be ashamed of himself for telling her such lies and kicks him out of her home with the silver. He goes back to the hotel but sees a girl he knew to be dead and jumps out the window screaming ghost. So Chu Bin enters the picture. She and deceased were an item for a long time. She suddenly gets ill and dies and her lover marries the fabric store owner. The cousin had no more to add other than Chu bin’s death was odd. He then refers the court to his cousin’s friend. This person got the deceased hooked on cockfighting and introduced to the veiled woman who can imitate any female. He mediated their meeting and confirmed she was a dead ringer for the deceased girl. The veiled woman from the hotel confirms everything, but that she was disgusted by the transaction and closed it. She burned the letter because she didn’t want ghost of the deceased girl mad at her. Like Su, it’s a little too convenient for such a for this perfect encounter resulting in the death of the fabric designer. They now have the story of all three ingots and the wife verified that it was indeed from her funds and was a gift from her father. I find the veiled lady interesting and I feel sad for the sick fabric store owner. But I don’t find myself caring about her husband’s case at all. The serial murderer seems a better case study than this selfish man that took advantage of a very sick wife. And since both women he loved got mysteriously ill, does he have a part in that? I’m far more curious about the women than him. He is a cautionary tale of what not to be😝

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Foreboding dream

This episode starts with a weird foreboding dream of the main clothes designer in a fabric shop. He is a gambling addict who prefers cockfights to designing and he has no qualms taking money from wife and business for his habit. He receives a mystery letter from his cousin in shangxia and talks his wife into giving him a silver ingot for him. As he rushes out the door of the fabric shop he runs into Lu literally and is snippy about the return of the silver he dropped. Lu trying to buy clothes for XiJun is humerous. I have no idea how it will turn out but the designers and XiJun will know he meant well. The wife that owns the place and handles the money is very ill. She is doing her best to keep things afloat, but her talented, spendthrift husband is stealing the bit of energy and money she has left. The husband eventually finds the hotel his cousin is staying at. It is more like a pay by the hour place.😝 it is creepy and used for trysts,but as he is literally pulled into hotel he sees his ‘cousin’ first thing. The next thing we see is our gambling designer dead in a fancy tub. The owner gives an account of her odd clientele and why she had a luxury bath tub installed. Veiled women seem to be a theme with this case as it started in his dream and ended up where he died. The owner has now found herself kicked out of her own establishment along with the guests til the murder is solved. Even Fei can’t figure this one out. It was not natural causes so the murderer was quite clever in pulling it off. They catch the one who stole his silver and denied killing him for it. He does, however, claim 20 deaths in surrounding area that he is responsible for.

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Times are changing in Yunding

Finally get to hear the rest of the decree…if Lu unruly he would be immediately returned to Chang’an and anybody by his side ,SuWuming, would be executed. When his friends heard he was forgiven. Sad to learn missing brother also helped create immortal steps. Many of those official documents forged, it is still debatable if the imperial one about Lu was also forged. Yingtao works a killer axe getting through the wine vat…..it was very damn nice to see that shower of wine distract that fake eunuch so that Lu could finish him off. I was sad Sima was sacrificed. Lu would have most likely died had the arrows been aimed for him. I like that Lu loosened up and kept night market. It was also fitting that immortal steps became a clinic. Fei is a marvel with medicine. That wretch of a man redeems himself a thousand fold and more for the lives he manages to save and cure. XiJun has not used her art as much lately, but she is learning other arts in diplomacy and subterfuge. I am wondering if she will study the tattoo guy’s paints and give Lu a tattoo🫣 The slimy old guy and young guy getting pummeled with produce and worse was a nice send off. The brother getting a letter to join the military was a nice gesture from Su. It will help compensate for the sins of the brother. I am wondering if they will get to stick around awhile or be tossed to the winds by the royals again. I am glad that sheriff Sima’s legacy will continue and that Yunding will have a profitable night market and this time around good officials.He was not just a commoner and his life did indeed matter.😢

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The hunt begins…

This episode had many twists and turns. Using the evidence he found in the once missing cases, Lu is all ready to arrest the official that lied about the brother visiting. The other official tells them to let him go and shows Lu a royal decree. I am not sure what the penalty was for seeming unruly but it shook him to the core. He went and pissed everybody off so that he could suffer alone. The sheriff came and had cleared a way to get Lu in. XiJun and her Princess rules.😂 I was hoping they were going to dump the officials in the hunting game but they were just to remain out old and ignorant of events. I wish the one coward would have gone for option two and let the sheriff practice some sword skills. The tattoo artist was the worst of the lot. I am grieved with myself for ever thinking he was good for QingXi. Yingtao paid him back but the one gal had to continue with the process so the artist’s body wouldn’t be discovered. She was thrown into a big vat of ugly. I hope whatever this stuff is it’s reversible. The old man was the missing official and he is as big a lech as the others. If their vat process can’t be reversed, then I hope they get to become ugly mute slaves to be so,d off to any bidder. Su is taking a very big risk in that coffin box. If anybody looks at all he can be stabbed through those slats in the sides. I think I heard Fei drunkly rambling with two guys that didn’t want him dead. That would be his luck 😝Things are about to get very real in this hunt and the risk is even higher with that decree the magistrate has. I want everybody to get through this awful night.

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