Krizklid

Yes, in the drama, the crickets are the precious treasures of the Crown Prince, the eldest prince

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV13ca662EeD/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click&vd_source=aefb6efe2a125440167c7a7e296e18b1

By the way, Emperor Zhu Zhanji had another nickname — the Cricket Emperor. He is the only emperor in Chinese history whose moniker is linked to crickets. That tells you just how obsessed he was with this pastime.

Let me explain the scene transition in Episode 39. After Lin Jinqi walks out of the palace, he runs into two eunuchs carrying cricket boxes. One of the eunuchs accidentally drops the box holding the crickets onto the ground. Later, these two eunuchs mention they have handled imperial memorials. For eunuchs to handle imperial memorials counts as meddling in state affairs.

This references a real figure in Chinese history: Zhu Zhanji, an emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He indulged in cricket-fighting all day, prioritizing trivial amusements over state governance, and allowed eunuchs to interfere in court politics. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, had explicitly banned eunuchs from meddling in politics. Lin Jinqi stares at the inscription on the palace gate that reads “Eunuchs must not interfere in governance”, then leaves, filled with disappointment. This cultural nuance would be very hard for non-Chinese people to grasp.

It's just death. The accumulated pain from years of warfare, especially the aftermath of the explosion, had a significant impact on the body. Lin Jinqi died around the age of 50, while Lan Xiang lived until her 80s and passed away

The original text is as such, and there are some spoilers on Chinese forums

The key upcoming plot points we know so far are:

1. Du Cuique becomes a female pirate to seek revenge.
2. Marquis Yuan divorces the Third Younger Sister.
3. Marquis Yuan dies.
4. Han Liang dies.
5. Lin Jinqi dies.

I’ve finished watching episode 39. The timeline jumps rapidly. I suppose the rest of the story will focus on court politics. Later on, we should see the death of Han Liang. His prototype is Yu Qian, an upright and incorruptible minister of the Ming Dynasty in Chinese history, who was publicly executed by the emperor

the search for the deposed emperor and the deposed crown prince in the drama, as well as the plot in episodes 35 and 36, are based on real events in Chinese history. The deposed emperor refers to Zhu Yunwen, and the deposed crown prince is Zhu Wenkui. According to folk legends, one of the reasons why Emperor Zhu Di sent Zheng He on his voyages to the Western Oceans was to hunt down the deposed emperor and the deposed crown prince. Besides, the rebellion depicted in episodes 35 and 36 is the historical Prince Han’s Rebellion, in which Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu rose up in revolt against Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, Zhu Zhanji

Yes. For example, the search for the deposed emperor and the deposed crown prince in the drama, as well as the plot in episodes 35 and 36, are based on real events in Chinese history. The deposed emperor refers to Zhu Yunwen, and the deposed crown prince is Zhu Wenkui. According to folk legends, one of the reasons why Emperor Zhu Di sent Zheng He on his voyages to the Western Oceans was to hunt down the deposed emperor and the deposed crown prince. Besides, the rebellion depicted in episodes 35 and 36 is the historical Prince Han’s Rebellion, in which Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu rose up in revolt against Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, Zhu Zhanji

She comes back as a famed female pirate of China’s Ming Dynasty. Historically, she was a heroine resisting the wokou (Japanese pirates). Yet the TV adaptation altered her storyline to have her collude with them — a revision that drew dissatisfaction among Chinese audiences.

Haha, I just saw a funny comment from a Chinese netizen: The two each went ahead with their own marriages without telling one another, and they don’t even share the same wedding anniversary. Xu Lanxiang’s anniversary falls on the day of the memorial sacrifice, while Lin Jinqi’s is the day of the wedding procession.

My apologies, I got it wrong. The original Chinese line is “May I repay your kindness with the devotion of tying grass and holding rings.” “愿结草衔环以报”。It does not necessarily mean she must marry her benefactor. In ancient Chinese novels, when a woman says this to a man, it often implies the possibility of offering herself in marriage.

No. For one thing, Lanxiang is sharp enough to know this was no humiliation. Even if she had been humiliation,She would not dwell on past humiliation. The kind of character who cannot let go of insults is someone who bears grudges over every slight, and Lanxiang is not that sort of person. In the Chinese worldview, what she cannot do is forgive the treacherous Lin clan on her family’s betrayal — not that she cannot forgive being humiliated.

On a side note, the Shen Clan has a historical prototype in Chinese history. During the reign of the Ming Emperor Zhu Di, there was a minister named Fang Xiaoru（方孝孺） who refused to draft the imperial coronation edict. As a result, he was punished with the execution of ten clans—including his relatives, friends and students—with a total of 873 people put to death. In fact, many characters in this drama are based on real historical figures from China.

Ah, no, you misunderstood. Lanxiang doesn’t see it as humiliation. She knows the Lin family made that decision to protect their clan, so it has nothing to do with shaming her. What she cannot accept is the Lin family’s betrayal AND JinQi arranged her marriage forcibly without her consent.

yes, I agree. This is indeed a double standard

This follows traditional Chinese thinking. First, Lanxiang was jilted, meaning the Lin family betrayed her — even though the Lin family had no choice but to do so to avoid extermination. Second, Lanxiang was taken by force in a snatch marriage. Lastly, Lanxiang had sworn an oath that she would marry any chivalrous warrior who would collect the bodies for the Shen family. Thus, after paying homage at the graves, her inner turmoil was resolved.

The two situations are different. The former will lead to the involvement of nine clans and the elimination of the entire family, while the latter will have a much smaller impact on career prospects. In fact, in the public opinion of Chinese audiences, it is generally agreed that if one were the grandfather of the Shen family and was willing to die alone to uphold justice, but had to involve the entire family, they would choose to bow down and kowtow

I suggest you be patient until the end of the second season. There is a reason why this book was so popular in China back then and still has many fans today。The first season is quite boring, mainly focusing on daily life and character setup. The second season kicks off with exciting content, especially the several encounters between Zhang Xiaofan and Lu Xueqi in the finale, which are truly brilliant