Lotus

In the novel, XW and JXN slept with each other while being held hostage. It was the nights when she had to pretend to moan for the guards listening outside their bedroom door. Eventually, her moaning was too much for XW and he did it for real. There was no mention in the novel if it was consensual or not. She seemed to not be bothered by it. The time when XW was jealous of ZZ and had sex with her, it was actually non-consensual. He got so angry he poisoned her wine but changed his mind and didn't let her drink it. He instead forced himself on her and deeply regretted it the next day. The XW in the novel was much darker than the drama's character. As for JXN, she was using sex to manipulate men in her previous life so I don't think she batted an eye much about it. She wasn't the usual girl who followed society's rules anyway. Literally, her husband, the king was barely in the coffin before she was having sex with Yan Ling every night and then tried to seduce XW.

On the BTS, they took like 20 take of the kiss scene to get the right shot. The director commented ZLH's kissing at the first shot "You kiss like you're chewing gum." LMAO https://youtu.be/sSwX6-glQPE?si=bBaEvW3F9zF-dlbB

You mean the deranged look?!

The kiss was not erotic but more of desperation. In the novel, it explained that XW didn't kiss Ning'er and communicated erotic feelings for her through the kiss, it was more feelings of desperation and longing. Feelings he buried and hidden so deep, in his delusional state, he let it all out.

He held it in for almost thirty years! The man is about to blow LOL. In the novel, he had never been intimate with any woman before Ning'er.

In the novel, she was shocked to discover that XW has feelings for her before she left town. Because in the last life, he was the reason she killed herself. She was forced to kill herself by XW. She would never imagined that he could be anything different, or that a different outcomes may happen. He's a dangerous person to her. She always kept guard around him no matter how many interactions they have.

No, eventually the prince grew fond of his main wife who at first were at odds with him. So much for love at first sight.

A much older pervert to Ning'er. She's like 19 and XW is 28. That's a huge age gap when most people back then didn't live past their 60's. Women live longer than men too so it could be two decades that Ning'er would be widowed. Her dad was really thinking for her own good.

Especially when she's asleep or unconscious. Talk about non-consensual. I actually thought well of her father to not scold her, because she didn't know what happened. He attributed the faults totally to the more mature, learned and very dignified (until he was caught the act) XW

The good stuff is happening very soon! It will sizzle and catch fire quick. This isn't an idol drama. It's a plot driven drama.

The mother pisses me off. She literally is afraid of power so much that she's willing to throw her daughters happiness away.

I read in the novel, in her last life, Yin Zhi was her main instrument of power, he did all the dirty work for her. He was a much more influential official who controlled the elite guards. Without him, her influence is greatly reduced. Saving him wasn't for him, it was for her. She's willing to manipulate ZZ to retain power and influence by controlling Yin Zhi.

In this life, she met him when he was not anybody yet, just a small potato lieutenant.

In the novel, XW asked JXN if she saw him like Yin Zhi the cunning guard that shifts loyalty for gains. JXN thought that XW is way beyond the level of Yin Zhi, who is like snake, but XW is like the sun. If you come near a snake you get bitten maybe one or a few dies, but if you come near the sun, it burns everything in its path. It's majestic and life needs it, but it's also horrifying up close. XW can topple dynasty and kingdoms when he's committed, neverminding how many people are hurt or slaughtered, an unconventional thinker who is brilliant and ruthless, where as Yin Zhi is just an average scheaming cunning man on a small scale for personal gains and success. XW is not wrong when he tells JXN that he's not a good person.

YinZhi was basically someone she could use, last life and this life. I think she saved him just for the purpose of utility knowing quite well what kind of vile person he is.

My journey to you was pure torture. It wasn't a good script and the actors had the deck stacked against them.

Maybe they picked Zhang BingBing because of his work in "the King's Woman" where he played an emotionally unstable but cunning and ruthless male lead. ZLH had no such past roles before for them to gage his acting skills.

It's a happy ending as ending goes.

I think ZZ's behavior is out of character, because of his mother's death, which he blamed himself. His normal self is righteous, controlled, and predictable. Whereas XW's character is a repeat offender when it comes to scary abusive words and actions. He's cunning, ruthless, scary, and unpredictable emotionally. He's definitely toxic to be around, even his most loyal bodyguard and friend is afraid of him.

Cause he was never anything to her but a way to sit on the royal throne. She had absolutely zero interest in him as a person. She's completely indifferent. Even the cunning guard she used and manipulated had more interest on her mind than him.

True! Thanks for the reminder. They did syphoned the money out of the construction project. A classic corruption plot Montrealers can remember from their past mayors (who were convicted and deposed). But in this case CX was rewarded with the crown.