Nahlabee4

😭

Watching these historical dramas has made me realise that inside aristocratic households and royal courts, true happiness and contentment were almost impossible to find. Life was ruled by calculation, future advantage and constant competition. Men fought for power, titles, land and influence. Women often fought for the attention, protection and favour of men, because their security and social position depended on marriage, alliance and reputation. Even love could be turned into a duty or a bargain. Family loyalty existed, but it was frequently tangled with ambition, inheritance and the struggle to remain in favour.

It seems that genuine love and a degree of contentment were more often found among ordinary people and those who were enslaved. They had fewer privileges and far less security, yet their relationships were not always governed by the same cold strategy. In their homes, affection, generosity and humility could exist without being used as tools for advancement. This does not mean their lives were easy. It simply suggests that privilege and comfort do not automatically produce peace of mind.

Strangely enough, this pattern has not changed. Even today, the wealthiest families are often not happy. They own the material things others wish for, attend the most expensive schools and enjoy luxurious holidays, yet their children still end up in therapy or counselling. Money can solve practical problems, but it cannot cure emotional neglect, pressure to perform or the absence of genuine warmth. Wealth may buy opportunity and comfort, but it cannot buy inner peace or loving relationships.

The middle class has a mixture of both worlds. People in the middle class may enjoy some comfort and opportunity, but many are striving to reach a higher level, while slipping downwards is very easy. Some learn to be content with what they have. Others remain trapped in a vicious cycle of comparison, worry and ambition. The pressure to keep up, to provide more and to secure a better future can quietly consume family life.

When you visit the homes of the poor, you can often find love, generosity and humility. These qualities do not depend on money, and perhaps that is why they can flourish where status and competition matter less. Of course, poverty brings hardship and should not be romanticised. Yet the contrast is telling. The historical dramas mirror the present day. They remind us that human happiness depends less on wealth and rank than on connection, purpose and kindness. Perhaps the real question is not how much we own, but how well we love and how deeply we allow ourselves to be content.

How?

Can’t believe I didn’t realise earlier that Xie Zheng Lun was the badass Huben in Vendetta is An.

Thank you.

I struggle to watch hyped dramas, and usually wait until something else is talked about.

So I watched till episode 14, and this one watched till 19, to continue later after all episodes are in.

Against the current and the road to splendor need attention to detail in my opinion. Hence, I decided to finish later quietly, while I enjoy reading comments.

Indeed!

I agree, I didn’t understand why the FL had to overreact with ML protecting Xie Shu, I mean he even said that it won’t be for long, but why can’t she wait when she herself said she wants to see him lose everything.

How is she gonna see that with her sudden desperation.

I blame the writers for forcing a misunderstanding cliche arc when it wasn’t needed.

Everyone is already against them, they didn’t need to misunderstand each other like that.

And how was Chunzi going to help her achieve her revenge?

That part of the script was just wrong,

Thanks, that’s what I meant.

I didn’t watch The Prisoner of Beauty when it came out but seeing the hype around, I would have assumed that it would be in the top 5.

Just goes to show that things aren’t as they seem.

Road to Splendor?

That’s nothing new though. They watch each other’s dramas and even reserve seats.

I do not agree that Chunzi is a victim. He kept pursuing her even though he knew perfectly well that the FL did not love him and did not want to marry him. Even when she agreed, it was not because of love. It was because she wanted revenge for her mother’s death, and he knew even then that he was not loved, yet he still said he hoped to be loved in return later.
By that same reasoning, he must be with Second Lady and later love her in return too, just as he hoped that FL would love him.

What sets him apart from other second leads is only that his persistence was not wicked or calculating like theirs, which is why many people feel sorry for him.

Even his friend Pei told him to give up when FL was trying to save the male lead. Chunzi still kept pushing on. He even ate pastries made for the ML, knowing they were not meant for him.

He is not a victim. He is simply a fool in love who does not understand boundaries.

Thanks.

This is gonna be interesting to see who’s behind him.

I learned about the importance of salt trades while watching Jumong.

So only in episode 38 will she know where family is buried and will start loving and being grateful to the ML then?

Is master Xie adopted, I smell something fishy about their relationship. He treats her like a master not a mother, vice versa.

That actually makes sense.

What if Xie Shu is adopted and grandma Xie is the one behind it all? Hahaha just thinking out loud.

Oh dear! I don’t why I’m shocked but grandma Xie is more evil than her son:-(

It’s because they are the centre of the evil.

It’s like they’ve seen all reviews of what made dramas that started off good with a promising master work, but failed midway with bad endings.

I think since Wei is dead, he’s the only link to the mastermind of corruption. Hence he needs to be protected for now.