Nonsuch

Thanks. I guess I am still at earlier eps, and that has not happen yet

It is an interesting drama, acting is excellent, and characters are engaging. Only I can't ever understand why do they so often make FML either childish and silly, or smart, but a total willful b*tch? To me she is the least interesting character.

There is a huge difference between engagement and marriage. Historically even very young children 4 or 5 got betrothed to each other, but the actual marriage took place when both reached appropriate age - in China 15. When they were supposed to get married forst time she is probably over 16. It is next to impossible to do historic dramas where FML is supposed to be young , sexually clueless and naive, and observe modern sensibilities about age. It simply would not work, so dramas fudge and use plot twists to delay actual marriages till she is at least 21. There is quite a lot of excellent asian dramas where a very young FML becomes a love interest or falls in love with man: Goblin, Hidden Love, Scarlet heart Ryo , The Forbidden Flower - to name a few.

Love Like the Galaxy is one of my absolute favorite dramas, but Long Ballad didn't quite work for me, I didn't like FML's story, and I thought there was little chemistry between the leads. Both have Leo Wu, but I think his role in LLG is vastly superior.

First of all she isn't getting married at 16, she is married at 21 or 22. She gets engaged at 16.

I don't care whether 'mom' loved NN. It is immaterial to me. She likely did , at least worried about her. But feelings only count when put into appropriate action. The responsibility for appropriate action is on parents. Her methods of showing her love are brutal and frankly stupid. She is a great general, and obviously a lady of much skill and valor, and even a loving wife; but she is an appalling mother to NN.

We never saw how Consort Yue and the Empress children were reared. We see them as a finished product. If you think that a parent can mold a child into whatever a mother wants as long as she finds a right method I have a bridge to sell you. Also their transgressions were against the STATE. What's-her-name gets beaten for what amounts to treason (counterfeit money) and a gross violation of sacred rights. The same with the silly uncle Wan and his map . These are not pranks between girls, also both are adults. The limp crown prince is a nice and kind person, he is simply not suited for a position of a ruler. That is not his fault, it is his tragedy that he is forced to try to be one. and marry a woman he didn't love.

The appalling 5 princess sin is off the charts arrogance, that even disregards human life., But it is possible she wants to accomplish something, and is not allowed, because in her society and her position there is zero outlet for her abilities .. One of the main themes of the drama repeated time and again is stifling of natural talents, ambitions , and longings in children, and the awful consequences it brings.
And yes, we obviously see things differently. But you seem fixated on discipline of whipping and beating, which I find a tad disturbing.

As to Consort Yue and the Empress as mothers - their children are grown, that is not the same situation at all. Plus an imperial family and with children from 3 different mothers cannot be compared to NN's family.

" It hurt mom more than it hurt Niao Niao" that is what every obuser under the sun claims. I would have thought for someone who works in the field it was axiomatic. Funny, you keep saying she only beat her up twice as if physical punishment is the only issue. The scene with the desk incident shows how unfair she is. She dismisses every accomplishment of her daughter's even one which is lauded by the emperor. She is purposefully intimidates her daughter at every encounter with words, humiliation, yelling, interrogations, suspicion, with her of aggressive tone. She is generally behaving not like a mother, but like a penal colony overseer, but for some reason that seems to have escaped your notice. If this is your idea of disciplining children we have little to discuss.

You are repeating the same thing time and again, and for some reason retelling half the plot. I have seen this drama several times, and understood your take first time. I responded to it. Fuck that kind of mothers' love. The fact that you say Mom ONLY hit her twice, and she DESERVED it, shows that you and I have zero in common in the way we see the world and responsibilities and rights of a parent. You are trying to justify abuse, humiliation and severity as 'teaching' methods. I find it absolutely abhorrent. The rest of the analysis I will leave without comment. I will only point out that you are going against the message of the drama itself, and even the mother herself, who acknowledges that she was wrong. This is not a story written in 5 century bc , it is a modern take on love, family and loyalty in costume. To advocate tyrannical methods of child rearing in 2025 is odd, to put it mildly.

Fuck this type of maternal love. Trying to make your daughter into other girls is not what a good mother would do. This mother is arrogant, stubborn, jealous of her daughter's affections to others, and cruel, and quick to anger. It is not as if nobody tells her how overboard she is her dealings with her daughter, but she just never listens. She abandoned her at birth for the most ridiculous reasons, and as a result her child suffered for 15 years. This mother's guilt and sin in front of her daughter are immeasurable, but instead of enveloping her child in love , care, protection and teaching her gently, she terrorises her to break her will. She is so friggin controlling, she can even compliment her daughter on her real accomplishments! Sure ,she comes around, but it takes years. The fact that NN forgives her, is a testimony to how good natured NN is, not that her mother deserved it.

Personally I didn't like LB at all. LLG I love.

15 was marriageable age in China, as in most of the world at that time. But if it makes you uncomfy maybe you shouldn't watch.

Everytime I rewatch (this is my absolutely favorite c-drama) I want to horsewhip that mother, like literally. I hate her more and more. I don't care about her best intentions, or her parental 'feelings' . Nor do I give a damn whether she loves her daughter or not. She is objectively cruel, stubborn, and pathologically unfair.

I sort of skimmed it. It is huge and slow. For me it is lacking what makes the drama so fantastic, and the ending is a letdown.

You obviously don’t have a clue what presumption of innocence is, like the rest of bottom feeding morons on this board. Disgraceful and disgusting.

I think some kind of fan association has filed a criminal complaint against the so called 'fans' who are spreading the rumors and accusations. Not sure what legal strength it has, but if they get some of them to pay it would be a good lesson for the rest.

Ragdoll probably.

whimsicalreads.com I think. It was not horrible , but in many places choice of words, word order, tenses, grammar were seriously off. You mostly could guess what was meant, but some descriptions were so off they were unclear, or even unintentionally funny, when they needed to be impactful or sexy. But for a free amateure translation it was definitely good enough.

That is the question I have been asking too! I liked the drama, the chemistry between leads is great, (her utterly idiotic and spoiled child behavior and break up notwithstanding) but boy, did they went all the way into soap ! And why the completely necessary tropes and cringeworthy public speech, and cheap morality play? I agree the book is much better, though reading it in English translation is a bit a challenge.

Delight, it is pure delight. The stories are poignant , gentle, real. There is a whiff of old school European cinema in the production, acting is excellent.