Novelwise26

It's vertical drama on steriods.

They were engaged as teenagers, arranged by the family. He had never met her, he tried to get his family to give her's a way out but this was rebuffed. She coming back into his life is truly fate. Her adopted parents could have settled anyway and sell themselves into indenture to any other family, but alas, it was the Lin family, her former fiance. So he has done alot to get the merit with the Crown prince to get that imperial edict, and also remember he has loved her for a years now.

Thats correct, Lanxiang and her naive friend almost got killed in that backyard when the ex wife was caught in that affair at the library. He still hadn't noticed her up until that moment. So one can understand his inability to recognize Jier.

I thought about that as well, maybe the previous deposed emperor? Not certain though.

Did she survive? I don't believe she did. All from the Shen family died. The peddler who is shown from childhood to motherhood, simply depicts the passage of time and the plight of the girl child. She seems to be going through some hardship presently, noticeable bruises around her neck, maybe DV?

You are right, the crown prince is the one who got helped into the carriage first. The guy who threw up was a distraction.
The fake crown prince on stage is actually a security official.

For the most part, he is taking a big risk marrying the FL. His family situation is tenuous with little political connection or power and she has no family backing, how are they going to survive? They will have many battles ahead, definitely would not be smooth sailing

Shes a sinister one. She doesn't want to kill the FL immediately, because that would probably make the ML continue to have her in his heart, so her decision is to ruin her to put an end to the whole thing?!!

And to think that, this sort of family punishment for treason existed in the Ming dynasty, and that particular emperor enabled this to the strictest form but his successor, who would be this crown price, discouraged this and stopped the practice, and his successor put a complete stop to it.

Thats eight, its actually a law enforcement guy from earlier episodes. The frendly one from the hay filled coats saga.

Why? What's lacking? I have noticed some character traits, i think are not needful. I am confused about how to describe her personality.

She does a great job emoting with her eyes, an example is the scene when she is confronted with the death of Du's servant. The range of emotions on her face was so easy to read.

But then again, the incessant smiles are getting to me. Is she portrayed as being cheerful, good natured and kind? All these characterisations can be done without the constant smiles.

Ikr, he really needs to bow out. He recognized that LJQ has feelings for the FL, and he wants to nip it in the bud. He should realize that for a man of LJQ status to seek out a commoner, then there must be major feels involved. Realistically she would have to support him and his family all through any union with him. He is a scholar who still needs to pass the state exam and proof himself. He's not a butterfly but a pesky fly, we need to swat him away. Team LJQ all the way (for now 🫣😉).

I had my suspicions from the moment she appeared on screen. I liked how the FL decided basically that once trust is broken, one must move with caution, and did not allow the first madam to grant the request to care for the sick people.

I agree, her arguments or reasons for plotting to murder an entire household is not valid. She had not been compromised by LJQ in anyway, so why the insane bloodlust.

Women almost everywhere at that particular age and time faced the same dilemma. Marriage was the way up or out . Her argument that she could have been a great scholar or earn merits as a military leader, but could not, does not give her the right to murder a family that was offering a shelter for her and the brother. She wants LJQ and all the status trappings, but if she cannot get him then she is entitled to kill off his entire household. It does not sense.

The Lin family made a private arrangement with the Zhao family, otherwise they would have suffered the same fate. So it was renounce what grandfather Lin had previously said and only go on to exile. The Shen family did not take that route, whether it offered to them to, am not sure. But grandfather Shen, insisted on integrity and no remorse for previous statements. All the FL is aware of is that they broke off the engagement, they did not instigate or cause the death
of her family.

Ordinarily it would be inappropriate as per societal norms, and it will be too soon for viewers to see. We need to keep guessing what exactly he has on his mind. I mean if this wasn't based off a novel, we would be hard pressed to imagine what would take place next.

I believe she does.

I came for his eyes, now the entire plot is plotting 🤩

I think for the first time, he does not feel quite alone anymore. He's found a peer in so many ways than one.