PeachBlossomGoddess

For sure! That baby prince has no chance of survival. During that period powerful generals seized power all the time, the most famous of which was Cao Cao of course. Xiao Qi could have been modelled on one of two generals during that period that actually seized power and founded short dynasties thereafter. It is just ridiculous that even in fiction you can't do regime change when the existing regime is so mind numbingly stupid they pretty much self implode.

She is only a rebel against her own clan. What enraged me about the ending is how Zidan was let off the hook for the murder of Zilong, the massacre of Yuzhang wang's army and collusion with an enemy state. And we never see how Wang Xuan squares this with Xiao Qi. It makes them both look bad. So regime change is a big no no but sending the message that there are different rules for the nobility and the death of common soldiers don't matter is OK?

Ah, that makes sense, the difference really shows. Loved Wang Lin too!

Seems the concubines are mostly there to kowtow to his annoying mother and keep her off his back so they serve some useful purpose. But I hate this kind of petty women squabbling kind of shows so I am not sure I will last. The dubbing is really bad. And so far the ML seems to be such a boring person. And I am not sure about those long pregnant pauses that are supposed to be full of deep hidden meaning when there is actually no meaning just odd and awkward silence / half hearted ttempts at comedy.

All their plots were so predictable and cliche I felt like it was just an excuse for Wang Xuan to parade around in yet another killer outfit - as in if anyone trips on it, it can kill them. The plotting and twists and turns in the first half was actually quite good, I really enjoyed it.

Yeah and in the beginning even though the setups were occasionally tropey (falling from the roof, etc), when it comes to important matters the characters don't respond in tropey ways. Idk what happened in the second half but enter Wang Qian, Helan, Jin-er and Wan Ru exit Wang Lin, Emperor Ma does not help either.

They wasted so much time on that terrible Wang Qian/Helan arc and skipped over all the potentially best parts towards the end. I want to throw rocks at the screenwriter.

Thanks for reading my long grumble. I was so incensed I wrote it right after I finished instead of calling it a night. I think it is still shorter than my Royal Nirvana and maybe even TROP. Both also made me very grumpy.

Disney princesses are much nicer and approachable. She sticks her nose in the air so often its a miracle she did not slip and break her neck on one of her ridiculous trains.

Ah... yes fingers crossed!!!

I will check out Storm Eye first then once I finish Rebel (MIA) Princess.

Love the title! My take: - Behind every great man is a woman that loves to shop!!!

Happy chap goh mei to you too!!!

Sigh! I dunno if its a good or bad thing but I am so swamped this year my watching time plummeted. I will rely on you to tell me which to watch...

Wah... nice review! You finished watching before me! I was afraid you would drop!

I didn't have a problem with her 15 year old portrayal - she didn't look it but if you watch till the end, its just a blip. But I think that a big part of her allure is that as a Wang clan heiress, she is destined to be both the wife and mother of kings. That never quite came across so the viewer is constantly of the impression that it is her flawless and incomparable beauty that makes her the object of obsession. I actually am still only close to the end, I haven't had the time to finish watching but even before final episodes dropped I realised this is not salvageable plot wise.

The only person she was rebelling against was her dad.

Tbh I really hate the trailing dresses and won't miss them at all. Her shoulders are too broad for that kind of cut and it makes her look like batman in printed curtain material.

Geez why does Xiao Qi always look like he bankrupted himself to splurge on his wife’s wardrobe when they stand together???

Yes, you are right, it should be Huang 皇/emperor not Wang 王/king. That said before he unified China and called himself Huang/emperor; ie King of Kings, he was just known as Qin Wang or King of Qin. The Chinese title 墓王之王 basically means Tomb of the King of Kings. Maybe that's why the translator used Wang in the synopsis. But I think Huang is probably more accurate.

The Qin capital is never under any real threat in this drama - outside of one (exaggerated) coup attempt by Lao Ai. They did have some battle losses but nothing that threatens the capital. I assume you are asking about the beginning of Qin's decline? This drama ends at unification, at the zenith of Qin Shi Huangdi's power.

I am currently watching S2 Qin Alliance on Netflix. It is not as high budget a production but the actor that is playing Ying Si is phenomenal. It is one that you can also consider.