PeachBlossomGoddess

Yeah the plot is so contrived. It is so much better to give the seal to Shen/court officials for safekeeping and only allow him to use it after discussion and approval. Bc he is not supposed to do stuff without their approval. Not to mention Taizhen's younger bro is also dumb as rocks. Her gene pool is super iffy.

Qian Weijun's arc is fictional. Li Yuanqing is also a fictional figure. None of this actually happened. I kind of wish they didn't focus on this subplot and gave us more of what was happening on the battlefront from Song POV.

Seems to me he had more fun than poor Taizu.

Well it is a historical accurate depiction of the limited role of women in during 5 dynasties.

Ah geez.... giving him the seal is like giving a monkey the nuclear codes...

It is indeed a core message - thrones can't simply be passed around.

Compared with current high budget dramas (RMB300-500mm+), NIF only had a very modest RMB100-150mm budget. The costumes are gorgeous and intricate but I think many dramas from that time had a similar look and feel. It is set in a fictional dynasty loosely around the time of Southern and Northern dynasties (much earlier dynasty than SIP) so the production didn't have to be super accurate with the costumes. And the setting and characters are mostly royal family or high nobility so naturally their clothes would be richer and more opulent. SIP is set in chaotic times where all the nations have hard times bc of 100 years of non stop wars. Their court should be more frugal as there isn't so much money to spend on extravagant costumes. Furthermore, most of the characters are court officials in session or soldiers - they are in strict color coded court uniform or armour most of the time. Finally, NIF went for a more bright, less filtered palette that makes everything just look shinier. It is true that nowadays there is a lot more use of synthetic materials in many productions and they don't make the actors wear so many layers anymore (bc its so hot and heavy that it is kind of cruel, esp in summer). But maybe that also makes things look cheaper.

There is not much about him in history other than both he and Weizhi were officials of the Song court. This part seems highly fictionalized.

Indeed - Qian Hongchu should not be the narrative focus. While Taizu emperor was busy trying to reunify the lands and only had 4 sons, Hongchu had enough free time that he managed to have 14 sons!!!

This kidnapping victim is an entirely fictional character. But it was very cool meeting.

Me too - I was sorry I googled it.👀😱

So do I - hopefully it passes censorship one day.

It is a true historical event. Just like what is going on in the world today, you can't even make up this shit. Liu Chengyou's decision was driven by fear, rashness, and poor political judgment. By executing the hostages, he committed a classic strategic error: he destroyed his leverage, unified his enemy with a cause for total victory, and morally delegitimized his own rule. The result was the immediate and complete destruction of his dynasty. Historians view it not just as a mistake, but as a decisive act of self-sabotage that perfectly illustrates the violent and unstable politics of the era.

I really like Bai Yu but Zhu Yawen is totally stealing the show at this point. Now that he no longer has to try to pretend to be a teenager, with his deep and solemn timbre, he has the gravitas of a great and consequential emperor, a conqueror and the winner (albeit reluctant) of the chaotic Five Dynasties period. Such fantastic acting. I like Hongchu but this drama should not be about him or at least to me, he is a side character. Zhu Yawen/Zhao Kuangyin is the main meal, regardless of billing position. This actor reminds me of a young Chen Daoming. He is criminally under-used.

Qian Hongchu recognised long ago that surrender would be inevitable but of course it is in his interest to preserve the status quo as long as possible. After all, there were many failed states in the Central Plains (Later Jin, Later Han, Later Zhao etc) - strategically it is optimal only to cede Wuyue independence when they are certain that THIS regime/emperor would succeed. At ep 40, Shu had fallen - but Southern Han and Southern Tang remained defiant. It was in Wuyue's interest to remain a rich, supportive vassal state and no threat while Song exhausted its army and resources unifying the other Southern states first. When it came to Wuyue's turn as last man standing, they would be able to negotiate their surrender on the best terms. Wuyue was the last of the Southern states to be unified. After that all was left was the most difficult Northern Han which was allied with the Khitans/Liao. Taizu emperor/ZKY did not live to do that.

For all their brilliance, all these ancient historians were very biased and not necessarily that academically rigorous. I remember Sima Qian wrote the most biased and scandalous possible account of Qin Shihuangdi's mother's life even though he wasn't even alive at the time.

Made a discussion post above about the poem Song of the Seven Virtues recited at the beginning of Ep 38 and its significance.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/754577-swords-into-ploughshares/148154-ep-38-song-of-the-seven-virtures

I may have missed that then. Which episode was that?

It says it all that his own father instead of naming him heir with his last breath decided instead to use his last words on sweet nothings to his wife.

I believe the father only advised the 6th prince to take back the military power of the 1st and 3rd princes. He originally wanted to leave the throne to the 3rd prince and did not want to kill him. But Hu Jinsi acted preemptively and killed Dai Yun (3rd prince’s uncle) to marginalize his military influence. Both Hu Jinsi (his son) and First Prince were taken down together by their shady investments in Cheng Zhaoyue’s business when he complained to the 6th Prince. It seems to me implied that Hu Jinsi may have been the one who advised the previous emperor to kill his brothers when he took power. It is his style of consolidating power by eliminating all rivals and why he moved against Shuiqiu as well when the opportunity presented itself.