Platinum Fox

I understand what you are trying to say. What I am saying is he already understands what Mu Dan went through as he experienced it himself with Mu Dan and now the princess.

I apologize if I offended you.

I see where you are coming from now. Thank you for explaining it. Since I don't know where you are in the drama, I do not want to spoil things for you. But let me ask you, what would be the best way for him to redeem himself and gain real world experience?

I apologize if I spoiled anything for you. But I am like you I would love to have a historical drama that really delves into the historical and cultural significance of things like tea making, brocade making, and embroidery. They do to a certain extent, but then starts to become more about politics. You have a nice day as well. Gen Z is the only one I can think of.

What do you mean? He already understands what Mu Dan went through. Now its time to enact his revenge not on JCY and Mu Dan but on his parents, princess, and Prince Ning.

By forcing him to marry the princess, Prince Ning has taken away Liu Chang's chance for happiness and his meaning in life. Prince Ning is no different than Liu Chang's parents. Next season he will go after his parents and Prince Ning.

For me, that is the illogical part of this whole drama. Why would the Liu family want their son to marry a lowly merchant girl? It brought them no power or prestige. It is because she brought a handsome dowry that they stole. Liu Chang wasn't ashamed of her; he just didn't love her nor want to marry her. He doesn't consummate the marriage to rebel against his parents forcing him to marry someone he didn't love. He falls in love with her when he sees her watering and taking care of the peonies. She is doing something that she enjoys and loves. That's all he ever wanted was to be recognized for his own merits, not who his family or wife were.

Why does Liu Chang have to be a villain just because he has become attached to the princess and Prince Ning? Also, how is he a shallow character just because he is weak?

Yes

I respectfully disagree. Every drama that I have watched about female empowerment, the lead female always meets a powerful official who just happens to be connected to the emperor. In the end, the female is always recognized by the emperor as being a pure and virtuous woman worthy of marrying the high powered official. This show was no different. Everything that she has, she has because of him. Did he try to control her life, no, but it was his money and position that allowed her to have what she has. When she tried to make it on her own (the Wan Qing arc), she was physically abused and robbed of everything that she had. It wasn't until JCY stepped in and began to protect her did she begin to flourish in her business affairs and as a person. Is this realistic? How many higher officials today protect the commoners? Realism is not a big factor in these dramas.

A wild blooming peony brings joy to no one unless someone sees it. It will grow and blossom on its own withstanding heat, cold, drought, and flooding. However, if taken out of its environment, it must be fertilized, nurtured, and protected in order to flourish and bloom. It will die if it can't stand on its own (Shengyi arc). Mu Dan is much the same way. No one recognized her talent until she divorced Liu Chang. Then two people saw her worth LC and JCY.

Thanks for the discussion.

You're welcome. I have no doubt that if the parents and princess had not interfered with his life, he would have become a high ranking official on his own merit. He enjoyed being a scholar. He enjoyed solving problems. He was not some lazy playboy. The parents, however, because the father couldn't become a high ranking official on his own, wanted a short cut to power and prestige through their child. In episode 28 poetic justice is served to the parents.

I understand what you are saying and have to agree. I feel like I have seen this same drama many times except with a different focus. But I guess it would not be interesting enough if they just focused on the flowers. :(

If you think that Liu Chang is worse than the princess, then you have missed the point of his whole character. The point of his character is to show that even males at this time were treated like how women were treated. Remember he was forced to marry Mu Dan. He didn't want to have anything to do with her until he saw how "free" she felt when she was taking care of the peonies. She was doing something she loved. He was a decent guy and didn't consummate the marriage because he didn't love her, but he grew to love her. When she asked for a divorce, he realized what a prize he got and was going to lose. All he ever wanted was be recognized for his own merits, not for who his family or wife were. He wanted to be a high ranking scholar who could help people. He even had a great flood control plan that was tossed aside because the powers that be said since he was the husband of the princess, he didn't need to do anything. How would that make anyone feel? People need to feel that their lives have purpose or meaning. Because of his parents and the princess, the whole meaning of his life had become meaningless. Both Mu Dan and Liu Chang just want to be their own person, not a pawn used by other people.

As for the princess, I wouldn't be surprised if it came out that she actually poisoned or killed her past husband so that she could be with Liu Chang. She is not a nice person. She blames Mu Dan for everything that has gone wrong in life when in reality Mu Dan tried to give her what she wanted. The princess is so spoiled that she can't take responsibility for her own actions and her father is the same way. He can't take responsibility that he raised a spoiled and selfish person who wants to hurt someone who is innocent.

For me, this drama is geared towards a more mature and thoughtful audience. It is saying that parents should allow their children to marry and be whomever they want to be, whatever that entails.

Actually, her dying is poetic justice from her previous life, same with her husband.

I'm fine as well. Yes, the two are my favorites of Zhao Lu Si, along with Who Rules the World, as they are both very well written and directed. They both have so much depth to them. Every time I watch them I get something new out of them or notice something.

I started both I am Nobody and Moonlight Mystique, but got distracted by other dramas. The fantasy genre is something I don't understand very well, so I tend to stay away from it. Also, I had a very bad experience with one fantasy drama and have a hard time watching others like it. I am enjoying LYF for now.

Thanks for your responses and discussions. Happy drama watching.

Hello, Resa, hope you are doing well. I've noticed you and I watch many of the same dramas.

Yes, it is why I love this drama as well. The two do not fall in love at first sight or the first twirl. For me, they do not really fall in love until after he returns to the border. When they begin to work with each other and not against each other. It comes with maturity. My favorite part of the drama is that SS and HBY finish what her parents started it creates a perfect circle.

What are you watching now? I am watching Flourished Peony and Lost You Forever.

You should check out the discussion board. There is a really nice interpretation of the title in it. For me, the title fits perfectly. Also, both of them are in a drama called The Long Ballad. He is the main lead and she is the second main lead, but steals the show from the female lead in my opinion.

Also, for me, who says that this is a one-sided love for half the drama. Since I don't know how far you are, I wouldn't call what LBY does to her in the first or second season love. First, he forces her to make a decision about marrying him three days after she breaks things off with another guy (granted he was not the right guy for her, but still). Then what he does to her in the second season I wouldn't call that love either. The fact that she forgives him is a miracle. Another thing, who says that just because someone saves you, you must love them and marry them, especially if it is the person's job? LBY is a general. It is his job to protect innocent people from bandits and political schemers. She shouldn't have to love him and be married to him because of it. This drama, for me, is about just that what is love? Does someone have to love someone just because the person saves you? You can be grateful and she is. jmo

No, QiQi is played by Zhang Yue. Zhang Yue also played with Zhao Lu Si in A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College (AFSAIC). In that drama they are arch enemies. I loved it.

That's okay. I thought I had missed something, and you're right we all need a Fu or QiQi ( LLtG) in our lives.

Yes, I feel the same. He does not deserve what he is getting despite his misbehavior in the beginning. I understand why he did it. The two have more in common than Mu Dan and JCY.

For me, that is what always happens to the second male lead in these dramas. Despite his beastly behavior towards Mu Dan in the beginning of the show, I understand why he did it. At the time she was the only thing he felt he had control over. When she asked for a divorce, he realized how much more freedom she had then he had in his own family. This mad him angry, but he soon learned the error of his ways. Also, he could have taken the easy way out and just married the princess at the beginning and lived a life of luxury. He chose the hard way because he wanted to make it on his own merits, not through the princess' power. I'm glad they haven't turned him into a supervillain. He doesn't deserve that.

In this drama, LC and Mu Dan are a lot more alike than her and JCY.