QAS

XJS's reign lasted less than a full day. LOL Probably one of the shortest in C-Dramaland.

The Storm Alliance segment ran too long. I was expecting a final battle, but it was just infighting and the demise of the Empress Dowagers. Jinxui kingdom is just floundering with no emperor now. Jing Yan was twenty years' old. His offspring would be little children.

It was time for him to go. Either he or Sui Ge were having flashbacks when he was dying. I don't think we needed to see the flashbacks for the third time. Sui Ge called him a brother, and he called Sui Ge a best friend. So they were not on the same page.

i think the extra episodes are the BTS.

Since Xiyang is now barren, she will have to find a distant Feng relative to succeed her as Emperor in the future. Unless Feng Sui Ge's yet to be born son inherits the crown in the future.

There were numerous pathetic. paranoid, delusional, psychotic, lunatic, neurotic, angry delulu characters in this drama.

In Xinjui:
The Royal Family dropped like flies within a day. A very satisfactory end to their madness!
Xia Jing Shi was delulu about Yi Xiao at the very end. He never got the memo. He finally showed a different emotion.
Cain and Abel brothers, Xia Jing Yan and Xia Jing Shi, are still fighting each other on the other side. Who is running the show in Jinxui now?

In Susha:
Empress Zhuang joined her delulu father Zhuang Shen.
Pathetic Murong Yao joined his neurotic father Murong Zhong.

I was surprised that Princess Xiyang survived, to become Susha Emperor. Now we know no one dies from a sword stab wound in the gut. I guess she deserved the promotion because she was Emperor Feng's favorite child, and she had his temperament, that included madness, arrogance, condescension. Emperor For Some Weeks Feng Peng Yang gave it up, and went into seclusion. Feng Sui Ge and Fu Yi Xiao lived happily after. I don't know why they have to wait three years for a wedding. She might get pregnant before then.

Final rating: 8.5

Did anyone notice that Michelle Hu (Jinxui Empress Dowager Jing) is 35 years' old, and Qin Tian Yu (Emperor Xia Jing Yan) is 32 years' old? Empress had a miracle birth at the age of 3. Xu Xiao Sa (Empress Zhuang) is 38 years' old , and Ding Jia Wen (Emperor Feng Peng Yang) is 29 years' old. Empress had a miracle birth age the age of 7. It would have been funny if Qin and Ding used to call their drama mothers, "Mother" off screen. LOL

I am not holding my breath for his grand plan.

They had magic mushrooms 🍄🍄, and decided to run off together. 😍😍 I suspected they had a special friendship. I wish they didn't just disappear BTS.

Ep 34: The Xinfiu triangle is dragging. XY, JY, JS keep going around in circles, and not achieving much. They are too busy listening to the BGM. The Xias are the dysfunctional family of the week. Their scenes should have been condensed into fifteen minutes, maximum.

The title of episode 33 is, "Let the backstabbing begin!"

Storm Alliance: Zhou and Whatshername vs Elder Lei Lei
Xinfiu: Empress Mother vs Xiyang
Susha: Murong Zhong vs Empress Mother

That is an awesome analysis, Glory Mor. 👏👏👏

I like Jingyan actor's performance. He has two faces, varying 180 degrees. I think many characters are vying for the Diverse Acting Range Award.

Zhuang Shen
Murong Zhong
Xia Jing Yan
Emperor Feng (old)
Feng Xi Yang

Who will win the award? LOL

Another senior eunuch bites the dust. I think Jing Shi's ally, Eunuch to Jing Yan, is dead by now. That position must have the worst job security in the palace.

The time really flew fast on this drama. I started a few days late, but it's been moving along daily.

First Emperor must be squirming in his grave at the following developments;

Second Prince sitting on the throne.
Empress promoted to Empress Dowager.
Murong Zhong, the new arch villain
Conspiracy between Empress and Murong
First Prince "assassinated" by Murong Zhong and Murong Yao,and later still alive.
Favorite Daughter turning into crazed mistress of Jingxui Emperor

LOL The writing in on the wall.

I can see Princess becoming an aggressive wife, and Emperor becoming a passive husband.

Second Prince is now motivated after his job promotion. LOL I finally looked up his name, Feng Cheng Yang. I wasn't paying attention before. Actor Ding Jia Wen looks fifteen years younger.

It is very likely he will remain as Emperor at the end of the day. The director and writer are setting up his career objective in ep 32.