Sharlotka

I’m only 5 episodes in, and slowly catching up but I thought I’d lay out some of my thoughts so far.

I am enjoying Chu Xiao so far. It’s rare for me to enjoy FL from the beginning, I usually tend to find them annoying before they undergo some character development, so it’s always nice when it isn’t the case. I also can’t help finding it funny that Zhuge Yue hardly makes any appearance in the first few episodes despite being a main, and I think he is the one I’m the most curious about so far, given his situation.

Also, it’s the second time I’m seeing Xia Meng in any drama, and the second time she appears to be playing a lunatic Princess that I feel in my bones I’m going to want to strangle on sight. Nothing against the actress, quite the opposite – she plays very well, but I’d love to see her play a more likeable character for a change.

A part of me is also surprised that for all their unhappiness with Yan Xun, the Yanbei people are waiting for him to wake up, all worried that he might not, while also doing things he’s bound to be unhappy with when he wakes up. What possibly makes them think that he’ll suddenly change his mind about doing what he wants instead of listening to them when he has repeatedly shown he couldn’t care any less? What possibly makes them think he won’t be furious with them? Or is their “loyalty” just for show? Yanbei definitely feels like a mess, especially when the tribes are already starting to rebel (and who can blame them?), and I’m very interested to see how it ends up going.

I am really enjoying Zhang Kangle, too; he is doing pretty well with portraying the emotions and obsession of the character and I can only imagine there’s going to be a descent into madness, even stronger obsession and darkness as the drama goes on, and I’m really looking forward to it.

And finally, characters aside - I really like the make-up they have and how natural it looks. I’ve seen some dramas where the faces were made so pale that I found it difficult to focus on anything other but their contrast with the neck. It's nice not to have this kind of distraction :)

I CALLED IT! From the scene where they discussed her going back to the present, I had a feeling the last scene would be the two of them meeting there - him calling her name, her turning around and seeing him there. It might be the first time I actually called something that happened in a drama successfully lol

I really enjoyed the drama. I like how they tied the whole thing with it genuinely being her dream. And since it was a dream, I think it made sense that she was very successful at ensuring that everything she wanted ended up happening, and all those that she cared about getting a 'happy ending'.

I think the one plot I am a bit dissatisfied with is Xia Ziyu's ending. I liked the way they had her bump into her parents and that guy from the past but I have been hoping for something more... spectacular, I suppose. I wanted her to be as miserable as she possibly could; I honestly wouldn't have minded if she had actually been killed, dying hopefully in a very slow, painful way. The way she kept blaming Xiaolan for everything was really something. On the flip side, it was good to see how the Xia family ended up. It was good to see Grandma Xia being miserable.

And while I knew it was bound to happen at some point, I was surprised by how the "return" scene was handled. Or, a wake up, I suppose. To be honest, a part of me would be interested to see how that world would continue when Xiaolan just poofed out of existence, just because it would be quite entertaining to imagine what kind of explanation Zhou Cheng could would come up with. How do you explain something like this, after all lol

A lovely drama, and a very satisfying ending!

It's interesting that it was apparently quite easy for Du Zhaoji to find all info on Xia Ziyu, including pictures from before and after surgery. If her intention was to disappear, I would expect she'd have made a bit more effort to get rid of any trace of who she was before. And while it's not quite as easy now, I would think it to be easier back then. I realise I might be wrong, though, I haven't been born yet at the time that currently is in the drama lol

Though, she's still so annoying... Perhaps in different ways, or maybe similar to a certain extent, but she really is her gradmother's granddaughter. I'd strangle both at first sight lol I can't wait to see how she'll end up once Xiaolan is done with her - hopefully utterly miserable.

It took forever but I'm finally all caught up! Yay!

I'm really glad Zhou Cheng finally learnt the truth but a part of me is a little disappointed that it came up the way it did, instead of Xiaolan just admitting it to him. Though, I am also glad that they handled this the way they did, instead of Xiaolan making a big scene about him looking through the notebook, which I half expected it would end in.

I really like the way he asks questions about what things are like in the future, it makes sense he'd be curious. And with how they talk about meeting in the future, I am now pretty convinced it is probably how the whole drama will end - the two of them finding themselves again. Him calling out to her, and her turning around to see him there.

Watching Granny Xia unhappy and suffering, everyone turning away from her is incredibly satisfying too.

It's a detail, I know, and perhaps it's just me but if they have foreigners included on the drama, whose first language is clearly supposed to be English and they speak English on screen, they could have at least either had them dub themselves or find another native English speaker to do that. It sounds so incredibly unnatural when they speak with a very obvious, strong Chinese accent, and even more so when there are obvious, very basic mistakes in those sentences...

I am really enjoying this drama but I can't help wishing they actually made a bit more effort on that front.

Xiaolan, Xiaolan, shouldn't you be a bit more mindful of what you are saying, even if noone is taking you seriously?
"We won't be able to hold Olympics until 2008"
"In a few years, she'll be famous."
Isn't that kind of info better kept to yourself?

"I don't have much time left." Poor Zhou Cheng probably thought she was dying when she said that the way she did lol

I have to say, I really like that they had Li Huai'an side with the main leads against his family. I've never been so grateful they didn't follow the usual trope with his kind of character as I am in this.

I really liked Deng Kai's performance but throughout the whole drama, I just can't really enjoy his plot with Qianqian. I like the general idea behind it, her being the first person that isn't scared/etc, but the way he went about it all is just so wrong.

I can't help thinking one thing that could be funny to see is them telling Bao'er that he's going to be the Emperor lol After he spent most of his life hiding in secret rooms and all that lol That said, his scene with Changning was so cute lol

I liked the return to Lin'an and all, but why is it that everyone got their little epilogue, and Gongsun Yin just vanished after that scene when the Princess woke up? T___T

And the "what if" post-credit scenes were quite fun but, I don't know... A part of me feels that rather than a what if, I'd have preferred a proper epilogue, perhaps something with grown up Changning and Bao'er.

All in all, I really enjoyed this drama. I didn't really have any expectations when I began, wasn't sure it would be something for me, but it was a very fun watch from start to finish.

Episode 37
The Emperor throwing a fit over how nobody is taking him seriously... Dude, have you ever done anything or behaved in any way to be taken seriously?

Gongsun Yin dressed as an Eunuch to attend the banquet lol Of course he was the one to offer to save the Princess lol I guess all of this is one way to convince everyone to let them marry lol

Wei Yan just watching everything, looking bored and unamused was funny too lol

I had a feeling that the one they were going to catch is going to be Li Huai'an as soon as he showed up and we saw him pull the guards away from where Xie Zheng and Changyu were hiding.

Of all the officials in the capital, they had to assign Song Yan to teach her etiquette lol The way this Liu guy kept pestering him about what he had done to offend everyone there lol And his panic in the guy's eyes when he began to speak to Xie Zheng in that fashion lol

Honestly, that Emperor. I feel embarrassed just watching him lol Though the way she played him when she mentioned Xie Zheng was lovely lol How did the poor Princess end up with a brother like this lol

The previews for the next episode though... Why couldn't they have released an express for this one T___T

I'm so torn on SNZ and HQX, and I enjoyed them in the novel more than the main couple. On one hand, I'd love for their ending to be changed but on the other, I think it would be interesting to see it play out like in the novel. And if they were to follow the novel, maybe the addition could be a sort of epilogue/special (though I doubt it would be filmed).

For the most part, it was a very nice drama and I enjoyed watching it, but what on Earth was that ending?

Makiko's sentence feels like a joke. I understand that they could have taken all the circumstances into consideration but it doesn't change the fact that she still killed the guy. I admit, I don't know much about Japanese legal system, but it still feels like a cop out for the sake of giving the drama a happy ending, which is held together by a very weak duct tape, and incredibly unconvincing at that.

I also can't help feeling like Keisuke's character is just... I don't even know how to describe it but, especially when he started to complain about how Junichi would be there for his son, probably in a similar way his father was a father figure to Junichi, I wanted to scream that last time I checked, noone was saying that he can't be involved in the kid's life, it was simply him doing a rather pathetic job at it. I was hoping he would get some character development in that regard but unfortunately, not at all.

And even if it wasn't set in that particular time, but any other - I just don't understand the attitude. There are pairs that, if the actors have a great chemistry and the story is good, they can sell without even touching each other that much (if at all), and I've seen titles with plenty of kisses etc. where the romance was utterly unconvincing. So I just roll my eyes every time I come into the comment section and see someone, who hasn't even begun, asking if there are kisses as if that made the whole drama good or bad.

Episode 32

Both Xie Zheng and the Princess rejecting the marriage. I loved the Princess' tactic - if he agrees, I'll go along with it. A very safe one when she knows for certain he will never agree to it lol

Li Huai'an is the one working with Qi Min? I have very low hopes for that but I honestly hope that he's actually just playing the guy, leading him on. I really hope it's not another 'was rejected by the FL so he starts working with the enemy' plot, I'm sooo tired of this kind of trope by now.

It's funny that after all this, Sui Yuanqing still tries to believe his brother is working with him rather than against him. I can't help feeling like he changed his mind a bit too easily but oh well.

Episode 31

Hahaha, all Changyu could think of while waiting for the decrees was the meat she was preparing. Funny how noone noticed her sneaking away.

The general that escorted Qianqian to the Zhaos having to save himself from revealing Xie Zheng's real identity lol I love the kiddos playing together and bickering about who won lol

Gongsun Yin and the Princess scenes... I can't even say I really care about the romance between them, but how do you not simply love this guy lol His clothes getting caught on the gate/fence/however you call it was so funny too

The scene when Li Huai'an brings the map and they show the passing of time as they discuss it, with the people around them gradually dropping out one by one only to get woken up when she slams the table lol There are so many funny scenes in this drama, and I like how it doesn't feel forced.

The search for the teachers too lol All giving up lol

I'm a bit late, so I'm slowly catching up on the episodes but holy crap, the Xia family. I understand that filial piety, respect for elders and all that are very important for the Chinese culture but it's a perfect example of why there should be no such thing as being owed respect but having to earn it. Them treating her worse than a piece of $*t and then coming to her, basically begging her to come back and still talking to her as if they'll show her mercy and LET her come back, was really something. And honestly, I'm surprised noone has strangled that grandmother yet. It was good to see karma coming back to them every single time, and hope more will come still.

I know we got two episodes with a lot of action and events in them but after watching, there is only one thought on my mind.

I knew he was going to die from that scene when he asked Changyu to keep something for his sister and she told him to keep it and deliver it himself, it was foreshadowing at its finest, but still T__T

MAAAAAANDIIIIIII T_____T

"I told you it's a military secret and you still ask?" lol

Aww, XZ creating a new weapon for Changyu from the same metal that the butcher knife she lost.

The old guy and him eventually convincing her to accept his offer by turning it into her protecting him. I had a feeling it was going to work that way lol

Awwww, Gongsun Yin with that sad puppy look when the Princess didn't appreciate him bringing her the shoes. And his reaction when she overheard him talking to Xie Zheng. I'd love to have seen that scene where he goes after her T__T

And aww, they found Bao'er! I kinda expected Changyu to be the one to find it but aww. Changning's whistle worked anyway.

And the post-credit scene lol

Yeah. Though, to be fair, I love everything about him lol

The confrontation... "As long as I live you'll be mine" - I'm sure she'd be happy to hear that under different circumstances. Or have him propose even but dear Xie Zheng, read the room lol

Gongsun Yin is such a lovely cinnamon roll. His interactions with people in this episode are funny and adorable, especially the way he teases his friend. The actor's doing a great job; I don't know if he's dubbed but if he is, the voice actor is doing a good job, too.

Also, I'm surprised she didn't realise the disciple the old guy was talking about was Xie Zheng. Not only did Gonsun Yin call him Jiuheng at one point, but he even referred to himself that way. She didn't make the connection I suppose.

And I loved the way the conversation between the ML and the old guy was clearly a mirror of the one she had with the old guy in the past. Even the way the guys standing outside the tent asked why it feels like they talk about the same person was the same. But at least they eventually realised that too lol

The poor subordinate impersonating the Marquis! I can only imagine his panic when it was probably presented to him as a simple thing and suddenly, everyone is going "off script" and he's at a loss for what to do lol And the reactions of the other guy lol The panic when the Princess showed up and was about to kneel down. Gongsun Yin addressing the real Xie Zheng rather than the one behind the screen. And the guy asking him if he's ok with not being punished. Honestly, these episodes make me laugh so much.

With the conversation Changyu had with that young guy from Lin'an, who asked her to keep the money for his sister... I'm pretty sure the guy is not making it back T__T

Pretty sure Changyu impressed quite a few people on that battlefield. Definitely one of the Generals lol

And why do they have to end on such cliffhangers in EVERY. SINGLE. EPISODE?! As if giving us just one a day wasn't enough T___T