Nepeta 22

He's getting gaslit as well! You gotta laugh.

He'll survive...he has major plot armour! He survived a stab wound, but not only that, within 3 days swam under water. Yesterday in the nick of time Zhao Tong Er turns up and happens to be the Mr Eight whilst Zhi Fu only had his knee caps shaved off and is suffering from sepsis and life long disability and will probably be bed bound for life.

Sorry if my post came out quite strong. I didn't mean it like that. You are entitled to your opinion on her acting and I am also just voicing my displeasure she has been given this role. I would have like someone like Zhu Zhu or Wang Li Kun in this role, but it is what it is.

Two nominations for the Magnolia Awards 2025 for Yang Ni & Guo Xiao Dong. Let's hope they win! Such a beautiful drama.

For me, idol style dramas tend to write FL's with lots of big flaws so she can go through growth in the drama. Same could be of the ML. Here the ML also is too idealistic and hot headed and not to mention emotional. He is also too trusting and through some flashes of brilliance has sparked here and there, but he is by no means a 100% cunning planner.

Too many scenes are done in a comical way to make me feel this is nothing too heavy. The over use of violence and torture is basic shock tactics because not enough time has been given to form personalities. So many of what we see is just surface storyline. Because of that some characters don't seem to be acting within their character and some parts seems illogical.

I am nowhere near dropping because I am so excited with FL and ML's dynamics. I know they will possibly be working alongside each other but maybe with completely different goals, but that's fine. I want to see ML squirm when she tries to get too close!

Hey, I don't really go looking in too much details unless someone has attacked me then I may look at their profile. I did mention fandom culture which covers what you mentioned. It's sad to see some deciding to use their time doing things that are unproductive. No doubt, for some fans, it's just a personal thing that is some sort of relief for themselves when they're frustrated. I accept there are a portion are not here for the drama, but we mustn't get so carried away and frighten out genuine drama watchers too. Some forums, the level of gate-keeping is so big that it's meant commenting is like treading on egg shells. That's not right for a drama forum.

I haven't seen further trailers, but those are my own opinions. I can see that watching whilst others are watching (barrage culture) creates a herd mentality for some and I also came for revenge but soon found out it's rather flat and run-of-the-mill in an already saturated market in c-drama-land, but thank god for FL character which I also did not expect to be like this.

Whilst I don't like her character and find her too dated. The cynic in me tells me the old hand director knows how to get people to up vote with a fair bit of romance.

We have all seen immature, brattish and vindictive FL's that soon turn into understanding souls, but here, she's quite clearly fancying the pants out of someone that's had plastic surgery and cannot help herself by tripping over to get close to him in any possible way and he is trying to bat her off but really also falling for her. This is going to be the making of them as a team. I don't know how it will end, but for me, this idol style drama bit is the high point in this drama. The rest is more background for me.

I am watching a number of dramas and they are all different. I’m very happy to have the FL as a central plot so in a sense this drama has turned out well. But as a revenge drama alone, the story telling is odd and his master is one minute a genius the next useless. I can’t understand how the ML takes him seriously. It’s like he belongs in another drama. This is a drama forum so posters can critique dramas. Your comment to me suggests I’m disturbing those that like the drama.

The problem with fandom culture is some have become too inward looking they have forgotten there are a lot of casual drama watchers watching and will say how they feel honestly. That is not a crime. Gate keeping and policing the forum page is not useful when posters are merely posting opinions good or bad. It’s a drama forum not a fan page.

I was bombarded with information overload in the first few episodes I can’t even remember any of that. Maybe it’s deliberate to announce them that way so we’d miss some clues? I hope in the second half will be more exciting. The constant danger the ML puts himself into & gets bailed out by people last minute you start to calm down and accept it will keep happening as he always has luck seemingly in his side even how reckless he becomes.

I think the drama was marketed as some dark mystery revenge drama. It maybe the trailer creating a far more deeper feel. Won't be the first time this happened. Brocade Odyssey's trailer was like a completely different drama to the one that came out.

Others assuming the veteran heavy-weight director would be behind a more serious and meaningful drama. But, you can't say he doesn't know how to hook people in. Cynically, throw in a FL that will create friction and distract the ML. The ratings lifted as soon as they saw there was some love line there rather than male centric drama we had been told numerous times. With this script minus FL's distraction, it'll be just 20 episodes.

I recommend The Wind Blows from Longxi.

Well the drama is very strange from the start. I feel like there's a lot of inconsistencies in the drama already and I have said it elsewhere. I don't know how they will write her character, but I suspect she will change. Could be wrong, so let's see. Either way, it is what it is, and I sincerely hope directors do away with these types of roles for FL characters. It's dated as far as I can see. I seldom see many say they like seeing FL roles written this way.

I don't know how it was marketed as some serious male centric drama. Either it's deliberate or fandom did that. In China they call this reuters fraud. The trailer and drama are completely different.

I also watch idol dramas so this is not an issue seeing this type of storyline, but sadly FL's character starting out this way has been done too many times and it would be more interesting if she wasn't but, director knows best because I noticed ratings starting to climb when the love-line started.

I just find it annoying when extreme fans want to distant themselves from the FL's character saying she's not worthy of the ML. Truth is, the director has made it clear. The ML does like her even how toxic and manipulative, they cannot accept that his flaws also extend to his choice in women in the drama!

Why don't they admit this "original script" for the FL's role is disappointing and falling into the classic narrow minded view of female characters seen in yesteryear. Making women immature and stunted. Shallowlistic and basic. This wasn't the high-brow FL they had in mind. She will change...but she has another 15 episodes to do that 😉.

But I can't bring myself to watch because she will bring the same face there. She played a victim in hospital in The Heart and played the role so badly, she ended up making her victim status into a moany ungrateful person. Interesting thing is they have brought in a new actress called Shen Jia Yu which I hope will help her into C-dramaland.

I cannot fault a thing you said. When I first mentioned this drama is like an idol drama, the extreme fans came down on me claiming it's some designer brand respected director and it's very "serious", and then out came second master with his illogical behaviour against the stern baddies. That was already not some dark mysterious revenge drama, then enter FL with her uppity persona yet fancying the pants off the ML. Then being juvenile and vindictive.

But, you know what? The ratings started to rise when she turned up. I think the director knows the formula for success for the strong fan culture rather than cater to general public.

I want to see how they will turn her around because that's the most interesting thing right now. We can keep guessing who the mask wearer is, but her distracting the flow is a lesson on how to stretch a basic 20 episode revenge drama into 40!

The male directors have been projecting these roles for so long, female writers and directors (not all) are also influenced and do exactly the same. There has been some change the last few years, and good writing does not require her to be super human and do no wrong. She can be a victim and work around a male dominated world in subtle ways. These characters are there, but less so in Idol dramas sadly.

I am not speaking for others. Enjoying a character or the depth of a character does not mean I endorse it myself. I can separate real from reel. The calling of the character toxic is also not an issue so long as posters can tell it's the "director's" vision and not the actors' vision. They are just performing.

I believe that XAT's character has brought dimension and much needed tension to an already saturate market of revenge dramas. I suspect her character will grow or be layered and not expect her current state to stay the same. She is clearly instrumental to the storyline otherwise, she would not be asking the prince very important questions in his drunken state. The ML pulling her out of a tight spot is clearly saying he's sort-of paid her back and they are sort-of even.

As for her being the way she is, a bit of classic lazy writing to show her possible growth and reason. ML fancies her, and he's fighting it. He can't help himself. Love or attraction does not need to be following some moral code. He will drive his master crazy. That's how you stretch a 20 episode revenge drama into a 40 episodes.

Finally, this repeated 'central character is the ML' comment. I'm assuming you have put me in some kind of fandom camp with the FL or something? I respect her acting, may not like how she's had to do roles that make women seem basic and immature. But, I am not making excuses for her character. But without her character, I don't think the ratings will be rising as much as it has. There's a lot of goodwill for XZ in general, but for this drama, in my opinion, without her distracting the main revenge plot, it would be quite staid.

Could this be the director's dated ideas of what women's roles should be in his dramas? These types of roles were common going back 10 years ago. Only the last 3 years have I seen female characters losing that sulky, grumpy, arrogant persona. It's almost as if there is only 2 types of female roles. One like this, the other is the soup kitchen goddess Mary Sue character. Perhaps the men writers are having tunnel vision on how women are in their world?

No one is re-writing anything. I don't dispute that. But is it also OK for ML to still fall hopelessly in love with a character like that? In case it may have passed you by, people fall for bad boys and girls. Some people are attracted to toxic and egotistical characters. I have seen someone here falling in love with PinJing's character her on this forum.

If ML is falling for her even despite her teenage tantrums and controlling behaviour, that's life. Not everything follows a strict moral code.

I hope ML falls for her even though he's fighting it. I want to see how the director will make this original script work. Her character is so obviously a central character and not some side character as I have seen some suggest even prior to the first episode. The actress spent around 4 months filming so I would expect her to figure in a large amount of episodes. It's a revenge plot with her intertwined by the looks of it.

If you are finding it with no depth, you need to mention the director or script writers. These actors/actresses are just performing. I have seen so little mention about original script and the director's usage of women in the drama. Is the the lack of depth because they're just there to be decoration? The other female character tutor on the art of seduction saved ML.

Interesting thing is, FL's storyline makes this drama more interesting and adds more dimension. Why does she ask questions on a very drunk and important person? Of course she's more than a side character. Otherwise the classic revenge drama would end in 20 episodes.

Well, it starts with the director and script writers. The actress turns up to play the role written. If she's only inserted in there to create a hurdle for the ML's revenge (a lazy side plot) then it's badly written and sends a message out to say, females are just basic hot headed immature individuals. They are only interested in love above all other things. When she doesn't get what she wants she will be vindictive.

The other female character that pops up is tutoring in the art of seducing men (ML), another sign that the director is saying out loud. Women and revenge plot don't mix.

I think, FL's character is very central and the reason why the drama's picked up more. Without her role, the drama will be just another revenge drama. ML now knows she's also interested in the Gui Seal.