Terenia-Shaiana

Accusations must be backed by evidence. I’m not interested in empty talk. Let me remind you that Ren Jialun has already won a defamation lawsuit, and the person who slandered him was punished — not just banned on social media. I hope Xiaoran will follow the same path and legally punish those who insult her, both as a professional and as a person.

This is where my conversation with you ends.

I’ve already written here more than once that I like the drama. Of course, it has its flaws, like any project. But for me, they are not critical, so I simply enjoy watching it.
I believe that both lead actors portrayed their very different yet interesting characters wonderfully.

I completely agree with Peng Xiaoran that right now the entire production team is in the same boat, and they should unite rather than start conflicts.

The original novel’s author may be unhappy with the adaptation of her work, but let me remind you that her text has been edited so many times that it’s hard to even count. Still, it’s her right to express her opinion, so that’s fine with me.

What isn’t fine is the hate that is now being directed at the actors. People are starting to look for someone to blame. That’s normal for the Weibo community, but why copy them? For what purpose?

I read comments on different platforms. Some people don’t like Ren Jialun, some don’t like Peng Xiaoran, some don’t like a third actor. But why escalate everything into hate and harassment?

I agree with you. You can enjoy watching a drama and still see its flaws.
But here I see almost constant negativity and even direct insults toward the actors and members of the production team.
I also see shortcomings in the script, and I don’t really like some decisions made by the costume designers or makeup artists. And of course I can mention this in my own post, just like anyone else. But at the same time, I will also write about what I like. Because when a post is purely negative, how can one understand that the author actually likes the project overall?

I would also like to point out that the original title of the project is “Ascending the Phoenix Tower.” Ascending means a path and a process. And the main characters are climbing that tower each in their own way, trying to understand each other.

But here it seems like people want the characters to reach mutual understanding from the very first minutes of the series, and then the emperor and empress would fight everyone together. But there are already plenty of dramas like that. This one is about something else. If overall it doesn’t appeal to you, why stay and write nasty things? That’s what I mean.

Same for me. If I don’t like a drama, I can say what I didn’t like and then leave. I don’t even give it a rating, because how can you judge a work when you’ve only seen part of it?
But under this drama there is so much condemnation, malice, and hatred that it’s scary to open the comments. Okay, you don’t like the show — but why pour out all that negativity?

I still don’t understand why people who dislike everything in this drama keep watching it.
You seem to know better what others should feel/do/film/write/act/wear, etc. I’m not asking about the masterpieces you’ve written, filmed, or created. I’m only interested in two questions:

Why are you still here?

Why, despite the low rating and the hate pouring like a raging river, are more and more people coming to watch this drama?

That’s exactly the problem — she never lived among palace intrigues. She lived freely, under the guidance of her mentor and her father. She has no experience with schemes; she trusts the people she has known for many years, the ones who always supported her. And then suddenly this man appears — first he kills her mentor without any explanation, then forces her to marry him, then brings her a wedding ‘gift’. Where is the foundation for trust in all this?
The emperor should have gradually opened her eyes, not stayed silent. But he has his own reasons.

I just want people to understand: this is not a sweet fairytale about love. It’s a harsh story about life in the palace, and about what power and intrigue do to people — or destroy in them. And there’s no one to judge here. Not a single character.

If someone doesn’t like the story — that’s fine. There are plenty of other dramas. But I don’t understand why spread toxicity here.

The drama isn’t even over yet. And remember Dark River. Prince Lanyan also had a wife who left both her husband and child to go wandering because she didn’t want to deal with all the palace schemes. Cangcang is from the same mold.

I’m truly enjoying every episode. At last, I’m seeing characters who actually transform throughout the drama. Cang Cang is changing from a naïve girl into a woman who begins to understand that this world isn’t simply black and white. There are halftones, quarter-tones. It’s hard for her to grasp and accept this. She keeps clinging to the people she cherishes, not realizing that each of them wants to use her in their own way. But this clinging is also part of her transformation.

Xiao Huan, too, is learning that control and love are not the same thing. That no amount of affection or jewels can replace freedom. As they say: if you desire someone—let him/her go; if him/her return, they’re yours, if not—they never were.

I also like the prince and Zhong Lin. I’m curious what the young Mentor will do and what role the new characters will play.

And I’m glad that those who dislike the drama are finally leaving the title and the comment sections. Maybe now there will be a little less sarcasm and outright negativity.

You're welcome. I just translate Chinese dramas a bit, so I have to dive deeper into the culture of this country.

Pear blossoms in Chinese culture are among the most poetic symbols, combining purity, fragility, and a quiet sense of tragedy. Their white color embodies innocence, inner nobility, and a restrained, almost cold beauty that seems detached from the world. Because these flowers bloom early in the cold of spring, they symbolize strength — the ability to remain pure even in harsh conditions — yet also loneliness, as such beauty exists apart from others.

One of the most famous expressions is **“梨花带雨” — “pear blossoms in the rain”**, used to describe a woman in tears. It does not convey despair, but a gentle, deep sorrow — a soft ache that makes the character even more delicate. For this reason, pear blossoms are often associated with tragic heroines: pure and kind, yet destined for suffering or solitude. Their quickly falling petals evoke the transience of youth, the fragility of happiness, and the impossibility of holding onto what is dear.

In Tang and Song dynasty poetry, pear blossoms were frequently used to depict women with refined yet sorrowful fates. The image highlighted not only beauty, but also inner bitterness, memories, loss, and a pure love that could never be fulfilled. Thus, the pear blossom became a symbol of the ideal yet unattainable woman — of quiet pain and delicate, luminous tenderness that always borders on tragedy.

It’s very strange to read people criticizing the heroine’s personality. She has spent her entire life in a world where everyone loved and protected her — her father, her mentor, her brother. Why on earth should she suddenly abandon years of absolute trust in the closest people and start suspecting them? What reason would she have? *We* know what happens behind the scenes — she doesn’t.

Cangcang is only just beginning to face problems that can’t be solved by simply stealing a few paintings from her father. She’s starting to fight for her own place in the world. And despite her naivety, she hasn’t done a single stupid or illogical thing. She’s suffering because the man she fell in love with has turned into a monster in her eyes; she’s left alone in the palace, and on top of that, she’s under constant pressure to produce an heir.

I understand that not everyone likes this type of heroine. But so many dramas are coming out now — the choice is huge. From all those “female generals” and “great romances” released in summer and autumn, I couldn’t get past episode 10 in any of them. They show 20-year-old characters who supposedly know everything and can do everything, yet still make decisions that completely contradict their backgrounds.

Many people complain about the filming style or pick on the makeup. Yet no one has pointed out that the drama uses the symbolism of pear blossoms as a central motif. And if you look into that symbolism, the heroine’s personality becomes much easier to understand.

Who cares about some subtitles. Money is what matters.
It’s a pity there isn’t massive backlash in China and people aren’t unsubscribing from the platform. Maybe then we would have seen that open ending.

The platform doesn’t care about people’s reactions to the ending. What matters to them is that all the advertising slots were bought. That’s what they chose to brag about.

Please tell me, did Lici die after he turned back time? As in, he completely erased himself from everyone’s memory?
Why does this remind me so much of TDHR?

I wouldn’t say I take such things seriously, but the number of comments like this is surprising.
Because I feel sorry for every single person in this drama. There isn’t a single character who hasn’t made mistakes and hurt others because of them. But I would never say, even as a joke, “I hate him/her.”
Still, I understand that we’re all different, so this is just my own view and understanding.

If you’re already on episode 19, then you can see that Liu Yan has practically lost his mind. He doesn’t perceive reality properly anymore, and his grasp on the past is even worse.

Besides, would you personally believe someone you consider a murderer—especially when you saw with your own eyes that person taking the heart of someone you loved?

That’s why I’m not sure that even the method A’Li used at the end would have helped. But at least then he could have said, “I did everything I could.”

I honestly don’t understand why so many people are excited that Lici finally beat up Liu Yan.
To begin with, Fang Zhou ordered Lici to stay silent, saying “they wouldn’t understand.” And that is the most disastrous explanation in the entire drama. After all, cultivating gu insects is not exactly a righteous technique either. Yet no one ever hated Liu Yan for that. I think those two might not have been thrilled about it at first, but they at least understood what was going on.

Then comes the energy-exchange scene. In that episode, Fang Zhou looked as if he were about to die. And Liu Yan — who was generally more impulsive — when no one reacted to his shout, didn’t start throwing spells around, but tried to push Lici away. And then his hand seemed to freeze to Lici’s shoulder, and he couldn’t pull it back at all. In that moment part of the Rebirth Scroll technique transferred into him. Liu Yan absolutely did not intend to hurt anyone. But not knowing and not understanding what was happening led to tragedy. And all three of them were at fault: Lici and Fang Zhou — because they kept Liu Yan in the dark; and Liu Yan — because he interfered where he shouldn’t have.

After that, both Lici and Liu Yan became consumed: one by resurrection, the other by revenge. Because of their obsession, a huge number of people died. And it wasn’t only Liu Yan sending his soldiers to death — Lici coldly manipulated everyone as well.

Lici had a million chances to show everything to Yan, but for some reason he only did it when it no longer mattered.

So each of them must atone for their guilt, and I can’t fully condemn either of them or say “Lici is a saint, Yan is pure evil.” I see them as equals. And I never felt joy watching their fights — only deep sadness.

So the episodes aren’t available yet? That gives at least a faint hope for something not entirely bad.
I feel so sorry for everyone. And I really don’t want these deaths.
Will the creators of the drama really not have mercy on us

If someone has already watched (not just read or seen the teasers for) the latest episodes, please write how it ended

It will be interesting to see his reaction.)